Junkyard Dog...

Hey there All...

So with the advent of the 4c Basic Rules "hitting shelves," publishers now have access to start to fiddle with them as they please.  The rules are fast, light, and true to the original so that there will be little if any negotiation needed when going from the original Marvel Supers RPG and then to 4c.  One enterprising soul named Mike MacMartin got a jump on things and created Open Office versions of the original document (RTF) files.  Mike took it a step further and created a two page character creation checklist to help people jump in and craft groovy characters.  Sweet!  Those interested can jump back to the HAZARD Studios Loading Zone (downloads) and check out the files so far.  And of course you know that I was going to shoot you a direct link...

In celebration of all the great stories that comics and games give us, Hazard has thrown a little page together to put all this stuff on.  We created our Four Color Oriented Role Playing Engine page that will be hosting not only the files created by Ronin Arts, but also some fan and HAZARD made content.  4c was made for and by the fans and I think that it only be right that some of this stuff has a home.  I know that I will not be the only one that has a hand in this but if we all do our part and promote the hell out of this thing... Good LAWD!

Some other pages to look into include:

The Guardian Universe Omega:  Dilly Green Been Games have come up with a great way to present the 4c Rules using their home grown supers setting.  The art is tight and the layout is a lot of fun...

ThatArtGuy From the Classic Marvel Website has stated that he has something in the works.  If you want to see what this guy can do...simply go to the Classic Marvel homepage and find the GM's Screen that he did amongst the downloads.  NICE!

IamTim from Seraphim Guard has splashed us with a great page toting his upcoming project... Super Anime Heroes! This looks like a lot of fun and a must have for fans of that genre (anime...um ... and er... ah... heroes!). 

Keep your eyes peeled for more good action coming your way from Phil Reed of Ronin Arts and from all the folks working forge to generate this great content.  

I could generate some exciting yet disturbing Army news... But that would just change the mood...

Until next time folks...

Play hard and play HAZARDous... Because safe games suck!

Regards,

Walt 

Oh My Goodness!

Well, good thing mostly.  When I signed back into the military, I did so with the intent that I would get to be all that I could be and all that jazz.  I was running into the same problems as last time.  I was toeing the line and stepping up when the unit needed something and I was getting JACK in return.  So I told the people in charge that since they couldn’t hook a brother up I was going to walk down the hall and see what either the SF or the Infantry had to offer.  No need to have me pretending to be an MP when they don’t want me, right?

I got a call last night telling me that the boys that make the decisions were afraid of me leaving and wanted to make things right.  They are talking about getting me the stuff I need to do this job.  I can be an infantryman.  I could go SF or scouts and that would be fine but I have done the infantry before.  I wanted to learn something new and the fact that I am getting a bit older means that me walking 50 Km is not exactly a good thing.  So I am excited to see what the next drill brings and whether or not they are going to carry through with their threat to “hook it up.”  In any event, lots of good things are planned for the next one so we will just have to stay tuned for future developments.  As one of my superiors is fond of saying, “As soon as I find out you’ll be the third to know.” 

FASERIP!!!  Yep… it’s back and with a brand new bang.  Phil Reed from Ronin Arts really came through with the Basic Rule Set for the FASERIP conversion.  This open source “copyleft” document allows publishers and authors to take advantage of this great rule system and produce adventures and new content for the fans.  So without further ado, here are the Basic Four Color Rules.  We will have a new download page for all the goodies that HAZARD is planning for this up and running in no time. 

Stay tuned for more good things…

P.S.  If you have a few minutes and really need a break for something interesting…

 

http://socomhellweek.com 

 

“The only easy day was yesterday…”

 

 

 

Where are my Fiddlers 3???

Life is meaningless and empty and I have nothing to live for… I am going to end it…

 

Yep.  You were about to call nine-one-one and try and save a life weren’t you?  You’re a champ!  Everything is fine and life is great!  I am insanely busy and there is plenty out there to get excited about at the moment… You guessed it… I am about to tell you what the good stuff is.

As I wrote about in an earlier post, I started GMing again with a great gaming group.  Running a space opera setting, I ran the first adventure and the results were a lot of fun.  Space prisons, hidden agendas and a mutant abomination plague all culminated in the PC’s narrowly escaping with their skins and a little booty in the form of a ship.  It was Star Wars meets the Pitch Black and it was a lot of fun had by all.  The setting was a revamp of something I was going to write novels in years ago but never got to.  Well, I have a reason to get to it now.  The setting in all its glory is being polished and finished in order to market it to potential publishers.  Do I think that I will be the next great science fiction guru… nah, but it is fun to think like one in order to write this stuff. 

My life as a soldier is also a bit strange at the moment.  I am not really sure what I am going to do as far as re-enlistment goes but they have offered me the school that I need and the money that goes with re-enlisting.  Since they are taking steps in the right direction I am inclined to sign my name again but I am always leery of things now because of stuff in my past.  I need to make sure that I always get everything in writing and to make them see my position.  The people in the army see the mission and in doing so sometimes forget that if you don’t take care of your soldiers, they will not be there for the next one. 

Another cool bit of news is that the wife (hi Honey! >>>insert dorky husband wave here<<<) is still working on her skills as a colorist.  She is getting very good at doing it by hand and once she has that dog under the leash (proficient) I will show her how to do it on the computer.  Some of the programs are complex and can take a college course to get the most out of them.  Despite that I have confidence that she will pick it up in short order.  Sniff, Sniff, they grow up so fast.

Lots of other things running in the background but only rambled enough for now… I have to go and pretend to be professional…

 
Regards,

Walt

I am who I am...

So let’s see what’s going on around here…

[RANT]  It has been almost a year since I decided to put on the camie jamies.  It was a fun year but I am unsure of whether or not I am going to re-enlist.  While it has been fun while it lasted, I really don’t feel like the Army (or at least the unit I signed on for) really wants me there.  I hear stories about how I am not the only one who is being abused and ignored.   I hear how that is the way things are and that I should have remembered what it was like before I re-uped.  Here is my take on the whole thing…SCREW the way it is.  Why not make it the way it SHOULD be?

People know there is a problem and they decide they can do nothing about it because it is either too hard or the people involved are too stupid.  I don’t like that attitude.  If you see a problem… fix it.  If the system is broken…repair or replace the system.  I love it when you are confronting a problem and some one says, “you know how they/ it are/is.”  When some one tells me that I really just want to jump in their grill and ask them “what if I don’t like the way THEY are?”  What if the way THEY are is severely stepping on my tail and getting my hair up?

The point is… Either they are going to have to affect some major changes (like giving me what I need to do my job) or I am going to walk.  I’ll join the girl scouts.  For those of you on this side of a drill sergeant you know that there is a slim chance of that… you know how THEY are…[END RANT]

So in other news… Lots of big things going on in and around the pencil.  Hopping in and out of Phil Reed’s site Ronin Arts one can find not only some of the coolest supplements for the d20 and open gaming community, but also you can find the news and updates for the FASERIP project (tentatively titled “Four Color”).  Phil has already chewed through the “Basic” part of the system and should be moving onto the advanced side of the house.  I am really excited about this project, as it will open the small but loyal fan base up to new material that can be produced by anyone under an open license.  So not only will publishers be able to create new material for this great system but fans of the new system can find various sources over the net where this stuff is being distributed.  Sweet.

Mutants and Masterminds .  You know it… You love it… and you can create for it too (if you have the skills and the will).  You just have to make sure what you are writing isn’t crap.  M&M will license to anyone who is not a hack and can make a product that will match up with their vision of M&M.  My thoughts on that is that it is a good idea in that who wants their name dragged down by some second rate developer with delusions of grandeur.    Phil Reed is putting out a magazine tentatively entitled Mastermind Magazine (yep he is a busy guy, see above paragraph).  I petitioned (stalked) Phil and asked to do some illustrating for the new magazine.  He graciously supported the idea (restraining order to follow) and I should have an illustration in an upcoming issue.  Not a huge break but I am excited about it as I am a fan of the game  Any chance to get people to look at my stuff is a good one.

We’ll see what happens and whether or not I can make the grade as in illustrator… or I fall flat as an ill-ah-faker. 

Regards,

Walt

 
Please feel free to visit my

 

 

March 7, 2007 A Hero Falls

 

America looses one of its greatest Icons of Freedom and Liberty.   All I can say is that as a soldier... Symbols are strong motivators to help us to continue the fight.  When we knock down our symbols we set back our ability to believe.

As a comics fan I can see what the writers are doing even though I don't agree with it.   Cap took on the Nazi's and fought communism.  Marvel comics took on the current climate by having a hero civil war.  I guess they didn't have the balls enough to do as they did in Cap's day and write about the ACTUAL Issues.  Instead they resort to alegory and metaphore.  

Cap might have fallen on the page, but what he stood for and the symbols he represented will hopefully be emblazoned by this storyline.   

Regards, 

Walt

 

And to all the Real American Heroes... Be safe... We Love you.

Regards,

Walt 

I can't believe they can do that...

 

 

Ahhh... It was called FASERIP and it is an acronym for the basic attributes behind the Marvel Super Heroes Role Playing Game!  This game came out in the eighties and was supported until the TSR crash in the early nineties.  It was a game ahead of its time and had some great ideas that pushed the envelope of the time.  Games back then were complicated and full of tables and numbers that did nothing but slow down the games.  

In a world of rules heavy volumes with tomes of overwhelming info... Marvel Supers was a breath of fresh air.  You could create characters in under an hour and the rules were comprehensive and light at the same time.  You could go to the store, pick up the box set and be playing that evening.  Best of all was the fact that it was the Marvel Universe. 

After TSR crashed, a few loyal fans kept the fan fires burning.  Chief among the sites were CLASSIC MARVEL and MARVELRPG.  Not seeking any profit for their endeavors, these carriers of the Marvel Torch kept their game on the internet and free to the fans.  These sites not only kept the game available but in some cases produced new content to update the game they loved.  

"But didn't you already post about this...?"

Yep.  But...you can consider this an update. 

With the world of comics taking a nose dive in the late nineties, only recently have they started to gain in popularity again. Is it the war?  Is it the fact that people feel besieged on all sides?  Whatever the case, this has been good for Comic book RPG's.  Hero, GURPS, Mutants and Masterminds, and Blood and Vigilance are but a few names of games that have been in the spotlight as of late.  Whatever the reason, these games bring the hope and heroism of comics to the RPG community.  

Phil Reed of Ronin Arts is looking to bring FASERIP back into the spotlight.  Although there are more complex games out there to run, FASERIP is great for quick games that are light on the rules and heavy on the fun.  By re-creating the rules in an Open Content format would allow publishers to create adventures and support material for it.  This wouldn't allow the Marvel content to be touched but the new material would be 100% compatible with the actual rules and stuff published back in the day. 

 

This is good news for old and new fans alike. New fans can see the benefit to these rules while having fully supported material being released on a regular basis.  Old fans can see this same new material being 100% compatible with the rules they already enjoy (and have the new content published by professional game developers). 

So why am I even writing about this?  I helped to fund the project that Mr. Reed is working on. Although not as much as some others donated, my contribution added to the total to get Ronin Arts on the job.  When everything is said and done, we will have a system the others can publish for and thus re-launching a system that has been out of the spotlight back into it.   Possible art jobs on the horizon... Maybe.  Fun on the horizon... Definitely. 

The only down side to this is that the Marvel comics content that made this game so attractive initially is untouchable.  But on the up side... Anyone who wants to play in Stan Lee's world only needs to go to their local comic shop...

 

Regards,

Walt

This is Red-5 standing by...

Hey there All, 

There is a lot of good stuff going on this week.  My wife, who until recently was a bit bummed about her job, started getting into the wonderful world of illustration!!!  She bought a whole bunch of Prismacolor markers and set about the task of learning how to color like a champ.  After several illustrations I sent her a link from the Atomic Think Tank where an artist just getting into sketching was asking for some criticism.  She blew through the illustration in no time flat and then scanned it in and did a bang up job with some photo shop special effects.  I love the way that this turned out! 

As some of you know,  RPG Objects is going to war .  Although putting them in charge of the war in Iraq would probably yield better results, they are actually time machining it back to the era of World War II to give product material to their Blood and line of d20 Modern Products.  One of the products I am psyched about was leaked onto  EN World  today as a tie in for the World War II line to the Blood and Vigilance setting.  Part of the Modern Dispatch line, The Kampfgruppe Eugenik, will be a listing of a six-villain team to be used against golden age heroes.  I love the idea of using supers in a WWII game as it brings out the adventure in the era while at the same time allowing one to address the atrocities that were seen during that time. 

 

Many fans of the Star Wars franchise will recognize the name Red-5 as the call sign for Luke Skywalker in the movie A New Hope.  This name will be a tip of the hat to Lucas in a newly created comic book publishing company.

            CALGARY, AB — February 12, 2007 — The creators of some of the internet’s most popular entertainment websites announced today they are launching a new comic publishing company that will introduce its first titles this fall.

Red 5 Comics is the creation of Paul Ens, former director of Lucasfilm’s StarWars.com and Lucas Online, and Scott Chitwood, co-founder of TheForce.net and contributor to ComingSoon.net and SuperheroHype.com.

True to the passions of its founders, Red 5 Comics will produce cinematic-style stories that appeal to the same avid movie and comic fans who already frequent their websites. The Red 5 line-up will be a combination of creator-owned and internally developed titles. Individual comic issues will be sold in both traditional print form at comic shops and in downloadable electronic formats online.

“Over the years, we’ve had the great pleasure to cross paths, both online and in-person, with many talented and creative people,” said Ens, “from artists, to writers, to filmmakers and actors, and countless enthusiastic fans. Not only have they been a great inspiration, but we plan to include many of them in Red 5 as well.”

Among the titles currently in development are…

·         Abyss - Kevin Rubio’s short-film, TROOPS, was one of the first true video events on the internet. His latest creation, Abyss, tells the comedic and dysfunctional tale of the relationship between a son and his powerful supervillain father. Lucas Marangon is drawing the series, re-uniting the popular creative team behind the wildly imaginative Star Wars: Tag and Bink comic series.

·         Atomic Robo - Brian Clevinger (NuklearPower.com 8-Bit Theater) and Scott Wegener (Negative Burn, Wicked West 2) chronicle the Action Science adventures of Nikola Tesla’s robot across the twentieth century and beyond.

·         Midknight - Tom Hodges (”How to Draw Star Wars”, WizardUniverse.com’s “Artists to Watch” 2006) creates and illustrates the exploits of a husband-and-wife team who fight crime from the office by day and on the streets of Philadelphia at night.

·         Neozoic - Created by Paul Ens (Star Wars: Evasive Action), Neozoic imagines a gritty sci-fi / fantasy world where dinosaurs did not become extinct, and humanity lives under the constant threat of giant predators. The art of J. Korim (Rotogin: Junkbotz) brings the world to life.

·         Afterburn - When half the planet is destroyed by a solar flare, out of the ashes emerge the action adventures of Jake and his treasure-hunters for hire. Afterburn is written by Scott Chitwood and Paul Ens, drawn by Wayne Nichols (Lady Supreme: Supreme Sacrifice), with covers by “Rock Star of Illustration” Matt Busch.

Red 5 Comics is proud to be presented by ComingSoon.net and SuperheroHype.com, two of the best-respected and most-visited fan-based movie websites on the planet.

To find out more, read the creators’ blogs, sign-up for the newsletter, check out the latest comic industry headlines, or apply to become a creator, visit Red 5 Comics online at http://www.red5comics.com

Stay tuned for more inky goodness as HAZARD Studios has some exciting stuff coming down the pipe!

Regards,

Walt

 

I don't suck...you do!

There are those rare times in life that come along and bite you in the rear.  One of those times came out of no-where and body tackled my wife and I.  But as in all things…we will just keep on keeping on and then come back later and spit into some one’s eye.

Earlier last week my wife called me at midnight (she worked overnights) to tell me that she had been fired from her job.  After hearing the circumstances of the dismissal, any laymen whose only exposure to the law is the TV could tell that this was a wrongful dismissal and the place where she worked had handled the entire ordeal unprofessionally and wrongfully.  Ever fiber of my being told me to go down to her employer and beat his bony little backside for being a complete moron.  Thanks God I am not into fiber or I might have ended up in jail.  There were many mistakes that were made on the part of this employer and as a result I have people screaming at us to take legal action.  We could VERY EASILY take this person and his company for a large chunk of change and embarrass them in their eyes of their peers.  They not only violated several laws and codes of conduct in my wife’s dismissal but they also shot themselves in the foot for firing one of the best staff members they had.  At the end of the day, my wife gets to look to a future full of promise and these people will still be spite filled idiots so full of themselves that they can’t see their tragic faults.  There are a few diamonds in the rough (and they not only know who they are, they know we love them) but they are in the minority.  In short, good riddance Mother F***ers!

Anyone who wants to send a well wishing or make her a job offer [wink, wink] can go to the front page of the HAZARD Studios web site and send it to my email address.  I will make sure that she sees it.

Other than the aforementioned nonsense…things are going well.  I was foreseeing that I was going to go to Fort Leonard Wood for MP training but as is usually the case the Army has dropped the ball so most likely I will be staying here for a bit.  With that being the case, re-enlisting is looking less and less attractive as I don’t want to be part of an organization that can’t pull their head out of their ass to see where they are going. 

That means MORE time for art and games!

If you haven't checked them out already...Please take a trip down to Fear the Boot!  The Forums are fun, the podcast is great and you can learn all sorts of great things about table top role playing games.  Definitely a must listen if you are into podcasts about RPG's.

Project 13 is set to get back on track after another month when I should have this interrupting project out of the way.  For those of you just tuning in, Project 13 is about a future that could exist if the powers that drive the universe all smoked a fat bag of crazy.  Futuristic technology combined with superhuman abilities and an expansionist drive, run a setting for d20 Modern.  The next story element for Project 13 (along with original art) should hit the stands some time next week.

I am also thinking about running another contest this April in conjunction with the Second Year of HAZARD Studios.  April 4^th is Our Birthday (I think) and we will be launching another HAZARDous Character contest to celebrate.  This year up for grabs will be free character web space as well as Gift Certificates to Amazon dot com and EN World dot com. 

Well, That’s it for now…

Until next time…

Make it HAZARDous!
 

Walt

 

It is your Destiny!!!

So just when you think you have a handle on things, stuff pops up and suddenly everything is upside down.  

 So I started gaming in a local group with running a Steampunk Genre game.  Lots of fun and the GM is great.  It is rare to find a gaming group where everyone is my age (um...yeah...27 and a half) but to find a group that has not one rock solid GM but two...solid gold baby!!! So Tom (Gospog on the http://enworld.org forums) mentions that he wants to do a space opera game(which would allow my wife to play) and I happen to mention that I have some material he might like.  This turned into a bit of role reversal for me right now in regards to projects that I am working on.  Suddenly I am a GM again and I end up doing what I always do...pouring myself into the project.  

The notes that I had became a web site and the web site is fast turning into a great product in its own merits.  One of the ideas I am having for this is to open up the website (which is only for private use at the moment) to the public so that people can come in and use the setting for whatever or even publish stuff for it!  I know that the Spirrosblak setting is open content now but to have a full license for a Star Spanning setting would be huge.  

 In any event we will have to see what happens with it.  In either case, I have it in my head to publish this thing if not just for myself.  I have a little street cred at the moment and am definitely looking to do something ambitious.  Can I write this and Project-13 at the same time...sadly...no.  But I will be able to crank this one out very fast and make something of it so that I can get back to 13 ASAP.   13 is definitely at the top of my list to tackle for 2007 and I think that with a multi pronged attack (multiple game systems) it will really shine (as d20 will do it justice...some of the other systems out there would do it proud). 

Expect to possibly see me absent from the net for some time in the near future as well as I am probably going to have to go to school to be an MP... If they can ever get off their fourth point of contact and figure out when i am supposed to go...

I was going to put a snide remark about the army But just in case some one green is reading this...I am pretending to stick my tongue out at you.

 Regards,

Walt 

 

Podcast, New ink and a race around Battalion!

So due to holiday bologna, silly contests and a plethora of other things that no one cares about… I have neglected my audience (but seeing as most of them are crickets I am not too worried…). So now the thing to do would be to slap said offending blog owner repeatedly despite his assertions that he likes it. 

Ok…So where were we?  Ah yes… So there I was, having an otherwise good morning at my job as an MP, when all of a sudden I get a call from the 1^st Sgt..  Like a good sub-sergeant I ran into his office and found out that I had the next competition for soldier of the year.  I had won the Brigade level competition (yea…me!) and was going to the state one.  Unfortunately for me no one had told me the date for the state competition or even the fact that I had to go that morning.  Apparently everything got all turned around and backwards and they (the four sergeant majors and the first sergeant) had been waiting for us (myself and the NCO of the year…who was also from my company).  We had to zip home and superman on a dress uniform and hurry back down to sit in front of the board.  I was not a happy trooper.  In fact… I almost made a no-no and told off some one way above my pay grade because of it.  In the end, we did ok and represented our unit well. The down side to it is that I wanted to win so not having any prep time killed it.  I haven’t found out yet whether or not I won but I doubt it.  At least I don’t have to do it again and that gives me time for other stuff. 

Now, onto some good news… My wife is home from basic training and everything is going well.  She had a touch of pneumonia when she got back but it is almost cleared out now.  I am very proud of her for what she has done and expect big things from her military wise.  She reported for her first drill last weekend and was well received.  She ended up working with some good folks and I look forward to seeing her do well (translation: Riding down a firebreak in a HMMW-V[hummer], shooting up the neighborhood with her tongue hanging out and her hair on fire!). 

So that’s right ladies and gents…the next project that we did for Steampower is OUT!!!  Future Battlefield Soldier: Tunnel RAT just hit the stands and it looks sublime! Not only did I get to do the art on the inside…they gave me the cover as well!!!  I am so excited about this because Steampower is a great crew and they put out top-notch stuff.  I love their FBS line and use them myself.  It is especially fun to be able to draw for something that you have fun with and this definitely hits the spot!  Steampower has some great things planned for 07 and HAZARD studio plans on making sure that they have everything they need from us to make the new year STEAMY!!!

 Speaking of Steam!!!  A while back I wrote about how I went to the Steampunk game after being invited to do so by Tom (Gospog).  I have been to two of his games now and I have to say that as a GM this guy is top notch.  A fantastic gaming environment coupled with great people and storytelling (and props that are second to none) make this game one of the best I have ever been in.  I am having a real blast with it and when the game night gets announced I get all warm and fuzzy!   One of the great things about Tom’s game is that he creates his own minis for them.   Talk about have game will travel!

If you get a chance, make sure you stop on by to the Accidental Survivor podcast.  While I am not a huge fan of podcasting,  I did give a good number of them a spin this weekend and a lot of what I heard were people rambling at this table or in that basement and it really didn't turn my gears, game wise.  By and far the best one that I have listened to is the Accidental Survivors.  The podcast has an excellent and clearly designed format supported by a knowledgeable staff of guys.  Nicely done!   Please visit their podcast as well as their forums as everyone can walk away from this site with information to use in their games. 

 Well, on the down side of things this time I might have to close up shop here at HAZARD Stds for about two months.  My unit (Army National Guard) won’t promote me until I get reclassified and I don’t want to remain an advanced private forever. The only way to duck said school is to re-enlist for the infantry instead.  While part of me misses being all High Speed, a part of me wants to learn how to conduct Military Police operations and see what it is all about. 

I’ll keep everyone posted…

Regards,

Walt

Coins, Droids, and a Great Italian Sandwhich

Ah yes… Peace and quiet…

 

And then the alarm went off.  Been a few weeks since the last time I updated the journals that I keep about all the stuff I get myself into.  Let’s see…Where to begin…

 

So it is now common knowledge among the three people who read this blog that I rejoined the military and have been pursuing the coveted title of Soldier of the Year (for those of you not currently wearing an ACU pattern, this is a competition where different units send their top dog soldier to compete against other units to see who knows what.  It is also something not a lot of people want to do).  I won the company board and went onto the Brigade board and won that one.  My company honored me at the annual Chistmas Party and one of the things I receieved was a rare Briagde Coin.  Very cool.  Now I am facing representing my brigade for the state competition to see who is soldier of the year for Rhode Island.  The rough part about the whole process is that I have to study to be prepared for this.  Every hour I am studying is an hour that I am not doing something else I should be doing.  Oh well… I hear the State Board is lovely this time of year…

 

Many projects are topping my plate at the moment.  I wish I could finish all of them right now and have them out (*cough*cough* Gears of War *cough *cough) but it is very cool to work on them nonetheless.  Steampower Publishing is always good to provide me with projects that are really a pleasure to work on.  The latest project, Future Soldier: Fast Mover was a great product and a fantastic part of the series.  The Future Soldier line is a great way to take d20future and give it that gritty military flavor.  If you haven’t run a Future Battlefield soldier game you are really missing out on a lot of fun.  The next project was given to me a few weeks ago and I am really excited about this one as I got to do some really cool shots.  Lets just say, “Robots and maniacs and gear! Oh my!”

 

The next version of SFX Skills has been given to me as well and fans of that series should expect a great product full of ideas for the modern mage.  Using skills to generate SFX instead of using a Vancian Spell system, the SFX line is great for revamping the way Modern does magic.  The next item in the series focuses on one of the oldest types of mysticism that people aspire to, alchemy and transmutation.  Mostly item based, the illustrations in the next supplement will feature less people working the skills and more items that the skills revolve around.   As always I will do my best to bring the meat of the subject to life.

 

Back in the beginning of November, I went to the EN World Game Day held in Providence Rhode Island in an effort to network with local gamers and just spend the day chillin’ with the gamer scene.  I met a lot of good people at the event as well as getting to play in several good games myself.  Gospog (Tom) ran a great Steampunk game where his mini’s really took the game to the next level.  I enjoyed the game so much that I invited myself into his campaign series (Don’t get weird, he said I could come…I only had to make small threats).  For those of you out there that are En Worlders, any time a game day comes down the pipe you should go as it really was a great day with some good times.

 

Well, if all goes well I should be getting my wife back next week.  I will be at Fort Leonard, Wood from the 12^th through the 14^th for her graduation.  I am really proud of her, as she has come a long way in a real short time.  There is nothing like Basic Training for  re-forging the way that you see yourself and after something like that you are never really the same.  I am looking forward to getting her back as she really is my best friend on the planet and a great person.  Plus… She makes a great baked macaroni and cheese!

 

Till next time…

Make it HAZARDous,

Walt

All about going into the woods and Hunting Ticks!

Welcome back to another installment HAZARD Ink. I don’t know if you can actually call this a serialized show as I am not sure that I am regular enough with it for that. Go figure.

Work is progressing on the latest batch of projects from all over the place. I have done up a few sketches and revamped the Hallucinations page of the site with some more art that you might or might not have seen. The page had been up for a while and had not been updates with anything new. I wanted to throw in some of the work I had been commissioned for but those are the property of the people that bought them and I wouldn’t want to steal their thunder. I have some work that looks really tight that I have done lately but it would really be wrong of me to put it up without checking with the authors first. On a good note, two of the three artists that work with me from time to time have managed to submit some art for me to post so that they could have their own page to look at. John Amore and Jason Tavares have been officially put up on the site and have their own little blurb about what they can do. Along with that is a small cross section of the art they have. Both artists are available for commission if anyone needs an artist fast. Both can meet a deadline and both are a pleasure to work with. There is a good amount of art for people to look at from them and I am glad that I was able to get all of that up there.

One of the cool things going on right now is from the web site EN World They are putting together a series of adventures for the d20 Fantasy genre that will be presented as an adventure path (the series will be linked). It is generating a lot of interest and looks like it will be a lot of fun. I have offered to donate some art for the series (as I would like to be associated with the project and want to support EN World as it is a great site).

Next year, war on a truly fantastic scale threatens to destroy the world.

As the new year turns, the weather across takes a sudden chill turn, and the sky darkens as the grip of winter intensifies. Worry rises as regular channels of communication between nations cease like a candle suddenly snuffed. Slowly, throughout the lands claimed by the Ragesian Empire, rumors spread between isolated villages, traveling by foot and horse and word of mouth -- rumors that Drakus Coaltongue, the immortal emperor whose armies conquered every land he set his gaze upon, has fallen in a distant land to the west. How the tyrant was defeated is unknown, but if it is true, everyone knows that a war is coming. The generals of Emperor Coaltongue will strike for control, oppressed peoples will rise up in rebellion, and dangers once held in check only by fear of the mighty warlord will bring doom to the world.

Those in power are preparing for the coming conflict, readying fervent armies and powerful weapons and subtle, deceptive plots, but two questions burn in their minds: who killed the seemingly-immortal Emperor Coaltongue; and what has become of the artifact that would let a man rule of the world? Who has the Torch of the Burning Sky?

Coming next year, E.N. Publishing presents a saga of twelve adventures where would-be conquerers bring the world to the brink of annihilation, and it is up to the heroes to decide who will rule in the aftermath of the great war – perhaps an ally, perhaps themselves, perhaps even anarchy. They can usher the world into a golden age, or let it be scorched under a rain of fire.

The War of the Burning Sky Campaign Saga takes a party of characters from 1st to 20th level, and lets the players see the mighty and terrible face of war in a world of magic. The fate of the world is theirs to decide; even who the main villain is depends on their actions. And don't worry, it's not some extraplanar demon lord.

Though designed for a generic setting, the campaign saga can easily fit in most popular game worlds, or each module can be used as a stand-alone adventure for your own campaign. The first adventure - The Scouring of Gate Pass - will be released in January, with one following each month thereafter. Keep your eye out for further announcements about the War of the Burning Sky in the coming months.

 

I have been talking to the wife a lot lately as she has been allowed to use her cell phone when they get their personal time. It’s kinda wierds me out that they get to do this as when I went through basic training I was able to call home for ten minutes on the pay phones one a week when I got to AIT (advanced training) and pretty much the rest of the time I got locked in and locked down. They get passes and the ability to use cell phones and on the weekends they can eat junk food. The most exciting thing I got back then (1991) was that I could keep a Walkman when I got to AIT. Sheesh!

Lots of good stuff going on. I leave you with a picture of me getting ready to assault an objective with my mighty A-5 paintball gun while at work for the Rhode Island National Guard.

Some days it is good to be green…or rather, digital cammied.

Regards,
Walt

A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to Being?Frisked!

Big doings on the stage over at HAZARD Studios. I have been drawing my behind off in regards to commissions and the like. It seems like my stint of doing some sketches for certain publishers is really paying off as some of my work is starting to get a bit more notoriety. I have been getting a lot of "personal commissions" as well as a new project that came down the pipe just the other day. All is well on the drawing front and I seem to be improving as I go (although I could use a secretary as I am running out of arms to hold, the coffee, pencil, drawing board, phone, keyboard and the obligatory bagel cuz I needed a snack. Whew!).

My wife is still in basic training and I am counting the days until she gets back. Anyone who feels like writing a little something should type it up and email it to me and I can send it to her. Well wishes and comforting thoughts would be most appreciated and definitely worth the effort (as a soldier myself…the greatest thing in the world when you are away from home is getting mail.). She has graduated Basic Training and has moved on to the Advanced Training portion or her time away. If all goes according to plan she will graduate in mid December. If not I will be staging an assault down to Fort Leonard Wood to rescue her from the "malcontents" who have her.

One of the things that has been suffering lately has been Project 13 and the book I am having published. Due to me going back into the military and consequently being nominated as Soldier of the Year and going out for a special team within my unit…my time after I work my "real" job has dwindled down to none. I have barely enough time to go and work out (throwdown style) anymore as I am constantly running, obstacle coursing, or training to snipe some one in the eyeball. I know it sounds kinda gruesome but hey…I’m a soldier…what did you think that I did?

Project 13 was supposed to be released during late October and if I refused to sleep (like I did last night) I might be able to pull it off. I think a wink or two is in order for the month and I will probably not be able to get it out until at least December (which would be nice for Christmas). Realistically though, it will probably not see the printed page until just after 2007. I am very bummed about the whole affair but I am caught between a rock and a scary place.

One good thing coming from all of this is that our first Art Pack, from illustrator Jason Tavares, will be coming out this month. Jason came out with a few dark black and whites that are best described as Cinematic Toon style that capture the grim and forboding flavor of some of the modern horror genre. He did this while keeping the images light and fun enough to be used for a younger (early teen) audience. The pack will go on sale as of Monday of next week and will be available with an open license, allowing publishers and players alike to freely use the inks.

Keep those commissions rolling in so that HAZARD Stds. can become one of the keystone places on the net to get quality illustrations at an affordable price. I just wanted to thank the publishers who have recently stepped up to the plate to throw us some published work. We appreciate the opportunity. I also want to thank certain Sleep Deprived and Mechanized individuals for getting my name out there.

Regards,

Walt

What the hell is that!?!

The thing about nostalgia that gets me every time is that you can never really go home again. I was approached two weeks ago about re-launching the Korranberg Chronicle when some people of the Yahoo Eberron group were talking about it. They were saying that it was a tragedy that the paper had been allowed to lapse and that they were hoping to see it resurrected. The problem with that is that there were three people doing a six people job. We generated a lot of interest on the group but only have two or three people writing articles. I am tentatively looking to restart it but the problem I saw in the past is already rearing its ugly head. This is a FAN project. That means that it is run by the fans for the fans. What that also means is that we have no official sanction from Wizards of the Coast to produce such a periodicle. Long and short of it is that no one is being paid for this. When there is no money changing hands, people have a tendency to start off with fervor and then die out with a whisper. Every one wants to be a part of the project but no one wants to do the work.

If the Chronicle does come back…this is what we are looking to do.

-We are looking to have better access for the fans to produce articles and thus have the adventures of the average gaming group make it into the pages. After all, what good is reporting news if there is no real connection to the fans.

-We are looking to produce a way to generate articles that people can produce in Chronicle format and hand to their players..

-We need to have a consistent influx of material that we can populate the pages of the actual periodical. The only way to do this is to keep people interested and keep them writing. Our success relies on the success of Eberron. The thing we should decide is whether or not this is a one man operation. If it is then I could produce articles much like the Sharn Inquisitive. One article every few weeks. But to do things on the magnitude of the Old Chronicle we need people and pens producing articles.

Eberron is one of those settings that either you love or you hate. A lot of people are against the setting because it is a drastic departure from the normal fantasy realm. I say GREAT! It is about time. How many J.R.R. Tolkien, Jack Vance, and Robert E. Howard clones do we need. Although I enjoy many fantasy authors, the genre has become stale as of late. The tales in Eberron are fantastic but theyare not new. Just the trappings and how they are used in the stories are new. It is kind of like shining up an old penny. You make it bright and interesting even though nothing much has changed.

On the HAZARDous front, HAZARD Studios has been beating around the bush on a few projects that have unfortunately taken a back seat to my military career. I am starting to better balance things on that side of my life with the rest of it and things are starting to come back into play. On Tuesday, we will be uploading the second part of the short story, Blast from the Past. Also next week you can expect some new artwork as well as upcoming news on the Chronicle, Project 13, and the impending finish of Power and Glory.

Regards,

Walt