People contact me from time to time and ask me what kind of advice I can give to aspiring or beginning freelance game designers. This morning, my succinct response was: Do the best work you can, do exactly what your developer asks (within reason), and hit your deadline. If you manage that, you’ll go far. It’s easier said than done, …
Palliate Palladium’s Woes
As ICv2.com reports, Palladium Books (publisher of the Rifts roleplaying game, among others) is on the ropes. In an open letter to the company’s fans, president Kevin Siembieda announces that the company fell victim to treachery from within to the tune of $850,000 to $1,300,000. I don’t know if it’s that Kevin can’t or won’t pin down an exact number. …
Games To Troops a Go
GAMA just launched a new program called Games to Troops. Publishers who wish to donate 168 games can have them sent to US military Moral, Welfare, and Recreation locations around the world. I’m wondering if I can find 168 authors’ copies of things around here somewhere. No matter what my opinion might be of my country’s leadership, I always support …
Loaded Battle Dice
On Marvel Heroes Battle Dice, Squashua asks: Hey Matt; I’ve seen these things on the shelves at Wal-Mart. If you stuff a figure into a die, doesn’t that unbalance (load) it? Good question, and it’s one I gave a lot of thought to while designing the game. Because of that, the rules are such that it doesn’t benefit you much …
Battle Dice News
Playmates Toys has announced that Marvel Heroes Battle Dice Series 2 will be in stores by July 1. Also, DC Battle Dice should be in stores by November 1, just in time for the holidays. In the meantime, Web of Webhead has a kind review of the original game. Also, MarvelBattleDice.com updated its figure gallery to include game stats for …
Gone!
The auction for the first-ever copy of the first edition of the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game is over. The boxed set went for a staggering $810.00. Congratulations to a2jeff, whoever you are, and to Greg Stafford too! Greg has a whole new raft of auctions up too. This includes the first-ever copy of Reich, a boardgame published by Chaosium …
Going, Going…
Just four and a half hours left in the auction of the first-ever copy of the first edition of the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game, and it’s up to just shy of $800. I’m looking forward to seeing if there’s a last-minute burst of bids. I see many of Greg’s other offerings are going for decent prices too. The autographed …
Wicked Good
My wife and I ran down to Chicago on Saturday night to see Wicked, the musical based upon Gregory Maguire’s book. It tells the story of the Wizard of Oz from the point of view of the Wicked Witch of the West. We loved it. I’m a sucker for children’s literature–especially with strong elements of the fantastic. Things like Alice …
Cthulhu Rising
Two days ago, I mentioned legendary RPG designer Greg Stafford’s auction of various parts of his gaming collection. Today, the price for the first-ever copy of the first edition of Call of Cthulhu is already up to $663.34. Go Greg! There are just over four days left in the auction as I write this, so it could still go higher. …
New Diana Jones Award Site Up
The Diana Jones Award website has a spiffy new makeover. Drool over it for a while, anticipating the eventual release of the sixth annual shortlist. Who knew this would last so long? No matter how much longer it goes, it’s already been a great ride.