User blogs
Inspired Unreality is held in the gamerplus chatrooms at Tenkar's Tavern on Discord. If you haven't been to Tenkar's there's a link here.
https://gamerplus.org/index
Last week Viv and I were joined by Alan and Peaktime for our Inspired Unreality open game chat. We mostly talked about computer programming, discussing recent projects and looking at what programming languages are hot in game development.
Peaktime is working on a character generator for BX, Alan is compiling a list of 2nd Edition wizards spells, and I am working on the Plain Text Blog. I think we enjoy programming as much as we do gaming.
https://gamerplus.org/newsfeed/4437
I am glad to report that the Main page has stayed up all week. Sure is fun not having to worry about Gamer+ errors.
When we last left Ari and Caper in Milyagon they were talking to the Jakobs, a family of seven, Jake and Liz, and their five kids, baby Ameira, Will, Bill, Cassie, and Sandra. In keeping with my contention that every NPC deserves two sentences we did a little writing so I'll have something to work from the next time we play. Not only did we capture all seven family members we also described a lot of the interactions that make a family work.
Here's some of it.
Sandra seems restless, always shifting her feet about. In spite of Liz's careful plaitwork Sandra's braids remained unruly. She is constantly active, grooming the horses while talking and jesting.
Cassie was her sister's shadow but she couldn't be more different in her pretty blue dress and her braids falling over her shoulders. Her eyes dart about keeping up with everything that's happening.
Bill and Will were often mistaken for twins. Will was big for his age and almost Bill's size. They were both healthy, ruddy, and husky with a glint of wit in their eyes. Bill is headstrong and doesn't understand why he can't do everything his sisters do. Will is more likely to heed his parents strictures partly because he sees the trouble Bill gets himself into.
Ameira, the baby, is almost a year old. She is a beautiful baby with blue eyes and golden curls. She is not, however, an easy baby to care for, her troubled nights have kept both Liz and Jake awake in the campgrounds.
There's more but overall it's as compact as what you read here.
https://gamerplus.org/blogs/post/882
ZDL joined Discord! And when she updated her profile I noticed she is also on Mastodon. You may have noticed my Mastodon link in my signature at the end of Gamer+ News. Like Gamer+, Mastodon is an alternative social network. Highly recommended.
https://gamerplus.org/user/ZDL
Please forward this email and share this link.
https://gamerplus.org/blogs/post/883
Thanks,
Hairy Larry
https://gamerplus.org/user/hairylarry
https://mastodon.social/@hairylarry
hairylarry@deltaboogie.com
So great? But also ???. I am still looking into migrating to Open Source Social Network which is being currently maintained, has a better mobile app, and offers paid support. When I get a test version up and running I will post a link here in the Gamer+ News for anyone interested in helping me test it.
I am glad that Gamer+ fixed itself because that takes the pressure off and I can take some time with the migration. My music composition lessons start next week so once again I will be a little bit too busy.
Saturday, January 15, at 11:00 AM Central, Inspired Unreality continues in it's new day and time. Some of the regulars are noticing the transition. Last week it was just Vivian and I so we continued in our Ari and Caper adventures in Milyagon. They have left the witch's cottage and are back in Milyagon where Ari and Caper are visiting with the family they met on the road. We named all the kids and Mom and Dad too so now it's my job to write a couple of sentences about each.
Inspired Unreality open game chat is held every Saturday morning at 11:00 Central in the gamerplus chatrooms at Tenkar's Tavern on Discord. If you haven't been to Tankar's there's a link here.
https://gamerplus.org/index
Today is Vivian's birthday. I'm just adding this here to rub it in. Vivian has been role playing longer than I have in fact she was a DM before there was D&D. As Arimeth with her cat, Tude, she and Caper are building out the Milyagon locale. By cat we mean mountain lion. Tude comes up to Ari's waist which means shoulder high on Caper the halfling. It's kind of cool having a mountain lion nuzzling me in the face.
https://gamerplus.org/user/sound
I love Gamer+ which has chat and messaging. I am also active on Discord at Tenkar's Tavern, Megantopia, Family Chat, and on my music server, hairylarryland. Here's a link to the HairyLarryLand Discord server.
https://discord.gg/MgnZC464YS
But if you want to get in touch with me email is the thing. I check my email several times a day and I check everything else several times a week and I don't always get every message then.
So, forward this email. Share this link. And send me an email.
Thanks
Hairy Larry
https://gamerplus.org/user/hairylarry
https://mastodon.social/@hairylarry
hairylarry@deltaboogie.com
We played Virtual Dirty Santa on Discord yesterday. We all passed the wrapped gifts around on a gameboard and then we opened them in order.
Here are the gifts given by those who are Related To Geeks (my family).
Half Halfling
by Larry Heyl CC-BY
My Mother, the midget
Fell for a halfling bard
Who sang her sweet love songs
beneath the pine trees in his yard.
They married in April
Which makes me a Winter's child
Quite mild for a human
As halfling, quite wild.
So yes I'm half halfling
From bald head to hairy toes
I hunt through the forest
Where wild mushrooms grow.
Will I seek adventure
Or farm in the shire?
Sing for my lady love
While I pluck the lyre.
Megan Heyl produced by Megan Heyl
Carl Heyl drawn by Kier Heyl
Gretchen posts Megan dancing behind Megan
The initial topic was games as gifts inspired by a gift we got, a game called Space Team. We drifted into other gaming topics quickly. I'll share a few links.
https://azgaar.github.io/Fantasy-Map-Generator/
https://www.deviantart.com/aaahartvisen/art/Leaves-821839577
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/245017/Mothership-Players-Survival-Guide
http://www.onesevendesign.com/ladyblackbird/
The rest of these videos have something to do with racing games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkgRtV8roBQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atuFSv2bLa8
http://thepoxbox.blogspot.com/2013/09/from-digital-to-dice-neon-burn-playtest.html?m=0
Thanks to VB-Wyrde (of Elthos), Datum, Vivian, Megantopia, and Masked and Danger, for their input.
JesseQ made a post about how he would use multiple free online tools for online gaming. I have been wanting to set up an Actual Play podcast as a Gamer+ event and JesseQ's post got me thinking. Here's his out of the box suggestions.
Discord for chat (text, video, voice)
Miro for shared whiteboard/tabletop
Watch2Gether for atmosphere/music
I have come up with another platform set.
Discord - Tenkar's Tavern in particular for the chatroom/game table
Web Whiteboard - A whiteboard app on the web the DM could use for drawing maps or diagrams for online games. You can also post text and pictures. Players can also post, make map annotations during play, upload something they saw, etc.
File Downloads - My Pydio instance does this great. There are many other free web alternatives.
So the only barrier to participation is getting into Tenkars Tavern on Discord. Discord has become a new standard for voice chat and their apps are easy to install and work on every platform.
Once you are in the gamerplus chatrooms at Tenkar's Tavern the DM can post a link to the whiteboard set up for this game. The players click on this link and they are there on the whiteboard. No passwords or accounts required.
The DM can also post a link to a folder on Pydio. The players can follow this link, browse pregens, and download or print the character sheet they choose to play. The DM has a different link that allows uploading and file deletion. Again no install, passwords, or accounts required.
And this is the key. Follow the link and you're in.
You enter the chatroom. The DM posts a link and you go pick a character. When the DM starts to draw something he posts a link. You follow the link and view what he's drawing. It would even be possible to lay out battle maps and move player tokens on the map.
So these two apps, the whiteboard and the file manager, are both included in Miro as per JesseQ's suggestion. There is an advantage to having these both in one app. But Miro is more complicated to use and the DM would have to send player invites which means collecting emails. In some situations this would not be cumbersome but for Gamer+, If You Play You Win, actual play podcasts I wanted it to be as easy as possible to jump into the game.
As JesseQ suggests, Gamer+ has set up a Watch2Gether channel that the DM could use for Monster noises and appropriate background music. It is also available for listening on the public web just by linking in with no password or account necessary.
So this is just another possible way to set up for online gaming. I chose these apps because of their open availability to anyone without having to install apps or create accounts. There might be better choices for your games or campaigns. Please leave your ideas in the comments.
Thanks
Ok, on Inspired Unreality tonight we will be recording the Related To Geeks podcast, a podcast about a geeky family. So most of you know Carl and Hairy Larry. There's more of us. Lot's more. And we're all gamers. Vivian and I raised our kids right.
After The Geek Agenda we will discuss The Geek Topic which is "Winging It" tonight. Everyone is welcome to join the chat during The Geek Topic. Then we will stop recording and have our regular open game chat where everyone can talk about whatever they want to.
Inspired Unreality is Monday, September 2, at 9:00 PM Central in the gamerplus chatrooms at Tenkar's Tavern on Discord. If you are not a member you can go to gamerplus.org for a link.
JesseQ posted some info about Watch2Gether in a post he wrote about online role playing. So I checked it out and set up a Gamer+ Watch2Gether channel where you can go with other gamers and watch the same video at the same time even if you're not in the same country.
https://w2g.tv/oadhkc0jylfmsj2z8o
FollowMeAndDie posted a link to all four games from the Extra Life fundraiser at the Gygax house.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT7cQu33X53NqQsIVFyi-VJ5qSZzTRgHZ
I also added these videos to the queue at the Gamer+ Watch2Gether. Maybe we can set up a viewing session where we can watch a game and chat about it.
Frylock finished his 3 part series on fantasy games, copyrights, and the OGL. This is a substantial piece of work and has spurred much discussion. You can read it on his blog, Frylock's Gaming & Geekery.
https://gsllc.wordpress.com/2019/08/26/part3ogl/
In case you haven't figured it out yet, gamers on Gamer+ do stuff. So if you're doing stuff post it on Gamer+. Because we want to know what you're doing.
Thanks,
Hairy Larry
Gamer+ will be hosting the Related To Geeks Podcast on the Inspired Unreality game chat at Tenkar's Tavern on Discord, Monday, September 2, at 9:00 PM Central.
Check out Main or Dashboard for Join links. (and instructions)
We will start with The Geek Agenda where those of us who are Related To Geeks take a minute to reveal our plans for world domination, that is, what we've been doing and what's coming up next.
Then we will smoothly segue into The Geek Topic which will be "Winging It" for September. Discussing The Geek Topic will be open to everyone so come with your stories about how your party went left instead of right and suddenly you were winging it.
After The Geek Topic we will quit recording and go to our usual open game chat where anyone can suggest a topic and all gaming is on topic.
I can't even express how much I am looking forward to this. See you there.
Gamer+ Inspired Unreality is tonight, Monday August 26, at 9:00 pm Central. Inspired Unreality is an open game chat at Tenkar's Tavern on Discord. The first topic for tonight will be Systems and Modules. Discuss gaming systems you wrote or that you like to play and your favorite modules for these systems. Also how to write OSR generic modules and what does it take to play an OSR module in 5e?
Or bring your own topic. Open game chat. Board games, card games, and role playing games.
CarlHeyl posted "I help with a local homeschool game group and lately we've been playing Dungeons & Dragons. I feel like there are enough players and interest to start a campaign. The one I have in mind is one where there are five evil chromatic dragons (one of each color) that rule tyrannically over the land. They expect offerings from the humans in exchange for not obliterating them. Out of fear of the dragons wrath it is illegal to oppose the dragons plans. PC's would all be a part of an organization that secretly is working against the dragons. I need a good name for that organization that would appeal to kids. Thoughts?"
DragonMac posted the cover for his new role playing system, Adventure Maximum.
Adventure Maximum
Follow Me and Die was a DM in a live streamed charity event held in Gary Gygax's old house. Other DMs at the event were Chris Lindsay, Stefan Pokorny, and Luke Gygax.
Luke's twitter post
A few gamers reported Gamer+ notifications going to their spam folders or being marked with a warning. I changed the mail delivery system to SMTP and I changed the admin email address to webmaster@gamerplus.org. This seems to have resolved the problem. Please let me know if you still have any problems with email notifications or if you have any other problems. Email webmaster@gamerplus.org or hairylarry@gmail.com.
Thanks
Tonight on the Gamer+ Inspired Unreality the suggested topic will be, "A funny thing happened storming the castle, quest moments, stories, and jokes." Inspired Unreality starts at 9:00 PM Central in the gamerplus chatrooms at Tenkar's Tavern on Discord. Voice and text chat. Log on to both.
Feel free to suggest alternate topics. All gaming is on topic.
Please welcome NEA Gamers Guild to Gamer+. They have a convention coming up in Jonesboro, Arkansas, mid October. If you are in a gaming club or involved with a convention please create an account for your group and I will add you to the Play Games column in the footer.
Frylock posted this link to his blog post, Part 1: Copyrightability of #RPG Stat Blocks #DnD #copyright #iplaw.
gsllc.wordpress.com/2019/08/12/part1statblocks/
He really nails the detail on this subject and this is just Part 1.
Gwythaint posted some of his amazing line art here
gamerplus.org/photo/view/333/albumPhotos?albumId=50
and here
gamerplus.org/photo/view/334/albumPhotos?albumId=51
And here's my closing thought.
We are right now in the Golden Age of Gamer+. Although our numbers are small (about 75) I think nearly every gamer on Gamer+ does some kind of creative work. We have writers, artists, podcasters, bloggers, vloggers, DMs and players. Many of us are involved in publishing games, modules, stock art, maps, etc. Gamer+ is here to help you promote your work. Never hesitate to post about new releases whether it's a book or a zine, a blog, a video, or a podcast. All gaming is on topic.
Thanks,
Hairy Larry
We have a guest tonight on Inspired Unreality, Caeora is a fantasy artist and mapmaker who has been working on Dungeonfog's Project Deios. We are going to have Ask Me Anything (about gaming) followed by our usual open game chat. Inspired Unreality starts at 9:00 PM, Central Time at Tenkar's Tavern on Discord.
Our ranks continue to grow. We now have over 70 gamers on Gamer+. And I've got to tell you, we are mostly creators including writers, artists, vloggers, and podcasters.
We have added gamer RSS feeds and homepage links for their blogs, podcasts, video channels, chat, actual play... You will see this in the footer on every page. The real gem is the "View last 60 items here" link. This updates more quickly than the FeedGrabbr scroll and it has the actual posts with pics and videos included.
And at the bottom of your profile page there is a tool to help you link to your profile page on Gamer+. Your audience wants to read your profile and they may stick around and join.
The final piece of news this week is that starting Monday, August 2, Inspired Unreality will host the Related To Geeks podcast, the podcast of a geeky family. We will discuss The Geek Topic and then go into open game chat. Everyone is welcome to participate. We are planning on making this a monthly event.
Please comment below.
Thanks
Tag Search
Links
Groups
