I am fairly unique at this point.  I can’t think of many other novelologists right now who are doing what I’m doing.  I wouldn’t say it makes me a better writer than those who choose the more conventional path.  How can we even measure such things?  But I am definitely doing something different, and so far, it’s working.

There are writers who create shared worlds, populate them with dozens upon dozens of characters, and then just play with a few at a time.  This is very similar to writing standalone novels.  You can read most of the Discworld novels as standalone novels, for instance, and Christopher Moore’s books all seem to take place in the same continuity, though that continuity is so loose and flexible that, aside from characters popping in now and then, most the books could be considered standalone novels.

But I’m the guy who goes out on a limb and creates it all from scratch.  I’ll write about vampires, robots, trolls, gods, aliens, and incomprehensible monsters.  I’ll design worlds that are incompatible, that were never made to go together.  The retro-sci fi noir of The Automatic Detective is mostly incapable of blending with the fantasy of A Nameless Witch.  I’m not even interested in using the parallel worlds justification to allow them to crossover.  Maybe I’ll change my mind later.  But for now, Duke the werewolf and Mack Megaton, robot detective, will never bump into each other.

(There is a small reference to Gil’s in Divine Misfortune.  Not many people spot it.  It’s just for fun, not meant to imply that the two books are related in any way.  Although, again, I could always change my mind.)

I pass no judgment, good or bad, on series books in fantasy / sci fi.  There are good ones.  There are bad ones.  But isn’t that true of everything?  I don’t think I am more creative because I have no interest in series.  Writing a book is a creative process, even if using an established world with established characters.  I think writing standalone novels gives me the illusion of being more creative.  It certainly has helped my burgeoning Hollywood career.  It’s given me more books to option, helped certain people to view me as a writer that isn’t easy to pigeonhole.  But even that Hollywood stuff is a lot of luck.  The right people at the right time.  I can’t explain it.  I couldn’t even tell you how to do it because I don’t know how I did it.  Other than write what I want to write and hope someone else out there likes it too.

It’s not a perfect system, but so far, it’s worked out all right for me.

So can a sci fi writer make it writing standalone novels?  Yes, he can.  At least, I can.  Make of that what you will.

Fighting the good fight, Writing the good write,

Lee

I was never a big role-playing game player.  I dabbled a bit here and there, but I always had a hell of a time getting a reliable group.  It isn’t such a bad thing though as my RPG failures eventually led to my table top gaming passion.  It was after a D&D group fell apart that the remnants and I started playing Magic: The Gathering & Robo Rally.  And now, here I am:  A. Lee Martinez, world-famous novelologist and game-playing guru.

I was never much of a D&D player.  It always seemed too rules intensive to me, too controlling with a real lack of meaningful choices in character design.  And it always bugged me that wizards couldn’t pick up swords.  I’m not expecting them to slay a dragon with the thing, but you should be able to pick it up and swing the damn thing.  Although I was usually just a dwarf warrior because, push comes to shove, I’d rather just chop the bad guy with an ax than try to micromanage my spell catalogue.

It didn’t help too that I had plenty of bad experience with role-players in general.  All it takes is one bad apple to spoil the fun.  One guy who thinks it’s funny to kill every peasant he comes across.  One weirdo dude who wants to make a female character and then tries to seduce the other guys in the party.  One dumbass who finds potty humor and / or lack of teamwork amusing.

I did have some good times role-playing, but it wasn’t ever with D&D.

I liked Vampire in theory, but I could never get enough players.  And I wasn’t gothy enough.  I’d much rather stalk the night as an anti-hero vampire than deal with politics and angst.  I enjoyed the concept of Werewolf a whole hell of a lot.  The combination of magic and bloodthirsty werewolves was hard to resist.  But, again, no players.  Mage was a game of tremendous promise, but nobody I knew was interested.

FUN FACTS: I actually wrote 100 pages of a novel based on the World of Darkness.  I guess it was technically fan fiction, but I really did think it was great.  Unfortunately, after reading a few of the published White Wolf novels, I realized that I wasn’t the target audience.  Again, not gothy enough.

FUN FACT #2: My favorite Mage character was a mad scientist named Dr. Spectre, Man of Science!  He was a Doc Savage knockoff, and he was awesome.  Shame he never got a chance to see some action.

The game I probably played most reliably was Deadlands, the Weird West RPG.  The system was a bit clunky, but cowboys versus monsters is a pretty sweet setting.  After Deadlands, the gameI loved the most (and continue to love) is Feng Shui aka Shadowfist.  The game was built on Honk Kong action flick rules, and had a terrific, fun setting of kung fu killers and mutant demons from the future.  The thing I loved about Feng Shui was that, unlike most RPGs, you started the game as a badass.  You were a killer, a powerhouse, a whirlwind of death and destruction.  It also had a great, simple system and was one of the easiest RPGs to play or run I’ve ever run across.  Just absolute pure fun.

And now, the review:

It’s probably been about 15 years since I picked up a RPG.  So no one was as surprised as I was when I decided, on the spur of the moment, to pick up the Gamma World RPG.  From what I’ve read, Gamma World is a direct adaptation of the D&D,4th edition rules.  I am not familiar with those rules at all, though I know a bit about the controversy.  The new D&D is more of a sophisticated boardgame with some RPG elements.  And I can see why some might be annoyed by this.  When I role-played, I never liked using maps and figures.  It takes your attention and puts it on the board, makes everything seem technical and dull.  It seems to me, just based on this, that D&D is halfway between a board game and a RPG, and falls short on each.

But what about Gamma World?  Is it a good game?  Is it worth buying?

I don’t know, but I think it has promise.  Let’s start with the setting.  Gamma World is a truly unique game in that instead of playing elves and dwarves, fighters and clerics, everyone plays a mutant.  There’s some contrived explanation of multiple realities collapsing into a single world.  It’s really just an excuse to have mutants and monsters of any conceivable type interacting.  Heck, you can even use D&D creatures in the setting.  But why would you?  Who would want to fight a beholder when you can fight a mutant badger with a rifle or a giant, flying worm that can turn invisible?

Anything goes in Gamma World and nowhere is that more evident than in the character creation rules.  There are 20 possible origins for player characters, and everyone gets two.  The game recommends picking randomly, which is fine, but I don’t see anything wrong with choosing your origin.  I’ve never really understood random character generation as it can saddle a player with a character they don’t like and what good is that?

Gamma World has some basis for random character creation though.  In a world where anything is possible, it can be fun to stretch your imagination and play a telekinetic plant or a swarm of time-displacing hornets or a robotic felinoid.  Yes, these are entirely possible results of the creation system, and if that doesn’t thrill you, I don’t know what else to say.

ASIDE:  I get that a lot of “serious” RPers will turn their nose up at this absurdity, but isn’t all fantasy absurd?  Is a telepathic yeti any less believable than a wizard who can shoot fireballs or a warrior with a magic sword?  Maybe that’s just me though, as I love the idea of being able to play a humanoid bird with the power to manipulate gravity.

An interesting part of the game is the use of card decks that allow the players to access random mutations and technology.  In such an unstable reality, mutants can spontaneously develop and lose strange powers at the drop of a hat.  So in addition to your hawkoid’s ability to fly, you might also discover the ability to teleport or grow armor for a few hours.  None of these powers are very stable, and they don’t stick around for long.  Some might find that annoying, but again, I love this idea.  It keeps you guessing and is perfectly suited for the setting. 

There are even rules for creating your own custom deck for your character and this can be fun as it’s easy to create a solid theme.  You can create a deck of psychic power cards for your telepathic character or a deck of bug-like mutations for your mutant roach.  There’s a great variety of mutation cards and all are clearly worded and easy to understand.

There are also a deck of Omega Tech cards that represent cutting edge technology salvaged in the ruins.  These devices are completely unreliable, and that fits with the theme just fine.  Players can create custom decks for these too, representing pieces of technology in their possession that are powerful, but unpredictable.  And it’s a neat way of allowing characters to stumble across tech without having to consult tables and random roll charts.  Heck, there’s nothing stopping the GM from sticking a piece of Omega Tech on a group of random monsters to make them more challenging.

Random boosters of cards are available, and I’m sure these could add some fun.  But you don’t need them.  The Gamma World box comes with plenty.  So it’s a cool gimmick that doesn’t require extra investment.

Some might dislike the random card system, but there’s nothing saying they have to be random.  It’s a flexible system that works well and is easily adaptable to players’ needs.  And that’s true of the entire game.

 Aside from the character creation and a healthy selection of monsters to choose from, the book is a little light in the setting department.  I don’t know if that’s a negative though as Gamma World is such a flexible setting that players should have no problem coming up with adventures.  Want to live out The Seven Samurai but with hordes of cyborg dinosaurs on the attack?  No problem.  Like the idea of exploring an abandon robot factory in search of astounding technology?  Easy to do.  Road warriors?  Peacekeepers?  Marauding no-goodniks?  The rule system is easy to adapt, and even if you don’t use the monsters in the game, you can always invent your own pretty easily.

I don’t know if I’ll ever actually have a Gamma World RPG session.  It doesn’t seem likely.  But as a gonzo game full of possibilities, you could do a lot worse.  I could easily see playing the game with or without a map, depending on your preference.  And I can see it being a blast with the right group, players who are interested in just sitting down, creating some characters, and seeing where adventure takes them.

As a board game, I actually see a lot of potential here as well.  I’m considering creating index cards with various origins and dealing them out to players to create their characters and allowing those characters to duke it out.  Or you could even just have battles between monsters if so inclined.

Bottom line:  I like Gamma World.  I like it a lot.  It’s the kind of game I’d love to get together and role-play and it’s been a while since I’ve seen that.  And in a world where most RPGs take themselves far too seriously, this is a refreshing change of pace.  The game is a solid toolbox for any players looking for something different, and with supplemental material on the way, it could develop into something pretty damn cool.

Recommended from this humble novelologist and former, very casual role-player.

Fighting the good fight, Writing the good write,

Lee

So The Punisher is now a Frankenstein-style monster in the mainstream Marvel Comics.  It’s pretty weird, but considering it’s one of the few mainstream Marvel Comics I’m enjoying, I can live with it.  It helps that I am a big monster fan, and that anything with Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night, and The Living Mummy is A-OK in my universe.  The first story arc was a bit bloodier than I would’ve liked, but that’s a ridiculous complaint when we’re talking about a vigilante who is defined by his merciless talent for killing people.

The only downside is that in a few months, The Punisher will be confronting Wolverine Jr., the guy who sliced him to pieces.  I just don’t like Wolvie Jr.  He’s a dumb idea.  And one of his claws comes directly out of his wrists.  Wouldn’t that be awkward as hell?  Of course, he’s also got tribal tattoos, which make him look way too 90′s.  And wouldn’t Wolverine Jr.’s healing ability make tattoos impossible?

I’m not a fan of spinoff characters that are basically identical to the original.  Never liked War Machine for this reason.  Or Venom.  Or Wolverine Jr.  Or Girl Wolverine.  After a while, it just succeeds in making the original character seem less special.  But Wolverine Jr. is especially dumb because he’s the “dark” version.  Isn’t Original Flavor Wolverine supposed to be the dark version of superheroes to begin with?  Or have we become so jaded now that the brutal berserker with the power to stab people isn’t dark enough?  Don’t answer that.  Either answer would just make me sad.

Oh, right.  This was supposed to be a pithier, more positive post.  Sorry about that.

Beta Ray Bill is a spinoff character I can get behind.  For those not in the know, Beta Ray Bill is an alien horseman with the power of Thor.  He’s pretty much Thor, but in space.  Not only does he get his own cool magic hammer, but he also gets a spaceship.  So, yeah, he’s awesome.

Bought a new book today.  Last Call by Daniel Okrent.  It’s about Prohibition.  Haven’t read much yet, but what I’ve read, I’ve liked.

Okay, well, guess it’s time to get back to work.  Catch you later, gang.

Fighting the good fight, Writing the good write,

Lee

If you aren’t familiar with the concept of this game, each player takes on the role of a unique hero, exploring a 19th century village, looking for clues, fighting monsters, and ultimately hunting for the dark master villain.  Maybe it’s a vampire or a werewolf or a spectral horseman.  Whatever it is, it’s evil and somebody’s gotta stop it.  What makes A Touch of Evil fun is that, while it’s a simple game, your strategy and tactics vary based on your hero and the villain they face.  Also, you can play the game competatively (trying to be the first to kill the bad guy) or co-op, where all the players are teamed up trying to save the day.

I played A Touch of Evil a few times and enjoyed it.  Then I just put it aside and kind of forgot about it because…well, you probably know if you’re a regular BGG visitor how it is.  You buy a new game that pushes the others to the background.  There just aren’t enough hours in the day.

Still, A Touch of Evil is a fun game.  And I realize every time I play it that I actually like it quite a bit.  But somehow, I forget and it ends up back on the shelf.  Which is weird.  It’s like a dark magic casts a spell over me, making me forget how much I enjoy the game until I actually get around to opening the box and playing it again.  Then it’s like, hey, this is a fun game! I should play it more often!

Which is why I’m glad that Something Wicked came out because it gives me a reason to dust this game off and play it again.

When I first saw Something Wicked in the store, I wasn’t sure I wanted it.  I didn’t buy any expansions for Last Night on Earth.  And I hadn’t played A Touch of Evil often enough to get burnt out on it yet.  But then I took a look at the box.  Specifically the back of the box.

Bog Fiend.

That’s all it took to convince me.  I’ve always been a fan of the Universal monsters and the gilman is an underrated horror if you ask me.  So the fact that Flying Frog thought well enough of this guy to include him in their expansion…how could I resist?

But what else is in this box that makes it worth buying?

Something Wicked introduces 4 new heroes, 4 new villains, and adds a new map, doubling the size of the board and adding new locations.  In short, it makes a good game better.

Something Wicked adds more content to A Touch of Evil, but it doesn’t really include a bunch of new rules to learn or modify the game in any radical way.  So if you don’t like A Touch of Evil then this expansion probably isn’t going to win you over.  On the other hand, if you enjoy the game but are looking for a new villain to test your resolve and some new encounters to spice up your game, this is a pretty solid investment.

I’m glad I bought it, but, to be honest, it could’ve added nothing but the Bog Fiend and I’d probably have been happy.

P.S. The new Hero Pack released simultaneously features a hero named The Scarlet Shadow, infamous highwayman and rogue.  Damn.  Looks like I just might have to pick that one up too.

Clive Cussler likes to put himself in his books too.  And I’m not talking about a stand in.  I’m talking about Cussler, the novelist, appearing in and advancing the story.  Always struck me as a bit weird.  Heck, Stephen King did the same thing, right?  Although King didn’t glamorize himself, that’s still a bit of an ego stroke, no matter how you want to look at it.  And, hey, there’s nothing terribly wrong with that.  Most writers are human, and most humans have their moments of insecurity.

I don’t think I’ve ever put myself in a book.  Not yet anyway.  But I’m just as guilty of inserting idealized alternate character versions of myself.  Maybe it’s just not as obvious because my ideals are different.  I would honestly love to be a seven foot tall, indestructible robot detective.  No question about it.  And I’d settle for being a talking gorilla in a pinch.  I’m not sure I’d care to be a gawky vampire, but if tomorrow I woke up and discovered myself a pudgy, badass werewolf, I could cope.

Not that every book features a character I would want to be.  There’s no stand in for yours truly in OGRES, WITCH, CURSES, or MONSTER.  Even the characters I like in those stories have no fantasy “I want to be them” appeal.

But it is funny how the same idea can manifest in different ways.  In WoW, I love the tauren, the race of hulking minotaurs belonging to The Horde.  Hands down, they’re my favorite race of all the WoW choices.  A big reason The Horde appeals to me at all is because they are the monster-type races.  Except for the blood elves, who only prove that sticking “blood” in front of “elves” still doesn’t make elves cool.  (Just kiddin’, Horde buddies.)

I’ve been meaning to create an Alliance character, but I just can’t get into them.  They’re just . . . too human.  They have the drenai, the monster-ish race of the Alliance.  And they are monster-ish, but they’ve got human faces, which kind of drops the ball for me.  I’m aware of the superficiality of that.  The races in WoW are just window dressing.  They don’t have a significant impact on gameplay.  Except for maybe gnomes, who are tiny and can be difficult to click on, I suppose.  But that’s about it.

 Though I don’t see the appeal of blood elves myself, I know that my preference for hulking minotaurs is no more enlightened than someone who wants to play a blonde-haired, green-eyed waif.  It’s just a superficial preference, a quirk.  Does it make me weird?  No, because now that I’m a world-renowned novelologist, I get to be “eccentric”, instead of weird.  And there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.

Fighting the good fight, Writing the good write,

Lee