ENWorld - It's Confirmed - Sean Fannon has No Intention of Disclosing his Affiliate Links

Before I get into Sean (now doesn't that sound awkward?) I'd like to highlight that ENWorld is indeed continuing to prominently highlight when a post is sponsored. Which is a good thing. Heck, this week's Sponsored Post was posted by none other than Sean Patrick Fannon (SPF) himself. Take a looksie:

So, its obvious that Sean understands the conversation that has been going on about disclosure, advertising and affiliate links. I mean, he is the one that inadvertently got the discussion started for us with this piece of wisdom:

Why is it then, that Sean, obviously under pressure, included such a disclosure on his weekly posting right before ENWorld went down and lost 4 1/2 month of posts (including the one in question) and since resurfacing hasn't disclosed?

Simple. He was trying to get rid of the negative attention he himself had generated. He put himself in a corner and had to find a way out. By posting the above, he figured he had. When ENWorld lost 4 1/2 months of posts, he saw his chance to wish it all away. Because without the above screenshot, it never would have happened.

If it seems that I am insinuating that Sean doesn't appreciate his readers, he most certainly does - as a revenue stream. You see, when ENWorld was offline for those days, Sean's affiliate referral monies nearly disappeared. Now I'm sure in Sean's mind that drop in revenue was due to the disclosure of his affiliate links. Folks simply didn't want to feed his family. Or at least, that's the excuse he's telling himself. ENWorld being offline had nothing to do with it.

My personal experience is that disclosure, disclosure as full as humanly possible, results in a noticeable increase in revenue for The Tavern. Maybe my readers are simply better than Sean's (well, I know they are ;) but I truly believe that folks prefer honesty and openness.

The Tavern existed before there was significant monetary support from the community. It would still exist even if that support were to cease. Your support allows me to devote time to gaming projects, post excessively, be a burr against the skin of those that have taken advantage of the gaming community and, most importantly, justifies devoting my time in retirement to the community and not some time filler of a part time job (yes, you effectively keep Rach happy.) Heck, starting next year you may see us at more than one Convention. Not because I'll be a Guest (thanks Sean for bragging about that today) but because I want to get out and meet more of The Tavern's Community - and game! Your support will make that happen.

Thank you all for your support. Without you, there is no community. Without the community, there would be no reason for The Tavern to exist.

edit: Sean discloses his affiliate link usage at his own site, which makes his failure to do so at ENWord ever more perplexing

Kickstarter - Shadow, Sword & Spell 2nd Edition

I never ran Shadow, Sword & Spell 1st Edition, but I own it. It was a solid system. I just happen to be drawn to S&W and it's derivatives.

Shadow, Sword & Spell 2nd Edition is the latest version of SS&S. I haven't seen the latest version of the rules, but if it holds to it's previous release, it should be a solid system.

It's 10 bucks for the PDF and $45 for the Print in SC (plus shipping)

I'm sorely tempted, but I might just drop in at the PDF level, as I don't know when I'll ever get a chance to run the system (but I steal and borrow liberally for my S&W games).

+Richard Iorio II has a solid history as a game creator / publisher, so I have little apprehension when it comes to the completion of this project.

Mini Review - Edgar Rice Burroughs Adventures (Pulp RPG)

This is going to be a fairly short review, but that's appropriate, as the page count comes in around 66 pages.

So, what is Edgar Rice Burroughs Adventures? It's a fairly simple, mostly d10 based system. Attributes are generally rolled using a d10, but there are alternate methods depending on the source material you plan on using (John Carter roll 1d6 + 4, Tarzan 2d6, etc). Success is determined by rolling a d10 and determining your level of success, or failure.

Adding to the attribute scores are skill, and not having a skill means that your relevant attempts are judged as one success level lower. That's pretty much it.

Character generation and system explanation takes up 44 of the 66 pages of content, and that's where Edgar Rice Burroughs Adventures falters. When you think ERB, you think Tarzan, you think John Carter and the like. Having roughly 8 pages devoted to the three covered settings (Pellucidar, Caspak and Barsoon) is a huge fail. That's not 8 pages per setting, it's less than 3 pages per setting.

I really wanted to like Edgar Rice Burroughs Adventures but there just too little setting for a game that is setting derived and driven.

As a total aside, the PDF clocks in at 342 MB. That's not a typo. Crypts & Things Remastered comes in at 13 MB. On top of that, the ToC is not hyperlinked. ERBA is $4.99 in PDF.

Ah well. Maybe I'll have better luck next time.

Remember, all purchases using The Tavern's RPGNow affiliate links puts 5% of your purchase price into The Tavern's coffers. Don't leave that money on the table for the greedy corps! Tip your barman!  ;)

Comic - Corpus Christie and the Cape Girls TPB - Normally $4.99, On Sale for $0.25 Thru the Weekend

When I posted about the Aegis Publishing 70% off sale yesterday, I missed that the Corpus Christie and the Cape Girls TPB is on sale for 25 cents (normally $4.99).

I don't read much in the way of comics these days, but for a quarter I figured I could take the plunge. I'm very happy that I did. I'm far from through all 115 pages, but what I've read so far makes it worth the price of full entry, let alone 25 cents.

Enjoy :)

Remember, all purchases using The Tavern's RPGNow affiliate links puts 5% of your purchase price into The Tavern's coffers. Don't leave that money on the table for the greedy corps! Tip your barman!  ;)

The Corpus Christie and the Cape Girls TPB follows the zany adventures of Corpus Christie (a girl who is so goth she's actually dead) and her two roommates: Squeak (a dominatrix with a speech impediment) and Purple (a portly dorky goth with serious magical mojo). 

When the trio decides to visit the coffee shop to ward off the evening's ennui, they come across a jock named Brad whose crush on Christie leads him to seek the aid of a voodoo wielding, zombie making pimp. Add to the chaos Brad's ax wielding jealous ex-girlfriend and it makes the perfect recipe for one hell of a bizarre night!

edit - fixed for proper discount link

Aegis Studios - 70% off Sale - Stock Art and More!

$0.45 for 12 images

+Denis McCarthy pointed out on his his Northport Blog that Aegis Studios is running a huge 70% off sale, not just on games and gaming material but stock art too.

The stock art happens to have been done by Denis who is an excellent Old School artist.

At 70% off, you simply can't go wrong.

You can grab Denis' art here and browse the rest of the Aegis Studios catalogue here.

Goodman Games adds 3rd Party Publishers to it's Online Store

Want one stop shopping for your DCC RPG gaming?

Well, look no further. Goodman Games has got it.

Actually, the store is a joy to look at. Ease of use? I'm still knocking it around but I like what I see.

Some of the 3rd party product is not in stock yet sadly, but I assume that has to do with the logistics of the 3rd Party Publisher part of the store just going live.

Disclaimer - I have no affiliation with Goodman Games. I get no monies if you shop at their online store. I share this because it is news and the DCC RPG adventures are some of the best written adventures for ANY RPG system. Period.

Most of the first page

Press Release Weekly - A Collection of Non TableTop RPG Press Releases - September 29, 2016

I get a bunch of press releases sent to me that aren't TableTop RPG related. Instead of sitting on these myself, I figure I'll share them once a week. You never know, you might find something applies to you. If not, they are often entertaining unto themselves.

Some actually bother to address it to me, others? Too lazy ;)

What follows is from the past week or so...

Hello,

CON MAN: THE GAME, based on the wildly successful Con Man series and $3.2 million record-breaking Indiegogo campaign has a new major update which includes new levels, a new campaign manager office and lots of collectibles both from the Con Man world with items such as a bottle of Jack Moore's (NATHAN FILLION) sweat and Jerry Landing's (NOLAN NORTH) mocap suit and borrowed from "real life" beloved sci-fi such as the "Brown-ish Jacket", an homage to Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk's beloved Firefly series.

Want to review the game or talk to Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Felicia Day, or Nolan North? Let us know!

Now available for review on iOS here: http://apple.co/2bHvqt6
Now available on Google Play for review here: http://bit.ly/2bxYcvG

Thanks,
Honey

--------------------
CON MAN: THE GAME has released new information about a major game update coming out today. In addition to the hilarious and addictive gameplay already highly rated oniOS and Google Play, a new convention manager’s office and nerdy collectibles have been added to the game to give players even more to enjoy!

Collectibles can be acquired through acquiring con bags and completing certain tasks. Items that you can digitally collect include things such as Jack Moore’s (Nathan Fillion) bottle of sweat, Wray Nerely’s (Alan Tudyk) action figure, Jerry Lansing’s (Nolan North) mocap suit, and even a Brown”ish” Jacket in homage to one of Fillion and Tudyk’s most beloved shows. Each collectible belongs to a series group and once all in that group has been collected, a special convention buff will unlock. All collectibles will be displayed in special cases in the manager’s office.

The convention Manager’s Office will be the place where players can admire their collection as well as monitor their progression towards certain rewards and buffs. The office will be staffed by an animated Wray Nerely.

For more information, click here: https://honeyhamilton.prezly.com/con-man-the-game-reveals-new-con-managers-office-and-in-game-collectibles

---

CON MAN: THE GAME REVEALS NEW CON MANAGERS OFFICE AND IN-GAME COLLECTIBLES Read more Videos Con Man the Game - Full Trailer Images Links Con Man Series Contact Honey Hamilton xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Hi Erik, I'm writing to give you an early look at the Gametober announcement Newegg will make later today. In addition to offering great deals for video game enthusiasts the entire month of October, Newegg is teaming up with Intel and WD to offer customers a shot at two sweepstakes with big prizes. The full press release is pasted below. There's no embargo on the news - feel free to share/publish if you wish. Thanks, and best regards, John Snedigar PR for Newegg = = = = = = = = = = = Newegg Unveils Plans for 2016 Gametober™ Initiative Company to Offer Great Deals, Exciting Sweepstakes During the Month of October September 28, 2016 – Los Angeles, CA – Newegg, the top tech-focused e-retailer in North America, is celebrating this year’s Gametober™ with great deals on the latest gaming gear, and a pair of sweepstakes with prizes tailor-made for video game enthusiasts. Each October gamers await the release of new titles and video game accessories as publishers and vendors prepare for the holiday rush. This year, with gaming popularity fueled by the rise of virtual reality (VR) and eSports, Newegg will be the best place to find everything gamers need. “PC gaming is on the rise this year as VR and Pro gamers take center stage. This Gametober, Newegg will be the place for everyone to join the fun. We have the right equipment at great prices,” said Merle McIntosh, Newegg SVP of Sales & Marketing. Newegg will kick-off Gametober October 1 with a 72-hour flash sale with deep discounts on video game accessories across all categories, from gaming laptops to components, and everything in between. Also during Gametober, Newegg will partner with some of the biggest names in tech – including Asus, Intel, MSI and Nvidia – to offer exclusive deals. In addition to great deals on gaming products, customers who shop Gametober will have the opportunity to enter two sweepstakes: - Newegg and Intel’s GEARUP4VR Giveaway features a trio of prizes with HTC Vive VR headsets matched with three different VR-ready PCs, including a $5K custom-built ABS gaming PC, an MSI VR-ready laptop, and a budget-friendly ABS VR-ready desktop. - The WD Store-N-Go Sweepstakes gives customers the chance to win great prizes, including a 2016 Vespa Primavera 150, an ultimate ABS gaming PC with more than 12TB of WD storage valued at over $5K, and an 8TB WD personal NAS storage system. For more information about Newegg’s Gametober sweepstakes, visit http://www.newegg.com/gametober. And visit www.newegg.com regularly throughout the month of October to stay up to date on Newegg’s Gametober deals and promotions. About Newegg Inc. Newegg Inc. is the leading electronics-focused e-retailer in the United States. It owns and operates Newegg.com (http://www.newegg.com) which was founded in 2001 and regularly earns industry-leading customer service ratings. The award-winning website has more than 28 million registered users and offers customers a comprehensive selection of the latest consumer electronics products, detailed product descriptions and images, as well as how-to information and customer reviews. Using the site's online tech community, customers have the opportunity to interact with other computer, gaming and consumer electronics enthusiasts. Newegg Inc. is headquartered in City of Industry, California. The Newegg Hybrid Centers are located in City of Industry, CA and Richmond Hill, Ontario. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Hi Erik, The morning after the first Clinton/Trump debate next week, political junkies will be able to download Instant Regret ‘He Said/She Said’ Election 2016 – a free, fill-in-the-blank, interactive multiplayer word game from Blue Loop LLC that lets players skewer the candidates with wisecracking wordplay based on the nominees’ own sound bites. Players simply complete sentences like Clinton’s “We all know the story, but we usually focus on ____________” or Trump’s “We are going to win _____________ and make America great again,” in the cleverest way they can – the more outrageous, cheeky or gut-splitting, the better. Each game can accommodate 4 to 11 participating friends or strangers. One player is assigned to anonymously judge each round. Once that round’s winner is announced, play proceeds to the next round with a new judge. The first player to win 7 points wins the game. I can send you a press release and sample questions, and also arrange a sneak peek. Thanks! Jim Jim Capalbo Account Supervisor xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Hi  – Ever wanted to know what it was like to be inside of a video game? I want to invite you – or someone from your team - to join us to experience NYC’sFirst Interactive Urban Orchard with Ashley Tisdale hosted by King (makers of the popular Candy Crush franchise) on Wednesday, September 21 at Madison Square Park from 9am to 11am. To give you an idea of what the event will be like – we have created an interactive orchard that will be smack dab in the middle of Madison Square Park. See below for a mockup of the space, where consumers will be able to go inside for a truly unique multisensory experience that brings to life the new King game (teaser: there will be wind, a match-four game and delicious orchard treats). We’ll be kicking off the installation with farm-to-table breakfast items for media. And the dome will be open to the public on September 21 and September 22, so you’ll want to get the word out to your readers :) Let me know if you’re able to come and check out the oh-so-instagrammable installation to kick off fall and apple picking season. -Rashidah \ King, the creator of the hit game franchise Candy Crush, will bring to life the “bigger is better” world of the latest installment of Farm Heroes mobile game franchise in a unique, multisensory pop-up WHAT: The Big Apple has indeed arrived in the Big Apple, in the form of a larger-than-life apple Super Cropsie dome in Madison Square Park! To usher in the first day of autumn (and the always-Instagrammed apple picking season) and to celebrate the launch of Farm Heroes Super Saga,  Ashley Tisdale and King invite media  to immerse themselves in a multisensory apple orchard without even having to leave the city! Once inside this Urban Orchard, you’ll be transported away from the hustle and bustle of NYC and into the “bigger is better” world of Farm Heroes Super Saga. You’ll be delighted by playful, experiences that highlight the core ‘Power of Four’ game mechanics of the new game and that will delight all the senses. Glowing Cropsies will hang from a central tree and can be plucked and hugged to trigger a Super Cropsie moment that will allow attendees to discover the exciting aspects and designs of the new game. Media are invited to enjoy breakfast, an overview of the features of the new game, and explore the orchard before it opens to the public at 12 p.m. WHEN:           Wednesday, September 21, 2016                         Media check in begins at 8:30 a.m.; breakfast served until 9 a.m. WHERE:         Madison Square Park, 23rd St., between Broadway and Madison, New York, NY Please RSVP to Rashidaht@ RASHIDAH TIMOTHY  |  Manager, Media Relations

Review - Event Horizon (White Star Adventure)

Last night in Tavern Chat, Rob G and myself discussed Event Horizon, a White Star Adventure by +John Reyst and +Johua De Santo .

Event Horizon bills itself as Sci-Fi Horror and it hits the mark, so long as you aren't expecting slasher flick horror. This is horror more akin to the Alien(s) series of films and similar works.

Without going to deeply into the story / plot, as that would pretty much kill the adventure for any that plan to participate in it, the story kicks off either with the party being captured or after the party is captured. I'm glad it's presented as an option, because the groups I've played with generally believe in death before capture. Starting off captured is a whole 'nother kettle of fish.

The adventure is about survival with a time limit before shit hits the fan. If I were to run this at a convention, I'd like to use a countdown timer as a prop. Set it for 4 hours and have the players watch that clock and understand just how limited their time is. Wish I had thought of that last night during the discussion.

Of course, the elephant in the room is the black hole in space. It's going to mess with reality and warp time. Oh, which means you could suddenly add or remove time from that timer I mentioned. Damn! I'm really liking this.

Did I mention it includes Insanity rules? Something easily portable to White Star in general of Swords & Wizardry.

There is a lot to like with this adventure. The scenes are well described. The adventure pushes the PCs forward while giving them freedom to explore the ship, there's tension and more than simply hack and slay.

While I mentioned using it for convention play (for which I would or would not use the opening scene, depending on the size of the time slot) it also works as en excellent way to kick off a campaign. Heck, if the players survive, they'll have a ship and probably have no clue where they are. Time to explore.

Overall, an excellent adventure. It does require a bit of prep on the GM's side of the table, as you really need to be familiar with the material to run it at full potential, but it should be worth the effort.

Disclosure: Both Rob G and myself were supplied with review copies of Event Horizon for the purpose of reviewing. I'm also a huge fan of White Star. ;)

Remember, all purchases using The Tavern's Open Gaming Store affiliate links puts 5% of your purchase price into The Tavern's coffers. Don't leave that money on the table for the greedy corps! Tip your barman!  ;)

Tavern Chat - Tonight - 9 PM Eastern - With Worse Moderation that a Presidential Debate ;)

Tavern Chat is a free for all and that's just how we like it.

Heck, tonight we may even have a live review / discussion of an OSR release.

I'm sure Ken Whitman will be part of tonight's discussion. ENworld. Kickstarter. Sweden. Oh yes, the potential topics are endless :)

Join us, tonight at 9 PM Eastern right here at The Tavern for the weekly Tavern Chat. There's no telling who may show up.

Full Disclosure: I have no idea who the fuck will show up. Space is not limited. BYOB. No operators are standing by. We do not offer trigger warnings nor refunds. The chat box is the chat box on the right side of this page. Sign in with the social media account of your choice. Cthulhu for President!

Speaking of Whitman - Heeeeeeres Kenny!

I look good in a suit. Maybe if I sneak out the back i can keep it

Fuck it! It's worth a try...

Gotta love that bald headed mug. He's so... something...

No, I didn't bother watching the whole episode. I respect myself too much for that.

Skip to around 5:10.

So Kenny, how many Kickstarter backers are going to get what they paid for with your big break? Did you offer the crew any pencil dice?

The Wandering Wizard, Mike Nystul, Comes in at Number 2

It was awesome waking up to this link in my Facebook Messenger.

Of course, Mike has kept a low profile for the last year or so, which probably makes him marginally smarter than Ken. $120k+ between them. I should have realized but seeing the number on the screen certainly does bring it into focus.

Of course, the money did not "mysteriously disappear." It was invested in Castle Nystul, a company with an office, staff, salary, expenses and no income aside from the KS funds. Oh Mikey! Reach for the stars, shoot self in foot, hit the road and then run into hiding. Hell, THIS should be a documentary!

Gotta love Wikipedia :)

Kickstarter - Trudvang Chronicles (Swedish Fantasy RPG translated to English)

The above graphic for the Trudvang Chronicles is needed, as the $70 support level doesn't really spell out that you are getting the game in print.

Oh, and of course, Pdf should be PDF, but that's nitpicking, right?

Apparently no, it's a "thing."

The below comment from the KS is from just over 2 hours ago:

So they are having a few issues with translation. Actually, it seems like a large amount of issues with translation, which makes me wonder who they hired to do the translation / editing.

It's not that the Trudvan Chronicles hasn't exploded:

Yes, I used a screenshot because I couldn't believe the numbers. Those are Monte Cook numbers without the accompanying attitude.

Trudvang Chronicles is an award-winning fantasy roleplaying game based on the mysterious and dark Nordic and Celtic sagas and myths. Enter a world of enchanted forests, trolls, dragons, spirits of nature, heroes and adventures. Trudvang is both grim and dark, epic and yet down to earth, with a melancholic tone of an ancient age when nature was a living creature and magic was wild and strong. Above all, Trudvang is a saga...

I'm interested. I'm intrigued. I'm terrified it will be a poorly translated mess.

The Tavern's readership spans the globe. Does anyone have first hand / second hand / long distance hand knowledge of the Trudvang Chronicles? Is it worth the leap of faith?

I fall in love with the above art, then I see the below in the video:

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Donation Fund - $500 Bundle for $40 (OSR Heavy Bundle)

One of many products offered in the bundle

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Donation Fund Bundle includes over $500 worth of gaming goodness for $40.

Direct link to the fund: STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE - DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE DONATION FUND

I advise you peek yourself if you want a full list of what is included but some highlights include:

Adventures in the East Mark - Basic Set

Age of Arthur

Atlantis: The 2nd Age

D6 Powers

Designers & Dragons: the 70s

Five Year Mission (for White Star)

Lots of classes and sups for Labyrinth Lord

Classes and sup for the Black Hack

Godsend (multiple products)

Hollow Earth Expedition

Mad Monks of Kwantoom

Mythic D6

Spirit of the Century Presents: Dinocalypse Now

and much more


Remember, all purchases using The Tavern's RPGNow affiliate links puts 5% of your purchase price into The Tavern's coffers. Don't leave that money on the table for the greedy corps! Tip your barman!  ;)