New Site – WEHAVECONTACT.com

Our group is on RPG hiatus right now, but that doesn’t mean I have to stop writing.  I started a site with  fellow gamer and friend of mine to discuss all things off the beaten path.  If you enjoy the topic of metaphysics or simply like to read interesting material, stop on by and drop a comment or article suggestion!  Forums are in the works to be up shortly for further discussionas well – we look forward to talking with you!

We Have Contact – Your Metaphysical Fitness Center

Gary Gygax Dead at 69

What was first an unconfirmed Wikipedia entry has now been verified by multiple sources, including CNN:

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (AP) – Gary Gygax, who co-created the fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons and helped start the role-playing phenomenon, died Tuesday morning at his home in Lake Geneva. He was 69.

He had been suffering from health problems for several years, including an abdominal aneurysm, said his wife, Gail Gygax.

Gygax and Dave Arneson developed Dungeons & Dragons in 1974 using medieval characters and mythical creatures. The game known for its oddly shaped dice became a hit, particularly among teenage boys, and eventually was turned into video games, books and movies.

Gygax always enjoyed hearing from the game’s legion of devoted fans, many of whom would stop by the family’s home in Lake Geneva, about 55 miles southwest of Milwaukee, his wife said. Despite his declining health, he hosted weekly games of Dungeons & Dragons as recently as January, she said.

“It really meant a lot to him to hear from people from over the years about how he helped them become a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman, what he gave them,” Gygax said. “He really enjoyed that.”

Dungeons & Dragons players create fictional characters and carry out their adventures with the help of complicated rules. The quintessential geek pastime, it spawned a wealth of copycat games and later inspired a whole genre of computer games that’s still growing in popularity.

Funeral arrangements are pending. Besides his wife, Gygax is survived by six children.

It saddens me greatly to see someone so instrumental in the creation and expansion of a hobby we all love pass; he had a visionary quality that you rarely find. 

0 hp.  God bless and amazing journeys, Mr. Gygax.

GenCon Sued by LucasFilm…Chapter 11 Follows

It would seem that the biggest RPG and gaming convention is being sued by the even larger LucasFilm.  This was all due to a charity auction that was held on behalf of Make-A-Wish foundation at the GenCon convention in Los Angeles last year.  The problem?  Well, none of the proceeds from the Star Wars memorabilia sold ever made it to the charity.  One can only speculate that it lined someones pockets.

From The Hollywood Reporter, Esq. blog:

George Lucas is claiming that a “Star Wars” convention has moved over to the dark side. In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in nothern California, LucasFilm says that Gen Con, a company that puts on gaming conventions, failed to uphold a contract to deliver proceeds from a “Star Wars” memorabilia auction to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

According to this complaint, Gen Con owes almost $1 million to the charity and to LucasArts for proceeds from an auction held at last May’s Gen Con convention in Los Angeles. LucasFilm says it undertook expenses to advertise the auction to increase participation.

And now, in a strange twist of fate, the GenCon organization has filed for Chapter 11, relieving it from all debts and financial obligations.  One rumor proposes that GenCon tried in vain to add another convention under its umbrella and didn’t exactly crunch the numbers properly, or the plan just failed outright. 

A much more plausible explanation is that this is a retaliatory (or protective, whatever you prefer) move against LucasFilm and the monies they are seeking.  If that’s the case, I have to say that the practice is shady at best, and it’s a shame that things are working out in this fashion.  If there is a silver lining, it’s a good thing our group went to GenCon last year, just in case it was the last year we’d get to experience it!

You can view GenCon’s press release regarding Chapter 11 here.

Happy Days Are Here Again

You may have noticed that this site hasn’t seen any action for about two weeks, and there’s good reason for that.  After much discussion with my wife, we have decided to move back to the Buffalo area so I can accept a recent job offer.  Needless to say, SULTRYSHAMAN.com had to take a backseat while all of the kinks were ironed out of this life-changing decision.   

I’ll be moving back into the area on the 25th and living with family while Kel finishes up her semester and stays until the house is sold.  While “happiness” and “Buffalo” usually aren’t synonymous, it works out pretty well for us.  I’m really looking forward to being closer to friends, family and everyone else we’ve missed during our time away. 

Oh, and let’s not forget the obvious - bi-weekly sessions may be here again!   

LOTR Parody: Jack Black

I’m not sure how old this is, or where it came from, but it seems like it may have been featured on one of the MTV Video Awards.  Anyway, I’m a huge fan of Jack Black and it gave me a chuckle late in the day. 

“Mass Effect” on FOX News

Everyone knows that I play video games when I have the chance, so my interpretation of this video may be a little biased (although I’m doubting many will see it that way).  “Mass Effect” is the latest sci-fi RPG from developer Bioware on the XBox 360, and it is in my opinion, one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences I’ve had in quite some time. 

The game is the first in what is supposed to be a trilogy of games centered around the same storyline, and in being so, contains all the elements that an epic would have: love, war, loss, triumph, allies, enemies, relationships (yes, folks, relationships).  The piece from FOX news below concentrates on the fact that, in the game, you are allowed to chose whether or not your character can pursue a love interest.  This interest, if fostered correctly, culminates in a love scene where we see roughly 10 seconds of digital boobies. 

That sound you heard?  Oh, that was the sound of the presses stopping.  Yes, for a brief moment in a 30-hour game, we see the exposed upper body of a female character.  Let’s forget that it was not gratuitous, it served a purpose in the story, and in my opinion allowed the player to immerse themselves more into what was supposed to be a “living world.”

The game has a mature rating and to be quite honest, there are many other games out there (not including the internet and movies) that surpass it on the violence/sex/”not for children” chart.  To single this game out is really what confuses me, and apparently it confuses the reporters as well.  Why?  They didn’t play it.  They’ve never even seen it played. 

Well, how can they report on it then?  You silly goose, they went to the website!

Any kid looking for porn knows they can save the $60, turn on your computer, and go to any number of sites where the nudity is free.  Heaven forbid a story is actually told (and an extremely engrossing and well-written one, at that) and a love interest actually evolves. 

FOX, do some fact-checking next time when you choose to report on something soley for the purpose of a reporting “something”.  At least the guy at the end had it right: outside of censoring, parents have to be responsible.  If you see a big “M” on the box, little Johnny can’t play it.  And if little Johnny goes over to a friend’s house to play it, well, let’s hope he’s learned (from you) that a female chest won’t warp your mind or frenzy you into a killing spree.

Ander’s Night Job

Unknown to most of our gaming group, Pat has been moonlighting as a stand in for various commercials. Here he is in his latest project, on the far left.  Take a train to Happy Town, woo woo!

HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray: Hitler Explains

It would seem that those of us who are holding out for the high definition DVD wars to end may soon have an answer.  Blu-ray has made siginificant gains in both production company clientel as well as converting many of the existing blockbuster films.  While I’m still going to wait until something official is released regarding the standard, I would doubt that HD-DVD could mount a comeback after what has transpired lately.

Here is a clip that had me laughing this morning:

Dreams With Sharp Teeth

When I heard that a documentary about Harlan Ellison was to be released, I knew that a copy of it would soon grace my DVD collection.  Entitled “Dreams with Sharp Teeth”, the film is a character piece on a man who is, in my opinion (and his, I’m sure), one of the elite authors of the 21st century. 

I’m anticipating the documentary will be extremely self-serving, but well-deserved at the same time.  Since Ellison is privy to over-the-top hour-long rants,  I expect that this will be full of the elitist, rabid commentary that we are used to from our esteemed writer.  While it may be a bit much for those who are not familiar with his work (or those that don’t enjoy opinionated talks) fans of the author will find this DVD to be a treat.

For some reason assholes (and I say this with the greatest amount of respect and admiration in regard to Mr. Ellison) make the best character pieces, and here you’ve hit the motherload.  Visit www.dreamswithsharpteeth.com for clips and eventual information on the DVD’s release.  For now, here’s a clip to whet your appetite.  Man, I can’t wait for this one. 

If you’re interested in Harlan’s work, please check out his site at www.harlanellison.com

You will not be disappointed. 

Review – You Kill Me

The main character is an alcoholic hitman for the Polish mob in Buffalo, NY.

That sentence sums up, in most part, why I rented this movie – the combination of traits and locale were just too interesting to pass up.  Once I got to the store and saw that Ben Kingsley was the hitman, that sealed the deal.  I knew, somehow, that I was going to thoroughly enjoy this flick. 

Frank Falenczyk (Kingsley) finds that his livelihood as an assasin is threatened by his unfortunate attraction to the bottle.  When he drinks himself into a sound sleep and misses the target of his latest assignment, his crime family (who also happens to corner the market on the snow plow business) sends him to San Fransisco to rehab and recollect himself.  He goes grudgingly, only to find that his inner demons truly are holding him back.  He has a job arranged for him as a funeral assistant, of all things, and the more he has the time to reflect on his situation, the more his character changes for the better. 

Tea Leoni and Luke Wilson play the love interest and AA sponsor respectively, and very well.  While Frank’s family is feeling the effects of his absence while fending off the Irish rival family back home, he experiences a path of discovery, pain, happiness and understanding on the opposite coast.

This is a fantastic tale of introspection, and the pace was one of the strangest in any of the movies I’ve seen.  Even the dialogue had a staccato-like feel to it, which enhanced the main character’s shut-in personality and made it even that much more enjoyable when he opened up.  The humor was extremely dry, which I prefer, and had me laughing at many points in the film.  However, that’s not to say that the comedy wasn’t tempered with a fair share of real drama.  Frank’s personal growth throughout the movie offers many opportunities for true character interaction, and they payoff well.  At it’s heart, the movie allows everyone to relate to Frank because it’s not about an assassin, it’s about being happy and feeling worth.

While this movie was more of a character piece, the plot was still present and well-written, and it had all the elements to balance it out.  Great film, simply put.