Where The Hell Is The Savage AfterWorld? (And Downloadable OSR RPG CAH!)

Hey gang!

Eep... It looks like your ol' pal Sniderman has been neglecting his little corner of the Blogoverse as of late. I've always prided myself on regular posts, updates, and general gaming nonsense over the years this blog has been in service, but recent "real life drama" has surfaced to drag me away from All Things Good-Fun.

So I'm popping my head in for a moment to let you know that TSAW hasn't been shut down or abandoned! In fact, here's a quick sampling of posts in-the-work that will be gracing your computer screen in the coming weeks:

• Sniderman's Tips on Running Convention Games -- I'm an old hat at running games at conventions, and I have a bunch of tips and tricks I've accumulated over the years that streamline those 4-hour-block RPG events. This will be a three-part series covering 1. How to write a convention RPG scenario. 2. How to prepare for running a convention RPG scenario. and 3. How to run your convention RPG scenario. This series has been in the works for a while, and I hope folks find some good info in there.
• More Role-playing and Board Game Reviews -- As much as I love to play and run games, I love to review them just as much. From the old classic to the new hotness, I like to give my readers a bit of an inside view of how games play, how fun they are, and if they're worth your hard-earned coins. Some games in the Review Chute include Riders: A Game About Cheating Doomsday; White Lies; and Ghostbusters: The Board Game.
• New Material for Cryptworld (and other games!) -- Of course, The Savage AfterWorld covers more games than just Cryptworld, but I confess this RPG is a bit closer to my monster-hunting heart than others. I have a graveyard full of new THINGs to share with you all, as well as a few new mini-scenarios for Pacesetter's modern-day horror RPG. Also, stay tuned for announcements of new Cryptworld projects that will be clawing out of their tomb soon...
• The Savage AfterWorld's Amazing "Post Number 1,000" Celebration -- The Savage AfterWorld is very, very, veeeeeery close to seeing my 1,000th post! I have big plans to celebrate such a milestone, and I've been stockpiling goodies to give away when that goal is reached. You know how Oprah used to give away Her Favorite Things? Yeah, it'll be a LOT like that.

Ok, I've been justifying my absence as well as my activities "behind the scenes" for far too long. Time to pay my Joesky Tax for this bit of introspection. Several days ago, I asked G+ folks to submit their best "OSR RPG-themed Cards Against Humanity" cards. Got a lot of funny stuff. Well, using the service at Bigger, Blacker Cards, I compiled these suggestions into a mini-set of cards I've dubbed "OSR RPG CAH". Click this link or the image below to download a set. (Print them out and glue them to lame, unfunny CAH cards you may have.)

 

"Sorry, You're Not On The List."

Sorry folks, but I had to go to comment moderation to deal with some troublesome spammers I've been fighting with. So comment all you want, and I'll approve them while kicking spammers to the curb.

Self-Serving, Self-Indulgent, Self-Congratulatory 900th Post!

Just a quick note that this post...the one entering your eyes at this very moment...is the 900th post here at The Savage AfterWorld since going live on June 17, 2009. So...yay!

(And I swear I'll pay my Joesky Tax in Post 901 to come later today...)

So What's Going On At The Savage AfterWorld In 2015?

Hey gang! Well, I pretty much dropped off the face of the planet over the last few weeks, eh? Admittedly, from mid-December through now, I've been dealing with the holidays, a vacation, two fairly bad illnesses, and the usual real-life stuff that waylays us all from time-to-time. So now I'm picking up the pieces, sorting out where I left off, and getting back on the horse (if I can toss out a few cliches.

Anyway, for this first post of 2015, I figured I'd take inventory of all of the projects I have in the works, and share with you all a "snapshot" of what you can expect to see here at The Savage AfterWorld in the coming months.

** My planned Christmas-themed Cryptworld adventure "Maul Be Home For Christmas" is written, but it never got assembled. But the idea/concept is too good to let stagnate, so you might see it released at some point in the next few weeks, even though the holidays are over. Or I might save it for next Christmas. Or it might appear in a future issue of "Pacesettings." Speaking of which...

** Issue #1 of "Pacesettings", the zine for the Pacesetter Action Table system, is in the works. The first issue will have a historical figure for Timemaster, a couple of magical artifacts for Majus, a new adventure hook/location for Rotworld, and a mini-adventure for Cryptworld. I'm pretty excited about getting this launched, so expect it very soon.

** Also, stay tuned this year as two new supplements for the Cryptworld RPG I had a hand in writing/assembling will (fingers crossed) be released. Text for both is written, edited, and in the can. Expect an announcement about those in the near future.

** And I might just have a Timemaster adventure supplement in the works as well...

** There's also this jiffy-keen fantasy-based card game I've designed that I'm dying to try out at the gaming table. (I teased it here last year.) I have a (very) rough prototype that's been played a few times locally, and now I need to cobble together something a bit more "formal-looking" for further playtesting. I plan to bring this to a convention or two this year to test it out.

** Conventions? Yup, so far, I have plans to attend three conventions in 2015. Gamicon Omega in Iowa City, IA, in February; Nexus Game Fair in Milwaukee in June; and Ohio's Con on the Cob in October. I might try to squeeze one or two more in there, but these are the confirmed events. Be sure to track me down!

** I discovered some old notes from a LARP I used to play back in The Olde Dayes. These texts and manuscripts can be easily converted over to a host of other RPG systems. (I might do a retrospective of the IFGS too, and my experience with the live-action game system.) Thus far, I've discovered a complete adventure I wrote ("Insanityland"), as well as a fully realized religious pantheon for a cleric I played for years. I think The Temple of Divine Sight might be an interesting faith for DCC, in fact.

** Speaking of DCC RPG, I have ideas for two new adventures for Dungeon Crawl Classics. One is a zero-level funnel that places the PCs in the roles of prisoners trying to escape after being wrongfully imprisoned (a jail break!), and the other is a 3rd-level adventure where the Laws of Time have been usurped. The trick is finding time to write these up, but I'm pretty excited about the concepts.

** Here's a list of new creatures of Cryptworld soon to grace this blog: Scarionette; Drauger; Computer Virus; Bloody Bones; Succubus; Shade; Tsukumogami; The Boogeyman; and Cut-Ups.

** And finally, anyone want to take a roadtrip to The Most Haunted Place In America with me? At some point this summer, I plan a roadtrip to Helltown, Ohio. This place has "Cryptworld inspiration" written allllll over it. (Might be cool to write up an adventure placed on a real location!)

So those are the plans and projects for the coming year. Lots to write, lots to share, lots to do. Let's get started, shall we?

This Is A Test Of My Emergency Blogging System

I'm one month away from heading out to the North Texas RPG Con. Although I have my games pretty well written and my arrangements made, there was one thing that I needed to take care of. You see, I like to keep a daily "live blog" from any convention I attend. I think (or at least, I hope) that readers appreciate getting a "you are there" view of a gaming con they might not otherwise be able to attend. Or, perhaps, they're thinking of attending one day and they'd like to get a better idea of the venue, what games are available, and other info you just can't get from the con's website. Also, I used to be a newspaper reporter, so keeping a daily blog of what I've seen and done keeps the reporting reflexes "fresh."

Explanations aside, I was beginning to become concerned that I'd be unable to do this with NTRGPG Con because I'll be flying to this location. For all other cons, I've been fairly close (within a few hours' drive) so I'd just pack up the laptop, toss it all in the trunk, and head on out. Upon arrival, I'd take a few minutes and basically set up a mobile office in my room. But since I'm flying to Texas, I prefer to travel light. Which means one carry-on and that's it. (I travel REAL light when I fly.) So packing up my Mobile Blogging Command Center just so I could hammer out a daily travelogue wasn't appealing to me. But then my wife pointed out that I always take my Android tablet (Acer A500) with me too. (I have all of my RPG books uploaded on it for use at the table if the need arises.)

"Can't you just type up your blog-things with that?" she asked.

Well, I have used my tablet for answering emails and simple G+ comments, but I wasn't real thrilled with the idea of typing up an entire blog post on the Android's screen keyboard. I could just see myself pecking at the screen-keys like some kind of demented bird. But after a bit a research, I found an "el cheapo" USB-keyboard/tablet case that could work. But I like the case my tablet is kept in (rich Corinthian leather), so I cannibalized the keyboard from the case, turning it into a stand-alone plug-in device. I downloaded the Blogger tablet app, and I think I just might be good-to-go with this efficiency set-up. Takes up a lot less space, is portable, and should work well when I'm on the road in June. I'm not sure I like how the photos are posted with the app, as they default to run at the end of the post, but that seems to be the only concession I need to make. And typing on a real keyboard is a relief.

If you're wondering why I've blathered on this long about my computer-blogging plans, it's because this post serves a very specific purpose. This entire post is the first one I've written and posted from the tablet-based blogging platform I've just described. So it looks like it's a "go" in 30 days.

Stay tuned for yet another Sniderman travelogue, this time live from North Texas RPG Con in June!

Sign Up For The Obsolete Simulations Roundup On Dec. 29!

Hey gang, time is running out if you want to participate in the inaugural Obsolete Simulations Roundup on December 29! The games folks have chosen so far represent an interesting cross-section of long-forgotten gaming goodness. Some I haven't thought about in years, and others I've never heard of at all! But there are still more classic role-playing games gathering dust on shelves or in the backs of closets that need to be remembered again! What's your favorite forgotten classic? Tell us about it!

If you'd like to be a part of this in a few days, please send an email to gameagain at gmail period com with your blog name and URL and, if you've decided, the game you plan to support that day. I'll keep a running list of blogs that are participating as well as the game you plan to spotlight. Feel free to grab the banner at the top for your own use. And I look forward to hearing about your forgotten favorites!

[Ghostbusters RPG] Two Free Adventures To Prep You For The Obsolete Simulations Roundup In 10 Days!

We're only 10 days away from the Obsolete Simulations Roundup -- a blog-wide celebration of  forgotten, obscure, but well-loved RPGs! If you have a gaming blog and you'd like to join in the fun, please send an email to gameagain at gmail period com with your blog name and URL and, if you've decided, the game you plan to discuss and support that day. I'll keep a running list of blogs that are participating as well as the game you plan to spotlight. (Check out the ever-growing list at the bottom of this post!)

To get everyone in the mood for some not-your-usual gaming fare, I thought I'd share some stuff I've written for one of my favorite RPGs -- West End Games' Ghostbusters.

Ghostbusters broke a lot of ground when it came out back in 1986. It was a forerunner to the D6 System, later made popular by WEG's Star Wars RPG. It was a humorous RPG that was actually both fun and funny. The ghost die mechanic made for memorable random events during the game. And everyone is at least passingly familiar with the movies (and cartoons and comic books and video games), so there's no long-winded setting explanations needed. Strap on a proton pack and get to work!

Here, I've posted links to two Ghostbusters RPG adventures I've run at both Gen Con and Gary Con. Both are a bit unpolished, but you should be able to run your players through both with ease. In "How Dry I Am," the Ghostbusters are thrown into a crisis of "Olympian proportions" as all of the world's alcohol is consumed by malevolent spirits. And in "The Shadow Over Yonkers," a badly translated version of the Necronomicon is stolen from Miskotonic University (Yonkers Branch) by a group of immature Deep Ones.

Greek Gods? Lovecraftian Great Old Ones? How will your team of fledgling Ghostbusters cope? (Click the covers to download each one!)

[Mutant Future] Beware Of Bad Santa!

Collin Smith of Infocyde's RPG Blog has created and posted a Mutant Future-based Christmas adventure titled "Bad Santa." A nuclear power cell has gone missing, and the PCs are tasked with entering the northern forbidden zone to retrieve it. What they find there is a Silent Night-mare! If you're looking for a mutant-fueled Yuletide romp through the wastelands, go check it out!

More Participants Signed Up for The Obsolete Simulations Roundup On Dec. 29! (How About You?)

We have our first handful of participants signed up for the Obsolete Simulations Roundup on December 29! Here's a visual map of the games chosen so far that folks will be discussing, supporting, praising and/or reviewing:

Lots of variation and interesting games so far, and we're just getting started! I'm really excited by some of these choices, as some of them I haven't thought about since they were first released, and others I've NEVER heard of! So what's your favorite game no one else seems to recall? It's time to shout its praises to the mountaintops!

If you'd like to be a part of this in two weeks, please send an email to gameagain at gmail period com with your blog name and URL and , if you've decided, the game you plan to support that day. I'll keep a running list of blogs that are participating as well as the game you plan to spotlight. Feel free to grab the banner at the top for your own use. And I look forward to hearing about your forgotten favorites!

Sign Up For The "Obsolete Simulations Roundup" Blogfest - December 29, 2013!

Earlier today, I found myself scanning my nearby RPG bookshelves. My eyes skipped over my usual role-playing fare and instead landed on those games I love, yet never play. The ones gathering dust, yet I'll never part with them.  I'm sure you too have several RPOs (role-playing orphans) that hold a special place in your heart and on the shelf.

Come to think of it, it's rare to see anyone blogging about these forgotten classics. Oh sure, some of the fantasy rarities are unearthed and discussed, but when was the last time you saw someone post a new scenario for Timeship? Or new races for Ralph Bakshi's Wizards RPG? Or wax nostalgic for It Came From The Late, Late Show? Where is the love for Mercenaries, Spies, & Private Eyes and The Price of Freedom? Flashing Blades? Bushido? Justice Inc.? TOON?

Well, I think it's time we give these neglected and ignored game systems their moment in the sun. So join me in 19 days for the...

I'd like to gather up as many RPG bloggers as possible who would like to trumpet the praises of their favorite, forgotten, classic RPGs. Any RPG can be picked from any year of any genre, but it should be an RPG that no one seems to remember or appreciate...except for you. And, on December 29, show your support and appreciation for your orphaned RPG by telling us all about it. Why is it special, what makes it fun, and why should folks start searching for their own copies of this classic? And, if you're so inclined, offer up some supplemental material for it. Tell us of your house rules, or create a new creature. Describe a scenario for it, or flesh out an NPC. Give your game the attention it merits on that day!

If you'd like to be a part of this, please send an email to gameagain at gmail period com with your blog name and URL and , if you've decided, the game you plan to support that day. I'll keep a running list of blogs that are participating as well as the game you plan to spotlight. Feel free to grab the banner above for your own use. And I look forward to hearing about your forgotten favorites!

EDITED TO ADD:

And we have our first participants and the games they'll be covering! Want to be a part of this retro-role-playing flashback? Drop me an email!

1. Polar Bear Dreams and Stranger Things -- Freedom Fighters (Fantasy Games Unlimited, 1986)
2. Strange Stones -- Droids (Integral Games, 1982)
3. Free SF Reader and Not Free SF Reader -- Super Squadron (Adventure Simulations, 1983) or Villains and Vigilantes (Fantasy Games Unlimited, 1979)
4. The Eye of Joyful Sitting Amongst Friends --  Chivalry & Sorcery (Fantasy Games Unlimited, 1977)
5. A Field Guide to Doomsday --  Nightlife (Stellar Games, 1990)
6. The Haunted Spookshow of Channel X -- Lost Souls (Marquee Press, 1992)
7. Chronicles of Ganth -- Alternity (TSR, 1999)

Old School RPG Planet Has Shut Down

Sad news in the blogosphere. Alex Schroeder has announced that, effective immediately, his OSR blog aggregation site Old School RPG Planet has been taken down. Visiting the site will now take visitors to the RPG Bloggers Legacy D&D page.

I'm saddened by this development as Old School RPG Planet was one of my daily "go-to's". It always gave me a great overview of what was hot, who was talking, and what sites to stop by that day. I liked it so much, that I actually created a link button over there in the right-hand column of my blog to point other folks to the site. But, as of now, another corner of the Internet I liked to visit has boarded up the windows. But I didn't want the passing of this site to go by without some kind of mention and a public "Thank You" to Alex for running it all of these years. It was one of my favorite sites, and it'll be missed.