D&D: OGL the good the bad and the controversy

The Open Gaming License (OGL) for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) has been a controversial topic among the D&D community. Some people are unhappy with the OGL because they feel that it allows others to profit off of the hard work and creativity of the D&D designers and writers without contributing anything back to the community.

One of the main concerns is that the OGL allows third-party publishers to profit from the hard work of the D&D designers and writers without contributing anything back to the community. Some feel that this undermines the integrity of the game and takes away from the quality of the official D&D materials.

Another issue is that the OGL has led to an oversaturation of low-quality content in the D&D marketplace. With so many third-party publishers creating and selling their own D&D content, it can be difficult to sort through what is good and what is not. This can lead to confusion and frustration among players and dungeon masters.

Furthermore, the OGL has led to a fragmentation of the D&D community. With so many different publishers creating content for the game, it can be difficult to keep up with what is official and what is not. This can lead to disagreements and conflicts among players and dungeon masters.

Despite these concerns, the OGL has also brought several benefits to the D&D community. It has encouraged creativity and innovation, providing a platform for game designers and artists to showcase their work. It has also provided access to valuable resources and increased visibility and sales for third-party publishers.

The Open Gaming License (OGL) for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) has several benefits for the game and its community, including:

1. Encourages Creativity: The OGL allows third-party publishers to create and distribute their own content for D&D. This provides a platform for game designers, writers, and artists to showcase their creativity and add new and exciting elements to the game.

2. Provides Access to Resources: The OGL allows publishers to access and reuse certain aspects of the D&D game mechanics and rules, such as character classes, spells, and monsters. This can save time and effort for third-party publishers, allowing them to focus on creating new and unique content.

3. Increases Visibility and Sales: The OGL makes it easier for third-party publishers to market and sell their D&D content. This can lead to increased visibility and sales for both the publisher and the game as a whole.

4. Fosters Community: The OGL encourages collaboration and participation in the D&D community. Third-party publishers can create content that complements and expands on official D&D materials, providing players with more options and opportunities for play.

5. Spurs Innovation: The OGL allows for experimentation and innovation within the game. Publishers can create content that pushes the boundaries of what is possible in the game, leading to new and exciting ideas that can ultimately benefit the entire D&D community.Others are upset with the OGL because they feel that it has led to an oversaturation of low-quality content in the D&D marketplace. The OGL allows third-party publishers to create and sell their own D&D content, which can lead to an overwhelming number of poorly-designed and unbalanced game supplements.

Overall, the OGL is a complicated issue with both benefits and drawbacks. Some people love the freedom it provides for creative expression and exploration of new ideas, while others feel that it undermines the integrity of the game and harms the community.

Ultimately, whether or not you should care about the D&D OGL controversy depends on your own interests and involvement in the game. If you are a player or dungeon master who enjoys exploring new ideas and creative content, the OGL may provide exciting opportunities for you.

RuneQuest: The Gods

Describing all the gods of RuneQuest Glorantha in detail would be a monumental task, as there are literally hundreds of deities in this complex and intricate pantheon. However, here we can see some of the most important and well-known gods in Glorantha:

1. Orlanth: Orlanth is the king of the gods, and the leader of the pantheon worshipped by the Orlanthi people of Dragon Pass. He is the god of the storm and the sky, and embodies qualities such as courage, strength, and independence.

2. Ernalda: Ernalda is the Earth Mother, and the consort of Orlanth. She is the goddess of the earth, fertility, and agriculture, and is worshipped by many different cultures throughout Glorantha.

3. Yelm: Yelm is the Sun God, and the ruler of the Celestial Court. He is the god of kingship, justice, and enlightenment, and is worshipped by the Solar Empire of the East.

4. Humakt: Humakt is the god of death and the sword. He embodies the qualities of honor, loyalty, and sacrifice, and is worshipped by many warrior cultures throughout Glorantha.

5. Chalana Arroy: Chalana Arroy is the goddess of healing and compassion. She is worshipped by healers, doctors, and those who seek to alleviate suffering.

6. Lhankor Mhy: Lhankor Mhy is the god of knowledge and wisdom. He is the patron of scholars, sages, and seekers of truth, and is worshipped by those who value learning and understanding.

7. Issaries: Issaries is the god of trade and communication. He is the patron of merchants, traders, and diplomats, and is worshipped by many different cultures throughout Glorantha.

8. Eurmal: Eurmal is the trickster god, and embodies chaos, mischief, and unpredictability. He is worshipped by many different cultures, but is often seen as a disruptive force that challenges social norms and conventions.

These are just a few examples of the many gods and goddesses that populate the world of RuneQuest Glorantha. Each culture and region has its own unique pantheon, with its own myths, legends, and rituals. The gods of Glorantha are not distant and unknowable beings, but rather active participants in the lives of mortals, and their actions and decisions can have a profound impact on the world and its inhabitant

RuneQuest: Mechanics & Actions

In RuneQuest, players have a wide range of actions available to them, limited only by their imagination and the rules of the game. Here are some examples of possible player actions in the game:

1. Combat: Players can engage in combat using a variety of weapons and techniques, including hand-to-hand combat, archery, and magic. They can attack enemies, defend themselves, and try to gain an advantage in the fight.

2. Exploration: Players can explore the world of Glorantha, discovering new locations and uncovering hidden secrets. They might climb a mountain, cross a river, or navigate a dangerous jungle.

3. Social interactions: Players can interact with NPCs (non-player characters) in a variety of ways, such as making deals, negotiating peace, or convincing someone to do something. They might use their skills in persuasion, deception, or intimidation to achieve their goals.

4. Magic: Players can use magic to cast spells and achieve a variety of effects, such as healing, protection, or destruction. Magic in RuneQuest is powerful but also dangerous, so players must be careful not to overuse it.

5. Crafting: Players can create items using various crafting skills, such as blacksmithing, leatherworking, or alchemy. They might make weapons, armor, potions, or other useful items.

6. Rituals: Players can perform rituals to gain the favor of the gods or achieve other magical effects. Rituals often involve sacrifices, offerings, or other acts of devotion.

7. Investigating mysteries: Players can investigate mysteries and solve puzzles, such as uncovering the source of a curse, deciphering a lost language, or finding a hidden treasure.

Overall, the possibilities for player actions in RuneQuest are virtually endless, and players can approach the game in a variety of ways to suit their playstyle and preferences.

RuneQuest: Overview

This post is for out current playgroup of RuneQuest players and for anyone else interested in joining in.

RuneQuest is a tabletop role-playing game that was first published in 1978. It is set in a fictional world called Glorantha, a rich and detailed fantasy setting with its own unique mythology and history. Players take on the roles of characters in this world, and together they embark on adventures and explore the world around them.

The game system itself uses percentile dice rolls to determine the success or failure of actions, with higher numbers indicating better results. Players create characters by choosing their race, background, skills, and abilities, and then develop those characters further through gameplay.

One of the unique features of RuneQuest is its use of magic. Magic is an integral part of the world of Glorantha, and characters can learn to use it to achieve powerful effects. However, using magic comes with risks and potential consequences, and characters must be careful not to overuse it or attract unwanted attention from powerful magical entities.

The game also emphasizes the importance of culture and society in shaping characters and their actions. Different cultures have their own values and beliefs, and characters must navigate these differences in order to interact successfully with people from other cultures.

Overall, RuneQuest is a complex and rich RPG with a deep and detailed world for players to explore and enjoy.

Feldherr Portable Paint Storage Solution Review - My Travel Companion

‘Life is a painting, and you are the artist. You have on your palette all the colors in the spectrum - the same ones available to Michaelangelo and DaVinci.’

In today’s review Im showing you what I use on a daily basis and travels with me everywhere.

I use this case store store a small selection of paints, brushes small wet palette hobby handle and the miniature or miniatures I am working on. Basically everything I need to get an hours painting in anywhere!

The case is made from a high quality and durable cloth with a handle on the side and small clear pocket which is ideal to slot in a business card or your personal details inc case you happen to leave it out somewhere ‘(guilty :)’ .

The MINI PLUS series case is 30 x 16 x 20cm makes it big enough to hold everything i need whilst being portable enough to keep on me at all times.

On the inside of the case you have the foam trays they are pre-cut here are there options I chose (there’s literally thousands of combinations)

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There’s also a mesh compartment on the inside of the lid that can be accessed with a zipper. This is mainly intended for small items I usually keep a few spare brushes and business cards and colour wheel in there.

Overall Im very happy with my case and im sure it will stick with me for years to come.

Check out more in the video below.

Color Theory For Miniature Painting - Part 1, The Wheel

“Light is a thing that cannot be reproduced, but must be represented by something else – by color.” – Paul Cezanne

“Color helps to express light, not the physical phenomenon, but the only light that really exists, that in the artist’s brain.” – Henri Matisse

“Everything that you can see in the world around you presents itself to your eyes only as an arrangement of patches of different colors.” – John Ruskin

Color theory encompasses a multitude of definitions, concepts and with applications in traditional art, photography, print, design and of course Miniature Painting. There is a multitude of information in print and media, enough to fill a library.

There are three basic categories of color theory that are essential for the miniature painter : The color wheel, color harmony, and context.

Color theories create a logical structure for color. For example, we could have a squad of space marines all from different coloured chapters, we can organize them by color and place them on a circle that shows the colors in relation to each other.

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Fig 1 The Colour Wheel

The Color Wheel

Fig 1. Shows a color circle, based on red, yellow and blue (outer ring), is traditional in the field of art. The wheel pictured is in fact the same wheel I keep by me for reference, you could save the image to your phone for easy look up or you can purchase one here.

The wheel was first developed by Sir Isaac Newton (yes the same guy who discovered gravity) developed the first circular diagram of colors in 1666. Following this scientists and artists have studied and designed numerous variations of this concept. Differences of opinion about the validity of one format over another continue to provoke debate. In reality, any color circle or color wheel which presents a logically arranged sequence of pure hues has merit.

There are three definitions or categories of colors based on the color wheel.

Fig 2. Primary Colors

Primary Colors: Red, Blue and Yellow
There are three primary colors. Red, Blue and Yellow. These three colors are the hues that in theory can be mixed to make all other colors. If you mix the three colours, it would produce black. Primary colors are the 3 pigment colors that cannot be mixed or formed by any combination of other colors. All other colors are derived from these 3 hues. 

Fig 3. Secondary Colors

Secondary Colors: Green, Orange and Purple
These are formed by mixing the three primary colors.

Fig 4. Tertiary Or Intermediate Colors

Tertiary Or Intermediate Colors: Yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green & yellow-green
These are made by mixing adjacent primary and secondary hues. The six tertiary or intermediate colors are yellow-green, blue-green, blue-violet, red-violet, red-orange, and yellow-orange.

The names for the tertiary colors always begin with the primary color then the secondary color; yellow-orange not orange-yellow, for example.

Color Theory For Miniature Painting - Part 2, Color Harmony

Not only can color, which is under fixed laws, be taught like music, but it is easier to learn than drawing, whose elaborate principles cannot be taught.” – Eugene Delacroix

“Color is so much a matter of direct and immediate perception that any discussion of theory needs to be accompanied by experiments with the colors themselves.” – Walter Sargent

“All colors are the friends of their neighbors and the lovers of their opposites.” – Marc Chagall

“Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this?” – Pablo Picasso

Color Harmony

Harmony can be described as a sameness, the belonging of one thing with another. The repetition of design elements like colour, texture, shape, and form is one of the easiest ways to achieve harmony to create a composition.

In visual experiences such as viewing a miniature, harmony is something that is pleasing to the eye. It engages the viewer and it creates an inner sense of order, a balance in the visual experience. When something is not harmonious, it's either boring or chaotic. At one extreme is a visual experience that is so bland that the viewer is not engaged. The human brain will reject under-stimulating information.

At the other extreme is a visual experience that is so overdone, so chaotic that the viewer can't stand to look at it. The human brain rejects what it cannot organize, what it cannot understand. The visual task requires that we present a logical structure. Color harmony delivers visual interest and a sense of order.

In summary, extreme unity leads to under-stimulation, extreme complexity leads to over-stimulation. Harmony is a dynamic equilibrium.

Some Formulas for Color Harmony

There are many theories for harmony. The following illustrations and descriptions present some basic formulas.

1. A color scheme based on analogous colors

Analogous colors are any three colors which are side by side on a 12-part color wheel, such as yellow-green, yellow, and yellow-orange. Usually one of the three colors predominates.
 

2. A color scheme based on complementary colors

Complementary colors are any two colors which are directly opposite each other, such as red and green and red-purple and yellow-green. In the illustration above, there are several variations of yellow-green in the leaves and several variations of red-purple in the orchid. These opposing colors create maximum contrast and maximum stability.
 

3. A color scheme based on nature

Nature provides a perfect departure point for color harmony. In the illustration above, red yellow and green create a harmonious design, regardless of whether this combination fits into a technical formula for color harmony.

Color Context

How color behaves in relation to other colors and shapes is a complex area of color theory. Compare the contrast effects of different color backgrounds for the same red square.

Red appears more brilliant against a black background and somewhat duller against the white background. In contrast with orange, the red appears lifeless; in contrast with blue-green, it exhibits brilliance. Notice that the red square appears larger on black than on other background colors.