Sean, have you seen there's more info about the D&D 4E GSL available today? WotC have updated the FAQ: [link]

Key news: the "3E OGL or 4E GSL: pick one" restriction applies to product line, not company. So, for instance, Paizo can publish Pathfinder using OGL material, and develop a 4E setting too if they choose to, but couldn't use the Pathfinder setting in 4E products. If I read it aright.

Also, "Bullet Sponge" has a nice ring to it, omnis.

Really? I'd expect squelching rather than ringing.

Frequent squelching.

New topic: anyone else here seen WotC's online boardgame site? [link] I think it's still in beta (and currently free). The games they're offering that particularly interest me are RoboRally and Acquire.

Question for the group: are there any online boardgaming sites you use? If so, which? (I wouldn't mind getting a game going sometime, if anyone else is interested, though with the time difference it could be tricky.)

I'm interested. Also a bit of a night owl. It's about 23:00 here, which is about 16:00 in Canberra (not sure where in Oz you are). But I'm game if we find a site.

I'm interested. Also a bit of a night owl. It's about 23:00 here, which is about 16:00 in Canberra (not sure where in Oz you are). But I'm game if we find a site.

I'm in Melbourne, which is the same timezone as Canberra. But if I'm working, I wouldn't be home, fed and ready for a game until at least 7:00, or 2:00 am your time. That'd be pushing it. Weekends, OTOH...

I didn't even know there were online board gaming apps (other than like Yahoo games, Facebook games, etc). Cool! Let's get some RoboRally going!

I notice they also have Guillotine, which is a constant favorite lunchtime game at my office. Something about work makes people want to decapitate French aristocracy, I guess.

ION, slashdot has a book rec that sounds neat: [link]

It's about the use of the second person, which is almost never done in lit-ra-choor, but overwhelmingly done in games (please to see thread title).

Section One, "Tabletop Systems," contains 15 essays devoted to a discussion of traditional, old-school RPGs, including standout bits penned by the likes of Greg Costikyan, George R. R. Martin, Erik Mona and Ken Hite. It's the most accessible part of the book, and without a doubt my favorite.

Speaking of web games, I just noticed that Oregon Trail on Facebook is now Northwest Trail. Looks like somebody got C&D'd...

I notice they also have Guillotine, which is a constant favorite lunchtime game at my office.

It sounds like a sequel to Down With the King, which I played many years ago. Imagine a card game based on Versaiiles during the reign of Louis XV, and you get the idea.

It's about the use of the second person, which is almost never done in lit-ra-choor, but overwhelmingly done in games (please to see thread title).

I've written several stories in the second person, because of the immediacy of the voice. I think it would be damned near impossible to sustain a whole novel that way, but it's fun to use in shorter fiction sometimes.

I notice they also have Guillotine, which is a constant favorite lunchtime game at my office. Something about work makes people want to decapitate French aristocracy, I guess.

I played this card game with my niece and nephew a lot a few years ago. Very fun.

Back to BT's question:

I would absolutely LOVE to play some online board games. Actually, I think Republic of Rome could easily be played online (provided it also included a chat function for the political phase). Like most computerized versions of board games, I imagine that would speed the game up considerably, since so many of the tedious manual manipulation of cards and pieces is automated by the computer.

I'd be down for playing some RoboRally. I don't remember how to play, but I'm sure I'll pick it up right away.

Obviously the scheduling with BT will be tough, but I'll probably have an easier time scheduling than some, since my schedule is kind of all over the place.