Gnome's Lair

Apr 11, 2007

Classic Video Game Monopoly

Complete with Console Fever chance cards, Sonic, Guybrush and Mario iconography, C64 railroad stations, ? blocks and Zork properties, the Classic Video Game Monopoly is a retro-gaming board gamer's fantasy come true. Well, not necessarily really, but it definitely is an inspired custom-made Monopoly and you 'd rather look into it a bit more. Chop-chop.

Independent Adventure Games for the masses

Independent video game developers are like the artisans of yore. They aren't wage slaves, they don't exploit anyone else's work, they are neither masters nor slaves, but creative people who strive for the quality of their product and don't have to succumb to whatever ridiculous market realities managers can come up with. In short, they are to be supported, fiercely guarded even, as they're (more or less) involuntary combating dominant modes of consumption and production. Oh, and let's not forget the fine games the indy/bedroom developers have historically come up with. Games like Another World, Skool Daze, Darwinia, Simon the Sorcerer and countless others that are all the proof you should ever need...

Then again, I simply refuse (i.e. can't be bothered) to let this post deteriorate into a quasi-political rant with artistic tendencies. We'll hopefully have time for this at a later date. For now, I think I'll stick to the news. The indy adventure gaming related news to be precise.

Well, for starters (not that there's much more on the menu, mind you), xii games of What Linus Bruckman Sees When His Eyes Are Closed, Anna and Spooks fame are working on a brand new adventure game set in a not-so-distant future when a particle physicist’s mysterious and spectacular death sparks a race to find his hidden vault and claim his terrifying new discovery. An indy dream team has already been assemble, but despair not. xii games is still hiring.

On to some SOCKO! Entertainment news. Remember them? How about the first commercial AGS adventure ever released, the cunningly named Adventures of Fatman? Ah, lovely, I knew you would (pssst, if not, the game has been released as a freeware memory stimulant; get it here). Well, seems that the seemingly defunct SOCKO! team was just that: seemingly defunct. Behind the scenes they've been working on Fatman S.O.S. (Save Our Superheroes) their second game, which they hope to fund by selling a brilliant and particularly deluxe re-release of the original Fatman game. Give 'em a hand.

Apr 10, 2007

PSX: The Free Guide to the Sony Playstation

But first, to make sure the title is as clear as it gets: I'm not referring to the Playstation 3 and what you are about to get yourselves for free is a PDF and not a proper physical book, even though it still is a lovely unabridged digital version of PSX: The Guide to the Sony Playstation, a brilliant book that can be bought for less than 30$.

On to the freebie itself then, which, as the more cunning among the Lair reading crowds and those that actually do bother with introductory paragraphs, must have already gathered, is none other than the 142 pages long 100% freeware (freely distributable, too) PDF version of PSX: The Guide to the Sony Playstation. All you have to do is follow this link and (very quickly, very simply) register with the interestingly named Lulu to get your copy. As for the book's official webpage, well, it can be accessed here.

PSX: The Guide to the Sony Playstation, mainly a hardcore collectors guide listing every US Playstation (PS One) game ever released complete with suggested used/new prices and SLUS codes (thus a very handy ebook for Retro Treasures hunters), also offers a brief history of the PSX development and retail history, descriptions of the more popular games, a photo of Miyamoto playing Crash Bandicoot, info on the prototype SNES CD, a discussion of Sony's idea for a mascot and images of early PSX consoles & dev kits. And in case you 're still wondering if it's worth the mere 15MB download, let me tell you it's an absolutely essential retro gamer's freebie, it is.

Apr 9, 2007

Thousands of free RPG Character Sheets

The amount of free stuff leisurely strolling around the Internet is so absolutely impressive it feels anti-capitalist. Surely, then, a rose will appear on Blanqui's Parisian tomb every time a fellow RPGer downloads one of the 3000+ free character sheets (covering over 250 game systems) from the brilliant RPG Sheets website.

Roleplaying systems covered include a multitude of d20 and Dungeons & Dragons variations, GURPS, Call of Cthulhu, White Wolf's Storytelling games, Rifts, Games Workshop wargames, Shadowrun, Paranoia and even such cult classics as Toon or Trinity. Oh, and do expect to find non character sheety downloads like NPCs, riddles and nifty magic items.

Museum Monday #53

Monday. Well, (very) early Monday morning to be precise, and as I'll hopefully be sleeping for the duration of the worst part of day, here's a Museum Monday that builds upon last Monday's MM Nintendo Museum post. It's a pretty interesting Nintendo Museum (shock! horror!) video featuring a rather irritating narrator, a very informative Nintendo Dream mag employee and a ton of retro gaming treasures going all the way back to the 19th century. [via engadget, via DS Fanboy]

Apr 8, 2007

U.K. White Dwarf #328: Short and late

Short and late, which of course doesn't necessarily have to refer to the latest White Dwarf issue. It could for example describe this review. Or gnomes in general. Then again, you're smart little miniature painting boys and girls, so I guess I'll let you figure it out all by yourselves.

Now, regarding the latest UK WD, number 328 no less, well, you shouldn't really buy it, unless of course you are a weird all out Eldar Harlequins fan, own GW stocks, are impressively rich or are interested in any of the following, which apparently are the only decent articles/bits the mag has to offer (carefully distilled and presented here for your wargaming money-saving pleasure):

-The Eldar Harlequin designer's (well, sculptor's really) notes and a rather one sided Battle Report versus a Chaos Space Marines force for the Warhammer 40k and Eldar groupies.

-Jervis Johnson's Standard Bearer briefly but in the most interesting of ways discussing GW history while showcasing some retro Citadel minis.

-Solid, though not extensive, tactical advice for shooting in Warhammer and using the bad guys in general in Lord of the Rings.

-Ads on the forthcoming almost decently priced Orcs and Goblins and Dwarfs army box sets and pics of the plastic Black Orcs and Dwarf Miners.

-Lots of obvious info on the new Citadel Foundation Paints that are just too aptly named to describe and are showcased down to their surprisingly not particularly interesting pots.