No Plan Survives Contact with the Enemy

This happens every time I write a novel. I get halfway to two-thirds through it, and I realize I’ve gone so far off my original outline I have to sit down and rewrite the outline again from that point on. Sometimes I have to go through it twice in a single book.

This isn’t a bad thing. As I write the book, I come to know the characters better, and the situations they’re in. Things happen I couldn’t have predicted when I wrote my first outline. It’s far better to flow with the new notions than to try to force myself along a path that’s not faithful to the story as it’s developing.

Still, when you’re writing under a deadline, the idea of having to stop so you can reassess where you are and where you want to be heading is frustrating. However, I’m confident that it always ends up being a better book than I could have hoped for at the start.

Steve Henderson Dies

According to Steve Perrin, Steve Henderson passed away from a massive stroke this morning, leaving behind his wife Gigi and their young son Alexander. I didn’t know Steve at all, but we had many mutual friends.

Steve co-authored RuneQuest (the original Glorantha roleplaying game) and Worlds of Wonder (the first universal roleplaying game) along with Steve Perrin, Lynn Willis, and Greg Stafford. He helped start the Society for Creative Anachronism. He also ran the dealers’ room at DunDraCon for the past decade or so.

So here’s to one of the greats, who was taken from us too soon. He contributed more to the adventure gaming hobby than most will ever know, but his influence will be felt for decades to come.

Lokiis Maximiis

Just to give you an idea about how strange it can get when producing a collectible figure game, here are pictures of two different versions of Loki from Marvel Heroes Battle Dice.

017 Loki17

Apparently two versions were sculpted early on. Only one was supposed to make it into production, but they both did.

By the way (for Perry who asked about this), I’ve seen shots of the DC Battle Dice Series 1 figures. The Blue Beetle in that set is definitely the Ted Kord version.

Titan Games Needs Help

Marcus King of Titan Games in Battle Creek, Michigan, reports that thieves broke into his store last night and stole the entire selection of video games and about two-fifths of the DVDs. This puts the store in a tight space for cash. To make some money fast, Marcus is trying to sell off older RPG books at two dimes on the dollar. Here’s the deal:

$1,000.00 MSRP mix of RPG books, no duplicates–no more than one of any title, for the largest selection possible–all for just $239.99 including S&H in the USA.

Anyone wanting to purchase this, we would prefer PAYPAL payment, or would take a credit card over the phone, or even a money order or check (though we would prefer paypal!)/

In interested in that, or if you have other ideas on a purchase, we are desperately in need of money at the moment, so gimme a call: 877-542-6377 or 269-963-3773 or email me at titangamesinc@aol.com

Note: We also have some other deals available, call for information.

This might be a bit much for most folks, but if you have a games club you’re looking to outfit or if you want to stock up on gifts for friends for the next year, it’s a great bargain. If you’re a retailer yourself, this might be a great chance to fill in some backstock for your own store too.

Either way, best of luck to Marcus and the rest of his crew in sorting all of this out!

[Edit: Corrected the price.]

World Without Games

For the latest issue of The Escapist, game designer Allen Varney posits the question: “If you were legally enjoined from creating games, what would you do instead?” He quizzed a number of game designers (both of the computer and tabletop varieties), including Steve Jackson, Raph Koster, Sandy Petersen, Don Perrin, and me. Their answers are a ball of fun. For myself, I said:

Given how such prohibitions often increase the demand and the prices paid for the illicit materials, I’d set myself up as the Al Capone of the gaming industry, supplying that demand through black market means. I’d ruthlessly wipe out rivals who tried to smuggle in Canadian games.

Must come from living too close to Chicago. (I’ll cut off Ken Hite here by admitting there’s no such thing as too close to Chicago–only too far.)

Silent Auction for Downing Family

Marcus King of Titan Games (and VP of GAMA) is setting up a silent auction at the GAMA Trade Show. He properly gives credit to Rowan Guenther of Diversified Games in Chehaalis, Washington, but he’s doing a lot of the legwork, along with the GAMA staff. If you’d like to donate something to the auction, and you’re going to be at GAMA, just bring it with you and give it to the show’s staff. If you can’t be there but still want to donate, contact Marcus directly at titangamesinc@aol.com.

Only people at the GAMA Trade Show will be able to bid on the items, but we’re talking about most of the best and brightest retailers, distributors, publishers, and freelancers in the industry. Let’s hope this helps raise a good chunk of cash for a family in need. Now, I just need to figure out what I should donate…