To Scale or Not To Scale

Alright, so last night I had a serious math SNAFU.  I realized that if my pieces are scaled to 1:72, I should scale my ranges to such.  Instead of trying to do the math myself, I just went to the internet and found a converter used for modeling - which is perfect.  I made some arbitrary rounding to whole numbers, mostly up, sometimes down, to calculate distances.

I talked about the M16.  After my research, and scaling to 1:72 scale, the M16 has a maximum effective range of 300 inches, which is 25 feet.  My gaming table (which is actually two tables put together) is 60 inches by 72 inches.  Although not necessarily accurate, I calculated smaller ranges by halving the maximum effective range twice, each halving being an easier shot.  The maximum range the M16 can fire for my game's "Close range" modifier is 75 inches, which is longer then my table, except maybe diagonally.

Dang Realism (Math Check)

So, I have been working on a miniature game.  I really enjoy isometric, turn-based tactic games, but as I am a social butterfly that enjoys co-op over versus, I find these games lacking in the co-op department.  The only game I've found that has co-operative gameplay - within the tactical turn-based genre - is Frontline Tactics, a free iOS game.

The game has enormous flaws, but they were forgivable for me and my friend, because we could play co-operatively.  That is, until, the game's difficulty curve (which is screwed beyond relief) made it unplayable.  Since then, there has been a hole in my creative needs.  I've made miniature games before, and I knew that this one would be the best ever.

Progress Towards December

Every since I moved into my house, I have found it increasingly difficult to find something to write about in any form of detail.  I started this as an outlet for my roleplaying group, and I have maintained that through these past months.  Our World of Darkness campaign has been cancelled, but I'm happy that our DragonQuest game continues strong.

I noticed a decline in my last month's postings, and it bothered me.  Here we are, at the end of another month, with the same lack of content on my end.  I've been at a lose to find anything that I could write about in great length, but I hope December, and further unto 2013, I will be full of fresh things.  A wise internet content creator once said: just keep writing.

DragonQuest - Session 12

The next morning, the party makes preparations to have Kirin Drakos fight the warrior spirit.  The Shadow, using the lasst of his invisibility ring, hides in the crows nest.  He and V2Z4 sense a foul magical presence beneath the ship, and V2Z4 recognizes it as Abyssal magic.

V2Z4 and Silvertooth Dreadwind take to the town to find information about possible under water caverns.  The talk with the Northern Walkers, who direct them to the embassy of the Loresingers.  The embassy is one elder man, who tells them of a prophecy that says that an evil will rise from beneath the island, and the only way for the island to be saved is if they follow the drow that will arrive, who must give all of themselves for victory.  He also tells them of an ancient story that claims there is an underwater cave off the shore.

DragonQuest - Session 11

GM Commentary: So it's been a month or more, but we finally had the time to sit down for another session.  We had one no-show, but that's never a surprise.  When we sat down, I opened the floor to the players, asking if they wanted to continue where we left off, or start a new campaign - since we had been so long without a session.  They decided to continue, however one player wanted to roll a new character, which I allowed.

Having completed their good deeds in Lockeface, The party prepared to head north to the island home of the Benlag, a warrior sect of the local government, who were threatening to withdraw their support of said government.  Hoping to change their minds, or at least get them to join the cause against Icurnas, the party makes ready.

Thourin Stonefist, however, had seen enough of the ocean.  He longed for his cave back home.  He declared the wall he had formed from the earth that now protected Lockeface as his monument to their adventurers, and booked passage on one last cruise that would take him home.  Before leaving, he bestowed Sibyll Demier with a portion of his wealth.

The Apocalypse Journals: Gabe, Entry #2

Today has been crazy.  I met a lot of new people today, some of whom I might even call friends.  I got Trebor into the safe settlement and Found a doctor named Woo.  She patched him up and took some of my medical supplies as payment.  She then said she’d take the rest in exchange for two weeks worth of food.

Anyway, I had gotten all situated when a man showed up.  Called himself “Doc” and had me take Trebor to his clinic, which was much nicer and cleaner then Woo’s.  He put clean bandages on him and told me he could provide better care, for free even.  I couldn’t believe it.

The Apocalypse Journals: Trebor Jr, Entry #3

Written by guest writer Robert Praetorius Jr.

I wake up just as the sun starts peaking its head over the horizon and shining light all over this apartment building. So, I wake up Haversman. Poor guy looked scared to death when I woke him up, must of thought I was a zed. We decided it was time to get the hell out of this city. As we started heading down the stairs, we both stop dead in our tracks. We hear a couple of guys downstairs and a guy shouting across the street.

We put our backs up against the wall, pull out our hammers, and we whisper to each other, "Be as quiet as possible." "Maybe they don't know we're here." "Maybe they will just go away." After about five minutes, we realize they aren't going anywhere any time soon. So, Haversman says, "Watch my back." And peaks his head out and shouts downstairs, "Stop where you are, we don't want any trouble!" And we get a response going, "Neither do we! We're gonna get out of here!" We give them about a ten count, and we hear them taking off down the street. We didn't know which direction they went, or if they went out the front or the back. We gave them another ten minutes, then we started to make our way down.

I could see out of the second story window the edge of the city on the other side of a construction site from the back of the building. We decide that we're gonna go that direction, and try our luck. We bust open the back doors and start haulin' butt towards the construction site. We find a hole in the fence down a ways. It was between the construction yard and a large building. When we get up alongside it, I said, "Oh, look! It's the super market! Its probably got plenty of food and water and supplies." And since we hadn't seen people since the two downstairs, we figured it might be worth the risk. Boy, was I wrong.

The Apocalypse Journals: Gabe's Journal, Entry #1

I meet this guy named Trebor when I arrived a settlement in Colorado. He told me he had just lost his partner, and was looking for someone to watch his back. I didn’t know why at the time. I was coming in from North Dakota, and there hadn’t been much between me and here. Anyway, he gave this notebook. He said it would help to write things down. I found the first few pages filled, and asked him about it. He said it belonged to a good man named Haversman. I didn’t ask any further, I could see he was still shaken from the loss. Poor dude.

Anyway, I read the journal. Only one entry. I realized Colorado was not a safe place to be. Now, I know Colorado isn’t a safe place to be. Oh, and Haversman cussed. A lot.

I had found a pistol on my way down. I came through a town called Crystal Lake Resort, or something. Anyway, the convenience store was all barricaded, so I moved on. I found this shotgun just lying next to a car. Anyway, when I met up with Trebor, he gave me a reload for the shotgun and a mag for my pistol. I didn’t ask where it came from, and he was toting a shotgun as well. Folk at the settlement called my pistol a Jericho, and our shotguns were Mossbergs. I guess brand recognition helps, but I don’t know shit about guns.

The Apocalypse Journals: Trebor Jr, Entry #2

Written by guest writer Robert Praetorius Jr.

After we parted with Arggo, with two G's, we headed to the west, towards the safe zone. We got there alright, some minor scuffling inside but the guards took care of it. I was able to trade some stuff we found for food and stashed some stuff for later. After we were all good and ready, we headed out east towards the big city.

We arrived at the edge of the city, where the big major highway went over it, and a major street through it. I tried to explain to Haversman that this city was full of zombies and people that probably want to kill us for what we got, and that we should probably stick to the highway as much as possible. He said that he was hungry enough he could eat a horse, and we needed to go building by building searching for as much food as possible, and we couldn't dilly dally around the top. I finally relented, and we headed in along the road.

The Apocalypse Journals: Trebor Jr, Entry #1

Written by guest writer Robert Praetorius Jr.

I started in San Diego when this all went down. Before this all went down my name was Robert Jr, but I used to play lots of video games, like WoW and Call of Duty and I would always call myself Trebor Jr. When the zombie apocalypse happened my name just didn't seem right any more with the world being all backwards, the dead coming back to life and stuff. So I made my name my gamer tag, Robert spelled backwards.

I worked my way across the country and heard this place Colorado should be nice. It's taken me five long years to get here. I finally arrived in Colorado, I had nothing, I had eaten all of my food, drank my last bottle of water and shot the last bullet I had. I fell asleep under a rock and woke up to find my gun gone, my crossbow missing along with my really cool hat, some guy had robbed me blind while I slept, he even took my wallet. After I waking up I wandered into this small town, ironically called Smallville and I ran into this dude wielding a hammer like it was a weapon of mass destruction. I explained to him that I had just gotten robbed blind, and it seemed like he wasn't gonna beat me to death with a hammer and he gave me a backpack, a bottle of water, and a green army helmet. Said his name was Haversman. What a weird name.

The Apocalypse Journals: Haversman, Entry #1

So, I’ve had this notebook for a while, and this pen.  I don’t know why I even carry them, and after today I decided to jot things down, just to settle my nerves.

Welcome to Colorado.  Fuck you, sign.  More like “Welcome to Hell.”  I’ve been walking for five years, started in Texas.  I’ve seen some shit, but today was... different.  I have been traveling with a guy who calls himself Trebor Junior.  I called him “Trevor” for a few days, until he corrected me.  Weird name.  And why is he still clinging to “Junior”?  I guess we have to cling on to something.

Anyway, me and Trebor had just parted ways with a fellow named Arggo, two G’s.  He was an Australian.  Good thing he got stuck in USA, I bet Australia is the living Mad Max these days.  Or maybe its safe from the infection.  Its been five years, who am I kidding?  Anyway, Trebor and I had just found a safe settlement, to stocked up on food and supplies.  There’s never enough to go around, and I can’t stand being around so many people, all wanting.  Some poor idiot drew a gun and the guards put him down with a sharp bang bang.  I kept my hatchet packed away.  These guys are twitchy.  We thought about just staying there, but like we said, supplies were limited.  Hunger drove us back out into the wild.  Fuck, I’m still hungry.

The Apocalypse Journals

My good friend and I, and hopefully others to come, have been playing The War Z (Alpha) quite a bit. It's turning into quite an interesting game.  We had a cool adventure, so I posted our experience on the forum.

I realized I had a chance to write something in a narrative format.  I could use the practice, so I decided that our next adventure would be written as a narrative.  As I was writing it, I thought it might make for good content on my blog.