Roleplaying | Through Gamer Goggles

My First Impression of the Silvervine System

RPG's, Silvervine Game System 2 Responses »

Dec 052011

For those of you that don’t know what Silvervines Game System is you can visit their website here. For those of you that don’t want to leave (thank you) Silvervine is basically a RPG that incorporates thematic character creation with a cinematic narrative of almost dice-less roleplaying. At least that is the best one sentence description of he game that I can come up with.

Moving on, in the not so distant past Ryan and I had the opportunity to interview the gang from Silvervine. When I say gang I mean the creator’s and designers of the game. If you like what you hear here I am sure you will meet them all. At that point in time I was a little bit lost about what the system had to offer. In fact I thought it was probably a bogus system. The stories they told us in the interview were just too ridiculous for this game to work. I mean how can anybody (not on acid) play a sandwich? That’s right somebody created a sandwich as their character. But, Ryan wasn’t as preoccupied as I was at Con on the Cob – he gave them far more time than I did. In fact he was sold on the game. I was leery, very leery. Continue reading »

Why I Love Role-Playing Games

Games and Education, Pen and Paper, RPG's 1 Response »

Dec 012011

Introduction

It all started on a rainy Saturday morning. I was spending the weekend visiting my cousin Lance. We were supposed to ride four-wheelers, but the bone-chilling downpour dashed those plans. So, we did what most adolescent males did in 1988. We turned on that 8-bit wonder, the Nintendo Entertainment System. After some Ninja Gaiden and Contra, we slid in Final Fantasy. The music entranced me, the graphics befuddled me, the gameplay bonded to me. The game touched me mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It was a whirlwind weekend romance that I would never experience again. A few years later, I received a Super Nintendo for Christmas, and by Easter had finally saved enough money to purchase Final Fantasy II. I ate, slept, and breathed that game; until Final Fantasy III came out.

Those games, and others like them (oh ChronoTrigger, how I miss thee), engaged me unlike any other. Undoubtedly, it is the level of story-telling which goes into those games which makes them the best. And as great as they were (and still are), and as much as I loved them (and still do), I always felt like something was missing – as though the experience could be so much more personal and interactive in a way that would really allow me to be a part of the game, and not just an almost passive observer. I didn’t know it at the time, but video game RPG’s had become my gateway drug to a deeper addiction.

Roleplaying Etiquette for the Players

Articles about better playing, Gaming News Comments Off

Nov 212011

It has been a long time since I have role played. I am getting ready to start a campaign in a system yet to be determined . I am leaning towards Rifts or Ninjas and Superspies. I haven’t played Rifts since 1998 and I am longing for a session.

Enough about what game system we will play. The thought of playing has reminded me that sometimes things that shouldn’t need to be said must be said. Huh? hat in the world am I talking about? Well, you’re a player what do you think?

Have you ever been sitting around a game table and caught a wiff of something that just doesn’t belong at the game table? Have you ever been frustrated out of your mind because another just won’t stop talking? Have you ever not wanted to play your character because one character in the part just makes you feel inferior? If so you just might want to read this article.

Box Breaking: Pathfinder Beginner Box

Box Breaking, Pathfinder Comments Off

Nov 152011

All right in this Box Breaking we have the Beginner Box set for Pathfinder from Paizo Publishing. If you are thinking about playing Pathfinder RPG this might just be the thing you need to watch.

I ahve waited to delve into Pathfinder RPG for oh about a year. This box set will give me that opportunity.

If you check back in a day or so we will have a character creation video using this box set.

Paizo and WizKids to launch Pathfinder Battles prepainted minis! from Troll in the Corner ” Role Playing Games (trollitc.com)

Silvervine Games Team Interview

Gaming News, Interviews, RPG's 1 Response »

Oct 262011

Names: Ryan Rawlings, Edward Yarrus, Alec Stringer, John Arcadian Matt Solomon
Favorite Recipe: BEER!
What led to the creation of Silvervine Games
How the gang got into gaming
The nature of their game system
Crazy Characters
Gaming Industry Prognostication
The Influence of Furries and Anime
A Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Own Highly
Successful RPG Product Line
Hints on Future Products
Con on the Cob Lovin’
Conflict Management
And What’s Really Under Their Kilts

Hit the “Play” button below for an inside look – into the gaming industry, not their kilts.

Coblin Player

Play

Stop

Ethics and RPG’s – Part 1: An Overview of the Major Ethical Theories in Western Civilization

Articles about better playing, D&D, Games and Education, Pathfinder, Rifts, RPG's 1 Response »

Sep 082011

As I taught a college level Ethics course for a local university I began to think about the interactions and relationships between the major ethical theories/viewpoints and the alignment systems of the role-playing games we all enjoy. I like alignment systems, they help define a character. However, these systems can be found to be lacking as is evidenced by the number of arguments generated between players and game masters concerning a character’s actions. These debates can be great. Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good argument. But often such “alignment debates” degenerate into shouting matches without any resolution (other than the GM saying “do that and I’ll kill your character”).

Therefore I am sharing with you a very brief introduction to the major ethical theories. Consider this a supplement to the alignment systems. Once you understand the theories, I’d like you to try and see if and how they apply to your characters. You could even reflect it on your character
sheet. For example, in D&D it could read: “Alignment: Lawful Good (Utilitarian),” or “Alignment: Chaotic Neutral (Relativist).”

Each of the following ethical theories attempts to define that which is “good” by creating a philosophical/ethical system that can be applied to various situations. To complicate matters further, one can mix all of this with any number of religious views. In fact, many have grow out of, or in reaction to, a particular religious viewpoint. Nonetheless, I hope that the following helps inform your character generation process, giving you a
deeper background, and informing your choices at the gaming table.

Why I Never Play Characters in 40k

Warhammer 40K Comments Off

Jun 192011

While the Warhammer 40k Characters are cool, most of them never make it to the table for my games. There are really only a couple of reasons for this. The first is the cost, the second is the point cost, and the third is well they are fluff related.

The dollar amount for most single model characters is just too much. Especially now that they are going to finecast, or should I say fine crap as it is being reported all around the globe. They are just not worth that much money to me. So it is my way of saying wake up GW we don’t agree with your tactics.

More often than not the characters are over pointed for what they do. I and my friends are competitive – we play to win. With that kind of mentality it is much more effective to take another squad over a character. Why? Because most of the time taking a squad over a character gives ten to twenty dice, depending on weapons, for about the same point value. It is really the dice you are paying for, and the 40k game is more about numbers than it is tactics.

Lastly, I hate fluff. Not because it is not good, but because it is not needed to play the game. Actually it is not the fluff I hate. It is the concept that fluff needs to be elevated to point where it should influence your game. Nothing is more annoying than having a player tell you that your army is built wrong because it does not support the fluff. My all time favorite is you can’t beat me because I am playing Space Marines and you have never beat us in the story line. Man did I laugh when I destroyed his perfectly built fluff list.

Mantic Games Kings of War Review

Gaming News, Miniatures 1 Response »

Jun 072011

With Games Workshop on the price hike rampage a few of our players are looking for other options for their fantasy miniatures fix. While I have known about Mantic for almost a year now I have not entertained the thought of their product line. We always felt that our money would be better spent on items we knew would move. But, with some of the recent events in the game industry our players are diligently trying to make the shift from spending more money on less product to spending less money on more product. So I was asked to look that the rules.

Here is what I found before play testing.

The rules are pretty darn good.

They are simple.

Here is what I like about the game. The magic system is figured right into the cost of the character. The winner of combat is determined by a nerve (command/morale in other game systems) check. It has a fast pace – 2000 point game should take about an hour to play. The models look good and are inexpensive.

Here is where I have reservations about the game. While the rules are simple and scale well, if you plan on running tournaments you might need to interpret the rules for your players. There are no casualties in combat; I just can’t figure out if I like this or not.

Here is what I do not like about the game. Without play testing the game the only thing I dislike is the fact that it does not use alternate activations.

There is one more thing that Mantic is doing right that you should know about – they are making a sci fi game.

Malifaux June Releases

Gaming News, Miniatures Comments Off

May 132011

I was just looking over the Malifaux June releases

Resurectionists Guild Autopsies
Neverborn Collodi Box Set
Outcasts Desperate Mercs 2 poses

As usual these models look good. I am looking forward to painting the mercs. Here is a link to the images in the Malifaux forums.

1 2 … 12 13 14

Introduction

Related articles

Coblin Player