PAPER OR TABLET

Go to any gamer shop today and you can see people have all kinds of things they use to keep track of things.  Some people keep characters on sheets that are paper or computer in one form or another. Me I like everyone to put that computer crap away. I understand it's easier to write up characters on sheets and hard labor on computer in a few seconds. BUT WAIT, please don't go that way. It's a tough gig to sit at a table with people that are engaged in tech and it's like trying to run a game while the tv is on.

 When people just have paper and books and no tech I actually find people think more about what they are doing. THEY INTERACT. There is NO TEXTING in RPG that is live. Doesn't really matter what system. People can play faster with monsters on computer YES, but they can't get the interaction they get in a live over the table game. You don't get the group interaction that you need to have a good game if everyone is engaged in the game that you have come to play.

One of the things that never seems to be able to replace the mechanics of the game is DICE. You love your dice you hate your dice, but as people play with dice they get a feeling that they can control the outcome of the dice by willing it. This is a self delusion, ask any casino owner, it's a real emotion though ask any gambler.
If you roll dice in your hands there is something about the experience that changes the fun level.

 When you play a game, it's a game that has rules that you can change the outcome by your being a better player. If you play a game that rules can be the outcome of players actions, then the rules of cowboys and indians(or tax collectors) come into play. Dice mitigate the need to say who hits and who is dead by how much, but also ad that degree of chance and the OOOOHHHH and AWWWWEE factor that you can't get at home.  Also set piece games don't ask if you you are a good or bad person. RPG's do often(or at least they should).

When you play a game like Dungeons And Dragons...Well people that are there are heros! To stand in front and fight the good fight or at least get away with the treasure.

To me you can sit at home and play on computer but part of the special time you have with your freinds playing a game is the interaction and not computerized addition or subtraction.

What to do you think?

In Salt Lake City, I visit several local game stores. I like HASTUR games for actual WAR HAMMER 40k it's got to be the best store in Salt Lake. http://www.hasturgames.com/

I go to GAME HAVEN>...HEAVY DUTY Magic store. CCG store you go there and they have private rooms you can book in advance. They have tons of board games you can check out and play. It is a great place to just hang out. Normally you can see 10 to 20 magic players hanging out here. http://www.yourgamehaven.com/ IT DOES have a great enviroment for many different types of players.

I often visit epic games like tonight on Wensdays. RPG NIGHT. Many players here that are here for Dungeons and Dragons and other types of RPG. This is a great place to play magic on Saturdays it is wall to wall magic players up to 100 magic players during tourneys. http://www.epicpug.com/

A new store that was an old store in the West Valley mall has moved to Just on the side of reams Called GAME DEN. IT's not as neat in side and doesn't have the feel of a traditional store yet, but IT DOES have tons of magic players that hang out with Yugi Oh and other card game players including Pokemon players. If you want to try something different you can go here. It doesn't though have games you can play. Not yet at least.

Was at EPIC GAMES in West Valley City today. http://www.epicpug.com/
Ok ran a bit of pathfinder as we all sort of got there a bit past six and no Encounters game was being run.

Here is a cute riddle for you to try. "You come to an end of the hall way. On the wall in front of you in large script reads. "You come to the end paths that are untrue, but the soldiers you see one tells lies and one tells the true pick a path though that to win you must go over and under and through."

On each side of the hall way stands what looks like a door made of wooden statues. One on the right is a man and one is a woman. They both speak to the group as the party comes near them. They will argue with each other. They are in fact false doors. The wall in front is false and falsely blocks the way. Touching the wall causes a party member to vanish and appear on the other side of the wall inside a room with Manticore. That is sleeping and piles of treasure that the group has been instructed only to take a sword lying in the hands of a dead warrior. TRY THIS OUT> IT WORKS> the party will get stuck on trying to open the doors for a good hour or so. Not the toughest battles are hard fought. Some are role played out.
Michael Tanner

Hey you want to know a bit about GAME OF THRONES ...CHECK THIS OUT>

Season 3 filmingEdit

• 4 July 2012: George R.R. Martin has confirmed that Daenerys Targaryen's storyarc in Slaver's Bay will be filmed in Morocco.^[397]
• 9 July 2012: Filming of Season 3 begins.^[398] Daniel Minahan is directing the first episode to be filmed, but it is also revealed that Clive Mantle will not be reprising his role of the Greatjon Umber.^[399]. Liam Cunninghamsigns a six-year contract to reprise his role of Davos Seaworth, suggesting that HBO envisage the series lasting as long as eight seasons.^[400]

Alright I was listing to things today that were funny and obscure and well GEEKY...LOOK IT UP it's not in the dictionary YET if you say it enough English will make it a word.
OK if you are a writer or star trek fan or something YOU WILL LOVE THIS.
Physics for Poets.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEk3CLIWxYE

Today being Saturday I know what everyone wants to know about food for your gaming event. PIZZA IS GREAT, it's cheap, you can get away with just getting the five buck kind and everyone will like it. YEP no matter what in your gaming group cheap soda and pizza can be the way to go. Now things that you might not want. A: Food with BEANS in it. If you are going to sit in a room for several hours drink soda pop and what ever else things that contain or promote methane are OUT.  There is a long list of reasons for this but basically your having enough problems as it is meeting once a week if you can, so let's just say if it's got beans in it you can expect no girls to show up a second time.  B this is strickly for southern locactions...If you see a waffle house on the break time, skip it. It might go in smoothered and covered but it comes out scattered and splatted and you also don't need that.  C Our group loves to go to 7-11 because of location is ever so close, but you might think to just head them off at the pass, have some stuff on the table that doesn't have peanuts and things that people are allergic too. Cookies often have things in them that can cause bad things to happen. Ask people if they have allergies in notes if you have to. Also I havent' noticed a lot of vegetarians that do RPG's but make sure you always have something for everyone. People come to have fun, and also if you are going to someones house , bring a few things. No one gets mad about chips and a couple of two litters. It doesn't have to be expensive but it's nice.

If you are going to have food make sure you have NAPKINS.  Just paper towels will work.
Also have a rule about no drinks on the gaming table. People spend days working on characters and notes, and a spill is just bad news.

Many Gaming groups(not mine 100%) opperate on the 3c principles :Carbs, Caffine, Ciggerets. Now we don't smoke, but if you have a gamer that smokes have break times like every 30 minutes or so. Make everyone HAPPY.  Also even if you don't smoke break times are plotting and scheming and backstabbing planning times. Let everyone have that time to socialize outside of facebook.

Ok here is a big trick if you want your gal to come play make sure she knows that she can help make stuff for the PARTY. She knows you are going away for three to five hours and hates that. If she can be a part of it though and everyone says nice things about the things she made she will like that much more then' I am going to leave you for several hours, and hang out with strange people you don't know." The power of inclusion is very important. This is a very social occasion, and even if she doesn't play now might just want to be around the people. Well they are YOUR friends,so that might be a stretch. Just make sure she knows that you want her to come anytime and if you get desperate say you could be like other guys and watch football at hooters if she doesn't like this. :)

Hey that's all for now...got to work on the material for next week. HANG IN THERE GANG!
Michael Tanner.

We are a bit behind getting the answers back from people, but I know we will have more soon. RIGHT!
Any way we are up to some 117 page views YES. Thanks everyone please send email to mike@dicemediagroup.com I will try to respond quicky. Events? Quesitions QUESTS? We want to hear it.
Michael