Sunday, January 1, 2012

The Request Line is Open

Repeat failure has taught me one thing about New Year resolutions: pick out things I am already down the dark road on and say “I am going to do more of that.”

Of course I am a terrible hypocrite, I have already filled up a page with new project ideas (more on that later), but here's one from the heed-my-own-wisdom category. One blog goal for 2011 was to engage readers more directly and honestly, slough off the prejudices of two decades of journalistic business as usual. The success of the various contests, challenges, direct queries, and deliberate provocations has been uneven, but on the whole I am satisfied.

Here is a very direct leap inspired by Zak S's recent query in the G+ ether, a request line. What would you like to see more of here in the Hill Cantons in 2012?

More interviews? If so with who? More (or less) focus on certain game systems? More game tinkering or setting who-ha? More analysis/exploration of the early days of the hobby? More Tekumel? Half-assed literary criticism? Or what?

Leading questions all, feel free to answer, ignore, and definitely, definitely pose anything that strikes your fancy. I welcome the engagement even if, nay especially if it demands I stretch a little. Challenge me, friends.  

14 comments:

  1. Chris I feel a little guilty because I read a good deal more then I comment on yer blogo :(. I would like to see you continue working on all your loopy DnD homebrew especially the dominion running stuff. The short-lived playtest was a blast and I look forward to the development and the book itself! Thanks for all you do and come up to Austin more this year. We can rock out at The Sword show.

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  2. I agree, a bit more on the 'fief development' stuff would be nice, if only because I wouldn't mind nicking it for a possible plot twist in my Griffin Mountain campaign.

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  3. @Kenny and Barry
    And here I was trying to be less of a one-trick pony. Actually my head is back there again as one of the most nagging resolutions is to get over my procrasti-tasking with other projects and actually push Borderlands out the door this month.

    Thank you both for being involved in the necessary playtests.

    Barry, you could be in luck, I do have some related notes/observations about how to adapt a number of the old D&D-based Borderlands variants to BRPish systems (thanks to using Stormhack). They'll likely be written up as a freebie supplement.

    While we are on it Griffin Mountain has been one of my inspiration points for the current DGII campaign (you may have noticed some filed off serial numbers at points).

    Other readers if you are interested in that wonderful sandbox product I would strongly recommend you check out Barry's recent Griffin Mountain write-up on his shiny new blog. He does a good job of lifting up the hood to talk about the how and why of using that book in play.

    Find it here: http://expanduniver.blogspot.com/2011/12/griffin-mountain-story-so-far.html .

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  4. There is always room for more Tekumel! But more Hill Cantons would not go amiss either...

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  5. I think my top two pics would be more setting hoo-ha and literary criticism, but I say follow your Muse, dude.

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  6. @PHF
    Oh there is always going to be more Tekumel. Though I am not sure if I have the capacity this coming year to sustain the same number of EPT Jakalla game, I hope that this will be the year that we see the fruits of all the Foundation work: the pre-TSR EPT manuscript, the Pocket Universe game, etc--and thus I can write about them.

    @Trey
    I always feel like I may be a talking out of my ass when I do literary criticism (which means that I likely just am), but I enjoy it and always enjoy your and others insights when I do.

    Muse following is a given, though she can be awfully fickle.

    @Scott
    Ha.

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  7. Seriously: I also vote for more literary review/criticism and as many FFVietnam/historical posts as you're willing to offer.

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  8. I am of no help, and read more than I comment. That aside, I'm happy with you publishing whatever strikes your fancy.

    Although the cowbell comment made me laugh, so maybe add a few more cowbells each week.

    Happy Blogging.

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  9. The best posts here are not part of any program. Just do what you feel.

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  10. I'm with Roger. I like your provocations, your what-ifs, your half-formed worlds and campaign seeds. I confess I haven't read enough about the domain game yet to give an opinion about it (is there a handy link/tag?).

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  11. Catered meals for the Hill Cantons tabletop campaign players :)

    Kidding aside, I'd like to know more about your thoughts on DMing the HC campaign, especially with regard to the mix of veteran and inexperienced D&Ders in our group.

    Also, posts about starship minis.

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  12. @Scott
    The G+ thread seemed to vote for literary hoo-ha too. Hmm, and I thought that was my weak link.

    @Whisk
    I always appreciate your words here, albeit so sharp and biting in nature.

    @Roger and Richard
    It's true, I feel best about the posts that are "off program". As soon as I feel obligated to write something there is an instant feeling of it being "work". I think the best of the bunch--every personal post for example--where almost purely spontaneous in inspiration.

    I guess my heart is more in Chaos than Law.

    @Desert Scribe
    So a bag of stale tortilla chips and a bowl of salsa don't pass muster?

    I ran a group of Google+ players through the Golden Domed Barge in the dunes yesterday, it was fascinating to compare the different approaches to that of you in the home game. I think they were just as annoyed by my theosophy-spewing translucent skeletons as y'all where.

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  13. @CK: There aren't any weak links here, chief. Just sayin'

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