There are many free Role Playing Games (RPG) around the internet. Many of these games are online MMORPGs, but there are some that are traditional paper and pencil RPGs that have been created by players that have an interest in gaming and making games. Some of these games do involve other peoples copyrighted material, so remember that as you look around at all the interesting free games. Below I'll list some of the sites that have FREE RPGs, online and print.
Online:
http://www.bestonlinerpggames.com/ - This site is loaded with free games. These range from MMORPGs, Fantasy RPGs, Adventure RPGs, Horror RPGs, Action RPGs, and Sci-Fi RPGs. Great for finding a whole bunch of different games to give a try. Many of the games are not traditional RPGs, but they do offer some fun.
http://www.kabam.com/ - These are Facebook games, but maybe worth a mention. Facebook offers many different games to distract and entertain. Kabam offers several RPG type games with Atlantis, Ancient Rome, and Camelot as themes.
http://www.rpggames4free.com/ - This is another online RPG site. They break down their list of RPGs into different catagories, including fantasy, adventure, browser, flash, and text.
Print:
http://www.1km1kt.net/ - This is a massive site filled with FREE RPGs games. They have some that MMORPGs listed as well, but many are paper and pencil downloads. They have over 500 FREE RPGs listed in the free catagory.
http://www.thefreerpgblog.com/ - This blog offers posts and discussions about FREE RPG games. They link to Delicious (a social bookmarking site) so to have all the links to all the games in one place.
http://www.homebrew.net/games/ - This site is dedicated to only paper/pencil download RPGs. They have a nice sized list and the author has been searching for these RPGs for over 10 years.
Other:
Brikwars: http://www.brikwars.com/downloads/BW2005.pdf Ever wonder what to do with all those extra lego and mega-blok? Well Mike Rayhawk created a game that uses those little minifigs to play some fun miniature games with! This is a link to the PDF rule book. Here is a link to the suppliments which include other minifigs, and blank minifig cards: http://www.brikwars.com/supplements.htm. If you want to see the website that has all the information... here you go: http://www.brikwars.com/.
There are so many more RPG games out there, and as we have time we will continue to add more. For now, enjoy the list and find a new game to try out... oh and by the way, we will be giving Brickwars a try at the Dragon's Den.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Gaming Store Logic: Magic
So we have had many different individuals come and go from the Dragon's Den as Magic players. I can honestly say that I have heard some of the craziest comments in regards to the collectible card game Magic. To give everyone a laugh, I thought I would jot some of them down for people to read and enjoy.
1. "Wow, you have a lot of players playing here. So none of them can be that good."
Me: "What???"
"Well I know that when a store has a lot of players, none of them are good."
So we may not have pro players... No wait we have a player who just won a PTQ and now has a pro-point, and we have at least one other player who was on the tour years ago.
Well maybe we don't have any big event Top 8 players... Just a few weeks ago we had several players Top 8 in different events.
Well maybe we don't have any state champions... But our judge is a former NY State Champ and we had several Top 8 players this year in multiple states.
So I guess we might have a good player or two even though we have 40-60 players on a Friday night!
2. "So I'm from the city, you guys have Magic Events?"
Me: "Yes, every Monday, Friday, and some times on the weekend too."
"Well I figure I can beat everyone here because I'm from the City, so I didn't bring my "A" game."
Me: "Well... (see above comments)."
"Oh really."
Several hours later...
Me: "So how did it go?"
"I should have brought my "A" game."
So I'm curious, why do you go to a tournament and not bring your "A" game? I mean if you are playing around the kitchen table, then sure play a fun deck, but when you go to an event wouldn't you want to play to win? Casual is a great format for playing for fun and we run that Tuesday nights, but for the other events bring your "A"game!
3. "It is not fair that players go to big events and don't play net-decks."
Me: "What???"
"Well, it's not fair that we don't have a chance to prepare for a deck when it is not a net-deck."
Well I kind of thought that playing Magic was about building a deck and playing the game. When did it just become using the internet and playing with someone elses idea and concepts. Have we sunk so low that we have no originality left or creativity???
4. "All the cards have to be spoiled."
Me: "Why??"
"Well all the Pro Players have to have all the cards spoiled. They are the reason all the cards are spoiled. They need to know if they will buy any."
Really????? So what we are saying is that the small number of pro Magic players is more important then all the other players in the Magic community? So we need to show them all the cards to see if they want to purchase the cards? So we don't want players to have a little unknown in the game? So we don't want to have any surprises? Merry Christmas?!?!?
5. My all time favorite comment was not by a player or customer, but by a company...
"We are going to start a GRASSROOTs program to make Magic work better for all stores and players. We will start with the large Professional TOs, who will then feed down to the smaller stores."
Ok, now I know I might be a little crazy, but really??? When did Grassroots programs work top down?? Can you even hear what your saying? Grassroots is a program to start small and have those small groups feed into bigger groups, that then feed into the largest groups. This would also be a great idea if the groups would talk to each other, but it appears that most TOs do not want to work with each other, especially the PTOs in this area who have never wanted to chat with us in the reverse grassroots program.
Agree or disagree...
1. "Wow, you have a lot of players playing here. So none of them can be that good."
Me: "What???"
"Well I know that when a store has a lot of players, none of them are good."
So we may not have pro players... No wait we have a player who just won a PTQ and now has a pro-point, and we have at least one other player who was on the tour years ago.
Well maybe we don't have any big event Top 8 players... Just a few weeks ago we had several players Top 8 in different events.
Well maybe we don't have any state champions... But our judge is a former NY State Champ and we had several Top 8 players this year in multiple states.
So I guess we might have a good player or two even though we have 40-60 players on a Friday night!
2. "So I'm from the city, you guys have Magic Events?"
Me: "Yes, every Monday, Friday, and some times on the weekend too."
"Well I figure I can beat everyone here because I'm from the City, so I didn't bring my "A" game."
Me: "Well... (see above comments)."
"Oh really."
Several hours later...
Me: "So how did it go?"
"I should have brought my "A" game."
So I'm curious, why do you go to a tournament and not bring your "A" game? I mean if you are playing around the kitchen table, then sure play a fun deck, but when you go to an event wouldn't you want to play to win? Casual is a great format for playing for fun and we run that Tuesday nights, but for the other events bring your "A"game!
3. "It is not fair that players go to big events and don't play net-decks."
Me: "What???"
"Well, it's not fair that we don't have a chance to prepare for a deck when it is not a net-deck."
Well I kind of thought that playing Magic was about building a deck and playing the game. When did it just become using the internet and playing with someone elses idea and concepts. Have we sunk so low that we have no originality left or creativity???
4. "All the cards have to be spoiled."
Me: "Why??"
"Well all the Pro Players have to have all the cards spoiled. They are the reason all the cards are spoiled. They need to know if they will buy any."
Really????? So what we are saying is that the small number of pro Magic players is more important then all the other players in the Magic community? So we need to show them all the cards to see if they want to purchase the cards? So we don't want players to have a little unknown in the game? So we don't want to have any surprises? Merry Christmas?!?!?
5. My all time favorite comment was not by a player or customer, but by a company...
"We are going to start a GRASSROOTs program to make Magic work better for all stores and players. We will start with the large Professional TOs, who will then feed down to the smaller stores."
Ok, now I know I might be a little crazy, but really??? When did Grassroots programs work top down?? Can you even hear what your saying? Grassroots is a program to start small and have those small groups feed into bigger groups, that then feed into the largest groups. This would also be a great idea if the groups would talk to each other, but it appears that most TOs do not want to work with each other, especially the PTOs in this area who have never wanted to chat with us in the reverse grassroots program.
Agree or disagree...
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Dystopian Wars by Spartan Games
So we have started carrying and playing Dystopian Wars from Spartan Games here at the Dragon's Den. with that in mind, we have started noticing several things about the game and how certain factions behave. We'd be very interested in hearing what others have seen with the factions and adding that in the comments about this post.
Kingdom of Britannia:
So torpedoes are a plus, but they really do not have a great rating crew rating for boarding actions. You might want to keep out of range band 1, with range band 2 and 3 being great!
Federated States of America:
Well what can you say... 1 extra point of DR is AMAZING! I know the CR is the same, but that extra DR means a huge difference and has kept fleets rolling and not sinking! Rocket Batteries is a nice plus
Prussian Empire:
The Prussian's have some neat weapons including the Tesla Coils, which can be lethal and kill crew on hits. They also have lots of options for replacing turrets with different equipment. They also have great movement rates. They are solid in range band 1 for combat.
Empire of the Blazing Sun:
Well torpedoes and Rocket Batteries in one ship is always a nice touch. The Battleship also has an upgrade included that you get to chose from 2 different generators. Blazing Sun also has torpedoes on the cruisers as well... and can fire in range band 1.
We are playing in the store almost every Wednesday and Thursday, and every one of the current 4 factions is represented. If you are interested in playing, come in and check it out. We are so looking forward to seeing the Land Battle Groups that are coming out next for all four factions! Once they hit stores, we will have them together and we will be playing!
Soon we will have pictures of the painted forces, so check back soon and often!
Sean "Striderlotr" Banks
Kingdom of Britannia:
So torpedoes are a plus, but they really do not have a great rating crew rating for boarding actions. You might want to keep out of range band 1, with range band 2 and 3 being great!
Federated States of America:
Well what can you say... 1 extra point of DR is AMAZING! I know the CR is the same, but that extra DR means a huge difference and has kept fleets rolling and not sinking! Rocket Batteries is a nice plus
Prussian Empire:
The Prussian's have some neat weapons including the Tesla Coils, which can be lethal and kill crew on hits. They also have lots of options for replacing turrets with different equipment. They also have great movement rates. They are solid in range band 1 for combat.
Empire of the Blazing Sun:
Well torpedoes and Rocket Batteries in one ship is always a nice touch. The Battleship also has an upgrade included that you get to chose from 2 different generators. Blazing Sun also has torpedoes on the cruisers as well... and can fire in range band 1.
We are playing in the store almost every Wednesday and Thursday, and every one of the current 4 factions is represented. If you are interested in playing, come in and check it out. We are so looking forward to seeing the Land Battle Groups that are coming out next for all four factions! Once they hit stores, we will have them together and we will be playing!
Soon we will have pictures of the painted forces, so check back soon and often!
Sean "Striderlotr" Banks
Friday, November 26, 2010
New Paltz Gaming Convention (NPC)
The New Paltz University Gaming Society ran their annual gaming convention, NPC, last weekend. This was the first 2 day event for them starting Saturday and ending Sunday. They approached us (the Dragon's Den) and asked if we would be a vendor and if we would run some events at the con. So for the third year in a row we were a part of NPC. We ended up having a great booth and running several different tournaments and demos of some great games.
Saturday we ran a 14 player Scars of Mirrodin Draft! The players had a great time and we saw many great cards pulled during the event. The players were super excited to have a chance to win some exclusive con promo cards that we got from Wizards, foil promo Kor Skyfisher... if I remember correctly. We also played several demo games including Steve Jackson's Cthulhu Dice and Zombie Dice, Munchkin, Mayfair's Stationmaster, and Bandai's Resident Evil Deck Building.
Sunday we ended up running an 8 players constructed Yu-Gi-Oh tournament. We also had a small group for a second Magic event, this time Standard Constructed. We also ran demos of several other games including Ascension Deck Building, and D&D.
All weekend long the convention was running video game tournaments from retro systems to current. We also saw several pick-up games of Warhammer 40K in the hall we were located in as well as many other board games from the gaming society.
This is an event that more players should check out. Check their website for more details on last years event, and hopefully soon, this years events. http://www.wix.com/gamingsociety/new-paltz-gaming-society
Sean "Striderlotr" Banks
Saturday we ran a 14 player Scars of Mirrodin Draft! The players had a great time and we saw many great cards pulled during the event. The players were super excited to have a chance to win some exclusive con promo cards that we got from Wizards, foil promo Kor Skyfisher... if I remember correctly. We also played several demo games including Steve Jackson's Cthulhu Dice and Zombie Dice, Munchkin, Mayfair's Stationmaster, and Bandai's Resident Evil Deck Building.
Sunday we ended up running an 8 players constructed Yu-Gi-Oh tournament. We also had a small group for a second Magic event, this time Standard Constructed. We also ran demos of several other games including Ascension Deck Building, and D&D.
All weekend long the convention was running video game tournaments from retro systems to current. We also saw several pick-up games of Warhammer 40K in the hall we were located in as well as many other board games from the gaming society.
This is an event that more players should check out. Check their website for more details on last years event, and hopefully soon, this years events. http://www.wix.com/gamingsociety/new-paltz-gaming-society
Sean "Striderlotr" Banks
Monday, November 15, 2010
Spartan Miniature Games at the Dragon's den
We have recently found a miniatures game that we wanted to add to the store. The best part is that they make several different ship to ship combat games that all play great... and similar to each other that you get the idea quickly on how to play. Spartan Games from the UK at http://www.spartangames.co.uk/ has developed and produced two titles Uncharted Seas and Firestorm Armada! They do have a new line that will release in the next few weeks... just in time for Thanksgiving called Dystopian Wars!
Uncharted Seas is the first game we gave a try, as we were able to get the rule book first and many of the starter fleets. This is a naval based game with a fantasy flair. You have choices between human, elf, dwarf, undead, and more! With it being a fantasy based naval game, wind becomes a factor and can change during the game. Tactics involving how you turn and position in regards to the wind, become very important. The combat method is fairly simple: range is broken down into 8 inch increments, roll D6s and compare to the ships damage rating or critical rating (on a 6 score 2 hits and roll again!), then apply the damage or effect.
Firestorm Armada is a futuristic space battle involving large "capital" sized ships and their escorts. This is another ship to ship game, just taking place in space. One big difference between the fantasy and futuristic would be the carriers. Firestorm Armada adds in carriers with the ability to launch flights of fighters, bombers, and interceptors! It adds an interesting mix to the game.
Dystopian Wars is the newest game to come out from Spartan Games. This time they went with a Victorian Era Steampunk game, and it is land, sea, and air! The pictures that they have posted so far look great and we are really looking forward to giving this game a try! We have had players talking about this game from the moment it was previewed, and I think that the time period and steampunk flavor are helping to drive it for many players looking for a miniatures game. We will be carrying the full line from the release (hoping November 23), and getting more models as they are released. We might actually be sold out prior to the release!
If you are looking to try a new miniatures game, or you are looking to play a ship to ship game, then this company (Spartan Games) is one to check out! The mix of titles including fantasy naval, futuristic space, or Victorian Era Steampunk battles gives players many options and allows them to pick the genre that they best enjoy... or play them all! Each game and each faction in each game has a starter that can get you playing in little time with a similar force composition and point total. Once you look over one of the games and you want to get involved, come on in to the Dragon's Den! We can order all the different pieces for Uncharted Seas and Firestorm Armada, and we can take pre-orders for Dystopia Wars.
Sean "Striderlotr" Banks
Uncharted Seas is the first game we gave a try, as we were able to get the rule book first and many of the starter fleets. This is a naval based game with a fantasy flair. You have choices between human, elf, dwarf, undead, and more! With it being a fantasy based naval game, wind becomes a factor and can change during the game. Tactics involving how you turn and position in regards to the wind, become very important. The combat method is fairly simple: range is broken down into 8 inch increments, roll D6s and compare to the ships damage rating or critical rating (on a 6 score 2 hits and roll again!), then apply the damage or effect.
Firestorm Armada is a futuristic space battle involving large "capital" sized ships and their escorts. This is another ship to ship game, just taking place in space. One big difference between the fantasy and futuristic would be the carriers. Firestorm Armada adds in carriers with the ability to launch flights of fighters, bombers, and interceptors! It adds an interesting mix to the game.
Dystopian Wars is the newest game to come out from Spartan Games. This time they went with a Victorian Era Steampunk game, and it is land, sea, and air! The pictures that they have posted so far look great and we are really looking forward to giving this game a try! We have had players talking about this game from the moment it was previewed, and I think that the time period and steampunk flavor are helping to drive it for many players looking for a miniatures game. We will be carrying the full line from the release (hoping November 23), and getting more models as they are released. We might actually be sold out prior to the release!
If you are looking to try a new miniatures game, or you are looking to play a ship to ship game, then this company (Spartan Games) is one to check out! The mix of titles including fantasy naval, futuristic space, or Victorian Era Steampunk battles gives players many options and allows them to pick the genre that they best enjoy... or play them all! Each game and each faction in each game has a starter that can get you playing in little time with a similar force composition and point total. Once you look over one of the games and you want to get involved, come on in to the Dragon's Den! We can order all the different pieces for Uncharted Seas and Firestorm Armada, and we can take pre-orders for Dystopia Wars.
Sean "Striderlotr" Banks