I believe the most recent Batman film, THE DARK KNIGHT, is a masterpiece. It combines elements from classic comic book narratives with the themes of THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE. If the movie had been written as an issue of WORLD'S FINEST, back in the day, it might have gone a little more like this.
Hat Tip: SFSignal
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Once More I am Happy with Steve Jackson Games: Just in Time to Prepare for Munchkin Quest 2
Yesterday I wrote about my disappointment with Steve Jackson Games with regard to their handling of the transition of their Pyramid Online Magazine subscription service. They were shifting from an html format to a much improved pdf format.
You can read the old post to get the whole story. Needless to say, I was upset by two things.
First, that the transition -- which included making available a download featuring all the old Pyramid Online articles -- happened during a time that was crazily busy for me. This was not Steve Jackson Game's fault, just an inconvenience on my end. An inconvenience, that led to me not finding out about the change until well after it had happened. So I missed the archive.
Second, that almost two weeks after sending an email discussing my problem to Steve Jackson Games, I still had not received a response from them. I wasn't expecting them to send me the archive as an attachment or any other kind of special consideration. I just wanted to inform them of the problem, in the hopes that they would handle similar future transitions in a way that is less time sensitive and more customer friendly. I didn't exactly say that in the email, but that was my intention. All I expected was a reply from Steve Jackson Games in return for the email. Some small part of my soul hoped for access to the archive, but as I have written that wasn't really expected. I just wanted good customer service.
It did not appear that I was receiving that service in response to my email. Though it should be noted that I included a list of emails that I sent the email to and ones that I thought I maybe should have used. As it turns out, I should have used one of the emails I did not use.
Today, I received a very nice and professional email from Steven Marsh -- the editor of the online version of Pyramid Magazine. The email was everything I had wanted, if not everything I had hoped for, and it explained the situation perfectly. It even explained why/how they made the archive available.
Sadly, it also affirmed that they would not be making it available again.
Hopefully, they will change their mind on that and offer it at e23 for a fee. There were some excellent articles in the html version of the magazine and it would be a shame to see them disappear forever. After seeing a deceased friend's website completely disappear with the death of journalspace, I am particularly sensitive to the frailty of digital content. But I must admit that I have no idea what the editorial time or the logistics of such an offering would be.
I just know that I once more feel like a happy part of the Steve Jackson Games family. I don't feel like an anonymous consumer, but like a valued client.
That said, I am very much looking forward to the Munchkin Quest Expansion.
FNORD!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Steve Jackson Games Might Have Permanently Lost Me as a Customer
I just might never buy another Steve Jackson Games product again!
That was a hard sentence for me to write. Steve Jackson games has been one of my favorite gaming companies for as long as I can remember. Afternoon sessions of OGRE and CAR WARS are some of my favorite middle school memories. I can thank Christian Hunt for those wonderful memories. Prior to the release of D&D Miniatures, the Cardboard Heroes line of paper miniatures were my minis of choice, some still are, whenever I play(ed) an rpg. AUTODUEL CHAMPIONS was unforgettable, as were all the excellent issues of SPACE GAMER/FANTASY GAMER -- I have a full collection. TOON is one of the greatest games ever designed, and my GURPS library has aided me in running a number of other game systems. I am particularly fond of GURPS Scarlet Pimpernel and GURPS The Prisoner. Not to mention that they were the company that published Robin's Laws of Good Gamemastering, a product of immeasurable value.
It certainly wasn't lack of quality products that might make me decide to never purchase another Steve Jackson Games product.
It is a lack of customer service.
On November 7th, Steve Jackson Games notified people who frequent their site that they were changing the format of their excellent online magazine Pyramid from an html product to a pdf one. I believe this is an excellent decision, but...They also notified their subscribers by the same method that archives to back issues would only be available online until November 21st. I believe this was a bad decision. For two reasons.
First, subscribers -- and I was one -- received no email notifying them of the change.
Second, November 7th through 21st was the worst imaginable time -- for me and likely me alone -- for this change to be made.
There was this little thing called a Presidential election, and its aftermath, that was keeping me -- as a Program Director of a non-profit dedicated to youth civic engagement -- very busy. I ran 28 simulation elections in Los Angeles County and then followed those up with celebrations recognizing the students who volunteered to run the elections on various campuses. Oh, and I have twin baby girls who keep me from spending as much time at the computer, and I'm working on my MBA, and I traveled to Columbus, OH to interview with GAMA during this time. Needless to say, checking up at the Daily Illuminator was pretty low on my list of priorities at the time. It wasn't until January, when I went to read the "issues" that I had missed, that I found out about the change. At the time, I emailed SJG about my situation, and subscribed to the new PDF version of the magazine -- which costs a similar price to Dungeons and Dragons Insider -- in case you were wondering.
I sent them the following email hoping they would respond, and praying they would make a special exception:
I admit that the email was not super polite, but I don't believe it was overly venomous either. I sent the email to Paul, Phil, Steve, Info, and Editor. I probably should have sent to Pyramid and pyramidrefunds -- all at sjgames.com.
As I wrote above, I hoped they would respond and prayed they would make a special exception. I wasn't counting on having access to the archive, just praying. I was counting on a reply. I sent the email on December 30th, and have received no reply. I have heard not a word.
I own at minimum $5-8k of their products. I even subscribed to their short lived online d20 magazine, and I get nothing.
That's bad customer service, and it makes me want to stop buying their products.
It really does. Is a reply too much to ask?
The strength of their products, and knowledge that they are a small company struggling through an economic downturn in a niche market, will probably keep me as a customer.
But right now, I am not feeling the love.
That was a hard sentence for me to write. Steve Jackson games has been one of my favorite gaming companies for as long as I can remember. Afternoon sessions of OGRE and CAR WARS are some of my favorite middle school memories. I can thank Christian Hunt for those wonderful memories. Prior to the release of D&D Miniatures, the Cardboard Heroes line of paper miniatures were my minis of choice, some still are, whenever I play(ed) an rpg. AUTODUEL CHAMPIONS was unforgettable, as were all the excellent issues of SPACE GAMER/FANTASY GAMER -- I have a full collection. TOON is one of the greatest games ever designed, and my GURPS library has aided me in running a number of other game systems. I am particularly fond of GURPS Scarlet Pimpernel and GURPS The Prisoner. Not to mention that they were the company that published Robin's Laws of Good Gamemastering, a product of immeasurable value.
It certainly wasn't lack of quality products that might make me decide to never purchase another Steve Jackson Games product.
It is a lack of customer service.
On November 7th, Steve Jackson Games notified people who frequent their site that they were changing the format of their excellent online magazine Pyramid from an html product to a pdf one. I believe this is an excellent decision, but...They also notified their subscribers by the same method that archives to back issues would only be available online until November 21st. I believe this was a bad decision. For two reasons.
First, subscribers -- and I was one -- received no email notifying them of the change.
Second, November 7th through 21st was the worst imaginable time -- for me and likely me alone -- for this change to be made.
There was this little thing called a Presidential election, and its aftermath, that was keeping me -- as a Program Director of a non-profit dedicated to youth civic engagement -- very busy. I ran 28 simulation elections in Los Angeles County and then followed those up with celebrations recognizing the students who volunteered to run the elections on various campuses. Oh, and I have twin baby girls who keep me from spending as much time at the computer, and I'm working on my MBA, and I traveled to Columbus, OH to interview with GAMA during this time. Needless to say, checking up at the Daily Illuminator was pretty low on my list of priorities at the time. It wasn't until January, when I went to read the "issues" that I had missed, that I found out about the change. At the time, I emailed SJG about my situation, and subscribed to the new PDF version of the magazine -- which costs a similar price to Dungeons and Dragons Insider -- in case you were wondering.
I sent them the following email hoping they would respond, and praying they would make a special exception:
To Whom it May Concern,
I have been a Pyramid subscriber ever since the magazine went digital (User Name: AaronBurr email was: Frenzyk2 - at - aol.com I believe is now Christian.Lindke - at - gmail.com older records might show me as Christian Johnson). I recently, this week, went to log on to the site to catch up on what I imagined would be a backlog of issues. I work for a non-profit devoted to youth civic engagement and have been swamped since mid-October which, combined with my infant twin daughters, has meant that I have been completely unaware of the changes to Pyramid.
First, let me say that the new magazine looks great. I subscribed to the pdf version today.
Second, WTF?! You offered access to the archive for a very limited time, one that coincided with the busiest time of my occupation, meaning that I have no access to years of articles that I have enjoyed reading in the past and was hoping to read in the future. I get nothing, nada, zilch and I’m pissed. I never received an email, which I did have time to check, or I would have renewed and downloaded in a hurry (your magazine is well worth one late night downloading). I don’t mind that over half the money I used to subscribe in July is wasted – I missed the opportunity to transition over to the new system at a discount, I get that. But to have no access to the archive is ridiculous.
I feel like one of those old SPI lifetime subscribers who were cheated out by TSR. I’m angry, but I can be consoled. Please make available the archive.
Christian Lindke
I admit that the email was not super polite, but I don't believe it was overly venomous either. I sent the email to Paul, Phil, Steve, Info, and Editor. I probably should have sent to Pyramid and pyramidrefunds -- all at sjgames.com.
As I wrote above, I hoped they would respond and prayed they would make a special exception. I wasn't counting on having access to the archive, just praying. I was counting on a reply. I sent the email on December 30th, and have received no reply. I have heard not a word.
I own at minimum $5-8k of their products. I even subscribed to their short lived online d20 magazine, and I get nothing.
That's bad customer service, and it makes me want to stop buying their products.
It really does. Is a reply too much to ask?
The strength of their products, and knowledge that they are a small company struggling through an economic downturn in a niche market, will probably keep me as a customer.
But right now, I am not feeling the love.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Imaginary Conversations with Agent: John Scalzi and His Agent Discuss OLD MAN'S WAR Film Deal
Way back on December 11, science fiction author extraordinaire John Scalzi jokingly wrote -- in his AMC column -- that he "actually instructed my film agent to demand I get an extra $2 million if [Paul W.S. Anderson] attached to direct a movie based on one of my books." I found the statement amusing and commented yesterday that if the Haitian from Heroes actually existed, and could remove certain films from Paul W.S. Anderson's mind, I thought he would actually be a good director for Old Man's War and it's sequels.
As an aside, I personally find it awesome that Scalzi is essentially AMC's modern SF Joe Bob Briggs. That's pretty prestigious company to be in compadre.
In the past, I've written a couple of imaginary conversations like this Elektra review or this imaginary exchange at the Los Angeles Farmer's Market. I think that they are fun, and would like to do them more often. In fact, I'm going to try -- on a semi-regular basis -- to write imaginary conversation between entertainment figures and their agents. We'll see if you find them as fun as I do.
Combining the pleasure I get from writing imaginary conversations with the sinister thoughts that entered my mind after reading Scalzi's comments about Anderson, I submit to you the following.
As an aside, I personally find it awesome that Scalzi is essentially AMC's modern SF Joe Bob Briggs. That's pretty prestigious company to be in compadre.
In the past, I've written a couple of imaginary conversations like this Elektra review or this imaginary exchange at the Los Angeles Farmer's Market. I think that they are fun, and would like to do them more often. In fact, I'm going to try -- on a semi-regular basis -- to write imaginary conversation between entertainment figures and their agents. We'll see if you find them as fun as I do.
Combining the pleasure I get from writing imaginary conversations with the sinister thoughts that entered my mind after reading Scalzi's comments about Anderson, I submit to you the following.
AN IMAGINARY CONVERSATION BETWEEN JOHN SCALZI AND HIS FILM AGENT TOM STEIN
It's a wintery day in the countryside outside Dayton, OH. JOHN SCALZI sits in the window of his writing room looking out at the snow covered landscape. A deer meanders through the landscape. JOHN SCALZI smiles and looks down at YELLOW DOG who is sleeping at his feet.
The phone rings.JOHN SCALZI
Hello.TOM STEINJohn! I have great news! We've optioned OLD MAN'S WAR and it has been fast tracked into production by New Line Cinema.JOHN SCALZIReally?! That's amazing news. What does the contract look like?TOM STEINThey're offering $2.175 million up front with 2% of net profit.JOHN SCALZINet?! That means I'll earn 2% of nothing. Even YELLOW DOG knows that.TOM STEINYELLOW DOG doesn't even know what town he's in, but that's why I counter offered with 2% of gross, script oversight, and rewrite authority. They caved...but...JOHN SCALZIBut...what?TOM STEINWell...the reason they offered the $2.175 million is that I have had to activate your Paul W.S. Anderson clause.JOHN SCALZIThe Haitian really exists?TOM STEINNo, but that's why there is a $2 million in front of the $175 thousand.JOHN SCALZIExcellent.TOM STEINExcellent?JOHN SCALZIYes. Now I can fulfill every genre writer's dream?TOM STEINDream?JOHN SCALZIThere are certain genre giants, I call them "THE GREATS," who have all shared one thing in common...TOM STEINYawn...I think I hear my other line ringing.JOHN SCALZIThey have all owned vast tracks of land with inspiring names like Goldeneye, Tarzana Ranch, Skywalker Ranch. At last! Mwah ha ha! Heinlandia shall be built!TOM STEINHeinlandia sounds too much like Scandia. I could never sell any of your IP, if you lived in Heinlandia. How about Steinland?Or Hayden Place?TOM STEIN AND JOHN SCALZIHuh?! What are you doing on this call?PATRICK NIELSEN HAYDENI am always patched into the lines of writers I edit. Helps me make sure they are hard at work and not watching deer meander through pastures when they should be writing. I could never edit a writer who lived in Heinlandia, it just sounds silly. How about naming your tract after your hard working and dedicated editor?JOHN SCALZIBah! Dammit! Fine. I'll name it Valentine Ranch. If you can't figure out why, you aren't worthy to be an SF editor or my agent.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
John Scalzi on Worst SF Film of Past 12 Months
Over at the AMCtv website, SF author extraordinaire John Scalzi gives his opinion regarding the worst SF film of the past 12 months. His choice of AVP: Requiem is what some might call a "gimme," but Scalzi's analysis of the film is full of the insight and humor that Scalzi fans know and love.
Two of his comments stuck in my minds eye as particularly noteworthy. The first is his statement, "there's bad, from which campy enjoyment can still be wrung (see: Speed Racer), and there's joyless, depressing bad, which this movie oozes." Never mind that I actually believe that Speed Racer is not merely entertaining, but also good. Leave that aside and the sentence manages to convey just how awful Scalzi found AVP:Requiem to be. He "shows rather than tells" as our English professors continually pounded into our heads. The thought of joyless and depressing ooze has a nice Lovecraftian feel to it. It's almost as if Scalzi is saying that the act of watching AVP:Requiem can provide viewers with full knowledge of true cosmic horror. Good meaty stuff this.
The second striking comment, more a set of comments, was "Paul W.S. Anderson, [is] a director of such general hackery that I've actually instructed my film agent to demand I get an extra $2 million if he's attached to direct a movie based on one of my books." Now I would love for Scalzi to receive an extra $2 million for having any of his books made into films. I don't need there to be a reason except for Scalzi's authorship. But it strikes me that he's being slightly unfair to Paul W.S. Anderson's actual ability to make an entertaining film.
Before you jump through the screen and choke me to death, let me assure you that I am not some kind of Anderson fanatic. Cinerati didn't exactly fawn over Deathrace, though we did find it entertaining. I just think that the director of Event Horizon and Soldier might be a good fit for The Ghost Brigades. We just have to bring the Haitian from Heroes in to remove things like AVP, Mortal Kombat, and the various Resident Evil films from Anderson's mind before production begins.
Monday, January 05, 2009
GAMA Executive Director Job Hunt: Missed It by That Much!
The Game Manufacturer's Association announced the hiring of their new Executive Director this morning. For the position, they selected John Ward who brings a wide array of management and retail experience to the organization. To quote the GAMA press release, "Ward...has over 20 years of government service in the criminal justice field, most recently in the juvenile system as the state of Ohio’s Bureau Chief of Parole and then Bureau Chief of Community Facilities. In this last role, he supervised 12 small correctional facilities and managed revenue generation for Ohio’s juvenile corrections agency, as well as working with 12 governing boards in a variety of endeavors. He enhanced volunteer programs, developed data and outcome measures, and was able to assist them in operationalizing both economic and procedural efficiencies. He still serves on a national level working and consulting in the criminal justice arena."
I wish him the best of luck and it sounds like the GAMA board's selection process last fall has brought a worthy candidate to the organization. It is my sincere hope that John is able to expand the size and scope of GAMA and that by next year's GAMA Trade Show, his positive influence is readily visible.
What many of you may not know is that I applied for this very position last fall and made it through to the final stage of selection (the final four if you will). GAMA flew me out to Columbus, OH where I had the privilege of meeting with the current board members in an in person interview. I had already had a "long distance" interview with Michelle Nephew of Atlas Games (she is a current board member) and was excited to have the opportunity to be considered for the position.
The trip out was one of the most exhilarating and exhausting experiences of my life. I flew out of Los Angeles the evening prior to my interview, arrived in Columbus early in the morning, and flew back the same evening I was interviewed. It was a grueling 42 hour day. I don't recommend 42 hour days, but it is one of the disadvantages of living on the West Coast that trips back East make for life draining journeys. Thankfully, I made my Fortitude Save and was coherent throughout my interview -- if a bit manic.
I applied for the position because it was one of those rare occasions where interests and talents align in an almost perfect manner. I have 8 years of management experience with a small staff at a non-profit. I have also managed several large -- not in comparison to Origins or the GTS (GAMA Trade Show) -- annual conferences in Washington, DC (for approximately 200 students) and a number of simulation elections, town hall forums, etc. Combining this experience with my overwhelming love of gaming as a hobby, and this was an opportunity that I could not overlook.
I wasn't certain that I would get as far in the process and I did. I was actually surprised that I made it into the final four individuals being considered. Especially, adding to my resume that I am currently working on my MBA -- my Ph.D. studies (2 courses -- qualifying exams -- and a dissertation are what remain for my fulfillment) are currently on hold -- which was likely a liability. No one wants to relocate someone who is in the process of accomplishing a goal. I am certain that was one reason I wasn't offered the position.
That...and the fact that John Ward is an awesome candidate. Looking over his background, I feel even more honored to have made it as far as I did.
Thank you for the interview GAMA and good luck John. Hopefully, I'll be able to go to Origins in 2009 or 2010 and I can congratulate you in person.
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