Before I write about a couple of items that I think are great news for those who like games etc., I would like to point out that we have another casualty on the print periodical front. My last post was about the future of print newspapers. In it, I mentioned that Premiere magazine and Disney Adventures had been canceled and would likely only exist in digital format.
I didn't mention, though I should have, that both Dungeon and Dragon magazine ended publication this month in an event that caused great stir in the gaming community. I should have mentioned Dungeon and Dragon if only to point out that when magazines with circulations over half-a-million are going digital only, it should not have surprised gamers that Dungeon and Dragon (who have a much lower circulation) should move to that format.
That said...it appears that Inquest Magazine, the magazine for the collectible card game hobby, is also closing its shades with no word whether it will go digital or not. There are a lot of great things about this here digital revolution, but watching all these magazines fold up isn't one of them.
NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS.
There are several games coming out in the near future which make me absolutely giddy.
First, there will be a new edition of the Tales of the Arabian Nights boardgame. Z-Man Games will be releasing the new edition some time next year. Tales is one of those crazy games which cause ridiculous bidding wars on ebay. The game can cost upwards of $200.00, on a good day. I remember playing this game with my friend Roger Frederick a couple of times and marveling at how much fun we had.
Second, Fantasy Flight Games will be doing new versions of Cosmic Encounter and Borderlands as well as a Twilight Imperium adaptation of the old Avalon Hill Dune boardgame.
If only I had unlimited time to play games.
Oh, and the Solomon Kane roleplaying game will be shipping this October. I really can't wait for this gem. I wish I was one of the lucky few who purchased it at Gen Con.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Newspapers and Magazines...Paper or Electron?
In a recent article for the National Journal, William Powers discusses his thoughts on the current state of the "newspaper crisis." Are they here to stay or are they going the way of the dinosaur and the Stanley Steamer automobile. In the article, Powers briefly addresses the concerns of the newspaper fan and the newspaper employee and points out that:
It might seem that Powers is waxing Pollyanna on us, but I don't think so. News is a commodity in the "information age" and will be for time to come. Whether that news is about sports, business transactions, or Lindsay Lohan doesn't matter. People want information.
But does that mean that they want to read the news on "paper?"
Eyewitness television news didn't kill paper, what about the internets?
Powers doesn't answer this question in his piece, though I expect he'll be writing about the future of paper as a medium soon, but he does mention that Rupert Murdoch is fighting to purchase the Wall Street Journal (one of the nation's leading bird cage fillers).
Powers seems to be hinting that paper may not be dead as paper, but then what does Powers think about the following?
Premiere magazine, which had a circulation of over 500,000, is now purely digital and has featured our friend David Chute.
Disney will cease publication of its 1,000,000 circulation strong Disney Adventures.
And while the Journal is a leader in print, it also has one of the best web interfaces of any news publication.
Which direction is the news going?
Will Mark Cuban's comments regarding bandwidth capabilities have any effect? In other words, do we need paper because we will lack bandwidth?
Up-to-date information is the coin of the realm, and it's rare to meet a successful person who doesn't follow the news. They may not get it from the hard-copy newspaper, but most online news originates in traditional newspapers and newspaper-related organs such as the Associated Press. In other words, the basic product the papers produce still helps the fittest to thrive.
It might seem that Powers is waxing Pollyanna on us, but I don't think so. News is a commodity in the "information age" and will be for time to come. Whether that news is about sports, business transactions, or Lindsay Lohan doesn't matter. People want information.
But does that mean that they want to read the news on "paper?"
Eyewitness television news didn't kill paper, what about the internets?
Powers doesn't answer this question in his piece, though I expect he'll be writing about the future of paper as a medium soon, but he does mention that Rupert Murdoch is fighting to purchase the Wall Street Journal (one of the nation's leading bird cage fillers).
Powers seems to be hinting that paper may not be dead as paper, but then what does Powers think about the following?
Premiere magazine, which had a circulation of over 500,000, is now purely digital and has featured our friend David Chute.
Disney will cease publication of its 1,000,000 circulation strong Disney Adventures.
And while the Journal is a leader in print, it also has one of the best web interfaces of any news publication.
Which direction is the news going?
Will Mark Cuban's comments regarding bandwidth capabilities have any effect? In other words, do we need paper because we will lack bandwidth?
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Comic Book Tombs
Following the concerns of George Miller, we here at Cinerati wonder, "Are comic books more than their cover art?" The L.A. Times Calendar section has an interesting story about a certain strain of collecting which is more about investment and less about enjoyment.
I have a small comic book collection that is contained in four or five boxes. At the urging of my wife, I've been considering two option. The first, I save them for my children to enjoy, i.e., consume. Or, I could give the age appropriate titles to a local boys and girls club for those kids to consume. By destroy, I mean rip out the pages, add their own commentary, use the book as a tracing guide, etc... I figure that if the kids actually get the joy of actually using the book then the comic would have served its purpose more fully than if it was laid down in a safety deposit box encased in plastic. Collecting for its own sake, without an appreciation of the thing collected, is a sterile and pointless exercise.
Weren't the pages in the books in Gatsby's library uncut?
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
My Thoughts on the Upcoming 4th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons
Minutes after Wizards of the Coast made the announcement that there would be a 4th edition of the Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying game last week, I received two emails from concerned citizens of the roleplaying community.
The first email came from my friend Eric, who plays in my weekly Eberron game and started playing D&D with edition 3.5, who wrote, "Who else thinks that we are all doomed now? I just hope it is not like SAGA edition of Star Wars." Eric and I have had several conversations since this email, more on those later, but I think that Eric's concern might be typical of the new fan (Eric has only been playing for about a year) who is about to witness some major changes in a game he enjoys playing.
The second email I received came from the online game store "Stiggybaby's." In case you were wondering, I don't typically buy my rpg stuff online. I usually buy from a very nice independent bookstore located in Glendora, where I work, but sometimes I want to get a product I overlooked and don't want to wait four weeks until the next shipment can come. "The Ferret," over at Stiggybaby's, wrote:
"The Ferret's" view seems to me to be a more moderate view of the typical resistance that previous editions of D&D have received from long time fans. "The Ferret" uses terms like "beloved," "hope," and "old-school gamer" as a way to show experience, expertise, and an overall love of the hobby. These are traits typical of the long time fan. "The Ferret's" statement lacks the overly aggressive list of reasons why his or her opinion matters more than the average consumer. It also lacks an attack at corporate greed, which is why I say that "the Ferret" is displaying a more moderate view of the typical resistance/reluctance postings one might find on any of the rpg boards out in the interwebs.
Personally, as you might have guessed, I don't agree with either of these positions. I am looking forward to the new edition of the Dungeons and Dragons game. I have several reasons for this, but before I begin let me open with a long list of my grognard credentials. Only after I have verified that I am a legitimate "old-school" gamer, will I begin my reasons for excitement/hope for the new edition. I will put these comments in blockquote, so that those of you who don't require a full background check before going on the offense will be able to skip the next part.
Okay, now that I am back from establishing my credibility, I can begin discussing why I am optimistic.
The primary reason I am optimistic is because Wizards is trying to bring new people into the hobby. I want to be able to play roleplaying games, with new groups, for the rest of my life. Specifically, I want to play Dungeons and Dragons with new people for the rest of my life. I have made some great friends at the gaming table, most while playing D&D. When a publisher releases a new edition, it usually does two things. First, it brings in large sums of money from existing fans who upgrade to the new edition which keeps the company in business. This is good for the hobby. Second, it usually creates "earned media" in the press and creates word of mouth. This brings in new gamers which is also good for the hobby.
Why 2008 and not later? I can think of two quick marketing reasons. First, it is the 25th anniversary of the Dragonlance setting and the 20th anniversary of the first appearance of one of the best selling characters in all of fantasy literature, Drizz't. Those are two HUGE marketing reasons to do a new edition of the game. Wizards will be able to have three major media events surrounding their game in one year, and they won't even require the 700 Club getting upset. Though that wouldn't hurt their sales either. All that press can lead to new gamers coming in. New gamers who would feel far more comfortable buying three books, one each month from May through July, than they would looking at the library shelf of 3.5 edition gamebooks. That catalogue of books that gamers use as an argument why Wizards should wait before they put out a new edition, are exactly why Wizards should put out a new edition. The timing couldn't be better.
My next reason for being excited about the new edition, is that I am sick of playing "Monte Cook's" Dungeons and Dragons. I like the current edition of the rules, but it kept too much of the old and added too much of the new. One of the designers of the next edition of D&D described the way characters will work in the new game as follows:
You mean a fighter might not be useless after 5th level? Huzzah! They are incorporating ideas tested in Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords? Good for them. I'd really like to see how these changes work. One of my complaints about every other edition of D&D has been how little the game "emulates" the genre it is supposedly representing. The above descriptions makes it sound like mages will act like mages in fantasy novels and that fighters will act like fighters in fantasy novels. I couldn't be more excited.
Last, but not least, I am hopeful for the new edition because I have lived through so many editions of so many roleplaying games that new editions seem to me the norm rather than exception.
How many editions has Call of Cthulhu had? Officially six, but more like ten. The first edition lasted two years and the fifth edition lasted ten, but that's only if you don't count the 20th anniversary edition. Do CoC fans complain like D&D fans? Not that I have seen.
How many editions has Champions had? Five, but that's only if you don't count the "Revised Fifth Edition" as a new edition, then it's six. Do "Hero" fans complain? Nope, they are overjoyed because they know how tenuous the string their beloved game is hanging on is.
Tunnels and Trolls? Seven, but you can play with either rules set 5.5 or 7.0 and be current.
The list goes on and on with regard to games and new editions. Heck, I just bought a third edition of Bang! the other day. New editions are good for the hobby. They sometimes hurt the checkbook, but games are supposed to be paid with disposable income anyway.
The first email came from my friend Eric, who plays in my weekly Eberron game and started playing D&D with edition 3.5, who wrote, "Who else thinks that we are all doomed now? I just hope it is not like SAGA edition of Star Wars." Eric and I have had several conversations since this email, more on those later, but I think that Eric's concern might be typical of the new fan (Eric has only been playing for about a year) who is about to witness some major changes in a game he enjoys playing.
The second email I received came from the online game store "Stiggybaby's." In case you were wondering, I don't typically buy my rpg stuff online. I usually buy from a very nice independent bookstore located in Glendora, where I work, but sometimes I want to get a product I overlooked and don't want to wait four weeks until the next shipment can come. "The Ferret," over at Stiggybaby's, wrote:
I will admit I am not too excited about it. My hope is that the game system will be an improvement, or that other companies continue to support 3rd /3.5. I am an old-school gamer, been playing some kind of RPG since the 70's, and have seen some of my favorites come and go over the years, Traveler and Twilight 2000 from GDW are prime examples. I have watched my beloved D&D go from a RPG with combat, to a combat game with Role-Playing.
"The Ferret's" view seems to me to be a more moderate view of the typical resistance that previous editions of D&D have received from long time fans. "The Ferret" uses terms like "beloved," "hope," and "old-school gamer" as a way to show experience, expertise, and an overall love of the hobby. These are traits typical of the long time fan. "The Ferret's" statement lacks the overly aggressive list of reasons why his or her opinion matters more than the average consumer. It also lacks an attack at corporate greed, which is why I say that "the Ferret" is displaying a more moderate view of the typical resistance/reluctance postings one might find on any of the rpg boards out in the interwebs.
Personally, as you might have guessed, I don't agree with either of these positions. I am looking forward to the new edition of the Dungeons and Dragons game. I have several reasons for this, but before I begin let me open with a long list of my grognard credentials. Only after I have verified that I am a legitimate "old-school" gamer, will I begin my reasons for excitement/hope for the new edition. I will put these comments in blockquote, so that those of you who don't require a full background check before going on the offense will be able to skip the next part.
I have been playing Dungeons and Dragons since the first Basic Set. No...I never played with the white/brown box set with the three little books. Since Ken St. Andre was unable to figure out how to play that rules set (which is why he invented Tunnels and Trolls), I don't feel to bad that 10-year old Christian was unable to understand when to use Chainmail and when to use the new "alternative" combat rules. Besides, Chainmail was even more arcane to my inexperience 10-year old mind.
In my over 26 years of gaming, I have acquired a very large collection of roleplaying games. If you look at my gaming shelves, you will find almost everything from Aftermath to Zir'An with a vast selection of D&D/AD&D in between. I own the "Cthulhu" Deities and Demigods and almost every superhero rpg ever published. Yes, I own both Supergame and Superhero 2044. I have played games for almost 3/4 of my life and I love my hobby.
Okay, now that I am back from establishing my credibility, I can begin discussing why I am optimistic.
The primary reason I am optimistic is because Wizards is trying to bring new people into the hobby. I want to be able to play roleplaying games, with new groups, for the rest of my life. Specifically, I want to play Dungeons and Dragons with new people for the rest of my life. I have made some great friends at the gaming table, most while playing D&D. When a publisher releases a new edition, it usually does two things. First, it brings in large sums of money from existing fans who upgrade to the new edition which keeps the company in business. This is good for the hobby. Second, it usually creates "earned media" in the press and creates word of mouth. This brings in new gamers which is also good for the hobby.
Why 2008 and not later? I can think of two quick marketing reasons. First, it is the 25th anniversary of the Dragonlance setting and the 20th anniversary of the first appearance of one of the best selling characters in all of fantasy literature, Drizz't. Those are two HUGE marketing reasons to do a new edition of the game. Wizards will be able to have three major media events surrounding their game in one year, and they won't even require the 700 Club getting upset. Though that wouldn't hurt their sales either. All that press can lead to new gamers coming in. New gamers who would feel far more comfortable buying three books, one each month from May through July, than they would looking at the library shelf of 3.5 edition gamebooks. That catalogue of books that gamers use as an argument why Wizards should wait before they put out a new edition, are exactly why Wizards should put out a new edition. The timing couldn't be better.
My next reason for being excited about the new edition, is that I am sick of playing "Monte Cook's" Dungeons and Dragons. I like the current edition of the rules, but it kept too much of the old and added too much of the new. One of the designers of the next edition of D&D described the way characters will work in the new game as follows:
The next topic comes down to the types of abilities characters will have. Each class will have per-day abilities, per-encounter abilities, and at-will abilities, each tailored to that class, role, and power source. That means the wizard never needs to pull out a crossbow again, which I was surprised to hear someone in the crowd say (followed by a cheer). That's been one of own favorite examples of a crappy experience playing D&D: Running out of spells and having to resort to your stupid light crossbow. Blech. No more!
You mean a fighter might not be useless after 5th level? Huzzah! They are incorporating ideas tested in Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords? Good for them. I'd really like to see how these changes work. One of my complaints about every other edition of D&D has been how little the game "emulates" the genre it is supposedly representing. The above descriptions makes it sound like mages will act like mages in fantasy novels and that fighters will act like fighters in fantasy novels. I couldn't be more excited.
Last, but not least, I am hopeful for the new edition because I have lived through so many editions of so many roleplaying games that new editions seem to me the norm rather than exception.
How many editions has Call of Cthulhu had? Officially six, but more like ten. The first edition lasted two years and the fifth edition lasted ten, but that's only if you don't count the 20th anniversary edition. Do CoC fans complain like D&D fans? Not that I have seen.
How many editions has Champions had? Five, but that's only if you don't count the "Revised Fifth Edition" as a new edition, then it's six. Do "Hero" fans complain? Nope, they are overjoyed because they know how tenuous the string their beloved game is hanging on is.
Tunnels and Trolls? Seven, but you can play with either rules set 5.5 or 7.0 and be current.
The list goes on and on with regard to games and new editions. Heck, I just bought a third edition of Bang! the other day. New editions are good for the hobby. They sometimes hurt the checkbook, but games are supposed to be paid with disposable income anyway.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Cinerati/Geekerati Update
Those of you who visit this page with any regularity may have noticed a significant downturn in the frequency of posting for the past couple of weeks. For that I must apologize profusely. I have been traveling quite a bit the past couple of weeks for work and, unlike many who surf the tubes, that often leaves me with minimal interwebs access. Alas, I have no laptop/powerbook/blackberry with which to enter information.
That said, my trips to Sacramento and Washington, DC have been completed and it is my intention to resume regular posting regarding all things pop culture. I know, I don't actually post about "everything" pop culture every day, I just post about what interests me in the hopes that it interests you as well. An perfect example of this is the post on the remake of Enter the Dragon below, and my upcoming post about the pending 4th edition of the Dungeons and Dragons game.
It should be noted, however, that while my blog has been being treated like a redheaded stepchild of late, my online radio show has been airing on schedule. This has even been true, thanks to my cohosts (Eric, Shawna, and Bill), while I have been on the road. Please have a listen to our last episode "Treasure or Trash" and let me know what you think. This upcoming Monday I will review Emma Bull's latest novel Territory, a fantasy version of the buildup to the showdown at the OK Corral.
I know you are out there, and I apologize for neglecting you of late. Oh, and I promise a review of the Battlelore boardgame in the next week, with my thoughts on how well it simulates the Hundred Years War as well.
That said, my trips to Sacramento and Washington, DC have been completed and it is my intention to resume regular posting regarding all things pop culture. I know, I don't actually post about "everything" pop culture every day, I just post about what interests me in the hopes that it interests you as well. An perfect example of this is the post on the remake of Enter the Dragon below, and my upcoming post about the pending 4th edition of the Dungeons and Dragons game.
It should be noted, however, that while my blog has been being treated like a redheaded stepchild of late, my online radio show has been airing on schedule. This has even been true, thanks to my cohosts (Eric, Shawna, and Bill), while I have been on the road. Please have a listen to our last episode "Treasure or Trash" and let me know what you think. This upcoming Monday I will review Emma Bull's latest novel Territory, a fantasy version of the buildup to the showdown at the OK Corral.
I know you are out there, and I apologize for neglecting you of late. Oh, and I promise a review of the Battlelore boardgame in the next week, with my thoughts on how well it simulates the Hundred Years War as well.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Warner to remake Enter the Dragon
I know this is old news to most of you, but I was out in Washington, DC locked in a hotel basement for the past week. According to Variety, on August 9th, Warner Independent Pictures has selected "The Shield" executive producer Kurt Sutter to direct a re-envisioning of the Bruce Lee classic martial arts extravaganza.
This is pretty exciting, and pretty worrisome, news. While Five Fingers of Death was likely the first real experience Western audiences had with the martial arts film, and it certainly set the tropes for most American kung fu films, it was Enter the Dragon starring the legendary Bruce Lee that guaranteed that US audiences would be watching martial arts films for years. I am excited to see what Kurt and crew can do with the picture, but as I mentioned I am also worried.
As I read the Variety article, it became increasingly clear that the "hero" of the film (or at least the narrative focus) is likely to be as white as I am. The "noir" potential of the piece appeals to me, but the "lone FBI agent who pursues a rogue Shaolin monk into the bloody world of underground martial arts fight clubs"? Not so much.
A "lone FBI agent? A "rogue Shaolin monk"?
Does it take place in "a world gone mad"? Or even "beneath our noses"?
It's a little cliché. Maybe Kurt Sutter can incorporate some of the narrative of how the Triads and the Southern Shaolin Temple are related. Now that has noir potential.
This is pretty exciting, and pretty worrisome, news. While Five Fingers of Death was likely the first real experience Western audiences had with the martial arts film, and it certainly set the tropes for most American kung fu films, it was Enter the Dragon starring the legendary Bruce Lee that guaranteed that US audiences would be watching martial arts films for years. I am excited to see what Kurt and crew can do with the picture, but as I mentioned I am also worried.
As I read the Variety article, it became increasingly clear that the "hero" of the film (or at least the narrative focus) is likely to be as white as I am. The "noir" potential of the piece appeals to me, but the "lone FBI agent who pursues a rogue Shaolin monk into the bloody world of underground martial arts fight clubs"? Not so much.
A "lone FBI agent? A "rogue Shaolin monk"?
Does it take place in "a world gone mad"? Or even "beneath our noses"?
It's a little cliché. Maybe Kurt Sutter can incorporate some of the narrative of how the Triads and the Southern Shaolin Temple are related. Now that has noir potential.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Last Night the Geeks and I Discussed Alien Invasions
Hollywood loves alien invasion stories, and so do we. Whether they are special effects extravaganza's like War of the Worlds or powerful social commentary like Invasion of the Body Snatchers there is something about alien invasion stories that deeply resonates with the human condition.
What are your favorite alien invasion stories? The Moon Maid by Edgar Rice Burroughs? Invasion of the Body Snatchers? Independence Day?
We discussed all these and more last night on Geekerati.
What are your favorite alien invasion stories? The Moon Maid by Edgar Rice Burroughs? Invasion of the Body Snatchers? Independence Day?
We discussed all these and more last night on Geekerati.
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