Check out this rad sketch of Gorbash by @PlausibleGiant. I'm about to start working on color.
Stay close for more Conquest or Calamity: Hard Boiled content through the weekend.
Update: Basic Coloring
-James
Showing posts with label Role Playing Game. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Role Playing Game. Show all posts
Friday, June 5, 2015
Saturday, May 16, 2015
New Podcast Setting
I guess it's about that time again, people. Time for a new Conquest or Calamity setting.
I know. I'm pretty excited too. New podcast Monday.
-James
Friday, May 15, 2015
Legal Legends Update
Well look who it is. #LegalLegends
Play testing is going well. I can't wait to show you guys some art. We are still on our way to a June print and play release. Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section.
What, you wanted more? Do you want a news post or do you want a card game?
Thought so.
We out!
What, you wanted more? Do you want a news post or do you want a card game?
Thought so.
We out!
-James
Monday, May 11, 2015
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
My Giant Super Secret Announcement
Hey Conquest or Calamity fans!
Let me talk to all of you Dungeon Masters out there for a second. Have you ever run a game and ended up in a courtroom? Not a real courtroom.
I’m not asking if you’ve ever been arrested for playing D&D. That would be crazy. Actually on second thought, have any of you ever been arrested for playing D&D? If so, please let us know in the comments below because we absolutely have to interview you.
I digress.
Have the player characters in your game ever ended up in a courtroom? Assuming you’ve had a rouge in the party, they probably have. Here at Conquest or Calamity, we’ve seen our fair share of misguided ne’er-do-wells incarcerated.
Maybe you’ve heard our most recent podcast story line, Hard Boiled. It’s our D&D Law and Order parody. While preparing to DM our second Hard Boiled game, I realized that the core systems to handle courtroom interactions were extremely limited.
Given that my job greatly depends on being able to create interesting stuff that you care about, limited systems were a problem for me. So I grabbed the construction paper and solved it.
So, without further adieu, it is my pleasure to announce to you Conquest or Calamity: Legal Legends, a pay what you want Roleplaying Deck Building Card Game set in a fantasy court of law. Boom. There it is.
Many more details will be released in the coming weeks, including a feature in our regular podcast. You will be able to get your hands on the print and play version of the game and name your price on June 16.
-James
Let me talk to all of you Dungeon Masters out there for a second. Have you ever run a game and ended up in a courtroom? Not a real courtroom.
I’m not asking if you’ve ever been arrested for playing D&D. That would be crazy. Actually on second thought, have any of you ever been arrested for playing D&D? If so, please let us know in the comments below because we absolutely have to interview you.
I digress.
Have the player characters in your game ever ended up in a courtroom? Assuming you’ve had a rouge in the party, they probably have. Here at Conquest or Calamity, we’ve seen our fair share of misguided ne’er-do-wells incarcerated.
Maybe you’ve heard our most recent podcast story line, Hard Boiled. It’s our D&D Law and Order parody. While preparing to DM our second Hard Boiled game, I realized that the core systems to handle courtroom interactions were extremely limited.
Given that my job greatly depends on being able to create interesting stuff that you care about, limited systems were a problem for me. So I grabbed the construction paper and solved it.
So, without further adieu, it is my pleasure to announce to you Conquest or Calamity: Legal Legends, a pay what you want Roleplaying Deck Building Card Game set in a fantasy court of law. Boom. There it is.
Many more details will be released in the coming weeks, including a feature in our regular podcast. You will be able to get your hands on the print and play version of the game and name your price on June 16.
-James
Now do me a solid, internet.
Get hyped.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Hey there sports fans!
Hey Crew!
I've got good news and I've got bad news. The good news is, I got engaged this week! The bad news is, I also had to have a surprise tooth extraction. Between those two things, my day job, and working hard on a super secret and heretofore unannounced Conquest or Calamity project, this week's podcast recording just didn't happen. (Mostly because my mouth was to swollen to speak during all of our normal time slots.)
Now before you start making picket signs to protest, if it is any consolation, I will have a very exciting announcement on Wednesday as well as a new Dungeon Master Class on Friday. You can expect so see a new episode next week. After that we should be back to business as usual for a while.
On another, more cheerful note, I'd like to thank all of you that participated in the test for our Player Shop. We learned a ton of useful things and should be ready to get those systems fired up in earnest very soon.
I guess, that's about it for now. If any of you have any questions for Will or Myself, don't hesitate to comment and let us know. We should get back to you pretty quick.
-James
I've got good news and I've got bad news. The good news is, I got engaged this week! The bad news is, I also had to have a surprise tooth extraction. Between those two things, my day job, and working hard on a super secret and heretofore unannounced Conquest or Calamity project, this week's podcast recording just didn't happen. (Mostly because my mouth was to swollen to speak during all of our normal time slots.)
Now before you start making picket signs to protest, if it is any consolation, I will have a very exciting announcement on Wednesday as well as a new Dungeon Master Class on Friday. You can expect so see a new episode next week. After that we should be back to business as usual for a while.
On another, more cheerful note, I'd like to thank all of you that participated in the test for our Player Shop. We learned a ton of useful things and should be ready to get those systems fired up in earnest very soon.
I guess, that's about it for now. If any of you have any questions for Will or Myself, don't hesitate to comment and let us know. We should get back to you pretty quick.
-James
Monday, April 27, 2015
Conquest or Calamity: Hard Boiled #1
Here's the new track everybody. Hope you enjoy.
Big thanks to Battle Bards for SFX and to Imagine 3d Minis for supplying the custom Gorbash and Impala minis.
-Jon
Big thanks to Battle Bards for SFX and to Imagine 3d Minis for supplying the custom Gorbash and Impala minis.
-Jon
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
DM Lesson #2: "Preparation Prevents Poor Performance"
Will: Hello prospective DM’s and curious blog followers! Lore-master Will here.
James: Also, James Hicks, Music Enthusiast and Waffle Maker Extraordinaire, at your service.
Will: Having read the previous DM lesson, I assume I am tasked with addressing the weighty topics of planning and preparation. It makes sense that James would give me this responsibility, since this is one of the areas in which we differ greatly as DMs. I personally, depend greatly upon preparations.
James: For me planning is helpful but...unnecessary. For our podcast game, I generally have between one and three pages of notes going in. It's kind of like I see each game as piece of marble that the players and I will carve together. I have an idea of what we're carving but I don't really worry about how we're going to get there.
Will: There are many facets to “Planning” a game. For starters, a DM should have a full understanding of the basic game mechanics and systems. Additionally, he or she should be able to supply the majority of pertinent lore and information as it relates to the setting.
James: Will generally has these facts memorized before hand, hence Lore-Master. I honestly just make most things up on the spot.
Will: Yeah, if the DM doesn't know enough about where players are or what they are doing, then there really isn't much of a game happening. It's an essential part of the DM's role to generate enough content to satisfy players. If you can’t do that then you have no game.
James: This is one place where Will and my styles differ. He tends to create massive and detailed settings, well in advance of his games, taking as much time as is necessary to make himself at home in his setting. This approach lends Will's environments a richness and a strong sense of immersion. I'm never sure just what's around the corner in his games but I'm always confident that he does.
I myself, prefer to create on the fly, often choosing environments and characters in direct response to player interactions. This approach lends my games a certain versatility. When a party attempts to venture beyond the "beaten path" of an encounter's design, rather than subtly redirect them toward a "set objective", I simply create a new path, right then and there.
Will: For many DMs, myself included, the planning of the setting includes, NPCs, Monsters, Dungeons, and just about any other detail you can think of. In other words, if your DM doesn’t know of something, it usually doesn’t exist.
That said, it's important to keep in mind that both James and I pretty much grew up on fantasy and role-playing though books, games, playing pretend, you name it. Therefore, we both have a great grasp of fantastical knowledge in general.
James: And even though my free-form DMing style requires little in terms of direct preparation, every encounter, creature, or NPC is based on some inspiration. Without having spent time immersed in the minutia of the genre, my methods would prove dubious at best.
Will: James affords the player spontaneity by being spontaneous himself. Using his great general knowledge of setting he takes an “in the moment anything can happen” attitude.
I do not recommend this for everyone.
James: Also, James Hicks, Music Enthusiast and Waffle Maker Extraordinaire, at your service.
Will: Having read the previous DM lesson, I assume I am tasked with addressing the weighty topics of planning and preparation. It makes sense that James would give me this responsibility, since this is one of the areas in which we differ greatly as DMs. I personally, depend greatly upon preparations.
James: For me planning is helpful but...unnecessary. For our podcast game, I generally have between one and three pages of notes going in. It's kind of like I see each game as piece of marble that the players and I will carve together. I have an idea of what we're carving but I don't really worry about how we're going to get there.
Will: There are many facets to “Planning” a game. For starters, a DM should have a full understanding of the basic game mechanics and systems. Additionally, he or she should be able to supply the majority of pertinent lore and information as it relates to the setting.
James: Will generally has these facts memorized before hand, hence Lore-Master. I honestly just make most things up on the spot.
Will: Like it says in the manual, the DM is rule keeper for whatever game universe is chosen. Therefor, You, as the DM, are responsible for maintaining the rules and systems of said universe, so help you God. It follows then that, it really is in everyone's best interest for the DM to actually know the rules and systems upon which the game depends.
That being said, a DM should not be expected to be an encyclopedia of knowledge, recalling even the most obscure detail at a moment's notice. After reading up on and maybe even play testing the game, it should be easy to identify what information is important and will be used repeatedly as it relates to rules and mechanics. Knowing the rules also prevents players from stretching or breaking them without DM consent.
James: Remember; it's a DM's job to give the game the illusion of equity. He or she is as much referee as anything else. Players need to feel like they are being treated fairly and nothing shatters this illusion more than the DM not remembering some basic rule. So if you get caught off guard, fake it. Just make sure to be consistent.
Will: This also discourages players from rifling through Player Handbooks for 10 minutes, bringing the flow of play to a grinding halt for anyone that isn't a librarian at heart. The more you know as a DM, the more confident your arbitration of the game can be.
For instance, you might have no idea what damage dice should be used for a Nunchaku but an educated DM will know that it should probably fall between a dagger (1d4) and a throwing hammer (1d6) due to its size and probable damage.
When it comes to lore and setting, a similar paradigm takes precedence. A DM should have a complete and comprehensive knowledge of whatever setting he or she chooses for the game. In this instance, I am referring to location, time period, and pertinent lore.
James: If you think about it, the DM pretty much is the setting.
That being said, a DM should not be expected to be an encyclopedia of knowledge, recalling even the most obscure detail at a moment's notice. After reading up on and maybe even play testing the game, it should be easy to identify what information is important and will be used repeatedly as it relates to rules and mechanics. Knowing the rules also prevents players from stretching or breaking them without DM consent.
James: Remember; it's a DM's job to give the game the illusion of equity. He or she is as much referee as anything else. Players need to feel like they are being treated fairly and nothing shatters this illusion more than the DM not remembering some basic rule. So if you get caught off guard, fake it. Just make sure to be consistent.
Will: This also discourages players from rifling through Player Handbooks for 10 minutes, bringing the flow of play to a grinding halt for anyone that isn't a librarian at heart. The more you know as a DM, the more confident your arbitration of the game can be.
For instance, you might have no idea what damage dice should be used for a Nunchaku but an educated DM will know that it should probably fall between a dagger (1d4) and a throwing hammer (1d6) due to its size and probable damage.
When it comes to lore and setting, a similar paradigm takes precedence. A DM should have a complete and comprehensive knowledge of whatever setting he or she chooses for the game. In this instance, I am referring to location, time period, and pertinent lore.
James: If you think about it, the DM pretty much is the setting.
Will: Yeah, if the DM doesn't know enough about where players are or what they are doing, then there really isn't much of a game happening. It's an essential part of the DM's role to generate enough content to satisfy players. If you can’t do that then you have no game.
James: This is one place where Will and my styles differ. He tends to create massive and detailed settings, well in advance of his games, taking as much time as is necessary to make himself at home in his setting. This approach lends Will's environments a richness and a strong sense of immersion. I'm never sure just what's around the corner in his games but I'm always confident that he does.
I myself, prefer to create on the fly, often choosing environments and characters in direct response to player interactions. This approach lends my games a certain versatility. When a party attempts to venture beyond the "beaten path" of an encounter's design, rather than subtly redirect them toward a "set objective", I simply create a new path, right then and there.
Will: For many DMs, myself included, the planning of the setting includes, NPCs, Monsters, Dungeons, and just about any other detail you can think of. In other words, if your DM doesn’t know of something, it usually doesn’t exist.
That said, it's important to keep in mind that both James and I pretty much grew up on fantasy and role-playing though books, games, playing pretend, you name it. Therefore, we both have a great grasp of fantastical knowledge in general.
James: And even though my free-form DMing style requires little in terms of direct preparation, every encounter, creature, or NPC is based on some inspiration. Without having spent time immersed in the minutia of the genre, my methods would prove dubious at best.
Will: James affords the player spontaneity by being spontaneous himself. Using his great general knowledge of setting he takes an “in the moment anything can happen” attitude.
I do not recommend this for everyone.
This approach takes a great deal of gall to pull off because it means, in many cases, chaos will rule the table. There have been times in James' games where whole systems have been abandoned because of story developments.
James: I once took a science-fiction themed game, without precedent, into "the spirit world" and transformed the Player Characters into magical animals. Then, once they escaped and regained their natural forms, they retained spirit animal powers.
Will: James is an individual who can roll with and adapt to these changes as fast or faster than the players. The downside is that his games can occasionally spiral out of control and lose any semblance of consistency. It also takes a unique personality to be able to play so completely “in the moment."
James: I once took a science-fiction themed game, without precedent, into "the spirit world" and transformed the Player Characters into magical animals. Then, once they escaped and regained their natural forms, they retained spirit animal powers.
Will: James is an individual who can roll with and adapt to these changes as fast or faster than the players. The downside is that his games can occasionally spiral out of control and lose any semblance of consistency. It also takes a unique personality to be able to play so completely “in the moment."
My preparations allow me to be prepared for any and every action a player character might take. For example, I can easily anticipate how an NPC will respond to a player question or action by seeing said NPC as a real person. If I know where he lives, what he does, and what his life is like, I can understand, on some level, who he is and play the role accordingly.
James: It's like method acting but for DMs.
Will: This same concept rings true in combat situations. If I know that a cultist is wearing ceremonial robes, it follows that if you hit said cultist with a torch, said robes should light on fire. There aren't necessarily game rules to back up that interaction but if the player wants to try it, I have a generally realistic response ready, based of what I know to be true. So in my style more knowledge enables more flexibility.
James: I'm not Will and He's not me. I could never study and analyze a setting so completely, memorizing every little detail, and I honestly doubt He could pull off my cavalier take of the concept of play. The important thing is to find what works for you and stick with it. Find out what kind of DM you are. Will and I both DM a certain way because of who we are.
Will: No matter how much you prepare, I guarantee that your players will surprise you at some point. Just do the best you can and remember that it's just a game.
James: It's like method acting but for DMs.
Will: This same concept rings true in combat situations. If I know that a cultist is wearing ceremonial robes, it follows that if you hit said cultist with a torch, said robes should light on fire. There aren't necessarily game rules to back up that interaction but if the player wants to try it, I have a generally realistic response ready, based of what I know to be true. So in my style more knowledge enables more flexibility.
James: I'm not Will and He's not me. I could never study and analyze a setting so completely, memorizing every little detail, and I honestly doubt He could pull off my cavalier take of the concept of play. The important thing is to find what works for you and stick with it. Find out what kind of DM you are. Will and I both DM a certain way because of who we are.
Will: No matter how much you prepare, I guarantee that your players will surprise you at some point. Just do the best you can and remember that it's just a game.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Episode 4 Part 5 (Finale)
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Without further adieu, I give you the conclusion to episode 4. Enjoy.
Credits: Audio Engineering: Jonathan Hicks
Executive Producer: James Hicks
Sound Effects: BattleBards
Without further adieu, I give you the conclusion to episode 4. Enjoy.
Credits: Audio Engineering: Jonathan Hicks
Executive Producer: James Hicks
Sound Effects: BattleBards
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Dungeon Master Class (Huh. I see what you did there)
Hey Internet!
The idea for this post came from one of our commenters. To paraphrase, he essentially wrote that he wanted to run a game for his family but that he was not a great DM. That got me thinking. How many people have I met, who've said more or less exactly the same thing? The answer is quite a few.
As I’m sure our regular readers/listeners already know, I love games. I believe that games are one of the best if not one of the only mediums whereby large groups of people can equally collaborate in a creative space. I believe games make peoples lives better. It’s the reason I write this blog and make this podcast.
So, I got to thinking. If there are really all these people out there who want to run games but feel for whatever reason they can’t or will perform poorly (specifically, I am referring to aspiring DMs) why don’t I do something to help them? So I am.
Ladies and Gentlemen it is my great pleasure to announce the Conquest or Calamity School for People Who Want to DM but Are Afraid They’ll Suck. (CoCPWWDMAATS) Obviously that acronym is a joke. Sheesh. Get a sense of humor, people.
So every week Sir William, Sarah, and Myself will be writing extensively to help you feel more like us! Because everyone should be able to play games. Even you. Yes you.
We’ll see you tomorrow for your first lesson! (Your homework is to listen to at least one podcast.)
- James
Friday, April 10, 2015
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
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
Monday, April 6, 2015
La troisième partie de la quatrième épisode
Hello people of the internet!
Behold! Episode 4 Part 3 is right here; right now. Please feel free to comment, retweet, post, etc. Big thanks, as always, to Battle Bards for amazing sound effects.
Check back later on this week for our live recording from The Wasteland Gaming. If you're all very good, maybe I'll even post some new art tomorrow.
Ciao!
James
Behold! Episode 4 Part 3 is right here; right now. Please feel free to comment, retweet, post, etc. Big thanks, as always, to Battle Bards for amazing sound effects.
Check back later on this week for our live recording from The Wasteland Gaming. If you're all very good, maybe I'll even post some new art tomorrow.
Ciao!
James
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
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
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
Sunday, March 29, 2015
No News is Good News. Some News is Even Better News!
Greetings Citizens,
I've come bearing news, tidings of great joy, so to speak. Hmm... Maybe borrowing that motif on Palm Sunday is in bad taste. Oh well, it's out there now, permanently etched by unrevisable keystrokes. C'est la vie.
Back to my news! Will, Our Minions, and I have been slaving away tirelessly, in preparation for the grand opening of the Player Bazaar. For those of you who don't know (probably the majority of you), the Player Bazaar is a way to include all of you (hopefully?), the listeners, in our weekly D&D game.
Soon, Conquest or Calamity Listeners will be able to send fabulous item cards to their favorite characters or wreak havoc on the party with devious dungeon cards and that's only the beginning. Have a thing for the Moonshae Isles? We might be able to think of a Djinn who could arrange a visit. Got a soft spot for the Shaar? Too bad, it got all chewed up in the Sundering and now it's just a big dumb hole. You've gotta quit living in the past, man.
We're in our final stages of testing and we can't wait to hear what all of you think, when we launch in April. As an added bonus, anyone who subscribes before the soft launch will receive an additional 100 gold doubloons and be entered for a chance to win a Conquest or Calamity tee-shirt before you can buy one! I know, I'm excite for you.
Alright, I'd better go do some Hail Marys or something. I'll catch up with you dweebs Monday, with the exciting conclusion to episode 4.
Ciao,
-James
PS. Above you'll note the art for the glorious belt of magnificence, which will be on sale very soon. It's enchanted, such that it aids the wearer for +1 to all stats but the wearer must mention the belt to each and every NPC, with whom he or she speaks, otherwise it explodes, destroying itself, possibly the wearer, and almost certainly a players self esteem. One size fits all!
I've come bearing news, tidings of great joy, so to speak. Hmm... Maybe borrowing that motif on Palm Sunday is in bad taste. Oh well, it's out there now, permanently etched by unrevisable keystrokes. C'est la vie.
Back to my news! Will, Our Minions, and I have been slaving away tirelessly, in preparation for the grand opening of the Player Bazaar. For those of you who don't know (probably the majority of you), the Player Bazaar is a way to include all of you (hopefully?), the listeners, in our weekly D&D game.
Soon, Conquest or Calamity Listeners will be able to send fabulous item cards to their favorite characters or wreak havoc on the party with devious dungeon cards and that's only the beginning. Have a thing for the Moonshae Isles? We might be able to think of a Djinn who could arrange a visit. Got a soft spot for the Shaar? Too bad, it got all chewed up in the Sundering and now it's just a big dumb hole. You've gotta quit living in the past, man.
We're in our final stages of testing and we can't wait to hear what all of you think, when we launch in April. As an added bonus, anyone who subscribes before the soft launch will receive an additional 100 gold doubloons and be entered for a chance to win a Conquest or Calamity tee-shirt before you can buy one! I know, I'm excite for you.
Alright, I'd better go do some Hail Marys or something. I'll catch up with you dweebs Monday, with the exciting conclusion to episode 4.
Ciao,
-James
PS. Above you'll note the art for the glorious belt of magnificence, which will be on sale very soon. It's enchanted, such that it aids the wearer for +1 to all stats but the wearer must mention the belt to each and every NPC, with whom he or she speaks, otherwise it explodes, destroying itself, possibly the wearer, and almost certainly a players self esteem. One size fits all!
Monday, March 16, 2015
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!
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.
Friday, March 13, 2015
House Rules: Why we do them.
Hey guys I wanted to make this post to address some of our house rules and why we use them. I first want to say that both James and I are huge fans of customizing our games. We have created completely new worlds and rule sets for some of the games we have run to mixed, but generally good, results. However; our changes always stem from the base rule sets developed by the pros at Wizards of the Coast.
Whenever we choose to make a change that decision always stems from a desire to increase the fun factor in our games. The first consideration when we look at this is the players experience. When I say experience I mean both what the game feels like from a player perspective and how well versed is the player in tabletop roleplaying games in general. I think it is fair to say that a good DM would never run a game the same way for veterans as for total newbs. For example our current podcast is run using primarily the 5e rule set. We do this because we know they are well balanced and "fair" for new players. It also gives us a fallback since we can simply look up the corresponding rule if we are confronted with either a situation we weren't prepared for or a conflict between what a player thinks is correct and what we may believe. Having a standardized set of rules is invaluable in dealing with these situations especially when dealing with new players.
One of the things you may notice is that we don't play with a high attention to the rule sets governing inventory weight or spell casting slots in our games. We make this choice very intentionally in order to enhance the player experience. Since we are playing with relatively new players we don't want to overburden them with considerations that remove them from the game. That being said, we do generally have an idea if a player is gaining an unfair edge by ignoring any of the rules in place. If that happens we gently remind them of their characters limitations. We want our players to feel as empowered and cool as possible as long as they also understand that the world is still threatening. In my experience; one of the worst ways to get a new player comfortable with the game is to make sure they adhere absolutely to all of the rules. I prefer to simply let them play and let them learn their character and the rules as they go.
The biggest house rule we do use for this game is the "over crit" system. I have to say I was inspired to create this system by some of the games I watched on itmejp's channel on youtube and twitch. If you like us please check him out at www.twitch.tv/itmejp or www.youtube.com/channel/UCQj4ZJd2QxRHwVYQbMvcKdQ. I introduced this system for a couple of reasons. The first is that it speeds up combat. James and I both agree that we do not like combat that degenerates into hitting someone enough till they fall over. We want players to be able to wipe out enemies quickly if they roll well. It makes them feel awesome and that's a huge part of what we want to achieve as DMs. This system also rewards better rolls. What I mean by this is that in a typical combat all you need to roll is above the enemies defense threshold but aren't rewarded for rolls above that unless you roll a natural critical. But with the overcrit system you get to feel great for rolling higher. I think it is way more fun to be looking to roll as high as possible as apposed to just high enough to hit. Also, I think it makes a lot of sense to reward a blow that hits with high accuracy in a real world sense.
The system breakdown is pretty simple: for every five over the enemies natural defense you roll you add a hit dice to your damage. For example if Talim hits an enemy with a 17 roll against 16 ac he deals his normal 1d8+4 damage. But, if he rolls a 21 he gets to roll 2d8+4 and if he somehow manages a 26 his damage goes up to 3d8+4.
If you want more info or have any questions feel free to comment. I'll do my best to respond.
: )
-Will H.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Free Advice: One should search a potential blog or podcast name before adopting it as canon.
Hey guys and gals,
It's great to see you all again. How's your mother? Yeah, mine's pretty quiet too. Today; the story of how it all started. The humble saga of a humble podcast with stars in its eyes and more than a few songs in its heart. (We'd like to apologize at this time to any listeners who might have heard the stars/songs from Episode 1 and thereby suffered mental or physical injury. We are truly truly sorry.)
Yes, Episode 1, our primitive ancestor. It's actually a pretty funny story. I was just sitting on the sofa with Will, drinking a coke, watching the Acquisitions Incorporated D&D game from PAX a few years back (Side Note: If you haven't seen Acquisitions Incorporated definitely check it out https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi-PULMg2eD_v5AO0PlW4sg ) and all of a sudden it just occurred to me: There really isn't very much else out there like it.
Twitch streamers do a great job creating content for video gamers but by comparison table top fans are all but left out in the cold. No more, I say. At that moment, I decided that this was my job and within about ten minutes we were recording our first, rather ill fated episode. (Quick aside: If you are a first time reader/listener please give episode 2 a listen. It's much more...together than it's predecessor.) We couldn't figure out where the fan sound was coming from. I realized today that, in fact, episode one was actually recorded on an ancient headset mic that had fallen behind the desktop case onto the ground and was pressing up against the main fan.
Even as embarrassing as episode 1 was/is/shouldITakeItDownYouThink?/NoLetsJustTalkAboutItMore, as I'm editing the next one, I can't help but smile at the thought of its grandfather standing stalwart in the face of all opposition and reminding constantly me that I wanted to make something, that I did, and then asking what my name was again. Maybe that's an insensitive joke. Hmmm... Here check out this new logo sketch I did!
Yes, Episode 1, our primitive ancestor. It's actually a pretty funny story. I was just sitting on the sofa with Will, drinking a coke, watching the Acquisitions Incorporated D&D game from PAX a few years back (Side Note: If you haven't seen Acquisitions Incorporated definitely check it out https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi-PULMg2eD_v5AO0PlW4sg ) and all of a sudden it just occurred to me: There really isn't very much else out there like it.
Twitch streamers do a great job creating content for video gamers but by comparison table top fans are all but left out in the cold. No more, I say. At that moment, I decided that this was my job and within about ten minutes we were recording our first, rather ill fated episode. (Quick aside: If you are a first time reader/listener please give episode 2 a listen. It's much more...together than it's predecessor.) We couldn't figure out where the fan sound was coming from. I realized today that, in fact, episode one was actually recorded on an ancient headset mic that had fallen behind the desktop case onto the ground and was pressing up against the main fan.
Even as embarrassing as episode 1 was/is/shouldITakeItDownYouThink?/NoLetsJustTalkAboutItMore, as I'm editing the next one, I can't help but smile at the thought of its grandfather standing stalwart in the face of all opposition and reminding constantly me that I wanted to make something, that I did, and then asking what my name was again. Maybe that's an insensitive joke. Hmmm... Here check out this new logo sketch I did!
Finished version should be up with the new episode on Monday. (Yeah that seemed to do the trick they are on our side again.) The bottom line is, thank you all so much for reading, listening, subscribing, commenting, or what ever it is you do. Because at the end of the day, you're all the only reason to even do something like this and I am very grateful that I get to.
-James Hicks
Conquest or Calamity Dungeon Master and Lover of Ducks.
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