Perhaps it’s because I’m getting old, or because I stare at a computer screen all day but I just can’t play modern computer games. At least not for a very long time at a stretch, and certainly not for long enough to learn how to play one of the several big multiplayer games that seem to have sucked in all of my friends. I am drawn to the games I enjoyed in my youth, games that are graphically simple, emulated or otherwise. Nethack is one of those great games that just sucks you in and makes you want to play it, and since it is a turn based adventure game, you can play at your own pace and save at any moment and walk away from it whenever you wish to return to the exact point you were at when you left.

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I must admit that I was starting to think that KtOG was getting very popular at first. The last time I checked on the site, I noticed that over the last few months the hits had risen dramatically. KtOG is fun, but it’s not *that* much fun!

For some reason I happened to click on the link for All Pages. The main page on the site looked fine, so I wasn’t expecting what I found - there were over 190 new pages on the site! Most of them were in Chinese, but all had links to other sites - obvious spammers. At first I didn’t want to give up on the wiki - it’s the same software that powers Wikipedia, and I had gotten used to using it.

I had taken a shortcut to my wiki paradise and used the “one-click-install” option that my hosting company offers. It’s an awesome system, which allows you to upgrade the installation at the click of a button. Unfortunately…

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I’ve been privileged enough to have gotten into two separate D&D games lately, so I’ve been reading a bit about current events in role playing a bit more than usual. One thing that has been talked about alot by D&D fans of late is the impending release of version 4 of the D&D rules by Wizards of the Coast, the company who now owns the system. Having only recently shelled out for the v3.5 core rule books, I can’t say that I personally was very eagerly anticipating it, but having played them now a few times there certainly was room for some improvement. You can get a peek into what’s going on by watching the four parts of the presentation at the links below captured at this year’s GenCon - the presentation started with the video I’ve embedded here lampooning the various versions of D&D over the years, narrated by a fake frenchman. If you’re really interested, there are several videos taken at GenCon of the entire talk first part, second part, third part, fourth part.

If ever there was a topic that just smacks of flame bait, this is it. CNET reports that there are a few folks with credentials enough to dare play that particular game though, and have compiled a chronological list of the most important video games of all time, and have submitted it for review and potential permanent preservation to the U.S. Library of Congress. Although I wasn’t even born when the first on the list (Spacewar, 1962) hit screens, I *do* remember Star Raiders on the Atari in 1979. Others on the list are equally memorable. Is the list definitive? Will these be the games that define our generation in 200 years when they are all thats left? Time to fire up the the Atari emulator for some Star Raiders!

It’s been a bunch of years since I’ve played Wiz War, but I plan to give it a go again tommorow if possible. In anticipation, I pulled down my old 5th edition (1991 reissue with expansions) and poked through some of the cards. This game was Hilarious! WizWar has enough of the elements of role-playing games that die-hard gamers can’t help but have some fun, even though it’s really a fast-paced board game with no real role-playing element. There’s dice, cards, figures (if you want), lots of little chits, hit points, dungeon sections that go together to build the ‘board’, spells, and comedy (the cards can be pretty funny). How can you go wrong with this game?! Man, we had so many good times playing this game. I decided to go online and see where the game is today…

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Thanks to my brother for passing me this link. Bowman is a very addictive (and bloody!) way to pass some time that requires flash. As it turns out there is a Bowman2 with a bird hunting mode as well. I was unaware that flash apparently runs on a bunch of console games as well, which means if you can download the game you can play it on your PSP or even your Wii. I don’t have any consoles, but you might.

I’ve been playing retro games for a long while, struggling to run the old ROMs even back when I used Windows, before I switched to Linux for my home machine, almost 7 years ago now, using various emulators. M.A.M.E. has always been a favorite of mine, since it allows me to play all those great old arcade games that I had pumped so many quarters into in years past. On the Mac, I’ve used…

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