CaptainPete

Well, my Reaper and Bombshell orders arrived today, so I have a nice pile of raygun gothic minis to... Look at and pretend like I'm going to paint them at some point... I also have a "Gulper" that I have no idea what I'm going to do with it. Except for showing off, assuming we ever get to see people again. If anyone is interested "45 Adventure" has the PDF on sale at Wargame Vault. I bought it because of that. I don't know if I'll ever use it but it's good to have.

Well, not much to report on my end. The Plague is hitting a lot of places and my company but I'm not going to work extra to help out. Every shift I work is a roll of the dice. When it comes to painting, I think I'm going switch over to my IMEF Bones guys and do up the two squads I have, in hopes that someday, I'll be able to use them for StarGrave or Rogue Stars. I might also work on the NOVA squads I have... But, first, I have to get some chores done. As for B6... I haven't done a KS for Reaper since the first one, for a few reasons. The main one being KS' workplace stuff and anti-Labor stance, as well as being broke and not really needing a lot of minis (especially fantasy stuff) until recently. If the focus of B6 is Chronoscope and sci-fi stuff, I might be tempted to give it a shot. We'll see what they put up for it.

One of the things I have learned, having left (far, far, far) too many things incomplete and half-finished, is that short stories are important if you're having trouble getting things finished. The other thing is that I tell and re-tell myself the story in my head until I have the chance to get it down on paper. That's really helped make my first drafts better. The most important thing is the first draft IS NOT the best draft. Write the first draft, screw it up to hell and back, let it be terrible and flat and ugly. Because, if you don't have that draft, you can't improve it. Nobody, not Stephen King, not George R. R. Martin, not Tolkien, not anyone you've ever read has a perfect first draft. There's a quote I use a lot when I'm in my writing group: Ever tried? Ever failed. Try again. Fail better. Writing is a skill. It's like painting minis in a lot of ways, you have to start out terrible and learn to not be terrible, one paint-caked monster at a time. You just have to put the time into it. And I'm saying that mostly too myself. The only reason why I have an ebook on Amazon was just to prove to myself that I could actually do it. Is it perfect? Oh, hell no! But, it *is* finished. The nice thing about my job is that I can put "officer" in front of my name and it's not impersonating a LEO. However, I have to be careful about that. If tequila can be used to make artificial sapphires (or is it emeralds?) then it can be used in more science! This is also my preferred cleaning music. And writing music. And just "please dear angry man in the sky, don't let me fall asleep at the desk" music. In other news, my copy of the FrostGrave Folio, that I ordered on Christmas Day, is FINALLY turning up. I knew it was going to take a while but this is absurd. And I wouldn't be upset if: A. they hadn't given me an ETA of the 7th, B. not sent me the other two things in the order (including a book I bought just to be able to say "your book title isn't stupid, I have proof" and, C. they had sent along the updates BEFORE I started bringing in eBay. I checked their reviews and that's how I figured out that waving the stick was the best way to get things moving. However, I will not be ordering from them ever again. And my lungs feel a little off. Is it just the fluctuating weather? My new plasma lighter? Accidentally getting a lungful of acetone? Or is it The Plague? I may never know...

This is not intended as an insult or said flippantly, but... Have you tried just writing stories? Wargames and RPGs teach a lot of traits and things that writing needs and writing doesn't have to be done on a schedule or with other people. You seem to like creating worlds and if you can't have other people explore them with you, why not explore them yourself? With the voices in your head? Honestly, when I couldn't game or hang out with people, writing helped. And, with the world on fire for the, whatever year it is, in a row, it continues to help.

I did notice that there's no rules for vehicles but I don't really need them. At least right now. I do have some folks on motorcycles but I'll look at what rules to steal... It does look like I'll be able to do my "Raygun gothic" crews like I wanted and they don't need vehicles. Now, I need to sit down and try to figure out how to make a character.

Well, I woke up feeling okay and don't seem to be getting worse. It might have been the weather change or maybe a mild reaction to the flu one of my bosses brought to work. I don't want to jinx myself. But, since I don't feel terrible, I'm going assume that I don't have The Plague. Since it'll be payday in the morning, I'm getting ready to place my Reaper order. I really want a pirate ship but I can't justify the expense. Yet, waiting until my tax return. But, I wonder if it will still be available by then? And I didn't buy it when I had the chance because I couldn't figure out where I would put it. And then "gamer brain" kicked in and I suddenly thought of a bunch of different things I could do with it... Right now, I'm thinking about creating a scenario for Ghost Archipelago about storming a literal "ghost ship."

I woke up with a sore throat but it went away after i took a shower. I went to 7-11 get some supplies and as I was walking home, I started coughing and feeling like death warmed over. So, I guess I need to figure out how to get tested for The Plague...

So... I think it breaks down like this: Zombies - Dead, slow, dumb Ghouls - Living (to a degree), fast, can be smart The causes don't really matter (demonic possession, viral agents, fungi, nercomancy, etc), it's how they act. Since I've run more than a few AFMBE games (and even gotten to play in one or two), I like it when zombies have some variety to them. One of my favorites was one a friend of mine ran, because the zombies were unique but still clearly dead. Sure, they were fast but it was magic, which I feel lets you bend or break what I said above.

When it comes to racial tension, don't forget that "good ones" is something people/say. Also, it could be plausible that those who have integrated into human society could have reduced penalties because people don't hate them quite as much. Being useful is helpful for that. You might want to look at a caste system for the society, with that being the major determiner for social drawbacks, rather than what race they are. If you want people to play outcasts and the subjects of discrimination, you're going to have to offer them something important or fantastic. For example, back in the days of 2nd Edition D&D, my old DM made a race of humans that were monotheists (who were rather pushy about it) in a setting with a lot of Wicca/Witchy stuff, as well as the typical fantasy deities. However, they got ambidexterity, which was exceptionally rare and powerful. I picked a character from that, not because of the combat stuff (that was nice, too) but for the roleplaying possibilities. It was interesting to be the outcast and jerk but still being a begrudging part of the party. One of my more memorable characters for the party, DM, and myself. Just food for thought. All of that said, are you really sure you want to do the Humanity, F-Yeah! type of thing? I don't know much about your other stuff but I've seen the same thing a lot in games and it feels kind of... Stale. If it's where you want to go, go ahead. But, there are other options. Personally, I like having the elves being the guys on top, so to speak, and being able to take them down a few pegs.

Wasn't that the source of the zombies in The Last Of Us? That fungus stuff? I haven't played it but I've seen it pop up when talking about them. I would also suggest that zombie fans pick up a book called "Zombie CSU" as it breaks down the responses from the various government agencies to them as well as how things would probably play out with the various "sources" of zombies. Personally, I perfect mutagenic infections or viruses for the outbreak of zombies. I also can agree that zombies *can* start fast, when they're fresh, but slow down once rigor and the other changes hit and the body starts to decompose. I may have put a lot of thought into this subject of the past 15 years.

So... I just got a copy of this. What are some things you think I should know before I get started with it?

I am a fan of the "classics" when it comes to zombies. While the slow shuffling hordes of undead probably couldn't cause the end of the world, they are more terrifying to me. Why? Because you can't bargain, change, convince, or otherwise do anything to effect them without killing them (again). To me, it's the inevitability of death, and undeath, of the slow ones that really gets to me. The fast ones, I can't even imagine trying to survive that scenario. I would self terminate in that situation. I can't run that fast and I'm not that strong, it's a hopeless situation for me. So, it doesn't appeal to me at all. It also doesn't feel realistic that there would be any survivors to something like that. Strong and fast, and they usually don't react to pain or are hard to kill? You have almost no chance of making it through that. If you want rules, there's always All Flesh Must Be Eaten, which can do either type, as well as many others as well. For wargaming, I'm becoming a big fan of Last Days, as it's easy and fun. And is mini agnostic.

I am much the same way. However, if they're plain fries (McDonald's, looking at you), I go for Honey Mustard, regular yellow mustard, BBQ sauce, or fry sauce. I'm not a huge fan of ketchup but it is nice on burgers and, every once in a while, fries. My books turned up and I was out watching the mail carrier delivering them. What I didn't see was them folding the books to fit them into my mailbox. Was very glad that I got there quick. I now have Rogue Stars, Black Ops, and a Frostgrave supplement. Black Ops is not really my jam but I can appreciate it for what it is and might give it a try and some point. I really like Rogue Stars and might end up using my Raygun Gothic minis for it. We'll see what happens with that... Now, I need to pretend to be an adult and start getting ready. I really need to clean tonight...

I always thought that they were tyrants? Or are tyrants like toddlers? Finished up my last night of the work week and have ordered Carl's Jr. I have ordered too much food this week but I really don't care. I am also waiting on some packages, and since they're books, I have to stay up so I can get them. The weather has been fierce today, I don't think they'd do well in the mailbox... And since you all got me on a roll thinking about my thoughts on Rifts, I think I'll being putting together an article for my gaming blog. I don't look forward to having to point out not just the flaws but the "old ways of thinking" that tends to pop up in the books. I mean, a bunch of white guys from the Midwest tried to write about Africa. And failed. Spectacularly.

Glitter is the decorative equivalent of an STI. You can guess which one. This sounds like an "alcohol mandatory" film. Savage Rifts? I haven't tried it but I don't think it's for me, as SW doesn't have enough grit for me. I do like SW, but not for everything.

See, here's the thing I've figured out about the game: Limit things. Either you go combat heavy, with Glitter Boys, full conversion 'Borgs, and Juicers (and maybe young dragons, if you're feeling frisky) or you go the other direction and go for magic users, psionics, maybe some scholars, scientists, medics, etc. There's no direct balance except for the one that the GM makes. For that first group, feel free to dump the Xitixic or the CS or, hell, a whole damn dragon, on them and watch the fireworks. But you don't do that to the other party. You give them mysteries and minor MDC creatures. I learned this having picked up the old gray book in high school and letting people play what they wanted. Many, many lessons were learned during that game... You also have to control what books people read (because there's no Player/GM sections) and they give nothing for balance. Plus, your power gamey friends will do terrible, terrible things to your brain. You thought D&D 3/3.5-d20 system things had balance issues? That's nothing compared to the things I can throw together with the core book, 2-3 World Books, and a handful of issues of Rifter. Also, you COULD take on a tank with a MDC knife but you're going to be working through 2-3k MDC. So... Possible? Yes. Likely? No. I always thought that the MDC thing worked way better in something like Robotech but was a dumb thing to tack on to Rifts. I'm just thankful that they didn't put it in After The Bomb. That one is silly enough as it is. And could be a better setting for people who want the fun of Rifts without having to deal with MDC. As someone else mentioned (and I thought I quoted), SW just doesn't have the grit that Rifts needs. I have thought, more than few times, of throwing "We Closely Resemble But Are Legally Distinct From" Rifts in d20 Modern/Future. But I have enough projects. Especially ones that I can't publish. I believe I mentioned that my mom went on a family history kick last year. The only one I care about is our Irish ancestor who immigrated to the US and got married. 13 times. He wasn't a bigamist, just had terrible taste in women (which appears to be genetic).

Got to spend last night at the same place that flooded the night before. Because it wasn't raining nearly as much last night. Of course, it decided to pour on my way home. And I'm slowly convincing my group to switch over to Rifts because I think it can tick every box. Except, you know, for a good system. That wasn't in purple for a reason. I was looking over the core book, and Palladium Fantasy, and I realized just how *old* the ideas are. It's like a time capsule of... I don't even know. I've talked about this before but I just can't get over it. And, yet, I still buy books for it on occasion.

Funny story... My dad dropped by on Friday and we got to talking. Now, my dad has a lot of issues. Not just medical but mental as well. He's a Vietnam vet with BPD/PTSD, narcolepsy, and the worst case of RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) you've ever heard of. And that's just the tip of the iceberg... Anyway. A while back, he ran out of meds for his RLS and went two days with out it. He got maybe four hours of sleep out of those 48 hours. On the second night, he had a dream that his wife was driving the van to go help someone move. And then he woke up in the van. Since he had just woken up, he thought that he had fallen asleep while they had been driving and it wasn't completely a dream. he gets out of the van and goes to knock on the door of the house he's parked in front of and asks if they know where his wife is. Did I mention that it's like 5am? And he's parked on their front lawn? Yeah. He was. After they got him to leave, he drove the van back and found out that he was just around the corner and up the road from home. He had driven the van, while asleep, to this random house, pulled up their driveway, and then onto their front lawn. He went to the doctor right afterwards and got his meds. The ones he had been waiting for had been in the mail and turned up a few days later. This? This is my life. And last night, at work, I got to deal with a garage flooding because a storm drain was blocked and no one told me about the 30+ foot across, six inch deep puddle in front of a door.

I am so mad at myself for not thinking of saying that! In other news, I ended up ordering Rogue Stars and Black Ops from Osprey Wargames. Do we have threads for these Black Ops?

Last night, while walking back from 7-11, I saw a coyote hauling tail down the road. Once the fear had faded, it was rather amusing. I was afraid because I thought it was going to turn towards me for a minute, and I didn't know if there were going to be more when I got up there.

So, this is 2022... Isn't this the year Soylent Green is set in? For those of you who are interested, I was able to run my zombie game. As I was stuck at desks three times last week, I was able to come up with a lot of content. The players made it through one page of it, so that was much better than I expected. I had their helicopter crash in the woods (they were, of course, the only survivors) and then they made their way to the lake they had seen while in the air. Where they found a cabin. In the woods. What can I say? I have a fondness for the classics. Since I've got all these notes, I'm going to type them up and put them on my blog, so someone else can use them and run their own version of it. I tend to look at resolutions like to do deadlines, I like they sound they make as the whoosh by. However, I am trying to make a list of things I'd like to do this year. One of my things is to get to painting on a semi-regular schedule. I keep buying more, I should make them look cool. Not good, because I'll never be good, but so long as they look cool, I'm okay with it.

Like they have much else to crow about... The weather has been weird the last 24 hours. The temps went up and all the snow melted. And then when I got up last night, it was freezing. Like, literally freezing. After I got to work, it started to snow. And it stuck. Not much to it but it was enough to slow me down. And then it stopped. And then it rained. And then, in a very much F-U, it started RAINING and SNOWING. So. Yeah. I'm very much done with this wintry crap! In other news, we have settled what game we're going to play: All Flesh Must Be Eaten. When we last left this game, the characters had gotten on to a helicopter and gotten out of the city... And then the engines started making an odd sound. So, yeah, perfect place to pick back up AND give me the perfect place to introduce new characters. Man, 2019 me was thinking smart.

Well, thanks to the "winter storm" and Omicron, my little group have decided to play online. Now, the battle begins to figure out what game to play...

OHHHHH, BURN!!! Last night, I got to spend the night at the desk. Since I picked up the Cyberpunk 2020 core book (my second copy, I mean), I took that and some supplements with me, to look over them. I ended up with the Fixer book that a friend of mine sold me, because he accidentally bought it twice, and, um, yeah. I found out that they made rules for *cough* um, shall we say "ladies of the night"? I mean, C2020 has been very progressive in a lot of ways, and it is a dystopia, I was just surprised. And I really hope I never end up with a player that wants to play it. In weather news, our "winter storm" finally arrived. It's not much but it's enough to cause problems. Downtown has a whole lot of nothing but what little there was starting to freeze on my way home. Out where I am, there's enough to wear my "cleats" when I'm outside. It looks like this is going to be off and on for the rest of the week. Fun times.

Well, no snow yet but it's in the air. I really don't want to work in it but that's the job. Which reminds me that I need to get my resume finished...