GenCon 2009 Report – Role Playing Games
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Posted on August 20th, 2009 by
GenCon has come and gone once again in Indianapolis, leaving attendees with a bit less sleep, a bit more crowded game rooms, and a bit lighter in the wallet. However, most can claim to be satiated for the moment. GenCon is four days of concentrated gaming in one of the oldest and largest game-focused conventions in the US. I was able to attend for two days and spent most of my time roaming the large dealer floor, checking out the upcoming games. Started as an offshoot of TSR (the original Dungeons and Dragons company), GenCon has a strong role-playing presence in addition to the large number of boardgame and slightly fewer electronic gaming companies. For today, I’ll focus on the role playing game news that I found most interesting. In future articles, I’ll cover the electronic and the boardgame news from the show.
Bookworm Adventures 2
Posted on August 19th, 2009 by
Bookworm, Popcap.com’s awesome little wordsearch game, is now $2.99 at the Apple App store. If you have an iPhone or Touch, you need this app. I’ve been playing it constantly and my daughter (9) likes it too. But I’m really here to talk about Bookworm Adventures 2, PopCap’s clever little take on word search prowess with vague RPG/Adventure elements.
GamerDad PAX ’09
Posted on August 19th, 2009 by
I have some bad news. I’m not speaking at PAX this year. No panels, no packed halls for my GamerDad speech and no filling in for the ECA’s Hal Halpin to talk games and politics despite the fact that GamePolitics.com continues to snub me (hey, email them about that please). The reason? Two-fold. One: I’ve attended proudly for 3 years running. Two: There’s no need for me to continue. Come in to find out what I mean and read the complete story.
Ask GD – Left 4 Dead and Kids
Posted on August 16th, 2009 by
Even though I’ve written a lot about this one, let me spotlight a new question about it:
I’m a parent of a 14 year old and a seven year old. They’re both boys (if that is applicable – I’m not being sexist) and my oldest wants to play Left 4 Dead. I know it’s M, and I know my youngest isn’t going to be even near it, but is it suitable for my 14 year old? I’m not too keen on violence and blood, but I would rather have him kill zombies than innocent children.
And, if I do get him L4D, is it illegal? Sorry I’m new to these M and AO games? – Krazy Koala
Save the Arcades
Posted on August 12th, 2009 by
Normally I don’t post press releases here, but as a fan of classic arcades, this one caught my interest. Looks as if Stride Gum is going to help raise money to help keep a video arcade in business. Also reminds me that I really want to visit that Arcade UFO in Austin, TX. I lived in Austin when I was in college. It’s probably a good thing that arcade wasn’t around when I was in college, or I might not have gotten any studying done! Anyway, here’s the press release:
Stupid, Stupid Media
Posted on August 1st, 2009 by
I’ll be brief. Coraline is a really good flick but this post is about how stupid the media can be and why I think Internet piracy is undefeatable….
Leapin’ into Action
Posted on July 27th, 2009 by
I recommend Leapfrog’s Leapster, Leapster 2, and Didj all the time. While I didn’t recommend their innovative and very cool toddler toy “My Pal Scout” (an interactive plush not recommended because it falls outside my purview here at GD), I thought I’d pass along this warning. NOTE: I have one and I can’t see how these decals could come off. I commend Leap for acting fast and spending the money to protect kids.
CardioGram Kids
Posted on July 24th, 2009 by
I recieved the following and even though I normally don’t do things like this, I figured it was important enough – crucial even – to share it with you. Especially given that I personally suffer from ADHD and Heart Problems. That’s what this is about – ADHD and Heart Problems.
Unplugged: D&D, A Year in Review
Posted on July 22nd, 2009 by
With the new version of Dungeons and Dragons (4th Edition) revealed last year, there has been the expected line of products released by Wizards of the Coast to supplement the game. Some are targeted at all players, while others are primarily for Dungeon Masters (the folks who put together and referee the game every session). Here’s a quick rundown of supplements released over the past year with a few comments to fill you in on what’s included and who might benefit from them. If you just want the best of the best, feel free to read my previous article going into detail on my favorites for the year: D&D Insider Character Builder, the Players Handbook 2, Dungeon Delve, and the Monster Manual 2.
Unplugged: D&D, Highlights of the Year
Posted on July 20th, 2009 by
The newest incarnation of the Dungeons and Dragons role playing game (4th edition) has been out for just over a year. Reviews were fairly mixed at first, but most of the furor of over changes to the game have died down. Die hard fans of the old system (3.5 edition) have moved on to keep their holy flame lit in support of their familiar system, but most players have moved on and begun to embrace the new version. Wizards of the Coast has succeeded in their attempt to overhaul the game by making it easier to learn, quicker to play, and better balanced for character options. My initial reservation to the new system was a concern over the lack of variety in player characters. One fighter-type was pretty much like another and there was very little room to customize to make a unique character. Fortunately, material published throughout the year has done much to improve the situation. Follow along with me and I’ll give you a virtual tour of a year of releases, giving you the skinny on what books are best, and which ones you might as well avoid. Today we’ll look at my top picks of the year, and tomorrow we’ll briefly hit every major release of the year.
