Civilization III sucks. There … I’ve said it. It took me months, but I finally said it. I feel much better now. I’m a big fan of the Civilization series, starting with the original computer game back in college (around about 1993). Its sequel, Civilization II. represents a pinnacle in empire-building games, in which players … Read more
Fall 2002 looks to be a good time for gamers, especially for fans of Dungeons & Dragons. Here are some of the products I’m looking forward to. Operation: Torch, Pagan Publishing Topping my Fall 2002 wish list is Operation: Torch, a campaign for Godlike based on the real-world WWII African campaign. This book is all … Read more
I went to GenCon with a list, and came back with about half of my desires fulfilled. The stuff I bought is excellent, but its tainted by the disappointment of three important no-shows at the con. The best games I picked up at GenCon were Alderac Entertainment Group’s Spycraft and Wizards of the Coast’s Call … Read more
3rd Edition Dungeon Master’s Guide introduces five new non-player character classes (NPCS) to the game which provide Dungeon Masters with some non-adventuring options for the common (and uncommon) folk of their campaign. This article, inspired by a debate on the Greytalk listserv about the merits of having dedicated NPC classes, looks at how I use them to enhance combat, role-playing and meta gaming in my campaign
I’ll admit it. I’m a SimCity addict. I played the original game far too much in college, kidding myself that I could study and raise Atomic City to new heights. SimCity 2000 was more of a good thing, giving players the ability to alter the local economy, implement ordinances, build on multi-level terrain, and even … Read more
Every year at GenCon I go on a massive RPG buying spree, easily laying out a few hundred dollars for games, T-shirts, miniatures, and dice ((drool)). Now, as the Mecca of American gamers (and some international gamers as well) draws nigh, I have undertaken my annual quest to assemble my GenCon shopping list.
The Manual of the Planes is a cosmological toolbox detailing the heavens, hells and strange places in between for Wizards of the Coast’s Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition role-playing game. Written by Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, and David Noonan , the book is heir to two planar traditions: the minimalist 1st edition Manual of … Read more
Crystal Ball is a robust RPG aid for Apple’s Macintosh OS. Created by Joseph Sharp, the program runs under both Mac OS X and the older Mac OS 9. The tool is built to support Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition and includes tools for creating characters and monsters, tracking combat, calculating experience, creating names, rolling … Read more
Nothing makes me more nauseous than cries for government intervention in order to “Save the Children”. The latest effort to promote an ever-more paternalistic government comes from California Democrat Joe Baca, who’s introduced legislation making it a crime to sell graphically violent or sexually explicit video games to kids without parental consent (as reported in … Read more
June 1st is “International Gamer’s Day, as proudly proclaimed by Knights of the Dinner Table and its legions of rabid fans (ok, they’re not rabid, but they are darn enthusiastic). According to the KODT.com fan site, the now-annual event was spawned last year by members of Kenzer & Co (publishers of Knights of the Dinner … Read more