@chgowiz@dice.camp
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

chgowiz

@chgowiz@dice.camp

Hi! I'm Michael, aka Chgowiz. (Chicago-Wiz).

Parent, grandparent, US Air Force vet, IT/programming guy. D&D/Traveller nerd, NERD!

DIY/hobbyist at things. Co-author of One Page Dungeon template - author of "Three Hex Campaign Starters"

Dungeon Masters's Handbook podcast: https://chgowiz-games.etinerra.com/podcast/

Blog: https://chgowiz-games.etinerra.com/wp/

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

chgowiz, to random
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

With the amount of coverage that Google's 'udm=14' URLparam is getting, and the fact that its probably getting used alot, I have to wonder how long it will be before the Big G turns it off, because they want the AI to win.

chgowiz, to random
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

The original 1997 Fallout is quaint, but not easy!

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@SJohnRoss This is my first time. I explored Vault 15 (grr) w/Ian, I rescued the girl with a trade, I accidentally ventured into the Necropolis and snuck--noped my way outta that, and now I'm at the Hub. On a hunt for the McGuffin!

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@SJohnRoss I'm reluctant to give away spoilers, even for a 27 year old game...

chgowiz,
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@AndreasDavour @SJohnRoss No harm in that, I do it all the time. I'm playing two characters in this Fallout run - the first, I stumble around for a bit. Then the second, I know what I need to do and I'll read hints/tips and see how it goes.

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@SJohnRoss @AndreasDavour The one thing I appreciate of single player vs. most MMO games is that I can use saves to experiment. MMOs are less forgiving, IMO, of mistakes, but their quests and activities are usually geared towards less chance of making a permanently fatal/game-bad-ending mistake.

chgowiz,
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@SJohnRoss @AndreasDavour I guess all that to say is that I learned back in the early 80s to save early, safe often when trying things!

nickdrawthing, to random
@nickdrawthing@dice.camp avatar

Soliciting more advice! This time about NPCs.
My feeling is that West Marches games benefit from being outside of civilization and safety. Danger is the whole point. So it can be difficult to justify the existence of non-hostile NPCs in that setting without undermining the challenges upon which the whole format hinges.

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@nickdrawthing I've ran a West Marches for about 15 years now, for 3 campaigns in the same world.

In my game, NPCs are vital, for both the home base and that there were those who were in the wilds doing their thing, possibly helpful, maybe not.

This is where the 2d6 NPC reaction check came into play.

chgowiz, to Illinois
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

Aurora seen in far NW Illinois on 11 May 2024. Hasn't been this bright, this far south, in decades.

Green ribbons of the aurora seen in far NW Illinois on 11 May 2024. A tree filled horizon is silhouetted at the bottom.
Green ribbons of the aurora seen in far NW Illinois on 11 May 2024. A tree filled horizon is silhouetted at the bottom.

Tim_Eagon, to random
@Tim_Eagon@dice.camp avatar

Though I've been drifting away from for a while now, it's still feels really weird to be completely uninterested in the latest releases. I mean, not even a twinge of FOMO.

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@Tim_Eagon This is how I am about the new versions and the upcoming 6th edition. Just... :shrugs:

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@Tim_Eagon I'm the worst RPG customer in the world. I have all of the AD&D/1e books, I have the retroclones (S&W 3rd print, OSRIC) that I enjoy, I have my copies of Traveller 1977 and 1981, OD&D + supplements and Chainmail books. And I'm good. I just don't drop money anymore on RPG books because... well... I'm set.

The only new RPG book I've bought in the past year is the Pendragon Starter set that I keep meaning to play w/my wife.

chgowiz, to random
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

Yep, for some folks, the rules are RULES.

For others, they're more like guidelines.

Probably easy to see which camp I'm part of...

chgowiz, to random
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

Pics coming. Built my first ever fleshing beam for processing deer hides. I'll be starting to process my first hide from my doe this past Jan over the weekend.

Not sure where to document that "build" as it is ... well... a bit messy and some "things" are involved that might squick folks.

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@SJohnRoss Sure. I posted the setup, what my fleshing beam looks like - it took about an hour to assemble and smooth out the top. The post also has a link to the kit I'm using.

The goal is to make a muff for Angie to keep her hands warm, with fur on and a nice fleece interior to the muff. That way, if I screw up some of the hide, it's a small piece I ultimately need.

I'd like to learn this so I can find uses for all the hides - that way I can use my harvests more completely. As it should be.

mz4250, to random
@mz4250@dice.camp avatar

A friend 3D printed my Kitsune mini in FDM 🦊

Free stls: https://www.printables.com/model/832529-kitsune

Organic supports really are something else :)

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@mz4250 Taily-po! https://www.scaryforkids.com/tailypo/

chgowiz, to random
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We didn't have glasses, so we did the old fashioned "look at the eclipse of the sun through a colander" method. Worked great! This was taken at the maximum coverage (approx 2:03pm US CDT)

chgowiz, to random
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

After 5 days of fevers, about 5 days of no energy and then 5 days of trying to cough up my lungs, I'm about at 80 to 90% of my normal self. Two weeks lost to this bug.

Nasty stuff. I've not been this sick probably since the mid/late 70s. Don't know if its age or just the bug, or both... but ye gods, that sucked.

I feel disconnected from social media and the like, so it might take me a bit to get back into "normal" mode...

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@Tim_Eagon Keep those bugs outta here! LOL. It's went through my family, my office, a lot of folks around town - nasty nasty bug.

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@Tim_Eagon and thank you.

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@Tim_Eagon I've been using Robitussin DM and some warm mist w/Vaporub mist meds. No cough at night, for past 3 nights, while doing that, just mainly during day when I'm outside.

kyonshi, to fantasy
@kyonshi@dice.camp avatar

I wanna point out that Alternative Armies has a lot of old from the 80s in their catalogue, and a lot of them look fucking fantastic.

https://www.alternative-armies.com/collections/dragon-lizards-by-nick-bibby

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@kyonshi I've been buying from Gavin for almost 15 years now and he's a joy to work with. The sculpts are great and the customer service is just as fantastic. Highly recommend!

athena_rose922, to DnD
@athena_rose922@mstdn.social avatar

This is canon now. Blame one of my players who insisted on looking for something involving tentacles in the bookstore they were in.

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@athena_rose922 50 Tentacles of Gray...

What?

chgowiz, to random
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

Back home after a wonderful GaryCon and seeing old friends and meeting new people! So much fun and ThePrincessWife loves her first GC!

But... Not even 30 min after leaving, a raging head cold hit me and I'm now 😭 and I'm now going to bed. Blah!

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@Tim_Eagon Yep, it's done a Momma-said-knock-you-out on me.

chgowiz, to random
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

GaryCon Friday, starting early and with snow!

chgowiz,
@chgowiz@dice.camp avatar

@Tim_Eagon Pretty weather

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