Frog Blog

[robotnik2004]

I'm absolutely charmed by the lost frog meme, a child's poster for a lost frog that internet funsters have run with a la All Your Base. L & I have been telling one another, "I lost my frog!" "Him name Hopkin green frog!" and chortling over our deathless wit all week. I even posted my own modest contribution to the meme.

Last night we tried out an Akira-Kurosawa-meets-Reservoir-Dogs roleplaying game called The Mountain Witch, which I really liked, but I think I ended up in the minority on that subject. I did make one huge mistake in how I ran it, a rookie error that pretty much mystifies me. In the long run, I think my skin might be too sensitive to keep trying to sell these indie games to our Ad Hoc crew. I wrote a loooong post about the game and how it went on the Forge. I should write something about it for the 20'x20' Room, too, pitching it there not as feedback for the author, but for a more general audience. I feel bad about how derelict I've been at 20'x20' lately. I've still got a half-written post waiting around about my Paranoia game back in September. Say, isn't the 20'x20' Room's one year birthday like, tomorrow, or the next day? Maybe I can do something with that.

I also posted something today for Veterans/Remembrance Day on the newly unveiled www.robmacdougall.org, backdated to conceal my tardiness. Mucho blogging!

p.s. I'll find my frog. Who took my frog?

Comments

[jeregenest.livejournal.com]

I'm prety sure I've said I'd play about half the adhoc games we've played again.

And I don't think Mountain Witch did anything that Wyrd or Wushu or just about any other games does in bringing characters to life quickly.

That said I thought you did a great job qwith the game and shouldn't sell the session short.

[robotnik.livejournal.com]

I'm prety sure I've said I'd play about half the adhoc games we've played again.
That's possible, but I don't think any of them were games I ran.

That said I thought you did a great job qwith the game and shouldn't sell the session short.
Thanks. See Bryant's post and my response, below, re: separating criticism of the game system from criticism of the GM. Intellectually, I know they're not the same thing, but it's easier said than done.

[bryant]

I liked it. But I know what you mean about selling. I was thin-skinned for months after I ran MLWM, much to my embarassment. I suspect we have not yet entirely abandoned the expectation that the GM is obligated to provide the fun, which seems to me to be somewhat antithetical to the experimentation model.

But I liked Mountain Witch, anyhoo.

[robotnik.livejournal.com]

I suspect we have not yet entirely abandoned the expectation that the GM is obligated to provide the fun, which seems to me to be somewhat antithetical to the experimentation model.

Yes! That's it exactly. And even if that isn't reasonable, it's hard to get out of that mindset. (Plus the combat/task resolution thing actually was my fault.)

(And I liked MLWM.)

[jeregenest.livejournal.com]

This is how I look at it. Every adhoc game has been fun, because of the group. Many of the games don't necessarily stand on their own merits.

But lets be honest, theres little that you guys would run that wouldn't be fun for one session, including Rifts or D20. The question is is there enough depth and possibility in the mechanics to make that certain game worthwile to return to given our limited time and ability to get folks together. Which is what I mean when I say I wouldn't play something again.

[papersource.livejournal.com]

I liked the blog entry. except for the ungenerous comment about your wife.

[editswlonghair.livejournal.com]

If you ever do want to try to run it again, you know I'm down (Kurosawa fanatic that I am). BTW- whatever happened with that wushu/Moorcock game we made characters for lo those many months ago? That sounded fun.

I got a good laugh reading your forge thread, connecting gender neutral pronoun to name of person you meant. I'm pretty sure I teased out how it all went. ;)

[robotnik.livejournal.com]

You would have been great for this game.

I'd still love to run that Chinese Sorcerer game, but I have my doubts about the likelihood of scheduling it.

[mgrasso.livejournal.com]

I'm pointing people to your blog post. So wonderful and sad.

You should really compare notes with wordwolf on grandparents in WWII.

Ribbets and crows!

[equine-cocoon.livejournal.com]

After many sleepless nights, here is my contribution to the frog meme : http://lostfrog.org/104.html

Re: Ribbets and crows!

[robotnik.livejournal.com]

That totally rocks.

Note, by the way, that the Hopkin poster has been explained, somewhat: Hopkin explained.