August 2004 Archives

White Wolf Game Studio just released the new version of their modern-day Vampire role-playing game. I picked up the World of Darkness rulebook and the Vampire: the Requiem campaign at my FLGS last weekend. I really creeped myself out reading some of the fiction in the WoD rules late at night, and home that White Wolf will produce some equally creepy supporting materials for the "generic" core game. VtR didn't impress me quite as much, in part because the authors couldn't seem to decide whether to resurrect disinter most of the elements of the original, or restart with a clean slate.

Anyway, the default setting of the new version of Vampire is New Orleans. I've never lived there, but I have more than a passing familiarity with the city. When I was growing up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, New Orleans was the closest big city; we went there often for shopping, food, and culture, and much of our broadcast media came from there. I still try to get over to New Orleans whenever I go back to visit my parents. So, when I look at the game material on the Crescent City, a few things kinda wierd me out. Particularly, vampires hiding out in basements.

New Orleans is located on swampy, low-lying land; in fact, I believe it's technically below sea level, and ever so slowly sinking into the ground. Not a whole lot of underground construction there. The reason New Orleans has so many fascinating crypt-filled cemeteries is that if you bury a coffin in the ground, it's likely to work its way to the surface after a few heavy rains.

New Orleans has long traditions of voodoo and mysticism. Anne Rice lives in the Garden District, and has set many of her supernatural tales there; I believe a few other horror/romance authors also make the city their home. One of my favorite Concrete Blonde songs, "Bloodletting", is about vampires and New Orleans. And lots of vampire wannabes tend to find their way to the city; I swear, there are people walking around some parts of town who might as well have straws sticking out of their necks.

As a result, I find it much easier to believe that Vampires exist in New Orleans than that basements do.

At long last, justice is served.

No, no, no! Why do rumors keep showing up about casting that '70s fucktard in movies that I would have wanted to see otherwise? [via Ghost, damn him]

If any old-school TSR gamers are wondering whether to pick up WotC's new d20 Future supplement, perhaps this will help you make a decision: Dralasites, Vrusk, and Yazirians are given stats as playable alien races.

SUV's appear to be illegal to drive on many California roads. FOr that matter, the multi-ton "Passenger" vehicles may be technically illegal on many roads with 6,000-pound weight limits throughout the U.S. That is, if these laws were enforced. Then again, if traffic laws were actually enforced, a lot of the people I see driving SUV's around here would have lost their licenses a long time ago.

The BBC folks have successfully negotiated rights to bring back the Daleks in the new Doctor Who series, allowing a new generation to develop an unhealthy fear of salt and pepper shakers.