In Memory Of...Gygax Patches on Sale, Partial Proceeds to Memorial Fund

Hello everyone! We've teamed up with our patch provider - ALittleCrafty.com, to make a couple of the patches we wear available to the public. They are of course, our "In Memory Of..." patches for both Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, the co-creators of Dungeons & Dragons! You can see both patches here, and make sure to take advantage of this limited time offer: for the month of September, the patches have been reduced to $5.95 a piece AND a dollar of every Gygax patch sold goes to help fund the Gygax Memorial Fund being designed by the Gygax family and friends (we have no association with them, we're just supporters of the cause!). Even if you miss out this month, they'll only be a dollar more when they go back to their regular price next month - and the donated portion of the proceeds will continue.

So, help out a good cause, and get a great piece of swag to place on Con bags, jackets, or wherever to show your appreciation of two men who helped nurture a hobby we all love.

GULGAR
Ogres Out

Camp Oggie: A Weekend Gaming Campout Extravangza

If you're a lurker on some of the other O.G.R.E.s websites, you may have heard that we're gearing up for our yearly party: CAMP OGGIE! The weekend camp out of open gaming will take place October 22nd through the 24th, and we'll be logging volunteer hours to go towards Gamers for Humanity's 28k Project. And we're staying in a large communal cabin: no tents!
For specifics on the weekend, just head over to OgreLair.org and check out Camp Oggie!

See you there!

GULGAR
Ogres Out

T-Minus 48 Hours until OMGcon!!!!!!

We can't wait to see you all out at this weekend's OMGcon. In it's fifth year, Paducah's annual anime and gaming convention is set to be even bigger! Members from many chapters, including the Sic City Ogres, Soil Ogres, Derby City Ogres, Saluki City Ogres, and many more including us (your very own hometown Quilt City Ogres), will be in attendance. In addition to that, our chapter had the privilege to create the schedule for the tabletop room for this year. Click here to check it out!
Anyways, we'll be filming for our youtube as always, especially during our RPG Myths, Lies, & Misconceptions panel. See you there!

GULGAR
Ogres Out

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

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

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

New Ogres, New Chapter, and Egypt Wars

You may have noticed that we haven't uploaded much to Ye Olde Blog in the past few weeks. Well, here is our excuse - and it's a good one: our blogger just had a baby. Well, he didn't have it, his wife did, but he was there man. He was there.
Meet our newest Ogre, William James Riley Hooper, who came in at nearly 10 pounds after 36 hours of labor (followed by a C Section because who doesn't want to have all the agony of prolonged labor with the fun of surgery?).


You can see more chapter members here. Speaking of chapters, the Organization of Gamers & Roleplaying Enthusiasts would like to welcome yet-another new chapter aboard. This chapter goes by the name the Friendly City Ogres and hail from Athens in Eastern Tennessee.

Currently, our chapter is preparing for its participation in the Egypt Wars gaming convention in Carbondale, IL next month. Sponsored by Castle Perilous game store, the event is in about two weeks and we strongly recommend you come out and visit us at our O.G.R.E. booth. Til then....

GULGAR
Ogres Out

An Open Letter to the Boston Herald

Recently, a journalist posted this article on their website, discussing the already-disproven link between RPGs and crime (though they conveniently leave out the disproven part). The following was an email we sent to the journalist in question, and we encourage other users to as well.

Hello Ms. Sweet,

My name is Hooper and I'm a member of the Organization of Gamers & Roleplaying Enthusiasts, commonly known as the OGREs, where I sit on the Committee on Gaming Advocacy. Your recent short article has been brought to our attention and it truly concerns us.

You see, role-playing games have a long history of moral panic, misconceptions, misunderstandings, and downright lies. Additionally, the article you recently wrote seems to of just been a "filler" piece by you. Something that you may have penned down just to get something out there is yet another thing that harms our hobby industry. Professional study after professional study has found absolutely no link betwen role-playing games and any kind of violent or anti-social behavior.

On our website, www.ogrelair.org, you can find a link to RPG Myths, Lies, & Misconceptions. Additionally, groups like the CAR-PGA (another RPG advocacy group) and websites like www.theescapist.com (an RPG advocacy website) can assist you. Any of the individuals in these groups, or behind these websites, or myself - would love to speak with you on writing an article that shows the truth behind the misconceptions. The more that these misconceptions get spread falsely, the harder it is for honest individuals to understand the things and actions that are truly connected to criminal tendencies.

GULGAR
Ogres Out

*In the email, due to Murphy's Law, we told the reporter our website was www.ogrelair.com, not .org. That is incorrect. Sorry.

Wisconsin Prisons claim D&D promotes gang-related activity.

In a seemingly throw-back to the anti-D&D 1980s, the Wisconsin Prison System removed

Dungeon & Dragons books from an inmate's cell, claiming that the material presented within

them "promoted gang-related activities."

The inmate, Kevin T. Singer, serving a life in prison sentence for first-degree intentional homicide,

filed an appeal with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals against Wisconsin's Waupun Prison. The

court upheald that the prison's policy (initiated in 2004 to eradicate all D&D game materials) was reasonable,

and as such the prison will not allow Dungeons & Dragons material to be available within it's walls.

Now, we're the last inviduals to chime in on the topic of what should and should not be allowed

within the confines of a prison cell, but we are really alarmed by the reason given by the Waupun prison.

After extensive research by many great individuals into tabletop role-playing games, we can not find any

statistics to back up this claim by the prison system. Perhaps it is the fault of the pool of individuals surveyed,

as I do not believe that a proper study has been done on imprisioned players, so we're not going to say

that it may be outright false. However, we would love to hear the reasoning and events or actions by inmates

that led to the policy being enacted.

It is with this reason that we have copied the below contact information for the Warden of the prison in

question, taken directly from the correctional facility's website. Please give a call or send a quick

and polite email requesting the reasoning, or a letter to the address below.

Mr. Michael Thurmer, Warden
200 S. Madison St, PO Box 351
Waupun, WI 53963-0351
Phone: 920-324-5571
Fax: 920-324-7250

GULGAR
Ogres Out

Nominated?

Wow. This blog had a couple of posts nominated to be included in the Open Game Table Vol. II - a collection of significant blog posts that are bound together to make a great read. Take it from us, a bunch of midwest gamers (who are by no means studying in the writing fields, nor do we actually speak what most would call english) - its an honor.
We didn't even know people other than ourselves read this thing? That is rather rad, people. One karma point a piece.
Anyways, whether we "make the cut" or not, we're looking forward to seeing the final product!

GULGAR
Ogres Out

Playtesters Requested

Hi all. The chapter is looking for a few individuals interested in assisting us flesh out our augmented D20 System for use in D&D 3.5 Superhero games: Super or Sinister. The concept is fairly simple (we think), but will take some playtesting to get all the kinks out. First, we understand that many other systems do exist for playing Superheroes within the revised second edition, but after looking into each it seems like they augment the system too much for our taste. We're trying to develop a small augmentation that will make it easy for those already familiar and comfortable with the 3.5 mechanics to learn.

The Super or Sinister augmentation is based around the gaining of Feats, just like many current characters built within the bounds of the mechanics already available. At character creation, a player will select one "Origin Feat" - a feat that exemplifies one of the classic powers and/or abilities of Superheroes. Currently developed rules for Origin Feats include Super Speed, Strength, Flight, Size altering, Telekinesis, Telekinetic, and Amphibious anatomy.

Other than the Origin feat, the player creates their character like any normal game. So you could create a fighter with superstrength (Superman?), a ranger with superspeed (Flash?), or an amphibious, umm, amphibian (Aqua-f'n-man).

Now, as the character progresses in level, he/she may take on additional Super or Sinister feats in the form of "Honing Feats." The feats may augment or improve a Origin Feat, and will require the Origin Feat as a prerequisite, or they may be smaller or less-amazing superpowers that do not require one particular Origin Feat. These feats are available whenever a character would normally be granted a feat, so a fighter would have the ability to get more Honing feats (and lets face it, Superman would need every feat for all the ridiculous stuff DC lets him do).

Depending on the Dungeon Master's desired power level, the Super or Sinister feats may either be the only available feats (very powerful game) or used for every other feat (normal). For just slightly altered games, the DM may only allow the use of the single Origin Feat.

Anyways, enough with synopsis and bad writing, we need your help! It is actually a two part help request. First: think about some good Origin and Honing Feats that you don't see listed on those respective lists, and give feedback on the ones you do see. When it comes to Honing Feats, we've really just begun and there is an arguably-endless amount that we could create. A DM and player may always work together to create a new Super or Sinister feat when needed, but having them prepared before hand is always nice.

Secondly: we need playtesters. So, come forth merry traveler (read: die roller) and tell us what you think.


Other things to keep up on to playtest: Valgora and West Canaan Wizards.

GULGAR
Ogres Out

Call for Help: Video Software

As many may be aware (many = 3 people in New Zealand), we started out on the web over at youtube where we have uploaded over 100 videos and excerpts, mostly humurous asides, of our gaming sessions. The most popular video seems to be "Absurd Moments in Dungeon & Dragons" and, well, we're trying to make an even better sequel and having some issues.
The issue we are having is that we've upgraded from the original Flip Videos (yeah, really amateur here) to the newest version and it saves into a MP4 file format that the free program we formally used, Windows Movie Maker (see above note on amateur-ness), will not read that format.
After exhausting all efforts and trying everything we read and were told to by other users, nothing works. So, what program is simple to use (not Avidemux) that doesn't crash every moment (read: Avidemux) that we can use?
Additionally, does anyone know of any software that can do any of the following: add news tickers and other nice graphic placements such as local news stations use, allow for automated streaming for when we're at our upcoming conventions, and thirdly freely gives us a professional video editor to do all the work for us. So, anyone out there who can help? Hit us up here and let us know!

GULGAR
Ogres Out

2010 First Quarter Events

Ah, a new year! And as such, time to prepare exactly how, when, and where we're going to get our geek on. Luckilly, we've got plenty of geek to go around and this year has plenty of opportunities for us to do so. We won't get too far ahead, but here is what the first quarter of 2010 currently holds for us:

January

It all starts early on later this month when the people behind Bazooka Magazine, Crash Comics, and Gamer's Paradise are preparing to put together what they're referring to as "Geekfest" to be held Friday, January 29th here in Paducah, KY at Gamer's Paradise on downtown Broadway. Our chapter of Ogres is planning to be present with all sorts of RPGs and board games, from the easy (to introduce newcomers who have never played) to the hard (cruncyfest for those with AD&D and Rift tattoos). More information on this event will be seen over at the Bazooka website, as we're just participants, so keep up to date over there.

February

Keeping things more close to home, our main event this month will be the Board of Directors meeting. Remember other chapters: this meeting will finalize the if/why/how of chapter dues (will we have them? / why are they necessary? how much and how will it be managed? ). Currently chapters do not have to abide by any dues, but may if they wish to help pay for any RPG materials, food, gaming locations, or the like. For example, our chapter dues is $5.00 per month per active member. For more information on the Dues Discussion and how to make your voice or chapter's voice heard, check out the Board of Directors page over at The Ogre Lair Wiki.

March

Other than some grand personal Ogre things going on (the Hooper family has their baby boy due early this month, a few birthdays, and the like), the month will be mostly quiet with the general gaming schedule for the chapter staying the same. Former chapter member and now Derby City Ogres Chapter Coordinator Charles Ringstaff is going to be doing a large scale recruitment process for the chapter out in Louisville and we will be helping him out with that process. Additionally we hope to have our layout finalized at this time for the upcoming Valgora Campaign Setting pdf utilizing the Quick Ass Game System (aka QAGS).

Later in Year....

As the snow melts and the sun stays present more, the year will kick in to high gear later on with many convention appearances and road trips that our chapter has on the books. Not to mention the slowly growing and crawling out of their caves other chapters in the area that are starting to be more active in their local communities. Anyways, 2010 looks to be the Year of the Ogres, and we just can't wait! Till next time...

GULGAR
Ogres Out

The Obligatory Top Five List

As you've no doubt have come across in abundance during the recent final few weeks of the decade, many individuals feel the need to "countdown" their Top X of Whatever for the world - and we Ogres are no different. However, we prefer to give you time to let the holiday season hecticness pass. In the spirit of extreme open-ended vagueness - this is our Quilt City Ogres Top Five RPG-Related Whatevers of the Decade. For the sake of convenience, you can just call it the Ten Ogremandents. It'll work.

5. Dungeons & Dragons Online
We hoped it would of been better, but was glad it came none the less. In our minds, setting it in Waterdeep would of been better, but beggars can't be choosers. It was amazing at first, but the small community of real D&D fans was overshadowed by the Crunchy WoW-esque Twinks that a special spot in hell should be reserved for.

4. Wil Wheaton

Geek's Shining Knight who came around and let us all know it was okay to dislike Wesley Crusher and play role-playing games. He was arguably the snowball that started the avalanche that leads us to....



3. Geek Chic
You know the guys who walk around talking about how they liked Metallica before they were mainstream, or how they dug The Daily Show before Jon Stewart took the reins. You know, the holier-than-thou always-better-than-you bros. Well, thanks to the past decade (which Cracked.com refers to as "the dorkade"), we are those bros. Its now cool to be a geek, and if you were a geek before it was cool, then you can cut line at the local comic store for the next issue of......well, if you were geeky before then there probably hasn't been a comic lately that was good enough for you to wait in line for (but on a similar note, Tony Stark is a dick).

You remember how it started? First a random Thunder Cats shirt is in the mall (and you know that kid buying wasn't there man, he never watched it. Closest he came was Beast Wars). Wil Wheaton started blogging. Everyone got the internet apparently because of Al Gore's series of tubes. Star Wars wrapped up. Star Trek went for the gold.

2. Dungeon & Dragons 3.x
After a rough start, 3.5 hit. Many individuals (read: us) will argue for years if it was the saving factor of the entire role-playing game industry, but when Dungeons & Dragons revamped itself and had a costume change and powdered its note - it stormed the stage and all remembered just who the boss was. The game was changed. Whether for the better or worse - the next generation of RPGs was here, and its been a crazy game ever since.

1. Each Other
Call us old fashioned, but the thing that makes the game worthwhile to us is each other. The fellowship of a gaming table and the memories that are made around it are for life, and no MMORPG will ever equal those moments. Basicaly, this made our decade.

GULGAR
Ogres Out

Happy Holidays

The Ogres have been quiet lately (you can blame a b-horror film quality beast made from the ashes of the holiday season mixed with a change of chapter webmaster). We shall be returning shortly with more awe-inspiring award-winning entries* after the holidays are over. 2010 comes marching our way (well, actually it comes Januarying our way...) and we are preparing for aggresive expansion into new cities and increased networking with the other upstart chapters. So, expect great things (and if we fail blame it on the other guy. You know the one.).

Anyways, may your stockings be full of ThinkGeek items and your cups full of brew. Eat merrily, and remember....there may come a christmas when the stomachs of men fail...but this christmas is not that holiday.

GULGAR
Ogres Out

*=total lie

M-Force Cometh

Coming this Christmas:

Hi. I'm Michael McMillian with McMillian & Murphy Law Center, the "Personal Injury Law Firm."* You may know me from my Atlanta commercials. Anyways, I've recently returned from the M-Force Academy and, as you doubtlessly saw on the local news, have already taken down a couple no good monsters. Since I survived and because you know me, I've been tasked by my M-Force superiors with recruiting and coordinating our newest M-Force team. With monsters everywhere, we need the help. Think you're up for the job? Find out.

GULGAR
Ogres Out

*fictional character

Ogre Profiles: Lacey

Our Saturday profiles are back, and we decided to throw a curveball and spotlight someone other than the person we said we we're going to spotlight today. Take that precognition! Today, we highlight Ms. Lacey Wilson-Kubitschek. No, its just Wilson...for now. ;)
We could talk and talk, but since our new spiffier website is up, we can just take you over to our member's page where you can check out her profile all for yourself!
See, easy and simple!

GULGAR
Ogres Out

Tuesday Truths: Lifting the Geek Veil

What most think of when they hear Geek:

In previous editions of Tuesday Truths, we talked about serious problems affecting the gaming community. What we discuss today isn't a serious one, but one that sits in the backburner at all times - being misconstrued, misused, and shunned. That is, of course, the "geek factor" that comes with playing role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons or Laser Ponies. Today, we discuss the geek factor: the good, the bad, and the ugly about geekdom.

Before we can discuss it, we must understand what the general population believes about gamers. Firstly, they're all virgins, living in their mother's basement, who are overweight and highly socially akward. But little do most people know - we usually don't even have a basement!

Seriously though, this sad little misconception hurts us most in the avenue of gamer recruitment - especially among the younger school-aged crowd. Individuals who want to and believe they'd have a good time gaming are afraid to because they see the geek factor as too much for them to "risk" so they're not considered "uncool." A sad social situation, but one that does exist. As the modern age advances and society as a whole learns more about gaming, this slowly subsides. However, it is sadly wrong.

<-Our typical geeks.

Using just the example of our little chapter of O.G.R.E.s, we'd actually be hard-pressed to find a virgin. The couple of us who could be considered overweight are still in shape - one even being a black belt. None of us reside with parents (excluding of course our younger, school-aged gamers - which we hope they all are living with their parents [and following all their rules under their roof - You're welcome Mrs. Jackson]). Are we socially awkward? Probably. But have you ever listened to a jock try to hold a conversation at a poetry night? Exactly. We're all socially awkward outside of our demographically-similar network of friends typically. We've got a nearly equal number of female gamers as we do male gamers, including a former and occasional model and we've even counted a midwestern porn starlet as a member (don't ask - we won't tell). So we have our share of, as you young whippersnappers would say, the hotties.

Basically, you're both right and wrong about the geek factor.

You're right in thinking we're geeks. You're wrong in accepting misconceptions such as those above, because the geek community is so much larger than most realize. You're also wrong in believing that we care, or that being a geek is a bad thing. We accept our geekdom and are honored by it and what it truly means. We just wish that younger individuals who aren't as honored by their own stereotype stop scarring off the young geeks - because remember, most likely you'll have to work for them some day. Be nice now and you'll get to leave early on fridays!

Our Tuesday Truths will continue next week with................we'll tell you next week...........until then....

GULGAR
Ogres Out

Meet the Board

In lieu of Jake's profile yesterday, we've decided to postpone his spotlight until next Saturday so we can devote more writing to all of the wonderful things that happened at yesterdays Incorporation Meeting/first ever Board of Directors meeting! The best way for us to do this, will be to just let you meet the board, so without further ado:

Chairman of the Board (Director of the Organization as a whole): Jake Kubitschek

Vice Chairman of the Board, Director of Communications, and the Chairman of the New Chapter Recruitment Committee: Hooper

Supreme Dungeon Master (Person individual Senior Dungeon Masters report to): Walter

Webmaster (Handles online image campaigning and site maintenance): Cain

Chairman of the Committee on Organization Promotion & Marketing: Gayle

Chairman of the Committee on Gaming Advocacy: Lacey

Other Members of the Board Include:

Charles Ringstaff of Derby City Ogres
Steve Johnson, adviser/industry representative
Nick Henley of Saluki City Ogres
Kelsey Phelps of Quilt City Ogres

GULGAR
Ogres Out

Exciting Day

Today is a wonderful and exciting day to be a member of our chapter of O.G.R.E.s. In a few short hours, members of our chapter and a few other nearby chapters will hold the very first meeting of the Board of Directors. We'll be officially submitted for incorporation Monday morning, and let us just say that some very exciting things are on the way for O.G.R.E.s all across the land.
We'll be back this evening with a slight update, as well as our Saturday Profile spotlight on member Jake! Until then....

GULGAR
Ogres Out