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.

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!   

“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!

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone’s Christmas was a good one, and that the new year brings happiness and prosperity.  Welcome to 2008!

Being Creative

As D&D roots itself heavily in creativity and imagination, I thought this would be the perfect place to post a great link I found, “Do You Recognize These 10 Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking?”  It sums up the top offenders of squashed ideas and those rogue projects that never met completion.  I know for a fact that I’ve been guilty of most, if not all of these at some point in my life, and I like to consider myself a creative guy. 

A simple “there is no box” theme resounds in the article, and the focal point is that a great deal of what holds us all back is psychological.  Cliche, I know, but I’ve been subscribing to that notion for some time now.  In fact, I believe a lot of us use that very fact as a reason to justify our failure to create (again, myself included).  The list may leave out key points that are necessary in running a successful business (the absence of practicality being one shining example), but if you read the article without the commercial bias that we’ve been accustomed to, there’s good reading to be had. 

“Do You Recognize These 10 Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking?”

1. Trying To Find The “Right” Answer
2. Logical Thinking
3. Following Rules
4. Being Practical
5. Play Is Not Work
6. That’s Not My Job
7. Being A “Serious” Person
8. Avoiding Ambiguity
9. Being Wrong Is Bad
10. I’m Not Creative 

Read the full article here 

Incognito

It’s been a long time since this site has seen any activity, and an equally long gap between any correspondence of mine to the group since our last session.  To start, I’d like to offer my apologies for leaving you guys hanging – no session summary, so stats, and no other notable updates or chatter to speak of.  I’ll start by giving you a short run down of things I’ve been up to, and hopefully we can get some colorful banter started up on this site.

To start, my sister-in-law Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer and recently just started to receive her first doses of chemotherapy.  While it was rough in the beginning, she’s had a great support system and I’ve tried to add mine wherever possible.  That being said, Kelly has also been busy lending her help to Julie, so needless to say I’ve been offering any assistance I can (since we know women are much better at men when it comes to saying the right things, especially in the arena of breast cancer).  In addition to that, Kelly has been finishing her semester at school and I have been in the middle of a full scale international migration at work, so our time seeing each other is scarce and I’ve had to take it wherever possible.  Yes, my wife does come before gaming.

To add to that, I woke up one morning to Simba crying the blues and we ended up taking him to the vet.  It turns out, he had a urinary tract infection (like you did, Pat) and had to have surgery.  Four days in the hospital and a lighter checkbook later, we have our cat back and he’s healthier than ever.  Although now he’s not allowed to have any treats, and he’s forced to eat a prescription diet for the rest of his life.

Then there is the home improvement horizon.  I’m glad to say that there is a lot of progress being made, namely in the living room and kitchen, but also in other areas of the house.  My blood, sweat and tears should pay within the next few months and I can have you guys over to help out with the new game room construction.  If we’re lucky, we can have it all done by the end of next year – table, projector and all!

Anyway, I’d like to wish everyone a belated Happy Thanksgiving and I hope to see you all over Christmas!  All things aside, it’s good to start up communication again and get back into the story writing aspect of it all.  Let’s start planning our next session date and get the ball rolling!

Lest We Forget

Five years after the World Trade Center attack on September 11, its effects can still be seen as they are echoed down throughout the years.  Regardless of your stance on the current war on terror, or the residual issues that have arisen as a result of the Trade Center bombings, please use today to remember those who have given their lives for our freedom, or lost them on that tragic day.

To the firefighters and law enforcement who gave their lives that day, to the victims and their families, and to all of the servicemen and women overseas protecting our freedoms, you will be in our prayers and thoughts. 

Yesterday, we watched a fantastic documentary on CBS entitled simply “9/11″.  Shot from the camera of a filmmaker who went to New York in order to make a chronicling of a young fireman’s rise through the ranks of acceptance within his station, he was thrown right into the thick of the attacks.  The footage was absolutely stunning, many of the shots take from inside the building as it was crashing down.  Powerful and meaningful, the documentary in its entirety can be seen here:

http://www.cbs.com/innertube/player.php?cat=112614&vid=112618

It was a potent reminder of the evils in this world, and the brave and unyielding forces that continue to fight against it.