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

My wife is currently going through basic training.  As some one who has been there myself, I know that it is hard to stay motivated.  I try to write her every day and make sure that I put in plenty to make her feel motivated and let her know that there are plenty of people here who want to see her succeed.  So in keeping with this I decided to include my:

 

10 rules to becoming a Superhero!!!

 

 

1. Being a superhero is a lonely job that will set you apart from those around you.  Accepting that excellence always rises above mediocrity, you will be confronted by this.

 

2. The more severe the forging process, the better the steel.  When metal is forged, it takes intense heat, cold, and battering to forge and strengthen it.  This is called tempering.  The longer you temper metal, the stronger it becomes.

 

3. Being a superhero does not mean that you have super powers!  This is important as heroes like Batman or Ironman never had powers.  They were just passionate people who followed their convictions. 

 

4. Being exceptional on the inside sometimes has to be hidden on the outside.  Peter Parker’s alter ego was called Incredible, Amazing, and Spectacular.  Peter Parker was anything but these things until he showed off who he really was. 

 

5. Many times during a Hero’s career, the same people they attempt to help can turn on them.  By showing dynamic virtues and saving the day, people come around to the hero again.  The hero often realizes that the average person is an idiot and deserves pity and not hatred.

 

6. Special people simplify and solve, not complicate problems.

 

7. Train constantly for the worst possible scenario so when average problems present themselves they never seem that bad.  If you train to catch a 100 mile an hour fastball… something thrown at 60 seems easy and something thrown at 110 is not that big a stretch.

 

8. Always remember the trials and troubles that forged you into a hero so you can learn from them and not be haunted by them.

 

9. Always keep the reasons for your crusade close to you so that when you fight you will do it with all of your heart.

 

10. An Obstacle in life is nothing more than a cleverly disguised opportunity for greatness.

 

Just remember, Not all heroes wear Spandex.

 

Sheesh?And I thought I was rusty!

OK so it has been a few weeks since I posted anything but hey…I am a busy guy. Plus…there are a total of two people reading these posts so there are not a lot of people slamming down my door trying to get me to type up a giant spiel about how I draw or what I draw.

The past few have been really good as not only have I been kept busy but new things are sprouting all the time. In my military career, thing shave taken off at break neck speed ( now that they have gotten the paperwork corrected). I walked in as the guy with "the lost paper’s" and now I am the soldier of the year for my unit. Go figure. I guess this old dog still has a few teeth left that he can sharpen on some one’s behind!

The next book in the Future Soldier line is out and it is a great product. What do you get for your hard earned credits when you buy Future Soldiers: Fast Movers, on PDF… You get Vacuum Rescue Troopers and fighter space craft and all sorts of Dog Fighter goodness. If you are a fan of the Battlestar Galactica series on the sci-fi channel then this is definitely the product for you. This product (put out by Steampower Publishing) is really a gorgeous product and packed with all the goodness to bring the treacherous nature of space battles to life. If you have to buy a product for your d20 Future game, this is really a must for any fan of the hard nosed dog fighter pilot.

In a surprised turn of events, Action! System guru and game designer extraordinaire Jamie Borg has relinquished his seat as captain of Power and Glory, a product of Super Powered goodness. Power and Glory was being put together by Jamie when life conspired against him and forced him to remove himself from the project. We at HAZARD have been asked to step into the gap and finish this product. I am really excited as the Super Hero Genre is one of my favorites. As the project unfolds we will post more about it and try and come up with some sort of goodies download that will preview what is in it and the best way to use it. Right now it would be best not to divulge too much of the project as this tidbit is probably too much said already. Still, this is a great opportunity to get the world of four color onto the page and into your games.

So my wife is due to come back from Basic Combat Training in the United States Army in December and I can’t wait. She is having fun doing all the training but the drill sergeants are very hard on her for some reason. Let me AT ‘EM! Filthy no good so and so’s. I know it is all part of the drill butt I still feel bad about my wife being screamed at every day. I should have told her to join the Coast Guard.

Regards,

Walt

Oh Please Shoot me!

Ok…So my wife goes to Basic Training for the United States Army. Cool. She is going to be an MP. Cool. She leaves to go down to Fort Leonard Wood, and leaves a bit of herself behind. HER NASTY SINUS INFECTION!

Not cool.

So I am battling this raging demon inside my chest for control of my destiny while I am trying to get out some illustrations for Steampower Publishing's next product. Every time I try to ink down a line or two I cough or sneeze and send the pen careening across the page into my leg. What I wouldn’t give to have an off valve for my head.!

I received several letters from the wife about her adventures in Basic down in Missouri. From the sound of things she is not having a good time of it (then again I don’t think that anyone does). She is coping though and that is what the training there is all about in the beginning. Coping with stress and learning that you are an army of one ("You got ONE minute to get down here!" "You got one more chance before I put a boot in your backside!" "If you don’t get over here now you are going to have ONE less thing to worry about… BREATHING!")

Now before anyone gets testy (including the artists) I do have the illustrations for the bio pages ready to go. The problem is being in a vertical position long enough to do it. Between drugs and, well, drugs, I have not been able to put any time into the web site. Including the new Forums, which came out excellent if I do say so myself (lack of posting would indicate that I am the only one saying anything at this point.)

Our friendly neighborhood gaming superhero went back to work with a cybernetic leg and about two weeks worth of quality family time. Jeremy Peterson was injured with a "knee thang," that disrupted the balance of the universe and caused red heads everywhere to want to migrate to Michigan. The hooligans at HAZARD hope that Jeremy feels one hundred percent and that he can now get his Games going again. We have placed a concerned call to the Federal Emergency Management Agency regarding the displaced red heads but have received no responses yet.

On the gaming scene, The Blood and Vigilance Rules , that add Four color flavor to the d20 game, was recently re-released in version 1.1 along with a mystic supplement. They took the existing rules and covered them in more depth. This included a re-write of the Advanced Training Origin. Chuck from RPG Objects had said in the past that the class was a bit under powered when it came to putting it up against the other super classed origins. The second book that was released for the game was a mystic supplement entitled Mystic Arts. Both items are of superb quality and fantastically put together ( it’s RPG Objects…what do you expect?). If you have not checked these wonderful items out yet…please do so.

Also, stay tuned for the next installment of Project 13 as I am back from my stint with the Army (oh the pain) and have the rest of the month to get stuff done…

Regards,

Walt

At least that is what I wish I was saying. I am up to my eyeballs in work and I can't seem to say no to anyone willing to pay for my pencil to wiggle (man did that come out crooked).

I have been very busy of late as I haven't really had the time to even post to my own blog ( there are truly times when I wonder if anyone reads this thing.) One of the main reasons for this is that my own project (Project 13)is eating up a lot of my time. When I start all these various delusions of grandeur, who would guess that they would be so time consuming? I usually figure that I can whack out a manuscript in no time flat and then have plenty of time for some Strawberry quick and a heavy does of video games. Not so this time. AS this is my project, everything has to come from me.

The other thing that I really can't do is to turn down work when it comes down the pipe. If I get an email saying that some one needs art...They are going to get their scribble as fast as I can get it to them. I have a business to run, after all. I have had several requests for character sketches ( if I don't have to ink them it usually costs about five bucks for me to do a line sketch in pencil). I put some word over one of the forums a few days ago that I am a cheap date and BAMMO! Suddenly I have an inbox full of requests. I apologized to a few of them wanting simple sketches and told them that after the major projects that I have going that I would finish the sketches off and send them out for free. That garnered a good response as they told me they would take the free sketches and ask for an additional character commission after that. Not too shabby. The money isn't great but at least people are starting to come to me to get artwork rather than me peddling it.

My wife finally arrived in Basic Combat Training for the US Army. That was a big relief as she didn't think she was going to ship on time (and she didn't think she was going to be able to pass the entrance Physical Fitness Test). She must have whacked it out of the park as she made it to training. She had a drill sergeant behind her when she made the call, which she told me she was safe and on the road to becoming a soldier. I am very proud of her and if anyone gets the chance you should email her with your well wishes and support (Send me the wishes and I will forward them to her account).

Some cool stuff to come down the pipe at the moment is that this week we are going to put up our artist page so that people can see who works for HAZARD and what they do. Also, Steampower Publishing wants to help with an upcoming product to be released soon. This is really a great gig as Andrew from Steampower is the consummate professional and a real great guy. I have been lucky so far as to keep working for quality people. Lastly, UKG publishing has released, Enochian Theurgy. This SFX: Skills supplement is for any d20 modern game and represents the light side of mysticism for your d20 modern game.

Peterson of SDC (petersonsdc@gmail.com) also needs your well wishes. He has recently hurt his knee and it would be cool if everyone sent him a little "Hey get better" note. Nothing big, and remember that flowers wilt through email so best to send positive thoughts (or cash!). ---That last piece was a joke. Don' send him money unless you want him to write something for you or you want to contribute to the SDC Retirement Fund for Wayward Gamers.

Lastly, if you get a chance, stop by our new forums and introduce yourself or post a little note about whatever comes to mind. We'd love to see you drop in and muddy up the place.

Regards,

Walt

Scribble Scribble on the Wall...

This week sees the debut of Scattered Drop which is the newest supplement in Steam Power Publishing's Future Battlefield Soldier line. The new product is an adventure campaign in Adobe Acrobat format that details a great new adventure plot.

Scattered Drop is a mini-campaign following the fortunes of a group of marines as they take part in the infamous invasion of 12 Opiuchi, an invasion that goes horribly wrong thanks to an inept commander, corrupt corporations and cunning foes!

We did four illustrations for the product. The illustrations came out great and were extremely fun for me as I love the genre that we got to work in (military sci-fi…which we don’t see a lot of). I definitely look forward to working with the fine folks at Steam Power again as they were professional in every way. Great people producing great products...

Works for me…
Regards,
Walt


Just in case you missed the hint, you can get it here:

RPGNow!

EN World

Guns, Green and Lots of RED TAPE...or as I like to say...Here we go again!
OK…so I had this epiphany the other day about life. I have a pretty good job that only takes me away from life in the morning. I have a fantastic woman that I recently married with our wonderful SIX children (two dogs and four cats…wife’s a vet-technician). I have my own fledgling company (for some reason saying fledgling grants some sort of street cred) and I haven’t slept more than four hours at a time since some time in the late 90’s.

Go figure I felt BoReD!

I just had that feeling as though I wasn’t doing what I was meant to be doing. So I went out and did what I swore I wouldn’t do again…I re-enlisted for the American Armed Service. Yeah…Yeah…I know….Everyone is telling me that I should stop smoking the Cheerio’s and work on something productive. I am getting harassed by loved ones asking me where I think I am going to get all this imaginary time from. They’re acting as though I had just severed off a leg at the neck.

I joined the National Guard for my state and I am only required to serve one weekend a month and two weeks a year for my requirement. I was able to sign up for a year and see how things shake out as well as get back into the swing of things. It wasn’t long before I was suited up and using the old lingo again as I reported into the new group and made the rounds to show my face. I was out for ten years but it felt as though I had never left. The first thing to hit me was the mountain of paper work and the fact that the Army National Guard is every bit the lumbering idiot that the active duty Army is. As was the case, the Guard lost my paperwork and forgot to enter me into their new high speed database. Loverly!

I did get to report in after I had re-enlisted and everyone that I met was pretty cool. I felt a little out of place as I am an Infantryman who is now assigned to a Combat MP unit. They told me that the only difference between what I use to do and what I do now is that I don’t have to walk everywhere...I get to ride. Not sure how I feel about that but then I think about hopping out of the truck and breaking down a door…life doesn’t seem that bad (unless I take one in the body armor).

On the Gaming Front, expect some news about the up and coming Project 13 that is being put together in conjunction with Sleep Dep Creations Wizard Jeremy Peterson. The project is coming along nicely and we will be releasing details about it shortly (don’t want to jump the gun!) Project 13 is a re-examining of a classic genre and will be a first for HAZARD Stds..

While we normally take comissions during any project that we are working on, The last few months have been a bit hectic and I am blasting through what I have. In order to make up for any inconvenience encountered for a drawing request being put on the back burner, we will be running a sale on requests. Any request made from June 9th untill June 30th will be discounted by 15 %.

The last bit of news for the HAZARD Team is that we will be placing an artist page up on the web site for our new commers, John Amore and Jason Tavares. Both are excellent artists and have a lot of drive. We hope to be milking these…I mean….We plan on giving these guys some stuff to keep them busy! Look for great things to come from these motivated artists!

More to come Soon…
Walt

Chutes and Ladders
This week was definitely up and down. The highs were extremely high and the lows were definitely rock bottom. One of the highs of the week was that latest installment of MODERNIZED came out this week. Packed with all sorts of modern game goodness, the mag even has an article that I wrote. I had fun writing this article as it was for mystical weapons and equipment for use in a modern setting. The items were not so over the top that they couldn’t be used in “close to reality” games but had just enough “suspension of belief” to make them fun. It was interesting to write this as I have way more experience in games that are point based rather than the class based systems like d20. Still, it was an excersize in creativity and I take them whenever I can get my hands on them. I had one illustration appear for that article. The other illustrations that were done for the mag never made it in as the, chump (there I said it) that promised an article to the mag disappeared in a puff of internet based java-smoke.

The other good thing is that new comer Jason Tavares published two illustrations for the magazine that made it in. The illustrations accompanied an article for modern armors and features an ancient brute tackling a modern warrior decked out in the latest battle gear. Jason had dusted his skills off for this issue as he had been focusing on his career in the Rhode Island National Guard as a Sergeant First Class in the Recruiting Office. An author and actor, Jason has agreed to publish more work for HAZARD in the future by producing some art packs and possibly contributing to some projects down the line.

The down side to all this is that this was the last issue of MODERNIZED. The Magazine’s owner, David Gallant, has decided that due to a lack of outside interest (people seeking to publish articles), that he would close the doors and cover the presses. While I can respect Mr. Gallant’s wishes to invest his time in other lucrative areas, it is definitely a sad day for the RPG industry. MODERNIZED was a staple for many gamers, many of whom are not mourning quietly over the magazine’s demise. A small call to arms was posted over on the EN World web site with many people swearing to post articles to revive the mag (as well as David’s drive to publish it). In the end it all comes down to contributors. Without them, a magazine can’t function, despite whether or not it is free. If you want to check out what some people are doing, you can go to the thread on EN World that you can read it HERE.

On the other side of UP, my wife is excited as she has decided to expand her career options and join the Rhode Island National Guard (Guess where I saw SFC Tavares…)! She is stoked as she has never done anything like this before and has decided that this is a very positive move. They will give her a huge sign on bonus as well as allowing her to go to school at any state run institution for FREE! Plus she gets to run around the woods and yell, FREEZE MOTHER TRUCKER! Yep…you guessed it! She is going to be an MP. One of the most demanding jobs the Army has to offer women is right where my girl is going. I used to be in the service a log time ago (3-505th PIR, 82ND Airborne) and it was a blast while it lasted. While I think that she will hate the first few months, she will probably find duty in the National Guard rewarding as she can stay at home and go to school and blow stuff up on the weekends. And if she gets deployed…

I am probably going to have to suit up again and SHOOT SOMETHING!

The down side of this is she is going to be a way for six months training for her job. It will be tough without her but I think I will make it through it (where did I put the number for that cleaning service…?)

Look for the next issue of the Korranberg Chronicle to hit virtual stands next week and some big news is ready to bust! Tune in next week!

Pant...Pant...Pant...

Naptime,
Walt

One Contest down and one to go.
Well, I got the winners of the first ever, Ultimate Evil Contest up and placed on the page. Took me no time at all to draw these monstrosities and I had a lot of fun doing it. I am going to take another crack at the contest again this summer and see what comes of it.

The next contest (because I like doing them) is up and running and is a little something to celebrate HAZARD Stds. turning one! The HAZARDous Birthday Contest has been running for about a week and submissions are coming in slowly. Pretty much all you have to do is send in an email with you the above slogan in the subject line and... BAM!... you're entered. I figured a custom illustration by yours truely would do the trick and bring people to the site. Not only is the contest open to Joe Gammer but also to any publishers willing to take a chance on a random drawing for a...ahem... random drawing. Not so bad really, you get to make an acquaintance that could later help you produce something you have on the burner and at the same time you could win a free illustration of your choice. As it says on the web page...Win-Win all around!

Work continues on Project-13 and some of the stuff that is comming out with collaboration of Jeremy Peterson. Jeremy is one of those guys who even though he has a schedule that would rival most super models, he always makes time for a friend in need. As the gamming system around which Project-13 is based is not exactly home turf for me... it helps to have a rules wrangler in the wings when I get into trouble.

In any event...Tell your friends about the contest. Tell your neighbors. Hell, tell your neighbor's friends or your friend's neighbors! I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,
Walt

ONe year old and still BANGIN!
The web site turned one today (golf clap)and there was much rejoycing. I actualy didn't expect to get as far as I did or be in business as long as I have but hey...Stranger things have happened.

I am plugging along on the latest product from little ol' me and making a real go at it. The project which shall henceforth be known as Project 132219006543872418630 or Project 13 for short, has been creeping about the shadows trying to get a glimpse of the sun every now and again. I have been working on this in conjunction with Jeremy Peterson of SDC . Just don't tell Jeremey...I don't think he knows.

I will have yet to place the winners of the Ultimate Evil Contest up on the web space but I don't think the winners will begrudge me much. I did send out the Swag that accompanied the contest. Big prayers for small favors. Anyhoo...I am looking forward to holding the next Ultimate Evil Contest to see what people can come up with.

This week, the Korranberg Chronicle hits the stands and will be another rousing success I am sure. The one thing we always have to be careful of is to make sure the fans are still getting a great read that they can use across the boards in their Eberron Campaigns. I enjoy working on the Chronicle and my article is already posted and set to go (along with acompanying sketch). I am definately looking forward to seeing what the rest of the kids are doing.

For those of you who are just tuning in, take a peak at the web site if you haven't already. We have sported a new look to go with our one-th birthday and I hope that it works for everyone. I liked the old colors but I definately needed a change.

Hope everyone is hangin' tough and we'll see ya next time.

Regards,
Walt

To INFINITY?and Beyo?.SMACK?.Stupid duck?.
OK…So the leg is healed…kinda. I am back to my old kung footing, sharp shooting self and I am making the most of it. Now that I feel better and am able to work out again I have plenty of inspiration to fire me back up again and get things moving.

Look for an article this month from yours truly in the pages of MODERNIZED! I will be doing an article on a few mystic creations to use with your modern arcane games. Got a Vampire in the closet (um…Broke Back Fangs?) Do you have a Werewolf in the microwave? What about a secret society of shadow people secretly trying to bring back the dark gods with heads that look like seafood? These items are for you. Granted, some people will get more mileage out of them than another but hey, different strokes for different folks.

The Korranberg Chronicle is set to launch at the end of this week and I am looking forward to seeing if we get some “audience” participation this time. I didn’t do that much for the paper on the last issue as I had about a dozen other things going on. This issue I should be illustrating again as well as putting in a few articles of my own. I can’t wait to see what other trouble we can get into around the Five Nations of Eberron.

This month’s contest is all wrapped up and we had a smashing good run. I will be posting the winning entries along with write ups by the end of the week. I had fun running the contest and then selecting the winners. For some reason, most of the entries that I received had their ultimate villain being well over nine feet tall. I guess they equated great evil with great stature. I wonder what else is in direct proportion to the size of some one’s evil!

See ya next time…
Walt