Veil of the Void

Veil of the Void Yggdrasil

Vikings and mecha, you say? Look no further ... The Realm of Riachtan has long been at relative peace. There haven't been any major wars or galactic-wide threats to shake up the norm for quite some time. That is all about to change, however, as whispers of Ragnarök are on…
June 9, 2023
Monastery

Return to the Monastery

The mech genre poses several pressing questions and challenges for creators - and that goes double for game devs. Allow ground-up mech construction, or minute modification of stock templates? Dumb fire-and-forget rockets, or Macross missile spam? Granular wargame strategy or white-knuckle dogfights? To answer these and other burning questions, Mildra…
May 31, 2023
The Forest Calls

The Forest Calls

Gaming books don't get enough exposure on this blog, which is a huge oversight given the overlap between my audience and TTRPG players. By way of a course correction, here's a little something for you to check out: The Forest Calls! The Wilderkind is a supplement for Castles & Crusades,…
May 23, 20234 Comments
dungeons-and-dragons-honor-among-thieves

Accidental Death & Dismemberment

... is sorely lacking in the new D&D movie. Which, after all, is based on what at its heart a risk and resource management game. People assured me that this film adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons - the 4th overall, though it's a reimagining/reboot - doesn't insult its audience with…
May 4, 202319 Comments
Pokemon Cards

And the World Laughs With You

"Safety" is a major sacred cow of the secular cargo cult that has seized control of the West. Of course, twisting ordinary, benign words to have peculiar liturgical connotations is the primary way in which Cultists signal their religious affiliation to other Cultists. So they don't mean "safety" as normal…
March 30, 202314 Comments
Blue Dragon

How PCs Took Down JRPGs

File under: Gaming Ground Zero. And thanks again to author David V. Stewart for sliding this item across my desk. We've covered the descent of JRPGs from their peak in the 90s. Recently, legendary Final Fantasy director Hironobu Sakaguchi explained how Western RPGs dethroned Japanese game devs from their place…
March 16, 202319 Comments
Game Prices 1

The Price of Fun

A frequent complaint you hear from gamers these days is the rising cost of games - especially when you factor in the scummy DLC and games-as-service models. But a running theme of this blog is putting current events in historical perspective. So it must be asked: Are video games that…
February 10, 202314 Comments
Geek Gab's Back

Geek Gab Is Back

If you're a loyal reader, you're aware of the special relationship between this blog and the Geek Gab live stream. The mastermind behind the mic, Daddy Warpig, was gracious enough to give me a co-hosting spot back when I was first breaking onto the scene. It gave me the chance…
January 9, 20236 Comments
Hayter Hate

Hayter Hate

Let the above image serve to remind you that the people behind the product you consume hate you. The Death Cultists responsible for your beloved childhood IPs hold you in contempt and seek to use your attachment to convert you. Put away childish things. Put on the armor of God.…
October 20, 202212 Comments
RPG Test Demo

CFXS RPG Test Demo

Over the weekend, I downloaded OBS which is the most popular live streaming software out there. I'd been meaning to test it out on a full-fledged Combat Frame XSeed Roleplaying Game demo, and while chatting online with a couple of friends last night, one thing led to another, and we…
February 21, 20223 Comments