Information Overload

Gamer ADD is a horrible curse. Really. It stops more games from happening then it ever helps start.

I've got my Tunnels & Trolls. I'll be starting in a weekly online campaign next week. I'll be playing, which is good, as I'm probably too distracted to run a game as I planned because...

Swords & Wizardry is occupying my thoughts. I'm close to finishing off the Bard class I've been working on and should be able to hit the deadline like a radio DJ hitting the post right before the singer hits their first note. Which is good because...

OpenQuest / Runequest is also sneaking it's way back. I really enjoyed the original RQ2 - the setting material was many colors of awesome. Mongoose is putting out some really good setting material these days for their RQ2. Which makes me sad, as I only have so much free time these days. I must allocate my time better.

The Gathering of Fools (my old gaming group) will be happening in early June. I'll get to distract them with some Tunnels & Trolls goodness I've been gathering for them. I've also been asked to bring a copy of Parsely #1: Action Castle to actually (unheard of at these gatherings) play a session of. Good to know at least one member of my old group reads this blog on occasions ;)

Mini Review - Parsely #1 - Action Castle

Ever thought of taking Zork and making it into an RPG?  With all the UP, DOWN, USE LAMP commands?  Someone did.  From the video it actually looks kinda like a lot of fun with the right group (I think my old group with a few beers in them would eat this up, personally).

I do think you need the right person in the GM / Computer Parser role.  If you lived the old text adventures, you'll make this really entertaining for your group.  I think it kinda helps if you are in on the joke.

Here's a video you can check out some actual play with.  It's less then 3 minutes, so its fairly short.

And here's the blurb:


> LOOK ACTION CASTLE
Parsely #1: Action Castle is the first in a new line of games called “Parsely Games.” Now you can “GO EAST” and “LIGHT LAMP” with the best of them. Canst thou master Action Castle before death claims thee? Parsely games are inspired by Ye Olde Text Parsers from days of yore, but substituting a live human for the computer parser. Parsely games are small, portable and fun for (almost) all occasions.

• Play them anywhere! On trips, in long lines, camping, at game cons…
• Play them with anyone! Young or old, expert or total n00b
• Play with a few friends or 100 random strangers at the same time

> ASK ABOUT ACTION CASTLE
“…the best game that I have played all year” – Chris O’Neil, co-author ofKobolds At My Baby
“…clever, silly, well-rehearsed, & a true homage to Zork.” – Steve Jackson, game industry legend
“…the awesomest awesome.” - Scott Rubin, co-host of Geek Knights podcast
“Very rarely do new game concepts come along which impress me, but this one stands out as being something truly revolutionary. And yet, like many of the most brilliant ideas, it’s so fiendishly simply that you say “why hasn’t anybody thought of this before?” – Andrew Looney, designer of Fluxx
“Check out a NSFW video of the demo … We missed the first part of the presentation, but here’s the prompt which kicked things off: ‘You are in a cottage. There is a fishing pole here. Exits are out.’ Hilarity ensues.” - Griffin McElroy, Joystiq

> EXAMINE SPECS
Action Castle v1.2 comes with the Parsely rules on one side and the Action Castle map and game guide on the other