Let’s Chat About Games

For the most part, I try to use this blog for official announcements and the like. Occasionally I’ll chat a little about this game or that here, if it is specifically pertinent to one of my games. But on the whole, I try not to gum up the signal here with too much noise.

That, of course, is of no help to those of you who, in fact, yearn for all that delectable noise. For you proud few, I present this Quick Guide to Chatting with Eppy:

• Over on Google+ I shoot my mouth off about all sorts of random game stuff. If you do swing by there, be sure to let me know you’re interested in hearing about games, so I can put you in the proper circle. Otherwise you might just get an eyeful of lazy vegan cooking tips.
• While you’re over on Google+, check out the Design Matters community, which is not only frequented by myself, but a number of other great designers. It’s a great place to go if you a question about a specific game of mine.
• I’m not as active on Twitter as I used to be, but if you watch my feed there very closely, you’ll get the occasional pithy nugget or poop joke.
• Finally, if you ever find yourself in the Western Massachusetts area, drop me an email. Who knows, we might be able to meet up for some coffee and game talk.

 

Epimas Returns!

The Epimas promotion is back again this year. Buy a game (including Time & Temp and Dread House) for a friend or loved one and get that same game for yourself!

Read all about it on the official Epimas website.

 

Time & Temp Tuesday: The Many Faces of Dr. Thraxis

The problem with the Overriding Theory of the Fragile Immutability of Time is that there’s no way to test it without risking all of reality. But to not test it, when such a test would be so simple, is just plain sloppy science. And sloppy science may be good enough for the corporate heads at Browne Chronometric Engineers, Inc., but not for the former head of their research and development: one Doctor M. Thraxis.

It is this schism that is at the heart of one of the most intense Temporal Wars ever fought, and our temps are the front line. A long, drawn out game of cat and mouse spanning millennia with the very nature of existence at stake, the war with Dr. Thraxis has no beginning and no end. The corporation and the scientist have been chasing each other on such a convoluted path through the past, present and future, that it has now become impossible to map out just exactly in what order things have happened.

In fact, it always was impossible.

Here then, are three of the many faces of Dr. Thraxis not currently found in the book Time & Temp.

 

It Is the End

The Mayans predicted it.

As did Nostradamus.

As did a bushel of other mystics, seers, prophets, and holy men. And a more than a few crazies. “2012,” they said. “2012 is the year in which it will all end.”

And by all, they mean “Time & Temp: Unbound Edition.” And by end, they mean “go out of print.”

Yes, 2012 is the year in which it will Time & Temp: Unbound Edition go out of print.

Or some arrangement of those words that make sense.

As of right now, I have no more copies of the Unbound Edition. Nor do I intend to print any more. There are still some floating around out there, at various stores and whatnot. A smattering of them are still available at IPR. I’ve personally seen a few of them on the shelves at Modern Myths. So, if for some reason you’re desperate for the Unbound Edition and you haven’t found the time to purchase it in the past two and a half years, you still have a chance if you act fast and dig around.

But This is Not the End End

No, not by a longshot!

• You still have Time & Temp: Paperless Office to knock around. All the power of Time & Temp: Unbound Edition in the convenience of a PDF.
• I have finally begun work on a bound edition, simply called Time & Temp. All the content of the Unbound Edition–plus some extra stuff I’ve been working on–in the convenience of a book.
• Current owners of the Unbound Edition, fret not! It remains a living file. Whatever additions are in the bound edition will be made available to you for free via PDF.

And that’s not all! The Time & Temp family is growing. There is a card game in the works, tentatively title Time & Temp: Office Politics. It’s a bridge-like bidding and trick taking card game in which the players compete to lead the temps as they police history and maintain temporal integrity. All the drama of Time & Temp–gunslingers, mummies, Nazis, dinosaurs, spacemen, a shattered time machine and ass-kissers trying to earn a full-time position–in the convenience of a card game.

 

A Grim Future for Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc.

Tough times are ahead for Browne Chronometrics. Recent protests in NYC (and around the world) about unchecked corporate power have included a vocal minority calling for government oversight in the heretofore unregulated industry of temporal engineering. These demands have focused, of course, on the industry leader–and sole owner of the only working temporal transport patents–shining a very uncomfortable spotlight on BCE, Inc., and its operations.

What’s more, the change in the political climate may provoke further investigation into the recent economic troubles the world has been facing, which could uncover some unfortunate temporal trading schemes of certain CEOs.

And now the chronometric cat is out of the bag. New Scientist has just published a how-to guide to building your own time machine, presaging the 2013 boom in temporal tourism which will lead to a massive influx of work orders for temporal maintenance technicians as millions of hapless tourists make a right mess of history (in particular over 55 million Americans trying to beat themselves to the 2012 polls in order to change their votes).

Browne Chronometric Engineering, Inc., must have known this was coming. And I’m sure they have a plan. Still, can’t expect it will be easy. They’re going to need some help.

 

The Wayne Foundation Bundle

 

If you’re one of the twelve people left on this Earth who don’t have a copy of Time &Temp, this is your chance. Time to stop feeling left out. Time to stop wondering what all the excitement is about. Time to finally be let in on the mystery of time travel.

The Wayne Foundation Bundle is $80 worth of gaming material for $15–a great deal and for a worthy cause. All of the proceeds generated from the sale of this charity pack will be donated directly to The Wayne Foundation, a 503(c) charity organization dedicated to ending child prostitution in the US and assisting underage victims.

 

 

 

For the Time Traveling Foodie

Dear Time & Temp GMs,

If you’re mucking about in British history, you’re going to want check out the History Cookbook for all your dining needs. It’s a lovely collection of dishes categorized by the eras in which they were commonly eaten.

Regrettably, the recipes seem to be confined to British history, but if that’s good enough for Doctor Who, it should do quite nicely for the occasional temp adventure. And I have no idea how accurate any of this is, but then again, accuracy is not a temp’s strong suit. In any case, it should make a lovely resource for creating a reasonably realistic meals whether they’re for your temps or for your players.

Yours truly,

Eppy

P.S. One’s favorite meal would make an excellent eidolon or simulacrum for a Swords Without Master rogue.

P.P.S. If anyone has other resources on the history and anthropology of food and cuisine, hit me up with a link in the comments. I know they’re out there.

P.P.S. Do check out the comments.

 

The End Is Finally Here

I have, at long last, heard of the first game of Time & Temp in which the temps managed to end reality in its entirety before it ever even happened.

This is just breaking news at the moment, but I’m breathlessly awaiting more details as the story unfolds.

Paradox: 1

Reality: 0

 

Suck it, things that have once or possibly ever will have existed!

 

Charity Auction: Signed Copies of Time & Temp and Dread House

The auction is over. Congratulations to the winners and thanks again to Chris Roback of We Xogo for putting this all together.

Chris Roback, the gentleman behind We Xogo, was at PAX East this past weekend and took it upon himself to put together an auction to benefit the Child’s Play Charity. And he’s been gracious enough to allow me to include some games.

So if you’ve been waiting for a good excuse to purchase either Time & Temp or Dread House–to indulge yourself while still helping a worthy cause–here is your excuse. Or if you’ve already got the games and you’re

looking to get a copy for a friend, you know what to do (buy these signed ones and give your friend your ratty old copies). Or if you just like helping kids in hospitals and want to make a couple small press game designers look like big shots, here’s your chance. Bid the hell out of these puppies.*

* Puppies not included.

 

Fresh from PAX East 2011

Well PAX East was a roaring success, definitely something I plan to return to many times over. It was an absolute pleasure meeting the lot of you. The times were crazy and the conversations were regretfully short. If we didn’t get a chance to finish our discussion, please feel free to start it up again on my forums over at the RPGCrossroads.

Also, I sold out of almost everything I had. So if you didn’t get to the booth in time, here are some links to get you to the games you were looking for:

Time & Temp:

• Unbound Edition (the print one in the file folder) can be bought here.
• Paperless Office Edition (the PDF version which comes free with the print) can be bought here.

Dread House:

• Print Edition can be bought here.
• PDF Edition (which comes free with the print) can be bought here.

Dread:

• Print Edition can be bought here.
• PDF Edition can be bought here.