Something that's helped maintain my sanity during painting sessions is podcasts. I know it's nothing new, but it's one of those things I just can't recommend enough for anyone with free time and a desire to learn more about a subject. Tonight I'd like to share a few of my favorite Warmachine podcasts that you may also enjoy.
Muse On Minis (MoM)
This has to be the first one mentioned for several reasons. They're located in Iowa, and many play at my local shop. They started the "Mayhem Cup" tournament, which is basically a travelling trophy currently residing in Texas. Keith is a highly skilled player (whom I've played) who will be representing America in a national Warmachine competition. And of course, everyone on the podcast is knowledgeable and entertaining to listen to.
This is a very long podcast, usually closing in around 90-120 minutes. A good amount of time is spent on rabbit trails, but for the most part I think they use their time well. They talk about anything related to Warmachine - tournaments, new models, tactics, forum whining, etc. After listening to every one of their 48 episodes, I feel like I've slowly grown as a player. Even their most boring segment, Battle Reports, gives me tips and insights in to how the pro-level players operate.
The Muse on Minis guys really deserve a lot of respect. They do a lot to promote and unify the Warmachine community, they have an excellent blog with several authors, and are the guys hosting the Play It Painted challenge I'm doing this year. If you only listen to one Warmachine podcast, it really should be this one.
Chain Attack
Chain Attack took awhile to grow on me. This podcast is all about verbal battle reports. Each episode they take two casters, play a game with them, then talk about the battle. After that they all discuss the caster's ranking and tips on playing them. When I first discovered the podcast, I went a bit catatonic because I was still fresh to the game and had no idea what I was hearing. But now I have a firm enough grasp on the game to really appreciate what the podcast does.
You can expect this show to hit just over an hour each time. It's very focused and rarely gets off the point of the show. The guys on there know what they're talking about, and are pleasant enough to listen to, although the shows to-the-point nature doesn't let personalities get out too much.
I wouldn't recommend this to beginners, although I would suggest listening to any show featuring a warcaster/warlock you're interested in. I've learned a good deal about several casters in factions I don't even play, including how to play against them. If you know the game well and are interested in learning about casters from all factions (or you just want really detailed battle reports), then this is the show for you.
The Prime Generation
I just discovered these guys, but they've become part of my regular rotation. The guys have fun personalities, and they seem to be rather beginner-friendly (though perhaps not family friendly). They seem to podcast similar to the way I blog - you never know what each episode will deal with. Something I've found is that the guys aren't afraid to disagree with one another. It's not that any of them are ignorant of the game, it's just that they can respectfully disagree on tactics and such, and it's really interesting to hear how each person can approach a situation completely differently.
Team ATL
These guys are part of the Muse On Minis podcast network (you can find all of them at the top of this page). To be honest, I've only really listened to their faction podcasts where they spent the entire episode talking with someone experienced with that faction, and breaking down every model in it. It's a bit hit-or-miss on quality, but worthwhile for anyone trying to learn more about their faction.
Road to War
These guys are also on the MoM site, and started out similar to Team ATL. Their first episodes go faction-by-faction, breaking down each model released at that time. Since then they've become similar to Muse On Minis itself, covering the competitive aspects of gaming. This is probably my second-pick podcast for Warmachine because they offer a different feel from MoM while still covering similar content.
As a side note, these are also the guys who stole the Mayhem Cup from us recently, so boo on them!
Grumpy Wargamers
These guys are only 1 episode in, but I really liked what I heard. Rather than covering Warmachine, they tackle gaming as a whole. Their first episode is a very focused 2 hours talking about whether Kickstarter is good for the community. From beginning to end it was an intelligent, mature discussion that really got me considering my stance on the issue. I'm excited to see where these guys go, but I think they'll certainly cover my fix for intelligent discussion.
Trollblood Scrum
And last is the podcast I listen to when nothing else is new. This is all about Trollbloods, which is the one army I want to play simply because of the models. Trolls and Menoth are the two armies I've always wanted to start up, but haven't felt comfortable enough with the heavy reliance on support (says the Circle player) to really make that investment. However, Trollblood Scrum gets me my fix of Trolls while educating me for my eventual delve into an army that doesn't believe in small-based models. If you're a troll player, listen to them. If you're not a Trolls player... well, I'm sure you're just as jealous as I am of those who are.
So there you have it, 7 of my favorite podcasts! There are so many more out there to listen to that I haven't mentioned here simply because they never clicked with me. So get out there, get listening, and prepare for you Warmachine and Hordes skills to improve without even picking up a pair of dice.
See you tomorrow, and don't forget about my giveaway!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Giveaway!
It's a day early, but we all know I'm not missing tomorrow's post.
Here's the video link so you can comment and enter. I'm using Blogger's schedule feature, so I'm crossing my fingers that this actually posts correctly tomorrow. [[author's note: it didn't]]
See you tomorrow!
See you tomorrow!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Infinity
Just this moment finished "Bioshock Infinite." Yes, it's as good as you've heard. Play. Play now.
At this point I've only got one immediate "clever" observation, but in the interest of not spoiling ANYTHING even vaguely or by accident I'll put it after the jump:
"Oh, you've got just ONE big-idea theoretical-scifi concept built into your narrative to justify the video-gamey parts of your video-game? That's really cute." - Bioshock Infinite, talking to the Assassin's Creed series.
At this point I've only got one immediate "clever" observation, but in the interest of not spoiling ANYTHING even vaguely or by accident I'll put it after the jump:
"Oh, you've got just ONE big-idea theoretical-scifi concept built into your narrative to justify the video-gamey parts of your video-game? That's really cute." - Bioshock Infinite, talking to the Assassin's Creed series.
You Vex Me, GW
Games Workshop is notorious for making decisions that seem to go directly against their customers' best interests. Price increases, power-creeping codices, and short-sighted policy changes have pushed many gamers out of the hobby, while many more are at the breaking point. There is gobs that could be written about their company, but I saw something today that was positively head-scratching.
Progreen10 on DakkaDakka posted a link to a statement made on the Facebook page for one of GW's brick-and-mortar locations in the UK. You can read the full statement here, but I'm including the interesting bits below (underlining mine).
After watching a few discussions, it's hard to approach this without being cynical. GW, like any large company, is great at spinning a horrible decision ("Great news everyone, get out!". And while this is only a statement that applies to a single store, it isn't the first store to implement this change, and I"m sure it won't be the last.
Open gaming at a "friendly local gaming store" (FLGS) is crucial to players in almost any location. Larger groups often don't have the luxury of meeting at someone's home, so they rely on a store to allow them to game. Others also don't have any way to find fellow gamers outside of those public gaming tables. Not all stores have this, but everyone is grateful for those that do provide a nice location free-of-charge.
As far as I know, GW has always tried to be a focal point for players to play a casual game of 40k (or other GW games) with their buddies. Providing everything someone needs for gaming is almost expected of any decent FLGS, and the official store of the world's most popular miniatures game seems like it should lead the charge in providing such a location. But to only give players a place to part with their money (at full MSRP) seems like an early April Fools prank.
Part of the allure of a FLGS is the atmosphere it creates. If people only want to buy stuff, they can do it online (often for 10-25% cheaper!). But people will pay full price at a retail location because they enjoy the experience. You don't go to the shoe store to hang out with friends for a few hours because the shoe store provides a necessary item that you need to be present to purchase.
However, we're hobbyists. While grabbing an item off the shelf and leaving with it (after paying, I trust) provides a certain excitement, part of that has nothing to do with the exchange of money and acquisition of goods. It's about going to a place where you're allowed to leisurely hang out, then buying stuff to support that store. We don't need to be there to buy the items, and if a FLGS is a cold, mechanical place then it's hardly worth spending the time and money when you could sit at home and get cheaper items a few days later.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that this single, slow-growing policy is going to kill GW. Things like putting the most well-known store in Canada out of business can handle that. But it's things like this that tell me Games Workshop is short-sighted and arrogant.
I can't even fathom the reason for this change. There have been a couple serious theories floating about (amongst many sarcastic ones), and here are the ones that make the most sense to me:
Progreen10 on DakkaDakka posted a link to a statement made on the Facebook page for one of GW's brick-and-mortar locations in the UK. You can read the full statement here, but I'm including the interesting bits below (underlining mine).
- "we will be bringing to a close our open gaming. This is great news as it inevitably means that you local store will be hosting fantastic new activites and events designed to give you a whole host of new hobby challenges and our trained staff will be on hand to support you and make sure that you get the most out of this awesome new programme."
- "Finally I wish to allay any fears or rumours some of you may have or have heard. Namely that Games Workshop is "getting rid of its regulars". Please do not be concerned as this is not the case. GW intends to support ALL of their collectors..."
- "I know that some of you may have questions after reading this, please do not post them below - instead please talk to a member of staff."
After watching a few discussions, it's hard to approach this without being cynical. GW, like any large company, is great at spinning a horrible decision ("Great news everyone, get out!". And while this is only a statement that applies to a single store, it isn't the first store to implement this change, and I"m sure it won't be the last.
Open gaming at a "friendly local gaming store" (FLGS) is crucial to players in almost any location. Larger groups often don't have the luxury of meeting at someone's home, so they rely on a store to allow them to game. Others also don't have any way to find fellow gamers outside of those public gaming tables. Not all stores have this, but everyone is grateful for those that do provide a nice location free-of-charge.
As far as I know, GW has always tried to be a focal point for players to play a casual game of 40k (or other GW games) with their buddies. Providing everything someone needs for gaming is almost expected of any decent FLGS, and the official store of the world's most popular miniatures game seems like it should lead the charge in providing such a location. But to only give players a place to part with their money (at full MSRP) seems like an early April Fools prank.
Part of the allure of a FLGS is the atmosphere it creates. If people only want to buy stuff, they can do it online (often for 10-25% cheaper!). But people will pay full price at a retail location because they enjoy the experience. You don't go to the shoe store to hang out with friends for a few hours because the shoe store provides a necessary item that you need to be present to purchase.
However, we're hobbyists. While grabbing an item off the shelf and leaving with it (after paying, I trust) provides a certain excitement, part of that has nothing to do with the exchange of money and acquisition of goods. It's about going to a place where you're allowed to leisurely hang out, then buying stuff to support that store. We don't need to be there to buy the items, and if a FLGS is a cold, mechanical place then it's hardly worth spending the time and money when you could sit at home and get cheaper items a few days later.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that this single, slow-growing policy is going to kill GW. Things like putting the most well-known store in Canada out of business can handle that. But it's things like this that tell me Games Workshop is short-sighted and arrogant.
I can't even fathom the reason for this change. There have been a couple serious theories floating about (amongst many sarcastic ones), and here are the ones that make the most sense to me:
- They want to keep a positive image of their product. People grumble about GW all the time, and I can image that a few new players were turned away after talking to players and learning that these cool armies on the table cost each player thousands of dollars across years of price-increases. For someone looking to buy a $80 two-player starter box, that's a painful reality. It also explains why GW doesn't allow comments or ratings on their YouTube videos, or why they explicitly requested that people not ask questions on Facebook, which I take to mean that they will delete any negative comments because "they were warned."
- Gamers are gross. If there's one thing unique to my FLGS, it's the smell. Years of sweaty gamers is pent up in a large room connected to the store, and it lingers. GW works to put out a professional, clean image and an off-putting smell can both create a bad experience and confirm the stereotype that we don't shower. And if you're not a gamer yet, it's unlikely you'll want to start a hobby that will put you around "those people."
- They want to get people in and out as quickly as possible. This one sounded iffy when I first read it, but it got me thinking about what the store experience would be like for the workers. If everyone coming through the store is expected to purchase something, you know how to focus your time. From the customer's view, the store is filled with prompt, helpful people who can answer questions or demo the game (which is about all the tables will be used for). There's no one lingering in the store needlessly because there's nothing to keep them there if they aren't buying.
- They're trying to remind people that 40k isn't a game. That sounds silly, but that basically encompasses GW's vision for their miniatures. Their customers aren't gamers, they're "collectors." The GW store is more like a model train shop than a Gamestop, and they exist to sell supplies to collectors, not give you a place to play a game they only created to appease those who wanted a reason to collect.
The last one seems the most logical to me. Unfortunately, it seems that people don't want to accept it. If Warmachine has taught me anything, it's that miniatures games can be competitive and fair. Since it was my first wargame, I was always so confused when people talked about how imbalanced 40k was. While I understood "power creep," where one army gets more powerful when its new rulebook is released, I didn't realize how much of a difference it could make. After all, Privateer Press releases stuff for armies all the time while still maintaining balance. But GW isn't Privateer Press, or Wyrd, or any other company that exists to sell great models and a great game.
I think that's the least cynical way to look at GW and their policy changes. As I watch various forums discussions involving people who are just so mad at GW but don't do anything about it, I can't help but notice they act like victims more than consumers. I'm not a person who would ever make light of domestic violence, but there are some similarities between those who suffer from "battered person syndrome" and those who stick with GW despite years of bullying.
One of my major reasons behind this theory is that GW collectors cry foul constantly, but they feel like they can't leave the game. Whether it's because GW is also holding on to their friends, or they feel like they have too much invested in it, they just can't quit the game and move on. Some even feel like GW knows exactly what they're doing and will defend their shady practices. But year after year, they know that GW doesn't care about them, yet they still buy in to the game.
And I don't say that to rant. I bought in to GW, realized the hefty investment I'd need to make, and now I'm getting out with no animosity toward GW. They're up front with their business model - no nickel-and-diming to be had, just them charging a price that many of their supporters will pay.
I'm fine selling my Orks at a loss because I'm not going to be frustrated during my free time. I love painting GW models, but I'm a gamer, not a collector. There may be one model I want for my display case, and I'm willing to pay a premium fee to get it. But I'm not paying an unfair amount in order to play a game.
So if GW pushes you to the point where you cry "enough!" then let it be enough. You don't NEED the game, you CAN sell your stuff and move on. Gaming is a luxury, and if you are complaining because of this policy or that price increase, and you know they won't change (and GW won't)... why are you still with them? There are so many games out there designed for gamers, not collectors.
I think that's the least cynical way to look at GW and their policy changes. As I watch various forums discussions involving people who are just so mad at GW but don't do anything about it, I can't help but notice they act like victims more than consumers. I'm not a person who would ever make light of domestic violence, but there are some similarities between those who suffer from "battered person syndrome" and those who stick with GW despite years of bullying.
One of my major reasons behind this theory is that GW collectors cry foul constantly, but they feel like they can't leave the game. Whether it's because GW is also holding on to their friends, or they feel like they have too much invested in it, they just can't quit the game and move on. Some even feel like GW knows exactly what they're doing and will defend their shady practices. But year after year, they know that GW doesn't care about them, yet they still buy in to the game.
And I don't say that to rant. I bought in to GW, realized the hefty investment I'd need to make, and now I'm getting out with no animosity toward GW. They're up front with their business model - no nickel-and-diming to be had, just them charging a price that many of their supporters will pay.
I'm fine selling my Orks at a loss because I'm not going to be frustrated during my free time. I love painting GW models, but I'm a gamer, not a collector. There may be one model I want for my display case, and I'm willing to pay a premium fee to get it. But I'm not paying an unfair amount in order to play a game.
So if GW pushes you to the point where you cry "enough!" then let it be enough. You don't NEED the game, you CAN sell your stuff and move on. Gaming is a luxury, and if you are complaining because of this policy or that price increase, and you know they won't change (and GW won't)... why are you still with them? There are so many games out there designed for gamers, not collectors.
See you tomorrow!
Thursday, March 28, 2013
All Painted, All the Time
Last month I started the Play It Painted 2013 challenge with Muse On Minis. After getting bitten by the painting bug (again), I think I'm ready to take the plunge and only field a fully-painted army.
As I said in my previous post, I'm not doing this to be a snob. I realize that my situation grants me more time than most people to pursue something I'm passionate about. And if my blog-a-day challenge has taught me anything about myself, it's that I can push myself to do anything when a negative consequence is on the line; forget all that positive reinforcement nonsense!
I've had my painting tray slowly filling up with models that need to be painted. I never played them because they weren't painted, yet I never told myself I couldn't play with them, thus trapping them in a weird limbo. But after cementing in my mind that I only want painted models in front of me, I'm finding the task much less daunting.
What's even better is that eventually I'll grow tired of playing the same models, and I'll be able to easily talk myself in to painting more. I'm trying to give myself a good head start because I have several commissions coming in on top of the charity army I'll be doing. I'd like to finish the Circle models that appeal to me, as well as a few pieces left over from Khador.
So wish me luck guys! I have about half my Circle army left, a few Khador pieces, then a small Cygnar and Skorne force. And of course Cyriss will need to be done in a few months, plus I'm going to be teaching myself to make terrain... well, it's obvious why Tomb Raider is the first (and perhaps last!) console game I've played this year.
See you tomorrow!
As I said in my previous post, I'm not doing this to be a snob. I realize that my situation grants me more time than most people to pursue something I'm passionate about. And if my blog-a-day challenge has taught me anything about myself, it's that I can push myself to do anything when a negative consequence is on the line; forget all that positive reinforcement nonsense!
I've had my painting tray slowly filling up with models that need to be painted. I never played them because they weren't painted, yet I never told myself I couldn't play with them, thus trapping them in a weird limbo. But after cementing in my mind that I only want painted models in front of me, I'm finding the task much less daunting.
What's even better is that eventually I'll grow tired of playing the same models, and I'll be able to easily talk myself in to painting more. I'm trying to give myself a good head start because I have several commissions coming in on top of the charity army I'll be doing. I'd like to finish the Circle models that appeal to me, as well as a few pieces left over from Khador.
So wish me luck guys! I have about half my Circle army left, a few Khador pieces, then a small Cygnar and Skorne force. And of course Cyriss will need to be done in a few months, plus I'm going to be teaching myself to make terrain... well, it's obvious why Tomb Raider is the first (and perhaps last!) console game I've played this year.
See you tomorrow!
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Countdown to Cyriss: Week 3
Another Wednesday, another post by my new favorite person, Will Shick.
This week he gave us info on one of Cyriss's casters. It's nothing terribly ground-breaking, but this guy does make me smile. While I enjoy tricky casters like Mohsar or Old Witch, I can't deny that I truly love a caster who gets in your face and smashes it to pieces.
That's what we get with Axis, the Convergence's living warcaster/cyborg, but with a twist. With warjacks taking on the MAT/RAT of their warcaster, this guy is going to field an army that wants to scream up the board (well, at SPD 5 anyway) and smash in to anything standing in their way.
With 3 or 4 jacks at MAT 7, and the ability to bounce focus between them, Axis and his battlegroup are going to tear apart the enemy with a devastating alpha strike. This tactic is emphasized by his feat Circumpotence:
"Enemy models currently in Axis’ control area suffer minus 2 SPD and STR. and Friendly faction models currently in axis’ control area gain plus 2 SPD and STR. Circumpotence lasts for one round."
That's just wicked, and carries a bit of utility with it. If you're too far away and are at risk of eating an alpha strike, pop the feat and charge 10". The downside to that is that it only affects models in his 12" control area when the feat is popped, so it's likely that your targets are the only things that will be affected. Fortunately they're retaliating at -2 STR.
A use I'm excited about is what you can do if you're within 8" with Axis leading the charge. Picture this:
This week he gave us info on one of Cyriss's casters. It's nothing terribly ground-breaking, but this guy does make me smile. While I enjoy tricky casters like Mohsar or Old Witch, I can't deny that I truly love a caster who gets in your face and smashes it to pieces.
That's what we get with Axis, the Convergence's living warcaster/cyborg, but with a twist. With warjacks taking on the MAT/RAT of their warcaster, this guy is going to field an army that wants to scream up the board (well, at SPD 5 anyway) and smash in to anything standing in their way.
With 3 or 4 jacks at MAT 7, and the ability to bounce focus between them, Axis and his battlegroup are going to tear apart the enemy with a devastating alpha strike. This tactic is emphasized by his feat Circumpotence:
"Enemy models currently in Axis’ control area suffer minus 2 SPD and STR. and Friendly faction models currently in axis’ control area gain plus 2 SPD and STR. Circumpotence lasts for one round."
That's just wicked, and carries a bit of utility with it. If you're too far away and are at risk of eating an alpha strike, pop the feat and charge 10". The downside to that is that it only affects models in his 12" control area when the feat is popped, so it's likely that your targets are the only things that will be affected. Fortunately they're retaliating at -2 STR.
A use I'm excited about is what you can do if you're within 8" with Axis leading the charge. Picture this:
- Charge an enemy heavy with Axis. Before making your melee attacks, pop his feat (you can pop feats and cast spells before your charge attack as long as it was successful).
- When you hit with your initials, you're doing 3d6+16 and 2d6+16. Odds are that you left yourself with 3 focus. For every additional attack you buy, Doublestrike grants you an attack with both weapons.
- The rest of the battlegroup follows his lead, charging up and wrecking the frontline. Remember that these warjacks can give 1 spent focus to another nearby warjack, allowing all jacks to charge on 1 focus if you so choose.
And now, the ramifications of this turn. Axis popped his feat so close that most of the opponent's army is affected by the -2 SPD, meaning no charging in retaliation. The opponent is now left to shoot or run, lest they grant you too much of an advantage on the scenario. Cue Axis's trump card: Countercharge. Countercharge is an ability that Axis grants to his battlegroup, allowing each of them to charge at a model that ends its movement withing 6" of them. Normally this is used as a deterrent since only 1 model usually has the ability, thus allowing the opponent to skirt around it. But when an entire line across the board is threatened (assuming they killed their targets), things can get messy quickly.
Obviously the above scenario is going to be a rare occurrence, but the -2 SPD/STR, and the ability to kill an opponent's heavies on turn 2, thus removing most of their armor cracking, is huge. The spells Onslaught (charging pathfinder) and Unstoppable Force (bulldoze) further increase the threat of his battlegroup, although like other melee casters' spells they hold the usual lack of excitement.
Although Axis seems cool, he does further confirm my primary concern with the Convergence - despite the focus on the battlegroup, units are going to need to do a lot to shore up the holes created by a caster's melee or range specialty. The shield/flail unit we've seen so far looks like it could act as a great tarpit for ranged casters, a tactic we've seen in Cygnar. But casters like Axis are going to need a ranged unit to soften up the enemy and clear out any cannon-fodder, or they'll need some great support units like we've seen in Menoth and Trollbloods to further boost a few select models.
I was hoping this week would push me closer to "all in," but I think I'm right where I was last week. Axis isn't a bad model by any means, but I'm crossing my fingers that he's very vanilla compared to the rest of his fellow casters.
See you tomorrow!
Obviously the above scenario is going to be a rare occurrence, but the -2 SPD/STR, and the ability to kill an opponent's heavies on turn 2, thus removing most of their armor cracking, is huge. The spells Onslaught (charging pathfinder) and Unstoppable Force (bulldoze) further increase the threat of his battlegroup, although like other melee casters' spells they hold the usual lack of excitement.
Although Axis seems cool, he does further confirm my primary concern with the Convergence - despite the focus on the battlegroup, units are going to need to do a lot to shore up the holes created by a caster's melee or range specialty. The shield/flail unit we've seen so far looks like it could act as a great tarpit for ranged casters, a tactic we've seen in Cygnar. But casters like Axis are going to need a ranged unit to soften up the enemy and clear out any cannon-fodder, or they'll need some great support units like we've seen in Menoth and Trollbloods to further boost a few select models.
I was hoping this week would push me closer to "all in," but I think I'm right where I was last week. Axis isn't a bad model by any means, but I'm crossing my fingers that he's very vanilla compared to the rest of his fellow casters.
See you tomorrow!
MGS5 Trailer
Hey, remember that "Phantom Pain" thing that everyone immediately knew was "Metal Gear Solid 5" but they wouldn't come out and say was "Metal Gear Solid 5?"
Well, it's "Metal Gear Solid 5."
Well, it's "Metal Gear Solid 5."
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Starting Them Young
I think my daughter is obsessed with dice.
In the past I've settled disputes between my kids the diplomatic way. If someone wanted Dora and the other wanted Thomas the Train, I'd try to be fair while trying in vain to remember who picked yesterday. While it usually works out well, sometimes it's just no fun being logical.
Enter the d6.
A few days ago I couldn't for the life of me remember who's turn it was to pick, and neither kid could remember either. So I rooted through my gaming box and grabbed two 6-sided dice. They were both pretty confused, but once they rolled and Emma compared the dice, she was hooked (even though she lost).
Now every time a dispute comes up, she wants to roll off for it. I finally caved tonight and her eyes lit up as I grabbed my Chessex dice. And now that's she's won a second roll-off (if you count my giveaway video), I think I have a future gamer on my hands.
I purchased something for her awhile ago, and I think it's time to make it happen. NewbieDM.com produces a D&D-esque game just for kids called RPGKids. The basic game does away with stats and boosts and boils down to a d20 rolloff. Player characters get a couple of abilities to give them an edge over the monsters, but for the most part it's a fun storytelling game.
Emma has also been begging to help me paint one of my "guys." I was going to have her help me with an Ork Trukk since a 4 year old's paint job would probably be appropriate. But since I have a game just for her, I think it's time we have a daddy-daughter trip to my local game store and dig through the plethora of Reaper miniatures so she can pick a character.
I'm really excited for this! She's finally hitting that age where she can be molded in to a proper gamer, and as her father it's my duty to do it properly. Who knows, I may even record it so that I can post a video that isn't about a giveaway.
See you tomorrow!
In the past I've settled disputes between my kids the diplomatic way. If someone wanted Dora and the other wanted Thomas the Train, I'd try to be fair while trying in vain to remember who picked yesterday. While it usually works out well, sometimes it's just no fun being logical.
Enter the d6.
A few days ago I couldn't for the life of me remember who's turn it was to pick, and neither kid could remember either. So I rooted through my gaming box and grabbed two 6-sided dice. They were both pretty confused, but once they rolled and Emma compared the dice, she was hooked (even though she lost).
Now every time a dispute comes up, she wants to roll off for it. I finally caved tonight and her eyes lit up as I grabbed my Chessex dice. And now that's she's won a second roll-off (if you count my giveaway video), I think I have a future gamer on my hands.
I purchased something for her awhile ago, and I think it's time to make it happen. NewbieDM.com produces a D&D-esque game just for kids called RPGKids. The basic game does away with stats and boosts and boils down to a d20 rolloff. Player characters get a couple of abilities to give them an edge over the monsters, but for the most part it's a fun storytelling game.
Emma has also been begging to help me paint one of my "guys." I was going to have her help me with an Ork Trukk since a 4 year old's paint job would probably be appropriate. But since I have a game just for her, I think it's time we have a daddy-daughter trip to my local game store and dig through the plethora of Reaper miniatures so she can pick a character.
I'm really excited for this! She's finally hitting that age where she can be molded in to a proper gamer, and as her father it's my duty to do it properly. Who knows, I may even record it so that I can post a video that isn't about a giveaway.
See you tomorrow!
The Book
If you were at Escapist Movie Night at PAXEast this past weekend (or you caught an earlier reveal during the Desert Bus charity event) you already know about this, but for everyone else it would seem the cat is out of the bag...
So! I'm writing a book. Or, rather, I've written a book and - barring any unforseen disaster - it will be coming out soon. It's a book about video games, and is being developed with (and will be sold exclusively online through) fangamer. If I had to describe it as anything it would be a book of game criticism; though not of a kind I've found anywhere else.
Further details (all of which are, it goes without saying, wholly subject to change) after the jump...
At this time the book itself doesn't have a title I can officially announce or cover-art, but the main text of the thing has been written. My "big idea" was to take the longform "scene-by-scene" (or shot-by-shot) analysis often applied to book-length criticism of movies or plays to gaming by, essentially, novelizing a "Let's Play."
The approach: I would play all the way through a classic game - every level, every enemy, every item, the whole experience - and analyze everything about it as I went: The mechanics, the layouts, the art-design of the sprites, the aesthetics of the backgrounds, the music, the known history of the production, cultural references and context, etc. In addition, since it's my position that the effect our moods outside of gaming effect the interactivity of the medium and vice-versa, the "narrative" of playing the game would be intercut with the "narrative" of what was going on in my life during the play-through.
I chose "Super Mario Bros. 3" to be the subject, mainly because it's my favorite game but also because it's the best possible candidate: A classic game, part of the most famous series in the entire medium, lengthy, linear and enduringly popular enough that a sizable portion of a prospective readership would be familiar with it. It ultimately took on a greater significance, though, as the initial play-through itself wound up coinciding with my preparations for moving out of the home I'd grown up in - in other words, playing this game in the house I'd first fallen in love with it for the last time.
So... yeah, this is "labor of love" stuff. But I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't proud of the idea that - to my knowledge, at least - this kind of in-depth analysis hasn't been done at this scale for a single game. For good measure, it also includes a history of the franchise and my own personal history with it.
At this time, all I can say about release dates is that we're angling to have it available within the next few months (my goal is to have some copies ready to sell in-person at SGC - fingers crossed) but I'll be updating here as more information re: dates, cost, title, etc is made ready for public reveal. I'm nervous but excited about the whole process... I just hope enough of you folks A.) give it a shot and B.) like what you find.
Stay tuned for more details.
So! I'm writing a book. Or, rather, I've written a book and - barring any unforseen disaster - it will be coming out soon. It's a book about video games, and is being developed with (and will be sold exclusively online through) fangamer. If I had to describe it as anything it would be a book of game criticism; though not of a kind I've found anywhere else.
Further details (all of which are, it goes without saying, wholly subject to change) after the jump...
At this time the book itself doesn't have a title I can officially announce or cover-art, but the main text of the thing has been written. My "big idea" was to take the longform "scene-by-scene" (or shot-by-shot) analysis often applied to book-length criticism of movies or plays to gaming by, essentially, novelizing a "Let's Play."
The approach: I would play all the way through a classic game - every level, every enemy, every item, the whole experience - and analyze everything about it as I went: The mechanics, the layouts, the art-design of the sprites, the aesthetics of the backgrounds, the music, the known history of the production, cultural references and context, etc. In addition, since it's my position that the effect our moods outside of gaming effect the interactivity of the medium and vice-versa, the "narrative" of playing the game would be intercut with the "narrative" of what was going on in my life during the play-through.
I chose "Super Mario Bros. 3" to be the subject, mainly because it's my favorite game but also because it's the best possible candidate: A classic game, part of the most famous series in the entire medium, lengthy, linear and enduringly popular enough that a sizable portion of a prospective readership would be familiar with it. It ultimately took on a greater significance, though, as the initial play-through itself wound up coinciding with my preparations for moving out of the home I'd grown up in - in other words, playing this game in the house I'd first fallen in love with it for the last time.
So... yeah, this is "labor of love" stuff. But I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't proud of the idea that - to my knowledge, at least - this kind of in-depth analysis hasn't been done at this scale for a single game. For good measure, it also includes a history of the franchise and my own personal history with it.
At this time, all I can say about release dates is that we're angling to have it available within the next few months (my goal is to have some copies ready to sell in-person at SGC - fingers crossed) but I'll be updating here as more information re: dates, cost, title, etc is made ready for public reveal. I'm nervous but excited about the whole process... I just hope enough of you folks A.) give it a shot and B.) like what you find.
Stay tuned for more details.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Being "That Guy" - Rules Lawyer
Every group has "that guy." That guy who memorizes all the rulebooks, or that guy who hardly tries to remember the basics. That guy who paints, and that guy who plays an army of bare metal and plastic. That guy who plays to relax, and that guy who plays for blood. This new series will take a look at several of "those guys" and explore the advantages and disadvantages of each, and some tips on peacefully coexisting with (or as) them.
For my first entry I'll take it easy on myself and tackle a personality I'm known for. The "rules lawyer" is the guy who tries to know every rule of the game he's playing, the "official rulings" on rules that no one else knows, and usually expects others to play by those rules even if he's not part of their game. They can be a way to keep the group working smoothly, or they can stir up arguments and frustration from an entire room of people.
Pros
They level the playing field. Games are designed to assign a winner and loser(s). Whether or not you're playing for fun, you're still playing to win (I hope). But in order to win, you need to meet a goal set by the game. Do you need to capture something? Destroy all of your opponent's pieces? Accomplish a goal before your opponent? A game always has a way for you to win, and rules to follow that will get you there.
Sometimes the rules aren't followed. Whether people just shrug and say "eh, let's do it this way," or they accidentally mess up a rule, not playing the game by design risks throwing off a balance set by the game's designer. That's where the lawyer comes in - he tries to keep things balanced so that someone can win and lose according to the game, and not because of a bad rules interpretation that gives one person a major or minor advantage over the other.
They are a living rulebook. How many times have you tried playing an honest game and had to stop to look up a rule? In something like Sorry or Jenga it's not an issue with their rules pamphlet, but what about deeper games? In a game like Warmachine, the rulebook can only give you general rules for the game, nevermind how hundreds of models with unique abilities can interact with those rules. It can be a nightmare to read over every word, cross referencing 2 or 3 other rules, all to decide whether a model can move that extra inch.
It's so much easier to shout across the room and ask the lawyer whether something is legal or not and get right back to the game. If the lawyer is outside the game, it's a great way to settle a dispute as long as both of you trust their knowledge. Sometimes you want to see proof, but if they're worth their salt then they've read the rulebook enough to know where to turn and show you after a minute of looking.
You know what kind of game you're getting. If you trust the lawyer, you know they'll play a tight game. Mechanically, they'll handle themselves as though they were at a major tournament (whether their skills are the same is an entirely different matter). If they do something you aren't familiar with, you can ask and get a very simple explanation and move on. Odds are high that they've spent as much time studying their pieces' specific rules as they have the game's rules, thus freeing you from having to watch your opponent like a hawk to make sure they're playing by the rules.
ConsNot everyone wants to follow every rule to the letter. The lawyer probably can't understand this mentality. If it's in the book, why would you do something else? Many people want to enjoy the narrative or social aspect of a game, not the mechanical. To these people, the parallax effect created from holding the tape measure 6" above the table and granting them an extra 1/4" of movement doesn't matter. Why make a fuss over such a minor thing that causes tension between friends or friendly opponents?
These are also the people who will argue something no one else cares about. Lawyers don't just stick to what's in the rulebook - they'll read official resources, follow rules forums, and have Google ready to find any questions they may have. They'll argue like they're at a tournament, even though they're in a buddy's kitchen with a half-empty beer next to them.
Great power, great responsibility. If a rules lawyer is relied upon for proper rulings, they can neglect or abuse that privilege quite easily. If they have unofficially been dubbed the group's "rules guy" because of their dedication to knowing the game, it's important that they try to stay updated on the rules. That doesn't mean that they are required to know everything, but they need to be willing to say "I don't know" rather than toss out a guess.
Another huge issue is that knowing all the rules increases the ability to break them. If people put their trust in a rules lawyer, he can easily break that trust in very small ways to give himself an advantage. I'm not saying people are so trusting that they'll let him blatantly cheat, but by ignoring or purposely misinterpreting a rule, the entire momentum of a game can take a rapid swing in the other direction.
They can ruin casual games. Not all games are meant to be competitive. This may seem similar to the first one, but I'm talking about entire game systems that don't even have a winner. Look at Apples to Apples; although the game has a way to end, no one actually cares who wins if people aren't laughing the entire time. It's a party game, and no one cares if Jake drew an extra card.
Or let's talk about a game with no winner at all - Dungeons & Dragons. The community for this (and similar tabletop RPGs) are sick of rules lawyers. When a game is designed for friends to get together and tell a story, the rules of the game take a back seat. They're suggestions. At risk of being even more corny that normal (brace yourselves!), the only way to "win" at D&D is to have fun. As long as everyone is basically playing by the rules and having a great time, is it worth causing a big cloud of awkward silence to fill the room because someone fudged a rule?
Living with "That Guy"
Use him. The lawyer wants people to play by the rules, and by asking him questions you show that you want to play by them too. It feels great knowing you beat someone fair and square than to later realize you won because of poor rules interpretations. The lawyer helps avoid a lot of this, and also makes everyone better players by helping them play the game within the confines of the rules.
Talk to him. Sometimes they go overboard. If the lawyer is crossing a line and causing friction in your group, talk to him. Odds are that he assumes people around him want to play the same game as him, and that they're thankful when he corrects them. Find a compromise and everyone will be happier in the end.
Learn the rules. I'm going to piggyback off the last point and say that the lawyer may not be the only problem. No one likes being corrected, but deep down no one wants to play a competitive game incorrectly either. If he's correcting players on major rules, then perhaps time should be taken out to learn the rules so that the lawyer doesn't need to be as vocal.
Being "That Guy"
Pick your battles. This can't be emphasized enough. If you're running around trying to plug every hole, you're going to make everyone, including yourself, miserable. If you see a minor rules infraction during a friendly (say, someone touching a model as if to activate it, then changing their mind) let it slide. In a tournament it may matter, but if your opponent (or a game you aren't part of) isn't practicing for truly competitive play, then don't sweat the small stuff.
Along with that, choose when to approach a player. If they're overmeasuring, it may be best to approach them later, or mention it quietly during their opponent's turn. If someone is embarrassed their focus will be on anger and frustration, not a willingness to change.
Admit when you're wrong. This can be a tough one for someone who usually has all the answers. But if you make a bad call and realize it later, let people know. I've been known to mess up a rule and look it up later, then make a Facebook post about it on our group's Facebook group. Whether people realize it or not, being a resource for the rules tends to give your voice more authority. As I said earlier, the onus to know the rules is on you more than anyone else; if you get it wrong, there's a good chance that others will take it for fact.
Teach. What good is all that knowledge if you're not making the best use of it? If someone is a little shaky on the rules, talk to them. If they want to learn the rules, find out what they need help on and take time to help them understand. If they're new, don't get them hung up on the fine details of the game. At most, say something like "I see you doing ______. We won't worry about it now, but in the future you'll want to avoid that." This is also a great time to prevent them from forming any bad habits (in Warmachine it'd be bending the tape measure when turning the model; not marking spell effects; overmeasuring, etc).
And this doesn't just apply to your gaming group. Game websites almost always have a rules forum that relies on rules lawyers to answer questions. I like to peruse the Privateer Press rules forums every few days, and I learn a lot from both official sources (dubbed "Infernals") and regular guys who are there to help.
I hope this does something to help lawyers and the rest of the group peacefully coexist. They can be a great help or detriment to a group, but it's up to those involved to make it a positive experience.
[It's worth noting that the rules lawyer works best in games designed to support them. If you have a game that's imbalanced due to poor design, then they need to find a balance between knowing the basic rules to keep the game moving, and knowing when to publicly fudge the rules for the fun of everyone.]
See you tomorrow!
For my first entry I'll take it easy on myself and tackle a personality I'm known for. The "rules lawyer" is the guy who tries to know every rule of the game he's playing, the "official rulings" on rules that no one else knows, and usually expects others to play by those rules even if he's not part of their game. They can be a way to keep the group working smoothly, or they can stir up arguments and frustration from an entire room of people.
Pros
They level the playing field. Games are designed to assign a winner and loser(s). Whether or not you're playing for fun, you're still playing to win (I hope). But in order to win, you need to meet a goal set by the game. Do you need to capture something? Destroy all of your opponent's pieces? Accomplish a goal before your opponent? A game always has a way for you to win, and rules to follow that will get you there.
Sometimes the rules aren't followed. Whether people just shrug and say "eh, let's do it this way," or they accidentally mess up a rule, not playing the game by design risks throwing off a balance set by the game's designer. That's where the lawyer comes in - he tries to keep things balanced so that someone can win and lose according to the game, and not because of a bad rules interpretation that gives one person a major or minor advantage over the other.
They are a living rulebook. How many times have you tried playing an honest game and had to stop to look up a rule? In something like Sorry or Jenga it's not an issue with their rules pamphlet, but what about deeper games? In a game like Warmachine, the rulebook can only give you general rules for the game, nevermind how hundreds of models with unique abilities can interact with those rules. It can be a nightmare to read over every word, cross referencing 2 or 3 other rules, all to decide whether a model can move that extra inch.
It's so much easier to shout across the room and ask the lawyer whether something is legal or not and get right back to the game. If the lawyer is outside the game, it's a great way to settle a dispute as long as both of you trust their knowledge. Sometimes you want to see proof, but if they're worth their salt then they've read the rulebook enough to know where to turn and show you after a minute of looking.
You know what kind of game you're getting. If you trust the lawyer, you know they'll play a tight game. Mechanically, they'll handle themselves as though they were at a major tournament (whether their skills are the same is an entirely different matter). If they do something you aren't familiar with, you can ask and get a very simple explanation and move on. Odds are high that they've spent as much time studying their pieces' specific rules as they have the game's rules, thus freeing you from having to watch your opponent like a hawk to make sure they're playing by the rules.
ConsNot everyone wants to follow every rule to the letter. The lawyer probably can't understand this mentality. If it's in the book, why would you do something else? Many people want to enjoy the narrative or social aspect of a game, not the mechanical. To these people, the parallax effect created from holding the tape measure 6" above the table and granting them an extra 1/4" of movement doesn't matter. Why make a fuss over such a minor thing that causes tension between friends or friendly opponents?
These are also the people who will argue something no one else cares about. Lawyers don't just stick to what's in the rulebook - they'll read official resources, follow rules forums, and have Google ready to find any questions they may have. They'll argue like they're at a tournament, even though they're in a buddy's kitchen with a half-empty beer next to them.
Great power, great responsibility. If a rules lawyer is relied upon for proper rulings, they can neglect or abuse that privilege quite easily. If they have unofficially been dubbed the group's "rules guy" because of their dedication to knowing the game, it's important that they try to stay updated on the rules. That doesn't mean that they are required to know everything, but they need to be willing to say "I don't know" rather than toss out a guess.
Another huge issue is that knowing all the rules increases the ability to break them. If people put their trust in a rules lawyer, he can easily break that trust in very small ways to give himself an advantage. I'm not saying people are so trusting that they'll let him blatantly cheat, but by ignoring or purposely misinterpreting a rule, the entire momentum of a game can take a rapid swing in the other direction.
They can ruin casual games. Not all games are meant to be competitive. This may seem similar to the first one, but I'm talking about entire game systems that don't even have a winner. Look at Apples to Apples; although the game has a way to end, no one actually cares who wins if people aren't laughing the entire time. It's a party game, and no one cares if Jake drew an extra card.
Or let's talk about a game with no winner at all - Dungeons & Dragons. The community for this (and similar tabletop RPGs) are sick of rules lawyers. When a game is designed for friends to get together and tell a story, the rules of the game take a back seat. They're suggestions. At risk of being even more corny that normal (brace yourselves!), the only way to "win" at D&D is to have fun. As long as everyone is basically playing by the rules and having a great time, is it worth causing a big cloud of awkward silence to fill the room because someone fudged a rule?
Living with "That Guy"
Use him. The lawyer wants people to play by the rules, and by asking him questions you show that you want to play by them too. It feels great knowing you beat someone fair and square than to later realize you won because of poor rules interpretations. The lawyer helps avoid a lot of this, and also makes everyone better players by helping them play the game within the confines of the rules.
Talk to him. Sometimes they go overboard. If the lawyer is crossing a line and causing friction in your group, talk to him. Odds are that he assumes people around him want to play the same game as him, and that they're thankful when he corrects them. Find a compromise and everyone will be happier in the end.
Learn the rules. I'm going to piggyback off the last point and say that the lawyer may not be the only problem. No one likes being corrected, but deep down no one wants to play a competitive game incorrectly either. If he's correcting players on major rules, then perhaps time should be taken out to learn the rules so that the lawyer doesn't need to be as vocal.
Being "That Guy"
Pick your battles. This can't be emphasized enough. If you're running around trying to plug every hole, you're going to make everyone, including yourself, miserable. If you see a minor rules infraction during a friendly (say, someone touching a model as if to activate it, then changing their mind) let it slide. In a tournament it may matter, but if your opponent (or a game you aren't part of) isn't practicing for truly competitive play, then don't sweat the small stuff.
Along with that, choose when to approach a player. If they're overmeasuring, it may be best to approach them later, or mention it quietly during their opponent's turn. If someone is embarrassed their focus will be on anger and frustration, not a willingness to change.
Admit when you're wrong. This can be a tough one for someone who usually has all the answers. But if you make a bad call and realize it later, let people know. I've been known to mess up a rule and look it up later, then make a Facebook post about it on our group's Facebook group. Whether people realize it or not, being a resource for the rules tends to give your voice more authority. As I said earlier, the onus to know the rules is on you more than anyone else; if you get it wrong, there's a good chance that others will take it for fact.
Teach. What good is all that knowledge if you're not making the best use of it? If someone is a little shaky on the rules, talk to them. If they want to learn the rules, find out what they need help on and take time to help them understand. If they're new, don't get them hung up on the fine details of the game. At most, say something like "I see you doing ______. We won't worry about it now, but in the future you'll want to avoid that." This is also a great time to prevent them from forming any bad habits (in Warmachine it'd be bending the tape measure when turning the model; not marking spell effects; overmeasuring, etc).
And this doesn't just apply to your gaming group. Game websites almost always have a rules forum that relies on rules lawyers to answer questions. I like to peruse the Privateer Press rules forums every few days, and I learn a lot from both official sources (dubbed "Infernals") and regular guys who are there to help.
I hope this does something to help lawyers and the rest of the group peacefully coexist. They can be a great help or detriment to a group, but it's up to those involved to make it a positive experience.
[It's worth noting that the rules lawyer works best in games designed to support them. If you have a game that's imbalanced due to poor design, then they need to find a balance between knowing the basic rules to keep the game moving, and knowing when to publicly fudge the rules for the fun of everyone.]
See you tomorrow!
Sunday, March 24, 2013
What Do You Want?
With a giveaway (hopefully) coming up in about a week, I'm trying to figure out my giveaway prize. I thought I'd turn to the people looking to win something and ask what you think would make for a good giveaway prize.
I really enjoyed doing the free painted model. The only downside to that is that it's only appealing to a few. My xbox/ps3/etc was fairly popular, but it also seems the least inventive. So I'm looking for input - what are some things you think would motivate you to enter a giveaway? Is something broad like a gift card the most desirable? Do you like more relevant prizes like painted models or the book giveaway I just did?
Sound off anywhere. You can email me at Ray [at] RayofPaint [dot] com if you'd rather keep it personal, otherwise here and Facebook work as well. Seriously, give me ideas. I want to give you guys stuff you like!
See you tomorrow!
I really enjoyed doing the free painted model. The only downside to that is that it's only appealing to a few. My xbox/ps3/etc was fairly popular, but it also seems the least inventive. So I'm looking for input - what are some things you think would motivate you to enter a giveaway? Is something broad like a gift card the most desirable? Do you like more relevant prizes like painted models or the book giveaway I just did?
Sound off anywhere. You can email me at Ray [at] RayofPaint [dot] com if you'd rather keep it personal, otherwise here and Facebook work as well. Seriously, give me ideas. I want to give you guys stuff you like!
See you tomorrow!
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Milestone Giveaway - 5,000 Views Results
Friday, March 22, 2013
Playing to Win - Quick Overview
Tomorrow I'm giving away a copy of Playing to Win by David Sirlin. For those who haven't entered yet, I'd like to give you a few reasons why you want to read this book.
In a nutshell. Sirlin is a highly successful, pro-level competitor. His game genre of choice is fighting games like Street Fighter, but the book is universal. The book boils to a few basic points:
In a nutshell. Sirlin is a highly successful, pro-level competitor. His game genre of choice is fighting games like Street Fighter, but the book is universal. The book boils to a few basic points:
- If you're playing competitively, the rules of the game are the only things that matter. Nothing is "cheap" in a fair game.
- If you're playing to win, it's like fighting a war. During the game, you don't have civil obligations (within reason). There's a good amount of analyzing Sun Tzu in terms of gaming.
- Analyzing player types, strengths, weakness, etc. Knowing yourself and your enemy are key to victory.
- If you want to be a champion, you have to tirelessly work for it.
Some of these are extremes, and only apply to people who want to be the best player in the world. But if you understand the level of competition you want to be at (which I didn't figure out until I started reading), it's very easy to apply everything in the book to yourself.
I won't lie, the book will upset many people. It upset me at first too. Being given the green light to use "cheap" tactics blew my mind, but he makes a very strong argument for why it's allowed in competitive play, and why "cheap" tactics often won't work against other competitive players. Also, the notion that I was imposing my own unwritten rules in to my games blew my mind. I've always tried to play with honor (and always will), but I had also been using "honor" as an excuse to lose without having to blame myself for it. I always try to be honest with myself about who I am, but this book showed me something about how I view winning and losing that I'd probably never have seen otherwise.
This book is good stuff. It's not best-seller quality, but the ideas in the book make it a must-read for anyone who wants to be a better player, even in a "casual" environment. I have no illusions about doing more than playing with my friends, and this book did a lot to make me look at myself as a gamer and evaluate how I wanted to play (competitively), and how I could go about doing that.
So make sure you click the link at the beginning of this post. In the coming weeks I plan on doing a deeper discussion, perhaps chapter by chapter, and you guys can follow along with the free web version of his book. But I recommend this book so much that I really want to give someone a physical copy, or something they can store on their e-reader.
See you tomorrow for the giveaway!
This book is good stuff. It's not best-seller quality, but the ideas in the book make it a must-read for anyone who wants to be a better player, even in a "casual" environment. I have no illusions about doing more than playing with my friends, and this book did a lot to make me look at myself as a gamer and evaluate how I wanted to play (competitively), and how I could go about doing that.
So make sure you click the link at the beginning of this post. In the coming weeks I plan on doing a deeper discussion, perhaps chapter by chapter, and you guys can follow along with the free web version of his book. But I recommend this book so much that I really want to give someone a physical copy, or something they can store on their e-reader.
See you tomorrow for the giveaway!
Off To PAXEast
I'm officially en-route to the weekend at PAXEast folks, so if you're there feel free to say hi and if not follow my Twitter @the_moviebob in case I say or see something interesting while there. If you're at the show, check me out at the Escapist Movie Night panel on Saturday 3/23 at 9:00pm in the Merman Theater.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
More Airbrush Love
It's been awhile since I've publicly declared my love for the airbrush. But seriously, I love this thing.
I got a commission to do Terminus for a buddy. Having done him once already, I remember setting aside several days to get his basecoat done properly. I was hoping to have him done by Saturday, but I had quite a bit to get done around the house before I start working on my charity army, so I told him I may not have it done in time.
After a little over an hour using the airbrush, I realized just how silly I was.
I had a hard time picking up the wings' colors with the camera, but I started with black-brown edges and then lightened them as they got closer to the body, ending in a lighter brown. The first Terminus I did took me a whole night to get his wings to an acceptable point; with my airbrush, it took me about 20 minutes. Then his armor was a breeze - I just grabbed a 3x5 card to protect the wings from overspray and got a perfectly smooth color in 5 minutes. The same thing was done with the purple cloak behind him. As always, the only time-consuming part of this was thoroughly cleaning the aibrush after.
It's amazing how one investment has completely changed the way I paint. Now all I have to do is work on fine details, which is undoubtedly my favorite part. What I'm also finding is that I'm not nearly as mentally exhausted by the time the basecoat is done, so I'm much more patient and willing to study and try new techniques. I've been doing a lot with matte medium to give me smooth, subtle color transitions when highlighting and shading, as well as fine-tuning other techniques I haven't dedicated enough time to.
With Terminus I took a cue from Privateer Press's studio image and did some object source lighting (OSL) with the necrotic glow. I'd been dabbling in OSL with the runeplates on my wolds, but I'd never tried using the glow as a 3 dimensional entity. It was a very different experience for me, because I'm so used to colors being blocked off from one another. But I love how it turned out, and I think it gives a bit more life to the this undead model.
It's weird, but once I did away with basecoating I felt like a lot of things I'd been struggling to understand finally "clicked." I never fell out of love with painting, but there's something to be said about only using my brush to do the stuff I like. I'll probably be back in a month or two when I upgrade my airbrush and start gushing about some new technique I've finally figured out, so brace yourself for that.
Don't forget about my giveaway Saturday! I'm trying to write a good review of Playing to Win, but if I don't make it in time just trust me about wanting to read it. I'd love to get a few more entrants so that I don't have to flip a coin to decide the winner, so comment on the video and then like my page over on Facebook!
See you tomorrow!
I got a commission to do Terminus for a buddy. Having done him once already, I remember setting aside several days to get his basecoat done properly. I was hoping to have him done by Saturday, but I had quite a bit to get done around the house before I start working on my charity army, so I told him I may not have it done in time.
I had a hard time picking up the wings' colors with the camera, but I started with black-brown edges and then lightened them as they got closer to the body, ending in a lighter brown. The first Terminus I did took me a whole night to get his wings to an acceptable point; with my airbrush, it took me about 20 minutes. Then his armor was a breeze - I just grabbed a 3x5 card to protect the wings from overspray and got a perfectly smooth color in 5 minutes. The same thing was done with the purple cloak behind him. As always, the only time-consuming part of this was thoroughly cleaning the aibrush after.
It's amazing how one investment has completely changed the way I paint. Now all I have to do is work on fine details, which is undoubtedly my favorite part. What I'm also finding is that I'm not nearly as mentally exhausted by the time the basecoat is done, so I'm much more patient and willing to study and try new techniques. I've been doing a lot with matte medium to give me smooth, subtle color transitions when highlighting and shading, as well as fine-tuning other techniques I haven't dedicated enough time to.
With Terminus I took a cue from Privateer Press's studio image and did some object source lighting (OSL) with the necrotic glow. I'd been dabbling in OSL with the runeplates on my wolds, but I'd never tried using the glow as a 3 dimensional entity. It was a very different experience for me, because I'm so used to colors being blocked off from one another. But I love how it turned out, and I think it gives a bit more life to the this undead model.
It's weird, but once I did away with basecoating I felt like a lot of things I'd been struggling to understand finally "clicked." I never fell out of love with painting, but there's something to be said about only using my brush to do the stuff I like. I'll probably be back in a month or two when I upgrade my airbrush and start gushing about some new technique I've finally figured out, so brace yourself for that.
Don't forget about my giveaway Saturday! I'm trying to write a good review of Playing to Win, but if I don't make it in time just trust me about wanting to read it. I'd love to get a few more entrants so that I don't have to flip a coin to decide the winner, so comment on the video and then like my page over on Facebook!
See you tomorrow!
SUPPLEMENTAL: "I'm Sorry (But EA Should Be Sorrier)"
So, then.
In the making of this series, March has basically been a gigantic non-starter. A blizzard scuttled at least two weeks of shooting, then another storm and subsequent ceaseless wind/rain pushed it further - serves me right, I guess. So, since I obviously won't be getting any work done on this front with PAXEast going on this weekend; I sat down and flipped on the camera early this morning (like 3:00am or so) to do a quickie "hey, sorry, here's what's up" vlog that wound up being a little rambling (unscripted) and eventually turned into a minor rant about EA, SimCity and the state of the industry. Decided to give it a semi-edit and upload, but don't worry - this sort of "tired-looking man talking to camera" motif won't become the norm around here.
In the making of this series, March has basically been a gigantic non-starter. A blizzard scuttled at least two weeks of shooting, then another storm and subsequent ceaseless wind/rain pushed it further - serves me right, I guess. So, since I obviously won't be getting any work done on this front with PAXEast going on this weekend; I sat down and flipped on the camera early this morning (like 3:00am or so) to do a quickie "hey, sorry, here's what's up" vlog that wound up being a little rambling (unscripted) and eventually turned into a minor rant about EA, SimCity and the state of the industry. Decided to give it a semi-edit and upload, but don't worry - this sort of "tired-looking man talking to camera" motif won't become the norm around here.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Countdown to Cyriss: Week 2
Last Wednesday I got pretty excited about the Convergence of Cyriss info that PP gave us. Since it's going to be a weekly thing until the faction releases at Lock & Load, I think I'll continue spewing my excitement right alongside them.
This week Will Shick talked about some of the faction's warjacks. Considering the faction is being built around the battlegroup, I'm glad that they're talking about the good stuff early. There were no great surprises to be found here, although the idea of light jacks, walking heavies, and hovering heavies could prove interesting.
We got some names for warjacks as well. Diffuser, Galvanizer, and Mitigator are the lights, Cipher, Monitor, and Inverter are the walking heavies, while Assimilator, Modulator, and Conservator are the hovering heavies. I won't lie, the names bore me to tears. I realize that's sort of the point, with Convergence of Cyriss (CC) being about clockwork and math. But still, all other factions have always had jacks with semi-nifty names. I don't know if it's because everything ends in an r, but the names themselves didn't excite me.
The info, however, is a different story. You can read the post for all the details, but these warjacks seems to be bursting with utility. A warjacks that does a POW 10 damage roll to melee attackers? A POW 20 macropummeler (ugh, these names) with knockdown, and a jack that flings buzz saws (I told you!)... I'm excited to see these things on my side of the table.
And Shick ended with with a very mean teaser. "Of course, astute readers might notice I left out one rather large contender in the vector category. But I think such a colossal piece of the Convergence army deserves a blog all its own."
CC RELEASES WITH A COLOSSAL! I heard rumors that they were getting a battle engine, but a clockwork colossal almost makes me giddy. Since PP has (presumably) learned from their successes and failures with the gargossals, I can only hope that the Stompy-Slicerator (my pending name for the colossal) will be pure awesome in a faction made to support it.
And for those who haven't seen it, here's a fantastic (reveal?) video that PP released last month. It answers a few questions I guess at last week, and gives some great closeups of the models.
Am I up to a day 1 purchase yet? I'm still on that fence, but it will take a lot for me not to follow through with it. What about you guys? It's hard to buy in to a new faction, but I'm finding it hard not buying in to this one.
See you tomorrow!
This week Will Shick talked about some of the faction's warjacks. Considering the faction is being built around the battlegroup, I'm glad that they're talking about the good stuff early. There were no great surprises to be found here, although the idea of light jacks, walking heavies, and hovering heavies could prove interesting.
We got some names for warjacks as well. Diffuser, Galvanizer, and Mitigator are the lights, Cipher, Monitor, and Inverter are the walking heavies, while Assimilator, Modulator, and Conservator are the hovering heavies. I won't lie, the names bore me to tears. I realize that's sort of the point, with Convergence of Cyriss (CC) being about clockwork and math. But still, all other factions have always had jacks with semi-nifty names. I don't know if it's because everything ends in an r, but the names themselves didn't excite me.
The info, however, is a different story. You can read the post for all the details, but these warjacks seems to be bursting with utility. A warjacks that does a POW 10 damage roll to melee attackers? A POW 20 macropummeler (ugh, these names) with knockdown, and a jack that flings buzz saws (I told you!)... I'm excited to see these things on my side of the table.
And Shick ended with with a very mean teaser. "Of course, astute readers might notice I left out one rather large contender in the vector category. But I think such a colossal piece of the Convergence army deserves a blog all its own."
CC RELEASES WITH A COLOSSAL! I heard rumors that they were getting a battle engine, but a clockwork colossal almost makes me giddy. Since PP has (presumably) learned from their successes and failures with the gargossals, I can only hope that the Stompy-Slicerator (my pending name for the colossal) will be pure awesome in a faction made to support it.
And for those who haven't seen it, here's a fantastic (reveal?) video that PP released last month. It answers a few questions I guess at last week, and gives some great closeups of the models.
Am I up to a day 1 purchase yet? I'm still on that fence, but it will take a lot for me not to follow through with it. What about you guys? It's hard to buy in to a new faction, but I'm finding it hard not buying in to this one.
See you tomorrow!
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
So Much to Work Toward!
Often times I like to think that I'm growing as a hobbyist. I'm learning new techniques rather often, and I'm at least decent enough for people to pay me money to do it.
Then there are days like today when I realize that these huge mountains I feel like I conquer are actually just rolling hills compared to what others are doing. I mean really, just look at this video. It's in German, so turn on captions/subtitles, but look at what this guy did with a Cygnar Stormwall.
How am I supposed to strive for that?! Not only did he do a beautiful job on the paint and base, but he made spinning chainguns THAT SPIT OUT USED CASINGS! I had to watch this a couple of times because it's just too mindblowing to believe someone did this.
When I first watched it I saw his control panel and my mouth dropped slightly. Then he showed glowing eyes and I thought "Oh, so it'll glow in a few places. Neat." HA! If there were any room on the inside, I imagine this guy would have had built a Lightning Pod ejector, probably with a glass casing so he could create 3 mini plasma globes.
Tomorrow I'll probably watch it again and then find 10 different tutorials on LED installation so I can do it myself, because that's how these things tend to go for me. But seriously, I bow to this man's imagination and modelling skills. This is pure excellence.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go make miniature version of myself out of greenstuff (get it, because I'm green with envy?)
See you tomorrow!
Then there are days like today when I realize that these huge mountains I feel like I conquer are actually just rolling hills compared to what others are doing. I mean really, just look at this video. It's in German, so turn on captions/subtitles, but look at what this guy did with a Cygnar Stormwall.
How am I supposed to strive for that?! Not only did he do a beautiful job on the paint and base, but he made spinning chainguns THAT SPIT OUT USED CASINGS! I had to watch this a couple of times because it's just too mindblowing to believe someone did this.
When I first watched it I saw his control panel and my mouth dropped slightly. Then he showed glowing eyes and I thought "Oh, so it'll glow in a few places. Neat." HA! If there were any room on the inside, I imagine this guy would have had built a Lightning Pod ejector, probably with a glass casing so he could create 3 mini plasma globes.
Tomorrow I'll probably watch it again and then find 10 different tutorials on LED installation so I can do it myself, because that's how these things tend to go for me. But seriously, I bow to this man's imagination and modelling skills. This is pure excellence.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go make miniature version of myself out of greenstuff (get it, because I'm green with envy?)
See you tomorrow!
Monday, March 18, 2013
Sticky Floors and Empty Wallets
Do you guys remember arcades? Man I'm feeling nostalgic about those tonight.
I was watching Wreck It Ralph with my kids (awesome movie, go watch it), and I just had a flashback of a Gauntlet marathon a friend and I had back in high school. Being homeschooled, it wasn't a big deal to finish up our work early and go do something while everyone else was in school. I remember one day we decided to go to Loco Joes, the local nickel arcade, and just blew a ton of money trying to beat the different games.
We spent hours at that place. The arcade was on its last legs at the time, so several games were out of commission, including the classic X-men game that every arcade-goer has played. Instead we settled on Gauntlet, a classic hack-and-slash game . We'd initially made change for $20, certain that we'd have plenty left over.
Well I'm pretty terrible at staying alive ("The wizard needs food!"), and as a result his survival rate dropped any time I was bending down to throw a quarter in to the slot (spending quarters at a nickel arcade, how barbaric!). During one boss fight, I remember running out of change and making a mad dash to the change machine while he played tag with death.
And after a day at the arcade, we beat the game. The credits rolled and we received a code for a T-shirt that had expired several years ago. We threw some more money in some other machines, won a load of tickets that we dumped on some random kid who was there with his dad, and finally let our eyes see sunlight again. It was mindless fun, but it's one of those things we talk about to this day.
I spent a lot of my childhood summers at the arcade. Sometimes I'd go with my cousins, sometimes I'd take my allowance and lose myself in the cacophony of kids yelling and 30 games trying to make their own sound effects heard. I love the arcade, and I was a bit heartbroken when the small, local arcades started shutting their doors.
However, some held on even as I was in college. I still remember getting out of class Tuesdays and Thursdays and rewarding myself with $5 worth of Dance Dance Revolution or Tekken. I tried going to a few of my old hangouts, but everything was closed and the tiny arcade at the mall was my last refuge. But I still went there when I could afford it, and there are times when I wish someone would open
Don't get me wrong, they are frightfully overpriced and have a tendency to bring out the worst in people. It's probably a terrible investment for a business owner. But there's an atmosphere to those small, dimly-lit arcades that you just can't replicate. We still have a major arcade in town - it's more of an entertainment venue with rock-climbing, a restaurant, and a nice-sized arcade upstairs. But it takes more than a bunch of arcade cabinets to make an arcade.
Although I've been there a few times with my family, it just doesn't feel right. The entrance is huge, doorless, and inviting. The room is well-lit, and there's so much space in the aisles that you can comfortably move about no matter how many people are in the room. In 2013 that's good business, but it always makes me long for the "good old days."
I'm not going to rail against how Xbox ruined the arcade, or pretend that I'm going to open my own arcade so that my kids can enjoy it. The arcade of yesteryear is no longer relevant, and it's the first time I've really realized that something from my past has been phased out. It's a bummer to take a moment and realize that you can't relive a childhood experience, even for the sake of nostalgia.
What about you guys? I'd love to hear some arcade memories of your own. Or maybe you still have that smelly, dimly-lit dungeon of awesome in your town and I'm just unlucky. Let me know!
See you tomorrow!
I was watching Wreck It Ralph with my kids (awesome movie, go watch it), and I just had a flashback of a Gauntlet marathon a friend and I had back in high school. Being homeschooled, it wasn't a big deal to finish up our work early and go do something while everyone else was in school. I remember one day we decided to go to Loco Joes, the local nickel arcade, and just blew a ton of money trying to beat the different games.
We spent hours at that place. The arcade was on its last legs at the time, so several games were out of commission, including the classic X-men game that every arcade-goer has played. Instead we settled on Gauntlet, a classic hack-and-slash game . We'd initially made change for $20, certain that we'd have plenty left over.
Well I'm pretty terrible at staying alive ("The wizard needs food!"), and as a result his survival rate dropped any time I was bending down to throw a quarter in to the slot (spending quarters at a nickel arcade, how barbaric!). During one boss fight, I remember running out of change and making a mad dash to the change machine while he played tag with death.
And after a day at the arcade, we beat the game. The credits rolled and we received a code for a T-shirt that had expired several years ago. We threw some more money in some other machines, won a load of tickets that we dumped on some random kid who was there with his dad, and finally let our eyes see sunlight again. It was mindless fun, but it's one of those things we talk about to this day.
I spent a lot of my childhood summers at the arcade. Sometimes I'd go with my cousins, sometimes I'd take my allowance and lose myself in the cacophony of kids yelling and 30 games trying to make their own sound effects heard. I love the arcade, and I was a bit heartbroken when the small, local arcades started shutting their doors.
However, some held on even as I was in college. I still remember getting out of class Tuesdays and Thursdays and rewarding myself with $5 worth of Dance Dance Revolution or Tekken. I tried going to a few of my old hangouts, but everything was closed and the tiny arcade at the mall was my last refuge. But I still went there when I could afford it, and there are times when I wish someone would open
Don't get me wrong, they are frightfully overpriced and have a tendency to bring out the worst in people. It's probably a terrible investment for a business owner. But there's an atmosphere to those small, dimly-lit arcades that you just can't replicate. We still have a major arcade in town - it's more of an entertainment venue with rock-climbing, a restaurant, and a nice-sized arcade upstairs. But it takes more than a bunch of arcade cabinets to make an arcade.
Although I've been there a few times with my family, it just doesn't feel right. The entrance is huge, doorless, and inviting. The room is well-lit, and there's so much space in the aisles that you can comfortably move about no matter how many people are in the room. In 2013 that's good business, but it always makes me long for the "good old days."
I'm not going to rail against how Xbox ruined the arcade, or pretend that I'm going to open my own arcade so that my kids can enjoy it. The arcade of yesteryear is no longer relevant, and it's the first time I've really realized that something from my past has been phased out. It's a bummer to take a moment and realize that you can't relive a childhood experience, even for the sake of nostalgia.
What about you guys? I'd love to hear some arcade memories of your own. Or maybe you still have that smelly, dimly-lit dungeon of awesome in your town and I'm just unlucky. Let me know!
See you tomorrow!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Milestone Giveaway - Page Views!
A giveaway in the middle of March? Madness! (get it?)
Remember that you need to visit the actual YouTube video to enter, so here's a link to the video. Thanks again for sticking with me!
See you tomorrow!
Remember that you need to visit the actual YouTube video to enter, so here's a link to the video. Thanks again for sticking with me!
See you tomorrow!
D&D Arcade Games Coming to XBLA/PSN
Well, whaddaya know? Capcom decided to do something decent for retro-gaming; broken clocks and all that: Their two classic (and somewhat rare) "Dungeons & Dragons" beat-em-ups - "Tower of Doom" and Shadow over Mystara" are coming to XBLA/PSN. Supposedly, this will be "officially unveiled" at PAXEast. It's being called a port, which I hopefully assume means it will be the original games with the original graphics - not another "HD remake" disaster like "Turtles In Time Re-Shelled".
Good show, Capcom... sure would be nice to have a WiiU* port with off-TV play, though. Just sayin.
*Yes, peanut gallery, that would be your cue to remind me that I am biased Nintendo fanboy and that it would be stupid to put these on WiiU because nobody cares about the WiiU which is a good thing because now the combined forces of nostalgia, filthy casuals and Japan can stop ruining gaming. Don't let me down, kids.
Good show, Capcom... sure would be nice to have a WiiU* port with off-TV play, though. Just sayin.
*Yes, peanut gallery, that would be your cue to remind me that I am biased Nintendo fanboy and that it would be stupid to put these on WiiU because nobody cares about the WiiU which is a good thing because now the combined forces of nostalgia, filthy casuals and Japan can stop ruining gaming. Don't let me down, kids.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Peace, Love, and Harm.
Tonight is the night. Circle Orboros is going to put a stony smackdown on some dirty Cryx or gun-loving Cygnar!I've played my Circle Orboros army once before, but I had no idea what I was doing, and the result was an amalgamation of failure, anti-synergy, and a lot of unpainted models. Well no more! A couple guys in my group have agreed to suffer through playing my army of violent hippies, and I'm almost positive I can pretend to know what I'm doing this time.
This year I've made it a priority to only play a painted army. When I found out I was going to get a Warmachine game tonight, I had a marathon painting session to get some troopers ready to roll. You saw them in my quick tip on painting black, but I still needed to finish the fine details and the bases. I had 17 models on my tray, so I just worked on everything since they all had similar steps to them.
Unfortunately I miscalculated the points of my models and came up one short, so I will have ONE unpainted model tonight (oh, the horror!). I thought about painting it up quickly, but Gallows Groves look pretty time-intensive, and it was already 2 a.m. So here it is, the army that will summon a bunch of forests and bring some painted pain to my opponents!
.JPG)
This year I've made it a priority to only play a painted army. When I found out I was going to get a Warmachine game tonight, I had a marathon painting session to get some troopers ready to roll. You saw them in my quick tip on painting black, but I still needed to finish the fine details and the bases. I had 17 models on my tray, so I just worked on everything since they all had similar steps to them.
Unfortunately I miscalculated the points of my models and came up one short, so I will have ONE unpainted model tonight (oh, the horror!). I thought about painting it up quickly, but Gallows Groves look pretty time-intensive, and it was already 2 a.m. So here it is, the army that will summon a bunch of forests and bring some painted pain to my opponents!
.JPG)
Baldur will be leading the army alongside with his good buddy Megalith (the big dude raising the roof). The Woldwatcher (little stone guy) is there to park his high-ARM tush in the scenario and refuse to move. The 6 druids will be screening and messing with my opponent's spellcasting, while the Tharn Ravager and Lord of the Feast eat through infantry. The unpainted Gallows Grove will... well, I'm not really sure what he does other than let Baldur shoot spells through its blood-caked branches. I had an extra point, so he gets to tag along while I try to figure out how to use him.
Wish me luck tonight. I rarely win against our Cryx player, but hopefully my tricky army will catch him by surprise. Cygnar scares me because Chris likes his electricity and my army seems like it'll die to a bunch of guns and lightning. But I'm excited to figure these guys out and maybe do a test run for battle reports.
See you tomorrow!
Wish me luck tonight. I rarely win against our Cryx player, but hopefully my tricky army will catch him by surprise. Cygnar scares me because Chris likes his electricity and my army seems like it'll die to a bunch of guns and lightning. But I'm excited to figure these guys out and maybe do a test run for battle reports.
See you tomorrow!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Comfort Zone Shmomfort Zone
The weathering I did on the Kraken is one example of this. Anything that lets me use a new technique or deviate from the norm is enough to break up the occasional monotony involved in painting.
Here's a Khador jack waiting to be based. It's no secret that I am quite tired of painting red, but I was asked to do something a bit different on this Berserker, and I loved every second of it.
.JPG)
Khador is typically all red, but he asked me to do white with some red accents. I really love how it turned out (especially since I'm usually terrified of white), and it was cool to paint Khador in an alternate color scheme.
However, sometimes there are projects that really push me out of my comfort zone, and those are usually my favorites. As a rule I turn down commissions for free-hand work because the time I spend doing and redoing it (and redoing it again) usually isn't worth what I charge. But I had a Khador brother send me a photoshopped image of a paint job he wanted, and I just couldn't say no.
.JPG)
This guy's name is Torch. He has a flamethrower and a buzzsaw, and he can ruin your day. I just love the hazard stripe idea. Don't get me wrong, it took me several attempts to get the lines right, but I'm really glad I didn't say no to this. And even better, it didn't take me 8 hours like I figured it would!
I have my own Torch sitting on my "Big Tray of Khador," waiting for me to be able to cowboy up and finish the army. But after seeing this guy finished, I may just steal the idea and do hazard stripes on my own. It's just such a cool idea, and it's so fitting to what the warjack is all about.
It's also helped alleviate some of my fear of free hand. I'm still not painting the entire story of the Horus Heresy on a space marine's shoulder pad, but I'm at least comfortable painting stripes! Who knows, when I lose my first Coat of Paint BatRep I may find myself painting a kilt.
See you tomorrow!
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Painting Tips - Painting Black
From what I've seen there are two ways to approach black. One is to highlight it with it with the color produced from adding white to it - grey. The problem I find with that is that the colors become so stark that it looks like you painted grey on your model, rather than looking like a natural highlight.
The other way is to highlight with blue. I prefer this because it gives a softer contrast to black, and looks much more sleek. I thought I'd show you the style I'm working with, as well as my lazy man's way of painting black clothing on troops.
If you're new around here, you should know that I love the zenithal highlighting technique. I love the broad, natural color change it creates, and I'm finding it to be quite versatile. I'm still learning how to use it properly, but I think it's something anyone with an airbrush should learn.
Here is the model I'm painting for the winner of this month's blogging giveaway. As always, I start by priming black, then hitting it with grey at a wide and angle and white from the very top.
Then I thin down a 50:50 mix of Chaos Black and P3 Coal Black (which is more of a blue). I want it thin enough that it will let the zenithal come through, but not so thin that it wont spray smoothly across the surface. I didn't get it quite thin enough, so I went back over it with a 25:75 black:Coal Black and hit the highest spots. I then took pure Coal Black on a small brush and ran it over the sharp edges to make them stand out from the black behind them. Here's what I ended up with:
The effect could be intensified as much as you'd like without looking too goofy. I mean if it's good enough for Batman, how bad can it be? If you don't have an airbrush, get some matte medium, thin your paints down to a glaze and put on a movie or something because you may be there awhile. You could settle for only highlighting the edges, but where's the fun in taking the easy route (says the guy with an airbrush and a bag full o' shortcuts)?
The other day I returned to toying around with using zenithal combined with washes. I have a swarm of Circle Orboros models with black cloaks, so I grabbed two pots of Badab Black, close my eyes and started flinging wash everywhere. Okay not really, but after a careful application of the wash, moving heavy pigmentation in to the recesses and being sure to leave everything smooth, I'm pretty happy with the aesthetics vs. time spent. (ignore everything but the cloaks, the 15+ models aren't done yet)
For those of you struggling to get black to look right, I hope I've helped. It's not the only way to do it, but it's certainly becoming my favorite. And remember that you don't need an airbrush for the zenithal technique - just get some black/grey/white primer and you're set.
See you tomorrow!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Convergence of Cyriss - Image Breakdown
My painter's heart skipped a beat when they actually revealed several of the models in action. They talked about how the army will focus on the battlegroup (i.e. it will be the warjack faction Khador was meant to be!), and it sounds like it will rely heavy on synergy. From what I understand, the Convergence of Cyriss worships Cyriss (surprise!) The Clockwork Goddess and Maiden of Gears. The Convergence is a fringe, extremist group that's part of the Cult of Cyriss. They are cold and calculating, and the humans will stick their souls into the machines they build.
Otherwise I dig the look of these jacks. My initial reaction was that they weren't steampunk enough (I'm looking at you, Retribution), but after getting a close-up I think they really nailed it. The idea is to make them look alien compared to the rest of the coal-burning races, but they have the right amount of clockwork and gears to fit the setting. I also like how the head looks. Rather than mimicking a person, it eschews aesthetics for functionality (and looks more like GLaDOS).
The only thing of note between this and the previous one is the weapon loadout. The left hand seems to have a flail snaking out of the arm, while the right seems to have a long-range weapon. I don't see the crazy glow of an energy weapon, nor do I see much in the way of ammunition or an actual barrel for a projectile. My initial guess is that it might shoot a focused blast of force.
With Cyriss warjacks using their warcaster's MAT and RAT, I'd like to think this thing could be a versatile sniper or infantry sweeper, depending on whether the caster has a higher MAT or RAT.
This is the original picture of Will Shick's blog from today:
Maybe it's just me, but there's just too much going on for my brain to comprehend (especially since everything is made of metal!). So I thought I'd break down the unique images and see what we're working with.
Based on earlier images, this seems to be the warcaster. Looking at it, I'm reminded a sarcophagus, but with an angelic touch. . The two C-shaped appendages that pass for arms are a bit hard to make out, but I want to guess that it has a gun on the bottom and a creepy claw on the top. It's interesting that although the shape is humanoid, the arms are almost more arachnid.
I'm also really digging the light blue along with the metal. It gives everything a very cold and exact look.
Infantry is next. There's not much to say about this one, although I'm loving the shields. They look like they lock together, so I want to think they'll have Shield Wall, and possibly reach with their flails.
Their bodies still look humanoid - possibly because their minds are so used to controlling 2 legs and 2 arms, so the grunts are outfitted with the most basic of perfect, mechanical forms.
Time for some warjacks! Although I assume this has two armor-piercing melee attacks, I can't help but feel like the sculptor had bullets on the brain when making the arms.
Otherwise I dig the look of these jacks. My initial reaction was that they weren't steampunk enough (I'm looking at you, Retribution), but after getting a close-up I think they really nailed it. The idea is to make them look alien compared to the rest of the coal-burning races, but they have the right amount of clockwork and gears to fit the setting. I also like how the head looks. Rather than mimicking a person, it eschews aesthetics for functionality (and looks more like GLaDOS).
The only thing that will bother me is the legs. I don't mind the spider look, but why is the front leg just floating off the base? I imagine the idea is to make it look like it's in motion but... bleh.
Think of a discman (here's some help for those too young). Now look at the top body of this jack. Do you see it? "Metal Hot Pocket" is also an acceptable answer.
The only thing of note between this and the previous one is the weapon loadout. The left hand seems to have a flail snaking out of the arm, while the right seems to have a long-range weapon. I don't see the crazy glow of an energy weapon, nor do I see much in the way of ammunition or an actual barrel for a projectile. My initial guess is that it might shoot a focused blast of force.
With Cyriss warjacks using their warcaster's MAT and RAT, I'd like to think this thing could be a versatile sniper or infantry sweeper, depending on whether the caster has a higher MAT or RAT.
This thing just looks mean! I enjoy the humorous image of this thing shoving a buzzsaw through a ripjaw (who has a buzzsaw in its mouth). I can't make out much else of note on this - I'm not sure of those blue things on its back are meant to be decorative or functional. Perhaps a force field similar to Ret? Or could this be the faction's repair unit?
Here's another light warjack, but I'm not sure what to make of it. We saw buzzsaws, so could this thing chuck sawblades at people? I can't make out the left "arm" too well at this angle. It obviously has something forked, but what? My money is on a multitool, but time will tell. (edit: looking at it with fresh eyes, it might be something more scissor-like)
The Convergence of Cyriss will release at Lock & Load on May 31st. Are you ready to buy in to these? I was skeptical, but the idea of a jack faction is hard to resist. I'm still on the fence, but there is definitely a strong breeze making me lean to the side that makes my wallet cry.
See you tomorrow!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Charity Army - Ribbons!
As promised yesterday, here's the idea I'm working on for my Clash for a Cure donation.
Although it's not a cancer-specific event, pink tends to be the dominant color used to represent cancer. To that end, I'm going to be painting a pink Protectorate of Menoth army. However, I don't want to just paint it pink - I want it to have something unique to it.
The plan is to file the menofixes (crosses) off the models and replace them with breast cancer ribbons. For example, I'd take this:
Then I'd hack off the menofix and the end of their staves and do something like this:
That's easy enough to do, but the real challenge comes with models like this:
That's more than just hacking something off and making a ribbon from greenstuff. The fact that it bends in the middle creates a bit of a challenge that I'm trying to figure out. I want the ribbon to look perfect, but without any true experience in conversions I'm a bit leery to go all in with something important like this. I have some test models I'm experimenting with, but I can't say I'm terribly confident about pulling it off.
If not, I've decided that a nice looking army is better than a cruddy looking idea. I have a few ideas that use the ribbon shape in case Plan A doesn't work out, but I'll make sure it looks great for the event. I can't wait to get going on these models!
See you tomorrow!
Although it's not a cancer-specific event, pink tends to be the dominant color used to represent cancer. To that end, I'm going to be painting a pink Protectorate of Menoth army. However, I don't want to just paint it pink - I want it to have something unique to it.
The plan is to file the menofixes (crosses) off the models and replace them with breast cancer ribbons. For example, I'd take this:
That's easy enough to do, but the real challenge comes with models like this:
That's more than just hacking something off and making a ribbon from greenstuff. The fact that it bends in the middle creates a bit of a challenge that I'm trying to figure out. I want the ribbon to look perfect, but without any true experience in conversions I'm a bit leery to go all in with something important like this. I have some test models I'm experimenting with, but I can't say I'm terribly confident about pulling it off.
If not, I've decided that a nice looking army is better than a cruddy looking idea. I have a few ideas that use the ribbon shape in case Plan A doesn't work out, but I'll make sure it looks great for the event. I can't wait to get going on these models!
See you tomorrow!
OVERBYTES on Tropes vs. Women
Now available for viewing by all, an overall appraisal on the first episode of "Tropes vs. Women in Video Games" and it's attendant controversies.
P.S. People who continue to insist on harping about production costs are directed to THIS post.
P.S. People who continue to insist on harping about production costs are directed to THIS post.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Clash for a Cure
As some of you may remember, I've been excited about a big charity event I'll be taking part in this year. I've been talking to Richard Courtney, the man who heads up Clash for a Cure. He graciously agreed to take time to answer a few questions, and his answers were so good I'm just going to give you the Q&A.
-What is Clash for a Cure?
Clash for a Cure is a Warmachine/Hordes and Malifaux weekend long event that benefits the American Cancer Society. It is scheduled for September 27-29, 2013 in Waco Texas.
-How did it begin? What initially motivated you to start this event?
Clash started a few years ago when I went to a charity event in south Texas. Driving back, I kept thinking that there were so many things that could be “tweeked” to make it even more awesome. After a year of thinking about it, I finally pulled the trigger.
-How much has the event raised for the American Cancer Society so far?
So far, the total has been over $5000.
-Why only WarmaHordes and Malifaux? I'm sure many wonder why Warhammer 40k isn't featured.
Really, it’s more just personal taste. I played 40K and and Fantasy for years before converting to Privateer. The change was a choice I made years ago. I like to think of it as a crossroads in which I made the turn to Privateer. I still look over at the GW games and think that I love the models, I just made a choice and I have stuck with it. Malifaux was added in Clash’s second year, mainly because...well I am a Henchman for Wyrd, so I couldn’t leave it out!
-Who helps you run something like this?
The first year, I was the Lone Ranger. Mainly due to my OCD! I had help from my local group, but I kept almost all of my planning and machinations to myself. After it’s success, I realized that I truly needed help. Luckily, I had a great friend that I asked to help and he dove in head first. That would be jimmy Gollihar, the Quadfather. Couldn’t have done it without him! Also last year, Rob “Terarin” Strohmeyer kind of jumped in at the end and helped run the show with a few less “bumps”. Of course Clash’s event staff (which gets bigger every year) all pitch in to make the event.
-How many years has it been going? How have you seen the event change and improve over the years?
This will be the third year. In 2011, we capped out at 42 players. We “capped out” because that was all of the room we had! We moved venues the second year, which gave us more room and brought us up to 56 players. We have teamed up with WaCon this year (brand new convention in Waco Texas) which has doubled our space! It’s really exciting! Also, with our first year of petitioning, we were able to secure an Alternate Warmachine Weekend Invitational spot which we hope will draw a couple of more bodies to the event!
-How much work goes in to an event like this? How long have you been working on this year's event?
In the past two years, work actually began in April of each year, all the way to showtime. This year, even though the plan was April, Jimmy and I found ourselves talking about 2013 in December! Just things that we wanted to change up here and there, what we could do for more terrain, painters for the raffle, etc. Finally in January we really stopped the pretense of waiting for April and jumped in with both feet!
-What has the reaction been like from the gaming community? Have you had any non-wargamers support Clash?
From the Texas scene...it has been phenomenal! We are still working on outside of Texas, but I already have people from out of the state emailing me and asking about it. It’s hard to really bust out. My original intention was never to compete with the “big boys” like Templecon, Adepticon, Warmachine Weekend, etc. Momentum is building though. Maybe in 10 years...? Who knows?
As for non-wargamers, the support has been pretty awesome. I have had sponsors from around the world throw in their support as well.
-Cancer is something personal and emotional to a lot of people. Have people who have experienced cancer in some way been supportive of the event?
It’s funny you should mention that. Cancer is such a devastating disease. A lot of my sponsors have responded with emails showing support while mentioning that family members have been ravaged by the disease. Also, a lot of players. I had a friend who I had been out of contact with for a while show up and tell me that his father had gone through a massive struggle with cancer and was ecstatic that I had organized an event like Clash. I use Bartertown.com a lot to acquire models for the raffle and have had lots of people message me and ask if I was using the model for Clash...and then just donate it instead of selling it to me. The wargaming community is a rather charitable one when it all is said and done.
-What could people expect if they were to attend? Events, raffles, etc?
First and foremost, three days of solid hardcore gaming! I have a tenative “painting” guest lined up for 2013, but I have to keep those details a little close until things are more settled. One of the big things that Clash has been famous for is the Charity Raffle. I manage to convince painters from all over the world to donate their time and paint up some awesome models and armies for the cause. In the past years, I have had people like Meg Maples (PPS_Meg), Tom Schadle (Commander Y), Jordan Lewis (PG_Aterdaeus), Nick Curtis (PG_Pszito), Adam Huenecke (p0pgoestheworld), Ali McVey, Eric Festa (Col. Festus), Tyson koch, Arithron1, Chest of Colors Studio, Golem Studio, Brant Benoit (PG_Ghool), Steve Garcia (PG_Torkathor),Garden Ninja Studios, CLoudfang, GMM Studios, and a host of others. This year is shaping up already with several full armies in the line up!
-Is there anything you'd like to add to Clash in the future?
Right now, I would have to say no. Of course I would like to change up the actual tournament formats and such. The logistics of running a Who’s the Boss event are crazy, but I think we have actually got those ironed out right now. Having 130 painted casters is mind-numbing, but a lot of Press Gangers have vounteered to help us get them up to speed. Still waiting for some of the new Gargantuan book caster to come out, plus who knows what Cyriss is going to bring...
Of course with something new...everything is subject to change.
-Any favorite memories from previous events?
Far too many to even think about writing out!
-Where can people find out more info on the event? In what ways can people contribute?
We are slowly rebuilding the website and it is slow-going right now. The website is www.clashforacure.org. The best way right now to find information is our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ClashForACure . We have found that our best gauge of interest is Facebook. We use it to show potential sponsors our fanbase, so anyone interested, please go to it and hit the like button! As for contributions, anything is appreciated! With our recent growth, we always can use models or terrain. Anyone interested in contributing can email me at rich@clashforacure.org .
Special thanks to Bitzjunkie for his graphics work!
---
And there you have it! I encourage you to get involved in any way you can, even if you aren't a gamer. Rich has a ridiculous amount of passion for this event, and I'm so excited to take part this year. Tomorrow I'll let you know what I plan to do for my donation.
See you tomorrow!
-What is Clash for a Cure?
Clash for a Cure is a Warmachine/Hordes and Malifaux weekend long event that benefits the American Cancer Society. It is scheduled for September 27-29, 2013 in Waco Texas.
-How did it begin? What initially motivated you to start this event?
Clash started a few years ago when I went to a charity event in south Texas. Driving back, I kept thinking that there were so many things that could be “tweeked” to make it even more awesome. After a year of thinking about it, I finally pulled the trigger.
-How much has the event raised for the American Cancer Society so far?
So far, the total has been over $5000.
-Why only WarmaHordes and Malifaux? I'm sure many wonder why Warhammer 40k isn't featured.
Really, it’s more just personal taste. I played 40K and and Fantasy for years before converting to Privateer. The change was a choice I made years ago. I like to think of it as a crossroads in which I made the turn to Privateer. I still look over at the GW games and think that I love the models, I just made a choice and I have stuck with it. Malifaux was added in Clash’s second year, mainly because...well I am a Henchman for Wyrd, so I couldn’t leave it out!
-Who helps you run something like this?
The first year, I was the Lone Ranger. Mainly due to my OCD! I had help from my local group, but I kept almost all of my planning and machinations to myself. After it’s success, I realized that I truly needed help. Luckily, I had a great friend that I asked to help and he dove in head first. That would be jimmy Gollihar, the Quadfather. Couldn’t have done it without him! Also last year, Rob “Terarin” Strohmeyer kind of jumped in at the end and helped run the show with a few less “bumps”. Of course Clash’s event staff (which gets bigger every year) all pitch in to make the event.
-How many years has it been going? How have you seen the event change and improve over the years?
This will be the third year. In 2011, we capped out at 42 players. We “capped out” because that was all of the room we had! We moved venues the second year, which gave us more room and brought us up to 56 players. We have teamed up with WaCon this year (brand new convention in Waco Texas) which has doubled our space! It’s really exciting! Also, with our first year of petitioning, we were able to secure an Alternate Warmachine Weekend Invitational spot which we hope will draw a couple of more bodies to the event!
-How much work goes in to an event like this? How long have you been working on this year's event?
In the past two years, work actually began in April of each year, all the way to showtime. This year, even though the plan was April, Jimmy and I found ourselves talking about 2013 in December! Just things that we wanted to change up here and there, what we could do for more terrain, painters for the raffle, etc. Finally in January we really stopped the pretense of waiting for April and jumped in with both feet!
-What has the reaction been like from the gaming community? Have you had any non-wargamers support Clash?
From the Texas scene...it has been phenomenal! We are still working on outside of Texas, but I already have people from out of the state emailing me and asking about it. It’s hard to really bust out. My original intention was never to compete with the “big boys” like Templecon, Adepticon, Warmachine Weekend, etc. Momentum is building though. Maybe in 10 years...? Who knows?
As for non-wargamers, the support has been pretty awesome. I have had sponsors from around the world throw in their support as well.
-Cancer is something personal and emotional to a lot of people. Have people who have experienced cancer in some way been supportive of the event?
It’s funny you should mention that. Cancer is such a devastating disease. A lot of my sponsors have responded with emails showing support while mentioning that family members have been ravaged by the disease. Also, a lot of players. I had a friend who I had been out of contact with for a while show up and tell me that his father had gone through a massive struggle with cancer and was ecstatic that I had organized an event like Clash. I use Bartertown.com a lot to acquire models for the raffle and have had lots of people message me and ask if I was using the model for Clash...and then just donate it instead of selling it to me. The wargaming community is a rather charitable one when it all is said and done.
-What could people expect if they were to attend? Events, raffles, etc?
First and foremost, three days of solid hardcore gaming! I have a tenative “painting” guest lined up for 2013, but I have to keep those details a little close until things are more settled. One of the big things that Clash has been famous for is the Charity Raffle. I manage to convince painters from all over the world to donate their time and paint up some awesome models and armies for the cause. In the past years, I have had people like Meg Maples (PPS_Meg), Tom Schadle (Commander Y), Jordan Lewis (PG_Aterdaeus), Nick Curtis (PG_Pszito), Adam Huenecke (p0pgoestheworld), Ali McVey, Eric Festa (Col. Festus), Tyson koch, Arithron1, Chest of Colors Studio, Golem Studio, Brant Benoit (PG_Ghool), Steve Garcia (PG_Torkathor),Garden Ninja Studios, CLoudfang, GMM Studios, and a host of others. This year is shaping up already with several full armies in the line up!
-Is there anything you'd like to add to Clash in the future?
Right now, I would have to say no. Of course I would like to change up the actual tournament formats and such. The logistics of running a Who’s the Boss event are crazy, but I think we have actually got those ironed out right now. Having 130 painted casters is mind-numbing, but a lot of Press Gangers have vounteered to help us get them up to speed. Still waiting for some of the new Gargantuan book caster to come out, plus who knows what Cyriss is going to bring...
Of course with something new...everything is subject to change.
-Any favorite memories from previous events?
Far too many to even think about writing out!
-Where can people find out more info on the event? In what ways can people contribute?
We are slowly rebuilding the website and it is slow-going right now. The website is www.clashforacure.org. The best way right now to find information is our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ClashForACure . We have found that our best gauge of interest is Facebook. We use it to show potential sponsors our fanbase, so anyone interested, please go to it and hit the like button! As for contributions, anything is appreciated! With our recent growth, we always can use models or terrain. Anyone interested in contributing can email me at rich@clashforacure.org .
Special thanks to Bitzjunkie for his graphics work!
---
And there you have it! I encourage you to get involved in any way you can, even if you aren't a gamer. Rich has a ridiculous amount of passion for this event, and I'm so excited to take part this year. Tomorrow I'll let you know what I plan to do for my donation.
See you tomorrow!
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Is WAAC Wack? Pt 3 "Finding Balance"
In part 1 I discussed my tendency toward being a casual player, and what I've found wrong with that. In part 2 I confessed how extreme my WAAC attempts took me. In this final post, I'd like to talk about the balance I've tried to find.
After writing my first article, I posted it in a few game forums I'm a part of. As I've watched the community share their opinions, I've been overwhelmed by the great feedback I've received. I know this is probably going to be a hotly-debated topic for as long as gaming exists, and in hindsight I realize I blindly entered in to this using some loaded terms, but I want to genuinely thank you all for the public and personal feedback I've received. Not everyone agreed, but I've seen nothing but intelligent, thoughtful discourse on this subject.
A Game Without Definition
Now then, how do two ends of the spectrum peacefully coexist? In the past I've seen people suggest only playing with those who fit your playstyle. Objectively, that's great. But often times we gamers are spread pretty thin, and you have to take what you can get. That may mean that you're a casual player trying to relax in a group of 5 other competitive players, or a competitive player trying to play a tight, by-the-rules game in a group of people who are loose with the rules because they aren't "in it to win it."
No one wants to make themselves a pariah by stamping their feet and saying "if you won't play how I want to then I'm going home!" but it's also difficult to play a mutually enjoyable game with someone who isn't on the same page as you. It's like being in a relationship with a terrible person because the only alternative is to be alone. You aren't happy, but what can you do?
The easy answer is to talk to your opponent and let them know what you're looking for, sort of like "eHarmony - Gamer Edition."
Casual gamer seeks opponent for friendly game. No overpowered lists or broken models/cards. Must be willing to have fun and relax. Owning your own dice is a plus.
On paper that sounds ideal to most people. Who doesn't want a friendly game that's relaxing and fun? Some people may not like having to leave their tournament-winning lists at home, but it's not anything deal-breaking. However, I fear that this is where the idea of simple communication breaks down.
Let's say I agree to an ambiguously casual game of Magic with a friend. He sits down and grabs a random deck from his big box o' decks. He opens it up and sees it's a Patriarch's Bidding/Zombie deck he'd made after a George Romero marathon. The deck has approximately $50 worth of cards.
I sit down with an untested Blue/White control deck deck that I'd been thinking about for awhile. I know it's still very rough, but I think that after a lot of testing it could do well in the local tournament scene. It certainly isn't going to win any tournaments yet, but it should work well enough against any casual deck. I'm probably carrying about $300 worth of cards in my deck.
To my friend, the idea of a casual game is bringing a deck whose biggest chance of winning is pulling off a hard-to-hit combo that requires a lot of setup with plenty of room for error. But when he hits it, it's awesome. To me, it's hanging out with a buddy and analyzing how the deck is performing and figuring out what tweaks need to be done to make it competitive. If we were only playing one game, I'm sure we'd both have fun. He might pull off his combo and beat me, or he might get several zombies on the field and make a joke about how they're going to eat my Snapcaster Mage's brain.
But let's say we play several games that day, and we continue this once a week for several years. He keeps bringing fun decks with improbable odds of winning while I keep tweaking competitive decks or bring new ones to try out. He will grow bored because my decks aren't matching his in creativity, while I will grow bored because my decks aren't being challenged after one or two tweaks. We'll still get together and play because we're friends, but neither of us are getting the games we want.
This all happens because there's no objective definition for "casual." Casual is a preference with no absolute way of determining what does and does not fit. If you thoroughly interview me and four other 27 year old males living in Iowa, you'll get very different definitions. That's because I have 27 years of history that has shaped how I translate something as simple as a casual game.
Then take someone who grew up in a household that pushed (and rewarded) success. They might have become wired to link success with enjoyment. To them, a game may only be enjoyable when they're pushing themselves to their mental limit, bringing the strongest and most synergistic list possible to try and outmaneuver their opponent. Or conversely, they may approach gaming as a way to get away from the pressure of succeeding and only play to throw some dice and push some pewter miniatures around on a table. There's simply no way to tell!
So Then... WAAC Is the Answer?
The point of that absurdly-lengthy example isn't to knock the casual crowd. However, agreeing to a game with no fixed boundaries will often leave one party frustrated. But is the opposite much better?
[First, let me define what WAAC should be. It's not about cheating to win, but about doing what you can within the confines of the rules to win the game. If it would get you disqualified, don't do it even if your opponent won't know. Play with decency, but if it's fully within the rules, then it's allowed.]
I believe the answer to this depends on the game system. Let me preface this by saying that my major gaming knowledge (not skill) goes in this order:
After writing my first article, I posted it in a few game forums I'm a part of. As I've watched the community share their opinions, I've been overwhelmed by the great feedback I've received. I know this is probably going to be a hotly-debated topic for as long as gaming exists, and in hindsight I realize I blindly entered in to this using some loaded terms, but I want to genuinely thank you all for the public and personal feedback I've received. Not everyone agreed, but I've seen nothing but intelligent, thoughtful discourse on this subject.
A Game Without Definition
Now then, how do two ends of the spectrum peacefully coexist? In the past I've seen people suggest only playing with those who fit your playstyle. Objectively, that's great. But often times we gamers are spread pretty thin, and you have to take what you can get. That may mean that you're a casual player trying to relax in a group of 5 other competitive players, or a competitive player trying to play a tight, by-the-rules game in a group of people who are loose with the rules because they aren't "in it to win it."
No one wants to make themselves a pariah by stamping their feet and saying "if you won't play how I want to then I'm going home!" but it's also difficult to play a mutually enjoyable game with someone who isn't on the same page as you. It's like being in a relationship with a terrible person because the only alternative is to be alone. You aren't happy, but what can you do?
The easy answer is to talk to your opponent and let them know what you're looking for, sort of like "eHarmony - Gamer Edition."
Casual gamer seeks opponent for friendly game. No overpowered lists or broken models/cards. Must be willing to have fun and relax. Owning your own dice is a plus.
On paper that sounds ideal to most people. Who doesn't want a friendly game that's relaxing and fun? Some people may not like having to leave their tournament-winning lists at home, but it's not anything deal-breaking. However, I fear that this is where the idea of simple communication breaks down.
Let's say I agree to an ambiguously casual game of Magic with a friend. He sits down and grabs a random deck from his big box o' decks. He opens it up and sees it's a Patriarch's Bidding/Zombie deck he'd made after a George Romero marathon. The deck has approximately $50 worth of cards.
I sit down with an untested Blue/White control deck deck that I'd been thinking about for awhile. I know it's still very rough, but I think that after a lot of testing it could do well in the local tournament scene. It certainly isn't going to win any tournaments yet, but it should work well enough against any casual deck. I'm probably carrying about $300 worth of cards in my deck.
To my friend, the idea of a casual game is bringing a deck whose biggest chance of winning is pulling off a hard-to-hit combo that requires a lot of setup with plenty of room for error. But when he hits it, it's awesome. To me, it's hanging out with a buddy and analyzing how the deck is performing and figuring out what tweaks need to be done to make it competitive. If we were only playing one game, I'm sure we'd both have fun. He might pull off his combo and beat me, or he might get several zombies on the field and make a joke about how they're going to eat my Snapcaster Mage's brain.
But let's say we play several games that day, and we continue this once a week for several years. He keeps bringing fun decks with improbable odds of winning while I keep tweaking competitive decks or bring new ones to try out. He will grow bored because my decks aren't matching his in creativity, while I will grow bored because my decks aren't being challenged after one or two tweaks. We'll still get together and play because we're friends, but neither of us are getting the games we want.
This all happens because there's no objective definition for "casual." Casual is a preference with no absolute way of determining what does and does not fit. If you thoroughly interview me and four other 27 year old males living in Iowa, you'll get very different definitions. That's because I have 27 years of history that has shaped how I translate something as simple as a casual game.
Then take someone who grew up in a household that pushed (and rewarded) success. They might have become wired to link success with enjoyment. To them, a game may only be enjoyable when they're pushing themselves to their mental limit, bringing the strongest and most synergistic list possible to try and outmaneuver their opponent. Or conversely, they may approach gaming as a way to get away from the pressure of succeeding and only play to throw some dice and push some pewter miniatures around on a table. There's simply no way to tell!
So Then... WAAC Is the Answer?
The point of that absurdly-lengthy example isn't to knock the casual crowd. However, agreeing to a game with no fixed boundaries will often leave one party frustrated. But is the opposite much better?
[First, let me define what WAAC should be. It's not about cheating to win, but about doing what you can within the confines of the rules to win the game. If it would get you disqualified, don't do it even if your opponent won't know. Play with decency, but if it's fully within the rules, then it's allowed.]
I believe the answer to this depends on the game system. Let me preface this by saying that my major gaming knowledge (not skill) goes in this order:
- Warmachine
- Magic
- Yu-Gi-Oh (don't hate me)
- 40k
Assuming I'm equally skilled in all games, this is what I believe would happen if I were to play these using the absolute best list against an equally-skilled opponent's best, vs. using what others might consider sub-par vs. an opponent's best list.
Warmachine: I love Warmachine for its balance. In a competitive environment, there's no telling who will win. Out of the 11 factions to choose from (if you count Minions), only 2 seem to be considered unsupported enough to be competitive. So it should be no surprise that if I were to bring my 3 best Khador lists against an opponent's 3 best Cygnar/Skorne/Circle/etc, the game wouldn't be decided before the first dice are rolled. Granted some matchups may be more difficult than others, but no one army can dominate the game because no one has answers for it.
Bringing something subpar (say a battlebox and some decent infantry) will be an uphill battle, but is in no way unwinnable with good list building. I believe it was the guys from Muse On Minis who said that it's not about what you bring, but what you do with it. So in Warmachine, as long as you're both pushing yourselves to play a clean game, you'll both have a good time and be challenged.
Warmachine: I love Warmachine for its balance. In a competitive environment, there's no telling who will win. Out of the 11 factions to choose from (if you count Minions), only 2 seem to be considered unsupported enough to be competitive. So it should be no surprise that if I were to bring my 3 best Khador lists against an opponent's 3 best Cygnar/Skorne/Circle/etc, the game wouldn't be decided before the first dice are rolled. Granted some matchups may be more difficult than others, but no one army can dominate the game because no one has answers for it.
Bringing something subpar (say a battlebox and some decent infantry) will be an uphill battle, but is in no way unwinnable with good list building. I believe it was the guys from Muse On Minis who said that it's not about what you bring, but what you do with it. So in Warmachine, as long as you're both pushing yourselves to play a clean game, you'll both have a good time and be challenged.
Magic: Depending on the format you're playing, your access to competitive decks may range from 3 or 4 good ones to 10 or 20 good ones. There may be one that is hands-down the best in a given format, but several can be considered top-tier, tournament-winning decks. And within those decks there's often room for some variation. Often times they'll be the same core deck, but not everyone will have the same "copy/paste" deck that I'll discuss next. So two players bringing their A game will usually stand an equal chance of winning without one decimating the other.
And as I discussed earlier, if I bring a deck built for fun against one made to work flawlessly, there's no question what will happen.
Yu-Gi-Oh: Here's an example of a game that was not made for creativity when I played it. Years ago, you had two types of decks. You had several theme decks that kids would see on the show and want to emulate, and then you had one deck that everyone had to copy if they wanted to stand a chance of winning even a local tournament. If I brought my best against an opponent's best, it would always be a mirror match.
And if I brought my fun deck against an opponent's, it wouldn't be like Magic where I could have some fun every few games. I'd lose every time without even being given a chance to attempt to challenge my opponent.
40k: I will be up front and say that I can only speak on this based on a year of lurking on various 40k forums and blogs. I won't offer an opinion based on experience, but on that dangerous sort of knowledge based on second-hand knowledge. If you want a fantastic write-up, you owe it to yourself to read this blog post from Pins of War. To sum it up though, 40k is the antithesis of Warmachine.
Yu-Gi-Oh: Here's an example of a game that was not made for creativity when I played it. Years ago, you had two types of decks. You had several theme decks that kids would see on the show and want to emulate, and then you had one deck that everyone had to copy if they wanted to stand a chance of winning even a local tournament. If I brought my best against an opponent's best, it would always be a mirror match.
And if I brought my fun deck against an opponent's, it wouldn't be like Magic where I could have some fun every few games. I'd lose every time without even being given a chance to attempt to challenge my opponent.
40k: I will be up front and say that I can only speak on this based on a year of lurking on various 40k forums and blogs. I won't offer an opinion based on experience, but on that dangerous sort of knowledge based on second-hand knowledge. If you want a fantastic write-up, you owe it to yourself to read this blog post from Pins of War. To sum it up though, 40k is the antithesis of Warmachine.
While Warmachine rewards you for bringing good over bad (and what game doesn't?), 40k's games seem to be decided based on 1) what army you've purchased 2) whether Games Workshop has recently released a new codex (set of rules) for them, and 3) what list you build with that codex. Unfortunately, all of this happens before dice hit the table. If you have two people in a tournament environment trying to win, the game seems to devolve to a YuGiOh-like situation.
On the bright side, 40k seems to thrive as a "casual game." While still difficult to pin down what casual means, if you have two people who aren't building their lists to obliterate the enemy in two turns, it seems possible to have a fun game.
So while WAAC seems to be easier to define, it does run the risk of limiting your options if you know your opponent will always bring a powerhouse list. Games played for fun are supposed to be fun, and only being able to bring a small percentage of cards/models in order to be competitive... well, sucks.
Finding the Balance (Finally!)
So if you can't define casual, and you can't play whatever you want and win, is WAAC the only thing left? To be honest, I don't think there is an final conclusion I can reach, but I think if you define what it is you want out of your game time it will get you closer to finding your own answer.
Gaming communities are often too small to allow people to find decent-sized group of players with similar playstyles, and who they actually enjoy being around. I think it's important to decide if you want people who are on the same page as you in the real world, or in the game. Sometimes you can get lucky and find both, but since I'm generalizing I'm going to say that it's important to decide what you want and go find it.
I'll use myself as an example. I really want to get good at Warmachine. I listen to podcasts, watch battle reports, read tactica, etc. I have no desires to be a tournament player simply because I don't have time, but when I start doing my Coat of Paint Battle Reports (TL;DR battle reports where I paint a model for the winner) I want my games to be worth watching. I have a handful of people who will give me the sort of matches that will push me to my limits, but for the most part my group is pretty relaxed about their games.
That gives me two choices. I can use my one free night to go hang out with friends and maybe play a game or two, or I can go to my local shop and play with the tournament-calibre guys from Muse on Minis and the skilled players they've helped create. People in my group have become some of my best friends, so I choose to focus on the social aspect of gaming. I accept that competitive gaming will be a rarity for me, but finally knowing what I want out of gaming (games with friends, competitive if they're up for it) helps keep me grounded and willing to play any style of game.
However, I think I have it easier than those who identify themselves as "casual" simply because the games I'm looking for are more easily defined. If I say I want a competitive game that follows the rules, has exact measuring, etc., then my opponent knows what to expect. They may still struggle because of skill or their access to certain models, but at least they know what they're getting in to. But I also know that if I keep asking casual players for a competitive game, I'll soon only be left with 1 or 2 people who enjoy those games. So as with any friendship, I too need to be willing to play their preference and try to play an even, relaxed game.
But Only When Winning Doesn't Matter
All of this is based on the assumption that you're just playing games with friends. If your focus is on tournament play, then you need to find people with that same passion. Trying to encourage friends to be competitive is great, but if they aren't that type of player then it may be best to abandon the social aspect of gaming for the competitive side. You will probably find jerks you don't get along with, but just remember that they are in your life to make you a better player, not for you to invite out to lunch. As long as your focus is on the game, not the person, I think it will be a bit easier to deal with.
That gives me two choices. I can use my one free night to go hang out with friends and maybe play a game or two, or I can go to my local shop and play with the tournament-calibre guys from Muse on Minis and the skilled players they've helped create. People in my group have become some of my best friends, so I choose to focus on the social aspect of gaming. I accept that competitive gaming will be a rarity for me, but finally knowing what I want out of gaming (games with friends, competitive if they're up for it) helps keep me grounded and willing to play any style of game.
However, I think I have it easier than those who identify themselves as "casual" simply because the games I'm looking for are more easily defined. If I say I want a competitive game that follows the rules, has exact measuring, etc., then my opponent knows what to expect. They may still struggle because of skill or their access to certain models, but at least they know what they're getting in to. But I also know that if I keep asking casual players for a competitive game, I'll soon only be left with 1 or 2 people who enjoy those games. So as with any friendship, I too need to be willing to play their preference and try to play an even, relaxed game.
But Only When Winning Doesn't Matter
All of this is based on the assumption that you're just playing games with friends. If your focus is on tournament play, then you need to find people with that same passion. Trying to encourage friends to be competitive is great, but if they aren't that type of player then it may be best to abandon the social aspect of gaming for the competitive side. You will probably find jerks you don't get along with, but just remember that they are in your life to make you a better player, not for you to invite out to lunch. As long as your focus is on the game, not the person, I think it will be a bit easier to deal with.
Thanks and Such
And that's been my journey in gaming. I started casual and boring, I went WAAC and crazy, and now I think I've settled somewhere in the middle. Thanks to all of you who have given me so much to think about as I've written these. This certainly isn't where I'm planning to settle - who knows, a year from now I may have a completely different point of view on the subject I've spent all this time writing about! I'm human, and my opinion is prone to change as life shapes who I am.
If nothing else, I hope we can all be a bit more accepting of those with a different style than our own. Whatever game we play, our opponent is sitting across from us because we share a similar interest. So let's communicate, be open-minded, and give them the very best game we can!
More Where That Came From
If nothing else, I hope we can all be a bit more accepting of those with a different style than our own. Whatever game we play, our opponent is sitting across from us because we share a similar interest. So let's communicate, be open-minded, and give them the very best game we can!
More Where That Came From
For those who don't know, I committed myself to writing a gaming-related blog post every day for an entire year. They aren't all essays, I promise! I love sharing my interests with like-minded people, and blogging has been an excellent way to keep me connected with other gamers. If you want to join me on this year-long journey (and get in on my monthly giveaways!) be sure to like my Facebook page where I link my daily blog post.
See you tomorrow!
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