Origins 2017 – game convention from a new perspective
Attending a game convention is not new territory for me. Fresh off of Origins 2017 in Columbus, Ohio, the gaming juice runs at an all-time high and I’m pumped to plow forward with gusto on as a fan of tabletop roleplaying games as well as a savvy up-and-coming Nerdarchy aide-de-camp.
My first game convention was, coincidentally, Origins Game Fair back in the early 90s when civilization was at its peak. I’ll never forget inadvertently joining a world championship tournament of Diplomacy, having never played the game. For about an hour I had my opponents thinking I was some kind of savant, making bewildering moves they’d never seen. Then they realized my cluelessness and my stint as a global leader quickly ended.
Dating advice for nerds
Hey, guys, Professor Bill of Comic Book University here and I’m going to say a few pretentious things here. I’m talking about dating advice for nerds.
Mayim Bialik and Jim Parsons portray Amy Farrah Fowler and Sheldon Cooper on the CBS television series “The Big Bang Theory.” Both nerds, and proud of it.
When I was in school I was a pretty popular guy. I was tall, went to the weight room after school daily, I was on the track and field team for shot put, discus, and cross-country, and I never knew what the “friend zone” was. Still, on the down low, when I thought no one was looking, I would go to the comic book store.
Now make no mistake, if a nerd walked into a sports store with a bunch of jocks from school that nerd would get the strangest looks imaginable; that, “you don’t belong here” look. I got that look when I walked into the comic book store.
Geek and Sundry’s GM Tips with Nerdarchy
Satine Phoenix to feature Nerdarchy [caption id="attachment_19970" align="alignright" width="150"] Satine Phoenix is the host of Geek and Sundry's GM Tips[/caption] Following on the heels of Satine Phoenix's appearance on the Nerdarchy live chat, Nerdarchy is going on an adventure! Nerdarchists Dave and Ted and Nate the Nerdarch...
Wayward Leather puts Designs on Nerdarchy Live Chat
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O50YCw_lqAc&w=560&h=315] Nerdarchists Dave and Ted welcomed artist and craftsperson Mellie Z. to the Nerdarchy live chat to talk shop about her fantasy-themed leatherwork creations. Mellie hand-crafts fantastic pieces for display, wearable garments and accessories, bags and "monster boxes." [caption id="attachment_19924" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Mellie Z. creates handmade, fantasy-themed...
In Defense of Emojis
An emoji with a smile.
Greetings, denizens of the Internet! I got into a conversation earlier this week about emojis. Namely, my fiancé said they made him feel less credible and he was trying to cut back on them. I know quite a few people who feel similarly, as though shortening words or dropping faces into your text somehow makes you less professional in everyday conversation.
Are fewer people reading today?
Print is dead, right? Maybe, maybe not, but either way, that doesn’t mean reading has died.
Is reading dying or dead? It would seem so. Every few months there’s an article online or in the newspapers or magazines about how people don’t read nearly as much as they used to, or that fewer and fewer people pick up a book. But I’d argue otherwise. I think more people are reading than ever before.
The art of gaming without gaming! Trials and triumphs of a full-time nerd in a part-time world
There is no disputing that tabletop role-playing games, and Dungeons & Dragons in particular, are more popular than ever before. While still a niche hobby, that niche has grown considerably large, and the perception of it has shifted as well.
The moment when I realized how great a step forward the role-playing game hobby has taken occurred not too long ago. My gaming group musters at a coffee shop, hauling our books, dice, pencils and accouterments to a private room in the back. From 4-10 p.m., our group of middle-aged nerds leave jobs, families and other responsibilities aside to step into a fantastical world of make-believe. During one of our gatherings, I went to get a cup of coffee and the teen-aged girl barista asked me if I was with the group in the back, and if we were playing Dungeons & Dragons. I said yep, I’m the Dungeon Master.
“Super cool,” she said.
Dungeons & Discourse: Digital Media
As Nerdarchist Dave has mentioned in the past, the staff writers here at Nerdarchy.com have really started to gel. We’re putting together a module for Geek & Sundry’s International Tabletop Day that I think is fantastic, and we have a lot of great discourse, a majority of which is just for us. We share our perspectives with each other, elicit help, or provide suggestions. Sometimes we just talk about whatever. I think what makes it the best is that, even if we vehemently disagree with each other, or it’s a couple of us railing against the world, there is a genuine respect that allows us to know everyone is actually trying to listen to and understand each other, even if all we did was take a merry-go-round.
Sugar and Spice and Rolling Fun-Shaped Dice
Some of you may have been following the progress of the Scarlet Sisterhood of Steel and Sorcery game we’ve been playing on YouTube. In that case, you’re probably already aware that it’s become this controversial hot button topic a lot of people seem to be weighing in on, both in the comments and through other media.
Nerdarchy store hosts plenty of nerd swag
Appearing on YouTube with Scott Garibay, second from left, Nerdarchists Dave, Ted and Nate show off their Nerdarchy shirts and hats.
If you’ve watched any of the Nerdarchy videos, most likely you have seen the guys over there wearing hats or shirts or other garb sporting the Nerdarchy name and logo. This is not by accident. But did you know you can purchase Nerdarchy gear for yourself? Oh, yes, you can. If you don’t already know about it, allow me to introduce Nerdarchy the Store.
Nerds, Give Sports a Chance
I’m going to preface this by saying I know not all nerds hate sports. Hell, I’m one of them. What I’ve noticed is that a lot of nerds either borderline or outright relish in the fact they don’t know anything about sports. Some go as far as to mock people who love sports. My sister is one of those people.Her disdain for any sport is palpable, and she talks down to sports the way most people would about Dungeons and Dragons, Cosplay, or LARPing.
Start coin collecting on the cheap with wheat pennies
Wheat Penny (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Wheat pennies are a common collector’s item because they usually aren’t difficult to find, sometimes still turning up in change today, and they normally don’t cost very much.
RPGs: Why Women Need To Play
Okay, so here is where I am going to break off a little and dive into a more gender-exclusive topic. Let me start with a bit about myself, to sorta get things rolling. Let me also state that this is entirely my opinions, and bias,...
He Said, She Said: My Boyfriend is a Nerd … No, I’m Not!
Back in October, I posted the following to Facebook:
Me: Yeah, I have some nerd and geek tendencies, but I don't let it rule my life. Friend: Don't you write fantasy for a living? Me: Yeah, but ... Friend: And don't you go to longsword classes? Me: True, but ... Friend: And you play D&D at least twice a week, right? Me: Oh, shut up. (and this was while at a Renaissance fest)
Why We Game: D&D, online gaming and real life
It’s crazy how many people I know who would be so freaking fun and amazing at playing D&D and they don’t even know it. There is always the usual self-doubt about not knowing or fully understanding a game, and there is the matter of time and space away from everything, ie. phones, family, work, chores, etc. Most of the people I know who would be great at it and don’t even know are usually self-doubters much like I was before I started playing. The idea of starting a new game can be quite an uncomfortable situation and one that often leads many to fleeing the hobby altogether.
