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| Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 | | 9:53 pm |
Nothing of Substance to Say
So it turns out that I signed up to run a game at Owlcon next year (that is, this coming Owlcon). Specifically, a Necessary Evil game, because Necessary Evil is awesome. I'm calling it "The Death Throw Converts," and here's the blurb I submitted to the Owlcon planning drones:
"No supervillain has it easy, especially the Death Throw Converts. A gang of juggling supervillains, they were the C-listers’ C-list until the V’Sori came and sucker-punched humanity into submission, killing almost every superhero and supervillain in the process. Killing the competition, that is. Their fortunes thus changed, the Death Throw Converts now work for the Resistance, fighting to save the Earth, if only to conquer it later. Will they succeed? Frankly, it’s all up in the air."
There's probably going to be a couple posts about it in the near future, as I figure out who the characters are. And let me tell you, it's hard coming up with 5-6 distinct juggling-themed supervillains.
In unrelated news, I can't believe it took me this long on the internet to find this video:Cheers, --Bob P.S. Because Throw Momma From the Train is awesome, that's why. | | Monday, November 16th, 2009 | | 10:38 pm |
Just Don't Ask How I Found 'Em
Just by way of introduction, I'm a huge fan of remixed trailers. "Shining" was the first I saw, and it's still probably the best,[1] although "Brokeback to the Future" is not without its charm. And even "Must Love Jaws," rough around the edges though it may be, still gets points for featuring "Cry Little Sister."So with that in mind, it should come as no surprise that this website, which consists mainly Star Trek: The Next Generation footage basically edited through the lens of /b/, has been the source of many lulz of late. Here are some of the highlights: We start simply enough, with some Riker-on-Riker slash. Followed by a bit of silliness ... And some fist-pounding action! But one thing that's been lurking beneath the surface in this things--one ... disconcerting little detail--is Data, who always seems to be a little off. Oh, it starts out harmlessly enough, with a little insubordination here and there ... But then we start to see Data's sinister side. Even then, however, Data is desperately trying to hide, or tame his darker impulses through art. As we can surmise by the feverish pace of his creation, his is truly a tortured soul. In the end, though, even Data's art causes harm to those he loves, and the crew of the Enterprise must take drastic measures to save their friend, and themselves. But life must go on, and for Captain Piccard, that means a relaxing, therapeutic session in the holodeck. Cheers, --Bob [1] Second-best, of course, is "Ten Things I Hate About Commandments," featuring Samuel L. Jackson as Principal Firebush. | | Friday, November 6th, 2009 | | 8:53 am |
| | Thursday, November 5th, 2009 | | 8:06 pm |
I Did Not Write This.
(Courtesy of Slacktivist)
SAN FRANCISCO — Stunned and angry, national left-handed leaders Wednesday blamed scare-mongering ads — and President Barack Obama's lack of engagement — for a bitter election setback in Maine that could alter the dynamics for both sides in the southpaw-franchise debate. Conservatives, in contrast, celebrated Maine voters' rejection of a law that would have allowed left-handed people to vote, depicting it as a warning shot that should deter politicians in other states from pushing for sinister suffrage. "Every time the citizens have voted on the rights of minorities, they have always sided with the majority," said Mathew Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel, a Florida-based Christian legal group. "Maine dramatically illustrates the will of the people, and politicians should wake up and listen." Left-handed activists were frustrated that Obama, who insists he staunchly supports their overall civil rights agenda, didn't speak out forcefully in defense of Maine's voting law before Tuesday's referendum. The law was repealed in a vote of 53 percent to 47 percent. "President Obama missed an opportunity to state his position against these discriminatory attacks with the clarity and moral imperative that would have helped in this close fight," said Evan Wolfson of the national advocacy group Freedom to Vote. "The anti-lefty forces are throwing millions of dollars into various unsubtle ads aimed at scaring people, so subtle statements from the White House are not enough." The White House, asked about the criticism, had no immediate comment. The left-handed voting debate is simmering in at least a half-dozen states where a bill is pending or where a court ruling or existing law is being eyed by conservatives for possible challenge. Had Maine's law been upheld by voters, it would have become the sixth state to legalize voting rights for the left-handed — and the first to affirm it by popular vote. In Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Iowa, southpaw suffrage resulted from court decisions or legislation. California is sure to be a major battleground over the next several years. Last year, conservatives succeeded in winning public approval of Proposition 8, which overturned a state court ruling allowing lefties to vote. Left-handed rights groups want to take the issue back to the voters but are divided on a timetable. In the aftermath of the Maine vote, some California activists appealed to their supporters for money to help them put a measure on the 2010 ballot. Other activist leaders want to wait until 2012. "It's never too early to go back to right a fundamental wrong," said Chaz Lowe of Yes! on Equality, who favors shooting for 2010. "A lot of people are angry, a lot of people are upset. It at least has the potential to be a mobilization for the grass roots." Some California activists said the outcome in Maine strengthened their belief that it will fall to the U.S. Supreme Court — not to right-handed voters — to make the left-handed franchise legal. A federal lawsuit challenging Prop. 8 is scheduled to go to trial in January, the first step in a legal journey that is expected to reach the high court in a few years. "The results in Maine underscore exactly why we are challenging California's left-handed voting ban," said Chad Griffin, president of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, the Los Angeles group spearheading the lawsuit. "The U.S. Constitution guarantees equal rights to every American, and when those rights are violated, it is the role of our courts to protect us, regardless of what the polls say."
Meanwhile, Maine voters will return to the polls next month to consider another series of referenda regarding the privilege of rights for minority groups. Proposition 13 considers whether redheads might be allowed to own property, Prop. 42 would permit Mormons to obtain a driver's license. and Prop. 57 would overturn a court ruling allowing Libertarians to dine in public restaurants. | | Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 | | 8:30 pm |
Hey, it's LiveJournal; if I DIDN'T bitch, THEN something would be wrong.
I'm a mess. I'm a mess because November is shaping up to be a really shitty month. My Bar results are coming in somewhere between the 6th and the 10th, so I'm a nervous wreck. I really don't want to have to take that test again; I'm sure I'd do worse. Plus, that would mean I'd have to study for it again--and study a good deal harder than I did before, obviously-- and I'd have to miss at least three days of work that I'm not allowed to miss. ALSO, I mean, fuck, what do I say to my boss if I fail the Bar? Yeah, he hired me before I had my results, but I have no reason to believe he'd let me stay on if my results came back bad. So there's that. Also, this Saturday I have to take the MPRE. Again. In theory, I'm supposed to be studying for it, too, but the looming doom of the Bar results rather clouds my study habits. Also, each day at work sees me getting introduced to things I don't know shit about. It's hard enough to read doctor's reports, but trying to figure out what the hell is going on with 406(b) Motions for Attorney's Fees is beyond me: I'll see three to five sets of numbers, each one purporting to be the definitive set of numbers we should use to calculate our fee petitions, and they're all different. And I'm terrified to ask for more help than I already have, because that will only make me look more confused and incompetent.[1] So there's that. Plus, my student loans are all in repayment now, and my paycheck seems tiny and inadequate. And as much as I need to move out of Dad's house and live on my own for both our sakes, that's yet another expense and has me fretting evermore. (Not to mention that there's never a good time to call the banks, since they're rather conveniently open exactly when people are supposed to be at work, or that I haven't exactly begun an apartment search yet.) Also-also, I've met a girl--a nice girl, a smart and funny girl, a girl who (like all the others) might be The One--and we had a wonderful time Sunday afternoon, but she hasn't called me back and that only naturally means she doesn't want to have anything to do with me. So yeah, I'm a mess. Now back to work. Cheers, --Bob [1] Meta-Bob Note: I mean, seriously, I've been at this job in a highly specialized legal field, one I had absolutely no prior training for or experience in (and law in general being one of the most intellectually rigorous professions one can enter), and I don't know how to do everything after a whole month? Preposterous! | | Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 | | 7:19 pm |
| | Friday, October 23rd, 2009 | | 7:28 pm |
I'm Just Sayin'
Well, last night I was going to put up an introspective--yet not whiny--post about how I'm adjusting to my living situation: my job, my coworkers, my first paycheck (and the DO NOT WANT dawning realization that I'm going to have to start repaying my loans), my prospects now that the lady-friend and I are no more, and the apartment search, but then it got late and I got tired and the internet pooped out. So instead I'm going to sum up my perspective on Social Security litigation, and the role of the claimant's advocate in the administrative process, in five words:
The human back fucking sucks.
| | Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 | | 8:42 pm |
Two Unrelated Things That Happened Today
THE GOOD NEWS is that I got moved into my new office today, and can start hanging up my diplomae and miscellaneous art-things tomorrow. THE BAD NEWS is that the ladyfriend and I broke up. --Bob | | Monday, October 12th, 2009 | | 8:36 pm |
| | Sunday, October 11th, 2009 | | 8:10 pm |
Some Thoughts
So I've been at the new job for two weeks now, and I'm slowly but surely learning how to not screw things up. And there's a lot to learn, too. The firm specializes in Social Security Disability law, which means everything we do, we do through, with, and against the Social Security Administration. And that means I'm suddenly steeped in administrative law, which, apart from a general course I took, I don't have a lot of training in. I had no idea what an Acquiescence Ruling was until last week, for instance. But it's good work, and I like the people I work for. The firm is small enough that I'm on a first-name basis with all the lawyers and support staff (well, I'm still not comfortable calling the boss-man by his first name; that's still a might presumptuous), and all of them are ready and willing to provide insight and tips about how to navigate the three sources of precedent we have to use (namely, the Code of Federal Regulations, the Social Security Rulings, and every now and then actual case law). Plus, I'm learning how to read medical records, which is just a plain useful skill to have. And finally, I get to go home every night knowing that I'm helping people get the benefits they need, and I'm getting paid to do this. Cheers, --Bob | | Thursday, September 24th, 2009 | | 4:45 pm |
| | Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 | | 12:36 pm |
Remembering an Old Friend
Well, shit.I knew Jerry Buchmeyer. He lived down the street from me. His son James and I shared a babysitter and went to school together. I was fortunate enough to work for him two years ago, at the tail end of his career. He had a huge collection of Betamax cassettes, and lent me a copy of Wizards, the only VHS tape in his library. He was a good man, a smart man, and a funny man, and had to drive around with tinted windows--and eventually move--because of the death threats he received for ruling in favor of public housing and against racial discrimination. A fair number of these threats, I'm sure, came from the parents of my classmates. But that's not what I'm really here to say, because I'm pretty sure Jerry would have appreciated a good laugh more. So here we go: It was back in, what, '89? 90? All I remember is, I was about five at the time, and it was decided that James and I should learn What Our Parents Did All Day. This was rather convenient, as James's dad and my mom both worked in the federal building, as a judge and lawyer, respectively. It also happened that there was a sentencing for a middling-to-big drug case at the time, which couldn't fail to grab two five-year-olds' attention. So we went down there and watched the sentencing, James taking in far more of it than me since that was his dad up there, sending those Bad Men to jail. It also just happened that there was a reporter handy who apparently thought the sentencing wasn't big enough news. He or she got wind that the judge's kid was there, and decided to ask James and me some human-interest questions. James was full of energy, going on about how awesome it was, dad, that you were up there, making sure these bad people went away forever and kept us all safe. The reporter ate it all up, and Jerry beamed with the kind of pride a father beams with when his son is proud of him. Then the reporter turned to me. Naturally, I was a secondary concern to the story. I was only there because James was my best friend; my mom worked in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office, mainly defending the VA Hospital against medical malpractice suits from what I remember. She always joked about being the the "Rock 'em, Sock 'em Civil Division," the red-headed stepchild of the USAO. She'd only ever tried a criminal trial once--a mere check-cashing fraud case--and even that was only because the Criminal Division wanted there to be another woman in the courtroom aside from the defendant. That case was also, coincidentally enough, the first case Jerry tried as a judge, and the first time he laughed in open court. The prosecution had put an eyewitness on the stand, a very nervous chaufer--it had been his first day chaufering; there were a lot of firsts going on in that court--who drove the defendant around the city while she allegedlly passed bad checks. Asked whether he recognized the defendant in the courtroom, he nodded, and pointed a finger right at my mom. Jerry, after a brief and meaningful pause, burst out laughing, and the rest of the court soon followed. The amazing thing is, the prosecution won that case. So anyway. I'm in Jerry's chambers, and the reporter turns to me and asks, "Well, what did you think about the sentencing?" "It was okay," I say. Blinking, and in search of more quotable quotes, the reporter presses on. "Well, what do you think a judge does?" I think for a while, glancing around the chambers and trying to remember what those big men in suits had been saying to him a few minutes before, and draw a blank. Finally, knowing I'm on the spot, I answer truthfully. "A judge," I say, "is a man who wears a dress and bangs a hammer without any nails." And that was the loudest I'd ever heard Jerry laugh. So long, Jerry. You will be missed, but more importantly, you will be remembered. --Robbie | | Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 | | 8:52 pm |
Gamer Wankery, Again!
So I've had one really good interview yesterday, and supposedly got another lined up in Corpus Christi sometime before Friday,[1] but that's not what I'm here to talk about. Here's the thing: Spider-Man ought to be able to get rid of all his legal problems if he just switched to a different costume. Hell, he's done it before. And Iron Man ... well, shit, just look at this:  That's right, today's gamer wankery post is all about super-hero costumes. Traditionally, costumes and superheroes have gone together like comic books and neckbeards. Even superheroes who don't wear the typical form-fitting tights--your Jenny Sparks, or your Jack Hawksmoor, or your The Question--at least wear the same thing all the time. From a production and marketing standpoint, it makes perfect sense: anything to save the pencillers time and allow the audience to identify the characters. It makes slightly less sense, but sense nonetheless, from a storytelling perspective, too, what with secret identities and all. But not always.So how did the costume tradition start? And more importantly, how can I turn it inside-out for the superhero game to make myself feel clever? Let's start by looking somewhere else: I really, really like Watchmen's explanation--so much, that I'm just gonna steal it. In my game, costumed crimefighters were originally inspired by costumed criminals: gangs of ordinary thugs who thought they were so clever by dressing up as ghosts and pirates and whatnot to avoid being ID'd. A few frustrated policemen knew who the culprits were, but couldn't prove it to a judge, so they dressed up and beat the tar out of them to make themselves feel better. The newspapers carried the story, the public ate it all up, and pretty soon you had civilian imitators running around. None of these people had any super-powers--none that could be reliably verified, that is--but neither did their nemeses, so it more or less worked all right for them.[2] I'm willing to bet a few of them even got called "super-heroes." Then we come to World War II. Suddenly, there's genuine super-men with genuine super-powers running around. While many of them might have been perfectly willing to don a pair of tights and punch bad guys in the face during peace-time, most super-men were drafted into the Army, which has an understandable preference for uniforms over colorful outfits. Thus, with the exception of a few oddball outliers, most super-men have stayed pretty far away from the "standard" form-fitting costumes. Which brings us to now. Well, the "now" of the 1965 of the game. The super-men of Baker's Dozen will wear colorful, recognizeable uniforms when they're on-duty and supposed to look respectable, but they will be uniforms, viz:  Only slightly less taken from Top 10. But, and there has to be a but, when the PCs aren't supposed to look respectable, or aren't supposed to be recognizeable--that is, when they're doing the very sort of covert, quasi-legal missions Beta Squad was designed for-- then we'll see the super-hero costumes coming out. Because contrary to Spider-Man's fears in the very first hyperlink, people tend not to notice if a bunch of people with spider-powers are suddenly running around beating up criminals. Getting punched by one person with super-strength probably feels a lot like getting punched by anyone else with super-strength: it hurts, and just might make you dead-ed. The great irony is, the PCs' instructions to dress up in disposable outlandish get-ups (or maybe a rotating stable of them) is bound to inspire copy-cats, both of the heroic and villanous persuasions. That's going to make for all kinds of complications later on, especially once the hippies start getting their powers. But that's another story for another day. Cheers, --Bob P.S. Also, possibly against my better judgment, I finally splurged on the main Warhammer book and the Ogre Kingdoms supplement. I haven't gotten 'round to buying and painting armies yet, but I figure hey, ogre armies are (ironically) rather small, so it shouldn't be that big an investment. [1] I was supposed to call at 8:30 to set up an appointment today, but the woman I was supposed to talk to wasn't in, so there you have it. I just hope I hear from them soon, because I'm either going to have to book a flight down there quick, or I've got a long, long drive ahead of me. [2] Also, being unabashed vigilantes working outside the law, the Silver Age concept of fair play was conspicuously absent from these costumed crimefighters' aresenal. | | Monday, August 31st, 2009 | | 12:31 am |
Gamer Wankery: Vostok, Portrait of a Soviet Super-Man
Yuri Gagarin was a pretty awesome guy. The son of Soviet peasant farmers on some Godforsaken collective, he became a foundryman who flew light aircraft as a hobby. Eventually, he entered the Soviet Air Force and found himself flying MiGs near the Norwegian border, and then found himself selected for the Soviet Space Program. Turns out, his 5'2 frame was a perfect fit for the tiny Vostok cockpit. On April 12, 1961, Gagarin became the first man in space, which is a damned impressive feat even if the Soviets didn't fully trust him to fly the craft ( Vostok was mainly automated, for fear that the G-forces would cause Gagarin to black out, although they did seal the landing instructions in an envelope on board, just in case). After his space-flight, Gagarin became world-famous, and, ironically, was largely kept from future flights, the Soviet higher-ups being too afraid to lose their national hero in a plane crash. Turns out they were probably right: Gagarin died in a plane crash in 1968, while on a training flight to re-qualify as a MiG pilot. He was buried in the walls of the Kremlin in Red Square. But that's just what really happened. In the world of Baker's Dozen, just as the Vostok left Earth's atmosphere, it was hit by a wave of cosmic radiation, frying the ship's instrument panels and briefly knocking Gagarin unconscious. When he woke up, the ship was plummeting out of control to Earth. Yuri hit the ejector seat in a panic, rocketed outside of the spacecraft ... and stood. On the air. He tried to catch the plummeting spacecraft, but it crashed into the Siberian wilderness anyway. He was able to carry the wreckage back to base with him, though. That was enough to impress his superiors in the Soviet space program, who decided that, since Gagarin could fly and survive reentry on his own, he might as well be called Vostok from now on. Gagarin, now Vostok, became an instant international hit. "RUSSIAN SPACE-MAN BECOMES RUSSIAN SUPER-MAN," ran the New York Times front page. He toured the world, making stops in Italy, Germany, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan to promote the Soviets' achievement and demonstrate his powers. Yuri was neither the first Soviet super-man, nor the strongest[1], but he was by far the most charming, not to mention famous. Further, his own particular brand of bloody-minded resolve was as strong as ever. After his tour, Gagarin was given a post at Star City, which rapidly expanded its operations to include recruiting, training, and creating the Soviet Union's next generation of super-men. From time to time he would accompany the military and its super-men into the field for training purposes or high-profile missions. He met with one of his few defeats on one of these missions, during the Carribean Crisis, when the American super-man Captain Gravity, long thought dead or retired, came swooping out of nowhere and attacked. Vostok and the Captain fought back and forth for a brutal twenty minutes, the Soviet pitting his strength and resolve against the American's experience and raw power. In the end, of course, the Captain won, and delivered the unconscious Vostok to the ship he was stationed on as a warning. The Soviets stood down, and America claimed victory. Vostok remembers that slight, and would like nothing more than to get back at Captain Gravity. And if that means he'll have to go through the PCs first, then so be it. Vostok isn't the most powerful enemy the PCs will face, nor the smartest, but he is the most relentless. When he comes gunning for the PCs, there's no room for tact, subtlety, or diplomacy: either he's going down, or they are. This is not to say, however, that Vostok is entirely without strategy: I see a very basic yet clever ruse involving American super-men's tendency to wear outlandish costumes in the near future. Cheers, --Bob [1] Vostok has an impressive, yet rather bland, suite of super-powers: flight, super-strength, and enhanced durability. Ironically, while he can fly, he's nowhere near as fast as the MiG he used to fly (it could zip along at 650 mph, just under three times his maximum speed), so if he needs to go anywhere in a hurry, he still needs to take a plane. | | Sunday, August 30th, 2009 | | 11:26 pm |
| | Wednesday, August 26th, 2009 | | 11:14 pm |
| | Saturday, August 22nd, 2009 | | 9:08 pm |
| | Friday, August 14th, 2009 | | 10:06 pm |
Who's Who in Baker's Dozen: A Gamer Wankery Post
So. Like I said before, the government-sanctioned superhero team the PCs will be part of (hereafter, "Baker's Dozen") has 13 super-men in it. I expect, however, that I'll only have between 5 and 7 players. That leaves 6-8 extra super-men running around, over whom the PCs will have no authority. So what gives? Well, first, some backstory: Baker's Dozen is bigger than it should be. The super-men of 1960s America are a notoriously individualistic lot, and President Johnson's advisers knew this. That's why, when they recommended the formation of government-sanctioned super-teams, they made it abundantly clear to President Johnson that any group consisting of more than 5 members would be totally unworkable. Johnson grumbled at this a bit--he'd already come up with a list of seven super-men he wanted for the first team--but resigned himself to the experts' decision, supported as it was by dozens of case studies and psychological profiles. But Captain Baker, the man who would ultimately command the first super-team in its daily operations, thought different. A proud, stubborn, strong-willed man wishing in part to relive his glory days as a masked adventurer (he fought crime from 1925 - 1939 as "Colt .45"), Captain Baker convinced LBJ that 5 was just too small a number to do anything meaningful. In a decidedly uncharacteristic moment, LBJ was out- Johnsoned, and allowed himself to be persuaded to up Baker's command to a whopping 13 super-men. Proud though he was, Baker wasn't stupid. That's why Baker's Dozen, despite nominally being one cohesive unit, is subdivided into smaller, more manageable squads. Alpha Squad is composed of the heavy-hitters, the original 5 super-men LBJ's advisers recommended. Alpha Squad represents some of the most powerful super-men in America's arsenal, and serves as a deterrent for Soviet super-man activities. The PCs are not in Alpha Squad. In addition to Alpha, Baker's Dozen has, of course, a Beta Squad. Beta consists of less powerful super-men more representative of the "average" American super-man (albeit with some military training). They serve as Alpha's backup, but primarily get called on to carry out investigations, perform secret missions, and deal with mundane criminals--situations where tact and subtlety are appreciated more than raw superhuman power. The PCs are all in Beta Squad. I know the numbers won't add up to an even 13, but I also don't know how many people would be in this game to start with. Any leftover super-men would be assigned to Omega Squad, who only get called on--or turned loose--in the direst of emergencies. In those situations, Beta Squad's duty is to act as Omega's handlers, and to subdue them if the need arises. And now, a Who's Who of Alpha Squad: - Captain Gravity, the man of tomorrow. Styling himself after the title character of the wildly popular movie serials from the 20s and 30s, Captain Gravity has power over gravity itself, making him one of the most powerful super-men in the world. Rumor has it that, rather than merely styling himself after the fictional Captain Gravity, he actually is him, which would make him America's first super-man. However, since this rumor would have the Captain pushing 50 at the youngest, it's not all that likely. Nope, not true at all, you just keep right on reading now. <whistles>
- Foundry, the steel-skinned strongman from Youngstown. Foundry gained his powers after an industrial accident involving a smelting furnace and a highly experimental radioactive alloy, the metal bonding with his skin in some unforeseeable way and granting him superhuman strength and invulnerability. While unquestionably loyal to his country, Foundry is also, frankly, something of an asshole--probably one of the side-effects of knowing nothing can hurt you back. He's also a union man through and through.
- Mr. Fuji, America's adopted son. Shigeru "Gary" Fujiyama is the odd man out in Alpha Squad in just about every way. He's native Japanese for one, married (to a naval officer's daughter) for another, and, strangest of all, has no superhuman talents whatsoever. But this hasn't stopped the 6'7, 500-pound, undefeated yokozuna from beating every super-man he's had occasion to fight--in fact, Mr. Fuji secured his appointment by throwing Foundry out a window during a sparring match.
- Atom Eve, the pint-sized powerhouse. An MIT student who fell afoul of a physics experiment gone awry, Evelyn Greene gained the ability to shrink to less than an inch in height, with no corresponding loss in strength. She was recruited into the team before she could even finish her sophomore year, and is the team's youngest member. Eve is also, naturally, Alpha Squad's resident expert in stealth and infiltration, although she's none too shabby in a fight, either: turns out it's hard fighting someone barely an inch tall who still hits as hard as you.
- Gimmick the Gadget Gal. Daughter of the mad scientist/war hero "Professor" Wendell Wainwright, Gimmick (who prefers to go by Wendy) has inherited her father's ability to create fantastic machines that defy the modern boundaries of science ... and only work for her. She also knows a thing or two about regular machinery and is an ace pilot besides. Like Captain Gravity, she is used to media attention; unlike him, she doesn't like it.
Cheers, --Bob P.S. It should probably go without saying, but I really don't like the job market these days. | | Saturday, August 8th, 2009 | | 12:16 am |
Gamer Wankery: Calling a Spade a Spade in "Baker's Dozen"
( Gamer Wankery Ahoy! )Also, I took the MPRE today yesterday, and I have no idea how it turned out. Probably this is because, contrary to what my study materials said, it was not a three-hour, fifty-question exam but a two-hour, sixty-question exam. Oh, joy! That fills me with all kinds of confidence, I tell you what! Cheers, --Bob | | Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 | | 9:07 pm |
Some More Gamer Wankery!
As the Necessary Evil characters I've been posting indicates, I'm getting a big kick out of the Necessary Evil Explorer's Edition. It's that rarest of rares in a superhero RPG: a balanced, easy-to-understand game with dynamic and interesting powers. Mutants & Masterminds--one of the other major superhero tabletop RPGs--has balance out the wazoo, for instance, but it's bland and boring as hell. And the less said about how complicated Champions/The HERO System is, the better. In fact, just about the only thing I actively don't like about Necessary Evil is the setting. Now don't get me wrong: I like the idea of supervillains being the only ones left to save the world after all the superheroes died, but the assumptions of the game-world, and the all-consuming nature of the conflict are things I might could do without. There's a very complicated backstory in Necessary Evil, one involving aliens and Atlantis and douchebag space-gods who play pivotal roles and who the PCs are likely never going to meet until the very end of the campaign, if ever. It's entirely possible that I don't give a shit about Atlantis or the game's explanation of where super-powers come from, but it requires a lot of retooling to change those assumptions. And I'm just the kind of lazy and petty man to come up with my own setting rather than re-work an already-published one. And that brings us to my latest Gamer Wankery Project: an alternate-historical romp through one of our nation's most turbulent times--a future-looking retrospective of the past, present, and future of our history and the superhero genre itself. I call it "Baker's Dozen." Here's the premise: In 1965, as part of his "Great Society" series of programs, President Lyndon B. Johnson commissioned Presidential Task Force 15 to work out a way to deal with the nation's growing superhuman population. Following his experts' advice, President Johnson gathered a group of 13 super-men from all walks of life and assigned them to defend America from superhuman threats both foreign and domestic. He put this first, experimental group in Houston (nothing but good old-fashioned home cooking there) under the command of the singular man-of-action Captain James Baker. The PCs are members of Baker's Dozen, and during the course of the campaign they will fight racism, organized crime, the looming Soviet menace, renegade Nazi super-men, invaders from the future, and much more. The game would use the Necessary Evil rules, but hopefully remove all of that setting's baggage. It would be episodic in nature, with an ensemble cast of historical and fictional characters, along with fictionalized versions of historical people. Plus, it'll be about government-sanctioned superheroes in Texas in the 60s, fighting Commies! I'll have more to write about this in the future, of course. Cheers, --Bob P.S. Also, Godlike is a pretty good product. The rules are pretty so-so--although resolving the attack and damage at the same time is pretty neat--but what I LOVE about the game is it's almost day-by-day account of how super-men changed--and didn't change--the outcome of World War 2. |
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