Spooky Outhouse Productions

Meet Chris

Chris Helton has been running the Dorkland! Blog for ten years. That is quite an accomplishment. To celebrate, he is raising money to attend Gen Con this year. Help him here: http://www.gofundme.com/GenCon-Fund.

The List

Pete asked me (and I promptly forgot) to make up a Top Five post for the site. He knows that I’m a fan of mashups (check this link if you don’t know what I’m talking about http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mashup_%28music%29). This is a mix of favorite producers, collections and songs in the style that I really like.

1. One of the best mashup album/compilations ever, bar none, is Uptime by The Kleptones (http://www.kleptones.com/pages/downloads_ud.html). This album demonstrated the complexity that demonstrated that mashups could transcend being a bunch of samples hung over a beat. Check out tracks like Voodoo Sabotage, Mad Groove (which features the famous monologue from the movie Network), or Welcome Back. All three are also good additions to any party mix.

2. Dean Grey’s American Edit (http://bootiemashup.com/sf/deangray/) This was a mashup of the songs from Green Day’s American Idiot with a number of other songs. For the geeky people, the song “Dr. Who On Holiday” is particularly great, with a mashed up bit of conversation between then President George W. Bush and a Dalek.

3. DJ Earworm (http://djearworm.com/) is one of the greats of the style. He specializes in complicated series of intricate samples that turn songs inside out and transform them into something new. He’s also been approached by musicians like Annie Lennox to create unique new mixes of their music. What I like about his work is that he manages to take songs that I normally do not like and transform them into something that I am actually willing to listen to musically.

4. The Evolution Control Committee (http://evolution-control.com/index.php) actually started the whole thing by doing what is considered to be the earliest mashups. They were sued by CBS News for their “Rocked By Rape” song that attempted to make commentary on the sensationalization of television news using a series of samples of Dan Rather, taken from the CBS Nightly News. I think that it was a successful commentary, and eventually CBS News decided that they had to back down.

5. After all of this I’m going to do a cop-out number 5 and say “websites.” Now that I’ve introduced your to some of the movers and shakers, I will tell you some of my favorite places to find the good stuff. First off is Bootie (http://bootiemashup.com/blog/) . Bootie is a once a month event in San Francisco, with satellites around the world (and in Second Life) that specializes in playing mashup music. They’re also one of the best places to find mashup music on the internet. Mash-Up Your Bootz (http://www.mashupyourbootz.blogspot.com/) is an event in Europe that does similar things and features a lot of great European mashup producers. Be sure to check out DJ Schmolli (http://djschmolli.com/) because he is rapidly becoming one of the best in mashups.

I hope this little introduction to mashups gives you some interesting new things to listen to. There is some really cool and interesting music that is being made in bedrooms and basements, and the cool thing is that the music is still getting to light up dance floors around the world. 

The post Community Voices: Chris Helton’s Top Five Mashup List appeared first on Geeky & Genki.

The lead designer of Fate Core shares the awesome, so we can be awesome. Awesome!

The post How To Make Your Fate Games Awesome with Lenny Balsera appeared first on Geeky & Genki.

On the Waterfront this week.  Next week is The Lady Eve.  As always, follow along on our iCheckMovies list, and be sure to let us know how you’d rank the movies in the comments below.

On the Waterfront – July 28, 1954

Director: Elia Kazan
Producer: Sam Spiegel
Writers: Budd Schulberg
Actors: Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb
Distributor: Columbia Pictures

The course of the conversation:

Jonathan’s biggest exposure to Brando.

We’re going to be adults about the boobs.

Nathaniel dislikes modern Oscar fodder.

Ripped from the headlines!

Parallels can be drawn to Elia Kazan’s testimony in front of HUAC, but probably not enough to spend too much time on it.

Jonathan has a terrible memory.

The difficulty of making the movie.

Nathaniel doesn’t know if he would have made that decision.

Mark Wahlberg would be Terry Malloy in a modern-day remake.

We go into the priest.

The priest is the only one who could play the moral compass in this story.

Edie is the one who forces Terry to act.

The redemption of America.

Lee J. Cobb plays reprehensible so damn well.

Nathaniel is terrified of Gene Hackman.

It’s the little ones you’ve gotta worry about.

Eva Marie Saint gives a good performance, up until the script lets her down.

In our theoretical, modern-day remake, Edie would hopefully get a fuller character.

John Turturro is not John Leguizamo.

We’re glad that On the Waterfront came so quickly after Raging Bull.

The juxtaposition of the “Charlie” scene in On the Waterfront and the “Charlie” scene in Raging Bull is genius.

Context is everything.

Leonard Bernstein’s score was so overwhelming.  And not in a good way.

The drama button and Skrillex.  Either might be better.

Dear Internet: Please give us a version of this movie without the weird sound decisions.

Score-writing guy.

Jonathan and Nathaniel place the movie high on their lists, but it’s Michael who has a surprising casualty.

Jonathan manages to screw up the closing of this show, too.  It’s like a disease or something.

In the seat:

• Scott

recorded 04/23/13

Let’s make our game better with some improvisation tips.

The post Improv 101 with Kristin Brumley appeared first on Geeky & Genki.

There is a ton to think about here. It is definitely worth your time.

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Holy Fuck! This issue is like a punch to the gut, but in a good way. In case you are unfamiliar with Danger Club, let me provide some exposition. This is a world that once had heroes. They all left earth to fight a cosmic menace, and never returned. The heroes left their sidekicks behind in order to keep them safe. Safe is the one thing that these teen aged heroes aren’t. Like the issues prior issues, this one opens with an old school styled page. The clue for this issue is the time machine of the fiendish Dr Tik-Tok. The next page, though already shown from a different angle in a prior issue is the sucker punch. We get to see American Spirit, President of the Global United States addressing the lost sidekicks. He tells them that youth is no excuse for the actions that they have taken and that their is a price. This price is the execution of Kid Vigilante. This is one powerful page. We get to see the decrepit form of American Spirit ensconced in the White house. He makes his horrid pronouncement while the sidekicks huddle in hovels and other abandoned places. the page ends with the grisly execution leaving no room for doubts about what has happened. Despite knowing that it was coming, it was still a shock. After such a powerful page, I almost expect the rest of the issue to be let down. I am sorely mistaken as the hits just keep on coming. In prior....

#1 Oblivion from Universal opened at #1 with a gross of $37.1 million in 3,783 theaters.  Budget was $120 million.

#2 42 from Warner Bros. fell from #1 to #2 with a gross of $17.7 million (-35.5%) in 3,250 theaters (+247).  Total gross to date is $53.8 million.  Budget was $40 million.

#3 The Croods from 20^th Century Fox held at #3 with a gross of $9.2 million (-29.6%) in 3,435 theaters (-254).  Total gross to date is $154.6 million.  Budget was $135 million.

#4 Scary Movie 5 from Weinstein Company fell from #2 to #4 with a gross of $6.2 million (-56.6%) in 3,402 theaters.  Total gross to date is $22.8 million.  Budget was $20 million.

#5 G.I. Joe: Retaliation from Paramount fell from #4 to #5 with a gross of $5.8 million (-47.1%) in 3,175 theaters (-360).  Total gross to date is $111.2 million.  Budget was $130 million.

#6 The Place Beyond the Pines from Focus Features rose from #10 to #6 with a gross of $4.9 million (+27.2%) in 1,542 theaters (+1,028).  Total gross to date is $11.6 million.  Budget was $15 million.

#7 Olympus Has Fallen from FilmDistrict held at #7 with a gross of $4.5 million (-38.3%) in 1,697 theaters (-297).  Total gross to date is $88.8 million.  Budget was $70 million.

#8 Evil Dead (2013) from TriStar fell from #5 to #8 with a gross of $4.1 million (-56.7%) in 2,823 theaters (-202).  Total gross to date is $48.5 million.  Budget was $17 million.

#9 Jurassic Park 3D from Universal fell from #6 to #9 with a gross of $4 million (-54.2%) in 2,330 theaters (-448).  Total gross to date is $38.5 million.  Budget was $10 million.

#10 Oz The Great and Powerful from Buena Vista fell from #8 to #10 with a gross of $3 million (-38.2%) in 2,045 theaters (-459).  Total gross to date is $223.7 million.  Budget was $215 million.

#11 Tyler Perry’s Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor from Lionsgate fell from #9 to #11 with a gross of $2.2 million (-50.7%) in 1,405 theaters (-400).  Total gross to date is $48.9 million.  Budget was unknown.

#12 Home Run from Samuel Goldwyn opened at #12 with a gross of $1.6 million in 381 theaters.  Budget was unknown.

The combined gross of the top 12 movies this weekend was $100.3 million.

Sources:
Box Office Mojo

Release date – 11/9/2012

MGM/Columbia Pictures

Directed

• Sam Mendes

Produced by

• Michael G. Wilson
• Barbara Broccoli

Screenplay by

• Neal Purvis
• Robert Wade
• John Logan

Based on James Bond by Ian Fleming

Cast

Daniel Craig

• James Bond

Judi Dench

• M

Javier Bardem

• Raoul Silva

Ralph Fiennes

• Gareth Mallory

• Word Association!  Sun… Moon… Skyfall…
• Tony and Darrell saw a sneak preview of Defiance.
• Best parts… Javier Bardem, the opening credits with Adele, and Judi Dench.
• Favorite Bond songs.
• David didn’t like the movie until Bardem.
• Bond… old?
• Sacrificed by M?
• The Shanghai scene was great.
• Q was very cool.
• The set-up of the characters and relationships was handled very well.
• The Komodo Dragon was silly, but fun.
• “Skyfall” was a great turn and end of the movie.
• Shoot up the Aston Martin? Oh hell no!
• Allowing Bond and M to break away from their stoicism lifted their characters.
• “I like you better without your Beretta.”
• Was the rumor of Sean Connery supposed to be Kinkaid?
• Rating this Bond movie with Quantum of Solace and Casino Royale.

Trivia bits-n-pieces:

• It was rumored that Kevin Spacey was considered for the villain, but declined due to scheduling conflicts.
• M’s house is the former house of John Barry, the legendary Bond composer who passed away in 2011.  Both the score for Skyfall and the use of his house were tributes to Barry.

Awards (partial list):

• Academy Awards – Original Song, Sound Editing
• British Academy Film Awards – Outstanding British Film, Original Music
• Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards – Best Action Movie, Best Song, Best Actor in an Action Movie

Your Producers for this episode were:

• Tony
• Darrell
• Tony
• David

This episode was recorded:  4/17/13

From the Kickstarter:

Invulnerable is a supers RPG with versatile powers, intense combat, and a complete setting. Grab some dice and save the world!

The Questions

You are at a convention on an elevator with a gamer wearing a superhero t-shirt. You have 15 seconds to pitch your game to him. What do you say? 

Hey, you want to try a cool superhero game? I wrote it, it’s called Invulnerable. Heroes are versatile and fast to make, combat is gritty, and it’s got a nice built-in setting. You should give it a try.

What do you tell someone who wants to know why we need another supers game?

 Why do we need any games beyond the first one? Because more options are better. Invulnerable gives you the strengths of a point-based system, while mitigating some of the weaknesses. Invulnerable emphasizes moral choices, making heroes think about what is the right thing to do. Invulnerable lets you make the hero that you want quickly, but still has a gritty and intense combat system. It’s a balance of elements not often seen.

Are there any particular games that inspire any part of the game?

I really like HERO system, but characters take awhile to make, and some players are really not down with how complicated powers are to build. Aberrant is cool, but its mechanics are limited to only certain kinds of characters. Wild Talents is pretty close to what I hoped to accomplish with Invulnerable, with its “graphic novel” approach, but Invulnerable’s powers aren’t effect-based, and most of the powers you will ever need are pre-built.

How about comics? Any inspirations?

Absolutely! Spider-Man and many other Marvel comics inspire the drama that the Motivation system in Invulnerable. I loved Next Wave: Agents of H.A.T.E., and its satire, silliness, and over-the-top violence. Aside from its other themes, X-Men’s continual emphasis on training and expanding one’s powers works well with Invulnerable’s versatile power system. Out of all DC heroes, Batman has always been the most interesting; he’s a man of training, gadgets, discipline, and gadgets, keeping a city of madmen at bay, usually alone (or with one young partner-in-training); his dedication and sacrifice is intense and inspirational.

If I walked into a session of Invulnerable, what would I see? Hear?

You would see a bunch of people getting really into their characters, their motivations, and what makes them tick. You’d see a bunch of people throwing wads of six-sided dice, fighting a tense battle, cheering and booing as their characters are in danger. You’d see players deciding which of their many Power Enhancements they want to bring to bear on the situation, which one is cool that they haven’t used yet.

Does the game have a tendency to encourage a certain tone?

Invulnerable’s default tone varies between the dark and grittiness of modern comics, and the slightly silly surrealness of the Silver Age. The mechanics tend to make the game a little darker, since there are well-defined combat and damage rules, but the setting is serious with touches of silliness.

What would be a great five song playlist to get me ready for a session of Invulnerable?

It’s pretty tough to choose just five songs for a comic book game; comics are almost a family of genres, more than a single genre. With that in mind, I can recommend a few.

Neurotech is a big inspiration for Invulnerable. “The Sky Is Always Open” is the song I chose for the Kickstarter video. “Up In The Sky” by Joe Satriani has a crazy, breakneck tone that sounds perfect for a chase scene. Combichrist “Sent to Destroy” is perfect for darker supernatural heroes. Assemblage 23’s “Disappoint” has a perfect tone for a tragic hero origin. “Walking through the Wonderland” by Malaise always reminds me of a group of heroes fighting to save a world that hates and fears them.

What is the Vigilante Edition? Was there an earlier edition of the game? Why this one?

The first edition is “Year One Edition.” It’s been out two years, actually. It’s done well, but it’s too art-light, needs better editing, and there is some errata that needs correction, so now is a good time for a new edition.

What else would you like us to know about Invulnerable?

Invulnerable RPG: Year One Edition is a Silver Best-seller on DriveThruRPG.com, where it’s rated 4/5 stars. Game Knight Reviews gave it a very good review here: http://www.gameknightreviews.com/2012/09/game-review-invulnerable-tabletop-super-hero-roleplaying-game-by-joshua-kubli-from-imperfekt-gammes/  

Invulnerable has one sourcebook, Dauntless, and a bunch of free downloads: character sheets, combat tracking sheets, and the like. There’s also lots of content on the Invulnerablog: http://invulnerablog.imperfekt-industrees.com/.

How can we find out more about it?

The easiest way is to go to my website, www.imperfekt-industrees.com. You can also e-mail me with any questions at jkubli@imperfekt-industrees.com.

How has the campaign been going?

Fairly well for such a small company as mine. There was a flurry of pledges at the beginning, and it’s slowed down since then. I’m hoping to make steady progress until the project completes; keep an eye on the Kickstarter page for announcements about IRC chats, Google+ Hangouts, and other announcements in the next few weeks!

Thanks so much.

Meet Joshua 

Joshua Kubli is a game designer and IT worker that lives in a little town outside the Oregon state capitol. He loves comics, sci-fi, fantasy, parenting, philosophy, and coffee.

The post Question the Crowdfunder: Joshua Kubli and Invulnerable appeared first on Geeky & Genki.

Doctor Who

Billy West & John DiMaggio

Silver Surfer is emo

Table Top: Dragon Age

Did Thom get schooled? Yes. Yes he did.

Using an RPG system in a video game

Cyberpunk 2077 and Interlock Unlimited

We talk a bit about Defiance

Cross pollination between games and TV/movies is the next step in the evolution of entertainment

Hosts:

(the) Brian
Ian
Thom

Hosts: Megan, Timo, Todd 11:57: What did we play? Timo- Apocalypse World Megan- Apocalypse World, Fiasco, Guacamelee Todd- Apocalypse World, Fiasco, Vampire, Dishonored 28:59- Topic We discuss whether or not characters have a sort of “external life” outside of who … Continue reading →

Hosts : Rob and Mike
BS! Memberships: Spooky Outhouse Productions
Music : All music used with permission of Ghoultown

a sweet primer from a premier tarot based roleplaying game

The post Fortune’s Fool 101 with Jay Stratton and Jason Keeley appeared first on Geeky & Genki.

Welcome to an all-new feature here at Ideologyofmadness.com: Superman with Aron and Paulie. It’s been 75 years since Siegel and Schuster gave the world their Superman in the pages of Action Comics #1. For more than seven decades the Man of Steel has inspired stories told in comics, radio, novels, TV shows,  movies and more. This podcast, appearing monthly here on IoM, will feature your Funnybooks friends talking about The Man of Tomorrow. For this our inaugural episode, we provide commentary on the three part Superman The Animated Series pilot – THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON. Plus, we talk about the extended MAN OF STEEL trailer and the new fighting game for XBOX and PS3, INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US.  And if that wasn’t enough, we unveil our all-new Superman contest! There’s lots to love about that strange visitor from another planet and this is your place to hear us do just that. We hope you enjoy it. Give us a call at 972-763-5903 and leave us your thoughts. If we use your voicemail, you’ll win an Ideology of Madness SurPrize!

The Producer & The Moose review…

Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac

Developer: Irrational Games

Publisher: 2K Games

Genre: 1st Person Shooter

Rating:

• The Producer: Buy It
• The Moose: Rent It

Thank you to Matt Selznick for his comments on the review of his own book, and to Tony for affirming my impressions of the man.

Your Host:

• Scott

Recorded: 18/04/13

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an hour long interview with the man behind Third Eye Games and the unique TEG house system, the Dynamic Gaming System

The post DGS 101 FEATURING ELOY LASANTA appeared first on Geeky & Genki.

Toolcards : Fantasy GM Cards »

Toolcards are easy-to-use cards that inspire the GM to run fast, exciting adventures. Names, monsters, treasure. Toolcards has it all.

#gandg

The post Get Your Character’s Name into the Toolcards: Fantasy Deck appeared first on Geeky & Genki.