The Sock-Monkey As Alone

  I am trying to make myself work on stuff more but struggle to get started in the morning. I thought I would ramble about emergent narrative and see if anything interesting came out. Emergent narrative is about choice players intemperate simple outcomes in context of each other and a story emerges from the filling in of the gaps of the narrative. What I struggle with is simplicity of a uniform system does not allow the game create narratives beyond the game. Think chess emergent narratives are the interactions of the players at the table.  But the game flow doesn’t change that narrative beyond the immediate results of the apposing wills of the contest. Narratives games however are like secular tarot card reading… provocative symbols that provoke a story by simply being layed out in a sequence.  The rules are the pattern of how you lay out the symbols but the symbols are a series of a loose frame work of associations.  The emergent part is how those things inter...

  Took several days off from stress and needing to recalibrate my sense of self. I am thinking of writing the last few days… maybe some short stories in the setting? Don’t know yet. The only thing holding me back is a feeling that it’s in vain all of it. The other reason when developing a setting when you share something it sets in stone to most readers when the best setting grew through iteration and slowly slotting together the stones of the castle. Some of the older stuff like wayward bound or the brutal song of aziel Bartholomew hit certain vibes I am chasing but is also missing a sense of place. That only comes from time spent developing the world in its detail. I just need to spend more time working on it, but sometimes I will spend a day or two working on something and not share it. Other times will share a lot of crap I should not share (like really rough in development [borderline notes] kinda stuff) The sad truth is, is that after had a decade with some long form sh...

  I have watched adventure time all the way through, once a year for more than half a decade. The playful way it deals with apocalyptic deeper themes in such a way that it is still pure whimsey fascinates me to no end.   Yes the best episodes almost all have Simon and Marcy in them. Yes the ending was sort of rushed and falling apart at the seems (and it still works). It still holds up. Fin the human is a great character who is never treated like a lead character. Jake the dog is surprisingly wise even if he isn’t a good father. Ice king is my spirit animal. All this is a list of confusion yet the show is amazing. The whole show was a less sardonic version of mgmt albums like congratulations or their debut. It’s very of its era yet defined what followed. I spent a decade posting bad art on instagram. Quick sketches in a style derivative of the show. I even sent some of the art to pen ward and he told me to keep practicing and I would continue to get better. I used to...

 The air that is warm with your sweat flowers cursing casually innocent smile moist lips say does it feel wrong or feel true through this guilt, I feel empty and reviled   there is a causality, the fragrance The wet soil, a flower rests in spring rain Though will it be chaos or repentance will we choose pleasure or live in the pain   the tension in my hand's heavy breathing your eyes and words consent to this prelude So seeming pleased with what your inspiring Could be your life inspires though I'm confused   I wish to be love platonically yet in this prelude I'm scared peacefully.

  My uncle gave me three hundred old ral partha and grenadier miniatures yesterday day I spent most of the day going through the rows of doors of the containers and sorting them. Some old runquest miniatures and a lot of barbarians but some real quality stuff. Still waiting on some packages of some miniature I ordered. I am getting frustrated with how long it is taking them to ship. Though they responded to my email quickly and assured me they I would get them. I think they are made to order and they are having the wiring in their shop worked on this week, so it is something that can’t be helped. My paranoia has been in full swing again and I find that frustrating. Scared to share anything really personal or even post on most sites. I know this is mostly a stream of consciousness ramble… but I am forcing myself to share something. I would like to review more movies but I am still on my watch the same ten films over and over again until my nervous breakdown passes: phase. So...

  Spent most of the day with Luna letting her fly around and just chilling with her.   I have not accomplished very much on the artistic side of things today. Though I plan on painting some miniatures later today. Still got the end of days blues. And frustration that comes with that. Though trying to reactivate my prayer life and focus on the Lord our God as much as I can though… my thoughts have been very distracted. On the Grim Metal Bedlam front I have been playing with a simple initiative systems with the most likely to be used being a Squad leader and a corporal move first and then the three or four grunts move after the enemy units (at least in solo play). Though I find the system of five parsecs from home really interesting and think if it didn’t add to gratuitous dice rolling I would use it. Simple optional rules like if a model is within 2 inches of an Ally they can jump in front of an attack to attempt the saving throw as a cushion for important units. Or the...

  Luna has been out and flying around for a hour today (I woke up and cleaned her cage then napped till about 12). I just put her back in her cage and came down to write a blog. I don’t think I want to talk about Armageddon today. What will be, will be. I been thinking about sharing some of the rules I been working on. Though I know I go through spontaneities bouts where I share works in progress and then shutdown for a months at a time. I definitely am still working on it though. In design terms I have heard the rules set for grim metal bedlam described as a boomer shooter of a Tabletop game. I kinda get that. Quick deaths and  near unlimited movement though it may take too much terrain and it has over watch as well and kind of a cover system. I think I really like the captan a first mate and squad leader system of star grave. May introduce a captain and corporal as a kind 2nd in command. And those will more detailed stats and are the only units that can use channelin...

  Not been awake very much today. Sleeping for an hour or two and then letting Luna out of her cage to fly around, then rinse and repeat. I feel like harping on the apocalypse is getting to me. Though, I sincerely believe it could be the end (if not biblical then secular). Though some of my hallucinations line up with it a bit too much for my own comfort. I want to read some today and write some and play test some of the game I am working on. All the while the black cloud of the day hangs over all our heads. I think that is where we’re are all at. Trying to move on and get on with it all.  I am staring at the crucification on my coffee table and I am scared. The last judgment is a terrifying thing and not something I understand. So all that out of the way the solitaire I play while waiting for the measuring of my soul towards eternal salvation or damnation it starting to plan a 15mm miniature collection so I can play some of my games on a more manageable scale and so I...

  I got really depressed over the process of having to live through the word ending. I think it started really getting to me so spent most of the day listening to music. Some days it feels like there is no point to sharing anything anymore. Almost afraid to talk about it because things are getting so iffy in my country. I kind of regret sharing the rules for storm crow so early it was more a Proof of concept. Just getting the ideas out and on the page. A step in the in the right direction of starting to work on it. In many ways Tarn and Zach Adam’s are my heroes. Just a relentless pursuit of following their bliss. And they arguebly made the greatest video game of all time in the process. Now it does not often work out that way. But, it will never work out if you don’t try. I am paraphrasing but there was a Zach Adam’s interviews where he said “I have still have all these childish dreams of writing a grand fantasy novel and it will likely never happen but then again dwarf fo...

  Storm crow: or, a glimmering in the dark. What you will need: 4-d6 and a D-20 dice, at least five dwarves models and at least ten goblins models. These should be about 28mm but as a grid based game doesn't really matter. A piece of paper for book keeping and a pencil. Setup: acquire a chess board and place on level surface. Take 4 d-6 and hold in a closed hand four inches above the chess board. Open hand and align the dice without rotating them to or centered on the nearest square. The d-6 represent treasure chest and the number they rolled is how many how how many hundreds of coins are in the chest. Deployment: you wills be facing 4 + 1-d6 goblins roll a d6 and get number of models acquired. Place the goblins any on the first two rows of the opposite end of the side of the board your dwarves will deploy. Place the dwarves anywhere on the first row of the opposite side of the board of the goblins. The point of the game is to get away with as much treasure as you can without ...

  Been a long day so far as I am very tired and probably will not sleep for a while more. That being said I had an idea while sitting listening to dungeon synth trying to decide what to work on…. And I think I will do a daily development blog for the game I am designing (I will post it in the evening.)  Still intend to do the weather report (named in memory of David Lynch’s daily vlog). But it will be a general update on life and the happenings of such. Though I have not worked on grim metal bedlam ruleset directly today. I have been cutting up miniatures and painting them badly. They are specifically being made to be used for play-testing the game. And are painted in a very whim dark way.  Bought an army painter beginners basing kit so I could flock up some models. I feel it was overpriced for what you get but it came with all the essentials needed to do what I need to do this month. The last couple of days the dwarf skirmish game has been on my mind more than ...