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Illuminated Site of the Week
August 31, 2003: If At First You Don't Succeed . . .
A group of us got together today to drive down south a bit to visit the San Antonio Museum of Art – which, among other things, is featuring a Dale Chihuly exhibition. The theory was that we'd go take in the museum, and then drive back and run a playtest session of the Dork Tower game.
Alas. You know what they say about the best-laid plans, and these plans were not the best ones we ever laid. We were a bit late getting on the road . . . and there was a bad slowdown on the freeway . . . and we stopped for lunch at a very nice place outside San Antonio and had a wonderful meal and talked and talked and talked without looking at the time . . . and after leaving the restaurant, we realized that we might barely have an hour for the museum.
So we turned around and came all the way back, and decided that since I wasn't completely happy with the current Dork Tower version anyway, we'd just try the whole thing again tomorrow. But tomorrow we're going to start at 11.
-- Steve Jackson
At long last, the secrets of the mysterious Théan East are revealed! Cathay - where family honor is paramount and beauty can be found in everything from a humble rice bowl to a carved jade talisman.
August 30, 2003: Illuminated Site of the Week: Who Has Time For All This Stuff?
Remember the fellow who spammed the Internet, desperately seeking equipment that would allow him
to travel through time? Looks like Dave Hill was able to hook him up. Check out their
correspondence at Nikke's
website.
-- Suggested by Geoffrey Brent
Warehouse 23 News: New Vistas In Gaming
The first release in Green Ronin's Mythic Vistas line of campaign settings, Testament gives you everything you need to immerse yourself in the Biblical Era while the second, Mindshadows - Monsters of the Mind, presents more than 50 psionic creatures for use in any d20 fantasy campaign.
Once again this year, our very own Loren Wiseman (art director, GURPS Traveller Senior Line Editor, and debonair man about town) is one of over 300 guests at this year's DragonCon, going on this very weekend in Atlanta, GA.
Loren will be all over the con, no doubt, but you could probably track him down at the Steve Jackson Games booth (look for it, like at most big conventions, alongside Atlas and Dork Storm under the Adventure Retail banner) -- or at least get a closer bead on his whereabouts.
Additionally, Pyramid editor Steven Marsh will be putting in his own annual appearance, and I'm sure he'll be more than happy to autograph your laptops to show his appreciation for all your support.
Warehouse 23 News: Take Control Of D20 System Character Creation
BESM d20 provides a point-based character creation mechanic that creates exciting, dynamic, and balanced characters for all styles and genres of play. Use BESM d20 by itself, or plug it into any d20 System game. It's built for anime - but powerful enough to handle anything. Also available in a deluxe edition.
Car Wars fans, take note: a seller on eBay is offering a 1986 Trans Am done up by California custom car king George Barris for a never-aired 1986 television show called Force III.
The premise of Force III had three government agents fighting the forces of evil behind the wheels of their custom combat vehicles. The Trans Am belonged to the character known as "the Wizard," and comes with (non-functional) machine guns, rockets, and a trunk-mounted Vulcan, among other things.
The eBay auction ends Aug. 30, so check it out while you can!
-- Scott Haring
Warehouse 23 News: Beauties And The Beasts
Legend of the Five Rings: Secrets of the Crane explores the paragons of honor and civility while Secrets of the Crab investigates the most indefatigable of Great Clans.
More Mars news -- Latest readings from the Mars Global Surveyor came up negative for large deposits of carbonates (like limestone), the tell-tale rock left behind after large seas and oceans recede. “This really points to a cold, frozen, icy Mars that has probably always been that way, as opposed to a warm, humid, ocean Mars sometime in the past,” Arizona St. researcher Philip Christensen said.
The MSNBC.com story has all the details -- and if you have a speedy connection, definitely check out the Mars slide show that's part of the story. Great pictures.
-- Scott Haring
Warehouse 23 News: Even If You Survive The Cold
EverQuest: Realms of Norrath - Everfrost Peaks introduces the dungeon of the lich Miragul, with detailed looks at Miragul's Menagerie, Permafrost Keep, and Blackburrow, details on the culture and capital city of the barbarian race, and notes and encounters for adventuring on the tundra.
The Zombie Infection Simulator. Enjoy.
Warehouse 23 News: Can You Guess The Master's Riddle?
Zendo is a game of logic in which the Master creates a rule and students attempt to discover it by building and studying configurations of pyramids.
Frustrated Austrian highway authorities, unable to reduce the accident rate on a particular stretch of autobahn any other way, have turned to local druids to erect stone monoliths to re-establish the natural flow of "earth energy" and bring the area back into spiritual harmony.
So far, it's working. Read the Sydney Morning Herald story for all the details.
-- Scott Haring
Shadowrun: Sprawl Survival Guide details daily life in 2063, from home amenities to nightlife to coffin clubs and cred accounts, and exposes the ins and outs of the shadowrunners' lifestyle - how they operate, who they deal with, and how they survive.
It could be said that die-hard gamers have their love for the hobby coded into their very genes . . . and now, U.S. scientists have developed a DNA computer that can play tic-tac-toe. Read the New Scientist story here, and always take the center square.
-- Scott Haring
Got some great new products available in Warehouse 23. Check 'em out!
W A R E H O U S E 2 3 O N L Y
Ogre Mk. VI
The biggest war machine created by the Combine was the culmination of the Ogre line, the Ogre Mk. VI. This behemoth is 3 5/8 inches long and 1 7/8 inches wide. The chassis stands 15/16 of an inch tall (the tower adds an additional inch). It adds 250 points to your army.
The Mk. VI was designed to be a terror to all who encountered it -- infantry, armor, and even other cybertanks. It was never produced in large numbers, and the designers suspected that they had reached the point of diminishing returns in terms of the optimum number of weapons to load onto any one platform. Nevertheless, it performed admirably whenever it was involved in a battle.
1 unpackaged Ogre Mark VI.
Stock #10-0107,
$20.00.
Ogre Mk. VI Repair Kit
An assortment of parts to repair or customize a Mark VI.
1 unpackaged Ogre Mark VI repair kit.
Stock #10-0119,
$1.75.
Combine Radar
Radars are used for both communication and detection. Normally, a radar structure is merely a target in a scenario, but it can also function as an optional army enhancer. Buildings in Ogre do not generally have point costs, except as determined by the scenario.
This figure stands 34mm tall. The base is 30mm at its widest.
1 unpackaged Combine Radar.
Stock #10-0304,
$5.00.
Otterman Infantry Officer
Officers in the Ottermen Empire are highly trained in the finer points of tactics and warfare. Many spend hundreds of hours honing their skill with boardgames designed to simulate battles. On the field of combat, they stay on the move, directing their troops from the midst of the fray. Their chain armor and swords keep them nimble and combat-effective.
Off The Wall Armies is a new collection of old figures, improbable and hilarious. Sculpted in 28mm scale, each set features anthropomorphic animal figures - sometimes known as "furries" - with weapons and gear from different historical periods. They’re great as the foundation of a "furry" campaign, as high-tech bioroids, or just as weird new encounters for adventurers from any time or place.
The Otterman are based on the Canadian river otter, with a culture
from the 14th thru 17th century Ottoman Turks.
1 unpackaged Otterman Infantry Officer.
Stock #17-2140,
$2.00.
Otterman Infantry Bowman
Archery is held in high regard in the Ottermen Empire, a fact this warrior takes pride in. In training or friendly battles, he uses blunt arrows and targets the body for non-lethal hits. In serious combat, he often aims for unarmored limbs, and is capable of making trick shots.
1 unpackaged Otterman Infantry Bowman.
Stock #17-2141,
$2.00.
Otterman Heavy Infantry
While the stereotype of an Otter is quick and lithe, this race does produce its share of bruisers. The Heavy Infantryman is one such fighter, covering his body with heavy scales and swinging a vicious war axe.
1 unpackaged Otterman Heavy Infantry.
Stock #17-2142,
$3.00.
Otterman Light Cavalry Bowman
While the standard archer is an effective warrior on his own, when the bowman is mounted, his mobility threatens even more targets. Not only does the bizarre saddle keeps the rider steady when the giant maned weasel-mouse is stationary, but it makes firing during a charge possible.
1 unpackaged Otterman Light Cavalry Bowman.
Stock #17-2143,
$5.00.
Otterman Heavy Cavalry
For heavy-hitting fast strikes, the Ottermen have the Heavy Cavalry. Although the extra layers of armor slow the weasel-mouse down, their "poinging" gait allows the Heavy Cavalry to wade into the thickest battle. The Heavy Cavalry rely on maces and the sheer mass of their armored mounts to break through an enemy's defensive line.
1 unpackaged Otterman Heavy Cavalry.
Stock #17-2144,
$5.00.
Otterman Heavy Cavalry Bowman
The Ottermen place a high value on archery. Even the most heavily armored cavalry units include some archers. Sporting heavy armor on both the rider and mount, the Heavy Cavalry Bowman works close to the front lines of the battle, alternating between his bow and his sword.
1 unpackaged Otterman Cavalry Bowman.
Stock #17-2145,
$5.00.
August 22, 2003: Illuminated Site of the Week: Can I Have That When You're Done With It?
Some of us find old sofas by the side of the road and refurbish our
apartments with them. The Disposal Services
Agency in the United Kingdom is a lot like that except they sell the stuff they pick up. If you're in the market for an old warship or a helicopter, they want to hear from you.
-- Suggested by Merlin Tyrmorr
Is it a coincidence there've been so many Mars stories lately? Hardly. We can't take credit for this excellent explanation, picked up on the net and sent to us by reader Richard Guy, but we're glad to share it:
"Never again in your lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular! This month and next month the Earth is catching up with Mars, an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close
to Earth in the last 5,000 years but it may be as long as 60,000 years.
"The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within
34,649,589 miles and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in
the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11
arc seconds wide. At a modest 75 power magnification Mars will look as
large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At
the beginning of August, Mars will rise in the east at 10 p.m. and
reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
"By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at
nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m. That's
pretty convenient when it comes to seeing something that no human has
seen in recorded history. So mark your calendar at the beginning of
August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout
the month."
Oh, and I forgot to plug our own definitive sourcebooks on the subject, GURPS Mars and Transhuman Space: In The Well. Check 'em out!
-- Scott Haring
Warehouse 23 News: Traveller From The Past
At the back of a secret storeroom in an unknown building, a stash of GameLords Traveller supplements was found. A bit timeworm, but complete, intact, and fully compatible with Classic Traveller.
I am lobbying SJ to open a Seattle office for the summer. Stepping off the plane in Austin was deucedly unpleasant after having spent nearly a week in temperate climes.
The convention itself was a lot of fun. I had not been before, but hope to go back and play some more games; the games I did play, however, were very cool indeed. You may be seeing some of them pop up in Warehouse 23 over the next months . . .
Brian Underhill, author of GURPS Cliffhangers and GURPS WWII: Return to Honor, ran several games to preview his upcoming book, GURPS SWAT. By all accounts, the games were well received (and at least one player from the first two sessions made a point of returning for the pickup game on Sunday, always a good sign). There were many other SJ Games events, including a Munchkin Fu tournament, a truly insane game of Chez Geek/Slack Attack/Block Party/Chez Greek/Chez Grunt on Friday night, occasional games of X-Bugs, and a "blender" Munchkin game which drew a LOT of interest. I, personally, got to play Diceland: Ogre (from Cheapass Games) with the indefatigable James Ernest, and am proud to say that under my control, the Ogre Mk III rolled to victory over the hapless foes. I then retired from play, undefeated.
Thanks to everyone who made my week in Seattle a special experience, with extra thanks to Brian Underhill, for being a WONDERFUL author and a great tour guide, and Devin and Stephanie Ganger, for being the best hosts I could possibly have asked for.
-- Andrew Hackard, Managing Editor
Warehouse 23 News: In The Heart Of Pittsburgh
Xcrawl: Three Rivers Crawl is a massive campaign style crawl that serves as a perfect bridge from Division Three to Division Two. It is also the Xcrawl sourcebook for the city of Pittsburgh, providing details on the major players of the city and the political machinations behind it all.
Here's what will hit the shelves of your local game store in the very near future. We know you expected to see Munchkin 3: Clerical Errors on this list. So did we. Unfortunately, one of the decks was misprinted. (Because we know you're curious: The printer made a mistake, and several of the cards have the wrong kind of back. This would make the game somewhat weird . . . We could have caught it on the proofs and we didn't, so it's our problem.) The printer is, however, working with us to solve this very expensive goof in much less time than card printing ordinarily takes. So the rest of the August releases will go out normally, with Clerical Errors following when it can.
Okay, that was the bad news. Now the good news: we have some very cool stuff for you.
Strange Synergy
Strange Synergy is built around 100 different Power Cards . . . superpowers, mutations, skills, gadgets. Each warrior starts with three different powers. You choose the combination! Can you create the unbeatable team? Can you win against superior powers?
Developed by Steve Jackson and illustrated by Phil Foglio (Girl Genius, GURPS IOU, XXXenophile), this game is as much fun to watch as it is to play. No two games are the same. How many ways can you make four different teams of three warriors, out of 100 powers? The mind boggles, and the fun never ends!
Boxed game with 112 cards, rules, warrior stand-ups and bases, game map, counters, and one die.
Stock #1360,
ISBN 1-55634-707-3.
$29.95.
Cardboard Heroes Bases
(Reprint)
These plastic bases add weight and stability to your Cardboard Heroes figures, and the colors will help distinguish between figures at a glance. Each pack contains 10 bases and is available in one of three colors: Red, Green, and Clear.
Included are some assorted slimes, on Cardboard Heroes Dungeon Floors background . . . cut them out and put them where they'll do the most good!
10 plastic bases.
Stock #5104,
ISBN 1-55634-500-3.
$2.95.
GURPS Uplift 2/e
Of the thousands of races in a galaxy full of aliens, ours is the only one that claims to have evolved on its own, without genetic engineering by a Patron species. With its own new clients -- genetically modified dolphins and chimpanzees -- upstart mankind faces a jealous universe. The ancient Patron clans can't decide whether to enslave the races of Terra . . . or just wipe them out.
The Galactics have wealth, power, and incredible technology. The people of Earth have guts, originality and a handful of allies . . . and they won't give up.
This is the universe created by David Brin for his award-winning "Uplift" series. GURPS Uplift includes complete descriptions of the important alien races, maps and descriptions of the Terragens planets, and rules for creating -- and Uplifting -- new species.
This new edition has been updated to cover the races and developments of the "Uplift Storm" trilogy!
176 pages.
Stock #6035,
ISBN 1-55634-427-9.
$27.95.
Uplift Miniatures
We couldn't do justice to a universe as compelling as GURPS Uplift without stunning miniatures to match. Uplift Miniatures help you bring David Brin's world alive. Sculpted by Richard Kerr, this set includes four assorted uplifted chimps, one Tymbrimi, and one dolphin in his spidery land-walker – which can be built as either a civilian or military model.
Boxed set of six 28mm miniatures.
Stock #13-0600,
ISBN 1-55634-609-3.
$24.95.
I S S A R I E S
HeroQuest
HeroQuest (formerly announced as the second edition of Hero Wars) has been completely revised, re-edited, and laid out in a new format. It includes complete rules for roleplaying in Glorantha, including beginner-friendly Character Creation, simplified Contest resolution, new rules for Hero Bands and Guardians, and streamlined Magic systems. New scenarios, a new heroquest, several hero bands, and a narrative example written by Greg Stafford breathe life into the rules for players and narrators alike. HeroQuest was written by award-winning designers Robin D. Laws and Greg Stafford.
288 pages.
Stock #ISS1001,
ISBN 1-929052-12-X.
$39.95.
Warehouse 23 News: A Million Times Actual Size!
GIANTmicrobes, cute plush toys based on actual germs, are great learning tools, as well as amusing gifts for anyone who's ever been under the weather.
Well, Warehouse 23 sold more miniatures the day after the announcement than it had all year. There's a moral there somewhere. The faithful Warehouse staff was kept very, very busy with assembly for a while, and the casting scheduled had to be switched around a bit. They were actually casting production pieces off the Ogre Mark VI master mold for a little while, so if your Mark VI looks very, very fine, there's a reason . . .
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: The Talents Our Times Demand
Godlike: Talent Operations Groups contains complete descriptions of TOG training, weapons, and equipment, plus all the other information and advice needed by soldiers and officers of the Talent Operations Groups.
Steve Jackson Games is proud to announce the following releases for November 2003:
Ninja Burger
Now you can join the elite Ninja Burger delivery team! You will learn to deliver tasty burgers and fries anywhere. You will bring honor to your franchise. Failure is not an option.
The twisted minds that brought you Chez Geek and Munchkin are back. Based on the popular website at www.ninjaburger.com, this hilarious card game, designed by Steve Jackson, pits you against your fellow trainees in a new Ninja Burger store. Learn the secrets of stealth, swordsmanship, and customer service. Fight for honor, respect, big tips, and that coveted promotion . . .
It's fast-moving. It's fun. You get to be a ninja. What more can you ask from a game?
No matter how secure your office,
how deep your bunker,
how dedicated your guards . . .
we deliver your burger in 30 minutes or less.
Boxed game: 144 oversized cards, three dice, and a rulesheet.
Stock #1430,
ISBN 1-55634-610-7.
$24.95.
Munchkin Master's Screen
Tired of players reading your notes? Tired of having them scrutinize every die roll? Tired of not being able to put your head down and take a nap while they go through that tedious "roleplaying" they seem to love so much?
Fear not, intrepid Munchkin Master! Help is at hand!
The Munchkin Master's Screen doesn't contain combat tables. It doesn't contain treasure generation tables. It doesn't even contain pizza-generation tables. What is DOES contain are the tables a true Munchkin Master needs: Adjectives Which Sound Really Nasty, And Some Are; Suggested Non-Combat XP Awards ("Buying this screen for your DM -- 10,000 XP"); and the ever-popular Random Adventure Generator. This is the screen you know you've wanted . . . the only screen designed not for the run-of-the-mill gamer, or for the ordinary munchkin, but for the Munchkin Master!
Four-panel cardboard screen.
Stock #3406,
ISBN 1-55634-718-9.
$14.95.
Transhuman Space: Broken Dreams
Stay and Fight . . .
On Earth in 2100, some are reaching for the stars . . . but others struggle just to survive. Much of the home world remains mired in war and intrigue, as powerful corporations and high-tech armies fight over resources, markets, and ideas. Cities on the edge of chaos are battlegrounds for covert operations and high-stakes diplomacy, and the developing nations see themselves falling farther and farther behind.
Nations trapped in poverty, environmental disaster areas, and hellholes run by insane dictators . . . high-tech terrorism, rebellion, and crime, and rules for creating biological and chemical weapons . . .dangerous genetic designs, obsolete cybertechnology, and police state software . . . all part of daily life in Transhuman Space: Broken Dreams.
144 pages.
Stock #6707,
ISBN 1-55634-650-6.
$24.95.
Primal Darkness: The Gothic and Horror Art of Bob Eggleton
Bob Eggleton is an acclaimed science fiction, fantasy, and landscape artist. Winner of seven Hugo Awards and 11 Chesley Awards, his art can be seen on covers of countless magazines and books. Perhaps best known for his signature work with Brian Lumley on the Necroscope series, Eggleton does everything from dinosaurs to rocket ships.
Primal Darkness: The Gothic and Horror Art of Bob Eggleton features -- for the first time anywhere -- the complete collection of Necroscope covers, introduced by Lumley himself. Primal Darkness also includes Eggleton's Lovecraft-inspired Cthulhu pieces, as well as other monster, horrors, and things that go bump in the night.
64-page full-color hardback book.
Stock #60-1008,
ISBN 1-55634-624-7.
$26.95.
Classic Traveller: The Alien Modules 5-8, the second volume in the Alien Reprint series, includes the Droyne, Solomani, Hivers, and Darrian.
August 16, 2003: Illuminated Site of the Week: Make Room, Make Room . . . For Seconds
There's nothing wrong with soylent green a decent marketing campaign can't fix, as the Soylent Green Biscuit Company ably demonstrates. Now the T-shirts - there's something very wrong with those.
-- Suggested by John Fast
Warehouse 23 News: Two-Fisted Pulp Roleplaying
The new edition of Gear Krieg bring war walkers, rocket fighters, and superscience to the d20 System, while maintaining support for the original Silhouette ruleset.
August 15, 2003: Pyramid's New Dose Of Irregularity
Pyramid is proud to announce a new feature to our pages (well, electrons): David Morgan-Mar's Irregular Webcomic makes its biweekly debut, with all-new installments you can only get here!
So if you're a Pyramid subscriber and like adventuring action figures, endangered Legos, or Cthulhoid wackiness, then Irregular Webcomic should be right up your alley. And if you're not already a subscriber, subscribe today!
-- Steven Marsh
Editor of Pyramid Magazine
The Babylon 5 Roleplaying Game and Fact Book covers the first season and details complete d20 rules. The Fiery Trial, also set during season one, presents an new and independent story arc. Signs & Portents 1 provides support for all Mongoose Publishing lines, including a complete scenario for Babylon 5.
The World Science Fiction Convention - in Toronto this year - had been in my travel plans, and now it's not. Foo. There's no one reason . . . it's just that travel in general is getting less pleasant and less convenient, and there's a lot to do here (including some work I will really ENJOY, like getting the next Munchkin project ready for playtest). Somewhere along the way, I realized that "I get to go to Worldcon!" had become "Aww, do I hafta take time off for Worldcon?"
That's a question that answers itself.
I will miss seeing my friends there. In particular, I wanted to rejoice with Stefan Jones and David Brin over the release of the second edition of GURPS Uplift, and I wanted to spend some time with Greg Hyland yakking about Munchkin Fu and Ninja Burger (we met briefly at Origins but didn't get the chance to talk at ALL). And, well, Worldcon is always neat, and I wanted to go . . . but I realize that this year I'm just not up for it.
This means that there are two memberships for sale. $125 each (they'll cost you $205 at the door), first come, first served. Drop me a line.
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: A Tool For Every Job
Whatever type of Star Hero campaign you're running, The Spacer's Toolkit is full of gadgets and gear to make it even better!
By the time you read this, I will be in sunny (ha!) Seattle, where I will be attending the Dragonflight convention this coming weekend. (I left a couple of days early to see some friends, be a tourist, and burn some vacation time.)
While I'm there, I plan to chat with a number of folks, including James "Ass Games" Ernest, Brian "Cliffhangers and King's Men and SWAT, oh my!" Underhill, and Devin "No Funny Nickname" Ganger. Plus, I'm sure, the usual assortment of other Seattle game people -- there's a big concentration of them up there for some reason. Probably an Illuminati plot.
If you're coming to the con, find me and say howdy! (I know Brian and I are giving a presentation Saturday afternoon, and I'll probably be hanging around the game rooms or the dealers' room a lot of the rest of the time. I'll try to make sure the MIBs always know where I am.)
-- Andrew Hackard, Managing Editor
Warehouse 23 News: Stomp, Crush, Destroy
In the spirit of giant monster movies everywhere comes Giant Monster Rampage I&II. The innovative Toy Battle System allows use of virtually any toy or creature model in creating massive monsters and doing battle in cities, on creature islands, near volcanos, or even underwater.
August 12, 2003: In The Meantime, They Can Make Hats . . .
A feng shui expert has explained why the German parliament is having so much trouble lately -- it's their building. CNN reports on his unique proposal to fix the problem.
Warehouse 23 News: Heroes And Sidekicks
Shields of Justice is the book on heroism for Silver Age Sentinels, while Roll Call 2 - The Sidekick Club presents a dozen bold adventurers and their stalwart companions.
Matthew Pook reviews X-Bugs in The Ogre Cave, and admits that his daughter can beat him. That's okay. It's a feature, not a bug. So to speak . . .
Warehouse 23 News: Make The Old New Again
Classic BattleTech: Field Manual - Updates makes all ten Field Manuals current with the storyline year of 3067. Classic BattleTech: Technical Readout - Project Phoenix provides descriptions, game statistics, and illustrations for twenty-nine classic BattleMechs that have been upgraded both in appearance and technology.
NASA has selected the machine they're going to send to Mars in 2007 as the first in their Mars Scout series -- a lander with a robot arm that will dig for water and analyze soil samples for signs of life. The lander, called the Phoenix Project, will be designed and built at the University of Arizona -- the very proud Tucson Citizen has the story.
Also of interest is one of the losing proposals, a Virginia-built rocket-powered airplane that would have been the first plane to fly on another planet. The Houston Chronicle has the story.
And don't forget, you can find out lots more about Mars just by picking up our own GURPS Mars or Transhuman Space: In The Well, available in fine game stores everywhere.
-- Scott Haring
d20 Topics: River of Blood is an adventure designed for four to six characters of levels 7-9. d20 Topics: Wilds expands the venues of adventure, presenting an array of hostile environments for your wilderness campaigns. d20 Topics: Mercenaries is the perfect resource for playing mercenaries and running mercenary campaigns.
August 9, 2003: End Of An Era: Miniatures Shutdown
At the end of this month, SJ Games will close down its miniatures operation. During that time, we plan to cast enough metal to allow for expected sales through the end of 2003; after that, the lines will probably go out of print.
I say “probably,” because we would certainly discuss licensing the figures to another company. We will welcome inquiries. (Or if somebody out there has been wanting to set up a small casting operation near Austin, that could be very interesting!)
The reason for the shutdown is simple: the division has been, ever since it was set up, the least profitable of our endeavors. Costs are high, and while some miniatures sets have been modest hits . . . overall, we would be far better off if we put the time, space, thought, and money into our other projects. It really seems that metal casting should be left either to companies which concentrate on that one thing, or which are big enough to create a minis division that is essentially its own independent operation.
I’m personally very proud of the work that we did here. It’s been a great privilege to have Richard Kerr as a sculptor, and the whole team, headed by Paul Chapman, has worked hard to release some really quality stuff. But it’s time to call it quits. Our thanks to those of you who have supported us by buying our figures and telling us you liked them. Ah, if only there had been more of you!
Over the next month we’ll release the last of the figures and vehicles Richard has already sculpted, including:
If you represent an established miniatures company, or have a credible startup plan, and you would like to discuss some or all of our figures, please contact Paul Chapman.
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: Two-Tone Supplements
Two new titles in the dual-system Coriolis line from Atlas Games: Rune: Last Hero in Scandinavia and Ars Magica: The Black Monks of Glastonbury.
August 8, 2003: Illuminated Site of the Week: Don't Drink The Water
At least not without a healthy prayer, or perhaps a chorus of chants. Water carries within it
information, and it responds to different emotional states. Lest your next bottle of
H2O do you in because of a poor choice of musical accompaniment, check first with Messages from Water to see how this sensitive substance will react.
-- Suggested by B.A. Punkert
Each Box Bands is a four-way rubber band that goes around all four sides of your game box or stack of books to hold them firmly together.
. . . but without all the pesky -200 degree temperatures, near vacuum, and deadly radiation. NASA is building a Mars habitat simulation, where they can test recycling technologies, drilling equipment, safety procedures, and more. Plus, it gives us an excuse to remind you that all this is already covered in GURPS Mars and Transhuman Space: In The Well, making us wonder why NASA doesn't just pick up a couple of copies and save themselves the $2 million. But that's just us.
More details in this CNN story.
-- Scott Haring
Warehouse 23 News: Simple Yet Realistic
The Tales of Gaea system is simple . . . yet flexible enough to allow players to run a wide variety of characters, and game masters to customize heavily, without the need to create new rules.
I am delighted to report that Kevin Pease has restarted Absurd Notions. The current sequence involves the voyages of the spacegoing merchant ship Biff and her worse-than-motley crew. Traveller fans, you'll see yourselves here . . .
The other news is that Kevin's first Absurd Notions book is about to come out, with an introduction by, well . . . by me. Go us!
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: More Than Just Big, Dumb, And Strong
Whether you want to add valorous allies or earth-shattering foes, Legends & Lairs: Giant Lore has just the 16-foot-tall force of nature you're looking for.
Randy Milholland, creator of the webcomic Something Positive, has Steve and Michelle as cameo characters in the sequence that started August 2-3. Steve isn't telling if this is a true story or not . . .
Randy is one of the guest artists in Munchkin 3 - Clerical Errors, which is, so we are assured, shipping to us from the printers right now.
Warehouse 23 News: With Ancient And Powerful Magics On Your Side
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Magic Box detail everything a character needs to master his powers and introduce the monsters to a world of magical hurt.
August 4, 2003: More Crunchy Transhuman Goodness
Read about the "Cyborg Liberation Front" in the Village Voice. Delight in the ideas of those who are thinking ahead. Twitch at the frothing of those who are already anticipating excuses for "justified" violence.
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: Rage Against The Dying Of The Light
Savage Worlds: Evernight is a dark fantasy setting and complete campaign, designed to take characters from Novices to Heroic adventurers in the epic and bloody struggle against the mysterious and terrifying Masters.
August 3, 2003: No Newspaper Is Good Newspaper
Last week I reached the point of complete apathy about our local paper, the Austin American-Statesman. The editorial policy is (by Texas standards) kneejerk liberal, and spills blatantly into local news coverage. The humor column usually reads like a drunk trying to pick a fight. City politics here in the People's Republic of Austin are depressing to read about even when reported evenhandedly. And the letters page leaves only two conclusions: either Austin is chock-full of drooling idiots, or somebody at the Statesman has decided that if a letter doesn't make the reader roll his eyes, it's not amusing enough to print.
I realized that, although I spent 20 to 30 minutes with the paper each day, and more on Sunday, I was skimming the whole thing and getting little or nothing. I can read Dave Barry online; if I decide I miss any of the comics enough to care, I can read them online. When I need national or world news I can juggle the online CNN, Fox, and the BBC, and get close enough to the truth to make it through my life.
So I canceled my subscription, saved a few trees, and got a half-hour a day back into my life.
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: The Living Dead Rule The World!
All Flesh Must Be Eaten: The Book of Final Flesh presents two dozen brand-new tales of the living dead.
August 2, 2003: Keeping America Safe From Aquatic Terrorists
Airport security workers in Florida were recently called upon to scan their most unusual package ever . . . a manatee. Here's the CNN story.
Warehouse 23 News: Team Up. Gear Up. Fire Up.
Duel of Ages: Worldspanner and its six expansions combine to form an intriguing strategy game, with a modular map that locks together and randomly assigned heroes possessing radically different abilities.
August 1, 2003: Illuminated Site of the Week: From The Crayon Boxes Of Babes
Our world's youth aren't immune to the effects of alien abductions.
From the man who brought us the thought screen helmet comes a site to illustrate how deep the problem goes.
-- Andy
Check out Warehouse 23's best selling items for July on the Warehouse 23 Top 10 page.
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