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Illuminated Site of the Week
June 30, 2009: Call For Playtesters: GURPS Horror
The stars are right for another manifestation of that Unspeakable Evil, GURPS Horror! Penned by illuminatus Kenneth Hite, this grimoire reveals the arcane secrets of running a successful horror campaign. Extensive advice to players and GMs is key, but this is bolstered by a plethora of bone-snapping crunch that demands careful experimentation: monstrous abilities, statistics for a legion of dreadful Things, tools for fools who would hunt these Horrors, and enhanced rules for fear, madness, and Horrid Tumors.
When we last cast the bones, we learned that the stars would move into alignment on July 10 and remain that way until August 11. If you are a horror-steeped Adept of GURPS and available during that period, then we could use your help in the ritual circle. The only hard requirement is sufficient sacrifices to Plutus: Playtesters must be registered e23 customers who have spent more than $50 at e23 in the past 12 months.
Experience is always an asset in such grim matters, though! At minimum, the Whispering Voices expect you to be conversant with the GURPS Basic Set. Facility with theses on eldritch powers -- especially GURPS Powers and GURPS Thaumatology -- is another thing that They regard favorably. Familiarity with even older writings, particularly past incarnations of GURPS Horror, is also valuable. Finally, as there are so many creatures here, those who have previously demonstrated a gift for deciphering The Numbers That Describe The Beast (i.e., checking stats) will move to the top of the queue.
Prospective playtesters should e-mail jwilson@io.com with [GH] in the subject. Include your preferred e-mail address for the hermetic playtest mailing list, correct spelling of your name as it may appear in print (True Name optional), your e23 login name, and a few words on why we would want to be down a dark cellar with you: qualifications, experience, etc. relevant to horror gaming. Also tell us your favorite work of horror -- be it comic, film, novel, RPG, television show, or video game -- since 1999, as well as your favorite of all time. Information about preferred submission formatting is in the forum post for this playtest call.
-- Steven Marsh
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Masks, Muscles, And Mucho Magnifico Men!
Sure, professional wrestling has had its share of weirdness, but have you ever seen an American wreslter take on the mafia? Or A vampire? A Martian? Lucha Libre Hero dives deep into the world of Mexican masked marvels fighting for truth, justice, and having a truly awesome time. ¡Viva lucha!
We warned you this would happen -- we're all bugging out, taking some time before the con season, the heat, or the combination deplete our sanity points. Today, June 29, our office sits silent, and said silence will continue until Monday July 6 when we'll return to normal business hours.
Without our bright shining faces, no Warehouse 23 orders will be processed. Neither will we be able to return your email or phone call with our usual promptness -- sorry!
e23 will be automatically processing orders, but we won't be able to deal with any special requests or questions that arise.
And finally, as everyone knows from their own vacations, we'll likely be swamped when we get back into the office on the 6th. Emergencies will get dealt with as fast as possible, but there may be a slight delay before other, less on-fire issues are handled.
-- Paul Chapman
Also, Gladiators
(A brief interlude from Fox Barrett)
Normally, I get my own Daily Illuminator's worth of space to write this, but Paul has forced me to share this time around. And, if the product I'm here to hawk is any indication, the logical thing for me to do is fight Paul to the death over it. Lucky for him, I'm busy enjoying my vacation. (Also, I'm terribly lazy.)
So I'll cut this short. Go buy GURPS Martial Arts: Gladiators or be torn apart by lions.
Randy's Road Trip Update
This post is getting pretty long, so I'll be quick. Randy will be hitting two stores today: The Guard Tower in Columbus OH from 12-3pm, and Yottaquest from 6-9pm in Cincinnati. As always, see his complete itinerary at Where's Randy?
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Dog & Pony Game
Animals. Y'know, they make up nearly 100% of the intelligent life on the planet. Why not include a few in your games? The HERO System Bestiary will help you do just that. Provided you read it, of course. Which you can only do after you buy. Which you can only do by giving us money. So . . . give us money! Please?
The GAMA Trade Show was waaay back in April, but with everything else going on, we forgot to mention the interview Will did with OgreCave. He chatted about Frag: Gold Edition, as well as upcoming releases The Stars Are Right and Revolution!
As everyone knows, Frag is currently available (Go! Buy!). Right now, both TSAR and Revolution! are on track for August releases, barring invasions by flying monkeys. Or rising R'lyeh.
Look for all three in our demo area at GenCon, Booth #1321 in the exhibit hall.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Everything: The Book
Gadgets and Gear? Wow! Not only does this book have everything you could ever possibly want (covering the twin bases of "gear" and "gadgets"), but it also has alliteration. Well, that's it then. We're calling it, right here, right now. This book is the most perfect book you'll ever find. No, don't bother looking. Don't even turn your head. Just click the link, buy a copy, and enjoy your new and totally fulfilled life.
Jason Bostick and Carolyn Isaacs, two of our loyal Men In Black, recently had a Munchkin-themed wedding. And here are the photos to prove it.
Congratulations to Jason and Car on the beginning of their married life, and our humblest thanks for letting us, even vicariously, be a part of it.
-- Andrew Hackard
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Champions! In! Spaaace!
See, 'cause we have Galactic Champions! Okay, yeah . . . too easy. Maybe next time.
Kira pointed this one out: Game Design Concepts, an online course covering the process of making a game, from idea generation to prototyping to playtesting. The instructor is Ian Schreiber, who wrote Challenges for Game Designers, and has been teaching game design at Ohio University for a couple years.
The course has no registration fees except for the required text, but classes start next Monday, June 29. Interested, but don't have the time to commit? Most of the "lecture" will be occuring on the open blog, so anyone can follow along.
Since the office will be closed next week, I think I'll add the site to my Morning Coffee. Some topics in the syllabus look very interesting, especially "Critical vocabulary: what is a game?" and "Blindtesting techniques." Anything that facilitates better communication between designers sounds like a great idea to me, and you can never have too many tricks for testing your game.
-- Paul Chapman
"I hardly knew her!" Hah hah, hah . . . . a-heh. Sorry. GURPS Martial Arts: Gladiators is out. (Find out who was responsible for this, and then see what it costs to keep a lion. -Ed.)
Deluxe Illuminati is on the boat and working its way toward store shelves. We recently moved Deluxe Illuminati to a new printer and the process ate a lot more time than we expected it to, which left this classic game out of print for far too long. Well, the end is now in sight and roughly 1,000 cases of Deluxe Illuminati should hit our warehouse in a week or two. I am sorry about the delay in getting this one back on store shelves, but we wanted to take our time and carefully check every component (this is the first time the new printer has run copies of the game for us).
Check with your local game store around mid-July for Deluxe Illuminati or, if you don't have a local store, you can grab a copy from Warehouse 23.
-- Phil Reed
The Empty Crypt? Well . . . nothing to see here, then.
Today, in Columbus Ohio, the Origins Game Fair kicks off. I won't be attending for the first time in a couple of years. I'm going to miss the awesome setups Duke Seifried always has on display, as well as the "cool" factor of walking up to the Big Bar on Two and seeing industry pros rubbing elbows with fans.
In my stead are Will and Randy. They'll be running Revolution!, The Stars Are Right, Frag Gold Edition, and much more, morning, noon, and night, wherever they can find a flat surface. (Actually, not so much in the morning. This is a game convention after all, so who would be awake and around?) One of them will find time to wear the Munchkin mascot suit; watch for oversized weapons and goofy dances.
If you play something you enjoy, but don't have a copy of, be sure to check out the wares at the Adventure Retail booth (#310). They've got our games piled high, but also fun stuff from Atlas Games, Fantasy Flight, and many more excellent publishers.
Have fun!
-- Paul Chapman
Randy's Road Trip Update
Tonight, Randy will be gaming at Krystal Keep in Dayton Ohio from 6-9pm. For Randy's complete itinerary, check out our Where's Randy? page.
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Goblins In Your Neighborhood? News At 11.
Several local goblins - who were allegedly harassing a nearby village - were found turned inside-out, in what has become known as The Amberrose Incident. Follow our hyperlink for more information.
June 23, 2009: Don't Forget! We're Closed Next Week!
As we mentioned before, Steve Jackson Games will be closed June 29 through July 3. This closure includes Warehouse 23 and e23.
(Orders for PDFs will continue to be automatically processed, of course.)
What's so important that we'd vanish for a week? Sanity, frankly. The summer convention season coincides with the push to get everything to the printer in time for the holidays. Also, we're in Texas, where "summer" indicates temperatures hot enough to fry eggs on surfaces you need to touch to get into your car. We need a moment to kick back before diving into one of the busiest times of our year.
Don't worry; we'll be thinking about you while we're gone.
-- Paul Chapman
Randy's Road Trip Update
Chicago Land Games is, thankfully, located in Chicago, Illinois. Otherwise, Randy and his trunk full of games would be pretty lost trying to find the place. He'll be there from 6-9pm tonight.
For Randy's complete itinerary, check out our Where's Randy? page.
Warehouse 23 News: e23: A Map? Hey, Isn't That Cheating?
If you've got a twisty-turny maze designed to bewilder and be-kill-er adventurers, why go and make a map of the thing? And, for that matter, why then go and sell said map? Seems that Dungeon of Terror #4: The Maze is self-defeating, but hey, we're certain you'll find a use for it.
June 22, 2009: Can't We Just Pretend It's Pyramid #3/2?
Are we really already on the eighth issue of the "new" Pyramid? That's certainly what the "8" in Pyramid #3/8: Cliffhangers seems to imply. Eight issues. That means eight months have gone by. Has anyone seen my 2009? I seem to have misplaced it.
Well, since we're all on our steady marches (or, if my perception is any indication, our full-tilt dashes) towards mortality, I better keep this little newsvertisement brief. Pyramid #3/8 is all about pulps! It has action! Adventure! Excitement! Exotic locales! Lots and lots of exclamation points!
There. Done and done. Now to go back to whimpering in the corner while the unstoppable waves of time crush me down into nothing. (Seriously, though, eight months? It doesn't feel like it, y'know?)
-- Fox Barrett
Randy's Road Trip Update
Today, Randy will be popping into Pegasus Games in Madison WI from 7-10pm. As usual, he'll have Revolution!, Frag Gold Edition, and The Stars Are Right, as well as an "in development" game or two.
For Randy's complete itinerary, check out our Where's Randy? page.
What the - a canned adventure that isn't in a dungon? That isn't about slaughtering your way to the chest on the bottom floor? That actually has more than a little bit of English history in it? What kind of canned adventure is The Black Monks of Glastonbury?
When new tech comes out, YouTube gets flooded with "unboxing" videos -- footage of early adopters breaking the seal on their new toys, showing the world the contents of the box. A few boardgamers have brought this trend to some of the new "big box" game releases, and we thought it was an interesting idea.
So we sat Phil and Will down with a copy of Frag Gold Edition, and had them open it up. Of course, since they worked on it, there weren't any surprises, but the resulting video is a good demonstration of what's inside those shrinkwrapped golden boxes. Plus, it was fun!
You can see it on our YouTube channel, or embedded into the Frag page. Let us know what you think!
-- Paul Chapman
My Turn In The Vacation Seat
I am on vacation until July 6. My plans include playing with toys, playing games (both tabletop and console), and a drive through the southwest (New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona). I'll no doubt respond to urgent messages while I'm on vacation (I'm about as good at completely separating myself from the office as Steve is), but please don't expect too much out of me during this break.
I plan to stop at a few game stores while I'm on the road. I won't stay long at any one store, but I will bring along a sample of Revolution! to show off as well as some Munchkin goodies to leave behind for lucky fans. (I also plan to poke my head into a few cool toy stores -- like Red Hot Robot in Phoenix, AZ -- but I doubt if they'll have any interest in Munchkin promo material. The different toy stores might enjoy a peek at our Chibithulhus, though, so I should drag a couple of those plush creatures along on the trip.)
-- Phil Reed
Warehouse 23 News: e23: When In Doubt, Punch It In The Head
There are two lessons to be learned from Burning Shaolin. One: that two very different gaming system can not only share a single adventure, but that players can enjoy that adventure regardless of their system of choice. Two: that no matter how big the problem, punching the correct people in the face will resolve it.
June 20, 2009: Advance Copies Of Revolution!
The printer sent us advance copies of Revolution! and yesterday, the boxes got to us. It was like Christmas in June: torn open taped boxes, violently discarded packing material, and gleeful grins as everyone grabbed a copy.
We didn't get to keep them, of course. But it was great to hold real live copies, hot off the press. These advance copies are destined for MIB around the world. They'll teach the game to anyone and everyone, in preparation of the game's release this August.
Of course, playing in a demo won't teach the guts of the game to everyone. Some people -- like me, for instance -- need to read the rules. Honestly, if I don't, I might as well chose my moves at random. Luckily for folks like us, there's a PDF on the Revolution! webpage that covers everything.
This one is quite different for Steve Jackson Games, in nearly all aspects, except the one element that remains constant: it's a great game. If you have a chance, check it out.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Don't Keep Your Cliffs In The Dresser
Take the advice presented in Pyramid # 3/8: Cliffhangers and put your cliffs on a clothing rack.
Yesterday, we received our proofs of the upcoming Munchkin Fairy Dust expansion. As the photo indicates, it's quite reflective! Maybe we need to use a little less fairy dust . . .
We also got the proofs for the recently announced Waiting for Santa. This set, like Fairy Dust, will be a 15-card supplement for the original Munchkin, and has cute holiday shiny bits.
We'll receive the finished supplements of Fairy Dust in August, and Waiting for Santa in September.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Forgotten Lore? Ah, The Best Kind!
The exciting bits of any story don't happen in the normal, boring, up-to-date section of the library. (With a possible exception for Buffy.) It happens when the heroes go into the back with the dusty manuscripts, or when someone says "this vault hasn't been opened in over 1000 years," or anytime something that starts with the descriptor "the long-lost." So a book called Lore: Forgotten Mythos? Oh yeah. That's the good stuff, right there.
Steve Jackson Games announces, for release in September:
Munchkin Waiting for Santa
You'd better watch out.
You'd better not cry.
You'd better not pout.
Or you're gonna die.
It's that time of the year when all good* little munchkins wait up for Santa. Be careful . . . he may have a lot of treasure in that bag, but he's Level 12, and he has friends.
This package includes 15 new Munchkin cards, including Santa Claus himself, his scary friends, and some special holiday Treasures . . . all with extra shiny red and green decorations, which, as we all know, is the true meaning of Christmas. You'll have naughty/nice holiday fun, whether you use it only with the core Munchkin set or play with all the expansions you can get your hands on.
* Steve Jackson Games takes no responsibility for confusion of "good" in Munchkin with "good" in any reasonable context.
Waiting For Santa is a fin-seal pack. All packs contain the same 15 cards.
Fin-seal pack containing 15 cards. Stock #1434, ISBN 837654320235. $3.99.
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 . . .
This new, deluxe edition combines the original Ninja Burger with the cards from the supplement, Sumo-Size Me! and adds counters for tracking honor and money.
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 with 216 oversized cards, 3 black ninja dice, counters, and a rulesheet. Stock #1903, ISBN 837654320259. $34.99.
Chibithulhu Plush (Halloween)
Cute. Cuddly. Sanity-blasting.
Munchkin Cthulhu has spawned the evillest, cutest plush ever: Chibithulhu.
This 10"-tall soft and huggable plush figure features huge, adorable eyes, a felt witch's hat, a black jack o' lantern on the chest . . . and Cthulhu's trademark tentacles. It's made of all-new materials, and is machine washable.
Of course, this toy includes a special rule, which will help you during Munchkin Cthulhu games.
10"-tall orange-and-black plush figure. Stock #9405, ISBN 837654320242. $19.99.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Fantasy Bundle II: This Time It's Personal
No, it isn't. It's just a convenient collection of some 200 paper miniatures in a fantasy theme. But that's okay, Fantasy Bundle II, we love you anyway. You're just so darned handy. Can you really blame us for trying to punch up your bit a little?
Origins Game Fair is June 24 - 28. Yep, that's next week -- funny how the convention season sneaks up on you like that!
Will is scheduled to run Munchkin Quest, Revolution!, Frag Gold Edition, The Stars Are Right, and whatever else he can lay his hands on. Randy will be in attendance as well, taking a break from his road trip. One of them will be doing the Munchkin Dance as the Mascot. Not sure which one . . . I suspect they'll be rock-paper-scissoring for the privilege.
There will, of course, be other games to play. The Columbus Area Boardgamers Society usually has a huge pile of new releases and classics they'll loan out. Our MIB will be running a wide variety of things. And as always, the miniatures setups will be mind-blowing. I hope the Space: 1889 ships will be there again . . . .
And if you'd like to purchase something, might we suggest the booth at the corner of Diplomacy and BattleTech. No, seriously -- Origins has once again named the aisles, and Adventure Retail (our official retailers for the summer conventions) is stationed at the corner of Diplomacy Avenue and BattleTech Avenue. Well, it isn't just us; AR is the official retailer of Atlas Games, Green Ronin, Fantasy Flight, and a ton of other top drawer publishers.
Origins will be a good time; if you're in the area and in the mood for a game, go!
-- Paul Chapman
But He Isn't At Origins Yet
Randy is heading to Columbus, but on his way he's making a stop at The Source Comics and Games (hi Bob!) in Minneapolis, MN from 12-3pm. After that, you'll be able to catch up with him at Paddy's from 6-9pm in St. Cloud, MN.
Unless it's about a South American pack animal that fell over and became famous, Dungeon Crawl Classics #62: Shine of the Fallen Lama raises far more questions than it answers.
June 16, 2009: Illuminated Site of the Week: Catches Tanks, Any Size
Still think global warming is just a liberal joke? Then perhaps you'd like to explain how funny it is that, thanks to this inexorable process, the Earth will soon face spiders the size of bank vaults, smart guy. Actually you don't have to: National Geographic has done it for you. They're paid to be all scientific and stuff, though, so for the real story, check The Register. The spiders, they're bigger, they're bulletproof, they're Danish . . . sure, they start small, but they grow up, people. They grow up.
-- Suggested by David Smallwood
Also: Randy's Out There, Somewhere.
Almost forgot: Randy's at Dragons Den Comics and Games tonight from 6-9pm, in Sioux Falls, SD!
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Not Scroll-Like In The Slightest
We recently got in The Sorcerer's Scrolls, Issue 43 and Issue 44. And, unless you're talking about the scroll bar, there really isn't anything particularly scroll-ish about them. Strange. Then again, it is a catchier name than "The Sorcerer's Collection of Articles About All Kinds of Roleplaying Games."
I wasn't really involved in the production of the Vorkosigan Saga Sourcebook and Roleplaying Game, so I'm woefully underqualified to tell you about the trials of putting the book together. I've only ever read a couple chapters from Cordelia's Honor, so I can't honestly tell you how great Bujold's world is. I haven't been in a GURPS game in some time, and the one I was playing in was low-tech rather than sci-fi, so I am ill-equipped to tell you how complete the GURPS rules in the book are. I am, in every sense, at a complete disadvantage when trying to convince you that this PDF is worth your time, money, and attention.
So I'll just do the proper Vorkosigan thing to do in a situation like this. I'll forge ahead and get the job done anyway. I've seen this project do a little soul-sucking on our poor production team. Shadlyn (our former Retail Manager) adores the series, and has spoiled enough of it for me that I probably know a lot more than I realize. And even if my last campaign lacked technologies on the level of indoor toilets, I can tell you the included GURPS Lite has an awful lot of crunchy space stuff in there.
Sure, we've seen setback after setback after setback on this project. Things were pretty bleak, and at times it seemed like everything was conspiring against us. But if a fragile, hunchbacked, short guy facing undue prejudice can push the stars aside and say "hey, Universe, we're doing this my way," then you better believe we can put out a GURPS book. And buddy, viewed as either a setting for GURPS or a guide to the Vorkosigan universe, what a book it is.
-- Fox Barrett
Where's Randy Today?
Today, Randy will be popping into two stores: Gatekeeper Hobbies in Topeka, KS from 12 to 12:30, and The Game Shoppe of Omaha, NE from 6:30-9pm. Stop in and say hi!
For Randy's complete itinerary, check out our Where's Randy? page.
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Well? Which Is It?
You can't both Malevolent and Benign. They're mutually exclusive! We checked the dictionary and everything. Well, if the monsters in that book can't make up their minds, we suppose you'll just hafta stabbify 'em all and let the GM sort it out.
Although the recently uploaded Vorkosigan Saga Sourcebook and Roleplaying Game is likely the most complete licensed product we've ever done, it certainly isn't the first. In fact, here's a baker's dozen of GURPS books that adapted licensed properties, and are still available. You'll want to grab hardcopies of these, as most of our earlier contracts do not allow us to do do a new print run, or to make them available as PDF on e23. (Our current contracts do, obviously!)
- Alpha Centauri. Based on the Sid Meier video game of the same name.
- Blue Planet. An aquatic planet, uplifted species, and an exploitable natural resource? Sign me up!
- Castle Falkenstein. Victorian steampunk!
- Deadlands. Six guns and hexes, while the dead walk through an alternate Civil War. What's not to love?
- Hellboy Sourcebook and Roleplaying Game. Big Red has been popularized with two appearances on the big screen (and two animated series), but the original graphic novels remain my favorite depiction of the occult investigator and his team.
- Humanx: For Love of Mother-Not. This solo adventure -- based on the novel of the same name by Alan Dean Foster -- was thought long gone, but the intrepid W23 crew uncovered just a few. Get 'em while you can!
- Lensman. Doc Smith's Lensmen don't need lightsabers; they're just that awesome.
- Myth. Based on the video games Myth: The Fallen Lords and Myth II: Soulblighter, this setting has the Dark battling the Light, archmages, and hordes of undead. Good stuff!
- New Sun. Gene Wolfe's award-winning series of boy meets sword, boy uses sword, boy takes over world.
- Planet Krishna. Sword and space opera from Golden Age author L. Sprague De Camp.
- Planet of Adventure. The title says it all -- an entire planet, designed by Jack Vance no less, to adventure on.
- Uplift. David Brin's universe of dolphins wearing walkers, and wisecracking inteligent chimps. At least, they were always wisecracking in my games.
- Traveller. One of the first science fiction RPGs, with more GURPS supplements than . . . well, nearly any other topic or world.
Where's Randy Today?
And the answer is: Agents Comics and Games in Wichita, KS. From 3-6pm, stop in and look for the guy grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
-- Paul Chapman
Yes, that Champions. Just a little FYI: it's on e23 now. We thought you fine folks might be interested.
Today (Saturday, June 13) is the first day of Randy's Big Road Trip. He'll be heading north from Austin, up I-35. His first stop will be Game Headquarters in Oklahoma City from 6pm to 9pm.
And if you should encounter Randy at Game Headquarters (or any other stop on his journey), what can you expect? Demos of Revolution!, Frag Gold Edition, and The Stars Are Right are his first priority. But he'll have sneak previews of other, top secret games as well.
For a complete listing of Randy's road trip, check out our Where's Randy page.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Jackson's Whole
. . . whole lotta work, that is. It's been a few grueling years in the making, but like the titular character, the Vorkosigan Saga Sourcebook and Roleplaying Game just doesn't know how to quit. Well, persistence paid off, and the Big Book of Vork is now here for your GURPSing pleasure! Be ye a fan of Bujold's sci-fi epic or just a gamer looking for a new way to have operas in space, this book contains everything you need to get started. But do us one favor? Don't ask when a sequel is coming. The production department only has so much psyche left.
There's a ton of stuff in the new Frag Gold Edition, and last week we took a couple new photos of the components. The board, the figures, the counters -- everything has been upgraded in this edition. Click over and take a look at the new links on the components list (look on the left-hand side, below the cover image). We've also added the rules in PDF form, so you can learn the rules before you pick the game up, or make copies if you already have one.
Of course, if you've already picked up a copy, you've already seen all these bits. But if you've got a camera -- either video or still -- and an account on one of those nifty media sharing sites, take some shots of your next game! Once they're uploaded, let us know where they're at, and we'll take a look. We'll gather a bunch of links, and post them in an upcoming Daily Illuminator. Heck, we may even send some goodies out to the best video -- impress us!
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: e23: For The Honor Of The Franchise, Buy This Game!
Ninja do not have time to be bored. Ninja are too busy cutting down giant demon seahorses with five arms and acid breath to even consider being bored. You, with your decidedly giant-demon-less life, are prone to boredom. Ninja-To Go: A Ninja Burger Bored Game will alleviate your boredom. The precise nature of how it goes about alleviating your boredom, however, we will leave you to find out. But do not be a coward! Buy this game and die with honor!
June 11, 2009: Vorkosigan Coming Very, Very Soon
How soon? Today soon!
(Update: Now soon! The PDF is here! Why are you reading this? Go get it!)
The last piece of art was approved, placed, and proofed. The book is nearly ready to send to the printer. (Curse you, job order paperwork!) But everything needed for the content is done . . . so we'll be releasing Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga Sourcebook and Roleplaying Game in PDF later today on e23.
This sourcebook has been in the pipeline for a while, but honestly, that isn't the driving force behind our eagerness to release it. Take a glance at the table of contents, and you'll see the real reason: this is perhaps the most complete GURPS book we've ever published.
Other settings have included GURPS Lite as an appendix; few have had a version customized as thoroughly as this one has. Other books have included weapons, armor, and ships, but none before has included the quick and easy Spaceships system for generating new ships, letting GMs create vessels new to the campaign or adapt those from the novels. Nearly two dozen worlds, half a dozen ships, and over two dozen characters, as well as a timeline, technology notes, and adventure seeds -- everything a Miles fan would want to run a game, or any science-fiction aficionado would need to introduce them to the world of Vorkosigan.
I could go on for hours, but it's best to see for yourself. The file was uploaded this morning; go get it! The full-color hardcover will ship to your friendly local game store in October.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Kind Of A Given
If you're plotting a revolution, safe money is on there being a usurper or two in the mix. So for the Road to Revolution series, the latest title - The Usurpers - is not unexpected. Indeed, it's probably necessary. It's not like you're going to get very far in your revolt if you all just walk up to the castle gates and ask nicely.
June 10, 2009: One Thousand Words, Give Or Take
You'd think that with lots of pictures to show how much fun we had when John Kovalic visited, we'd be sure to include them in that Illuminator.
Sometimes, we aren't as smart as we'd like to think we are. Go check out our Flickr stream to see a whole lot of photos proving that yes, everyone had a great time.
(Incidentally, if you were reading the Munchkin news page, you would have already seen this. Why not add it to your bookmarks so you don't miss any MORE Munchkin announcements?)
-- Andrew Hackard
Well, we already used the "axe-spansion" joke. And, like, twice if you count the e23 front page news. With this set called Battle Axe, Expansion #1, it became apparent we were premature in letting loose on that joke. Our only salvo fired, we're kinda stuck for a joke on this one. We'll just have to go with "you have no axe-cuse not to buy this!" Oh well, hindsight and all that.
We shall be closed June 29 to July 3. And by "we," I mean "Warehouse 23."
Oh, and e23 as well.
Actually, the whole darned office will be out of their mind . . . er, not working. We're taking the entire week off, shutting everything down, and enjoying some downtime . . . everyone gets a (paid) break before the summer convention season kicks into high gear.
Therefore: If you have business with Steve Jackson Games, either in the ordering of products, asking us questions, or just poking us to see what falls out, plan this gap in our attendance accordingly. e23 orders, being largely automated, should proceed without interruption, but there will be no new upload. Warehouse 23 will neither be shipping or processing orders during this period.
And don't worry; we'll be reminding everyone of this vacation several more times, so no one is caught off-guard.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Hack 'n Slash To The Chase
Wicked Fantasy Factory #4: A Fistful of Zinjas isn't some namby-pamby "let's go rescue the princess" Quest-For-Righteousness malarkey. So what kind of adventure is it? The kind that has a section labeled "Area 10: Bear Training Ground." In other words, the awesome kind.
Yay! A rhyming title! Well, okay, Transhuman Space: Personnel Files 2 - The Meme Team doesn't completely rhyme, but it's close enough for me. Why? It's fun to say! Like "prime time." "Magilla Gorilla." "Duran Duran."
Pretty appropriate title for the theme, too. (Hey, the Meme Team theme!) How better to make your name catchy - like a meme is - than to have it rhyme? The lean Meme Team is a dream for . . . steam.
Well, I guess we now know why I'm not on the Meme Team, huh? But I suppose that's why they have me out here like some kind of bizarre carnival barker and have Phil Masters do the actual worky bits on the book. Go have a look for yourself, I promise it won't be nearly as inane.
-- Fox Barrett
Warehouse 23 News: e23: From Zero To HERO
Yesterday, we mentioned the latest offering from Hero Games. Today, though, we'll step back a moment and point our virtual fingers at the root of the gaming goodness: Hero System 5th Edition. That link will take you to the core book, or you can just use this HERO System link to browse through the stuff we've put online so far. If you still don't find what you're looking for, just give it a day or two. We'll get all this HERO-ic stuff online just as quickly as the gremlins will let us.
We received the sad news last Wednesday that fantasy author David Eddings passed away on June 2. Eddings is best known for his fantasy series the Belgariad and the Malloreon, as well as several other works. Although Steve Jackson Games was never privileged to work with David, we certainly admire his writing and offer our condolences to his family, friends, and fans.
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Going In With A Bang
We at e23 are pleased to welcome Hero Games to our digital menagerie of gaming goodness. You'll be seeing a lot more of their books as we get everything online soon, but for starters, how about some Hero System adventures? Here's a nice tall glass of Thrilling Hero Adventures, and they were kind enough to leave the pulp in. (Which is the best part, really.)
June 6, 2009: Call For Playtesters: GURPS Gun Fu
GURPS Gun Fu is an arsenal of fighting styles and combat options for larger-than-life gunmen. It arms cinematic gunfighters with everything they need to shoot it out in style: new perks, techniques, and skills, plus optional rules for using them in over-the-top action scenes. So if you know Westerns, war movies, sci-fi shooters, and all the latest action flicks -- and even better, if you've used GURPS to emulate these -- why not lend your firepower to the playtest?
Like a 90-minute action movie, this playtest will be brief and to-the-point. Showtime is June 15 and the credits roll on June 26. If you're short on time or new to playtesting, then this represents a wonderful opportunity to get involved! The only sure-fire requirement is being a regular at Evil Stevie's Gun Shop: Playtesters must be registered e23 customers who have spent more than $50 at e23 in the past 12 months.
Experience counts, of course. At minimum, we expect you to have made it through basic training -- that is, you know the GURPS Basic Set well. But GURPS Gun Fu is an after-market add-on for GURPS High-Tech, and at the same time a lot like GURPS Martial Arts retooled to deliver high-caliber mayhem. Thus, familiarity with how those books handle in the field is an advantage, and applicants who are handy with both will be short-listed for the A-Team. If you come accessorized with GURPS Action and/or GURPS Martial Arts: Fairbairn Close-Combat Systems, then so much the better.
Prospective playtesters should e-mail jwilson@io.com with [GF] (for "Gun Fu") in the subject. Include your preferred e-mail address for the closed playtest mailing list, correct spelling of your name as it may appear in print, your e23 login name, and a few words on why we should pick you for this mission: qualifications, experience, current gaming group(s), etc. Information about preferred submission formatting is in the forum post for this playtest call.
-- Steven Marsh
We know what you're thinking. You're thinking "why am I reading this advertisement when I could be reading Transhuman Space: Personnel Files 2 - The Meme Team right now?" We know this because, as memeticists, we put it in your head. It's all part of our insidious plot to make you buy a book from us. It should kick in any second now . . . any . . . second . . . now-ish . . . any time . . .
Randy has been our "man-about-town" for a while now. He takes in-development games and playtests them at some of our favorite gaming retailers around town. Sometimes, he just takes games that are at the printer, just to give a sneak peek to our local fans.
This week and next, in fact, he'll be doing just that with Revolution! and The Stars Are Right. Here's the dates and locations:
Today, Friday June 5 -- Great Hall Games.
Monday, June 8 -- Dragon's Lair.
Tuesday, June 9 -- Austin Pizza.
Wednesday, June 10 -- Tribe.
Of course, we've got fans all over the country. So Randy's road tripping to Origins this year, with a detour through the Twin Cities. For a full itinerary, check out the Where's Randy? page.
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: e23: He's Very Sensitive, You Know
It's the Mad Mage. He's in the Dungeon of Terror #3: Mad Mage Chambers (East). And he's not coming out until you apologize!
Another step along the path to nanofabrication. I think the most interesting thing about this atom pinhole camera is its potential for creating a large number of copies at once!
-- Steve Jackson
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Attack Of The 50-Foot Title!
If you'd like a little sample of what you can expect from the Cooper's Compendium series . . well, then why not just read this little free sample? Although "little" probably isn't quite accurate. The title of the thing is Cooper's Compendium of Corrected Creatures: Troll Hunter and Owl Animal Companion, which is a mouthful any way you slice it.
Nope, this is not a belated April Fool's. I am actually, really, no-kidding taking some serious time off. Effective last Friday, in fact. Everyone seems to have things more or less under control, and I know Phil will keep it that way until I get back.
No doubt there'll be a certain amount of sitting around and reading . . . or even just sitting around. But I want to take some time for Stuff, too. I'm going to visit the regional National Model Railroad Association convention, which starts today in Irving, Texas. (No, I don't have a train layout. Yes, someday I will.) In July, I'm going to LibertyCon in Chattanooga . . . and NOT to do the Guest of Honor thing, but just to be there and enjoy it - Tom Smith is the MC! (Still, if you come, please say hi. I expect I'll have a game or two to sneak-preview if anybody asks nicely.) Other travel might happen, or might not.
I know I'm going to spend some time thinking about new games, but I'm not going to set myself any deadlines. If I come back from vacation with something worth playtesting, good. If not . . . well, it was vacation. I've got two off-the-wall ideas that I want to get into writing. They may turn out not to be playable, or not to be marketable, but I have to write them down so they'll quit nagging me.
In Other News, The Phone Is Dead
As of about 4:30pm Tuesday afternoon, all phone lines to the office went down. We have no dial tone and cannot make or receive calls. A repair technician from AT&T is scheduled to be out between 8am and 7pm on Thursday. The problem seems to be much bigger than just us, so it may be fixed before our individual appointment is scheduled, or the individual appointment may have no effect. Your guess is as good as ours. Our Internet service is unaffected by this outage.
Warehouse 23 News: e23: Cold-Blooded Killers
Sure, it's all sunbathing on rocks and selling auto insurance . . . until someone hands them a spear! Then . . . well, then it's all fun and games. So buy the Paper Miniatures: Lizardmen Set and have some fun and games. And spears.
June 2, 2009: Werewolves Of Silicon Valley
It seems the classic party game of Werewolf (also known as Mafia and published as Are You a Werewolf? and Do You Worship Cthulhu?, among many others) has hit the middle management kids in the tech industry. They seem attracted to because "it generates a lot of interesting behavior with very simple rules." It is also lauded as a training tool for young entrepreneurs, honing their persuasion skills to a fine edge.
And yes, the game is fun. But "fun" doesn't make the accountants happy when you enter it onto an expense report, so these games get compliments like "emergent behavior" and "elegant systems."
-- Paul Chapman
Warehouse 23 News: e23: You're Never Too Old For Onomatopoeia
Star Fury, Set #2, Mini-Game #88 might be about tactical genius and deft strategies, but all you need concern yourself with is this bit: pew pew pew, ba-doom, ker-zap! The rules and higher brain functions are just what we use in polite company to hide the really, really, really fun bit.
Sometimes, you have to look back. Maybe it's because this has happened before and you need the experiences of the past. Maybe it's to learn how we can better ourselves in the future. Maybe it's because you're not sure where you left your keys, and working back your steps is the only way you're getting into your car tonight.
The best reason, of course, is because there's so many gaming opportunites back there. Take, for example, Florence in the 15th century. No, seriously. Take that example. We put it in a book called GURPS Hot Spots: Renaissance Florence. Within shall you find explinations of the city the age, breakdowns of some of the more prominent movers and shakers, and perhaps even a little advice here and there about running a generic (yet universal) game centered around the city. Historical knowledge or historical gaming, the book suits either need.
Or just go full GURPS on the thing and use it as a setting for your cyberpunk game. We're not picky.
-- Fox Barrett
You don't have use the information found in GURPS Hot Spots: Renaissance Florence to run a historical campaign based in that time and place. You could use it as part of a larger time-travel escapade! Or perhaps, you could play as characters from that time and place, but a time travel comes and visits you. Or you could play time-travelers from that time and place going somewhere else in time. The point is, never let a silly thing like content limit your gaming options! (. . . or purchasing options!)
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