RPGs: Do we have enough?

Yes, another loser-geek-gamer-related post from yours truly. For those who are normal and read my entries, worry not, as I plan to update this weekend soon, and it had a notable lack of games (aside from Scattergories, but I doubt that counts anyway).

Anyway, here I sit in front of the computer on my day off, wasting time, and reading several gaming related web sites (ENWorld, GamingReport, Steve Jackson's site, and White Wolf's own site) while eating breakfast and drinking my morning coffee. I was stunned by the plethora of gaming products that are scheduled to come out this year. Sure, WotC is giving us Eberron Campaign Setting, Complete Arcane, and Frostburn*, but White Wolf is (not unexpectedly) releasing the revised World of Darkness, and Steve Jackson Games will be relieasing GURPS, 4th edition.

( Wizards of the Coast's Releases )

Now, I turn my attention to the other two systems I mentioned earlier. White Wolf's World of Darkness has always intrigued me, though I never particularly cared for the Vampires.**** For me, werewolves were so much cooler. Well, White Wolf, as you gamer people know, ended their settings this past January. Heck, they're only going to sell their current WoD books until April 30.

( White Wolf's World of Darkness )

( GURPS 4th Edition )

Now, why did I make such a long-winded post about all of this? The answer is obvious to some of you. I'd like to try these out. While a long-running campaign is fun, there is something to playing a game for a couple of months, and switching to another one. Keep things shaken up, and fresh and new. Of course, if we tried this again, I'd be fully for running them as mini-campaigns, where the story ENDS at the end of the campaign, instead of us just dropping it, never to return. We could also do higher-level D&D mini-campaigns, higher-karma Shadowrun games, more XP World of Darkness and GURPS games. No reason the power level would always have to reset at "1" each time.

I ask you all: Who among you would want to play a GURPS Fantasy game, or a Werewolf World of Darkness game, or a Midnight d20 mini-game? If you'd rather run such a game, I've loaned my books to other DMs before.  I no longer even ask if you are "willing to", because that's a crock of shit. I've realized that people say "willing to" when they don't really like it, and I think that sucks. I like to play games. I like playing different games. I like having fun more than just running through the story. Sticking with the same thing every single time really gets dull after a while. (Though a good campaign can transcend that issue, just through the growth of the characters.)

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* - An environmental sourcebook, about the dangers and ways to survive different climates, beginning with cold. Neat idea, IMO.

** - Since one of my players is going to use that class, it'll be nice to have it in some fashion other than the PDF of the Miniatures Handbook.

*** - The Molydeus was a Guardian Demon with a wolf head and a snake head, that stood over 12 feet tall, and fought with a +5 Vorpal Axe of Dancing. The neat thing was that if the Molydeus was killed, the weapon disappeared. For years, my friend Rick tried to talk me into giving him one. He was even willing to have a very angry, very homicidal Molydeus after him constantly, just to have it. Sheesh. :)

**** - I blame, in part, the casual way the introduction to the Revised Vampire Core Book referred to killing humans for food. I know that's what they do, but I was so uncomfortable reading this that I had to stop. I haven't touched a Vampire book since.

What a weekend!

Well, more or less, anyway. :)

After Thursday night's excursion with Charles and Melissa to see several houses, I found myself going to their place on Friday for the D&D game we play. I stopped and got some food at Wendy's. (I had a craving for a Double with cheese.) When I arrived, though, Scott (strieson) was already there, talking to the two of them. We all talked a bit as I ate. (The rest had already eaten by the time I got there, which was the reason why I got something in the first place. I almost wish we'd cooked out again.)

Michelle Greene showed up, for some reason I can't remember, and we all talked for a bit. She related her experiences trying to teach a kindergarten class as her first class (not to mention the fact that the class had all of the troublemakers from the other classes).  It was harrowing, and she finally had to quit. I mean, I don't see how she made it as long as she did. I wish her luck in later endeavors (though she has a bit of a princess attitude, so only time will tell). As for you other teachers (*nods in rawee1's direction*), good luck.

We wound up not gaming at all, but watching the current American Idol instead. (I really love TiVo, since it makes TV fit around life, instead of the other way around.) The episode was the Elton John episode. Right away, I knew I didn't like Fantasia. I hate her voice. My favorite? George Huff. The man likes to sing, can sing, and has a stage presence. *thumbs up* I can't believe I'm actually talking about that show, since I have avoided it like the plague since it first came on. Still, it was fun.

I talked to them about their house some more, since they had put a bid on the "Smurf House". I learned about public records, and how you can look up the purchase price of any residence on your street, if you know where to look. I came home, played with that a bit, and went to sleep. I also learned about the things one has to do to get a house. I also realized something else: I want a house. Not so cheap as to be in Frayser, Orange Mound, or even western Raleigh. Nor am I really looking for something at Southwind, Collierville, or Germantown. I honestly think something in the Bartlett area sounds best, since it's relatively centrally located, and isn't Memphis. I am getting so sick and tired of this city, yet I love the way it looks*)

I didn't do anything on Saturday but lounge around and do nothing. I meant to do more, but I coudn't care less. Sunday, I was late to work again. I still have to improve on that. While there, though, I did talk to Faye a bit about an Accounting degree, since she's VERY level-headed, VERY intelligent,  and has a son who's an accountant. I got some sound advice from her, and later got that same advice echoed from Charles, who is graduating this year Manga Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. (Damn, does that kick ass, or what?)

After work, I just sat around. I was going to go to Brad's (nyminal), but since we weren't gaming, I didn't see it as critical to get there by 3pm. So, I watched an episode of Charmed that I downloaded (and will delete instead of burn.. I just want a surrogate for TV. Not a replacement for the eventually-released DVDs). When that ended, Charles called me. He wanted to know if I was going to do anything today. I told him about Brad, but said that I hadn't heard from him. (I *HAD* tried messaging him when I got home, but heard nothing.) I checked with Brad again, told him what was going on, and went to Charles.

There, we talked more. I didn't bring my D&D stuff, so that didn't even come up. Scott and Michelle Greene came over, and began to make Rice Krispy treats, tuna cakes, and Velveeta Shells 'n' Cheese. What a dinner. Since we needed beverages, I volunteered to go get them. Charles went with me, and we discussed future possibilities about things. Sorry for the mystery, but I'm not talking until it's official, for fear of invoking Murphy's Law. I grabbed a 6 pack of Corona and a lime (Great minds think alike, Robin!), among other things, and we came back.

We ate, watched some COPS, and then played Scattergories. At least, until Michelle decided that she didn't like the letter she rolled, and reset the timer and rolled again. WTF? Oh well. My only issue with the game was that they gave a point for "Author: Nancy Drew". (Nancy Drew was a character in the books.) I tried to tell them, but I was overruled, and I said I just didn't care enough to argue. Still, me being me, I went and looked it up later, if only for my own peace of mind. What do you know? I was right. Charles and Melissa knew, which is what counts for me.

We watched Boondock Saints, which I don't think Charles or Melissa particularly really liked, and then walked the dogs one last time, and I came home. I fell asleep around 150am, and slept until almost 10am. For some reason, we have a car that picks people up in a nearby house. How do they do that? They pull up, and tap randomly on the horn constantly until the person comes out. Not a "TOOT-TOOT" that should be sufficient for someone expecting a ride, but an almost nonstop cacophany of "TOOT-TOOT-TOOOOOOOT-TOOOOOOOOOOOOT-TOOT-TOOOOOT". Argh, they should die.

Well, I should hear from Charles and Melissa about the status of their bid on the Smurf House today. I'm hoping and praying they get it. It fits them perfectly. Later on, folks.

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* - With the trees and all. I love the natural features. Oh, and my friends. I gotta have those. Otherwise, I'd move. The politics, race relations, and climate suck ass.

Another End....

I talked to Charles today. They didn't get the house. The guy countered their offer with his original selling price. What a jerk. Oh well, Charles tried one more bid, but had his agent write "FINAL" across the top. Right now, assuming that the second bid isn't taken, then I'm going with Charles and Melissa to look at houses on Wednesday. Get this: They value my opiniion.* That's funny, isn't it? :)

Seriously, though, I've come to the conclusion that I have too much stuff, and that having this stuff has directly led me to having too little cash. With the help of Charles' digital camera, I'm going to put about half of my RPG books on eBay for auction. I'm even including my Werewolf stuff and the GURPS 3rd Edition. I figure that, should I get the chance to play them again, it'll be in their new incarnations. (Okay, I'm leaning VERY heavily into getting GURPS or WoD, and running something with one of them later this year. Aron has not even ruled out WoD Werewolf**.) I'm also going to unload a huge chunk of my D&D/d20 stuff. Why? I don't use it, and it's just taking up room. Some of it I've read (Dragonlance 3rd Edition Campaign Setting), some of it I haven't (d20 Modern), and some of it I just didn't like (Deities & Demi-gods). My four Midnight books are on this stack, as I've realized that I'm too likely to run another Forgotten Realms game, start a new Eberron game, or delve into Kalamar before I do anything with Midnight. I like the setting, but someone else would have to run it. I don't want to run it; I wanna play it. Finally, I have the Alternity Player's Handbook in the pile, coupled with the introductory Star*Drive adventure that was released with it. The adventure is still shrinkwrapped.

Enough selling, though. I have work in the morning, and it's going to be a long day, as we apparently have someone there to show us how to bag properly. *rolls eyes* I could say what I think of this, but I'm going to make an effort to not be all "Doom and Gloom" on this journal. For now, I'm going to go read about how to run Dragons in an encounter in D&D, and think about White Wolf's World of Darkness and GURPS 4th Edition. Good night, all.

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* - Apparently I can be relatively unbiased, and try to help them, rather than telling them what they need to do.

** - One of the neat things about this would be standardization of the various games, so it might work out where you could have a Werewolf, a Vampire, a Wraith(?), and a Hunter and a Mage*** working together to solve a crime, or something. Neat, huh?

*** - The core three are apparently Vampire, Werewolf, and Mage. I hope that they do more than that, though.