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Wizards of the Coast announced that they’re sponsoring a D&D Fan Film Contest. Entries must be under five minutes long and will be posted at GameVideos.com. I’m curious to see what kind of tiny gems this might produce.

For all you computer/video game fans out there, what’s your favorite dungeon crawler? I’m looking for the latest and greatest. Thanks!

Here’s something for fans of both comic books and the Worst Case Scenarios Survival Handbook. Quirk Books has The Batman Handbook and The Superman Handbook. Be sure to click on the “View an interior spread of this book” links to bask in these books’ full glory.

The duotone artwork and layout reminds me of the interiors of the DC Heroes Roleplaying Game that Mayfair Games published back in the mid-80s. In college, I spent one summer running around Chicago and Milwaukee, playing demos for which Mayfair paid me cash and expenses, spreading the gospel of Greg Gorden’s logarithmic system.

Anyhow, these are too funny. I hope I spot some copies floating around Comic-Con next month. If so, I don’t think I’ll be able to resist snatching them up.

As Gamespot.com announces, Games Workshop has licensed its Blood Bowl brand to Cyanide for use in an upcoming line of video games. At the same time, Cyanide signed over to GW its Chaos League brand, ending any dispute over the similarities between Chaos League and Blood Bowl.

I suspect this dispute and settlement has been coming for some time. My original title for my Blood Bowl novel was Sudden Death, which I had to change due to a conflict. It seems clear now that the problem came from Chaos League: Sudden Death. Perhaps this means I could now use the title for another Blood Bowl novel.

Either way, this is great news. I’m happy that all involved were able to come to an amicable solution, and I can barely wait to play a Blood Bowl computer game!

Yesterday I ran up to Madison and visited my friends at Human Head Studios. CEO Tim Gerritsen gave me the nickel tour of their fabulous new offices, which include a real train car in the lobby and the best home theater system I’ve ever seen. (The chairs are better than any you’ll find in a real theater—and less sticky too!)

Tim also showed me the latest effort from the adventure games division I used to run for him. Normal, Texas, a roleplaying game of 1950s, B-movie action, is due out this fall, and it looks fantastic. Jason Blair did a bang-up job with the design, and Leanne Buckley gave it a shiny-keen polish graphics-wise. Be sure to pick it up when you can.

On his blog, Justin Mohareb muses over an old copy (from ‘92) of The Gamer magazine he found in his collection. I’d almost forgotten about the magazine, which featured an all-star editorial cast, including Scott Haring, Greg Costikyan, Doug Niles, and Tom Wham. He also mentioned a short bit I’d sent in:

And Matt Forbeck won a free subscription for his entry in the “combine two games” contest;

Rocky & Bullwinkle RPG/Call of Cthulhu: “Hey, Rocky! Watch me pull a rabbit out of this hat! – AIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGHHHHH!

Classic Forbeck.

ICv2.com reported this today, but I first learned about it from Justin Mohareb’s blog: Jordan Weisman is leaving WizKids.

I suppose that given the recent round of layoffs at the company, I shouldn’t be so surprised, but the news still shocked me. In many ways, Jordan personified WizKids, even after he sold the company to Topps. Without him and many of the other people no longer with the company, it’s going to be a very different business.

Justin somehow dug up Jordan’s termination agreement with Topps. Apparently since he’s a highly placed executive at a publicly traded company, Topps has to file these sorts of things with the SEC. It makes for some interesting reading, especially the bit about a Star Wars constructible figure game.

In any case, with 4orty 2wo Entertainment and Cathy’s Book, plus no doubt other notions floating around, I’m sure this won’t be the last the gaming industry hears of Jordan. For the sake of gamers everywhere, let’s hope not.

As recently announced on the Firefly Games site, I agreed to help write an introductory adventure for the upcoming kids’ roleplaying game Faery’s Tale. This is the first RPG writing I’ve done in nearly two years, and I’m looking forward to it almost as much as seeing the game itself. Fortunately, since it’s due out in August, I won’t have to wait long!

If you’ve got your ear hard against the pounding beat of the internet, you’ve probably already know how Mentos and Diet Coke can react explosively. You may even have seen the miniature version of the Bellagio fountains a couple of guys with way too much time—and Mentos and Diet Coke—set up.

But you may not appreciate how well this fits in with the Alliterates. Since the meetings of the Alliterates take place in a quote-free zone, all I can tell you is that the last meeting of the original chapter ended with a several-bottle salute carried out in the parkland surrounding a nearby courthouse.

Truly impressive.

The demo for Prey, the new computer game from my old employer Human Head Studios, is now live and ready for download. You can guess what I’ll be playing tonight!

I watched this game develop over the two years I spent with Human Head, and even when I left over a year and a half ago it looked great. I can’t wait to see how it comes out, but I’d put good money on this being one of the best computer games of the year.

John Wick is auctioning off some of his games and comics collection on eBay. Highlights include a copy of the ultra-rare Dune RPG, an Upper-Deck-employees-only Vs. System card, and an autographed copy of John’s own Way of the Dragon book for the Legend of the Five Rings RPG.

John Kovalic posted a bio he wrote about Ken Hite for an upcoming appearance at CONvergence. Amen, brother! I’ve been a part of those now-legendary meat-on-swords meals with John and Ken, and they’re often the highlight of any convention that includes them.

If I edited novels, I’d toss enough money at Ken to get him to write his great conspiracy novel. The world would thank me forever. If I were rich enough, I’d just pay Ken to write it anyhow, then debate the wisdom of unleashing so mind-blasting a book on the rest of humanity.

On his blog, all-star game designer Robin Laws posted a set of rules for those who playtest tabletop games. Robin and I have chatted about this issue at length before, and I’m glad he’s pulled the curtain back on this issue for everyone else. One great way to break into game design is via playtesting games, and if you want to succeed at it, be sure to check out Robin’s wise suggestions.

Since I last mentioned the Marvel Heroes Battle Dice website back on June 8, they’ve added:

• A list of the new powers from the upcoming Series 2.
• Two more sets of computer desktop wallpaper.
• A calendar of upcoming games, tournaments, and events.

Be sure to stop by and check them all out. I like the new wallpapers a lot, although my favorite is still the one with Dr. Doom clutching a pop-die in his outstretched fist. “This game will be won by DOOM!”