Daily Illuminator Archive for September 2010

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September 1, 2010:
Just in case you missed the announcement, the numerous Twitter mentions, and the sounds of gleeful squealing coming from our office, Zombie Dice is now on the iPhone. It'll work on the iPad too (although there are rumors of an upcoming version optimized for the larger screen) . . . read article

September 2, 2010:
Like many kids, my early experiences with RPGs took place underground -- in a basement. In Michigan, basements are common, and excellent places to spend the (relatively) hot summer days . . . read article

September 3, 2010:
If you thought a visit to the doctor was a scary thing, wait until you find out about all the stuff mainstream medicine hasn't been telling you. The Whale gives us the skinny on the vaccine "racket," the ease with which AIDS ought to be treated (it's the causes, you see, not the cures), and more on the dental conspiracy . . . read article

September 3, 2010:
Yes, you know we're going to be at PAX Prime this weekend. And our obvious activity will be "running demos." But what else will we be doing? Munchkin Twitter Explosion . . . read article

September 4, 2010:
Munchkin got an article in Gama Sutra's feature, "Game Design Essentials: 20 Real-World Games." They aren't 100% complimentary, but just being among those games is an honor . . . read article

September 5, 2010:
No, I'm not talking about Frag, which got so loud during a convention playtest session that security was called. Nor is the topic Nanuk, a game that inevitably involves everyone shouting at the deck at least once . . . read article

September 6, 2010:
It's time for the weekly e23 release, and what better way to promote a Classic release for the ultra-high-tech GURPS Traveller universe than to sharpen our quills? . . . We apologize in advance. * * * Oh, Traveller! . . . read article

September 7, 2010:
You've probably noticed that there aren't many GURPS adventures on e23. This isn't because we don't want them, but because GURPS is driven by submissions . . . and being a generic, universal tool kit, its fans like to design tools . . . read article

September 8, 2010:
The fine folks at Games & Gizmos sold out of Cthulhu Dice during PAX . .  and they sold even more Zombie Dice but didn't QUITE run out because, in preparation for the zombie apocalypse, they had Massively Overstocked. Here's another way to prepare for the zombie apocalypse: study at Baltimore University . . . read article

September 9, 2010:
The real report is going to take some reflection and research; PAX Prime is a big show, and it deserves a big report. This, however, is an off-the-cuff impression of the event . . . read article

September 10, 2010:
The Zombie Dice app lets you play against computer-controlled zombies like Grim Jim, Dead Fred, Feral Carol, Rank Hank . . . you get the idea. But we can't possibly have plumbed the depths of stupid rhyming zombie names . . . read article

September 11, 2010:
What are you afraid of? Hollywood's ubiquitous and corrupting influence? . . . read article

September 12, 2010:
Next week is Con*Stellation, in Huntsville, Alabama. I'm going to be their Master of Ceremonies, and Phil Reed is coming along to run games and keep me out of trouble . . . read article

September 13, 2010:
Nostalgia makes everything better. This is a known phenomenon, since we seem to be programmed to remember the good more clearly than the bad . . . read article

September 14, 2010:
Some of you knew that already. For those who didn't: he's recovering quite nicely . . . read article

September 15, 2010:
Munchkin Czar Andrew Hackard will be chatting live this Friday evening starting at 7:00p.m. Austin time, thanks once again to the nice folks at uStream . . . read article

September 16, 2010:
Until September 30th, Ad Astra Games (through their Genre Connections web shop) is holding a sale to benefit Loren Wiseman. Half of the purchase price of the following items will be donated to help him recoup his medical expenses after his heart attack and bypass surgery . . . read article

September 17, 2010:
We got HORDES of entries in the Zombie Name Contest on Twitter. (If you missed it, use the hashtag #zombiedice to see them all.) . . . read article

September 18, 2010:
Earlier I pointed you at The Freesound Project for ambient noises for RPGs, or whatever projects you're working on. I forgot to mention our own collection of sounds -- two ringtones from the Zombie Dice app! . . . read article

September 19, 2010:
I'm perfectly aware I posted a Low-Tech status update just a week or two ago. (Ed: More like a month, now; we've had a lot of news lately!) But this book's a monster, and I'm extremely excited to see it getting close to its final form. So, as the title suggests, the manuscript has left the production department . . . read article

September 20, 2010:
A new week means a new batch of e23 uploads. What do we have this time around? . . . read article

September 21, 2010:
A while ago, GURPS Line Editor Sean Punch, Assistant Line Editor Jason "PK" Levine, and I were talking about plans for a forthcoming project (which I can't talk too much more about right now, I'm afraid). At the time, Jason mentioned that he was aiming for more of a "GURPS Medium" approach -- making an obvious comparison to GURPS Lite . . . read article

September 22, 2010:
Over on the e23 section of the Steve Jackson Games forums, one question that's arisen is: "Why does e23 still release our products solely as PDFs when there are other electronic options out there?" As a preliminary aside, note that these answers aren't "ex cathedra"; they don't represent the closing of all other possibilities unto the end of days. Technology constantly evolves, and data formats and communication techniques are a moving target . . . read article

September 23, 2010:
Ever since we announced the upcoming Munchkin Zombies core set our eyes have been focused on keeping the project moving forward. Steve and Andrew have cranked through multiple revisions of the game as our playtesters do their very best to break the game, while I've torn out enough hair and lost enough sleep that I'm starting to look like a zombie . . . read article

September 24, 2010:
From our twisted minds to your game table, we've got a new release for you! Munchkin Cthulhu 4 – Crazed Caverns Subterranean Secrets! The hunt for forbidden knowledge goes underground! . . . read article

September 25, 2010:
It seems Randy can't get enough of running demo games. In February he drove around the country, stopping at game stores along the way . . . read article

September 26, 2010:
Retailers! If you like the display cases (also known as Point Of Purchase -- aka POP -- displays) our Zombie Dice and Cthulhu Dice come in, you'll want to save as many of them as you can . . . read article

September 27, 2010:
Technically, that's Action adventures. This month's installment of Pyramid is stuffed full of scenarios that include thrilling chases, explosions, gun battles, and high-stakes drama . . . read article

September 28, 2010:
Last year I was lucky enough to fly over to Essen, Germany, for Internationale Spieltage (commonly known as Essen Spiel or just "Essen"). It was amazing, exhausting, mind-blowing, and huge . . . read article

September 29, 2010:
A copy of Zombie Dice in a fishbowl is clearly a statement of man's progress against his own fears. Or . . . . . read article

September 30, 2010:
If you look at one of the games in your collection there's a very good chance that you'll find a series of icons that look similar to the ones shown below. Rather than leave you scratching your head trying to understand these, I thought it might be a good idea to show each icon and explain why it's on, for example, Zombie Dice . . . read article

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