Asian Fusion

     Okay, so I had a little bit of a tornado of hectic scrambling last week, and wasn't able to post because of it. Now I'm back on the wagon and here to talk about a couple of different games I've been looking to play.

    The first is Big Eyes Small Mouth, a game I was cajoled/conscripted to play as a part of the podcast that I record with. The Wicked Anime crew consists of most of my former gaming group, and during one of our post recording talks, the idea of running a BESM campaign came up. Everyone thought this was a wonderful idea, as we could each pick a genre we really loved for our respective characters. Or have a genre foisted upon you like plague. In an effort to avoid having to play the magical girl (because for some reason, as the tokusatsu and sentai fan, they wouldn't let me be a Power Ranger or Kamen Rider. Which was just cruel.), I volunteered to DM the shenanigans.

    We held a poll on the what time of campaign it should be, and the fans chose the ragtag crew team-up. What a wonderful windfall.This has let to some really neat avenues of thought because this isn't really a defined genre in terms of setting. I can run the whole of time and space with this, as long as the characters are using there disparate abilities and natures in overcoming the obstacles. So, look forward to ninjas, spaceships, giant robots, magical girls and just a touch of high school drama. Should be fun.

    Moving on to my personal gaming, The Secret World hasn't slowed down in its ability to keep me interested. My cabal consists of some pretty cool guys, and I've even run my first dungeon. DPS is a new experience, but I totally get why people chase those big critical hit numbers now. I'm slowly branching into a more support/dps playstyle, and I might even begin to pick up some tanking abilities, just to round things out.

   On the tabletop front, I've got the backbone of a Pathfinder campaign that seems like it might be fun. I think I might take cue from the old 3.5 setting Ravenloft and run some traditional gothic horror for my group. Vampires ruling cities hidden in the mist, werewolves terrorizing villagers, ghosts keening balefully in the night. It's different from my normal high adventure style and kind of refreshing.

Without a Doubt

    Once again, sleeplessness has left me here, writing this blog. It's not such a bad thing. I have a weird relationship with the haze that sets in after not sleeping for an unhealthy period of time. It loosens my mind, letting me set aside those internal prejudices that keep me from enjoying writing all the time. I don't feel so self conscious at one in the morning. I'm weird.

    I'm finding the more I step up in life, the more I'm terrified I might succeed. I know that sounds stupid. Hell, I just said it out loud to make sure it was I meant to say. The prospect of success means that you have accomplished something, which in turn means responsibility and respect. These are things I crave desperately, and have so for years. I just don't know if I'm the man to actually bear that burden. ;It doesn't feel like courage when the thing I'm trying to overcome is myself.

    I think this might be about doubt. Doubt has been, and I really believe always be, my greatest weakness. The moment I think that I can fail, I don't even quit.

    I never even try.

    I have wasted so many opportunities in my life because of the fear of failure. It's easier to be a screw-up. No expectations, no pressure. People are proud of you for just getting by. Don't get me wrong, the person was five, six years ago is not the man I am today. But I should have never have fallen to that point. I had potential, but no vision. Everyone around me, especially my family saw, this in me, and desperately tried to get me to realize it myself before it was too late.

   I pray that I prove them right.

   Part of that is excepting one's inherent greatness. And I'm not talking about the arrogant bravado that normally surrounds me. It's in that moment when you've made the right call and you know you have to stick with it. Because in the end other people are depending on you. Because you know that you ARE the right person for the job. Because, at the very end of the day, you can sleep knowing that it was done right, and done for the right reasons.

    I'm not just moving on. I'm moving forward. I've made mistakes and squandered time and chance, but they HAVE taught me a lessons. I am wiser, more capable than I have ever been. Tomorrow, and every tomorrow after after that, I'm going to be a better Sean.

Rage against the Immaterium

     So, earlier today I was catching up on m daily blogs and webcomics when I was greeted with this nonsense. Basically, it's an article that outlines how Games Workshop is bullying writers and other companies in an effort to secure the term "Space Marine" as a trademarked property. I'll let you read this, then we'll discuss this.

     Legalwatch - GW Makes the News...

     Read it? Good, because here comes the rant.

     I cannot believe this blatant... bullying. There is no other term for it. This is very much a case of a larger, more powerful entity forcing its own agenda on someone that stands no chance off being able to fight back. This is ridiculousness of the highest order.

    That aside, there are two things that are even worse than this predication. First, was Amazon giving in to Games Workshop. This does nothing but set a precedent for Games Workshop to continue its vendetta of legalese harassment. In no way was Amazon required to take down the book from its online store. It did so to save its own ass. Has the threat of litigation become so powerful that even the mighty corporation won't stand behind it's community of creators and producers?

     The second part of this fiasco is to me the sadder of the two. In no way can I affect Games Workshop's decision to harass these creators. My personal boycott of their products would do no good. Even if I were to convince my few friends that are fans and that purchase their products to stop it in support of this writer would not even register in Games Workshop's ledger. So here I am ranting about it.

    And then I realized there was something I can do. Actually, there was something my very community of peers could do.

    We can take it back.

    The only thing we can really do to stop the kind of ham-handedness is to make our own stories about Space Marines. And not Games Workshop's either, but the Space Marines that have existed in the genre for over eighty years now. They may own the trademark, but they do not own the trope. I know this idea may seem silly to some, but this concept that people have the right to own whole, broad concepts is irrational and ultimately stifles creativity. The only way to win is to fight.

     And fight I will. This abuse of power has gone on too long.

A Return to Writing

     In an effort to maintain my sanity, and to express things I otherwise have a hard time saying, I'm going to attempt to continue this blog. Small steps at first, just for a week, and then on from there.

    So, I'm living in Gainesville now. Like any move, it's had it's fair share of stress. It has left me with a desire to write, which is good, since the this town is very much how I envisioned the fictional town of Temple Springs. Very wooded, small and with a hint of old Florida still on every corner. Ill Spirits has definitely been on my mind since coming to town, and this afternoon I have made some progress on the beginning of it. Not as much as I would like, but that's something I plan on working on.

    Game-wise, things have been relatively slow, since I have left my fantastic gaming group off three years behind in Orlando. I knew even as I was playing, that those I played with were some of the best people I could ever roll some dice with. It is with great resignation that I am now looking to rebuilding a new group of stalwart companions with which to tell stories and enjoy good company.

    That said, I am planning on playing some Pathfinder at the upcoming MegaCon. It's been a year since I first dipped my toes into the waters of organized RPG play, and I must say, I found it rather invigorating. The spontaneity, the cast of characters last time was a blast. I'm hoping to drag a few of my other friends into it as well.

    As far as tabletop war games are concerned, those are also on hiatus until further notice. I might build or paint some of the models I currently own, but I'm also looking for a new gaming group there, as well. Fortunately, those two groups of people frequently overlap, which should make getting back into the swing of things much easier.

    As a stopgap, I have picked up The Secret World from Funcom now that the subscription requirement has been dropped. Yes, it can be buggy; yes, it is not the most stunning game in the market right now; but it is the most in depth story-wise I have ever played, particularly in the MMO genre. I love the setting, the cross between the Harry Dresden-esque magic and hidden world, and the X-Files level of paranoia and conspiracy. The skill wheel is the most engrossing thing I have ever gotten my hands on. The level of freedom in designing your characters is refreshing. This game does not hold your hand or babysit you. I have found the challenge of figuring out a good build very reminiscent of tweaking a Magic: the Gathering deck. It's all little tweaks and experiments to figure out a build that works for you. It's less about static rotations and gear checks and more about skill and intelligent gameplay. It's an intelligent MMO for an intelligent gamer, and it much more accessible the something like EVE Online. Brilliant game. If anyone wants to get in on this, let me know. I have a few guest passes I'd be happy to share.

My character's name is BlackLionZero and I'm on the Daemon server.