Saturday 31 August 2013

Ivory Path: A Storytelling Game Using Dominoes


I love designing games and I set myself a little challenge this week to create a storytelling system that utilises a unique mechanic. I had quite a few ideas, including one that used a real lotus as a game piece, but one mechanic has stuck with me ever since I thought about it a couple of years ago: dominoes.

So I've created Ivory Path, a game that lets you and your friends create any story you wish with a focus on characters. This is pretty much in the alpha stage at the moment but it would be great to get some feedback on it from you guys.

You can download your free copy of Ivory Path here. You can leave feedback in the comments below or send me an email. I appreciate your time.



Thursday 29 August 2013

Wormholes Are Our Best Bet For Time Travel, Says Astrophysicist


Time machines - what havoc we could wreak with one of those babies. While the often used staple of sci-fi flicks isn't going to happen anytime soon (or at all), astrophysicist Eric W. Davies says that we need to look to wormholes for our era-hopping antics.

While physicists have proven that particles like muons can be sent forwards in time by manipulating their gravity, the notion of going backwards in time encounters a heap of problems. 

Davies, who works at EarthTech International Institute for Advanced Studies in Austin, says that a wormhole could open up a passage in space-time that could send you back in time.

Monday 26 August 2013

Behold The Halberd Fantasy Roleplaying Online Character Creator


It's been almost a week since I released Halberd Fantasy Roleplaying and already wizkid +Peter Gagliardi has put together the bare bones of an awesome character generator for the game.

5 awesome characters you can create in Halberd Fantasy Roleplaying


With Halberd Fantasy Roleplaying just released, I wanted to share some of the infinite number of characters that you can create in the game. The rules contain a series of pre-made character archetypes but also stress that players can easily make their own archetypes and races.

With that, I give you 5 characters you could be creating in Halberd...

5 Insane Pieces Of Video Game Merchandise


Game sales can only take you so far, so developers often look to merchandise to make some more dollar. Most of it is forgiveable - a Mario t-shirt, Zelda cuff links, or a pen shaped like Samus, but other merchandise somehow bafflingly got onto the market with the full approval of all involved. Here's five pieces of insane merchandise for video games.

Sunday 25 August 2013

7 Marvel Comics That Should Be Made Into Movies


Marvel have the sleeper hold on Hollywood at the moment, with new films on the horizon for at least the next eight years. Later this year we Have Thor: The Dark World to look forward to and in 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America: Winter Soldier will hopefully wow us like previous celluloid efforts.

But there are so many heroes and teams that should get their own films too. Here's seven of them...

Tuesday 20 August 2013

Halberd Fantasy Roleplaying is now available to download for free


Today's the day! I'm pleased to announce the launch of Halberd Fantasy Roleplaying, which is now free to download here.

Magick is rife within Tequendria, flowing through all living things – human, elves, trees, naked molerats. The most infamous city in Tequendria, Highbridge, is also its most magical, so there’s never a dull moment if you’re an adventurer.

Wednesday 14 August 2013

Halberd: Fantasy Roleplaying is almost here


It's been a while since I did an update on Halberd, but I'm pleased to say that it's almost ready for released. The book is complete and I just need to tweak some things, but it will be out very shortly.

Monday 12 August 2013

Porphyry brings Armageddon to your Tunnels & Trolls game


There has always been a dearth of campaign settings for Tunnels & Trolls, but Alternate Reality Games is set to change that with the release of Porphyry: World of the Burn.

Will Vin Diesel play Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy?


Rumours are flying around the interwebs that Riddick star Vin Diesel will voice the alien tree Groot in Marvel's upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy film.

Diesel sparked off discussion about him playing the character after he posted a picture of Groot on his Facebook, although he has since removed it.

5 world leaders who turned out to be secret nerds



They say that geeks will inherit the Earth, and they're probably not too far off. While it's easy to see the people in power as soulless power-hungry vessels, you have to remember that they are also, sometimes, real people too, and real people like things.

From tyrants to relatively benevolent politicians, world leaders have had a history of choosing hobbies that seem bizarre, especially after a long day of perpetuating war crimes.

So I give you 5 world leaders who turned out to be geeks.

Sunday 11 August 2013

5 videogames that were banned for ridiculous reasons



Videogames are no stranger to controversy. It seems like every time a new Grand Theft Auto hits the shelves there's always some misguided moral activist gnashing their teeth about the prostitution (always the sex but never the violence with GTA). Sure, you may understand why infamous games like Manhunt were flagged as inappropriate, what with all the hilarious bag suffocation, but really nobody takes games seriously.

However, some countries have taken things way too far with some games for all the wrong reasons. Here are five of them.

5 terrible rules in otherwise awesome RPGs


Tabletop roleplaying games are amazing. They transport you to other worlds and allow you to weave immense tales with your friends while eating high carb snacks. Let's be honest - gaming is probably the best past-time ever.

But even when you're all playing your favourite game, there's usually a point when you need to look up a specific rule and realise that it's more difficult to comprehend than M-Theory and you sit around for the next hour trying in vain to figure it out.

Other times one of your more devious players realises how they can use a game-breaking spell to their advantage and become a cosmos-chewing god on earth. These are annoying times.

Here are 5 rules that sully otherwise fantastic games.

Wednesday 7 August 2013

Thor: The Dark World full trailer has arrived - it's hammer time!


Feast your thunder-loving peepers on this slice of Marvel action. Thor: The Dark World is in cinemas 30 October 2013.


Review: 2000AD Prog 1843 - Under Pressure


It's time for our weekly 2000AD review - this time a bit late. But don't worry, Prog 1844 will be reviewed tomorrow. In the meantime, strap in for some undersea terror, gun-wielding mother-funters and a massive codpiece.

Tuesday 6 August 2013

Join the USR Google+ Community


It's come to my attention that some people may actually enjoy the little game I made one Sunday afternoon, so I thought I'd do a little more to cultivate it and help it flourish. USR now has a lovely little Community on Google +. Be sure to join if you like story games and chatting with fellow nerds.


Monday 5 August 2013

Spin Doctor: Peter Capaldi is the Timelord we need


There is always a degree of anxiety when the BBC are set to announce a new Doctor. Matt Smith was a curveball with acting stints outside of the mainstream realm and was most noted for his role in The History Boys. Now the baby-faced human jaw is moving on, leaving a new Timelord to wield the sonic screwdriver. There were some big names in the running, from the apocalypse-cancelling Idris Elba to the ginger Homeland heart-throb Damien Lewis. We now know that as of this year's Christmas special this will be perennial actor and self-proclaimed Whovian Peter Capaldi.

Thursday 1 August 2013

Changes to the comments section


Hey guys - just a bit out house-keeping today before I resume regular bloggery. The comments section is now tied directly to Google Plus. This is as a result of people telling me that they were unable to comment for some reason using the default Blogger comment thread.

So now if you want to comment, make sure you have a Google account. You can add me to your circles here and I'll be sure to add you to mine.