mandisaw's page

Well, there's the question of what aspect in *your* campaign do you want to emphasize - the ongoing changes to the world, or the specific plot of this particular heir?

If it's the former case, then you'd be better off setting it around clans in one of the various Successor States of Tian Xia. There's a lot more room to move around in, both geographically and narratively.

You could always change the destination of Jade Regent to be one of the Successor States instead of Minkai - much of the mythos of the oni and kami that Jade Regent borrows was itself borrowed (or inherited) in the real world by Japan from China. So there's plenty of folklore to enrich your story and keep everything knitted together.

I could also see a scenario in which the events of Jade Regent are like a "prequel" of sorts to your campaign, but rather than having time-travel or have Ameiko call upon her former comrades, you could shift it a couple of generations.

Also, am I the only one who thinks "Need for Speed: Sugar Rush" would be a great game??

I haven't had any time to see it yet, but I have to ask:

Does Emotionally-Supportive-Zangief get any more lines beyond what's in the trailer?

The support group scene is funny and sets the stage, but most of its characters don't show up elsewhere. But there's plenty of other game-mashup fun (plus a *lot* of shout-outs & cameos).

I'm looking forward to renting the DVD when it comes out to pause and catch the references we missed in the theater. "Aerith Rules!" *LOL*

I guess my point is that I don't think it's a "fanservice" issue necessarily. Women aren't men, and I don't believe there is a "fanservice" that will "appeal" to them.

Oh no - women definitely respond to fanservice. Many a man has been surprised (appalled?) by men-as-meat-cataloguing by the women around him. (cf. Jennie Breeden's annual kilt-blowing event at Dragon*Con, with calendars [NSFW?]) But just like for guys, there's a very personal aspect to the "what turns you on" question, and there are more social stigmas associated with even publicly acknowledging women have visual-sexual stimuli for het women, let alone bi/lesbian women.

I feel too awkward myself to try to give a bunch of effectively-strangers my personal turn-ons list, so I'll add to the calls for variety/diversity of images. And more guys with glasses. And more depictions of guys in profile, or from the ah... rear.

I think the whole structure of the game is geared towards dudes, and I think that whatever intersocial/emotional payoff there is in what I'm talking about its probably severely lacking in rpg's, and I at least have the guts to say I don't know what exactly it is, but I'm pretty confident that it's not fanservice.

Good point, and definitely should go in a different thread (and has, in various ways). But really briefly, you actually did hit on it, it's all wrapped up in the social aspects. Gender relations & assumptions, availability & diversity of other female gamers (esp. GMs), where games are played & advertised, etc. There's nothing inherent about killing monsters/stopping villains and stealing/earning 'phat loot' that's dudes-only.

"Female and gay gamers..." - you could interpret it as being specifically directed towards lesbian & trans gamers :)

It'll take me a while but I'll try to get an examples post up today to give some sort of reference point. My one worry there is that it certainly won't be able to cover every sort of base there is as far as what folks do and do not like. Still gonna be reliant on others throwing those details out there for that. Not sure about going into detail about the setting*, as that could reduce the usefulness of this thread to others that may be reading.

Well, setting gives a better sense of aesthetic - there's stuff I like in art geared towards an anime audience that I don't like in my PnP RPG art, or in say, SF/F novel cover art. And don't get me started on video game art...

I'll throw out a couple examples of some empowering/"I'd like to play that" book covers: C.S. Friedman's Magister Trilogy and Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate books

Characters aside, even though Kamala's dressed in rags (Magister, left) and Alexia's swathed neck-to-toe (Parasol Prot.) they still have some air of defiance in pose and attitude. There's a sense of self-control and control of the environment that appeals, and the costumes are slinky/form-fitting, but don't undermine the attitude in a slutty way. In fact, Siderea (Magister, center) is actively/aggressively promoting her sexuality, (cue tentacle caressing) but hers is the most compelling cover IMO.

As for what to avoid, Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series. Love these books, but I dismissed them *3 times* based on the dopey cover art. The covers are standard urban fantasy slutty-chic, with touches in each one that hint at Mercy's as-written greasemonkey nature. Lots of real-life garages/toolshops have played off the hot-chic-working-on-cars motif, so it's kinda sad that these covers go for the cliche rather than going for something more interesting. It's only once you've read the books that the schtick with the tattoos/props comes across, and really, who notices the wrench when all that boobage is in your face?

There are a lot of tips for GM & player roleplaying around on the web and here in the forum archives. But the general advice I'd give is to go with your (and your group's) strengths, and try to relax. Roleplaying is an entire spectrum of stimuli & actions - feel free to use whatever works for you and ignore what doesn't.

If you're not good with voices, try gestures - you can give impressions of personality with "noble" vs "crude" gestures, or dramatically slapping the table or stomping your foot.

Some folks like to play music, if you're in a home or similarly controlled space. Aside from the gamut of RPG-specific CDs released, there's also movie soundtracks (you can pick something classic D&D-related, like LotR or old/new Conan, or expand to other genres like horror, pirates, Asian, Mid Eastern etc). Some of the blog/forum entries have people's RPG-friendly music playlists, so it's worth doing a search.

If you're into props, try showing your players pictures of the NPCs they're interacting with. You can pull images from online, from adventure PDFs, whatever floats your boat. Paizo does some nifty Face Cards that pretty much pulls a selection of NPCs from the Adventure Paths, so if you don't have color-printing handy, you could try those.

Heck, if you're tech-enabled, you could pull up pictures of NPCs & locations (buildings/cities, ruins, wilderness landscapes) on a tablet and have it on the table for folks to ooh and ahh over :)

And don't forget anything that generally relaxes you & your players. For some folks that's having a chat about random BS for a bit before you get underway, for some folks that's passing around snacks, for some folks that's having a couple beers. Whatever floats your boat.

Questions are a bit broad - could you give some sense of what you're looking at/for, or maybe some examples. It's a bit easier to give a useful response if there's something concrete to say, "yeah, I like this, or, no, I don't like that". So much about art & (self-)image is subjective and abstract, and doesn't work well in generalization.

People keep asking for art books, and we keep saying that they don't sell. This may be your one and only chance to prove us wrong on that.

It's all in who you market to. Comics & manga fans love artbooks, especially the lush oversize hardcovers that make great coffee table books (if I trusted drinks anywhere near my artbooks that is).

Personally, I've got an oversize bookshelf full of them, both American/UK/Canadian & Japanese artists, including several imports & softcovers/reissues. Just picked up Echo Chernik's artbook at ConnectiCon this summer, and had it signed and all.

Can't go to GenCon, but if Mr. Reynolds ever makes it to ComicCon in NYC, I'll be happy to wait in line to get this book signed.

And PDF is a great format for text/mixed books, and international shipping is a right bear, but as a collector & (drooling) fan, you're just getting a better piece with an actually designed + (well-)printed artbook. All the colors and paper are picked just-so to bring out the best qualities in the art. If you want desktop wallpapers, just (continue to) offer that as a store blog promo or something.

That said, a relatively important set of sub plots in "Council of Thieves" explores what happens when the devils DO get the upper hand, and when the Tieflings DO get fed up with the unfariness of it all.

Got it! Well, I'll just "stay tuned" then. It may make for an interesting play-variant to run the AP from a fiend/tiefling perspective, like some folks ran Second Darkness from an elf/drow perspective. Curious.

Honestly Cheliax struct me more as LN than LE. Slightly evil, but the focus is the lawful.

So they're more interested in the rigid hierarchy of hell, and the whole "victory through strength" aspect (read: fascism), rather than the arcane corrupting evil aspect. I suppose that would make sense as taking a brutally logical step from the former imperial model. Sort of a supernatural realpolitik taken to its ultimate conclusion.

Now I'm starting to think of all kinds of questions about Chelish society - is there class movement, what do the "gentry"-types think, how do they treat fiendish "ambassadors", what is the measure of "success" among Chelish PCs, etc. Already planned to eventually, but now I'm really feeling the need to buy/read the book, and get a better feel for the whole society.

Still think Chelish-born tieflings would want their piece of the jack-booted, blood-soaked pie too though.