The "What's Crackin'?" Thread

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Asok

 Member since: 2007
Location
New Jersey, United States
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So I thought it would be righteous to have a thread where all the SWAGgers can stop by and drop a line, tell everyone what's up, what's cool, and what's happening.

Feel free to post news, happenings from your life/games, funny gifs of air-humping stormtroopers, cool hotlinks, ETC.

Here's a kick-off!

Tusserk

One day I will be in America!

For now, probably one of the coolest things going on in my world that I have at least some peripheral involvement with is this.

Also currently helping to rally some funds to support the cassowaries that suffered a huge hit at the hands of Cyclone Yasi up north. Done up a poster, and am planning on offering some Absurdly Cheap Commissions for donations, too.

Animals, woo!

Michael

I did my first session as DM!!! Our main GM has been out of country as of late and so this past weekend I tried my hand at DMing. I did pretty well, all things considering. The players said that they enjoyed the campaign and except for a few instances in combat everything went smoothly for me.

Asok

Haha, welcome to the club Michael! So were you running D&D? What version? My group recently switched to Pathfinder, and it's our new favoritest thing.

Boshuda

Tusserk

I am the only one in our group who has yet to GM anything. XD I keep intending to give it a shot one day, because my mind runs rampant with story ideas, but... that would mean I have to understand all the game mechanics. Of some system. Any system! I'm not sure how realistic a goal that is, considering even at level 20 I still had to pause a moment to remember where my Base Attack came from. :P

Asok

You don't have to understand ALL the rules... lol. You should have seen the first year we played in junior high. We had no idea what we were doing! And we never let a little thing like "not understanding the rules" get in our way!

Boshuda

Michael

@Asok, I did an AD&D 2nd Edition campaign. I've heard good things about Pathfinder, although I gotta say, I would rather not prefer to have to learn a whole new gaming system. It's already a little hard with the RCR and 2nd Edition rules. I have to say though, I really like Star Wars better than AD&D, simply because I've grown up loving Star Wars.

@Tusserk, hahaha, one of the people in my group is still like that. He hasn't even read the rule book. But you should totally try running a campaign, though, sometime. I bet your GM would be willing to help you work up a campaign, and depending on how much your group is like my group, you might just get away from it without too many emotional scars :)

Asok

I think Tusserk's GM might be willing to help her out... especially since they're married! ;)

Boshuda

Xanamiar

I don't know Asok... I've tried helping women with things that I'm not married too. And for some reason it always turns out bad, I get accused of fooling them or something like that. I don't think I'd help my wife with GMing, because if ANYTHING goes wrong, it would be my fault, even if it was the system that did it.

I've learned one thing in my 36 years on this planet, never tell a woman how to do something, let her learn it for herself, and cheer her on, even if she is doing EVERYTHING wrong.

"Good job! I love the way you crushed all those level 1s with that ceiling caving in on them. That's the best way to get them to level up, make them start over!"

Tusserk

HAHA!! Ohhh, don't you worry, I'm not in the least averse to being given a hand when it comes to the technicalities of the game. ;) (I'm also not averse to arguing the crap out of something if I just don't think that should be possible even if the rules say so.) And yeah, it's kind of handy to be sharing a roof with a seasoned GM... >:)

(PS. WHAT'S KRAKEN!!?)

Asok

My gf wanted to GM once, and I helped her out a bit. She did exceptionally well, despite my incredibly minimal assistance! She was an awesome GM, I think because she was a creative writing student.

(PS: YEEEAAAH! ZOIDBERG!)

Boshuda

UnnaturalGas

Brilliant video!

Also, along the lines of what we're all up to, specifically in the realm of significant GMs, my own gf has volunteered (been coerced :P) into running a SW game. I'm playing a Klatooinian Jedi and giving her a hard time, all in good fun, with my knowledge of game mechanics. I'm very surprised at her innate storytelling ability so far; I love where the campaign's going.

We're alternating her game and mine on the weekends, and having a great time. As with any other GM/player, I could talk your ears off about elaborate stories and characters, but I'll let you all off with a warning this time :P

...Unless anyone wants to hear it. I'm kinda new here, so I don't know the propriety of a n00b spilling his guts about his game. Is there a place for that? I'll look around some more and see if I can find a spot for it.

Tusserk

... as one who LOVES to talk about their own game, I am also totally all ears when it comes to somebody else sharing about theirs! ;) I actually started a 'tell me about your game!' thread a while back (oh look here it is!!) if you want to have a poke through or add to it, but seriously feel free to start a thread of your own. We all like new threads, and I'd be more than happy for a place to share my woes about the trials of staying true to the Jedi code while still being an effective member of a tabletop RPG party!

Mercy

Ohmygodohmygod!!
Have to share the fun news - I was interviewed on the weekend!

Check out the Podcast HERE. The website is pretty awesome; news about TOR with a certain Oceanic twist (since it's produced out of Oz), as well as a bunch of other Star Wars related news, etc.
And one of two staple crew of the Podcast is our own Kalenath!

UnnaturalGas

I'm in the process of signing up for Ball State University in Muncie, IN to study Drawing. It'll be my first experience with any official art education.

I've been told, like anyone else with similarly good-natured friends :P, that I have a latent knack for drawing, so I figured it could't hurt to try out some structured training on it.

Hopefully in a couple of years I'll be in a better position to reapply for guild membership and take on requests. Wish me luck! :D

Asok

I concur! With those who have informed you of your talent... CONCUR.

Good luck! I've no doubts you'll enjoy yourself.

Boshuda

Tusserk

MEEERCYYY. I just listened to your interview!! What a cool plug of SWAG, and (when I got over giggling at your accent) I had a good old giggle about Kalenath the religious devotee. XD Hah!!

UnnaturalGas (is it because I'm Aussie that I have a powerful urge to try and shorten that name? It's just so hard to think of a short, flattering nickname when 'gas' is involved...) -- how very cool! I'd love to do something like that someday... time and money, oh, to have more of either. :P Very keen to hear about your experiences though, and to see what some structured training inspires you to do!

MEANWHILE, in my world...

Looks like I am beginning to formulate a campaign for my group! Not a huge commitment, I'm hoping to work out the story so that it'll be played out in about three or four sessions... I'm a bit excited and am having a blast building the world and helping the guys work out their characters. We also might be testing out Toaster's little brainchild of a combat/conflict resolution system that involves playing cards rather than dice... I just hope we don't all wind up playing poker. XD

Asok

DANG SON. Just listened to that podcast - gotta say, Props to Mercy! Also, woot! Drig-Asok name drops! And of course, awesome to spread the good news of SWAG.

I lolled at the mention of Lord Crumb and Xan... I love that they have that reputation as the most devoted members, they even get a name-drop on the other side of the world! Haha

Also very interesting to hear SWAG's history from your perspective. I suppose we should clarify some things, but I don't feel like correcting you... ;)

Boshuda

Mercy

Hey guys!! Glad you liked the Podcast (and my accent!).
I had a bunch of fun doing it even though it was a bit scary to think of my rather un-thought-out opinions and ideas broadcast across the world... Eeep!!

Asok, I am so happy to be corrected! I would love to hear what the actual origins of the guild were - most of what I think happened were pieced together having followed a forum page link AGES ago!

Anyway, glad to do the shout out - I'm just sorry I couldn't name everyone I wanted to!!!
Did I plug Tussy?! I must have mentioned Tussy...

Asok

Sadly, you did not, I don't think... I was also a bit sad not to hear Hish's name, but alas you cannot name us all! I don't think we'd hold it against you!

Boshuda

Tusserk

Haha, it's cool, no way you could shout-out to everyone without hijacking the entire podcast! XD

But but but

I'm going to be in America next year!!! Friends finally set a wedding date and now I can start getting really, truly, properly excited-- all I know for SURE is that I'm going to be in Georgia smack in the middle of May. Aside from that, I want to be getting around and seeing as much of the U.S as I possibly can! Not sure how much time off work I'm going to be able to score just yet, hopefully at least a month.

SO EXCITED.

Xanamiar

Well, if you come to Wichita Tussy, let me know... Lot's of great places to eat here, and we have the biggest IMAX in the U.S. and Canada here.

Asok

Something you said on that podcast, Mercy, has been resonating in my mind. You kept calling it "Star Wars D&D". Now I can't stop thinking how cool it could be to GM a Star Wars game the way I DM a D&D game. A group of space adventurers, wandering the galaxy helping people, looting stormtroopers and collecting treasure? AWESOME

Boshuda

Mercy

Ma ha ha! I love that idea, we should totally have a skype-meet so we can hear everyone!!

Tusserk

I have never actually used skype ever before... but maybe this is the motivation I'd need to finally check it out? If such a thing happens, I guess I'd be keen!! Should I bring my piano?

Xanamiar

I don't have facebook. But I do have a Skype account. Add me, Xanamiar is my skype account.

UnnaturalGas

Skype sounds fun; I'd like to get in on it! My gf has a skype account; how do I go about coordinating with you guys?

Tusserk

I guess I have Skype now? Haha. And now that I do, I'm all keen to try and get this meet-up-chat thing organised!! But of course the big question is... what suits everyone? The obvious choice for me is the time I pick whenever I'm trying to co-ordinate with my friends in the States-- ie, Sunday morning (which makes it Saturday evening for most of you). But I've got no idea what other parts of the world we might want to be taking into account, haha, nor what time Mercy likes to get up in the morning! ;) (I'm a ridiculously early riser, but NZ, you're... you're a few hours AHEAD of us, right?)

(Oh, and anyone wanting my skype name, I'm happy to share it, would just prefer to pm it. My paranoias are strange. ;) Same goes with Facebook-- more 'n happy to add/be added, just ask!)

Michael

I'M IN SWEDEN! I'm a Boy Scout in America and I was able to go to Sweden for the 22 World Scout Jamboree. Basically, it's where 40,000 scouts (male and female XD) from all over the world come together in a giant field and camp together for ten days. It's super fun and I've met a ton of people. Unfortunately, I was not able to bring my roleplaying gear with me and so I won't be able to rolelpay at all while I'm here :P

Asok

Awesome! I was like the laziest scout ever, back in the day... haha

Boshuda