Help Bail Out The Warden And Get Savage AfterWorld Dice

TOTAL RAISED THUS FAR: $90.00

ONLY 3 DICE LEFT

Meeting Jim Ward -- the creator of Metamorphosis Alpha, Gamma World, and a host of other classic RPGs and supplements -- and seeing the outpouring of support for him and the Bail Out the Warden Fund at the Gary Con raffle and auction has encouraged me to make my own donation this morning. And I'd like to drum up more support from my readers. So here's my offer:

I have several Savage AfterWorld dice left over after my trip to Gary Con. These are normally only available from me at conventions, either by playing in one of my games or running into me and asking for one. But for a time, I'm willing to send one of these to anyone for every $5 donated to the Bail Out The Warden Fund. Donate $10 and get two dice (up to 5 dice max for a $25 donation). This offer is good WORLDWIDE as I have no problem mailing overseas to our Mutated Minions outside of the U.S.

To keep track of who donated and how much, after you've made your donation, please forward your donation confirmation email to me at gameagain (at) gmail (dot) com along with your mailing address. Even a simple $5 donation will get you one of these obviously-soon-to-be-valuable collectable dice! Regardless, your donations will help a great guy who started all of us along the path to post-apocalypic RPG mayhem.

Thanks everyone for your support in this cause.

-Sniderman -

Gary Con Day 3 Addendum: I Killed Andrew; Jim Ward Killed Me; And Michael Killed Everyone Else

Today at noon, I got to play in a Metamorphosis Alpha game run by James Ward. For a post-apocalyptic RPG fan like me, I'm not overstating it when I say this was the culmination of a lifelong dream as well as one of the most important events of this year's Gary Con for me. And meeting Jim and playing in the game he ran both not only lived up to my expectations, it shattered them. Sit back for a tale that ends with one man standing with an awesome prize.

I was the first one to arrive at Jim's table as he was sitting down and unpacking for the game. I introduced myself and let him know that this 3-hour game we were sitting down to was one of the prime motivators for my trip to Gary Con. He thanked me for that, adding "You're not trying to curry favor are you?" I assured him my praise was genuine, but suggested that any leniency my toadying could generate would be appreciated. So while we waited for the other gamers to show up, Jim and I just talked. We talked about Eldritch Enterprises -- the new game company founded by him, Frank Mentzer and Tim Kask. We talked about the games he designed. We talked about the recent medical issues he's had to deal with. He was very open and gracious, and it was great just hanging out with him on a one-on-one basis for a few minutes. Even took the seat next to him at the table.

When the other players arrived, Jim shifted into full gamemaster mode. "Now, I have a rather undeserved reputation for Total Party Kills," he said. "I want to make it clear that **I** rarely kill a player off. The players usually kill themselves off." Jim made the following offer:

"Even though I enjoy signing things for people, I never give anyone a personalized signature. I never have done it in the many years I've done this. However, here at Gary Con, if you get through the next 3 hours of my game and LIVE, I will give you a one-of-a-kind personalized James Ward autograph. So far at the convention, I've given away two. Will there be a third? You just gotta survive. That's it."

And the gauntlet was thrown.

In Jim's Metamorphosis Alpha game "We Got Ourselves a Bug Hunt!," we were space marines from the Warden who were taking a shuttle over to board an alien vessel we had made contact with. We were to bring back "something alien" for our superiors to analyze. The youngest player at our table -- Andrew -- was made the Lieutenant of the team and the oldest player -- ahem, ME -- was made the Sergeant. he gave orders, and I saw they were carried out. We all brought a list to the game table of various miscellaneous items we were bringing with us as personal equipment. Andrew announced he had a four-leaf clover. I offered him the use of the REAL four-leaf clover I carry with me. The table (and Jim) roared in approval over this coincidence. Assigned and equipped, we left our shuttle and entered the craft.

When we entered the craft's airlock, we found ourselves in a long, fleshy, gooey, slime-covered corridor. Some of us tried to open doors, some were set upon by xenomorphs, others tried to ID various gooey spheres and blobs scattered throughout. A few aliens popped up, and our weapons ranged from completely ineffective to HOLY HELL I JUST BLEW IT TO ATOMS. It was rough going in just the first corridor (everyone was being ambushed left and right). The Lieutenant reached down to pick up one of the gooey spheres. Not only was it adhered to the floor, the Lieutenant's hands stuck into it up to the elbow, effectively anchoring him. I arrived on the scene to help Andrew, when the "blob" he was stuck in started to crack open.

"SHOOT IT! SHOOT IT!" he hollared.

"Are you sure you want me to shoot the thing you're stuck in?" I asked, glancing at Jim who was smiling.

"YES! DO IT!"

I shrugged. "OK, I back up and fire at the blob." Jim asked how much power I was putting into the shot and I said "I'll just let it go at whatever the default setting is." And the blob and Andrew were both vaporized. Jim took his character card and slowly tore it in half. I don't think Andrew took it well as he suddenly stood up and left the table, stating that he hoped I was the next to go. How right he would be...

After a tach nuke got away from us, the rest of us dashed back to the shuttle, sealing the door and launching just before the explosion occurred, surprising Jim and all of us when we didn't die. We maneuvered to another airlock, docked, chose new weapons that had proven effective, and entered -- all but Michael who stayed back to guard the shuttle entrance and to "hold down the fort" in case we needed covering fire during a retreat. This time, the hallway was clean white walls and floor, plenty of lighting, muzak playing over the comm, and two beautiful redheaded tour guides met us at the door. "Welcome! Enter! Let us show you around!"

As we were led about, we eventually succumbed to the hypnotic entrancing muzak. I wandered into a biohazard containment room which held a giant gooey "brain-bla-bla." (Jim's word, not mine.)

"You feel like taking off your helmet and plunging your face into the brain-bla-bla," Jim said. "Roll a D6. Do not roll a 5 or 6."

I picked up the die and held it to Jim. "Watch. I'm about to roll a 5 or 6," I assured him. I rolled and got a 5. Jim explained that I plunged my head into the brain-bla-bla and dissolved into a mass of ooze. He picked up and slowly tore my Sarge card in half. I laughed and sat quietly while the rest of the game progressed. It was worth sticking around for.

The rest of the team starting getting into trouble when the tour guides morphed into slathering aliens, more of those gooey spheres and blobs turned up, and the hypnotic muzak starting affecting the others. They all started running back to the shuttle. Meanwhile, back at the shuttle airlock, Michael had moved to the pilot's seat to get everyone out of there as soon as they got back. One of the aliens got in and he barely defeated it with just a few scant hit points left. Michael sat back down at the pilot's seat.

"Now then, " Jim said, "you can wait for the others to arrive...risking yet another alien attack that you may not survive...or you can go ahead, launch the shuttle, assuring your survival and getting a personalized James Ward autograph, but dooming your comrades to a gruesome fate." All eyes turned to Michael as he lay his head down on the table. He lifted his head, now laughing.

"I'm sorry guys. I truly am. I launch the shuttle and escape."

The table exploded in good-natured "I can't believe you just DID that!" laughter. It was an awesome screw-over job worthy of a game of Paranoia. Michael got his personalized autograph. We all got a great story to tell. And we all had a great time with a great gamemaster. After the game, Michael and I stuck around and BS'ed with Jim for a bit before we thanked him for the game and wished him well as we left.

Thanks again, Jim. It was a pleasure to game with you. And thanks for dissolving me into a fetid puddle of goo! (I will stat up the "brain-bla-bla" for Mutant Future one day soon.)

A lifelong quest comes to an end as I finally get the chance to meet and game with Jim Ward. A very gracious guy who seemed genuinely touched by the constant stream of copious praise and kudos from players and walkers-by.

And here's my non-personalized signed Metamorphosis Alpha rulebook (first edition reprint) and my "Jim Ward killed me and tore my PC card in two in front of me" souvenir he let me keep.

Gary Con Day 3: Rebounding Grenades And Bailing Out The Warden

Today is my last full day of Gary Con as I plan to hit the road home nice and early Sunday morning. So I'm spending my last few hours hammering together this update and review while things are fresh in my mind. However, I have a rather lengthy "My encounter with James Ward" story that will go live while I'm on the road. So let's consider this post as "Part 1." Let's get to the wrap-up:

• I was STARVING last night before I went to bed, so I called room service and had them drop off a pizza from the special "Gary Con Gamer Special" menu they had. It arrived in short order and I pounded it, then went to bed. The next morning, I was thankful my wife didn't come along on the trip. talk about "Save versus Poisonous Cloud!" Which bring me to...
• This is a public apology to Jeff Sparks who played in my Mutant Future game yesterday. Jeff, you were totally right. I've been rolling my Mutant Future saving throws backwards (rolling low vs. rolling high). Thanks for taking the high road and dropping the issue during the game even though you were apparently looking right at the correct rule in the book at the time.
• One nice Gary Con detail I forgot to mention: All gaming tables have a stand with a sign on it that identifies the table number from a distance (so you can find your game easily) as well as a "PLAYERS WANTED" or "GAME FULL" sign. You can tell as you walk in whether a table is accepting walk ins. helps to sign up for events, but you can also find a table willing to bring you in at anytime.
• Classic bit of "Holy crap, did I screw up": In an 8 a.m. Star Frontiers game, I was in the rear of a group exploring a planet we had crash-landed on. As we cautiously made our way through a forest, our first combat encounter began with a ravenous pack of razor-toothed lizards (two dozen of 'em). I got initiative, so I threw a frag grenade into their midst. I botched the roll, then rolled again to see where the grenade ended up. It bounced BACK into our front line and went off. I took one player to -5 and another to +5 hit points. We were able to stop the bleeding and get both of them back on their feet, but I was ordered to not throw any more grenades for the remainder of the game. (We had a great time and succeeded in our mission, but that initial combat round will live in infamy amongst the group, I feel.)
• Note to myself -- Next time, pay attention to the bottle of aspirin you purchase. I grabbed BABY aspirin by mistake. I'm popping these things like they were Skittles. It takes 6 of them to slightly affect a headache.
• I later played in Jim Ward's Metamorphosis Alpha game. That whole epic encounter and event merits a separate post, so stay tuned for it in a following post!
• I visited Dan's Goblinoid Games booth again just to say "Hey." A new item was now for sale: prints of the cover art from Rotworld and Mutant Future -- signed and numbered by artist Mark Allen! I bought the top Mutant Future one, which was 2/200. Turns out I missed getting the first one (1/200) by minutes! ARRRGGGHHH.
• Spoke with Luke Gygax about the attendance figures. He knows they surpassed 550 attendees this year, and that number may go even higher. And according to a survey attendees were asked to complete, it seems they're already considering how to grow the event for next year, as it seems ready to outgrow the Lodge.
• I attended the Gary Con raffle and auction this evening. All proceeds were being donated to the Bail Out The Warden Fund to help Jim Ward with his sky-high medical bills. The raffle was run by Luke Gygax, and Tim Kask and Frank Mentzer were the co-auctioneers. there was some crazy-rare items up for bids, including the original banner for Gary Con 1, original artwork from some of TSR's classic games, and other items donated by the original movers and shakers. By the time the evening ended, $10,000 was raised for this incredibly worthy cause. (In fact, if you've read this far, please make a donation by clicking the link above or over there in the right-hand column. Thank you.)
• As I made one last passthrough of the gaming area, I ran into Bill who was one of the players in my Mutant Future game yesterday. "I heard you missed out on getting that 1/200 Mutant Future cover print," he said. I asked how he knew about that, and he admitted that he had bought it. When he stopped by Dan's booth again later, Dan mentioned my angst at having been beaten. Bill then very graciously offered to trade my 2/200 for his 1/200, stating that he knew it'd mean more to me having the first one. Bill, thanks for the trade. It made my day.

I think that's just about it. I need to get up early, pack, and hit the road for the long trip back so I'm in my room at the end of the day now. Remember to stop by for my Jim Ward encounter tomorrow (it will go live while I'm on the road). I want to thank the organizers for a great time. I WILL be back next year for this awesome better-than-Gen-Con-by-a-long-shot event. And you should plan to attend too.

Addendum: Just returned from the registration desk -- again. To revisit my sole complaint about the event: After yet another day of regularly stopping by the reg. desk, checking on delivery status of the 2011 cap I ordered in February, being told to come back later, double-checking, come back later, etc., all the way up until 10 p.m., that frigging cap never did turn up. Although I was presented with a replacement souvenir of a much, much higher value -- and I do appreciate the effort -- it wasn't really something I particularly wanted. A refund or the new 2012 cap would have been fine. But I accepted what was offered just to settle the issue. The entire ordeal was a series of souring frustrations over four days...all over a $10 hat. Note to self: Never pre-order anything again. It's just easier to purchase items on-site.

And here is my last set of photos from the Con:

This gargantuan lending library of games was available in the restaurant/lounge, available for any and all pick-up games you could possibly want to play.

This game of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail: Part the Second" was run by Brother Maynard's Brother (aka Michael Browne of the Dead Games Society). Every time the PCs would ride their horses, they had coconuts to clap together.

A game of Fuzzy Heroes being run for children. A miniatures game that uses toys and stuffed animals? **I** wanted to play!

The Kenzer and Company booth was always busy with fans of Hackmasters and KODT.

On display in the lobby was the original prototype for TSR's Dungeon! boardgame.

The Circvs Maximvs trophy to be awarded to this year's winner.

This print of the Gary Con III wizard logo is surrounded by cards autographed by many of the original TSR writers, founders, artists, and "old guard." This was for sale for $500.

Gary Con Day 2: Timemaster, Mutant Future, and the Phantom Flusher

Howdy folks. It's Day 2 at the Celebration of a Life Well Played. I'm getting ready to leave my room this morning to begin the day, so the following posts are updated throughout the day until I return to my room later tonight:

• During the night, I was awakened to bloopgurglehissssgurglebloop. Dozed back off. Half-hour later, bloopgurglehissssgurglebloop. Discovered my room's toilet must have a leaky stopper flap. Water leaked into the bowl and, when the level was low in the upper tank, it'd refill. I fixed it by shutting the bathroom door. (Will mention it to the front desk in the morn.
• One heartbreaking moment: When downloading my pix to my computer for last night's post, I found some pix on my digital camera my wife had taken of our dog just days before we had to put her down. They must be the last pix taken of her. Had no idea they were on here. Damn, that was a tough discovery to make. I has a sad. :(
• My throat feels like I was gargling with barbed wire. Really overdid the gamemastering yesterday. Need to dial it back a bit to get through today's Timemaster and Mutant Future games. I'll be voiceless tomorrow if I'm not careful. (I had hot tea and throat lozenges for breakfast.)
• Before my Timemaster game, I swung into the dealer room and finally met Dan Proctor of Goblinoid Games. Sadly, I only had a few minutes to shake his hand and exchange pleasantries, but I told him I'd swing back through before the day was up.
• Speaking of Timemaster and Mutant Future, both games went very well and much fun was held by all. Had two players in the Timemaster game who were tasked with ensuring the first run of the Pony Express in April 1860 was a success. There was a riverboat fight, a horse chase, an ambush at a remote relay station and -- most interesting -- a "reset" of the timeline when the Bad Guy sent a warning to himself earlier in the timeline. But they were able to puzzle it out and set the Continuum straight. In my Mutant Future game, plantlife was growing wildly out of control and the mutants had to get to the bottom of it. By the time they reached the source of the problem, they were face-to-face with a pissed-off 25-foot-tall mutant oak tree.
• I asked one of the last players to arrive for my Mutant Future game if he was familiar with the game. "I think so. I wrote two modules for it," he said. It was Jeff Sparks who wrote both Re-Energizers and Realm of the Technomancer.
• Met Dan Proctor later in the hotel bar where he, his wife, and I had a drink and talked about editing, accents, linguistics, and future plans for...well...that'll be a post for another day.

And now on to the photos...

My Timemaster game in full swing.

The lobby's been hopping with pick-up games since I arrived!

A large-scale miniatures battle in progress.

Dan Proctor and I.

Dan was kind enough to autograph my Mutant Future rulebook.

Oh, and there was a special hardcopy limited release of the hot-hotty-von-hottest RPG currently abuzz. Grabbed my copy for $20. Yet anther benefit of being here!