MeyerBros

Seriously though, that was a serious lull in the virtual conversation (triple-monologue?) that is this blog. Our blogging energies (and interests) seem to have been pilfered by the Young Anabaptist Radicals blog, but that can’t stop me from rambling about nothing in particular! And then I want to know what things all you other people are currently wasting time on.

I spent a lot of money on eBay and Amazon.com in the past week buying various roleplaying games (RPGs). I’ve been listening to the Fear the Boot tabletop roleplaying game podcast recently, and it’s energized me to start gaming again. But instead of sticking with the all-too-familiar Dungeons and Dragons system, I want to try some other roleplaying game systems and worlds that have received good reviews and that the guys at Fear the Boot (FtB) seem to enjoy. So here’s what I bought:

• Star Trek (FASA) — This one cost a lot more than I expected ($44), because it’s long out of print (published in 1984). However, it’s supposedly a solid system, with a creative character creation system that FtB likes. You start by rolling to determine your education received through Starfleet Academy, and the results of this process determine your options as a character. The characters also fill specific roles (Captain, Engineer, Helmsman, Navigator, and Communications Officer) during combat, which sounds like an interesting concept. Also, I miss the ol’ days of watching Star Trek: TNG after school, which leads into the next purchase…
• Star Trek: The Next Generation Officer’s Manual — A supplement to the FASA Star Trek game that adds new rules, ships, and characters to update from the original Star Trek to the Next Generation era.
• Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Saga Edition — The latest (published June 2007) Star Wars roleplaying game set in the d20 rule system. I want to try some sci-fi roleplaying, and I figure that this is the best of the games still being published and supported. Plus, I want to be a Wookiee.
• Serenity Role Playing Game — Spawned from what is probably the best TV series ever, I figured this game would be a letdown after the decent movie of the same name. But after reading a number of positive reviews, I decided to give it a try. Partially I’m interested because it uses a Sovereign Stone game system, not the now-standard d20 system. I doubt it’s a whole lot different, but it’ll be interesting to see. I may be disappointed that I can’t roleplay dialogue as well as Joss Whedon can write it, but I’m hoping his universe will still be fun to explore.
• Iron Heroes — A low-magic variant player’s handbook for the Dungeons and Dragons setting, created by Monte Cook. Carl contends that D&D players become too familiar with the monsters and spells of the tradition D&D 3rd edition, so a good way to keep surprising the players is to change the magic system or add some new monsters. This rulebook changes the character class system to foster a more realistic combat-oriented game that doesn’t rely on spells and magical items. It should be a fun addition to our campaign.
• Classic BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat — The original BattleTech tabletop miniatures wargame boxed set, published by FASA in 1984. I have vague memories of playing this with my older brothers as a young child some 10-15 years ago, and I’m excited to try it again. This is not a roleplaying game, but is used along with the…
• Classic BattleTech RPG — The latest 2007 printing of the original MechWarrior roleplaying game, published by FASA in 1985 to add a roleplaying element to the BattleTech universe. This can be used as a standalone RPG, but in-game combat situations are often decided by using the aforementioned miniatures wargame boxed set, thus combining a tabletop wargame with an RPG. Some reviewers claim that the roleplaying aspect of the BattleTech universe is limited, but FtB swears by this game combo as one of the best games ever. I’m willing to give it a shot.
• Classic BattleTech: Total Warfare — The latest addition (2006) to the BattleTech game set, adding new rules for vehicles, artillery, etc.

How much money did I waste on all this stuff? $197.49. Do I have that kind of money? No. Will I enjoy not having time to play these games because I’m working to pay for all of this? No.

C’est la vie.

Every time I sit down to play Advanced Civilization, I rediscover my love for that game. The problem is, it takes 8-10 hours to play — so I seldom sit down to make my incredible rediscovery. Yesterday I played as Crete for the first time, which was a challenge. But I won, so obviously it wasn’t that much of a challenge. In any case, check out the game if you don’t know what I’m talking about. Because everyone needs a little 10-hour break every now and then.

In other news, this is a shameless plug to go join in on the online TnE fun. It’s an online game based on the strategy board game Tigris and Euphrates. And it’s lots of fun, so sign up and start a new game or join a current one.

As you can see, since my girlfriend is in Peru and I haven’t started my summer job yet, I have a lot of time on my hands.

jackson pollock.

that’s how he did it. i swear.

the latest game not to be released (or developed (or even thought of)) by word of mouse games.

it’s like tetris, but with snoods! what could be cooler?

i see this working one of two ways. either a) it’s impossible to complete a row because those silly snood shapes just don’t fit together, or b) each snood takes up exactly one ‘block’ of space and it’s nearly impossible not to complete rows.

either way, it’s the coolest game ever.