Saturday, March 05, 2005

Frank's Geekdom Saturday
Oh well! Or a primer on game mechanics.

Well as you can see Tom either got to busy, or forgot that he was writing the geekdom column this saturday.
I'm betting on the later, though it could be a mix of both.
Which is too bad because I was rather looking forward to seeing Tom's spiel on the 84 crash of video games.
Oh, well work on it Tom maybe next week.

What's the topic for this week?
Good question, I'm not entirely sure.
I put topics on the back burner because I thought I was getting a reprieve.
Now I find myself writing and I have to come up with one quick.
.............................................................................Got one.
Game mechanics. This week will be about rpg's game mechanics.
Sort of a FAQ for those of you not babtized in the church of geekiness.

What game mechanics are, simply put, or the overriding rules and determing factor for rpg's.
They are the die rolls, the numbers (or stats as geeks like to call them), the charts and tables.
They how we (geeks) determine what the characters, non-playercharacters, and beasties can and can't do.
The most common way to determine this is a dice roll and an adding of a number.
Some of the most common game mechanics are Wizards of the Coast d20, Whitewolfs d10, and West End Games d6 system.

The d20 system was developed by Wizards of the Coast for their 3rd edition of Dungeons and Dragons, and it has, hands down become one of the most popular in the last few years despite Wizards of the Coast updating it and forcing players to fork of another 30 bucks per book.
The reason for this is the Open Gaming License.
This License allows game designers and developers to use the base mechanics of the the d20 system as the base mechanics for their own system, as long as the give Wizards their due and make note of it some place in the product.
The system is easy; roll a 20 sided dice (yes these have exsisted since the 1970's for sale) apply the appropriate number to the roll and add them up.
There is usually a target number determined by the Game Master (gm, or dm if you will) he compares the score and decides whether or not you succeed.
The 20 sided dice is used for most rolls, skills, ability checks, and combat. Only damage in combat requires the role of another dice.
What are skills? Things you're character can do such as: listen, search, spot, hide, move silently, climb, ect... This will usually have a number of ranks, which increase every level or just use your ability score bonuses (which are dete... you know this is can get confusing for the novice let's move on to d10 mechanics....

D10 mechanics are simpler. The same concept applies as the d20 system, but instead you use d10's.
Instead of rolling one d10, your skills and abilities have a number of marks and that is the amount of d10's you role, and instead of getting ridiculously high numbers (as can be the case with d20) your target number is between 1 and 10.
You still need to roll over that target number, but this time you might have more than one success, which means you are stellar.

The d6 of West End Games is sort of a combination of the two above only using d6's (or yatzee dice for the uninitiated) instead.
This was the system originally developed for the Star Wars rpg, which West End Games no longer holds the rights to and is now a d20 game.
Esentially take a number of d6's once again determined by your skills and/or abilities and roll them.
Add them up and compare them to the target number.
This is probably my favorite game mechanic. You know exactly what you have to roll as for as dice rolls go, and you improve the dice rolls directly as your characters advance.

So, that was a brief primer on game mechanics.
There are several we didn't even touch on, like the D% of chaosium, the d6 system that was popularized by ShadowRun, then there is the algorithmic game system of Earth Dawn...
FUN!!

More next time.

Friday, March 04, 2005

HI every body!

Well, I'm stoked to see Sherrie's back for the abyss.
Welcome back Sherrie, we've missed you here on Bitchcake isle (though to be honest, I think there are only four or five of us left here).
I'm happy to see that, despite some bumps in the road your doing better.
See I do read the blogs regularly, even those who don't post all that frequently I read once a week.
Keep smiling Sherrie, it lights up my whole day.

So, I heard from a semi-reliable source (Tom) that if the inversion here in Cache Valley didn't clear up in three more days then the feds were stepping in.
Well, that was three days ago and I don't see any federal agents, civilian/soldiers, or government vehicles rounding up the bad air and escorting it out of the valley, so who knows.
Maybe they're setting up some big ass fans and hoses at the mouth of each canyon to suck out the bad air.
I have a sneaky suspicion that we'll all have to stay inside or risk being sucked into one of those fans.
Maybe there's some sort of tornado machine they can let loose, I bet that would clear things right up.
Like huge tracts of land for redevelopment.
Get rid of the downtown area merchants who are so moody and traditional so they can set up chain stores.
Too birds with one stone. Three really: Clean air, rid of pesky merchants, new shiny box stores.
Man can't beat that.
Can't wait to see the tornado.

Thursday, March 03, 2005

Forgot one thing to put in the post below (I know I could have just edited it in text but I don't wanna).
Only one blog a week. What that means is if there are two or three of you who send me something in a single week you're going to be spread out over several weeks on a first come first serve basis.

thanks yous guys

NOTE:

While talking to Tom the other night, he mentioned that he wished he could come up with something similar to Frank's Geekdom Saturdays. I told him that I had been considering to see if anybody wanted to guest write some blogs for it, and he said he did and I said ok.
So this Saturday, if Tom remembers to do it, should be a blog by Tom on a geeky topic that is very near and dear to his heart.
If any of you want to write a blog for Frank's Geekdom Saturday here are some guidelines that i've come up with for it.

1) You have to let me know by at least thursday: this isn't a proffesional article by any means, but I do usually have an idea by Thursday on what I'm going to write it on, so I can find relevant information on the internet and such. It doesn't need to be submitted until Saturday morning (i.e. before 12 noon) I know I don't always get them up myself by then, but if it isn't to me by that time, I'll asume that you forgot and do what I had originally been planning to do.

2) You must have "Franks Geekdom Saturday" before the blog. This is easy enough to do if you want to simply email me your blog to post (which is what Tom is going to do) because I'll just post it on my blog with the normal headers. But if you don't want to email it to me to post, that's fine too, go ahead and post it on your own blog, just be sure that Frank Geekdom's Saturday is above it. Now I know that I can't make you do this, but I can make fun of you and call you names mercilessly if you don't, so please do. (I aslo can't stop you from writing a geeky topic and calling it something else, but I can call you a copy cat). If you do opt to post, once again let me know (via email) and try to have it done before noon on saturday (your time).

3). Keep it relatively clean. Especcially if you email it too me. I can't stop you from swearing profusely on your own blog, but i will substitute any really dirty words with squiggly symbols on my blog. Franks Geekdom Saturday is a family friendly bit of geek love.

4) Make sure it has something to do with Geekiness. Acceptable topics include:
-Roleplaying Games
-Collectable Card Games
-Tradeable Miniature Games
-Tabletop Wargames
-Boardgames
-Videogames
-Live Action Roleplaying (though if you do write on this subject I will be forced to kick your ass when I next see you).
-Webcomics
-Comicbooks
-Anime
-Starwars, Star Trek, Babylon 5, Stargate S-G1, Buffy; the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Smallville or any other genuinely geeky television series or movie. (If you're not sure it's geeky, or geeky enough send me the topic and I'll tell you whether it's geek worthy, if it's something that you'd get your ass kicked for in junior high school, then it probably is).
-Fantasy and Science fiction books and stories (particulary fan fiction).
There are things that I know i missed, but you get the idea, if there is something you feel is trully worthy of the kingdom of Geekdom and you want to force me into accepting it, let me know.

5) You don't have to write a novel, but if you are going to write, please make it at least a couple paragraphs.

6) If any of you think I'm being a pompous git, please email me. I don't think I'm all that great a writer, and that belief is reaffirmed everytime I look at old posts. Nor do I consider myself an expert in the world of Geekdom, I'm just a resident is all, and I'm just writing my observations and thoughts down. I will say this though, the Franks Geekdom Saturdays were my idea, so I feel they should at least carry my name, that way you can all identify with it.

Well there you go. Anything that I might have forgot I'm sure i'll remember soon enough, and post later.
Feel free to contact me if you either want to write for FGS's (which could stand for Frank's Geekdom Saturday's or my initials) it would save me from doing it each week, and give you extra credit in my book (not that you need it).

Here's my email address for those who wish to contact me
lojakz@yahoo.com

Frank's over and out.

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

So, I'm listening to Primus right now.
Well that's not quite true, I'm half assed watching a dvd and they are just starting The Last Superpower and I'm thinking of stuff.... yeah.
What sort of stuff you might ask?
Well, at the moment how wierd Primus is, but that goes with the territory.
I'm thinking of how I should be tired because it's just after two in the morning but I'm not yet.
I'm thinking about the shows.
I'm thinking about finances.
I'm thinking about a nice bowl of butterscotch pudding, but then again I like pudding.
I've got to shave soon, and get a haircut.
It's been a year since i've had one, so that should be an interesting change.
Las time a friend of mine, someone I see twice a week didn't recognize me.
Then again he'd never seen me with short hair.
I'm thinking how I need to file my taxes.
I'm thinking about how I need to get more memory for my computer, because its sluggish with the amount it has in it.
I'm thinking of how I should take the time and do some more cleaning on my apartment this sunday when I have the chance.
I'm thinking about the snow, the cold and how there will soon be more snow.
We've had alot this winter.
If I didn't have to go anywhere I'd sure be alot happier about it falling from the sky.
I'm thinking about how ill-responsible I can be, and also how know is half the battle.
I guess the other half is doing something about it.
I'm thinking of the Eric Hoffer book I've been reading, and how absolutely fasinating it is.
I'm thinking that I should have written on Fitzlephisch tonight, because it isn't writing itself.
If it was, I'd probably be done by now.
I'm thinking of how a twelve minute solo by Primus can really mess with your senses.
I'm thinking that, at this moment, despite all the bullshit and stress and things I'm worry about that I shouldn't be worrying about; I'm content.

Well, Primus is starting My Name is Mud, and I think once its over its time to lay my weary head in my little bed.

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

Two posts in one day?
What will the world come too?

It's sunny out now. I'm rather pleased by that.
Now if only my meager paycheck will arrive so I can go cash it, and watch it disapear.
Which is what will happen.
I hate being strapped for cash all the time... but it's my own fault.
I'm very compulsive when it comes to making small purchases.
I won't go blow 50 bucks on a new video game, or a couple of dvds.
I don't typically buy nicknacks.
No, most of my purchases are small, when I do buy frivolous things.
10 bucks here, 5 bucks there.
By the time things are said and done I've spent 80 dollars of my hard earned money.
One habit I have to break is eating out alot.
It's easy enough to break when I don't have the money for it.
Not so much when I do.
I think about the money I blow in a given week on eating out, and I'm usually agahst. 50 to 60 dollars, that would buy groceries for two or three weeks easy, especcially for my needs in tastes.
I have a semi-legitimate excuse at times, too busy for anything but a quick bite.
Sure when I'm at rehearsal until 11 o'clock at night and i've been going all day there isn't usually alot of motivation to go home and whip something up for the next day.
But that still isn't a very good reason.

Budgeting. That's what I need to do is budget.
Easier said than done.
Especcially when you are both used to living off the habitual cuff of things.
The other answer to my question is work more hours.
That isn't always feasable, especcially when you have directors swapping times on you left and right for rehearsal (i'm only speaking about one director in this instance).
The work more hours is a temporary solution of course.
Firstly, while the influx of more cash will be noticeable at first, I'll fall into the same habits again.
Secondly, I'll lose my will to work so many extra hours eventually and need to take time off, or start working less hours.
Which will put me in a fix right away.
Nope, I got to figure out how to budget.
I'm a non-dumb guy, this should be easy.... right?

So... here I am.
I thought I wanted to write something today: but guess what? I don't know what to write.
So, I suppose I'll start off by babbling.
blah, bleh goo goo, bleh boo boh bah
geoo gah, chi bmmah muuug thump litlo puli mi doop poop goop

somethings come to me.
I think i might be in over my head with one of thise scripts: Last Tuesday.
I'm close on my lines, the problem isn't with my lines though, it's with every one elses.
See I don't talk to anybody else on stage untill the very end. Two lines are all I say at the other characters.
Naturally though, I take my cues from them, and even that wouldn't be a problem, it it wasn't for the over laps, interruptions and long spans of silence that I have in my part.
This is by far the most difficult part i've ever had, not simply on the portrayal of the character, but in the context of the play itself.
Can I potray this character? Yes, I think I can do that just fine.
Can I do it the way the play needs, i.e. with all the timing difficulties? I don't know... I simply do not know.
The play is interesting because of the overlaying textures. The fact that there are five people on the subway car and all of them have a different story.
I'm hitting the script hard over the next few days, as well as really focussing on rehearsals.

Wish me to break something, may take more than a leg this time.

Monday, February 28, 2005

"...We don't need to show you no steenkin badges."

So i did not watch the Oscars, keeping with my tradition of not watching it.
I love movies, but I really detest award shows.
Instead I stayed home and rested, as I still wasn't feeling all that hot yesterday, and I watched movies.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and a documentary on John Huston.
All I can say is what a cool cat.
Granted not all of his movies are with watching, even he has admitted to that, but there are a number that are, least of those "Treasure".
That film has intrigued me in two ways.
I'm now going to see if I can find a copy of Travens book by the same name and give it a read.
It is supposed to be much grittier than the film (which for the time was pretty gritty).
The second thing is to seek out the AFI's top 100 films and watch them in reverse order.
I'm actually going to start that this week.
I figure three films a week isn't unresonable, less when I have to, more when I can.
I should be done by this time next year.
Now for something completely different.....