Playmates Toys has just posted a PDF of the Powers reference sheet for Marvel Heroes Battle Dice. They also activated the organized play section of the website, so you’ll soon be able to join the fun with players across the nation.
Death Match: The First Chapter
The Black Library has a spanking-new site, and on it they have new pages for all of my Blood Bowl novels, including Blood Bowl, Dead Ball, and Death Match, which is due out this month. On the new Death Match page (and on each of the other pages), you can download the first chapter of the book for free.
According to Amazon.co.uk, Death Match hit shelves on April 3. Here in the States, we have to bide our time until April 25.
If you can wait that long, and you’re in the area, be sure to stop by the Rockford, Illinois, Barnes & Noble on April 28. I’ll be there from 3 to 5 PM, signing Death Match and all my other books too.
GAMA Seminar Notes
Since a few people have asked about the seminars I held at this year’s GAMA Trade Show, I’ve posted the notes from them in my Downloads section. “Seven Habits of Effective Freelancers” is for beginning freelancers, while “Advanced Freelancing” is just what it says.
They’re incomplete, of course, since they’re just my speaking notes. I used these for the first twenty minutes or so of each seminar and then took questions for the rest of the hour. If you find them useful–or entertaining–drop me a note to let me know.
Soulban’s Site Up
My pal Lucien Soulban just launched his spiffy new website. Be sure to check it out!
Concinnity Indeed
I had a great time at Concinnity this weekend. My hosts treated me like royalty, and the attendees who showed up to my panels were clever and interesting and asked good questions. On Saturday, I sat on a panel with James Lowder and E.E. Knight. Jim and Eric made everything easy and pleasant, and afterward I grabbed dinner with Jim at the Water Street Brewery, an old favorite for us both.
I came back and played in a demo of Obsidian, a dark future roleplaying game published by the Apophis Consortium. Matt M. McElroy (of Flames Rising and Twilight Games) ran it, and we all had a fine time. I also hung out with Monica Valentinelli (freelancer for Flames Rising, Eden Studios, and others), Mike Holmes (of Universalis fame, I believe), Travis Legge (of Aegis Studios and the Contagion roleplaying game), Matt Wilson (of Primetime Adventures) and his wife Meredith, Derek Stoelting (of Eden Studios and Flames Rising), Travis Marg (the gracious and helpful convention chair), Sara (of Flames Rising), and many others.
“Concinnity,” by the way, is a perfect word for what game designers should always strive: “Harmony in the arrangement or interarrangement of parts with respect to a whole.”
P.S. Here’s a shot of me and Mr. McElroy that Monica took back at Gen Con 2004.
Bertolini Wins!
Max Bertolini created the covers for each of my Blood Bowl novels, and we’ve put together a promotional comic for a new line of toys (REVs) from Playmates, too, which should hit shelves in June. He’s a fantastic artist and a pleasure to work with.
In late February, one of his pieces won an art contest sponsored by BioRob 2006, the first International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics, held in Pisa, Italy. The conference attendees voted on the award, and Max took it home for his wonderful work. Congratulations, Max!
The REAL Origins Awards Nominations
Pete Panzeri, the chairman of the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design, pointed out that the Origins Awards nominations list I posted a while back was a preliminary version and contained errors. Here is the official (and final) press release (reproduced also after the break). I’ve removed the other list from my older post.
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Gaming as Culture
I just got a note from Patrick Williams about Gaming As Culture: Social Reality, Identity and Experience in Fantasy Games, a new book that he edited (along with Sean Hendricks and Keith Winkler) that treats fantasy roleplaying games as serious works worthy of study. It’s wonderful to see this relatively new field of entertainment get some respect from the halls of higher learning, and I’m looking forward to getting a chance to read it.
And that’s not just because it includes an article by the well-educated Michelle Nephew, my friend and one of the owners of Atlas Games. See the table of contents and back cover copy after the break.
Spreading the Battle Dice Word
Playmates Toys has asked me for ideas on how to get Battle Dice into more players’ hands. I have my own notions, of course, but I wonder if you might have some of your own you’d be willing to share. What would get you to play a game like this? What would pique your interest? What’s stopping you now?
Consider this an informal market research quiz. Hit me with what you got. Think as far outside the box as you like. I’m looking for whatever fresh ideas you may have. Thanks!
Malkovich Makes Mutants
John Malkovich has signed on to play opposite Tom Jane in the upcoming Mutant Chronicles movie.
Wow. I can’t tell you how exciting it is to see this all come together. I worked many years on the Mutant Chronicles roleplaying game (as well as on the Doomtrooper collectible card game and the Warzone miniatures game). I helped breathe life into the characters that will be in the film, and even created one or two from whole cloth.
I can’t wait to see this.