Observations of the Fox

I'm working away on the formatting for my "The Law - Dispatch Guide", which is basically the GM's guide to the game. It includes ideas for how to run a coherent investigation, how to keep things interesting, how to use equipment (and create new pieces of equipment), and a final section on relationship mapping. The book I'll work on after this is an "Agent's Guide", which is basically the player's guide with a description of the Department of Law hierarchy, a few option character variants within that hierarchy (such as SWAT, Internal Affairs, Undercover Agents, PSI-Squad, etc.), maybe a lifepath system to flesh out a character as they are being built, and a few ideas for how games by be run outside the regular shift structure to reflect an Agent's life when they aren't on patrol. Beyond this, I'm thinking of a series of Splatbooks to flesh out the setting, or more accurately provide tools that a group can use to flesh out the setti...

The second of today's parcels was unexpected, because the postal note in the letter box only indicated I had one package waiting. It was mailed here in Australia, from  +Matt Horam  of EttinCon fame. Inside, a copy of Stone Dragon Mountain, purchased by  +Jez Gordon  while he was over at GenCon, from +Sean Nittner  and the Torchbearer/Burning-Wheel team. Thanks Guys!!! I'd been meaning to pick this u in the Kickstarter, since I did the maps in it ( as I indicated here on the blog back when they were done 18 months ago ). But cash was tight while the project was running, and by the time I had enough funds to get a copy...the chance was gone. It's so nice seeing my name in a nicely printed book that I didn't make myself. There it is...under Art ... I did the maps. ...and there's one of the maps. Yes. I'm excited. Probably the fact that I received two different packages of books in one day... and this one's really good. No...

I had sent off for proof copies of The Law from two different sources. The easiest process for getting print approval was from the P.O.D. supplier Lulu . So it was hardly surprising that their books arrived first.     Sturdy packaging, nothing to complain about there. Then I open up the transport box, and look at the book inside. The printed proof is on the left (it has the book number on it), my photocopied and stapled proof is one the right. The printed copy has a nicer, glossier finish; something I just couldn't have produced on my own. The colours seem a bit richer as well, but I'm colour blind so I can't be certain of that. The thing that I wasn't expecting was the perfect binding. Especially when the website said that anything under 48 pages would be stapled...which is a bit annoying given that I was going for a comic book aesthetic.   That wouldn't be too bad, except for the fact that I had standard borders along th...

Enthusiasm from the early sales of The Law has meant I've started working on the Dispatch Guide. Perhaps a bit more than just started... I'm up to 24 pages written and laid out, out of a total of 32 for the book. So far I've written tips for how a game could be run, provided ideas for how to keep things interesting, and provided tools to create new items and equipment for the game. Next I'll be focusing on random encounters and relationship maps to fill out the methods of adding depth to the setting during the course of play. The whole thing is basically drawn from the way I've been running games at conventions for the last few years, because regardless of this system, there are certain things that seem to consistently work, and certain things that I've learnt to avoid. I'm hoping that my method of putting them into words makes sense to other people.

I'm one of those people who is very picky when it comes to the comic collection. A lot of comics are read once, then carefully bagged and boarded before storing on shelves or in boxes. This is not due to a belief that the comics are worth a fortune, more aboit respecting stuff that has value to me after too many instances where my stuff has been damaged or thrown away. I figure that if it looks respected, or valuable, then other people around me might treat those things the same way. I guess it has worked to some extent, because a few friends have given me their comic collections to be stored in the same way, knowing that even if their comics aren't worth a lot on the resale market, at least they'll be in good condition if they ever want them back (rather than damaged by housemates in share houses, or lost in transit between multiple accommodations). So, while I'm developing a game that's basically set in a certain comic universe, using a size and page c...

One of the most influential people in my life, I will now never get the chance to meet. The Author of Zen and the Art of MOtorcycle Maintenance has passed away. One of my favourite RPGs of all time is Mage: the Ascension, and this game is heavily based on the two books written by Pirsig. ZatAoMM and Lila, both define elements of the game, the former providing a context for the magical attribute of Arete (representing both an inherent understanding and one-ness with the universe, akin to a level of divinity...but not quite, I can't make a glib single sentence description...just go and read the book already ), the latter providing a deeper context for paradigms and ways of viewing the universe ( again...just read the damn book ). I used to read these two books annually, but it's been a while since I did so. I must get around the reading them again. I've also got a book called "Zen and Now" in which another author and motorcyclist traced the journey taken b...