October 9, 2024: Pre-Order!

Seeing as how we're in the business (literally!) of coming up with the latest and greatest in gaming goodness, we talk about pre-ordering a nontrivial amount around here. We normally offer our humble suggestion for what to pre-order, but not today. This time, I want to talk about pre-ordering in general. (Okay, fine; I've got the Munchkin Shadowrun box right there. But it's just an example, honest!)

I worked retail at a friendly local game shop for a number of years . . . and, of course, I can often be found frequenting my own FLGSes as a customer, at least until I'm shooed away with a broom. The past however-many years has seen a number of changes to our hip-and-happening hobby, but one of the biggest has been the shift from a perennial to a periodical model. That is, in the old days, it'd be straightforward to go into a game shop 6 to 12 months after a game's release and still . . . [more]

October 8, 2024: Enter Today: Steve Jackson Games 2024 Costume Contest!

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October 7, 2024: MidSouthCon 40

I have accepted an invitation to return to MidSouthCon. I was last there for MSC 30, ten years ago, and had a good time!

It is in Olive Branch, MS, which is a few miles from Memphis, TN. The dates are March 21-23, 2025. It's a general-interest convention with a lot of gaming. The GoH is Keith DeCandido, who has written some light fantasy police procedurals (yep, that is a thing!) that I enjoyed.

See you there?

-- Steve Jackson

October 6, 2024: Tips For A Frighteningly Fun Halloween Celebration At Disney World

1. If you don't have a daytime ticket to the party, you can still enter Magic Kingdom at 4:00 pm, which gives you 3 hours to enjoy the rides before the festivities even start. Crowds tend to be lower on these days, so there's a chance you'll be able to get on many of your favorites!
2. The Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks performance, the Boo-To-You parade, and the Hocus Pocus . . .

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October 5, 2024: Put A Pin In It

Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest ones. I tend to run fairly complicated RPGs, so occassionally I have a hard time making sure the players and I are all on the same page as far as what they know, what's important, etc. I just had an idea I want to try for my next sprawling complex tendrilled mystery: a corkboard.

Basically, as important (or possibly important) elements are discovered, I can put them on the corkboard . . . or perhaps hand the element to the players to put on the corkboard themselves. There's something very tactile to putting a pushpin into cork, and I suspect it'll be fairly satisfying to the players.

With a long or multifaceted story, the pieces will literally be in front of them to make connections, remind themselves, etc. (I can even use my papercraft skills to ensure the individual elements they're putting on the board look cool.) Having a spot on the . . . [more]