The announcement is confusing on the surface, but really, I’m thinking the conversation went exactly like this: “We put in all that work, sold the thing out and only made that much? Bugger this, then. Put another dozen novels on the schedule, lads!” Uh, to explain: after Dark Heresy, the
LEGO turns 50, rapidly realizing own hipness
Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the LEGO brick (which I would’ve posted sooner, but I’m still not on my own machine). The famed building-block brand continues to venture into the gaming market (never as quickly as we’d like, as per the long-standing example set by Evil Stevie), and will
D&D Minis updated for 4e compatibility, rulebook now online
So just how many hands does WotC have, and do any of them know what even one of the others is doing? I mean, not to say anything bad about making the new, updated-for-4th D&D Minis rulebook free online – that’s lovely and thoughtful. What’s odd is that they’d release
True20 goes free, FATE still standing there clearing its throat loudly
Green Ronin has announced that its True20 system, already an OGLv1 product but subject to licensing fees for logos and branding language, will be getting a new license in ’08 (to go with a slightly revised new edition of the core rules) that frees the logo somehow. No details have
More OGL follies in the run-up to D&D 4th Edition
WotC is apparently so jumpy at the prospect of anyone making a D&D4e-compatible product that doesn’t meet their standards that they aren’t settling for the lack of an actual D20 license (which will go a long way to restricting the audience for third-party products to gamers in the know) –
Hasbro pays $77MM for Cranium
The story. The deal hasn’t been approved by Cranium’s shareholders yet, and apparently the $77 mil “would be used to cover Cranium’s outstanding debt and to pay its shareholders.” Those shareholders are venture capitalists, including a firm co-founded by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz – recall the famous story of one
Audio Report – Trends and microclimates
‘Tis the post season to be catching up, so here goes: another refugee from the holiday season, this Audio Report episode brings us back to the height of the season’s buying rush, just after Black Friday. Steve’s mind seems to have held up to the retail store pressure, but just
2007 OgreCave Christmas Gift Guide – pt 4
Just under the wire, the final installment of the 2007 OgreCave Christmas Gift Guide is here. This final list is our traditional “Eleventh Hour Special” – that is, downloadable gift suggestions, cutting that all-inhibiting shipping time delay right out of the equation. Only hours remain until folks start opening gifts,
Amber & Palladium TMNT designer Erick Wujcik terminally ill
It was announced yesterday that Erick Wujcik, designer of the classic RPG adaptation Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness and the seminal Amber Diceless RPG, is rapidly dying of pancreatic cancer. Palladium publisher Kevin Siembieda has started a website to “give the millions of people who have loved the
2007 OgreCave Christmas Gift Guide – pt 3
Yeah, I know: there’s hardly any shopping time left before Christmas (the only thing that saved me from getting sick with the rest of the family was all the extra hours at work), but we’re still plowing ahead with our annual OgreCave Christmas Gift Guide! In our third list of
Peter Jackson to Ring in two Hobbit films
Famed director and geek-icon Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame has finally reached an agreement with New Line Cinema to be involved in creating two prequel films to the J.R.R. Tolkien movies. It was announced earlier today that Jackson will serve as executive producer for two movies based
Gameplaywright: shall Wii play an RPG?
Over at Will Hindmarch and Jeff Tidball’s freshly announced blog Gameplaywright, Will makes the following provocative observation that may surprise Wii owners: The wiimote is a roleplaying prop, isn’t it? It’s a multi-functional device morphed by your imagination and direct interface into some imaginary role in an imaginary setting. Thus,
2007 OgreCave Christmas Gift Guide – pt 2
Holiday parties and other happy interruptions have delayed us, but the OgreCave Christmas Gift Guide shall not be stopped! Continuing our 2007 gift suggestion lists, we present Twelve Games Under the Tree, our picks from gaming goodies over $20. Time grows short, so get to your local game store and
Weisman gets new gig infiltrating physical world with old-timey modern-fantasy mecha
“Jordan Weisman, founder of FASA, has licensed the rights to MechWarrior, Shadowrun and Crimson Skies from Microsoft to his latest startup, Smith & Tinker.” S&T apparently aims to draw on the lessons of ARGs, the medium Weisman helped pioneer at his company 42 Entertainment, and carry them into the realm
New reviews from the Cave
Just to bring them everyone’s attention, I thought I’d point out the latest new reviews we’ve posted. Some of these were attached to the 2007 Christmas Gift Guide: Lee Valentine reviewed Blue Panther’s Taiji and Playroom Entertainment’s Unspeakable Words. My daughter and I reviewed Bendomino from Blue Orange Games. Mike