How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Game

I discovered role-playing games when I was 10 and my friend was given a Basic set of Dungeons and Dragons on his birthday. I waited impatiently while he read the rules and we got started playing around midnight. I made a character and he ran the included dungeon all night and into the morning. Needless to say, I was hooked, and spent a lot of time playing D&D, Top Secret, Gamma World, Metamorphosis Alpha, and Boot Hill up until the end of sophomore year in high school. After that I put my games away until freshman year of college, where we played Stormbringer and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.

At the end of that year, real-life concerns so completely filled my waking moments that I couldn’t get into RPGs anymore. I didn’t have the mental toolkit at the time to separate my problems and anxieties into appropriate compartments, so my creativity suffered and ability to imagine myself elsewhere suffered greatly. I didn’t join or run a game for many years, and I gave away a great deal of games and books. In retrospect, it was a sad time of bad decisions and poor health choices.

For a while the only game I played was poker, but weirdly and thankfully, that led to Magic: The Gathering when I read Jonny Magic and the Card Shark Kids by David Kushner. The deck creation and evocative art somehow restarted a creative spark in me. About two and a half years ago, I discovered a game store in Chicago–not in the suburbs, but just two L rides away–that had a huge library of games you could borrow and play at the store. After a while, I realized people were running “one-shot” RPGs, a concept that was new to me, having only really played in games meant to be long campaigns. I started joining these games when I could, and even got into a longer-running D&D 3.5 campaign which inspired the name of my blog. I was very happy to be playing games again, and it forced me to meet new people, which is not the easiest thing for me.

Then another game store opened, right in my neighborhood. I spent some quality time there and met some people who became good friends. They had moved here from out of state, and had been using something called “Google Hangouts” to keep in touch with old friends and play games. It took me a while, but eventually I got into Hangout games myself. I learned how to use Roll20, I became part of the community of gamers on Google+, and I started writing again.

For this, I am truly grateful. In the last couple years I have met an incredible number of intelligent, highly creative, and often very funny people not just in Chicago, but all over the world. I’ve met and gamed with Vietnam veterans, published authors, academics, artists, game designers, programmers, and an attorney that gets my geeky interest in military history and equipment.

My hobby has been immeasurably enriched by the ability to meet others over the wire. Of course I wish I could invite the folks from The Redacted Files to sit at my old poker table with me and drink some dark beer; of course I wish my friends in Chicago could meet my friends in the UK over a game and some curry. And if I win the lottery, believe me, I’ll be shuttling a lot of people around! But the community in Google+, and the Hangouts they use, have allowed me to have the second-best thing: great games with great people, while drinking my imperial stout and travelling to faraway places and times.

What’s Cool on Kickstarter

There’s many interesting items to be found on Kickstarter, but these are the coolest ones this week.

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is a digital version of the fantasy scenario. I haven’t played Warlock of Firetop Mountain, but I really like the look of this game. Particularly the hopping of the miniatures as the move through the dungeon. I like the idea that it’s a digital version of you playing a tabletop game. It keeps the grid and the bases on the miniatures and just looks like a lot of fun. You can play through several different scenarios, and the next stretch goal is to get Battlebards on board to help with music and sounds!

A miniature hops down the stairs in a dungeon

“The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is a digital re-imagining of the classic adventure gamebook written by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. Tin Man Games is bringing it closer towards its tabletop role-playing game roots, complete with a rich interactive 3D map, collectable digital miniatures, an updated combat system and the ability to explore Firetop Mountain with multiple characters. This is our first step towards our grand vision for the Fighting Fantasy universe and we want YOU to be part of it.”

 

Cthulhu Tales
I really like the idea of this game, with you trying to explain to the staff of a hospital why you don’t belong there as you tell your story, and the others disrupt you to make you sound less sane. I think it sounds like a fun story telling game, and I would play it in a hearbeat!

Three cards showing Cthulhu, Azathoth and Yog-Sothoth

“Cthulhu Tales is a storytelling card game for people who enjoy the weird tales of the Cthulhu Mythos, love games and have a sense of humour with a touch of darkness to it…

Incarcerated in a sanatorium, you must convince the staff that you are sane by telling the story of the terrifying events that led you there. The other players try to disrupt your tale to make themselves look more sane in comparison, and the success of your tale determines which misguided therapies and medication are administered by the terrifying medical staff. These treatments are the way the game is scored, the player ending with the least amount of treatment is the winner, and is free to go.

Cthulhu Tales is very much a game, rather than simply a guided storytelling activity – it features structured and elegant rules for the telling of the tale, and for Hazard card interruptions. Players use the symbols on the cards to determine whether a card can be played, and its effect on the Narrator’s tale. The die introduces an element of luck into the proceedings – perhaps that Viscous Black Slime was merely a passing detail, or perhaps its arrival was the precursor to something far more sinister and madness inducing…”

 

Yrisa’s Nightmare, A Pathfinder AP
There’s not a shortage of material for Pathfinder content, but new adventures are always welcome. Yrisa’s Nightmare is written for both Pathfinder and 5e, and includes pre-gens for both. I haven’t been able to do any real horror in Pathfinder, so adventures like this make it easy to integrate.

Example of the PDF layout of the AP

“Highhouse Yroden has been cursed. Apparitions stalk the streets, gnolls lurk in the nearby wilds, and a dragon has taken interest in the town. Yet the curse runs deeper still. Nightmares plague the townsfolk’s dreams and madness grips their waking minds. If something doesn’t happen soon, Yroden will be no more. Yrisa’s Nightmare is an adventure written for 5e and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. The project includes:

-An adventure suitable for 4-5 2nd-level characters that includes a mix of action, roleplaying, and mystery. You should expect it will take 2-3 sessions (3-4 hours each) to complete Yrisa’s Nightmare.
-A new monster, the Blackclaw Gnoll. These servants of the demonic prince Zalintar Blackclaw are an unholy merging of demon, dragon, and gnoll.
-A fully detailed settlement: Highhouse Yroden. Yroden is stocked full of interesting NPCs and will be released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Additional content for Highhouse Yroden will be provided via an online supplement.
-Five pre-generated characters for 5e and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
-A pile of awesome extras waiting for us to hit our stretch goals. These add ons are focused predominantly on fallout arising from the events of Yrisa’s Nightmare.”

 

Luma Dice
These dice are really pretty, and I love that the pips on each side are different LED colors. You can also change the battery which means they will be usable for as long as you get new batteries.

Rolling the dice. It's metallic with different LEDs for each pip

“Playing games should always be a fun and magical experience. Our job is to deliver you the most exciting dice for playing all your tabletop adventures!

We have turned traditional dice on its head. Each side of dice lights up with different colored lights. The dice itself is carved from a solid block of aluminum and uses an accelerometer to detect motion to turn the lights on and off again when not being used.

Whether you’re into Dungeons & Dragons, board games or just a collector we think you’ll love LUMA DICE as much as we do.”

 

Still active!

Machu Pichu Dice
Würm
DCC RPG 4th Printing
What Lies Beyond Reason, a PF adventure path
Lovecraft, P.I.
Side Quest Pocket Adventures
Fhtagn: Rock Opera of Doom
Braille Dice
Age of Legends
Bring Back MST3K
Leonardo
Jellyfish Aquarium

What’s Cool on Kickstarter

There’s many interesting items to be found on Kickstarter, but these are the coolest ones this week.

Braille Dice
We’re huge fans of 64 Oz. Games, and we’re pretty excited to see another kickstarter from them, this time focusing on visually impaired RPG players. They’re releasing a full set of polyhedral dice, a tactile grid, dice bags, and more. All of this goes towards buying them new equipment to make gaming more accessible. The next stretch goal will help them purchase a Thermoform machine, which will help make overlays for board games, or more affordable tactile grids for RPGs. Even if you don’t want Braille dice, you should look at some of the cool rewards and pick up a pair of earrings or a keychain.

Pictures of each of the available 7 polyhedral dice.

“We intend to create a high quality set of 3D printed Polyhedral Dice with a brand new 3d printer. These dice will be usable with a wide variety of RPG games and would be both functional for blind players and a great novelty item for sighted RPG players interested in being inclusive.

We’ve printed sample models using the model that we’re looking at buying and we’re pretty happy with the way they turned out. We have already shown we are committed and capable of helping the blind community join gaming with our last Kickstarter that let us open our store.

What we need now is enough capital to make our dream of doing the same for RPG dice come true.”

 

Age of Legends
I love mythology, and I love that this RPG is diving right into Greek mythology for its inspiration. I also really appreciate that they’re re-imagining Ancient Greece, and are updating things like gender roles to make it a bit more enjoyable for everyone at the table. I’ve never played a 6d6 game, but I’m really intrigued by this setting.

Anubis is shown in profile next to the words

“Zeus and the Olympic gods are meddling in the mortal world for the first time in 800 years. The players are champions granted special powers by their patron god to defeat the agents of the Titans. But life is never simple when Olympian gods are involved.

Age of Legends is a complete setting for the fast, flexible and easy-to-learn 6d6 RPG. If we hit our funding goal the book will be 128 pages laid out in 6d6’s clean and distinctive style. Stretch goals will add additional content including extra gods, character paths and monsters.

Our stretch goals will grow the book to more than 200 pages. All supporters benefit from the stretch goals and will receive the expanded PDF and hard copies.”

 

Bring Back MST3K
So….I’ve never watched MST3k, I know about it through cultural osmosis, but never had the chance to see it myself. Luckily for me, and everyone else, they’re crowdfunding to bring it back!

The robots from MST3K stand with Joel Hodgson.

“Once upon a time, a television series called MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 was born. We debuted on Minneapolis’ KTMA, local television, on Thanksgiving Day 1988, as the world was in the final throes of Teddy Ruxpin-mania. That was almost thirty years ago, but for some reason, people still seem to like the show – it’s a mitzvah!

Our show has had a long, strange run. Across a UHF channel, a cable network, cancellation, a feature film, then another cable network, the show lasted for 12 years, two generations of hosts and puppeteers, 2 Emmy nominations and a total of 197 episodes before we got canceled again for good in 1999. Sadly, it was just as Prince predicted.

But maybe that’s not where it all ends.

Starting today, we finally get a chance to bring back MST3K. With your help, we can create a new season of MST3K, prove there’s still an audience, and maybe even convince a network to bring us back for more.”

 

Leonardo
The beauty of this board game is what caught my eye first. I really love the pieces and the minimalist black board with gold. But it also looks like fun to play!

The board game and all the pieces, including colorful money.

“Choose your figure, and with money in hand, enter the game at Vinci, the birthplace of Leonardo. As you travel through 15th century Renaissance Italy, you are faced with strategic decisions: Do you buy the Mona Lisa or invest in one of Leonardo’s brilliant inventions? Do you acquire a Palazzo in Firenze, or aspire to be the Pope in Roma?

Suddenly, the tension mounts as Death appears! It’s the Black Plague, a fact of life in these dangerous times.

Continue your journey, collecting Art and Property, amassing a fortune to ruin your opponents! You must have both luck and skill to succeed, for your position in the game can switch in an instant!”

 

Jellyfish Aquarium
I love Jellyfish, and would love to have them as pets, but it is pretty cost prohibitive due to how delicate they are. However, the tank is beautiful, and a great way to display these guys.

The aquarium is sitting on the counter with three jellyfish

“Everyone can benefit from a moment of peace. Uncover your moment with a Jellyfish Cylinder Nano aquarium, the easiest and most affordable aquarium that makes keeping jellyfish simple for anyone.

-Special laminar water flow pattern not possible in regular fish tanks mimics the natural open water habitat of jellyfish
-Integrated mechanical, chemical and biological filtration in an accessible, hidden compartment makes it simple to operate and keep clean
-Driven by a whisper quiet air pump that oxygenates the water and introduces no heat, keeping the jellyfish comfortable at room temperature
-LED changes the colors of the jellyfish with the click of a remote control button
-Made from durable, crystal clear acrylic hand-molded by the same factory we’ve been working with for five years
-Comes with all the accessories you need so you just add water: LED, remote control, sponge filter, salt, air pump, pipette, activated charcoal, nitrifying bacteria starter, and hydrometer”

 

Still active!

Machu Pichu Dice
Würm
DCC RPG 4th Printing
Bullseye d6
Aethera Campaign Setting
What Lies Beyond Reason, a PF adventure path
Lovecraft, P.I.
Side Quest Pocket Adventures
Fhtagn: Rock Opera of Doom

What’s Cool on Kickstarter

There’s many interesting items to be found on Kickstarter, but these are the coolest ones this week.

What Lies Beyond Reason, a PF adventure path
I’ve only ever run Pathfinder for the adventure aspects of the game, but I’m interested in AP that will introduce some darker themes, so this new project caught my attention.

A man looks at an inn the distance on a dark, stormy night

“What Lies Beyond Reason is an epic adventure designed to take characters from humble beginnings to renowned heroes. It explores themes of madness and obsession, of betrayal and consequence. It features epic locations, implacable enemies, and moral & ethical challenges. It offers players an opportunity to face unspeakable horrors in a high fantasy setting.”

 

Crimson Creek
This game reminds me of Final Girl, one of our favorites here. Plus it’s semi-cooperative, which I’m a big fan of. It looks like a perfect little game to pick up with your other slasher flick loving friends!

A sign that reads what happened at Crimson Creek?

“It’s a familiar story. You’ve heard it before. A group of friends head off for a weekend escape, to a cabin by the lake, in a quaint sleepy town, just a few hours north of the city. But as night falls, what was meant to be an amorous filled weekend, quickly turns into a hellish nightmare. A crazed maniac is slicing and dicing his way through the unsuspecting party. You shield your eyes thinking “Don’t go in there. Don’t go in the barn.” You can’t believe the obvious missteps these foolish kids are making. You would never make such careless mistakes. But then again, you start to wonder, “Would I survive?”

Crimson Creek is an homage to 80’s slasher films. It is a 2-6 player semi-cooperative pocket horror deduction game that takes 30-45 minutes to play. Where players run to safe locations, peek from hiding places, and search for clues all while trying to survive the blade of The Hatchetman.”

 

Lovecraft, P.I.
I’m always curious about literature that reimagines Lovecraft as some sort of super strong, strong-willed investigator, because it never seems to fit with what I know about him. Regardless, I love Noir and Lovecraft as a hard-boiled PI seems like an interesting read, especially in a graphic novel.

A comic book cover: Lovecraft PI: Paranormal Investigator. Lovecraft points a gun at the viewer, below him are a Femme Fatale, a gaping fish head, and an occult book.

“LOVECRAFT P.I. is a story that re-envisions the macabre worlds of H.P. Lovecraft while mashing them together with the hard-boiled detective novels of Dashiell Hammett. In this world ‘Ward’ Lovecraft is a Paranormal Investigator with the Miskatonic Detective Agency, an unsentimental and stubborn man who is short on temperament and long on occult knowledge.”

 

Side Quest Pocket Adventures
This small cooperative dungeon crawl game looks like it’s a great go to for when your GM just needs a break, but you still want to go on a dungeon crawl. Like I said above, I love cooperative games, and it looks easy to set up, play, and transport.

AN example of gameplay, cards are laid out including locations and character cards.

“Side Quest is a pocket-sized game that packs a big punch. With a single deck of cards and a couple of dice you will battle your way through a decision-packed dungeon. Which monsters will you fight and which will you run from? Should you grab some loot before you rescue the damsel? Which gear will help your heroes reach the end of the dungeon and which will help you fight the boss that blocks your exit?

This is a fully co-operative game where working together is key. The game is played horizontally, with a row of location cards placed next to each other. Hero cards go under these to show where the Heroes are, while Monsters and Loot cards go on top. Each turn the dungeon is populated with random Monsters and Loot cards, so you’d better deal with them quickly! Do you grab the Death Sabre that just dropped? Or attack the Zombies that are about to feast on your friend? ”

 

Fhtagn: Rock Opera of Doom
Since I covered the Cthulhu Death Metal album, we have to give credit to the Cthulhu Rock Opera (of doom) that is now being funded on Kickstarter. They’re creating a film, a stage performance, and of course the music.

Heads of three bald women, with impossibly long necks look at the viewer.

“Do you love Lovecraft? I mean really love H.P. Lovecraft, as in think warm thoughts about Cthulhu and Dagon every time you walk by the fish aisle at your local grocery store. Do you like campy horror comedies with rockin’ soundtracks? Do you love great rewards from the creators of cool films? If you can answer ‘yes’ to these questions, you will love Fhtagn: Rock Opera of Dooom! With your help and donations, this movie / stage show will become an awesome reality.

Fhtagn: ROD is an independent horror comedy movie and musical stage show from filmmaker Fabian Rush, creator of the youtube webseries “Alien Face Bashers” and several other features. Fabian is also the singer for the industrial rock band Synthetic Nightmare.

Fhtagn: ROD is a culmination of multiple entertainment forms, all aimed at celebrating the brilliant stories and characters envisioned by horror master H.P. Lovecraft and the many writers and artists that have since added to his mythos.”

 

Still active!

Boogie Dice
Kill Doctor Lucky
Machu Pichu Dice
Crucible: A Coin-based Fantasy RPG
Aquelarre
Würm
Chaos Apparatus Dice
Headspeace RPG
Strange Arcade Shirts
DCC RPG 4th Printing
Bullseye d6
Aethera Campaign Setting

What’s Cool on Kickstarter

There’s many interesting items to be found on Kickstarter, but these are the coolest ones this week.

Headspeace RPG
This looks like a really interesting sci-fi RPG that has a lot of the same themes as Shadowrun, especially with the powerful corporations. However, I’m really interested in the fact that your mind is bound together with that of the others in your cell. I haven’t seen a game that was focused so much on emotion, and they’re even core attributes for your character. This game is definitely worth looking into.

A woman with a glowing katana looks around the corner at shadowy figures with guns. The wall behind her has wanted posters with her face on them

“Headspace is a cyberpunk game where the players are operatives fighting against evil corporations. You’ll need to make use not only of your own hyper-competence but also that of your teammates by way of shared mental and emotional consciousness: the Headspace. Using this technology, you can connect to your teammates’ minds and use their skills as though they were your own. There’s a catch though: Everyone’s got emotional baggage and digging too deeply can pull a teammates emotions into your own actions. The Headspace is the edge you need to stand against the corruption of the world, are you and your fellow operatives ready to take up the challenge and make the world a better place?

Headspace is a role playing game that explores human emotion, memory, and personal identity. The world of Headspace is a dark future where technology has begun to alter not just our bodies, but how we feel and even think. In this future, an advanced neural networking technology, Headspace, has been developed. The Headspace allows a group of wielders to connect their minds directly to each other. But, jacking into the Headspace comes with a cost; there is no going back. Once your minds are bound together, every thought, sensation, emotion, and even dreams are shared over any distance instantaneously.”

 

Strange Arcade Shirts
There are a lot of neat shirts in this collection, and this is a great chance to add something unique to your collection.

Three shirt designs including Cthulhu and a portrait of Lovecraft, Cthulhu, and tentacles emerging from an old diver's helmet.

“Hand painted tees of the weird and wonderful for roleplayers, geeks, gamer’s and pop-culture nerds”

 

DCC RPG 4th Printing
We’ve been wanting to try DCC on TRF for a while, especially intrigued by the character funnel and high mortality rate. And now you have a chance to get in on the next printing of this, dare I say it, classic.

Two adventurers look on in horror as a wrapped gift snarls at them

“You’re no hero.

You’re an adventurer: a reaver, a cutpurse, a heathen-slayer, a tight-lipped warlock guarding long-dead secrets. You seek gold and glory, winning it with sword and spell, caked in the blood and filth of the weak, the dark, the demons, and the vanquished. There are treasures to be won deep underneath, and you shall have them.

Return to the glory days of fantasy with the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game. Adventure as 1974 intended you to, with modern rules grounded in the origins of sword & sorcery. Fast play, cryptic secrets, and a mysterious past await you: turn the page…”

 

Bullseye d6
If you’re an archer, these dice, specially made for your damage rolls should be in your dice bag. They’re a a fun way to tie the specific weapon you love so much to how hard you’re murdering that centaur.

Concept arts shows targets with 1-6 arrows in each.

“These unique dice feature a design meant to capture the spirit of the rangestriker! While having a focus on archers and crossbowman, they can be used by anyone to reflect the measure of accuracy achieved in a roll!”

 

Aethera Campaign Setting
If Pathfinder is the one and only system for you, but you’ve been craving to take your Paladin to space (or even if you’re just interested in interesting new settings) you should really check out Aethera. This looks like a beautifully made, well thought out new setting for Pathfinder, that adds new classes and races, while allowing for the incorporation of what already exists.

A dark skinned woman stands looking around warily, dressed in a full suit of mechanical armor and holding a blue-tinged sword.

“In the Aethera Campaign Setting, you’ll soar to asteroid outposts and ancient high-tech ruins on a ship powered by crystallized magic, journey to worlds populated by intelligent plant bio-engineers, musically prophetic technocrats, human-souled robotic war veterans, and alien shamans, all suddenly threatened by interstellar raiders. Aethera is a Pathfinder RPG compatible science -fantasy setting.

The Aethera Campaign Setting brings space opera to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. You’ll be able to experience the unique biomes of six totally new alien worlds, each with their own highly detailed histories, cultures, conflicts, and threats. Aethera is being designed with a distinct 1920s-1930s retro-futuristic art style, tempered by the presence of magic. Its diesel-punk meets magical technology, meets elements of traditional fantasy. You’ll have paladins, sorcerers, and wizards working as a team to explore asteroid dungeons where they’ll encounter lost technology from before the collapse of stellar civilization. Or maybe you’d like to explore the tense post-war political environment of the human mega-city arcologies on the barren world of Akasaat, where you’ll stalk the shadows of mile-high cities uncovering a vast conspiracy surrounding an ancient prophetic song broadcast by one of the Aethera system’s dying stars.”

 

Still active!

Spellbook Gaming Boxes
Boogie Dice
Scrawl of Cthulhu
Tome of Beasts: 300 New Monsters for 5e
Dream of Djinn
Kill Doctor Lucky
Machu Pichu Dice
Crucible: A Coin-based Fantasy RPG
H.P. Lovecraft Metal Record
Cthulhu Christmas Greeting Cards
Aquelarre
Würm
Dragonlock Dungeon Gaming Terrain
Chaos Apparatus Dice

Advice from a Crummy Painter: Preparing your Models

Some time ago (about a year I think) my beneficent GM Megan had expressed some interest in me writing an article or two about miniature painting as war gaming/painting is one of my hobbies. I have been painting up a storm as of late I thought it might be a good time do so. But I want to preface this with a bit of humble pie. I don’t consider myself to be that great of a painter. I started with little to no talent and my early jobs looked like Quasimodo after a bad spa day. I have been painting for about 15 years and only recently my biggest critic (my wife) has admitted she cannot say they suck anymore. I fully admit that there are a ton of articles by super talented people out there and I will whole-heartedly endorse you seeking their works out, but I hope that you find this series to be a decent starting off point. So here we go.

As the inaugural piece I wanted to cover just the most basic of things when preparing to paint miniatures. Just a few things have an impact on your first outing as a painter. If you happen to not be new to the painting process these will seem like no brainers, but it is a good thing to remember the basics.

  1. Clean your models – This encompasses not only cutting off excess pieces of material, sprue, etc.; but filing mold lines, inspecting for miscasts and other imperfections. And above all wash your models. When they arrive new almost all miniatures are coated with a fine to heavy layer of mold release. This is a substance that manufacturers use to aid in getting the newly cast models out of their form molds. It’s not an involved process to get the residue off. A simple soak and wash with warm water and dish soap is enough. Just be sure that the pieces are thoroughly dry before you begin.
  2. Prime – Carefully and thoroughly. A good prime job is essential to a good paint job. And there are a number of ways to go about it. The most common method that I have found it just a simple rattle can of spray primer. I use three different kinds but there are numerous forum threads and article on the matter. Other kinds and methods are brush on primer and the most expensive to start is airbrushing primer. All are valid options. I use the rattle can method as it fits in my price range.
  3. Have an idea of what you want to do – This is really all about choosing the colors you want to have present on your minis. Some war games require that your units or the entire army have a cohesive color scheme to make it easy to identify them as being in the same army. Others may not and the color scheme requirement is out the window when painting individual figures for Pathfinder, D&D and such. But beyond being consistent have an idea in your mind of how you want the final product to look. It may change a little as you paint, but keep a consistent picture in your head as you work. It will help.
  4. Wash your hands – Yeah, do this before you paint. The oils that we humans produce are the bane of painted minis. Over time the residue will erode the bindings and pigments in the paints and will lead to fading and easier chipping over time. And when it comes time to paint, I recommend doing everything possible to not directly handle the mini. The method I use is using a bit of poster putty to affix the base to an old paint pot. If painting the model in an un-assembled state use bits of paperclip to hold them. It will save you some heartache later.
  5. Assemble your minions – This can be done either before or after you paint. Some figures really lend themselves to being painted prior to assembly. I would leave it to your discretion on what to do; it is really a matter of personal choice. Also, prepare your work space. Get your brushes, paints, paint water cup, paper towels, etc. ready ahead of time. It helps to have a dedicated workspace for painting so you don’t have to set up and tear down all the time.
  6. Paint – To parrot Shia Le Bouf “Just do it!”, you can read about it all you want but it comes down to just painting. And then when you are finished with one model, start the next. I try to paint for at least an hour a day. Like any skill in life it doesn’t come naturally to everyone and the only way to improve is to do it, look at what you have done and then do it again. Then have someone else appraise your work, take criticism as a learning opportunity and try again. Look around for new techniques and apply them. Just keep at it and don’t get discouraged. The only bad paint job is one that is not attempted.

So there they are, some bare bones tips to help get started. Now one point that I cannot stress enough, is that in the coming months I will be posting more articles on the way that I prepare and paint miniatures. This is just the way that I paint and it may not work for you. And that is the thing of it. Paint can be a very personal thing to most people and it is imperative that you find what works for you. I just hope I can shed some light on your travels.

As always, thank you for reading and happy painting!

P.S.  – For some examples of the work that I have done check out my Google + page, under my name Patrick West. The vast majority of these are posted under the Warmachine and Hordes community.

Lovecraft and American Racism

The collective works of H.P. Lovecraft have entertained and inspired readers from all over the world. He has filled our imaginations with psychopaths, mad doctors, haunted towns, cosmic gods, and all manner of other disturbing images. However, the point that has disturbed some readers and sparked a fair amount of criticism regarding his work was Lovecraft’s racism. Like many authors Lovecraft used his work to express his frustrations with his personal life as well as the general state of life around him. And despite how easy it can be to criticize Lovecraft’s intolerance he was by no means a free radical in a world of open minded acceptance. Though I do not say he and his ideals should get a pass, Lovecraft’s opinions were much more common during his lifetime, and they can now serve as an example to learn from or discuss the social politics during the twentieth century, and perhaps even our current social climate as well. In many ways the social mentality during Lovecraft’s time seems somewhat foreign compared to today’s standards, but in just as many places it is hard to tell if thing have ever changed. There are numerous communities segregated not by law but by societal pressures, and people who lash out at minorities and foreigners either physically or politically. We are taught to not only learn about the past but to learn from it. Lovecraft expressed many ideas that were integral to his time. And while we may not agree with those ideas, we can still learn from them as we try to better ourselves, so as not to repeat his mistakes.

Continue reading Lovecraft and American Racism

What’s Cool on Kickstarter

There’s many interesting items to be found on Kickstarter, but these are the coolest ones this week.

Cthulhu Christmas Greeting Cards
This holiday season, what better way is there to show your love to your family then a nice thoughtful card with beings that will rob them of their sanity on front? Currently there are four designs, but we’re closing to adding a fifth design, Deep Ones caroling, to the line-up.

children building a snow-Cthulhu

“We love giving and receiving holiday cards, but best of all we love giving and receiving cards that reflect our special view of the universe. For several years we’ve made our own cards, by hand, but this year we want to do more. This year we want to have a Lovecraft Christmas.

We have 4 cards planned. The first three are finished. The last one is being painted. We have chosen a printer and costed materials. As Lovecraft would say ‘The stars are right’. Each of the 5 by 7 inch cards will come with its own Cthulhu Holiday Green envelope.”

 

Aquelarre
I don’t know much about RPGs developed in other languages, which I think is a huge loss. Interestingly, English translations of two originally non-English games are being kickstarted right now. Aqualarre looks like a great dark game, focused on angels and demons in Medieval times. I really love how the art they use fits in with the themes of the book, and I think it looks like a great addition for anyone who wants to deal with darker topics.

Medieval style illustration of men and women bowing to a 7 headed demon

“Almost 25 years since it was first released in Spain, Aquelarre (“Coven”) finally receives an English translation. Aquelarre is available from Spanish publisher Nosolorol in a gorgeous 500-page full-color hardcover edition, and while we’ll also offer a smaller and less expensive b&w softcover, this full-color, deluxe edition of the game is the primary ambition of this Kickstarter project.

Add Aquelarre to your collection and your game rotation and help us make this classic RPG available to players in the original language of roleplaying games.

Player characters in Aquelarre begin life in one of five kingdoms that dominated the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages—Castilla, Aragón, Granada, Navarra, or Portugal. Based on their region, characters may be of various cultures—Arabian, Basque, Castilian, Catalan, Jewish, Muslim, and many more. Social position (from nobility to slave) and father’s occupation affect their capabilities, including profession. Of course, personal characteristics (shown on the character sheet below) play their part, too. ”

 

Würm
Würm was developed in France and focuses on Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons and their journeys and adventures. I think this is a very interesting time period to introduce an RPG, and think that the mystical elements that they use could really add to the story. Plus the art is gorgeous.

A man in a bearskin stands before a wall showing cave paintings

“In this long-forgotten time, many powerful creatures roamed far and wide over a vast territory covered in steppes and taiga, reaching from the white mountains to the raging sea: mammoths, aurochs, bison, giant deer, cave bears and cave lions. Among these huge creatures, two species of humans live in small communities of hunter-gatherers: the robust Bear Men (Neanderthals) and the taller Long Men (Cro-Magnon, or Cavemen).

When you play Würm, it will be up to you to imagine what life was like for our ancestors, and give YOUR OWN vision of this time before time. During your adventures, whether simply surviving or going on perilous hunts or legendary quests, your characters will gain strength, wisdom and prestige by exploring unknown territories, daring to enter the darkness of mysterious caves, seeking out the powers of ancient spirits, or challenging the creatures of the night, the ice and the fire…”

 

Dragonlock Dungeon Gaming Terrain
I’ve seen a lot of terrain kickstarted, but I really like the way you can build your own dungeon with Dragonlock, move it around with ease, then break it back down to build a new dungeon. One huge bonus to this kickstarter is that you get the STL files to 3D print the blocks, which means if you have access to a printer you can build your collection much quicker. They have an incredible range of wall and terrain possibilities that means you can make your terrain look however you want.

Shows the Dungeon starter set, inlcuding 9 blocks of terrain, as well as the clips that hold the pieces together underneath.

“DRAGONLOCK™ (patent pending) is an all-new interlocking terrain system that allows you to create fully modular, multi-level 28mm scale dungeon terrain for your RPG or wargame on your home 3D printer. Each set is delivered in a downloadable .stl format via our online distribution partner DriveThruRPG.com, and once you have the set, you can print as many pieces as you like and never run out or need to purchase more. This new terrain system is the culmination of ten years of gaming terrain design experience.

By supporting us through Kickstarter, you get bonus models that won’t be available later, and access to free stretch rewards. We have been in business for ten years, and have successfully delivered six previous Kickstarter projects, so you can pledge with confidence that we will deliver a high quality product on time. Please note that the Dungeon Starter Set (what you see in the photos and video) is finished and ready to deliver once this campaign ends and has funded, just in time for anyone getting a 3D printer for the holidays!”

 

Chaos Apparatus Dice
We have to close, of course, with another beautiful set of dice. I really love the gears on these, and they would stand out in any collection of dice.

Full set of dice with black finish and copper numbering

“A roleplaying die should be able to generate character stats and help resolve combat or skill checks, but I think that dice can do more: I think that by looking and feeling like artifacts from the setting of your game, they can add to your immersion in the story. Chaos Apparatus is a collection of steampunk-themed polyhedral dice designed to do just that. 3D printed in a bronze and stainless steel composite, they’re beautiful, precise, durable, and fair with an intricate hollow structure that would be impossible to manufacture any other way. The premium versions are gilded, giving them a lustrous two-tone finish that greatly improves legibility and appeal.”

 

Still active!

Project Bombshell
Delta Green: The Role-Playing GameOnly Two Days Left!!!
Spellbook Gaming Boxes
Boogie Dice
Scrawl of Cthulhu
Tome of Beasts: 300 New Monsters for 5e
The Book of Starry Wisdom
Dream of Djinn
Stretchy Chainmail Dice Bags
Kill Doctor Lucky
Machu Pichu Dice
Crucible: A Coin-based Fantasy RPG
H.P. Lovecraft Metal Record

What’s Cool on Kickstarter

There’s many interesting items to be found on Kickstarter, and here are the coolest ones this week.

Dream of Djinn
This looks like a nice starter adventure for low level characters…if you’re like me and enjoy having traps everywhere and twisting people’s wishes into something now quite what they wanted. In the product description they outline some of the traps your poor party will encounter, and creativity is encouraged to get out of them.

Mockup of the book closed and open

“Suitable for lower-level characters (as you might not want to be too attached to them), Dream of the Djinn focuses on deadly traps, cunning curses, and a healthy dose of exploration. During testing, the adventure has so far provided about 12-15 hours of gameplay, a high mortality rate, and a consistent thumbs up.

Wishes are not the easiest of things to come by, so be prepared for a challenge. Throughout the course of the adventure, characters may run into ancient gods, sinister illusions, powerful artifacts, and trips through time. Or, more likely, their deaths.”

 

Stretchy Chainmail Dice Bags
If the large number of boxes I’ve posted to store your dice in haven’t caught your interest, maybe you should take a look at these bags. They are chainmail, but also include stretchy rubber links that allow the bag to get much larger. The bags they are selling through this kickstarter will hold about 35 dice, and you can choose your color combination!

About 15 dice bags, all different colors

“Our dice bags are handmade of anodized aluminum & EPDM rubber, which makes them stretchy & helps pad to prevent damage to your dice. The ring measurements are 16 gauge thick & the inner diameter is 5/16″. Each small bag can hold approximately 35 dice. The drawstrings are paracord; the stopper & end caps are plastic. All will be available in different colors.”

 

Kill Doctor Lucky
I really love the idea of this board game, where instead of trying to find the killer, like in Clue, you’re actively trying to murder the host. This game has been out for almost 20 years, but is currently out of print. This kickstarter is to produce a new deluxe edition.

The game with several pieces and cards displayed

“Cheapass Games was founded in 1996, and our very first board game was Kill Doctor Lucky. It’s a “pre-mystery” board game, where players compete to kill a very lucky old man. Kill Doctor Lucky has been through several versions and variations over the years, and it is currently out of print. To celebrate the 19.5th anniversary, we are bringing back Kill Doctor Lucky in a special edition, with new art and updated rules.

Kill Doctor Lucky is a fast, easy board game. The goal is simple: to kill Doctor Lucky. You’ll sneak around Lucky Mansion looking for good weapons and hiding places. To make a murder attempt, you must be in a room with Doctor Lucky where no one else can see you. And of course, he’s very lucky, so he’s quite hard to kill.”

 

Machu Pichu Dice
I think these dice a gorgeous and incredibly unique. There are several designs to choose from, and even though they are pricier they would make a great addition to a dice collection, or even just look beautiful as a display piece.

The three dice sets. One uses squares, one dots, the third diamonds for the pips. The dice are a mottled green and the pips are multi colored and outlined in silver.

“We believe the Machu Picchu Dice to be something quite… weird. GOOD wierd. We have looked extensively, and found nothing slightly similar out there. So we are happy, because we are doing something awesome AND new. We made the dice with two key purposes:
A. Deliver something GREAT. We wanted durability, we wanted precision and we wanted beauty.
B. To create a product that MEANT something.

There is so much amazing things to be shared from this corner of the world: talented people, amazing designs and materials, that even something as simple as reimagining a dice design is an opportunity to create something truly unique. It’s hard work, and a single die can take many hours to make, but the result is well worth it.”

 

Crucible: A Coin-based Fantasy RPG
Crucible uses a d2 system, which is heavily integrated into the worldbuilding of the setting. I haven’t seen d2s as a core mechanic before, and I think it looks like a great way to incorporate them. You can use any d2 you want, but the campaign is producing special coins to go along with their world.

Seven different gold, silver, and bronze coins

“Coins in Crucible aren’t just for mechanics, they’re also an integral part of the game world. They are sacred tokens, reservoirs of energy that allow those journeying toward ascension to focus and extend their capacities, enchant relics, and boost their potential to superhuman or even godlike levels.

Coins are also used to invest power into accoutrements of legend. Like Gandalf’s Glamdring or King Arthur’s Excalibur, the most important relics in a character’s possession remain with them over their lifetime, growing in power and renown as the character does.

The tail-sides of the coins are important in Crucible, for it is in them that the creation of the world is described. We call this the “Tale-side”, and this aspect carries through into gameplay where characters select stories that add drama and interest to their development instead of traditional advantages and disadvantages.”

 

H.P. Lovecraft Metal Record
Just to add some diversity to this listing, you can now pick up a whole metal album that focuses on Lovecraft’s works. There are song samples on the Kickstarter, and you can also pick up some great artwork they’re producing to accompany the album.

Three cultists standing around an alter. It's very metal looking

“A guitarist and composer, haunted by alien strains from beyond. An artist, being driven mad by his dreams. At the edge of sanity, the only way back from the yawning gulfs of illimitable horror is…Metal. Heavy Lovecraftian Metal.

‘Oath Of Dagon’ is my 5th record of instrumental, prog-metal guitar. Teaming up with Argentinian fantasy and sci-fi artist Marcelo Orsi Blanco, the purpose of this record is to finally go all-in with a lifelong obsession: the weird fiction of H.P. Lovecraft.

The aim here is to create the ultimate, authentic, Lovecraft metal experience. This is a true audio / visual project – a 10 song, full length record with 10 Lovecraftian paintings, combined into a cultist’s Dream Journal. The music and journal will be packaged as a high quality download card with a 20 page comic-style art book.”

 

Still active!

Project Bombshell
Delta Green: The Role-Playing Game
Pathfinder Metal Dice Set
Masks: A New Generation
Cultists and Cthulhu
Spellbook Gaming Boxes
Boogie Dice
Scrawl of Cthulhu
Spaceteam
Tome of Beasts: 300 New Monsters for 5e
The Book of Starry Wisdom

What’s Cool on Kickstarter

There’s many interesting items to be found on Kickstarter, and here are the coolest ones this week.

Spellbook Gaming Boxes
I was incredibly happy with my Hex Box from this company, and now they’ve come up with something even more beautiful that I am extremely regretful I can’t afford right now. These boxes can double as a dice tray and they have a huge variety of foam inserts that you can use to make them work for carrying your dice or even cards around. I could go on and on about these boxes, but I think just looking at them should sell you on them. There are pledge tiers to get them by Christmas as well, which would be a great gift for your favorite DM. (Or me!)

View of four boxes, showing exterior design and the two interior styles available

“Spellbooks are stylish and functional reliquaries for your favorite gaming gear. They come in two basic styles; “card deck” and “rolling tray.” The card deck is made for trading card games like Magic: The Gathering, while the rolling tray is for the generalists out there. You can further personalize the rolling tray interior with removable foam inserts cut to a variety of templates.

Inside the cover is a new Elderwood feature: the Reflecting Pool. Each Pool is crafted out of a variety of metals and acts as a fully functional dry erase board to keep track of temporary stats.

Finally, we offer an array of luxurious leathers with which to bind each Spellbook, and offer a range of art to customize the cover and spine to make them uniquely your own. To close out the package, hidden magnets together with a book belt keep your treasures safe and secure.”

 

Boogie Dice
These dice are so fun. I love the idea of being able to activate a roll by clapping or snapping your fingers. They have a game designed to go with these dice called Bots Battleground which looks like fun. But my focus is on these really cool dice.

Fist slams down on table and the two dice light up and bounce around.

“Boogie Dice are the world’s first self-rolling, sound activated, programmable, gaming dice. Clap your hands, snap yours fingers or bang the table, and they will start to Boogie.

100% smile guarantee: having the dice magically roll on your command makes everyone who sees it smile, and that’s what we’re here for!

Designed to be a universal gaming accessory, Boogie Dice can replace any standard ‘static’ dice in any and all of your favorite games. But Boogie Dice are jam-packed with unique features and abilities that transform them from simple dice into the coolest gaming accessory.”

 

Scrawl of Cthulhu
If you are dedicated to making your own props for games you should really check this out. They have developed 10 fonts specifically for Cthulhu projects, including period accurate fonts. You can get a personal license, or one that you can use commercially.

Examples of various fonts from the project

“This project started with the development of original fonts to use in a forthcoming tabletop game project. When we had developed a selection of fonts, we realized that perhaps there were other people who might be interested in a collection of high quality fantasy fonts! With that in mind we expanded the scope of the fonts and used a professional font editor to further refine them.

Our previous collections of fantasy fonts were successfully funded here on Kickstarter and now we are back with our fourth pack, this time focused on the Cthulhu mythos! The pack aims to include a variety of period accurate fonts to construct scripts, ciphers, newspapers, ancient languages etc.”

 

Spaceteam
I love cooperative games, and this one looks like a lot of fun. The ‘science talk’ on all the cards is super fun, and gameplay looks exciting.  Plus I really love the art on all the cards.

“Spaceteam is a fast-paced, cooperative shouting card game where you work together to repair a malfunctioning spaceship. Coordination with your team is crucial as you try to escape an impending black hole. Success is seemingly just out of reach as you encounter one complication after another. Your only hope is to work together with your Spaceteam to repair the ship before it’s too late.

This game was created by an all-star team of game-makers and creatives including Henry Smith (creator of the Spaceteam mobile game), Elan Lee (Creator of Exploding Kittens) Tommy West, Mathew Sisson, and more.

So if you’re into playing card games, overhauling spaceships, discharging fluxitrons, and shouting at your friends: Help us make this game a reality!”

 

Tome of Beasts: 300 New Monsters for 5e
There are millions of ideas out there for monsters, so you shouldn’t let yourself be limited by a single Monster’s Manual. This book includes 300+ new monsters for your game, and has stunning art. I think these look like a great addition to your game, and with 5e stats ready to go, you can port them into your next session!

A metallic being, seemingly made of armor, stands ready to fight

“The Tome of Beasts brings more than 300 new monsters to your 5e game—everything from tiny drakes and peculiar spiders to ancient dragons, arch-devils, and demon lords. The Tome of Beasts covers a huge gamut of challenges, from basic vermin to world-shaking personification of malevolence, and everything in between! Back the Tome of Beasts today and terrify your know-it-all players with creatures they have never heard of.

This richly-illustrated, highly useful supplement for any 5th Edition game compiles monsters from the entire history of Kobold Press monster design, including longtime favorites such as our clockwork creatures, drakes and dragons, devils and arch-devils, and the various dangerous flavours of the fey. It includes the winners and some of the finalists of the Monarch of the Monsters contest, and it is illustrated by some of the finest artists working in fantasy today.”

 

The Book of Starry Wisdom
This book contains Lovecraft’s stories that deal mainly with Cthulhu and his cult and are accompanied by essays and art from people well-known in the Lovecraftian community. They’re planning on making a very beautiful book that will look amazing on your bookshelf.

“The Book of Starry Wisdom compiles newly edited editions of H.P. Lovecraft’s public domain cycle of Cthulhu stories, edited and produced by myself, Simon Berman, and illustrated by renowned deific and fantasy artist, Valerie Herron (The Book of the Great Queen).

Accompanied by essays and musings by some of today’s premiere Lovecraftian scholars, writers, and devotees, The Book of Starry Wisdom will be a luxurious, approximately 192 page hardback tome, featuring a leather textured cover with gold foil pressed symbols of significance to the Cult of Cthulhu, 13 interior B&W illustrations, as well as other features to be unlocked as the Kickstarter meets its stretch goals. This premium volume will be a stunning addition to the library of any enthusiast of H.P. Lovecraft or worshipper of Dead Cthulhu Who Lies Dreaming. ”

 

Still active!

Project Bombshell
Fire and Bone 3
Lovecraftesque
Bad Neighborhood Jigsaw puzzle
Zucati Dice
Delta Green: The Role-Playing Game
Pathfinder Metal Dice Set
Masks: A New Generation
Cultists and Cthulhu