Maps for Heroes

OK, this is just a cool idea and I have to share it where I can.

An Internet Associate of mine.....I don't have a better way of putting it, likes to draw maps. I like to draw maps too, but he's just much better at it. I used to be in the military, working with the Army, but he's actually in the Army. I like to think I do things to help others, but once again I find myself falling a bit short in comparison.

I'm OK with that as I've learned I have nothing to gain by comparing myself to other's standards, but enough about me.....

Matt Jackson has decided to put together a cool little fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project. It is a cool organization (though I wish they wouldn't limit themselves to just helping post 9/11) and Matt decided to organize a bunch of respected RPG map-makers to contribute a map for his fundraising campaign:

+Mike Schley 

+Carl Bussler 

+Gus L 

+Simon Forster 

+Monkeyblood's Model & Map Mayhem 

+Rob Conley 

+Logan Knight 

+Tim Shorts

Now putting together this effort is cool enough on his own, but Matt has also decided to donate any of the July proceeds from his Patreon campaign to the fundraiser as well. The goal is $1K, very reasonable.

I'll go one step further than just suggesting a donation.....I think you should donate at least $8. Eight map-makers, at least eight maps, at least $1 a map. Totally reasonable and it will only take 125 of us...maximum..to make that goal.

Come on....you do have $8 lying around, right? It is totally a Win-Win here.... 

Frugal GM Review: Gygax Magazine #4

This last week I've had the dubious "pleasure" of having to restore and attempt to re-organize a ton of my RPG files from a couple of backups after a computer crash. As I was filing away my collection of RPG Periodicals I discovered I didn't have Gygax Magazine #4...yet.

A quick trip to DriveThruRPG solved that issue and now I can review this latest issue.

Free GM Resource: Coat of Arms Designer from Inkwell Ideas

After playing with Inkwell Ideas' RPG Poster yesterday I decided to poke around their site some more. I didn't realize they made the Hexographer program, as well as a few other cool programs.

One program that you might not find frequent use for is their Coat of Arms Design Studio. There is a free version and a more robust paid version. I played with the free version a bit and while it worked fine, albeit a bit slow, for my needs that isn't the whole usefulness of this design studio.

If you've ever thought of designing a coat of arms for your campaign the various terms for the assorted aspects of a coat of arms gets real confusing fast. I don't know about you, but I don't necessarily need a comprehensive guide to the in-depth meanings of each individual aspect, I just need to know what they are. What the heck is the fess? A Sinister Baton? Do I want anything sinister....? I just need some basic explanations and there is a great drop-down primer on heraldry basics. Anything more and I can go straight to the source: A Complete Guide to Heraldry by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies and Illustrated by Graham Johnston, originally published 1909.

Frugal GM's One Day Sale!

Today is a "special" day for me....I'll let you guess, but for one day I'm making the Frugal GM's already inexpensive offerings 43% off at Drive Thru RPG.

Interesting RPG System Map

I woke up way too early this AM and thought I'd get a head-start on tomorrow's post, but I ended up just doing some random link-hopping, which is often a pleasant pastime unto itself. One place I ended up on is Inkwell Ideas, specifically on their Tabletop RPG Poster page.

Basically it is a 2' x 3' poster of just about every RPG out there right now. I'm sure it is missing some and the organization needs a little work, at least for my preferred games, but my games are in there. Unless you've played them all you are bound to miss some/misplace some. Of course this is only as current as 2012.

The poster is $14, which is a good deal if you've ever priced out getting 6 square feet of full-color map printed. It also comes with a pack of stickers marking what games you've played (or maybe would like to play?). You could also use this map to try and pick a new game to try. For some gaming groups the $14 would be well spent if it cuts down the decision time on selecting a new system to try.

I didn't think I've played many different games, but when I plotted it out I was a bit surprised. This won't blow up enough to see the games, so you should just head on over to Inkwell Ideas to see the map for yourself.

Frugal GM Review: Noteboard

One of the more unusual items I came across at the Origins Game Fair was a little portable noteboard aptly called Noteboard. It didn't stand out much at the Pro Fantasy (Campaign Cartographer) booth, but I quickly recognized it as an old item on my mental "check it out when you can" list. I remember some brouhaha when it first came out...whenever that was. These days it probably would have made it to a Kickstarter.

Anyway, the Noteboard was much cooler than I recalled. My only complaint is I wish it was a bit bigger.....ok, a lot bigger. Instead of 35" by 15" I wish it was 35" x 30". Everything else about it is cooler than expected. Basically this is an easily folded whiteboard surface that is gridded (and how!) on one side and pure white on the other. This isn't a series of notecards pushed up together like it might look like at first glance. Instead it is a whole sheet that has been strategically die cut and then laminated on both sides in such a fashion as to allow the whole thing to fold up to 3" x 5" x .75". The die cut is important because it makes the grids possible.

Origins 2014 Convention Report

Technically I just got back from the Origins Game Fair today, since I didn't get home until after midnight this AM. After way too little sleep due to overly gracious pets I've managed to get most things unpacked and some things put away, but I wanted to get some version of a Con Report on the blog today.

Free GM Resource: PosteRazor

This week's Free GM Resource is a useful tool allowing you to print out your own poster-sized graphics files at home.

I'm not sure if you've ever  priced out large-format printing at FedEx Kinkos or your local office supply store, but it isn't cheap. Black 7 White isn't too bad, especially for a special project, but color printing....right out unless somehow you have your players paying you to GM.

If that is the case, please let me know where to sign up!

PosteRazor basically lets you set the parameters for taking a large file and slicing it up into smaller pieces that you can stitch back together once it has gone through the printer in a more manageable state. You can set paper type, amount of overlap, borders.....it has it all.

The creator even has a little demo YouTube video, but I didn't think it was necessary to post it here.