I believe it is also New Years Eve for the celtic calendar. So a twin celebration is in order here at the 'ol blogstead. Not too much to mention today. Need to get off my sorry ass and write BtS: Dispel Magic before folks lose interest altogether.
We had a bang-up game on Sunday as the PCs in the planar campaign whooped the forces of the Faceless One and his Cult of Chaos. However, the homecoming and expectant relaxation is put on indefinite hold when the PCs return to Sigil to find things not quite right. The city appears to have been the site of a tremendous battle and, at first glance, no creatures are stirring. This is where I left the group as a cliffhanger to the planar campaign's first season finale. As for last Sunday's game, there was much XP to be had as the group defeated cultists, gibbering mouthers, troblins (from Tome of Horrors II), a young black dragon, and the Faceless One himself (a mutated ineffable horror from FR's Underdark sourcebook) amidst the chaos of a random teleportation chamber (see the spell secret from BtS: Teleport).
I think the group enjoyed the nearly 9-hour long session but it sure was a tiring experience for this DM. I had the adventure planned out in my head (as any DM should before "going into battle") but, when time was slipping away too fast, I had to axe the Faceless One's lair. Since I had little more than a map of it anyway, I wasn't too unhappy with that split-second decision.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Happy Sewing!
Here's a slight departure for the 'ol blog but I assure you it's for a good cause. My mom runs a fabric shop in town and she has recently begun to sell her wares online. If you or anyone you know (because even gamers have moms and grandmoms!) has quilting or similar needs, have them visit http://www.happysewingroom.com/. Buyers will get the personal service and low prices they deserve. Tell her Bret sent you! :)
And because no entry should be without some game chatter, I'm prepping the second part of the planar campaign adventure began last time against the Cult of Chaos. It will involve more strange monsters, an epic field battle, and the hopeful foiling of the twisted plot of the cult's leader the Faceless One. (Adventure features subject to change. No money back guarantee. Void where prohibited.)
And because no entry should be without some game chatter, I'm prepping the second part of the planar campaign adventure began last time against the Cult of Chaos. It will involve more strange monsters, an epic field battle, and the hopeful foiling of the twisted plot of the cult's leader the Faceless One. (Adventure features subject to change. No money back guarantee. Void where prohibited.)
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
The Path to Hobbylancing Contentment
I was just looking for the current rank of Temporality on RPGNow's charts by company and product type and it doesn't even come up in the top 20 anymore. It's frustrating that a product which has been reviewed so favorably isn't racking up more sales. I'm experiencing similar dissatisfaction with the sales of Behind the Spells and other pdfs I've written. Am I to assume that consumers aren't interested in my work and just shuffle off to another kind of writing market? Well, duh, of course not. So, just what is the problem then? Several answers present themselves.
Name Recognition--I'm no Monte Cook or Steve Kenson but I'd like to think that people in the online community have heard of Bret Boyd. And that's all I'm aiming for, mind you, the online community. I'd be deluding myself if I thought that casual gamers who never venture off the WotC boards were my target audience. Over the six odd years I've been doing this I've written (as a contributor and solo) a lot of products. Hard to say though if I'm making penetration into d20 stardom. Since folks usually support authors they like, I can only infer that I'm below the radar since no products of mine have been universally panned. Although I wonder what penning an abysmally awful product would do for my notoriety.
Marketing--When a product of mine is available, I give it all the pimping I can without (hopefully) being a nuisance about it. Press releases are posted to Gaming Report, ENWorld, and RPG.net. If a message board thread surfaces that is directly related to my product, then I pimp it once there as well. If web surfers even casually follow the gaming news, then they at least see my PR for a brief moment.
Topic--Even I'll admit that my pdfs aren't exactly mainstream works. Temporality and Dread Codex are extremely limited in scope (and the latter is useful just to DMs). But the bulk of my Ronin Arts work is player-friendly and should, at their low cost, sell like hot cakes. I've often thought that my short pdfs do tend to be on the Tim Burton-esque wierd side of the gaming table. Is that a strength in itself? Guess not given slumping sales. Perhaps it's just a glut in the fantasy genre too. I mean, given all of the other support for d20 fantasy out there, why would someone even look for more material they may never use in a weekly or monthly game?
Are there any definitive paths to hobbylancing riches for someone like me? Nope. And therein lies the conclusion to all of this--at least for me. Balancing what one expects with what one gets. Sure, I'd like to sell a gajillion bucks worth of product and only write whenever I feel like it but these two things are incompatible. At this point, I want to expend a smallish amount of effort and see where that leads me. It seems that my returns are exactly what I should expect for my efforts then.
Every other hobbylancer must look at his own situation the same way when he's feeling like this. Got bad sales? Well, if you're not trying to feed yourself (much less a family), then consider your work an exercise. For as surely as your body needs to flex its muscles, so too does your mind. In a way, hobbylancers have it better than our big name counterparts. Our work comes from deep in the creative soul, where it has come to a boil on its own time. The result is a more engaging product as opposed to the "forced creativity" of 9 to 5'ers. And, perhaps, over time, our products will be recognized for their inner shine and we will be given appropriate validation--the true wealth of a hobbylancer.
Name Recognition--I'm no Monte Cook or Steve Kenson but I'd like to think that people in the online community have heard of Bret Boyd. And that's all I'm aiming for, mind you, the online community. I'd be deluding myself if I thought that casual gamers who never venture off the WotC boards were my target audience. Over the six odd years I've been doing this I've written (as a contributor and solo) a lot of products. Hard to say though if I'm making penetration into d20 stardom. Since folks usually support authors they like, I can only infer that I'm below the radar since no products of mine have been universally panned. Although I wonder what penning an abysmally awful product would do for my notoriety.
Marketing--When a product of mine is available, I give it all the pimping I can without (hopefully) being a nuisance about it. Press releases are posted to Gaming Report, ENWorld, and RPG.net. If a message board thread surfaces that is directly related to my product, then I pimp it once there as well. If web surfers even casually follow the gaming news, then they at least see my PR for a brief moment.
Topic--Even I'll admit that my pdfs aren't exactly mainstream works. Temporality and Dread Codex are extremely limited in scope (and the latter is useful just to DMs). But the bulk of my Ronin Arts work is player-friendly and should, at their low cost, sell like hot cakes. I've often thought that my short pdfs do tend to be on the Tim Burton-esque wierd side of the gaming table. Is that a strength in itself? Guess not given slumping sales. Perhaps it's just a glut in the fantasy genre too. I mean, given all of the other support for d20 fantasy out there, why would someone even look for more material they may never use in a weekly or monthly game?
Are there any definitive paths to hobbylancing riches for someone like me? Nope. And therein lies the conclusion to all of this--at least for me. Balancing what one expects with what one gets. Sure, I'd like to sell a gajillion bucks worth of product and only write whenever I feel like it but these two things are incompatible. At this point, I want to expend a smallish amount of effort and see where that leads me. It seems that my returns are exactly what I should expect for my efforts then.
Every other hobbylancer must look at his own situation the same way when he's feeling like this. Got bad sales? Well, if you're not trying to feed yourself (much less a family), then consider your work an exercise. For as surely as your body needs to flex its muscles, so too does your mind. In a way, hobbylancers have it better than our big name counterparts. Our work comes from deep in the creative soul, where it has come to a boil on its own time. The result is a more engaging product as opposed to the "forced creativity" of 9 to 5'ers. And, perhaps, over time, our products will be recognized for their inner shine and we will be given appropriate validation--the true wealth of a hobbylancer.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Reading List
Being in the middle of two trilogies is probably not the best idea. I just finished Farthest Reach in Richard Baker's "The Last Mythal" trilogy and as much as I thought the first book was ho-hum is how much I enjoyed this second book. The characters were a bit more alive and the plot engaging to the point that I really wanted to see what happened next. That said, if it wasn't a Realms novel, I may not have been as interested as there's definitely a change in the Heartlands power struggle going on.
With that done, I could move on to Final Gate, the last book in the trilogy. Indeed I would like to do just that but I've been neglecting the second book of the "Erevis Cale" trilogy by Paul Kemp and need to jump back to that before I totally forget the events of the first. Guess I'll bounce back to Baker and then return to finish up Kemp before moving on to some non-TSR reading like my recent Conan or Gray Mouser purchases.
With that done, I could move on to Final Gate, the last book in the trilogy. Indeed I would like to do just that but I've been neglecting the second book of the "Erevis Cale" trilogy by Paul Kemp and need to jump back to that before I totally forget the events of the first. Guess I'll bounce back to Baker and then return to finish up Kemp before moving on to some non-TSR reading like my recent Conan or Gray Mouser purchases.
Friday, October 20, 2006
What Have You Stolen Lately?
It seems that invariably when I watch something cool on TV I think of how I can work it into a module for my group. Tonight it was a battle against impossible odds on Battlestar Galactica and an interesting notion of "adventurer training" while viewing Top Gun. One film I come back to again and again is The Hunt for Red October. It's one of those movies that, when I come across it, just have to sit down and watch. Red October has many cool elements to steal, not the least of which is the plot.
I've used "the defector" idea once in a 2nd edition adventure of the same name. The PCs were to meet and escort a high-ranking agent of the Realms' Zhentarim who was smuggling a prototype weapon known as "the shaper"--an item capable of shaping itself into any weapon the wielder wished*. I can't say that the module turned out to be anything overly exciting so I keep searching for new ways to use Red October in a current campaign. Keeps the movie fresh, I suppose, despite it being two decades old.
Quite often when I do find something to steal from tv/movies it is unrecognizable in the fantasy genre. Not that it matters when it is recognized, mind you. True originality has its place too but, as the old saying goes, there's nothing new under the sun. So what have you stolen lately from mainstream media? Did your group call you out on a replicated scene, plot, or character?
*The mutable weapon concept entered the d20 arena in the form of Mallyate, part of Ronin Arts' "Athenaeum Arcane" line of pdfs.
I've used "the defector" idea once in a 2nd edition adventure of the same name. The PCs were to meet and escort a high-ranking agent of the Realms' Zhentarim who was smuggling a prototype weapon known as "the shaper"--an item capable of shaping itself into any weapon the wielder wished*. I can't say that the module turned out to be anything overly exciting so I keep searching for new ways to use Red October in a current campaign. Keeps the movie fresh, I suppose, despite it being two decades old.
Quite often when I do find something to steal from tv/movies it is unrecognizable in the fantasy genre. Not that it matters when it is recognized, mind you. True originality has its place too but, as the old saying goes, there's nothing new under the sun. So what have you stolen lately from mainstream media? Did your group call you out on a replicated scene, plot, or character?
*The mutable weapon concept entered the d20 arena in the form of Mallyate, part of Ronin Arts' "Athenaeum Arcane" line of pdfs.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Apply Directly to the Forehead
Races of Boredom--A title for WotC's upcoming book? Nah, they already produced it under three other names--Races of the Wild/Stone/Destiny. I was just flipping through the second of these (I own the first two) when it occured to me what utter crap it has within its over-priced pages. I opened to a random page and my brain was lavished with the details of gnomish grooming. Dear god, how have my games gone on without this priceless knowledge?! A few more page turns and I learn that gnomish weddings last up to a week. How 'bout that for a juicy roleplaying tidbit? Ugh; I paid real money for this?
Over the years, I've found that sourcebooks on races and classes we already know about to be filled with this type of superfluous bric-a-brac. If Wizards wants more people to buy their stuff, perhaps they should fill the books with, oh I don't know, new and interesting information (notice the second condition "interesting"). Whether I'm a player or a DM, I'd like some shred of information that either: a) I can directly port into my next game; or b) inspires me to think of something that I will use/mention in my next game. For me, it is often a matter of that old mantra: "Less is more." Several chapters in the aforementioned books can be reduced to a handful of paragraphs. Gnomish psychology? No thanks. How about more new races like that goliath? Okay, perhaps they're not that good either but at least it's something new and interesting! And don't even get me started on Races of Destiny. Devoting sections of the book to explaining humans to human players is akin to explaining the concepts of D&D to 'ol E. Gary Gygax.
So how does this rant tie in with the entry's title? Well, if you live in the US, you must have seen the Head On commercials where a model applies some type of pain reliever "directly to the forehead." The tagline annoyingly repeats three times in a row. One of my bosses looked this stuff up online and discovered that the primary ingredient is some type of wax. No wonder it has no usage limitations! And yet, demand has apparently risen to the point that the other boss decided to stock the crap in the store (I noticed when stopping there to visit my sister today). My point is that both the Races books and Head On are pretty much interchangeable--both offer a lot of glitter without the gold.
Over the years, I've found that sourcebooks on races and classes we already know about to be filled with this type of superfluous bric-a-brac. If Wizards wants more people to buy their stuff, perhaps they should fill the books with, oh I don't know, new and interesting information (notice the second condition "interesting"). Whether I'm a player or a DM, I'd like some shred of information that either: a) I can directly port into my next game; or b) inspires me to think of something that I will use/mention in my next game. For me, it is often a matter of that old mantra: "Less is more." Several chapters in the aforementioned books can be reduced to a handful of paragraphs. Gnomish psychology? No thanks. How about more new races like that goliath? Okay, perhaps they're not that good either but at least it's something new and interesting! And don't even get me started on Races of Destiny. Devoting sections of the book to explaining humans to human players is akin to explaining the concepts of D&D to 'ol E. Gary Gygax.
So how does this rant tie in with the entry's title? Well, if you live in the US, you must have seen the Head On commercials where a model applies some type of pain reliever "directly to the forehead." The tagline annoyingly repeats three times in a row. One of my bosses looked this stuff up online and discovered that the primary ingredient is some type of wax. No wonder it has no usage limitations! And yet, demand has apparently risen to the point that the other boss decided to stock the crap in the store (I noticed when stopping there to visit my sister today). My point is that both the Races books and Head On are pretty much interchangeable--both offer a lot of glitter without the gold.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Vacation Continues
Coming up on the middle of my vacation, things are going well. Linda and I had a wonderful trip to Atlantic City on Monday and yesterday was a grab-bag day of grocery shopping, hiking, and calculating XP from Sunday's adventure. Today will be spent going to one of my favorite game stores and (maybe) mowing the grass with a dose of reading and watching Lost tonight.
For your viewing pleasure, another review has surfaced for Temporality. I don't want to jinx myself, but the book continues to get good reviews! Have a look: http://www.enworld.org/reviews.php?do=review&reviewid=3115114
For your viewing pleasure, another review has surfaced for Temporality. I don't want to jinx myself, but the book continues to get good reviews! Have a look: http://www.enworld.org/reviews.php?do=review&reviewid=3115114
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Gaming is Good
The adventure today went, I think, not too badly. New guy Mike Ferguson was a welcome addition and I hope he continues to join us (I promise there'll be more for your warlock to blast next time ). I never feel very comfortable when I don't write the entire adventure but it went along without too many dull spots and actually ended with an unintentional cliffhanger. With any luck, perhaps we'll pick it up at the end of the month.
In Behind the Spells news, I'm not sure what to tell those of you waiting for the next issue. I handed in lightning bolt a while ago and, while I know Phil is busy moving into his new home, he's now released a few titles. Guess I'll have to email him to see what's what.
In Behind the Spells news, I'm not sure what to tell those of you waiting for the next issue. I handed in lightning bolt a while ago and, while I know Phil is busy moving into his new home, he's now released a few titles. Guess I'll have to email him to see what's what.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
BtS Review
A new review has rolled in for Behind the Spells: Mirror Image. I'll be the first to admit that this early issue wasn't the best of the series but at least it's a good review. Have a look: http://www.enworld.org/reviews.php?do=review&reviewid=3104489
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
At Last, We Play!
It's been a number of weeks, but we're finally able to game this coming Sunday. This installment will be of my Protectorate planar campaign and see the introduction of Mike Ferguson (the player and his PC) to the group. For more on Mike, click the "Musings of the Emerald Lich" link to the right.
Since I like to devote the days prior to a module to getting it ready, I likely won't be working further on BtS: Dispel Magic until next week. But seeing as how L. Bolt isn't released yet, no one will notice.
And did you hear about the shootings in Lancaster Cty. yesterday at the Amish school? I saw some of a report last night. Geez, you'd think a small Amish school would be safe from such senseless violence. I'm surprised any of the adults agreed to be interviewed. What struck me most, I think, is the Amish's unwavering faith. The interviewees spoke of already forgiving the gunman and knowing the community must move on. That kind of conviction is incredible. I only pray that all of the critically injured girls recover quickly in body and mind.
Since I like to devote the days prior to a module to getting it ready, I likely won't be working further on BtS: Dispel Magic until next week. But seeing as how L. Bolt isn't released yet, no one will notice.
And did you hear about the shootings in Lancaster Cty. yesterday at the Amish school? I saw some of a report last night. Geez, you'd think a small Amish school would be safe from such senseless violence. I'm surprised any of the adults agreed to be interviewed. What struck me most, I think, is the Amish's unwavering faith. The interviewees spoke of already forgiving the gunman and knowing the community must move on. That kind of conviction is incredible. I only pray that all of the critically injured girls recover quickly in body and mind.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)