tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189498872024-03-07T17:05:44.793-08:00The Bottom of the GlassEntering my fourth decade of gaming!Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.comBlogger354125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-77068972323634887682012-09-02T13:09:00.003-07:002012-09-02T13:09:14.282-07:00Prometheus Institute: Conversion (the finale)
When we left our intrepid heroes (!?) Joshua and Ares were on Olympus with a host of depowered Prometheans and a bunch of Project Ares clones. They had just opened a wormhole into the future to see the alien invaders and the reactivated prometheans battling. We also left Thomas and Seth at Area 51, face to face with an alien entity who looked very much like Seth. There were also white Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-86045143569497979742012-08-14T04:54:00.002-07:002012-08-14T04:54:59.087-07:00Update, of sorts.So, after my little outpouring of frustration and angst, what have I done about things?
1. Curfew! - I now have a bedtime. Midnight,no later. Preferably 11 o'clock but thats flexible. The upshot will hopefully be a more energised Neil. Results so far ... decent.
2. Small victories - taking a bit of MMO psychology into life, breaking some stuff down into small bits. So doing a read-through edit Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-78086741422778078932012-08-04T02:00:00.000-07:002012-08-04T02:00:06.594-07:00Poor Unloved Blog ThingOh my poor unloved blog thing - how I have missed you!
Its been ages since I have updated this thing, which might be taken as a sign in and of itself of some sort of massive activity elsewhere - but nothing could be further from the truth! In fact it's because I have been caught in the horrific decision and productivity paralysis that has dogged me periodically for years now.The problem, as Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-23959722760364081452012-08-04T01:05:00.002-07:002012-08-04T01:05:18.327-07:00Prometheus Institute - 1.5 'They Came From The Stars'
A strange session today. We haven’t played for over three
months and it shows in a game which really needs everyone to be on the same
page. We spent a fair while just re-acquainting
ourselves with the game and the continuity and then kicked off.
The game opened with the new Promethean base being revealed,
a floating (late flying) city base in international waters off the US coast.
Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-45396204797754625142012-04-30T14:59:00.000-07:002012-04-30T14:59:17.341-07:00Prometheus Institute Ep 1.5 – Pennville
Prometheus Institute Ep 1.5 – PennvilleThis session was very different from the others in the game. It took the form of a flashback into the late 1980s (1989 to be precise) and formed the revelation of what, exactly, the Pennville Incident was and why Tempest went rogue (amongst other things). It was, essentially, a good bit of campaign exposition turned into a game session. The conceit was Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-66168744243174743452012-03-22T05:39:00.000-07:002012-03-22T05:39:49.164-07:00Smallville 1.4Smallville 1.4
The game kicks off with Thomas running through the streets of Johannesburg’s financial district, jumping between shadows as time warps around him. He is clutching a container. He exits the streets into a square only to find it flooded with lights from arclights. He is hit by a three-pronged missile and falls to the ground, unconscious. Around him, the armoured men who were Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-74807446614904501172012-03-06T14:26:00.002-08:002012-03-06T14:26:45.345-08:00Episode ThreeThe session opens with the scene that we left last time – in the Gaza Strip, Seth and Ares square off against Arabic prometheans, Saladin (a telekentic) and Kibbutz (a duplicator). Kibbutz, split many times, opens fire on the media crew and Seth tries to protect them. He uses his invulnerable body to block the bullets, tries to reflect them back at Kibbutz but is then outflanked by Kibbutz’s manyVodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-44460814071787820192012-02-20T03:41:00.000-08:002012-02-20T03:41:07.171-08:00Smallville Episode 2Pre-title Scene
Arlington-esque cemetery, in the lashing rain. Black garbed figures, including Joshua, Thomas and Seth bury the remains of Project Ares. A full military gun salute sends a flock of birds flying into the storm. A limousine pulls up and an unknown man rolls down the window and, speaking to a mobile phone, states that ‘It is time he knows the truth.’
Titles!
Seth appears in the Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-49803000453978165002012-02-12T14:15:00.000-08:002012-02-12T15:56:04.731-08:00AP: Smallville 1.1 - Strange BedfellowsPre-Title Scenes
Thomas Jackson (Nigel) uses his stealthy shadow powers to ghost into a locked vault to retrieve a computer file.
Project Ares (Dave) is a witness to a robbery at a liquor store and uses his time stop powers to interfere wurg the crime, pay for his beer and exit the scene.
Seth Adams (Andrew) is partying on top of Thorne Towers (one of the main sets for the game) with the studentsVodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-71066363763235754832011-12-28T01:55:00.000-08:002011-12-28T01:55:54.512-08:002011 Top Three Gaming MomentsIts been a funny old year - when I have looked back at what we have done, we don't seem to have done lots of gaming but in reality it appears that we have done more than we usually do. Maybe its because I have been virtually convention-free this year? Maybe its because we have had a smaller group? I have no idea. Still, there have still been some excellent gaming highlights.
There has been one Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-40034204324154226572011-12-26T01:32:00.000-08:002011-12-26T01:32:16.011-08:002011 Resolutions in ReviewThe Bottom of the Glass tradition returns, as the end-of-year triumvirate of posts look back, and forward, on the gaming year.
#1: Game More (SUCCESS)
An absolute success. My main gaming group have played through the end of our D&D campaign this year, and then Gamma World, the Dresden Files RPG and a little Burning Wheel too. Dave has successfully started a second gaming night, Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-34526823721990329162011-10-18T14:29:00.000-07:002011-10-18T14:29:09.508-07:00Still Alive and Kicking More Than Ever!It feels like ages since I have had time to put finger to keyboard. Life has, as per usual, been throwing me a full-on barrage of curve balls. Loathe as I am to blog about work life, I have been through the wringer over the summer and come out of the other side with a job, a promotion and a little stability. Woot!
On the gaming front, I have moved from a vertitable famine to a feast. The Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-89008613075403207022011-08-22T11:27:00.000-07:002011-08-22T11:27:49.583-07:00Sexual Networking...or why you should not friend your students on facebook.
I have a rule: no current students as friends on facebook. Yesterday I realised one of the more practical reasons why that should remain so. That reason was a game called The Sims Social.
This is a Facebook game based on the ridiculously popular game, The Sims. Personally, I hate the standard Sims game with a passion because all I Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-39760318729081287702011-08-04T12:01:00.000-07:002011-08-04T12:01:41.757-07:00What is EPOCH?Its been three years since I launched Duty & Honour and my world changed forever. Its been an amazing adventure so far but I needed some time to relax and sit back and reflect on where things are and where things could be going. I did this during this year's sabbatical from conventions. I finished my teaching qualification, got my job prospects sorted and looked long and hard at the 'Empire' Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-18812225111672130922011-08-03T13:27:00.000-07:002011-08-03T13:27:38.250-07:00Taking Things WAY TOO SERIOUSLYHere's an honest to god transcript of a message between me and another guy who plays Wrestler: Unstoppable - a wrestling based facebook game. I'm Joey, he's Acer. Its special....
Acer: actually I won't, because I just fail every move, but the game won't fail a move on you when you pull the same combo three times....that would NEVER happen for me. LUCKY FU C K ING YOU. Unlucky you, Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-42462282648959496642011-07-13T00:44:00.000-07:002011-07-13T00:44:32.772-07:00The BIG IdeaAs some of you might know, I have been a little vocal in the past about Kickstarter and the effect it is having on the independent games community. However, sometimes something comes along and really opens your eyes, and 'Far West' has been that thing for me.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/Adamant/far-west-western-wuxia-mashup-adventure-game
My eye-opener is not something related to the Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-26740045471453167412011-07-12T00:47:00.000-07:002011-07-12T00:47:50.678-07:00DCUO-GL-DLC-WTF?!Yeah, I'm down with the kids.
DCUO has finally flipped its lid. For six months now just about everyone has been waiting for the Green Lantern content. I believe there may have been some bruhaha in the news recently about some motion picture that it might have been tied into? For six months, we have been told it is coming. Beta testers have already seen it. Its there and ready to breathe life Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-39775168732383230702011-07-12T00:27:00.000-07:002011-07-12T00:27:43.728-07:00The End of an EraOne of my first memories of being a child was a hot summer afternoon. I was five. I held in my hand a copy of the Marvel UK 'Mighty Avengers' title - the one where Scarlet Witch, Vision and Quicksilver had been transported to a melting world - and I was hooked. I decided there and then to make a change in my life and with the permission of my mam, I walked the thirty yards from my backyard to theVodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-8574576276822880202011-07-10T13:15:00.000-07:002011-07-10T13:15:21.537-07:00Lost in RIFT!So, how have I been doing in RIFT? Slowly but surely, I think would be the best way to describe it. I've been very casually bumbling my way through the PVE content and have reached the heady heights of L28! Please don't mistake slow for lack of interest, its just that there are so many more things that you can do.
The levelling isn't shabby either. Each zone I have been in so far has ended with Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-15721351776330105642011-06-30T07:47:00.000-07:002011-06-30T07:47:33.058-07:00Chicken Little Does EntitlementAh, the Wrestler Unstoppable app on Facebook does it again.
They've only gone and changed something! Actually, they've changed quite a lot - the page layout, the addition of daily rewards, 'missions' (i.e. quests) and some other cosmetic stuff. Buttons have moved and you might take maybe almost ten seconds to work it all out.
So the natural reaction is a massive movement to go to the page's Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-14159476903584488112011-06-26T02:06:00.000-07:002011-06-26T02:06:49.026-07:00In Brightest Day....Well, this has been a long time coming but I finally got to see Green Lantern on the big screen. I have tried my hardest to keep away from too many spoilers and comments but generally, the scuttlebutt that I have heard is that it was going to be a bit of a turkey. I've a very high tolerance for bad films, with my baseline now being the truly snore-inducing Pirates IV, so what did I think?
It wasVodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-47294873146317860542011-06-12T12:07:00.000-07:002011-06-12T12:07:13.669-07:00The Emperor Protects!Through a strange mixture of circumstance, it has come around to me being 'in the chair' for roleplaying again soon. Well, soon being next, as our schedule is as random as ever. And indeed, the game I am going to run has come around by a strange mix of circumstance as well - adopted from another GM no less! Its going to be 'The Emperor Protects!' - a Warhammer 40k hack for Duty & Honour.
I Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-13427369846264144492011-06-12T02:29:00.000-07:002011-06-12T02:29:01.815-07:00Tired?I'm knackered.
Not just in a 'a bit exhausted' way - in a 'oh God, yesterday I passed out asleep whilst reading' way. Its quite scary as I simply cannot lie in whatsoever and I hate going to bed early at night as I tend to be at my most awake around 10pm. Really, I could do with a life of four six hour periods rather than two twelve hours ones. But this is just an aside.
I'm also coming to the Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-13728882055256801462011-04-28T03:54:00.000-07:002011-04-28T03:54:45.063-07:00Series Cancelled!On the day that Action Comics #900 came out, I cancelled by subscription to DC Universe Online. OK, it doesn't run out until the middle of June, but its not being renewed.
I've given the game a good go and I think it has amazing potential, but at the moment thats all it is - potential. It doesn't seem to have hit the multi-faceted nature of play that I look for, and indeed, need, in a game like Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-27729042076716154272011-04-23T13:25:00.000-07:002011-04-23T13:25:24.790-07:00SmallvilleWhilst I am nowhere near the game buyer I used to be when I was a kid, I will pick up a new and innovative system if it gets a decent sounding online. Sometimes this doesn't work (Reign) for me and sometimes it works very well (Mouse Guard) and sometimes its absolutely revelatory. Ladies and Gentlemen, Smallville definitely falls into the third category.
As I'm sure you are all aware, SmallvilleVodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0