2018 in Gaming

2019 is here, and 2018 is gone. How was it for gaming?

I got in an okay year of gaming, given a really unfavorable schedule for Sundays.

Running GURPS Dungeon Fantasy / Dungeon Fantasy Role-Playing Game

2018 stomped 2017 in terms of Dungeon Fantasy. We played 16 sessions of Felltower (Sessions 97 through 112) and once again got in a 12/30 game session. 2017 saw only 12 sessions.

This year featured the long-awaited return of Galen Longtread, as our friend was able to finally make it back to game. He had some health issues going on, so being able to make it to game was a big deal and mattered a lot. To me, the whole point of gaming isn't the playing of the game, it's the playing with friends.

The last session didn't end on a high note, as the PCs got mauled by the monster they weren't seeking as they tried to find a more favorable way to attack the one they were seeking. But the year featured delving through gates - a visit to Olympia and a delve to the Lost City through the gate in Felltower. I'd hoped for more gate travel, but gates are clearly seen as high-level trips fraught with extreme risk and set aside for such.

The switch to DFRPG hasn't gone as smoothly as I'd hoped. We've sort-of ended up with a hodge-podge of DF and DFRPG. Not just because of using all of the templates, but because spellcasters routinely rely on GURPS Magic first, GURPS Spells second, and my magic rules third. The priority list is actually the reverse, so we've had a lot of halts to game as we all pull out spell books and consult them to figure out if what Player A thinks a spell will do is actually what it will do. And PCs have been repeatedly made with spells that have been removed from the game, or plans made around spells that aren't available, and wizard versions of spells that are cleric-only have turned up even after removal. I may need to - somehow - find the time to just make my own one-document "DF Felltower Spells" book and forbid the use of the others. I don't know where that time will come from, however.

Playing GURPS Gamma Terra

We played only two sessions of Gamme Terra - 16 and 17.

That's down from 5 the year before. Some of it was because we got stuck on what to do, and others because of the sporadic lack of availability of our Gamma Terra GM. But we got in more DF because we played less GT.

I enjoy the game, and it's time to decide what's next. I feel like the game demands we do high-level re-civilizing projects, and free the rest of the 20th Homeland and make an army. We can't really survive without that. But on the other hand, the most fun we have is exploring old ruins. So maybe we can find a way to "training montage" the first and do more of the second. It would be fun to jet up to Ottawa, though, and see what's up with that being the one place besides our area that Softie can go to. It must be a depot or base, and that would be fun to explore. And maybe there is a big honking giant intelligent computer up there that we can talk to! Hopefully it won't scan me and decide I'm not human anymore. Clearly transhumanism wasn't a thing. Hillbilly still feels human, eyes changed by mutation or not.

Playing AD&D

We kept up what's now a tradition of playing some old AD&D modules, too.

We had two sessions of AD&D (C2 The Ghost Tower of Inverness sessions one and two)

It was meant to be one, but the exploration took a long time. Good thing we didn't use the non-tournament encounters (well, I used one, and that killed so much time that I regretted doing so) or the tournament clock!

AD&D is a lot of fun. I don't think I manage a campaign, though.

Other Games & Gaming

Basically none. I painted a lot fewer minis this year, although I did manage to get some done. I didn't pick up that many either. I've gotten pickier as my work schedule has dramatically cut into my gaming time. I didn't write much this year, either.

I did pick up a contract for a book, and I'm annoying a co-author on a project I've devoted little time to thanks to trying to get my other stuff done.

And I played just a little bit of video games this year, putting in some time on Borderlands 2, trying out (and putting aside) Diablo III, and picking Bard's Tale 1 back up just for grins.

And I did manage to keep blogging basically daily, even if only a short blurb, and keep gaming in my life on a daily basis.

Let's see if I can get in an equal or better amount of gaming in 2019.