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Sometimes A Quickie Will Do: In Praise Of One-Shot Games

29 September 2011 by 4 Comments
One year

Like many gamers, I love long-running campaigns. There are so many wonderful story elements, so much character development, and just so much fun to be had. The possibilities are endless, and I play in one every chance I get, whether they’re going to last a few weeks, a few months, or a few years. That said, I still have a whole lotta love for the one-shot. A one-and-done game is sometimes just what the doctor ordered. Whether they’re published modules or original adventures, one-shots are … [Read more...]

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Costumes for the Lazy

28 September 2011 by 3 Comments
holoship

So you've been invited to a last-minute Halloween costume party.  Only one problem: you're not the costume "type," so you don't have anything from a con on standby, and you've got very little time to throw anything together.  Or maybe you'd like to keep your effort to a bare minimum.  What will you do? Below are a few "lazy" ideas for costumes.  These require minimal time and purchases, and hopefully look a bit more clever than just buying a cape from a drugstore. H Is For Hologram On … [Read more...]

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GGG’s GMing Tips: Playing to Your Audience

24 September 2011 by 1 Comment
Game Pic

There are pieces of GM advice that seem so obvious that I find myself shaking my head, years later, finding GMs that don’t seem to know them. This article is about one of them. I’ve run a lot of games, and most of them have been pretty successful. If I had to trace things back to a fundamental root of why so many different players, with many different playing styles, have enjoyed themselves at my table, I would say it’s because I have a strong sense of how to play to my … [Read more...]

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Want Video Game Fun? Bring On The PAIN!

22 September 2011 by Leave a Comment
101603_Pain-(PS3-Game)_pbilimage1

As much as I would like to pretend that I’m a master (mistress, I guess) of All Things Geek, I have to confess: I’m not very good at video games. In fact, I’m pretty awful. I must lack a key hand-eye coordination gene, because I just can’t time jumps and movements to save my poor little character’s life, be it Sonic the Hedgehog, the dwarven fighter in Baldur’s Gate, or a sack monster in Little Big Planet. Driving games make me dizzy, and I’m not even going to try a first person … [Read more...]

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Dexter: A Definite Addiction

21 September 2011 by 1 Comment
E17TVa

Usually it's not a secret when I'm a fan of a TV show.  But there's one show that comes second only to Doctor Who when it comes to my fangirlishness; a show that makes one year seem twice as long when I'm waiting for a new season.  But I don't talk about my love for it very much, because it seems, well... kind of wrong. See, I'm a fan of Dexter.  I root for a serial killer. Do what, now? Dexter works for the Miami Police Department - homicide.  He's not a cop, though - he's a … [Read more...]

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Fanservice, the Card Game: Review of Tanto Cuore

19 September 2011 by 4 Comments
tc1_front

  Longtime readers will remember that, back in June, I shared my Deep and Precious Thoughts about moe and its strange semi-sexual appeal. Well, batten down the hatches, because there is a new game in town, a game that hits every moe ball out of the park while shoehorning in an even more potent source of fetish fuel; maid costumes and maid culture. Tanto Cuore is a maid-based deck-building card game originally made in Japan that has been localized and released for an English speaking … [Read more...]

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By Crom! – GGG Talks About Fiction’s Seminal Barbarian

17 September 2011 by 4 Comments

Way back before my teenaged years, when I was a much smaller person than I am today, I collected comic books without much rhyme or reason. Every Sunday after church, I would go with my Grandpa to a little corner store, and I’d be allowed to buy a couple of comics. I chose these at random, as much for the cover as anything else, and so I never really followed the continuity of what was going on. This changed later, but that’s not the point. Along with various titles like the Micronauts, … [Read more...]

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GM Virgin No More: The Tale Of My First Time Behind The Screen

15 September 2011 by 6 Comments
Me the GM

No one ever forgets the details of their first time: where you did it, who you were with, how nervous and excited you were, how it felt asking everyone to roll for initiative… What did you think I was talking about? One of my resolutions for this year was to run my first game. For most of the year, I spun my wheels, hemming and hawing over what system to use and basically getting nowhere (except more nervous as more and more of my friends got excited about playing with me as GM). Last … [Read more...]

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Gifts for Geeklings

14 September 2011 by 1 Comment
babylolcat

So you hear your sibling, or your co-worker, or your friend, is pregnant.  And one way or another - whether it's a baby shower, or a welcome-back party, or a meet-and-greet, you're going to give a present.  Maybe, depending on the relationship of the gestating one, you'll actually be getting to know the baby.  You'll be cool Aunt Brittany or awesome Uncle Chris. What?! you may be saying to yourself.  I don't know anything about babies!  The last time I held a baby was when I... no wait, … [Read more...]

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The Village of No-No: Adventure to Dice Castle

13 September 2011 by 1 Comment

You've got your equipment. You've figured out what skills and attributes you have. Now it's time to start out on our quest. First stop? The dreaded Village of No-No. DOM DOM DOM. You adjust your shoulder bag and stroll into a village nestled in a lush valley. The first thing you see is a man and a woman arguing at the top of their lungs. From what you can make out, they're pissed off about coin. The woman turns to you and says: "Don't work for that guy, he'll never pay you." The man, who … [Read more...]

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