Where To Next?

 What's the next stop on this Long Strange Trip?

I'm not entirely sure but the meter is running and decisions need to be made. 

Where to Mac?

It's February of 2021 and my birthday is coming up. I get really bummed out around this time of year as February holds memories good, bad, bittersweet, and I'm one of those people for whom a birthday puts me down in the dumps. 

Add to this the continuing Pandemic conditions, the fact that my gaming has been good but not...not...that level of good I'm always striving for, and I am tempted to just have the driver take me home or drop me off here. Anywhere. 

All is not lost however and this isn't meant to be a downer of a post. Quite the contrary. The purpose of this entry isn't to tell you where my head is at but rather where I intend it to go. 'Further' is the answer I'm focused on. Further into the future. 

For a long while now I've been wanting to do several things and this year, do them I shall!

First, I am working on several self-publishing game products including Barkley's system-agnostic Sci-Fi travel series, 'The Barking Alien Guide to...', each of which will provide information on several star systems and planets in a particular area of space for use with whatever Space Adventure RPG you happen to prefer. From flora and fauna to the best place to buy Steamed Gumlets (Sweet or Spicy!), The Barking Alien Guides will give you an experience the average tourist will surely envy. 

Second, it is my intention to start a Podcast or Youtube channel based on this blog. I must be honest, this one excites and terrifies me. I don't know a damn thing about the technical side of this and while I have no fears about speaking before large groups of people (I've done it many times), the sound of my voice recorded electronically annoys the heck out of me. I guess I'll have to adopt one of my many character voices! Heheh. *Insert nervously scratching my head with a large Anime sweat drop going down the back of it*

Anyway...

There are some other things in the works which I will discuss as they come closer to fruition. I've always wanted to type 'fruition'. That's such a fun word. 

My main concern right now, one bit I don't have fully worked out, is what my next game idea will be. I am having a lot...wait, let me correct that...A LOT...of difficulty coming up with an idea that really grabs me.

This would be for my Sunday Evening group. We've played some really good games together - specifically and especially Red Dwarf / Yellow Sun - but have recently gone through a bout of short campaigns (or attempts at such) which were a bit harder for me to get into. Part of it was the mechanics of these games, part of it the style/approach (which I may discuss in a future post), but really I think I just want to get back to GMing. I've been playing in these as a player and I can only take so much of that before I get antsy. 

What to run, what to run...the eternal lament of multi-interest Gamemaster. Oh to be one of those referees who only runs one thing over and over but no, that is definitely not me. 

I have been particularly interested in all things Japanese again lately. From Japanese tabletalk RPGs to Anime and Manga (the visuals, energy, and style more than any one series), I seem to be drawn to that 'mental aesthetic' as it were. 

Hmmm. Barkley, let me off at the corner of Mecha and Yokai. I want to stretch my legs and look around...

AD

Barking Alien

RPGaDay Challenge 2018 - Day 27

I have but one answer to this question...

...because, frankly, I don't watch or listen to these very often. Definitely not regularly. 

The only time I check out streams or actual play videos, podcasts or whatever is when there is a new game I'm interested in and I either want to get a handle on it before it comes out or it came out and I need help understanding some of the mechanics.

The exception to this is The Pod of Many Casts. 

Partly because some of the guys in it are friends of mine who game at my table (and I at theirs) and partly because of the comedic aspect of the series, I find this one a little different and fun to have on while I'm working on various projects or reading or what-have-you. 

Give it a listen and enjoy.

That's it.

See ya tomorrow!

AD
Barking Alien

A big Happy Birthday shout out to my puppy Sketch who is one year old today!

It's been a tricky six months but I couldn't have rescued a sweeter, cuter dog. He spends half his time playing and the other half cuddling. I love you buddy!

A Podcast Service Announcement

The 2017 Discover Pods Awards are upon us, and I would like to take this opportunity to once again recommend 'The Pod of Many Casts' by my good friends Leo Jenicek and Alex Berkowitz (among others).

The podcast is eligible for entry in nearly every category, as all the categories are write-ins. 

Give the show a listen if you're into Dungeons & Dragons with a comedic flair. I like it a lot, and I'm sure you will too. 

Please visit the Discover Pods Awards, and vote for this, or your own personal favorite. If anyone knows of any particularly good Sci-Fi RPG podcasts, please let me know about them in the comments below.

Good luck gang!

AD
Barking Alien

Trust Him, He's a Doctor

Guess who's on YouTube talking to a frog?

Wow. You guessed right. Are you psychic?

I was recently a guest on the Dr. Tom the Frog Show, a podcast discussing Role Playing Game produced by the incomparable +Richard Rogers.

The show is part of the Gauntlet YouTube Channel.

Oh, and it features a frog puppet. Really, what more could you ask for.

It was incredibly fun to do, and I was able to promote my Googly Eyed Primetime Puppet Show RPG, which was essentially the focus of the episode. I was also able to describe some elements of the game, and briefly touch upon some ideas for future products. 

Sometime later this month I'll be doing a Q&A with Dan Davenport in an RPGnet chatroom set-up.

Look at me! I'm nigh-famous!

I hope you'll all give it a listen.

Thanks!

AD
Barking Alien

The Not Yet Really For Prime Adventuring Players

Few and far between are my posts this December.

It's just been too crazy a month.

I find myself with an entire few seconds just now, so I thought I would put you all on to something some friends of mine are doing.

The Pod of Many Casts is a new podcast series in which a group of people play D&D. Wow, right? Sooo special. Don't let the seemingly common theme fool you. This one has a twist. 

It's funny. Really funny.

The group consists of a number of oddball characters, and those are just the players! Two good friends of mine (and people I game with in person), Leo and Alex, are involved and I couldn't be happier. They are clever chaps, and have a background in improv comedy.

The cast of PCs is at once familiar to those who know D&D, and tweaked to be a bit off the beaten path. I am especially intrigued by Plum - excuse me, Princess Plum, and her valiant steed...well...I'll let you hear that for yourselves.

Available on iTunes, and elsewhere for the price of naught by a listen.

Highly recommended as a break from the norm.

Enjoy, Happy Holidays and Good Luck in the New Year!

AD

Barking Alien

Informed Opinion

First off, let me wish a very Happy Birthday to Dungeon's & Dragons. Today (or more accurately, 'As of this typing') marks 40 years that the game has been around. I have played it in one form or another for nearly 37 years. I may not be it's biggest fan but if it wasn't for Dungeons & Dragons and all those talented and creative people who took part in its creation, I would not have had the years and years of enjoyment in the hobby I have had.

Kudos to D&D.

Now then...

***

Another post on how differing experiences shape the individual gamer (coming up soon) inspired this one (and vice versa).

***

I recently got into a discussion with William Thrasher, one of the moderators of a video podcast created by the gaming website group called d-infinity. The vidcast is entitled, appropriately enough, d-infinity Live! 

Now before I say anything else, I will point out that I have had a conversation with Mr. Thrasher on the very subject of this post and mean no disrespect, ill-will or any sort of negative feelings toward him or any of the fine folks at d-infinity. This is a sort of review/opinion piece that in no way negates the care and attention the team puts toward their work. Imagine me as a movie critic (and we know how much we value those guys right?).

They are a fine bunch of folks and do a mighty fine job with their website and the d-infinity Live! video podcast. I just found it wasn't for me and I hope to explain why.

I highly recommend checking it out and developing your own opinion.

***

I discovered their website and video podcast through a RPG discussion group on Facebook (of all places). Their live 'broadcast' is one I've watched a few times but sadly, haven't been able to get into. While they are nice bunch of fellas and they are obviously really passionate about games, they seem to have a peculiar (IMHO) approach to discussing various subjects.

In the most recent episode for example, the panel (consisting of three people including Thrasher) devoted the entire vidcast to discussing Science Fiction RPGs. As this is a favorite subject of mine, I thought I would take another shot at listening to d-infinity Live! even though previous experiences had left me somewhat wanting.

I additionally noticed that the group, other than Thrasher, featured two individuals who weren't in the previous episodes I'd seen (or at least one wasn't - I honestly forget).

The group, lead by Thrasher, does some quick analyzing and defining of the Science Fiction genre, notes its many subgenres and discusses the Sci-Fi RPGs the group likes. It was all well and good except...there was practically no mention of how these fellows made their games work.

Then there were the games themselves...Gamma World and other Post-Apocalypse games were favored by one fellow who repeatedly mentioned having little experience with other types of Science Fiction games. He was the oldest of the group and the self-professed old school grognard. The youngest member mentioned D6 Star Wars (gaining him some points in my book) but little else. At all. Thrasher covered Fading Suns and a few others.

Space Opera? Mentioned as a game some of them had heard of but weren't really familiar with. Star Trek? Noted as never having gained a major foothold or being around for a long stretch. FASA's 9-10 year stint being a flash in the pan I suppose. Traveller, Star Frontiers or any of the others? Name dropped only. Mentioned in passing at best.

Look, I know not everyone is as big a fan of Sci-Fi gaming as I am. I get that Traveller is an acquired taste for some. Yet, if I did a podcast about Fantasy RPGs and I didn't discuss Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder, what would your reaction be?

I am looking to do a podcast myself this year and I am trying to touch base with and listen to a variety of different podcasts. I have my favorites and ones I'm less interested in, as do you out there who get a kick out of them as well.

For me, this one is not quite what I am looking for. I think they are intelligent and well read fellows who love games and I can't fault them for that. It just seems that their focus tends to be a bit limited.

In the first episode I listened to, nearly everything referred back to D&D or the D20 system in some way. Abstract wealth was dismissed as a silly idea since it wasn't the economic system of most Fantasy RPGs. Right, it isn't, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work for sooo many other RPGs and couldn't work for Fantasy. In another, one fellow, Thrasher I think was basically talking with only one other person and this individual seemed largely unfamiliar with every game Thrasher mentioned.

Now, their next episode  focuses on odd and unusual campaign settings and features none other than the amazing Andy Hopp*, weird imagery artist extraordinaire. I highly recommend checking it out if you can and seeing (and hearing) what you think. I'd be curious to know your own opinions.

In the interest of interest, this has been a Barking Alien video podcast critique...kinda, sorta.

AD
Barking Alien

*Sorry Andy, I couldn't find your website. I will try again tonight and update this post once I locate it.

Other Peoples Thoughts On My Mind

Points of Interest:

A Night At The Improv
Noisms does it again with a great post about Improvisation. I not only like what he has to say here and how straight forward he says it, but it also gives me an excuse to refer to this post of my own on the subject.

Hive Mind
When not going on about Ponies or Pistols, Erin Palette of Lurking Rhythmically actually writes some seriously well thought out Traveller material. Read her take on the Hivers here. While not identical to the way I see them and use them in my current campaign, this has definitely given me food for thought and is an excellent possible insight into this little understood major race of Charted Space.

Don't Switch Off Your Targeting Computer
Do you listen to RPG podcasts? I started to about a year or so ago. For the most part, many of them are pretty good but aren't talking to me, if you know what I mean. One that constantly impresses me is Play on Target, hosted by Sam Dillon, Lowell Francis (of Age of Ravens), Brian Cooksey and Andrew Goerner. I learned about it through the Age of Ravens blog and I have to say I really like it. It doesn't have fancy effects, amazing music or any special features - it just talks about games, game theory, experience running different types of games and analyzes various genres and styles. I like it for the fact that the group discusses so many different games (including D&D) and makes references to things that work and don't across a wide range of systems. Highly recommended.

AD
Barking Alien

Broadcasting on All Channels

So now I'm on Twitter (username BarkingAlien) and may soon be doing a podcast about Star Trek RPG gaming. As my friend Yuri used to say, "Its the future now, we can do that".

AD
Barking Alien