Explaining Your Favorite Game

Exactly what I feel like trying to explain tabletop gaming to non-gamers...

Chicago LARPers(?) busted in Millenium Park

The Sun-Times, WLS, and the Chicago Tribune are reporting that at least one Chicago resident has been arrested and charged with "disorderly conduct" in what appears to be a LARPing session go awry.

It seems to have started yesterday, when a "suspicious package" (which, upon further police investigation, turned out to be 2 bricks) was spotted under the 'Bean' sculpture in downtown's Millenium Park at 5:36pm. This prompted the police to cordon off the area, stop all traffic on Michigan Ave., declare a Level 1 HazMat situation, and call in the arson and bomb squads!

It seems that 3 people were arrested, but only 1 is officially facing charges. I can't find any info on what the actual LARPing game in question was but it appears to be some sort of non-fantasy LARP.

It's insane that it took 4 hours, the closure of a portion of a major city, and numerous police and firefighters to figure out this was all part of a live-action game. Although, you would think LARPers would have chosen a less-conspicuous park to hold their game in...

RPG Documentary Now on Hulu

"The Dungeon Master", a 2008 documentary following the lives of 3 RPG game masters, is now available on Hulu.

Munchkin + Axe Cop = EPIC!

Well, just when I thought the legendary saga of the comic "Axe Cop" couldn't get any more awesome, Steve Jackson Games announced today that the newest expansion to their genre-spanning card game Munchkin will be.....Munchkin: Axe Cop!

From the Daily Illuminator:

"So . . . you guessed it . . . that big new Munchkin announcement we've been promising is Munchkin Axe Cop!

Axe Cop and Munchkin are a perfect match. Doing this project will be total fun for me. Axe CopMunchkin story . . . kill the bad guys, take their stuff, and level up! has a manic energy that goes with the

Munchkin Axe Cop will be a third-quarter release, featuring the art of Ethan Nicolle. It will be a stand-alone Munchkin core set."

If you're unfamiliar with Axe Cop, it began as a collaboration between Ethan Nicolle (the comic's 29-year old illustrator) and his 5-year-old brother, Malachai (who comes up with the storylines and characters). Yes, you heard that right, it's a comic essentially written by a kid...and it's awesome.

Mich. Toy Soldier Co. Owner Gets Prison Time

Just a small update from an earlier story...

The Detroit press is reporting that Rick Berry, owner of Michigan Toy Soldier Co., has been sentenced to 10 months in federal prison as part of a plea bargain that was agreed upon last Sept. As part of the plea, Berry will serve 10 months in prison and has agreed to paying restitution in full.

NBC's "Community" does D&D this Thursday!

I won't lie, I'm a big fan of the show "Community". If you've never watched (for shame!), you may want to catch this Thursday's episode where the characters play some old-fashioned Dungeons & Dragons.

Here's a clip:

1993 Dragonstrike "instructional video"

From the WTF!? files, the "instructional video" VHS that came with 1993's Dragonstrike game. 33 mins of pure cheesy awesomeness.

GW Suing Chapterhouse for IP Infringement, Adepticon Mentioned

A little bit of interesting "local" news today from Dakkadakka.

It appears that Games Workshop has filed suit against Chapterhouse Studios (makers of various resin conversion/upgrade kits for GW models) in the U.S. Northern District Court - Eastern Division (that's the U.S. court for all of us here in Chicago, for you non-lawyery types). Chapterhouse, based in Texas and Paulson Games, of Downer's Grove IL are named in the suit.

Amongst this otherwise typical copyright infringement case, GW's brief claims that Illinois (and specifically, Chicago) is it's largest market and goes on to name Adepticon as part of this claim! From the brief:

"22. The area in and around Chicago, Illinois is one of the most active for Games

Workshop, being part of the single largest selling market in the United States; being home to the AdeptiCon, the largest independent convention for miniature wargaming hobbyists in the country (at which the WARHAMMER and WARHAMMER 40,000 games are featured), and the site selected by Games Workshop for its 2011 Games Day Convention (which is expected to attract 3,000 or more fans of the WARHAMMER and WARHAMMER 40,000 games at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center)."

IANAL but if you don't want to muddle through 18 pages of legalese, essentially GW is claiming that Chapterhouse is reproducing and selling the "unique characteristics and expressions" of GW copyrighted works and trademarks, most prominently their distribution of Space Marine shoulderpads with copyrighted iconography.

GW's first and second causes are general copyright infringement against GW and Warhammer, their third cause alleges deception and misleading origins of like products (which is why Chapterhouse now has a long disclaimer at the bottom of its site), their fourth through sixth causes allege copyright dilution, their seventh cause alleges deceptive business practices against GW's customer base, and their final cause alleges unfair competition.

GW is seeking a jury trial, destruction of all Chapterhouse's products and molds, triple damages, and court costs. All in all, I'd say the case is fairly cut-and-dry and Chapterhouse will lose.

If you'd like to "donate" to Chapterhouse's defense, they've provided a link.

$3M+ In Taxpayer Money To Games

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) recently released his Wastebook 2010 compiling examples of how taxpayer monies were used to fund wasteful, pork-barrel spending by the United States Gov't over the past few years.

What stands out over the past few years are the level of money used to fund the development of multiple games and studies involving gaming with little or no discernible effect on the U.S. economy or benefit to the taxpayer.

Here's how your money was wasted:

"6. Studying World of Warcraft and Other Virtual Games - (Irvine, CA) $2.9 Million"

Bonnie Nardi, professor of "Informatics" for the Donald Bren school at UC-Irvine, received a 3-year grant totaling nearly $3,000,000 to study 'decentralized virtual activity systems" in online MMORPGs like WoW and Second Life. How does Prof. Nardi plan to do her "studying"? Why, by playing World Of Warcraft, of course! From her own website:

"My most recent research concerns massively multiplayer online games. I am conducting participant-observation fieldwork in World of Warcraft , the most popular MMOG, studying how players collaborate as well as the relationship of offline, online, and in-game activity."

Prof. Nardi has already received over $100,000 in 2008 from the Nat'l Science Foundation to do another study, specifically on WoW, which she later went on to publish as the book My Life as a Night Elf Priest, available now for the low, low price of $28.95!

To reiterate, this woman took $100,000 to produce a "study" whose findings she subsequently went on to publish in a private, for-profit book and then received another $1M every year for 3 years to do a participant survey on the same online game! For shame, Professor!

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"23. Zoo Receives Federal Funding to Develop Online Video Game 'Wolfquest' - (Apple Valley, MN) $609,160"

A subject that I'm also passionate about (wildlife conservation & the re-introduction of wild predators) mishandled by the Nat'l Science Foundation!

Developed by staff members of the Minnesota Zoo and game developer Eduweb to educate the public on wolf conversation issues, 'Wolfquest" is a free linear wildlife game (which doesn't mean the Minnesota Zoo is lacking in trying to milk every last marketing dollar it can from the franchise) with, at last count, only has ~250,000 downloads (for a game that was released 2 years ago+!).

Personally, I don't have an issue with some funding going to produce educational games which are fun, interactive, and generally have an important message. But kids barking at a computer screen (as detailed in the infomercial below) probably won't help the issue:

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"45. A Recession-Inspired Video Game - (Hanover, NH) $137,530"

What's needed in these dark times when unemployment is high and people find it difficult to find work is a game that lets us play the side of management in a Tetris-like environment based on how quickly one can lay off employees!

Luckily, someone over at the Values At Play project (whose mission statement, ironically, involves a lot of talk about advancing "humanistic principles") was able to take over $100,000 to give us "Layoff", described as:

"...an 11-by-8-inch grid populated by tiny workers…The objective is to shuffle these characters into groups of three of a kind, at which point they can be banished to mill aimlessly about the unemployment line..." [emphasis mine]

At least it's both fun and free....

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"78. Video Game Parties Rock Out - (Murfreesboro, TN) $5,000"

Last and certainly least, the Murfreesboro Public Library used $5,000 to host several "game nights" where patrons could play Wii, Xbox360, and PS2 games on a 96" inflatable TV screen.

The funds come from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, whose goal is "to develop strong libraries and museums to connect people to information or ideas"...I think I'll write the IMLS and ask them to fund my next video game platform purchase.

Product Review: Greenpeace's "Deepsea Desperation"

^Yeah, that dude has a bad case of oil diarrhea^

Today, Greenpeace released a tiny "print & play" game named "Deepsea Desperation". It's a free (and CC-licensed!) 2-page PDF document designed by Terrorbull Games. The concept is simple - one player plays the valiant environmentalist defenders attempting to stop the other player (as the evil, cute sea creature-killing oil company *wink,wink*) from destroying the local environment (and getting rich in the bargain).

The gameboard is a simple 6x6 grid of squares, representing a small lake or sea, as if envisioned by Jules Feiffer (if you ever read The Phantom Tollbooth as a kid, you'll catch my drift). Each player starts on an opposite corner with their relevant counter - an oil tanker for the 'Oil Company' or a Cocaine-smuggling Earth-saving Fastboat for Greenpeace.

Coins (representing the filthy lucre, I guess, although Greenpeace seems to partake of these riches as well....) are placed over the oil reserves. Several crying animal counters are placed according to the coordinates rolled on 2D6 (although the "Sad Panda" seems somewhat out-of-place with the other aquatic animals...). The Oil company then starts first.

Each player turn, that player may perform one of three actions. Each player can move, while each player has 2 unique actions. Greenpeace may 'occupy' the oil tanker or form a 'marine reserve' around its ship, protecting surrounding animals & that area from drilling. The Oil Co. can lobby to remove reserves (an interesting real-world analogy) or drill for oil.

Drilling (obviously) can lead to oil spills by rolling doubles on a 2D6 and the Oil Co. player must pay a penalty from his or her pot, as well as killing any animals in the area. The game ends (and both players lose) if all the animals are killed - a nice little mechanic that seemed the least heavy-handed of the lessons being promoted here.

The Oil Co. player wins once he drills enough oil to collect 12 coins, while the Greenpeace player wins by either bankrupting the Oil Co. or by making all the deepwater squares into reserves. The former seems to be relatively moderate to accomplish, while the latter is nearly impossible when the Oil Co. can remove most (if not all) of the reserves Greenpeace puts down simply by moving to the right square and performing a Lobby action.

Overall though, this is a nicely-designed, quick game, especially for children. Well-intentioned propaganda is still propaganda, but that doesn't mean it can't be FUN!

The game is available as a free PDF here.

Pros:

-A quick (~15-20mins.) game suitable for children of all ages

-Nicely designed

-"Hurray for environmental responsibility!" message

-You get to re-enact the smarmy 90s cartoon "Captain Planet"

Cons:

-Pretty easy for Oil Co. player to demolish Greenpeace marine reserves

-Maybe a little heavy-handed with the "big, evil oil company" message

-Sad Panda!

German "Dog Shit" Game

Here it is, just in time for Christmas, kids! "Kackel Dackel", a German children's game, about animal feces. No, this is NOT a joke....

From Goliath Games description [translated from German]:

"Goliath knows why children laugh: for example, about the dice game Kackel dachshund. Taboos such as animal feces fascinate children, and that's what Goliath uses for a fun thrill. The [dice] in turn decides whether the player's hungry Kackel Dachshund feeds or goes for a walk. Then

hopefully the unspeakable happens! Players have to collect the [dogshit], but that makes them
nothing, because the winner will be the first one who [doesn't poop?]."

It's available on Amazon.

LARPing Documentary on Hulu

"Darkon", a 2006 documentary about LARPers in Baltimore, is now available on Hulu.

I'll be the first to admit that LARPers make me giggle and I love to poke fun at them.

But this was a great documentary on the subject. Honestly, I preferred seeing the out-of-character parts of each player's "real life" rather than the LARPing itself. I thought the directors (Luke Meyer, Andrew Neel) really did a great job of not only humanizing the players, but showing the true reasons about why they play. Most players seem to work menial and/or dead-end jobs that they're bored with and LARPing is their escape from that. And, honestly, don't ALL humans fantasize about being someone else or somewhere else?

My favorite highlights:

0:22 - CHEESE MONSTER!? (+10 Terror factor to lactose-intolerant PCs?)

0:33-0:38 - The politicking and "Manifest Destiny" of the in-game country, Mordom

0:47 - A player relates his personal problems with the "fantasy" of Darkon's fantasy world

0:58-1:02 - Battle For The Citadel Of Peace

1:10 - Strategic planning with D&D miniatures!

(Unfortunately, no one bothers to cast Lightning Bolt...)

Darkon's (the gaming group) website is here.

Boston Herald Reports D&D "Responsible" For UA Professor's Killing Spree

Jesus fucking Christ, is the mainstream media still using RPGs as a Dues Ex Machina behind fatal slayings!? Really? Yeah, 1986 called and it wants its baseless accusation back...

According to ace reporter Laurel Sweet of the Boston Globe, a potential reasoning behind the tragic shooting death of several school officials by Dr. Amy Bishop could have been her hobby of role-playing...

From the article:

"Bishop, now a University of Alabama professor, and her husband James Anderson met and fell in love in a Dungeons & Dragons club while biology students at Northeastern University in the early 1980s, and were heavily into the fantasy role-playing board game, a source told the Herald..."

Ms. Sweet goes on and attempts to tie this murder with a totally unrelated case from 2000 by convicted killer Michael McDermott "...the lone gunman behind the devastating workplace killings at Edgewater Technology in Wakefield in 2000....Police seized two Dungeons & Dragons books from McDermott’s Haverhill apartment after he shot seven co-workers to death on Dec. 26, 2000."

Never mind that Dr. Bishop has a history of perpetuating physical violence.

Never mind that the Herald makes no attempt at accurate reporting or naming their sources.

Never mind that both crimes mentioned have nothing to do with the accused using RPGing as a catalyst for their violent behavior.

No, the media has "found" its usual list of suspect activities and would rather re-hash an already tired argument then do some actual work for once. I'm sorry, I have no other rational, intellectual response to this story accept to say:

Go Fuck Yourself, Boston Herald.

In Prison, There Is no D&D

This news story is a few days old but I figured, if you haven't heard about it, you probably should.

The gist goes as such:

-Man serving life sentence in a Wisconsin prison plays D&D with other inmates
-Supposedly, another prisoner (non-gamer) sends an "anonymous" letter to prison Warden expressing concern
-Under the guise of breaking up "potential gang activity" and "gambling", D&D-playing prisoner has all his gaming material confiscated by the guards
-Prisoner sues in court to have gaming materials returned, citing violations of free speech and due process
-7th US Court Of Appeals upholds ban, siding with prison officials' explanation


Though I'm conflicted on the morality/usefulness of denying a prisoner access to his hobby, I do believe the viewpoints expressed by both the warden and the judge in this case are a good insight into the continuing demonization and misrepresentation of gaming as a whole in society at large.

Prison officials cited that the game "...promotes fantasy role playing, competitive hostility, violence, addictive escape behaviors, and possible gambling." My questions for the judge and prison officials (and US citizens in general, since we all participate in the incarceration of others who violate the law) are thus...

First, what games don't promote "competitive hostility" and "escape behaviors"? Every game from Hungry Hungry Hippos to Monopoly to Chess to 40K is established on the basic premise of competition and imagination. Without these two factors, there is no game. Furthermore, how does denying a prisoner the exercise of mental escapism prevent or decrease his ability to do so (a deeper argument could be had about whether "locking down" prisoner's minds, as well as their bodies constitute 'cruel and unusual punishment').

Second, I find it interesting that, having totally eradicated illegal drug smuggling, weapons, inmate violence and drugs, that prison officials can now concentrate on curtailing the scourge of game-playing and the possibility of gambling it entails! Of course, I'm speaking sarcastically but the argument stands - has the prison eliminated these issues or are they singling out a small group of inmates to punish them?

Third (and most importantly), what's so terrible about "...promot[ing] fantasy role playing"? The opinion of prison officials in this case seems to be that role-playing itself is inherently bad. Why is that, I wonder? The US public is continually told by the media and special interests that certain forms of gaming promote violence and anti-social behavoir. The question is now why do so many people view role-playing, or any type of gaming, as somehow "bad" - is it a product of mass media or is there a deeper reasoning behind it, something more visceral perhaps?

I'll try not to hinder these topics with my own personal viewpoint except to say this - We have a criminal justice system in this country, not a criminal revenge system. As such, our prisons should be focused on rehabilitation and combating recidivism, not inducing a system based around summary punishments meant to make 'examples' of criminals. Capriciousness on the part of those in law enforcement only breeds a deepening resentment and mistrust of true justice, not only by criminals, but the citizenry as a whole.

Whatever this prisoner's crime, what good does it do to rob him of something he has enjoyed after taking away his liberty? And, if the answer to that is simply 'he commited a crime, therefore he has no rights or privledges', then why don't we just throw every criminal in this country into a 4'x4' cell underground and never let them out until their sentence is complete?

Personally, I'd rather have the guy rolling D10s, than shanking another inmate in the prison cafeteria.