Saturday, February 15, 2014

The cradle is no more - but the crypt is open!

http://cryptofrabies.blogspot.fi/2014/02/the-crypt-is-open-introduction.html

Above link leads to my new blog. It is time to say farawell to the cradle. He has grown up to be a crypt!

Cradle of Rabies is after 428 posts too much of a kitchen sink so I felt there was a need (for me) for a new blog.

So the Crypt of Rabies is open!

I thank all the people who have read this blog, made comments and shared posts. And I welcome you and all the new readers to the Crypt.

See you there!

Thaumiel Nerub

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Overwhelmed by RPG products

When I was young and I didn't have that much own money it was easy. I had to save money to buy something I wanted to play or use in my games.

Later when I was older and had a job and more money I could buy more. Even those what seemed interesting but I wouldn't necessarily actually use.

And when I discovered internet I didn't have to walk into a store to buy rpg books. I could just browse online stores and buying used RPG products was way much easier. That's when I started to buy more products I don't use if those were cheap enough.

Later I found how much there was free good RPG products to download and thanks to OSR the variety was huge! And indie publishers made commercial PDFs that was also cheap. This is when my RPG collection got a little out of hand thanks to digital products. I downloaded more stuff than I ever read. And my physical books buying went almost to zero.

Then LotFP happened. Well it happened earlier but when I found LotFP. After buying Grindhouse Edition boxed set I was hooked and started to buy LotFP products. LotFP was and is actually only physical book producer at the moment I spend money to. I could live and game forever with free stuff online, but LotFP is something I love to collect and support with my money.

At some point I started to test and read RPG products that weren't ready yet and as a thanks received those when those were ready. Started with some dead trees and expanded to PDFs also. And now from now on someone sends me his new RPG product (PDFs mostly) to review!

Now I am overwhelmed! I got those books I have bought but never read. Tons of free and bought PDFs waiting to read. And those people send me sometimes. And LotFP to collect.

I cannot say how much I appreciate that some of you guys (who read this blog or not) send me your products for me to review. But at the same time it makes me feel bad if I don't have time to do it! It should not be a big deal to read 10 to 200 pages to review (actually testing in play is a little harder to find time and convince my player to do it with me).

So you guys who have sent me stuffz to see and you realize nothing happens from my part (I don't publish my reviews and opinions or hype) don't hate me. I do my best. I know it might not be your intention that after your product's been out for months and the initiative hype is over then I step in. I am sorry.

But all you who make new stuff, commercial or free continue the good work. I think that thanks to internet, forums, blogs, G+ and other social forums the roleplaying games are not dying anytime soon. And the hobby is stronger than ever. Even if the big companies might have their problems with sales you (WE) little guys do the good job.

So good fellow gamers. Continue creating great stuff. Share it free or sell it. I keep my eyes at you.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Short Order Heroes, a product from Calico Games

So, you should propably check out their website to know what the thing is. http://calicogames.com/index.html

I am a widget guy in roleplaying games. I like random tables and random rolls. I love inventing the things using my imagination but still I love some randomness every now and then. I've used methods like looking around describing a NPC and first thing I notice is scissors then obviously the NPC is a "sharp" guy. That short of things I love.

Image from Calico Games' website.

I have tried to make different types of cards but I don't like the crafts part of it too much. I can write stuff up but assembling, cutting, printing is not my cup of tea.

You can already see where I am coming with this. Short Order Heroes seems like a perfect solution for me. There are random numbers to fiddle with (how bad is the bad guy... card's number is 9 so he is PRETTY damn BAD). Also descriptions to create not only NPCs but anything (the forest is unnerving and complicated are basics but wise, that's inspirational!). The pictures are nice too to help visualize the things.

I am not into yet another rules but I can see how to use these cards in my games with the rules I play.

Can't wait to read around web how creative people will use these cards! And me wants too!


Wednesday, January 8, 2014

LotFP store's Gardening Society memberships available again

Direct quote from LotFP email:

'allo LotFPers!
For 10€ (+VAT for EU customers), you're enrolled in the Society... you get an official membership card (sent with your next order of physical goods), a 1€ discount on all physical books ordered from the Webstore FOREVER, plus bonus perks when we do crowdfunding campaigns - last time Society members got a 12€ dice set at no charge if they participated.
A lot of previous members have already come out ahead on this... but you should judge for yourself how long you think you'll be into LotFP, how many releases you think that you might be able to use the discount on during that time, and decide whether or not to join accordingly!
We have two big adventures going to the printer early next month - Zzarchov Kowolski's Scenic Dunnsmouth (112 page) and Kelvin Green's Forgive Us (formerly titled Horror Among Thieves, an adventure crowdfunded awhile back, 48 pages), so you'll have an opportunity to use the discount soon if you already have everything we currently have to offer. (And Zak S' Red and Pleasant Land is in layout now; hoping that goes to press before the spring is out.)
That's all for now, I hope you had a good holiday season, and we now return you to your regular spam-laden inbox!

-
Jamed Edward Raggi IV
That LotFP Guy