Sleepless Dreams

Can't sleep. Feeling a bit down lately. Thinking of games.




Space:2012 - Homebrew hybrid of InSpace and Carnage Amongst The Stars

 Set in the Solar System of Earth and it's various colonies 13 years after mysterious circumstances caused an industrial accident the blew Earth's moon from it's orbit.

PCs work as civilians or government personnel trying to deal with the ecological, political, social and financial devastation and ramifications of the moonless Terra.

I have a lot of ideas for this but it could be a hard sell.


Lights In The Sky - Homebrew - Working title for my one of my pet project games I hope to publish someday*

 Science-Ficition/Comedy/Action-Adventure RPG about what UFOs are really doing buzzing around the Earth.

Heavily inspired by my ideas for Hunter Planet and other uses for InSpace.

I could run this as a campaign which would also serve as a playtest.


Barkley's Den - Homebrew - Working title for my one of my pet project games I hope to publish someday*

Another Sci-Fi/Comedy game I've been toying with for years. It focuses on a sort of 'Tales of the Floating Vagabond', Draco's Tavern, Callahan's Crosstime Saloon type setting. A bar/restaurant in the center of all kinds of galactic mayhem run by everyone's favorite emerald pooch. OK, my favorite emerald pooch.

Like 'Lights in the Sky' I could playtest this while running a campaign of it.


Unnamed Ghost Story RPG - Homebrew-ish...See below

An RPG that tries to fix what I've always felt has been missing from or wrong with most supernatural games that focus on ghosts.

Years ago I remember playing this cool RPG at GenCon that for the life of me I can't prove ever existed. I can't remember the name but I've tried to search for several names I thought might be right and come up with nothing. I can find no one else who remembers this game. I am beginning to think I am only remembering it in part or that I may have dreamt it.

If that is the case, someone (why not me?) needs to put this thing out as a game. The concept is too good. I will continue to search to make sure it doesn't already exist but I will also be working on it in my spare time. Possible playtest at the next RECESS.

That's all for now.

Goodnight third rock,

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Barking Alien

 *As I have said before I am publishing a game this year. I promised myself. Now as to which one of these ideas I am going with, I haven't quite decided.

A Giant Leap For Mankind...More Like A Stumble In The Dark

Is this my next big game idea...

Hmmm...could be.

"We' re all aliens...until we get to know one another."

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Barking Alien

Reflections on RECESS

Attending RECESS is fast becoming my favorite venue for gaming outside of running a long term campaign with my closest buddies.




Since running a long term campaign seems to get harder and harder, the thrice a year RECESS events are starting to feel like oasises in times of gaming drought.

As it stands right now, my Champions campaign is on indefinite hold because one of the three players just got married (Congrats again Jeff!). No matter, that universe is frozen in time until it's needed once more and we move on to something else. But what?

The game most in demand is, of course, my least favorite, Dungeons & Dragons. Granted, my version of D&D is a bit atypical in style but seriously, I just don't want to play D&D. I'm bored of it. Even my own.

This leads me back to my affection for RECESS...

While there is no short supply of people running and playing D&D in its various incarnations (including Pathfinder), I am constantly astounded and heartened by what else I see at the RECESS events.
This past RECESS saw people running a hack of Dogs in the Vineyard, Dread, Leverage, MAID, Psi Run, Steal Away Jordan and even some wacko's homebrewed Muppets RPG. Heheh.






It is an amazing feeling to see this kind of gaming diversity, at least for me. It is moving, inspiring and just so dang cool in my opinion. There are times when it feels like no one is playing anything out there except the one game I don't particularly care for. That can make you feel lonely and even a bit singled out. Then you enter a room of 75 to 100 people and overhear discussions about Gumshoe and Carnage Amongst the Stars.

With all the buzz about D&D 5th Edition coming out, I can't help but wonder what you happen if we actually started teaching our next generation 'next generation' RPGs. D&D, even the original Basic set, is no where near as simple in mechanics or concept as Toon, Faery's Tale Deluxe and even Psi Run. If we started with those and then when on to D&D and others, would we still see D&D have such a dominant position. We as a hobbyist community seem to be reinforcing Wizards of the Coasts prominance ourselves. Even if you play Labyrinth Lord or Pathfinder, you're playing D&D and WotC is the owner of that game.

Start a young player on a diet of diversity and maybe they'll be more likely to taste new things as they grow up. Or, we can continue to feed them Happy Meals and wonder why they end up being so picky the only thing we can get them to eat is Mickie D's.

Sorry, entered rant space there for a bit.

Anyway, one last little tidbit that made me feel great about RECESS...

I walk into the room where they are calling out the numbers each person has so that individual can come up and sign in for their game of choice. I hear someone call me name. I turn and see a fellow I don't recognize. As I smile and go to shake his hand, he tells me that no, we don't know each other. He says he reads my blog. This blog. He tells me how much he enjoys it. Highlight of my day, maybe my week. Thanks again, man.

OK, off to bed and dreams of my new projects. I've got a bunch.

'Night,

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Barking Alien