Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Return from Continuum II
(Category: Life, Faith, Role-Playing Games)
I somehow think I'm doing what I promised myself I would never do again - going away for a while only to have to return to "work" for a few days before going away again. I thought I'd been so clever and got so much done before the wonderful time that was Continuum.
It was fantastic to get away, and far more relaxing travelling by train. A long-weekend conversation, gaming and beer. I managed to play a good first game of Mythic Russia, complete with a profusion of silly accents (my apologies to the chap who couldn't cope with us!). I'm now eagerly awaiting my pre-ordered hardback copy. Company, conversation and beer, not to mention a little vodka from the Mythic Russia launch party, and some blended whisky direct from a glass bottle shaped like a football boot (I kid you not!), all collaborated to ensure a 2am bedtime. What is less understandable is that fact that I felt better rested in the morning than under normal circumstances at home! (However since "at home" usually includes two+ wake-ups calls from Little Miss Placid, maybe I shouldn't be too surprised!)
Saturday (after the obligatory cooked breakfast) saw a superb game of Savage Worlds set in Darkest Africa, as British, German and Zanzibari groups sought the fountain of eternal youth. Proved to be highly enjoyable, even if the Germans did manage to get some of the water back home to grant the Kaiser another 200 years of life! I ended up playing a Zanzibari Princess, and discovered afterwards that I was adjudged second-best player from the 15 or so who took part. I'd never met the games system before, but it seemed to work very well. The basic mechanic is, so far as I could tell, to have skills and attributes keyed to a given die (d4, d6, d8, d10). You get one throw of the appropriate die plus a d6 ('cos you're heroic). 4+ is a success, and you use the highest roll of your 2 dice. A maximum roll entitles you to a further throw - and hence a better result. Simple, but practical.
I spent the afternoon somewhat game-lagged in a Gwenthia game. (I've mentioned Gwnethia here before, as I'm one of the writer/developers who hank out at The Tavern), but I was rather to tired to get the most out of it - and played my rather thick axe-wielding character to the hilt. Problem was that no-one would give him any orders to follow...
Right now, of course, I've forgotten what I did on Saturday night, apart from chat and drink and go to bed late, that is. More will have to follow...
The point is though, although I've safely arrived home and had two decent nights sleep, uninterrupted by GLW, LM and LMP (who are all at Granny and Grandpa's) I'm still totally whacked. All I want to do is sit around in a tired stupor, which makes writing the two sermons I need to get ready for the day after I return from the full-family holiday a nearly impossible task.
Remind me not to have a few days between holidays again!
And with that I need some lunch if I'm to ahve any chance of getting anything done... ¶ 10:36 am
I somehow think I'm doing what I promised myself I would never do again - going away for a while only to have to return to "work" for a few days before going away again. I thought I'd been so clever and got so much done before the wonderful time that was Continuum.
It was fantastic to get away, and far more relaxing travelling by train. A long-weekend conversation, gaming and beer. I managed to play a good first game of Mythic Russia, complete with a profusion of silly accents (my apologies to the chap who couldn't cope with us!). I'm now eagerly awaiting my pre-ordered hardback copy. Company, conversation and beer, not to mention a little vodka from the Mythic Russia launch party, and some blended whisky direct from a glass bottle shaped like a football boot (I kid you not!), all collaborated to ensure a 2am bedtime. What is less understandable is that fact that I felt better rested in the morning than under normal circumstances at home! (However since "at home" usually includes two+ wake-ups calls from Little Miss Placid, maybe I shouldn't be too surprised!)
Saturday (after the obligatory cooked breakfast) saw a superb game of Savage Worlds set in Darkest Africa, as British, German and Zanzibari groups sought the fountain of eternal youth. Proved to be highly enjoyable, even if the Germans did manage to get some of the water back home to grant the Kaiser another 200 years of life! I ended up playing a Zanzibari Princess, and discovered afterwards that I was adjudged second-best player from the 15 or so who took part. I'd never met the games system before, but it seemed to work very well. The basic mechanic is, so far as I could tell, to have skills and attributes keyed to a given die (d4, d6, d8, d10). You get one throw of the appropriate die plus a d6 ('cos you're heroic). 4+ is a success, and you use the highest roll of your 2 dice. A maximum roll entitles you to a further throw - and hence a better result. Simple, but practical.
I spent the afternoon somewhat game-lagged in a Gwenthia game. (I've mentioned Gwnethia here before, as I'm one of the writer/developers who hank out at The Tavern), but I was rather to tired to get the most out of it - and played my rather thick axe-wielding character to the hilt. Problem was that no-one would give him any orders to follow...
Right now, of course, I've forgotten what I did on Saturday night, apart from chat and drink and go to bed late, that is. More will have to follow...
The point is though, although I've safely arrived home and had two decent nights sleep, uninterrupted by GLW, LM and LMP (who are all at Granny and Grandpa's) I'm still totally whacked. All I want to do is sit around in a tired stupor, which makes writing the two sermons I need to get ready for the day after I return from the full-family holiday a nearly impossible task.
Remind me not to have a few days between holidays again!
And with that I need some lunch if I'm to ahve any chance of getting anything done... ¶ 10:36 am
