Yearly Archives: 2008

d20 – Deadlier Dungeons Hitpoint System

Dragon's Den, writings,

Thanks to Cyrusjle’s recent comment for reminding me about this.

A bit under two years ago now, shortly after playtesting the Injury & Consequences system, I started work on a completely different variation how to record damage.

Injury & Consequences was inspired by a similar system suggested in the D&D/d20 Unearthed Arcana supplement (not to be confused with the AD&D supplement of the same name). And it was an interesting take on how damage was received and what it’s effects were. But I couldn’t help thinking it was just getting too complicated. Too many rolls to determine the effects of damage, too much to keep track of.

This annoyance provided the impetus for the Deadlier Dungeons rules set.

Those familiar with White Wolf games “Storyteller” systems might find the Deadlier Dungeons rules system a slightly familar, but anyone initiated into the Ars Magica cult will no doubt notice that an even more significant parallel with that system.

And fair enough. There are many elegant and well designed aspects to the Ars Magica mechanics and I’m proud to draw inspiration from them.

Unfortunately It was taking a little long to re-format Deadlier Dungeons for convenient reading here, so it’s been converted to PDF to dowload and peruse at your leisure:

Deadlier Dungeons

Galaxy Rangers – “The Goose Clip”

the mindlab, , , ,

Galaxy Rangers was a wild-west space cartoon that ran in the mid- to late-80s in the US. A US-created cartoon, its anime-styling, steampunk tendencies and gritty storylines make it one well worth checking out. The series is to get a nice repackaging this coming May1.

Now more in keeping with the usual bunk we post here on Protozoic, I give you the following clip from the “Heart of Tarkon” episode. Whatever is actually occurring here, it seems to me the writers missed a good joke of not having the incident occur to the character Shane Gooseman (the character to whom it happens in the clip is Walter “Doc” Hartford).

  1. Currently only 4 DVDs, containing 16 of the 65 total shows, are available. If you are really keen to get watching some Galaxy Rangers, you can get them from Netflix. ↩

Mr. Quintron and Miss Pussycat & The Black Lips – 3.14.08, Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA

Comixxx Review, , , , ,

Mr. Quintron & Miss Pussycat

Mr. Quintron and Miss Pussycat & The Black Lips – 3.14.08, Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA

I’ve been a Quintron fan for a long time. While Quintron has always sounded great on albums, nothing compares to the live Quintron experience. Mr. Quintron’s self-constructed Drum Buddy1 and his operation of it while simultaneously playing the organ and percussion, was a feat unto itself to watch.

The crowd at Johnny Brenda’s unfortunately may not have felt so. Miss Pussycat would suggest as much, comparing Johnny Brenda’s to the Olive Garden. Mr. Quintron would end the set by saying, “I know I seem like an asshole, or a comedian, but I’m not. We love this, and we love that sound.”2 In the early 90s when Mr. Quintron first appeared on the scene, it might have been difficult to hear a similar statement as one that was sincere. Over a decade later, and with countless albums behind him, all exploring a similar swamp funk sonic, it is impossible not to believe the man or see him as anything but a visionary. While the fans may not have recognized this, Quintron played like a prophet, his sheer energy doing the impossible of upstaging The Black Lips performance.

Continue reading Mr. Quintron and Miss Pussycat & The Black Lips – 3.14.08, Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA →

Advertisements

the mindlab, ,

The following advertisements are from a Life Magazine that was withdrawn from the library. I don’t know what the exact issue is, because the front page was removed.

The individual ads appealed to me for different reasons.

I’m not saying why though.

I have some more ads I’ll be posting in the next couple days.

Go-Gay Shoes
 Tampax