Yes you heard that right.
I have a twitter account. So if you want to see what I am reading for the ENnies, writing for games, eating for dinner or watching on tv follow me. Or you can tweet me questions or just say hi!
I am @NachoPKB.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Crafting a game
Crafting a good game takes lots of time. I want to make sure that if I am running I have key plot points to put in somewhere that will result in closure at the end.
I took a class in screen writing, so if I am running a known NPC, I am a little anal on how to speak like them. I try to pre-write any evil monologues, just because they are important times in the story where the focus is on that character. (I can always tailor them later.) Lately I have been preparing two games. The first is an ICON's game where the players are all villains trying to get the evilympic games to bring their show to the fictional town from Phineas and Ferb. I do this because I love Heinz Doofinshmirtz. Seriously.
He has a fun and kiddish villain way about him. Everything is an -inator, and everything cures some minor annoyance in his life. An example of his dialogue is, "Ahh Perry the Platypus, as always your timing is impeccable. And by that I mean... completely peckable!"
I am also preparing a DC Adventures game with the likes of Ra's Al Ghoul and the League of Assassins. Here, Ra's is very well spoken. He is very educated and very exact in his phrasing. "Humankind must be forced to serve the planet instead of it's own appetites." On the other hand I also have another villain who is not as reserved in the wings of this game who has the exact opposite character, juvenile and punny.
It is important to me, because I think that dialogue helps players jump into character, especially in one shots, where there is not as much time.
Another thing that I do to prep is make sure I have what the characters need to know. For the DCA game, this is in the form of Dossiers that look like what the Justice League computer may show or a file Batman would have in the Batcave. This way the players have all the information that they can have and it allows for a break while reviewing is going on.
But most importantly, I look at the ways a game can go and plan accordingly. Even if none of the routes are taken, I can pull elements from them to still reach the end result if I need to. Usually I am very good at coming up with game plot on the fly, but it is still nice to have that sense of security. Almost like Linus' blanket... almost.
Anyway... enough of my rambling. Have a great weekend!
*** A note to our friends in the DC Area... DC Game Day is upon us. Sign ups are tonight!
I took a class in screen writing, so if I am running a known NPC, I am a little anal on how to speak like them. I try to pre-write any evil monologues, just because they are important times in the story where the focus is on that character. (I can always tailor them later.) Lately I have been preparing two games. The first is an ICON's game where the players are all villains trying to get the evilympic games to bring their show to the fictional town from Phineas and Ferb. I do this because I love Heinz Doofinshmirtz. Seriously.
He has a fun and kiddish villain way about him. Everything is an -inator, and everything cures some minor annoyance in his life. An example of his dialogue is, "Ahh Perry the Platypus, as always your timing is impeccable. And by that I mean... completely peckable!"
I am also preparing a DC Adventures game with the likes of Ra's Al Ghoul and the League of Assassins. Here, Ra's is very well spoken. He is very educated and very exact in his phrasing. "Humankind must be forced to serve the planet instead of it's own appetites." On the other hand I also have another villain who is not as reserved in the wings of this game who has the exact opposite character, juvenile and punny.
It is important to me, because I think that dialogue helps players jump into character, especially in one shots, where there is not as much time.
Another thing that I do to prep is make sure I have what the characters need to know. For the DCA game, this is in the form of Dossiers that look like what the Justice League computer may show or a file Batman would have in the Batcave. This way the players have all the information that they can have and it allows for a break while reviewing is going on.
But most importantly, I look at the ways a game can go and plan accordingly. Even if none of the routes are taken, I can pull elements from them to still reach the end result if I need to. Usually I am very good at coming up with game plot on the fly, but it is still nice to have that sense of security. Almost like Linus' blanket... almost.
Anyway... enough of my rambling. Have a great weekend!
*** A note to our friends in the DC Area... DC Game Day is upon us. Sign ups are tonight!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
The Best Feeling...
Last night we picked up on our Shackled City 3.5 game, and for the last time, I will be playing my 19th level Bard, Elleen. We were allowed to revamp our characters for one last go round, and after a little revamping we began.
I am about to tell you about my character, but it was just a really great night!
Spoilers ahead!!!! Stop reading if you don't want to know a part of the game.
Ok... now that that is out of the way. The game opened and we were being honored a year later with a park filled with statues and a opera (written by my bard) etched in the stone walkways. One of the prior villains that was defeated before my tenure (the game had been going on for 5 years) appeared as a beholder, and threatened the city's people, I ran to a height where I could see him, and he disregards me and goes after all the others, and then comes towards my character.
"Who are you?" He bellows.
"Death." My response. I turn to my husband who is GMing. "I use power word kill."
"Roll spell resistance."
I roll and put my hands in the air victorious. "Natural 20"! Everyone started clapping and high-fiving.
When even the GM is excited, you know it is a wonderful moment. My husband and I have incredible chemistry at the table. It was wonderful to have the witty banter with him behind the screen again!
Later in the game we are fighting these big six legged rhinos, whose real name escapes me, the little one is really damaged. So I use my wand of inflict critical wounds. I roll my damage. On four d8's I get three 8's and a 7, and he goes down. However, we still have the momma and she is pissed. She charges through our wall, and begins toward a cohort. We had decided to head for the door, and I yell to every one, "Go ahead, I'll catch up!" My turn came and I sang the Song of Timelessness, which froze the beast in place and then turned on my Ghost box and let the song play while I made my get away.
All in all a red letter day for my bard with hopefully another one to come.
I am about to tell you about my character, but it was just a really great night!
Spoilers ahead!!!! Stop reading if you don't want to know a part of the game.
Ok... now that that is out of the way. The game opened and we were being honored a year later with a park filled with statues and a opera (written by my bard) etched in the stone walkways. One of the prior villains that was defeated before my tenure (the game had been going on for 5 years) appeared as a beholder, and threatened the city's people, I ran to a height where I could see him, and he disregards me and goes after all the others, and then comes towards my character.
"Who are you?" He bellows.
"Death." My response. I turn to my husband who is GMing. "I use power word kill."
"Roll spell resistance."
I roll and put my hands in the air victorious. "Natural 20"! Everyone started clapping and high-fiving.
When even the GM is excited, you know it is a wonderful moment. My husband and I have incredible chemistry at the table. It was wonderful to have the witty banter with him behind the screen again!
Later in the game we are fighting these big six legged rhinos, whose real name escapes me, the little one is really damaged. So I use my wand of inflict critical wounds. I roll my damage. On four d8's I get three 8's and a 7, and he goes down. However, we still have the momma and she is pissed. She charges through our wall, and begins toward a cohort. We had decided to head for the door, and I yell to every one, "Go ahead, I'll catch up!" My turn came and I sang the Song of Timelessness, which froze the beast in place and then turned on my Ghost box and let the song play while I made my get away.
All in all a red letter day for my bard with hopefully another one to come.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Evaluation of a product...
Every product that we have for the ENnies goes through a thorough evaluation. Every judge does things differently, but I am here to explain how I intend to evaluate every product on my own.
I sit with a notebook when I read with the name and publisher of a product on the top of the page. Then there are two columns: Pro and Con. These are things I loved and did not love about the product. It could be broad, i.e. the class section is incredibly well written and easily understandable. Or it could be more focused: "The font in the second paragraph of _________ chapter is way off from the rest of the book." (Yes, I am that nit-picky. It comes from being married to a graphic designer.)
After I read the book, I put a star at the top and write "will or may" play test if I choose to do so, find an empty space (usually the back) I write a one or two line review of what I thought of the book from a read through. I will do the same thing for the play test, only this time I will take the feedback of my players and put it on the list too.
Why do I do this? Because everyone is going to have their own opinion when we discuss this. But we may not get to discuss this book until February, between now and then I could have read another hundred books. So I can look at my list and say "I liked this and didn't care for this."
It will make my job easier in the long run. (Also some of those reviews will end up here.)
I sit with a notebook when I read with the name and publisher of a product on the top of the page. Then there are two columns: Pro and Con. These are things I loved and did not love about the product. It could be broad, i.e. the class section is incredibly well written and easily understandable. Or it could be more focused: "The font in the second paragraph of _________ chapter is way off from the rest of the book." (Yes, I am that nit-picky. It comes from being married to a graphic designer.)
After I read the book, I put a star at the top and write "will or may" play test if I choose to do so, find an empty space (usually the back) I write a one or two line review of what I thought of the book from a read through. I will do the same thing for the play test, only this time I will take the feedback of my players and put it on the list too.
Why do I do this? Because everyone is going to have their own opinion when we discuss this. But we may not get to discuss this book until February, between now and then I could have read another hundred books. So I can look at my list and say "I liked this and didn't care for this."
It will make my job easier in the long run. (Also some of those reviews will end up here.)
Friday, August 27, 2010
My Idea Box...
I wanted to get this thought out to the general masses this gorgeous Friday, despite being sick and suffering with a horrible infection since Monday.
How do you store all your game ideas? Do you keep a notebook around? Do you run the game right away?
Due to a set and full schedule, I am not able to run the games right away, but I keep an index card box filled with my ideas (I have to admit that a bunch of them are related to super hero games, although that has changed the last month.)
I read the book and as I am reading and I come across something that triggers a game idea so awesome I can not let it slip past my fingers I write it down on an index card and hold onto it until a game day or a filler game, and then I can dust it off, write it and run it. Usually in a fantastic RPG, I can come up with anywhere from 3-15 game ideas.
Sometimes an RPG only needs to be announced for me to have my ideas for it. DC Adventures and Dr. Who are two games that fit that description. I am running my dream DC game at Boston Gameday and DC Gameday. I am also putting together an ICONS game based off of an idea in my idea box.
Ideas getting put into use all over the place here!
How do you store all your game ideas? Do you keep a notebook around? Do you run the game right away?
Due to a set and full schedule, I am not able to run the games right away, but I keep an index card box filled with my ideas (I have to admit that a bunch of them are related to super hero games, although that has changed the last month.)
I read the book and as I am reading and I come across something that triggers a game idea so awesome I can not let it slip past my fingers I write it down on an index card and hold onto it until a game day or a filler game, and then I can dust it off, write it and run it. Usually in a fantastic RPG, I can come up with anywhere from 3-15 game ideas.
Sometimes an RPG only needs to be announced for me to have my ideas for it. DC Adventures and Dr. Who are two games that fit that description. I am running my dream DC game at Boston Gameday and DC Gameday. I am also putting together an ICONS game based off of an idea in my idea box.
Ideas getting put into use all over the place here!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Lazy Sunday
Boston is getting some much needed rain today, and it has been lovely to be stuck indoors. My loving, wonderful, amazing husband constructed my IKEA ENnies shelf so the submissions would not be lying around in a box. They look so pretty sitting there just waiting to be read and played.
Speaking of reading... I finished the Dresden Files 1st volume on Thursday (really gorgeous, reads easy, and looks like it will be a blast to play. Full review coming soon) and have been under the weather ever since. However it did give me a chance to look over some of my "READ ME" pile, and get a good grip on what I have ahead of me to read.
I decided to postpone reading volume 2 for a week so I could let volume one settle into my brain.
I figured I would make this week a Superhero Themed week. Superhero games are one of my favorite genres to play and run. It is really where I feel in my element. I read ICONS as a PDF well before I became an ENnies judge and re-read it as soon as I got the book, so that one is all read. This week's reading is the Smallville RPG (based on the TV Show) and Champions Universe. Champions is a game my husband is really excited for me to run, he is curious to see how the rules have changed since he last played.
As much as I can go on and on... these books won't read themselves.
Besides, I certainly wouldn't want them to.
Speaking of reading... I finished the Dresden Files 1st volume on Thursday (really gorgeous, reads easy, and looks like it will be a blast to play. Full review coming soon) and have been under the weather ever since. However it did give me a chance to look over some of my "READ ME" pile, and get a good grip on what I have ahead of me to read.
I decided to postpone reading volume 2 for a week so I could let volume one settle into my brain.
I figured I would make this week a Superhero Themed week. Superhero games are one of my favorite genres to play and run. It is really where I feel in my element. I read ICONS as a PDF well before I became an ENnies judge and re-read it as soon as I got the book, so that one is all read. This week's reading is the Smallville RPG (based on the TV Show) and Champions Universe. Champions is a game my husband is really excited for me to run, he is curious to see how the rules have changed since he last played.
As much as I can go on and on... these books won't read themselves.
Besides, I certainly wouldn't want them to.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
ENnies Blog
My fellow judges and I will be blogging from time to time on the official ENnies Blog. It can be found here.
Check us out there!
Check us out there!
We want you!
Every year the ENnies Judges are asked the same thing, "Why wasn't Product X nominated?"
Sometimes there are other reasons, but one year I asked due to the fact I didn't see the gorgeous Pirates of the Spanish Main Savage Worlds supplement on the nomination list.
The answer I got shocked me. They didn't submit it for consideration.
You see.... publishers are busy putting out quality games and may forget to submit Product X to the ENnies. The ENnies staff works hard to try and get all the product they know of to be submitted. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. I am asking you, my fellow RPG fans, to contact your favorite publishers and ask them to submit their products for ENnie consideration. All submissions must be postmarked by May 8, 2011. The release date should be between May 1, 2010 and April 30, 2011.
There is an easy way to check and see if they have submitted the product. Here.
We can't judge what we don't get, and I want to make sure we aren't leaving anything out!
Sometimes there are other reasons, but one year I asked due to the fact I didn't see the gorgeous Pirates of the Spanish Main Savage Worlds supplement on the nomination list.
The answer I got shocked me. They didn't submit it for consideration.
You see.... publishers are busy putting out quality games and may forget to submit Product X to the ENnies. The ENnies staff works hard to try and get all the product they know of to be submitted. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. I am asking you, my fellow RPG fans, to contact your favorite publishers and ask them to submit their products for ENnie consideration. All submissions must be postmarked by May 8, 2011. The release date should be between May 1, 2010 and April 30, 2011.
There is an easy way to check and see if they have submitted the product. Here.
We can't judge what we don't get, and I want to make sure we aren't leaving anything out!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Welcome!
Welcome to my blog!
Here I will have scores of gaming stuff from reviews to how the ENnies work and the process of judging!
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