gamer pig test blog

not really much to do . and so much to do at home. I wish I was home and this over with. Not being depressed again, but life is on hold, and I don't have the time.

Caballero . was what I put in the search as I prepared for my Philppine history game. It got my juices flowing when I finished a Spanish Caballero and found the character intersting. So I looked up a search for one, then i stumbled on this picture of a spanish looking knight. He looked cool and simple. My love for the historical is certainly biased to these kinds of characters. Not so much plates and all kinds of fandangles, but the suave and simple crusader. Anyway, for my byzantine Swordsman, I drew some inspiration from the figurine and tried to get that tired /disconnected look in a warrior. I was saying the face was bland so this really helped spice it up. Or at least give me a glipse of what I want. PS7 is hard to use, I'm suprised Last Scion is still using it. Maybe cause it eats up less ram!?! Talk about Aggressive . My brother answered the phone and when they asked his name, the guy signed him up for Philidelphia Inquirer. Whats annoying is that they did this while their c...

My steak . I screwed it up. Anyway, lesson learned. It was my first time to try to cook steaks anyway. It smelled funky and I must have given myself diareah. (or it could have been the chicken undercooked. Drawing . There is something about the face that is so bland. I have a feeling it reflects the zest in me. If I can't make a face "stand out". Not that I have to make him good looking, but he lacks character. Trying to make New Iconic Characters. Trying to PUSH my drawing envelope... oh well.

A chance to GM . Talked to Jeff, since he has no game available to him on sunday, I offered to GM. Philippine History setting, 1896 or probably before that as a primer. Tropical Gothic, ala Nick Joaquin. My resolution is not to make the game prep take too much time, probably an hour every other day (if I can help it). This will also stop me from bitching and complaining i don't get to GM. Well Recieved . My geek cred went up a bit as I finished my Random Character Generator Tables and presented it in the boards. Its meant for Dark Ages, and well designed. The presentation could use some improvement, but I don't have the computing/graphics power to improve it. Ever since 4th ed, people wondered when they will make a random character generator, thing is, I made one for genre specific (for my games basically). Its a Generic Universal Game System, making a OPEN ended character generator is INSANE! The dark ages one proved to be nice usefull and fun. My next mini-project is the revi...

Before I left the phils . I loaded up on eating alot of fruits. The mangoes we have are the high ends one here. Now, I'm having blueberries and strawberries. Its relatively cheaper here, so i'm having my fill till i get back. Drawing . Its really frustrating to draw here, can't wait to get home. Atleat there, even if the drawing sucks, its easy to start over. Byzantine . Finished the basic templates, finished some tables for random character generation, it was alot of work but I'm almost done. I really need the comic and the computer at home. I want to draw everything first THEN make the write up. Did some research into Sassanid Persia as well. Pretty much the same as Byzantia, in many ways but also very different. If only there was a way to forge better diplomatic relations.

Papers .Done, finally. but I'm not out of the woods yet. Thanks for gaspar for accompanying me all the way to newark, the trip was 3+ hours each way. Work . Almost done, but I gotta draw the comic and finish it ASAP. Wost case, I can probably pay for my drawings to be retouched/edited. Just aslong as most of the art is done. Thomas . check your YM, you can call me from there (and for free). Or I'll call you when i see you :D

drawing on paper .Havent done that in a while and the computer here is just too slow for it. Finding out my little sister has a intuitos (a professional drawing tablet) makes me want to spend for the ram i need for my PC. probably boosting it back up to 2G RAM, which would be much cheaper than spending for an intuitos and allow me to render better.

Got some racial Flak . when I was getting a replacement drivers license. Its ok I guess, I'm not suprised and rather numbed by it after sometime. Basically, I filled up a form and gave all my identification points and they cooked a reason why they can't give it to me. I can't remember the address on the licence, so they held that against me, even if my picture was on file. Anyway, its ok. TIA (This is america). Racism vs Poverty/instability . I'm not much for america, I told my parents I could easily get a residency in New Zealand or possibly Austrailia or even Europe if they really wanted me to have a "back up" when things go sour in the Philippines. Fuck this. I'm giving it up as soon as I get back. Without even telling them, I'm giving up my stupid greencard. I'd happily suffer poverty in a country of my own People than suffer hate from a country who's people doesnt even have a clue where the philippines is. As I said to one friend, be rais...

I'm very glad I live in the other side of the world .I take great comfort that I don't have to be with her at all. Everyone of my friends have personal experience of how much of a b*tch she is. Now, A pregnant b*tch. New York fits her and fits her like a glove. I'm glad she's happy here, so that she will never have a reason to back to the phils. There were many teases I could have "jested" like: "At least mom just gave me the money, its sad that some people would steal from her" or other mean things I could say but I really don't want to waste any effort on. Its interesting when some Apha bitch would try to condensend on your life when she doesnt really love her husband and just needed someone to pay for her way. I know its going to end, thats how she is and thats what she sows... It just gets me after a while of having to tiptoe around her when she is trying to provoke me all the time. I actually say nothing. Funny that she wanted a thank you ca...

Run of Badluck . Alot of blunders and mistakes happened. I lost my pencil case which had my very new 1g flash disk with all my work in it. :( its ok its just a copy, but i can just imagine what would happen to that data in the wrong hands. Anyway, miss my baby. Don't like it here, but i'm not here for the place but for my sibs and my gdamned papers. Fuck that.

Maybe its not that bad . Leaving to see my sibs may not be all that bad. Alot has changed and there's alot of catching up to do. Not to mention, I'm not the GM they once new (well a little bit "not"). Still I don't want to leave my wife's side. I feel like a big baby about it but I can't help it. Everything here is safe for me, even with the fact that this country is poorer and doing not as well, I feel good that even in the worst of times friends, family and loved ones are here... with me, with us. Making things not that bad, infact better. I was talking with my dentist, a challenge being that I was having my teeth fixed. Its pretty much how many ties we have "invested" at home. some people have few, other alot; its something to lose and its value will always vary with the person and circumstance. Still, I'd rather stay and give it up. II know its hard for people to move, what more if they don't want to. As my wife said, after watching 2...

It happens without fail . Knowing in the last minute when something is going to happen. My all know this very well. Mom says thursday or friday, then learning from my lessons I asked and find out its tonight. The flight is at 6AM, I have to be there by 3AM. So I have to spend my whole day today trying to get ready. I will also have to set my alarm to compensate for the change of habits when i move to the states, to remember to take my meds. Anyway, I gotta pack.

Civilization 4. God, that tiny squirt annoys me in Civilization 4. In almost every game where there were French, this guy always goes out of his way to attack me!? I play the Nerd Emperor Justinian (Using Alexander's profile) and it just pisses me off when I try to make friends with this guy and will always without fail Stab me in the back. Anyway, in this game, I took two of his 3 cities and someone else crushes his capital. I could have delivered the killing blow but I really wanted to be friends (or capture him with culture). I tried a different strategy and became more aggressive. I can't help it anyway, aggressive is one of my special abilities, an advantages unexploited is a disadvantage. I don't like going into battle, I role-play a bit and have to give myself good reason to conquer or capture. At least I had my fill of stratagems. Fantasy . What I day dream about is running my game and playing out the war scenes. From what I've studied I can describe a battl...

Cavalry vs. Infantry . At first I was wowed by Braveheart and thought that spears is what was needed to win against cavalry. As a gamer, horses was a hassel, because Gms always didn't accommodate them in adventures (of course). So the illusion of infantry superiority came about. It wasn't because Rome conquered most of the known world at the time with footmen, I was pulled in by gaming and movies to have thought about it more carefully. Playing “mount and blade” and studying the dark ages made me adore cavalry. Now, I adore cavalry. Forget the Western Knights, wait to you see the “First” knights. The armored cavalry of the Persians and the Byzantines are colorful and exotic. Their armor and designs, intricate and fresh. Effigy's mask, the yellow of bronze and golds, the rich colored fabrics of the east, and the beautifully bred horses Arabian horses. Goth had its own dark and dull spin on it, but the East had such exotic appreciation of their warfare. Anyway GTG

Leaving on May 15 and will be back by the 26 . When something this good turns up, i'm not that happy. Usually something bad follows... so I'm pretty wary and more nervous.

Almost done with a drawing . It looks nice, but weak. Ah heck, just keep drawing and looking at other drawings.I'm kinda hesistant to go back to working on it, but I will... just working up a bit of the courage. If you thought it was just bad . Some gaming horror stories. Warning : It may be from just one person under different aliases but this kinda paints a clearer picture. http://forum.rpg.net/showpost.php?p=1445566&postcount=184 http://forum.rpg.net/showpost.php?p=1447570&postcount=212 http://forum.rpg.net/showpost.php?p=1447797&postcount=218 http://forum.rpg.net/showpost.php?p=1450252&postcount=227 need just one more player . Hopefull by the time i get back from the states, I can find 1 more player so that I can run GURPS byzantine.

Cheese Tasting . Maybe with I can budget and organize a small cheese tasting occasion with some friends. I've been dieting and spending more on quality foods that doesn't leave me craving. I've had some dutch and australian gouda. I saw some gorgonzola in Santi's and a number of cheeses I'd like to try. When I get around to it, I'll look at Gallileo and check out their cheeses. Maybe a selection of 20 uncommon cheeses (stuff you just can't get in the grocery) would be nice. And possibly maybe some chorizo or sausage tasting on the side. Anyway, apple juice is very sour but I can see how it has a very similar taste to white wine. So I have my wine substitue for the cheese tasting thing, if it ever happens. I had a small slice of chorizo pamplona and some peperoni with dutch and Australian gouda, made via sandwich maker. Stringy Steamy hot goodness. And the smell :)) hehehe I never thought when i was a kid that I'd ever like this stuff.

foods . A deli nearby and a sandwich maker. Had an egg over easy with wyt peper paprika and garlic powder, gouda, and mozarella. while working, very strong coffee and Fic strawberry. charles . thanks for passing by with the files :D Block . I don't know what to draw. I think I should draw my character but I'm torn what to do. I'm not feeling particularly inspired right now. No strong feelings for anything, but still I'm drawing. Out of experience, I should have thought out clearly what I'm supposed to draw first before drawing with no clue what to emphasize or what am I after. Don't want to touch my gaming stuff, Don't want to research, Don't want to surf... don't know what to do?!?

Empress . Been working on a picture called the empress these past few weeks. Been struggling with it, always having to leave to reasses my progress. Mostly being unhappy with the quality. Relearning old techniques forgotten and learning to maximize my tools, and the frustration of how details can make me lose sight of the Bigger Picture. Old wounds . A few years ago, when i started RPG barkada, I was idealistic and hoped for alot. Despite my short stint as the Vice Chairman External, I believed I could carry on. Learning the mistakes of the previous group and my experience in leadership roles, I believed I would make the difference. That I knew what was at stake and knew what to sacrifice is worth making. Fast forward to today, I was very wrong and very sorry for a lot of things that happened. I lost a very good friend through my bull headed-ness and have seen alot of things in myself I am not proud of and really wish i could get past. Ideals for something as trivial as Games really do...

Byzantine Game Checklist . Character Creation Aid. 1- Comic Primer (A glipse of things to come) 2- Introduction to Nova Roma (NPCs, Factions, and Locations) 3- Types of Characters and Heroes 4- Brief History (Basic setting History) GM Expectations . The first adventure has the classic mix of challenges. It is only planned later on if players want to take a strategic approach, move to the arena of politics and/or keep the basic campaign. Wargame Plug-in ? The reason I wanted a wargame aspect is because of the strength of the byzantine setting in that particular era. War is what is going on in the time line and there is no exhausting it. Why not exploit it. War games are not a bad thing, Byzantine can have a lot of RP as well as a lot of combat, and there is taking combat to the next level. Not to mention that there is so many to fight and to fight with. In terms of complexity, when things escalate, I see the aspect of stragetic gaming and wargame to be its zenith. After th...

Legion . I don't know what to expect from this movie, it sounds good but a lot of critics play it down. Anyway, the movie go'er wins... espcially me since I can use it as fuel for my Byzantine Game. Strangely the Cast mirrors a bit of the cast my players were planning to play. Byzantium . Reading a bit about last Legion got my juices flowing. Of course I'm sure they'll embellish a lot the costumes of the barbarians. Roman Hand-me-downs aren't that intimidating and a Roman-Wanna-be army is only scary when you don't have an army to fight it.

Apple Gruel . Have to drink a lot of apple juice. Since we don't have a juicer and I can't chew or bite on apples, I'll be blendering them. I don't know why, but drinking the stuff this way makes me gag and feel like puking. The Faith healer says I have to drink this stuff everyday for 5 days. Then drink a cup of olive oil. She says i have kidney stones... which I have no reaction to. Mass Combat . The Chess pieces are cheap ass. It will do. I have enough for some formations and auxiliaries. Still alot of other things to do first. Drawing . I just get frustrated and restless doing this drawing of the empress. Its a large work with many long and very fine lines. The precision ticks the hell out of me. I'll finish it, unlike the other works in the back burner cause they didn't make the cut. I had to redraw a lot of stuff given that I felt totally anal today.