Yesterday, I had a unique thing happen. In 30 years of playing Dungeons & Dragons and 25 years of dungeon mastering I have experienced a total party kill a couple of times and my main character died so many times during my first 10 years of playing D&D that it became a joke. But never had I refereed a game that resulted in a total party kill and that is exactly what happened yesterday with the first encounter of the new adventure we started.
I new the encounter would be tough and I scaled back some of the criteria for monsters. I eliminated the surprise attack round, took away the +1 to hit for the hopping special attack, and always failed my initiative roll so that I attacked last each round. Once things started going badly, I reduced the amount of damage they did with each attack to try to prolong the combat and give the characters an opportunity even the numbers but it never happened. The players could not make enough hits and were plagued by bad dice rolling. I also underestimated the impact of the number of attacks that each individual opponent had and how the damage, no matter how trivial, really added up quick.
The players were demoralized and upset, justifiably. I tried to offer restarting the scenario and ignore the results of the first encounter but there was grumbling that it felt like cheating to ignore the character party being wiped out. Some new numbers were generated for new characters for possibly starting a new campaign but one of the players hasn't decided if he wants to play any more and another doesn't want to invest time in a character if he's just going to die again. The experience was demoralizing for everybody involved and really derailed our afternoon. We were finally able to pull it together enough to play some card games for a couple of hours and salvage some game time but I don't know what the future holds for our monthly game day yet.
Part of the problem is trying to scale the games. Most adventures are created for 4-5 characters and I'm refereeing for 3. I've tried to scale the encounter down, fudge hit rolls and damage rolls and not take advantage of special abilities but I need to figure out how to actually overhaul some of the encounters so they are more appropriately balanced. I haven't dmed in almost a decade which has contributed to some rustiness on my part. And I'm trying to play with 4th edition rules in one game but referee with 2nd edition rules in another game which has created some confusion as the 2 rules sets are drastically different. It would be great to convert the game to 4th edition and focus on just 1 rule set but I'm the only one among that group that has the newest rules and I don't think they are inclined to spend money on new rules, especially because we've only played about 9 times in the last year.
Maybe it's time to start playing board games again.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
8 Month Check-up & Life In General
I spent the last 2 fridays meeting with the surgeon's assistant and my primary care physician regarding my gastric bypass surgery on January 29th. Everything seems to be great. I'm down 212 pounds to 309 and I'm no longer considered diabetic with a 3 month post-medication A1C score of 5.4. My total cholesterol is down to 154 and my LDL to HDL ratio is 4.6. Some of my nutrition levels are a little off but improving.
My fitness level is also improving. I typically walk 3 miles a day at least 5 days a week and feel much better physically. No joint pain or any real issues with mobility any more. Emotionally I still have moments where for no perceivable reason I get upset, angry, or depressed. Don't know what to do about those yet but I work through them and try to feel better. Those times are still the hardest part of the post-surgery experience.
Elizabeth started school the tuesday after Labor Day and is loving it. We should have started her in pre-school a year ago but we were worried about the change and we want her to be our "little" girl for as long as possible. She comes home with new information everyday and is starting to recognize letters, numbers, and some words already. I'm very excited for her future.
Amy is in her first semester as a department chair and the experience is not a very positive one for her. She has employees that don't cooperate with her or each other and don't do their jobs. It has been upsetting to realize how unprofessional some people can be. I really want her to find another job at another college. We'll have to wait and see.
My gaming life is not going as well as I would like it to but what's new there. I did run my 2nd edition Dungeons & Dragons game again for the first time since Spring in September and we finally finished the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh adventure. I've been reading the second installment, Danger at Dunwater, and should be ready to start it this Sunday when we meet again. The 4th edition game that was meeting at Joel's only managed to play 1 game before it fell apart. And the online 4th edition game Joel is running with Maptools and Ventrilo is a lot of fun but still not as much fun as a face-to-face game. I may find myself in a position where I have to get up to speed with the 4th edition rules and try to run my own game. I really like the rule set and have invested a fair amount of money in rule books for the current edition of D&D.
Probably the aspect of gaming I have been most succesful at is collecting and spending money. I now have 24 of the 42 little black books from the original Traveller science fiction role-playing game from the early 1980s. Traveller is a game I did not play very much but is a rule set I really loved and I occasionally check out ebay to see if I can pick up some books cheap. I was also able to pick up a starter set for the new edition of the Dungeons & Dragons miniature game for $0.53 at Borders books with coupons and credits I had. I didn't own it 2 days before I bought my first expansion booster for the game. This collector bug could really kick into high gear if I'm not careful with this game. I need to find a source for some cheap single common minis and get a good collection of core models and try to avoid the new booster packs when I can. It is a game that could lead to some casual weekend gaming and some new contacts if I make the time. I could really use some new gaming contacts.
Well, that's about I think of to report on about what's going on lately. Life is good and things are going well. I could not ask for any more and I am greatful for everything in my life.
My fitness level is also improving. I typically walk 3 miles a day at least 5 days a week and feel much better physically. No joint pain or any real issues with mobility any more. Emotionally I still have moments where for no perceivable reason I get upset, angry, or depressed. Don't know what to do about those yet but I work through them and try to feel better. Those times are still the hardest part of the post-surgery experience.
Elizabeth started school the tuesday after Labor Day and is loving it. We should have started her in pre-school a year ago but we were worried about the change and we want her to be our "little" girl for as long as possible. She comes home with new information everyday and is starting to recognize letters, numbers, and some words already. I'm very excited for her future.
Amy is in her first semester as a department chair and the experience is not a very positive one for her. She has employees that don't cooperate with her or each other and don't do their jobs. It has been upsetting to realize how unprofessional some people can be. I really want her to find another job at another college. We'll have to wait and see.
My gaming life is not going as well as I would like it to but what's new there. I did run my 2nd edition Dungeons & Dragons game again for the first time since Spring in September and we finally finished the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh adventure. I've been reading the second installment, Danger at Dunwater, and should be ready to start it this Sunday when we meet again. The 4th edition game that was meeting at Joel's only managed to play 1 game before it fell apart. And the online 4th edition game Joel is running with Maptools and Ventrilo is a lot of fun but still not as much fun as a face-to-face game. I may find myself in a position where I have to get up to speed with the 4th edition rules and try to run my own game. I really like the rule set and have invested a fair amount of money in rule books for the current edition of D&D.
Probably the aspect of gaming I have been most succesful at is collecting and spending money. I now have 24 of the 42 little black books from the original Traveller science fiction role-playing game from the early 1980s. Traveller is a game I did not play very much but is a rule set I really loved and I occasionally check out ebay to see if I can pick up some books cheap. I was also able to pick up a starter set for the new edition of the Dungeons & Dragons miniature game for $0.53 at Borders books with coupons and credits I had. I didn't own it 2 days before I bought my first expansion booster for the game. This collector bug could really kick into high gear if I'm not careful with this game. I need to find a source for some cheap single common minis and get a good collection of core models and try to avoid the new booster packs when I can. It is a game that could lead to some casual weekend gaming and some new contacts if I make the time. I could really use some new gaming contacts.
Well, that's about I think of to report on about what's going on lately. Life is good and things are going well. I could not ask for any more and I am greatful for everything in my life.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
2 Month Check-Up
I had my 2 month check-up on April 3rd. My blood pressure was 111 over 75 and I had lost 90 lbs in 9 weeks. I feel great and I’m walking a lot, 3 miles everyday at lunch Monday through Friday. It is still hard to focus on some of my old, idle hobbies like painting wargaming miniatures. This is partly because I still have a nagging feeling that I should spend as much time active as I can squeeze into each day but also the demands of my daughter for attention and play time now that I am more active. Reading is something else that is hard to do, again because it requires me to be still. I need to try audio books when I go for my walks.
My wife, Amy, is where I was a month ago. She is having a love/hate relationship with her dietary changes but is starting to feel better about herself. Her energy hasn’t improved as much as mine at the same time but that is probably due more to stress from work. I hope that levels out for her soon. Amy does use the Wii Fit board for 30-45 minutes of step aerobics and yoga 4-5 times a week because it is not as easy for her to get out and walk at work. She hasn’t lost any significant weight in 2 weeks but she has lost a couple of sizes in clothing and can now wear some new clothes.
Summer should be both fun and challenging. The fun part should be going to see Amy’s family on the big island in Hawaii and meeting up with my mom on her vacation in the 4 corners region. I look forward to being in better shape and being able to move around and see more stuff this summer. The challenge will come from the Arizona heat and trying to stay active in general. Most of the regular exercise I get comes from walking around my college campus and it is already starting to get warm and we are nowhere near June. Heat may become my arch nemesis. I need to come up with alternative strategies for the 100+ degree months.
As a side note, we are playing Dungeons & Dragons again on April 19th. It has been 3 months since we played and the guys seem excited to start up again. I’m looking forward to playing and need to do a little prep work in the next 10 days. I’ve read the adventure 4 or 5 times and know how I’m going to setup the hook. The Sunday night game has been more fun since the surgery and the improved energy keeps me from dozing off during slow parts of the game. I hope the same energy carries over to running my own game and makes it better.
My wife, Amy, is where I was a month ago. She is having a love/hate relationship with her dietary changes but is starting to feel better about herself. Her energy hasn’t improved as much as mine at the same time but that is probably due more to stress from work. I hope that levels out for her soon. Amy does use the Wii Fit board for 30-45 minutes of step aerobics and yoga 4-5 times a week because it is not as easy for her to get out and walk at work. She hasn’t lost any significant weight in 2 weeks but she has lost a couple of sizes in clothing and can now wear some new clothes.
Summer should be both fun and challenging. The fun part should be going to see Amy’s family on the big island in Hawaii and meeting up with my mom on her vacation in the 4 corners region. I look forward to being in better shape and being able to move around and see more stuff this summer. The challenge will come from the Arizona heat and trying to stay active in general. Most of the regular exercise I get comes from walking around my college campus and it is already starting to get warm and we are nowhere near June. Heat may become my arch nemesis. I need to come up with alternative strategies for the 100+ degree months.
As a side note, we are playing Dungeons & Dragons again on April 19th. It has been 3 months since we played and the guys seem excited to start up again. I’m looking forward to playing and need to do a little prep work in the next 10 days. I’ve read the adventure 4 or 5 times and know how I’m going to setup the hook. The Sunday night game has been more fun since the surgery and the improved energy keeps me from dozing off during slow parts of the game. I hope the same energy carries over to running my own game and makes it better.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
4 Weeks Out & I Feel Fine (mostly)
It has been almost a month since I had gastric bypass surgery and some things have gone well and some things are still a struggle. Last Saturday I weighed in and had lost 56 pounds from my starting total of 521 pounds. Now at 465 pounds, I move better, my feet and legs don’t hurt nearly as much, I feel generally happier most of the time. I also want to be moving more and one of the times I look forward to the most each day is my walk.
When I’m at work, I tend to go for a walk around the perimeter of the campus. I get to see the new construction that’s happening. Spring is well underway here despite it being February. The last couple of days have been in the 80s and trees are showing signs of life, at least the few who lost their leaves. I listen to an MP3 player loaded with some of my favorite songs and walk for a little over 30 minutes at lunch everyday. The perimeter of the campus is about 1.25-1.5 miles and it’s a nice walk.
On weekends I try to walk in my neighborhood. It’s not as easy to do because of the distractions of home life and the requirements on my time. Weekends are busy with running errands and lately Amy has been traveling a lot but that should change soon. We did get to the zoo a couple of weeks ago and that was a good walk. I should try to take Elizabeth more often because I think she really enjoys it too. My typical walk is about a 1.5 miles through our neighborhood. It’s less interesting than the walk at work mainly because about a third of the houses in our neighborhood are in foreclosure. Our neighborhood is not very lively right now.
The hard part right now is still food and surprisingly the hardest part is eating enough. I still do not have any appetite. The nutritionist says I should be consuming between 800-1100 calories a day and most days I’m lucky if I can consume 400. I measure my food into 2 ounce servings and eat 3 times a day most days. The protein shakes and other liquids are another challenge. The protein shakes taste fine when I mix them fresh and they are cold but they tend to upset my stomach. I have only been consuming about 8 ounces a day when I should be consuming about 24 ounces. That would add a couple hundred calories to my daily intake if I can get to that point. And other liquids are just hard to keep up with because of the quantity. My water and sugar-free drink intake should be between 64-96 ounces a day. That means I spend most of my day with a bottle in my mouth so that I can get the minimum amount of liquid each day. It also means I feel full all the time which makes me not want to eat. It’s a nasty cycle to get into.
Most of my mental energy outside of work is spent trying to wrap my head around all of these changes. It’s not always easy and I find myself getting angry once or twice a week. I know that is has everything to do with me and I try not to make anyone else suffer. Trying distractions like painting models and reading have not been working lately because I feel like I need to be more active. I definitely have a sense of restlessness. After Amy has her surgery and is feeling better we may have to spend more time being active. We probably should just for the operations to be successful but I also want to which I haven’t felt since my early 20s. I feel younger just for what weight I’ve lost already. I hope it continues.
When I’m at work, I tend to go for a walk around the perimeter of the campus. I get to see the new construction that’s happening. Spring is well underway here despite it being February. The last couple of days have been in the 80s and trees are showing signs of life, at least the few who lost their leaves. I listen to an MP3 player loaded with some of my favorite songs and walk for a little over 30 minutes at lunch everyday. The perimeter of the campus is about 1.25-1.5 miles and it’s a nice walk.
On weekends I try to walk in my neighborhood. It’s not as easy to do because of the distractions of home life and the requirements on my time. Weekends are busy with running errands and lately Amy has been traveling a lot but that should change soon. We did get to the zoo a couple of weeks ago and that was a good walk. I should try to take Elizabeth more often because I think she really enjoys it too. My typical walk is about a 1.5 miles through our neighborhood. It’s less interesting than the walk at work mainly because about a third of the houses in our neighborhood are in foreclosure. Our neighborhood is not very lively right now.
The hard part right now is still food and surprisingly the hardest part is eating enough. I still do not have any appetite. The nutritionist says I should be consuming between 800-1100 calories a day and most days I’m lucky if I can consume 400. I measure my food into 2 ounce servings and eat 3 times a day most days. The protein shakes and other liquids are another challenge. The protein shakes taste fine when I mix them fresh and they are cold but they tend to upset my stomach. I have only been consuming about 8 ounces a day when I should be consuming about 24 ounces. That would add a couple hundred calories to my daily intake if I can get to that point. And other liquids are just hard to keep up with because of the quantity. My water and sugar-free drink intake should be between 64-96 ounces a day. That means I spend most of my day with a bottle in my mouth so that I can get the minimum amount of liquid each day. It also means I feel full all the time which makes me not want to eat. It’s a nasty cycle to get into.
Most of my mental energy outside of work is spent trying to wrap my head around all of these changes. It’s not always easy and I find myself getting angry once or twice a week. I know that is has everything to do with me and I try not to make anyone else suffer. Trying distractions like painting models and reading have not been working lately because I feel like I need to be more active. I definitely have a sense of restlessness. After Amy has her surgery and is feeling better we may have to spend more time being active. We probably should just for the operations to be successful but I also want to which I haven’t felt since my early 20s. I feel younger just for what weight I’ve lost already. I hope it continues.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
It's Finally Done... & It Begins
On January 29th, 2009 I finally had my gastric bypass surgery. I was in a lot of pain that day and for a couple of days after but then things got better quick. 6 days after the surgery I was walking about 2 miles a day over 2-3 sessions throughout the day. A week after the surgery I walked 2 miles in one shot but that was too much and I got dehydrated and ended up in bed for the afternoon. I just can't drink enough water yet to offset that much sweating.
Which brings me to the 2nd part of the header. I knew the surgery was going to be a radical change for my diet and I read and studied everything I could get my hands on but it doesn't sink in until you are looking at a 2 oz serving. A 4 oz yogurt is breakfast for 2 days. I can't finish 1 large egg scrambled. I'm nowhere near consuming the 64-96 oz of water or 70 g of protein that are my daily goals. And I'm never hungry. I skip meals simply because the idea of eating the 2 oz makes me sick. This should get better over time but I'm afraid of slipping into malnutrition. I do take 4 chewable vitamins most days and probably get about 30-35 g of protein a day.
My doctor seems happy with everything. 12 days after my surgery I had lost 41 lbs and felt great. 3 weeks after my surgery I'm back at work and things are falling into a routine. I walk 1-1.5 miles at lunch around the campus. I need to punch more holes in my belt because I'm on the last hole. My wife wants to get new pants for me but I'm holding off until I make a significant change in the weight because I don't want to have to buy new pants every month.
I am excited to see what I will look like in 6 months and a year from now. I am also looking forward to being able to fit into theatre seats and in the rides at Disneyland. I hope to be able to keep up with my daughter and enjoy more time with her at the park and doing more physical things which she enjoys. She loves to run, jump, and play and that's been hard for me. It's been a hard change but it should get easier and it will definitely be worth it.
Which brings me to the 2nd part of the header. I knew the surgery was going to be a radical change for my diet and I read and studied everything I could get my hands on but it doesn't sink in until you are looking at a 2 oz serving. A 4 oz yogurt is breakfast for 2 days. I can't finish 1 large egg scrambled. I'm nowhere near consuming the 64-96 oz of water or 70 g of protein that are my daily goals. And I'm never hungry. I skip meals simply because the idea of eating the 2 oz makes me sick. This should get better over time but I'm afraid of slipping into malnutrition. I do take 4 chewable vitamins most days and probably get about 30-35 g of protein a day.
My doctor seems happy with everything. 12 days after my surgery I had lost 41 lbs and felt great. 3 weeks after my surgery I'm back at work and things are falling into a routine. I walk 1-1.5 miles at lunch around the campus. I need to punch more holes in my belt because I'm on the last hole. My wife wants to get new pants for me but I'm holding off until I make a significant change in the weight because I don't want to have to buy new pants every month.
I am excited to see what I will look like in 6 months and a year from now. I am also looking forward to being able to fit into theatre seats and in the rides at Disneyland. I hope to be able to keep up with my daughter and enjoy more time with her at the park and doing more physical things which she enjoys. She loves to run, jump, and play and that's been hard for me. It's been a hard change but it should get easier and it will definitely be worth it.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Saturday, It Begins...
In my last post I talked about running a Dungeons & Dragons campaign for the 1st time in over 10 years. My players are getting excited to start and I'm both excited and nervous. The players interact with the Dungeon Master (referee and creator for the game) to tell a story of sorts and each relies on the other to craft a fulfilling experience.
Almost 28 years have passed since I started playing this game. The game has gone full circle in a way going from a set of rules to use with miniature war games to a loose set of rules for role-playing games now to a hybrid of miniatures, role-playing, and structured character development like you find in most computer games. I've resisted each upgrade in the rules but in the end have changed over and enjoyed each new edition for what it is. Friends are really what make the game fun. A good bunch of players can make an afternoon or evening disappear in a moment and you wonder what has happened.
That's a little of where the nervous comes in. I've known all 3 of the players for 10+ years and I don't foresee any real problems with the game. But I've never been in a position of direction or leadership with these guys. One of the players likes to push the boundaries of the rules. Another of the players likes to have fun with his character at the expense of the other characters in play which can frustrate players. I hope I'm up to the task of maintaining order and keeping the players focused on what is important for the game to be successful.
Greyhawk is the original fantasy world created by Gary Gygax and The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is set along the south coast of Keoland in this world. For a decade or more, Greyhawk was the only commercial campaign world and all of the modules that were created for D&D were set in this world. I have been nostalgic for these adventures lately. Maybe this is my version of a midlife crisis, missing something I loved dearly when I was young. Or maybe the newer products just aren't as good. Either way, I'm excited to be exploring the lands and their adventures again.
I'm combining products from 3 editions of the game into 1 complete product. The original adventures were written for 1st edition and the town of Saltmarsh was fully detailed in 3rd edition. Characters are being created using 2nd edition rules which are mostly compatible with 1st edition and the framework for the game will be a 1st/2nd combination. A mix of editions and rules should help to give the game a unique feel, one I hope everyone enjoys.
My reading choices of late should also help flavor the action. I have been spending a lot of time reading stories by H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard and should be able to use some influences from the Cthulhu mythos and the tales of Conan and Solomon Kane to create a tone for the game that is both mysterious but adventurous. These classic stories are not the high fantasy of Tolkien but grittier stories that deal more with simple survival and overcoming adversaries as well as exploring the unknown. All of these elements should make for some fun adventures.
Hopefully my learning and experiences from the past 10 years will be of benefit for administering the game. I'm not the same person I was then and I like to think I have a greater insight into the game and how the story-telling should work. The reactions of my players by Saturday evening should begin to tell me if I'm on the right track.
Almost 28 years have passed since I started playing this game. The game has gone full circle in a way going from a set of rules to use with miniature war games to a loose set of rules for role-playing games now to a hybrid of miniatures, role-playing, and structured character development like you find in most computer games. I've resisted each upgrade in the rules but in the end have changed over and enjoyed each new edition for what it is. Friends are really what make the game fun. A good bunch of players can make an afternoon or evening disappear in a moment and you wonder what has happened.
That's a little of where the nervous comes in. I've known all 3 of the players for 10+ years and I don't foresee any real problems with the game. But I've never been in a position of direction or leadership with these guys. One of the players likes to push the boundaries of the rules. Another of the players likes to have fun with his character at the expense of the other characters in play which can frustrate players. I hope I'm up to the task of maintaining order and keeping the players focused on what is important for the game to be successful.
Greyhawk is the original fantasy world created by Gary Gygax and The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is set along the south coast of Keoland in this world. For a decade or more, Greyhawk was the only commercial campaign world and all of the modules that were created for D&D were set in this world. I have been nostalgic for these adventures lately. Maybe this is my version of a midlife crisis, missing something I loved dearly when I was young. Or maybe the newer products just aren't as good. Either way, I'm excited to be exploring the lands and their adventures again.
I'm combining products from 3 editions of the game into 1 complete product. The original adventures were written for 1st edition and the town of Saltmarsh was fully detailed in 3rd edition. Characters are being created using 2nd edition rules which are mostly compatible with 1st edition and the framework for the game will be a 1st/2nd combination. A mix of editions and rules should help to give the game a unique feel, one I hope everyone enjoys.
My reading choices of late should also help flavor the action. I have been spending a lot of time reading stories by H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard and should be able to use some influences from the Cthulhu mythos and the tales of Conan and Solomon Kane to create a tone for the game that is both mysterious but adventurous. These classic stories are not the high fantasy of Tolkien but grittier stories that deal more with simple survival and overcoming adversaries as well as exploring the unknown. All of these elements should make for some fun adventures.
Hopefully my learning and experiences from the past 10 years will be of benefit for administering the game. I'm not the same person I was then and I like to think I have a greater insight into the game and how the story-telling should work. The reactions of my players by Saturday evening should begin to tell me if I'm on the right track.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Not Very Good At This Blogging Thing...
It has been almost 5 months since I last posted to this blog. A lot has happened in that time. We've taken 3 family vacations to Disneyland (July, August, & November). I've completed my per-requisites for bariatric surgery and have submitted them to insurance for approval. Another college semester has begun and is now nearing completion. I guess not that much has really happened but it just seems like a lot.
Home life seems to be going ok. Amy has a growth around her thyroid. Biopsies have been inconclusive. Her thyroid is working normally and she doesn't want it cut out because she doesn't want to be on medicine for the rest of her life. I agree with her but if it turns out to be cancer, I don't want her to die because she doesn't want to take a pill. I want her around and I'm sure Elizabeth wants her around for a long time to come yet. Amy is researching everything and trying to wrap her head around it and make a decision. It depresses her and makes her angry. I wish I could do something to make it easier for her. I'll support whatever she wants to do.
Elizabeth is more amazing everyday. Just thinking about her makes me happy. She is turning into such a big kid already. Disneyland is quickly becoming one of her favorite places (who can blame her) and she doesn't understand why we just can't visit there all the time. She wants to help mom make dinner and play games with her on the Wii, even if her coordination & timing is still not very good. And she just wants to be with us all the time, which is ok by me. I do love taking her to the mall and watching her play with others in the kid's corral. She's a social butterfly and loves the attention but she is also good natured and shares and plays well with others. I wish I was as good of a person sometimes.
I'm gearing up to run a Dungeons & Dragons game for the 1st time in 10 years. Part of it is a feeling of nostalgia I've had lately which has been fueled by eBay. I've been able to buy some items I lost from my childhood and now feel a need to play with them. The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is one of the adventure modules I remember most fondly from my early days of playing D&D and now I've bought the series and plan to run it for some friends who have never played the adventures. I hope I get it right and can make them feel the same way I did when I first set foot in the haunted mansion and then the shock of discovering the truth. I also bought a set of Traveller rules that are about 30 years old. I owned these in the early 80s and a friend borrowed them and never returned them. I don't know if I will get around to running a game but I thought it was always the best science fiction RPG on the market. Maybe someday...
I guess that's about it for now. Life is challenging but good. I feel mostly happy and look forward to the holiday season and what it brings with family and friends. I will try not to let this go so long again.
Home life seems to be going ok. Amy has a growth around her thyroid. Biopsies have been inconclusive. Her thyroid is working normally and she doesn't want it cut out because she doesn't want to be on medicine for the rest of her life. I agree with her but if it turns out to be cancer, I don't want her to die because she doesn't want to take a pill. I want her around and I'm sure Elizabeth wants her around for a long time to come yet. Amy is researching everything and trying to wrap her head around it and make a decision. It depresses her and makes her angry. I wish I could do something to make it easier for her. I'll support whatever she wants to do.
Elizabeth is more amazing everyday. Just thinking about her makes me happy. She is turning into such a big kid already. Disneyland is quickly becoming one of her favorite places (who can blame her) and she doesn't understand why we just can't visit there all the time. She wants to help mom make dinner and play games with her on the Wii, even if her coordination & timing is still not very good. And she just wants to be with us all the time, which is ok by me. I do love taking her to the mall and watching her play with others in the kid's corral. She's a social butterfly and loves the attention but she is also good natured and shares and plays well with others. I wish I was as good of a person sometimes.
I'm gearing up to run a Dungeons & Dragons game for the 1st time in 10 years. Part of it is a feeling of nostalgia I've had lately which has been fueled by eBay. I've been able to buy some items I lost from my childhood and now feel a need to play with them. The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh is one of the adventure modules I remember most fondly from my early days of playing D&D and now I've bought the series and plan to run it for some friends who have never played the adventures. I hope I get it right and can make them feel the same way I did when I first set foot in the haunted mansion and then the shock of discovering the truth. I also bought a set of Traveller rules that are about 30 years old. I owned these in the early 80s and a friend borrowed them and never returned them. I don't know if I will get around to running a game but I thought it was always the best science fiction RPG on the market. Maybe someday...
I guess that's about it for now. Life is challenging but good. I feel mostly happy and look forward to the holiday season and what it brings with family and friends. I will try not to let this go so long again.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
I Got Off Track...
The last month has seen my wonderful dietary progress come to a screeching halt. Two factors have contributed to this. First, the temperatures finally reached the 100s - 110s and I have no motivation to go out and walk at lunch time like I was doing through the Spring semester. Second is completely my fault. Amy had two trips for work in June and instead of coming home and cooking dinner every night I ate out a few times and made poor choices while eating out. Now, how do I get back on track?
Next week we are going to Colorado to see family for the 4th of July. I need to plan my meals carefully so as not to overeat, which is easy to do on vacation. Also, I need to come up with some activities that will keep us active some of the time we are there. Maybe we'll go to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo which has a lot of up and down walking. I will also try to get up a little early and take morning walks and enjoy the cool mountain air before coming back to Phoenix.
The following week will be busy as it is the first week of the 2nd Summer semester. Only have to work 3 days before taking Elizabeth to Disneyland for the first time. I must not eat out this week before leaving. I also need to see if I can sign up for the gym on campus for the semester and use their treadmills.
I must also come up with a list of distractions to keep me from thinking about eating during July. We just got Rockband for the Wii so I will try to complete a solo series on the game before the end of July. I also have 8 goblin archers almost painted for the Lord of the Rings miniature game. Completing the miniatures in the starter set should easily chew up 4 weeks of free time. Also should try to finish the first Conan book, I believe there are only 2 or 3 stories left in the first book.
The big things to remember for July are to stay active, don't eat junk, and keep busy.
Next week we are going to Colorado to see family for the 4th of July. I need to plan my meals carefully so as not to overeat, which is easy to do on vacation. Also, I need to come up with some activities that will keep us active some of the time we are there. Maybe we'll go to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo which has a lot of up and down walking. I will also try to get up a little early and take morning walks and enjoy the cool mountain air before coming back to Phoenix.
The following week will be busy as it is the first week of the 2nd Summer semester. Only have to work 3 days before taking Elizabeth to Disneyland for the first time. I must not eat out this week before leaving. I also need to see if I can sign up for the gym on campus for the semester and use their treadmills.
I must also come up with a list of distractions to keep me from thinking about eating during July. We just got Rockband for the Wii so I will try to complete a solo series on the game before the end of July. I also have 8 goblin archers almost painted for the Lord of the Rings miniature game. Completing the miniatures in the starter set should easily chew up 4 weeks of free time. Also should try to finish the first Conan book, I believe there are only 2 or 3 stories left in the first book.
The big things to remember for July are to stay active, don't eat junk, and keep busy.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Strange Gaming Month w/ a New 1st
After complaining about not playing much last month, June has turned around. The new Dungeons & Dragons rules (4th edition) has come out, I got a call from my friend Ron who wanted to play a new board game he bought, I made it out to a Fathers' board game day at Mike's house, and Rockband for the Wii came out.
I've known that 4th edition D&D has been coming for about a year now. I haven't read many of the preview articles and was unsure about what changes were occurring. The core d20 mechanic that was core to 3rd edition has been kept and tightened up. Issues of level balance have been addressed and characters are supposed to be playable to 30th level. The main problem I have with the new rules is the feel of the game now. It feels like a table-top version of a MMORPG like Everquest or World of Warcraft that have become immensely popular lately. Characters are supposed to fit into one of four party roles and abilities center on encounters. We played our first game with the new rules last night and it felt a little clumsy. It doesn't help that I've played D&D since 1st edition and in 28 years have become accustomed to certain things that are not true in 4th edition. I need to play some more before I can officially say whether I like or don't like the game.
My friend Ron picked up a copy of Memoir '44, a board game that is a simplified World War II battle simulation. It has a lot of cool little miniatures like tanks and cannon and the board is two-sided, one side has a beach and the other is an open field. There are lots of board elements that can be added like trees, rivers, wire obstacles, bunkers, etc. The game plays quickly, probably less than an hour for a typical game. The core mechanic is the cards that allow you to command troops in one of three different board regions. We played 3 games and I finally caught on and one the third game. The game is fairly simple to learn but had enough strategy to keep it from becoming boring.
The Fathers' board game day that occurred on June 1st consisted of me, Mike, and Damian. Damian had just had his bariatric surgery a couple of weeks before and was looking for a guy who just had major surgery. We played Stone Age, Race for the Galaxy, and The Hanging Gardens. Stone Age was an entertaining resource management game with a number of different components. I undervalued how some of the cards would play out for points. It's a game I need to spend more time with. Race for the Galaxy has been immensely popular over the last couple of months. It's a very complicated card game about civilization building. The randomness of the cards and how they come up can have an impact on play strategies. Fortunately, it plays quick and you can get in a couple of games in a short time. The Hanging Gardens is another card game based around building sets of gardens for points. The cards are placed over each other in patterns designed to match up similar squares on the cards. Again, this one plays quickly and is easy to learn. I picked up a sound strategy after two rounds of the table. It was a good weekend and was very much needed.
The last game so far for the month is Rockband for the Wii and this marks the first time I've spent more money in a month on video games than I have on traditional table-top games. But I had to have this game. We played the Xbox 360 version a couple of months ago at Sam's while we were grocery shopping and I have never had so much fun. I have been eagerly anticipating this release for Wii and I even got up at 7am on a Sunday so we could get to the store to pick it up early. It was a good thing too. I got the last copy they had in stock. We took it home, cleaned up the living room, and spent about 30 minutes assembling the different components. The game comes with a guitar, drum set, and microphone and it is completely awesome. I played with this for about two and a half hours until Elizabeth got bored (she's 3 so it was ok). But Amy (my wife), Elizabeth (our daughter), and I even made it through a song without getting booed off the stage. It was amazing that Elizabeth could hit the drums enough to keep up. I can't wait to get home and spend more time with this game. I freakin' love it.
So June was a good month. I had a lot of fun and feel better about life in general. July should be fun for other reasons. It's vacation month. We're going to Colorado to see family over the 4th of July week. The following weekend is Disneyland for the 1st time with Elizabeth. It should be a blast.
I've known that 4th edition D&D has been coming for about a year now. I haven't read many of the preview articles and was unsure about what changes were occurring. The core d20 mechanic that was core to 3rd edition has been kept and tightened up. Issues of level balance have been addressed and characters are supposed to be playable to 30th level. The main problem I have with the new rules is the feel of the game now. It feels like a table-top version of a MMORPG like Everquest or World of Warcraft that have become immensely popular lately. Characters are supposed to fit into one of four party roles and abilities center on encounters. We played our first game with the new rules last night and it felt a little clumsy. It doesn't help that I've played D&D since 1st edition and in 28 years have become accustomed to certain things that are not true in 4th edition. I need to play some more before I can officially say whether I like or don't like the game.
My friend Ron picked up a copy of Memoir '44, a board game that is a simplified World War II battle simulation. It has a lot of cool little miniatures like tanks and cannon and the board is two-sided, one side has a beach and the other is an open field. There are lots of board elements that can be added like trees, rivers, wire obstacles, bunkers, etc. The game plays quickly, probably less than an hour for a typical game. The core mechanic is the cards that allow you to command troops in one of three different board regions. We played 3 games and I finally caught on and one the third game. The game is fairly simple to learn but had enough strategy to keep it from becoming boring.
The Fathers' board game day that occurred on June 1st consisted of me, Mike, and Damian. Damian had just had his bariatric surgery a couple of weeks before and was looking for a guy who just had major surgery. We played Stone Age, Race for the Galaxy, and The Hanging Gardens. Stone Age was an entertaining resource management game with a number of different components. I undervalued how some of the cards would play out for points. It's a game I need to spend more time with. Race for the Galaxy has been immensely popular over the last couple of months. It's a very complicated card game about civilization building. The randomness of the cards and how they come up can have an impact on play strategies. Fortunately, it plays quick and you can get in a couple of games in a short time. The Hanging Gardens is another card game based around building sets of gardens for points. The cards are placed over each other in patterns designed to match up similar squares on the cards. Again, this one plays quickly and is easy to learn. I picked up a sound strategy after two rounds of the table. It was a good weekend and was very much needed.
The last game so far for the month is Rockband for the Wii and this marks the first time I've spent more money in a month on video games than I have on traditional table-top games. But I had to have this game. We played the Xbox 360 version a couple of months ago at Sam's while we were grocery shopping and I have never had so much fun. I have been eagerly anticipating this release for Wii and I even got up at 7am on a Sunday so we could get to the store to pick it up early. It was a good thing too. I got the last copy they had in stock. We took it home, cleaned up the living room, and spent about 30 minutes assembling the different components. The game comes with a guitar, drum set, and microphone and it is completely awesome. I played with this for about two and a half hours until Elizabeth got bored (she's 3 so it was ok). But Amy (my wife), Elizabeth (our daughter), and I even made it through a song without getting booed off the stage. It was amazing that Elizabeth could hit the drums enough to keep up. I can't wait to get home and spend more time with this game. I freakin' love it.
So June was a good month. I had a lot of fun and feel better about life in general. July should be fun for other reasons. It's vacation month. We're going to Colorado to see family over the 4th of July week. The following weekend is Disneyland for the 1st time with Elizabeth. It should be a blast.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
More Gaming!?!
The title demonstrates both what I want to do more of this summer but also the frustration of how. I love to play games. There are few things I would rather spend my time doing. I'll play board games, card games, war games, miniatures games, role-playing games, even computer and video games though I really enjoy social interaction and computer and video games are not very good for talking to people.
And there in lies the problem. How do you get people together to play games? I own a lot of games and spend hundreds of dollars a year expanding my collection. One look at my collection on Board Game Geek (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/viewcollection.php3?username=Kronus&own=1&startletter=ALL&galleryview=1) demonstrates I have a lot of options to share with people.
The hard part is getting people together. My friends are spread all over the valley from Surprise to East Mesa. That's 60 miles one way! And gas is almost $4 a gallon so it can be expansive to get people together to play games. I try to alleviate the pain in the pocket by providing lunch when I host but it is still expensive.
Time is the other challenge. Last fall I was able to get guys together for 3 monthly game sessions in October, November, and December. I think everyone enjoyed it and I had a great time. But then it fell apart through the spring because of Amy traveling so much for work. I was only able to go to Game Depot once for the monthly game night. Weekends became more valuable for family time. And the different friends have their time demands too from work to college to family. I understand it, I just wish sometimes there was a way to do it all.
Maybe that's the real point. You hear about people wanting it all, having it all. But can you? Even with planning and budgeting can you really find or make time to do everything you want to do with your life? And I don't have very high time demands. I just want to spend time with my family and friends. It's a worthy goal worth working towards. Here's to more gaming in June.
And there in lies the problem. How do you get people together to play games? I own a lot of games and spend hundreds of dollars a year expanding my collection. One look at my collection on Board Game Geek (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/viewcollection.php3?username=Kronus&own=1&startletter=ALL&galleryview=1) demonstrates I have a lot of options to share with people.
The hard part is getting people together. My friends are spread all over the valley from Surprise to East Mesa. That's 60 miles one way! And gas is almost $4 a gallon so it can be expansive to get people together to play games. I try to alleviate the pain in the pocket by providing lunch when I host but it is still expensive.
Time is the other challenge. Last fall I was able to get guys together for 3 monthly game sessions in October, November, and December. I think everyone enjoyed it and I had a great time. But then it fell apart through the spring because of Amy traveling so much for work. I was only able to go to Game Depot once for the monthly game night. Weekends became more valuable for family time. And the different friends have their time demands too from work to college to family. I understand it, I just wish sometimes there was a way to do it all.
Maybe that's the real point. You hear about people wanting it all, having it all. But can you? Even with planning and budgeting can you really find or make time to do everything you want to do with your life? And I don't have very high time demands. I just want to spend time with my family and friends. It's a worthy goal worth working towards. Here's to more gaming in June.
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