In Memoriam: Keith Herber Post-Interview Chat Video

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In memoriuam at Yog-Sothoth.com

Keith Herber was an author of stories and game scenarios based on the setting of stories by H. P. Lovecraft, commonly referred to as the Cthulhu Mythos. He passed away suddenly last Friday. By all accounts, people remember him for his guidance in working through the collaborative process of writing as well as being an editor deeply concerned with the quality of the works that passed through him to print.

The craft of writing can be difficult. There is a need to write not just to tell a story, but to make a setting that is complete enough that the story has a place to live and flow. To create a game setting is even harder. You have to make the setting deep and rich enought that the reader can imagine a place in the world, and a group playing has room to roam. And you have to create the mood, such that those playing

I'm involved in a game based on one of Keith Herber's last works. We've just started, and as we settle into the personalities we've created, anticipating the path ahead, and wondering what Keith Herber has created for us. And remembering him.

Geek Love: Gary Gygax, Game Pioneer, passes away

Geek Love
GARY GYGAX died last week and the universe did not collapse. This surprises me a little bit, because he built it. . . (from the New York Times)

Last week Gary Gygax, co-creater of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, passed away. In a somewhat real sense, he created something that changed the world. Not that role-playing games was new (Cowboys and Indians anyone? How about playing 'House'? Or 'Let's have tea') or the having mechanics (H.G. Wells Tin Men) or playing someone else (pick anyone who had thoughts of acting). But it gave a way of thinking and viewing a world, through another's eyes in a way that could be repeated and reapplied. Nowadays, computer role-playing games are more prevalent, but these don't have that same character of having to understand reality through another person's eyes and history. And the social aspect of interacting with people is not there (as opposed to interacting with only characters.) Acting does not require that either (anyone healthy can separate their acting from real relationships. Presumably actors can have actual friendships outside their roles, but it is not required.) Things, situations, and abilities only read about or seen in movies can be played, and choices made, and consequences experienced. It even forced players to declare their version of morality, and act on it with all its freedom, constraints, benefits, and consequences, something that is not in your average board game.

Anyway, do I have anything deep to say? Not really. But I got a message of a somewhat quiet e-mail list that was a game. The organizer was writing a book that was built around the game we were playing, and wanted us to test out the rules. I had made a character some time ago, so dug out his history and the stories of him growing up, becoming an adult and making his way in the world. And translated it into the game. And sent it in. And for a few minutes, thought of the life of someone who does not exist, in a far away world, living a life very different then the nice, safe one I live now.

In memoriam: Andrew Olmsted

I saw this some time ago over at The Sandbox (AKA the Doonesbury military blog) Maj Olmsted was killed January 3 in Iraq. And these are his words . . .

Final Post

"I am leaving this message for you because it appears I must leave sooner than I intended. I would have preferred to say this in person, but since I cannot, let me say it here."
G'Kar, Babylon 5

"Only the dead have seen the end of war."
Plato*

This is an entry I would have preferred not to have published, but there are limits to what we can control in life, and apparently I have passed one of those limits. And so, like G'Kar, I must say here what I would much prefer to say in person. I want to thank hilzoy for putting it up for me. It's not easy asking anyone to do something for you in the event of your death, and it is a testament to her quality that she didn't hesitate to accept the charge. As with many bloggers, I have a disgustingly large ego, and so I just couldn't bear the thought of not being able to have the last word if the need arose. Perhaps I take that further than most, I don't know. I hope so. It's frightening to think there are many people as neurotic as I am in the world. In any case, since I won't get another chance to say what I think, I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. Such as it is.

. . .

The rest is here.

In memoriam: Joe

http://joekaren.blogspot.com