Archive for the ‘gaming’ Category

When we last left our intrepid heroes…

Posted: February 27, 2009 by datechguy in gaming
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…My old friend the rightwinggamer fills us in on his D&D campaign:

The Campaign: A home-brewed world which grows adventure by adventure. No real map to it as I didn’t really feel like it, and it sort of changed in scope as I continued. So far the players claim to be having fun, and I hope that is the case. It is a Polytheistic world, which means many religions, and in some cases, it’s a farce of many different games, since the idea isn’t really sticking to the rules, or being so deep that we must obey, but having fun. Elements of World of Warcraft, Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends, and several other influences have filled the game.

He is playing version 3.5. I’m an old foggy and still prefer version 1.0 or 2.0 if I play at all. In the last adventure I was running we saw the consequences of Christianity being introduced into a D&D world but that campaign has been suspended for a year. But enough of the past, if you are interested in a current D&D adventure read on.

Sunday Random thoughts

Posted: February 22, 2009 by datechguy in baseball, employment, fun, gaming, personal
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I have a job interview tomorrow. The big grey beard is now gone so perhaps the extra 10 years it seems to add to me being shed will help.

Also got a letter from somewhere that I interviewed back in December. Was expecting a straight rejection but instead was informed the position was placed on hold. With endowments drying up I expect a lot more of this.

Today is Washington’s Birthday. Powerline reminds us of a person who actually deserved the amazing praise a nation gave him looks like.

Was at the dollar store day before yesterday picked up The Stark Truth a book on the most over and underrated players in Baseball history. It appears to be the best buck I’ve ever spent on a hardcover book.

Today’s sermon at Mass was one of the most solid I’ve heard in a while. It was on how Christianity is the religion of positive affirmation not waffling. You are obliged not to waffle on belief and morality. Christians and Catholics sometimes forget this.

Romano’s Market has finally entered the 21st century as their web site has gone up written by the young lady at the register who is majoring at Com Si at a local college.

Speaking of Romano’s they are getting ready for the annual St. Patrick’s day Corned Beef rush. That little place will go though thousands of pounds of corned beef and they work like dogs to get it all ready.

Next door to Romano’s is the Ole Time Luncheonette. I mentioned this place before, it actually opened it the middle of the power outages and the ice storms. The last three days they have been packed. The two ladies and their husband that run the place are there seven days. Drive 25 miles to get there and work hard. I sure hope this keeps up. They deserve it.

And their Fish and chips is the best in town. Just in time for Lent.

Speaking of Restaurants, one of my favorites the Boarder Bar and Grille in Leominster. I was informed by a friend that their appetizers (with minor exceptions) are half price weekdays between 3-6 p.m. and after 9 p.m. as well. As they are rather filling I think this will be the way we manage to hit the place every now and then with money tight.

Do you know the sound the plastic container of Hershey Syrup makes when my son is trying to squeeze the last bit out is exactly the same as the sound of my cat coughing up a hairball? We never had that problem with the old cans.

This story at Gateway Pundit about Witchcraft being the fastest growing religion in the country reminded me of this quote from the Screwtape letters:

I have high hopes that we shall learn in due time how to emotionalise and mythologise their science to such an extent that what is, in effect, belief in us, (though not under that name) will creep in while the human mind remains closed to the Enemy [God]. The “Life Force,” the worship of sex, and some aspects of Psychoanalysis may here prove useful. If once we can produce our perfect work–the Materialist Magician, the man, not using, but veritably worshipping, what he vaguely calls “Forces” while denying the existence of “spirits”–then the end of the war will be in sight.

My witch friends (and I mean that literally) might dispute this; but a lot of people are making large mistakes that they will regret for the rest of their deaths.

And if you like Screwtape and John Cleese you just have to find his reading of the Screwtape letters on tape. He is perfect in the role. We sampled it on this post. Four of them on youtube here.

Speaking of error not two days after my son decided on Fitchburg State College we were surprised to get a letter from the Bishop of Worcester recommending Anna Maria. In view of my visit I was astounded and have typed a response. I’ll post it in full after it is mailed and received. I will give you a taste:

We were very excited when Sam was accepted at Anna Maria and even more excited when they offered the largest (in dollars) scholarship of any of the nine colleges that have accepted and attempted to recruit him. We looked forward to the visit to the college and felt pleased that it would expand both his faith and his educational horizons.

Then we actually visited the college.

The rest they say is history.

We are coming closer and closer to the opening of the baseball season. We are also two weeks away from the World baseball classic. I think I must be the only guy who thinks the latter is worthwhile.

The Red Sox open against the Devil Rays. Two years ago that wouldn’t be much of a deal. Now this has a chance to grow to a mini-Sox Yankees as these teams just plain don’t like each other.

And wasn’t that series in the playoffs just first rate?

Played a game called In a Pickle. It was cute but I wouldn’t recommend it with 8 as it is rated for 6. It’s not a bad party game but I don’t think I’d buy it.

And I have a bigotry against games that de-emphasize winning in the rules.

I don’t think I will ever get sick of watching Ken Burns series “The Civil War.”

I don’t think I will ever not be sick of reality TV. If I wanted reality I get plenty of it every day.

And finally we’ve had days of the media nonsense attacking the New York Post on a cartoon that has absolutely nothing to do with race. Now the NAACP has gotten involved and are talking real nonsense. There was a time when the NAACP was the one of the most respected organizations in the US. Their hyperbole shows that those days are long gone.

…don’t forget that the Total confusion convention begins tomorrow and runs for 4 days at the Holiday Inn in Mansfield Massachusetts. It’s a little late for registration but there is no reason why you can’t show up at the door and hope for the best.

If you want something with a little more notice consider ConBust 2009 held at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is a combination sci-fi/fantasy/anime and gaming convention that will be held March 27th through 29th. Mike’s comics an online dealer that carries the entire line of Doctor Who Audios that I review a lot on this blog will be a dealer there and that reason alone is good enough for me to visit.

It’s worth noting that you might qualify for free housing if you are a college student 18 years old or older you might be able to get housing for the event details here.

Some games grow on you this one doesn’t

Posted: February 12, 2009 by datechguy in fun, gaming, tech
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I was very excited when the new colonization game came out. I remembered the old one fondly, loved the music and wasted much too much time playing it.

When the new one came out I liked the graphics, using the Civilization system seemed to work and the promotion system was an improvement.

However after a few months I find that it just isn’t fun anymore. We played it this week at game night and it was interesting to play for a while, particularly as a competitive game but without that competition it just is dull. I’m very surprised that I’m so bored with it but that’s the way it is.

Give me the old DOS version any day.