Saturday, May 22, 2010

Middle TN State University's Psychological Gaming Survey

A student at MTSU is currently conducting a survey among both tabletop gamers and console/computer gamers. The goal is to highlight and quantify the benefits of social interaction and development that can come from gaming, especially traditional tabletop or LARPing style gaming that has a physical aspect. We're making a call to see if you could please take the time to do the survey that fits you best (if you're more of a tabletop or LARP gamer, then only fill out that survey, and if you're more of a console or computer gamer, then only fill out that survey). The more data they have to work with, the more precise they'll be able to be. Positive gaming studies are a rare and great item, so please - please - take the few seconds to take the appropriate survey.

So, click here to take the tabletop/LARP survey or click here to take the console/computer survey.

Until next time....

GULGAR
Ogres Out

Sunday, May 16, 2010

A Brief Introduction

Hey guys!

Its Davo here, your new OGRE Editor-in-Chief, just checking in.

We've got a lot of upcoming changes here around the OGRE Lair, so keep an eye out for what is to come!
As a quick introduction, I suppose, I shall let everyone know that my intentions as Editor is to, first and foremost, make sure all the current content available is grammatically and typographically accurate, to the best of my ability. Parallel to that in importance is making sure everything is well composed and a worthwhile read. I know from personal experience that great concepts can turn sour by poor content, and that is something we do not wish to fall victim to here.

As a second order of business, if any chapter or person associated with the OGREs has any fiction writing from personal 'homebrew' settings, games, etc... and would like to submit them for review to be added to the Wiki and the OGREs mainstay literature, just send it to me and I'll review it, edit it, and respond with its acceptance or declination, but never will I decline without a reason and a way to amend what you submit for further consideration once altered.

That's all for now, as I don't have much time - I'm actually away from the Serenity game with our Supreme DMs car, so he is probably waiting for me to return so he can know with full assurance that his car is safe.

Until next week...


GULGAR
Ogres Out

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Preparing for OMGcon, RPG Myths Panel

After shutting up for the entire month of April, we've decided to annoy you again! So, you, well, you just sit there and take it. We've had a great deal of fun recently, from local conventions to several new chapters, but the time is fast approaching for our chapter's favorite convention right here in our own backyard: OMGcon! In it's 5th year, the convention boasts over 1,000 attendees here in Western Kentucky who come together for anime and gaming. Oh, and guess what chapter of O.G.R.E.s is helping run the Tabletop Room?....Yep! You caught us, it's our chapter!

You can always hop over to our Calendar of Events page at the Ogre Lair and check out the schedule we've put together for the tabletop room. You may notice that we're planning a great panel entitled "RPG Myths, Lies, & Misconceptions: An Interactive Timeline of Bad Press." As RPG Examiner mentioned, we invite anyone to come and sit in (We're really hoping local journalist Mr. Walker of the Paducah Sun, who is infamous in the RPG world for some horrible articles on gaming he ran back in the 80s that stated things completely opposite of what sources had, will show up and get enlightened).

Other fun events include the Laser Ponies: Prances With Wolves session with it's very special pre-game Laser Pony Miniature Creation Workshop, the Magic: The Gathering booster draft tournament(which comes with a special prize provided by O.G.R.E.s), the first public testing of the homebrew West Canaan Wizards, Hex Games coming in to run a session of their in-development "All Stars" game with the previous working title of Super Zeroes, and of course some sessions of chapter favorites Settlers of Catan and BreadTwist.
Preregistration for OMGcon is open right now and those booking in groups get discounts, so make sure to jump on before it's too late. Other events outside of the tabletop room include cosplay contest, guests, panels, artist alley, vendors, rave, and so much more! You won't want to miss out on what will be our chapter's biggest party this side of OgreCon. Oh, and they'll be girls there. Yeah. Confirmed. We'd tell you more, but we're sure you already clicked the OMGcon link as soon as you read about girls and started the preregistration process. Good for you.

GULGAR
Ogres Out