John McCain Just Rolled A Crit! A Natural One, That Is…
Via Kevin Poulsen on Wired’s Threat Level:
Confronting questions about whether John McCain stole an inspiring POW story from the autobiography of a former Soviet prisoner, a campaign spokesman threw out this melee attack against a much-maligned geek pastime:
“It may be typical of the pro-Obama Dungeons & Dragons crowd to disparage a fellow countryman’s memory of war from the comfort of mom’s basement,” said McCain aide Michael Goldfarb, in a posting to the campaign website. “But most Americans have the humility and gratitude to respect and learn from the memories of men who suffered on behalf of others.”
Ouch. I’d take offense, but I have a saving-throw to make, and the dim light in this basement is making it hard to see the D20.
Wow. A natural one.
He goes on to get the party started by asking people to stat out the McCain monster in DND terms. Well worth reading.
Read MoreEpisode III:A Fistfull of Fumbles
14-18th of Flamerule, 1360 DR
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DM’s Note: This was an evening sent directly from the Abyss. No less than 13 natural ones were rolled by the four players over the course of this single, four hour game. Thirteen Critical Failures. That has to be some kind of record. The Dice Gods must be propitiated…. |
After collecting Dr. Gryff the valiant band venture through the tunnel in the Black Fly’s root cellar. After about 80′ they come out in the woods above the town. A slightly worn path leads deeper into the forest, supposedly there is a wide vertical shaft that leads to the spider caves in about five miles or so.
As the party trudge through the damp woods Lemmy catches a sound on the wind. A sound of gibbering insanity that clouds his thinking and perception. he draws True Will and strikes at Violetta and misses. As she leaps away he aims another swing at Henry slashing him deeply. The sound becomes audible to everyone, and Violetta hastens to change her tune to a countersong fighting it. As she does so a thick stream of viscous green fluid arcs from the foliage and hits Lemmy in the eyes. Lemmy howls in pain as Hissarmau shouts, “Look out, its a gibbering mouther!”
Read MoreWizards of the Coast: Taking the Dungeon and Dragon out of Dungeons and Dragons
FWIW, I think the yanking of the licenses from Piazo is merely the latest in a long line of errors of judgement by WotC. This one hurts not only Wizards but the whole of the RPG hobby, as it removes the two best known periodicals from magazine stands, and from the hands of devoted 3E fans.
What a great way to maintain consumer loyalty and build the base of RPG fans. – Gary Gygax
If the magazines were doing poorly, WotC wouldn’t care if Paizo put out others. No, it’s just the opposite. They’re doing well, and likely WotC products–probably specifically adventures–aren’t doing as well as WotC wants. There’s been some loud voices at WotC crying that Dragon and Dungeon (particularly Dungeon) are too good a value. They’re too good for the customer, and smart customers buy them rather than regular products. This was true when WotC put out the magazines, and it’s been true under the Paizo banner as well. I’m guessing declining sales gave these voices the evidence they needed to axe the magazines. – Monte Cook
Read MoreAnother WOTC Tombstone
Wizards of the Coast were not happy with cancelling Dungeon and Dragon magazines. They have just killed Dragonlance too:
http://www.dragonlance.com/features/articles/10040.aspx
Now I always thought Dragonlance was basically crap. No offense to fans of the setting, just not my cup of tea. Even so this piles on thick and fast with the cancellation of dragon and of Dungeon. Are we finally hitting the point where Hasbro’s bean counters are making the calls (as many have feared since they gobbled up WOTC), or are we reaching another point of diminishing returns like TSR did before WOTC bought them? Either way it does not seem to bode well for D&D or its players.
ब्लडी हेल मैत्री, यू दीद थिस दिद्न्त यू ??
Read MoreDragon, Dungeon, RIP
April 19, 2007 (BELLEVUE, Wash.) – Paizo Publishing and Wizards of the Coast today announced the conclusion of Paizo’s license to produce DRAGON and DUNGEON magazines effective September 2007. Publication of DRAGON and DUNGEON will cease with issues number 359 and 150, respectively.
“Today the internet is where people go to get this kind of information,” said Scott Rouse, Senior Brand Manager of Dungeons & Dragons®, Wizards of the Coast. “By moving to an online model we are using a delivery system that broadens our reach to fans around the world. Paizo has been a great partner to us over the last several years. We wish them well on their future endeavors.”
This is horrible. I have no intention of supporting paid “internet only,” content. Its a slap in the face to gamers across the board, both those with no net access and to the rest of us. The ill will is already spreading across the internet, I have seen multiple postings on a variety of e-lists (mostly WOTC official ones), LiveJournals, etc. I think the backlash from this will surprise the powers that be over at Hasbro.
I started reading and buying Dragon back at issue #40, and despite the prodigous amount of game materials I have purchased over the years would daresay that I have spent as much on Dragon as I have on other game supplements, and to much greater overall effect. I also think, as a technologist and proponent of internet based promotion, publication, etc that they are making a huge misstep here. Even with widespread wireless you cannot easily take your latop on the bus to read, or anyplace else that a computer in inconvenient. Some things are meant to be on paper (without having to spend more money and hassle printing them yourself) .
I chalk this up to a bad decision by people (as usual) who have no understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the digital medium and tabletop gaming. Many RPG gamers do not actually play video games, I know because I am one of them. Pushing us into a conrner where having a computer is needed to aquire and utilize the new content is a mistake. A big mistake. As a game designer I am also quite displeased to see another forum for my work disappearing.
It is enough to make me seriously reconsider any purchases of WOTC materials in the future. I have suported them in many ways since they took over TSR, especially when they brought in the open source mentality of the Linux crowd to make the OGL and d20 licenses. This, however, is the senseless eradication of the most successful gaming magazine out there, one that has been a stepping stone for the career of many a designer as well as an endless fount of material for the overworked GM. Like many out there, it does not endear them to me.
Damn.
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