Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread • Page 90 • Collecting General • The Acaeum

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Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread
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Author

ExTSR
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Valuation Board

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Location: Almost Lake Geneva, WI

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 8:02 pm

Thank you, but this really isn't the place, and I'm not changing my mind this year.

Just last month haters from GaryCon piled on (on FB), reviving that mess.
I have assorted medical issues, but they're secondary. While some of you are encouraging, there are others (even at NTX) who are the opposite.

I'm still working here in the Valuation Board. I'll be around (online).

F

My friends Dave & Gary made a quantum leap in entertainment. Remember them.

Thor
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Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 12:21 pm

ExTSR wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:I'm sure that many would like me to attend, and Doug has made that very clear.

Last time I was there, many attendees gave me the 'cold shoulder'. Quite icy.
I'm not inclined to believe they'll change. The management and staff are very welcoming, the games are exceptionally great, but I'm... gun-shy.

I do not expect to attend.

This is simply heartbreaking that you are leaning toward not going to NTRPG...I saw you on the attendant list a bit ago, now I see its been removed. I assume at one point you were planning on going. There are a few of us that I drive up with from Austin to attend and your games are the first ones we seek out. Even my son all he talks about is you being the best DM hes ever gamed with....Not having you there flat out sucks. I really hope you change your mind as several of us are bummed.

--Thor

Agent Cooper
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Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2020 11:38 am

Well I'm completely out of the loop on any of this. I had no idea there was some problem going on with GaryCon VS NTRG people.

I just hope whatever it is gets resolved peacefully and everybody is nice to Frank again. He deserves it. We need to treasure all those guys who were back there in the beginning, when it all started.

In the meantime, maybe he will tell us some TSR stories here on the Acaeum.

The owls are not what they seem...

Thunderdave
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Location: Toronto, Canada

Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:47 pm

just a general lament. print on demand is getting me down. sure, great from a gameplay perspective. as a collector, arrgh.

Picked up a really interesting Castles & Crusades lot. I've been buying their books 10+ years. I like the company. Good production value, interesting reads, nice art. Really good items in my view. I I was excited to check out this lot, all the new titles, great quality, then saw all the bar codes. Lots of great gameplay but not "collectible"

Bought a Wayfinder lot recently (from here IIRC), super pleased. Many of the mags are original, Paizocon offerings (based on what I can figure). Great to read and enjoy and play with. But all available on-line, all for sale. It'd be tough to substantiate authenticity of these. Not so collectible

It's not that speculation or the possibility of rising in value isn't there. It's that RPGs aren't special anymore, if that makes sense.

Just grousing. I guess more and more of my purchases will be aimed at vintage and non-Drivethru-able items, like box sets. And I'll treasure my 1e mods from bitd all the more.

Any other thoughts on POD affecting our collecting hobby?

I draw the line at collecting... D&D beach towels.

Shoulda been: ".. from Pangreenia to Floratopolis, from mystical Treeonia of spectral Forests to Schruborial dimensions." - The Forests of Leng

benjoshua
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:33 pm

Thunderdave wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:just a general lament. print on demand is getting me down. sure, great from a gameplay perspective. as a collector, arrgh.

I agree that POD items are less collectible, but I love some of the content. I've been pleased with the POD items I've purchased, and I'm guessing the number of people publishing items has jumped significantly. As you say, the gameplay perspective is improved. I hope this trend continues.

One simple thing they might be able to do is to stamp each item with a print number as lower numbers might be perceived as more valuable. Furthermore, I suspect it would also be possible to make publications limited editions, and that would also help make them more collectible. If they want to target collectors, they could do so, however, these POD companies would have to be convinced they could make just as much money with this approach. Their whole business model is helping them make money by helping independent publishers make money. Money is their bottom line, not creating collectibles.

There is another approach which bothers me that targets collectors. I like Goodman products, and I have a large older Dungeon Crawl Classics collection. However, the way Goodman Games are now pumping out multiple, multiple covers for many of their books and adventures makes collecting them unappealing because they are, in my opinion, overly focused on selling collectibles. I'm guessing some people love it, but I'm not on board. I'm not against them doing it; they can do what they want, but I'm personally not interested into that.

Truth is worth finding and life is too short to work for money.

grubbiv
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Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:55 pm

Thunderdave wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:print on demand is getting me down.

The only thing that gets me down about POD is the low quality. I purchased a book, I think it was the Labyrinth Lord Advanced Edition Companion, and it looked like the machine was running out of toner.

jkason
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Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 12:44 am

Thunderdave wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:just a general lament. print on demand is getting me down. sure, great from a gameplay perspective. as a collector, arrgh.

I have to disagree. I picked up some Kenzerco titles a few years ago from Lulu.

Quality was as good as stuff they had made (in China) themselves.

Only other way these particular titles are available is PDF.
Don't know (or care, frankly) about the collectability, just wanted a complete set of all their Kalamar stuff.

Dave, get the barbarian in the corner a drink, quick!

sauromatian
Sage Collector

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Location: Far Harad, Texas

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 2:00 am

Deadly Disinfo: How the Flat Earth Conspiracy Doomed an Amateur Rocketeer
'Why did Hughes launch himself in a rocket? As he explained it, the goal was to take a photo from space to “prove” the Earth is flat. He’d been trying for years.'

Sigh. He'd figured out that he would fall off the edge of the world if he sailed too far, but failed to anticipate that flying too high would mean crashing into the giant solid dome that is the sky.

red_bus
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JG Valuation Board

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Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 8:59 am

Interesting - I just read a fantastic essay on Howard Hughes by Joan Didion (really, genuinely amazing). Its in a collection of her work and I couldn't find an online text but here is a link to an excerpt on a fan blog:

“That we have made a hero of Howard Hughes tells us something interesting about ourselves.” – Joan Didion | The Sheila Variations

Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!

benjoshua
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Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 10:06 am

sauromatian wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:Deadly Disinfo: How the Flat Earth Conspiracy Doomed an Amateur Rocketeer
'Why did Hughes launch himself in a rocket? As he explained it, the goal was to take a photo from space to “prove” the Earth is flat. He’d been trying for years.'

The only thing flat earther's fear is sphere itself.....

Truth is worth finding and life is too short to work for money.

Skullhammer
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Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 11:51 am

benjoshua wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:
The only thing flat earther's fear is sphere itself.....

Oh man ... that was the best dad joke that I’ve heard in decades

. Well done.

SimperingToad
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Location: My Pad

Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 3:27 pm

benjoshua wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:One simple thing they might be able to do is to stamp each item with a print number as lower numbers might be perceived as more valuable. Furthermore, I suspect it would also be possible to make publications limited editions, and that would also help make them more collectible. If they want to target collectors, they could do so, however, these POD companies would have to be convinced they could make just as much money with this approach. Their whole business model is helping them make money by helping independent publishers make money. Money is their bottom line, not creating collectibles.

There is another approach which bothers me that targets collectors. I like Goodman products, and I have a large older Dungeon Crawl Classics collection. However, the way Goodman Games are now pumping out multiple, multiple covers for many of their books and adventures makes collecting them unappealing because they are, in my opinion, overly focused on selling collectibles. I'm guessing some people love it, but I'm not on board. I'm not against them doing it; they can do what they want, but I'm personally not interested into that.

grubbiv wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:The only thing that gets me down about POD is the low quality. I purchased a book, I think it was the Labyrinth Lord Advanced Edition Companion, and it looked like the machine was running out of toner.

With the advent of digital presses these days, it would be very easy to individually number them by using 'variable data.' That's how you get those adverts in the mail with your name printed on the card/letter. It works by setting up a text box that will contain the text so it will access a database in the form of a spreadsheet file.

Digital presses are still like conventional ones in that an ink is applied to the paper, and can run out of ink. Or, it could just be because you got one of the early sheets before the ink coverage was up to snuff. When I was working in the biz, digital presses used a plastic-like ink that adhered to the treated surface of the paper, rather than soaking into it. Back then, I could feel the raised text on the paper from the digital press. That could help one determine digital vs. conventional.

As they say, though, if something is deliberately made to be collectible, it usually isn't. :wink:

Art of dragons doing what dragons do. Site of a friend. Dragonstuff

sauromatian
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Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 6:11 am

benjoshua wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:The thing that surprised me about this whole thing is how the coronavirus compares to the flu...I sincerely hope this thing doesn't spread world-wide, but it's looking like it will.

Wall Street exchanges brace for coronavirus outbreak, as Trump says ‘every aspect of our society should be prepared’ - MarketWatch

If every aspect of our lives must now be on guard, then the gaming table should be no exception. The CDC has distributed a guide of facial hair that may facilitate its spread, certainly an item of interest among gamers. (https://www.foxnews.com/health/cdc-warn ... irus-fears Note that a Hitler-type mustache is not dangerous, offering a hint as to which evil conspiracy groups might be responsible for the virus.) Will beard shaming become an issue? Will playing a dwarf PC be considered in bad taste?

benjoshua
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Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 9:23 am

The CDC says its not a matter of if, but when, it will hit the United States. And as fast as this Kung Flu seems to be spreading, it's entirely possible that the peak spreading of this in America could be this summer. However, I suspect that the full ramifications of this will be readily apparent to everyone by then, and most flu-sicknesses don't manifest themselves strongly during hot weather months anyway. These two factors alone probably mean the NTX, and other summer gaming conventions, are not in serious danger of being impacted. Probably the biggest ramification for the convention will be increased attention to the health status of airplane passengers. Passengers showing flu-like symptoms simply won't be allowed to fly.

Probably the best way all of us can prepare for the Kung Flu and the convention in the meantime is to get healthier. It's reported that the main people who are dying are older and have pre-existing conditions. In short, the least healthy people are most likely to die from this. Therefore, if you are not exercising regularly, start taking long walks, or something like that, every other day. Eat fruit and vegetables at every meal. Become a hydroterian (only drink water). Or whatever floats your boat. We want everyone there! You'll look better and feel better anyway.

Truth is worth finding and life is too short to work for money.

Sea-to-sky-games
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Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 5:45 pm

JAMA yesterday suggested fatality rate could be closer to 0.4 percent (or less in the US) but it could affect lots of people so, yeah, the elderly etc. could be hard hit.

sauromatian
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Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2020 8:19 pm

benjoshua wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:...most flu-sicknesses don't manifest themselves strongly during hot weather months anyway. These two factors alone probably mean the NTX, and other summer gaming conventions, are not in serious danger of being impacted.

'"You want to watch that," Joe Bob said. "Nothin any worse that a summer cold."' -from Stephen King's The Stand; scene set in East Texas

Deadlord
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 4:01 pm

sauromatian wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:
Wall Street exchanges brace for coronavirus outbreak, as Trump says ‘every aspect of our society should be prepared’ - MarketWatch

If every aspect of our lives must now be on guard, then the gaming table should be no exception. The CDC has distributed a guide of facial hair that may facilitate its spread, certainly an item of interest among gamers. (https://www.foxnews.com/health/cdc-warn ... irus-fears Note that a Hitler-type mustache is not dangerous, offering a hint as to which evil conspiracy groups might be responsible for the virus.) Will beard shaming become an issue? Will playing a dwarf PC be considered in bad taste?

Excellent advice. I've been shaving my back hair for decades to avoid creating a nesting ground for the super-lethal Spinovirus. And then there's the Shankovirus, but my bikini line remains where it is regardless of the threat.

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

Deadlord
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Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2020 4:06 pm

Here's one for the conspiracy theorists: If you owned a small biotech company that dealt in vaccines and/or genetic research, would it not be a good business move to create a virulent but low-lethality virus, drop it in a high-density area, and watch your stock soar as you announced to the world that you just happen to be on the verge of a vaccine? IBio or Vaxart are great examples of that............

If you hit a Rowsdower, you get to keep it.

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