Steve Jackson (GURPS, Illuminati, Munchkin, etc) has posted a delusional editorial on his company games website, where he gets almost everything wrong about tomorrow's elections.
Please keep this discussion only to the topic of SJG, Steve Jackson, or my own comments on the video. Wider off-topic political discussion will not be allowed, there's already a thread for that over at the RPGPundit's subforum.
The saying "Never meet your heroes" is so applicable to the case of Steve Jackson that it's a shame he is that unhinged in his ranting, raving, hatred toward Trump and nearly all of us customer base.
Just stop giving him your $$$.
I'll always be appreciative of your gaming legacy, SJ! :) Your games have brought me happy memories.
I also think you should take that Munchkin money and retire into the sunset on a high note. This sharing of opinion, I can maturely accept yet... politics is a rough retirement hobby, people have difficulty compartmentalizing while remaining neighborly. ;) Have you considered fishing?
Steve Jackson's editorial seems pretty accurate to me. It's a bit outside the usual scope of a game site - although I don't read his enough to know if he editorialises often - but all sorts of people seem to feel compelled by current events to put politics into their gaming material, including our host here.
What I find fascinating is the total inversion of facts. The billionaires for example. Is he getting that from MSNBC, deciphering it himself because Musk = Billionaire so all Billionaires must support Trump. Part of this suggests a brain trying to rationalize really hard.
This is just another example of how a certain group of older, wealthy people are so easily manipulated by propaganda and lack of actual experience of the situation. I have some family members who believe the sort of shit SJ is spewing, but they can afford to. 20% increase in the cost groceries? Well, they have seven figures in the bank so it affects them almost zero. Wtf do they care if bacon is $7/pound? Trump is an evil oligarch conspiring with other oligarchs around the world, even though he literally lost over a billion dollars of personal wealth since becoming president. Maybe SJ should listen to RFK Jr. and stop drinking fluorinated water; after what I've seen the past few years, that "conspiracy" might actually be valid.
Also, I stopped backing SJGs Kickstarters a while back when he started with the leftist stupidity, this is just another level of retardation.
Yeah, I disconnected from SJG a long time ago. He's welcome to his opinion, but not my wallet.
Quote from: Ruprecht on November 05, 2024, 09:06:09 AMWhat I find fascinating is the total inversion of facts. The billionaires for example. Is he getting that from MSNBC, deciphering it himself because Musk = Billionaire so all Billionaires must support Trump. Part of this suggests a brain trying to rationalize really hard.
I'm pretty sure he thinks that MSNBC is "conservative media" because it hasn't called for Trump to be executed, or something.
Another great video, Pundit! Steve Jackson, the American one, might have more to hide than we may know about. That's my theory, at least. I think he thinks he has something to lose. Maybe the Government found something out about him? Dunno. But there's more to this than just TDS, I'd bet.
Quote from: zircher on November 05, 2024, 11:19:17 AMYeah, I disconnected from SJG a long time ago. He's welcome to his opinion, but not my wallet.
That is poetry right there.
I'm overjoyed at the thoughts of what Steve is feeling right now.
Quote from: RPGPundit on November 06, 2024, 02:58:09 PMI'm overjoyed at the thoughts of what Steve is feeling right now.
kek
Jackson was dirty back in the 90s, trying to get off with not paying artists was the first I ever heard. Then came across his submission rules which included the huge red flag of "you submit it. We own it"... Then the attack on the Star Frontiers fan site. And its been downhill from there with more and more of him playing internet bully. Then came the backhanded attitude towards fans.
Its been a downwards spiral.
My brother worked for Evil Stevie for a while as a staff artist. I think he got paid barely more than minimum wage. Once he got some skills and a portfolio, he left Austin so fast he literally got a speeding ticket on the way out.
No huge fan of the man. When I was doing art for Amarillo Design Bureau - and SJG by proxy, via their "GURPS: Prime Directive" line - he was a PITA over art I'd already done and had approved by ADB, wanting revisions to finished pieces because "he said so". Even got insulting with me over it.
That said, I don't wish him any harm. He made some great gaming products going way back.
I personally know someone else who wasn't paid for his/her art for SJG.
Quote from: zircher on November 06, 2024, 07:42:45 PMMy brother worked for Evil Stevie for a while as a staff artist. I think he got paid barely more than minimum wage. Once he got some skills and a portfolio, he left Austin so fast he literally got a speeding ticket on the way out.
Outside of WotC, nobody pays well in the industry. 10 years ago a Privateer Press salary was 1/3rd of a WotC (Renton) salary in a higher cost of living town (Bellevue).
I won't say nobody makes it rich in the industry but it's pretty much easier to make a buck in any other industry in the universe.
As much as I disagree with Steve Jackson on any number of things (and I consider his policies aroung GURPS to be far more relevant to me than his politics) he has kept a gaming business going all these years and paid his people, I respect that. It's his platform and he's free to do what he wishes with it but I doubt the people his politics might influence aren't big GURPS fans any how.
Quote from: Cathode Ray on November 07, 2024, 02:38:31 PMI personally know someone else who wasn't paid for his/her art for SJG.
Fucks sake! How many people was SJG fucking over then?
Quote from: David Johansen on November 07, 2024, 07:28:43 PMI won't say nobody makes it rich in the industry but it's pretty much easier to make a buck in any other industry in the universe.
As much as I disagree with Steve Jackson on any number of things (and I consider his policies aroung GURPS to be far more relevant to me than his politics) he has kept a gaming business going all these years and paid his people, I respect that. It's his platform and he's free to do what he wishes with it but I doubt the people his politics might influence aren't big GURPS fans any how.
Except he did not pay his people, or payed them chickenfeed. I have even less respect for him and Reed now learning that this was not just one or two people getting screwed over.
edit: The rant is still there but it's just been pushed off of the front page. At first I thought they had disappeared it like their comrades at gamers4harris did with their entire website but it's still up in the SJG post history.
https://www.sjgames.com/ill/archive/November_2024
Quote from: Omega on November 08, 2024, 05:17:40 AMQuote from: David Johansen on November 07, 2024, 07:28:43 PMI won't say nobody makes it rich in the industry but it's pretty much easier to make a buck in any other industry in the universe.
As much as I disagree with Steve Jackson on any number of things (and I consider his policies aroung GURPS to be far more relevant to me than his politics) he has kept a gaming business going all these years and paid his people, I respect that. It's his platform and he's free to do what he wishes with it but I doubt the people his politics might influence aren't big GURPS fans any how.
Except he did not pay his people, or payed them chickenfeed. I have even less respect for him and Reed now learning that this was not just one or two people getting screwed over.
Well, then, he's a jerk, though it's pretty standard in the industry. I guess it depends on the deal, some people are just happy to get their work in print. Others are starving to death and desperate for the cheque. For the record, Zircher's work was some of the best SJG had at the time and I always wondered if the poster was connected with the artist. If I ever did do a universal 3d6 game it would be awfully tempting to use former SJG artists.
His TDS has been getting bad for a few years now. Honestly, I just wish he had really gone nuts about six months earlier. I had been getting fed up with WotC and decided GURPS would be my go-to system. I went big (for me) on a couple of sales they ran and had about 2/3 of the 4e stuff I really wanted. Then the Supreme Court decision on Roe happened and he lost it. I don't even want anything to do with it now.
I mean, I can handle the idea that people have different opinions from mine. That's all I ask for back. Take my money, give me your product, and we both act like normal people. Is that really so much to ask?
Quote from: Almost_Useless on November 10, 2024, 12:45:30 AMHis TDS has been getting bad for a few years now. Honestly, I just wish he had really gone nuts about six months earlier. I had been getting fed up with WotC and decided GURPS would be my go-to system. I went big (for me) on a couple of sales they ran and had about 2/3 of the 4e stuff I really wanted. Then the Supreme Court decision on Roe happened and he lost it. I don't even want anything to do with it now.
I mean, I can handle the idea that people have different opinions from mine. That's all I ask for back. Take my money, give me your product, and we both act like normal people. Is that really so much to ask?
There is no reason not to enjoy the products you have. I have a massive 3rd edition GURPS book collection and Steve being a complete tool is not not going to spoil my enjoyment of them. I don't buy current stuff because they are not producing the types of product I want.
Quote from: M2A0 on November 07, 2024, 06:49:52 PMOutside of WotC, nobody pays well in the industry.
I've heard that Lamentations pays their contractors properly.
Quote from: Exploderwizard on November 10, 2024, 09:17:43 AMQuote from: Almost_Useless on November 10, 2024, 12:45:30 AMHis TDS has been getting bad for a few years now. Honestly, I just wish he had really gone nuts about six months earlier. I had been getting fed up with WotC and decided GURPS would be my go-to system. I went big (for me) on a couple of sales they ran and had about 2/3 of the 4e stuff I really wanted. Then the Supreme Court decision on Roe happened and he lost it. I don't even want anything to do with it now.
There is no reason not to enjoy the products you have. I have a massive 3rd edition GURPS book collection and Steve being a complete tool is not not going to spoil my enjoyment of them. I don't buy current stuff because they are not producing the types of product I want.
Or just sell it on the secondary market to potentially prevent him from making money on another direct first time sale to a new customer that was planning to purchase it regardless. If you can recoup some of the money back, save a fellow gamer some money, and prevent money from going directly or indirectly into his coffers at the same time then that's the RPG equivalent of making lemonade out of lemons.
Quote from: Exploderwizard on November 10, 2024, 09:17:43 AMThere is no reason not to enjoy the products you have. I have a massive 3rd edition GURPS book collection and Steve being a complete tool is not not going to spoil my enjoyment of them. I don't buy current stuff because they are not producing the types of product I want.
^^THIS^^
For the love of God, this is a point that I tried to get across in the gamers4harris thread.
Quote from: Exploderwizard on November 10, 2024, 09:17:43 AMThere is no reason not to enjoy the products you have. I have a massive 3rd edition GURPS book collection and Steve being a complete tool is not not going to spoil my enjoyment of them. I don't buy current stuff because they are not producing the types of product I want.
Logically, I know that. I still refer to the historical supplements for stuff. My problem is that I tend to be an evangelist GM. I still think it would be fun to do my own "Powered by GURPS" fantasy game just for my own use, but I don't want to bring him any new customers.
It seems odd to me the liberals of the 90s; which had a track record for pushing the boundaries and pissing off the Right-Wing moral busybodies of that decade- have more or less all become authoritarian Neoliberals, of the same stripe as the Neocons they pushed against 2 decades ago.
Steve Jackson seemingly embodying this odd inversion of morality overtime.
Not quite everyone. I was a 90s liberal, and like some others today I'm still standing (on the other side) for the defense of free speech, anti-war, anti-corporate control, and anti-establishment in general.
Quote from: Socratic-DM on November 10, 2024, 09:05:59 PMIt seems odd to me the liberals of the 90s; which had a track record for pushing the boundaries and pissing off the Right-Wing moral busybodies of that decade- have more or less all become authoritarian Neoliberals, of the same stripe as the Neocons they pushed against 2 decades ago.
I know, right?
Either die the hero or see yourself become the villain has never been truer.
Quote from: Anon Adderlan on November 11, 2024, 05:45:04 PMQuote from: Socratic-DM on November 10, 2024, 09:05:59 PMIt seems odd to me the liberals of the 90s; which had a track record for pushing the boundaries and pissing off the Right-Wing moral busybodies of that decade- have more or less all become authoritarian Neoliberals, of the same stripe as the Neocons they pushed against 2 decades ago.
I know, right?
Either die the hero or see yourself become the villain has never been truer.
And a generous helping of "Todays Social Justice is tomorrows Political Incorrectness."
SJG was a hypocrite company anyhow. So they get what they deserve eventually.
The danger is believing the aims justify the means, and that a simplistic one-axis political model is the only way to model political ethos.
Typically more mature current political graphing works on two-axis Cartesian plane -- closer to D&D alignment, no? -- with liberal-conservative X-axis and authoritarian/totalitarian-libertarian Y-axis. I could easily volunteer an individual-group Z-axis.
Point being is we probably wrestled with ethos graphing and moral questions upon our attributes in RPGs during the 70s through 90s than people bother with in real governance. Typically a lot of fear and simplistic thinking is applied to short-circuit critical thinking and emotionally modulated discourse.
Could The Mature Adult Talk we have to do to manage our RPGs at the table give us experience to talk about higher stakes issues? You'd be tempted to think so, but we are still human. And that's why I do not hold anything SJ politically says personally (mortals, feet of clay, et cetera). Nor do I pooh-pooh those who take grave offense. Such is life.
That said, his dickish past business behavior to paying creators helping him has tarnished my respect for him in my eyes. Disappointing things I haven't heard of before. I'd be personally worried about righting my past wrongs before castigating people who politically disagree with me.
Nolan chart is a fairly accurate 2-dimensional political affiliation test, that closely resembles D&D's 9-section morality chart. The 9 areas are: Liberal, conservative, libertarian, statist, libertarian liberal, libertarian conservative, statist liberal, statist conservative, and centrist.
(Statist is sometimes substituted with populist or progressive)
https://polquiz.com
There is a British rip-off of the Nolan chart that is woefully inaccurate, and highly biased. It places Barack Obama higher on the libertarian scale than Ronald Reagan!
Hmm, I'd not trust in any validity of something that conflates statist, populist, and progressive - they can all be very different from one another.
Ninefold alignment is like that, too, I suppose - "True Neutral" vs "Unaligned Neutral" being the biggest, and also one that deserves but is not resolved by the individual-group Z axis. Where else - "Benevolent" vs "Lawful Stupid" in paladin-land?
And to tangent halfway off of games again, the Deed of Paksenarrion is probably the best straight-out-of-D&D fiction I know, and is all about paladinhood. (I'm currently rereading all of Thieves' World, maybe that comes next as a palate cleanser?) What's the best feels-like-game-fiction of the last decade?
Populist is the term they were using to try to be non-subjective. As for progressive and statist, they are pretty in agreement and either are better-suited as the lower quadrant (oppose individual liberty, oppose economic liberty.)
Quote from: THE_Leopold on November 04, 2024, 04:54:57 PMThe saying "Never meet your heroes" is so applicable to the case of Steve Jackson that it's a shame he is that unhinged in his ranting, raving, hatred toward Trump and nearly all of us customer base.
I have met him - at least two or three times at
Gen Con, maybe once at
ORIGINS. He was a Nice Guy. But that was years ago before the recent elections.
He autographed my GURPS books, so did Sean Punch one year.
Over the years I just had to get used to my 'Heroes' having the proverbial feet of clay or faults - like Gene Roddenberry. (He had some good ideas, but others contributed a lot).
I will however continue to play and run GURPS 4/e when I can Sadly, the current campaign is eding abruptly and I am very sad about that.
- Ed C.
(Hey Pundit, I got back on her. Yay!)
Quote from: Koltar on November 16, 2024, 09:39:28 PMQuote from: THE_Leopold on November 04, 2024, 04:54:57 PMThe saying "Never meet your heroes" is so applicable to the case of Steve Jackson that it's a shame he is that unhinged in his ranting, raving, hatred toward Trump and nearly all of us customer base.
I have met him - at least two or three times at Gen Con, maybe once at ORIGINS. He was a Nice Guy. But that was years ago before the recent elections.
He autographed my GURPS books, so did Sean Punch one year.
Over the years I just had to get used to my 'Heroes' having the proverbial feet of clay or faults - like Gene Roddenberry. (He had some good ideas, but others contributed a lot).
I will however continue to play and run GURPS 4/e when I can Sadly, the current campaign is eding abruptly and I am very sad about that.
- Ed C.
(Hey Pundit, I got back on her. Yay!)
It's been 20+ years but he was friends with guy who owned the FLGS, and stopped in for a few hours after closing to just talk and hang out. Was a decent enough guy then.
But then again, 20+ years ago the teams weren't a deathsport and you could disagree about politics and still sling dice together without being a literal nazi.
Quote from: RPGPundit on November 06, 2024, 02:58:09 PMI'm overjoyed at the thoughts of what Steve is feeling right now.
Send him a note and ask him how it feels to be on the wrong side of history.
Quote from: honeydipperdavid on November 17, 2024, 12:18:14 AMQuote from: RPGPundit on November 06, 2024, 02:58:09 PMI'm overjoyed at the thoughts of what Steve is feeling right now.
Send him a note and ask him how it feels to be on the wrong side of history.
Naw - that seems cruel.....
Would have to take that as a Disadvantage ....
-Ed C.
Quote from: Socratic-DM on November 10, 2024, 09:05:59 PMIt seems odd to me the liberals of the 90s; which had a track record for pushing the boundaries and pissing off the Right-Wing moral busybodies of that decade- have more or less all become authoritarian Neoliberals, of the same stripe as the Neocons they pushed against 2 decades ago.
When you don't have values, you just have a side
I just read SJ rant, haven't seen your video yet.
It's quite typical for that crowd, to be honest. They are so deep into their TDS that they can't see that every accusation they make against Trump is an admission of their own guilt.
Growing up, and as an adult, I loved TFT, Ogre, and later GURPS. I think those works were (and are) brilliant.
But as a human being, Steve Jackson has become a sad old man, ranting at clouds at the sky. He reminds me of my own Democratic/Liberal friends and family (oh, Thanksgiving is going to be so fun this year!) who are the least thoughtful--and ironically, the least charitable--people I know.
Quote from: Socratic-DM on November 10, 2024, 09:05:59 PMIt seems odd to me the liberals of the 90s; which had a track record for pushing the boundaries and pissing off the Right-Wing moral busybodies of that decade- have more or less all become authoritarian Neoliberals, of the same stripe as the Neocons they pushed against 2 decades ago.
Steve Jackson seemingly embodying this odd inversion of morality overtime.
Indeed. Once the "outsiders" became the "establishment", it's inevitable that the commitment to the principals of free speech and speaking the truth to power were simply tactics, and not really a reflection of true ideals. IN SJ's case, it's as if the whole Cyberpunk raid wasn't something he learned from, in terms of what was wrong with the system--rather, he decided that it would be good to *emulate* instead, and put people who would use those tools against those who *he* hated, rather than against him.
New Disadvantage for Gurps 5E:
Trump Derrangement Syndrome (TDS)
Cost: -45 or -47 points
TDS is mundane mental Disadvantage where you believe something that is not true. Examples include: Trump is Hitler, Trump is literally Hitler, Trump will turn America into The Handmaids Tale, Trump will overturn the Constitution, etc.
See related Disadvantages "I Can't Even" and "REEEEEEE!"
Quote from: Aglondir on November 19, 2024, 08:12:00 PMNew Disadvantage for Gurps 5E:
Trump Derrangement Syndrome (TDS) Cost: -45 or -47 points
TDS is mundane mental Disadvantage where you believe something that is not true. Examples include: Trump is Hitler, Trump is literally Hitler, Trump will turn America into The Handmaids Tale, Trump will overturn the Constitution, etc.
For sheer whimsy here is a crack at a non-jokey version:
Electoral Derangement Syndrome (-5, -10 or -15 points depending on severity)
This is a form of Delusion (with elements of Fanaticism) only available to people living under some form of vote-affected government. The sufferer believes that a current political leader or candidate presents a radical threat to the current order of society, although the sufferer can regard this as either a positive or negative thing depending on the rest of his political opinions. Whenever an opportunity to expound on this opinion comes up in conversation (the greater the Disadvantage, the less excuse the sufferer needs), the sufferer must make a Will roll (at -2, -4 or -6 by level) to avoid launching into a rant about the topic, usually with the intent of either convincing the listener of the supposed danger (for haters) or encouraging the listener to welcome the supposed changes (for fans). The reaction penalty this earns will vary from -2 to -6 depending on how much the listener agrees with the sufferer or not, but only fellow EDS sufferers of the same stance take no penalty. (If a listener also has EDS about the same politician, but in the
opposite direction, both react at -10 to each other!) This Disadvantage very often goes along with Paranoia or Obsessions.
Everyone who takes those disadvantages takes them only at the maximum level. Minmax or go home! :)
I'd like to know when the problems really started where Jackson, Reed and SJG went from friendly publisher... to problem and internet bullies.
There were hints of it in the 90s thats for sure.
Then the attack on the Star Frontiers site.
Then the whole Ogre fiasco on BGG where they threatened people for making a fan version of a game they had abandoned for something like a decade.
Thinly veiled threats towards Dark City for making their own TFT games
and so on.
What Star Frontiers attack was this? Google shows nothing
Quote from: Koltar on November 16, 2024, 09:39:28 PMQuote from: THE_Leopold on November 04, 2024, 04:54:57 PMThe saying "Never meet your heroes" is so applicable to the case of Steve Jackson that it's a shame he is that unhinged in his ranting, raving, hatred toward Trump and nearly all of us customer base.
I have met him - at least two or three times at Gen Con, maybe once at ORIGINS. He was a Nice Guy. But that was years ago before the recent elections.
He autographed my GURPS books, so did Sean Punch one year.
Over the years I just had to get used to my 'Heroes' having the proverbial feet of clay or faults - like Gene Roddenberry. (He had some good ideas, but others contributed a lot).
I will however continue to play and run GURPS 4/e when I can Sadly, the current campaign is eding abruptly and I am very sad about that.
- Ed C.
(Hey Pundit, I got back on her. Yay!)
Glad you worked it out!
Quote from: Omega on November 19, 2024, 10:34:51 PMI'd like to know when the problems really started where Jackson, Reed and SJG went from friendly publisher... to problem and internet bullies.
There were hints of it in the 90s thats for sure.
Then the attack on the Star Frontiers site.
Please elaborate on Star Frontiers. I have no idea what this is about.
Also, don't forget this tid bit from SJ's web log last week:
Quote" We are back from Big Bad Con in San Francisco. It was fun! Lots of nice people, playing games. What's not to like?
...they required vaccination proof, tests, and masks. This isn't popular with conventions these days, and it should be. Yeah, it's a little hassle. SO WORTH IT."
Quote from: Cathode Ray on November 20, 2024, 10:49:37 AMQuote from: Omega on November 19, 2024, 10:34:51 PMI'd like to know when the problems really started where Jackson, Reed and SJG went from friendly publisher... to problem and internet bullies.
There were hints of it in the 90s thats for sure.
Then the attack on the Star Frontiers site.
Please elaborate on Star Frontiers. I have no idea what this is about.
Also, don't forget this tid bit from SJ's web log last week:
Quote" We are back from Big Bad Con in San Francisco. It was fun! Lots of nice people, playing games. What's not to like?
...they required vaccination proof, tests, and masks. This isn't popular with conventions these days, and it should be. Yeah, it's a little hassle. SO WORTH IT."
In 2001 sjg, namely Phil Reed, went after the old Star Frontiers fansite that had up PDFs of the game with permission from TSR staff. Threatening them with legal action by siccing wotc on the site, and calling them pirates essentially. This forced the takedown of all the material and re-writes of at least one fanzine.
For a game sjg doesnt even own or have anything to do with.
Site had to then go to wotc and get the 1993 permissions redone in writing. Which wotc of course partially or fully revoked a few years ago in 2018.
Thanks for explaining that. I knew of the the WOTC removal part of the story only.
Star Frontiers is the RPG I'm currently playing, so I was interested in knowing. I'm buying the original modules, but since I don't play off of PDFs, or buy WOTC products, I've been buying the originals on eBay.
Quote from: Omega on November 20, 2024, 01:43:55 PMQuote from: Cathode Ray on November 20, 2024, 10:49:37 AMQuote from: Omega on November 19, 2024, 10:34:51 PMI'd like to know when the problems really started where Jackson, Reed and SJG went from friendly publisher... to problem and internet bullies.
There were hints of it in the 90s thats for sure.
Then the attack on the Star Frontiers site.
Please elaborate on Star Frontiers. I have no idea what this is about.
Also, don't forget this tid bit from SJ's web log last week:
Quote" We are back from Big Bad Con in San Francisco. It was fun! Lots of nice people, playing games. What's not to like?
...they required vaccination proof, tests, and masks. This isn't popular with conventions these days, and it should be. Yeah, it's a little hassle. SO WORTH IT."
In 2001 sjg, namely Phil Reed, went after the old Star Frontiers fansite that had up PDFs of the game with permission from TSR staff. Threatening them with legal action by siccing wotc on the site, and calling them pirates essentially. This forced the takedown of all the material and re-writes of at least one fanzine.
For a game sjg doesnt even own or have anything to do with.
Site had to then go to wotc and get the 1993 permissions redone in writing. Which wotc of course partially or fully revoked a few years ago in 2018.
Is there some record of this? It seems like I would have heard about it at the time
Quote from: strollofturtle on November 20, 2024, 07:12:51 PMQuote from: Omega on November 20, 2024, 01:43:55 PMQuote from: Cathode Ray on November 20, 2024, 10:49:37 AMQuote from: Omega on November 19, 2024, 10:34:51 PMI'd like to know when the problems really started where Jackson, Reed and SJG went from friendly publisher... to problem and internet bullies.
There were hints of it in the 90s thats for sure.
Then the attack on the Star Frontiers site.
Please elaborate on Star Frontiers. I have no idea what this is about.
Also, don't forget this tid bit from SJ's web log last week:
Quote" We are back from Big Bad Con in San Francisco. It was fun! Lots of nice people, playing games. What's not to like?
...they required vaccination proof, tests, and masks. This isn't popular with conventions these days, and it should be. Yeah, it's a little hassle. SO WORTH IT."
In 2001 sjg, namely Phil Reed, went after the old Star Frontiers fansite that had up PDFs of the game with permission from TSR staff. Threatening them with legal action by siccing wotc on the site, and calling them pirates essentially. This forced the takedown of all the material and re-writes of at least one fanzine.
For a game sjg doesnt even own or have anything to do with.
Site had to then go to wotc and get the 1993 permissions redone in writing. Which wotc of course partially or fully revoked a few years ago in 2018.
Is there some record of this? It seems like I would have heard about it at the time
It was up on the SF web site for a time on the front page.
Theres some discussion on the SF forum. But alot of the talk was on the SF mailing list that was on E-Groups/YahooGroups and all of that Yahoo deleted years ago.
Quote from: Cathode Ray on November 20, 2024, 03:46:25 PMThanks for explaining that. I knew of the the WOTC removal part of the story only.
Star Frontiers is the RPG I'm currently playing, so I was interested in knowing. I'm buying the original modules, but since I don't play off of PDFs, or buy WOTC products, I've been buying the originals on eBay.
I have all the modules except maybe 2. And have the TSR playtest version before they gave it that weird purple border. Still have all my SF d10!
Omega, that's awesome!
You might know I don't play RPGs a lot, but I played Star Frontiers a bit as a teenager, with a local game master. My go-to game recently was The Fantasy Trip, and although I have no problem playing it even after Steve Jackson's famous meltdown and financial support of The Lillith Fund, (after all, we already purchased everything from the legacy edition before that point, so why not?) my wife and I just haven't been feeling it in the past 2 years, and I was interested in returning to S.F.
I have the two box sets and about half the modules, now, and one set of original dice (in Knight Hawks). I added another set of classic era original Gamescience d10s and a modern set to my Alpha Dawn, and have two sets of modern d10s that I added to the originals in Knight Hawks box. Only thing I'm missing in these box sets are the crayons. But the Knight Hawks box has unpunched counters, which I scanned and am almost complete making nice, clean reproductions. I just won on eBay a boxless copy of the original first set, before "Alpha Dawn" was added, for the uncut counter sheet. Did your playtest version go on eBay this summer? I saw a proto for sale there and am now wondering if that is you.
Quote from: Cathode Ray on November 21, 2024, 06:34:52 AMDid your playtest version go on eBay this summer? I saw a proto for sale there and am now wondering if that is you.
Nope. Still have mine. There were, far as I know, at least two playtest sets. It was pretty popular with the TSR staff. Much like Warhammer Quest was popular with the GW staff.
The latest: Steve Jackson is moving out of Texas. Partly because of politics.
QuoteAfter 50 years, give or take, in the Austin area, I'm packing a whole lot of boxes and moving to the Peach State.
There are several reasons. The current Buda climate doesn't really agree with my gardening hobby. The Texas political climate makes it hard to read the news, over and above the daily disasters emanating from DC
This is great news. Steve Jackson leaving Texas takes a great state, and makes it even better.
Quote from: Cathode Ray on March 04, 2025, 07:23:35 AMThe latest: Steve Jackson is moving out of Texas. Partly because of politics.
QuoteAfter 50 years, give or take, in the Austin area, I'm packing a whole lot of boxes and moving to the Peach State.
There are several reasons. The current Buda climate doesn't really agree with my gardening hobby. The Texas political climate makes it hard to read the news, over and above the daily disasters emanating from DC
This is great news. Steve Jackson leaving Texas takes a great state, and makes it even better.
"I don't like the way my electoral democracy is going so I'm moving!"
"Have you thought about staying and working to make your local government more reflective of your views, so that it can in turn have a stronger impact on the federal level?"
"What? No! I want to move where everybody thinks like I do, so we can all complain when our fixed number of delegates doesn't have enough power to overcome the other side!"
Interestingly, I've heard both sides threaten this (I outright laughed when conservatives said they'd move to Canada or Mexico if Hillary won back in 2016), but only ever seen the Left actually shoot themselves in the foot over it.
I applaud the move. I should send him a nice plant as a parting gift. I hear kudzu grows well in Georgia. :-)
Quote from: Cathode Ray on March 04, 2025, 07:23:35 AMThe latest: Steve Jackson is moving out of Texas. Partly because of politics.
QuoteAfter 50 years, give or take, in the Austin area, I'm packing a whole lot of boxes and moving to the Peach State.
Does he not realize that outside of the ATL and a few leftist pockets, Georgia is as right leaning than Texas?
Is he moving the company or just moving himself?
Might be a good time for him to retire and enjoy his grandchildren over there in the Peach State.
Just moving himself. The headquarters is still there, probably to enjoy all the tax benefits of having a company in Texas while not living there, because of the freedom that goes along with the politics he hates so much. It's really more of a de facto company these days, so why not?
They are hiring a warehouse worker so they must have a functioning warehouse.
Bet the workers will be glad to have him leave. Even true-believers have to worry about not being blue enough.
He's moving to GA? Unless he's going to live within the ATL city limits, his TDS brain rot will likely worsen due to proximity to common sense.
I've actually lived in Georgia for a couple years. Good boiled peanuts, plenty of waffle houses, and you might just even meet a famous rapper or two.
Kudzu, Japanese arrowroot, is a remarkably productive starchy tuber. If he wants to feed goats and chickens it'd be great to be in Georgia. Though he'd probably want younger people to dig out the root to roast it for the starch. :D Maybe SJ will make noodles out of the starch and hold kick-ass bar-b-que & ramen parties! Or maybe the magnolias don't survive the heat so well in his stretch of Texas?
Happy retirement, Steve Jackson. :) I hear a tour of the Coca-Cola factory is a to-do while in Georgia. That and ghost hunting in Savannah.
Quote from: Ruprecht on March 04, 2025, 01:06:21 PMThey are hiring a warehouse worker so they must have a functioning warehouse.
Bet the workers will be glad to have him leave. Even true-believers have to worry about not being blue enough.
I don't know about this one. He seems to discriminate in his hiring practices; unwoke or merit based applicants need not apply. The 3d dept is headed by a TDS sufferer, the new CEO is a figurative "blue hair" extremist, and the new head of game development is Possum Creek's Jay Dragon, a male autogynophiliac who proudly proclaims himself as a "DEI HIRE".
Incidentally, does anyone know the circumstance about Phil Reed's departure as the CEO? Whether he quit, or was fired, I'm expecting it to be politically motivated, based on the state of the company these days.
You see, one of the interesting things about GEORGIA is that they don't issue CCW permits. Oh, no. They're now a constitutional carry state where you are generally allowed to pack heat without a license.
They do issue a license for reciprocity reasons called a Weapons License, and just like the name indicates, it is not dedicated to CCW handguns...it's an all purpose weapons license. Pepper spray, batons, tasers, tear gas grenades...I imagine that most Georgian cops would let a WCL license holder carry a rocket launcher if you could legally acquire it.
Georgia is straight-up Metal Hillbilly.
Maybe that's his plan, he wants to build an Ogre. :-)
Quote from: Fheredin on March 05, 2025, 08:18:18 AMYou see, one of the interesting things about GEORGIA is that they don't issue CCW permits. Oh, no. They're now a constitutional carry state where you are generally allowed to pack heat without a license.
Well, he's coming from Texas. They literally have supermarkets for guns there.
Quote from: zircher on March 05, 2025, 11:29:30 AMMaybe that's his plan, he wants to build an Ogre. :-)
That would actually be awesome.
Obviously real-life violence and destruction isn't something to celebrate, but this guy and his 'Killdozer' seems worth mentioning here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Heemeyer
Quote from: Zalman on March 05, 2025, 01:07:13 PMQuote from: Fheredin on March 05, 2025, 08:18:18 AMYou see, one of the interesting things about GEORGIA is that they don't issue CCW permits. Oh, no. They're now a constitutional carry state where you are generally allowed to pack heat without a license.
Well, he's coming from Texas. They literally have supermarkets for guns there.
In Idaho, you can order bullets through a drive-thru at some places like you would a hamburger.
Quote from: D-ko on March 05, 2025, 02:42:52 PMIn Idaho, you can order bullets through a drive-thru at some places like you would a hamburger.
Outstanding. In Arizona I used to buy fresh eggs, ammo, and liquor at the same store!
I get the feeling Steve Jackson will feel uncomfortable wherever he moves.
Quote from: D-ko on March 05, 2025, 02:42:52 PMIn Idaho, you can order bullets through a drive-thru at some places like you would a hamburger.
Yes, however it is more fun to go in and look at the guns, talk to the old guys sitting around, consider buying the flamethrower.
Quote from: Zalman on March 05, 2025, 02:50:19 PMQuote from: D-ko on March 05, 2025, 02:42:52 PMIn Idaho, you can order bullets through a drive-thru at some places like you would a hamburger.
Outstanding. In Arizona I used to buy fresh eggs, ammo, and liquor at the same store!
I get the feeling Steve Jackson will feel uncomfortable wherever he moves.
He'd rather trade his freedom away for security. A path that leads to dictatorships.
It depends on where within the state you live. I live in a D+25 county within an R+20 state. Several years ago I drove several coworkers through Small Town America, and I could tell from the conversation in the car as we drove past the third gun store that being able to see a rifle through the window was the closest any of them had ever been to a firearm in their entire lives.