Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 51m

Which is not quite the same thing as "platformisation," but I think is what is so striking to me about the difference between 80s-and-to-some-extent-90s Warhammer and its modern descendants. I think that's part of why the modern game as this ... totalising experience doesn't appeal to me.

2

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 51m

Whereas the authorial tone later feels so much more self-contained. There's no assumption that you're bringing your own knowledge and experiences to this thing. You're being told and expected to accept what you're told. You're a consumer, and addressed as such.

1 1

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 51m

That's an explicit acknowledgement that this is part of a broader hobby and an assumption that people are reading history and fantasy and ... it's not even specifically about *what* they're reading, but that they are bringing their own perspectives to the game, *using* it to make stuff they like.

1 1

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 51m

Yeah, the specific thing that I was thinking of was the way that the 3rd edition WHFB rulebook sometimes explains the setting or justifies its rules choices by analogy to real history, or at least to historical legends (a distinction it explicitly makes).

1 1

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 1h

That doesn't bother me at all. I don't mind that people play Warhammer; I mind that they behave as though Warhammer (and the specific form of the game that exists right now) is the only miniatures game there is. I think the lack of broader awareness of the hobby and its history is a shame.

1 5

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 1h

The trend of calling all miniatures wargames "Warhammer" for (presumably) SEO reasons is, I think, part of this, and I am pleased to be able to think that I don't like it for anti-corporate ideological reasons rather than just because I'm a cranky old man who doesn't like things the youngs do.

1 7

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 1h

One thing @brocktoon.bsky.social talked about at the weekend was the idea of something like Warhammer becoming a "platform," and I've been thinking about this sort of totalising approach to gaming all week. It echoes, to me, the thing of playing 5e murder mysteries and 5e political dramas.

2 7

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 17h

Yeah, that's why incomplete. I don't know what else it could be, though!

1

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 17h

Yeah, that's what I was saying in the original conversation - presumably the image was made for a Gloranthan context and then reused.

3

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 21h

@tomasrawlings.bsky.social , this is the image from Ravening Hordes I was talking about. Ravening Hordes (1987) p. 37. The runes on the rock are Gloranthan. Left one looks incomplete, but I think they read Fertility-Air-Harmony. From a Gloranthan perspective, could be a profound act of blasphemy!

An illustration from the 1987 Ravening Hordes book. This black-and-white drawing shows a goat-headed creature with tentacle arms, wielding a mace and shield and standing on top of a small rocky outcrop on which some runes are carved.

4 20

Reposted by James Holloway: monsterman.org

HODAG RPG @hodagrpg.bsky.social · 1d

Email me now to get the world's SPOOKIEST bundle of print at home zines! (Actually, print them off at the library...they could use your support and these are a bit ink-heavy!)

Yowza!

Get Spooky! Find out more at hodag mag at Gmail dot com
Send us an email with subject line GET spooky!
Macro: covers of hodag mag 4, Add'l toads and the hween megazine

5 12

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 1d

I think one of the things that will stay with me from the current season of Patron Deities is my habit of referring to the mind-shattering madness you get in cosmic horror and Call of Cthulhu and which bears no relationship to real-world mental illness as going "Lovecraft Crazy."

1 5

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 1d

In the case of RPGs, I think this is more about dealing with player knowledge rather than tactics - a bit like memorised attack patterns in video games (I guess; I don't play a lot of video games).

Tim Popelier, Tankhead Text Typer @tim-popelier.com · 1d

Ooh that does bring me up to an interesting point. @gonzohistory.bsky.social mentions the "fake out" monster archetype in monster man. Creatures designed to trick you, based on in game or gameplay knowledge and tactics. I sometimes feel like some games have more of those than regular enemies.

1

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 2d

Patreon backer @andrewmreichart.bsky.social brings you this special episode all about meeting other versions of yourself!

monsterman.libsyn.com/special-epis...

Monster Man: Special Episode: Other Selves

Patreon backer Andrew brings you this special episode all about other versions of yourself, in honour of the upcoming release of his next novel, .  If you're enjoying the show, why not consider&n...

monsterman.libsyn.com

7

Reposted by James Holloway: monsterman.org

Jason Cordova @jasoncordova.bsky.social · 2d

Big announcement: Public Access is now Pay What You Want on @drivethrurpg.com! Public Access is our hit game about analog horror and childhood trauma, Carved from Brindlewood. Pick up a copy today!

www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...

Public Access - The Gauntlet | DriveThruRPG

A roleplaying game of analog horror, based on the Brindlewood Bay mystery system! Public Access is a tabletop roleplaying game about a group of people in 2004—the Deep Lake Latchkeys—who find themselv...

www.drivethrurpg.com

1 91 160

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 2d

And I like walking the dog and playing games and supporting my wife's roller derby team, and I like volunteering, and that's *basically* everything I do. It's not like I can hire someone to go to the gym for me. I guess I would hire an assistant to run errands and spend one hour a day making armies.

1 7

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 2d

If I found buried treasure tomorrow, I would just sit up here in this office making Rampant or OPR armies out of old unloved miniatures and, like, giving them to school gaming clubs. Well, except I like making the podcast. And I do like tutoring kids. And I like writing games.

1 1 10

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 3d

The GW Research Day was amazing. Great presentations, great conversations. I had a long journey home, though, and didn't get enough sleep the night before, so I keep dozing off today. My recording didn't come out well, so I will rerecord my presentation for the podcast feed!

10

Reposted by James Holloway: monsterman.org

Isabelle Vella Gregory @ivg.bsky.social · 4d

Folks. Can you point me towards published work on women in archaeology/ academia being trolled/ harassed online for their research? I appreciate it’s mega hard 2 write abt & most of us stay silent. I know we all have war stories. I wonder about published research on this.

3 1 1

Reposted by James Holloway: monsterman.org

James Tinged Words @jameswords.bsky.social · 5d

Thoughts here on Internet folklore are well worth a listen (and not just for DnD nerds)!

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 6d

Patreon backer Jake brings you this special episode all about the folklore of the modern age - well, sort of! This one kind of got away from me.

monsterman.libsyn.com/special-epis...

Monster Man: Special Episode: Algorithmic Folklore

Patreon backer Jake brings you this special episode about the folklore of the 2020s, in which I lose my grip on the whole thing and it gets completely out of control. Which seems appropriate. If you'r...

monsterman.libsyn.com

1 2

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 5d

Starting in late October/ early November I am going to have some free time and maybe some work to promote, so if you want someone to talk about monsters or medieval stuff on a podcast or whatever, I can do that.

1 8

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 6d

Patreon backer Jake brings you this special episode all about the folklore of the modern age - well, sort of! This one kind of got away from me.

monsterman.libsyn.com/special-epis...

Monster Man: Special Episode: Algorithmic Folklore

Patreon backer Jake brings you this special episode about the folklore of the 2020s, in which I lose my grip on the whole thing and it gets completely out of control. Which seems appropriate. If you'r...

monsterman.libsyn.com

1 10

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 6d

I really enjoyed the first one but have never really had time to get to the others. You've played King of Dragon Pass, right?

1

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 6d

Hope and sympathy to you and yours from a fellow owner of an elderly dog.

1

James Holloway: monsterman.org @gonzohistory.bsky.social · 7d

We have the same guy here in Cambridge, except that the radio is in a plastic bag dangling from a handlebar. He's been around for years. You can sometimes faintly make out music beneath the static.

2