Tavern Updates - Talk, Tutorials, Tap and Pre-Podcasting

I've had uncle-duty since noon yesterday - yes, I've been a busy uncle for a nearly 5 year old girl. Needless to say, I've accomplished nearly nothing over the last two days that I had hoped to, but damn I've been a good uncle ;)

Tavern Talk was nice and lively last night even with me arriving late and leaving early due to priority commitments (my anniversary being high on that short list.) I'm really excited with Dyson's latest project (I posted about it here) and it was great to see +Dyson Logos and others in the chat last night.

Of course, Dyson's latest is part of the reason I'm trying to kick of the Tavern Chat Podcast as soon as possible. Isn't going to happen today, but with some day time training and some more time off next week I may actually be able to kick off this timely gaming news podcast.

Which leads back to the tutorial aspect. I have no problem talking, as you can see from the previous podcasts I've shared hosting duties on. Then again, this is the first one where I'm doing more than simply yapping. Time to get the moving parts down. I expect the Tavern Chat Podcast will be more "quick and dirty" than the others. By its very nature, it will have to be. I'm aiming for once a week releases initially before moving to twice a week and finally three times in March, 10 to 20 minutes per episode.

I've got my topics worked out for the first episode, but if I don't get it done this week coming up, I may need to change some of the topics, as they will no longer be timely...

Oh, and this was my latest Kickstarter to deliver. Just need to get it up and running :)

Kickstarter - Starvation Cheap: Planetary Warfare for Stars Without Number - Kevin is Early - Again - and with more Free Art

Want to learn how to run a successful gaming Kickstarter from pitch to funding to completion? Look no further than +Kevin Crawford (Sine Nomine Publishing.) Kevin sets the Gold Standard that all other project creators should be looking to emulate.

Starvation Cheap: Planetary Warfare for Stars Without Number is a month early of estimate. Sure, Kevin bakes some extra time into his estimates but he knows the process better than most.

Best of all, more free art for the community to use in their commercial projects. You can download the Starvation Cheap art pack here. Did I mention it's free to use in all of your commercial work, just like the other art packs Kevin has put together?

Another tip of the hat to Kevin :)

Indiegogo - Scrote'n'Tote: The Satchel of Life - I've got the Biggest Balls of Them All!

I've been bombarded with emails and social media messages about the Scrote'n'Tote: The Satchel of Life project on Indiegogo.

Don't want to bother reading the project website? No worries - watch the video:

How serious is the project?

I give them credit for using the fixed funding option at Indiegogo, so it's not a quick money grab at your crotch.

Bad. I know.

But it does seem legit-ish.

Although the video may suggest otherwise, this is an actual and legitimate project.
The aim of this campaign is to produce sturdy, functional, durable, high quality and of course stylish Scrote'n'Tote backpacks to be made available to aesthetes  all over the world.  

The funding goal of $33,000 will cover the cost of producing the mold for the skin textured part of the bag, which is the biggest pre-production expense.  The money also covers various smaller research costs including testing out different materials, different methods for attaching the skin part to the backpack part, producing various prototypes, quality tests, trying out different production facilities in different locations to see who can make the best product, etc.  

The Scrote'n'Tote prototype you see in the images was produced by hand by special effects prosthetics artist C.J. Goldman and is too heavy and delicate to be used as a proper backpack, on top of costing almost $1000 to produce per bag, which is why we can't use that method or materials. 

Once we've produced something functional and sturdy that looks as close to the original as possible, we'll sell the Scrote'n'Totes online for $120 USD each, plus shipping. 

However, everyone who donated $10 will be entitled to buy one for only $69 plus shipping, as well as getting the satisfaction of knowing that they helped bring the gift of scrotes into the world.   

There's also the option to put the whole $69 down right away which saves you the extra $10.

Not much to say. The whole thing kinda speaks for itself.

Tavern Chat Tonight - 9PM Eastern - Your Host Will NOT be There

Thursday's has been the night for Tavern Chat for a while now and I've been pretty good at making the chat sessions. Tonight will be different though, as tonight is Rachel and I's wedding anniversary.

With her new work hours, I suspect we won't get out to dinner until 8ish and back by 10pm at the earliest. Which means I'll miss the kick off of the chat but might make the last half.

Play nice amongst yourselves ;)

Want something to discuss? Dyson's Monster Manual Madness. There. Drops mic and leaves the stage...

Dyson Does... Holy Sh!t What Dyson Does! Monster Manual Madness

I cut my RPG teeth on AD&D 1e. As +Dyson Logos says on his blog post (where I "borrowed" this pic from) there is just something special about the 1e rules.

Me? I remember reading the Dungeon Master's Guide and Player's Handbook from front to back and back to front. I had to wait a bit for the Monster Manual but when I finally had a copy I wore it out. I'm pretty sure my MM would open to the same page if dropped on a table. The same page it would open for just about every teenage boy that played AD&D in the early 80s.

I loved the art in the Monster Manual. It fit the vision I had of Dungeons & Dragons at the time, or maybe it formed that vision. Damned if I know.

I never thought that it could be improved upon.

Damn you Dyson! I'll never be able to look at my Monster Manual the same again. What you're doing is making the Monster Manual magical again. It's beyond amazing. It's jaw dropping.

I hope you keep us constantly updated as this project progresses.

I'll need to save my pennies for the future when you auction the complete illuminated copy off...

RPGNow Deal of the Day - OpenQuest 2 Deluxe

Ask me my favorite flavor of D&D and without hesitation I'll tell you "Swords & Wizardry." I like them all up to 2e as well as the various clones (and 5e is certainly playable) but S&W is the version that plays the smoothest for me.

Ask me my favorite flavor of Basic Roleplaying, the system that powers everything from CoC, RuneQuest, Legend, Elric and so much more and I'll tell you "OpenQuest." It doesn't overwhelm and works pretty well will adventures and settings from the various other flavors of Basic Roleplaying.

Until 11am tomorrow morning, you can get the OpenQuest 2 Deluxe rules in PDF for $7.50 (normally $15.) Not sure? Grab the OpenQuest 2 Basic Edition in PDF for free.

Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls Hardcover in Hand and it's a Beast

Sure, I've had my 10 pack of Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls softcovers for a few weeks now but the hardcover is something special. One thing that is striking right off the bat (and it applies to the soft covers too) is that the font sized used is perfect. Easy to read, no squinting - simply a pleasure. I guess you need old folks to edit books for old folks to get books that are easily readable by us old folks ;)

Look how well the hardcover lies flat. Plop this on your desk or table and you are ready to go, no need to hold the pages down. I really need to budget some time to give this more than a scan - I really need to dig deep into the new edition of T&T.

Strangely enough, it came pack in a 5e T&T box (there are also some character sheets and some poster-y stuff packed inside the box. Except for a razor cut on one of the four sides, this 5e T&T box is in better condition than any in my collection. Go figure.

And now you can consider the Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls Kickstarter fulfilled ;)

RPGNow Deal of the Day - Starter Adventures (by GM Games / AKA Tim Shorts)

Back in 2014, +Tim Shorts was nice enough to give me a comped copy of Starter Adventures with the intention of using it to give my wife Rachel a nice introduction to the world of RPGs. I was very impressed with what I saw. I still am.

Starter Adventures is the prefect way to introduce a new player to the world of RPGs, or a more experienced played to the corner of the worlds we call the OSR. There are four adventures, each tailored to one of the four classic classes. They get to learn about their chosen profession as they learn about gaming. Or simply use the enclosed adventures as seeds for further adventures. Hell, it includes a Tavern, but not The Tavern. Damn oversights ;)

Four bucks. Four adventures. Today only.

Do it. They'll thank you in the end.

From the blurb:

Starter Adventures is where you learn to fight, steal, cast spells and heal.  You'll have to use your wits to figure out puzzles.  Use a sword to murderize goblins.  And crumble the undead beneath the power of your god. 

It's time to grab a weapon, memorize a spell and strap on some armor.  This is going to be fun. 

Starter Adventures is targeted toward introducing a new player into RPGs.  Inside are four short adventures for each of the four main classes, a tavern to hangout in, and a full-fledged adventure when they've got enough blood encrusted on their blades. 

You Can Run, But You Can't Hide - Ken Whitless Moves to Atlanta

Kickstarter related lawsuits got you down? State attorney generals on your ass? Ownership of a certain fairy game going to court? Trying to dodge possible pending criminal charges for a domestic incident with your on again, off again, on again, off again girlfriend? (note - due to multiple deleted Facebook posts by the alleged victim, this part is mere conjecture - if you want my professional opinion, you know how to contact me)

No worries!

Move to Atlanta and leave your Kentucky troubles behind you!

Ken Whitless. Support the Kickstarters for the dream. Stick around for the drama.

BTW, did you see Ken's horrible release for the C&C TV Pilot? No, neither did the backers. Nor can I find the link. I saw it, and wasn't impressed.

Oh, and rumor has it Ken is growing a beard. Still can't hide that lovable mug.

Sneak Peek - White Lies (S&W White Box Powered RPG of Espionage and Paramilitary Operations)

+Bill Logan was kind enough to give me an early reviewer's copy of White Lies, his Swords & Wizardry White Box compatible RPG of espionage and paramilitary operations. Holy expletive, but there is so much here that could be dropped whole cloth into a White Star campaign. The two together would be like peanut butter and chocolate - great on their own but something totally different and awesome together.

I haven't read enough for a proper review, but I love what I've read thus far. The class options are top notch and cover many of the roles one thinks of in modern day spy thrillers.

Bill calls White Lies a toolbox. I'd say he's right about that. Much like White Star is a toolbox. If you didn't like White Star, I expect you'll find similar complaints about White Lies. If you liked White Star, I strongly suspect your find much to like (and steal) from White Lies.

White Lies releases on RPGNow on November 5th  6th. I'll try to get a proper review done in time for release. In the meantime, I really like what I see here.

I just realized, the X-Files return in January. White Lies + White Star could make for a nice X-Files campaign...

Frog God Games has a 40% Off Sale on ALMOST Everything on their Site (Ends at the stroke of Midnite 11/1/15)

Frog God has been bringing some early holiday cheer recently with big price drops on a single item each day. This weekend they are offering 40% off of EVERYTHING* (with the exception of The Northlands Saga Complete and Borderland Provinces.)

Somehow I'm tempted to do my own twist on the Dusk to Dawn spiel at the Titty Twister:

"Frog God has all kinds of D&D! 

Old D&D, New D&D, not so old but not new D&D. D&D sandboxes, D&D adventure paths, D&D mega dungeons. If you can find better D&D elsewhere - play it!"

Alright, that was pretty bad.

The sale IS good though.

Frog God link

Here's the code: HALLOWEEN-40%

Yes, I know shipping outside the states is expensive as hell. At 40% off, you might actually cover those shipping costs ;)

What's Your Horror? Games to Run on Halloween

Back in my High School and College days, I made a point of running a proper (more or less) horror session for my players on the weekend closest to Halloween.

Call of Cthulhu, Chill (old Pacesetter boxed set) and even a Ravenloft setting one-shot where the PCs get dragged temporarily into the mists of Ravenloft - the one that was a Pinocchio rip was probably the most disturbing for my players.

I don't do it these days, though I should. Good, or bad horror roleplaying is just perfect for the Halloween season.

So, do you run horror for the Horror-days? What's your go to system, setting, adventure?

Frog God Spooky Sale - Book of Lost Spells (5e) - 50% Off Until Midnight Tonight

Frog God Games has been running Spooky Sales pretty much every night this week. Of course, I get the emails around 6PM - just as I've been heading out the door for work (yay overtime!)

I happen to be off tonight, so I actually get a chance to include the rest of you in the Frog God Goodness.

First, the pitch:

Here's the link: https://www.froggodgames.com/book-lost-spells?utm_source=Book+of+Lost+Spells+Sale+10-30-15&utm_campaign=Book+of+Lost+Spells+Sale+10-30-15&utm_medium=email

and here's the code:

OSRGaming.org Forums have a New Owner (NOT an April Fool's Joke)

+Vincent Florio , the main man behind Wild Games Productions and the OSRGaming.org Forums informed me earlier this afternoon that OSRGaming.org was sold to a regular at the OSRGaming.org forums earlier this afternoon(Vince was not forthcoming with the name of the buyer at this time.)

Not a joke.

The sub-forums for the various WPG Podcasts will remain as is and Vince will be very much involved with the various forums.

When I asked Vince why he was selling the forums, he basically said "now was the right time."

It will be interesting to see what new blood brings to the table.

Next on the Agenda - Tavern Chat Podcast (Real Short / Multiple Per Week Episodes)

Tavern Readers: "Er, don't you have enough shit on your plate right now? Your Beer Blog is on hiatus since you went to overnights at work."

Tavern Barkeep: "Right. But drinking at 7 AM is just not socially normal. I do have an occasional glass of wine when I get home from work though. Seems more... classy"

TR: "Whatever. How on God's green earth are you going to find the time to record a podcast multiple times each week? When you drive home from work?"

TB: "The thought did occur to me, just not sure how feasible it would be. I'm thinking 10-15 minute long podcast episodes up to three times a week."

TR: "Talking about what? Isn't that why you have the blog? To yap away at your readers?"

TB: "True, but podcasts can be listened to while driving, shopping, ignoring your teacher. Don't drive while reading The Tavern or any other blog. Don't operate heavy machinery or garden tools while blog reading. Listening to a podcast? You have our blessings ;)"

I've been toying with the idea of recording my own podcast for a while now. Once you get bit by the podcasting bug, it's hard to let go.

Here's what I'm thinking:

- Tavern Chat Podcast. Just because. Open to suggestions for another title.

- 10-15 minute long episodes. Short and sweet.

- talking about timely events in the OSR hobby - interesting / active blogposts from around the blogosphere of the OSR, active Kickstarters, new releases, Gareth & Whitless updates as applicable and the like

- corresponding post at The Tavern, linking to everything mentioned and pointing to the podcast

- ideally three times a week, but I suspect that won't be hit until March of next year. We'll start at once a week and go from there.

- occasional guests hosts - those would potentially be double length episodes and would be noted as such. no more than once a week on those, probably closer to once or twice a month.

- clear, quick and dirty - goal is to be clean (as in clear audio - I do NOT guarantee clear language), quick (record monday, release tuesday) and dirty (few bells and whistles - just the basics here)

- aiming to kick off Thanksgiving week. No idea if it will happen at that time. Life likes to throw curveballs.

So there you have it. if nothing else it should be an interesting time sink on my end ;)

Just in Time for Halloween - Paradox Buys White Wolf – Vampire The Masquerade finds a New Haunted Home

What happens when an RPG IP goes from one computer game company to another? In this case, it's World of Darkness / White Wolf, and it's going from CPP (best known for Eve Online) to Paradox (best known for Crusader Kings.)

I'm not sure how much this will effect the RPGs themselves (which are currently being published under license by Onyx Path.) It's more immediate effect will be on the computer gaming side of things, at least that's my guess.

Interesting piece from Rock / Paper / Shotgun:

Wester said that Paradox paid cash for the acquisition, and notes that Vampire is particularly exciting as it is “the world’s second best-selling role-playing and is special because half of all players are women.”

I'll give them "half of all players are women" but "the world's second best-selling" RPG? Someone is caught in the 90s.

Anyhow, interesting times in the RPG hobby.

Tavern Chat Tonight - 9 PM

I can't believe we are at the end of October. Halloween is right around the corner. Normally I'd be thinking of running something spooky around the horror-day, but I'm working the night of the 31st.

In any case, tonight is Tavern Chat. I'm sure horror and spookiness will be on the list of topics ;)

See you at 9 Eastern.

Far West Announces November Release Date - Fails to Mention "Year"

Ah, you gotta love the fall. The leaves change colors, the air gets crisp and we are given yet ANOTHER Far West "release date." Trying to predict a Far West release date is like predicting snow fall amounts - no one really know but God, and he ain't talking.

Strangely enough, it wasn't mentioned on the Far West Kickstarter site. Instead, the question was asked by a "pre-order" customer on the Far West forum page. Somehow I never realized Gareth took money for this pink elephant and then took more money for this pink elephant.

I'm guessing November 2017. Gareth still has like 4 chapters to go on the book and his rate seems to average one chapter per season. Yeah, we need a Farmer's Almanac to predict this shit. Would probably be more accurate too.

Tip of the hat to +Eric Franklin

Barrel Rider Games Puts White Star / White Box Releases on Sale for 30% Off in PDF

+James Spahn is celebrating his birthday or some such nonsense.

Who cares!

What we care about is that he's put his best selling White Star RPG on sale for 30% off in PDF (along with his excellent collection of White Box releases for Swords & Wizardry.)

What are you waiting for?

Now is the time to buy! Well, at least before the sale ends on November 8th.

Of course, I own the whole collection already...

A WTF Kickstarter - The Dangerzone RPG (I THINK it's a Computer RPG)

Let me just say this:

Watch the video.

Then look at The Dangerzone RPG Kickstarter page, which purports to be about funding a computer game RPG.

Remember what you saw in the video.

Search the Kickstarter page for any hint of art or graphics from the supposed game.

Pour yourself a shot of Fireball Whiskey. You earned it.

I think the game IS a boob...