Player Bazaar

Salutations dear Lads, Lassies, Etc,

I am so glad that I get to announce to you the first phase of testing for Conquest or Calamity's Player Bazaar. For those of you who don't know what that is, here's the scoop. My whole philosophy on game design and dungeon mastering is caught up in the idea of inclusion. I believe everybody should have a chance to play.

The Player Bazaar is a way for all of you out there in internet land to play along with the Conquest or Calamity podcast. Each week, subscribers will be able to buy items for players, summon monsters, and more. Then, during each week's recording session, I will enact your collective will accordingly.

We are hoping for a full launch sometime in May but as of right now, our live test is available for all to use.(For free I might add.) We will be adding art assets, new cards, and more in the coming weeks. Just click the player bazaar tab and register away! Our first interactive podcast should be posted in two weeks. I am so excited to see how all of this is going to turn out.

Thanks again to jWall for his tireless efforts toward getting this done. The force is so strong with that one.

Enjoy!

Dungeons and Dragons (and Devils and Demons?!?)

So there is an amazing post on video games and parenting over at Penny-Arcade, which you should definitively all go read. It's fine. I'll wait. Ok. You got it? Great!

While reading the aforementioned post, specifically the parts describing how even a game as benign as Minecraft, can be very concerning to parents of young children, it occurred to me that my own medium, table top role playing games, can often be even more frightening.

I grew up in what you would call a conservative home but I was also encouraged daily to be as creatively expressive as I felt I could. I can easily recall my first role playing experiences. I was a wizard with a pet dragon. I also still remember the weary look on my father's face, when I first told him about the spells I was casting and monsters I was fighting.

In his mind, I'm sure, I was basically on the gateway drug to satanism. What a completely terrifying, albeit misguided, thought. Please don't get me wrong. My dad was an amazing guy. He took me to space camp, he coached my soccer team, and he taught me more about music than probably any other person I've ever known.

But he passed away a few years ago and the sad reality is, in spite of us both being extremely creative people, he and I were never able to connect through games. I'm sure that probably bothered him then as much as it bothers me now.

So what's the parent of an imaginative young RPG aficionado to do?

Well, first off, parents need to get educated on their kids interests. I'll be the first to tell you that, as is the case with almost all games, not every table top game is appropriate for every kid. Only you, as their parent, are qualified to decide what your child should and shouldn't be a part of and occasionally you just have to be the bad guy. That said, go and get the facts first.

Secondly, play with your kids. If you have a son or daughter who wants to try Dungeons and Dragons or Pathfinder, go try it with them and then talk about it with them afterwards. "What did you like about the game?" "Were there any parts that were scary?" Ask the important questions. You will almost certainly get the important answers.

Children are (for the most part) neurologically wired to see their parents as heroes. What could be better than to prove the completely right by joining in against "the forces of evil" or "slaying the terrible dragon"?

There's a family that Will and I play with at a local game shop some Saturdays, and it warms my heart to see parents sharing in these experiences with their kids. I'm not sure if they read this blog or not but if they do, they should know I think they rule, period.

I think the bottom line here is the same as for basically any other interactive media. Imaginative play is one of the most important ways a child has to interact with the world. Any game can be used for good, evil, and everything in between. I've met some of my best friends through gaming and if it makes anyone feel better, I've never even been inside a church of Satan.

Here's to you Dad! I hope they have D&D in Heaven.
-James

So I scurry out onto the dance floor...

Episode 4 part 2 is here! That said, I have some good news and I have some bad news. Good news first. As of today, I am pleased to announce a partnership with Battlebards! These guys make some really amazing sound effects for dungeon master's and I couldn't be more excited to have them as part of Conquest or Calamity extended family. They currently have a ton of great sound effects available and soon they'll be launching a Kickstarter to make even more, so make sure to go check them out and give them your support.

Now for the bad news. Due to the increased awesomeness of Episode 4 part 2, due in large part to the new sound effects, it ends on a bit of a cliff hanger but that's not really a big deal right? In some parts of the world they pay extra for that kind of suspense.

Anywho, I hope you all enjoy!


With best regards to you and yours, James

Pardon Our Progress...

Good evening,

Check out all these new tabs! We've added an archive to enhance your podcast locating ease and, coming soon to a podcast near you, the Player Bazaar which will contain exciting new NPC item vendors each week. What items will our cast be spending their Favor Tokens on this week? It's up to you to decide!

Subscribers can vote for their favorite storefronts.