Former TSR Designer Jean Wells has Passed

There are numerous tributes and remembrances popping up around the Internet to mourn the loss of former TSR designer Jean Wells.  She was a fine person who I met briefly at Gary Con and they have a nice article of her passing on their site to which I am redirecting those who wish more details.  She will be missed.

Game Of Thrones Season 2: "Shadow" Tease on YouTube

HBO's YouTube channel has the Game Of Thrones Season 2: "Shadow" Teaser video posted.  Enjoy!

Northwinter Press New Book Coming

In their own words, Northwinter Press wishes to let you know -

As we prepare for the second book in the trilogy, Northwinter Press is offering 100 free copies of the first book, Arawn's Quest, over at Smashwords! Enjoy and please don't hesitate to let us know what you think here or on our Facebook Page.

Monster Stand-Ins from Inkwell Ideas

The excellent Joe Wetzel of Inkwell Ideas has a kickstarter project for Monster Stand-Ins.  There are only a couple more weeks to get in on the ground floor of this cool undertaking.  In his own words -

Monster Stand-Ins are a set of plastic card (same thickness as most credit cards) miniatures of creatures for role-playing games or war games or board games. Use them when you don't have enough miniatures or don't have the right miniature. The front of each will have a full-color picture of a creature and the back will have a matching silhouette.

John Wick Presents . . .

John Wick has revealed much of his 2012 plans on his YouTube channel.  Enjoy!

Nicol Williamson Passes

Just a quick note to mention the passing of Nicol Williamson (September 14, 1936 – December 16, 2011), one of the great actors of our time and, notably, one of the best protrayers of Merlin ever.  Though he died in mid-December, his passing has just been formally announced on his website by his son Luke.  Below, Nicol Williamson is pictured (to the right) in a still from John Boorman's Excalibur (1981).

Comic Strips Galore

If you sometimes find yourself in need of a little light reading, you probably enjoy a good comic strip.  I was recently directed to a site called The Perry Bible Fellowship (don't let the name throw you) that has a ton of comics under its wing but be warned, some deal with adult themes.  Check it out and you'll see what I mean!

Paper Soldiers as Art

Over on tinybeeteeth.tumblr.com, there was a recent post highlighting some very cool artwork that I wished to share.  Read more here!

Remembering Forrest J Ackerman

Forrest J Ackerman was a science fiction author, among other things, and was also renown for his vast collection of memorabilia.  I was recently directed to a video from 2008 uploaded (soon after Ackerman passed away) by ericm showing a short film recounting some of the treasure trove that "Forey" would delight in showing off on tours of his home and collection.  Enjoy!

College Humor - Female Armor Sucks

This little skit has been out since last June and I'd almost forgotten about it.  Check out what the good folks at College Humor have to say about how Female Armor Sucks.  Enjoy!

Tolkien's Prose

An early January Guardian.co.uk article gives some insight into why Tolkien was passed over for a Nobel Prize.  Although nominated by his friend, Professor C. S. Lewis, the 1961 jury rejected his nomination.  The fifty year moratorium on releasing the notes from that jury has now expired, and so have become publicly available.  Read more here!

Nerd Pride Radio

There's a podcast out there that I only recently discovered that I've been enjoying a great deal.  It's called Nerd Pride Radio and the host, Mike Jones, discusses all things nerd-related in an upbeat and friendly style.  He's not always politically correct but he's trying.  Check it out here!

Game of Buddies

My friend Rich recently pointed me toward a funny video from last summer which re-imagines A Game of Thrones as a buddy comedy movie.  Enjoy!

SOPA and PIPA Protest Blackout

This site is participating in the SOPA and PIPA Protest Blackout.  Please contact your legislators to protest these poorly written initiatives. I will be unavailable for 24 hours CST on January 18, 2012.  Here is more information on the details.

Dick Blick Art Supplies Winter Clearance

Dick Blick Art Supplies is currently running their Winter Clearance sale and it includes a limited number of Logan FoamWerks Sets.  Check out all the savings here!

Going Cardboard: A Board Game Documentary

There's a documentary in the making called "Going Cardboard: A Board Game Documentary" and a rough cut segment has been made available for it here.  Enjoy!




Collecting Designer Board Games from Lorien Green on Vimeo.

Dungeon Bastard at it Again!

YouTube's epicleveltv has a new Dungeon Bastard video wherein Bill Cavelier gives tips to a would-be DM.  Check it out here!

Gen Con Indy Event Submission Form Video

Gen Con Indy is trying to smooth the process of event submission for their August convention this year.  Event submission began yesterday and they have created a video and uploaded it to YouTube for everyone's edification.  Check it out here!

Sale at lulu.com

Something many people use but even more don't know about is lulu.com where you can find all manner of tabletop gaming products in Print On Demand format.  If you haven't looked there before, check them out now while they have an excellent Buy One, Get One for 50% Off sale through January 15th, 2012.  Coupon code available here!

Weird Tales Artist Magaret Brundage

There's a very cool article from November 2010 over on junglefrolics.blogspot.com about Weird Tales 1930s artist, Margaret Brundage.  As a local artist, while they were based in Chicago, her pastel works graced the covers (including some Conan drawings) more than any other.  Read more here!

Tolkien's Song of Durin

Here's something from five years ago performed by Colin John Rudd (he has some other Tolkien performances on his YouTube channel, as well).  Enjoy!

Munchkin In and On Target

Steve Jackson Games's Daily Illuminator recently reported that Munchkin can now be found in Target stores, which is a big coup for any tabletop gaming publisher.  Good for them and all of us!

Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure

Creative Mountain Games is proud to be supporting the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure with prize support for one walker's raffle.  You can get more details and find out how to purchase raffles tickets here!

The 100 Year Starship Project

Recently report on MSNBC.MSN.com on their Cosmic Log, former astronaut Mae Jemison has been chosen by the Pentagon to lead a project to explore development of a multigenerational starship.  Read more about it here!

BBC One "The First Question" trailer

Oh, Doctor Who fans will love getting to check out this new trailer from BBC One on the 50th Anniversary Special.  Enjoy!

Loviatar Issue #6 has Arrived

Loviatar issue #6 has arrived in my mailbox and this zine just keep getting better and better.  Check out the run down on Christian's webblog for Loviatar here!

Cavemaster RPG Kickstarter

Want to get in on a very cool ground floor?  Well, there's nothing more ground floor than the floor of a cave!  RPGer and illustrator extrodinaire, Jeff Dee, along with Talzhemir/Manda, through Uni Games, are seeking a bit more funding for this serious, Stonepunk RPG using the Habilis system in a Pleistocene setting "that never was!".  You can find out more about it here!

Alien vs. Pooh

There's a funny little 40-page humor piece on godxiliary.com written and illustrated in the appropriate style about what would happen if Ridley Scott's horror surfaced in the 100 Acre Wood.  Laugh it up while you can!

Neil Gaiman on NPR

I caught wind of this on Facebook.  Neil Gaiman did a ten minute spot on NPR just before the holidays that's got some very humorous moments.  Check it out here!

The CMG Blog Triad 2012

The CMG Blog Triad for Creative Mountain Games (links for all three to the top right) has grown over the last half year and my goal was to keep posting on the main blog daily and alternate every other day in the other two corners.  This has gone well but I find I often have more links and material to post that sometimes I set aside for later or don't post at all rather than make combination posts on any given day, since I like to keep most posts brief and to the point.  Because of this, in 2012, I am stepping up my blogging to include daily posts on all three corners of the CMG Blog Triad.  Here is how they generally breakdown.

Grymvald.com houses blog posts that are geared toward campaign settings, inclusive of my own Grymvald tabletop RPG setting.  Although I had previous included posts about genre movies on the main blog, since I often don't review movies outright but rather try to view movies and write about them with an eye toward what can be utilized as inspiration for setting creation, I will be blogging in that vein on Grymvald.com in the future.  I'll also be adding more campaign and setting essays there in 2012 and I hope they prove useful to everyone who reads them in their own creative efforts.

MFWARS.com includes rules-based materials as well as links to all sorts of creative videos and websites that assist tabletop gamers in bringing their game sessions to life.  There will continue to be YouTube links to videos geared toward miniatures and scenic design and building, painting, molding, casting, and the like.  I'll also be stepping up the number of rules essays I post there.  Hopefully, my own ruminations of game design will prove of interest, particularly as it relates to the Griffins & Grottos Medieval Fantasy Wargames and Roleplaying System as well as the Surcoat Combat Miniatures Game, and other works as they move from idea through enactment.

CreativeMountainGames.com continues to be the main blog and will house announcements for CMG, like news of my CMG offerings, and miscellany not more properly posted in the other two corners of the Blog Triad.  Mind you, this is not to say that there will be much, if any, material not related in some way to tabletop gaming.  This is a site and company devoted to those pursuits and there will be very little material found here that isn't somehow tied to the hobby.

I hope that 2012 will be a fun and productive year for everyone involved in tabletop gaming and I hope that what you find in all three corners of the CMG Blog Triad are useful and inspirational to every gamer who takes the time to check each corner every day or when time permits.  My thanks to all who follow this blog and to those who will discover it moving forward!

The Hobbit: Peter Jackson's Fifth Video Blog from the Set

Peter Jackson recently released a fifth video blog from the set of The Hobbit film.  Enjoy!