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Illuminated Site of the Week
A British sleep researcher, Chris Idzikowski, has concluded that the position in which we sleep correlates with our personality (when we're awake, we assume, although the story isn't explicit).
When we first spotted the story, it was on CNN's site. It appears to be gone. Did their reviewers decide it was hogwash, or is (gasp) something being suppressed? Draw your own conclusions. We found a pointer to a derivative version of the story at LSU's paper, the Reveille. They checked with a prof who wasn't impressed . . .
Warehouse 23 News: In Which The History Of This Ambitious People Is Told
Forsaking their old ways, the wolves of the Bisclavret gathered up the trappings and the tools of the modern world and immediately began their ascension by any means they could. This supplement for Ironclaw describes House Bisclavret, from their humble origins as a tribal society to their rapid climb to nobility today.
September 29, 2003: Something Positive Comes To Warehouse 23
Warehouse 23, the Internet retail store at Steve Jackson Games, is proud to announce that it will be the official online store for Something Positive, the popular webcomic created by Randy Milholland. S*P joins Issaries, Atlas Games, Citizen Games, Dork Storm Press, Fiery Dragon, and The Painters’ Guild in choosing Warehouse 23 to handle its retail presence on the Web.
Something Positive is an adult webcomic chronicling the lives of a completely dysfunctional, but occasionally likeable, group which Randy freely admits is closely based on his own family and friends. Amazingly, they have let him live . . . so far.
The first Warehouse 23 releases will be a pair of T-shirts, one featuring the main characters and one with Choo-Choo Bear. If you don't know who Choo-Choo is, you should go read the strip, assuming you are over 18 and have a strong grip on your sanity and self-esteem. They are expected to be available before the end of October, just in time for all you people who are too cheap to buy costumes.
Warehouse 23 News: Steam Powered Miniatures Combat
The Iron Kingdoms: Warmachine miniatures line continues to grow. Come check out the beautiful figures for this fast-paced miniatures game.
Er, sort of. Some smart people at The University of Florida have digitized a bunch of insect sounds for your listening pleasure.
-- Andrew Hackard, Managing Editor
Warehouse 23 News: The Legendary Black Vault
Rifts: Chi-Town 'Burbs - The Black Vault is the third of Rifts sourcebooks set in and around the Chi-Town 'Burbs and reveals the latest of the Coalition States' darkest secrets.
September 27, 2003: Illuminated Site of the Week: 'Scuse Me, While I Scan The Sky
Things are looking up for conspiracy theorists. The Jeff Rense Program is looking into
suspicious 9-11 aircraft photos, the Elders of Zion, Homeland Security,
and This Month In
UFO History. What a time to be alive.
-- Suggested by Robert Nolan MIB 5011
Warehouse 23 News: Both Sides Of The Law
Crime Scene is a new series of d20 System sourcebooks, covering all aspects of modern crime. Police Investigation puts you on the beat, in the action, and in the shoes of any police officer - from a cynical, urban homicide detective to a naive, small-town deputy. The Mob creates a vivid and hard-hitting environment filled with lethal gun fights and fast-paced car chases.
We're looking for someone to write a GURPS computer utility for us. It will be of comparable complexity to our existing software, GURPS Character Builder and GURPS Vehicle Builder. Extensive experience with software development and the GURPS rules is mandatory. At a bare minimum, the software should run on Windows 9x and subsequent versions, but we will look very fondly at a résumé that includes significant cross-platform skills.
(What, exactly, is it? That Would Be Telling.)
Interested programmers should e-mail a résumé to Andrew Hackard, Managing Editor, andrew@sjgames.com. We prefer ASCII résumés pasted into e-mail, but can read most popular word processor formats. (Do not just title your résumé "resume.doc" or similar, or Andrew will trash it unread! It needs to have your name so he can find it later.)
Serious inquiries only, please. This is a call for a professional, not a fan looking for a unique way to "break in." As with our other professional projects, we'll pay an advance on signing, against a royalty on sales.
-- Andrew Hackard, Managing Editor
Warehouse 23 News: Fantasy Martial Arts
There's more to martial arts than the monk! Beyond Monks: The Art of the Fight brings the excitement of the martial arts to any d20 System campaign.
I'm sure you're as thrilled as I am to know that a federal judge in Oklahoma has blocked the implementation of the national "do not call" list. This list would, according to the Direct Marketing Association, have put 2 million telemarketers out of work. Now, granted, that would leave more than 3 million still employed, but it was a noble first step.
At the moment, though, your tax dollars are paying the salary of one Judge Lee West, of Oklahoma, who thinks that telemarketers have a First Amendment right to ring your phone. The learned judge doesn't seem to understand the distinction between the right to speak and the right to force others to listen. But neither telemarketers nor spammers have any right to force their message on an unwilling listener . . . especially when the timing and volume of those messages constitute harassment.
The CNN story had a great reader quote: "No story regarding [Judge] West's decision ... should be considered complete without ... a telephone number where he can be reached during dinner time."
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: Welcome To Your Ward
In Asylum: Eastern Seaboard, you'll find descriptions of the six Wards located along the Atlantic Coast, includes maps, a listing of the major buildings and groups, a bit of history about both the city and the Ward it became, and a full Episode specifically geared toward that location.
Astronomers, physicists, and ham radio operators know all about solar flares. But when a burst hits the dark side of the Earth, from halfway across the galaxy, it's no ordinary flare.
Science@NASA has the story.
Thanks to Henry Cobb for the suggestion.
-- Scott Haring
Eight Foot Llama specializes in off-the-wall card games. In Who Stole Ed's Pants?, players attempt to pin the dastardly theft on each other while in Monkeys on the Moon, monkey tribes compete for seats on the spaceships going back to Earth.
As summer turns to fall, so do these fine game products drift lazily from the tree of Steve Jackson Games to the ground of your friendly local game store, waiting for you to rake them up and enjoy them:
GURPS Traveller: Starships
From launches to liners, from patrol boats to pirates, a starfaring campaign requires ships. GURPS Traveller: Starships details the "View from the Deck" . . . the experience of being aboard a starship. Passengers and pursers, bridge crews and black gang, owners and deckhands .
. . they're all here. Charters and salvage operations are included, spiced up with encounters, adventure seeds and a cast of NPC owners, masters and crew.
Starships also features a much more detailed version of the starship design rules in GURPS Traveller (including components for TL7-9, TL11, and TL13 designs). It collects all
previously published components in one volume and offers new accessories and design options, as well as descriptions of the technology.
It also includes complete designs for a selection of starships and smaller vessels -- the traders, lab
ships, yachts and prospectors likely to be crewed by PCs. Each ship has its
own detailed writeup and deck plans. These include:
- Seeker (Suleiman II class)
- Yacht (Lady of Shalott class)
- Safari Ship (Animal class)
- Old/Low-tech Trader (Birdsong class -- new)
- Lab Ship (Kugashin class)
- SDB and Jump Shuttle (Dragon class)
144 pages.
Stock #6613,
ISBN 1-55634-475-9.
$24.95.
Transhuman Space: Under Pressure
As humanity reaches to the planets, a last frontier remains on Earth . . . the oceans. Governments, corporations, political idealists, and outlaws are staking their claims in this realm. There are oceans on other worlds too: Europa, Mars, Titan -- all unique and full of possibilities.
Transhuman Space: Under Pressure describes the oceans of the 22nd century, from the teeming seas of Earth to the icy ocean of Europa. Ocean arcologies . . . mining operations and terrorist foes . . . adventure and intrigue in an environment far more hostile than mere space.
This book also includes new character templates -- including new parahumans, bioroids, cybershells, and uplifted animals designed for aquatic existence -- and modular design rules for aquatic vehicles, compatible with the system in Transhuman Space: In The Well.
160 pages.
Stock #6709,
ISBN 1-55634-678-6.
$26.95.
GURPS Planet of Adventure
Explore a world where aliens war on the surface, a mysterious race rules from the shadows, and humans brought from Earth millennia ago serve their alien masters. Welcome to Tschai.
GURPS Planet of Adventure is the roleplaying adaptation of Jack Vance's classic "Tschai" stories. Follow in the footsteps of Adam Reith, a stranded Earth scout, as he makes his way across the planet in search of a ship to take him home. Along the way, meet the belligerent Chasch, the sleek and murderous Dirdir, the inscrutable Wanek, and the secretive Pnume -- as well as dozens of human subraces and bizarre monsters. Take your campaign through Pera, where humans make a stand against their alien masters; the Carabas, where great wealth lies literally at your feet, and the trick is surviving to enjoy it; and Sivishe, where barbaric customs and futuristic shipyards are found side by side.
A dark, detailed world from a master worldbuilder . . . waiting for you in GURPS Planet of Adventure.
128 pages.
Stock #6716,
ISBN 1-55634-472-4.
$22.95.
Dork Tower Miniatures
The Dork Tower gang as you've never seen them before -- in 3D!
John Kovalic's great characters are now 28mm metal miniatures. The stars of the wildly popular Dork Tower comic book are brought to life by legendary sculptor Tom Meier. They're dressed up in their best adventuring gear, and ready to tackle any challenge, even the dread Turbonium Dragon! (Dragon not included . . .)
In the Dork Tower Miniatures set you get Ken as a cleric, Matt as an archer, Kayleigh as a knight, Igor as an armored Munchkin . . . er, warrior, Gilly as a seductive sorceress, and Carson as a hairy-footed rogue.
One look, and you'll know what Igor means when he says, "It must be mine!"
Boxed set of six 28mm miniatures.
Stock #14-0102,
ISBN 1-55634-715-4.
$24.95.
Warehouse 23 News: Even The Stars Die
Humans reached the stars long ago, building a Republic of high technology and universal emancipation - and then squandered it, fought over it, and finally lost it. Fading Suns d20 brings an epic sci-fi setting into the most popular roleplaying game system.
The latest Kuiper Belt object to be named is Huya, after a Wayuu Indian rain god. Here's the CNN story.
(Yes, we just posted this because we like saying Huya. And Wayuu, for that matter.)
Warehouse 23 News: Hands-On Puzzle Solving
Expand your Tangoes collection with the Puzzle Pieces Set - Blue and Mini-Tangoes.
Pyramid subscriber and all-around great guy John Snyder passed along this URL. His wife liked the Alex Fernandez cover of GURPS Faerie so much, she's having a tattoo done -- and here is the first batch of pictures.
Thanks, John (and Mrs. John!) for the pictures, and thanks to Alex for the stupendous artwork!
-- Andrew Hackard, Managing Editor
Warehouse 23 News: Rife With Revolution
Real-Life Roleplaying: Colombia d20 details this real-world locale, explaining the country's tumultuous history, geography, and power players.
After eight years of service yielding a treasure trove of scientific data on Jupiter and its moons, the Galileo spacecraft is being deliberately crashed into Jupiter this weekend. Why? To avoid even the slightest chance that hitchhiking terrestrial microbes will accidentally contaminate Europa and compromise the scientific search for life there.
The San Francisco Chronicle has the story. (CNN has a story as well, although they can't spell Ganymede.) And if you want to see how that nifty scientific data translates into game terms, check out Transhuman Space: Deep Beyond, the supplement for Transhuman Space covering the outer solar system.
-- Scott Haring
The Chessex Counter Storage Tray holds 1,000 half-inch counters or 175 gaming stones.
September 19, 2003: Illuminated Site of the Week: Me, You, And A Job Gone Boo
The Ohio Ghost
Researchers have the spirit world covered. With an empty page
dedicated to fake ghost pictures and another full of unconvincing real
ones, you can see what they've been up to (looks like their first,
last, and only investigation has taken about two years so far). And if
you think you'll get one past them, check out their thorough ghost
investigation request form.
-- Suggested by John Davis
Warehouse 23 News: Removing Experience Point Costs
Arcane Mysteries: Artificer's Handbook details an alternate d20 System magic item creation system and includes rules for dealing with material components, piecemeal armor, socketed items, gestalt item sets, artifact creation, and magic item instability.
September 18, 2003: Avast The Mainsail! Hoist The Mammer-Gartle!
Yes, once again it's time for Talk Like A Pirate Day, the day when we, well, talk like a pirate. This Friday, September 19 . . .
Arrrrr.
No mention of Talk Like A Pirate Day would be complete (around here, anyway) without a plug for Evil Stevie's Pirate Game. So there it is.
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: The Play's The Thing
Tri-Stat dX - the critically acclaimed roleplaying game system featured in Big Eyes, Small Mouth and Silver Age Sentinels - is now available in a complete and compact form for an unusually low price.
Steve Jackson Games has announced the following products for release in December, 2003:
The Awful Green Things From Outer Space
(Reprint)
Monsters Everywhere!
The crew of the exploration ship Znutar just wanted to cruise around the Galaxy, discovering strange new worlds and playing pool. But then their ship was invaded by the Awful Green Things . . . and suddenly they were fighting for their lives!
In this wacky two-player game, one player controls the Awful Green Things. They grow and multiply every turn... especially if they can gobble up a crew member! The other player commands the crew, frantically trying weapon after weapon (pool sticks, fire extinguishers, cans of Zgwortz) in hope of finding something that kills the monsters.
This great game was created by Tom Wham. It first appeared in Dragon Magazine, and was later released as a boxed game from TSR. When they let it go out of print, SJ Games picked it up! This edition includes Tom's "Outside the Znutar" rules and counters, for going out the airlocks and fighting on the surface of the ship.
Boxed, with full-color map, rulebook, die-cut counters, and five GREEN dice!
Stock #1335,
ISBN 1-55634-094-X.
$19.95.
Illuminati: Crime Lords
Rival mobs battle for control of the city. Take over the rackets, rake in the dough, and rub out the opposition. It's the American dream.
You'll start with a few gangsters and some cash. Recruit more crooks and take control of income-producing operations like bordellos, chop shops, and loan sharks. The police and the Feds are after you, but your biggest threats are your fellow mob bosses. Scheme, negotiate, backstab. You can share a victory, but it's much more satisfying to say "There can be only one Boss. And it's me."
Illuminati: Crime Lords is based on the Illuminati system. It's not a supplement, but a separate stand-alone game created by Steve Jackson.
Boxed game with 112 cards, rules, die-cut money and status counters, and dice.
Stock #1375,
ISBN 1-55634-720-0.
$34.95.
Snits
The tiny Snits have been persecuted for ages by the huge Bolotomi. Then, one day, inspiration strikes! A few brave Snits run inside a Bolotomus, and attack from within. It's the Snits' Revenge!
The Snits attack by kicking the snot out of the Bolotomus' internal organs. Will they smash enough to cause system failure . . . or will they get lucky and find the Spark of Life . . . before they are overwhelmed by their huge foe's internal defenses?
This wacky classic was one of Tom Wham's very first games. Now it's back . . . along with the prequel, Snit Smashing, which previously appeared only in magazine form and has been unfindable for almost two decades. Snit Smashing explains why the Snits are so upset. They just want to run back and forth, to and from the ocean, reproducing. The Bolotomi smash them for fun (hey, it's boring on that beach). No wonder the Snits want revenge . . .
Two insane little Tom Wham games in one box. Under $20. Truly, life is good . . .
Rules, die-cut counters, a two-sided full-color map, and five dice in a 6" x 9" box.
Stock #1421,
ISBN 1-55634-548-8.
$19.95.
Cardboard Heroes Castles: The Keep
Put a castle in your backpack!
Cardboard Heroes Castles are great-looking 3-D structures that fold up for play, and fold down again for travel and storage! They're heavy cardstock, but they're die-cut and pre-scored to make them easy to build, and they're designed to fold and unfold without damage.
This set can be used by itself to create either a castle with enclosed courtyard or a massive towered keep. Or use it as an expansion to the Walls and Towers set. The more sets you add, the bigger your castle gets . . .
Cardboard Heroes Castles are full-color (of course), gorgeous, and totally portable. When the game's over, just fold 'em up and go!
16 die-cut cardboard pages plus instructions.
Stock #2151,
ISBN 1-55634-698-0.
$24.95.
GURPS SWAT
From small-town crisis units to the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team, from the urban sprawl of Berlin to the mountainous wilds of Idaho, GURPS SWAT covers the dangerous world of tactical police operations. Serve a warrant on a dangerous meth lab, protect a judge whose life is threatened, rescue hostages from international terrorists, or take down a barricaded suspect before he kills again! Establish perimeters and begin hostage negotiations. Perform a stealth entry if you can, or blow down the door in a swift dynamic assault!
GURPS SWAT includes realistic information on skills, tactics, weapons and equipment, as well as several real-world police tactical teams, from the original LAPD SWAT to federal and international agency units.
64 pages.
Stock #6064,
ISBN 1-55634-721-9.
$13.95.
GURPS WWII: All the King's Men
Winston Churchill promised the British forces would "never give up, never surrender." Now you can fight as one of His Majesty's own in GURPS WWII: All the King's Men! Watch as the storm clouds gather over Europe in the late '30s . . . and an unprepared England declares war against Germany in its fighting prime. Experience the fear and heroism of Dunkirk, the sweltering seesaw of Africa, and the final triumphs of the Anglo-American campaigns as a battered British Empire pulls victory from the jaws of darkest defeat!
All the King's Men has the same level of background and color found in GURPS WWII: Iron Cross for German combatants and GURPS WWII: Dogfaces for American troops. It describes soldiers from all around the British Empire, the way they were recruited, trained, and sent to war, the men who led them, and the battles they won and lost.
Also included are a cross-section of British weapons and equipment -- from the very good to the very bad, from sidearms to the battleship King George V -- and a host of campaign and adventure ideas for GMs.
So, keep your chin up and get your boys in the thick of it -- sharpish!
128 pages.
Stock #8009,
ISBN 1-55634-640-9.
$22.95.
Murphy's Rules
(Reprint)
Ever since the days of the old Space Gamer, and now in Pyramid, one thing strikes fear into the hearts (and laughter into the twisted minds) of publishers everywhere. Some game rules are good, some are bad, and some are Murphy's! This is the cartoon feature that takes those rules and skewers them, bleeding, for everyone to mock. (Us? Attitude? It's all right; we pick on our own stuff too.) The strip has featured a great roster of artists over the years, including multiple-Origins-Award-winner John Kovalic and Pulitzer Prize winner Ben Sargent!
The first time we published a Murphy's compilation was in 1988. This book includes everything from that edition, and all the Murphys that came out in the next ten years . . . and more!
80 pages.
Stock #9006,
ISBN 1-55634-363-9.
$17.95.
Pro Paints: Skin and Cloth includes an instruction booklet, two figures, two brushes, and nine colors of paint. The Pro Paints line also includes 108 paints and 10 brushes.
September 16, 2003: You Can't Be A Munchkin Without Breaking A Few Eggs
When we announced the Munchkin Master's Screen, we knew we wanted to put some sort of added content in there . . . we just weren't sure what.
But now, we are. We approached Jeff Tidball, author of "Sheep on the Borderlands" (see issue 17 of Dork Tower, or the Heart of Dorkness compilation available through Warehouse 23) and asked him to write us a true Munchkin adventure.
What we got, this morning, in our hot little hands, was "The Village of Omelet." And it is GOOD. Thanks, Jeff, for making the Munchkin Master's Screen a whole lot better.
(Should I mention the Munchkin Cardboard Heroes? No, I probably shouldn't. Y'all didn't hear that.)
-- Andrew Hackard, Managing Editor
Warehouse 23 News: Blood And Souls For My Dark Master!
Master Class: The Unholy Warrior's Handbook provides everything needed to play a devoted champion of the gods of evil.
Jim Cambias alerts us to this article in Nature and comments "They say it's a statue made by either early modern humans or Neanderthals, but it sure looks like the Scientific Establishment trying to cover up the prehuman lion-man civilization."
Warehouse 23 News: Search The World For The Lost Seven Seals
Cold Hands, Dark Hearts is a gothic horror setting for Big Eyes, Small Mouth in which the players assume the roles of the supernatural monsters rather than the victims.
Scientists have determined that black holes sing -- in the case of the one at the center of the Perseus Cluster, it's a continuous B-flat, 57 octaves below middle C. And much like the note at the end of the Beatles' "A Day In The Life," this note seems to go on forever . . . or at least for the past 2.5 billion years or so.
Science Daily has the story.
-- Scott Haring
September 26-28: Look for MIB Control Mark Schmidt at CogCon 11, at the University of Missouri in Rolla, MO.
October 2-5: If you missed him at CogCon, you can also find Mark at Archon 27 in St. Louis, MO.
October 23-26: European fans can meet Sales Manager Ross Jepson at Spiel '03, in Essen, Germany. Among the new releases there should be Pegasus' new German edition of Munchkin! (Click on the picture at right for a larger cover image.)
October 24-26: Steve Jackson himself will be at Necronomicon in Tampa, FL. He's planning to run . . . the Blimp Game! What is the Blimp Game? That would be telling.
September 12, 2003: Illuminated Site of the Week: If You Think You Can Damn Them Better
. . . then Design your
own hell, smart guy. Choose your sinners, jam-pack them (you know
there are going to be plenty) into the nine levels, and let the
tortures of the damned begin, you little devil.
-- Suggested by Alan and Carmel Brain
Warehouse 23 News: Mutants, Monsters, And Machines
Darwin's World is a post-apocalyptic roleplaying game set in the wild, inhospitable world of mankind's ruin, decades after a series of devastating wars that brought the human race to the brink of extinction.
After a merry mix-up in which much hilarity (or panic, depending on your point of view) ensued, the following product is now shipping from the Steve Jackson Games warehouse and should be in a game store near you in the very near future:
Munchkin 3 - Clerical Errors
You wanted more Munchkin, so here it is! Created by Steve Jackson and illustrated by John Kovalic . . . Munchkin 3 - Clerical Errors has 112 more cards for the best-selling game of killing monsters and taking their stuff. Play a new race: Gnomes! Try on the Bard class. Face the Tequila Mockingbird, the Bad Ass, and the dreaded Auntie Paladin! Equip yourself with amazing items like the Chainmail Bikini and the Stab-A-Matic . . . and show them who’s the mightiest, munchkinest dungeon delver of them all.
And this set has a special treat. We asked five of our favorite Comic
Guys to do one card each. So in this set you'll find:
112 cards.
Stock #1416,
ISBN 1-55634-713-8.
$16.95.
When Munchkin 3 - Clerical Errors was printed, we made a not-funny goof. Half of the cards in one deck had the wrong backs. Due to popular demand, we have packaged the bad deck with a few rules (that actually make the cards PLAYABLE with the wrong back) to create Munchkin 3.5 - Clerical Errata. This is available only in Warehouse 23 and is limited to 1,200 copies.
This student's research on the five-second rule conclusively demonstrates that her college's floors are cleaner than any dining hall that I've ever seen.
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: Apocalyptic Roleplaying
Rapture: The Second Coming is a new d20 System edition of the classic game about the end times. Fight to aid the celestial armies and save humanity - or join the infernal horde, paving the way for Lucifer’s conquest.
Warehouse 23, the Internet retail store at Steve Jackson Games, is very proud to announce that it will now be the official online store for Fiery Dragon Productions. Fiery Dragon joins Issaries, Atlas Games, Citizen Games, Dork Storm Press, and The Painters’ Guild in selecting Warehouse 23 to handle its retail presence on the Web.
Fiery Dragon is best known for its d20 based Counter Packs and Counter Collections. It also publishes licensed products for Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed line.
The world of Glorantha has been described in many different games and supplements during its 30-year life. Now, at last, Issaries has released the definitive HeroQuest, by Robin Laws and Greg Stafford.
We have no idea why this information would be useful, but, y'know, sometimes you've just got to call the Vatican -- and the Payphone Project tells you how.
Warehouse 23 News: Steampunk With Style
Issue 9 of Phil & Kaja Foglio's Girl Genius comic series is now available.
. . . and apparently, he's committing bank fraud in Australia, along with friends Bill Gates, Adolf Hitler, and Karl Marx.
Read all about it.
Warehouse 23 News: Chomp, Chomp, Chomp
The Plush Rabbit with Big Pointy Teeth now comes in two additional sizes: the highly-portable miniature and the shock-inducing giant.
Last-minute updates are a pain, but this particular one was a pleasure to do.
About to go to press is Primal Darkness: The Gothic and Horror Art of Bob Eggleton. The back cover copy includes a mention of the seven Hugo Awards he's won. I JUST finished signing off on the finished cover.
Except, as of this year's World Science Fiction Convention, it's EIGHT. So now, grinning like thieves, we have to change it.
Way to go, Bob!
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: For Price-Sensitive Consumers
The Silver Age Sentinels d20: Stingy Gamer Edition combines small text with a lack of illustrations to bring you a complete game for a price that won't break your budget. For those willing to spend a bit more, there are four new SAS minis: Caliburn, Janus, Officer Prometheus, and Jade Naga.
September 5, 2003: Illuminated Site of the Week: Nothing To Report
If you're tired of viruses, blasters, bugs, and worms, switch to NaDa, the only system software extension that's guaranteed not to work for any operating system.
-- Suggested by Marcus L. Rowland
Races of Renown: Fang & Fury presents a new d20 race, the vampire scion, which is balanced for play with conventional PC races.
A new generation of liquid crystals may lead to exciting applications -- and it all centers around being able to direct a beam of light far more precisely than before. Read the NASA story.
-- Andrew Hackard, Managing Editor
Pretty Pictures, Somewhat Late
If you read yesterday's Illuminator early in the day, you didn't see the photos. They're there now.
Warehouse 23 News: What's Your Excuse?
It's Management Material: Information Technology, the card game of cubicle denizens, where the only way to win is to remain a corporate peon! Completely compatible with Management Material: General Office.
So on Sunday, we took a second try at our Visit Art Museum roll. This time we made it to the San Antonio Museum of Art and its Dale Chihuly exhibition. I put off this report in order to add Mia Sherman's photos - thanks, Mia!
Anyway. Whoooooo. I am still getting mental images of a few of the installations, especially the "Macchia Forest" (more than a dozen huge glass bowls, irregularly shaped and brilliantly colored, each with a spotlight shining inside it so the whole bowl seemed to glow) and the "Niijima Floats" (variously colored or iridescent spheres, inspired by the glass net-floats the Japanese use). But there's no way I could tell you what I liked most. There was just too much wonderful stuff there.
The rest of the museum was worth the visit, too. Several parts of the permanent exhibit were very impressive. The exception was the modern art collection. Now, there is such a thing as good modern art. But this museum doesn't have any. Their art collection isn't modern, and their modern collection isn't art. A lot of it, in fact, elicits the "Whoever made this thing KNEW he was kidding, but the buyer didn't" giggle.
We asked a museum staffer for a lunch recommendation, and were sent to the Liberty Bar. The building looks VERY MUCH like it's going to fall down RIGHT NOW. But the food was excellent . . . gourmet recipes, reasonably priced, with good service. We may drive the hour+ back to San Antonio just to eat there again; it was that good.
After the meal, some of us went home, and I went back to the museum and looked at the Chihuly glass again . . .
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: A Power Packed Sourcebook
Heroes Unlimited: Powers Unlimited One provides more super abilities to create an ever expanding range of heroes, mutants, aliens, and demigods. The Rifter #23 also includes material for Heroes Unlimited, as well as Palladium Fantasy, Nightbane, and Rifts.
September 2, 2003: The Secretary Will Disavow Any Knowledge Of Your Actions
For most people, getting into (and out of!) secret places is a fun mental exercise. For the folks at Infiltration.org, it's a way of life.
Today is Labor Day in the United States, a national holiday celebrating the working folks and, for many parts of the country that aren't Texas, the end of summer. (In Texas, the hot weather will persist for another six weeks, and possibly longer. Lucky us.)
The Steve Jackson Games offices are closed today, but we'll be back at it tomorrow. Have a nice holiday!
Check out Warehouse 23's best selling items for August on the Warehouse 23 Top 10 page.
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