A musical legend.  The world lost some of its luster when it lost Rush.

Good article about old school gaming!  

Meet the Original Dungeons & Dragons diehards still playing by '70s rules | Dicebreaker

I am looking forward to NTX!  

sauromatian wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:Ladies & gentlemen, it is my sad duty to report that drumming great Neil Peart has passed away. Perhaps the most appropriate eulogy would be this:
Chester Cheetah - Neil Peart - YouTube

If you have the Sirius station, channel 27 (Deep Tracks) is playing Rush songs all the time... truly some songs you never normally hear on the radio!

jkason wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:Just came over my Facebook feed:

Christopher Tolkien has died at age 95.

Story Here

So ends the Second Age...

benjoshua wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:Another article about how D&D is growing in popularity

D&D Propaganda. I found it hilarious.

"D&D’s fifth edition, released in 2014, isn’t just a success. It’s revivified the franchise, with 2018 and 2019 – the 45th anniversary of the game — consecutively marking the best years for D&D sales."

Under Hasbro, yes. TSR did better.
(See the 1980s, which saw far greater unit sales numbers for both rules and accessories. If you compare dollars, be sure to adjust for inflation over 35 years.)

"It was such an old, beloved brand at the time, and it was kind of falling on some troubled times."

Due to their last attempt, D&D 4th edition.

"...it's really going to make a huge difference when we can get all over the world playing together. That's going to be one of the next big, positive changes, is going global and going global together."

Because the 1980s don't count?
(Asking on behalf of long-time BECMI players throughout Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia.)

Oh, that's right, peddling the Company propaganda, it's just your job. My bad, carry on.

* * *

Support independent publishers and stop cheering for Hasbro (worth 11 billion $US). I don't buy anything offered by the gorilla in the room.

Bully & Blackball tactics used by the gorilla:

1. Convention advertises a Personality from the game biz as an Official Guest.
2. Convention then convinces Wizards of the Coast to provide official Adventurers League events, to boost attendance.
3. After everything is advertised, WotC tells the convention that they'll have to remove that Personality if they want the support (money), and issue a correction.
4. Convention truncates the Guest List and never mentions that Personality again, lest it cost them money.

And yes, it's personal. They took away my hobby (going to game conventions) and all my freelance income.

I oppose game industry bullies, starting with the worst of them all:
Hasbro sock-puppet Wizards of the Coast.

They'll do anything -- even hurt people -- just to sell more 5e.

I don't advocate boycotts, ever (nor bullying or blackballing).
I am simply saying I will never use their products, due to activity like this.
Make your own choices.

I went to see the movie 1917 today, and it's a solid film.  I like history, and this film strove to present war realistically.  As the two main characters get ready to leave the trench into no man's land, I found myself involuntarily slouching down in my seat.  The premise seems somewhat manufactured, but apparently much of the story is based on events that really happened.  It's one of the better war films I've seen.

The basic story could inspire a rpg adventure.  A small party has to cross enemy lines, avoid traps, eliminate or circumvent enemies, and deliver a message or item to friendly forces.... all within a limited time frame.  I'm guessing something similar already exists, but I can't think of it right now.

The cinematography was so good, it almost became a distraction.  The whole film appears as one long shot.  I found myself asking, "How'd they get that shot?"  There are no bonus scenes at the end.  My theater had maybe thirty people in it for a 4:05 PM showing which surprised me.  I thought there would be less.  Definitely not a movie for kids.  I did not see it in IMAX or 3D.  I wouldn't say it's necessary to see it in the theater, but the theater screen makes the film more immersive. 

Thanks for the review!  I plan on seeing 1917 this Monday.

Hero Quest?!

Everything is hundreds, have a nice day. Where did this come from? I remember seeing the game back in the day but had no idea it was so collectable. Like all nine different boxes of it or whatever.

Wow.

sauromatian wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:I just don't know what to believe about this novel coronavirus. Researchers were saying at first that people must have caught it from snakes. But then I read this article:
No, the Wuhan Virus Is Not a 'Snake Flu' | WIRED "The Slippery Truth of a Flawed Wuhan Virus Theory"
The truth is, people didn't get the virus from snakes. The virus turns people INTO snakes.

Sounds like a great Call of Cthulhu game.  A little subtle for an elder god, but perhaps his cultists are a bit subpar compared to the other gods’ cultists - and they’re out to prove their quality.