In our fourth sandbox episode, we flesh out the crew with non-player characters, discuss a bit more about cool-things-we-want-in-the-game and end with some character mechanics.

Give us a call at 972-763-5903 and leave us your feedback. If we use your voicemail, you’ll win an Ideology of Madness SurPrize.

Podcaster’s note: Star Trek: Aegean is released bi-weekly(ish). Episode 5 will arrive the weekend of December 4.

In our first episode, we decided on the type of game we wanted to play.  This time, we settle on characters.  Tim, Wayne and Jake pitch their Captain concepts while John helps sort them out.  Additionally, the departmental leadership is resolved. After listening to this episode, you will understand why we started calling this series STAR TREK: SHORT BUS.

Give us a call at 972-763-5903 and leave us your feedback. If we use your voicemail, you’ll win an Ideology of Madness SurPrize.

Podcaster’s note: Star Trek: Aegean is released bi-weekly. Episode 3 will arrive the weekend of October 15.

One last thing, Deep Space Nine is now streaming on Netflix.  That’s pretty flipping cool.

I forget what put me in the mood, but I’ve had a desire burning within me to run a Trek role playing game for awhile.  As a guy who’s GM’d Star Trek for decades, it’s been awhile since I’ve had an active crew.  More than two years.  Longer maybe?

So I put out the call…

Joining the crew are Funnybooks’ Tim and Wayne, Thistledown John and Knights of Reignsborough artist Jake Ekiss.

In this first episode, the guys establish their Star Trek street cred and discuss what they’d like to see in a Star Trek game.

Star Trek: Aegean is sponsored by SausageFest.

Despite my love for BBC’s programming (though I’ve sadly missed the majority of the latest season of Primeval), I’ve never, in my life, seen a single episode of Doctor Who. I’ve always been curious about it, but, for no particular reason, just never got around to watching the damn thing, despite everyone telling me how great it was. I know that the guy who plays the Doctor swaps out every couple of years (though I’m not clear as to if it’s written that way, or if it’s just actors moving on to new things), and that the newest Doctor is played by Matt Smith, who I’m not sure if the fans love or hate (I guess it depends on the fan).

I also know that the last season was run by Steven Moffat, taking over for longtime showrunner Russell T Davies, and that Moffat also created the latest BBC series Sherlock, also something I’ve wanted to see but just haven’t gotten around to.

Well, Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott talked me into watching Doctor Who. The guy (Slott, not Who) camped out ALL DAY to watch the premiere of the show in a movie theater, along with hundreds of other fans. I mean, I can’t think of a single TV show I’d do that for … sure, maybe a new Star Trek show or maybe even the premiere of Supernatural, but even then, only if the cast and crew would be there. But there aren’t a ton of TV shows airing now that, I feel, have earned the die hard loyalty that I, as a fan, would love to give something, and that, at least it appears, Doctor Who fans feel for their show.

So…I decided to give the good Doctor a shot, watching the sixth season premiere (the second season with Smith as the Doctor), part one of the two-part “The Impossible Astronaut.”

Major Spoilers from here on out, by the way…. Read the rest of this entry »

Written on April 26th, 2011 , Movies & TV, Science Fiction, Television

Ya know, I just can’t bring myself to write a long review of 51, another entry in the new series of After Dark Originals that had a recent premiere on SyFy Channel.  Unlike the first entry, Husk (review here), which was pretty damn great, 51 feels like what you’d expect to premiere on Saturday night on the SyFy Channel.  I really expected a Mega Shark or a Croctopus or whatever the hell to show up at any moment in all tv-level CGI glory.  Yes…it’s that bad.

Starring a tv-level cast including Bruce Boxleitner, Rachel Miner, Jason London, and John Shea, and directed by Jason Connery (who also directed a pretty crappy flick called The Devil’s Tomb), 51 has tv-level everything … production values, acting, special effects and writing.  I think the only one who comes out of the flick relatively unscathed is Boxleitner, and maybe that’s just because, no matter how many people love the guy (present company included), I don’t think we really expect too much out of him to begin with.

So what’s it about?  Well, the government has allowed a group of reporters “exclusive” access to Area 51, with the intent of making people think that there are no actual aliens there.  But then the aliens get out (duh) and there’s a midget alien, and a shapeshifting alien AND a Giger-esque alien … all in one movie!  Of course, by just throwing every cool thing you’ve ever seen in an alien movie, you end up not having any real rules, and just leaving your audience feeling like you’re making it up as you go along … hell, they probably were.  Skip this piece of crap.

Paul's Awesomeness Score - 1 out of 10!

Written on March 14th, 2011 , Horror, Movies & TV, Science Fiction

I was tickled to come home tonight to find that one of my Fear the Con buddies has released a music video detailing his romantic woes of loving a woman who don’t like Firefly.  I played in a game with Mikey Mason last year and if I recall correctly, he’s in my Shipwrecked on Monster Island game at FTC4.

The video and song crack me up.

Enjoy!

Written on March 9th, 2011 , Movies & TV, Science Fiction Tags:

It was a sad week for comics.  Not only did very little hit the stands for the first week of January 2011, but there was also very little in the way of quality in these books.  But don’t despair, there were a couple of winners.  Plus, we return to What If We Were Writing…?

Join Aron, Paul, Tim, and Wayne for the 78th weekly episode of Funnybooks:

  • Timmy Loves Paulie, but Screwed by TiVo
  • At long last, Wayne gets to see Young Justice
  • Steel #1
  • Ultimate Comics Captain America #1
  • Superboy #3
  • Avengers Prime #5
  • Batman Beyond #1
  • Thanos Imperative: Devastation
  • What if we were writing…Marvel’s next big event?

The secret is at last revealed. You gotta be a science fiction writer if you wanna get laid.

Written on January 9th, 2011 , Science Fiction Tags:

Okay, full disclosure.

I just about wanted to kill myself watching the original Tron.

I couldn’t remember much about the original Tron, but was given an opportunity to see it a couple of days ago, and jumped at the chance, figuring that it could enhance my viewing of Tron: Legacy, which I’ve been dying to see.  See, fans of the original have been excited about Legacy for its continuing of the storyline – me, I was excited about it because it looked amazing.  I didn’t know much about the story and, to be honest, Marvel’s prequel comic to the movie just confused the hell out of me.

So I gave the first flick a shot and, while I admire what it was doing at the time, I also understand why ultimately the film is a cult hit and not one of those cherished classics, like Star Wars or Indiana Jones.  I mean, it’s quite an unexciting film.  Visually interesting, but storywise, it just didn’t cut it for me.  If anything, it actually hurt my motivation to see the sequel.  I understand that it has its audience, and I get it…I just couldn’t get into the movie.  Nonetheless, I was determined to see Tron Legacy on its opening weekend.  Did 28 years make a difference in storytelling technique?  Did the film live up to its awesome visuals? Read the rest of this entry »

This truly is one of my favorite things!

Written on December 8th, 2010 , Movies & TV, Science Fiction Tags:

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