CasdraBlog

links for 2010-08-31

tharkad — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:01:19 +0000

The God Engines

(tags: reading)
Other Games

(tags: battletech worldofwarcraft)

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-31

tharkad — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Played #WarhammerQuest on 2010-08-29 http://boardgame.geekdo.com/boardgame/1634 #bggplay #
Played #WarhammerFantasyRoleplay(3rdEdition) on 2010-08-29 http://rpggeek.com/rpg/2775 #rpggplay #
@seizeyourturn Tichu for iPhone been out for a few days and it's quite good. in reply to seizeyourturn #

links for 2010-08-30

tharkad — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:01:03 +0000

Replay (again)

Replay is one of my very favorite books and I've read it several times throughout my life. I'm very excited to have this coming up for book club next week. Should be a very fun and interesting discussion.

(tags: scifi book book2010)
Excession

Another interesting and fun Culture novel. A bit hard to follow as there are a ton of Mind characters with their odd names. Looking forward to continuing with the Culture.

(tags: scifi Culture book book2010)
Tome of Adventure (again)

Reread to play Warhammer Quest using the WFRP 3e character and combat rules. Very fun.

(tags: roleplaying boardgame warhammer book book2010)
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Rulebook (again)

Reread to play Warhammer Quest using the WFRP 3e character and combat rules. Very fun.

(tags: roleplaying boardgame warhammer book book2010)

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-30

tharkad — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

@jsovick cool! in reply to jsovick #
@Will_Bunch Ted was busy playing a show at my local casino near Seattle thus week. in reply to Will_Bunch #

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-29

tharkad — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Just finished Excession by Ian Banks, another fun and interesting book in his Culture series. Now a week to reread Replay for book club. #

links for 2010-08-28

tharkad — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:00:54 +0000

PADILICIOUS: How to Add Finger-Swipe Support to Your Webpage

(tags: ipad web programming)

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-28

tharkad — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

@metz123 I would say it's an ominous silence about the whiffleball game. in reply to metz123 #
@levarburton I was just explaining to my daughter the concept of event TV. We regularly had parties to watch TNG. in reply to levarburton #

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-27

tharkad — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Played #Tichu today http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/215 #bggplay #
@daveweigel I did it on a Mac. in reply to daveweigel #

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-26

tharkad — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Wondering if the PA guys characterize used book stores as "pawn shops". #PAgamesdialog #
Played #WarhammerQuest on 2010-08-24 http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1634 #bggplay #
My write up on my Warhamer Quest-WFRP experiment and a bit of my gaming history. http://bit.ly/bDU7JF #

Roleplaying with Warhammer Quest

tharkad — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:49:47 +0000

I remember very clearly where I was when I bought my first tabletop roleplaying game. It was before one of the $50 Friday night Magic tournaments at the Wizards of the Coast Game Center in Seattle (I won one of those you know – the high water mark of my competitive Magic career). Despite being a huge board game and video game playing in my youth I had never played D&D or any other roleplaying game. I vaguely know what they were from popular culture but I didn’t have any friends that played so that was that. I made it through college without running into any players but as I played more computer RPG’s and realized the group storytelling aspect I began to be more interested in tabletop RPG’s. I was pretty anti-fantasy at that point so D&D didn’t hold a lot of interest for me but I heard that TSR, in what would be one of their final releases before being bought by Wizards, was release a science-fiction RPG.

Alternity came out and I looked over the two core rulebooks and the Game Center for weeks on end. It was so strange to me that a game was being sold as just a book – and an expensive one at that. It took me over a month to decide to splurge on them. I read both books cover to cover and was fascinated. I played the game exactly one time. I ran an adventure in an icy research station from the Dark Matter campaign setting. I was a total nervous wreck and it really wasn’t fun for anyone. But that didn’t stop me from loving to read RPG books. I have a frankly embarrassing collection of them now considering that I don’t play.

When I got the D&D 4th Edition core books I first got the idea to use them as a replacement for the combat system for Warhammer Quest. I love Warhammer Quest but when I’ve gotten it out and set up to play with the kids I was always dissatisfied with the very simple combat. Rolling those d6’s seemed so boring. So I diligently read the D&D 4th Edition books – and it was way, way too complicated. D&D is an incredibly complex game at least by the standards of the board games I’ve been playing lately. There was no way to make it work. And that’s when I said no more RPG’s for me.

That lasted until the new 3rd edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay was released. The game system is quite different from other RPG’s is ways that seemed like it would work for me. I was also taken with the possibilities of using these new Warhammer rules with that old Warhammer game. Last night we gave it a first try and it was largely a success. On of the criticism of WFRP 3e is that there are not enough enemies and that came out in our game. I was drawing the cards for spiders and minotaurs that are not in the book. In the sprit of practicing being a game master I tried to make things up as well as I could. It worked OK but just like last time I found this to be very stressful even with just playing with my 7-year-old. I don’t think I’m cut out to be a game master without a lot more practice playing. We are about halfway through the dungeon and I hope to finish up tonight. I may write up the house rules I made to simulate some of the Warhammer Quest features like the Power Phase role. All in all it was a fun, if a bit stressful time.

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-25

tharkad — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Getting ready to play experimental game of Warhammer Quest using the character and combat rules from Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3E. #
The Warhammer experiment is working. http://yfrog.com/bh6krzj #

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-24

tharkad — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

@NickKristof Is this a case where the center isn't the correct position? Does one side deserve to be called out more than the other? in reply to NickKristof #
Reading Kitsap http://pugetsoundblogs.com/readingkitsap/ #

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-23

tharkad — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

I correctly answered 11 out of the 11 possible questions, on the Pew News IQ Quiz! http://pewrsr.ch/9U8jNF #

links for 2010-08-22

tharkad — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 11:00:57 +0000

Marco.org – A smartphone retrospective

(tags: iphone ipad)

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-22

tharkad — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

@theclimbergirl Wow congrats! in reply to theclimbergirl #
I completed all Floating levels and attained the esteemed moniker of Drifter playing Osmos. http://bit.ly/cP0JxP #

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-21

tharkad — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

@joshfarley Hmm, I just walked past the sign for the new Subway coming in down from Rite Aid. in reply to joshfarley #

links for 2010-08-20

tharkad — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:00:55 +0000

Full Rock Band 3 Tracklist Seemingly Leaked

(tags: rockband)

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-20

tharkad — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

@maro254 OK, what is it…I guess it's just me but I'm having a hard time finding on the website. in reply to maro254 #
Roundabout!! Yes on Rock Band 3 http://bit.ly/9pYR9b #
I was proud when my 7-year-old played well in his first game of Ticket to Ride last night. Tonight he beats me 109-49. I'm happy right? #
Played #TickettoRide today http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9209 #bggplay #
Played #MagicTheGathering 3 times today http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/463 #bggplay #

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-19

tharkad — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Played #Hogwarts on 2010-08-17 http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/67436 #bggplay #
Played #Hogwarts on 2010-08-18 http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/67436 #bggplay #
Played #TickettoRide on 2010-08-18 http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9209 #bggplay #
Twilight Struggle is the best. RT @keithlaw: We can't be friends any more. RT @natetrop @keithlaw Axis and Allies is still the best! #

links for 2010-08-18

tharkad — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:01:05 +0000

Ground Zero Mosque Controversy: America Has Disgraced Itself – The Daily Beast

(tags: politics)

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-18

tharkad — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

@theclimbergirl Good luck!! in reply to theclimbergirl #
Played #TheFiresofMidway on 2010-08-16 http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/57073 #bggplay #
My Twifficiency score is 40%. Whats yours? http://twifficiency.com/ #
RT @Ihnatko New on Suntimes.com: Why Photoshop CS5 is cheap money, even — no, especially — to amateur photographers. http://bit.ly/aMEqA0 #
Anyone know what those two big booms I heard out my window on Bainbridge Island were? #
Played #TheFiresofMidway today http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/57073 #bggplay #
@Kyrion It's fast playing once you have the rules down and quite brutal. Many carriers burning after one turn. in reply to Kyrion #
Woot! http://yfrog.com/mutpkdj #
Bainbridge Island http://yfrog.com/jm67jjj #

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-18

tharkad — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

@theclimbergirl Good luck!! in reply to theclimbergirl #
Played #TheFiresofMidway on 2010-08-16 http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/57073 #bggplay #
My Twifficiency score is 40%. Whats yours? http://twifficiency.com/ #
RT @Ihnatko New on Suntimes.com: Why Photoshop CS5 is cheap money, even — no, especially — to amateur photographers. http://bit.ly/aMEqA0 #
Anyone know what those two big booms I heard out my window on Bainbridge Island were? #
Played #TheFiresofMidway today http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/57073 #bggplay #
@Kyrion It's fast playing once you have the rules down and quite brutal. Many carriers burning after one turn. in reply to Kyrion #
Woot! http://yfrog.com/mutpkdj #
Bainbridge Island http://yfrog.com/jm67jjj #

links for 2010-08-17

tharkad — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:01:13 +0000

Gitzman's Gallery

(tags: warhammer)
FAN MADE WFR3 Tools, Rules, and adds

(tags: warhammer)
Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » Immigration and Islam

(tags: politics)

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-17

tharkad — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Played #Carcassonne 2 times today http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/822 #bggplay #
Played #ZombieDice 2 times today http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/62871 #bggplay #
RT @wargamer55 RT @jasonmustian: In fairness, we've been building 'ground zeros' near Iraqi mosques since March 2003. #

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-16

tharkad — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Up for early morning #Liverpool. Go Reds! #
Welcome Joe Cole! #redcard #
Gooooooaaaaalllllll!!!! #
RT @55cards New Star Trek games coming from WizKids: one with miniatures; the other a cooperative boardgame. http://bit.ly/9hUYL7 [io9] #
Tense finish to this Liverpool match. 11-9 for a while. #
RT @mattyglesias Good piece by @jbarro on Cordoba House in NRO: http://bit.ly/aEJlJl #

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-15

tharkad — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Played #TheFiresofMidway today http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/57073 #bggplay #

links for 2010-08-14

tharkad — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 11:00:43 +0000

Zeddemore Format: by far my favorite way to play Magic | Magic: The Gathering | BoardGameGeek

(tags: magic)

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-14

tharkad — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Played #HarryPotterTradingCardGame on 2010-08-13 http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3495 #bggplay #

links for 2010-08-13

tharkad — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:02:21 +0000

Excession

(tags: reading)
Under the Dome: A Novel

Incredibly he pulled it off. It's vintage King and I liked it a lot. Huge book but pretty fast read.

(tags: book scifi book2010)

Twitter Updates for 2010-08-13

tharkad — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 06:00:00 +0000

Leadership! *sigh* RT @BrianCalvert Breaking-Governor Gregoire asks all state agencies for 4 to 7 percent across the board cuts by October #
Woo! RT @BoardgameNews Rules: Posted for the cooperative game Castle Ravenloft from Wizards of the Coast http://bit.ly/c8AyyU (PDF) #games #