Friday, December 28, 2012

Questions for Gamers

Image from the game "Of Orcs and Men".
Really looking forward to this game, as it
seems to have the exact look and feel I want
for my Role Playing game, Life of Rage.
Yesterday I finished the main text portion of my Orcs tabeltop RPG, Life of Rage.  All that is left to do is to write the sample adventure, maybe create some sample characters, do some formatting, probably a lot of editing, and of course, get some decent artwork.  Ok, so there's a lot more to do.  But, technically, what I have right now is a (more or less) completely playable RPG.  That I wrote.  All by myself.

Anyways, at this point I find myself with a few choices to make.  So, I figured the best way to gage how to go about those would be to ask the RPG community for their opinions.  So, please comment here or on my Facebook post, or send me an email, and let me know your opinions on the following questions:

1.  Format - Do you have a preference for PDF or Print?  I will likely offer both, with the PDF being laid out for optimal use on a computer screen.  Print will most likely be POD through Lulu, or maybe RPGNow.  Have to do some exploring there.

2.  Size - For print editions, what size do you prefer?  I'm looking at doing either full-size (8.5" x 11"), Trade Paperback (6" x 9"), or Pocket size (4.25" x 6.87").  Depending on how it all works, I may offer multiple sizes, but I'd like to keep it as simple as possible, since I doubt my audience will be that big.

3.  Fiction - How important or useful are snippets of fiction in an RPG book?  I know that White Wolf has always used it extensively, and I have even read some of it.  But I'm not sure many other games do.  What are your thoughts on fiction?  Does it help you get into the mood of the game?  Or is it just fluff for page count?

I think that's a good start.  So, please let me know what you think!

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Was that a tumbleweed?

Ok, not that kind of Boxing.
But Rocky always makes my blog cooler.
Happy Boxing Day!

To celebrate, the Fight Card books are on sale for Kindle for $.99 each for the next week or so.  I've read the first three and they are awesome!  If you enjoy boxing stories in the tradition of Robert E. Howard, and the Fight Stories of the Pulp Age, check them out.  I think I might just grab the rest that I don't have yet.

Anyways, here I am at work.  Practically alone.  Nothing much to do but a few small tasks.  Naturally, I am inclined to goof off.  And of course, maybe write and do some homework.

On the writing front, I hope to crank out more of my S&P story for Scott's anthology.  I verified with him that I am not holding up progress, so the pressure isn't too great.  But I would still like to finish it soon.  So, I may work on that over the next couple of days.

On the homework front, I am behind on a couple of discussions. I can post on those still, but I will have points deducted for lateness.  Still, I managed A's on both of my Academic Book Reviews, and I think my research paper turned out fairly well.  So I should be ok on that front.

On the subject of the research paper, and on writing, I figure that the paper will serve as the basis of the synopsis for my Agesilaus book.  All I have to do is take out the academic references, add in a couple of subplots (that can't be historically verified, but make for good story), and then flesh the whole thing out with some more detail. 

In other news, Faith is home for the holidays.  She'll be going home around the 5th or so.  It's kind of a short visit, but that's ok.  One more semester, and then she is home for good.  Having a lot of fun with her and Isaac.  A lot of banter and goofing around.  It's nice to see the boy opening up and being himself.

Been playing a lot of Skyrim over the last few days.  That game is addicting!  Speaking of xbox, I got HALO 4 for Christmas, so I will be trying that out soon.  The series is so story-driven that I don't want to attempt to play it when the little ones are awake.  They make listening to anything a challenge.

Hope your holiday season is going well!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Chuck's Best

I used to have this poster on my wall.
Now that my work is blocking Facebook, I have been spending a lot of my downtime over at The Action Elite.  There is some really cool reading over there for fans of action movies, and it has already helped me build a good list of movies I need to watch.

One section talks about the "Legends" of action.  All the standards are there, and not just actors, but directors and producers.  As one can imagine, there is an entry for Chuck Norris.  And this got me to thinking while I was out walking at lunch today.  So, here's my top favorite Chuck Norris movies, in order of awesomeness (according to me, YMMV):

1.  Lone Wolf McQuade (1983)
I know I have made this known in the past, but this is by far my favorite Chuck Norris movie.  It's got some really memorable characters, a cool story, and Chuck gets to kick David Carradine's ass.  What more could you ask for?  It has a wonderful score, reminiscent of the old spaghetti westerns.  The babe is one of the hottest of day, Barabara Carrera.  And Chuck gets a plethora cool sidekicks that all shine (including a young Robert Beltran, of Star Trek: Voyager fame, and LQ Jones).  About the only downside to this film is that they could have picked someone better than Carradine to play Rawley (the main villain).  But, I guess he was kind of popular at the time, so there ya go.

2.  Forced Vengence (1982)
This one has some really great fights, and focuses more on the martial arts.  It was the last true martial arts movie Chuck would do for some years, and it is great.  Chuck plays a former Green Beret who has been "adopted" by a Chinese/Jewish casino owner in Hong Kong, and acts as a sort of one-man collections agency.  Well, with a setup like that, you can imagine the organized crime shenanigans that go on.  Suffice it to say, Chuck kicks all the right asses, and leaves a trail of bodies in a most satisfying manner.  The only complaint about this one is that the pacing is kind of slow for a lot of the film.

3.  An Eye for an Eye (1981)
This was the first of Chuck's "Karate Cop" movies.  The film is actually more of a crime-thriller, with the martial arts mayhem really ramping up in the end.  His sidekick in this one is his former martial arts mentor, played by the legendary Mako.  The dialogue is decent, the tension and pacing are actually really well-done, and the violence isn't over-the-top, but still exciting.  About the only complaints I had were the seemingly shoehorned romance subplot, and Chuck's wardrobe.  Yeah, nothing says action like a red v-neck sweater over a white button down shirt.

4.  Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection (1990)
While the first Delta Force was a pretty cool military action movie, it lacked any notable hand-to-hand combat.  This is remedied in Delta Force 2, which has a good balance of military action (as in gun fights), and martial arts.  Also, it has Billy Drago as the main villain, and he's really good in that role.  This movie is also cool because it makes the "one man army" shtick a little more believable.  I have no real complaints about this one.

5.  Firewalker (1986)
Ok, a lot of people hate this film, but I loved it.  One thing that stands out is that it was a real acting job for Chuck.  He wasn't the stoic everyman, or the strong, silent type, like he usually is.  Max Donigan actually has a personality, and some real development.  Paired with acting legend, Lou Gossett, Jr., and pitted against Sonny Landham, this movie is just a fun buddy-adventure.  The fact that Chuck's character uses martial arts BECAUSE he sucks with a gun makes it really funny in some places.  No real complaints about this one, either.

Honorable Mentions:
Missing in Action
The Octagon
Sidekicks
Code of Silence

I know that there are a lot of movies I have left out.  In fact, if I had time, I could have done a top 10, or even 15.  But, suffice it to say, regardless of his off-screen political leanings, I am still a pretty big Chuck Norris fan, and I like more of his movies than I dislike.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

I can’t stand that guy!


So, I was reading a review of the Director’s Cut of Daredevil (2003) over at The Action Elite, and I was reminded that I can’t stand Ben Affleck. Honestly, I can’t really explain why, there’s just something about him that I find annoying. I mean, he’s a decent actor, apparently a pretty good director, and he’s almost exactly my age. He likes comic books (hence his enthusiasm to play ol’ Hornhead), and is pretty funny in most of his Kevin Smith movie roles (especially Mallrats). So, really, I should like him.

But, I don’t.

Maybe it’s his teeth. They are too small for his mouth, and his gums are too big. I find that to be a really weird trait on anyone. I’m kind of bizarre, I know.

All that being said, I won’t avoid a good movie just because he’s in it. I liked Daredevil a lot. And really, he was my only quibble about the movie (well him, and the fact that Colin Farrell, whom I love to watch, kind of overplayed Bullseye a bit too much). The defining scene that illustrates why he was just wrong for the part was the playground fight. Maybe if it had been better choreographed, or better-written, or even just cut out all together, it wouldn’t be so bad. But that scene just takes me out of the whole fantasy. I didn’t believe for one second that Ben was blind, nor that he knew how to actually fight.

I remember when that movie was in development. It was originally offered to Ben’s childhood friend, and often-times collaborator, Matt Damon. But he turned it down (for reasons I don’t recall), so they offered it to Ben. Oh, Matt. You would have been so much better.

I do have to say that I liked the DD costume. Even though it’s part of the “leather stands in for spandex” trend (which I believe was actually started with the Hasslehoff classic TV movie, Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD), it works. I even saw a few people wearing a version of that at Wizard World.

Over all, I really like that movie, and based on the review I read, I want to see the Director’s Cut. Apparently Michael Clark Duncan (may he RIP), whom I LOVED as the re-imagined Kingpin, really steals the movie with the cut scenes.  Hmmm…I have six days off coming up…   So, anyways, is there an actor that you just can't stand?  I have a friend who hates Ben Stiller so much that he will actually avoid watching movies he's in.  I'm not that psychotic about Ben.

Monday, December 17, 2012

End of Days

Ok, no, I don't think the world is going to end on Friday.  And if it does, what could any of us do about it?  No, it's just that this may be one of the last posts I make in 2012, so I thought a bit of reflection was in order.

2012 was a pretty normal year for me.  Spikes and dips, and all manner of events in between.  I kind of gave a summary a few posts back, so I won't repeat myself.  But, I am feeling a bit melancholy these days.  I mean, I just turned 42, and I feel like I haven't accomplished much in that time.  I know that I have done a lot, and I am proud of those things.  But, none of the dreams I had as a young man have come true.  I'm not an Action Star, I haven't written a screenplay, I haven't published a novel.  I had a lot of big dreams when I was young.

But then, didn't we all?

I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions, but I feel like I need to set some goals, and actually work towards achieving them.  So, for 2013 I think I will focus on the following:

1.  Finish a book-length rough draft.  I have several projects in the wings that could get me there.  Right now it'll most likely be the historical fiction novel about Agesilaus.

2.  Lose 20 pounds...and keep it off!  This has more to do with better habits.  Lately, I have been feeling stuffed on less food, and I think that my body is telling me something.  Ordering smaller meals, and not feeling like I HAVE to eat every bite will probably help me a long ways towards this one.  Add in some regular exercise, and I think this is very doable.

3.  Come up with a five-year career plan.  I love certain aspects of my job.  I have a great boss, a lot of fee time to do what I like (write) at work, and the tasks I am handed are usually not very difficult.  But, I think that's the problem.  I feel underutilized and underchallenged.  So, career-wise, I think it's time to shit or get off the pot.

That's probably enough for now.  I will also resolve to read more for pleasure, and watch more movies that I like.  No need to watch more TV (though I was stoked to find out this weekend that NetFlix has season 2 of Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes on instant view now!).  I will also try to play with my kids more, and to be more patient with them.  Some days, I feel like a bad dad, and I don't like that.  I know it's mainly their ages (4, 9 and 17), but I hate feeling like I need to raise my voice so much.

I other news, I had a bit of random inspiration while driving to church yesterday.  So, I have started laying the groundwork for the next Orc story.  I should probably come up with a catchy title to encompass all of them.  Something like "The Orc Cycle"...I dunno.  Anyways, this one focuses back on Pekra, and heavily involves Bofdak the outcast Dwarf.  Should be some good old-fashioned violent fun.

On the gaming front, been playing a lot of Skyrim on the xbox, a lot of Star Wars - The Old Republic online, and will be playing some Shadowrun with my wife and a couple of other friends.  My biweekly D&D game is still going, but I feel like it will either come to an end this year, or take a turn in a new direction.  Either way, I'm looking forward to some change there.

So, there ya go.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

12-12-12 A Day to Remember

I figured on such an auspicious day, I should post some nonsense to commemorate.  Here in Wisconsin, today has been officially sanctioned (by our Governor) as Aaron Rodgers Day.  If you don't follow football, and specifically the Green Bay Packers, that will mean bupkiss to you.  As a hardcore Steelers fan, however, I prefer to call it Terry Bradshaw Day.  Again, non-football fan = bupkiss (and you'll probably want to skip the next paragraph as well).



Why am I a Steelers fan?  I have never lived in Pittsburgh.  I'm from the Bay Area of California, originally.  So, traditionally, I'm supposed to be either a Raiders or 49ers fan.  And I've tried both on, but they never fit.  That's because in 1974 or so, I had a stack of football cards about three feet high.  Included in that collection was the entire line-up of the then current Steelers team.  Man, what I would give to have those now!  Anyways, before I even knew what football was, I decided that I would be a Steelers fan because of that.  And, well, it stuck.  And for good reason.  The Steelers have more Superbowl wins (6) than any other NFL team (although the Packers have more overall championships, having won several before the SB was invented).  That may soon be surpassed, but they have held that title for many years.  And for four of those six games, the quarterback was Terry Bradshaw.  He is my all-time favorite football player.  Other QB's may be statistically better, even among his contemporaries.  But Terry has four rings.  He was a general on the field, and his Hail Mary Pass was something to behold.  Today I still love my Steelers.  Not because they are the best team.  But because they are a consistently good team.  No team has ever run roughshod over them in a game.  When you play the Steelers, win or lose, you know you played some smashmouth, in-your-face football!  And if you happen to win, you know you earned that victory.

Anyways, it's also a great day because it's my birthday.  And not only that, but I am 42 this year.  Anyone who has read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy should be aware of the significance of that number.  And if you haven't, I have to wonder what you are doing reading a blog by a geek like me...?



Happy 12-12-12 to everyone!  Drinks are on you!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

FASERIP!!

Some of you may recall that many moons ago I blogged about an old RPG I used to play, and LOVED in high school.  I am, of course, speaking of the Marvel Super Heroes RPG, put out by TSR, Inc. (the original makers of D&D)  Now long out of print, MSH still has a loyal, if aging, following online.

(For those who are not familiar with the game, the title of this post is an acronym given to the core system that MSH used.  It is based on the seven attributes heroes in the game had: Fighting, Agility, Strength, Endurance, Reason, Intuition and Psyche.  FASERIP.)

At the time of my previous post, I had lamented that I could never find a generic version of the game, with all of the Marvel Comics IP stripped out of it.  Well, apparently I didn't look hard enough.  Because today, on a whim from nowhere, I did a Google search for FASERIP, and one of my results was a link to a product offered for free at DriveThruRPG.  It's called the 4C System (as in four color), and it's free and offered as public domain.

So, what that means is, I can have my MSH game back, without the M, and can substitute my own heroes.  It also means that I can modify the system to accommodate a more "skills-oriented" RPG, which would allow me to use that dynamic system for other genres, like fantasy, modern and science fiction.

Will it work?  I dunno.  I remember it working really well for Supers.  And I have always wondered how it would handle other genres.  So, here's my big chance.  Will I do it?  Ok, now there's the $64 question.  I am notorious for starting crap like this and never following through.  Although I am getting better about that, it still takes me a long time, usually.

Anyways, just thought I would share my geeky treasure find with you, just in case anyone was interested.  Now, where did I put those d10s...?

Monday, December 10, 2012

Apocalyptic Trends


I often wonder where trends come from, and where they go to die. As a writer, I can’t help but be mindful of what is popular and what isn’t. Even though every book or blog or conversation dealing with writing advice says to not look at trends, as they often pass faster than writers can complete new projects to fit them, I find myself wondering whether I could write something that fits that trend, and if so, how would I do it, and how well could I do it?

For instance, the Apocalypse. This is an interesting one because it’s been around so long, that now we are looking at variations as the trends. It’s as if we have accepted that the end of the world is coming, and the only question posed in fiction is the how of it.

It may be indicative of my age, but when I think of the apocalypse, I first think of the Mad Max films, The Road Warrior in particular. In this variation, the world has endured a true “war to end all wars.” In the films it is never made clear as to the nature of the war, nor how it was fought, or why it changed the face of the world. However, given the time period the films were made (the early 80’s) it’s probably safe to assume it was a nuclear war. Either way, fuel, and thereby energy in general, is a scarcity, and the survivors are reduced to a state similar to the Dark Ages, while they search for a means of survival (ala gasoline).

One could argue that this forms the template by which all other apocalypse fiction is created: the world has irrevocably changed, and there is a single element that is key to survival, and people are forced to obtain it at all costs. Now, I will admit that I have not read much post-apocalypse fiction, and have really only seen a handful of films (though many seem to be just a variation of the Mad Max theme). But even with only a tertiary knowledge of the sub-genre, it is clear that the popularity endures. And right now, the “trend” is quite obviously the “zombiepocalypse.”

Personally, I’m kind of tired of the zombiepocalypse. From video games to movies, and now a TV show, I’m just about zombied out. I find it hard to get excited about zombie anything anymore. Were I to decide to work on an apocalypse story, it would be 100% sans zombies. So, then, what would I do?

As a Christian, my first instinct is to do some variation of The Rapture. But, first off, it’s been done (the "Left Behind" series). And second, even as a Christian, I’m not so sure it will happen like that. In fact, I’m really not even sure the “end” will happen at all. That’s just a philosophical debate, and frankly, it distracts people from the real message of the Bible. But, we’re not here to talk about that.

I think I would probably go the “natural disaster” route. However, I don’t think that the Earth is capable of creating a natural disaster of that magnitude (even with man’s help). So, it would have to be a result of something from beyond. This obviously means something from space. A meteor so big it devastates the Earth and kills most of the dominant species (hey, it happened once!). Or perhaps a meteor shower that, in itself doesn’t cause much damage, but, unbeknownst to us, those meteors that make it through the atmosphere bring something with them that causes devastation. A virus? Maybe. A new element that reacts with the ones on our planet to create some kind of new environment? Now THAT sounds like a good one.

Interestingly, a variation of this was presented in the "War Against the Chtorr" series by David Gerrold. The meteors were actually sent by aliens, and carried with them elements that would terraform the Earth for the aliens (if I recall correectly, it's been a while). I only ever read the first book, but it was good. And of course, it leads me to speculate on whether an “alien invasion apocalypse” story would be a good fit. But then we just get into alien invasion fiction, which, honestly, should be its own trend.

The cool thing is, even if you narrow it down to something like the meteor-shower scenario I present above, it opens up all kinds of possibilities. Not the least of which is, how will humans react? Will they resort to barbarism? Or will they coalesce into a more diverse, yet smaller population? Or will there be a mixture of both (like in Judge Dredd)?

So, what’s your favorite Apocalypse fiction?

Friday, December 7, 2012

Write, damn you!

I am back in the writing groove a bit.  After a long period where I struggled to get a single paragraph of fiction created, I have had three days this week where I have produced over a thousand words in one sitting.  For me, that's huge.  And from the FB comments of a lot of writer friends, it would be pretty huge for most of them too.

Some of my longtime followers may recall that I am working on a Sword & Planet story for a spec anthology being edited by Scott Oden.  After a couple of months of having no inspiration for writing it, I finally switched my idea to a first person narrative, and changed my viewpoint character, and suddenly it all clicked.  I like this take, and am already 2400 words into a 10k word story.  With a full outline, and defined characters, I think I should be able to pound this out quickly.  At least, the first draft of it.

Related to this story, was my aborted first attempt.  I had plotted it out, and presented the plot and first couple of pages to Scott, only to have him (correctly) point out that I didn't have any S&P elements, and that it would make a fine S&S story, or even alternate history.  Well, now that I have switched tracks for that anthology, I took the old draft, changed the names, and started setting it up as a S&S tale.  I think when I finish it, it will be on par with REH's "Phoenix on the Sword."  It's that kind of story.

As I previously noted a couple of posts back, I am also working on a Military Sci Fi story.  Did some work on that, and it's coming together nicely.  Though I can't decide what length it will be.  I guess I will just write the story to its logical conclusion and let the length be determined by that.  Either way, it's actually a little low on my priority scale right now.

Which leads me to academic writing.  I have a research paper due in a couple of weeks.  I have started on it, and have a good outline, the sources, and the thesis and opening paragraphs written.  The cool thing is, I am doing it on the early life of King Agesilaus of Sparta.  And the research will drive directly into the writing of the historical fiction novel I have planned for him.

Some days I think I will never be a "real" writer (at least how I perceive that title).  Then I have a week like this, and I start to think "I can do this!"

Monday, December 3, 2012

First World Problems

So, today I came in to a little bit of a surprise. Apparently, as of sometime this morning, my work has decided to start blocking Facebook. It should be noted that I work for a State agency, so this is not wholly unexpected. Heck, I’m surprised it took them this long to block it. I know that many of us enjoy filling our downtime with a bit of Social Networking (though I will admit that I probably have been doing it more than most).

I’ve seen this kind of thing before. Someone in HR reads an article or study that shows a correlation (however tenuous or circumstantial) between work productivity, and “time wasting” activities. They decide that Facebook qualifies as that sort of thing, so, in an effort to improve employee productivity, they cut it off.

Guess what? It’s a load of excrement.

People in jobs like mine often find that they have periods of time with little or nothing to actively do. In my case, much of my job entails sending emails and sometimes making phone calls, to which I am often forced to wait for replies, which invariably require more emails and calls. Some of my time is taken up producing reports, creating documents, and generally supporting those who do the actual work of our department. I am admin support.

Sure, it’s not glamorous, nor does it pay all that much. And frankly, if I was snobby about my education level, I would feel it beneath me. I’m certainly not using my degree for this job, and I won’t be using my Masters for it when I finish. But, it’s a stepping stone job, and everyone has taken them.

But some days, I feel like I am making a career out of Stepping Stones. I jump from one admin job to another, never really moving up any ladders. And I certainly don’t “enjoy” the work. It is often mind-numbingly boring, with little to no personal reward or fulfillment. Sure, I work in a department that does a lot of good for a lot of people in my state. But really, I’m just a cog in the machine. So, I don’t directly help anyone, usually.

Anyways, my point is, what am I supposed to do when there is nothing for me to do here? These “time wasting” activities keep my brain going, when work doesn’t. And since my Governor has decided that I am not worthy of the benefits I am supposed get in lieu of a comparable pay rate, I took this sort of thing as a “soft benefit.” And now it’s gone. So, the moral of this story is, don’t work for the Government unless they are going to keep you busy, I guess.

Ah, well. I suppose I will work on writing and homework. Which is what I should do anyways. So, really, I’m just bitching to hear myself bitch at this point.

And I’ll have to share this blog post on Facebook when I get home tonight.