sevoo's blog listings. Feed Zend_Feed_Writer 1.10.8 (http://framework.zend.com) http://community.wizards.com/sevoo Cover, cover, who's got the cover? (take II) Hey, I just noticed that my less-random fantastic terrain list has no terrain that provides cover on it.  Is this a sad, sad mistake, or are people happy with the non-fantastic cover already available in the game?

What's your favorite superior cover (fantastic or not)?  Bonus points for something that can be used for an ambush by sling-wielding street rats in a city alley -- arrowslits and crossbows just don't do it for me anymore.

 

(reposted, because something caused the previous copy to require a moderator's intervention, maybe because I linked to my previous post?)

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]]> Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:29:37 -0500 http://community.wizards.com/sevoo/blog/2010/07/02/cover,_cover,_whos_got_the_cover_(take_ii) http://community.wizards.com/sevoo/blog/2010/07/02/cover,_cover,_whos_got_the_cover_(take_ii) Hey, I just noticed that my less-random fantastic terrain list has no terrain that provides cover on it.  Is this a sad, sad mistake, or are people happy with the non-fantastic cover already available in the game?

What's your favorite superior cover (fantastic or not)?  Bonus points for something that can be used for an ambush by sling-wielding street rats in a city alley -- arrowslits and crossbows just don't do it for me anymore.

 

(reposted, because something caused the previous copy to require a moderator's intervention, maybe because I linked to my previous post?)

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]]> 0 Cover, cover, who's got the cover? Hey, I just noticed that my less-random fantastic terrain list has no terrain that provides cover on it.  Is this a sad, sad mistake, or are people happy with the non-fantastic cover already available in the game?

What's your favorite superior cover (fantastic or not)?  Bonus points for something that can be used for an ambush by sling-wielding street rats in a city alley -- arrowslits and crossbows just don't do it for me anymore.

 

0 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:40:08 -0500 http://community.wizards.com/sevoo/blog/2010/07/02/cover,_cover,_whos_got_the_cover http://community.wizards.com/sevoo/blog/2010/07/02/cover,_cover,_whos_got_the_cover Hey, I just noticed that my less-random fantastic terrain list has no terrain that provides cover on it.  Is this a sad, sad mistake, or are people happy with the non-fantastic cover already available in the game?

What's your favorite superior cover (fantastic or not)?  Bonus points for something that can be used for an ambush by sling-wielding street rats in a city alley -- arrowslits and crossbows just don't do it for me anymore.

 

0 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> 0 I write letters Speak up and let your voice be heard.  If you see a problem, talk about it: inequity thrives in the darkness, and the more places you talk about it, the more light you shine on the problem.

Too often, I hear people respond to the discussion of a D&D-related problem with "stop complaining and go write a letter to customer service."  This is misguided. We should be talking about it in multiple venues, not just one.

In that vein, here's a pair of things I've sent to WotC that I have *also* said on the community.wizards.com forums, to my friendly local gaming store, to the twitterverse, and face-to-face with my friends.

Support for people with disabilities:

Hi, are the D&D Encounters events wheelchair-accessible?

If the venues that host D&D Encounters are not required to be wheelchair accessible, can that please be added as a search option for finding a location? It's a significant barrier to access for non-able-bodied players and anyone who plays with them to have to telephone Every Single Gaming Store In Town to find one where we can play.

Support for diversity in gaming:

I just downloaded the pdf of six pre-generated characters for the Dark Sun Encounters. And: Seriously, only one female character? And it's the healer? And her art portrays her as the darkest-skinned member of the party?

I'm embarrassed to suggest to my friends that they check out the game. Those "just throw in a token non-white non-male" and "women generally don't play D&D" and "make the girl play the healer" are *not* the kind of attitude I want to see my favorite hobby propogating.

Please provide more thoughtful pregenerated characters -- stop making people new to the game have to do extra work if they want to play something other than a stereotype!

1 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> Sat, 26 Jun 2010 09:46:12 -0500 http://community.wizards.com/sevoo/blog/2010/06/26/i_write_letters http://community.wizards.com/sevoo/blog/2010/06/26/i_write_letters Speak up and let your voice be heard.  If you see a problem, talk about it: inequity thrives in the darkness, and the more places you talk about it, the more light you shine on the problem.

Too often, I hear people respond to the discussion of a D&D-related problem with "stop complaining and go write a letter to customer service."  This is misguided. We should be talking about it in multiple venues, not just one.

In that vein, here's a pair of things I've sent to WotC that I have *also* said on the community.wizards.com forums, to my friendly local gaming store, to the twitterverse, and face-to-face with my friends.

Support for people with disabilities:

Hi, are the D&D Encounters events wheelchair-accessible?

If the venues that host D&D Encounters are not required to be wheelchair accessible, can that please be added as a search option for finding a location? It's a significant barrier to access for non-able-bodied players and anyone who plays with them to have to telephone Every Single Gaming Store In Town to find one where we can play.

Support for diversity in gaming:

I just downloaded the pdf of six pre-generated characters for the Dark Sun Encounters. And: Seriously, only one female character? And it's the healer? And her art portrays her as the darkest-skinned member of the party?

I'm embarrassed to suggest to my friends that they check out the game. Those "just throw in a token non-white non-male" and "women generally don't play D&D" and "make the girl play the healer" are *not* the kind of attitude I want to see my favorite hobby propogating.

Please provide more thoughtful pregenerated characters -- stop making people new to the game have to do extra work if they want to play something other than a stereotype!

1 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> 0 More 3-d than maptiles e53fbef4b54f634f0782a7ede63075b2.jpg?v=270000

Well, several days of gluing and cutting, and now I have to figure out how to actually elevate my little cliffs and hills.

42f7c8c4e94a842640b591b5a9e43b99.jpg?v=270000

Books and blocks, for now, but it takes *forever* to set up this way.

44fed9a0dc80e5632591acf70fb5cf71.jpg?v=187800

What do you think?  The actual elevation add to the immersion, or do the haphazard supports just become a distraction?  A little of both, maybe?

Not my turn to DM yet, so I have no idea how long it'll be before I actually *use* this.  Have to figure out how to store it; some of the pieces are over 20" wide...

4 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> Sun, 06 Jun 2010 01:00:31 -0500 http://community.wizards.com/sevoo/blog/2010/06/06/more_3-d_than_maptiles http://community.wizards.com/sevoo/blog/2010/06/06/more_3-d_than_maptiles e53fbef4b54f634f0782a7ede63075b2.jpg?v=270000

Well, several days of gluing and cutting, and now I have to figure out how to actually elevate my little cliffs and hills.

42f7c8c4e94a842640b591b5a9e43b99.jpg?v=270000

Books and blocks, for now, but it takes *forever* to set up this way.

44fed9a0dc80e5632591acf70fb5cf71.jpg?v=187800

What do you think?  The actual elevation add to the immersion, or do the haphazard supports just become a distraction?  A little of both, maybe?

Not my turn to DM yet, so I have no idea how long it'll be before I actually *use* this.  Have to figure out how to store it; some of the pieces are over 20" wide...

4 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> 0 DMG2, the magazines, and stereotypes Am enjoyably lingering my way through DMG2.   Really enjoying myself, for the most part.

However.  I just finished the "Skill Challenges" chapter & I'm annoyed.

There are a *bunch* of sample skill challenges. (yay!)  Most of them have generic male NPCs where NPCs are called for.  (boo.)  The two that have non-generic NPCs with names and movtivations are also the only two with female NPCs.  The male NPCs in those skill challenges are all burly military men with strong military fighty goals. The female NPC in each of those skill challenges is a fey wizard (one elf, one half-elf).   Sheesh, stereotype much?

On the upside, the DMG2 has, in the 'companion characters' section, a rare gnome defender with a limp.  Looky there!  A Small defender/soldier PC-race: how often do you see that? (answer from a recent thread in Astrid's Parlor: rarely, unless it's a swordmage)  And with a physical disability that doesn't prevent him from being a defender: yay!  Contrast with Dragon & Dungeon magazines, in which the only two characters who limp are both elderly females, both described as having a "pronounced limp."  Again, stereotype much?

I'm calling you writers out by name: Richard Baker, Mike Mearls, Robert Donoghue, Ari Marmell, Scott Fitzgerald Grey.  I challenge you to create more thoughtful NPCs.  Instead of rehashing tired tropes.  At least some of you I know are capable of wonderful, creative, insightful work -- Ari & Mike in particular, I've loved a lot of your stuff!  Now's your opportunity to extend your talent and creativity to another spot, dearly in need of your input.

This is one of the things that editors should be for.  I'm calling a few more people out by name: Steven Winter, editor-in-chief of Dragon & Dungeon magazines.  Kim Mohan, managing editor for D&D.  PLEASE find whatever box these five disparate writers (and all the rest who are doing the same darn thing) are pulling their stereotypes from and BURN IT.

7 Comments - Leave a Comment
]]> Sat, 29 May 2010 20:30:22 -0500 http://community.wizards.com/sevoo/blog/2010/05/29/dmg2,_the_magazines,_and_stereotypes http://community.wizards.com/sevoo/blog/2010/05/29/dmg2,_the_magazines,_and_stereotypes Am enjoyably lingering my way through DMG2.   Really enjoying myself, for the most part.

However.  I just finished the "Skill Challenges" chapter & I'm annoyed.

There are a *bunch* of sample skill challenges. (yay!)  Most of them have generic male NPCs where NPCs are called for.  (boo.)  The two that have non-generic NPCs with names and movtivations are also the only two with female NPCs.  The male NPCs in those skill challenges are all burly military men with strong military fighty goals. The female NPC in each of those skill challenges is a fey wizard (one elf, one half-elf).   Sheesh, stereotype much?

On the upside, the DMG2 has, in the 'companion characters' section, a rare gnome defender with a limp.  Looky there!  A Small defender/soldier PC-race: how often do you see that? (answer from a recent thread in Astrid's Parlor: rarely, unless it's a swordmage)  And with a physical disability that doesn't prevent him from being a defender: yay!  Contrast with Dragon & Dungeon magazines, in which the only two characters who limp are both elderly females, both described as having a "pronounced limp."  Again, stereotype much?

I'm calling you writers out by name: Richard Baker, Mike Mearls, Robert Donoghue, Ari Marmell, Scott Fitzgerald Grey.  I challenge you to create more thoughtful NPCs.  Instead of rehashing tired tropes.  At least some of you I know are capable of wonderful, creative, insightful work -- Ari & Mike in particular, I've loved a lot of your stuff!  Now's your opportunity to extend your talent and creativity to another spot, dearly in need of your input.

This is one of the things that editors should be for.  I'm calling a few more people out by name: Steven Winter, editor-in-chief of Dragon & Dungeon magazines.  Kim Mohan, managing editor for D&D.  PLEASE find whatever box these five disparate writers (and all the rest who are doing the same darn thing) are pulling their stereotypes from and BURN IT.

7 Comments - Leave a Comment
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