 March 2001 Archive
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11:30 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... After looking over the new Psionics Handbook, I was wondering where certain prominent psionic beasties had gone. Obviously, some of Wizards' psions have been monitoring my thoughts, and the result is today's post of extra psionic creatures. Bruce Cordell, the Psi Handbook's designer, wrote up the stats for Thri-Kreen, Su Monsters, and Gem Dragons, all of which can be downloaded. Keep 'em coming, Bruce.
11:03 AM: Brad Peinhardt says... Clanbook: Followers of Set has slithered its way onto the shelves. White Wolf's Revised line of clanbooks continues with the Setites, the children of the dark vampire god, Set. These fanged corrupters have been hissing in the ears of Kindred since the Great Deluge, and now they continue their good work in the Final Nights. In my experience as a Vampire player, Setites have always led a charmed existence, weaving in and out of Kindred society. They always seem to have something you need... or want. And the first taste is always free.
10:50 AM: Brad Peinhardt says... Deep water really scares me. Sharks really scare me. The image of a half-man, half-shark gliding in the murky depths below my water-treading legs terrifies the hell out of me. But then that's the whole point of the World of Darkness. The latest installment in White Wolf's Changing Breeds series, Rokea brings the world of weresharks to the surface. The source book covers everything from Rokea player characters to creating an entire wereshark chronicle. I have read previously published material regading Rokea, and compared to the other shapeshifters all I can say is, "You're gonna need a bigger boat..."
09:20 AM: Allan Sugarbaker says... After an amazing response at last week's GAMA convention, Tyranny Games is moving up the release of Sack Armies: Expeditionary Force from August to June. The game's first two expansions, Colonization and Fortification, are still scheduled for December 2001 and Spring 2002 respectively. We're eagerly awaiting our first expedition in the Tangle. Planet Hopping FASA's Smith Moves to Lone Wolf
09:23 AM: Brad Peinhardt says... The helpful folks at White Wolf recently posted a FAQ about their newest role-playing genre, Mummy: the Resurrection. Among the topics discussed are Mummy's place in the World of Darkness, the obligatory rules problems, and the possible addition of Mummy to the Mind's Eye Theatre line.
11:56 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... James Wyatt, designer of the upcoming Oriental Adventures supplement for D&D 3, has revealed some interesting tidbits about the book's contents. For one thing, the setting will be Rukugan (of Legend of the Five Rings), not Kara-Tur. Wyatt also gave a rough estimate of the other contents of OA 3E, which you might find surprising: Upper Deck and Mage Knight? Collectors and new players alike will be pleased to find a limited-edition Mage Knight miniature inserted into each box of trading cards, ready for game play. This miniature is a UDE exclusive, and will not be available anywhere else."I just hope Upper Deck packages them better than the Survivor CCG. I prefer my cards to be separate entities, not a semi-flexible block of cardboard and glue.
11:41 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... Jim Butler, long-time veteran of TSR and Wizards of the Coast, is leaving the company after this Friday. As part of a corporate reorganization, his position was supposed to be eliminated in December of last year, but Jim had so much to do, his departure was slightly delayed. Butler's next project will be head of Bastion Press, a new RPG company he's founded. On a related note, Monte Cook is also leaving Wizards. Cook, who helmed the D&D 3 Dungeon Master's Guide, will be leaving April 6, but will continue to design D&D products as a freelancer. Once the dust settles, you can keep an eye on Monte's projects at his new site.
09:47 AM: Allan Sugarbaker says... GURPS Low-Tech ($20.95) has finally been completed. Obsidian daggers, leather armor, sundials and chariots galore pack the book's 128 pages. There are even some new rules for piecemeal armor. Everything from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages is detailed in Low-Tech, so if you've been waiting for this supplement like some of my friends have, head to the game shop and pick one up.
12:26 AM: Allan Sugarbaker says... One of our favorite game designers, Tom Jolly, dropped us a line recently. When we asked him how he likes working with Fantasy Flight Games on products like Diskwars and Drakon, he had nothing but praise for his co-conspirators. "We have a pretty good relationship," said Tom. "Christian [Petersen of FFG] really likes the game mechanics I create, more than the themes I attach to them, but I'm pretty easy to get along with, so I don't mind if they get overhauled along the way."
11:46 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... At the official site for Ultima Online 2 (aka Ultima Worlds Online: Origin), there is now a statement from EA and Origin announcing the cancellation of the game. Apparently, the two companies have "decided to put those resources [formerly devoted to UO2] into growing and improving the core offering for Ultima Online's 230,000 loyal subscribers." Tabletop role-players may be worried by this announcement. Why? As we learned at last year's Origins Game Fair, Agents of Gaming had been planning to demo their new, semi-secret tabletop RPG based on Ultima Online 2, but had to cancel the demonstrations when the computer game got delayed. Now that the computer game has been cancelled entirely, what does that mean for the tabletop RPG? Rappan Onna Door Draconians Sighted for Third Edition D&D 3 Schedule Update
12:27 PM: Mike Sugarbaker says... I was worried that the conclusion of John Tynes' WotC elegy on Salon would send a message of "corporate openness and freakiness bad" with its dramatic rhythms, even as Tynes actually says "corporate openness and freakiness good." (Although he seems a little defensive about the whole goblins thing.) You know, it's like old horror movies: the actual content has to end with good and order triumphing over evil and chaos, but the subtext in the middle reel is what we really identify with. In this case, I wonder if Tynes is in full control of his message here. That said, though, the piece concludes well and has a few interesting secrets. I'm imagining Peter Adkison actually engineering his MBA conversion as a long, elaborate escape hatch for himself and his first few employees. What that must have been like, to spend two years as an evil doppelganger corporate self, so in the end you'd never have to do it again. Well... I guess that must have been like... life. Speaking of which, half of your dedicated and selfless (unemployed) OgreCave staff starts a job tomorrow. Technical developments and, sadly, new game reviews are going to be a little slower in coming. But you'll always be in my heart. Yay.
07:33 AM: Demian Katz says... Since receiving permission from author Joe Dever, fans of the classic Lone Wolf fantasy gamebooks have been hard at work converting the series to an Internet-based electronic format. At last, Castle Death, the seventh book of the saga, has been made available. The book is still in the "public preview" stage, so there are no illustrations, but the full text of the original paperback is available for online or offline play. To check this (and the rest of the series) out, visit the official home of Project Aon, the organization responsible for releasing the electronic books.
04:54 PM: Mike Sugarbaker says... Well, okay, so John Tynes' much-talked-about piece for Salon probably won't end up saying that, laying the blame (blame? For the "death" of a company that still dominates the gaming industry and seems to be headed for profitability again in the near term?) on mere corporatism instead. But that cliffhanger ending is something, isn't it? This article, even if it does read something like all the dot-com post-mortems, ought to do some deserved violence to what remains of the Gamer Stereotype.
03:51 AM: Demian Katz says... GAMA, the Game Manufacturer's Association, has posted the nominees for the 2000 Origins Awards. The nominations fall into 23 different categories, and just about every aspect of unplugged gaming is covered. Check out the list, and see if your favorite games have been nominated. If so, you can find out if they've won when the results are announced at Origins 2001 later this year!
03:11 PM: Mike Sugarbaker says... WotC has posted what they call a "web goody," and maybe that's the best name for it. The Encounter Level Calculator does some simple math and rounding for you (adding up the Challenge Ratings of a homogenous or mixed group of monsters, into a CR for the whole fight), but does it in a cool way: right in your browser using a little window full of fast-loading JavaScript, not Java or plug-ins. Speaking as a web dork, I'm impressed: it works in all three of the big browser paradigms and everything. But does this kind of thing serve the user? Would you rather have widgets like this all wrapped up in one big paid package like Master Tools, or are you willing to bookmark a million little tools and get them online if you can get them for free? Let us know (cause after all, I've written a little JavaScript in my time, hint hint).
01:09 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... The 2001 product schedule for the Star Wars RPG line has been announced. In August, The Dark Side ($29.95) will be described, including dark side feats, powers, and weaponry. The Rebellion Era Sourcebook ($29.95), coming in September, will detail the original three movies, as the Rebellion struggles against the mighty Empire. Alien Anthology ($26.95; formerly titled Creatures of the Galaxy) will bring a wide variety of creatures and races to campaigns in October. Starships of the Galaxy ($21.95) will show players how to build starships, and includes new rules for ship-to-ship combat. Starships of the Galaxy will arrive in December. However, the next release for the Star Wars game will be Secrets of Tatooine ($21.95). According to a post on SWRPGNetwork, the format will follow that of Secrets of Naboo. Two-thirds will be source material, one-third an adventure. The cities of Mos Espa, Mos Eisley, and Mos Entha will be detailed and mapped, as will Jabba's Throneroom and the Boonta Eve racetrack. For more details, check here. Secrets of Tatooine will ship in May.
11:18 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... In another gaming coup, Decipher has grabbed the rights to produce the Lord of the Rings RPG. This is on top of their licenses for trading card games and electronic card games based on the movie trilogy. Current plans have the new RPG reaching stores by the end of the year. Looks like the newly hired Decipher RPG team (formerly known as the staff of Last Unicorn Games) has their work cut out for them. But what sweet assignments...
10:24 AM: Allan Sugarbaker says... Games Workshop has posted their initial product plans for the Lord of the Rings Tabletop Battle Game. There are plans for everything from Saruman and the Ringwraiths to scenery such as Balin's Tomb. The main game and first smaller sets will be released shortly before Christmas. Check out the full range of products here. Master Tools Scheduled for Fall Madness Ships
10:24 AM: Allan Sugarbaker says... It looks like Wizards of the Coast is dusting off a legendary name in gaming for another go 'round this October. The upcoming skirmish-level miniatures game we've been hearing about since last year's Origins convention will assume the mantle of the Chainmail name. From the press release, it looks like WotC is hoping to grab gamers interested in a Warhammer-style wargame without investing as much time: Zorro Rides Again Cheap Wars
05:04 PM: Brad Peinhardt says... The most savage denizens of the World of Darkness are finally getting their own live-action makeover. White Wolf is now taking pre-orders for Laws of the Wild Revised Limited Edition. The deluxe version of the standard Mind's Eye Theatre paperback will feature a leather cover, a cloth bookmark, and eight extra pages of game material. Werewolf Revised is written by Bruce Baugh, Heather Grove, Ellen Kiley, and Alan Kravit. White Wolf Unleashes Its Newest Horrors At long last, the live-action version of Mage: the Ascension has arrived. Perhaps the most demanded and highly anticipated Mind's Eye Theatre product ever, Laws of Ascension Limited Edition comes to us after languishing in developer's limbo. Followers of the way of the White Wolf will remember the difficulty expressed by Mage and MET developers in bringing the abstract world of Ascension to the live-action stage. Head mage developer Jess Heinig received countless rules proposals from fans and even published an unofficial guideline for live-action mages in issue four of the Mind's Eye Theatre Journal. Now it's official. How can the power to reshape reality be condensed into a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors? Good question... Laws of Ascension is written by Martin Hackleman, Mikki Rautalahti and Peter Woodworth. Speaking of things Mage, the first of the Revised Tradition Books have arrived. The Akashic Brotherhood leads the way. The warriors of the Mind get a new take on philosophy, practices, and, of course, martial arts. Tradition Book: Akashic Brotherhood Revised is written by Malcolm Sheppard. And what would a White Wolf news report be without mentioning something Vampire? Clanbook: Tzimisce Revised has reared its twisted head and is ready for consumption. The Carpathian Fiends no longer have the luxury of time in the Final Nights, and their decadent evil is about to catch up to them. The Tzimisce are steeped in traditional vampire mythology more than any other Vampire clan. The Revised treatment should make them even more devilishly appealing than before. Clanbook: Tzimisce is written by Lucien Soulban and James Stewart.
11:47 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... It's confirmed: Decipher has hired the former staff of Last Unicorn Games (we mentioned this a couple weeks back). Christian Moore, former president of LUG, will be in charge of Decipher's new RPG and miniatures division. The team's first task will be building the new Star Trek RPG, a task they have a bit of experience with.
05:53 PM: Mike Sugarbaker says... Fantasy Flight Games continues to pull ninja fake-outs on the tired minds here in the Cave: the new news is that Drakon is happening after all, shipping now in fact, though it no longer bears designer Tom Jolly's name quite so prominently. Vortex is a separate project (of which diskwars.com claims it will have some preview info on soon). We underestimated Mssrs. Jolly and Petersen. Stamina... speed... their fu is strong. But will they withstand the double crane attack?
04:09 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... Anime RPG fans, take note: Guardians of Order is on the prowl again. While working on the Tenchi Muyo! and El-Hazard RPG resource books, GOO and Pioneer Entertainment got to know each other quite well, and have decided to build on the relationship even more. Under a new multi-year license, GOO will produce similar "fan guide" RPGs for several of Pioneer's titles. Each "Ultimate Fan Guide" book will be 128 pages (two-thirds of which will be full-color), sell for $19.95 US, and contain episode guides, images from the series, and Tri-Stat compatible game stats for each character. The first new book, Serial Experiment Lain Ultimate Fan Guide, will debut in October 2001. Diskwars Commander's Toolkit Out of Harn's Way
11:30 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... SWRPGNetwork has posted the stats for the Firespray-class Patrol Craft. Doesn't ring a bell? It's the basic ship type that Boba Fett made heavy modifications to as he built Slave I. The stats are available for both versions of the Star Wars RPG, West End's D6 and Wizards' D20. Chatting With Your Mummy
02:18 PM: Mike Sugarbaker says... Hey, look at us, we have a poll! So does everyone, but keep in mind that "everyone" has a paid staff. So there. Like what you see? Have comments? Suggestions? Mail Sven, of course.
02:14 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... Jagged Edge Games has posted a downloadable version of the Shadowlands core rules. The D20 game is still in prerelease stage, but should be finished for a April release. JEG also announced the decision to follow up the game's release with its first supplement, Religion & Sorcery, in May. Rappan Athuk Riddle a Stumper
03:37 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... Chaosium has just announced that Dragon Lords of Melniboné is on its way to stores. Elric finally has arrived in D&D. Now if my anti-paladin -- excuse me, Blackshield (must be D20 compatible, you know) -- could just get his hands on Stormbringer... Wick at Wondercon
07:54 AM: Allan Sugarbaker says... Tyranny Games announced its acquisition of the assets of Scapegoat Games. This gives Tyranny ownership of the post-biblical apocalypse RPG, The End. The game's designer, Joseph Donka, is joining Tyranny's staff as well. A deluxe revised version of The End is scheduled for late 2001, with supplements following next year.
03:34 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... For those of you who shelled out some cash for the Nemoren's Vault adventure from Fiery Dragon Productions, you can now get some added value from your purchase. By going to FDP's website and entering the Runes of Passage code from the module, you can download The Quest for Amelia, a supplementary adventure. Gaming Guardians #100
02:28 PM: Mike Sugarbaker says... Okay, so we were wrong. Or, more likely, things have changed a lot, even in the short time since DunDraCon. But Gaming Outpost has the press release: the new game from the team that designed DiskWars will be known as Vortex. It'll be a collectable game with hex tiles for land and units, and special powers that snap into the tiles somehow. (I suppose Mage Knight has upped the ante on the coolness of collectable widgets.) Neither FFG's nor Tom Jolly's sites have any further product info yet, although you can still read about the artist formerly known as Drakon on Jolly's news page.
09:22 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... We've noticed that some folks out there still have our old address (svenogre.blogphiles.com) bookmarked, so they aren't seeing our new stories and updates. Update your bookmarks to www.ogrecave.com to avoid this problem. Of course, if you have an old bookmark, you probably can't see this message. Hmmm...
06:12 AM: Demian Katz says... Wizards of the Coast has just added an interesting new item to their long list of free downloads: a long out-of-print solitaire gamebook. The book, entitled Gnomes -- 100, Dragons -- 0, is the second volume in the attractive Catacombs series, and it comes with all the rules necessary for play. Its storyline involves a lone baker's mission to help the gnomes of Mount Nevermind battle the evil Dragonarmy; no small task, but one which should prove amusing, especially to Dragonlance fans. This release comes more than a month after its officially announced release date, but the fact that it's online now suggests that the people at WotC are recovering from their earthquake-related misfortunes. The book can be grabbed at the D&D Classics for Download page.
11:29 AM: Allan Sugarbaker says... Wingnut Games announced that their long awaited Land of Og expansion, The Complete Caveman's Club Book, should be available this May. A 64-page full-color digest, the book adds background and variety to the humorous RPG. Caveman kits are included as well, parodying the "kits" from AD&D: 2nd Edition. The second printing of Land of Og will follow in June, now expanded to 64 pages. Citizen Games Takes D20 Plunge U of G 2001 Squashed What?
09:54 AM: Allan Sugarbaker says... Games Workshop has granted Sabertooth Games the rights to produce Collectable Card Games (CCGs) based on the Warhammer 40,000 miniatures wargame. Newcomer Sabertooth Games is led by industry veteran Bob Watts, who has run companies such as Ral Partha, Target/Heartbreaker, and the US Games Workshop division. With his 25+ years in the industry, we expect to see great things from Sabertooth. Tyranny Acquires Non-Sequitur Productions
04:32 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... The March 2001 issue of Games Unplugged will come with a sample of Alderac's upcoming Warlord: Saga of the Storm CCG. Gamers who purchase the issue will receive either a Freekingdoms or Nothrog deck. As if that weren't enough, the magazine will also include an exclusive promo card for the Age of Empires CCG from Journeyman Press. Called "Shots in the Back," the promo card will be quite useful for Briton players. The March issue will be shipping to distributors this week.
02:03 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... Necromancer Games has posted the cover of their upcoming release, Demons & Devils. The book will contain three "difficult dungeons" for AD&D, and should be available soon. In the meantime, sneak a peak at the cover art. Come Stand on Hallowed Ground
10:17 AM: Allan Sugarbaker says... Atlas Games has shipped their latest Penumbra D20 adventure, The Tide of Years. Of course, the downloadable preview we reported a while back is still available, giving details of the Domain of Time. Sack Armies to Premere at GenCon 2001
03:58 PM: Brad Peinhardt says... It's time to trade in those capes and fangs for fedoras and Walther PPK's. Cybergames is bringing Agent X to the live-action roleplaying stage. Steeped in espionage and government conspiracies, Agent X puts the player in the role of a secret agent torn between protecting a country and uncovering the truth about its corrupt government. Classic superspy themes mix with modern technological horrors, as characters go up against criminal syndicates, political factions, and ultimately their own consciences. The original version of the rulebook, as well as a deck of 15 result cards, are available at the Cybergames website. Intrigued parties may also purchase a new, electronic version with an introduction to live-action roleplaying by the man himself, Gary Gygax. Soon to come is an interactive Agent X website that will feature game utilities, characters, case files, and other top-secret information. We could tell you more but then... you know the rest.
03:00 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... The next anime series being drawn into the Tri-Stat System at Guardians of Order is El-Hazard, an impressive series that was directed by Tenchi Muyo! co-creator Hiroki Hayashi. Like Tenchi, El-Hazard follows the adventures of a high school student that falls into unusual circumstances. In this case, student Makoto Mizuhara is sucked into another dimension containing beautiful priestesses and a malevolent insectoid empire. If the high production value of GOO's other anime games is any indication, this will be one to watch for.
11:36 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... In the tradition of such fine racing board games as Formula De, Mythrole Games' design guru Tyler Sigman brings us Rally! The game can be downloaded for a small fee from the Mythrole site. A sneak peek at the rules is also available, to help you make up your mind before purchasing. But would the makers of Night of the Ill-Tempered Squirrel steer you wrong? We think not. Dark Portal Update
11:27 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... According to a story on Eric Noah's D&D 3 News, the Warlords CCG, coming from AEG in April, will be directly based on the D20 System of D&D 3. The game cards have a class, level, and armor class, as well as other parts of D&D. Creature cards add their attack bonus to a D20 die roll and try to beat the AC of their opponent in order to hit. Watch for a free twenty-five card deck with each copy of next month's Dragon Magazine.
09:31 AM: Mike Sugarbaker says... Sorry about our recent glitchiness - we have moved to a real, non-fake server, rather than the weird redirected URL we had before. Joy! But it took a while for DNS changes to propagate. Hope everything in your world is OK now.
01:55 PM: Allan Sugarbaker says... When Dragon Lords of Melnibone was announced, Chaosium promised the old Elric! RPG would see some action as well. The first new product produced under license for Elric! will be Corum, from Darcsyde Productions, to be released in June. Based on two of Michael Moorcock's fantasy series, The Swords Trilogy and The Chronicles of Corum, the game will explore and expand on the established settings of the novels. Whispers #29
12:14 AM: Allan Sugarbaker says... AEG is certainly keeping busy. In April, eight more Adventure Keep D20 modules will be released, and in June, the Farscape RPG will reach store shelves. In case you were wondering, Farscape will also use the D20 system. Then, in October, AEG will extend the network of D20 conversions out there with a Legend of the Five Rings D20 companion book. Mage Knight Goes Metal
09:25 PM: Mike Sugarbaker says... Andrew Looney just posted his subject-to-change predictions for the near future of the beloved card game Fluxx and the underground fave Icehouse. Briefly, Looney Labs hopes to publish Fluxx "boosters" of specially printed semi-blank cards in the coming year, as well as an expansion set made up of fan-created cards. On the Icehouse front, several more of the games you can play with the plastic Icehouse set (over 24 games and climbing) may be making their way into products of some sort. Also posted today were the complete rules to the new board game Cosmic Coasters (read our review).
11:26 AM: Allan Sugarbaker says... According to a post on their website, Wizards of the Coast's offices were damaged by a major earthquake on Tuesday that affected the entire Seattle, WA region. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but it may take a little while before operations return to normal. Their offices are shut down temporarily for safety reasons. Gamers Tavern Speaks Up Frag Some Boardgamers Decipher Grabs LUG Guys
09:45 AM: Allan Sugarbaker says... After a successful playtest of his new MAFIA RPG, Rob Stone, formerly of Mind Interactive, announced the formation of Citizen Games. Aside from MAFIA, Citizen Games will also be releasing some D20 materials. |
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