Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Steampunk Musha Pre-order

My latest book, written for Empty Room Studios, is the d20 version of the Steampunk Musha Player's Guide.

This book is now available for pre-orders!

More information can be found here.

Again, for all you Legends of the Samurai fans, this is something you especially won't want to miss, as the book is fully compatible with that line.

So if you want to give a Steampunk/Anime/Fantasy twist on LoS, this book will have a ton of new crunch to help you out.

Chuck

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Steampunk Musha Player's Guide free Preview

At the Empty Room Studios store, you can download a free preview of my upcoming d20 adaptation of Steampunk Musha, a game where oriental uh, adventures and steampunk anime get blended into the world's most delicious stew.

The book has non-human races, rules for clockwork creatures (including PCs), rules for steampunk prosthetics, new core classes and new spells.

And for you Legends of the Samurai fans out there, this book is completely compatible with Legends of the Samurai.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Things to do when you're really bored (and drunk)

Pay 40 bucks for a public records search on yourself, find every place you've ever lived where your name was on the lease, then look at those addresses with google maps, including street views.

I think this would be stalking.

But I did it to myself.

Friday, April 04, 2008

Modern20 gets another review!

Fist Full of Comics (and games) has just posted a review of Modern20. Check it out!

My impressions: The reviewer definitely seemed to "grok" the game overall. Streamlined in some areas, going for a non-fantasy feel to d20, but definitely not rules lite.

One comment, on the reviewer's reaction to the way combat and damage works in Modern20.

The reviewer seems to think that hit locations will make combat a bit more difficult. It depends on what game you've been running.

If it's d20 Modern in a non-FX world, then yes, it will be less complex, because that combat is basically "roll attack, roll damage" occasionally roll a Massive Damage Save. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

If you come to Modern20 after playing mid-level D&D, I contend that you would NOT be rolling more dice. Dice fly in mid-level D&D. Skill checks, saving throws, iterative attacks, etc etc etc.

I wanted something that could be that complex, without feeling like fantasy.

Whether that's good or bad, of course, is up to the individual. The reviewer seemed to like it, so cool!

On damage, the reviewer seemed to think characters died a little too slowly. This isn't my impression, especially with all the people getting capped with headshots in Modern20.

However, if you go unconscious, I *do* think it should take awhile to die.

I wanted a situation where a character (let's be real here, usually a PC) could be "left for dead".

In standard D&D, you're either fine (1 hp or above), or bleeding out, and in need of IMMEDIATE medical attention (in 60 seconds or less) or you bleed out and die.

I wanted something closer to the first episode of Hill Street Blues, where the two cops get shot in the first episode and lay there on a cold floor, unable to move, but alive, for HOURS before they're discovered.

It happens in the real world. Heck, it happens in Conan novels and on Hill Street Blues.

So again, in a world without access to immediate healing, I thought it made sense. And I actually think it's a touch more realistic than "once you start dying, you die in 60 seconds without medical care".

I have to say, I'm very pleased with this review. It's perfect. It gives a nice overview of the game, gives the reviewer's take on the game, both pro and con, and even gave me some things to think about.

Awesome.

Thanks guys!

Thursday, April 03, 2008

The nerdiest sentence. EVER.

The nerdiest sentence ever uttered by anyone on the history of planet Earth: "The R4 is really the Windows ME of the astromechs."

Mike Nelson

Clash of Stone


Clash of Stone is a supplement to let you take your d20 fantasy game out of the middle ages and into the Stone Age. Class modifications, skill advice and a complete Stone Age weapons and armor list give you everything you need to take your game back to primordial pre-history.

Night Ride Part 1

Night Ride Part 1 “Look, Pa, it’s my turn. Also, Nana is having one of her spells again and she has no idea who I am when she gets this w...