Comics & Games Retailer asked me to write a column on how the gaming industry has been in the past year from a freelancer’s point of view. Assuming you’re qualified, what’s your quick take? Please comment below or e-mail me if you prefer. I’d like to be able to quote you, so if you respond, please append your permission if …
‘Tis the Season
One cool thing about working with creative people is that they often come up with the best gifts. There’s the Mage Knight Santa Claus figure, for instance. Or the Darque Beer from Acclaim Comics. This year, the fine people at Looney Labs sent me a kind holiday note that included three cards to slot into a deck of their game …
Back to (Catholic) School!
The principal of St. Gabriel School in Hubertus, Wisconsin, asked me to chat with her older students. Seeing as how Dr. Mortell grew up next door to my mother, who would I be to say no? I’ll be speaking there on February 1, 2006. This is the first time I’ve gotten up in front of a group of 6—8th graders …
Cybercon Virtual Appearance
I just signed on to take part in a seminar at Cybercon, an online gaming convention that runs February 4—5, 2006. Come on by and pick my brain! Or the circuits of the Forbeck-Chatbot I’ll program to take my place!
Old Games Never Die
I just spotted the fact that you can play Fast Break for free at CCG Workshop. Well, some of you can. The software only seems to work with Windows, so Mac users (like me) are out of luck. Fast Break is a humorous basketball CCG I designed for WildStorm Productions, published in 1996. It’s a fun game, but the orders …
New (Old) Look
It seems like I’m forever tinkering with this site. It’s a perpetual work in progress. You may notice, for instance, that I added Dead Ball to the “Recent Novels” section in the sidebar. Or that I’ve altered the background color of the pages. Or that I’ve added a new header graphic. And, yes, if the painting in the header looks …
D&D Class Online
If you want to learn how to play Dungeons & Dragons–I mean, really learn how to play it–sign up now for this free class through Barnes & Noble University. It’s an eight-hour class done over four weeks, and James Wyatt (RPG designer extraordinaire) is handling the instructor duties. You can’t go wrong.
Chicago by Hite
I posted here a while back about Ken Hite‘s occult tour of Chicago experiment being run by Otherworld Excursions. It appears the initial outing smashed it out of Wrigley Field/Comiskey Park (choose your side of town). One of the participants wrote up a detailed review, complete with pictures, so you don’t just have to imagine how cool this would be.
Writing & Reading (in Low Fashion)
I have the one of the greatest jobs around: creating games and books to entertain others. Still, it’s a job, and most of the time it’s serious work. Especially when I’m facing a hard deadline, it can seem like a gig in an office cubicle or driving pizzas somewhere would be easier, if not nearly as much fun. That’s how …
Night of the Long Wands
According to GamingReport.com and other sources, Wizards of the Coast laid off 15 good people today. This includes: Peter Archer Gary Benion Leeds Chamberlain Mike Elliot Joe Hauck Cornelius Lee Michelle Lyons John Rateliff Pat Robinett Katie Roe Charles Ryan Tim Thomas Wendy Wallace Teeuwyn Woodruff These are some of the best and brightest people in the company, many of …