tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189498872011-12-28T01:55:54.500-08:00Entering my fourth decade of gaming!Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.comBlogger3451100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-71066363763235754832011-12-28T01:55:00.000-08:002011-12-28T01:55:54.512-08:00

Its 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-40034204324154226572011-12-26T01:32:00.000-08:002011-12-26T01:32:16.011-08:00

The 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, with some new

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-34526823721990329162011-10-18T14:29:00.000-07:002011-10-18T14:29:09.508-07:00

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-89008613075403207022011-08-22T11:27:00.000-07:002011-08-22T11:27:49.583-07:00

...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-39760318729081287702011-08-04T12:01:00.000-07:002011-08-04T12:01:41.757-07:00

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' line

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-18812225111672130922011-08-03T13:27:00.000-07:002011-08-03T13:27:38.250-07:00

Here'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, you've had

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-42462282648959496642011-07-13T00:44:00.000-07:002011-07-13T00:44:32.772-07:00

As 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-26740045471453167412011-07-12T00:47:00.000-07:002011-07-12T00:47:50.678-07:00

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-39775168732383230702011-07-12T00:27:00.000-07:002011-07-12T00:27:43.728-07:00

One 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 the

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-8574576276822880202011-07-10T13:15:00.000-07:002011-07-10T13:15:21.537-07:00

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-15721351776330105642011-06-30T07:47:00.000-07:002011-06-30T07:47:33.058-07:00

Ah, 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-14159476903584488112011-06-26T02:06:00.000-07:002011-06-26T02:06:49.026-07:00

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 was

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-47294873146317860542011-06-12T12:07:00.000-07:002011-06-12T12:07:13.669-07:00

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 have

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-13427369846264144492011-06-12T02:29:00.000-07:002011-06-12T02:29:01.815-07:00

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-13728882055256801462011-04-28T03:54:00.000-07:002011-04-28T03:54:45.063-07:00

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-27729042076716154272011-04-23T13:25:00.000-07:002011-04-23T13:25:24.790-07:00

Whilst 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, Smallville

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-23963672448421188232011-04-09T14:25:00.000-07:002011-04-09T14:25:34.488-07:00

Due to a complete lack of action on 'Reality Lost', the EU PvP server for DCUO, I have rerolled onto 'Death and Glory', a US PvP server. What a difference! First, there are obviously some possible issues playing on a transatlantic server, but they haven't materialised. Lag is non-existant and reactions seem just the same as on the EU servers. Second, the PvP aspect simply makes the game better.

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-26922735076186283472011-03-19T02:00:00.000-07:002011-03-19T02:00:22.749-07:00

Yeah, I'm stoked about the Rock being back around the WWE, but that aside, the PC is back and running and I have been able to play a little more DCUO! So, as promised, here's more fashion shots of my character in the various collectible outfits. The left-hand image is due to a special trinket which allows me to transform into a Manhunter. As a bit of a Green Lantern geek, thats pretty much

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-83813092434581019542011-02-06T03:52:00.000-08:002011-02-06T03:52:25.612-08:00

(An interruption to your regular DCUO exploration, as my PC seems incapable of running the bloody thing!) I have been considering a number of roleplaying related issues of late. I have my eye on the future gaming slots and also a deep seated itch that I have been wanting to scratch of late. I have been considering how to combine a few things that are incident at the same time. - I want

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-51927801555111661072011-02-03T13:31:00.000-08:002011-02-03T13:31:45.580-08:00

Three more styles have been unlocked by your intrepid blogger! The left-hand style is the full 'Jah Kir' set. I'll be honest - I have no idea where the inspiration for this set comes from. It could be something to do with 'Joh Ker' or it could be something Kryptonian. The middle style is the Retro-Tech set and it is awesome! What you cannot see is the rocket-pack on my back. Its a full-on

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-51719049137133081202011-02-03T01:13:00.000-08:002011-02-03T01:13:45.256-08:00

It would appear that SOE are holding to their promise of new content for DCUO. A Catwoman expansion/Valentine's Day patch has been announced for mid-February, critical feature fixes are beginning to appear (such as easing the stranglehold the profanity filter has on normal English) and future content is beginning to emerge (such as the Green Lantern Patch...swoon!) Catwoman patch includes a five

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-69996835564759156442011-01-30T10:49:00.000-08:002011-01-30T10:49:42.992-08:00

I have to say I am developing an unhealthy obsession with the thought processes of the DCUO community and the strange way that they seem to rationalise matters related to the game. This is the first such community that I have looked at from its inception and the memes are fascinating. As someone who has watched other communities for a while the way people's expectations change and warp. The

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-8386435524596844322011-01-25T13:50:00.000-08:002011-01-25T13:50:23.692-08:00

...or why this game needs RP servers, pronto. One of the things which you do as a sideline to all of the other cool stuff in DCUO, is collect costumes. This might seem quite a strange thing, especially coming from a game like WoW where the functionality of the armour is far more important than the look, but for a superhero game, the look is paramount! The ability within DCUO to lock your look

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-51991426842005818402011-01-20T12:20:00.000-08:002011-01-20T12:20:41.950-08:00

So, one week after install, whats the conclusion regarding DCUO? Well, because of the unique way my work hours fall, I haven't been able to play a lot this week but a few hours today took me to level 18 (maybe 19?) after a quick detour to Gotham to tackle Harley Quinn (who dropped my first Epic!) and Poison Ivy (although I bailed before I finished her off - more on that later) and the decimation

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-91889388293689471592011-01-16T13:24:00.000-08:002011-01-16T13:24:19.413-08:00

A week or so ago, I got called arrogant and elitist for jokingly suggesting that people stop posting divisive threads on a forum. I chuckled. I've yet to venture officially onto the DCUO forums, deciding instead to lurk and read the madness as it develops. And develop it has. I wonder sometimes whether its my age, but I have never understood some of the practices that come about on these things.

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-73227542150250559772011-01-15T11:27:00.000-08:002011-01-15T11:27:42.342-08:00

Its Super-Cheryl!! Originally the plan was to go to the dark side and kick superhero ass. Sadly this hasn't transpired yet as Dave has managed to have all of the worlds technical problems happen at the same time. I hope you get it fixed soon mate! In the meantime I have been pottering about on the (at the time of character creation) only EU PVE server. I'm glad I chose PvE after seeing some of

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-54758028331789919022011-01-14T06:32:00.000-08:002011-01-14T06:32:08.954-08:00

The new shiney is here and it is DC Universe Online, the latest attempt by SOE to wow the MMO market (hehe, see what I did there...). After Everquest, Star Wars Galaxies, Pirates etc. we know that SOE know something about the MMO genre and after Champions and City of Heroes/Villains there are some expectations of the superhero genre too. Hey, after reading the comics for decades, I have my own

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-33992349299236797442011-01-03T01:12:00.000-08:002011-01-03T01:15:04.456-08:00

ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE 'Created' by Stephen Jones It is not often that I mention books that I am reading never mind review them. Thats mostly because not everyone is as absorbed with Napoleonic military fiction as I am, mind you! However, sometimes I am moved to mention something and this is one of those times. I picked up 'Zombie Apocalypse!' on a whim last week and I read it in under 24 hours. Thats

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-75104697080065090262011-01-02T02:42:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:54:37.136-08:00

And the final part of the now traditional triumvirate of posts is here. I absolutely detest the expectation and madness that occurs around New Year and until I started doing these had never been drawn to make any resolutions in my life. However, these statements of intent have been very useful for forming up my thoughts about what I want from my gaming.As an aside, you will note they only cover

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-54255253891456615732011-01-02T02:16:00.000-08:002011-01-02T02:22:41.120-08:00

As David Bowie once stuttered.I'm going to be fiddling with the format of the old blog over the next few days as I continue bringing the bloody thing back to life. I appears that in the five years since I started (Is it really that long?), Blogspot have got their arse together and offered up an absolute smorgasbord of tinkering options. This is a good thing.There are some more fundamental changes

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-21847409496376260192010-12-30T02:20:00.000-08:002010-12-30T03:30:40.313-08:00

And as the resurrection of the blog continues, we return to another Bottom of the Glass tradition - the gaming moments of the year. This year has been pretty much dominated by one game - D&D4e - but there have been other highspots as well.Honourable Mention: 3:16I'm tempted to say that it is a sign of the narrow range of my gaming this year, that this game makes an honourable mention because it

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-5434233507461697282010-12-28T02:50:00.000-08:002010-12-28T02:51:22.165-08:00

Its that time of year again, where I address last years gaming resolutions and set some new ones. I should really make a subtle new sub-resolution of 'write some more in your blog!' as well, as I have been terribly lax of late. So without further ado, lets see how I have done this year, shall we?1. Maintain the momentum of Omnihedron Games (SUCCESS)Aye, no problems here. All of the games have

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-25047025087367561192010-10-28T12:10:00.000-07:002010-10-28T12:11:44.614-07:00

You can tell the reason why I have not been posting here recently, by the date of the last post. Just before the beginning of college term. This is reading week, hence I can breathe!There will be more soon. Until then, enjoy the silence

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-37244962277270355532010-09-03T01:48:00.000-07:002010-09-03T02:04:48.822-07:00

This summer I travelled to the USA with a companion. We sat next to each other on the plane and occassionally, our legs touched each other. We shared tense moments in an airport discovering our flight was delayed but relaxed that evening during a late supper in a deserted restaurant in our exclusive stop-over hotel. We shared a room .. for five days. We laughed, we joked, we even had a time and a

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-52326603522073037982010-08-28T11:00:00.000-07:002010-08-28T11:18:32.442-07:00

As many of you know, I quite like professional wrestling and on occassion I have been known to 'e-fed' - a sort of wrestling based group fanfic. I have also been playing a browser game called 'The Wrestling Game' for over two years now and nestle quite nicely in amongst the top 200 or so players in the game. Its fun, mindless and costs nothing apart from time and a little attention.Years ago, I

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-7595180874185272902010-08-18T02:30:00.000-07:002010-08-18T02:32:28.672-07:00

If ever a TV show got the award for 'Most Uninspiring First Episode Only to Create Awesomeness' then it would have to go to Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Or Pornacus, as we call it.Mrs G. and I watched the first episode with almost detached indifference. It was there, doing things, but nothing really grabbed us. It looked like a Rated-R version of '300' done by someone as a college film project and

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-19421835959919539922010-08-18T01:39:00.000-07:002010-08-18T01:49:45.581-07:00

I have had the pleasure of sharing the Metro this week with two gems of Geordie football knowledge. They are only on the train for a couple of stops but the pundit style gems that have come from their mouths have made my day. For example:Manchester Utd 3-0 Newcastle UnitedBBC View: Manchester United made the perfect start to their title bid with a comfortable victory against promoted side

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-1835892009709852372010-07-25T10:00:00.000-07:002010-07-25T10:03:16.405-07:00

Holidays can do a lot of things for you. They can allow you to experience new cultures, taste new foods, meet new people and even, if you are lucky, relax. I've pretty much managed all four whilst I have been away in Tunisia and not always to my benefit.The chance to live in an Arab country, even for just a week, has been illuminating. First off, it wasn't all that bad! Obviously we were in a

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-35990194156588724902010-07-25T09:58:00.000-07:002010-07-25T10:33:19.797-07:00

In my life, I think it is fair to say that I have GMd far more than I have played in roelplaying campaigns. Therefore the instances where I actually finish a campaign as a player are few and far between. As a group, we finished Pendragon at a natural finishing point, but we didn't finish the campaign. We wanted to play the Great Pendragon Campaign but in the end we got to the crowning of Arthur.

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-78971484807113398852010-06-08T12:16:00.000-07:002010-06-08T12:46:58.008-07:00

I remember when I got my iPhone. New Years Eve 2008. Now I don't remember the date because I got the phone then, that would be very silly. No, I remember getting the phone then because of the date and thus how easy I thought it would be to remember when my contract expired. End of June 2010. It seemed like so far away then...I am also not usually the most lucky of people when it comes to getting

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-36185753889021643952010-06-03T15:46:00.000-07:002010-06-03T15:52:58.417-07:00

Lady Blackbird is a stand-alone pdf produced game by John Harper. You can find it here - http://www.onesevendesign.com/ladyblackbird/ This was our first midweek game for ages, so it was a bit of a watershed. Turned out to be a good evening all round.CharactersNigel as Captain Cyrus VanceBen as Lady BlackbirdAndrew as SnargleDave as NaomiScene OneThe characters are deep within the damp, rusting

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-59405009054830892482010-05-31T03:25:00.000-07:002010-05-31T03:55:57.448-07:00

'LFM DPS VoA25, /w Achiev and GS 5500+'The constant refrain in the recruitment channels (ie. Trade) now on WoW tells the story of the game's progression. If you are not in a raiding guild, you have to resort to PUGs (which are plentiful nowadays) but PUGs have become far more picky about their membership now that they are armed with the tools to measure prospective members. Achievements and

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-76474623808121411022010-05-15T00:47:00.000-07:002010-05-15T01:37:03.338-07:00

Work on my new game books proceeds at a glacial pace. The Duty & Honour Miscellany is about a third done, with some adventures to write up and then the more involved task of researching the British army in India. Duty & Honour: Rise of the Zulu is ... in note form. Thats the most polite way to talk about it. I'm dedicated to writing it, but I'm also dedicated to doing it right - which will take

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-34384034898338795482010-05-14T23:54:00.000-07:002010-05-15T00:47:11.672-07:00

Do you see what I did there?My recent bout of apathy towards Kick-Ass and the subsequent conversations with my friends have made me think very hard about my relationship with comics.One of my most vivid memories of being a kid was my fifth birthday, when I went by myself to the corner shop and told Rosa, the woman who ran it, that I wanted to change my order from Barnaby Bear to The Avengers. I

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-44310925038357745822010-04-26T01:26:00.000-07:002010-04-26T01:40:20.604-07:00

My WoW account was hacked this weekend.As I was playing it, the game froze and then disconnected and when I went to log back in, I suddenly had an authenticator attached to my account. Bugger.So I had to do two things - first, get rid of whatever miscreant device had infiltrated my system and second, negotiate the choppy waters of Blizzard customer service. The debugging was pretty easy as a

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-65994645184924878552010-04-20T14:24:00.000-07:002010-04-21T03:00:24.386-07:00

There are some things that I really have to avoid. One of them is watching the ITV news, as I may be forced to put my foot through the TV screen. Another is going to one of those Big Lukes 'Eat all you can' American Meat eateries, as I may gorge myself to death. However, above all else, I need to avoid 'genre' magazines - specifically things like SFX, SciFiNow or Previews. The problem with these

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-2008698838137098932010-04-07T01:28:00.000-07:002010-04-07T02:22:51.159-07:00

Following on from my previous post an excellent discussion has taken place regarding future games for my gaming group. As an upshot of this discussion, the following Golden Rules were formulated:GM enthusiasm drives the games that are brought to the table. Buy-in via collaborative campaign so what's important to the player / character is present in the game Narrative arc / focus is present which

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-62457818878798076262010-03-22T16:21:00.000-07:002010-03-22T16:50:11.089-07:00

So we played D&D on Sunday. Nothing strange there, we do it every other week. What was strange was whilst the players walked away from the game we were in some state of utter shock. Was that one of the best sessions of the game we have played? Yes. Was it the best game I have ever played in? Quite possibly.So, what brought this around? Lets see.The story revolved around the heroes - God-killing

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-10502128745245065452010-03-17T04:51:00.001-07:002010-03-17T08:54:40.168-07:00

I haven't posted a lot about our D&D 4e campaign because it is covered elsewhere in excruciating detail, but something struck me about it this morning - the fact that it is coming to an end soon.Now we know all about this, we have talked about it and in our game planning sessions we have got a pathway of intent laid out to carry us to Level 30 and the End of Time. However, the approaching doom

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-61844819055546987592010-03-09T06:39:00.000-08:002010-03-09T06:52:48.077-08:00

Best show I'm watching on TV at the moment? Glee, by the proverbial country mile.The question that has been running around my head is why? I think I may have cracked it.On the surface, its a perfect show for me. Its about American High School Sporting Competition (a particular favourite of mine - see 'Bring It On', 'The Mighty Ducks' and other hidden gems) and it mixes that with musical stuff -

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-51036072370431594752010-03-08T09:13:00.001-08:002010-03-08T09:19:26.589-08:00

You can feel something in the air. People are smiling, laughing and joking. The world is a brighter place. The oppression has been lifted, the future is laid out before us and it is good. Today is a better place than yesterday and the day before that. What has brought about this wonderful emotional epiphany?The sun is shining.Now I have occassionally cracked a joke about the weird shining disc in

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-71282036446475297492010-02-26T11:27:00.000-08:002010-02-26T11:31:00.297-08:00

In honour of my New Years resolution, I will not be talking about any of the following topics:People complaining about poor weather in the winterThe proposed BBC cuts and how they make me want to punch someoneThe inevitable witchhunt over our poor showing at the Winter Olympics (see #1..)Why? Because I have already exploded at the TV twice today and I'm all ranted out.

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-31838806327868245592010-02-19T01:55:00.000-08:002010-02-19T02:06:09.322-08:00

..or how slow a news day was it yesterday?So I'm reading the Metro this morning going into work and I scan across an article about a student from Oxbridge (that fictional higher plane that links Oxford and Cambridge despite them being nowhere near each other) has written a sex diary blog about her exploits in bed. It is, the papers say, the next Belle de Jour and images of Billy Piper in a

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-67694411579639257862010-02-14T12:42:00.000-08:002010-02-14T12:53:47.377-08:00

Today, I finally finished the 'What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been' achievement in World of Warcraft. Rather than wooshing around Azeroth on my Albino Drake, I now really do WOOSH around on my 310% Violet Proto-Drake. Moreover, it caps over a year of doing all of those little holiday quests that populate the game occassionally.Some of the quests and achievements have been a lot of fun. Some have

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-76006324651635219222010-02-12T01:45:00.001-08:002010-02-12T02:18:10.285-08:00

Another day, another Google product - this time, Google Buzz (a sort of Google-ised Twitter-cum-Facebook Status Update). The advance of the Google empire across the digital world seems to be an unstoppable force. I wonder however, whether it will reach the immoveable object of public suspicion?The computer literati have a history of suspicion when it comes to having One Big Company controlling

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-8847940142263475442010-02-11T12:43:00.000-08:002010-02-11T12:58:49.435-08:00

And its on!My (early) 40th birthday present to myself - a trip to GenCon US 2010 - is now fully booked. Its going to be an interesting trip. I stumbled across a really rather cheap flight today - £460 return, which is faaaaar better than the other £660 fares. The catch? Well, we fly from Heathrow at 6am (so thats staying up overnight then...) to ... Rome. And then from Rome we fly to Chicago and

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-3186560486697478182010-02-10T03:35:00.000-08:002010-02-10T03:43:37.829-08:00

Its funny how things tend to come along in bunches. I was talking to Dave (who is doing his PhD on some complicated marketing thingamebob that has stuff to do with online games) about termination costs on Saturday night. We have the best, more interesting conversations, you see. We were talking about the methods that companies use to increase the termination costs of their products, especially

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-13724834861721473602010-02-02T08:27:00.000-08:002010-02-02T08:38:11.004-08:00

As has been noted here before, I am not a great fan of running games at conventions. To be more accurate, I'm not a fan of the prospect of running games at conventions - the execution of the game is always more gratifying than the build-up. With this in mind I tried to approach Conception with a degree of nonchalance. I hadn't prepared any games and I was going to try to avoid running anything.

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-75965292865617879932010-02-02T05:44:00.000-08:002010-02-02T07:35:51.480-08:00

In the first of a few post-Conception posts, I'd like to address Lady Blackbird.I'd heard about this game tangetially over the last couple of months but I dismissed it as a 'joke' game akin to Sea Dracula, but when I actually saw it in play and read it online it is far far more.In a 15-page pdf, the game delivers characters, system and specific kicker situation for 1-6 sessions of play. It even

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-18574586152152515212010-01-25T08:26:00.000-08:002010-01-25T08:47:07.195-08:00

So, apparently, there has been an upsurge in the incidence of rickets amongst children in the UK and that has been blamed on ... computer games. What a shocker! Apparently, instead of children staying indoors and playing dark and satanic console games, they should be frolicing in the fields, running around in the brilliant sunlight and playing football, cricket and other wholesome activities.What

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-62149492705591109342010-01-15T14:35:00.000-08:002010-01-15T14:46:12.684-08:00

I have never had a games console. OK, I tell a lie, for a few months when I lived in Rugby I had a SNES. It was a total impulse buy because I was bored shitless living on my own and I only ever had one game for it - Super Mario Somethingorother.Since then I have never touched another console. PC gamer all the way. That was until yesterday when I inherited a PS2 from a friend who was moving house.

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-7781657471068822052010-01-15T14:22:00.000-08:002010-01-15T14:32:28.557-08:00

Its time again to brew a batch of chili sauce and this time I think I'm nearly there. I love sweet chili sauce but I also love hot sauce and I rarely find one which manages to do both. With this in mind I undertook a mission a couple of months ago to make my own.The trick, it seems, is in the mix of chilis. A lot of sauces I have read use capsicum peppers and tomatoes for body but I find that

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-65343925920197511302010-01-09T08:31:00.000-08:002010-01-09T09:06:26.721-08:00

So the first session of Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space has been executed and it was a success. The girls were thrilled and the story as I planned it rolled out in pretty much the way I imagined.The Doctor and Donna were dragged onto Camelot Base, the staging platform on the moon for humanities first attempts at FTL travel in 2099. This is the first step for the Great Human Race as they

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-12959012066858116492010-01-07T14:14:00.000-08:002010-01-07T15:44:09.640-08:00

I have in my possession the wonderfully produced Dr Who Roleplaying Game. It is not, in any way, shape or form, a wonderfully innovative game. It smells more than a little of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG (and as those in the know, know, thats a damned good thing in my book!) but it does offer a doorway into one of the great compelling fictional universes.I'm running a game for the girls on

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-25679692451458137412010-01-01T02:08:00.000-08:002010-01-01T03:15:43.068-08:00

Well, this is going to be a lot harder than I thought because a lot of my longer term goals have already been completed. I've published my games, I've squirreled away the money to go to GenCon this year. I'm in a pretty decent place when it comes to gaming - certainly better than anywhere I have been in previous years. So, lets see what we can come up with?1. Maintain the momentum of Omnihedron

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-938534580533496582009-12-30T00:29:00.000-08:002009-12-30T01:45:24.388-08:00

My wife and I were musing last night that it hardly seems like yesterday since the grand Millennium celebrations were rocking the world, and yet its ten whole years. My youngest daughter is ten years old and she marks the passage of time in the 21st century. This got me thinking about the world as it exists at the moment and how I feel about it and I realised that for the first time in my life I

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-66638728898167362842009-12-27T15:04:00.000-08:002009-12-27T16:27:47.491-08:00

So I decided to have a fiddle about making up a prototype of the character card for [Box]. I'm all about the paper-art so it was an easy little challenge for me. Since doing it I've worked out a way to do it better as well, as accuracy and pritt-stik don't sit as natural buddies.So, what do we have? Five boxes, large enough to put a stack of 12mm d6s on them, of some appropriate colours. A large

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-82182666804128203872009-12-26T10:00:00.000-08:002009-12-26T10:35:15.514-08:00

A white and black dice, if I have my way.OK, so in my previous post I suggested I would use a dice-as-stats system for [Box]. Here is what I have as a very basic concept.Six different coloured dice. Each colour represents a different aspect of a character type. So, for example, lets plough the fantasy field for a while?Red = Prowess; strength, stamina and martial mightBlue = Guile; nimbleness,

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-59578366997427380752009-12-26T08:32:00.000-08:002009-12-26T10:00:21.024-08:00

So I've been putting my mind to the sort of things I can do with the format for my boxed game and what the benefits and limitations of the format are and moreover, how to use those limitations to my advantage.For example, the recent decision of FFG to only allow you enough components in their box for a certain number of concurrent characters has raised the heckles of some people. However, in the

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-30154009385943737282009-12-21T11:44:00.000-08:002009-12-21T12:22:18.246-08:00

Occasionally I set myself little challenges. Recently, they have been food related. Can I perfect the recipe for the perfect sweet chili sauce? (According to my dad, yes, yes I can!). Can I cook and decorate leiberkuchen? Yes, of course I can! And of course, recently I have been meeting and beating some challenges regarding games design that I set myself three years ago. Its all been a bit too

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-84623144925673583162009-12-21T11:25:00.000-08:002009-12-21T11:43:58.320-08:00

I am, on occasion, amazed by the ability of World of Warcraft to reinvent itself and change in a way that drags me back into the game. I guess its why, five years on, I am still happily playing it. The latest innovation is the introduction of the auto-PUG (Pick-Up-Group)Instead of spamming the trade channel with Looking For Group requests or waiting for enough members of my guild to come online

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-86250979179063545122009-12-16T11:00:00.000-08:002009-12-16T11:11:30.272-08:00

The snow is here. To save me my usual rant:http://neilgow.blogspot.com/2007/02/how-do-swedes-do-it.htmlThank you...Neil

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-86543790037016387392009-12-16T02:56:00.001-08:002009-12-16T03:13:01.029-08:00

Dear Games DesignersPlease, for the love of God, can you stop including obscure situational passive effects into your games? These things have been the bane of my existence throughout my CCG days and now they are part of my RPG play and they drive me insane.What am I talking about? Well, in my Raw Deal days there was a card that sat on the table and every time you took damage, you took one less.

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-22367376467831874852009-12-08T12:33:00.000-08:002009-12-08T13:33:47.531-08:00

Another year, another selection of what must surely be the most prestigious awards given out in gaming from this blog. Previous winners are here and here and as always I kick off with some honorable mentionsHonorable Mention: Princess Academy YEY! at ConceptionI wasn't even playing! As Conception 09 was winding up and I was recovering from a monster bout of flu that had floored me during the

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-19878611040937543782009-12-07T00:43:00.000-08:002009-12-07T01:10:42.779-08:00

Its that time of year again, when I look at my resolutions from last year and see how things have transpired. Its not that I actively try to pursue them - its more that I wonder whether my intentions at the end of the year create urges throughout the rest of the next year ( I scored 3.5/5 last year). So, without further ado...!1. Publish 'Beat to Quarters'WIN! - Dead on the announced release date

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-23278102411476966892009-11-05T08:48:00.000-08:002009-11-05T09:14:27.489-08:00

In a recent online conversation, a friend of mine stated that he was doing games design for 'art not capitalism'. This is a phrase that has stuck in the back of my mind for some time now, niggling away at me. When I started to think around it, my creative persona and my rather hard-wired marketing-driven mindset clashed quite abruptly.On the one hand, I can see exactly where he was coming from.

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-11115843968435292092009-10-18T11:12:00.001-07:002009-10-18T12:32:58.604-07:00

The Mice:Connor - a tough white-furred patrol guard, known for his rugged adventures and scarred, with only one eye. Earmarked for promotion but still an untested quality with a team, he has been allocated some tenderpaws to train and nurture.Casper: a very young tenderpaw, straight out of his apprenticeship and filled with curiosity and energy. Finding it almost impossible to stand still and

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-23758160794897093842009-10-17T14:09:00.000-07:002009-10-17T14:25:32.698-07:00

Printers Hate Me.Which is funny, considering I used to run a print shop! (Almost as funny as my near phobia about cold calling and my long years in ... phone sales. Go figure.) No, it can be virtually guaranteed that if I really need to use a printer, something will go very, very wrong.I'm on the verge of running Mouse Guard as an off-week game alongside D&D. After playing it Furnace last weekend

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-90695790666728798602009-10-06T16:03:00.000-07:002009-10-06T16:09:40.356-07:00

Some random stuff:1. Facebook is cool, but I am finding a sticking point when it comes to my different 'faces' in public. What would be really cool would be being able to have a facebook to address my close friends, one to interact with the wider gaming community and one to interact with my students. As it is, the assumption that my interests are shared equally amongst all of my friends is

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-52751937128295360562009-09-25T13:22:00.000-07:002009-09-25T14:35:31.697-07:00

In the light of the culmination of my publishing plans (I have the proofs of Beat to Quarters and will most likely make my orders this weekend), a surge in work hours putting a crunch upon my spare-time, the continuation of our excellent D&D game and the growing urge to GM something to someone, I have been thinking a lot about how best to use my time when gaming.I've been pondering why I am

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-89702264324925291202009-09-11T00:26:00.000-07:002009-09-11T00:42:55.633-07:00

I am a sucker for free.Dungeons and Dragons Online, the (dare I say it) 'failed' MMO based on the worlds most popular roleplaying game has now been released on free-to-play. Most things I have read have agreed that this is a pretty bold move but definitely one thats worth a look. So I did!I downloaded the high end graphics version which my PC can handle with some momentary stuttering

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-59615539437963012632009-09-08T03:12:00.000-07:002009-09-08T06:16:08.301-07:00

Well, three weeks into this lifestyle change malarky, the weight loss is from 167kg to 159kg. Thats my first, very small, 5% target reached.I have to say, this has been far easier than I expected. Its a three-pronged attack.1. Eat less2. Do exercise3. Eat betterEating less has been a revelation. The amount I would get through on an average day prior to this change was staggering, in retrospect.

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-34897791933411682752009-08-31T23:19:00.000-07:002009-09-01T00:46:33.298-07:00

I think its fair to say that my wife and I come from wholly different backgrounds when it comes to 'Things You Do on a Bank Holiday'. I was always allowed to play out for ages, or sit and watch some back-to-back kids films or, if it was sunny, go to the beach. My wife comes from what I cynically dub 'the school of enforced family fun' - you must go somewhere and do something, regardless!So, with

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-43507290748175973492009-08-27T09:13:00.000-07:002009-09-08T08:20:12.286-07:00

No, its not a new way of saying 'recession'!I went to see the dietician today and had a very pleasant chat about the eating side of my new weight loss lifestyle. The slip into said lifestyle has been staged, starting with attendence at the gym last week and now this. I am now officially 'undergoing lifestyle change'. Exciting!We very quickly honed in on a couple of personality traits that were

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-77103808022805512972009-08-26T07:58:00.000-07:002009-08-26T08:12:23.479-07:00

Since Blizzard announced the new World of Warcraft expansion, Cataclysm, there has been a resurgence of interest in the game from some of my friends who had previously dropped it. This precipitated a rather chucklesome event on Saturday night - the reforming, for one night only, of the Dungeoneers!Now, lets remember that the Dungs shredded apart in quite some explosive nastiness and then lingered

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-4764413387958855602009-08-10T10:35:00.001-07:002009-08-10T10:52:57.821-07:00

Ian mentioned on his blog, the current facebook craze of FarmVille. Well, being one of those people that likes to dabble, I have tried it out.To be fair, I am quite positive towards browser games (and their iPhone app cousins). I play in The Wrestling Game, an online browser wrestling sim and have done for 18 months now and its a lot of fun. Its actually quite time consuming in theory, but the

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-53010748639536806662009-08-08T03:45:00.000-07:002009-08-08T03:47:44.415-07:00

Walked into Forbidden Planet yesterday and saw a poster for a new games club - The Heaton Roleplaying Club - at the Heaton Community Centre on Sundays between 4-9pm. TWENTY-FIVE years ago, I cut my roleplaying teeth at that self-same community centre, during the same times, at the same club before it folded.I feel the need to go full-circle and visit it, at least a couple of times, to become the

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-65161832428784896262009-08-06T12:04:00.000-07:002009-08-06T12:47:58.556-07:00

As the latest playtesting stage of Beat to Quarters trundles along, my mind has wandered to what I will do after it is finished. Its certainly not a secret amongst my closest friends that I am pretty Napoleonic'd out - I feel almost physically sick at the thought of reading another book about the era! I'm still full steam ahead with BtQ but thats it! No more! Three years of working on one topic

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-25477801275601465802009-07-29T02:14:00.001-07:002009-07-29T02:28:07.635-07:00

I have been waiting.You could tell it was coming. All of the signs and portents have been there.C&Ds to iPhone app programmers from Blizz. The move of the authenticator into app format. This morning, I noticed, the Anti-Christ had arrived.The World of Warcraft iPhone Armory(for further information - http://eu.wowarmory.com/iphone.xml)Its ... well, I have to say its pretty fantastic. You get:A

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-54139153700118661932009-07-28T23:55:00.000-07:002009-07-29T00:40:50.310-07:00

I'm am deep in playtest and design twiddling for Beat to Quarters, the naval follow-up to Duty & Honour. I quite like playtesting - its a very focused way of playing, especially when you do the play-and-debrief method (where you play a game and then deconstruct it after the end) rather than the in-play-test method (where you deconstruct as you play). I've had quite a few external playtests too,

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-40396049054493419102009-07-23T08:37:00.001-07:002009-07-23T08:37:35.719-07:00

I couldn't do it. I just couldn't do it...

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-53019162832178169022009-07-22T02:23:00.000-07:002009-07-22T02:35:10.112-07:00

I have been sent recently a large number of 'hey, you used to play our game - why not try again?' emails from MMO companies - namely Warhammer Online, Age of Conan and Pirates of the Burning Sea.Playing WoW has changed a lot for me recently. I realised that I just didn't have the time for raiding in an increasingly serious 'casual' raiding guild and as a result I suspended my activities on

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-71229088532927783702009-07-22T01:01:00.000-07:002009-07-22T02:01:50.873-07:00

Well, not quite a year, but it will have to do!So, I am coming to the end of what has been an idyllic little holiday to the south of France. It has been quite a revelation to me and quite possibly the most relaxing holiday I have ever had. Staying at my in-laws house (read - purpose built villa complex thingy) has been wonderful once we got over living in someone elses house. We've had a hire car

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-9095172571378235122009-07-14T12:02:00.000-07:002009-07-14T12:16:09.129-07:00

...of my little girls junior school life (or career, as they now refer to it, strangely) was today. It was her Leavers Assembly. Its been something that she has been talking about for two years and I have to say it was by far the most traumatic moment I have seen in the kids school experience. This goes beyond nervous steps into stage productions (that was last week) or exam results (the week

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-81215184885972767772009-07-08T13:20:00.000-07:002009-07-08T13:36:58.835-07:00

Its been one of those weeks...First, we had some new additions to the family - Swimmy and Lucky, two goldfish. One child goes to the fair with the grandparents and comes back with ... FISH! Honestly, do they still give away fish at funfairs nowadays? Apparently they do. Actually she came back with one fish but we got another one when we decided to make a fist of keeping it alive. Its quite hard

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-86071474722848010372009-06-26T09:13:00.001-07:002009-06-26T09:31:50.140-07:00

Not today. No. 'The Music' clearly died about 16 years ago when the Stone Roses split up. Everything since then has been a pale phantom. And yes, I do want 'I am the Resurrection' played at my funeral - the full 10 minute version. That'll educate you all!I was asked recently, by some students at work, what music I used to be into when I DJ'd at Uni. Whilst a lot of the stuff that I did was the

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-34839513180716370802009-06-10T15:42:00.000-07:002009-06-10T16:06:01.111-07:00

I have seen a bit of a change in my social networking habits. As part of my previous employment I was inducted into the world of Facebook and it was fine. Its a useful communications tool and as part of my range of promotional tools for D&H, its good. However, recent changes to the system and the predelictions of the users seem to be rendering it almost irrelevant.The change was the reformatting

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-32248798779721933932009-06-08T01:53:00.000-07:002009-06-08T02:26:35.032-07:00

So, this weekend was Games Expo - one of the biggest and broadest events in the UK games calender. Boardgames, wargames and CCGs all rub shoulders with roleplayers in a massive set of halls in Birmingham. It is an exceptionally well organised convention that could easily suck every penny from your pocket.I approached this con with a degree of uncertainty. Its the most expensive con to attend and

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-66777034769931688922009-05-21T03:45:00.000-07:002009-05-21T04:10:49.732-07:00

WoW can be a strange beast sometimes. I have pushed what I can be bothered to do with Sunraven as far as it goes on our PvE server. I've got titles, I've levelled fishing, I'm got decent equipment and I am casually raiding Ulduar. There's not a whole helluva lot more to do apart from raiding and no incentive to farm, as I have more money than God. Even the Argent Tournament doesn't seem so much

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18949887.post-55020682326758299332009-05-05T01:02:00.000-07:002009-05-05T01:16:30.648-07:00

I think we have missed a trick here.This weekend, my family decided that we were going to begin to address our main health issue - weight. We sat down and we discussed what we all thought about it and why we eat as we do. With the exception of my wife we are all overweight and it is effecting the way we live and operate. The first thing I realised was that the kids know a whole helluva lot of

Vodkashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13156000408209799507noreply@blogger.com11