Ostensible Cat

Yes, I'm still alive and kicking!  I've been incredibly busy relocating Team Bingham and Ostensible Cat HQ from Italia to our new home base in New Zealand!  We've been incredibly busy traversing the globe and for the past two and a half weeks - getting settled into our new home in Wellington.  Lots of changes - new day job, new country, new continent (or microcontinent I suppose), new hemisphere, 12 hour time change, opposite season (it's winter here), and well, just about new everything.  We're still settling in, but I feel that I'm now to the point where I can start re-emerging into the scene a bit.  Found an art store so I stocked up on supplies.  Now to seek out the local RPG scene (so glad they speak English, it'll make it easier for me to get my game on).  I've got some commissioned work lined up and I'll get back to work on Delve!  issue 2 - it exists!  Also wanting to expand my operations a bit because I am no longer under the constraints tha

OK, yeah, I've already got the original set and I have the Swords and Wizardry version, but I'm definitely down for WotCs re-release of the OD&D premium edition.  I am sure there is or will be a lot of banter as to WotC's motives and pricing ($150 is not cheap for a lot of folks).  Sure, this is not aimed at the casual gamer.  I do hope that WotC releases the pdf versions for the folks that don't want to pony up for a premium edition.  I for one am glad that at this point WotC is releasing all of their old material and reprinting some of it in premium formats.  I hope they continue to acknowledge that ALL of the versions of the game are viable options and none is necessarily a replacement for another.  I also hope they continue to at least maintain the live and let live attitude towards the clones and OSR material.  I see this as all potentially being a hell of a great time for being a gamer whether you are old school or not.  I do think it would be cool to see a re

Yikes, tomorrow's December 1st?!?! How the heck has this year gone by so fast? I'm winding down my last set of commissions for the year. I'm almost done inking a piece for Carter over at the Lands of Ara blog. After that, it'll be Daisey's turn to work her magic coloring it. It's always fun to get to work on projects for the old school crowd and fellow bloggers. I've also got a bunch of interior work for another old school company coming up. All in all, 2011 has been a major boon year for me with the art gigs. So thank you for continuing to encourage me to keep doing this crazy fun work. It is heartening to get to participate and give back to this hobby that I've loved since I was a kid. At any rate, if anyone has got some projects that they are going to want some art for coming up in the new year, drop me a line. I always am willing to work something out with fellow old school gamers to give back to the hobby.

Zak S over at playing D&D with Pornstars always has a way of firing folks up. I think he really nails it with his latest post which you can read here . So yeah, even though I'm here in Florence soaking up the art, food and wine (and it's all damn good). I AM still working on some projects. I just happen to be slow as hell (well that and I also like doing art for other people's projects). So, what about you?

A nice little spotlight on our corner of the world today. Over at the Geek Dad blog, he mentions a couple of ways to get your name up in flashing lights in the RPG community . Like me, he is corrupting his son by involving him in various RPG projects ;). Adventurer Conquerer King and Fight On! are explicitly mentioned. Who knows, maybe oneday Bear Bingham will be on the rolls of RPG game designers/illustrators.

I think one of the greatest strengths of this whole nebulous OSR thing is the willingness of folks involved to share ideas and broaden their scope to encompass other ideas all the while still giving full credit and homage to the idea originators. I say that is hella cool. James Raggi is working on a compatability license that lets folks create compatable material with is Lamentations of the Flame Princess game. You can read the preliminaries here . I'm also really excited by the similar but complimentary domain game systems coming out from CKatulik at Hill Cantons ( Borderlands ) and the Adventurer Conqueror King system from Autarch. Also check out the sort of combine forces approach for the domain games over at Hill Cantons here . As for me, I'm looking forward to how I can incorporate these ideas into my Shdows of the Umbra Palace Adventure Path (which also overlaps with the Sea of O'Sr adventure path via my Maedsid adventure). Speaking of Maedsid, I'm not an

Just a couple of quick thoughts before I have to head out for work. One of the classes that I really was intrigued by in 1e AD&D was the druid. The whole Celtic preist thing really got me. And if I recall, not too many folks played them back at the time. After reading Dragon 119, I was totally hooked. I know most old schoolers revile Unearthed Arcana, but at the time I thought the whole idea of more level progression to the hierophant levels was a cool thing. At any rate, what is the current consensus on the druid class? I really didn't care for the whole animal pet thing found in the later editions.

I just noticed that I lost several followers today. I haven't been as active in the blogosphere lately due to the fact that I've been focusing all of my normal blog time to working on Isles of Maedsid. So, I'm hoping that I don't lose my entire following before I'm finished. Oh, did I mention that I intend for a free electronic release to include maps and illustrations. It's a Labyrinth Lord/Advanced Edition Companion release but it should fare well for adapting to most other Old School ruleset. Maedsid is also populateded by many entirely new (and open game content monsters) as well. I'm not going to say you won't be disappointed (because some folks just have strange tastes you know), but hell, if nothing else I hope you find some interesting nuggets in there. Besides, can't go wrong with free right? So bear with me, I intend on doing a sort of barebones release prior to me leaving for GENCON. I hope to meet and more importantly GAME with som

Mostly at my drawing table finish up some artwork for Weird Adventures . It has been an absolute BLAST bringing to visual life some small corners of Trey Causey's awesome setting. Now with that wrapped up for the time being, I'm going to focus on some of my own projects as the clock ticks down to GENCON. Mostly, I'm going to prep some original art of sale (matted and mounted and ready for framing - if that's your thing!). Also, I've got to key the map for Isle of Maedsid and write it up. After that, on back to the Warrens of Polstrus Lev and Basalt Keep of Wilven the Yellow and in the future, Sinister Sightings at Dustchapel Downs as well as Shadow of the Umbra Palace!

As in sick. Bear, Rosa and I all are sick and feeling a bit rough around the edges. Poor Daisey is harried trying to take care of all of the sickos whilst we have company coming in from Seattle tomorrow and she is trying to finish her online finals tonight for her master's program! Fortunaqtely, Rosa and I are feeling a bit better and Daisey's mom is staying with us for a bit so that relieaves some of the pressure. I've got some catching up to do on artwork but I'm pretty much on track. Once this set of commissions is over, I'm trying to think of what the next project will be. I've got a few things in mind. Probably I'll get back to work on Polstrus Lev and Basalt Keep with some other ideas floating around as well.

Stefan Poag posted today about a WotC contest (I'm not really sure if it was a contest, maybe a sort of WotC artists jam?) in which several artists do their own take a a Wayne Reynold's beholder painting. Stefan had the incredibly interesting idea that some of the artists in the OSR should maybe do their own take. You know what, I'm so down with that. I'm hoping more folks will also join in. What better way to show the playfulness and creativity of the OSR than by joining in (oh I know - there will be a few naysayers out there with their Eeyore like glumness and negativity but screw em). I've got a couple of commissions to finish up but I'm going to do this. Here's a copy of the picture in question: I'm going to even try to get my son Bear in on the act (it's been to long since I've posted his art here). Maybe if Daisey isn't too overwhelmed with school, she'll even color it. It' be a fun family project. At any rate, I en

Dan Proctor of Goblinoid Games (Labyrinth Lord, Mutant Future, etc) announced that he has secured the rights to Time Master RPG. I'm only periphrially aware of Time Master and don't know much about it. I think that this is a cool development from what I can tell and from what little I know of the system, but it does leave me wondering, what systems should be brought back? I'm sure there are some exellent older games that suffered from lack of promotion/distribution back in the day and many not so worthy systems that got a fair bit of attion due to advertisement. I like the fact that Dan has done quite a bit to bring support back for older games (and I think he has done a great job of it). But do we have enough DIY toolkits out there already to model most of the settings/genre out there? What's missing? Old West shootouts like Boot Hill? Maybe, but I seem to recall someone working on that. I'm a big fan of TSR's Marver Superheroes FASERIP system. For m

The topic of the moment in the blogosphere seems to be on the role of art in gamebooks. This topic tends to come up from time to time on the forums and on the blogs. This latest wave originated with James M. over at Grognardia and you can read it here . Stefan Poag offers further commentary on his blog here , Matt Finch also further expounds upon this topic in his blog here , along with N. Wright at Lawful Indiferent and most recently James Raggi . As an artist that pretty much solely works for small press gamebook companies, I felt that it was only fitting that I chimed in. I think some very interesting points have been made on the topic, especially by Stefan Poag and Matt Finch. It is funny to me how many folks claim that they like low art/no art game books or prefer B&W over color as it help them fill in the details themselves. Frankly, as we should all know, it is really a matter of taste. The role of an RPG book is to convey rules or a setting. Art should complement

OK, I think I've mentioned it before, but I'm currently without a gaming group. I've often attributed this to a lack of gamers, but I'm realizing there is a pool of gamers out here. The real problem is lack of a hugely precious resource on my part - TIME. I've never hidden the fact that I'm a gamer and lately, I've even advertised it to several suitably geeky soldiers and civilians on post. Most of them (actually I think all of them) seem to really dig the idea of playing an old school D&D game. I think that's awesome. However, as with so many things, I just don't know how to squeeze in the time to my schedule. Being a full time IT professional and devoted father and husband (not to mention aspiring artist!) leaves me with very little time. But, I feel that I have a great opportunity here to bring old school gaming to the masses (military types have always been a fertile ground for gamers) and should not squander it. So, I have this qu

When you take a look at most of the message boards, blogs and other online congregation spots for RPG Gamers, much of the talk seems to be of the analytical bent focused on disecting the games, comparing them to others, discussing the merrits, and often denigrating other games and their players. I find that interesting because at it's core, gaming (be it RPG's, board games, dominoes, card games, four square, jump rope, etc) should be about fun. I have a marked predeliction towards older RPGs but I don't castigate those that play the newer ones. I'll admit, that they just don't do it for me. The more fiddly they become, the more I lose interest (but I realize too that it is me). But, again, gaming is about having fun with your family and/or friends. So, short post as we head into the weekend. Remember WHY you play and most importantly, HAVE FUN. Happy Gaming!

I just received my hardcopy of Stars Without Number the other day. I’ve been spending a lot of time reading through that and OpenQuest. I have to say, these two games go a long way to scratching an itch I’ve had for a while. Stars Without Number is a great looking game. I can’t really say enough about it. I’m not much of a Sci-Fi gamer. I’m not sure why because I like Sfi-Fi pretty well but I’ll admit that it isn’t my goto genre. Overall though, it does a GREAT job of reframing the early D&D rules and reworking them for a Sci-Fi genre. Upon a cursory read through, I could think of so many things that could be done with this system. Right of the bat, I found myself wanting to recreate Asimov’s Foundation. I think it would also be interesting to do up a space horror setting with this system. I’m thinking of Alien or Event Horizon. Yeah, or something like Cthulhu weirdness in space. At any rate, it is a top notch game so go check it out. There is absolutely NO reason i

James M over at Grognardia asked the old school bloggers out there to tell the world about their versions of iconic D&D monsters. I've never really liked the dark elf as presented in Dungeons and Dragons. If anything they were 1) far too numerous and 2) should not be attractive by any human standard 3) just not creepy and evil enough 4) and why the hell would an underground dwelling creature have black skin? For me, the dark elves should be really creepy. You know, like in the old fairy tales where they kidnap youngsters and make houses out their bones? I don't want my dark elves to be sympathetic at all. Their motives defy human comprehension, they eat flesh of humans/humanoids, they have strange powers, speak no language comprehendible by man, etc. For me, dark elves do indeed dwell underground. They only come about at night because direct sunlight will kill them. They have pale, almost translucent skin (usually covered in much and offal) and a stringy pale yel

I’m not really a hot elf chick but apparently I play one on the Internet ;). Yesterday’s silliness was all in good fun and I think it brought some much needed levity to the scene. It was a bit cheeky, but well, that’s OK. It’s good not to take ourselves so serious. After all, we are talking about games aren’t we? I wanted to follow up on a comment Tim Shorts made on my I Like Pie post. Tim suggested that I develop a random comment table for people to use to respond to content posts. If you haven’t read my I Like Pie post (and I can’t possibly imagine why you wouldn’t read it), the gist of it is that most people say they prefer content blog posts over opinion posts. However, opinion posts tend to generate far more content. Perhaps this is due to the fact that people don’t feel comfortable about just posting a comment of “Very cool”. Well, I for one like these short posts as it lets me know that my blog is not just an echo chamber or an editorial. So, in that vein, I’ve come

You read that right! Hot elf chicks seek gamer guys for good times and great adventures! YOU can live out your wildest fantasies! YOU can storm the mad wizard’s tower and win the girl! YOU can slay the dragon and take the gold! YOU can become a king among men and be the envy of the peasantry! How?!?! Hehehe, a little bit of tongue in cheek there. In all seriousness, for those tuning in, welcome to Ostensible Cat, a blog associated with the OSR (for my regular readers bear with me – or blame it on James at the Underdark Gazette for giving me the idea). What is the OSR you ask? Well, it is a loosely affiliated or group of self identified gamers that choose to play role playing games in the Old School manner. OSR has a few different meanings for the acronym (Old School Renaissance, Old School Revival, Old School Revolution, etc). Essentially it all boils down to the same thing: a bunch of gamers that are enthusiasts of older editions of pen and paper role playing games (

Several floks have already posted there thought on this, but I felt as a contributor to the OSR, I'd chip in a bit. Mythmere has posted some great thoughts on the history of the OSR along with some thoughts on the commercialization of the OSR. You can read the posts here , here , and here . Rob Conley and Stefan Poag have also offered up their thoughts. Pretty interesting stuff. I know that there are some folks that aruge pretty passionately for OSR contributors only putting out free stuff while others just as passionately argue for for profit projects. I suspect that most of thefolks that have worked on the for profit projects have also done quite a bit of free projects. Free is good for the obvious monetary reasons. Mythmere also states that he believes that since no one in the not for profit section of the OSR is making any money at doing this, the folks involved are acting as a quality control filter. Thus ensuring only high quality work will be released. Seems lik