Merry Christmas

Enjoy the holidays and time with your family!

Next year this spot will be occupied with a blog focusing on my various roleplaying games, past and present and possibly future, not just on Raptor Squad.

So..keep any eye out!

FEAR! What is it good for? Huh!

So the D6 Fantasy system has a Mettle skill.

This sometimes comes into play when the characters come up against a monster or creature that can cause them to be terrified. They fail the Mettle roll, they (in theory) will turn and run away in fear.

While this has given rise to several fun and crazy moments in my game, I'm thinking about reworking this and incorporating a house rule:

If you fail your mettle roll you have three options:

1. Flee:(nuff said)

2. Frenzy: You can attack but fear has altered your perception to the point that you are attacking wildly, and therefore your difficulty to hit the target creature has increased two difficulty levels. Missing results in a %50 chance that you hit one of your own teammates.

3.Freeze: You can do nothing the rest of the round but may make another mettle roll to get control of yourself next round.

Some might recognize this ideas as being based on a game called "Unknown Armies," but obviously modified to fit the D6 system.

Personally, I'm diggin it...it gives the player some control over their character rather than saying "Yep, you failed the roll and run away like a scared little bitch," while still penalizing them. but more importantly it gives them a choice, which I'm all about. I hate railroading players and having them feel like the control of their PC has been taken totally out of their hands.

Anyway, I know some Gm's and passersby out there may have some thoughts/opinions on the above and I would love to hear them. So please! Sound off!

The Force will be with you...most of the time....

Yeah, so, still got the burnout working on the Star Wars…this happens every few months, so no biggie.

So I’m working on some different things and coming to some decisions about the site and life in general…I’ll share them with you now in lieu of any kind of real meaningful post:

1. 2009 is the year I streamline my life.

Yep, there are gonna be some BIG changes in my life in the coming year. I won't go into great detail, because some of it is kinda private, but in the turmoil of the stock market and economy and whirlwind of madness that makes up this crazy world I am resolute in that I am going to have a better year and things are going to go well for me, personally, financially and heck, lets go ahead and throw spiritually in there, cause I'm a Gawd lovin guy.

2. I'll work on the Raptor Squad site when I got time.

Just what it says. I'm not going to kill myself like I have in the past, as I see no real point. I do this for free, no one pays me (at least not yet) and it's all about doing something I love for fun. So! Updates? They happen when they happen.

3. More focus on my Champion of the North game

I've taken a bit of a break over the holidays, but I'm jumping back in with both feet this year, and turning up the heat! There is a lot of drama and intrigue to be had in my game and I'm going to milk that baby for all its worth!

4. More focus on the home

There are some things I want to get done around our house this year, so, I'm going to spend more time and effort in getting the homestead where I want it. And no, that doesn't mean buying more video game consoles...


I guess thats it.

I know this post was more free-form and open than others but what the hell.

Dag!

I hate burnout...it comes out of nowhere, sidetracks my best laid plans and doesn't go away until it feels like it.

It sucks.

But, after experiencing this kind of thing for, oh, going on eight years, I know three things:

1. There is no use trying to get past it...just ride it out and let the batteries recharge.

2. It won;t lat forever, though it certainly feels as though it will.

3. When it does subside, the creative juices flow like a river.

So...I'm just going to kick back, enjoy the holidays and do some things that need doing. I suggest everyone do the same.

I'll post more updates when there is something to report on.

Just hit the cabbage button

I have a theory that if you slap a price tag on something, even if it's an inferior product and worth less than the cost of production , people will automatically assign value to the thing and pay.

Case in point? I have several:

1. Any movie starring Angelina Jolie.
2. Paris Hilton's album.
3. Pugs
4. Segways
5. Iphones


Thats good enough for now.
Anyway, point being, is that I think I'm going to toss a "Donate" button up on the Raptor Squad site.

Why the hell not? I bust my ass creating entertainment and gameaids for the masses (as we've done for, oh, going on eight years now)...and if folks have money to toss away on the crap WOTC puts out, then why not show Raptor Squad some love? Especially considering there are still D6 fans out there and with the death of WEG you can pretty much rule out getting ANYTHING new in the future.

Heck, seing a little jack might even inspire me to work harder on the site than I am now...and if folks toss some coin my way, I figure they got the right to give me some input on what they would liek to see...so win-win...I get monetary incentive, you guys get to pull my strings.

Seems like a decent deal to me. Plus most of you need to kick your crack habit and this is a good cause to redirect your money to.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here is the States it’s that wondrous time when we slaughter a bird, stuff it with goodies and toss its ass in the oven.

That being said, Happy Thanksgiving!

Not much to speak of on the website front…I’ve got several irons in the fire…not just Raptor Squad stuff but a brand new venture I might be rolling out next year as well. I’ll keep you updated on it.

So! For my fellow countrymen, enjoy our day of thanks, and for everyone around the world, take time out to be thankful for what you have and the good things going on in your life.

“Our stay on earth is not for long. Let us rejoice and believe and give thanks."-Hemingway

Aqua Teen Hunger Suck

Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

Used to be funny, now it's just stupid.

But I expect the brainless to continue to watch, because, if I 've learned nothing else in life, it's that most people who walk the earth are sheep and incapable of independent thought.

Of course if you are reading this blog it means you are likely NOT a sheep and possessing of good taste. Or you're here by accident, in which case you should move along. I'm sure there is a Paris Hilton or Kanye West website calling your name.

So congrats on that.

But Carl is still funny as hell.

Oh and what does this have to do with Star Wars or my website?

Nothing. Nothing at all.

VIVA REVOLUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good Times

I got to sit on the other side of the GM screen this weeekend and had a blast.

I played a rogue in a D&D game and it was a lot of fun throwing some dice around, doing some morally questionable things and overall just cutting loose.

It had been YEARS since I was able to game and not GM.

So...good times.

It's been decided!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After much deliberation and input, the newest team members of Raptor Squad will be:

A short, wise-cracking black orphan and his older brother, both of whom come from an orphanage in the "bad part of space".

Look for it next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Old Old School!!!!

Elfgirl and I were talking the other day about catalogs from the 70's and toys we had when we were kids.

Besides being able to find video of a naked asian man in a bear mask being violated by an animatronic pony, the internet is wonderful when you want to track down some of your youth.

Check out the following sites! I had many of the toys featured there and it brought back some memories!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.plaidstallions.com/

http://www.bugeyedmonster.com/


Anyone born after 1980 really need not bother unless you want to see some vintage stuff!!!!!!!!!

Mixing It Up!

Im considering "creating" a new team member for Raptor Squad.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but I would like suggestions and ideas.

"Creating?" you may ask.

Yep. I'm thinking about creating an all new team member (or two!) that never existed as a player character in our game, and that will only exist as a totally new contruct for the fiction.

Crazy huh?

Yeah, but thats how I roll. It not only keeps it fresh for me, but will throw some new elements into the story that not even the old players will be familiar with.

Again, still in the planning and ironing out stages, but Im open to ideas and suggestions.

Soo sound off ya monkeys!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

In this latest Raptor Squad update we are featuring Episode 10 Book 2, which (obviously) continues the events set in motion in Book 1. In this installment we see the introduction of several seminal Raptor Squad personalities, the most prolific of which is the Tapani Nobleman Xander Paddox. Also introduced is New Republic Liaison Jonus Kable who starts to mix things up right out of the gate.
Both are wonderful characters I had a lot of fun writing and you’ll hopefully enjoy in this fiction. Sometimes I struggle with how to portray certain characters in our fiction, but I feel the best way is to show them with all of their flaws intact. Basing them on the characters played around the table by real people is integral, because as the players we all had our own characters flaws and imperfections that invariably made their way into our characters.
It’s these flaws that really flesh out and make Raptor squad not only believable but easier to relate to. Vic is stubborn and had trouble with women; Klux has a lack of confidence and direction; Koort has questionable interpersonal skills and far overestimates his abilities- and the list goes on.
As most know, in fan fiction there are always tendencies by inexperienced writers to fall into the “Mary Sue” trap- portraying the heroes of the fiction as more important/heroic than those that originally appeared in the canon work. I take pride in saying that I feel you won’t find that in our fiction, as Raptor Squad has problems. Real problems. The heroes aren’t always heroic, the things they do don’t always work out and in the end the characters have significant flaws that makes them living breathing subjects rather than some writers “hero fantasy” where everyone is perfect and can do no wrong.
Nope. In this fiction you get blemishes and all. But being heroic isn’t about how many stormtroopers you can kill or how many planets you save- it’s about the sacrifices you make and how you live with those decisions and consequences that define a hero.
So! Enjoy the fiction! I worked hard on it, and owe a great deal of thanks to my wife Tracy (as always) who is not only my muse but my best friend and proofreader and without whom this fiction would never even see the light of day. As always, we encourage feedback! Tell us what you like, didn’t like or what (or who) you would like to see more of!

Welcome to the Eighties!

The 80’s ruled.

I’m sorry, they did. I can point to a million reasons why, but I’ll summarize:


1. Better movies
2. Better music
3. I was younger
4. Better Candy
5. Starlog Magazine still ruled.


See? Now there might be some of you who disagree, and that’s fine. You would also be wrong. But don’t let that drag you down- you just don’t know any better.

Point is, I used to love me some Starlog Magazine.

See, back in the 80's before the interweb, where you could get movie info before they even write a damn script, you had to get information on flicks and sci-fi through magazines, tv shows and word of mouth. Not easy to do when most media still thought of sci-fi as “goofy kids stuff” and rarely reported on anything new and word of mouth only took you as far as folks with like interests.
But real news stories on sci-fi, those were hard to come by.

Enter Starlog magazine.

Starlog was THE magazine for sci-fi buffs like me, packed with pics, stories and all manner of goodness that made my little eight year old heart flutter. Back when Chris Reeve was sporting the Big Red “S” and a film named “TRON” set the movie world on its ear with its cutting edge computer graphics, Starlog was the magazine that brought you the updates and stories that whet your appetite.

So why am I talking about it now?

Because, like most things from my childhood- all of my issues were either read to tatters or disappeared over time. I regret to say I don’t thave even one issue left from those halcyon days. But no worries! There is always back issues to spend my hard earned dollars on, right?

Well, there was till I read this line the other day:

“On Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007 at approximately 11 a.m. a warehouse, operated by Kable News, in Oregon, Illinois containing back issues of Starlog and Fangoria burned to the ground.”

Damn.

So, crushed, I thought my childhood treasure trove would never return to my hands- that those wonderful magazines would forever be but hazy memories, tinted by the sepia tones of hot summer days sitting in my Aunt Wilma’s back yard reading about some movie called “Heavy Metal”.

Ah, but if the interweb is good for nothing else besides deviant pornography and pirated music, it is most certainly good for one other thing:

EBAY!

That’s right! For a mere pittance I will soon have in my hands over two dozen copies of Starlog dating back from the late 70’s to early 80’s!

YEAH!

Needless to say I’m freaking thrilled. And you can bet these bad boys are going to be treated like they were woven from freaking gold.

And don’t even bother asking if you can borrow one- the sound of me laughing in your face might be too much for you to handle- especially if I’ve been eating a lot of garlic.

If you’re lucky I might let you watch as I read them from a distance.

On the website front, the update is coming along better than I expected! So you can look forward to seeing it roll out sometimes this Friday!!!!

STARLOG!

Another update on the update? Madness!

Yep, looks like I’m going to hit my Halloween deadline.

Only downside is that I won’t be able to post as many vehicles and such like I normally do. Basically this update will see the new fiction, a few new profiles, a few new pics for existing profiles and of course artwork for the fiction.

Still, a nice offering that I want to have up for everyone’s enjoyment.

Now, Book 3, now that sucker is going to be coming with some fanfare. I’m planning on having new profiles, pics, a new feature, new vehicles/starships…lots of good stuff for that update.

I would like to promise a News Year Day rollout but I can’t/won't. Besides hating placing time limits on my creativity, the holidays tend to throw a wrench into the works in all manner of unexpected ways…soo…….

Take your time and enjoy Book 2 when it comes out! And of course keep your eyes open for Book 3! I won’t give away any spoilers other than to say that yes, there will be some meaningful deaths in Book 3! Not sorry attempts at “shock” deaths peddled out by all of the hacks currently writing Star Wars novels.

And like I said previously, I'm thinking about compiling all three books into one volume and getting it printed for those interested...especially since it's going to weigh in between 5-600 pages and having it in your hands would be a lot easier when it comes to enjoying.

Keep watch for more details!

It’s a fine line between cool and lame

I’m one of the fortunate ones.

I remember when Boba Fett was cool.

I mean badass cool.

I remember seeing him for the first time (and not the craptacular version on the Holiday Special- I’m talking the Jeremy Bulloch version in Empire). So I remember when he swaggered on the scene, showing folks why he was The Man.

Then?

Then the worst thing that can happen did:

They decided to tell his story.

Now 20+ years later he’s a joke. You look him up on Wookieepedia and instead of a paragraph about how mysterious and badass he is, you have pages and pages of crap- some nonsense about him having kids or grandkids, running the Mandalorians, saving the Solo’s and like all of their kids or some crap. And don’t even get me started about what they did to the Mandalorians.

As Jeremy Bulloch told me when I met him: “It’s all a bit of rubbish. If I saw those writers who shat all over ‘The Fett I would stab them in the throat with a bit of glass.”

Ok, he didn’t actually say that when I met him, but dammit I could see it in his eyes.

So, this is what the Fett has become?

PPHHHHHHHHHHPPPPTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.

Not for me.

For me, Boba Fett is still cool and mysterious- and all of the stories these two-bit hacks have scribbled out about him?

Don’t exist kids. Not in my world.

Save for a handful of great stories from Dark Horse Comics that came out years ago, all this Vong crap and nonsense? Never happened.

You want a watered down old dude as your Boba Fett, go ahead, have a ball. Not me. My Boba Fett is still the badass that beat out all of the other bounty hunters to nab Solo and blasted his way out of the Sarlacc.

Yeah, cause I know cool. And that’s just how it’s gonna be.

Tour De Force!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a minor update on the upcoming update. So an update on the update, if you will.

Book 2 is done, and just needs a few tweaks and should be good to go by the Halloween deadline.

But Book 3?

Wow.

No, I mean, WOW.

See, I was happy to be about 120 pages in and thinking I was close to having that puppy wrapped up…then I reworked my outline (yes kids, I do use outlines like real writers) and now?

Damn, this sucker is looking to weigh in at 250 pages easy.

Which is going to put the entire Episode 10 in the 550-600 page range.

Now that is some serious writing folks!

And I’m really happy with it. Oh sure, you can always go back and nitpick and pick apart your writing and look at things you could have done better/different (I do it all the time with my earlier stuff), but if you don’t settle down, put a seal of approval on it and get it out the door you’ll never get it finished.

I’m also driven by the great feedback I’m getting from folks on this fiction- everyone seems to like it and I won’t lie- it’s nice to have folks tell me I should be writing for a living or that my stuff rivals/exceeds what is already put out there by “established” authors. And these are folks who read- a lot.
To be sure it’s an ego boost- but way more importantly it gives me the enthusiasm to keep writing and continuing the Raptor Squad stories.

Hell, if I wasn't already so 'financially secure' where I work I might actually consider quitting and taking up writing full time.

Anyway! I’m still holding on to the dream of having Book 3 posted by year’s end, bringing this portion of Raptor Squad's story to a close while opening oh so many other doors.

So, keep your eyes open!

These Pipes Are Clean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone who can match the subject line with the movie it came from gets a No-Prize.

Anyone who knows what a No-Prize is gets, you guessed it, another No-Prize.

Anyway, Book 2 is DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meaning, the final is done. It's been polished, refined and checked for glaring spelling and grammatical errors and is ready to be published to the site.

Yay!

Good stuff. Now I just need to get the art done and it will be posted!

So Much to Do!

Well, fortunately, things have begun to quiet down a bit in my life (between hurricanes showing up in the Midwest, my wife being sick and finally getting that under control and my mom going through all sorts of stuff lately I’m thrilled to be able to utter that last sentence), so I’m able to redirect some focus onto the next update. I’m almost done proofreading Book 2, now I just need to buckle down and get some artwork done for it. Likely we won’t have a lot of starships or profile bios to add to this upcoming update, for the simple fact that most of the characters that show up in the fiction already have bio pages. Still, it’s a good piece of writing and really gets into some serious character development- not that there won’t be action! There will be! But it’s not going to be loaded up like in Book 1 or Book 3 (which is almost complete- well, the rough anyway).

So! If I’m able to buckle down and get things moving this week, I’m hoping to have the update completed and up by Halloween.

And for those of you who are reading this current fiction arc and giving me great feedback- I appreciate it! Keep those comments and feedback coming! It really helps me to see what you like and what you can do without and where to direct my energies.

Added all the tasty bits, now it just needs some polish...

Yep, Episode 10 Book 2 has all the additional bits added...now I just need to polish it up, do some spell checking and it will be good to go!

Looks like it will weight in at 175 pages worth of fictional goodness for you all to enjoy! Hey! Save yourself some cash and quit dumping it on those crappy NEw Jedi order books and just read our fiction! Badass! And it's free!

So, the good news is it looks like it will be rolled out on time! The other good news is that it will be even bigger than the last intstallment. The downside?

None I can see right now. I'll keep you posted.

Hey! Thanks for checking us out!

This month we've experienced our highest total monthly page views ever!

WOO HOO!

It's great to see you folks are still out there checking us out and digging our stuff! And of course there is plenty more goodness on the way...new fiction (of course) and as always, Vehicles, NPC's and other odds and ends to either bring into your campaign or to just check out while you kill time.

So! Keep your eyes open! Lots of entertaining stuff is on the way and you won't want to miss a page of it!

Yeah, well when you look at it Empire had a lot of character development stuff too...

Wow, Book 2 is kinda taking on a life of it's own....

I mean, I'm adding some things in there, and the further I get into the dialogue between characters there is a lot thats really being put out on teh table...

Again, this is what happens when you give a character a voice and allow them to interact.

Still, I think it's all good stuff...assuming you like characters with more than one dimension who only serve as cannon fodder.

Anyway! Just a rambling thought I figured I would toss out there. It looks like it may certainly be the longest, book in the episode- though Boko 3 might eclipse it as well.

Might have to start offering these as printed sets when they are done...anyone interested can certainly e-mail me.

:-)

Tentative RS Site Update Schedule

Of course all updates will feature new bios, stats, vehicles artwork and everything else you’ve come to expect and cherish from Raptorsqaud.Net:

October: Book II Published

December: Book III Published

January: Special Feature! Be sure to check this out!

March-June: Next Fiction Published

Of course all this is (as always) dependent on Star Wars burnout/real life and everything else that tends to throw wrenches into the works.

Is it me?

Just caught a feature on Gears of War 2.

The interviewer asked one of the creators if they were going to include A feature where you could pull of an enemies arm and beat them to death with it.

His response was “No, that was a line we didn’t want to cross.”

Cool, ok I can understand that, I mean, considering these games are nothing but interactive gore porn I applauded them for actually having a line to cross to begin with.

Then, not a second later, they show in-game footage of an enemy crawling away, wounded, missing like, both legs or something, and the “hero” basically unloading his weapon into the guys back and his body exploding into about six different pieces.

Well thank God they didn’t cross any lines!

Hey! Here’s an idea: instead of making it so easy to kill this enemy, why not make it a part of the game where you get more points for getting him to a hospital and get his ass some attention and keep him as a prisoner of war? Oh right, because most of the enemies in these sorry ass games are all “evil with no sense of redemption or loss over what they did”…right, no, that’s original, it really is. But more importantly for these useless hacks like Cliffy B or whatever his dumb ass is calling himself these days, it’s easy. See? That’s what it comes down to- create a blockhead of a “hero” with cool name, armor and guns, three sentences of a backstory and just set him loose on his killing spree. Because it’s easy and unfortunately there are enough people out there with disposable income who are willing to throw it at this unimaginative tripe.

But hey, your money, so feel free to waste it as you see fit.

I don’t know…back in the day I used to really love video games, and still do I guess. But some of this crap they come out with these days seems to fall on one side or the other- either goofy mindless turn-based anime or ultra-violent blood fests where you get labeled a “hero” based on how many kills you rack up.

Yeah, maybe it’s age, experience or a little bit of both, but I think there is enough real mindless violence in the world we have to deal with that we don’t need video games coming out that just adds to it and labels itself as “entertainment”.

And it’s sad, because some game designers do work hard to elevate their craft to a level that would be considered “art”, while others just slop a new coat of paint on crap and puke it back out to consumers. Games like Fable, Beyond Good and Evil, and Oblivion- those are games that cross the line from simply being a game to being a work of art- an interactive experience that can actually change you as a person and make you think about the consequences of your actions-while other games are about as fulfilling as mini rice cakes.

And I’m familiar with the old argument “its not the games that cause kids to flip out and go psycho”...and I used to believe that too…but now? I don’t know…while I don’t think the games themselves are entirely to blame, I think they do share some responsiblity- along with movies, tv and yes, of course, parents who don’t teach their kinds any freaking better. And unfortunately there are a lot of these kinds of parents out there.

I guess this isn’t so much about our website- though I would like to believe that when you see (or read) violent content in our fiction it has a frame of reference- there is a reason for it- it’s not simply mindless bloody carnage for the sake of mindless bloody carnage- plus Star Wars just isn’t that. Yeah, while we may be creating our own “mature” mythology, that doesn’t mean it’s mature just because we have over the top violence and sex- those are both the hallmarks of not only immature writers and creators, but lazy, sloppy ones as well. Don’t believe me? Go to your local comics shop and browse the titles- I would guess over 70% fall prey to these very problems.

Anyway, it just seems like for all of the money and “work” that goes into most of these games anymore, people aren’t actually even trying to make good games- just rehashing the same old crap and slapping new cover art on it.

But that’s cool, they have every right to make, market and sell it, and as a consumer I have every right to pretend it just doesn’t exist.

Sad thing is I seem to be doing that with a lot of the “entertainment” that gets produced these days.

Anyway, just my two cents. I think I’ll go home and play me some Centipede or Frogger now.

This website is rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some hot nubbin'

You know, if I were to apply a MPAA rating to our website I think it would weigh in at a respectable PG-13. Truth is, after looking back at some of our fiction, and the fiction that is to come, there are a lot of complex characters and some “adult” situations (and no fanboyz, not just physcial interactions- though there is some of that) that arise that may be too deep and mature for a lot of the SWRPG Community.
Now, while that may sound like a slam, it’s really not. Or if it is, don’t take it personally, or if you do at least hear me out, as it certainly doesn’t apply to everyone in the community.
Fact is, is that Star Wars is generally directed at younger audiences, and the Raptor Squad game was played by adults, who, while enjoying themselves and sticking to the overall feel of Star Wars, found themselves in more morally and emotionally questionable situations facing NPC’s villains that had more psychologically complex profiles than what you saw in the films.

And, not to go off on a tangent, but I think that is one of the reasons the prequels didn’t go over as well- Old George wanted to shoot a 3-film psychological profile of why Vader became Vader and after all was said and done, folks realized it wasn’t really that great of a story- but let’s be honest, after the mystery and buildup of TWENTY freaking years, there was little he could write or create that would live up to most fan’s expectations.

Oh, and the fact that there was no one you could really relate to in the prequels, unless you were a monk (Jedi) or a teenage girl with a thing for psychotic ten year-olds (Amidala).

Anyway, I think at the end of the day, what was begun around our gaming table and what I’m creating now with the site and fiction is more rich, full and artistically satisfying than what I saw in the prequels- because there is simply more meat to it and I have a venue that lends itself to this kind of character development. Yeah, I know this is a given, but it certainly explains my drive to continue the story…because, the characters are damn good characters and the story is a damn good story.

I also think this is one of the reasons why it’s hard for some folks to jump into our fiction and give it a try- there is so much history and complexity that it would take some thought and even emotional investment on a readers part to immerse themselves in the Raptor Squad universe.

But I also believe (based on what others have told me) that the investment is worth it. I like to think it is.

Otherwise I wouldn’t continue to create our own mythology.

Hopefully in the future (near future) I’ll be able to create a “Raptor Squad” primer-something that folks will be able to look at and read and get the general gist of the story and then jump in without having missed much (Marvel Comics had to take the same approach about ten years ago when their characters just accumulated so much history it was impossible to just pick up a simple comic and start reading). I think something like that would help folks get into our fiction without being lost and then allow them to go back and re-read the previous volumes to see the intricacies and dynamics that you can only understand and appreciate through reading the actual stories.

Basically a Raptor Squad Cliff’s Notes.

Just make sure Mr.Berg doesn’t catch you with it, or else he’ll toss it dead in the trash. Trust me, I seen him do it.

More Magic Mushrooms!

So, much to the dismay of my boys Big Al and Mikey and possibly a few other folks, I’ve realized I’ve inadvertently lied.

Gasp! Shock!

See, I’ve been talking about how Book 2 of the Episode 10 has been done for a while and is almost ready to go…but upon reading it, and polishing it, I’m realizing it simply needs…well…more.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s already weighing in at about 150 pages, and it’s really good stuff…I’m very happy with it and how it ties into Book 1 and how it opens things up and leaves a cliffhanger for Book 3…but there are some spots that end much too abruptly…that need more meat added…not just to beef up the page count mind you (which I never really pay attention to anyway- I tell a story and it takes as long as it takes-it’s not like my publisher is demanding three hundred pages a pop or anything), but…I don’t know…it’s just lacking in some spots and I feel the characters simply have more to say and I haven’t given them a chance to.

That’s the funny think about fiction. When you are in the zone and writing, you quite literally let the characters take over…you give them a voice, put them in a situation and let them go. It’s like I’ve told Elfgirl- I don’t write the fiction- that characters do. Sure, I’ve got an outline and a plot so that there is some structure to the story, but if the characters are rich, vibrant and real, then all I really need to do is drop them into a situation and let them go and see what happens.

To be honest, sometimes I’m even surprised at their actions myself.

So! What does this mean? Hopefully, not much. I was hoping to roll out the fiction and next update around the end of October, and I’m still planning on that, assuming I can work some time into my schedule to sit down and get some more writing done on Book 2. But, on the outside chance it takes a few extra weeks (which it really shouldn’t) I felt like it would be only right to give everyone a heads up.

But, like I’ve said before- hopefully the wait will be worth it!

Graphically Speaking....

Man I love me some art.

Now, if you’ve ever even glimpsed the RS site you know this to be an understatement. But, fact is, I’ve loved artwork and the practice of creating ever since I was a little kid and drew my first picture of various snakes and reptiles (which would eventually get ripped in half by my no-talent brother out of sheer meanness- but I digress).

Anyway, I love all manner of art, and even though I’m kinda in a “#-d CGI” phase right now, that doesn’t mean I still don’t enjoy the more traditional methods, or, traditional methods using new technology.

That’s why I’ve been picking up some of the Instructional Gnomon DVD’s.

For you artists out there, these are a real treat. You get to check out some of your favorite artists and how they work, create and develop all of those beautiful pieces of art that you see on their websites and in “The Art of Star Wars” books.

Right now I’ve got around ten of these bad boys and I watch them whenever I get the chance. Really great stuff, and there’s tons of em out there- covering everything from creating tattoo’s to digital painting to working in a variety of mediums and 3d programs to sculpting. I’ve got more on my wishlist, but I can honestly say that I’ve not been disappointed with any of them.

Now, they are a little pricey- usually they go for about $50-60 each, but sometimes you might be able to find them used on Amazon or someone selling them on Ebay.

Still, if you are an artist and have the cabbage to spend, I highly recommend picking some up. Really great stuff and a fountain of information.

Hopefully I’ll get around to working in more traditional media soon and roll out some of my new stuff in the “Art of Raptor Squad” project I’ve been working on. I’ll keep you guys updated more on that here.

For now, head on over and check out some of the cool stuff:
The Gnomon website is: www.thegnomonsworkshop.com

Stop by and check it out!

The "Golden Age" Begins!

Happy Labor Day!
And for the record, you have no idea how much work and effort went into this latest update, but I would like to think it was well worth the wait. This ti9me around we have the first Book in Episode 10. This sees the introduction of Ubese bounty hunter Koort Ter’chon and kicks off what the players referred to as the “Golden Age” of Raptor Squad: the period of time where the team really came together and hit its stride. I’m very proud of this latest fiction and hope you enjoy reading it. It’s a bit long (almost 150 pages!) but I think it’s good quality stuff and a good “jumping on” point for new readers who may have been apprehensive about trying some of our fiction out given the team has so much history.
But! There’s more! As always you can enjoy the quality artwork done by myself and Elfgirl, as well as new profiles, ships and others goodies sprinkled throughout the site! So! Enough of my yammering! Dive in, check it out and as always we love to hear from you!

Feel free to head over to and check us out!!!

Old School history lesson

You know, there have been a lot of great Star Wars D6& D20 sites that have faded into oblivion. I remember Jedi Sanctuary, a very cool site from when I first started browsing the web looking for good rpg sites. The Tales of the Freespirit was a great one run by IJ Thompson. Legacy of Strife was solid and had some great material, of course who can forget Dark Lords of the Sith or Servais Sector? Classics the lot of em.

I think it’s a shame those sites aren’t around any longer. That being said, I would like to construct a “shrine” to those old great sites over at Raptorsquad.net.

Preferably something with a few screen caps of what the site looked like, maybe even some stats that stood out, and I think a word from the former webmaster about the site, what drove them to create it and what they have been up to recently and even perhaps why they aren’t (or weren’t) able to keep it up and running would be nice as well.

Anyway, this is of course entirely dependent on how many of the “old timers” and webmasters of those sites are still out there and interested in such a project. It shouldn’t take too much time to participate and I think the community would like to hear from you. I also think it’s important to see some of our history preserved.

So! If you ran an old SWRPG website (D6 OR D20, it’s all good) or you are still in touch with some of the old webmasters and can let them know about this, Drop me a line @ vic@raptorsquad.net or just reply here.

Genwho?

Apparently Gencon was this past weekend.

Yeah, I’ve never been.

Yep, you heard right you monkeys, I live just two hours (less if I use my sweet Knight Rider driving skillz) down the road from Indy and I’ve never been.

And I call myself a gamer?

Sure.

Just going to some convention to hang around people I don’t know to look at games I don’t have an interest in to play games with people I’ll never see again…oh, and I get to pay a few hundred bucks (at least) for the experience?

Damn, sign me up now.

Don’t get me wrong, I know folks who love it, get into it and do it every year. And that’s cool and all, but the appeal has just never really been there for me. I’ve been to different cons before and they are generally a mixed bag, but Gencon just never really jumped out at me as something I would want to spend the money, or, more importantly, the time on.

So, while you get tons of gaming blogs this week littered with Gencon reports and how cool it was and all of that fantastic stuff, I’ll give you handful of readers something a bit different:




Cause' hot Twi'lek chicks rule apparently.

Labor Day!

The day on which I will labor to get the new update posted!

Yep, come hell or high water the new fiction & update will go up on Sept. 1st.

What will be included you ask?

New fiction, new good guys, new bad guys, new starships, new locations, new artwork (of course)...

You know, the usual batch of coolness.

So, mark your calanders!

Try not to drip any blood on the floor on your way to the afterlife

Yeah, so I turned my players into vampires.

They needed to infiltrate the vampiric underworld to get close to a clan elder who was the target of their nemesis, and the only way to do that was to, well, become vampires.

They never saw it coming.

I like throwing crazy stuff at them occasionally…I mean, going in, fighting vampires for the good of the kingdom and all that…sure, that’s real heroic.

But what kind of sacrifice will you make? That is what defines heroism. Real heroism. Not the Saturday morning cartoon variety.

So, will you sacrifice your humannity and possibly your soul?

That was the question.

Going to be interesting to see how it plays out.

Shout out to my man Big Al!

Big shout out to my man Big Al!

He left a comment about what I thought of Hellboy: The Golden Army, and I responded but for the life of me I have no idea where his post or my comments went.

Sucked into the great beyond thanks to crappy "technology" is my guess.

Anyway, just wanted to give him a big shout out, tell him it was great to see him at the movies and to drop by here and comment more often! It’s gamers and friends like he and the rest of you that keep me going and creating and writing the adventures of Raptor Squad (and yeah, that even applies to folks who don’t comment or come around too often. But I know you’re still out there reading-and hopefully –enjoying!)

(Sorry I missed you Mike, Big Al said you were on the way and I kept an eye out but didn’t see you before we went in to see the flick.)

Oh, and for the record? Update coming…hopefully in the next 2-3 weeks.

I pinky swear.

So you know I'm serious!

Flame Wars...nothing but Flame wars....

I think it goes without saying at this point that I dig me some Star Wars. So, I totally understand the love the some folks have for it. Really, I do. Hell, after all of the time and effort I’ve spent chronicling the adventures of Raptor Squad, trust me, I understand having an unbridled passion for something.
What I don’t get is why some folks feel the need to argue, demean and in some cases be downright nasty to those fans who have different ideas or theories about that galaxy “far, far away.”

Really, you’re not impressing anyone. Seriously.

I mean, I’ve seen people get in heated flame wars over the size of a Star Destroyer. I’ve seen fans get red it the face and damn near pop because someone suggests a different viewpoint about how Jedi should or shouldn’t act. And I won’t even go into the whole Star Wars vs Star trek battles or, God forbid, the D6 vs D20 debate.

I mean, why?

It’s especially troublesome to see, especially since there are (more often than not) numerous “official” sources that occasionally contradict one another. So you theoretically could have two people arguing the same point and both be “right” because old George, in between puffs on a big fat blunt, decided to sign off on two different things without having his flunkies go back and check to see what he’d already approved.

Yeah, that helps.

Maybe it’s because I’m getting older- too damn old to care or too damn old to see the point- but when I see these kind of threads, posts, blogs etc I just shake my head now and laugh. At the argument, the posters and the poor moderators who not only have to read through this retarded sh*t, but try to make sense of it and keep the peace as well.

To fight, argue and get enraged (and yeah, you know some of you out there do, don’t deny it Fanboy) over a work of fiction, that, as has been proven, can be and usually IS revised and retooled to Lucas’ wishes depending on what mood he’s in from minute to minute? What the hell?

Hey! Remember when the Force was a “mysterious energy the bound all of us together"? Yeah, that was before it became little critters fritzing about in our DNA. Why? Cause George woke up one morning and thought it was a good idea. Lord, why don't you argue about what cereal he decides to eat in the morning? It would mean about as much.

See, the thing is, I know the answer. I know exactly why these little wars and arguments crop up and continue to flourish. It’s actually a two-fold answer, and if I may, bear with me while I put my shrink hat on.

It’s simple, the human desire to be better or smarter than someone else (dominance) , coupled with the anonymity of the internet (cowardice).

That’s it.

That’s why you have these flame wars over such ridiculous and miniscule minutiae. Because truth is, if those involved in these flame wars and pointless battles were to have to sit across from each other and hold forth with the same opinions you would see a VAST difference in etiquette and mannerisms.

VAST.

But they don’t have to, so the idiots and children who’ve been failed by their parents or society or whatever are allowed to run free on the web, spewing their venom and immaturity in whatever form (or forums) they wish.

And unfortunately, people bite, and just feed into it.

Yeah, I grew tired of it a long time ago, and I don’t bother now. When I'm perusing the forums (which is rare) and see someone spouting off, I ignore them. I don’t even bother getting involved because, again, what’s the point? It doesn’t make me feel better, it does my blood pressure little good and I certainly can be doing more productive things that DO make me feel good and are quite relaxing.

I seem to be doing that a lot lately, trimming the excess and uselessness from my life, so that only the important things remain. And ya know, it’s working out pretty well, thanks for asking.

So, before you launch into a tirade next time you see some kid (or single, middle-aged man living in Mom's basement) incorrectly citing the length or cargo capacity of the Millennium Falcon, ask yourself first: Is it going to change anything in the grand scheme of things? Is it going to make you or the other person a better individual? Improve the quality or your life? Or is it just so you can try to look superior, flexing that big “Star Wars” brain and impressing a group of faceless dornes you'll likely never meet or could care less about in the flesh and blood world?

Sadly, I have a feeling you’ll know the answer to that, but choose to jump into the flames anyway. Good on ya. When you look back on a life filled wasting that kind of time make sure you’ve got the Kleenex handy, cause damn, will that be a sad moment.

Oh, and for the record, I DO know the length and cargo capacity of the Millennium Falcon: It’s roughly this side of “I don’t give a crap.” Any other answer means you've just not gotten the point of this blog and wasted like, five minutes of your life. And no, I ain't giving it back to you. It's mine now. See? here it goes in my pocket, right next to the marbles you lost a long time ago.

Now go out and do something productive like plant a tree or give to charity, and remember: I blog because I love.

It's coming you monkeys!

Writing is hard work.

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. If you’ve never done any serious writing before, sit down and try it…man, does it drain you.

On the other hand, it’s one of the most satisfying and rewarding personal experiences you can have. To sit back and read something you wrote months or even years back and to find yourself caught up in the story and excitement, reading words that you can’t even believe came form your own hand…well, that’s a kind of enjoyment that I really can’t describe here. You just have to experience it.

Hopefully though, you guys who do read the Raptor Squad fiction and dig it get some measure of enjoyment out of it. I know I have a ball writing it.

But again, hard work. And it takes time. Numerous re-writes, spell checks and refinements, and even then, when you finish there are still those little odds and ends that slip through the cracks that irritate you like late-summer mosquito bites on the back of your legs.

Anyway, the point to all of this is that I’ve begun writing the third book of Episode 10. A trilogy of books I started wrting back in 2005…yep, three years ago sports fans.

Books one and two are in the can…Book one is just waiting for the artwork and other little bits to be done before it gets published. It sees the introduction of Koort Ter’chon- Bounty Hunter Extraordinaire, along with some new baddies that are sure to irritate Raptor Squad to no end.

Book two (which sees the introduction of Xander Paddox-Tapani Nobleman and Jonus Kable-New Republic liaison) is done, but it needs polish, refinement and spell checking…oh and of course artwork and stuff…so it’s a few months out…maybe right before I go on vacation in November I’ll roll it out. Or try to anyway.

I just started on book three and I’m about twenty pages into it and it’s rolling along well. I’m pretty darn happy with it. And yeah, it also sees the introduction of a new Raptor Squad team member.,..but I’m keeping that a surprise and no, for those of you out there who THINK you know who it is. It’s not.

So BIG surprises, BIG excitement! And it’s coming your way, free of charge kids.

In the end I imagine Ep 10 will weigh in between four and five hundred pages.

Yeah, it’s going to be a big old sucker, but well worth the wait and a pivotal piece of fiction in the Raptor quad mythos.

Trust me, it’s gonna be shiny.

Ok, so yeah, technically it's an update.....

Nothing major, so don’t get too tight in the pants there slickery.

Added a new bodyshot card for Khara Doone (which I’ve been meaning to do for like, months-sorry honey!), and consolidated the Kalron Narute/Vanas Drooxf stat pages into one and added a new pic of those guys .

So, basically I’m just clearing up some files and getting things up that have been sitting around collecting dust. The good news is that this is because the update is coming soon and I need to make room for stuff.

Yay!

You can find the new pics in our sourcebook section via the main manu on the RS front page.

Or, you know, follow this link:

http://www.raptorsquad.net/sourcebook/index.html

You know, whatever you dig.


Enjoy!

I've got a Deano, now I just need a Sammy and a Vegas show....

Well, I’m back from vacay and kicking it raw yo!

In layman’s terms, that means I’m back to working on the upcoming update. Lots of good stuff, but, like most of you, I grow tired of promises. I want results dammit!

Well, no worries kids. It’s coming. Fact is, I don’t like to rush things and throw together updates just for the sake of saying that I update my site on a regular basis. Raptor Squad has always been about quality, pure and simple. From the artwork which I’ve tried to improve over the years- from crude pencil sketches that, looking back now make me wince- to the fiction that started out as lifeless gamelogs with as much entertainment value as a brochure for a deck cleaning service that has morphed into full-fledged fiction that numbers in the hundreds, if not thousands of pages.

Yeah, I don’t skimp when it comes to Raptor Squad.net. And for good reason too! We are one of the last remaining Star Wars RPG campaign-oriented sites still left out there. For some that may not mean a hill of beans, but to those who played the game, who created characters that lived and breathed (and yeah, died) it still means something. At least I know it does to me and Elfgirl, and I’d like to hope to others as well.

Heck, it must. I’ve come across SWRPG sites that have outright STOLEN Raptor Squad characters for their own use, sites that legitimately ask to use features and artwork (good on ya!), sites that have chosen to not ask for permission and use material and artwork we’ve created anyway (Boo Hiss!) and people that give me great feedback throughout the community that really seem to dig what we are doing and look forward to what we roll out next.

And let’s be honest, it marries things I love! Star Wars, roleplaying, artwork, writing, creating…heck, why wouldn’t I want to produce quality material and entertainment for the masses? And more importantly, I get to do it MY way.

It’s funny, looking back, when I was younger I would have thought designing games and producing art and all that for some game company would have been the end-all be-all of jobs. But as I get older, and I see how the business is really run, with folks looking over your shoulder, changing things, altering what you love because they have a different vision, canning folks at a moment's notice and things like that…well, to be honest I’d have to pass if the opportunity ever presented itself (and it has, and I did). I guess that’s why I never seriously pursued any work in those fields (plus I make a butt load of cash at my current job, so taking a MASSIVE pay cut just to see my name on some book that will eventually be tossed in a dollar bin at my local gaming store doesn’t really appeal to me the way it used to.)

Plus, as I said, the most important thing is…I get to do it MY way (thanks Frank!) and have fun doing it! No running ideas past people to see if they approve, no rewriting or reworking fiction because someone doesn’t like how I describe something…nope…Raptorsquad.Net is 100% pure Me. I make no apologies for it and I can take all the blame, (though when it comes to the credit…well, that has to be shared among a few people, most notable Elfgirl).

So, what have we learned here? Not much, other than I’m still working on the upcoming update and hope to roll it out soon (and of course hope that it’s worth the wait!). Any feedback or questions you can of course leave it here or e-mail me.

Lazy Days of Summer

If you've noticed a lack of entries lately it's because I'm on vacation this week.

The good news is that I've been working my tail off on the upcoming update and something very cool for your enjoyment.

So, you know, keep an eye out!

Honey, why the gloom?

You know what’s funny?

How every little community has its own brand of drama.

I learned this when I helped jump-start SWAG (The Star Wars Artists Guild) oh so many years back. What started as a project in bringing together a bunch of artists interested in doing something they loved really turned in to a lot of work...a lot of work that came with its share of headaches and drama.

Now granted, a lot of that came from the position I was in, “Baron Administrator” a fancy way of saying “figurehead”, but still, you wouldn’t believe the amount of bullsh*t I had to wade through just because at one point I thought it would be fun for a bunch of folks to have one place to showcase some pics of Wookiees and stuff.

But behind the scenes? In the cogs and inner workings of the site? It was nuts.

It seemed like for every normal person who was content to go with the flow and help out you had two or three freakshows who had nothing better to do than stir up trouble. And don’t even get me started on my tenure as the Art Director for the now-defunct “Online Journal.” I've seen fewer Divas on a Milan runway.

Anyway, point being is that when you have a community revolving around a hobby (re: something you do for fun and to relax), it’s amazing the kind of people who will shout it down and bring their own anger and jealousy to the party.

I’ve seen it first hand in the Star Wars RPG community, and to be honest it’s one of the reasons why I’m not really that prolific anymore. The constant arguing over which system is better, why someone is stupid for liking a certain system and all of the various minutia and rules-bickering just really sapped a lot of the fun out of visiting the community forums and participating in the community for me.

I find this to be the same atmosphere in the webcomic community.

People put hard work into what they create and there are others just sitting in the wings to rip it down and criticize. Be it because they lack creativity, originality, or are just unhappy angry-as-piss losers who have nothing better to do, they’re out there, waiting to pounce on any webcomic they don’t like or take issue with.
Oh, and the creators don’t get off that lightly either. Some of them are producing questionable content and comics I would be embarrassed to show to ex-cons and former Marines.

Still, again, we’re talking about freaking COMICS. Yet the anger rages and persists. As if they have nothing better or more important to get wound up and upset over in the world. Wow, I really wish I had their free time.

I guess that’s why I never bothered creating a forum or anything for the Raptor Squad site like other websites have. What’s the point? Most forums turn into a battlefield of pointless flame-wars and arguments, and those that don’t require an around-the-clock guard detail.
I’ve seen it first hand on the Holonet (a SWRPG forum) and back in my days at SWAG, and it was a daily chore to monitor, edit and step in to make sure folks played nice. Because, for whatever reason (I blame the anonymity of the interweb), people found it impossible to talk about freaking Star Wars art without sniping, arguing and just being asshats in general. Hell, from what I've seen lately its only gotten worse as time goes on, so a while back I decided to take my leave and not look back. It's easier that way and I get to keep my sanity.

So, you might wonder (or maybe not, and that’s cool too) what this has to do with webcomics and Raptor Squad?

Well just keep those eyes peeled true believers! I’m currently working on something that will allow you to waste even more time at work!

Why? Because I care! That's why!

Hell's Fury at 170 mph

Man I love me some Burnout Revenge.

For those of you not up on Xbox 360 games, Burnout Revenge is a video game that came out about 2 years ago.

I just got it because I’m one of those people who don’t live and die by being the first to own a video game, new iphone, cd, etc….

It’s called patience and I got loads of it when it comes to stuff like this.

Anyways, it’s basically a racing game focusing on how many cars you can wreck and how much damage you can do.

It’s sick, twisted fun and I can’t get enough of it.

I owned the old Burnout for the original Xbox and it was a blast. So, when the chance came up to own this one for like, fifteen bucks I jumped at the chance. And damn was it worth it. Hell, even Elfgirl is addicted to it…and for it being a racing game that is really saying something.

Now, there is a more recent Burnout that came out a few months ago called “Burnout:Paradise”, but after reading the reviews I found out they took out “Crash Mode”…

WTF man?

Crash Mode is the ONLY reason to own this game! It’s what separates it from your Grant Turismo’s and Project Gotham Racings! If I wanted a pure drive simulator I would go for one of those titles…but man, Burnout is all about Crash Mode!

Basically you pick a car, put the metal down and race headlong into traffic, crashing and burning at just the right time to do the most amount of damage.

Hell yeah!

Anyone ever stuck in a traffic jam can relate to this game. Is it fun, mindless sick entertainment?

Yeah, it is. But it’s safe, causes no harm to anyone else and lets me release some adrenaline without causing REAL property damage or bodily harm, so it’s all good.

But apparently the geniuses who designed “Paradise” decided to drop Crash Mode, so I decided to skip it and go with the older, more attractive model that lets me do some damage.


So…when it showed up this weekend while I was taking a break from my D6 Fantasy gaming marathon I’d been on for the last month, it was a matter of perfect timing.

No real thought required here…just acute hand-eye coordination and a thirst for blood was all that was required…and I drank heartily my friends.

Gulp…gulp…..SCREEEECHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Hellz yeah.

I’ll get back to working on updates and fiction and all of that other stuff…but tonight! Tonight we ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hand me that can of space filler, wouldja?

What better way to kill space than to post completely unrelated quiz answers about myself?

yeah, it's not Raptor Squad or even game related, so I grant you permission to withold my next paycheck.

Your Famous Movie Kiss is from Spiderman

"I have always been standing in your doorway. Isn't it about time somebody saved your life?"

What Famous Movie Kiss Are You?

Your Pimp Name Is...

Pimp Daddy Trickz

What's Your Pimp Name?

You Are 84% Happy

It's unlikely that you know anyone happier than you. You know how to be happy, no matter what life throws at you.

How Happy Are You?

You're Totally Sarcastic

You sarcastic? Never! You're as sweet as a baby bunny. Seriously, though, you have a sharp tongue - and you aren't afraid to use it. And if people are too wimpy to deal with your attitutde, then too bad. So sad.

How Sarcastic Are You?

You Passed 8th Grade Science

Congratulations, you got 8/8 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?

Your Rockstar Name Is...

Jello Nasty

What's Your Rockstar Name?

You Are From Saturn

You're steady, organizes, and determined to achieve your dreams. You tend to play it conservative, going by the rules (at least the practical ones). You'll likely reach the top. And when you do, you'll be honorable and responsible. Focus on happiness. Don't let your goals distract you from fun! Don't be too set in your ways, and you'll be more of a success than you ever dreamed of.

What Planet Are You From?

You Are 20% Nerdy

You are definitely not nerdy - in fact, you probably don't know any nerds. You probably care a little too much about your image. No one will know if you secretly watch Star Trek reruns!

How Nerdy Are You?

Your Love Life is Like Casablanca

"Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time." For you, love is never finished. If you've loved someone once, you'll always love them. You're an old fashioned romantic... even if your relationships don't end up as romantic as you'd like. Your love style: Traditional and understated Your Hollywood Ending Will Be: Complicated and ambiguous

What Movie Is Your Love Life Like?

Wow! And I can't think of a better way to end this little trip through pointless nonsense, can you?

Hope this tells you a little bit more about me, cause we all know these tests are sooooooooooooooooo freaking accurate.

(Wow...well maybe the sarcastic one was anyway....)

Wow!

Wow!

I just typed, like a HUGE post relating to comics and how they used to serve a purpose but now are basically crap and well....

Well I feel a lot better now.

So better, in fact that I don't really feel like posting something so negative. Not now anyways, maybe later when I need space to fill and feel like unloading on "Teh Fanboiz".

See? I look out for you, dear readers.

So, in place of all that negativity, and because it's a beautiful day here in the River City, I give you....

Puppies.

Enjoy.

R.I.P Arol Flynn Sweet-Tongue

Well, it finally happened.

After GM’ing for almost four years on and off through several games, the inevitable finally occurred:

I killed a Player Character.

Now, before I get into the hows and whys, let me first explain my position on PC deaths: I’m not a fan of killing off PC’s. See, I’m from the school of thought that, if a player spends the time and effort in rolling up a character and making up an interesting and cool back story then for them to die in the game requires one of two things to happen:

One, they do something despite me advising strongly against it.

Example:
Me: “You find what looks to be a temple. It appears to be holy ground and the resting place of heroes. There are several sarcophagus in the room with carvings along the side depicting the heroic exploits of these soldiers. It appears no other evil has touched this place.

PC: Screw it! I’m going to rip off one of those coffin lids and find me some treasure!

Me: Uh…these were good soldiers who died defending the realm against evil. Don’t you think they deserve some peace?

PC: Not as much as my ass deserves a sweet magical item! BOYAH!


Two, they just do something outright stupid.

Example:

PC: So, I think this guy is the villain.

GM: Why? He’s give you no reason to think this. He’s done nothing but help the team, and is even standing watch in the infirmary over your fallen comrade.

PC: Whatever. He’s evil and I’m not going to stand around until it’s too late to stop his evil ass.

GM: So what are you going to do?

PC: Strap ten grenades to my body, run in the infirmary and bear hug him. Then pull the pin.

GM: IN THE INFIRMARY!?!? LIKELY KILLING ALL OF THE INNOCENTS INSIDE!?!?

PC: I’m not worried…I’ll use the Force to shield myself from the blast.


So…you get the picture. I WON’T let a good PC die because of a crappy roll of the dice. The name of the game is FUN…and losing your PC (unless you have it coming to you) simply isn’t fun, not for me, certainly not for the players.

But damn it can be dramatic.

So, this last weekend I was running my group’s D6 Fantasy campaign “Champions of the North” and things had taken a downward turn for the group.

Two thirds of them were in prison for killing a couple of orc thugs a month earlier while in town before they went on a dungeon crawl. Upon returning to town they were arrested, put on trial and sentenced to death. Turns out the local crime syndicate decided to use them in the main event of the newly built arena, so they could line their pockets with gold at the minor expense of two of their orc footsoldiers.

So, we’ve got two PC’s stripped down , fitted with raiment’s and shoved into the arena to fight for their lives in front of this bloodthirsty crowd. I decided to throw two massive Wood Trolls at them (and in D6 Fantasy, trolls are mean, nasty, TOUGH sumsbitches, and with my own modifications NOT some panty-waists that run at the first glimmer of sunlight)… but there were weapons to be had and even a way to escape…the PC’s merely had to find the correct loose sewer grate that led to the underground tunnels. The game plan they came up with was to split up…forcing the trolls to divide their efforts…not a bad plan.

The two PC’s were a Battlemage Moonelf named Cirith Moonshadow and the other, a half-elf Bard named Arol Flynn Sweet-Tongue (quit your snickering out there, I can hear you!).

When the Trolls were released the PC’s did a good job initially of holding their ground, with Arol dodging and weaving, trying sewer grates and just barely staying out of his Wood Troll’s reach. Cirith was lucky enough to find her magic sword on her first attempt (see, weapons were arrayed in covered alcoves along the arena walls…they were completely random and the local mages guild, who needed Cirith alive, had planted her weapon “The Troll Slaying Bastard Sword of Aundair” among the available weapons-and I’ll be damned if the player, Elfgirl, didn’t draw the freaking sword on her first try…a 1 in 23 chance…go figure)…

So, seeing that this battle was likely to end pretty quickly (barring some catastrophe), I moved my guys in for the kill, just to make things remotely interesting and challenging ….Cirith’s troll of course became sushi thanks to her magical weapon….Arol (who was being played by Country Girl)…well…Arol had some bad luck.

See, Arol was doing fine dancing around, trying the sewer grates for an early exit, and so on…but upon dodging out of the way of his adversary a second too late, the Troll managed to catch Arol just right and land a hit…

Here’s where it gets interesting.

See…when we played Star Wars D6 it used the “Wound Level” system…which to me was a very archaic and abstract way of determining how bad off your character was injured. Instead of hit points or body points, you had “wound levels”…and I hated it. I think it failed to really capture the visceral reaction necessary to convey how bad you just got f***ed up. So, instead of seeing your hit points drop by half you get a lame “Well, you’re Wounded x2”.

Woooo! I really felt THAT!

See, like I said, it just seems to lack the appropriate “zing” that a body point system does.

So, when the newer D6 products rolled out a body points-based damage system, I did backflips.

Now, when you take damage, you actually have a solid idea of how bad your ass just got kicked. It’s great, I dig it and more importantly, it lets players know just how bad off they really are, rather than telling them… “oooh…you really hurt…wow, boy do you hurt…”


So…back to the action…..

Arol has 35 body points.

The Troll connects on his hit, using claws as big as daggers….

And does 34 points of damage.

The players freak as Arol’s midsection gets ripped from his body and flies unceremoniously through the air to splat against the arena wall.

So, as a GM here’s my dilemma.

Arol has a healing potion (don’t ask how he smuggled it in, his name is “Sweet-Tongue” so do the math)….anyway, do I let Cirith make her way over to him, fight off the slaughtering troll and save Arols life?

Or do I do something memorable, something dramatic, something that the group will remember for years to come?

Yeah, I went ahead and killed his ass.

With Arol having only one body point left, Cirith, having taken her troll out of the fight, scrambles, sword in hand, to get to her fallen comrade, who has dropped to his knees, his intestines spilling into his hands as rain pours from above into the arena and as lightning crashes and thunder fights for supremacy over the roar of the crowd…and as Ciriths stumbles and scampers along the wet ground, the troll, an evil grin on his face, draws back, and as Arol looks up, disbelieving, razor sharp claws slice through the air-and his neck- sending his head spinning off into the darkness.

DRAMA!

So that’s how it happened at the table.

Country Girl sat there stunned as I asked her to hand over her character folder and gave her the rulebook to decide what kind of character she wanted to play next. To her credit she accepted it with dignity…didn’t argue or protest and got on with planning her future PC.

The other players moved on as well, with Cirith returning the favor and beheading the killer troll and escaping the arena and Borrax (the teams Dwarven tank) infiltrating the prison and retrieving the teams gear…still, for the next several hours I tried to make Country Girl feel better abut the situation, telling her the new PC might be more fun to play, that it wasn’t her fault, that the troll just got a great roll…you could even tell the other players were still coming to grips with it.

It was an emotional time.

So…the remaining two heroes, Cirith and Borrax finally rendezvous, Cirith reveals Arol’s demise and as both board a ship to escape the town, they go about the grim business of dividing up their fallen comrades goods…

And come across the Mirror of Resurrection Arol found in the dungeon they’d recently visited.


HA HA!!!!!!!!

Stunned and surprised, Cirith uses her arcane knowledge, figures out how it works and smashes it against the floor…the mirror shatters and a flash and puff of smoke later, and a naked shivering Arol Flynn is resurrected right there in the middle of the cabin.

See, what makes this ALL the more sweet is that NONE of the players remembered the mirror! They actually sat there for several hours thinking I had just killed a PC (which technically, I had)…but I remembered the mirror, and knew that barring anything unforeseen they would come across it after the rendezvous and that Arol would rise again.

It’s times like these that makes all of the work and effort worthwhile.

Snacks for the game: $10
Miniatures and props: $10
Convincing a player you just killed off their character for good: Priceless.

Oh, and as a treat for you all, here are two pictures of the Champions of the North. The first is their starting “look” for the game…bright colors, very heroic…Arol Flynn Sweet-Tongue, Borrax Ironhouse and Cirith Moonshadow…. feel free to click for a higher resolution image!



























And the second pic is of the heroes on the run from the law and heading into darker, more sinister territories….












Oh, and some of you may be wondering why Borrax is sporting a thick black beard and shaggy mane of hair in one pic and not in the other.

Well dear readers, that is another story all together.....

I'll take "Where the hell is my update?" for $500 Alex!

Yeah, the much promised Raptor Squad update is coming…it’s just that-and I have NO regrets in saying this-it’s been delayed due to some actual gaming!

See, Country Girl, one of my players comes in to town for a 2-4 week hiatus each year to “find herself” or “get her groove back” or whatthehellever chicks are calling it these days. Fortunately, being the cool and versatile guy I am, I was able to take advantage of this by running three back-to-back weekly games this time around.

Yeah, I do rule. You’re welcome.

The sad fact is that the site update got pushed back while I whipped up my magic.

But don’t worry, when it does roll out you will pee yourself with all of the cool new stuff. Really. Get the Depends ready and a moist towel because it’s going to totally Roxxorz.


Seriously. Sincerely seriously.

Or maybe it’s all hype! Perhaps it won’t live up to the hooplah and expectations and leave you wondering why you wasted the time and energy to even bother with it!

Then I’ll just call it “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”

ZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Size Matters!

Especially when it comes to sizes of gaming groups!

See, back in the day, when the Raptor Squad campaign was at it’s zenith, we had about eight or nine people around the table…and don’t get me wrong…big groups can be lots of fun. It opens the up the doors to larger games with a lot of variety and interesting character interactions…everyone has their own agenda, and everyone is bringing something different and interesting to the mix.

It’s a lot like chili. Lots of different ingredients, all working together to make a really appetizing bowl of good eats.

But, like chili, sometimes, if it’s not cooked just right, you can run into problems. Like one spice might override the flavors of the other spices, or you don’t drain enough grease off the meat, or you use too many peppers and it’s too hot, or, for some folks, not hot enough. Or you like yours with noodles, and there are none to be had.

You get the picture…the more ingredients, the greater the risk of something ruining the meal.

The biggest trouble with large groups is scheduling. When you try to get seven or eight people together at one time on one day of the month it’s hard…hell, it was almost impossible. But trying to get everyone together TWICE in a month?

Now you are just talking crazy.

That’s why I dig smaller groups, like the one I have now. Three really great gamers (though I wouldn’t be opposed to adding a fourth at some point in the future if anyone is interested…drop me a line) works perfectly for us. The group is small enough that everyone gets face time and everyone gets to feel like they are an important piece of the whole.

But most importantly, it’s easier to get everyone together!!!!

This past Saturday we gamed for the second time in as many weeks, and it appears we will be gaming AGAIN this week!

I’m freaking thrilled! I haven’t gamed this much since I was in high school and the players are having a total blast! We gamed for about 10 hours the other night and really got a lot accomplished! Turns out I will have gamed in three weeks what it would have taken FOUR MONTHS to accomplish back in the Raptor Squad days (and thats assuming we were able to game every month, which was rarely the case...so figure at least six months realistically).

Damn I love me some small groups!

Large groups may be like a nice bowl of chili….but small groups are like a delicious steak dinner with a perfectly baked potato and side salad. Delicious, just the right size and if you know what you are doing better than anything else on the table.

Bare knuckled gaming for 13 hours straight!

I can’t remember the last time I gamed for 13 hours straight…might have been when I was in high school or had just graduated. Either way, it was a long-ass time ago.

Until last Saturday.

The second Champions of the North game started bright and early on a Saturday morning and didn’t wrap up until almost midnight. And damn was it a blast.

Generally there is a ton of prep work, props, sets and such that goes into my games. But this time it was my players, some mini’s, a handful of dice and that’s it. And you know what? I think it may have been one of the best games I’ve ever put on ( a sentiment echoed by one of my gamers at the table actually.)

It was just a flat-out good old fashioned dungeon crawl, but you know what? It was a total blast, so much so that the gamers want to get back together this coming weekend to continue. Truth be told two of them laughed so hard they almost passed out from lack of oxygen (I swear- that’s true).

Sometimes, it’s just a lot of fun to get back to your roots. Just a map, some dice and your imagination is all you need to have a fantastic time. Beauty in simplicity as they say. And last Saturday’s game was a beautiful thing.

Of course I was wiped-out Sunday, but it was well worth it.

And I got paid one the highest compliments I’ve ever gotten from a player:

“I felt like I was a teenager again.”

When you get older, have kids, responsibilities, bills and you become an “adult”, you will realize just how valuable something like that is.

It's Huge!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's what she said.

HA!!!!

Sorry...reference for you "Office" fans.


No, what's "huge" or rather, turning out to be "huge" is the upcoming Raptor Squad update. Like so many things I do, it started out as a nice, decent sized update and has snowballed into something that is certainly going to have meat on it's bones.
In addition to some badass fiction that you will be a complete and total loser to NOT read, (yeah, you fanboy), there is going to be:

1. A slew of new character profiles

2. The much anticipated (for me anyway) Locations section will make it's debut.

3. A load of new ships! Dat's right! Thanks to Elfgirl's amazing ability to visualize and reproduce ships and vehicles in 3d with limited resources we will see some new ships and re-imaginings of old favorites. Very very cool if you ask me (but then again so is she- coolest chick I've ever known, that's why I let her marry me...lucky girl!).

And I'm ont going to spill details yet...but there might be a nice participatory event on the horizon soon for all of you SWRPG folks. More details to follow.


No ETA on the update however...basically it will get done when it gets done. Hopefully in the next month, but don't hold me to that. We'll see if life decides to cut me some slack in July-that bastard.

In closing, I'm sooooooooooooooo happy to have a job that pays me for working on my RPG website, it is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up

Old Shellhead & A large slice of Americana

Went to see three flicks at the local Drive-In last weekend (yes, we are lucky enough to have a real, actual Drive-In Movie Theater within 30 minutes of our house- a couple of em’ even) The wife and I checked out Kung Fu Panda, Indy 4 & Iron Man in a triple feature.
We’d never been to the Drive-In together before (which kinda surprised us both since we’ve been together close to a decade) but overall we had a blast.

The food was your standard Drive-In fare, slushies, funnel cakes, etc. Good greasy stuff you shouldn’t eat on a regular basis basically. But on a Drive-In night out? All bets are off.

The movies were a mixed bag. Kung Fu Panda was cute, as expected. Indy 4 was (for me anyway) a letdown. In fact the more I think about it the less I like it.

But Iron man? Well, old Shellhead certainly delivered some standard summer blockbuster fun. I really enjoyed it and actually look forward to a sequel. Well played Mr. Downey Jr., well played indeeeeeeeeed.

But it’s like I told my wife. You don’t actually go to the Drive-In for the flicks. You go for the experience. The weekend of the 7th was the 75th anniversary of Drive-In’s in America, and at the height of their popularity there was more than 5000 in America. That has since dwindled to about 700, which is a shame…it’s a unique experience that I think everyone should have the opportunity to try at least once.

There’ s nothing quite like kicking back on a warm summer night, the smell of Honeysuckle in the air and the buzz of insects dying down as it gets dark, and then seeing the giant screen light up. Our triple feature wound up around 4:30am, and the snack bar was even serving breakfast before the last flick, which was pretty interesting.

We wound up getting home around 5am and crashing…slept most of the next day away in fact. But still, it was a great time and we had a lot of fun.

As a matter of fact I first saw Star Wars at a drive-in theater back in ‘77. Granted I was about six years old and my brother tricked me into thinking an ad for the local electric company was the beginning of the movie (he liked to torment me like that)…but still. great times from what I remember of it.

It’s still early in the season, and if you live anywhere near a Drive-In I encourage you to load up the family and friends and take in a flick. It’s cheaper than going to some sterile, cookie-cutter megaplex with their overpriced soft drinks and stale popcorn, and it lets you actually enjoy the fresh outdoors.

In short, it’s an experience you and your family may not get to enjoy in the near future, and it’s a slice of Americana that is, unfortunately, slowly dying away.

That being said, it’s a shame. So, get out there and enjoy it while you still have the chance.

Days of Future Past

So, let me tell you a little story, which has quite a bit to do with our forthcoming update to the Raptor Squad site, and a lot to do about ambition and over-extending yourself.

See, we opened the doors to the site back in March, 2001. Now, that was over seven years ago and needless to say that is a nice chunk of time. Thing is, when we rolled out the site, we also introduced folks to the members of the current Raptor Squad team at the time, which was comprised of: Vic Palisades, Klux Martin, Baal, Koort Ter’chon, Xander Paddox, Khara Doone and Jonus Kable.

And that was all cool, as, at the time, those PC’s were being played by folks around the gaming table. Now, obviously if you are going to go through the time and effort of rolling out a new website focusing on your current RPG campaign, you are going to want to highlight the players in the game- it just makes sense (Don't be excluding people, that's just rude...).

So cool…we roll out the site and everyone gets their own little bio page.

We also, at the time, had the grand idea of posting “Gamelogs”- these would be small little summaries highlighting the important parts of our gaming sessions. If you’ve ever looked at any RPG campaign site worth it’s salt you’ve seen these write ups. The problem? They usually suck.

Ours was no different.

The Gamelogs, while conveying the appropriate info, also reads like a instructional pamphlet put out by the government on how toothpicks are made. While informative, it’s also boring as piss.

Granted, it would be easier and quicker (and in the beginning it was-sorta) to post the gamelogs and be done with it, but there were a couple of problems that arose when we did this:

First, we had been running this game for two years prior to rolling the website out. Which means for any of the current gamelogs (circa 2001) to make any damn sense, we would have to go back in time and post game logs detailing the games from the last two years- and considering we played at least once a month we are talking about up to twenty-five of these puppies.

Second, as has been mentioned before- writing these things was boring…and not something folks would have any kind of real fun in reading (except for those really, really bored). See, I was in charge of writing these things up, and I realized early on that you simply cannot convey the raw emotion and character interactions that I was seeing played out around the table in this tiresome, lifeless format.

Basically, I felt these boring, by-the-numbers gamelogs were, if anything, doing our wonderful game a major disservice.

So, after posting a few gamelogs, I got the bright idea of “Hey! I’m not a terrible writer, and I’ve got some halfway decent ideas and creativity (and time) - I’ll write fiction instead of just a boring point-by-point synopsis of the games!

So with Gamelog # 7 (I think- we’ve renumbered the sequence since then) I let my writing muscles flex and fictionalized the gamelog…complete with plot, dialog, the whole deal. And while shorter than later fiction I would write, it was nonetheless a vast improvement over the gamelog format.

And it was a big hit.

I enjoyed writing it, our GM really dug seeing his game come to life as an actual story and the players enjoyed seeing these characters live, breath and interact on the computer screen.

There was only one problem. Like I mentioned before, we were easily 2+ years behind our current adventures…and, as I have known for years in dabbling in writing, writing takes a long time. A long time. And while I could knock out a gamelog in a few days or a week, writing fiction detailing the same events, creating plot, developing the story so it fit in with future events…hell that could take months, even years in some cases.

So, you probably see where this is going.

Because the group and myself chose to fictionalize our adventures, I was always going to be way behind in where our game was compared to where the fiction was. And considering that over half of our group (Koort, Khara, Jonus and Xander) hadn’t even joined until a few years in, introducing them in the fiction was going to be a few years out.

Seven years out to be exact.

Now, that’s a long time to wait (and for some too long even). But, being stubborn, part Irish and as hard-headed as a brain-damaged rhino, I’ve refused to compromise the fiction and go back to gamelogs. I have fun writing it, and folks have a good time reading it (now that the fiction is actually read by folks in the SWRPG community, not just our former/current gaming group I feel like I actually have an obligation to all of the readers to keep producing the fiction- to go back to the cheap gamelogs would be lame and quite frankly, below our site’s standards-yay standards!).

So, that brings us to the forthcoming update.

I’m happy, thrilled and elated even! To announce that the forthcoming update will feature the first piece of fiction introducing characters that first graced the Raptor Squad site oh-so many years ago. Yes, Koort, Xander, Jonus and Khara will be getting their day in the sun, and their introduction will actually introduce what the group once came to refer to as “The Golden Age of Raptor Squad”. It was a time when we were having the most fun around the table and the group just seemed to “click”. This was also a time that saw some of the strongest storylines, team drama and introduction of some of the most colorful and lively NPC’s.

Needless to say, I’m excited as hell.

Now, it will likely be this time next year before all of the above PC’s are introduced through the fiction, but I can tell you it will certainly be worth the wait. Over half of the fiction is already written and the stories will be posted in pieces, but it’s some good stuff, and worthy of the characters who really made the game shine.

Oh, and remember I said I started fictionalizing the gamelogs starting with gamelog # 7? Yeah, well that means that 1-6 still haven’t been fictionalized yet. But don’t worry, I’m also working on that concurrently while writing the “current” fiction…so….with any luck you’ll be seeing the “early adventures” of Raptor Squad posted sometime soon (maybe the holidays?) The reason that has taken a back seat is because the group was smaller at its start and writing the current fiction is sort of a priority right now.

So! Keep your eyes open, as the update should be hitting this summer…with more to follow thanks to a loooooong vacation I have planned in a nice, comfy remote cabin out in the woods which will prompt much time writing (as well as hot tubbing to sooth those tired writing muscles). And who knows, I might just post some goodies here for you all to check out pre-rollout. So watch for that too.

It’s a pretty exciting time, and Raptor Squad’s “Golden Age” is on the horizon. You won’t want to miss it!

The Champs come out swinging!

Yeah, its been a while since the last post, but I’ve been busy…had some personal family issues come up…and well….let’s just say I’ll be glad to see May end.

Anyway! One of the things that has kept me hopping has been getting ready for my new D6 Fantasy campaign, “Champions of the North.” Well, we had our first game this past weekend and I have to say I think it went pretty well.

The day started off with a spread of some medieval “tavern food” to get the group in the mood. Breads, creams, cheese, beef jerky, sausage, grapes, sliced apples and ale (non-alcoholic) all presented with a dragon skull as the centerpiece was spread out before the group when they arrived, along with their very own ceramic tankards to drink out of.

Very cool.

I’m the kind of GM that thinks that things like “theme” food, music and props really go a long way to getting the players into the game. So, on the first day of a new game I like to go out of the way and try to do something special. It was a big hit.

The game proceeded and I rolled out some new items and concepts we’d not used in games before. The first was the “Body Point Counter”….in the D6 game you can use Body Points (hit points)…so, instead of having to write/erase repeatedly, my wife Tracy and I crafted circular counters that you “dialed” down whenever your PC took damage in combat. In addition, your would levels and adverse effects of accumulated damage are printed on the face of the counter, reminding the player of their status, physically, during combat. They looked quite cool and worked out extremely well. I’ll post pics soon and might even post templates on Raptorsquad.Net for those that what to make their own for their own game. As one of my players, "Country Girl" remarked, “you could market and sell these!” But likely we’ll just show you folks how to make your own. We’re generous that way.

Another thing we introduced was a dice game called “Dragons Bones”. Little history: Back in the day (The 80’s) there was a board game called “Battle Masters”:

It was a fantasy miniatures battle game by Milton Bradley, presumably licensed from Games Workshop. The sizeable game box came stuffed with tons of plastic miniatures, a deck of combat cards and some dice. Now the dice, I still had left over in my dice bag (and even have a few of the miniatures lying around as well- it was actually a really fun game). They were six sided dice, three sides printed with skulls, two were blank, while one had a shield printed on it.

Figuring there was some way I could use these in my new game, I came up with a game called Dragons Bones …and it worked out great. It had everything that makes dice games fun: It went quick, it caused the pot to grow large in a hurry and it was up to sheer luck as to who won. Now, I don't mind using the gambling skill in roleplaying games, and in some cases there is no way around it...but if I can make the players play an actual game-within-a-game and we can have fun doing it, well all the better. Just another level of realism and fun I figure.

Again, I’ll post the rules to this on the site at some point in the future. Playing the game of course might be hard unless you have some of these special dice, but a regular D6 would work well enough.

Another new concept I rolled out was “inventory cards”….standard trading cards that has magical items and gear printed on their face with room on the back for descriptions and weight. I purchased some plastic sleeves for the group to use and dispensed these cards to them, so that whenever they have to refer to their inventory they can actually look in their folder and see what their character is carrying. Very cool. Again, it is just a way to get the player more immersed in the fantasy world. Rather than a list of scribbled items with no soul and character, these cards are visual representations that (I think) help make a stronger connection to the character and the game.

The players themselves did a wonderful job. As I’m planning on creating a small website for the campaign I’ll point you in that direction in the future to check out the characters and their exploits, but I wanted to make sure I mentioned how great they did and how much fun we had.

In fact, I overestimated the gametime and we actually quit much earlier than I thought we would. Which is good, because now it gives me some lead-time on the next game.

Which brings me to Raptorsquad.net. Since I do have this lead-time now I plan on posting another update to the site sometime in the next month or so. I’ve already got another Episode written, artwork done and other goodies ready to roll out. That being the case, if there is anything any of you would like to see added/included in the upcoming update now would be the time to speak up and drop me a line. And of course you can continue to watch this blog for updates and special little bits I might toss out before they show up on the update.

Well! I think that’s about enough from me for now. It’s late and I need to wrap it up for tonight. Again, I love to get feedback from you guys so feel free to post a response here or drop me a line. And keep your eyes open for more info regarding the Champions of the North website and the next Raptorsquad.net update.

Later!