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November 30, 2000: Beowulf Deck Plans

The bluelines (printer's proofs) of the Beowulf deck plans arrived today. Since Shawn Havranek and I had to inspect them anyway, we decided to lay them out and do a proper job of it. We soon drew a crowd, and we could have sold three sets to SJ Games staff right then and there. They look blue in the photos because they are blueline proofs -- the real deckplans will be printed in black.

The plans are very impressive, as the accompanying photos show (Shawn's in the first one, sitting by the bow of the ship, I'm in the second, leaning over in the green t-shirt). We decided to put out some Cardboard Heroes to see how things would look (that’s Deck 2, consisting of seven sheets -- Decks 1 and 3 have two and four sheets respectively). Wow, that cargo hold is huge!
-- Loren Wiseman

Warehouse 23 News: Cheap games for dorks!

New in Warehouse 23: Dork Covenant, a compilation of Dork Tower 1-6, and Chief Herman's Holiday Fun Pack from Cheapass Games.

-- Michelle

November 29, 2000: Professor Cyborg

He's planning to turn homself into an input/output device for his computer. Then, when his wife gets the operation too, they can exchange signals. This is real - see the MSNBC story.

Warehouse 23 News: Run! It's a Gazebo!

Knights of the Dinner Table Illustrated #1-3 is now available at Warehouse 23.

-- Michelle

November 28, 2000: Miniatures Follow-Up

Thanks to all those who wrote me with comments or further questions about the miniatures project. Glad to see you're interested . . .

No recount will be necessary on the question of scheduling vs. quality. There were exactly zero votes for "get them out on time, no matter what." Thanks . . . you're the kind of customers Richard and I want to have.

Yes, the miniatures will eventually appear in Warehouse 23, but not right away. First we have to keep up with retail store demand. And we want to give the stores a short "exclusive" period with each set before the same figures appear for sale online. Remember, gang: support your local retailer or he'll close his doors.

And yes, initial feedback on the big maps has been good enough that we will do a giant-sized version of the G.E.V. map in an upcoming set.
-- Steve Jackson

Warehouse 23 News: Prom, football and superpowers!

As if high school wasn't hard enough, try being hunted by dark powers and dealing with emerging supers abilities. GURPS Supers School of Hard Knocks on special this week at Warehouse 23.

-- Michelle

November 27, 2000: Just Shipped

Three new releases left our warehouse on Wednesday, headed for your local game store:

Deluxe Ogre Deluxe Ogre
We're introducing our new miniatures line with a bang! This big set contains everything you need to play a basic Ogre scenario, with a Paneuropean Ogre Mk III attacking a Combine command post - using 1/285 miniatures as the playing pieces. It includes the Ogre rules, a giant-sized version of the Ogre map, and all the miniatures needed to play the game in three reusable plastic cases. Ogre Ogre miniatures have not been available in years - and the original Combine figures were a very limited release - but here they are again, with some vehicles resculpted and better than ever!

Miniatures in 3 video boxes, map, and rulebook with a slip cover, #10-5001, ISBN: 1-55634-464-3, $49.95


GM's Screen (for GURPS Traveller)
Put the Third Imperium at your fingertips with this fact-packed GM's screen. Two screens contain all the charts, tables, and other essentials for the GURPS Traveller Game Master. And, since every GM needs a tavern to start the adventure off right, here's a poster-sized floor plan for Brubek's, the starport bar . . . and a sheet of new Cardboard Heroes miniatures showing typical patrons.

2 two-sided screens with 1 floor plan and 1 sheet of Traveller-specific Cardboard Heroes. #6619, ISBN 1-55634-457-0, $10.95


In Nomine 2001 Calendar
Want to celebrate Quetzalcoatl's birthday? Or the Dalai Lama's? Or the Emperor Norton's? Do you really need to know when the Egyptian New Year starts, or when and what Whuppity Scoorie is? Look no farther.

The In Nomine 2001 Calendar features a new color cover by Rogerio Vilela . . . twelve beautiful ink drawings by Ramon Perez . . . and hundreds and hundreds of religious and secular holidays from around the world. There's at least one for every day of the year, collected and annotated by Micah Jackson and Ken (Suppressed Transmission) Hite.

It's beautiful, useful, and very, very strange. What more could you want?

Black & white interiors, color cover, #9011, ISBN: 1-55634-477-5, $9.95

-- Keith Johnson


November 26, 2000: Torpedo Joe

If you have a sick and twisted mind, a fast net connection, and some time on your hands, you could do worse than visit Joe Cartoon. His latest offering is a downloadable game, "Torpedo Joe," in which you turn dolphins and manatees into sushi and brighten the lives of merpeople, while being careful NOT to blow up the nice fishing boats.

Anybody out there work for a Playstation publisher? This just begs to be turned into a really tasteless two-player game for those who think Super Mario is just a little tooooo cuuuuuute. Send Joe some money and make the game.
-- Steve Jackson


November 25, 2000: The Witch Hammer

The Malleus Maleficarum (The Witch Hammer), published in 1486, was the how-to manual for the Inquisition. What witches do, how to identify them, and what to do with them after you drag them screaming from their homes . . . it's all here. If you're planning to demonize and murder hundreds of thousands of people, you'll want to study this book.

Or just bookmark the page for Halloween next year, and be very afraid.


November 24, 2000: Cold Turkey

Illuminated Site of the Week: Adbusters takes everything sitting down. The only use they see for shopping centers is mall walking; beyond that, they want consumers to think twice about their spending habits. Consumerism, they claim, is out of control, and a cornerstone of their non-financial empire is the annual post-Thanksgiving Buy Nothing Day, aimed at the busiest shopping day of the year.

This, of course, does not apply to gaming stuff, which you should buy, buy, buy. Fnord.
-- Suggested by Clark D. Rodeffer


November 23, 2000: Too Many Orders!

Not that I'm complaining . . . much. But our new casting division, though it cost an arm and a leg to set up, is getting good reactions. Maybe too good.

We are nowhere near caught up on filling the orders for the Deluxe Ogre set . . . we really need to hire at least one more miniatures caster! (If you're interested, check out the jobs page.) Initial reactions to the set have been very, very good. This is gratifying, but still leaves us in a crunch. We are now asking ourselves, quite seriously, if we should push back our miniatures schedule by a month or so and delay new releases until we get caught up. I hate it when we fail to ship on time, and I hate missing sales (the miniatures investment is quite a ways from paying off, even given the big start). But driving the staff crazy seems like a bad idea (and somewhat redundant). And if we rush too much, quality will drop, and that is NOT an option.

Stay tuned. I'm not quite sure WHAT we'll do. Have a happy Thanksgiving. Our offices will be closed until Monday.
-- Steve Jackson


November 22, 2000: So You Want To Lose?

We haven't pointed at Brunching Shuttlecocks recently. So here we go. If you think your life is too complete and fulfilling, and you want to see how the other 9/10ths live, check out these Sim Games For The Successful.

Warehouse 23 News: Keep Track of the Year in Style!

The In Nomine 2001 Calendar is now available at Warehouse 23.

-- Michelle

November 21, 2000: GURPS Traveller: Starships Now In Playtest!

From launches to liners, from patrol boats to pirates, a starfaring campaign requires ships. GURPS Traveller: Starships details the "View from the Deck," the experience of being aboard a starship. Passengers and pursers, bridge crews and black gang, owners and deckhands . . . they're all here. Charters and salvage operations are included, spiced up with encounters, adventure seeds and a cast of NPC owners, masters and crew.

GURPS Traveller: Starships is now in playtest! Pyramid subscribers can access the playtest files. And if you're not already a subscriber, subscribe today!
-- Keith Johnson

Warehouse 23 News: Start dueling faster!

Spend less time designing and more time blowing things up with Car Wars Vehicle Design Sheets, on special this week in Warehouse 23.

-- Michelle

November 20, 2000: My, Bonzo, What Long Arms You Have

Bionic arms and legs . . . metal limbs controlled by the wearer's brain . . . they're on the way. And they can reach a loooooong way. See the Discovery.com article - and here's one with a different slant from Excite.com.

November 19, 2000: Election Parody for Geeks

See, now, if WE had been in charge of this election, it all would have come out . . . just the same. See what I mean at perpetualelection.com.
-- Steve Jackson

November 18, 2000: GURPS Spirits Now In Playtest!

GURPS Spirits spans history and geography to bring you the dryads and nereids of ancient Greece, the angels and demons of Christianity, the djinn of the Arab world, the manitou of the American Indians, the loas of Voudoun . . . and more. It covers celestial and natural spirits, picking up where GURPS Undead left off with ghosts, and expands the ritual magic system of GURPS Voodoo.

GURPS Spirits is now in playtest! Pyramid subscribers can access the playtest files. And if you're not already a subscriber, subscribe today!
-- Keith Johnson


November 17, 2000: If Only We Had Known

Illuminated Site of the Week: The Nobody for President site would have come in handy this year. Consider it a cautionary tale you can use next election, assuming we finish this one.

-- Suggested by Curtis


November 16, 2000: Transhuman Space Concept Art

We're doing something a little different with this new "all star" series of GURPS books. We're spending as much energy on the conceptual art as we are the planning and development of the setting design itself. Handling the herculean chore of designing the look and feel of this world is Christopher Shy, who is possibly best known for his countless White Wolf products and our own In Nomine hardcover reprint cover art.

A sneak peek at some of the Transhuman Space concept art is available on the GURPS Transhuman Space product page.
-- Philip Reed, Art Director


November 15, 2000: At Last . . . Deluxe Ogre!

At Last . . . Deluxe Ogre! After many trials and tribulations, Deluxe Ogre is about to ship. Here's our heroic casting and assembly crew posing with the first completed copy (which is now in the auction). That's Minia tures Department Manager Richard Kerr with the stylish Hawaiian shirt and manic grin . . .

It ships next week, albeit in limited quantities. The week after that we'll ship enough more to complete the orders we have now. The casting crew will stay in overdrive to be ready for RE-orders . . . and to get the next sets out.

The figures look good. It's finally working, and I'm very pleased.
-- Steve Jackson

Warehouse 23 News: Tales From the Vault

Warehouse 23 now carries Tales From the Vault Vol.1-3, the compilations of Knights of the Dinner Table com ics printed in various magazines.

-- Michelle

November 14, 2000: Cover Sketches

As a peek at the design process, we're going to start posting cover sketches as they come in. The first book we're "showing off" is the excellent David Day painting for GT Alien Races 4, along with the first pencil sketch for the cover. Once the final painting is in and the cover design completed we'll post that and fans can watch as our production team works its magic.
-- Philip Reed, Art Director

November 13, 2000: L. Sprague de Camp

L. Sprague de Camp, one of the last of science fiction's "golden age" heroes and the author of the Krishna series on which GURPS Krishna was based, died November 6, a few weeks short of his 93rd birt hday.

Visit the de Camp family site for an obituary, bibliography, and other information.

I had been reading Sprague's stories since I was very young, and I never ceased to enjoy them. I had the pleasure of meeting him at several SF conventions over the years, and it was a great honor to be allowed to publish a game book based on his work. He was always very easy to work with, helpful and interested in the project. I'm glad that he got to see it.
-- Steve Jackson


November 12, 2000: Reflex Tester

How good are your reflexes? How much time are you willing to spend to eke out another tenth of a point of reaction time? You can answer both questions right here.

November 11, 2000: Alien Races 4 Playtest Update

A discussion board for the GURPS Traveller Alien Races 4 playtest has now been opened, and will be moderated by Loren Wiseman himself. The files for five new alien races have also been added to the playtest area, with more coming shortly.

Additionally, the initial cover draft sketch has been posted to the Alien Races 4 page. Keep in mind that this is not the final version, but it does give you an idea as to what it will look like!

Pyramid subscribers can access the playtest files. And if you're not already a subscriber, subscribe today!

-- Keith Johnson

November 10, 2000: They're Watching Me, and I Have the Receipt to Prove It

Illuminated Site of the Week: What do you do if you can't afford the designer fragrance? You buy generic, of course. Since aliens don't have time to abduct everyone, anyone looking for a close encounter with EBEs need go no further than Alien Abductions Incorporated. They'll work with you to instill the baffling and frightening fragments of memory, and for a modest upgrade they'll provide claustrophobic surveillance, alien abduction encounter g roups, a lecture circuit...the sky's the limit, but now you're on the outside looking in.

-- Suggested by Timothy McDowell


November 9, 2000: The Truth Is Out!

Now that the election is finally over, and the winner is known, we can reveal that . . . whoops. Never mind. Fnord.

November 8, 2000: Games 100!

Two of our games made it into this year's Games 100 listing. Tile Chess was listed as one of the year's dozen best abstract strategy games . . . and Chez Geek was their #2 pick as Best Party Game! C ongratulations to designers Jason Wittman and Jon Darbro, and to everyone who worked on both projects!

November 7, 2000: Needed: A Job To Fit The Tool

Nanotech is breathing down our necks. Check out the incredibly tiny tweezers developed by Harvard researchers . . . not quite small enough to manipulate single molecules, but getting t here.

November 6, 2000: Build It And They Will Come, Da!

The Russians are now falling for a pyramid scheme - even though one detractor complains that her potato crop is worse than ever. See the ABC News story.

November 5, 2000: GURPS Traveller Cardboard Heroes


Here are some samples of the Cardboard Heroes figures included with the GURPS Traveller GM's Screen. The art is by Tom Biondolillo, colored by Alex Fernandez.

November 4, 2000: Steve Jackson Games Seeks Production Artist

Are you a Quark hotshot with a love of games? If so, then we have the job for you! Check out our Job Openings page for more details.
-- Alain H. Dawson

November 3, 2000: IllSotW: Kind of Puts that Dental Appointment in Perspective

Illuminated Site of the Week: If you haven't started your Christmas shopping, here's depressing news: J.R. Mooneyham's essay, "An Illustrated Speculative Timeline of Technology and Social Change for the Next One Thousand Years," has our future history figured out to the tune of quadruple digits. He admits he's just guessing at some of this stuff, but considering NASA doesn't know where its next jar of Tang is coming from, you've got to admire the man's ambition.

-- Suggested by Joe Chaparro


November 2, 2000: Illuminati and Y2K

You may wonder why we're announcing Illuminati and the Y2K expansion again. Simple. We've been out of both of them for months. That wasn't mentioned on the blurbs you saw yesterday, which were simpl y taken from the web pages describing the games . . . but we sold out of both of these long before we expected to, and have been frantically working to get them reprinted and into stores before Thanksgiving. Whew . . . made it.

It's too early to announce that we are working on another supplement, so I won't announce it, nor will we answer any questions about what if anything I might have meant by this hint fnord. So don't bother pleading, unless you are prepared to offer -- not mere money, the Illuminati laugh at money -- but [NOT AVAILABLE AT YOUR CLEARANCE].
-- Steve Jackson


November 1, 2000: Now Shipping!

Several new things are shipping this week:

GURPS Bestiary, Third Edition GURPS Bestiary, Third Edition
Rule the animal kingdom with GURPS Bestiary! This new edition of the popular supplement includes many of the popular creatures from prior editions, as well as dozens of new beasts. There is an expanded section on using animals as PCs, with templates (and rules for making new ones) and sample animal characters. GURPS Bestiary also includes animal folklore from around the world.

Stock #6011, ISBN 1-55634-412-0. $19.95.


Ground Forces (for GURPS Traveller)
When human worlds are threatened, people depend on the Imperial Marines and the Unified Armies -- the Ground Forces. They are the only soldiers most citizens ever see. People may follow orbiting battleships as bright "stars" in the sky, but for the average man it is the Marine in battledress and the imposing bulk of an Army grav tank that embody the Imperium.

GURPS Traveller: Ground Forces covers the "ground pounders" of the Third Imperium and their comrades in arms, the sailors of the "wet" navy and the pilots of the Close Orbit and Aerospace Command.

Stock #6614, ISBN 1-55634-444-9. $20.95.


GURPS Fantasy Folk, Second Edition GURPS Fantasy Folk, Second Edition (reprint)
From the tiny, winged Ellylon to treetop-tall giants, this book brings 24 nonhuman fantasy races to GURPS. This book includes new, expanded versions of such fantasy "standards" as elves, dwarves, orcs, and halflings, as well as exotic creatures such as savage minotaurs, four-armed insect warriors, and magical, mischievious leprechauns.

Stock #6015, ISBN 1-55634-309-4. $20.95.


Deluxe Illuminati (reprint)
They're all around us. Secret conspiracies are everywhere, and where can you find the only truth? Certainly not in the game of Illuminati. Fnord.

The phone company is controlled by creatures from outer space. The Congressional Wives have taken over the Pentagon. And the Boy Sprouts are cashing in their secret Swiss bank account to smash the IRS! Two to six players compete to grab powerful groups and increase their wealth and power. No ploy is too devious, no stratagem too low, as you scheme your way to victory.

Stock #1305, ISBN 1-55634-384-1. $34.95.


Deluxe Illuminati Y2K Expansion Deck (reprint)
This supplement deck for Illuminati contains 110 more cards. New Specials, new groups, and more blanks to let you create your own groups. And two new Illuminati . . . you saw them in INWO, now they're in the original game . . . Shangri-La and the Church of the SubGenius!

Stock #1325, ISBN 1-55634-374-4. $19.95.



-- Keith Johnson


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