The Independent Insurgency

Phil's awesome game idea

2008-07-21T20:19:51Z

For those of you who were at DexCon's Indie Game Designers' Roundtable this Sunday and heard Phil Walton's awesome idea for a game where you mechanically get rewarded for fist-bumps, high-fives, etc., and were excited about it, he's got a blog for it now.

[Independent Insurgency] Episode 014: Ben Lehman on XXXXtreme Street Luge

2008-07-15T05:29:13Z

In this episode I talk with Ben Lehman of These Are Our Games (aka TAO games). We touch on his game about the lives of microcelebrity extreme athletes, XXXXtreme Street Luge, while conducting a wider-ranging discussion about microcelebrity of another kind, playtesting, ashcanning, and "what's wrong with the indie game design community, and what's always been wrong with the indie game design community." Warning, this one gets a mite prickly.

This episode is 56.5 MB big and 1:01:43 long.

01:43: Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy
02:12: Joshua AC Newman
02:52: The $3 (negotiable) price point
03:21: The free pdf of the game
03:47: Carl Rigney gave away copies at Endgame for Free RPG Day
04:45: Rachel found In a Wicked Age... at Greenfield Games while at JiffyCon on Free RPG Day
05:23: Tell us about the game
06:16: "Look vaguely like Vin Diesel!"
06:23: Pull quote by Elizabeth Shoemaker, who's coming out with It's Complicated quite soon
06:34: New quote, attributed to Joshua and Ralph Mazza
07:11: Ashcans aren't playtested
07:53: Dogs in the Vineyard is a game about Vincent Baker's issues and adolescence
08:27: Polaris about is Ben dealing with issues around activism and burnout
09:14: Bliss Stage is about sex and relationships
10:22: The kill puppies for satan reference in XXXXSL
14:21: The question that XXXXSL is investigating
15:28: Story Games
15:51: Ben's problems with Jason Morningstar's and Clinton R. Nixon's problems with fame
17:43: Ben is working with Anna Kreider on Thou Art But a Warrior (about which more in Episode 12
20:13: Luke Crane
22:41: "Playtesting is somewhat overrated"
24:49: What Ben doesn't like about Playstorming
27:08: Tony Dowler and Ben's snags in making a new race for How to Host a Dungeon
29:18: Primetime Adventures's series creation reminds me of playstorming
30:23: XXXXSL's lineage: The Pool > Inspectres > Universalis > PTA
33:03: Paul Czege of The Ashcan Front
33:34: A game written for Game Chef 2008 is going to be released as an ashcan this year
34:39: What Ben doesn't like about ashcans
36:49: Ben has been playing a lot of Shooting the Moon by Emily Care Boss, Don't Rest Your Head by Fred Hicks, and carry. a game about war. by Nathan Paoletta
38:04: Ben chickens out
40:51: Ashcans and the Sacred Cow Defense League
42:47: The Cockzilla cover for Misspent Youth and its SCDL
47:25: Taking turns in the bullshit phase of XXXXSL
50:36: Defining success for XXXXSL
52:04: The origin of XXXXSL
55:05: Summarizing Ben's prescription for a healthy hobby
57:29: XXXXSL's "amazingly good illustration of Vin Diesel" by Shreyas Sampat
58:40: A reading of the game's ad for 1001 Nights by Meguey Baker

Closing song is Sissyfit by the Hub City Stompers
Logo courtesy of Daniel Solis: http://danielsolis.com/

[Misspent Youth] Reservations! (Don't call it a preorder)

2008-07-14T20:49:32Z

So I'm doing what I'm calling reservations (sort of but not really a preorder) for the Misspent Youth ashcan.

I'm going to be selling the ashcan for $10 at Gen Con. I heard from a few people who want a copy but who won't be able to get to Gen Con. There's an extremely small chance that I'll sell out of copies, so I wanted to set aside copies for those of you who were really excited about the game and won't get to get a copy there. If you want, Paypal me $12 (the cover price + $2 shipping)* at my gmail address, which is at rob dot bohl before I leave for Gen Con (by August 11 at 12 pm Eastern). In the paypal email, include your address. I'll respond to each email I get as soon as possible. Then I'll set aside a copy for you when I get them and mail it as soon as I can.

If you're coming to Gen Con, I'd rather sell it to you there. I don't want to do a huge pre-order thing, I just want to ensure that the people who are enthusiastic about the game aren't going to get screwed because they didn't go to Gen Con.

* Note: If you're not in the continental US, email me at that same address and we'll work out what the cost of shipping will be. I'll just be charging shipping at cost.

[Misspent Youth] Proof is on its way

2008-07-14T19:56:37Z

"The proof with new files is going out to you today ground. You should receive in a few days."

So sayeth the Publishers' Graphics lady about the proofs for the ashcan version of Misspent Youth.

I am excited.

indie_insurgent @ 2008-07-13T10:18:00

2008-07-13T14:18:39Z

Back from Seattle. Got about 2 hours' sleep on the plane, so I'm tired, but I'm good. Thanks, Ogre & Mickey!

Now officially Swine

2008-07-01T20:26:33Z

I now have a Forge board of my very own. This has been a very happy week so far.

Misspent Youth: front and back covers

2008-07-01T03:20:39Z

Hot off the non-presses, the final versions of the front and back covers for Misspent Youth.

Front:

And back:

Me and Misspent Youth on Brilliant Gameologists

2008-06-30T19:46:16Z

The cool folks at Brilliant Gameologists did a snippet about me and Misspent Youth on their latest episode. It was really nice of them. Even if they describe it as the "worst episode ever."

Hopefully I can come to their iteration of JiffyCon in November.

[Misspent Youth] Back cover draft: thoughts?

2008-06-24T00:04:59Z

You can see a first-draft of my attempt at a Misspent Youth back cover here. What do you think. Improvements? Suggestions? All are welcome.

A break in the podcast schedule

2008-06-23T13:57:27Z

Hey folks,

I don't ordinarily do this for my show (I have this silly pride in not breaking the fourth wall), but at the moment I don't have any shows banked that I can use and things are a little hectic, finishing up my game (Misspent Youth). If you're a game designer and you wanna do an interview and you're reasonably close to NJ (I only do face-to-face interviews for the show), maybe you can help me avoid missing Thursday's show-coming-out-failure.

Anyway, it might be a little while for my next show(s), but I promise I'll get back on the stick.

[Misspent Youth] Layout chronicles, Junior High edition

2008-06-18T21:47:11Z

Joshua AC Newman said, of my layout for Misspent Youth, "I'm really happy with it." This is not all he said. There is some work to be done. But I've got this giddy, junior-high, "so-and-so said she likes you" thing going on right now.

[Misspent Youth] First draft layout done?

2008-06-18T04:21:35Z

I believe I have finished the first draft of the layout for Misspent Youth, barring a few (hopefully) small issues.

indie_insurgent @ 2008-06-17T00:45:00

2008-06-17T04:47:23Z

More Misspent Youth layout info: Scanned a bunch of strips of paper. Time to make them into text boxes (tomorrow). I'm excited about this. More excited than these brief sentences suggest.

[Misspent Youth] Layout more than halfway done

2008-06-17T01:22:23Z

In laying out Misspent Youth, I'm on word 10000 of about 16000 in the manuscript. Running 12 pages so far. Either I'm doing a super-cramped layout or I'm really good at this. Anyway, I'm more than half way done. Fuckin' A!

Office Quote of the Day, June 13

2008-06-13T14:19:53Z

"Here's the thing about managers and their employees.... A good manager says, 'Hey--it's my birthday. Celebrate me.' A great manager says, "Hey--it's my birthday. Celebrate yourselves." Because you're the ones who made me great." -- Michael

KABOOM

2008-06-13T14:11:55Z

Reposted from NerdNYC, with thanks to flojin:

[Misspent Youth] And the layout begins....

2008-06-13T12:57:41Z

Laid out page one of Misspent Youth last night, and it looks pretty goddamned good. I'm excited which mostly eclipses The Fear.

indie_insurgent @ 2008-06-12T10:17:00

2008-06-12T14:22:18Z

In this episode, I talk with Jason Morningstar of Bully Pulpit Games about Grey Ranks. Grey Ranks is a game about the 1944 Warsaw Uprising against the Nazis in World War II (not to be confused with the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising). In the game, you play teenage kids (roughly the equivalent of the Boy Scouts) to fight (to ultimate futility) to defeat the Nazis. I get very verbally fumbly at the end, discussing the status issue. Hope you enjoy the show.

This episode is 52.8 MB big and 57:35 long.

00:56: Camp Nerdly
01:07: What it’s about
03:12: The arc of success and failure in the game
04:29: The grid, a map of mental states of characters
06:11: The scene/chapter structure
06:27: In A Wicked Age...
08:50: Historical games and the "getting it wrong" factor
09:15: Anna Kreider
11:33: Radio Lightning
14:02: The Things Held Dear mechanic
16:21: How the conflict system works
19:21: Character death
20:06: The reputation the game has as being dismal
21:49: Why did you design this game?
22:34: Mid-Atlantic Convention Expo
22:46: Luke Crane
26:06: Influences on the game (The Mountain Witch, Shab al-Hiri Roach, My Life With Master)
28:55: How many times was it played before publication?
29:41: The most valuable feedback received
31:18: The hardest thing to fix
31:28: Bill White (designer of Ganakagok)
32:38: What doesn't work?
33:12: A peek inside the structure of Bully Pulpit Games
33:37: Printed by Publishers' Graphics
34:05: Jason says Alphagraphics (aka RPI) are good now (Joshua AC Newman mentioned them in an earlier episode)
35:28: Jason's podcast, The Durham 3
35:50: How Jeff Bent's art is used in the book
38:08: Scott McCloud
39:10: Layout issues
40:02: Form factor & Lulu
42:03: Marketing
42:39: Defining success
44:09: How profit-sharing works in an indie press company
46:58: The Story Game Names Project
47:22: That whole "status" thing
50:52: Anything else to say?

Closing song is Little Julie Swastiska by the Hub City Stompers
Logo courtesy of Daniel Solis: http://danielsolis.com/

Office Quote of the Day, June 11

2008-06-12T13:59:12Z

"Usually when we talk about sex harassment, that's the day everyone harasses me. As a joke." -- Pam

Cute Mario Bros- Revenge of Kermit! Part One (by Liam)

2008-06-12T13:35:53Z

More stories from Liam. He wrote for an hour today to earn time to play with his Wii or on the Internet.

Cute Mario Bros- Revenge Of Kermit! Part 1 One day Cute Mario and Luigi were sitting on the coach. "Oh today is so boring" said cute Luigi "Oh yeah I know" said cute Mario. "It's one of those sunny days on Sunday, and the clock is going by really slowly." Said cute Luigi. "Look" he said. Then there was a song. Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do Do. " I'm kind of thursty. Said cute Mario. " Me too I know what we can drink." "Why don't we have some WOODBRIDGE". Asked cute Luigi. "Um, Luigi I think your a little bit young to have wine even though you have a mu'stace. Said cute Mario. "I'm to young to have wine"? asked cute Luigi. "Yes only I can. So let's throw it away". Suggested cute Mario. "Ok. Bye bye wine". When they threw it away, a genie came out. "EHHH HELLO. I AM A GENIE!!! Said the genie. Our should I say the EHH guy. "I wish we had a bad guy to fight." Said cute Mario. "Yeah and he's really strong". Said cute Luigi " YOUR WISH IS GRANTED"said the genie. "WE TAKE IT BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm scared. I wonder who our bad guy is that we have to fight. A green hand came up Could it be? Yes! It was Kermit The Frog. "AhhHhH! Mario! HA HA HA HA HA! Now I can get Revenge. Ha Ha Ha!" said Kermit "That better not be who I think it is! Said cute Mario.Terror music came. "The names frog OP! Kermit-ravy and your'e gonna die! Ha Ha Ha! {Kermit does sqiggly arms.} "We didn't mean those things we said to you"! "Yeah were very sorry" "Your'e just a bit to touchy that's all." Said cute Luigi. "Don't say it! Nobody says that to me! TAKE THIS LUIGI! Yelled Kermit. "Hey! Nobody hits Luigi but me! Wait, I never hit Luigi but whatever!" EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Po! Ahhh! "Mario? Oh, Fruit Of The Loom underwear gross. Mario! No one does that to me and my brother exept for me and my brother.

indie_insurgent @ 2008-06-11T13:14:00

2008-06-11T17:17:16Z

Adobe CS3 arrived today. I am joyful. Let the layoutage begin.

indie_insurgent @ 2008-06-10T18:31:00

2008-06-10T22:35:37Z

Part 2 of the Mario vs. Sonic story written by my 9-year-old son, Liam. Part one is here. I asked him if he'd like to continue writing stories and he said he would. Cool!

Meanwhile Sonic was running in Green Hill Zone. He came upon a tree. It was talking to him! It sounded like Mickey Mouse. The tree was telling him the same thing Toad was telling Mario but it was about Mario. "Okay, then. I'm on my way to Bejing baby"! said Sonic. Just then Sonic apppered at the Olympics. "Wow, this place is huge!" said Sonic Then he saw Mario."Hey! You must be Mario!" said Sonic. "Yeah. And you must be Sonic." Said Mario. "Let the Grand Finale begin!" said the onouncer. Mario's team went first. Mario ran as fast as he could and then he got all that fat out of him. He than looked like his bro Luigi. Speaking of Luigi Mario Passed the stick he was holding to Luigi. Luigi passed the stick to Wario. Wario passed the stick to Yoshi. Then Mario's team won the first round. Sonic's team was next. Sonic ran really fast. He passed of to Knukles. A Mii said, "Hey we can't beat Knuckles! He's un too fat to run. Knuckles passed of to Vector. "HA HA! I'm beating all the fat people 'cause I got the "EASY" team. Vector cheered. Vector passed of to Shadow. "Yes! Maria! Maria! Maria!" Shadow said. "Seareasly Shadow, stop whinining about Maria!" Sonic said to Shadow. "I can't. It's for Maria! Maria!" Be quiet!" someone snaped. Then the last round began and both Mario and Sonic's team won. Mario and Sonic got 2 Bejing 2008 1st trophys. Sonic said, "Y'no, it doesn't matter who's fat and who's not" "Wanna be friends?" asked Sonic. "Yeah" said Mario. "We'll make it fair. We'll save Super Mario Galaxy and then Sonic And The Secret Rings". And of they went. The End.

Office quote of the day for June 10

2008-06-10T15:14:17Z

We've got an uncommonly good streak lately:

"There are some things a boss can't share with his employees. His salary--that would just depress them. His bed." -- Michael

Mario vs. Sonic by Liam (A Mario and Sonic fan)

2008-06-09T19:58:00Z

My 9-year-old son, Liam, had a half day of school today because of heat (why didn't they pull that shit in my day?). He came home and decided he wanted to write a story. Here's the first part. I'll share more as they arrive. I'm going to transcribe this exactly as he wrote it.

By: Liam (A Mario and Sonic fan)

Mario vs. Sonic.

One day Mario was in the castle. Toad said, "Mario." "Yeah?" asked Mario. "There's a blue hedgehog that's faster then you." "He made me jelous!" said Toad. "Who?" asked Mario. "Well, his name is Sonic." explained toad. "Who the heck is Sonic?" asked, Mario puzzled. "I just said." said Toad. "Anyway, he'll be chalenging you at the Olympic games". said Toad. "The Olympic Games?" "Where is that?" Asked Mario. "In China" said Toad. "But were all the way here in the Mushroom Kingdom." "How the heck am I suposed to get there?" asked Mario "Well, look up there." said Toad. Mario looked up. Just then Mario had wings. He found a Portal to the Olympics and went in.

[Misspent Youth] Production Panic!

2008-06-09T14:48:37Z

At Joshua AC Newman’s suggestion, I checked with Publishers’ Graphics on when they’d need to have my PDFs by to have my books to me by August 7. This is going to make my timetable to get the books by Gen Con much tighter. I really need to kick my own ass to get shit done on time now. Shame on me.

I’m grateful to Joshua for thinking to make me ask this question. If the books are at Gen Con, it’s his "fault."