http://diceofdoom.com/blog The Dice of Doom is a blog about gaming, being a gamer and general interest content suitable for nerds. Tue, 01 May 2012 13:26:59 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 The Dice of Doom podcast is a lively discussion about role-playing games, focusing heavily on Dungeons & Dragons, Call of Cthulhu and Warhammer along with many other gaming systems. We have been gaming for longer than we care to freely admit and we have a wide range of interests and experiences in gaming in general (everything from obscure games printed in the 1980's to the most recent tabletop wargames). We like to take a lighthearted approach to our discussions and mix them up with other nerdy news and content as well. RupertG yes RupertG rupertg@diceofdoom.com rupertg@diceofdoom.com (RupertG) © Dice of Doom Dice of Doom Podcast dnd, d&d, dungeons & dragons, rpg, roleplaying, gaming, roleplaying games http://diceofdoom.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Podcast-Logo-New-SQ-SM.png http://diceofdoom.com/blog Sydney, Australia http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/08/symatt-draws-cthulhu-for-us-as-part-of-his-countersketch-project/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/08/symatt-draws-cthulhu-for-us-as-part-of-his-countersketch-project/#comments Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:46:51 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=3456 Being quite the fans of the writings of HP Lovecraft around here, when regular reader and all round nice guy Symatt asked us to suggest a topic for one of his amazing CounterSketches there really was only one thing we could say. Cthulhu. It would just have to be Cthulhu... Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/08/symatt-draws-cthulhu-for-us-as-part-of-his-countersketch-project/feed/ 6 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/07/h-p-lovecrafts-commonplace-book/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/07/h-p-lovecrafts-commonplace-book/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:36:28 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=3370 For those of you interested in reading through the rambling thoughts of one of the world's greatest horror writers, we direct your attention to HP Lovecraft's Commonplace book. Wired have published excerpts from around 15 years worth of ideas, thoughts, and potential story lines from the venerable writer. They make for an enlightening read, not in the least as potential plot hooks for your own Call of Cthulhu campaign. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/07/h-p-lovecrafts-commonplace-book/feed/ 0 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/06/arkham-sanitarium-nears-completion/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/06/arkham-sanitarium-nears-completion/#comments Thu, 02 Jun 2011 02:29:54 +0000 Cuchulain http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=3297 Three previously un-filmed Lovecraft stories are finally to make it to the big screen! “Arkham Sanitarium” will be the first feature film from the London based independent studio Survivor Films. They are about a week away from finishing filming, and … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/06/arkham-sanitarium-nears-completion/feed/ 0 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/call-of-cthulhu-coming-to-the-iphone/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/call-of-cthulhu-coming-to-the-iphone/#comments Mon, 23 May 2011 04:46:00 +0000 Cuchulain http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=3248 Call of Cthulhu is finally making an appearance on the iPhone! Announced simultaneously by Chaosium and Red Wasp Design, the game (entitled “Call of Cthulhu: The Wasted Land”) will be a 3d turn based strategy/RPG app for iPhones, iPod Touches … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/call-of-cthulhu-coming-to-the-iphone/feed/ 0 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/i-cthulhu-by-neil-gaiman/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/i-cthulhu-by-neil-gaiman/#comments Sat, 21 May 2011 20:00:17 +0000 Cuchulain http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=3206 Have you ever wondered about the early years of Great Cthulhu? What was his origin? From whence did he plunge to earth, and why? Well, now you can find out, direct from the pen of the illustrious author and graphic novelist Neil Gaiman. The story is entitled "I, Cthulhu", and contains a dictated account by the Great Old One himself to his servant Whateley. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/i-cthulhu-by-neil-gaiman/feed/ 0 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/the-most-terrifying-plush-cthulhu-you-will-ever-see-also-most-awesome/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/the-most-terrifying-plush-cthulhu-you-will-ever-see-also-most-awesome/#comments Sat, 21 May 2011 02:40:46 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=3229 If ever you were able to play with the DNA of Pikachu and Cthulhu, well… This would be the result… In plush form…Similar Posts: “I, Cthulhu” by Neil Gaiman Symatt draws Cthulhu for us as part of his CounterSketch project … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/the-most-terrifying-plush-cthulhu-you-will-ever-see-also-most-awesome/feed/ 1 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/dice-of-doom-podcast-022-vampire-the-masquerade-review-and-running-an-investigative-rpg/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/dice-of-doom-podcast-022-vampire-the-masquerade-review-and-running-an-investigative-rpg/#comments Fri, 20 May 2011 20:00:53 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=3218 In this episode we review Vampire: The Masquerade which we have just finished playing as part of our Grand Gaming Experiment and we look at running investigative style roleplaying games. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/dice-of-doom-podcast-022-vampire-the-masquerade-review-and-running-an-investigative-rpg/feed/ 3 d&D, DnD, roleplaying, gaming, vampire the masquerade, VtM, dungeons & dragons, cthulhu, lovecraft, horror DoD Podcast 022: Vampire: The Masquerade Review & Running an Investigative Roleplaying Game In this episode we review Vampire: The Masquerade which we have just finished playing as part of our Grand Gaming Experiment and we look at running investigative style roleplaying games. After the completion of our Vampire: The Masquerade game we started discussing how often we had run games where the PC's were put in positions of having to investigate mysteries, crimes, conspiracies and the like. An investigative game suits any setting you may be playing from high fantasy through to a gritty Call of Cthulhu game. If you have ever thought that you might like to cast your players in the roles of detectives, sleuths, or hapless bystanders who get caught up in a conspiracy, we have a look at how to run these games along with tips to giving hints to your players to avoid the awful "I don't know what to do next..." problem that often plagues games of this sort. RupertG yes 33:42 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/lovecrafts-inspiration-for-at-the-mountains-of-madness-the-paintings-of-nicholas-roerich/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/lovecrafts-inspiration-for-at-the-mountains-of-madness-the-paintings-of-nicholas-roerich/#comments Fri, 20 May 2011 02:53:37 +0000 Cuchulain http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=3186 One of Lovecraft’s most famous works of literature, and certainly his longest, is the magnificent novelette At the Mountains of Madness. This work is one of the best examples of a particular facet of the Cthulhu Mythos: the survival of … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/lovecrafts-inspiration-for-at-the-mountains-of-madness-the-paintings-of-nicholas-roerich/feed/ 1 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/dice-of-doom-podcast-021-vampire-the-masquerade-confessions-of-a-newbie-gm-and-an-introduction-to-hp-lovecraft-and-the-cthulhu-mythos/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/dice-of-doom-podcast-021-vampire-the-masquerade-confessions-of-a-newbie-gm-and-an-introduction-to-hp-lovecraft-and-the-cthulhu-mythos/#comments Sat, 14 May 2011 20:00:14 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=3148 In this episode our topics are Vampire: The Masquerade, Confessions of a Newbie GM and An Introduction to the writings of HP Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/05/dice-of-doom-podcast-021-vampire-the-masquerade-confessions-of-a-newbie-gm-and-an-introduction-to-hp-lovecraft-and-the-cthulhu-mythos/feed/ 0 D&D, DnD, roleplaying, gaming, vampire the masquerade, VtM, dungeons & dragons, cthulhu, lovecraft, horror DoD Podcast 021: Vampire: The Masquerade, Confessions of a Newbie GM and An Introduction to HP Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos In this episode our topics are Vampire: The Masquerade, Confessions of a Newbie GM and An Introduction to the writings of HP Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos. As Lisette is not only running Vampire: The Masquerade, it is also her first* time running a game as a GM. We thought we'd ask her how her first experience GM'ing was going. We talk about the pits and hurdles that newbie GM's often experience and some ways to overcome them. We also have a chat with special guest Mardo about the writings of HP Lovecraft and where to start with his voluminous writings. If you are interested in learning more about the Cthulhu Mythos, then this topic should have you covered. RupertG yes 46:55 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/04/hp-lovecraft-a-cthulhu-mythos-beginners-reading-guide/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/04/hp-lovecraft-a-cthulhu-mythos-beginners-reading-guide/#comments Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:41:24 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=3067 A brief reading guide to HP Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos writings, along with where to get them and what to read. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/04/hp-lovecraft-a-cthulhu-mythos-beginners-reading-guide/feed/ 4 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/03/joshua-hoffine-cthulhu-horror-photography/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/03/joshua-hoffine-cthulhu-horror-photography/#comments Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:56:55 +0000 Cuchulain http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=2873 Denizens of the Internet, especially those who are in the slightest bit interested in the horror genre, will probably have come across Joshua Hoffine’s remarkable photography before. His work is both realistic and horrific; the pains he takes to infuse … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/03/joshua-hoffine-cthulhu-horror-photography/feed/ 1 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/03/dice-of-doom-podcast-016-all-flesh-must-be-eaten-first-impressions-and-gamma-world-review/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/03/dice-of-doom-podcast-016-all-flesh-must-be-eaten-first-impressions-and-gamma-world-review/#comments Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:58:47 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=2876 In this episode of the podcast we lament the pulling of the Mountains of Madness movie, we discuss the Play a New RPG Month project, we give a brief update on our game Goblins!, we discuss our initial impressions of the zombie horror survivor game All Flesh Must Be Eaten and we review Gamma World. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/03/dice-of-doom-podcast-016-all-flesh-must-be-eaten-first-impressions-and-gamma-world-review/feed/ 8 Gamma World, All Flesh Must Be Eaten, RPG, DnD, D&D, Mountains of Madness, Cthulhu, Play a New RPG, Dungeons, Dragons, Dungeons & Dragons, Roleplaying DoD Podcast 016: All Flesh Must Be Eaten First Impressions and Gamma World Review In this episode of the podcast we lament the pulling of the Mountains of Madness movie, we discuss the Play a New RPG Month project, we give a brief update on our game Goblins!, we discuss our initial impressions of the zombie horror survivor game All Flesh Must Be Eaten and we review Gamma World. Gamma World was a game that we were a bit hesitant to try as it is based on the D&D4e ruleset, and our Grand Gaming Experiment is about trying out new games. It wasn't until Paul quite rightly pointed out that the other part of the experiment was to try settings that were completely new to us as well. With point clearly made, Gamma World was added to our roster. Listen to the podcast to find out what we thought of it. RupertG yes 45:25 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/03/mountains-of-madness-falls-through/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/03/mountains-of-madness-falls-through/#comments Wed, 09 Mar 2011 22:31:37 +0000 Cuchulain http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=2863 Alas! A minute of silence shall be held for the great movie that might have been. Unfortunately for horror fans, lovecraft fans, Del Toro fans, James Cameron fans and fans of great, experimental new movies, Universal has decided not to … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/03/mountains-of-madness-falls-through/feed/ 6 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/02/dice-of-doom-podcast-014-at-the-mountains-of-madness-movie-zombie-cthulhu-dice-review-and-choosing-balanced-or-unbalanced-encounters/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/02/dice-of-doom-podcast-014-at-the-mountains-of-madness-movie-zombie-cthulhu-dice-review-and-choosing-balanced-or-unbalanced-encounters/#comments Sun, 27 Feb 2011 06:01:35 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=2842 In this episode of the Dice of Doom podcast we discuss the recent news that James Cameron is planning to make the H.P. Lovecraft novella At the Mountains of Madness into a movie, we review Zombie Dice and Cthulhu Dice and we debate the value of balancing encounters or leaving them more realistic. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/02/dice-of-doom-podcast-014-at-the-mountains-of-madness-movie-zombie-cthulhu-dice-review-and-choosing-balanced-or-unbalanced-encounters/feed/ 4 rolemaster, rpg, dnd, dragons, dungeon, cthulhu, lovecraft, roleplaying, d&d, gaming, zombie dice DoD Podcast 014: At the Mountains of Madness Movie, Zombie & Cthulhu Dice Review and Choosing Balanced or Unbalanced Encounters In this episode of the Dice of Doom podcast we discuss the recent news that James Cameron is planning to make the H.P. Lovecraft novella At the Mountains of Madness into a movie, we review Zombie Dice and Cthulhu Dice and we debate the value of balancing encounters or leaving them more realistic. One of the key components to a lot of Roleplaying Games is the inclusion of a mechanic to balance encounters, or in other words, make sure that the players will always have a chance of winning a combat. This leads to a situation where players may feel that they are always in a position to win a combat and will likely behave as such. It also does not reflect the real world (well, in-as-much as a Fantasy RPG could be considered 'real'). We discuss the relative merits of each methodology and look at examples of games that handle it differently. RupertG yes 37:31 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/02/the-antediluvian-office-dress-code/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/02/the-antediluvian-office-dress-code/#comments Thu, 24 Feb 2011 09:26:05 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=2806 We got sent this by IvPalmer and it made us laugh heartily…  Tying ties like Cthulhu.  Similar Posts: “I, Cthulhu” by Neil Gaiman Symatt draws Cthulhu for us as part of his CounterSketch project H.P. Lovecraft’s Commonplace Book The most terrifying … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2011/02/the-antediluvian-office-dress-code/feed/ 5 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/11/our-grand-gaming-experiment-12-months-12-games-6-games-masters/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/11/our-grand-gaming-experiment-12-months-12-games-6-games-masters/#comments Thu, 18 Nov 2010 05:59:45 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=2649 The Dice of Doom roleplaying group is conducting an experiment where they will cover 12 games in 12 months using a total of 6 Games Masters. Suggestions are very welcome for games to try. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/11/our-grand-gaming-experiment-12-months-12-games-6-games-masters/feed/ 29 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/10/masks-of-nyarlathotep-released/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/10/masks-of-nyarlathotep-released/#comments Fri, 29 Oct 2010 02:45:12 +0000 Cuchulain http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=2598 At last the stars are once again aligned, and the great campaign Masks of Nyarlathotep has been unleashed on the world!… Again. The prophecy has been fulfilled! Not only is it re-released, but you have your choice of different formats: … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/10/masks-of-nyarlathotep-released/feed/ 0 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/10/dice-of-doom-podcast-008-weather-in-rpgs-and-lots-of-other-stuff/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/10/dice-of-doom-podcast-008-weather-in-rpgs-and-lots-of-other-stuff/#comments Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:46:08 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=2588 This week we discuss the ad for the new Dungeons & Dragons Red Box, the release of the new version of The Masks of Nyarlathotep for Call of Cthulhu, the new web-series from Dead Gentlemen Productions called Journey Quest and Using Weather in Roleplaying Games. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/10/dice-of-doom-podcast-008-weather-in-rpgs-and-lots-of-other-stuff/feed/ 0 dnd, d&d, rpg, dungeons & dragons, roleplaying, rpg, cthulhu 008: Weather in RPG's (and lots of other stuff too) This week we discuss the ad for the new Dungeons & Dragons Red Box, the release of the new version of The Masks of Nyarlathotep for Call of Cthulhu, the new web-series from Dead Gentlemen Productions called Journey Quest and Using Weather in Roleplaying Games. Often weather takes a back seat in RPG's when in reality it would frequently affect how the player characters would be interacting with their environment. Weather would also form significant challenges in most fantasy settings, yet is rarely used to good effect. We discuss strategies for implementing the use of weather in your campaigns. RupertG yes 44:31 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/09/horror-roleplaying-part-7-cthulhu-3-tomes-and-dreams/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/09/horror-roleplaying-part-7-cthulhu-3-tomes-and-dreams/#comments Tue, 14 Sep 2010 01:41:51 +0000 Cuchulain http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=2352 In this article we turn our attention to two more aspects of the Mythos which are frequently employed, and how to use each to the greatest advantage. These are horrific tomes and the Dreamlands. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/09/horror-roleplaying-part-7-cthulhu-3-tomes-and-dreams/feed/ 0 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/09/dice-of-doom-podcast-006-playing-a-cthulhu-roleplaying-game/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/09/dice-of-doom-podcast-006-playing-a-cthulhu-roleplaying-game/#comments Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:46:37 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=2347 In this week's episode we discuss the iPhone game Epic Citadel and the epic horror roleplaying game the Call of Cthulhu. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/09/dice-of-doom-podcast-006-playing-a-cthulhu-roleplaying-game/feed/ 0 rpg, lovecraft, cthulhu, roleplaying, games, horror, dnd, dungeons & dragons 006: Playing a Cthulhu Roleplaying Game In this week's episode we discuss the iPhone game Epic Citadel and the epic horror roleplaying game the Call of Cthulhu. Creating an atmosphere that is true to the principles of H.P. Lovecraft's writings can be a bit tricky to those who have not read a lot of his works, or have only been exposed to the mythos through secondary works. We talk about resources for getting involved, how to capture the essence of the mythology and tips and tricks for players and GM's alike. RupertG yes 1:01:40