The CW's Nikita is Stylish, Sexy, and Soulless

When considering how to approach the CW's new action television series Nikita, I reminded myself of a couple of my core rules to follow when reviewing works of entertainment. In this case, I wanted to make sure that I followed rules #2 and #7. I find that having certain principles of review ensures that a review is as fair as possible to those who made the effort to produce an entertaining product. Making an entertainment product requires a lot of work, and those working on the products do so because they want to entertain the public.

So what are rules #2 and #7 and what are some examples of them in application?

Rule #2 -- When reviewing a property that has been translated from one medium to another, it is only fair to compare the property to the source material as far as the property relates itself to the original.

An intellectual property that perfectly exemplifies the importance of rule #2 is Frank Herbert's Dune series of books. If one were to compare David Lynch's version of Dune to the novel one would find numerous differences and omissions, but that would be a disservice to Lynch's brilliance in the film. Lynch's Dune isn't a translation of the novel adapted to the big screen. Instead, it is a story inspired by the book that attempts to tell a similar story through a different medium. It approaches the central conflicts of Herbert's SF masterpiece and builds a film narrative structure around it. It also uses the strengths of the different medium to add new levels of spectacle to the property. One should judge Lynch's work apart from Herbert's because it departs widely from the original property.

The several Syfy series based on Dune, which claim to be "faithful" adaptations, should be scrutinized heavily due to their claims of fidelity. In fact, the failure to live up to the claims of fidelity -- followed by the invention of lame filler narrative -- is one of the chief flaws of the Syfy versions of Dune. The others are low production values and poorly choreographed melee combat (inexcusable in the post HK New Wave era).

Rule #7 -- Never judge a new television show purely upon its pilot episode.

Pilot episodes are often clumsy and the actors frequently have yet to build the chemistry that will make a series worth watching week after week. If one were to look only at Star Trek's original pilot, one would wonder how the show ever got picked up by a network in the first place. The concept is solid, but the execution is awkward -- something I often call "pilotitis." Additionally, the first episode shown may not even be the first episode "narratively." When Fox released Firefly, they showed a middle episode as the pilot and viewers where left without any context for the "universe" they were experiencing. As any Browncoat can tell you, this was a shame because viewers missed out on what ended up being a great ride.

I waited to review CW's Nikita for these very reasons. First, I had to judge just how closely they were associating the property with the original Luc Besson film, then I wanted to see if the show's quality improved or declined in the second (and eventually subsequent) episode.

From the advertising posters to the opening scene of the pilot episode, it is clear that Craig Silverstein and crew are making deep associations with the original film. Both posters show Nikita in a similar pose, and both properties begin with the robbery of a drug store for pharmaceuticals. This association continues in the second episode when Nikita's protege Alex is given "two weeks to improve" before the Division decides to "eliminate" her, the identical raising of stakes Nikita faced in the film.

It should be noted that the new Nikita isn't attempting to be a remake by any means, rather it is striving to be a sequel. It is a "what happened next" story that is using the original as a jumping board. This would typically make it a heavy candidate for rule #2 suspension of disbelief, except for the numerous overt parallels between this series and the original. Since it isn't a direct remake the show doesn't deserve "strict scrutiny," but it does deserve "close scrutiny" because it keeps reminding me of its relation to the original property.

So how is CW's Nikita in light of this level of comparison, and how is it in its own right?

Maggie Q is sexy and powerful in her portrayal of an expert assassin who seeks revenge against the organization that did her wrong, but she's too sexy and too competent. Anne Parillaud was vulnerable and sympathetic. She was a fish out of water, who we cared for in spite of the terrible things she does in the first scene of the film. It's easy to like Maggie Q, but it isn't easy to empathize with her. She's too glossy, too strong, too competent -- except when she inexplicably isn't.

The closest parallel to Parillaud's Nikita is Lyndsy Fonseca's Alex character. Fonseca's performance often demonstrates the vulnerability and humanity of the Parillaud version, but these moments are undermined when the show's "twist" is revealed. Alex suddenly becomes less vulnerable and become an instrument of revenge -- losing some of her humanity in the process.

Allow me to elaborate.

Besson's Nikita opens with an amazing image. Four drug addled youths are walking brazenly through the late night streets of Paris. One of these addicts is carrying an axe and dragging a body behind him. It's a disturbing image that plays off of the classic heroic introduction in The Right Stuff with an ironic twist. These young people are attempting to break into a drug store to get a fix, and as it turns out the drug store is owned and operated by the father of one of the youths. There is a touching scene where a father recognizes his child, and is saddened and horrified by what he sees. The tension and sorrow are palpable. Eventually, it almost seems as if everything is going to turn out okay and deescalate when the police arrive and the scene explodes in gun fire. The first two casualties are the father and son, then all of the youth save Nikita who had been curled up under a desk suffering from withdrawal symptoms. A policeman sees this young woman, attempts to gently help her out of the store and is coldly murdered by her. Her addiction has eliminated her humanity. The rest of the film is about -- among other things -- her rediscovering her humanity.

It is a sad story that constantly keeps the audience worried about the protagonist. We forgive her murders because we see her desperation and vulnerability. Besson makes us care about the killer from the first two minutes.

One of the perfect demonstrations of this vulnerability is expressed in the movie poster.

While Nikita is dressed in a sexually appealing outfit, high heels and all, what immediately registers with the viewer is fear and vulnerability.  She is in a near fetal position.  She is gripping the gun with two hands, and her eyes gaze worriedly off camera at some unseen threat. The viewer is interested in the character because the viewer is worried about her safety and we wonder what it is that she is looking off camera for. Who or what is just off the screen?

In contrast, the new Nikita opens in media res with a robbery of a drug store taking place in mid-action. The robbers are both wearing masks -- one bunny and one pig -- dehumanizing the criminals from moment one. Our first view of Alex, and we later discover Nikita, is as inhuman mask wearing figures. This sharply lessens our ability to empathize with them as vulnerable characters. The bunny mask is captured after the pig mask murders someone on site. The "innocent" bunny is unmasked and we first see the face of Alex, who will be our Alice in the rabbit hole that is Division. Where Besson knew that he could get us to sympathize with a murderer Silverstein makes sure that the new recruit is seen to be "in the wrong place at the wrong time" and doesn't trust the audience can be empathetic. We meet Alex, the "next" Nikita in this scene.

Then we are introduced to Nikita herself, the stylish and sexy Maggie Q. Through voice over and flashback we are given her back story and informed that she intends to get revenge against Division for them killing the man she loved. This is all presented pro forma, its just enough to set up the situation but lacks any emotional weight.

As the story unfolds we are introduced to Michael (Shane West), the "Bob" (Tchéky Karyo), of the series. West's performance isn't as subtle as Karyo's, but it is strong and gets better as the show progresses and his character is given more dramatic conflicts to resolve. Michael and Alex, along with Amanda (Melinda Clarke), are very compelling components in the show. They have a "realism" that is lacking in the almost superhuman confidence of the Maggie Q Nikita. Though the Michael/Alex relationship once more highlights the lack of heart in the television series.

In a scene that parallel's the movie, Michael informs Alex that she has two weeks to improve in training or she will be eliminated. This scene comes after Michael has saved Alex's life -- nominally -- and Michael notifies Alex just as she is about to thank him. It is a scene that works well as Michael is simultaneously asserting that he will not allow himself to become personally involved with a trainee (again), but that he does feel vulnerable in Alex's presence. The scene is good, but is shallow when contrasted to a similar scene in Besson's film.

In the film, Nikita has been acting out upon being forbidden from leaving the training facility. She has frightened the techie, bitten the ear off the judo instructor, danced in celebration of biting off the ear, and painted graffiti all over her room. "Bob" has been notified that she has two weeks to improve or Division will kill her. He enters her room with a birthday cake and a gift -- a poster of Degas' The Star.

He cuts her a piece of cake -- with a switchblade -- and tells her that she is only excelling in painting and dance. He is referring to the graffiti and the dance of humiliation she did earlier, which are demonstrations of her individuality and humanity that he appreciates. The Degas painting's portrayal of dance and the individual amplifies this association. He gives her a brief moment of celebration and kindness, and then drops the bomb that she has only two weeks to live if she doesn't improve. It is a powerful scene. It has a weight entirely lacking in television show.

Throughout the first two episodes Nikita attempts to undermine the actions of Division, but she soon discovers that not all who oppose Division are her allies. Maggie Q's Nikita is continually shown as powerful, competent, and sexy -- with one moment of almost farcical incompetence in the second episode in a "sniper" scene. Since the show is using Alex as the proxy "film Nikita," Maggie Q's Nikita is almost the direct opposite of Parillaud's. A quick cheat for what I am referring to is the marketing poster for the new series. Look at how it parallels and differs from the original film poster.

Here Nikita is holding two guns, one in each hand, and has a spare sub-machine gun at her feet.  She is lounging sensually in a chair holding her pistol with one hand and looking at the viewer with confidence and authority. The background is sharp and red, as opposed to foggy and blue. This is the image of a ruthless and attractive killer and not a vulnerable and sympathetic fish out of water. If it weren't for the way that the poster, and show, reference the original as they simultaneously reject it, I wouldn't make note of it. But the fact is that they are constantly referencing the original, and not in an "easter egg" manner.

I have thought long and hard about why the show would both reference the original and then advertise its rejection of the template and the only reason I can come up with is Dollhouse. This version of Nikita is as much a response to Dollhouse as it is to Besson's Nikita. The new show's glossy style and sensuality is reminiscent of Dollhouse, while the story structure is reminiscent of Nikita.

It's almost as if this Nikita is saying, "this is what Dollhouse could have been."

As critical as I am of the lack of emotional weight of Nikita so far, I have to say that I am impressed with their twist. I am impressed enough to watch the show for a few more episodes to see where they go.

At the end of the pilot, we discover that Nikita was the pig in the opening scene and that Alex is being used as her "mole" inside Division to help her destroy it from the inside. It is a nice twist and one that I wasn't expecting.

The show has some interesting moments, but it's going to have to acquire some "heart" if it wants to retain me as a viewer. It can either do this by giving me empathetically dramatic stakes, or by adding humor. I don't care which one they do, but they have to make the show stand apart from its origins.

'Nuff Said -- Starblazers Live Action

Jared Sorensen's Inspectres Worth a Look

A few years back, I was up in Oakland attending a professional conference for work. The conference was held downtown and fate had it that the conference hotel was right across the street from one of America's premier game stores -- Oakland's Endgame. Like many gamers, I have a secret dream of retiring as a game store owner. If I ever get to fulfill that fantasy, Endgame will be the business model that will attempt to emulate. It has an environment that is novice friendly, but a deep enough catalog and sufficient gaming space to satisfy he hard core. One of Endgame's chief virtues is their love of all forms of gaming and their enthusiastic support of the hobby. They strongly promote the big names and hip Eurogames, but they also support and encourage the play of independently published games -- in particular games published by Indie Press Revolution.

I walked around the store and examined their inventory, looking to see if they had any games on hand that I didn't own that might interest me. Their friendly staff directed me to a bookcase in their role playing section and listed off a couple of titles. I bought copies of The Burning Wheel, Dogs in the Vineyard, and Inspectres.

I was impressed with all three products. The role playing market was in the middle of the d20 SRD Era, and seeing games that had unique rules mechanics was a fresh change. Also fresh was the focus all of these games place on narrative and player empowerment. This was especially true of Jared Sorensen's Inspectres.

Theme

The premise of Inspectres is a simple one. There are mysterious and supernatural things in the world that can pester humanity from time to time. In response to these supernatural pests -- likely due to a large influx of Silicon Valley venture capital -- the Inspectres fully-licensed and insured "Supernatural Investigation & Elimination Service" was formed. The Inspectres are "Fighting the Forces of Darkness, do you don't have to."

Player's in an Inspectres campaign play working class -- and some white collar as well -- heroes who fight the supernatural as their day job. For them, banishing the hordes of Servitors of Garoneesh from Delta Sigma house's basement, is akin to your average bug exterminator completing a termite treatment. While they may be battling threats beyond imagination, and others might find that exciting, it is just their day job. These people have lives outside of their local franchise. Fighting the supernatural is "normal," "routine," and even hum-drum.

This is all key to the setting, because Sorensen believes that goofy isn't funny. He believes that the mundane is funny, and he's right. When a group of players/people try to be funny, they often end up being goofy. When they take something bizarre and attempt to make it normal and dull, the opportunity for real humor begins. Humor is rooted in irony, and having monster hunting be a dull cubicle based Office Space inspired hell is funny.

Mechanics

The underlying mechanics of Inspectres are deceptively simple, and are remarkable at reinforcing the intended style of play.

Inspectres determines the outcome of player's actions through the use of a mechanic I call the Sorensen Narrative Resolution System or SNRS -- and its a system he has used a couple of times before in different guises.

As in other role playing game mechanics, the SNRS gives players ratings in certain areas -- Academics, Athletics, Technology, and Contact (there is also a Cool stat, but most players don't start out Cool). In addition to these individual ratings, the players will have access to their Inspectres Franchise's resources which are called the Library Card, Gym Card, Credit Card, and Bank. All players have access to the franchise's resources, which explains why even untrained incompetents can be successful if they work at a well equipped franchise.

These ratings allow players to roll a certain number of dice, which are then used to interpret the outcome of an action. In a standard role playing game, there would be a target number and beating that target number would mean success and failing to beat the target number would mean that the action didn't succeed. This is where the SNRS differs from other games. In Inspectres, the outcome of the die roll determines who has narrative control over the action. What this means is that the action is described after the die roll, and that the results of the die roll determine whether the player or the game master has control (and how much control they have) of the outcome. Depending on the story being told, a player could gain control of an outcome and narrate failure or the GM could narrate success. It all depends on what the individual believes will create a better story. When the player/GM has only partial control of an action, things get pretty interesting.

The SNRS's narrative approach to roleplaying action resolution is great to see in action. It does require a commitment to attempt to be narratively creative from all of the participants, but if everyone commits it is a great time. There are some additional twists and turns to the system, but you'll have to buy the book to read them.

It really is worth the price of admission of $20 for the small booklet. The game has a fun setting and a simple mechanic that can satisfy hard core role players and serves as a wonderful introduction to the hobby for new players.

Movie

I wanted to note that Sorensen has recently teamed up with the good folks at Reactor 88 studios and is working on a feature length production based on the Inspectres setting. I saw the first 10 minutes at Gen Con this year, and I think that the film looks like a fun production from a DIY studio. We'll see what the end result is, but I think that it will hold up quite well against its chief competition in the "Gaming Movie" genre -- The Gamers.

You Got Rick Astley in My DOOM!

Red Box Ninjas -- The Return of the Wizards of the Coast Promotional Cartoon

Of the marketing tools Wizards of the Coast used early in the 4e advertising process, my favorites were their short and humorous cartoons. The Tiefling and Gnome cartoon is still on my list of "pick me ups" when I need a good giggle because my day is a bit glum.

"I'm a monster...Rawr!"

On a side note, the Tiefling appears to be from the Bay Area. (Who else says Hella?)

I don't know that the most recent entry, Red Box Ninjas, is as universally funny -- but it does have a certain resonance with me as a Dungeon Master. We've all had groups like the one depicted in this cartoon.



I couldn't resist putting in this old TV commercial advertising the boxed set that got me hooked.



Or the always hilarious 8-bit Theater bit.

Join Me for a Conversation with a Part-Time Sorceress

Shelly Mazzanoble, author of the book Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress and Associate Brand Marketing Manager for the Dungeons and Dragons role playing game at Wizards of the Coast, will be joining Shawna Benson and me tonight on Geekerati Radio.

We'll talk with Shelly about the D&D Essentials line, what Wizards is doing to reach out to new gamers, and The Real Housewives of New Jersey.

Stop by at 8pm Pacific tonight, or download us later on iTunes. If you listen live, you can call in at (646) 478-5041 or send me a tweet at @ChristianLindke with your questions.

Detective Dee and the Phantom Flame Trailer

If someone used the events leading up to the Eberron setting's Last War as the inspiration for a Wuxia film, they might make a movie much like the one advertised in the Detective Dee trailer.

Detective Dee and the Phantom Flame is the most recent offering from director Tsui Hark.

Tsui Hark was one of the pivotal directors of the 90s Hong Kong New Wave film scene. He brought the knowledge he learned at the University of Texas, Austin's film school to bring "Western" narrative and special effect techniques to Hong Kong films, and helped to create an all together new filmic style. His work on Swordsman and the Once Upon a Time in China series solidified his importance as a film director, though it was his earlier Zu Warriors from Magic Mountain that inspired John Carpenter's masterpiece Big Trouble in Little China.

I have long admired Tsui Hark's films, though I do admit that his work with Jean Claude Van Damme made me worry that he had lost his touch. Knock Off was made in the days just prior to the return of Hong Kong to the People's Republic, and the film seemed to feature all of Tsui Hark's stylistic tricks. It was as if he was desperately trying to capture all of the magic of the HK movement in one film, and it left me baffled. It was trying to be too stylistic and too cool.

My fears were quickly eliminated with the releases Time and Tide and Legend of Zu. In Legend, Tsui Hark demonstrated that he was still capable of innovation within the high fantasy Wuxia genre -- demonstrating his skill at incorporating computer generated special effects.

I am eager to see what Detective Dee has to offer. Having Sammo Hung as action choreographer is particularly exciting. His recent work on films like Ip Man and Kill Zone is truly remarkable.

I have long said that Swordsman II was the "most D&D" film of all time. The action is spectacular and over the top in a way that American films lack, but that players of role playing games hope for. I guess one could argue that D&D 4e is the "most Wuxia" game ever made, but it would have some good competition.

I Recorded Hellcats to My DVR Because I Love Phineas and Ferb

As the father of identical twin daughters, who turn 2 1/2 this month, I have watched uncountable episodes of Phineas and Ferb. As a Gen X-er, I would have watched this brilliant show without the need of youthful encouragement, but my daughters absolutely adore "The Candace Show." My youngest daughter, by one minute, used to actually squeal with joy when the theme song played -- and my wife and I have heard the phrase "again!" in reference to The Candace Show more often than any other entertainment offering.

The show is fantastic in all the ways that a cartoon can and should be. It has all the humor of The Family Guy with none of the cynicism. And when it comes right down to it, I think my daughters have it right. The reason the show is so effective is the Candace character. Disney is really dropping the ball with regard to merchandising Candace. She is the character who gives the show heart and is an ideal "straight man" for much of the shows humor.

A perfect example of why the Candace character works, is the "Ducky MoMo, is My Friend" song that Candace (Ashley Tisdale) sings during the hilarious "Nerds of a Feather" episode. It has the right balance of comedy and pathos, just like the character.

So...that love of Candace led to me recording Hellcats on my DVR. I'll watch the show this weekend and let you know what I think.

Yes, I'm that guy. The guy who watches Real Housewives and Project Runway -- in addition to Top Gear.

Is it just me, or does Ashley Tisdale looks like Candace in this promo image?

Warhammer 3rd at Gen Con

For those who wonder why I am so excited about Warhammer 3rd edition, when there are those who believe that it is a "betrayal" of traditional Warhammer Fantasy -- it isn't -- all you have to do is watch Jay Little's presentation from GenCon.

You can see the designer's love for the game and how his design efforts model the grim setting far better than most people would ever imagine.

Gaming with Ken St. Andre at Gen Con

A couple of posts ago, I mentioned that some of my first gaming experiences were running "solo" runs of characters through The Keep on the Borderlands. These sessions amounted to me rolling up 5 or 6 D&D characters, covering up the DM map of the Caves of Chaos to hide parts of the map my characters couldn't see, and resolving the mechanics as much as possible.

I had a good time playing this way, though it was nowhere near as fun as playing with friends, and the temptation to "cheat" was surprisingly small. This is likely due to two or three factors. First, I wasn't very personally vested in the personality of any given character. They were ciphers to me. They were about as real as your average RTS "trooper." Second, playing a dungeon solo made the game essentially a logic puzzle with a relatively simple solution -- only the "mechanics" made things difficult. Third, there was very little reward for cheating and the emotional reward for succeeding without cheating outweighed the reward for cheating. Besides, the punishment for failure was making more characters who could then be run through the adventure. It was a fun solitary activity for someone who had friends, but very few who played role playing games.

While I enjoyed running these solitary adventures, there did seem to be something lacking. They were logic puzzles without an "antagonist." In a normal logic puzzle it's your mind against that of the puzzle's creator (with only one solution), but in these solitary runs there were many possible solutions and there didn't feel like there were any "stakes" to the playing. Given enough time using modules written for groups as solo endeavors, I would have likely stopped gaming altogether.

Then I met Mark Williams. Mark had come to Reno from Chicago and he and I shared a lot of interests. One of these interests was role playing games. We became fast friends, but friends who began to compete with each other regarding who could find the next cool thing. Mark was the first to discover Michael Moorcock. I was the first to discover the Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks -- which looked to be the ultimate solution to the solo game experience. (Point of fact, I still highly recommend them.) Then Mark discovered something "better." He discovered the Tunnels and Trolls role playing game which supported both group and solo play, and had some very well designed solo adventures. The humor in the game appealed to our middle school minds -- I still find it appealing -- and the adventures were more "adult" than those in the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, which made them perfect young boys amped up on teenage hormones.

These solo adventures did vary in quality, but there were a couple that stand out as some of the greatest modules ever written -- City of Terrors, Arena of Khazan, Overkill, and Sewers of Oblivion provided me with hours and hours of enjoyment. What was more, when I played Arena of Khazan it felt like I was playing against someone -- someone with a cruel and darkly humorous mind. The author, Ken St. Andre, killed scores of my characters as I attempted to explore the stories he drafted for players like me. I loved every minute of it. Often "losing" in a Ken St. Andre, or Michael Stackpole, written adventure was more fun than "winning." They were great fun and they are very much responsible for my love of the gaming hobby, as they embody one of the things that the hobby is about -- creating communities across distances.

I had always wanted to game in a "face to face" experience with Ken St. Andre as my game master. I had imagined the dozens of devious devices he would use to bring about my characters' demise. At this year's Gen Con, I finally got the chance when Ken set up a quick pick up game on the floor of the Exhibit hall while he was taking a break from his hard work at the Flying Buffalo booth.

My friend Eric and I, along with a couple of other eager players, sat down with Ken for a brief and fun filled adventure. Typical of a St. Andre adventure, the plot was straightforward and to the point. A wizard had summoned a group of "heroes" from Earth's famous GenCon to help him reacquire the source of his magic. We had only our wits to guide us as we ventured into a goblin lair to help this mysterious magic man acquire an item of great power. Personally, I question how eager we were to help a man we knew nothing about, but as gamers we were used to making snap decisions based on Fantasy tropes "in character." Why not do them ourselves.

Our group did quite well for some time, carefully navigating a couple of Ken's tempting traps. It looked like we all were going to actually live through the adventure. Then came the final puzzle. Ah yes, the final puzzle. It was so obvious, but I knew better than to assume the obvious. Ken had killed me -- in his printed modules -- for assuming the obvious in the past. There had to be some trick, and so our party numbers quickly dwindled as we engaged the puzzle. Eric's character died, a young player's character died, my character died. Then someone assumed the obvious and solved the puzzle.

It was great fun, with a great group of players -- for the most part. There was one player who had the common gamer "I want to be the best and will use the rules however I can to maximize potential for success" attitude. Didn't he know that he was playing Tunnels and Trolls? This game is about whimsy and fun, not about "success." He took things far too seriously, and play suffered briefly for his sternness -- only briefly. By the end, I think he was actually catching on.

Some day I'll do a statistical analysis to show how the rules of T&T actually discourage power gaming, but that is for another time. Let's just say that playing in a Ken St. Andre written/run game is like adventuring in an L. Sprague DeCamp "Enchanter" Story and not like adventuring in a world of Tolkien, Moorcock, or Howard. Fun and humor are the first rules, winning and "drama" are for other writers.

My brief experience with Ken was everything I hoped that it would be and it recaptured the joy that the solo adventures had brought me as a young man. I was simultaneously experiencing fun and nostalgia at the same time, quite like that a fan would experience when his/her childhood baseball team wins the World Series. I both enjoyed the moment, and the memories it brought to mind.

It's rare that we get to thank those who have created the games, movies, books, or shows that we have enjoyed in a personal way. We are often limited to the formal "signing" booth or some other constructed moment that may or may not be remembered by the creator. I'd like to take this time to thank Ken for a great time, both at GenCon and 20 years ago.

Fantasy Flight Games' City of Thieves Board Game is Beautiful

One of the games that was an absolute "must buy" for me at Gen Con was Fantasy Flight Games' release of Dust Games' City of Thieves board game. From the first time I saw the advertisements online, I was hypnotized by the graphic presentation of the game. City of Thieves uses the art and setting from the Cadwallon setting originally published by Rackham Miniatures.

In essence, it is a game designed by a Hong Kong company, published by an American company, based on a product created by a French company. God I love this strange new world and all the fabulous things in it!

Fantasy Flight Games recently made a video overview of the game available and I thought that I'd share it with you while I was still playing the game for review. I hope to review the game next Monday, but in the meantime I plan on playing at least six runs of the game.

Will Gareth Edwards' MONSTERS Deliver?

I'm pretty excited about the potential of MONSTERS.  It is a giant monster film that adds a nice twist to the set up.  The monsters have come, they've done their stuff, and the world has "normalized" to deal with the problem.  It's essentially, "6 years after the alien invasion and most of the world is the same as before."  I like the premise and the trailer looks interesting.



As a Magnolia/Magnet film, it will be released On Demand before it hits the theaters.  For a film like this, I think that that is a brilliant move.  Sometimes you wait for a film, watch it on the small screen, and then wish you'd seen it on the big screen.  When you are the father of twins who has a wife who loves movies as much, if not more, than he does a movie going experience is $100+.  It's $25 for admission, $15 snacks, and $60 babysitter.  I watched Neil Marshall's CENTURION on demand a month ago, and really want to see it on the big screen.  It's currently playing at the Leammle Sunset 5 if anyone is interested in seeing it with me Sunday night.  There were a couple of moments I'd like to experience "super sized."  Having MONSTERS available on demand will allow me to make a similar decision, and I have high hopes.

New D&D Red Box Thoughts (Part 1)

As I mentioned in the last post, I have acquired a copy of the new Introductory Boxed Set for the 4th edition of Dungeons & Dragons. The packaging of this new boxed set is based on the 1980s "Mentzer" Red Box Basic D&D Set that TSR published in 1983 -- it even uses the same cover art. Wizards of the Coast has two hopes for the product.

First, the are hoping that the product serves as a key introductory product for a new generation of gamers and that this Red Box will be as important to these new gamers 17 years from now as the old Red Box is for many current gamers.

Second, they hope that the nostalgia some "hold out" gamer feel regarding the old Red Box will convince them to give the new edition of D&D a try and that the boxed set itself is of sufficient quality to win these hearts and minds.

It should be noted that the similarities between the two boxed sets is more than cosmetic. While both feature the same inspiring Larry Elmore artwork on the cover, both products are also structured in similar ways with regard to how they present the mechanics of the D&D roleplaying game.

Both the new Wyatt edition and the Mentzer edition use a "Choose Your Own Adventure" solo narrative as a method to introduce players to the concept of roleplaying and to the games mechanical systems. It was an innovation when Mentzer utilized it in the 80s, and Wyatt's design team have improved on the method -- if not on the underlying story. There were fewer "design" decisions for players in the Mentzer edition, but the story was more engaging in the older edition. Not to say that the new introductory narrative is bad, but it is "loose" and lacks a significant emotional punch. One doubts that players will be talking about Traevus the merchant in the same tones that older gamers mention Aleena the Cleric and Bargle the mage.

But players of the Mentzer boxed set can't refer to the time they chose between casting a Freezing Burst at goblin raiders or whether they decided to cast Stone Blood which partially solidifies the blood of ones enemies. Both games have their good moments in presentation, and both are effective in presenting the mechanics and a style of play.

Reading the new Red Box, as a 4e player who has been listening to the hushed rumors that this is a launch product for a 4.5 edition and that a 5th edition is only 2 years away, there were a couple of rules changes that jumped right out at me. These changes are purely from the Player's Book, the DM's book has some changes as well but those will be discussed in part 2.

First, in Paragraph 8 (a Fighter paragraph) the text mentions that the Fighter's weapon damage is equal to the weapon die plus both the character's Strength and Constitution bonus. Huh?! Is this a new ability for all Fighters, is this a change to Charge, or is this an error?

Second, I noticed that Humans now have an Encounter Power like all of the other races. The power is called "Human Versatility." While it isn't overpowered, it is a complete change to the human in the Player's Handbook. It isn't enough of a change to warrant 4.5 cries, especially given that it will be added to the "rules update" that is available for free online, but it is striking none the less.

Third, the new build of fighter is interesting and demonstrates one of the changes that Wizards is promoting in the Essentials line. The new Fighter build relies more on his Melee Basic Attack than PHB Fighters, his "at-will Powers" are stances that modify his Basic Attack rather than attacks in and of themselves. I have to say that this is a thematic change that I like. This seems to fit in with the fiction that D&D emulates. Fighters do use "maneuvers" from time to time, but they are more frequently using tactics or styles and the new Powers reflect that thematic element nicely. They also make Fighters easier for new players to play than in the PHB where all classes required equal book keeping.

I'll discuss more as I read through more of the class choices, but I can say that I am impressed with the presentation style of the product. Though it should be pointed out that this is very much an introductory product and that many experienced gamers -- who don't like reading through introductory style presentations -- will not find this product compelling.

Though I am an experienced gamer, I am enjoying this presentation and find it to be far superior to the "Starter Set" Wizards released in 2008. It compares well to the first Red Box so far, though it doesn't quite match the Denning Black Box in my esteem. Though, to be fair, that would be quite a feat.

The Kübler-Ross Stages of Grief, D&D Encounters, and Me

Those of you who read this blog, may have noticed that I devoted two posts last week to my feelings about the D&D Encounters program. While I don't think my posts were as filled with internet anonymity syndrome and ranting ire as other blogs, I did notice upon reflection that my reaction seemed to match the first two stages of the Kübler-Ross stages of grief.

I normally think of myself as too reflective to be caught up in this model of behavior over something so small -- in the grand scheme -- as whether or not I can buy a copy of the D&D Encounters version of KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS. Apparently I was wrong.

The two posts are filled with Denial and Anger. "They can't do that," "This aggravates me," and other similar statements are scattered throughout the two posts. I'm really quite taken aback by how much these two posts exhibit the emotions expressed in the first two stages of grief, but did I continue through the stages?

In a word...Yes. Yes, I did. I have finally come to acceptance, but not mere "that's okay" acceptance. They got me but good...

Let me explain.

On Saturday, I began bargaining. Not the kind of bargaining that I did in the second post, which was of the "If I express disappointment in the proper tone, maybe they'll release KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS for sale at a later date." No, this was genuine "should I go to a D&D Encounters event and should I see how my schedule this fall lines up with the whole Wednesday schedule" bargaining. I was even wondering if my local store would allow D&D Encounters on Thursdays or Fridays, as one of the commenters here mentioned. I was full on negotiating.

I don't think I ever really experienced depression, at least not in any strong way -- this isn't that important after all. But I did feel a little "remorse" that I am currently not getting to game as much as I want, and that is similar.

So, I decided to do something about it. I went to a D&D Encounters event at my local store. A very nice employee, who is far more familiar with 3.5 and Pathfinder rules than with 4e rules, ran a session for me and four other gamers. The other four players -- a college aged "min/maxer" who typically plays 3.5, a 30 something man who was there to have a good time, and two tween-age girls -- had all participated in the other adventures of the season, but all were relatively new to the rules set. All of them got the concept of roleplaying and having a good time, but none had an encyclopedic knowledge of 4e's rules.

In other words, the group was exactly the audience the program aims to recruit -- one hardcore lapsed gamer, a casual gamer, and two new gamers.

For this group of players, with their level of rules knowledge and expertise, the encounter was quite challenging. Given the GM's lack of familiarity with the rules set, he could only help them in their decision making so much -- and he did his best. I quickly found myself giving small pieces of advice to the newer gamers, but not making their decisions for them (only helping when they asked what something meant and opening discussing my intentions when I acted). We finished the encounter, by the skin of our teeth, and I had a great time.

It was everything my gaming jones needed. It was one of those wonderful, clumsy, new, exploratory gaming sessions you can only have when you have new players experimenting with what they can do. It was great fun with a great group of people.

When I came home from the event, I realized something had happened. I had come to accept D&D Encounters as a vital thing. So much so that I'll be going next week and for many weeks to come -- overall attendance depends on my MBA schedule, but for this quarter Wednesdays are free.

I have not only accepted D&D Encounters, I have fully embraced them. I can't wait to play KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS with this group. I am eager to see what it is like to witness an adventure that introduced me to the hobby through they eyes of people who have no idea what the CAVES OF CHAOS are.

I'm picking up a Red Box in anticipation.

Damn you Wizards!

On Women Gamers

In 2006, I purchased the book Gaming as Culture which contained an excellent chapter by Michelle Nephew that discussed unconscious desire and roleplaying games. The chapter is a section of Dr. Nephew's dissertation. I found some of the observations about the way society views gamers, and how gamers view other gamers (in particular female gamers) interesting and worthy of further investigation. I eventually got a copy of Dr. Nephew's full dissertation and will likely do a read through of the work at some point, as it deserves discussion within the community it examines.

Just to be clear, while the dissertation is highly academic Dr. Nephew is more than a mere academic observer. She also happens to be one of the people behind the excellent gaming company Atlas Games and the designer of one of my favorite games this year Ren Faire.

I think that women in the hobby is an important topic to discuss and that the stereotypes that people, both inside and outside of the gaming community, need a good deal of dispelling.

But we need not go to a full dissertation to find a nice place to start the discussion. Susan J Morris -- Line Editor for the Forgotten Realms Series of Novels -- published a nice blog post over on the Wizards site the other day discussing this very topic.

In Morris' post, her opening paragraph mentions the current "gamer girl" stereotype and describes it as follows:

Part of the current stereotype is that we gamer girls fight with each other in order to compete for attention, status, and all those eligible gamer men.

An entertaining notion to be sure, and I can see why there is that perception. However, while I can’t speak for all gamer women, I really don’t think that sexual competition is at the root of the various rifts. I think it’s about image and branding, and what they do to the everyday life of your everyday gamer woman.

Two things stand out to me in the above paragraph, the concept of sexual politics and the underlying assumption that female gamers have "various rifts" with other female gamers.

My personal experience with female gamers has been consistently positive. The RPGA group I played with when I lived in Reno had a good mix of gamers and included a number of female gamers. I never noticed any sexual competition, or even branding based rifts between the players.

But I do find the concept of personality conflict based on controlling the "branding" of a particular sub-culture to be very interesting, the most interesting concept in Morris' post. In fact, it is one I see taking place among gamers at large. Given that gaming is a relatively small subculture, we all seek to define what it is that constitutes "a gamer." It is one of the reasons we cling to the "celebugamers" like Wil Wheaton so much, we have a desire to create a brand that is more acceptable to main stream society.

Could women gamers be under a similar tension within the gaming community itself? Do you think they have a need to "brand" what a female gamer is in order to help make it more acceptable for the gaming community -- and for main stream society as well?

What have your experiences been? Is it different for "Hobby Gamer" women than for "Roleplaying Women?"

What are your thoughts?

RIP Charles S. Roberts (1930 - 2010) -- Without Roberts, There Would Be No Gaming Hobby as We Know It

Charles S. Roberts, a man who is arguably the most important figure in Hobby Gaming, died on August 20th, 2010 due to complications of emphysema and pneumonia. Roberts was the founder of the Avalon Hill game company, a company that was once a giant in Hobby Gaming. The Baltimore Sun has an extensive, though also error riddled, obituary regarding Roberts and his impact as a game designer and as a historian. High on the error list is the assertion that Roberts sold Avalon Hill to Parker Brothers in the 1960s, when the truth is that Monarch Publishing -- Avalon Hill's chief creditor -- took ownership of the company in 1962.


Roberts' impact on Hobby Gaming is undeniable. Were it not for the publication of Roberts' game Tactics in 1953, it is unlikely that there would have been the "Castles and Crusades" society that led to the creation of Dungeons and Dragons. It is possible, as there was miniatures gaming without Avalon Hill, but given the fact that the original D&D books recommended the ownership of Avalon Hill's Outdoor Survival for use in "Wilderness Adventures" it is clear that Gygax was influenced and inspired by Avalon Hill. Gygax also wrote articles in Avalon Hill's The General magazine and viewed Avalon Hill and SPI as two of his chief rivals early in the hobby, but that is another discussion. Hobby Gaming is more that role playing games, it includes Eurogames and games like Battlelore and Formula D.

To quote SPI's "Strategy & Tactics Staff Study #2": Wargame Design (1981):

Modern wargaming on boards, as a hobby, can be traced to one man and one game. In 1953, Charles S. Roberts, a young man in his early twenties, combined an interest in the military and in history to produce a game, which he designed in his spare time, called Tactics.

Roberts release of Tactics, and subsequent founding of Avalon Hill, is entirely responsible for the creation of the board wargaming hobby. His contribution to general hobby gaming is often overlooked, primarily because people view Avalon Hill as a "wargame" company and not a Hobby Gaming company. This is a huge error. To quote Wargame Design again:

The Avalon Hill Company was not founded for the primary purpose of producing wargames. This point is often ignored by those in the hobby who have come to look at Avalon Hill as a source for games. Its true purpose is, and remains, to produce the broad spectrum of adult games for which Roberts felt there would be a market. Roberts felt that the big game publishers, Parker Brothers, Milton Bradley, and the like, had ignored the adult game field and he was determined to take advantage of their indifference.

Roberts saw adult games as a field to be exploited and fertile soil for a hobby. He was right. As modern adult games like The Settlers of Catan, Small World, Pandemic, and Tide of Iron, as well as classics like Squad Leader, Gettysburg, Facts in Five, Acquire and Diplomacy, ably demonstrate. Gaming had room to expand into a grand hobby, and it has done so. A quick visit to BoardGameNews.com and a glance at their Gone Cardboard link presents a glimpse of the Hobby games coming out this year. There is a breadth of theme and a breadth play styles represented. This comes as a natural descent from Roberts' original mission. According to Wargame Design, of the eighteen titles published during the Roberts era "nine are non-battle titles representing such diverse fields as law, commerce, and sports."

Due to a number of errors in his approach, Roberts eventually ended up in trouble with his creditors. One of these creditors, Monarch Publishing, took over Avalon Hill and continued publishing games. In fact, the company expanded a great deal under the new leadership. Unlike many brand purchases in the gaming industry, Monarch didn't cherry pick a few old titles and forget the rest. Instead, they continued in the mission set forth by Roberts and produced a wide variety of games for the adult gaming market. They also published a magazine, The General, which served as a way to promote and support their existing line of games.

Though Roberts no longer ran Avalon Hill, his contribution to the creation of a hobby was solidified by the success of his legacy.

In 1975, at the first Origins gaming convention, the first Charles S. Roberts awards were given out to games within the hobby. The winners (games published in 1974) were, Third Reich, Manassas, Strategy and Tactics Magazine, Albion Magazine, and a Hall of Fame Award for Charles S. Roberts himself. For years to come, the Charles S. Roberts Award was a part of the annual Origins Awards and winners included Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, The Space Gamer Magazine, and Car Wars. The Roberts Awards have typically gone to board and wargames, with other Origins categories covering other aspects of hobby gaming. In recent years, the Charles S. Roberts Award has been handed out at the World Boardgaming Championships -- a fact that highlights both the growth and the fracturing of the gaming hobby.

Other than my gratitude for Roberts contribution to Hobby Gaming, I have no connection to him or to Avalon Hill. Like most of the grand masters of the hobby, I never had a chance to meet him and wish that I had.

I am credited with doing some proofreading work on a game (Zulus on the Ramparts! that won a CSR Award this year, but that is a pretty tangential connection.

I would like to thank GROGNARDIA: RIP Charles S. Roberts (1930-2010), and Greyhawk Grognard: R.I.P. Charles S. Roberts for sharing this sad news.

As a gamer, I have recently begun collecting books about the hobby and copies of the games that created the hobby. Maybe I'll crack open my copy of Gettysburg -- square spaces and all -- and play a game in remembrance of one of the founders of Hobby Gaming.

Warhammer 40K Movie -- ULTRAMARINE Trailer Released

They had me at Screenplay by Dan Abnett. Then they added awesome animation, John Hurt, Sean Pertwee, and Terence Stamp.

Games Workshop's various Warhammer Universes are some of the narratively richest game worlds ever constructed, and it is fine time that one of those universes received a compelling film. If only producers would trust the property beyond the direct to dvd market. Not that I'm complaining. This looks awesome. But I'd love to see 40k on the big screen.

Someday a 720 page volume of Dan Abnett's non-fiction writings will be released for the low price of $75 (adjust for inflation properly) and he will be recognized for what he is. What is that, you ask?

Simply one of the most talented and prolific writers of fantasy/sf fiction writing today. He -- along with William King -- changed forever what it means to write "Media Tie-In" fiction. His writing is consistently well constructed and witty. One wonders what particular deal with the Muses Mr. Abnett made.

We are the Ultramarines, the Sons of Guilliman. Whilst we draw breath, we stand. Whilst we stand, we fight. Whilst we fight, we prevail. Nothing shall stay our wrath.

+++ Marneus Calgar, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines+++ Warhammer 40k Rule Book 5th Edition

FOR THE EMPEROR!

What Wizards of the Coast is Doing Wrong with Their "Encounters" Program

Yesterday was a great day for this blog.  I posted about my frustration that Wizards of the Coast is using KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS as the basis for their next Encounters Program adventure.  I ended up getting more visitors than usual and received some good comments.

Slight correction before the main piece -- I would like to note that while the "KEEP" is barred from me a KEEP isn't, the Chaos Scar (thematically an updated Caves of Chaos) aren't and they are a part of the new DDI Adventure Path. Wizards is giving me half of what I would like to see.

I thought I would take today to expand on my thought regarding what Wizards of the Coast is doing wrong in the coordination of the program, respond to some of the comments I received yesterday, and to offer some thoughts for improvement.  I am a firm believer that any critic of a given program should have something positive to offer.  Otherwise, you are just complaining and not contributing.  Consumers have an obligation to participate actively in the marketing and sales decisions of the companies they support.  They cannot just say, "I don't like this."  Consumers also need to say, "this is what I want."  Companies then have an obligation to respond to their customers needs and desires.

This is especially true when dealing with customer intimacy and marketing endeavors of a corporation.  The RPGA, and the Encounters Program, are both marketing vehicles for Wizards and examples of an attempt at a customer intimacy approach to their market activities.

Let me dispel an impression I may have made yesterday.  I am not an opponent of the Encounters program.  As I wrote yesterday, "I think that Encounter D&D Play events are good for gaming in general and good for local retailers."

I stand by that statement.  Organized play is a great idea, and Encounters is one of the best approaches to organized play in existence.   It is far superior to the Living Campaigns of the past -- which actually suffer from my "if you don't play, you can never get the adventure" problem worse than Encounters.  They also suffered from the, "there were adventures in the Scarlet Brotherhood?  Really?  Hmmm... Never heard about those" syndrome.

Here are the main Strengths of the Encounters program as I see it:

1) High quality encounter based adventures.
2) Graphically appealing components.
3) Ability to be played in a short period of time.
4) They occur on Wednesdays which is "New Comics Day." This maximizes the ability of the game/comic store to introduce comic buyers to the gaming hobby.
5) They are easy to run.
6) They are effectively used to market the latest Wizards products.

The program has quite a few Strengths and those need to be noted. The program also has Weaknesses, some Opportunities for improvement, and some Threats from other programs.

Before I get into those, I thought that I would address some of the good comments I received yesterday.

Anonymous (2) wrote, "their main purpose IS to get you into the shops to play, since obviously you are attracted to play it. I know we can be busy, but it is either go to shop or not KOTB at all."

This misses the point of my complaint entirely, and is also wrong. Wizards of the Coast's main purpose is to get me to go into shops to purchase their products and to have products to sell to me. That's how you make a profit. You make products for consumption and consumers purchase them. That's the way you typically maximize shareholder value, in both the short and long term. You also happen to maximize stakeholder value if in offering products, you listen to your consumers to see what they want -- and then provide it. If there are enough shareholders who want KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS, but cannot make it to stores every Wednesday for months in order to "experience" it, then Wizards is losing value by not eventually offering it for sale. Notice the "eventually" there. That is key. I think stores deserve exclusivity for a time, but that the company benefits by eventually making it available. Wizards makes no money on people selling stuff on eBay after the fact.

Acrobatic Flea, a significant blogger and fellow Villains and Vigilantes fan, wrote "Are we 100% sure the 'Encounters' adventures will never be available to the general public. I'm sure I heard a mumbling on a Gen Con podcast that they might be at some stage -- but I could be misremembering."

I hope Flea is right, though I think that Wizards should do more than "mumble in a Gen Con" podcast if selling them is their intent. They need to do more than "casual" viral marketing, they need to make a clear statement. Something like, "Encounters adventures will be available 6 months after the cycle is complete."

MJ Harnish points out that "crowded, noisy, and often unpleasant smelling game stores" may not be the best place to promote a play at home game.

To a certain extent, I agree. I would never want to game at THE LAST GRENADIER (though it has a wonderful selection of games and I shop there) or The War House (where I picked up a copy of Supergame 1st edition for cover price), but I would game at Emerald Knight Comics and Games, Game Empire, or Aero Hobbies (one of the places Eric John Holmes used to game). Some game stores are frightening, others are welcoming. It all depends on how the store is structured.

Anonynos and Callin make similar points about the value of using the game store, and both state that "sometimes you have to be a part of something to get a benefit from it" and "making the adventure exclusive gives it more value than if you could simply walk up and buy it."

I agree with these two regarding the value of having the games in the store, and regarding a "window" of exclusivity. Where is disagree is the following. I don't think making an adventure "exclusive" gives it more value. It gives it more secondary market value -- more eBay value. That isn't value for the shareholders or for the majority of stakeholders. Let's say someone participated in the full run of KEEP, and loved every minute. They want to share that experience with a gaming group that they put together based on the excitement that the Encounter created. They want to run KEEP for their friends. Guess what? They can't. They can't share the experience that brought them into the hobby. That is a HUGE problem and a marketing failure. Wizards makes no profit, and generates no good will, from something selling on eBay. This would be true if the adventure were "TEMPLE OF THE UNSEEN PURPLE HAZE" (which I now want to play), or KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS.

I don't think Wizards hates me, in fact I have good relations with a couple of their employees. I also have a gamer crush on Shelly Mazzanoble and hope that we can play "Barovia: The Real Ravenloft" rpg someday. Wizards is filled with hard working people I respect. I have defended them on repeated occasions.

What I do think they are telling me that they don't want my money, or to listen to my desires as a customer -- a desire to buy a product that they are already making. I'm not asking them to remake their products in the image of my whims, I am asking them to let me buy their stuff. That isn't a very "precious" position, that is a consumers position.

Now onto the Weaknesses of the Encounters program:

1) Game play is limited to Wednesdays.
2) Limited audience -- since game stores are primarily frequented by gamers, and comic books are a dying medium, the program isn't as far reaching as it could be.
3) Products are never made available to wider public as purchases.
4) Doesn't necessarily encourage the purchase of D&D products. Everything needed for players is provided at no cost. Overall, a good thing but does allow for some small number of free riders.
5) Coordination of program is still relatively weak and "cellular."

Opportunities:

1) Provide Encounters adventures to High School and College clubs. Possibly require some kind of proof of club status.
2) Expand Encounters program to libraries.
3) Allow those who have participated as players an opportunity to buy the last week's episode.
4) Allow the sale of the products to the general gaming public 6 months after the end of an Encounter season. This ensures that the products are "fresh" with recent releases.

Threats:

1) Other organized play. Paizo's Pathfinder Society allows the purchase of their Pathfinder Society adventures by the public. Purchases are limited to pdf, and don't include the excellent maps, tokens, and cards that Encounters contain, but still a threat.
2) Gamer resentment. The more that gamers feel left out, the more likely they are to go to other companies.
3) MMORPGS -- as always.
4) Eurogaming nights at FLGS's -- these are both a threat and a bonus. Wizards recent release of D&D themed games will help balance this threat, but opposing game days of any type are a threat.
5) Shrinking FLGS marketplace. The number of FLGS has declined significantly and Encounters is dependent on that market. Yes, it is helping to ensure the continuation of the FLGS market by promoting the FLGS, but this can only go so far. Possibly limit purchases of past Encounter seasons to stores who ran the season.

I'm sure that I could think up a lot more points under each category, including strengths. The program is a good one, but it is one that I think needs improvement if it doesn't want to make "home gamers" feel excluded from the larger community and if it doesn't contribute to the "D&D Narrative." The great thing about the old adventures was that everyone had played them. This gave gamers a shared experiences and helps to expand the community.

As I wrote yesterday, WotC how about you hook a supporter up?

Wizards of the Coast to Supportive Old School Home Gamers -- "Go to Hell!"

Those who read this blog know that I am usually a staunch defender of Wizards of the Coast. While others were complaining about Wizard's release of a 4th edition of D&D, I defended the idea. Since that time, I have become very excited about 4th edition and am in the process of putting together a campaign for my regular gaming group to play when we finish our current Eberron campaign.

I am eagerly awaiting the new Red Box, the Essentials product line (which is reaching out to "recession" gamers and new games), and even the controversial Gamma World. Many are concerned about the "collectible" nature of some the power cards in GW, but after seeing the Gamma World presentation at Gen Con I am excited at the prospect.

What I am not excited about is Wizards' next "Encounters" campaign -- KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS.

Let me rephrase that.

I am ecstatic about Wizards releasing a 4th edition version of KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS, but they have just told me to f@&# off by making it their next "Encounters" adventure.

I think that the Encounters "D&D Play" events are good for gaming in general, and good for local retailers. Having weekly single encounter adventures that are run at local game stores is wonderful and promotes the hobby. Never making those products available to the gaming community at large is an insult.

I'm sorry, but I don't have 2-4 hours on a Wednesday night to go to my local game store to play D&D -- let alone the afternoon. I am an MBA student, work full-time, and have two-and-a-half year old twin daughters. I game at home. My obligations at home, those lovely little girls who I adore more than anything, prevent me from gaming "away" from home.

I have been playing D&D for over 20 years and some of my fondest memories of D&D where when I was in high school. I didn't have a large gaming group yet and would spend my time running "solos" -- I would take multiple characters I rolled up through published adventures. The adventure I most frequently solo'd? KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS.

It is likely my favorite adventure of all time. I would love to buy a copy. But I can't, nor can I go to the store and play the "Encounters." What I will be able to do is read other gamers share their experience playing the adventure with deep envy.

By making this highly desirable product available to some gamers -- those who have spare time during the week -- and not to others, Wizards is flipping a big bird in my direction and I don't appreciate it.

If they ever make any of their Encounters adventures for sale to the general public, I will be overjoyed. I'm willing to give a 6-month exclusivity period to stores even, but until then I know that I and gamers like me are not high on Wizards list. It's too bad, since I have purchased one of every book they have published over the past decade -- sometimes more than one.

Yes...that includes all of the fiction as well.

Hook a supporter up please!

A Birthday for the Aeons -- Happy Birthday HPL

Today is the 120th anniversary of H.P. Lovecraft's birth. I will leave the proper eulogizing to those I believe have a better and deeper understanding of the writer and his works, or those who are continuing his legacy through the production of quality games and books.

Strangely, all of these individuals have yet to post an annual honorific blog post -- but I am eagerly awaiting their thoughts. In the meantime, we can all settle -- and it isn't really settling -- for Kenneth Hite's Tour De Lovecraft, starting with his introduction.

[Blogging Northwest Smith] "Yvala"

In C.L. Moore's tale "Yvala," readers are quickly immersed in the traditional themes of a Northwest Smith tale. Beauty is dangerous, nature can be deadly, mythological creatures are re-imagined, and there are vampiric creatures that feed on more than blood.

As the story begins, Smith and his companion Yarol are in desperate circumstances. (Are they ever not in desperate circumstance?) The severity of their desperation is conveyed to the reader in a few wonderfully evocative sentences.

Moore first signal's the pair's plight by describing Smith's appearance.

It was evident at a glance that Smith had fallen upon evil days. One might have guessed by the shabbiness of his clothing that his pockets were empty, the charge in his ray-gun low.

She follows this up with a brilliant first line of dialogue from Smith's companion Yarol.

"Another half-hour and we eat."

If delivered in normal circumstances the above quotation might be a throw away line. But when a character has "fallen upon evil days," a comment regarding the close proximity of the next meal makes the reader wonder just how many half-hours have passed since the pair last shared a good meal.

Moore isn't understating things when she writes that Smith had fallen upon evil days. Things have become so bad that he and Yarol are considering taking a job with the sinister Willard slaving operation. The fact that Smith is about to take employment with slavers is "evil" enough, but Moore makes it readily apparent that the Willards are the vilest of the vile when it comes to the slave trade. During the conversation of the pending job Moore makes passing references to "Black Thirst" and the Minga maids that once brought a high price on the slave market.

To state that "Yvala" is a counter story to "Black Thirst" would be an understatement, the two stories deal with beauty and hunger from directly opposite ends of the narrative spectrum. In "Black Thirst," we were introduced to the Alendar -- a creature that sustained its life by "feeding" on beauty as if it were a tangible thing. The essence of beauty was the Alendar's food and the Alendar's buffet/harem held women so beautiful that they could drive a man mad.

And a tale of beauty that had driven men mad is what has prompted the Willards to seek a man of Smith's talents. The Willards have come across two stories of men crashing onto a jungle moon of Jupiter. In both of these stories the men escaped the planet, but were driven mad during their time as a castaway. According to the tales, they were driven mad by women so beautiful that looking upon them could shatter a man's sanity. The Willards think that such a prize would provide a grand price on the slave market and wish to "acquire" a specimen, but they don't want to risk their own pirates in the process. So they approach Smith and Yarol.

As the tale progresses, Moore reminds us of the mythological tales of the Siren and the Lorelei who had songs that could drive sailors mad. She also takes time to remind readers of the great beauties of antiquity Helen, Circe, and Helen -- and of the price paid by those who found them beautiful. In these reminders, Moore is giving hints about the particular mythical re-imagining she will be offering to readers. Shambleau presented us with Moore's version of the Gorgon Medusa. Black Thirst gave us a version of Dracula, that most famous of vampires. What was it that drove the space-farers mad? Was it Siren or Witch? We will only discover the answer to that on the journey.

The fact that Smith and Yarol have no ship of their own with which to explore the jungle moon of Jupiter is another sign of how desperate their circumstances are. Smith is often quoted as being the template for Han Solo, but here he lacks even the simplest of transportation. I have found that Smith is more akin to Indiana Jones myself, and not merely due to the similarity of name. Both Smith and Jones have an insatiable curiosity, and both constantly find themselves in horrible situations in ancient ruins with only their trusty side-arm and their wits to aid them.

When the Willard ship lands on the jungle moon, we are informed that this is a particular kind of jungle moon -- one that bears a carnivorous jungle. Before the rocket ship's doors open, numerous plants snap at the ship in search of a fleshy meal. One is reminded of the Warhammer 40k Death World Catachan. Like in "Scarlet Dream," the planet itself -- or at least the plant life -- feeds on the blood of animals. The danger of the wild jungle is vast, and the danger of the unbridled natural world is once more expressed. For modern man, the natural world is something to be tamed. For early man, and for the explorer, the natural world is rife with danger. Moore conveys that danger in entertaining detail:

They were submerged in jungle. Great serpentine branches and vines like cables looped downward in broken lengths from the shattered trees which had given way at their entrance. It was an animate jungle, full of hungry, reaching things that sprang in one wild, prolific tangle from the rich mud. Raw-colored flowers, yards across, turned sucking mouths blindly against the glass here and there, trickles of green juice slavering down the clear surface from their insensate hunger.

"Raw-colored flowers..." What an evocative description. It conveys both the deep red color of the plant and its carnivorous nature.

One quickly wonders how our intrepid heroes will be able to venture into the jungle in pursuit of the madness inducing beauties the tales promised the moon was home to, but then Yarol sees an ancient road -- paved and unmolested by the living jungle. If the reader's "this is creepy" instincts weren't set off by the carnivorous jungle, they certainly are by the road that denies and defies that same jungle. What force or technology could provide a road that is unassailable by the deep growth? This is especially disconcerting as there is no apparent reason for the lack of encroachment. The road bears no "defenses" against the wild, it is merely a road.

It is upon this road that Smith and Yarol first meet Yvala, or rather reflections of Yvala. Each sees their personal vision of what they believe constitutes absolute beauty, and each is addressed in their native tongue by these beautiful reflections. These reflections lead Smith to their original, the true Yvala -- a creature mind-shatteringly beautiful that feeds on the very adoration that its beauty engenders. Yvala is a vampire of adoration and she feeds on the humanity within the souls of those who admire her.

One wonders how Yvala "the Destroyer" and the Alendar would compliment one another, but that is a tale never told.

Typical of a Moore tale, there is an underlying criticism of the praise of "mere" physical beauty. In prior tales, love based on physical beauty alone was depicted as less than actual love. Here pure physical beauty is shown to be a vampiric thing in itself. Where "Black Thirst" could be described as a tale that demonstrates the parasitic and predatory quality of lust directed at beautiful women, this tale demonstrates that beautiful women who use their beauty as a weapon can also victimize others. The adoration of mere beauty is something that destroys our humanity and makes us into mere animals. It's a powerful allegory, and one that fits well in the mythological cycle that Moore is creating for her readers.

I am so tempted to tell you what legendary creature Moore has re-imagined for this tale, and how/whether Smith and Yarol escape the clutches of Yvala, but that would spoil the fun.

What I will say is that I think that Homer would approve and that the re-imagining is my favorite to date. The image of a creature that destroys the souls of those who adore it lingers with me still.

Previous Blogging Northwest Smith Entries:

7) [Blogging Northwest Smith] "Cold Gray God"
6) [Blogging Northwest Smith] "Nymph of Darkness"
5) [Blogging Northwest Smith] "Julhi"
4) [Blogging Northwest Smith] "Dust of the Gods"
3) Blogging Northwest Smith: "Scarlet Dream"
2) Blogging Northwest Smith: "Black Thirst"
1) Blogging Northwest Smith: "Shambleau"

Mike Mearls Unboxes the New Ravenloft Board Game

Wizards of the Coast's Ravenloft themed board game was initially slated to be released on August 17th, but the game has been pushed back to the end of the month. I personally blame bureaucrats in customs who are likely arguing whether the product needs to pay some obscure tariff or not.

While we await the release of the product, Mike Mearls has been kind enough to show us some of what is in store for us when we are eventually able to buy the game. I have to say that my first impression is that this game will compare favorably with classics like Heroquest and Descent, but we shall see.

Continuing the Conversation -- New "Blogging Pulp Stories" Page Added

I will be resuming my [Blogging Northwest Smith] series of posts next week with the story "Yvala." I have very much enjoyed reading the stories and writing my thoughts about them, but work, school, and two and a half year old twin daughters have interrupted the process.

In honor of my renewed intent to fulfill the social contract I entered with you last year, I have added a page to this blog entitled "Blogging Pulp Stories." On this page, you will find a listing of all the Northwest entries. As time permits, I will add other stories to the list as well. After Northwest will likely come Jirel of Joiry -- might as well read more Moore as she has a wonderful voice. This will likely be followed by a foray into "lost" DeCamp. I recently purchased a copy of a UK issue of Unknown Worlds that contains the Sprague DeCamp story "Solomon's Stone," and I am itching to read it. In his book Fantasy Roleplaying Games John Eric Holmes mentioned the story as a "proto" rpg tale, and I have longed to read it since Holmes' mention.

One of the reasons I am looking forward to re-igniting this series is because of the tremendous influence these tales have had on the gaming hobby and on popular culture in general.