Murder at Sharky Point: spice up your dinner party or just enjoy the hunt for a killer in this murder mystery game

Sharky Point: dine in danger

Photos from Murder At Sharky Point – Dinner Party Game – Guests and suspects

Murder at Sharky Point is a murder mystery game for 6 or more players

I wrote this murder mystery game for a friend’s birthday dinner party. I normally write novels so this was a good challenge and a lot of fun to create. The reaction from the dinner guests was really positive. I wanted to provoke argument and debate against a background of fun and laughter. I wanted people to really fight their corner to prove their innocence, with tongues firmly planted in cheek, or avoid suspicion by pointing the accusatory finger at somebody else. This is a game of wits and cunning, and above all, casting a sparkle of delight over any dinner gathering.

- David J Rodger

Setting

It can be set in any time-period. The story itself takes place at the lavish and arcane mansion of Dr Black. A man adored by the heartless and hated by the worthy. The guests arrive for dinner and quickly establish who is who. Dr Black seems to revel in the tensions simmering below the barely maintained facades of civility. After dinner Dr Black excuses himself to retrieve a bottle from his renowned champagne collection but never returns, and is not seen alive again. The police are called.

How the game unfolds

The game begins with the arrival of the Special Agent in Charge, plus any extra players in the role of Agent-Investigators. As they interrogate the guests, the guests themselves will ask questions, either to find out the person(s) responsible for the murder, or to deal in subterfuge and ensure they avoid suspicion, or even shoulder it onto somebody else. There are no rules on what can or can’t be asked. There are some tips, which are revealed at the start. As the questions force guests to talk about where they were and what they were doing, between the hour of 9pm and 10pm, other players will have a chance to spot inconsistencies, expose lies, and direct further questioning to make suspects as uncomfortable as possible. Even if you’re innocent, you may fall victim to foul-play of the guilty.

Duration

The game is written to last a little under an hour. Forensic updates arrive every 7 minutes, each update providing clues derived from crime-scene-analysis. However, the organiser of the game can chose to shorten or extend these timescales depending on how they feel the pace of the investigation is going.

Organising the game

Half the fun is the anticipation that comes after everyone has received their invitation packs and the waiting begins, waiting for the night to arrive with a nervous tickle of growing excitement. Whoever hosts the dinner party / murder party can choose to be any of the characters below. They can also decide which guest should play which character when sending out the invitation packs – there is information about each character that will allow you to match your knowledge of your friends to the characters described.

Photos from Murder At Sharky Point – Professor Drum

 

The characters:

• Miss Carleti.
• Reverend Malty
• Ms Eldrich
• Professor Drum
• Colonel Farquar
• Ms Kovit
• Special Agent in Charge (an optional role if there are more than 6 players / dinner guests)
• Agent-Investigator (unlimited number of roles if there are more than 7 players / dinner guests).

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About Dr Black

Dr Black, eminent physician for the small and affluent township of Sharky Point; he made a name for himself in annals of science for his work in genetics, developing a bio-chemical mechanism for delivering body-altering retro-viruses of recombinant DNA. This work also made him the enemy of many religious groups who saw his work as tampering with the Gods sacred design. He has also been criticised by other scientists for “going too far” and by charities working with war torn states who fear his work may lead to a new “Bio Weapon”. Charming, arrogant, intellectual, Dr Black has often been a contentious individual, but always a perfect host.

Sadly, he dies within the hour following dinner (at some time between 9pm and 10pm within the story included in this murder mystery). So there is no role for Dr Black in this game other than as a body.

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Player Feedback

I’ve always been a fan of mystery games and books, I own the entire collection of Sherlock Holmes and read it rather often, but before I played this I never had the opportunity to participate in a real Murder Mystery Party, so when I got invited I was quite the happy person!
Aside of being ever so slightly, okay maybe more then slightly, nervous about the whole idea it was easily one of the funniest parties I have ever been to! Especially once things really got rolling and the accusations started flying!
Practice your short hand people cause you gotta write rather quickly when everyone is at each others throats!
The packet is detailed and lines everything out wonderfully with lots of… More >twists and surprises in there that caught me by such surprise my jaw must have dropped a few times.
I loved playing and hope to play again and again! Definitely one to add to the game shelf, or bookshelf as it were.
Thanks so much for writing and making this available for us Mr. Rodger! I look forward to any more you do in the future!

By Andrew Corrieri

Features

• Over 80 pages containing: “How to Play” instructions, Character Invitation sheets, Player Packs, Forensic Evidence reports.
• Player Packs detail why each character is there, what their motives and secrets are.
• Simply download and print it out to play or order the printed version and tear out the pages to start.
• VERY MATURE THEMES: NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN!!!

Download Now or Order a Printed Version

• Purchase download  click here
• Purchase printed spiral-bound hardcopy- click here
• Download Free Sample – click here

Purchasing and shipping is handled through LULU .

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David J Rodger – DATA

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It’s a good time to get excited about gaming: introducing Classic Realms of Adventure

Classic Realms of Adventure

This is one of the real delights of the Interweb. Encountering positive, enthusiastic and like-minded people.

One such chap is Wes, who has been shouldering a lot of effort and stress as he single-handedly creates a new online resource for gamers, with a helpful slant towards folks who are new to RPGs and gaming in general. All of this from over four decades of experience and a jaw-dropping spread of different game types and systems.

There’s a healthy adoration of all things Lovecraftian, too.

Classic Realms of Adventure is the umbrella site, folding in several strands such as a YouTube channel, Darkness over Dunwich (my favourite, of course) and some old-school war-gaming joy mixed in with board games.

So if that whets your appetite then please step through the portal into a different land.

• Classic Realms of Adventure

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David J Rodger – DATA

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Le Grog – French interest in Yellow Dawn The Age of Hastur – Le Guide du Roliste Galactique, l’encyclopédie des jeux de roles

Yellow Dawn gets a Euro reference

click to visit site

This is a cool little site with an epic mandate.  Their mission is to reference every roleplaying game ever published in its database.

Now including Yellow Dawn – The Age of Hastur.  :o)

They’re a friendly crowd and the main man sent me an awesome photo of the utterly insane house he built – which, looks literally like a flying saucer made out of wood, roof tiles and glass. I won’t post it here because I don’t want to spoil the very thing he shares with the people he engages with.

You can view the listing on Le Grog for Yellow Dawn here.

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click me

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David J Rodger – DATA

Festive holiday idea for game geeks: make chocolate RPG dice for your gaming buddies

Critical Success for Chocolate - image: Ariel Segall, offbeatbride.com

Either you’re a GM looking to soften your reputation for cruelty with player characters or maybe a game geek with an angle on bribing camaraderie out of your fellow players: “Sure, we’ll let you walk away with that amazing artefact… since you baked us these amazing chocolate dice”.

Or maybe you’re a “game widow”?  One of those long-suffering girlfriends or boyfriends who regularly lose contact with their partner when they vanish off to do battle with… whatever.

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Here’s a link to a great step-by-step guide for creating some functional chocolate goodies. And what’s better, if you happen to roll a ’1′ fumble on a d20 or a ’00′ critical fek-up on 1d100, just pop the evidence in your mouth before the GM can dispute what they think they saw.

This isn’t a quick win by the way. Some effort required. First you’ll need to make a mold that’ll allow you to batch the scrumptious polyhedrons.

Baking mold - image: Ariel Segall, offbeatbride.com

The article by Ariel Segall contains a comprehensive list of required crafting components that you’ll need to buy in before you begin, including liquid molding silicone, modelling clay and food-safe wax, to name a few. So anybody munching down on your treats should be prepared to get a lecture from you on how difficult they were to make.

If you’re up for the challenge then read the full article here: How to make your own Dungeons & Dragons chocolate dice mold – via offbeatbride.com

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Game geeks: Thorn Dice by Ceramic Wombat, twisted fusion of organic form and metal

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David J Rodger – DATA

WiP: getting near end of Terrain & Encounter chapter, simmering ideas for new non-human species

Photo: David J Rodger

The days have been tumbling through my fingers, it seems. Yet another mammoth chapter as I plod through the overhaul of Yellow Dawn – this is a much revised “Terrain & Encounters”.  I’ve ratified the systems on exposure, wind chill, frost bite, fatigue and the risks of travel, hopefully allowing GMs to enforce the sense of danger that exists when travelling the wilderness – without getting bogged down in a dozen dice rolls and flicking between so many separate tables. I’m pretty pleased with the work so far, at any rate.

Also fleshing out notes on a new non-human species I’m introducing into the Mythos: the Hokan, something that spans the divide between the realm of the Occult (Quantisphere) and the Outer Chaos, the squirming of the Mythos that exists Beyond.

Also expanding existing notes on another new non-human species I introduced in the current version of Yellow Dawn (2.1), called The Great Magi, I’ve now developed a lot more background material on these things as a result of running Horror On The Orient Express with my Yellow Dawn player group.

So as usual, busy busy.  I’m be sending out review copies of the latest chapter once completed; probably next weekend.

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David J Rodger – DATA

WiP: reshaping the terrain rules, new ideas coming into play

Image via Wikipedia

Morning world. Back from fantastic road trip through Devon and Cornwall in convertible Vdub Beetle. Hit Dartmouth & Burgh Island, all very Agatha, then down to St Michael’s Mount, Penzance, then across Dartmoor (very Hound of the Baskervilles) for some damn fine scones, clotted cream and jam with coffee in a cafe that was 500 years old. Now back in Sky Bunker, life-support blowing warm air on my legs, hammering away at Yellow Dawn – currently reshaping terrain rules. New ideas being added that will allow GMs to create a real sense of danger from certain terrains and convey the idea that unless you’re properly skilled and equipped, heading out across long distances can leave you very ill, if not injured or left dying.

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David J Rodger – DATA

WiP: reworking the map of the land, points of interest and encounters

Busy, busy, busy, progress with the overhaul of Yellow Dawn continues apace. Currently redeveloping the “mapping the land”, “points of interest” and “travelling encounters” and pleased by how much extra stuff I’m bringing in. Some of this I’ll be posting online to download for free, as it represents an upgrade for existing users of YD2.1. Although spending my morning coffee break fleshing out a scenario idea based on The Ninth Gate. Mythos style. :o)

Lucas Corso checks authenticity of The Nine Doors To the Kingdom of Shadows

You might also like this:

• The Ninth Gate: occult and tarot-like symbolism in the engravings by Aristide Torchia and Lucifer, plus wider meanings of the movie – click 

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David J Rodger – DATA

Scenes of terror and trouble: The Mansion on Knútr Marsh

A free RPG scenario

Suitable for Yellow Dawn & Call of Cthulhu

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Part of a collection of thumbnail plot sketches for locations and situations where the characters are faced by human, occult or Mythos terror.  Written to be used within the world of Yellow Dawn (RPG) but could easily be adapted to Call of Cthulhu, D&D, Delta Green or Shadowrun.   They span both the Occult (Quantispheric) and Mythos (the Outer Chaos, from Beyond the Void).

The Mansion on Knútr Marsh

The Gate House - image copyright David J Rodger - all rights reserved

The mansion is a large, rambling structure spanning several generations and dates back several centuries.
It has been empty and abandoned for some time.
Recently, new occupants have moved in.  For Yellow Dawn this would be a family well-known to the nearest settlement 20 miles away, a place called WOOK.
The family consists of a man and wife, Ezra Fulfer and Marnia, only recently married, and several children of which only the youngest (7 years old) is from their union. The other children are no older than 17 and are a product of previous relationships and adoption.  Despite this mix, they’re known as a strong and hard-working family; not especially religious but with good moral beliefs.
A couple of the people in WOOK are aware of the bad reputation that the mansion used to have; but it’s been so long now… memories and rumours fade.
Until now.
About a month ago, not long after they moved into the place, one of the sons – Mack Fulfer – 16 years old came back to WOOK to purchase some supplies.  He looked tired and was overheard complaining about the persistent damp that kept bleeding through the walls of the mansion, despite how much work his father put into rendering and painting.  Mack also talked about strange dreams and a pervasive smell of the sea, even though they were nowhere near the ocean.
That was the last time anybody has heard or seen of the Fulfer family.
Perhaps somebody could / should go and pay them a visit?
Anybody going there will discover a scene of devastation.  Early attempts at taming and cultivating the land have been halted and now overgrown.  There are tools laying on the ground – some of them bloodied.
Inside the property it is obvious that repairs have been made, but there is an overwhelming sense of doom about the place.
And then there are the bodies.
The whole family, with two exceptions, are dead: Victims of brutality beyond comprehension; tortured, beaten, partially eaten and mutilated.
Some of these victims have had limbs seemingly melted, leaving horribly charred stumps with the flesh still intact – as if they burned from the inside (similar to spontaneous human combustion).
In a downstairs room, strapped to a bed that has been dragged in there, is a naked woman… barely alive, muttering in a baby-like voice, like a mother sing-song whispering to her baby child.  This is Marnia Fulfer.  The straps are made from home-made leather belts and hold her in a face-down position; her bare and bleeding buttocks forced up into the air.  A large cushion has been placed underneath her belly, forcing her into a sort of sickening, prostrated, crouching position.   The straps are stained dark with sweat and have rubbed away the flesh in many places.  Worse… the wounds to her buttocks are bite marks (human); the teeth have sunk deep and then torn away flesh and muscle leaving pits of raw flesh, now turning infected. There are other wounds to her, including bite marks on her face that have gone down to the skull, and her shoulders.  Hand and finger-like bruises on her greasy and cold flesh show where somebody has held her roughly.  The whole shocking scene conjures up images of prolonged and systematic abuse.
How long has she been like this? One week? Two weeks? Longer?

If the characters took stock of the Fulfer’s whilst in WOOK, they will be able to determine that only one body is missing, that of young Mack.

Repetitive symbols cover many of the walls; daubed in a rusty-brown paint, like interlocking circles that are only half-formed.

A stone obelisk in the basement, adorned with the rotting entrails of family members.  The obelisk is ancient and lacking any identifiable markings; it exudes a sense of menace.

The characters are now in grave danger.  The culprit here is the son, Mack Fulfer.  Only 16 years old he is quick, strong and deadly.  He begins a campaign of cat and mouse, stalking the characters in the area around the house.  He does not want any of them to leave.  Any transport is quickly disabled.  It’s a 20 mile hike back to WOOK.  The most dangerous  20 miles the characters are likely to ever face.

Options:

(1) Mack has fallen victim to the mental corruption of a Lloigor that occupies the dank and unwelcoming marshes.  The Lloigor has been there for centuries, soaking up energy when it can and causing mayhem every generation or so as another fresh mind falls victim to its diabolical ways. Fear, pain and insanity create more energy for it to feast upon.  The obelisk in the basement was erected by a previous occupant not long after the mansion was built; it channels energy to the Lloigor in the marsh.  Destroying the obelisk would be a first step to harming the Lloigor, restricting its access to future energy leaching… but it would also force the Lloigor to react swiftly and decisively, with deadly force, to stop this from happening.  The Lloigor also doesn’t want the characters to leave.  It creates the sound of a crying baby or young child to lure hapless characters into the marsh; there it terrorizes them with illusions and delusions – ultimately, they will fall victim to Mack.  The Lloigor will utilise whatever attacks and tricks it has the energy for; but GMs should consider this a finite and dwindling resource.  Ultimately, Mack is the most physical danger they face.  Various books or old scraps of journals found in an attic can explain some of the grim history of the mansion, and experiences of previous occupants – including many murders and suicides, all centered on the marsh itself.  There is a repeated description of a short, stocky man with strange blue tattoos on his lower arms and neck.  This figure is never explained, however, it is the preferred physical manifestation of the Lloigor when it feels the need to act directly within the area of the mansion (the range of this manifestation is limited).  It is actually one of the Great Magi, a race of powerful humanoids that existed before the Elder Things occupied what was Antarctica… and still exist on Earth today but in vastly reduced numbers.  The Lloigor can bring this dangerous manifestation into play, if it suits a final purpose (especially if Mack has been dealt with by characters).

(2) There is no Lloigor. Mack is merely a sensitive soul who finally succumbs to a festering madness and deluded resentment of his family. He kills them in horrific ways and takes out a more sustained rage on his mother.  The obelisk in the basement is just a focus of his insanity and has no metaphysical properties.  The symbols daubed in blood on the walls are meaningless doodles of a damaged mind.  The marsh is dank and dangerous but the true danger is Mack, who cunningly attempts to take down the characters one by one.

Useful Link:

• Reasons to like Lovecraft: Lloigor – click

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David J Rodger – DATA

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Scene of terror and trouble: The Mansion on Knútr Marsh wp.me/pTAKk-1Bq—
David Rodger (@davidjrodger) August 19, 2011

WiP: Latest draft of Yellow Dawn 2.5 – Free Lite now available to download as PDF

It’s been a tough couple of weeks. Collating and reacting to feedback from review list.  The core rulebook now has a complete background to the Yellow Dawn setting – how Earth, in the near future is decimated by the apocalyptic event; details of Hastur and the influence of Hastur within this world; Carbons; the Changed; and comprehensive notes about the various organisations and corporations that survived and continue to operate in the world.  Still a long way to go before its finished but already I think it’s a massive improvement on the currently available YD2.1.

Meanwhile, I’ve uploaded a chopped down draft version (3.3) available here. This now has sections removed that won’t be included in the “free lite” version.  This is comes from the ethos that the free-lite rules, when finished, will provide you with a thin layer of background, rules to run Dead City runs and scavenging operations (not completed yet).  Please don’t forget this is still very much a work-in-progress and none of the current documentation has any branding applied.

Download here

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You might also like this:

• YD 2.1 – update to rules for Astral Plane – click

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David J Rodger – DATA

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Yellow Dawn ¦ The Age of Hastur – first session in 2 years – wow what a rush – brilliant

Yellow Dawn – first session in 2 years – wow what an amazing rush.  So I’m referring to the role-playing game Yellow Dawn – The Age of Hastur.

I last played this in October 2009,  just before a family tragedy left me reeling for a few months – and then saw me dive headlong into writing the post-apocalyptic novel Dog Eat Dog, and the yet to be released Cyberpunk Horror – Living in Flames, set in Bristol.

So life, and death, and the intensity of writing just left no time for running Yellow Dawn.  And in a way, I’ve been happy to just have that time back.

Four months ago I began a major overhaul of Yellow Dawn, with a view to releasing an updated, expanded and better organised version of the rules (2.5) later this year, winter 2011.

And today, saw four of the old gang, the original players and play testers, come to my house and settle back into that groove. I was a little apprehensive.  I’ve not run a game or been a GM for 2 years.  There’s a lot of responsibility resting on your shoulders.  These people have given up an entire day, half of their weekend, to sit around a table and be entertained, be enthralled and terrified.

And that’s what happened.  Like riding a bicycle, once you’ve got it you never forget how… the game started and straight away we were into tension and intrigue. I’m going to blog about the actual session separately because I think it makes an interesting case study on the use of a traditional, 1920′s Call of Cthulhu scenario (campaign) with the cyberpunk horror, post-apocalyptic setting of Yellow Dawn.  In fact, it highlights the success of one of Yellow Dawn’s primary tenets: you can absorb any scenario type or flavour of genre into Yellow Dawn and see it spat out in a very interesting, thrilling format. Great fun to play.

They’ve all just left and I’m up here in the SKy Bunker, buzzing. About to guzzle some tequila and dampen the adrenaline rush.

I fekking love Yellow Dawn and I can’t wait to get this big re-write finished so I can start peddling out this kind of twisted pleasure to anybody else who wants to try.

Actual session update coming in a couple days.

Djr

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David J Rodger – DATA

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Yellow Dawn ¦ The Age of Hastur – first session in 2 years – wow what a rush – brilliant http://wp.me/pTAKk-1pP—
David Rodger (@davidjrodger) July 02, 2011

Recommend: The NightJar – Game. Playing on your senses. Can you see with your ears?

Recommend: The NightJar – Game. Playing on your senses. Can you see with your ears?

Okay, first off, massive apologies because this is part of a commercial viral campaign for a chewing gum product. But, the game concept is wicked!  You’ve been abandoned by your crew on a failing space ship; there’s no lights, you’re blind and you have to try and navigate your way to safety by using sound alone. And that’s just the start of your worries.

Promo Trailer here:

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Nightjar Campaign from AMVBBDO AWARDS VIMEO on Vimeo.

View official website here - click

Thanks to FUG for the find. :o)

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David J Rodger – DATA

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Recommend: The NightJar – Game. Playing on your senses. Can you see with your ears? http://wp.me/pTAKk-1pl—
David Rodger (@davidjrodger) June 30, 2011

Santiago – an exciting new card and dice game where conflict and strategy prevail

A lowely force confronts the mighty Queen & King of the game

I was in Santiago recently and trapped in an airport for several hours as heavy storms battered the country.  During this time I came up with a brand new game, with the help of my good friend Pete Wills, utilising an ordinary pack of cards and two dice (d6).

The result was surprisingly enjoyable and immensely engaging. The hours melted away and I have to honestly say I enjoyed the whole experience – despite arriving back in the UK at 2 o’clock in the morning.

Overview

This is a game for up to four players. Each player uses one suit of cards (Spades, Hearts, etc). They start by selecting one card to be their base. This can be a high card (10, Jack, Queen, King, or the all powerful Ace) to create a strong defensive position, or they can gamble with a low card for a base – using the higher (more powerful) cards in the approaching battle.

Each player places a card at a time, creating a snaking line of offensive forces, stretching out from their base towards an enemy base(s).  When the cards of an opposing force touch, there is conflict.  Conflict is resolved by rolling two dice (standard, 6-sided) and adding the score to the value of the card.  The highest score wins that particular conflict.

Lines of attack can be broken leaving forces stranded.  Beaten cards are taken and used later to “buy back” troops.  There is a surprising amount of tension created by this game, and plenty of opportunity for strategy, alliances, deal-breaking and bluffing.

Grab the free download PDF – click

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Want to host the perfect Murder Mystery Party?

• Try “Murder At Sharky Point” – click

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David J Rodger – DATA

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Santiago – an exciting new card and dice game where conflict and strategy prevail http://wp.me/pTAKk-1fG—
David Rodger (@davidjrodger) June 10, 2011

Video: Killzone 3 Trailer Contest – March of the Higs – using NIN as soundtrack

 

Click to play (on Vimeo website)

Soundtrack “March of the Pigs” by NIN.

 

Being a massive fan of the Killzone games and Nine Inch Nails, it proved too irresistible not to combine the two for the official Killzone 3 trailer contest. This is my entry, enjoy.

- HIAB-X

 

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David J Rodger – DATA

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Cyberpunk concepts: beautifully rendered in demo of Samaritan Unreal Engine 3

Cyberpunk concepts: beautifully rendered in demo of Samaritan Unreal Engine 3

This isn’t just a great demo of a game-world reality. This is pure dose of cyberpunk dropped onto the tip of your tongue. How’s that taste? Metal-synthetic… nice.

Better than many films out there today.

Question is – how long before we can start jacking into these virts to engage with the characters – face to face – weapons raised, scopes hot, adrenaline spiking?  At which point – what percentage of the population do we “lose” to a new narcotic-style addiction?  Or am I being overly cynical, with a dab of delicious anticipation. :o)

 

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David J Rodger – DATA

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Dead Island Trailer (cert 18) – zombie survival video game – trailer has cool cinematic storyboard

A new trailer for zombie survival video game, Dead Island. Developed by Techland and published by Deep Silver. It is an open-ended game, centered on the challenge of survival on a zombie-infested island. The game uses a first-person perspective with RPG elements. However, the developers are claiming that the game will be far beyond a typical first-person shooter experience, mainly due to a bigger emphasis on melee combat, role-playing elements and a clear focus on story-telling.

Gameplay will feature a sandbox style gameplay on a tropical island. A zombie style story are massively influenced by George A Romero’s movies, melee combat involving the ability to pick up almost anything and use it as a weapon, and will have multiple playable characters. Multiplayer will include 4 Player drop in/out Co-Op.

It will be released for PC, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3.

Dead Island Trailer Theme by Savalas:
Giles Lamb – Composer
Kahl Henderson – Sound Design
Tom Griffiths – Sound Design

Visit the Facebook page for the song.

- From YouTube channel for The Steel Stallion

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Dog Eat Dog: science fiction & dark fantasy, by David J Rodger

Zombies of Hastur in a Cthulhu Mythos post-apocalypse.

Information about the book:

Dog Eat Dog { novel } Dog Eat Dog takes place in the near future, after the Earth has been devastated by a viral pathogen unleashed when a corporate cargo hauler crashed into the atmosphere; breaking up as a fireball across the sky, it showered Southern Europe and North Africa with a deadly rain of infected debris. Ten years later, over seventy percent of the human population is dead and only a handful of cities survive intact. So called ‘Living Cities’. The vast majority of human habitation is abandoned to the undying creatures left mutated through a brutal twist in the infection. Greed and corruption are left hovering over this bleak and brutalized domain and a cosmic horror is now free to infiltrate the remote abandoned corners of the Earth. Above this, the orbital colonies spin within artificial gravity wells, impartial observers, unaffected by the shocking events below. Within this mix the lives of two survivors collide: a renegade intelligence agent and a cold-blooded master of violence, shaping events with their virulent hunger for money and desire to carve their name onto this new world. This is the first novel to be set within the world of Yellow Dawn.

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BUY DOG EAT DOG TODAY

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Other Comments & Feedback

“My copy of Dog Eat Dog arrived today. I sat down just to flick through it; next time I looked up I was 84 pages in! Utterly gripping, your best work yet.”

This is really, really good stuff.  I’d go as far to say it’s the best Sci Fi horror I’ve read in ten years.  I can’t think of anything that beats it in terms of action, the innovative ideas per page quota is off the chain, the characters are deep and real.  Drobna is the best anti-hero in the genre.  A total bad ass, he makes Mad Max look like Stephen Fry.

At one point when I got off the subway I had to sit on the horrid wooden seats to continue reading, despite being on my way to work….

Letters

• From New York
• From Germany
• From New York #2 and end of the book
• H.P. Lovecraft would be proud of you

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More David J Rodger? God Seed ¦ Dante’s Fool ¦ Iron Man Project ¦ Edge ¦ Yellow Dawn RPG

Recommend: Cubicle 7 – an independent source of new RPGs and collateral

A few days ago I posted about a cool source book for 1920′s Call of Cthulhu “Shadows of Scotland“.  What struck me was the number of people who stated surprise (and delight) to see new material coming out for CoC. Not sure why so much surprise, but, there you have it.

Anyhow.  I dug a little deeper into the folks flaunting these new wares.

Cubicle 7.

An indie company publishing (or acting as an agent for) new RPGs and collateral, including the aforementioned source book for an existing game system. They’ve been granted a license from Chaosium to publish material for Call of Cthulhu.

And they have a broad spectrum of flavours. Take a look at their Latest News section and be prepared to feel a tingle of excitement in your boots: from Charles Stross, through Doctor Who to a steampunk’s dream in Victoriana.

If you can get to London (UK) check out the Dragonmeet conventions and monthly gaming events of Gameforce, for which Cubicle 7 are the driving force.

Here’s a snapshot of the delicious smorgasbord of game genres they publish and support.

Doctor Who - Adventures in Time and Space: Launch into time and space or create your own adventures defending the Earth or as agents of Torchwood.

SLA Industries: Struggle to stay alive and keep your job in an uncaring society stalked by killers - killers like you. Gritty urban horror.

Victoriana: Join the revolution! Fight for what you believe in a world of change. Or just explore this sumptuous Victorian setting with a fantasy accent.

Starblazer Adventures: Your gateway to rock 'n roll sci-fi adventure powered by the popular FATE system. Blaze a trail across the stars as you save the galaxy in new and dangerous ways!

Legends of Anglerre: Play your favourite fantasy adventures using our new FATE-based fantasy roleplaying game. Includes two introductory settings! Start here for awesome heroic adventures!

Qin - The Warring States: Discover the mysteries of this acclaimed French RPG from 7th Circle games. Adventure in a world inspired by historical detail and martial arts action. You are already a Hero, become a Legend.

Cthulhu Britannica: A series of strange and mysterious adventures for Call of Cthulu with a distinctly British twist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cubicle 7 is the progeny of Angus Abranson and a loyal and inspirational team. You can catch them on Twitter @cubicle7 or peruse  Abranson’s “Ramblings of an Inadequate Messiah” on his Livejournal.

 

More David J Rodger? God Seed ¦ Dante’s Fool ¦ Iron Man Project ¦ Edge ¦ Dog Eat Dog

Press update: Examiner.com runs an interview with David J Rodger author of Yellow Dawn RPG.

David J Rodger (Jesus Mound)

I had the pleasure to encounter this chap, Michael Tresca, during an interview with Examiner.com.  I talk about my early experiences of gaming and what led to the creation of Yellow Dawn. I give my personal view on the world of Yellow Dawn – about Zombies and Orcs, concepts that occur within the post-apocalyptic world, and the connections with H.P.Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos and the Great Old One, Hastur – the King in Yellow.

Read the interview here:

http://www.examiner.com/rpg-in-national/interview-with-david-j-rodger-author-of-yellow-dawn-rpg

Follow me on Twitter @davidjrodger

More David J Rodger? God Seed ¦ Dante’s Fool ¦ Iron Man Project ¦ Edge ¦ Dog Eat Dog

RPG game reviews: Age of Ravens – incredible source of recent opinion

If you’re looking for new RPG’s to get your teeth into and not too sure where to sink your hard earned (or criminally acquired) cash.  I’d highly recommend you check out these RPG game reviews on the Age of Ravens by Lowell Francis. This chap reviewed no less than 30 games in October, making his blog an incredible source of recent opinion.

A good place to start is with Lowell’s summary: Lessons from Reading: October’s Thirty RPG Reviews.

Then indulge and dig deeper into the main body of his work.

 

Murder At Sharky Point – fantastic review

MURDER at SHARKY POINT is a murder mystery game for 6 or more players. It can be set in any genre and takes place at the lavish and arcane mansion of Dr Black. Guests arrive for dinner, during which several conversations and observations take place. After dinner Dr Black excuses himself to retrieve a bottle of his famous champagne but never returns, and is not seen alive again. The Special Agent in Charge arrives, plus any extra players in the role of Agent-Investigators, and set about interrogating the guests to find out the person(s) responsible for the murder. Guests must ensure they’re not labelled a murderer and also conceal other secrets during the investigations.

I’ve written several of these before, typically for friends hosting a dinner party; this is the first one I’ve written for publication and I’m very pleased by the responses I’ve received.

Rather than a structured journey through the plot (which I’ve always find rather restrictive when playing boxed sets), this game gives each player the chance to properly interrogate their peers, and to be interrogated.  I’ve seen exchanges become quite heated so be prepared to back up your bluffs with solid lies.

Here’s a recent review by some chap from the US

I’ve always been a fan of mystery games and books, I own the entire collection of Sherlock Holmes and read it rather often, but before I played this I never had the opportunity to participate in a real Murder Mystery Party, so when I got invited I was quite the happy person!
Aside of being ever so slightly, okay maybe more then slightly, nervous about the whole idea it was easily one of the funnest parties I have ever been to! Especially once things really got rolling and the accusations started flying!
Practice your short hand people cause you gotta write rather quickly when everyone is at each others throats!
The packet is detailed and lines everything out wonderfully with lots of… More >twists and surprises in there that caught me by such surprise my jaw must have dropped a few times.
I loved playing and hope to play again and again! Definitely one to add to the game shelf, or bookshelf as it were.
Thanks so much for writing and making this available for us Mr. Rodger! I look forward to any more you do in the future!
By Andrew Corrieri – source LULU website

You can buy Murder At Sharky Point direct from LULU, either in print (spiral bound, tear pages out to play) or to download (print yourself, 80 pages).

FEATURES •Over 80 pages containing “How to Play”, Character Invitation sheets, Player Packs, Forensic Evidence reports. •Player Packs detail why each character is there, what their motives and secrets are. •Simply download and print it out to play. MATURE THEMES: NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN

Photos

These photos were taken at a playing of Murder At Sharky Point in an incredible house, in Bath’s Royal Crescent (UK), a place that’s almost 250 years old.

 

Ms Carletti and Special Agent in Charge

 

 

Professor Drum

 

 

One of the Special Agents

 

 

Ms Kovit

 

 

Ms Carletti, Col Farquar and Ms Eldritch listen to a dubious pack of lies

 

Order a copy today – in print or download

You can buy Murder At Sharky Point direct from LULU, either in print or to download .