Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Andy K's LiveJournal:

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Wednesday, February 4th, 2009
2:03 pm	Asking the Group Mind The topic for today is - wait for it - Blogging. My mother has been studying and producing instruction design and certification for ... well, let's say a long time. She has a lot of written material that was originally going to be a book on the subject, but now she is thinking about starting or contributing to a Blog. Any thoughts on existing web sites that would be the right venue for this project? What's the best way to get "out there?" Anyone have any ideas on marketing or publicity? Anyone done anything like this before. I'm looking at you, mikecap. Thanks for any thoughts or help. My mother says thanks, too. Current Mood: thoughtful (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, April 1st, 2008
2:32 pm	Playing Jerks in LARPs So, I've been ruminating on the old rule of thumb in LARP that says, If you play a grumpy loner, everyone will avoid your character. Its certainly true, that I avoid playing with people who aren't fun to play with, and I suspect that's true of everyone else, too. And most LARP (especially campaign style) are big enough that you can easily avoid a fair number of people. So my question: Can you play a "likable" jerk? What are the elements a character has to have to be a jerk? What are the elements it has to have to be likable? And, of course, can one character have some qualities of both sets? Current Mood: contemplative Current Music: Miracles - Jefferson Starship (40 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, December 14th, 2007
4:00 pm	Moderately Confused by Jeff Stahler Current Mood: amused (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Sunday, December 2nd, 2007
8:37 pm	I proposed a theory on the Threads list and I want to explore it further here. Most LARPs that I've been in have designed games to appeal to as many different demographics as reasonable, and write something for everyone. Puzzles, Roleplaying, Mysteries, Combat, etc. This gets the classic grab bag LARP where Doctor Svengali meets Mister Spock. These are generally the type of games I run. Threads is certainly built on this standard, I've never seen a campaign that incorporates as many different mechanics and types of plots. But what about the opposite theory. Pick one thing and do it really, really well. A quality product designed to attract the people who would enjoy that kind of game. If you're bad at and/or don't enjoy puzzle plots, don't write 'em, don't run 'em. Stick to what you're good at. Whatever that is. Like so many ideas, I think the key to making this work would be to make sure all of the writers and players really understood and bought into this idea. Thoughts? Current Mood: contemplative Current Music: Old Star Trek re-runs (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, November 25th, 2007
11:21 am	You caught me Monologing! So, finally made it to the new Mutants & Masterminds tabletop. It has run 3 times now, but I only just managed to be there for it. As expected, it was mucho fun! My transforming robot hero (legally distinct from any popular 80's toys recently made into a major motion picture) was fun and useful both in and out of fights. The other players are fun and interesting people who have chosen an interesting collection of powers and personalities. The group includes (or will include - I'm not the only irregular attendee) a cosmically powered skate punk/surfer dude a non-costumed psychic powerhouse with no sense of humor that he is aware of a quiet and philosophical Asian wu-shu style martial artist a standard superman type who's a thuggish horndog only in the super hero game to make money and meet women a deeply disturbed rape survivor with anger issues and quasi-demonic shadow powers a speedster Yeah, its a large and diverse group. Its probably a good thing we've never all shown up at once. The game went quite well, despite our vague and occasionally wildly inaccurate understanding of the rules. Current Mood: satisfied (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, November 20th, 2007
9:50 am	Bah Humbug Meme "Stolen" from xiombarg Christmas/Yule reminder: Please don't get me a gift. I won't get you one or feel obligated to do so, and my Christmas season will be less stressful. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, November 16th, 2007
1:52 pm	Nothing to Report Its been quite a while since I posted, so even though I have nothing much to say, I'm going to say it anyway. Creative use of white space should make it look more impressive. Things proceed apace at the store. Nothing to write LiVEJOURAL about, but enough to keep the wolf at the door instead of in the foyer. I've been experimenting with putting some of my older stuff up on eBay and that's working pretty well, too. Socially, I live mostly for online chatting. This is partially because I'm too tired/lazy to drive anywhere after I get out of work, and partially because I have made too many friends that live 6 to 20 hours by car away from me. And mostly because the Girl in Question lives in freaking Wisconsin. I do get a great amount of enjoyment out of the league nights I run twice weekly at the store. Currently its Warhammer Fantasy on Mondays and Warmachine/Hordes on Thursdays. I get between 8 and 20 players, which I think is pretty darn good. Tabletop role playing wise, I am in two games currently. The first is my father's every-other Wednesday Sci Fi D20 Modern game. Its early, but I think I'm really gonna like this one. The second is a Mutants & Masterminds game that has run twice. I have yet to attend. Dammit. Still, the GM is one of my favorites and I love Superheroes, so looking good! LARP is still the big thing right now. Threads is made of awesome, Between the Cracks might just be the best written game I have ever played, and Void Stalkers remains the game that is way too much fun for no reason I can figure out. So, all of this boils down to business as usual, nothing to report. Thank you for reading. That is all. Current Mood: cheerful Current Music: Paradise by the Dashboard Light - Meatloaf (17 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, October 26th, 2007
6:06 pm	Anyone got a crown, coronet, or other fancy tin hat I can borrow? If so, I need it by Thursday. Sorry for the short notice, I haven't had much internet access lately. It would help if it were roughly shaped and sized like my head. Thanks! (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, October 16th, 2007
4:30 pm	LARP: Personal Entertainment or Shared Project? When you go to a LARP are you going for some entertainment and a chance to hang out with friends? Are you going to be part of a larger project that you take partial responsibility for? Is it the GMs job to entertain you? Is it your job to entertain your fellow players? ambug666's YaYoG (You Are Your Own Gamemaster) idea explores these questions, as does Threads of Damocles. I don't see how there can be a simple answer to this question for any one player, let alone for all players. But its very interesting to me. I know a lot of people want as much immersion as possible when they LARP. In this case, I mean immersion as total escapism and an attempt to forget yourself inside the life of your character. On the other end of the extreme you find players that are always thinking like GMs. These players think about pacing and are much more likely to perform for the enjoyment of the other players. I wonder is this a different way to classify LARPers than the Gamer, Actor, Roleplayer triangle? What do you (yes, you Dear Reader!) want out of the LARP Experience? Discuss. Current Mood: contemplative Current Music: Neil Diamond, "I am, I said" (24 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, September 23rd, 2007
4:56 pm	We Need More Parties The Pirate Party was a blast. The Super Hero Party was - like Zowie and Kaboom! There definitely need to be more parties more often. Who's next? Current Mood: cheerful Current Music: Deliliah - The Plain White T's (11 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, August 3rd, 2007
5:51 am	Game! Game game game! Game! Yay! That is all. Current Mood: bouncy Current Music: pretty damn quiet (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, July 16th, 2007
5:01 pm	Comics of the Decade So... Imagine if you will, an experienced super hero geek and general comic reader who stopped reading comics in 1999. This hypothetical person wants to see what they "missed." If you were putting together such a package what would it include? The "best" comics? The most "significant" events? The best sellers? Ideas, examples, and yes complete lists are being sought. Yes, I am actually going to do this. And the recipient in question is cfxanandi for those who are curious. Let's get our nerd on! Current Mood: nerdy Current Music: Jesus Jones - "Right Here, Right Now" (9 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, May 10th, 2007
5:49 pm	Legend of the Five Rings I haven't played this game in a few years, but a friend is on the design team and I'm giving it a try again with Samurai Edition. Anyone else? Current Mood: anxious (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, April 19th, 2007
1:32 pm	CPAP Early Results Have slept two nights now with the new rig. It is much smaller and much more powerful than my old dinosaur. I suppose these are both good things. The first night went so-so. I kept it on for about 6 hours. Felt restless and breathless when I took it off. Last night went better. I was quiet and slept soundly for exactly 8 hours, at which point my eyelids flew open and I was awake. Strange feeling for me. Downsides: I woke up having an asthma attack which was unpleasant, and there was some nasty congestion in my lungs. I'm going to start taking a nasal inhaler to help with the congestion. Stay tuned CPAP fans... Current Mood: awake (Comment on this)
Thursday, April 12th, 2007
12:53 pm	Son of CPAP So, the first time around didn't go so well, but I'm back in a battery of sleep tests. My new specialist is confident that she can hook me up with (to?) a fancy new modern style CPAP machine and solve all my problems. Stay tuned, Faithful Reader... (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, April 6th, 2007
4:23 pm	Yay Me. Your Vocabulary Score: A+ Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary! You must be quite an erudite person. How's Your Vocabulary? Current Mood: complacent (Comment on this)
Wednesday, March 14th, 2007
6:25 pm	Boffer Bow & Arrow Does anyone know anything about building or buying boffer bow & arrow? Crossbow style is okay too. Not in a huge rush, but I'd like to get a nice (and accurate?) set if possible. I throw it out to the combined knowledge and skill of my friends... Current Mood: excited Current Music: One Week - BNL (16 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
5:30 pm	Done Deadfellas is done, done, done. Yay us. Current Mood: accomplished Current Music: Train in Vain - The Clash (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, January 14th, 2007
3:18 pm	The End of the World So, I've noticed that a lot of one-shot LARPs end with the world blowing up. Or at very least every player character dying. Often with no chance what so ever of it being avoided. Sometimes the actions of one or two players *might* avoid it, but they often don't know what they need to do. It makes for a relatively neat and tidy ending. No worries about when or how game wraps. All the stories are complete. Its iconic. But is it satisfying? I, personally, don't care for it. Especially, when the whys and wherefores have to be explained during gamewrap. I don't need to win, but I like to know I *could* have won. Anyone else have any thoughts? Is it valuable and important to have a clean and complete ending? Is there any way other than character death to get this? Current Mood: contemplative Current Music: Cornflake Girl - Tori Amos (26 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, December 14th, 2006
1:36 pm	No Time For Anything But A Meme... But, jeez, this thing is freakishly accurate.. baron_saturday discovered an alternate dimension. ... afterward, baron_saturday decided to marry their imaginary friend. 'How will you be remembered in history books?' at QuizGalaxy.com Current Mood: busy Current Music: The Receipt Printer Chugging Along (Comment on this)