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Daily Illuminator Archive for July 2025
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July 1, 2025:
In case you missed the news, someone pitted the general-purpose AI software ChatGPT against the Atari 2600 version of chess ( Atari Chess, as the 1977 cartridge is known). Spoiler alert: ChatGPT lost badly, on the "beginner" level of difficulty . . .
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July 2, 2025:
I've been meaning to write about this for a bit now, but I'm finally able to get around to it. I traveled to England for the first time earlier this year with two missions:
Experience UKGE
Playtest Seven-Part Pact, my ambitious wizard game
UKGE was a total blast (and Birmingham is, in my opinion, unfairly maligned by the British – it would be amongst the most beautiful cities in the US if it was located here) . . .
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July 3, 2025:
Sometimes I'll have a thought of a thought. That is, I'll think of something I want to think about . . .
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July 4, 2025:
A bit of sadness perhaps best expressed with a kazoo: Radio host Dr. Demento (also known as "Barret Hansen" for those who prefer more mundane nomenclature) has announced his retirement after 55 years of hosting The Dr . . .
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July 5, 2025:
=== BEGIN TRANSMISSION FROM SECRET MASTERS ===
Electronic Frontier Foundation: "How Cops Can Get Your Private Online Data"
Know your rights.
=== END TRANSMISSION === . . .
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July 6, 2025:
Scott Haring, for many years a member of our staff (most notably as the Car Wars line editor in its most glorious days), passed away on July 1 from complications of pneumonia. He was 67 . . .
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July 7, 2025:
I recently recounted my love of a couple of past game covers from the company. Nikki Vrtis and I got to chatting about which images sprang to mind for her:
* * *
Two covers that I immediately thought of when Steven popped this question to me were The Fantasy Trip: In the Labyrinth and the Dungeon Fantasy Companion.
In the Labyrinth depicts a classic combination of crypt-crawling characters, one that reminds me of many fun roleplaying sessions at Gen Con . . .
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July 8, 2025:
For over 10 years, the third volume of Pyramid magazine delighted fans each month with a new PDF of gaming goodness, perfect for GURPS – and with lots of useful material for other games. Now, thanks to the Bundle of Holding, that whole era is available at a previously unheard-of bargain price . . .
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July 9, 2025:
Stumbling across the various STL options we have available for 3D printers and those who use them (which would . . . um . . . also make them "3D printers"), I thought of a half-baked idea that might be of use for gamers out there – especially the GURPS players. With 3D printing, I've found that the biggest stumbling block to getting what you want – outside of the expense of the raw material, the files, etc. – is time . . .
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July 10, 2025:
The proverbial train is barreling to the end of the line as Last Train to Bremen approaches its final weeks of crowdfunding on BackerKit. We've had a great first half, with over $55,000 in funding and nearly 1,000 backers With two weeks left, there is plenty more time to hop on at our next stop! . . .
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July 11, 2025:
A few days ago we proudly announced the launch of the Pyramid V3 – First Collection at Bundle of Holding, collecting the first 60 issues of the PDF era of Pyramid at an unbeatable price. We also mentioned that you might want to follow us on our other social media platforms for more cutting-edge GURPS news – including info on the Pyramid V3 – Second Collection that launched on Wednesday . . .
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July 12, 2025:
One of the things that lured me to Atlanta was the prospect of living near more gamers. We finally had our first Game Night here at the new house.
We started with 8-Legged Peacock, a fairly new one from Brexwerx . . .
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July 13, 2025:
If you like to get lost in the darker corners of Wikipedia – and perhaps, like myself, you're thinking of some out-of-this-world dogs lately – you might enjoy this list of animals awarded human credentials. It includes a cat with an MBA, a dog with a medical degree, and another dog with an American travel visa . . .
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July 14, 2025:
For 49 years, Lee Gold has published Alarums and Excursions, an APA about the world of gaming. I have found it both fun and professionally useful . . . it was in A&E, for instance, that I saw the work of a fan named Robin Laws and said "This guy can write!" One thing led to another, and we are all the richer for it . . .
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July 15, 2025:
The exact date on which I was engaged as the GURPS Line Editor is lost in time. I usually say, "Sometime in July 1995." But the earliest official correspondence I can find is dated July 5, which is the date I mark as my work anniversary . . .
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July 16, 2025:
One item of note has recently crossed our desks and made us puff up with pride. ICV2 (among other places) has reported the winners of the 2025 Origins Awards . . . and we're tickled pink that the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design has seen fit to honor Possum Creek's Yazeba's Bed & Breakfast with the Best RPG Core Product award . . .
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July 17, 2025:
There are a number of behind-the-scenes things that happen during the development of a game. When it comes to artwork, we have our favorite artists we constantly work with – John Kovalic on Munchkin for example . . .
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July 18, 2025:
I'm not too proud to admit that I have a standing Google search for my moniker (do you know how common "Steven Marsh" is?!). And I tend to keep my eyes open for any other names of interest that cross my path . . .
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July 19, 2025:
The good folks at Green Ronin Games find themselves greatly impacted by Diamond Comic Distributors' recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and are trying to explore their options by setting up a GoFundMe to afford the (not-inexpensive) legal representation necessary. Details are on the campaign page . . .
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July 20, 2025:
If you want a look at the OLD "Secret HQ," here it is.
I miss a lot of things about this place, including all that acreage and wildlife. But Atlanta, and the Atlanta house, are wonderful, and there are more gamers, closer . . .
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July 21, 2025:
Are you a fan of Eric Flint's 1632 series, also known as the Ring of Fire series? (Briefly, it's an alternate history that kicks off with a few thousand West Virginians from 2000 A.D. becoming "castaways in time" in Germany during the Thirty Years' War.) . . .
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July 22, 2025:
Hi everyone, Last Train to Bremen is on its final legs – we've only got a couple of days left, and we've already cleared 400% of our funding goal! That's incredible work . . .
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July 23, 2025:
It's definitely a sign of the times when established creators are asking for your help. In this case, Phil and Kaja Foglio – illustrators for many of our games and creators of the insouciant and paramagnetic webcomic Girl Genius – are being hurt by the same Diamond Comics bankruptcy that is plaguing Green Ronin . . .
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July 24, 2025:
Crowdfunding for Last Train to Bremen by Possum Creek comes to a close today at 2:00 pm CDT!
Last Train to Bremen is a thrilling one-shot RPG in which players take on the roles of four ill-fated musicians who make a dangerous deal with the Devil and must now pay the ultimate price. Hopefully one will escape the contract, save their soul, and make it out alive . . .
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July 25, 2025:
I have been using &udm=14 for a little while. It's a Google-created variant of their search engine . . . but with no AI additions, and therefore none of the various annoying things that AI-"enhanced" search does . . .
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July 26, 2025:
I'm back with another YouTube video recommendation. One of my favorite nerdy celebrities is Adam Savage, and if you haven't been paying attention to his work since the end of the Mythbusters series, he has a great channel called "Tested." His content varies widely, but it's all interesting . . .
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July 27, 2025:
Our epic GURPS summer sale comes to a close tomorrow! For the last few weeks, we've featured Deals of the Day on a different GURPS series every weekday . . .
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July 29, 2025:
Tom Lehrer died Saturday, at the age of 97. If you don't know who Tom Lehrer was, look him up immediately . . .
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July 30, 2025:
I recently stepped into my friendly local comic shop, for the first time in too long, and something caught my eye . . . Gamemasters: The Comic Book History of Roleplaying Games. Naturally I picked it up, and after a few minutes of flipping, I decided it had to come home with me . . .
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July 31, 2025:
It's the best week of the year – Gen Con! Tens of thousands of die-hard gamers are descending upon Indianapolis, Indiana, for four thrilling days of around-the-clock gaming . . .
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