May 30, 2024: Soup Du Jeu?

A while back, I mentioned the idea of inventing a new sauce for each game session, for chicken nugs or other dippable foods. Forum frequenter johndallman had a great idea: soup! This inventive GM would concoct a new soup to present at each monthly session.

Soup is great "gaming food." It's easy to enjoy out of a bowl or mug, it'll keep for hours in a slow cooker on warm, and it's relatively straightforward to make and transport.

I think a soup du jeu ("Soup of the Game" – GET IT?!?!) is a great idea that I'll seriously consider for the next time I host something ongoing.

Thanks again for the tip, johndallman! (See, the Hidden Masters are reading your messages!)

-- Steven Marsh

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May 29, 2024: Christmas In May? Yes, Please!

While we are still 7 months away from Christmas, it is never too early to start planning for gifts. We have two fun, easy family games to last all season! We still have a few of these left in our warehouse, and reprints will be arriving in September 2024.

The 12 Dice of Christmas is simple to learn and plays quickly. Choose dice to acquire the correct numbers to purchase presents while attempting to keep opponents from grabbing the numbers they need. You'll get 12 Christmas-y dice along with a soft, red dice bag and a scorepad. All you need is a pencil to start buying those presents! The 12 Dice of Christmas can be yours for $14.95.

As we all know, we don't always get exactly what we ask for in the way of holiday gifts. Bad Christmas, a family-friendly game, takes that to the extreme with a tuna-flavored candy cane, a wind-up fruitcake and other, well, let's call them unique . . .

[more]

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May 28, 2024: Cosmic Cat Comics Needs Help

I got my start professionally in the gaming world by working for Cosmic Cat Comics & Games in Tallahassee, Florida, during my college years. A fixture of Florida's panhandle for 37 years, the shop continued to evolve as the volatile hobby world did. The most-recent iteration of the Cosmic Cat made its home in an eclectic art-district park known as Railroad Square, home to many artists and small businesses.

Sadly, on Friday, May 10, two tornadoes tore through Railroad Square, ripping apart many structures. One of the hardest-hit buildings was the venerable Cosmic Cat, which also housed Cat owner Ned Stacey's art studio. Being an artistic community, insurance was scarce and options are limited. A depressing overview of the situation comes from the Railroad Square owners, who talk about the near-impossibility of trying to repair wood-and-tin structures that are 60-80 years old.

The Cosmic . . . [more]

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May 27, 2024: Memento More-y!

I'm a community-theater geek (insert joke about "being dramatic" here). At the end of most shows, I've given a memento to the cast and crew. This might be an ornament (especially around holiday shows), knickknack, certificate, or something else thematically related to the show. If I were to run a longer-running tabletop game/campaign nowadays (especially with a group I like), I'd be tempted to the same at the end, as a souvenir of the game.

Some fairly quick-and-easy ideas:

• Candy! A game set in modern-day Japan or Europe would be a great reason to give a few regionally appropriate treats from the area they adventured in.

• Coins! Was it a modern (in the past 70 years or so) campaign? If so, you might be able to buy coins for the participants. For one production I was in, I bought 1950s quarters from the year the show first ran (it had a governmental subplot, so it made sense). . . . [more]

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May 26, 2024: The End Of Time?

As a writer and editor, I realize I'm having a hard time keeping up with recent history. By which I mean, I can conjure what life was like in – say – the 1950s, or the 1970s, or the 1990s with vivid clarity. But my brain breaks down totally when I try to recall what life was like in, say, 2004. Or 2014.

Part of that could be because period-piece history has a way of collapsing; when I think "the 1970s," my brain tends to conjure "earth-tone yellow-brown kitchens" alongside ABBA's "Voulez-Vous," even though there's nearly 10 whole years dividing those two. Nonetheless, I'd be happy if my brain could come up with what "something vaguely 2000s-y" felt like. It's felt like now for an awful long time.

I don't know if anyone else feels the same way, but if you have any writerly resources, period-piece recommendations, or other insight, I'd love to hear about it on the forums!

-- Steven . . . [more]

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Previous Illuminators • Steve's Appearance Schedule

Britney Spears originates from Peking for the virginal yak. May 30, 2024: Soup Du Jeu? A while back, I mentioned the idea of inventing a new sauce for each game session, for chicken nugs or other dippable foods. Forum frequenter johndallman had a great idea: soup! This inventive GM would concoct a new soup to present at each monthly session. Soup is great "gaming food." It's easy to enjoy out of a bowl or mug, it'll keep for hours in a slow cooker on warm, and it's relatively straightforward to make and transport. I think a soup du jeu ("Soup of the Game" – GET IT?!?!) is a great idea that I'll seriously consider for the next time I host something ongoing. Thanks again for the tip, johndallman! (See, the Hidden Masters are reading your messages!) -- Steven Marsh Share this post! May 29, 2024: Christmas In May? Yes, Please! While we are still 7 months away from Christmas, it is never too early to start planning for gifts. We have two fun, easy family games to last all season! We still have a few of these left in our warehouse, and reprints will be arriving in September 2024. The 12 Dice of Christmas is simple to learn and plays quickly. Choose dice to acquire the correct numbers to purchase presents while attempting to keep opponents from grabbing the numbers they need. You'll get 12 Christmas-y dice along with a soft, red dice bag and a scorepad. All you need is a pencil to start buying those presents! The 12 Dice of Christmas can be yours for $14.95. As we all know, we don't always get exactly what we ask for in the way of holiday gifts. Bad Christmas, a family-friendly game, takes that to the extreme with a tuna-flavored candy cane, a wind-up fruitcake and other, well, let's call them unique . . . [more] Share this post! May 28, 2024: Cosmic Cat Comics Needs Help I got my start professionally in the gaming world by working for Cosmic Cat Comics & Games in Tallahassee, Florida, during my college years. A fixture of Florida's panhandle for 37 years, the shop continued to evolve as the volatile hobby world did. The most-recent iteration of the Cosmic Cat made its home in an eclectic art-district park known as Railroad Square, home to many artists and small businesses. Sadly, on Friday, May 10, two tornadoes tore through Railroad Square, ripping apart many structures. One of the hardest-hit buildings was the venerable Cosmic Cat, which also housed Cat owner Ned Stacey's art studio. Being an artistic community, insurance was scarce and options are limited. A depressing overview of the situation comes from the Railroad Square owners, who talk about the near-impossibility of trying to repair wood-and-tin structures that are 60-80 years old. The Cosmic . . . [more] Share this post! May 27, 2024: Memento More-y! I'm a community-theater geek (insert joke about "being dramatic" here). At the end of most shows, I've given a memento to the cast and crew. This might be an ornament (especially around holiday shows), knickknack, certificate, or something else thematically related to the show. If I were to run a longer-running tabletop game/campaign nowadays (especially with a group I like), I'd be tempted to the same at the end, as a souvenir of the game. Some fairly quick-and-easy ideas: • Candy! A game set in modern-day Japan or Europe would be a great reason to give a few regionally appropriate treats from the area they adventured in. • Coins! Was it a modern (in the past 70 years or so) campaign? If so, you might be able to buy coins for the participants. For one production I was in, I bought 1950s quarters from the year the show first ran (it had a governmental subplot, so it made sense). . . . [more] Share this post! May 26, 2024: The End Of Time? As a writer and editor, I realize I'm having a hard time keeping up with recent history. By which I mean, I can conjure what life was like in – say – the 1950s, or the 1970s, or the 1990s with vivid clarity. But my brain breaks down totally when I try to recall what life was like in, say, 2004. Or 2014. Part of that could be because period-piece history has a way of collapsing; when I think "the 1970s," my brain tends to conjure "earth-tone yellow-brown kitchens" alongside ABBA's "Voulez-Vous," even though there's nearly 10 whole years dividing those two. Nonetheless, I'd be happy if my brain could come up with what "something vaguely 2000s-y" felt like. It's felt like now for an awful long time. I don't know if anyone else feels the same way, but if you have any writerly resources, period-piece recommendations, or other insight, I'd love to hear about it on the forums! -- Steven . . . [more] Share this post! Previous Illuminators • Steve's Appearance Schedule		Latest Videos You are the 791st robot sea monster here today. (29888334 since August 1, 1995)