tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10278942998021762772024-03-05T20:16:24.733-08:00Black Role-Players OrganizationDacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-39393126222753920622014-10-03T12:41:00.001-07:002014-10-03T12:41:16.522-07:00The big book of Monsters!!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So the Monster Manual came out this week. Overall …
it’s a Monster Manual. The art is pretty good and the production quality is
similar to the Players Handbook so there are no worries there. The introduction
lays out how to use the stat blocks and then discusses a few thins unique to
monsters in general (such as challenge ratings).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There
are a few minor things that kind of annoyed me. They seemed to double down on
the Drow, adding more material for them and yet not developing anything further
for other fantasy races you can play in the core. So it’s no surprises that I
didn’t like that. They had a half dragon template which I felt was redundant
all things considered (with the Dragonborn and all). And there is still no sign
of the Aasamir. I’m curious if they have plans for a book of new PC races and that’s
what they are being saved for. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
book also kinda left me feeling like the intent for Wizards of the Coast was to
bled GM’s dry. When it makes mentions of building an encounter the book
recommends you either get the DMG or the starter kit. While I wasn’t expecting
a deep conversation on building encounters I think some general notes for new
GM’s would have been appreciated. They also save making adjustments to
challenge ratings for the DMG leaving new GM’s and even old ones not confident
with the system having to buy another book and wait yet another month before
they can really build a campaign on their own. Given that this game has been
out since August I think stretching it all out till Nov is a bit ludicrous. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Still
it’s not a bad book. It’s definitely a book you should get if you’re committing
to the 5<sup>th</sup> Edition game. I was rather surprised when they add a few
psionic races to the book. They didn’t add psionics but they did make notations
that for now psionic creature abilities are like magic abilities just with no
components. Psionics being one of my favorite things I was amused to see them
crop up this earlier into the new edition. Each monster has a wonderful
illustration to go with it. I think Wizards of the Coast sunk a lot of money
into their art budget and it shows.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So
overall a 4 out of 5 possible fro’s :P. The book has strong production quality,
is beautiful and is something every GM will make use of. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now to return to Destiny and Edge of Empire (I’ve
recently decided to take a look at the new iteration of Star Wars).</span></div>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-72181023192118841052014-10-02T19:54:00.001-07:002014-10-02T19:54:16.597-07:00BGN Podcast pt 2<p dir="ltr">The podcast with BGN was fun, I'll post a link to it in a second. Just want to say the ladies over at BGN are awesome. I also got my copy of the Monster Manual this week. I'll have my thoughts on it up tomorrow. </p>
<p dir="ltr">In other news :) I'm so excited about Fantasy Flight Games new Jedi RPG that I'm now reading Edge of Empire. This may be awhile lol. I'm also excited to see thief new survival horror game. Next week I'll post my thoughts on Destiny as well.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So here's the link, enjoy the show.<br></p>
<p dir="ltr">http://blackgirlnerds.com/bgnpodcast-case-missed-black-roleplayers/<br>
</p>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-87010213919053991972014-09-26T12:29:00.000-07:002014-09-26T12:30:43.580-07:00BGN PodcastSo the wonderful ladies at <a href="http://blackgirlnerds.com/">Black Girl Nerds</a> is doing another rpg podcast with some black gamers to talk about rpgs. I'll actually be on the show this time so yay!!! Listen in, it's this Sunday at 7pm EST. Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-68032070483457289092014-09-19T10:26:00.001-07:002014-09-19T10:26:30.715-07:00Character Unbound I: Players Guide<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Right before Gen
Con Wildfire released two new books for their Cthulhu inspired space horror the
Void, Characters Unbound I: Players Guide and Horrors of the Void I: Body
Horrors. Between getting through the PHB and now Destiny I was able to take
some time to read the Players Guide and for the most part I’m glad I did. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So the guide is broken down into 7
chapters spread over 100 pages. So by all accounts it’s a small and quick read.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first three chapters are all
character creation related. The first chapter offers a different take on the
standard character creation process. It’s longer and more involved than what
you find in the core book but it has the advantage of letting you make any kind
of character to play. Since one of my critiques of the core book was that there
were only three classes to choose from I found this to be awesome. In my
opinion it’s better than what you found in the core book.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At it basically takes you through a
process of creating a character from birth to the moment just before game
starts. Along the way you’re asked to think about where the character was born,
what kind of lifestyle he grew up in, education and even the types of jobs he
had before (and currently). Each step gives you skills and points to spend on
the character as you build him up. The second chapter then covers fleshing out
details in your characters past and his personality. Kinda like the 20
questions you see in World of Darkness. And then finally a chapter on zodiac
signs (both east and west) to help round things out. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Next the book introduces some
new/updated systems. The Talent chapter revises some of the Talents from the
core book and also introduces Advanced Talents and Team Talents. Advanced
Talents combine two Talents for a greater effect (the advanced replaces the two
basic) and Team Talents pretty much are talents that the team takes and gives
team based advantages. At least two people need the Talent and only those who
have it gain the benefits.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Empathy is a new optional system. I
tend to think of it akin to Humanity from World of Darkness. Characters start
at 8 and go as high as 10 or as low as 1. As your Empathy drops the character
becomes less humane. This has some mechanical ups and downs. On the one hand
you do gain boost to Horror checks and Intimidation checks. On the flip side
you begin to increase our Madness. It’s a nice system, though the only downfall
I see with it is that there is no mechanical way for a loss to happen. Instead
the GM judges when its appropriate for a character to lose Empathy. Something
like this really requires a saving throw of some sort in my opinion.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There is also a chapter that
reinvisions the skill system. Instead of buying individual skills a character
buys skill groups. This is similar in practice to Shadowruns group system with
the exception that you also can gain specialties in skills of a group. This
system is meant to replace the normal skill system though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-1766944794954335512014-08-30T16:14:00.000-07:002014-08-30T16:35:26.031-07:00Dungeons and Dragons: The Review Edition <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So these are my final thoughts on the new edition of Dungeons and Dragons. I've already covered how I've felt about the <a href="http://blackroleplayersorganization.blogspot.com/2014/08/dragon-diversity.html">diversity of the core book</a> and if you've read the<a href="http://blackroleplayersorganization.blogspot.com/2014/07/dungeons-and-dragons-basic.html"> basic rules</a> then you have a good handle on what this book is offering. Rules wise there isn't much new that you hadn't already read. The Dungeon's Master Guide will have more rules crunchy stuff to consider when it releases in October. That leaves multiclassing and feats as the only new crunchy stuff (oh and of course an expanded spell list).<br />
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What the PHB does is gives you more opitions on what you already got from the basic. So you are getting an additional five races. Considered uncommon you are picking up the Dragonborn (which I do like), Gnome, Half Elf, Half Orc and Tiefling. I'm left wondering why the Aasimar were not included. I think if you're going to have Tiefling then you really need to have the Aasimar. It adds symmetry in my opinion.<br />
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There are eight new classes to chose from as well and this is where the meat of the book comes in. You get the Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer and Warlock. The Warlock is by far my favorite class, mostly due to the fact that I can realize the concept of Raziel from the Legacy of Kain series. This alone makes the game worth playing. The other classes from the basic rules also gets more archetypes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-jAiPnaRbN1K_UIaV2jdtBe3PAt3bjlVQaxI6poIgS1xn7urXS6YvB7HphXKmLRqukSJtdOcpPCgmxy_QcxmieMPGcVSjfHJoWQCVU3yk6StPGt1yDoEuQq-nRVhH4bI7TZlQzK5v0c/s1600/Raziel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-jAiPnaRbN1K_UIaV2jdtBe3PAt3bjlVQaxI6poIgS1xn7urXS6YvB7HphXKmLRqukSJtdOcpPCgmxy_QcxmieMPGcVSjfHJoWQCVU3yk6StPGt1yDoEuQq-nRVhH4bI7TZlQzK5v0c/s1600/Raziel.jpg" height="125" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My next character, a warlock.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Archetypes are the new way in which the classes can differentiate themselves. Overall I like it. This means that two fighters don't have to be the same. The only problem I have is that the classes themselves feel pretty lean. Most of the classes have two or three archetypes to work with. I am sure that more will be coming in future books but having 3 choices feels light. The only classes that felt complete based on just the core book was the Cleric, the Fighter and the Wizard. Everyone else I feel could have used more, especially the Sorcerer. I was also not pleased with just about every class gaining access to spells. It makes magic feel far to common. These additional casting archetypes for classes like Fighter and Rogue aren't powerful per se, far from it. Just I would liked fewer magic options for classes not devoted to magic.<br />
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Multiclassing is pretty straight forward. Each class has ability score prerequisites if you wish to multiclass into it. Otherwise its very straight forward. Proficiency level is determined by character level and since everyone moves up the same track it makes combining classes easier. It only gets tricky when you're adding casting classes.<br />
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I liked the feats. Feats are powerful and useful. Gone are long feat trees and chains. Instead for the most part its just the single feat. Since you are swapping out an ability score improvement to have one it's good to know that you aren't losing out. This is also good for Human characters as I was unsure of their bonuses were worthwhile. With the Human variant option you can gain a starting feat and overall I feel that makes the Human race more appealing. I didn't have that feeling when during my first read of them from basic.<br />
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I'm not sure if this game will regain the audience it lost to Pathfinder but I do think it has enough merit to create it's own niche with new players. I think overall those coming over from 4th Edition will be happy with it as well as many people who played 2nd Edition. The mechanics are straight forward and dare I say elegant. <br />
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With all that said I am left somewhat underwhelmed. To be frank the book is just too light on material. While the Appendixes are useful (they cover such issues as conditions to the planes and pantheons) there isn't much else to sink your teeth into. There is no advice on running a game. Nothing for creating your own adventures. No world building advice or hell even a world to toss players into. No real listing of monsters. It just feels incomplete with out the Monster Manual and the Dungeon Masters Guide. If you're new to gaming overall you almost have to buy the adventure books and the starter set. And this shouldn't be the case.<br />
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Most other games have long adapted to making the core book the only book you really need. Pathfinder core is a huge book in comparison and it's filled with a lot more useful stuff. Yes they sale you a DMG and an MM but you can get by with just the core. The same can be said of 13th Age ( a game I don't even like). 13th Age gives you everything you need to run a game in just it's core. Setting info, gaming advice, monsters, magic items etc etc. Take a look at Edge of Empire, Age of Rebellion and Shadowrun (all games recently released with in the past two to three years) and you can see that these games are all selling you a complete experience.<br />
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For all the good of the rules themselves Wizards of the Coast falls flat on providing a complete and full game. For this reason an otherwise fun and awesome game is reduced to something that I feel is a mediocre product. I don't think it had to be this way which is sad. So overall I would rank it at 3 fro's out of a possible of 5. If you're just player then the PHB is a nice book. If you're a GM (and a new one at that) then you are gonna have to buy two other books. And I feel we are now in an age of gaming where a publisher should strive for providing you with a full experience in the core book and use its other books to develop on the idea's all present in the core.Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-60179231576891509582014-08-20T21:05:00.001-07:002014-08-20T21:05:25.886-07:00Dragon DiversityDungeons and Dragons Diversity<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So I've written before that I had doubts on the diversity that we might see for the new Dungeons and Dragons. Well I got my book in and so it's time for me to reconsider some of my initial concerns. Now I haven't had time to read the book, but based on basic D&D I'm pretty sure the mechanics are going to be fairly good. So what does it look like on the inside?<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Well I have to say the book is put together in a wonderful fashion. 4th Edition Legend of the Five Rings and 5th Edition Shadowrun still in my opinion are beautiful books but I will say 5th Edition may give them a run for their money. If they keep up this artistic look and production value in future books then I think the line is in good hands this time around.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So how is the diversity of the new core book for Dungeons and Dragons? Well out of 10 stars I would likely give it a 7. I found the pieces that featured women to be very tasteful and for the most part heroic. It seems WotC has firmly buried the old chainmail bikini look. There seems to be an even distribution of between the classes as well. So we get mystical women and adventurous women and lots of demi human<br />
women as well. Granted they are elf heavy but I did like the female dwarf. It's so rare to see a female dwarf.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Color wise I'd like to start of by saying I loved the diversity in looks for the black characters. We had a strong female in the fighter section and then we had the middle eastern looking black man and then home boy with dreads. All great looks and all very appealing.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>But overall I still felt to some extent that the minorities were a bit lacking. There was only one Asian and while she looked awesome it is some what stereotypical to display the only Asian character in samurai get up. Don't get me wrong I love samurai, L5R is one of my favorite games to play, but I would have liked to have seen something a bit less stereotyped. I think there were some people that looked to be of middle eastern descent. If not middle eastern then they were black. But again for the illustration that might have middle eastern characters the art is once more stereotyped. It was kinda hard to tell and I would have loved to have seen someone of Latin heritage depicted.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I still want to see more demi humans of color. I think there was one dwarf that looked black. But it was kinda hard to tell if he was black or if he looked darker because he was surrounded by fire. I think a stronger display of demi humans of color would have helped take the bite out of the numerous uses of Drow. It really bugs me how frequently Drow are still used. I think if they are going to continue to use Drow then they really really need to do a better job of showing the diversity of skin tones that elves are supposed to come in. It would be nice to see a black elf. I think one or two looked to be somewhat tanned.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So overall it was better than I expected. I think that WotC would have been better served making it clear that there was a bit more diversity in their art. I gave it 7 out of 10 mostly because I think they can do better. It is a huge improvement from previous editions I'll give them that. But the overall lack of demi humans of color and some of the very stereotyped portrayals of other races means that they still have some learning to do in my opinion. I also think that maybe better use of iconics would have helped too. Pathfinder got a lot of mileage out of having iconics that were diverse. And frequent use of them in the core book made it feel more real.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Based on this though and from what I read of basic (it will be a week or more before I can really sit down to read the entire book, the pains of school) it would be a game I recommend to others. Me and some friends have been giving the basic rules a try and I'm liking it. The art isn't enough to turn me off and if they continue along this path I might buy more books down the road.<br />
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In closing .... where are the Aasamir? And WotC if you're reading why haven't you posted any of the art that shows the line is more diverse. Some of that art is really good and it would go a long way to assuring fans that you are taking diversity seriously.<br />
<br />Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-59892362038177591492014-08-19T21:28:00.001-07:002014-08-19T21:28:40.718-07:00Cosplaying Drow Cosplaying Drow<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xq3cnEGQJas7ZPPg8OiHB1HVha_1VmfWux3Oj5EE4Csr_q8FvqEiYePJHkitMPLUR2wdwSCY-JE5VGLhQFGbqsj8Wv0ZpmrqWCnsOOXqJu-Uh5VHSX-tQaVpLeSPAd-NCiuYyKGs9Cg/s1600/Drizzt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xq3cnEGQJas7ZPPg8OiHB1HVha_1VmfWux3Oj5EE4Csr_q8FvqEiYePJHkitMPLUR2wdwSCY-JE5VGLhQFGbqsj8Wv0ZpmrqWCnsOOXqJu-Uh5VHSX-tQaVpLeSPAd-NCiuYyKGs9Cg/s1600/Drizzt.jpg" height="320" width="245" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The Drow. Oh the Drow. This isn't a discussion about whats wrong with the Drow, though I will touch on that some. No this is about why cosplaying Drow is a bad idea. Now when white people see a Drow and they decide to cosplay they see this.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
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But what black people see is this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6k-2U_cSjJSfJiS03Hkt_FoN8Ft7bPtELcYXBjw2tdDaGH2u7UrGisOVhpOTd6KAgWBRH4CTkHjELqB5O9kfLxJsvUI9tBAVv3G9-lMjota5-2IFPW2Xax_SBXCJp5dnTxJubHN8_a0/s1600/blackface+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6k-2U_cSjJSfJiS03Hkt_FoN8Ft7bPtELcYXBjw2tdDaGH2u7UrGisOVhpOTd6KAgWBRH4CTkHjELqB5O9kfLxJsvUI9tBAVv3G9-lMjota5-2IFPW2Xax_SBXCJp5dnTxJubHN8_a0/s1600/blackface+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Although we are more likely to see this<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhws0-DETUq7kMlYD6ZC6d1BiqrOMh7JEMaMEJKEFihj6BR-eFM8RbdNfueqGLTNXe1ayTAaMuzY3Bf1Vr5h9uPOjAKfCb61tg0dU1hod72EAaeTEjWXQiU5ptwrcDLf_hJ9XNNzCcKz5k/s1600/blackface+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhws0-DETUq7kMlYD6ZC6d1BiqrOMh7JEMaMEJKEFihj6BR-eFM8RbdNfueqGLTNXe1ayTAaMuzY3Bf1Vr5h9uPOjAKfCb61tg0dU1hod72EAaeTEjWXQiU5ptwrcDLf_hJ9XNNzCcKz5k/s1600/blackface+2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Two drastic images to be sure. So how do we get such different ideas on what cosplaying Drow means. Most of it comes down to the lived experience for people of color (black people in particular). As last Halloween showed ,when Julianne Houghe darkened her skin to look like her favorite character Crazy Eyes from Orange is the New Black, black people take the idea of black face very seriously. Even when it's not done to insult black people we still feel slighted. This has to do with racial scares that have never quite healed. I know on an intellectual level that a lot of time has passed between when black face was done as a way to degenerate an entire people and now. But as the events of last week show, sometimes we have not made as much social progress in regards to race as we like to think we have.<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>See I understand that white people see the Drow as cool. I personally don't. I think Drizzt is one of the biggest mary sue's ever. But I do understand that other people feel differently. The only problem is, what you guys see is cool is constantly being portrayed with in the setting as an evil and despicable race. The Drow (no matter the setting) are prejudged to be evil due to the color of their skin. Even Drizzt has to deal with people distrusting him because of the actions of his people. But what you guys see as cool, we interpret as something that plays to close to what we as people of color have to live through. Because I live in a reality in which I am prejudged by society based solely on the color of my skin. And as the past week has shown this can happen with deadly consequences. While you see something that is cool and awesome we see something that is an in game reminder of the challenges of being black in America. Worst yet, you can escape into the role and drop it whenever it suits you. Me, I don't get such an escape.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>But what about intent you say. We aren't intending to be harmful with our cosplay, we are just portraying a character and race we really love. Intent does matter. But it doesn't matter the way you think it does. Intent matters in so much as it helps us separate what we see as a racist action from what could be a racist person. Because we know that you aren't intending harm we believe you aren't racist. But the insult is still there. And it still upsets us. I knew Ms. Houghe intent was not to do harm but to honor a character she cherished from an excellent show. That's why I never thought she was racist. However I did feel her choice was in bad taste.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAuZPf_OibVIrW4ZIrN7Xwa8KfhKDsQlPQU9CbllgoteQ67G-idHTjKp7e89uCeyl4Yg3-xN0YEC_14orPg82S1UMjUbXX2FkjJgrMd18VfA_iTjKxWlO1hBVn8pMOpyxF_XARp4fTMyg/s1600/Klingons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAuZPf_OibVIrW4ZIrN7Xwa8KfhKDsQlPQU9CbllgoteQ67G-idHTjKp7e89uCeyl4Yg3-xN0YEC_14orPg82S1UMjUbXX2FkjJgrMd18VfA_iTjKxWlO1hBVn8pMOpyxF_XARp4fTMyg/s1600/Klingons.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Qapla!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Well what about Klingons you say. White people cosplay as Klingons and no one gets upset. And you would be correct. However ... and this is big and important Klingons are not in the same boat as Drow. The Drow are irredeemably evil. There is only one good elf among them. The embody so many negative characteristics in the setting that I tend to loose count. The Klingons aren't like that. They aren't used that way in Star Trek. For starters its important to remember that early Klingon weren't black. They had a more olive tan to them. And some were even white. Furthermore Star Trek worked very hard to make sure the audience understood that Klingons were not all evil. They were different to be sure. With a way of life that<br />
we may not all agree with. But the Klingon race as a whole were not as a whole portrayed to be evil. There is also the evolution of the Klingon look. Klingons look sufficiently alien that when a random black person on the street sees one they know its a character. We can separate ourselves from that look. It also helps that Klingons aren't often cosplayed in coal black, which was the look of many black face minstrel shows. Most people in Drow cosplay still look human. So the shock is a lot more visceral.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Well Drow aren't African Americans you say. This is true. The Drow are not a real world parallel to black people. However the fantasy genre is very bad about diversity. We know humans come in any color but what about the demi human races? Fantasy rpg games have a tendency to have all white hero with all white heroic races. The evil races (who are often genetically evil I might add) on the other hand come in all shades of color, the worst being the Drow. So while we know they aren't a real world parallel we can see many aspects of hatred and racism reflected in how fantasy gaming as a genre treats people who are different from the core races. And it is this parallel that causes us to feel very uncomfortable when seeing people cosplaying as Drow. It's an association that too closely mirrors our lived experience. And in an environment where we are meant to feel welcome seeing that black face makes us feel less welcome.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Well cosplaying isn't black face you say. Technically you're right. But in application what you're doing is black face. The idea of black face isn't static. While yes it originally was meant to be white actors doing minstrel shows the concept of what black face is has grown. That's just how culture works. For instance the word gay is now taken to mean someone who is homosexual. However when I was growing up gay was just another word for stupid. And before that it was another word for happy. That's why when you're listening to the Flinstons theme song they say "have a gay old time". They are inviting the viewer to have a happy time, not a homosexual time. And when the Christmas carol Deck the Halls says "and now we dawn our gay apparel" they aren't inviting you to dress in drag. They are asking you to put on the cloths that make you happy. But now, now gay means homosexual. So using it to mean stupid is insensitive to homosexuals. It was a word I had to drop from my vocabulary for that reason. Even though to me, growing up, it had nothing to do with sexuality. The same is true of black face. It is no longer limited to minstrel shows and is pretty much taken to mean anytime someone dresses in black skin. We will never be cool with black face.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>So whats to be done? Well in an ideal world I would love the Drow to just disappear. But I recognize that Drizzt and the Drow are a cash cow for Wizards of the Coast. But it would be nice if other gaming companies kinda recognized the issue and publicly made better attempts at diversifying their demi human races, both in art and story direction. In the meantime if you feel you must cosplay as a Drow then please please consider doing the purple skinned Drow. The coal (or obsidian as WotC now describes them) black Drow isn't the only shade they've been depicted in. They've also been purple at times. And cosplaying as a purple Drow gets the point across with out offending a segment of the gaming community. But the black skin Drow is always going to be perceived as black face, no matter how you slice it.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Black gamers want to feel welcome at events like Gen Con and DragonCon too. We want to feel like we are members of the community. Hell we want to cosplay as elves with out people assuming we're an evil elf. So before you put on that black make up for your Drow costume, just remember that black face image tells a lot of gamers who are different from you that we aren't welcome.Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-82104364982619960642014-08-18T20:48:00.001-07:002014-08-18T20:48:20.152-07:00Ferguson So I don't talk about non gaming/nerd related stuff here. But the last week has been an emotional roller coaster. The shooting of Micheal Brown, the attempts by the police to discredit him, other incidents that occured that same week in other cities ..... people cos playing as Drow. It puts one in an angry place. I think later this week I'll address cosplaying as Drow but I wanted to share this incident I had with the cops about 5-6 years ago.<br />
<br />
I find it somewhat sad that most black people I know have a story to tell about run in with the cops. But I think it's important at times to kinda give people an idea of what gamers of color have to deal with, as it sometimes shapes how we view other things in life. As an aside there is still some kind of weird formatting issue going on with blogger. I'm sure I'll figure it out at some point.<br />
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<br />
<span data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;"><span data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$0:0">About six years ago I was on a date with this white girl. We were out rather late at a park when a squad car pulls up. Now its important to remember the girl I was with was white .... and somewhat tipsy. The entire reason we were at the park was becaus</span></span><span data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;"><span data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0"><span data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$0:0">e I was wanting her to sober up some since she refused to hand over her car keys. </span><br data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$1:0" /><br data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$3:0" /><span data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$4:0">At any rate two cops walk up and ask us for our ID. We are both a bit far from where we live and I explain calmly that we were on a date and that she had had a few drinks and I was just waiting for her to sober up a bit before we headed home. The cops continued to grill me on how I knew this girl (she was the sister of a close friend) why we were out that late (she had a few drinks and was sobering up) and why we were so far from home (because I was being stupid). During this entire encounter I'm soft spoken, meek with my eyes always downcast and making sure I remember all the details in the order I gave them the first time lest they think I made something up. While this is all going on the white girl I was with was yelling at the cops and threatening the cops and cursing them out. After a while the cops tell her to get in her car and to drive on home (mind you I explained at least 3 times she was drunk).</span><br data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$5:0" /><br data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$7:0" /><span data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$8:0">So with her gone I was hoping they'd let me go. But oh no. Not yet. So they then ask me to empty out my pockets. I empty out my pockets telling them what is in each pocket before pulling it out. They raise an eyebrow when I pull out a wad of cash and I explain that I hadn't been to the bank yet and that the money in hand was everything I had made over the weekend (this was a Monday night and I had spent the weekend working bar shifts). The cops then ask if they can search my car. Now I know that legally I can tell them no. But I also know that I'm black and was with a white women and now they may be thinking Im some kind of drug dealer or pimp. So I consent. </span><br data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$9:0" /><br data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$11:0" /><span data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$12:0">Cops clean out my car and find nothing suspicious. Surprise surprise right? So then they start talking about how they can take me to jail and ask me to go over my story once more. So I retell my story making sure that each detail is given in the exact order I had given it the first time I said. The cops look at each other and after about a 5 minute wait they decide to send me on my way but instruct me to drive straight home.</span><br data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$13:0" /><br data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$15:0" /><span data-reactid=".hi.1:3:1:$comment10203676334422416_10203676997278987:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$16:0">So I did.</span></span></span>Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-14009924387991862772014-07-29T19:32:00.001-07:002014-07-29T19:32:32.989-07:00Dungeons and Dragons Basic<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So I’ve finally gotten the chance to finish reading
the D&D Basic rule set. For those who haven’t followed the new iteration of
Dungeons and Dragons, <a href="http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules?x=dnd/basicrules">D&D Basic</a> is a free rules pdf that allows you to
create characters from level 1-20 from a handful of classes and a handful of
races. For a deeper experience of D&D you’d need to buy the full Players
Handbook, but for people unsure of if they want to get into D&D then this
pdf is ideal for introducing them to the game and how it works. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> So
the rules for the game are pretty straightforward. It has a very slimmed down
and streamlined feel to it. And I know normally when someone says that they
mean it to be an insult but in this case I do think this was done for the
better. The game doesn’t come off as overly complicated and seems to be ready
made to pull in new members. You can see this in the class description when
they make recommendations on how to quick build a class. Something I hope they
do in the Players Handbook as it’s nice to sometimes be able to do a five
minute build for someone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> You
get your standard character classes of Fighter, Cleric, Wizard and Rogue. The
rest of the classes will be in the core book. You also get some basic races,
Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and Halflings. So you can very easily replicate the
Lord of the Rings experience (well with the exception of no Ranger but
otherwise). Instead of massive list of skills and bonus everything gains
proficiencies bonus if you are skilled in that area. Each class offers a bonus
that scales and as your character develops you gain more proficiencies in more
things, such as different skills and weapons groups. So you have less math to
keep track of overall. You just basically need to remember what things your
character happens to be proficient in and its corresponding bonus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> The
races are pretty simple and straight forward. There is the basic race
description. This is then followed by sub races which add a bit more to the
core race. I get the impression that everyone is meant to be a part of a sub
race since the basic races in many cases kinda suck compared to their sub race
counterpart. The racial descriptions are
also a bit more open, though this isn’t a new thing as I’ve seen them do this
even in 3<sup>rd</sup> Edition. I’ll comment more on that later though. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> The
classes themselves look fun. And they make you curious about the other options
that are avaible to them. Many of the classes choose an archetype which defines
the type of character your class is. So for instance if you play a Rogue you have
the thief archetype to pick. There are of course more in the Players Handbook
and I think this is where the pdf falls short. I get wanting to hold back
material so that people buy the book but I do feel that each class should have
been presented with two choices on archetypes. This would then give potential
buyers a chance to see how different the same class can be. So in some regards
this lack is kinda a letdown and does make the classes feel kind of stale. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> The
game adds in some role playing touches though that I haven’t seen before in a
D&D product. There is less emphasis on combat and more emphasis on
developing a character. I see this as a good step since Wizards of the Coast is
aiming to make this the beginners’ game. Players are even rewarded for playing
their characters flaws and quirks by Inspiration points. I’m not a fan of the
concept as I do feel role playing should be its own reward but I like the
effort they are putting into encouraging people to explore character growth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I
also feel the design of Advantage and Disadvantage was elegant. Basically if
you’re in a satiation where you’d have an advantage you get to roll 2 d20s and
keep the higher of the two. Flip side if you are disadvantage in a situation
you roll 2 d20s and keep the lower of the two. It’s sweet and simple and has
less clutter than other editions of the game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> So
overall I’d have to say I am impressed with it as a rule set. I’m still waiting
to get the final book though to see some of the things left out and of course
to see how inclusive of a game it really is. Which brings me back to something
I mentioned earlier in the article. The game does make attempts to be more
inclusive. There is a discussion on how sexuality and gender work in the new
D&D world, in which the game explains that it doesn’t have to be a binary
male/female relationship. Wizards of the Coast also previewed a picture of a
black character that you’ll see when you open the Players Handbook. This in
addition to some very tastefully done artwork of some of the female characters. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1xLcp3xPyCv62efaLXga6787_IaCWjMKnp2EILqS-r1jneZHJ4Z78m7zUJSqHDh-rykh6zWQmbupF0syZcM7nwWAQAfTlFFt3y8KkEF7XHWF1iFHNTqSXQHIGKasSGbzeqBlYJ4UDyQ/s1600/Black+DnD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1xLcp3xPyCv62efaLXga6787_IaCWjMKnp2EILqS-r1jneZHJ4Z78m7zUJSqHDh-rykh6zWQmbupF0syZcM7nwWAQAfTlFFt3y8KkEF7XHWF1iFHNTqSXQHIGKasSGbzeqBlYJ4UDyQ/s1600/Black+DnD.jpg" height="320" width="241" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> And
I want to stress something here, this is a good sign. My current reservations
are mostly in regards to how far Wizards of the Coast goes with it. It’s one
thing to show an occasional black face and make mention of different sexualities
and gender identity. It’s another to follow through on that commitment. The bar
for this was set very high by other companies, so it does take a bit more than
just the one image to make me happy. For instance, while they say elves come in
different shades do they depict this? Or will the only time we see an elf that
isn’t a shade of white be when we’re looking at a Drow? These are things I
don’t know but I’m very interested in seeing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> So I commend Wizards of the Coast
for taking those first few steps forward. I just want to make sure they follow
through and we don’t celebrate before the battle for diversity in the hobby is
won.</span>Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-68775412948310028962014-07-08T17:14:00.000-07:002014-07-08T17:14:12.688-07:00Diversity circa 1993
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Diversity circa 1993<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9lJohTuw7-i-9xxxTXbFzUsYcZxT9lC2FF1wXuJ8WD9Rqhyphenhyphenxc74CFXKBODjUY615kAZ0j-TC_uoZhyphenhyphenbjRHS4Ek8eu_ON0vzlCvGygQETe55LcrnT5bXRBq14GZ7kxb2NjNRzmcjiIOo0/s1600/Mage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9lJohTuw7-i-9xxxTXbFzUsYcZxT9lC2FF1wXuJ8WD9Rqhyphenhyphenxc74CFXKBODjUY615kAZ0j-TC_uoZhyphenhyphenbjRHS4Ek8eu_ON0vzlCvGygQETe55LcrnT5bXRBq14GZ7kxb2NjNRzmcjiIOo0/s1600/Mage.jpg" height="297" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mage
the Ascension is one of my favorite games, hands down. And one of the things
that made me overwhelming support White Wolf back in the day was its approach
to diversity. This was very refreshing for someone who was just getting into
the hobby and wanted to play characters like him. So this gem of an article was
reposted by </span><span class="entity"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Satyros Phil Brucato</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (one of the brilliant
writers of that game) in regards to a conversation online about diversity in
gaming and the Drow (which one day I’ll write about). This article was written
by Travis Williams (another great author on Mage working at White Wolf at the
time). This is reprinted with the permission of Mr. Brucato. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In
the Howling at the Moon column in White Wolf Magazine #39, Travis Williams
wrote:</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$1:0" /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$2:0">________________________________</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$1:0" />
</span><span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3"><span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0"><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$3:0" /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$4:0">I'm
confused. I’m looking at my game shelf here at White Wolf.</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$5:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$7:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$8:0">I’m
disgusted. </span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$9:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$11:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$12:0">A
number of black people approached me at GenCon and</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$13:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$14:0">asked
about the cover of Mage: “Hey, did you have something to do with that?“</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$15:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$17:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$18:0">“Do
with what? A black man on the cover? What do you think?</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$19:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$21:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$22:0">I
think it’s about time black people were represented in the game industry. As a
black man who has scarcely found any people of his kind in roleplaying’s grand
clique, it gives me great pleasure to start my own clique. Wanna join? The
membership’s free.</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$23:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$25:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$26:0">Let’s
get this out of the way right now: I’m bitter. The fact that a race of people
is absent from a pastime seems asshckward. Wouldn’t you agree?</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$27:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$29:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$30:0">Let
me take you back a year or two, back to when I joined the White Wolf staff.
(They had to hire me, see; I hung around too much.) I remember talking to my
friend Darryl. He said,“Travis, since you’re in the biz now, do me a favor and
ask TSR a question.” I said sure, what the hell. Boy, did he make me think. He
asked me to find out why Athas, a fictional planet with</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$31:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482317811904564:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$32:0">an
elevated temperature, the setting of AD&Ds Dark Sun, didn’t have black
people on it. Seems bizarre that there are no real black people on Athas, just
whites with tans. I never really thought about it until he mentioned</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">When
I attended a convention where TSR was represented, Of course, they had no
answer. I didn’t really expect one. Which brings me to my point - where are the
black people in RPGs?</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$1:0" /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$3:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$4:0">Let’s
set a few things straight. I don’t think black people deserve</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3"><span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0"><span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$0:0">
a bigger place in RPGs than any other race. But the fact that they’re absent
makes me wonder about people’s perception of the world. Most fantasy games are
modeled after Europe. That’s fine, but Africa is closer to Europe than Japan
is, and the Orient appears in more fantasy games than Africa does. Come to
think of it, I can’t even think of a fantasy game that portrays</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$1:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$2:0">blacks
in a “respectable light.”</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$3:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$5:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$6:0">The
point can be argued that only white kids play roleplaying games, so why bother
depicting blacks? If that’s so, I’m really confused. Sure, the market’s made up
largely of whites, but there are blacks out there playing (there are even some
black women in roleplaying - I’ve met two, and I’m dating one of them). Why
aren’t there more blacks, male or female? I have a theory: representation.</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$7:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$9:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482318795237799:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$10:0">Ever
see a black person on the cover of a rulebook, module, sourcebook or novel?
Maybe once or twice. But it doesn’t make up for the multitude of whites that do
appear</span></span></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hopefully,
thanks to some socially aware folks, the times are a changin’. Mage has my
character, </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvWhrE_eF8fM69qIlNj3bUZXn_Nx3I8KMgSVEDA3joDu7iBgmny0eeCgiRhyphenhyphencF32JCZA8FJvb0U8FgAze9b6hMTB2DFiAAL05NR4Z46wVvg8ekqrQc6jX8qq3CbLmbwxA3BxMtRyUfbs/s1600/mage+dante.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvWhrE_eF8fM69qIlNj3bUZXn_Nx3I8KMgSVEDA3joDu7iBgmny0eeCgiRhyphenhyphencF32JCZA8FJvb0U8FgAze9b6hMTB2DFiAAL05NR4Z46wVvg8ekqrQc6jX8qq3CbLmbwxA3BxMtRyUfbs/s1600/mage+dante.gif" /></a></div>
Dante, on the cover. Shadowrun and Earthdawn (FASA’s games) have
many black characters in their scenarios. Vampire and Werewolf have their share
of blac<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3"><span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0"><span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$0:0">k
people, and Mage will too. I think this industry needs to realize that if it
wants to keep growing, it had damn well better broaden its audience, and that
means making more people comfortable in it.</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$1:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$3:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$4:0">To
all those RPG companies who don’t have a clue, here’s a free one. Where are the
black people? I’m still wondering why Amber, a place of “cosmic perfection,”
has no blacks in it. Why are they excluded? Do they think blacks are going to
bring crime with them? Help me out, Phage Press. I know it’s Roger Z’s world,
but do somethin’. </span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$5:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$7:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$8:0">It
occurs to me that representation in games may be white because designers are
commonly white. However, Mike Pondsmith’s Cyberpunk has no black people in its
rules. So much for that theory. I wasn’t on the staff at White Wolf when
Chicago by Night 1st edition came out. However, I made sure there was plenty of
color in the Windy City. I’m still wondering</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$9:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$10:0">why
the Followers of Set (real evil vampires) are for the most part black. Paranoia?</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$11:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$13:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$14:0">I
have never played a white person in an RPG. When I did play fantasy games, I
played a member of a nonhuman race, usually an elf - perhaps because elves were
the only AD&D race that had black skin. I wonder why the Forgotten Realms’
only black race- the drow - is also the one hated by all the other races? If it
sounds like I’m singling companies out, respond and refute me. Better yet, show
me a black paladin and I’ll gladly shut the hell up.</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$15:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$17:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$18:0">If
you think I’m being extreme, put yourself in my shoes. If you opened a game and
found only black people depicted, how eager would you be to play?</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$19:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$21:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$22:0">Perhaps
I’m wrong. Perhaps I’m overreacting. The fact still remains that RPGs don’t
seem to cover the racial spectrum. Comics have learned that representation of
black characters works (look at Milestone Media). The movie industry has
learned as well (John Singleton, Spike Lee, Bill Duke). And this representation
shouldn’t stop with black people. We should represent all races and lifestyles:
blacks, Asians, Hispanics, gays ... the whole nine yards. Maybe then this
industry will have a wider audience.</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$23:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$25:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$26:0">You
know why minorities aren’t big in RPGs? Say it in writing.</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$27:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$29:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$30:0">Or
maybe I’ll continue to be confused.</span><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$31:0" />
<br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$33:0" />
<span data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$34:0">Peace.</span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br data-reactid=".7.1:3:1:$comment480754118727600_482321865237492:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$35:0" style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<!--[endif]--></span></span><br />Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-62780735180692123512014-07-02T20:21:00.001-07:002014-07-02T20:41:33.015-07:00Name<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> In a conversation a few weeks ago I posted some idea’s
I had on 5</span><sup style="line-height: 115%;">th</sup><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Edition D&D and it’s representation of minorities
to a gaming page on Facebook. During the conversation one of the posters
commented that having an organization (or group) with race in the name only
contributed to the problem. I immediately dismissed the man as racist because
who </span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">hasn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> heard that line before? In my day to day life the only people who
typically complained about race being in the name of an organization where the
ones who refused to admit that there were still problems of race in this
country. Such is the state of the post racial world we live in.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Then
my friend Mike asked me a similar question. He felt that I </span></span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">couldn't</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> be as
inclusive as I wanted to be if I placed blackness first and foremost in my
mind. My friend Mike is French and lives in Asia so coming from him I can
understand why he </span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">didn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> understand why I felt the remark was racist. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"> But
this isn’t a post about why the comment was racist. It’s a post to explain why
race figures prominently in my mind. I think when you’re a minority and you’re
used to being in the out group you inherently understand how favoring your
group doesn’t mean you want to exclude others. I think when you’re in the
majority you tend not to find the need to be around people like you so you can
draw upon a collective strength of the group as a whole when dealing with
adversity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"> For
many minority groups, race may be a part of the name but it is far from the
total objective. When I was doing my undergrad degree I was part of an Asian
Students Association. They took great pride in their Asian heritage, but they
were a group that was open to all. My brother used to be a member of a Mexican
American student society when he was in school. They took great pride in their
Mexican heritage but they were also a group open to teaching anyone about
Mexican heritage and allowed anyone to join.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"> And
this is a very common thing to see in many minority organizations. Not everyone
in the NAACP is black. Furthermore the NAACP doesn’t just fight for black
rights. Sure that is their primary focus but they stand in support of the
rights for other minorities. NOW (National Organization for Women) primary
membership is women but they don’t discriminate against men either. The
organization itself has had male membership as well. Or take a look at most
LGBT organizations. Their sexuality will figure into the name but these groups
are not just for LGBT people, straight allies are always welcome in such
groups.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"> So
the use of your minority status is a fairly common thing. It doesn’t denote an
attempt to create more problems but to acknowledge how they are different. It
also helps to recruit like minded individuals. By having black in the name of
my group I make it easy for other black gamers to find and identify with the
group.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"> But
also just as importantly, when I write I write from my own perspective. I can
not claim to know or understand the difficulties in being an Asian gamer or a
female gamer. But I can tell you what it’s like to be a black gamer. And my
thoughts on gaming are in part informed by my experiences as a black man. And I
think that my message will probably resonant strongly with other black gamers
who can likely relate to similar experiences. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"> I’ll
always support the efforts of other types of gamers. I may talk from the perspective
of a black male, but I do 100% stand for a more inclusive gaming space for
everyone regardless of skin color, gender or sexuality. But I think I do my
best work when I’m writing from the places I know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> So
until next time enjoy one of the best songs about names.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-9223952686035887252014-06-05T20:21:00.000-07:002014-06-05T20:21:05.404-07:00Why?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> So
recently I was asked “why bother” as in why is any of this important. After
all, as the person indicated, this is a make believe game we’re playing in
which the characters are whatever race, color or creed I as a player or a GM
deems fit. Thus whether or not the art shows me people like me it shouldn’t
matter. And on a certain level there is some truth to that. Nothing stops me
from playing a black character, or a Jewish character or a Latino or Asian or
any other kind of character I could possible think or dream of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> But
that doesn’t change the simple fact that how the hobby presents itself
influence how welcome I feel with in the hobby. When you market a product with
only white faces you tell the non white faces that they aren’t welcome. Or
maybe that you’re money is fine but we don’t value you enough to represent you
in art. It would be a kin to going to a restaurant and being told that “yeah it’s
ok to eat here but you have to come in through the back.” It creates this atmosphere
that you are not welcome. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> For
people who have representation I’ve noticed that this feeling is kinda a hard
concept to grasp. People who see pictures of them don’t really link up to the
idea that not having those pictures actually maters. But most minorities
express a desire to be represented in any medium that they take an interest in.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Take
the comic book industry for example. Another place with fictional characters.
As the comic book market went more mainstream and people other than white males
started buying the comics they expressed a desire to also be equally represented
with in the pages of the books they were buying. It didn’t matter if you were
black, Asian, female or gay. All minorities have expressed a desire to be represented
in the pages of the comic books they like to read and collect. We see the same
thing in video games too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Representation
also builds a link to the game. I know I’m personally more connected to games
that I feel represented in. I have founder memories playing WoD than I do of
playing D&D. It’s not due to any difference in the rules. Or even the games
styles. I just have a deeper connection to WoD (classic WoD I should say) than
I do to D&D because WoD has characters like me to identify with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> In
a perfect world none of this would really matter. But sadly we don’t live in
that world. This is <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeWmsgj0MYM5PnX7UACU8lcOz5J6QKI9jCu-YeEKK-ajCvURj1zl7AwUz4mmdFOIsPtUolRMBkK70hAJ3kjd9tbHZmg3xag-YOIcqWbjvUoniJC9hTOHrGqwfQoaOhwX5IPgiXzgQHMo/s1600/Investigator_360.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeWmsgj0MYM5PnX7UACU8lcOz5J6QKI9jCu-YeEKK-ajCvURj1zl7AwUz4mmdFOIsPtUolRMBkK70hAJ3kjd9tbHZmg3xag-YOIcqWbjvUoniJC9hTOHrGqwfQoaOhwX5IPgiXzgQHMo/s1600/Investigator_360.jpeg" height="320" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morgan Freeman if he were playing D&D</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
important to me because I want to feel that connection to
the games I buy. It is my money after all. And I know other minorities want
that connection too. They want that tie. They want to feel valued by the gaming
companies they spend money on. Just this afternoon I went from thinking “meh I’ll
get the Advanced Classes book at some point” to feeling like I needed to
preorder the book all based on the revelation that the new icon for one of the
new classes was a young Morgan Freeman (ok not really but he bears a resemblance).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Now
don’t get me wrong, at the end of the day I do know that there are bigger evils
in the world. I hold no delusions that I am the Malcolm X of gaming or anything
like that. But gamers/nerds/geeks are a passionate bunch. We are characterized
with feeling strongly about our hobbies. For showing passion. So when I talk
about these things I am just as passionate about it as I am when I’m pitching a
character idea to a GM or talking about why Stargate SG1 will still be hands
down better than any kind of movie reboot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> At
the end of the day I want to feel connected to the products I spend my free
time with. And oddly enough others do too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-18301647454290116742014-05-21T11:59:00.003-07:002014-05-21T13:46:43.653-07:005th Edition Woes?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s
been awhile since I’ve had the time to sit down and write. But now that the
semester is over I hope to be able to get more opportunities to write. Today I
want to talk about DnD Next or 5</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">th</sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Edition, or perhaps simply called
Dungeons and Dragons. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I’ve
been doing a lot of reading about the new Dungeons and Dragons over the past
few weeks. With its release only a few months away one can’t help be curious. I
was reading an article on the<a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/132102-WizKids-to-Produce-New-Dungeons-Dragons-Miniatures"> minis that WizKids</a> are going to produce when
something caught my eye. None of the minis were black. Well they had a Drow
(and don’t get me started on why the Drow are so bad) but the main line up was
very monochromatic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> So
I decided to do a google search of images related to the next iteration of DnD
and discovered that in all the images released for the game none of them
depicted a person of color. Now I could have missed one, it is possible, but I
found that idea to be very troubling. If one were to do a google image search
of Pathfinder you would be able to easily see the diversity that the game
promotes. The pictures of their iconic characters (the Middle Eastern cleric
and the black paladin) are easy to find and show off what makes Pathfinder such
a great game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcdeboSHqwuObo6HlbcizcoyXaoQ0eS06lr8Tg_1UnKreK5T2-kutLQwf08HM5CB8sfWNeEkkOSOMNpbg0QZFecxezIZjkBhGZdl4NZeJuBE1Nd0F4bh6J-N9DXK4igzYz1wqZuC2zrw/s1600/DnD+Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcdeboSHqwuObo6HlbcizcoyXaoQ0eS06lr8Tg_1UnKreK5T2-kutLQwf08HM5CB8sfWNeEkkOSOMNpbg0QZFecxezIZjkBhGZdl4NZeJuBE1Nd0F4bh6J-N9DXK4igzYz1wqZuC2zrw/s1600/DnD+Logo.png" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am digging the logo though</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> This
is a big problem for Dungeons and Dragons. One I hope they seriously address at
some point. DnD is the biggest name in tabletop rpgs. As much as I love
Pathfinder and their work on diversity DnD is the go to game I use when I’m
trying to describe what gaming is to non-gamers. DnD is a house hold name. Just
about everyone knows what it is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> With
Wizards of the Coast trying to make the game appealing to both the causal/new
gamer as it does the old gamers it becomes vital that DnD is upfront about
diversity. You attract people of color to your game by making them feel
included. And you make them feel included by including artwork that depicts
people like them in the setting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Now
there may be more to the artwork than I’ve seen so far. I may have missed a few
things. Which is why when the game comes out I’ll give it a fair shot. But keep
in mind I already own Pathfinder. I picked up Pathfinder last summer after I
decided to chip in for a Thunderscape Kickstarter. All in all the game wasn’t
that different from 3.5. But what impressed me was that there was a Middle
Eastern cleric and a black paladin. It was that feeling of inclusion that
prompted me to buy 9 more Pathfinder related products. All because Paizo did
something new and different with their iconics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Wizards
of the Coast you want that same effect. You want someone to open your book, see
their ethnicity depicted and be inclined to go out and buy 9 more books. I’ll
give you a shot come August. But whether or not I want to play Dungeons and
Dragons will be dependent on, not only the rules, but whether I feel, as a
customer, like Wizards of the Coast wants to include me in their game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-52293891218905516042014-01-20T17:03:00.001-08:002014-01-20T17:03:40.324-08:00Minorities in Gaming podcast <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s been awhile since I had a moment to update the
blog. The end of a semester combined with holiday cheer and then getting sick
has kept me away sadly. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> At the beginning of the month a site
named <a href="http://www.blackgirlnerds.com/">Black Girl Nerds</a> did a podcast on rpg’s. The guest speakers were all
black gamers and I was initially going to be on the show myself until I got
sick and needed to tend to some health needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Still the show was excellent and they are lining up
to do a part 2, of which I’ve been invited to be a guest on again. In the
meantime though I thought I’d go back and answer the questions that were asked
on the show, if for no other reasons than to offer up a bit more about me. If you want to listen to the show follow this<a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/blackgirlnerds/2014/01/06/black-roleplayers-rpgs-tabletop-gaming-larping"> link</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What
got you into table top gaming?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My friend <a href="http://www.drewartdesigns.com/">Andrew</a>, I was in the 11<sup>th</sup> grade
and he asked me if I had considered gaming before. He was putting together a
new table top group and he thought I might be interested. So it was Andrew as
the GM and my friends Lance and Robert (who also happened to be black). We
gammed for about a year and then stopped around the time we became seniors. To
much was going on at that time to be able to get much gaming done. So I
continued the hobby when I went off to college finding both some online groups
and an offline campus group to play in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What
was your first rpg?</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My first rpg was Rifts, done by Palladium Games. We
were adventuring off into the vampire infested lands of Mexico. Andrew allowed
us two characters (so that the overall party size was about 6). So my first
character was a Ley Line Walker (who happened to be black) and an elven merc
(which Andrew seemed to enjoy tormenting). </span></div>
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<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We were also briefly introduced to Shadowrun that
first year of gaming. When I went off to college I had also become a huge World
of Darkness fan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What
are your favorite role playing games and are there any that you would
recommend?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have two favorite rpg’s. My first is Mage the
Ascension, which I started playing in college. The game offered an amazingly level
of freedom when it came to designing a mage. Wizards were my favorite class to
play as, so an entire game based on the concept of having magic was right up my
alley. Over the years I’ve come to love the Technocracy most of all when it
comes to mage, mixing enlightened science with modern tech. I had the privelage
of playing the game one last time before leaving for graduate school when my
friend Peter ran our World of Darkness group through a series of adventures.
Mage happens to be one of his favorite games too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My second favorite rpg is Legend of the Five Rings.
It’s a game about samurai drama, or what passes for samurai drama for us poor
westerners. It has an interactive storyline which was very appealing to me at
the time I started playing it. One of the friends to get me into the game, a
guy named Jacob, used to tell me stories upon stories of how the players of the
game shaped the overall canon story. L5R is also the game where I’ve been most
involved in the rpg community as a business. I’ve gotten the chance to play
test for the game, submit NPC’s and once even put together a web expansion for
two books. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So it has a warm place in my heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">If there was a game that I would recommend (outside of my favorites), I would have to go with Pathfinder. Basic western fantasy style rping, building upon the 3.5 ruleset. So it's not that hard of a transition if you've played 3rd Edition DnD. Also I love the way the company that makes the game Paizo supports both </span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">alternative</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">lifestyles</span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> and minority </span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">characters</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> in its gaming lines. </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Do
you do any larping?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have from time to time. I don’t anymore as it’s
been my least favorite form of rpg. I think what turns me off is that the larp
games I played in never technically ever stopped once the game ended for the
night. People would spend their entire week plotting and planning and
organizing for the next game and for me, once the game was over I was ready to
do other stuff with my week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What
kind of diversity do you find in your gaming groups and how often is there a
person of color in the game?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Somewhat small. With a few exceptions I find myself
the only minority at the table. I find that even odder when I look back and
consider that that was the case for the online games I was involved in too.
There are notable exceptions. My current GM is Asian, and my last GM was
Mexican. I only got the chance to game with him once even though we’d known
each other for years and often talked about gaming. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I often find that if I’m not playing the minority
then nine times out of ten there isn’t much diversity in the games I’m in. So I
sometimes feel compelled to represent the other side. Not always black
characters mind you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Have
you had an experience where a person responds to you and not your character?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I think the most common experience of people
responding to me and not the character is when someone is playing a racist and
they and everyone around them are constantly trying to assure me that the
racist views of their character do not reflect their real views. As if I didn’t
understand that already about role playing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Though there was this one time where me and my
friends really felt it was getting dangerous for me. We were gaming with this
guy that I had briefly gamed with before. So when a new group got started I
invited him to game because he offered up his place to game at and free food. I
didn’t really think he was racist at first but then he slowly became more and
more aggressive towards my character (where were playing L5R at the time). At
first we thought he just didn’t agree with how I was playing the character. So
I made a new one and he still was aggressive towards my character.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As the weeks went by I began to feel he was being directly
aggressive towards me and several of the players also agreed. The breaking
moment came when we were taking a small break from the action and we looked at
the books on his mantle to notice that they were all Nazi related/themed books.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Needless to say I stopped gaming with the guy, as
did the rest of the group after that discovery<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-82794118767762395052013-12-14T21:39:00.000-08:002013-12-18T21:32:36.708-08:00Thou Shalt not Suffer a Witch to Live<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Witch
Hunter Second Edition Review<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> This was a book that I was looking
forward to since I found out there were doing a second edition during the
summer. Sadly I missed out on the Kickstarter for it but they released it
before Christmas so I fairly amused. Made for good reading over the
Thanksgiving break. It also helps that I enjoy games in which you hunt down and
kill supernatural critters. It’s why Hunter the Vigil is one of my favorite games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Witch Hunter is a game in which you
play as well … witch hunters, tracking down and eliminating the minions of the
Adversary. The book has a very
Judeo-Christian overtones, making use of such stories as King Solomon. If
you’re not a fan of religious overtones then you may not like the game. Though
to the games credit it does leave room for interpretation on the exact nature
of God and Satan (who is referred to as the Adversary).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6jIhBzIn19HdRCxbS-KpecXOKyJrVzILDjQRA4xWtIfIfcAhy0OL-I12QSg4cb32rxepikmBpOfXW8dp5vcPAIXQfcc9kF-4-vFBk5Cmnxf0PS9iXFgidWhOOgS9aP9kX2-1B6PMVOk/s1600/Wich+Hunter+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE6jIhBzIn19HdRCxbS-KpecXOKyJrVzILDjQRA4xWtIfIfcAhy0OL-I12QSg4cb32rxepikmBpOfXW8dp5vcPAIXQfcc9kF-4-vFBk5Cmnxf0PS9iXFgidWhOOgS9aP9kX2-1B6PMVOk/s320/Wich+Hunter+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
Setting:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Witch Hunter takes place during the
late 17<sup>th</sup> century, around the year 1689. They’ve made several
changes to the setting to make it a unique take on an alternate history. In the
game vampires, werewolves, witches and other assorted creatures are real. The everyday
man is semi aware of this fact. There is also a little bit of magic left in the
world. You play as a witch hunter, a mortal who knows the truth and takes up
the challenge of protecting others from the supernatural and hunting them down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> It all starts with the biblical king
Solomon. He is aware of the dark forces in the world and he decides he’s going
to protect future generations. He gathers up the most wisest and skilled
magicians in the world and begins to work on a ritual called the Great Seal.
However one of the magi is fooled by the Adversary and the seal is flawed. The
forces of the Adversary are able to get through, though at a reduced rate than
before. There is also a little bit of magic leaking through which allows for
the continuation of magic (in its various forms). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Fast forward a few centuries and we
arrive to the dark ages and the black plague. The disease kills more men than
women. This creates an opportunity for women to step up and fill in for roles
that they previously weren’t allowed in. Even after the plague women still
continue in their new roles. Kinda like the 1940’s and WWII. Well the plague
was devastating the effects of European diseases wasn’t as deadly as it historically
was. Especially for the Aztec empire, who use their dark and evil magic’s to mitigate
the damage done to their population. This leaves them in a position to fight Spain’s
claims in the New World. If this is your
first time with the game then I highly recommend going back and finding at
least a copy of the <i>Aztec Empire</i>.
While the rules are first edition the setting info in it is amazing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Now the PC’s are members of the Orders, a
group of organizations that developed to fight the minions of the Adversary.
The book outlines several major ones with notations about there being smaller
ones and more info on those in an upcoming book. The Orders have come together
and formed a loose alliance as it were, so that they can better fight the
Adversary and also to offer up aide and protection from the Church. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Adventures can occur anywhere in the
world, though the setting material mostly focus on Europe and the New World.
The biggest changes to the New World is the Aztec Empire which stretches into
parts of what is now the western southern states and down through central México.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
Rules:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> The second chapter covers most of
the rules you need to play the game. It uses a d10 system, and if you’re familiar
with games like <i>Legend of the Five Rings</i>
(L5R) or the World of Darkness games then
you’re going to have a smooth transition into Witch Hunter. Even if you are not
familiar with either of those games the rules are pretty straightforward and
easy to pick up on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> To resolve an action you are
typically going to roll a dice pool created from an Attribute + Skill. Much
like in L5R you can’t have a dice pool greater than 10 dice. So for every two
dice over 10 you gain an automatic success. And much like the World of Darkness
games you need to roll a 7 or higher to succeed at an action. Depending on the
difficulty of the task you’ll need anywhere from 1 success to 5 or 6.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> You can garner better effects on a
role by making a wager, which is similar in application to making a raise in
L5R. If you roll a 10 then you get to re roll that dice until it stops coming
up 10. On the flip side if you roll more 1’s than you did success then the
action suffers a complication of some sort. This isn’t like a botch in other
games, as you can still succeed at the action and still have more 1’s than you
did actual success. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> For combat they have a series of
style talents. Think of these as being like combat special moves feats. There
are three basic level for talents (both the combat fighting style and the non
combat skill based type); Basic, Great and Heroic.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkDjpcOZ22UknIrZPxBNEVoWhUFGM1eqB7PQRuLY1AQ_iMdWkuQyu_vRmh6DM2Iwopq9dUaG_Rnqjm3VySldFgpszffBmoqqwyl-4MzEtvakRS3wh8w69PzxOksZdB7UvKLjlKUAUdds/s1600/Witch+Hunter+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkDjpcOZ22UknIrZPxBNEVoWhUFGM1eqB7PQRuLY1AQ_iMdWkuQyu_vRmh6DM2Iwopq9dUaG_Rnqjm3VySldFgpszffBmoqqwyl-4MzEtvakRS3wh8w69PzxOksZdB7UvKLjlKUAUdds/s320/Witch+Hunter+2.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> These mechanics are rounded out with
a True Faith state that measures your belief in a higher power and a Damnation trait
that shows how far you’ve fallen from the path of the righteous. You also have
Hero Points which you can use to do a variety of things from gaining access to
talents your character doesn’t normally have to saving your characters life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Finally your character has a Virtue
and a Vice. Veterans of World of Darkness games will be very accustomed to how
these work. A vice is a weakness that a character has. Something that may draw
him away from the path of the righteous. They can be activated by the GM if he
feels it’s appropriate for that situation. So a character who has a vice in say
greed may have it activated by the GM if while on a mission the character spots
something that peeks his interest. On the flip side characters also have virtues,
and as the name implies it’s a characters strength, a means of showing how righteous
the character may be. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> There is also a system for magic.
There are six types of magic with in the setting. You have your three good ones
of Prayer, Animism, and Hermetic. Then you have three villainous ones of
Diabolism, Necromancy and Witch Craft. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
Good<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Witch Hunter is an easy game to
transition into. I games centered around hunting down the things that go bump
in the night. As I mentioned earlier Hunter the Vigil is one of my all time
favorite games (and is still my favorite of the nWoD). It’s alternate history
is pretty good. One of the most interesting aspects of the game is its use of
the Aztecs and how depraved they are. I like how the game allows for more
gender equity than was truly present at that time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> I love the way they handled fighting
styles. It adds a nice variety and spin to combat. The emphasis in the book on swashbuckling
makes taking a combat style even more fun. We’re talking about action from
movies like Pirates of the Carrabin and the Three Musketeers. While I’m
mentioning the Three Musketeers, the notation on making Cardinal Richelieu a
lich is just highly amusing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Finally I liked the rules they
created for mob combat scenes and the use of minions. It makes it fairly seamless
to toss hordes of bad guys at the PC’s for them to chop down in an equally
heroic fashion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
Bad<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> There were really only two things
that kinda annoyed me. The first is from the magic section. There is a mention
of using a Grimoire in spell casting. The notation indicates that rules will be
provided for in another book, but for me I like to have all the core rules in
one spot. Thus the magic section feels somewhat incomplete until they release
Rites and Relics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Finally I am somewhat miffed at the
lack of diversity in the game. Outside of being Native American there isn’t
much mention of anything that isn’t European. Native Americans have one Order
that is truly all their own, but there isn’t one for people of African or Asian
descent. I also was not pleased with the few references to Africa describing
the continent as barbaric. When you see how well they handled bringing women
into the setting and creating a better environment for female PC’s to play in,
the lack of any real insight into other non-European cultures just leaves one
wanting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Considering the games more religious
bent it would have been nice at least to feature an African Christian nation. Ethiopia
has strong roots in Christianity after all and an Order from there would have
opened the game up a bit more in my opinion. In future books I hope they work a
bit harder in painting non Europeans in a positive light. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
Wrap Up<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> My feelings on the matter of race
aside, I find the game to be intriguing. Overall I’d give it a 4 out of 5 Fro’s.
The setting is interesting enough to want to play in and I feel that the other
matters are something that future supplements could fix and address. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-31282951322586564722013-12-13T10:41:00.000-08:002013-12-13T10:56:41.832-08:00You're Not AloneThere’s a conversation happening in geek/nerd culture and it’s a great one, to an extent. See there’s a lot being said about how popular geek/nerd culture is these days. A conversation about how the stigma of being a gamer or enjoying comic books has lessened over the years. And I’m not saying this isn’t true. But there is a theme that arises in a lot of these conversations about the trials and tribulations of growing up a geek when it wasn’t cool to be a geek that I can’t agree with. This theme is one of loneliness and a tough choice between having to be a nerd or dating. <br />
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<br />
Growing up a geek didn’t mean that I always had a date. Like any teenager or young adult there were times when I did and there were times when I didn’t. But the choice to date, to interact with girls, never came down to me having to choose between the hobby I loved dearly and snuggling up to someone. As a young man I had to develop a skill that has helped me go far in life, time management. <br />
<br />
Being a functioning adult means balancing various demands on life. This idea holds true for nerds as it does for anyone else. As a young lad I had to decide when I wanted to spend my Friday night rolling dice or eating popcorn with a pretty girl. Some Fridays I’d game. Others I’d go to the movies. Or I’d schedule gaming related events in the early afternoon so that I’d have my evenings free to be sociable with other people. <br />
<br />
Next came developing multiple interest. I was never afraid of being a nerd. These days most of my friends know that if I’m causally reading on my Nexus 7, odds are strong that I’m reading an rpg supplement. But before the implementation of pdfs and tablets I used to carry good ole fashion rpg supplements. You know how heavy those get in a back pack after awhile!!! But that wasn’t the end of my personality or the scope of my interest. Yeah I could go on and on about why THACO sucked, or why Mage was better than Vampire, or why the X-Men combined would never in one million years be as cool as Batman. But I could also hold a reasonable conversation about politics. Sure I didn’t play any sports but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t be caught dead at a college football game (as an fyi they can be a lot of fun). I not only watched Star Trek The Next Generation but also The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In short I developed a varied set of interest and this variety of interest allowed me to have something to say in the company of gamers and in the company of non gamers. <br />
<br />
I make mention of this not to understate the difficulties faced by gamers, nerds and geeks growing up. Instead I bring this up to serve as a reminder that not every nerd had a difficult time growing up. Your teenage years and into your young adult years is a very hard time for everyone. Regardless of your hobbies and interest. It’s a time of self discovery. It’s a time when you desperately want to fit in. It’s a time in your life where you start to figure the kind of person you want to be when you “grow up”. I placed quotes there mostly because we never really grow up. <br />
<br />
It’s important to remember that everyone faces these basic challenges. And we all adapt differently. It’s important to remember that everyone faces these challenges so that we can come together as people. Focusing on that period of our lives as being some how negative because you had to make a hard choice between gaming and dating is misleading. It’s a choice we all make no matter the hobby. It also scares away people who may otherwise self identify as a geek or nerd. No one wants to be alone. And no one wants to get involved in a hobby that may make them feel alone.<br />
<br />
Now I’m not going to claim it’s easy. It takes a lot of work balancing the various aspects of life and my personality. But it is equally rewarding. <br />
<br />
Being in this hobby doesn’t condemn you to a life of solitude. Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-10785798985320584232013-11-29T16:43:00.000-08:002013-11-29T16:43:08.302-08:00Rally the Troops You ever need a speech to inspire your players with? Or are you a bard who needs to stand up and <em>Any Given Sunday. </em>You'd need to make some minor adjustments but this speech is too good to pass up on. I will have to use it at some point.<br />
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offer words of wisdom to the party before going off into the major game ending battle? If you are in need of words of wisdom than look no further. This speech was given by Al Pacino in <br />
<br />
I'll include the youtube video at the end as well as a youtube video to the background music. After all an inspiring speech needs an inspiring beat.<br />
<br />
I don't know what to say really.<br clear="none" /> Three minutes<br clear="none" /> to the biggest battle of our professional lives<br clear="none" /> all comes down to today.<br clear="none" /> Either<br clear="none" /> we heal<br clear="none" /> as a team<br clear="none" /> or we are going to crumble.<br clear="none" /> Inch by inch<br clear="none" /> play by play<br clear="none" /> till we're finished.<br clear="none" /> We are in hell right now, gentlemen<br clear="none" /> believe me<br clear="none" /> and<br clear="none" /> we can stay here<br clear="none" /> and get the shit kicked out of us<br clear="none" /> or<br clear="none" /> we can fight our way<br clear="none" /> back into the light.<br clear="none" /> We can climb out of hell.<br clear="none" /> One inch, at a time.<br clear="none" /><br clear="none" /> Now I can't do it for you.<br clear="none" /> I'm too old.<br clear="none" /> I look around and I see these young faces<br clear="none" /> and I think<br clear="none" /> I mean<br clear="none" /> I made every wrong choice a middle age man could make.<br clear="none" /> I uh....<br clear="none" /> I pissed away all my money<br clear="none" /> believe it or not.<br clear="none" /> I chased off<br clear="none" /> anyone who has ever loved me.<br clear="none" /> And lately,<br clear="none" /> I can't even stand the face I see in the mirror.<br clear="none" /><br clear="none" /> You know when you get old in life<br clear="none" /> things get taken from you.<br clear="none" /> That's, that's part of life.<br clear="none" /> But,<br clear="none" /> you only learn that when you start losing stuff.<br clear="none" /> You find out that life is just a game of inches.<br clear="none" /> So is football.<br clear="none" /> Because in either game<br clear="none" /> life or football<br clear="none" /> the margin for error is so small.<br clear="none" /> I mean<br clear="none" /> one half step too late or to early<br clear="none" /> you don't quite make it.<br clear="none" /> One half second too slow or too fast<br clear="none" /> and you don't quite catch it.<br clear="none" /> The inches we need are everywhere around us.<br clear="none" /> They are in ever break of the game<br clear="none" /> every minute, every second.<br clear="none" /><br clear="none" /> On this team, we fight for that inch<br clear="none" /> On this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around us<br clear="none" /> to pieces for that inch.<br clear="none" /> We CLAW with our finger nails for that inch.<br clear="none" /> Cause we know<br clear="none" /> when we add up all those inches<br clear="none" /> that's going to make the fucking difference<br clear="none" /> between WINNING and LOSING<br clear="none" /> between LIVING and DYING.<br clear="none" /><br clear="none" /> I'll tell you this<br clear="none" /> in any fight<br clear="none" /> it is the guy who is willing to die<br clear="none" /> who is going to win that inch.<br clear="none" /> And I know<br clear="none" /> if I am going to have any life anymore<br clear="none" /> it is because, I am still willing to fight, and die for that inch<br clear="none" /> because that is what LIVING is.<br clear="none" /> The six inches in front of your face.<br clear="none" /><br clear="none" /> Now I can't make you do it.<br clear="none" /> You gotta look at the guy next to you.<br clear="none" /> Look into his eyes.<br clear="none" /> Now I think you are going to see a guy who will go that inch with you.<br clear="none" /> You are going to see a guy<br clear="none" /> who will sacrifice himself for this team<br clear="none" /> because he knows when it comes down to it,<br clear="none" /> you are gonna do the same thing for him.<br clear="none" /><br clear="none" /> That's a team, gentlemen<br clear="none" /> and either we heal now, as a team,<br clear="none" /> or we will die as individuals.<br clear="none" /> That's football guys.<br clear="none" /> That's all it is.<br clear="none" /> Now, whattaya gonna do?<br />
<br />
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Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-61729287724505240532013-11-28T19:46:00.002-08:002013-11-28T19:46:49.902-08:00What’s On Tap<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What’s On Tap<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So it’s been a week or so since I last wrote a blog
post. I figure I should do one to talk about where things are going for B.R.O..
Artist has been paid and that means that I get my own logo. It’s going to be of
a d20 with an afro. I’m debating on whether or not I want the logo to be
wearing shades. Hmmmmm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ve picked up writing for another blog. It’s where
I’ll express things not really relevant to being a black gamer. I am after all
a sociologist and the more I write the better my writing style gets. If you’re
interested you’ll be able to find them here </span><a href="http://blerdnation.com/">http://blerdnation.com/</a>. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So
far just a few review articles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Witch Hunter 2<sup>nd</sup> Edition just released. I’ll
be reading that over the next few weeks. So look forward to a review of that
game. I loved the 1<sup>st</sup> Edition material so it will be interesting to
see how it all shapes up for a new edition. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And in January I’ll be going on a podcast for to
talk about rpg’s from a black perspective. So look forward to that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Oh and if you’re into Pathfinder you may be
interested in this Kickstarter. </span><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1780208966/advanced-bestiary-for-the-pathfinder-rpg">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1780208966/advanced-bestiary-for-the-pathfinder-rpg</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-24417862722315188652013-11-15T11:07:00.001-08:002013-12-18T21:32:59.698-08:00Looking into the Darkness<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Void</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A
new RPG that I picked up recently was The Void from WildFire, makers of
Cthulutech. I haven’t had much dealings with this company before. Cthulutech
sounds like something I’d enjoy but overall I haven’t taken the time to look at
it. Though if it’s anything like The Void I think I’d enjoy it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Void takes a path that I haven’t seen to often from an RPG, in that they have a
creative community thing going on. The core rule book is free on DriveThru,
with the option of paying for it at the amount you feel is appropriate for the
work. Fans of the game are also encouraged to build on what’s in the core book
and provide additional material for the game, and if it’s good enough be
published by WildFire. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But
lets talk about the game. The game is survival horror in space. So if you love
Lovecraft you’re likely to like this game. But it also borrows from such
classics as Event Horizon. But you could do a Resident Evil in space type
thing with it. Or even a looming Mass Effect style Reaper threat. It’s really
up to you. I think there is a lot of potential with Saturn revolution themed
game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Storyline
wise the Earth has expanded to the stars. There is some kind of human presence
on every planet in the solar system, and a bit beyond as well. Well not Pluto.
Humanities exploration of the solar system has drawn the attention of an
ancient being. A star is on a course towards Earth called the Cthonian Star.
Strange and ancient creatures are awakening or in some cases arriving to
prepare the solar system for it’s new masters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">All
of this is being kept away from the greater populace of course. And that job
falls to the PC’s. You play as Wardens, agents of the UWC, tasked with
investigating strange things and then … killing them. Oh also covering that
shit up. So it’s kinda like being a Man in Black, only in space. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
mechanics are fairly straight forward. If you’ve played the New World of
Darkness or Shadowrun then you’re already familiar with how the dice are going
to work. You create a dice pool from your attribute and skill and score success
on a 5 or 6. Depending on how hard the task is will determine how many success
you need to succeed. You also have advantages and talents that could affect the
outcome of your roll. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Combat
is fairly straight forward. You roll your attack dice pool and the defender
rolls a defense dice pool. Bonus success adds to your damage roll. In regards
to damage you also have armor that can subtract from the amount of damage you
take. Though the more damage you take the less effective it will become
overall. And of course you will start to incur dice penalties when you take to
much damage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There
are no character classes in this game. Instead you are given 3 templates. You
have the Enforcer, which is your typical front line solider type. You have the
Investigator which does all the snooping around. Then you have the Researcher
who is the science techie guy/medic. Instead of having money characters have
wealth, a personal wealth and then your sponsors wealth. You also gain bonuses
based on where you come from, getting the chance to choose from a list of
planets or colonies throughout the solar system<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There
are also two pools which can affect the outcome of the game. You have a Fate
dice, which allows you to avoid certain doom! There is also a Tension pool
which is spent as a group. It can be spent on a variety of things to do such as
re-rolls, getting a hint from the GM or buying an additional Fate point for
someone who is really really having a bad day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The trick however with Tension dice is that Tension dice spent by the
players are given to the GM who can then use them for nefarious deeds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">On
the plus side the game doesn’t take long to get into. One of the first few
chapters has an adventure designed for both the players and the GM to learn as
they go. The book is also filled to the brim with helpful side bars that sum up
the contents of that particular section for quick and easy reference. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">All
in all if you’re familiar with most games the learning curve on this one isn’t
going to be bad. And if you’re not well it won’t be that hard to pick up and
go. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One
of the strongest points for this game (at least for me) was the diversity in
the setting. The 4 PC’s provided for the adventure hailed from different places
and had a nice variety in ethnicity. You had an African, Chinese, German and
Latina. The fiction that helped set the mood for the game also used a varied
cast of characters that made the setting pop and come alive for me in a way
that few games do currently. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">On
the flipside however I did find some things lacking. The book is small, and
only has three monsters. I know there is a Monsters book available but the game
makes frequent references to a lot of things that go bump in the night and it
would have been nice to have a bit more offered. It is a cheap book, but you
can’t really describe that many creatures and not really provide more meat for
the PC’s to kill and investigate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPvWqa0sg_9vW6t8tpJ9cCm0pKM5QvW9DJiDxTQfUVD7iZKhQbtewGTVmnEXOWs1zXieQ8G03iNciJKZzYhyyUMGIl5buxOgWkAZ6Jty4k73FKLweKc1BsckZ6SC_87u94E_q80d83D8/s1600/TheVoid+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPvWqa0sg_9vW6t8tpJ9cCm0pKM5QvW9DJiDxTQfUVD7iZKhQbtewGTVmnEXOWs1zXieQ8G03iNciJKZzYhyyUMGIl5buxOgWkAZ6Jty4k73FKLweKc1BsckZ6SC_87u94E_q80d83D8/s320/TheVoid+2.jpg" width="148" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Speaking
of PC’s there are only three options. Rules are provided to do a template less
character but the game seems heavily geared towards using the templates. This
should be remedied when the Advanced Players Guide comes out, but for now it
feels like a weak spot in the game. I think The Void would have benefited
heavily from maybe one to two more Warden templates. I would have likely broken
the Researcher into perhaps two templates, one that is more book wormy and one
that is more science techie. And perhaps an infiltrator styled template that
could be used to do some deep cover work really well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">GM
side I was a little bit disappointed with the magic section. I would have
preferred a bit more meat to this section too. With luck there will be some
additional work put into it in future books. It’s workable, just rules light.
As a GM I kinda like my magic to be a bit more rules heavy than what is
offered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Overall
though this is a game worth getting. You can’t argue with the price. And it has
a lot of themes and places to go. You could do some nice horror style Firefly
for instance. With the government theme you could also kick it old school with
some space X Files. The politics behind the UWC, Earth and her colonies also
leaves plenty of room for more mundane type adventures. And this point bears
repeating, the game has a very nice support of minorities and people of color.
You see it in the artwork and the stories and it’s something that is praise
worthy in any company you find it in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So
I give this game 4 Fro’s out of 5 (I really need an icon for such things!). The
game is straight forward and fast to get into. The setting is very interesting.
The starter adventure makes it possible for both GM and player to learn as you
go. Lack of character options and monsters aside this isn’t a game I feel you
should pass on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">P.S.
This setting needs psionics. Just saying, it would rule!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-74569454076634920392013-11-06T20:46:00.000-08:002013-11-06T20:46:32.102-08:00Arkham Origins <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Arkham
Origins</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFkq_9CLrTV_cvZZbOrTfkqSgOy-7xJ0c_hmxtKX0pVfDNCyj5XuSZJG_8ZAtOh_Iyu-cIQhb4VF8RslIbFGOs3qWNobbihp19kaRafw59gAtIZGLVg6Ih-jmY_cUBhQYCjV-piV-d4w/s1600/batman_arkham_origins_video_game-wide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFkq_9CLrTV_cvZZbOrTfkqSgOy-7xJ0c_hmxtKX0pVfDNCyj5XuSZJG_8ZAtOh_Iyu-cIQhb4VF8RslIbFGOs3qWNobbihp19kaRafw59gAtIZGLVg6Ih-jmY_cUBhQYCjV-piV-d4w/s320/batman_arkham_origins_video_game-wide.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> What’s to say about a game that is
likely to receive 9’s and 10’s from most magazines that review it? A lot
actually, seeing as how I’m currently playing Mass Effect 1 again as opposed to
completing my game on Batman Arkham Origins. Now that’s not to imply that Mass
Effect is a bad game (though the first one hasn’t aged as well as the second
one did), but I have beaten this game 2 times already and I’m only playing
again because a good friend told the Tali romance brings out a lot more character
from her and is highly amusing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Now I’m a huge Batman fan, so much
so that I’m taking one of the lithographs that I got from buying the strategy
guide, framing it, and placing it on my desk in my office on campus. But this
game does have some flaws. But first lets cover what it did well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> The game has a pretty interesting
story. Black Mask is a semi big villain in the Batman universe. He was one of
the villains in Batman: Under the Red Hood (an excellent movie I might add).
And while the Joker does seem to play a big role (remember I haven’t beaten the
game yet) having the Red Hood play a major part of the story helps to keep the
game about something other than Batman and the Joker. I love the Joker, but I
don’t need him to be the only thing we see in a Batman game.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IJzmxOXjbor3WpjgGCdUWimlNZptmsRT9D6x5yU1eIBYFAOTKTq084ij-FCMzuleJFiBi2JPjXbQQNuzzdUh_fJpN6u-EvQft4oIz6RZabtLg1mDoWSfvODTTsBqeY7NHwb-7PPPeGY/s1600/batman-under-the-red-hood-original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IJzmxOXjbor3WpjgGCdUWimlNZptmsRT9D6x5yU1eIBYFAOTKTq084ij-FCMzuleJFiBi2JPjXbQQNuzzdUh_fJpN6u-EvQft4oIz6RZabtLg1mDoWSfvODTTsBqeY7NHwb-7PPPeGY/s320/batman-under-the-red-hood-original.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> And another point in favor of the
story is that it is an origin tale. So we get to see the Joker become … well …
the Joker. A pre Oracle Barbara Gordon is also a nice touch. Toss in Jim Gordon
as the not commissioner yet and well you have a nice set up to see where things
are going later on down the road. It was nice to see the tension between Batman
and Jim and for Batman when he has to deal with a corrupt GCPD. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> The combat and the gadgets are
pretty much the same as the last game. So controlling Batman isn’t a new
learning experience. This is good as it allows you to jump right in and get
straight to the action. If you had mastered combat in the previous game then
you’ll have no problem here. Though I do miss the electro gun. That thing was
crazy fun to use in combat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> And finally I have to say that I did
enjoy the addition of the multiplayer. It isn’t enough to sale the game alone.
But it is an interesting diversion, much like the multiplayer for Mass Effect 3
was. It could use more gangs, and I hope that they even add more hero’s to play
as, but overall it was fun. The fact that there were three teams each match is
an interesting approach to multiplayer play. It’s not just about killing the
other team but also avoiding Batman and Robin who are out to mess up both
teams. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> On the flip side, as an origin story
I question Batman’s gadgets. He starts the game with almost everything he
needs. If this is a Batman that is younger and more rookie then shouldn’t he
start with less equipment? I would go so far to suggest that maybe some gadgets
may have been left off entirely. I haven’t decided which ones I would have
removed from the game entirely but I lean heavily towards the sonic batarang
and your decoder. In the very least a device like the decoder should have been
an item that he picked up from someone else. With that in mind I think the game
missed out on a chance to maybe add a development aspect to becoming the Batman
that we see in Arkham City and Arkham Asylum. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Also while it was nice that the game
play and fighting was unchanged from the previous game it also made it somewhat
boring. Again, this is an origin tale, so I think to some extent Batman not
being the combat master that he is in later games would have been justified. I
feel that it may have been more fun to build up to being the master and bad ass
that you know he will one day become. A combat development path would have
added a new aspect to the game. I admit it may have been something tricky to
balance, but you already have Batman buying moves with his experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> The city of Gotham is also very
bland. You’re playing in the same part of Gotham that you played in during
Arkham City. Now I’m not asking for a large sandbox to play in. But typically
the entire city of Gotham is crime ridden. There isn’t much of a reason to
focus on just the part of the city that was featured in the last game. Thus I
don’t feel compelled to truly explore the city like I did the last time. Which
is sad, because that was fun in Arkham City. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Also game play wise I feel the game
took a step backwards by not including a second character to play as. Being
Catwoman last game was incredible fun. It offered up a different style of play
that was also integrated into the overall story of the game itself. While I
wasn’t looking to play as Catwoman again I had hopes that something like that
would return for the next game. Perhaps the chances to play as Nightwing,
Batgirl, or Robin and have that play tie in to the overall story being told.
Perhaps even having their missions be little side quest that they take up to
free up Batman’s time. Now with it being an origin story you can’t exactly go
that route with a large number of the possible characters. But perhaps a young
Dick Grayson as Robin would have added a bit of depth to the play experience.
It wouldn’t have hurt. More so if you consider that you play as Robin in the
multiplayer part of the game. Hell you could have had Robin going to get parts
for a new gadget for Batman to use and having him bring it to the Dark Knight.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK4Qr-k7XWcZ2RtakDKhlpibmFiicpyFf2HvFfQ1vNRQnu_6SzGj7fFy3XGXhnPeP4qB2RVDlap02t9rvkjAKLU6XFNGPGbjTN1jFc5UPEj6KcV5-tljxyLAwZk2FttMtwtc1wpZhvG-M/s1600/hd-wallpapers-batman-arkham-asylum-wallpaper-poison-ivy-screenshot-from-the-asylumclick-image-1920x1080-wallpaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK4Qr-k7XWcZ2RtakDKhlpibmFiicpyFf2HvFfQ1vNRQnu_6SzGj7fFy3XGXhnPeP4qB2RVDlap02t9rvkjAKLU6XFNGPGbjTN1jFc5UPEj6KcV5-tljxyLAwZk2FttMtwtc1wpZhvG-M/s320/hd-wallpapers-batman-arkham-asylum-wallpaper-poison-ivy-screenshot-from-the-asylumclick-image-1920x1080-wallpaper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> And finally, no Poison Ivy. You lose
points for that automatically. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Overall this isn’t a bad game. It
has its strengths and it has its weakness. The biggest fault of the game I
would have to say is that it just doesn’t stand out enough from the second game
in the series. That’s what harms it the most, same city, same moves, same bat
gadgets. The biggest new thing of Arkham City, the inclusion of Catwoman, wasn’t
carried over to the third game and I think that hurts it a lot. I really wish I
could give this game a perfect score but sadly when you compare it to the experience
I had with Arkham Asylum and Arkham City it just doesn’t overall stand up. So I
give the game 3 and half afro’s (out of a possible 5). If you’re a Batman fan
get the game. But overall you’re not gonna miss much if you pass on it or wait
till it drops in price in the used game market. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-65867456003113677132013-11-03T20:37:00.000-08:002013-11-03T20:44:11.195-08:00S.S. Blackgate<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">S.S.
Blackgate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> The S.S. Blackgate was a fine ship.
A might fine ship, that was left adrift in space. But how did it end up there?
Well, it was due to the most evil use of Jenga ever, a little game called
<a href="http://www.tiltingatwindmills.net/dread/index.html">Dread</a>. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikoS5JchBoc8JtJIt4ou4U7-UHSUgh7bDdKRXtCWwZnduC90qm78MmkxZ0xfXhoXx17aySqab-JoEd526SH4v5Q2LfSV1hvgsFMtT-U1d09LFviFguQC82mrrj6ipykMULzwb8qyZ3Jb8/s1600/jenga-falling.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikoS5JchBoc8JtJIt4ou4U7-UHSUgh7bDdKRXtCWwZnduC90qm78MmkxZ0xfXhoXx17aySqab-JoEd526SH4v5Q2LfSV1hvgsFMtT-U1d09LFviFguQC82mrrj6ipykMULzwb8qyZ3Jb8/s320/jenga-falling.jpeg" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your characters dead now.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> I had opted had decided to drop in
on a game night hosted by my campus gaming club. The theme was horror since it
was just after Halloween. I decided t play Dread because …. well it was sci fi
and I don’t get to play in a sci fi game nearly enough. The basics behind Dread
are simple. The game is very free form, but when the GM decides something needs
to be tested you make a pull from the Jenga game. If you collapse the tower
then your character dies. If the tower falls because of some other reason then
something bad happens in game to the entire party. Each pull makes it harder
for the next person who has to make some kind of test. You can opt not to pull
and just accept a failure. Oooorrrr you can make the supreme sacrifice and
knock the entire thing over. Sure you die, but you die a hero.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> So it becomes a matter of when and
not if you will fail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> My character was Captain Sisko Mannheim,
whom we called Captain Sisko. Yes I went with the great Sisko. It’s my favorite
show damnit! My crew included an ex spec op’s scientist who was into gene
splicing, a ex spec ops doctor; who had a crush on my non human (reptile race
like in V) first officer. The crew was rounded out with a tech specialist and a
navigator. We were a small time military ship (about the size of Serenity from
Fire Fly) enroute to pick up a VIP at what we were told was just a basic colony
ship. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Sounds simple enough right? We
arrive at the rendezvous and discover that the ship has gone silent. We pull alongside
it and dock. Aaaannnndddd this is where we make the first horror movie mistake,
we split up. Ignoring Star Fleet General Order #15 (we had already ignored
General Order #12) I go aboard the other ship with the ship’s doctor, my second
in command, and the engineer. The scientist and the navigator stay behind to
monitor stuff. Once aboard we decide to split up …. again. Yeah I know how bad
this is. Horror movie, space, black captain. But we need to do two things at
once!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> After we restore power to the ship, I go with
my second in command (SiC) to the bridge to see what we can discover from the
ships logs while the other two head off to the med labs to see if they can find
the person trapped in a research closest (discovered from the only transmission
we got). This is when things start to go screwy back on the Blackgate. So we
split up again! The engineer leaves the doc so he can head to the med bay and
he goes back to the Blackgate. Surprisingly …. no one has died ….. yet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> It doesn’t take long for us to
regroup back into two groups of 3, and along the way we’ve made a lot of pulls
from the Jenga tower. A …. lot. Doom is around the corner, and it hits back on
my ship. Space zombie dogs are attacking the navigator and the scientist. Their
battle is valiant but in the end we lose our navigator. Damn the Red Queen!!!!
To make matters worse there is a random set of creature on the loose who have
fucked up both the bridge and the ships engines. Not even a ship lock down is
able to slow the creature down. And to top it all off something is causing
stress on the docking clamps which forces means the two ships need to do an emergency
disconnect!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Meanwhile I’m facing down an eviscerated
man … zombie … thing. He nearly takes out my SiC and the doctor (who admittedly
saved the SiC from the zombie creature). We get into the restricted research
lab and find the only survivor of the massacre. One private King, whom I begin
to order around because well, I’m an ass. It’s at this point that it’s decided
that we need to get to the escape pods. There is no hope of salvaging the ship
and we can’t make it back to the bridge to redock with the Blackgate. We use
our two grenades and make a mad dash to the escape pods, with private King
taking point, because … well … I’m an ass. And this is where karma catches up
to me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/YuRjF9cn3SI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> I’m having to make two pulls because
my character is an alcoholic (a functioning alcoholic!) who drinks to help
handle the stress of command. And being chased by zombies is sure stressful. I
examine the Jenga tower and come to the conclusion that there is no way for me
to pull two and live. So I knock the whole thing over and decide to go out like
a champ. Sisko leaps over the railing and punches a zombie in the face and then
opens firing on the horde, buying the other two (three if we count the NPC)
some time to get to the pods.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> In the end only 3 of my crew members
survive. The engineer and mad scientist had to get into the escape pods of the
ship. The doctor gave his life saving the love of his life and she makes it to
the escape pod (with the NPC in tow). The event is covered up and classified since
the colony ship was really a black ops research lab that had discovered
something in space better left in deep space. I get a posthumous promotion to
admiral. Which is cool. I was personally happy that as the only black character
in the game I wasn’t the first to die. That’s an accomplishment considering it
was a horror game. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkuRPnqKA4scaSlMpPPOFl0KficMh4rDykFVi0oWdrhiRmzwKFY8ncz775i9ZV-n2CZgs6L2X6kDGcwquUfr0u46JYlzwdEgwHCQ6OTWm1lAuLEVv1ucbmFiAus7kCA-WPF3rO-rvNDA/s1600/event-horizon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkuRPnqKA4scaSlMpPPOFl0KficMh4rDykFVi0oWdrhiRmzwKFY8ncz775i9ZV-n2CZgs6L2X6kDGcwquUfr0u46JYlzwdEgwHCQ6OTWm1lAuLEVv1ucbmFiAus7kCA-WPF3rO-rvNDA/s320/event-horizon.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
Overall I found the mechanic of
using Jenga to be different but fun. It built tension in the game. I’ve played
a lot of horror games but I’ve never had that much tension in a game. It was a
nice change. The free formish nature of character creation and play allowed us
to focus more on the characters, which was good for a one shot. The game kinda
reminded me of Event Horizon, which was an awesome movie so I didn’t mind. And
of course I went out like a champ. If you get the chance I recommend checking out <a href="http://www.tiltingatwindmills.net/dread/index.html">Dread</a>. A simple system that's easy to pick up. All in all a good night. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-86714845965464568532013-10-28T20:48:00.000-07:002013-10-29T07:11:53.292-07:00The Elven Bro<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
Elven Bro<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig413XWSCSKnCbyW-yL9A6uQumU5V0LWHuPizP3LOaNtmYuPdklutQeK_-jXh0uaQh6Pejk3Cu1zvnm87Gn6PKjKRVG4f3o-BgOPZdK58y5rYSbR1ql5y6Ro7hotL15akJ3CYxDDSHdR8/s1600/black_elf_or_the_bather_by_dameeleusys-d5asxqx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig413XWSCSKnCbyW-yL9A6uQumU5V0LWHuPizP3LOaNtmYuPdklutQeK_-jXh0uaQh6Pejk3Cu1zvnm87Gn6PKjKRVG4f3o-BgOPZdK58y5rYSbR1ql5y6Ro7hotL15akJ3CYxDDSHdR8/s320/black_elf_or_the_bather_by_dameeleusys-d5asxqx.jpg" width="232"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artwork by Deviantartist Dame Eleusys<br></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was once asked why it was
important to me that there be diversity in fantasy races in the medium of rpgs.
The friend who asked me admitted that yeah there could be more minorities in
the design of humans but didn’t understand what the big deal was when it came
to elves and dwarves, races traditionally depicted as white. This is a valid
question, why should these races be depicted in a manner that fly’s in the face
of tradition?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> The answer is self identification.
When I play an rpg I want to be able to self identify with more than just the
human races in the game. The ability to self identify with the fantasy elements
of the game is a powerful thing. Let me take a moment to talk about Star Trek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Star Trek is great for a lot of
reasons, but one of the most important thing Star Trek has done for sci fi is
being one of the first shows to feature an African American as a key member of
the cast. The shows progressiveness is one of the reasons why the show is a
cornerstone in sci fi. But for me the show didn’t become an all time favorite
until Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It was in Deep Space Nine that I saw for the
first time a black man as the commander (and later captain) in a sci fi show. I
had watched a lot of sci fi programming before that, and I’ve seen black
characters in the cast (such as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Babylon 5).
But as someone who was in charge? No, that was a rarity (and still is). I was
instantly hooked on the show. I watched the good and the bad. It’s the only
Trek series that I own on DVD.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzXQHmBE32-xRmSfCKmup272HtYqhfihODxMhONRhkr8Bp5KimTzjN279an38ADsudWR0oR7-HyVbA0BVQAWRfWf9a66bvA8LkkAIz4qQWROGvf2Gff_jy8p86F2hZVUcDB-fxncUPyU/s1600/BenSisko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzXQHmBE32-xRmSfCKmup272HtYqhfihODxMhONRhkr8Bp5KimTzjN279an38ADsudWR0oR7-HyVbA0BVQAWRfWf9a66bvA8LkkAIz4qQWROGvf2Gff_jy8p86F2hZVUcDB-fxncUPyU/s320/BenSisko.jpg" width="260"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain of the Year</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Or how about Star Trek: Voyager.
This show stood out to me because of one character, Tuvok. Vulcans were one of
the shows main alien races. There had been black actors playing in the roles of
Klingons (such as Micheal Dorn’s Worf on the Next Generation), but as a main
cast member we hadn’t seen an alien that was black. And this was a rarity in
the realm of sci fi. You don’t often see a black race in space. So to have a
character be black and Vulcan was a powerful thing for a young black man. It
drew me deeper into the Star Trek universe. It allowed me to identify even more
with a race of aliens that were one of my favorite things about Star Trek
(Spock was my favorite character on the original show). To go one step further,
Voyager was the favorite Trek for one of my closest friends because she could
identify with Janeway, the first female to sit in the captains chair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> And that’s what you want when you’re
developing a product. You want your customers to look at it and say “that’s me”.
This is a very important element for rpg’s because the entire product is based
around players forming make believe worlds. You want your potential customer to
be able to open the book and flip through and see a fantasy race and think “wow
that’s cool I want to play that”. Shadowrun is one of my favorite games because
it does just that. Its fantasy races can come from any race. You can be a black
elf. Or a black half orc. A Hispanic elf. Or even an Asian dwarf.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Yes I know that traditionally, these
races are not multicolored. But we are talking about a make believe world here.
There isn’t a logical reason why dwarves and Halflings need to be white. After
all ….. we have a black Nick Fury and he’s one of the best elements of the
Marvel movie verse. Elves are one my favorite fantasy races. One day I hope to
open a fantasy rpg book and see a black elf and know that I could play that. We’ve
come a long way, but there is still more to be done, and this is one of the
bigger milestones that needs to achieved in our push for diversity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Also I think we can all agree that a
dwarf with a wicked afro would be cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-68038460518188988762013-10-25T14:12:00.001-07:002013-10-25T14:17:50.033-07:00Epic Fantasy<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Epic Fantasy <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2tJH2QiYR2x23J__Q03PnDSk9pOw7pzK92OBYscETT_owntfuovuJqqAz2GANcwk7xsJ-e72HdVs98Zj3qI0-9uNVRE6Y-o4KiKKK7gLQO_l80JlbyoGgZOw7SMnj2btqxUfCl_ATMM/s1600/PZO9011-OrcsAtTheGates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2tJH2QiYR2x23J__Q03PnDSk9pOw7pzK92OBYscETT_owntfuovuJqqAz2GANcwk7xsJ-e72HdVs98Zj3qI0-9uNVRE6Y-o4KiKKK7gLQO_l80JlbyoGgZOw7SMnj2btqxUfCl_ATMM/s320/PZO9011-OrcsAtTheGates.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So it appears I need to be reading
Pathfinder Tales. Why? Because Paizo is a promoter of diversity in gaming and that’s
the kind of thing I love to support. So Publishers Weekly did a web cast with
James L. Stutter from Paizo and Marco Palmeri who works at Tor Books that talked
about epic fantasy. Part of the discussion moved onto the increasing use of
diversity in fantasy settings. And I just want to say it’s refreshing to hear
people who write fantasy novels and who make table top role playing games be so
open about including more people of color and even different sexual orientations
in their products.<o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As the hobby grows it’s important
that the people at the top realize that the image of a pasty, socially awkward
guy in his basement is no longer the audience that is being marketed to.
Instead it’s good to see that the marketing and the stories are going to be
done in a way that is meant to include more people. There is still plenty of
room for growth (I have a future article on minorities and races to come
later), but we are at a point where we can start building a more diverse hobby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJgubbnD32b5BLTAezvjSux3RXJAwWED_PxMBDWFymQ950my_Ihc0_pNGwpMXNSMNmeuoH0wcqXrO_6p76DfB1lSSMk2J7vHZGTNVYpzSDoY1QAa_1SQNp6pqo_mrP8uQlbL1TGbxFgY/s1600/pathfinder-shielded-caster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzJgubbnD32b5BLTAezvjSux3RXJAwWED_PxMBDWFymQ950my_Ihc0_pNGwpMXNSMNmeuoH0wcqXrO_6p76DfB1lSSMk2J7vHZGTNVYpzSDoY1QAa_1SQNp6pqo_mrP8uQlbL1TGbxFgY/s320/pathfinder-shielded-caster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The most interesting part of the
webcast for me was when James mentions that in the Pathfinder world they have
some African themed nations. I didn’t even know that!! Now I need to figure
which stories and which supplements might show me this African inspired part of
Pathfinder (game I finding myself loving more and more, I am late to the game after
all). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>These are all aspects of our hobby
that need to be encouraged. At the end of the day if we don’t let people like
James and Marco know that we appreciate their work then we make diversity that
much harder. So make sure you let them know that their work is well received. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If you want to listen to the podcast
( which list some authors who work in non-western themed fantasy) then take a
gander. Now .... to brush up on my writing skills. Maybe one day .......<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/51220-publishers-weekly-webcasts.html">The Future of Epic Fantasy<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span> </div>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-14103681492159568002013-10-17T13:42:00.003-07:002013-10-17T13:42:46.805-07:00Witch Doctor Woes
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So
I wrote the following piece for class about two weeks ago. I’m opting to post
it now because I think the basic concepts in it are important. You’re likely to
hear me talk about symbolic annihilation in future musings and it’s a concept I
feel applies a lot to not only the game in question but to a lot of nerd
culture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">So
sit back and enjoy.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
Witch Doctor or Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndgx5dN34dirLiV0pBmh7VZOCKarGNu1dM_k2yYYwZKeSdEfIHXncJEYjzb_GMPX-GiJwKU_jAKlZnEhkwBtk1uc9Y9JP0k8AM-V3quQOmKV42zo8qiBL_SzGaBdL8FD8yOF_XZSI0TI/s1600/Witch+Doctor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndgx5dN34dirLiV0pBmh7VZOCKarGNu1dM_k2yYYwZKeSdEfIHXncJEYjzb_GMPX-GiJwKU_jAKlZnEhkwBtk1uc9Y9JP0k8AM-V3quQOmKV42zo8qiBL_SzGaBdL8FD8yOF_XZSI0TI/s320/Witch+Doctor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Witch Doctor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For those who haven’t left the World
of Warcraft in awhile (and I mean a long while), Diablo 3 is the third game in
a franchise that Blizzard Entertainment had allowed to go dormant for far too
long. I would blame Warcraft, but that would be a digression I’m sure I
shouldn’t take. Instead I want to talk about the Witch Doctor from Diablo 3.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Witch Doctor is one of five
playable classes in this game. His power set is similar to the Necromancer from
Diablo 2, in that he raises things from the dead, summons helpers and has a
magic hue of sickly green. Though Blizzard claims he’s not the Necromancer. The
main difference between the two appears to be that the Necromancer was white,
meanwhile the Witch Doctor is black. And herein lies the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The problem isn’t so much that the
character is black. It’s that the portrayal of the only black character in the
game is that of a savage primitive. The voice acting for the character has that
old school authentic African touch. He wears big voodoo mask that look more
like Zulu warrior mask. Oh and don’t forget the bone jewelry, the icing on the
cake. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>To explain why this is all wrong I
would like to first introduce a sociological theory called symbolic annihilation.
This occurs when a minority group is marginalized or trivialized in a media
portrayal. This occurs when negative stereotypes are reinforced. Or when the
only thing we see of a minority group is not positive. Good examples of this is
when lesbians are shown only as butch. Or gay men only shown as flaming. Jewish
accountant, Asian drycleaners and even only athletic black men are also all
examples of symbolic annihilation as it regulates those minority groups to
these very specific and often times negative roles. When you’re only exposure
to a sub group is through video games, movies and tv shows these portrayals
become very problematic as it forms your only idea of what that group or
minority is like. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmUwZ_YEGysBOFdon41zgtYsTKSgDczbOvB-rAS-4Ky2L7iFDTaMO5-lpCtWhZP6FcV_VaN6RPOiNbJAY5K8Gg8odselW6j7Kdkpl8OXexokUvRmWGw3eVGFiqeHxx4IriQwCZDEr0zc/s1600/Witch+Doctor+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmUwZ_YEGysBOFdon41zgtYsTKSgDczbOvB-rAS-4Ky2L7iFDTaMO5-lpCtWhZP6FcV_VaN6RPOiNbJAY5K8Gg8odselW6j7Kdkpl8OXexokUvRmWGw3eVGFiqeHxx4IriQwCZDEr0zc/s320/Witch+Doctor+2.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Witch Doctor<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span>Black people are not seen in fantasy
games very often. And it’s been over a decade since Blizzard’s more positive
portrayals from Diablo (the black character was a wizard) and Diablo 2 (the
black character was a paladin). So for many players their only exposure to a
black man in a fantasy setting is that of a primitive savage, which reinforces
the subtle idea that black people are more primitive than white people (the
other four classes are all white). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now Diablo 3 is an otherwise fun
game. And I don’t think that when Blizzard set out to create the Witch Doctor
they were plotting and planning and intending to portray black people in such a
negative way. I’m pretty sure that when the idea of the Witch Doctor came up it
was thought to be a fun addition to the game. So I by no means mean to imply
that Blizzard is being malicious in it’s portrayal here. But that’s the
insidious part of symbolic annihilation. The in group is, in some cases,
unknowingly marginalizing a minority group. The in group (in this case white
males) are deciding for their audience how a minority group is going to be
portrayed and be told what is “cool” for them. That’s a powerful thing. And
it’s something that as gamers we all need to watch out for. Because in the end
if we remain silent then we allow these images to continue and these idea’s to
spread.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Links.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">If
you’re interested in what the Witch Doctor looks like and what the class
entails here’s Blizzards page on the class.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://us.battle.net/d3/en/class/witch-doctor/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://us.battle.net/d3/en/class/witch-doctor/</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">For
a really good read on symbolic annihilation check out this article.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.academia.edu/3046269/Underrepresentation_and_symbolic_annihilation_of_socially_disenfranchised_groups_out_groups_in_animated_cartoons"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.academia.edu/3046269/Underrepresentation_and_symbolic_annihilation_of_socially_disenfranchised_groups_out_groups_in_animated_cartoons</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1027894299802176277.post-65442771872637498172013-10-13T19:20:00.000-07:002013-10-13T19:20:25.339-07:00Who am I<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Who am I?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> So
before we get too far into this I figure it would be good to talk abit about
who I am. Give new people a chance to get to know me some.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I
started gaming back in 96. I think it was either my junior or senior year of
high school. First game I ever played was Rifts. Man that was a fun game. I
mean there are a lot of problems with the way Rifts is written and the overall
game mechanics but there is no deny that the setting material is pretty fun. We
also attempted a bit of Shadowrun but didn’t get as far with that as we did our
Rifts game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> In
college I continued playing Rifts, but was introduced to the World of Darkness
via online role playing sites. Started out with Vampire and then feel in love
with Mage. I ended up playing everything White Wolf produced at the time but
Mage remained by far my favorite game of the line. Though Kindred of the East
and Demon the Fallen (which was a horribly broken game) turned out to be good
second place games in my heart. Along the way I moved into playing Legend of
the Five Rings, both the CCG and the RPG. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> My
friends describe my gaming taste to be somewhat eclectic. I’ve played Spycraft
and Mutants and Masterminds. I love Star Wars (even the Saga Edition rules) and
Stargate. I’ve read through small games like Qin and some of the majors like
Pathfinder. I just love gaming that much
I suppose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Along
the way I’ve dipped my toe into the gaming industry. I started playtesting for
3<sup>rd</sup> Edition DnD when they were doing the monthly Psionics updates. I
then got a chance to move on to become deeply involved with Legend of the Five
Rings doing things like playtesting and even proofreading. I even had the
chance to playtest Thunder scape (the next big thing in my book), though I
wasn’t able to give it the kind of time I wanted to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Outside
of rpg’s I love sci fi and horror. My favorite shows being Stargate and Star
Trek: Deep Space Nine. I love the Star Wars movie, though I enjoy the OT more
than I did the PT. The Clones Wars animated series though was awesome and I
have high hopes for the upcoming series set after Ep. III. Oh and Bruce
Campbell is one of the best actors ever … ever. Him and Samuel L. Jackson, for
different reasons of course. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2-U3lI9hmKNtgpzlBDjx7f0oIL4MEkBW_1dST0-gOsUilRkKsqpgFPVrJO3LzMLPweZ6BTx8YdehMz7MvYgLUyjLmn5mUkGZw9eqHzI5WndhwLEa8mi7E7sS4u6s5Fn1QsGWndsK094/s1600/Batwing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2-U3lI9hmKNtgpzlBDjx7f0oIL4MEkBW_1dST0-gOsUilRkKsqpgFPVrJO3LzMLPweZ6BTx8YdehMz7MvYgLUyjLmn5mUkGZw9eqHzI5WndhwLEa8mi7E7sS4u6s5Fn1QsGWndsK094/s320/Batwing.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Batwing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> As
one can guess from my avatar I love Batman. My favorites though are Nightwing
and Batgirl. Barbara Gordon makes the best Batgirl ever. Ever. I’ve been trying
to give Batwing a try but ever since they replaced David with Luke the stories
have been a bit underwhelming. If you’re looking for a good example of an
ethnic spin on an old favorite take a look at <a href="http://www.newparadigmstudios.com/about/watson-and-holmes/">Watson and Holmes</a>, a retelling of
Sherlock Holmes in Harlem. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Other
than that, I’m in school working on a Masters degree in Sociology. After I get
my Masters I’ll move onto a Ph.D. and begin doing science. Mad social
science!!!! No but really I hope to study geek culture, with a look towards
minorities. In the mean time I enjoy playing the games and working behind the
scenes when I can. I’d like to write at some point for an rpg. I’ve gotten the
chance to write NPC’s for L5R and I hope to continue that, but would love to do
more NPC work for other games in the future. And maybe a little bit of
supplement writing for a game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And that’s me in a nutshell. I have some others
working with me on this project and I’ll let them introduce themselves when
they are ready. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">P.S. I also, from time to time, play Star Trek
Online pretending that my Trill captain is only getting promotions due to a
Star Fleet program of affirmative action. :)</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDnstA7GoJTMkTBw72yeR8WZQIVvm_-LX7MVdVr9EtH4c2cvcuN2vjKDfFvSYjWVPw8MX2aKg5wvmMdc4zdMVItlGyYRWeeJQpxfFhyphenhyphenPUv91bAxfZKMsWRkmfQYLsPhMttB04nwkMXVE/s1600/Defiant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDnstA7GoJTMkTBw72yeR8WZQIVvm_-LX7MVdVr9EtH4c2cvcuN2vjKDfFvSYjWVPw8MX2aKg5wvmMdc4zdMVItlGyYRWeeJQpxfFhyphenhyphenPUv91bAxfZKMsWRkmfQYLsPhMttB04nwkMXVE/s320/Defiant.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The U.S.S. Solus C</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Dacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09014432610989211068noreply@blogger.com1