Running Bear's January 2023 Coffee Shop

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Patrick said:
Willie: We're on the mainline from Kansas City to Oklahoma City. Trains do a weird split either to the south towards Ponca City or on to Wellington Ks and Oklahoma City. The extension of the Heartland Flyer is supposed to go through Newton KS through Wichita. I'm not sure if it's terminating in Newton or moving east toward Kansas City. There's already a bus connection from Newton to OKC.
Most of these visitors are northbound.
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I haven't kept up with the HF extension lately, so I don't know if it will terminate in Newton or not. Last that I read a couple of years ago, there was some negotiation issues using the BNSF lines in KS. From Ft Worth to OKC, they cooperate really well, it seems to always be on time. Between Gainesville TX and the Alliance Yard there seems to be enough looong passing sidings that allow freights to pull over without having to stop while Amtrack zips by on the main.
Pretty sure the CN locos use the Ponca City leg on their way north. From Newton I don't know whether they go NE to KC, or north to Lincoln Nebraska on their trip back to home rails
 
I know this is waaaaaaaay off topic and may be too fringe for most of the folks here...

But if you keep up with anything D&D (Dungeons and Dragons) related... HOLY SHIKEES!

WOTC/Hazbro decided a couple of weeks ago to change their 20 year old Open Gaming License that allowed other game companies to build on their system. They'd been rolling that OGL forward to each new version of their game (Silly, they should have limited to D&D 3.5... They're about to move to D&D ONE (aka version 6) as an online revenue stream much like many other video type games.

We're talking about a bunch of nerds sitting around a table (or even a zoom call) and making up stories and role playing while rolling dice to slay the monsters, get the treasure, and save the poor prince from getting eaten by a dragon, troll, etc.

AND THE OUTCRY was huge!

there are tons of YouTubers making bank talking about/running games online etc D&D... and when the parent company stayed silent in the face of the leaks... and delayed announcing the changes (basically, if you make over $750,000 gross from an OGL product, Hasbro takes 25% of your gross...)

OK... getting into the weeds, but they made a legal agreement was worded as "perpetual" into "naw! we're changing it and nullifying all the past stuff..."

Well, two things happened:
1. The big D&D YouTubers told their followers they were canceling their subscriptions to the NEW, soon-to-be-released D&D One... So their followers started canceling too... and then more canceled, and more canceled.

2. The biggest competitor (Paizo Publishing - made up of old WOTC people who were instrumental in developing the original OGL) just released their own statement that their latest game (Pathfinder 2.0) looks like it was made using the OGL... was carefully crafted without any language that Hasbro could nitpick as being a part of the D&D universe, even if they listed the OGL in the copyrights page. -- Paizo's website has crashed from the D&D players going over there per look at their stuff.

(side note, Paizo announced a 25% discount on their books for those who want to switch...)

3. Oh, and Paizo hired the law firm that is run by the team that developed the original OGL from WOTC to review their stuff, and take the OGL and make it even better, more airtight, and more open.

IN a nutshell, as my grandfather used to say, Paizon told WOTC/Hasbro to F-Off, and "planted their size 9 in WOTC"s posterior" (Thanks for the visual, gramps!). :eek:

Like I said, this probably means little to you... suffice to say, the little guy nerds are fighting back against the big dollar machines that decided to siphon even more money from the nerds. :cool: 🥃
 
TROY - That smoked sausage and other items looks delish! Last evening the Spousal Unit grilled Italian Sausage with Three different Colored peppers - onions, mushrooms, garlic, and seasonings! We did not have the tomato sauce that uyou speak of. Tonight we will have the leftovers over a bed of Polenta to go with it.

CURT - and others suffering with flu like symptions ... join the crowd. I have had sever sinus drainage, hacking cough and a running noise that won't stop. No Covid nor Flu - just the above!

Sorry - getting paged by SWMBO! Everuone is very interesting BBL!
 


Good evening. 57°, cloudy with a strong breeze from the South. Overnight, temperatures will remain steady, with possible rain showers and maybe a Thunderstorm. After 0930 Friday, Temperatures will drop to the mid 40s, while skies clear...

Sherrel: I still have the hacking cough from my hospitalization. I don't think the CDC has a clue what is going around, as they are all too focused on Covid. One day, I think I've stopped coughing, the next day it's back ...

After the grocery trip was complete around noon, I spent most of the day staring at the computer, didn't feel like doing anything. I did make steak / cheese steaks for dinner, with fried onions and peppers. Delicious, but they are still repeating...the meal that keeps on giving. It was worth it.
 
troyphoto said:
I know this is waaaaaaaay off topic and may be too fringe for most of the folks here...

But if you keep up with anything D&D (Dungeons and Dragons) related... HOLY SHIKEES!

WOTC/Hazbro decided a couple of weeks ago to change their 20 year old Open Gaming License that allowed other game companies to build on their system. They'd been rolling that OGL forward to each new version of their game (Silly, they should have limited to D&D 3.5... They're about to move to D&D ONE (aka version 6) as an online revenue stream much like many other video type games.

We're talking about a bunch of nerds sitting around a table (or even a zoom call) and making up stories and role playing while rolling dice to slay the monsters, get the treasure, and save the poor prince from getting eaten by a dragon, troll, etc.

AND THE OUTCRY was huge!

there are tons of YouTubers making bank talking about/running games online etc D&D... and when the parent company stayed silent in the face of the leaks... and delayed announcing the changes (basically, if you make over $750,000 gross from an OGL product, Hasbro takes 25% of your gross...)

OK... getting into the weeds, but they made a legal agreement was worded as "perpetual" into "naw! we're changing it and nullifying all the past stuff..."

Well, two things happened:
1. The big D&D YouTubers told their followers they were canceling their subscriptions to the NEW, soon-to-be-released D&D One... So their followers started canceling too... and then more canceled, and more canceled.

2. The biggest competitor (Paizo Publishing - made up of old WOTC people who were instrumental in developing the original OGL) just released their own statement that their latest game (Pathfinder 2.0) looks like it was made using the OGL... was carefully crafted without any language that Hasbro could nitpick as being a part of the D&D universe, even if they listed the OGL in the copyrights page. -- Paizo's website has crashed from the D&D players going over there per look at their stuff.

(side note, Paizo announced a 25% discount on their books for those who want to switch...)

3. Oh, and Paizo hired the law firm that is run by the team that developed the original OGL from WOTC to review their stuff, and take the OGL and make it even better, more airtight, and more open.

IN a nutshell, as my grandfather used to say, Paizon told WOTC/Hasbro to F-Off, and "planted their size 9 in WOTC"s posterior" (Thanks for the visual, gramps!). :eek:

Like I said, this probably means little to you... suffice to say, the little guy nerds are fighting back against the big dollar machines that decided to siphon even more money from the nerds. :cool: 🥃
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Troy.....
My eldest nephew and his brothers, his father and cousin and I are livid! He writes story lines for D&D.
Here is what he had to say: written by Ethan Sabatella (he has been published 9 times at his age it is pretty awesome age 24)
Although I rarely share anything personal at all on here anymore, this feels like one of the only places I can place my thoughts—my appeal for help I suppose. My friends who play Dungeons & Dragons have most likely heard about the hubbub and panic going on with Hasbro and Wizard of the Coast’s alteration of the Open Gaming License 1.0a (OGL 1.0a) and their plan to update it to the OGL 1.1. If you have managed to stay out of it, I genuinely commend you for your restraint and if you would rather not worry yourself with this matter, I do not blame you for giving this post a pass. There are other people who can describe the OGL 1.0a and its importance in the industry and hobby of tabletop roleplaying game design, but I will briefly summarize here: the OGL 1.0a allows game designers to create third-party content compatible all editions of Dungeons & Dragons; it also has allowed for clones to be made of older editions of the game by independent designers and publishers (although I have heard that the OGL is not necessarily required for these sorts of games). Under this license, game designers have been able to share their original creations with the world through the medium of their favorite tabletop roleplaying games, so long as they do not use any already trademarked material.
This is all about to change with the introduction of the OGL 1.1. This new document has not been officially released, but copies allegedly from Wizards of the Coast themselves have started surfacing. The wording and legalese within it is frustratingly murky, perhaps intended to be pitfalls for those who must be subjected to it (should this take effect). Again I will summarize: the OGL 1.1 compliments the release of Wizards of the Coast’s new imagination of Dungeons & Dragons, which they have named OneD&D. From what is known about OneD&D, it appears to be a heavily stripped-down variation of the most current edition, mostly confined to an online space. The OGL 1.1 will allegedly override and revoke OGL 1.0a, forcing businesses that develop third-party Dungeons & Dragons content and potentially other businesses independent of Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro to conform to what this new document decrees. The OGL 1.1 not only restricts how content for Dungeons & Dragons can be made under its use, but also waives the creators of all rights to publish and sell their works; Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro would be able to take and sell anything created by people not affiliated with them and sell it without giving a dime in return to the original creators. Additionally, should Wizards and Hasbro be dissatisfied with the works (whether they do not comply with the OGL 1.1 or somehow goes against their corporate image) they would be able to take legal action and pull them from the shelves. What is more, should a business be successful in creating and selling third-party material and comply with the OGL 1.1 they would have to report their earnings to Wizards and Hasbro and pay a percentage in royalties to continue publishing the material under the OGL 1.1.
Overall, it is a rather confusing, frustrating, and world-shaking development that may or may not be as dire to the tabletop roleplaying game hobby and industry as it seems. It is something that has yet to be set in stone. Perhaps it will go to the courts, or perhaps it will take effect. If it does go to the courts, there is no guarantee whatsoever that the judge and jury will be on the side of the hundreds of independent and third-party creators who have turned this hobby into their fulltime jobs and means of feeding, clothing, and housing themselves and their families. In the worst case scenario, the judge may be completely ignorant and dismissive towards the hobby and rule in favor of the corporations who could line his pockets once the verdict is decreed. It could be the end of an era, and maybe even the end of so many people’s livelihoods and passions.

continued on next post.....
 
continued....

While other companies in the industry might be able to weather the storm, it still affects what can be produced going forward. The phrase “Creativity thrives under limitations” or something of the sort might come to mind, but creativity cannot thrive under the iron hammer of a money-hungry corporate cabal who has no idea what a d20 is or can name the wizard who invented the Acid Arrow spell.
I put all this out here because I do not know what else to do. Everything that has arisen and has yet to transpire concerning this has cost me sleep and time when I could have been working on finishing graduate school or my own creative works (including game design). I was raised with Dungeons & Dragons, my father, who has roots in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, taught me and my brothers. My dear, late mother actively encouraged my playing of the game and the lessons in creativity and courage that I learnt from it. I played it with my friends from LARP camp, even if they did challenge me at times they were a delight to play with and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I played for almost my entire college career in one of the longest campaigns I have ever ran, which my friends still talk and think about years after. Even now, I prepare to start a short one with my friends in grad school. In the decade since my dad gathered me and my brothers around our kitchen table to drive a foul cult of Orcus out of an ancient keep, I have widened my scope beyond D&D. I have seen the horrors of Howard Phillips Lovecraft brought to life in Call of Cthulhu by Chaosium; I have acted out a zany Saturday morning superhero cartoon with Masks; I have been ripped to shreds by a xenomorph in the Alien roleplaying game; I have sent hapless peasants through a crucible of a dungeon from which the survivors emerge as heroes in Dungeon Crawl Classics; and still I set my sights upon so many other systems and worlds that allow a small group of friends crowded around a basement or kitchen table to imagine a story greater than themselves for a few hours, and return to real life satisfied and renewed.
I worry because I dreamt and still dream of turning this hobby that I have grown up with into a career. I want it to be something I not only can share with my family and close friends, but something I can share with the world so other people can make their own memories. Whatever WoTC and Hasbro is doing could hamper that, even if I try to stay the straight and narrow outside of their talons. It was not until I really learned about folklore and folk cultures that I realized something: for a while I longed to have been born into one of those communities (preferably a Gaelic-speaking one for those who know me well) and carry on a tradition that is bigger than myself and that can be shared and honored by everyone; I realized I was part of one such tradition—my dad was the tradition-bearer from whom I learned how to Dungeon Master. He, years ago, gathered with his friends in a sacred circle and made stories and heroes that still echo amid the quiet basement of his childhood home. I went on to share the skills he taught me (how to read adventures, how to be flexible but firm, and how to have fun) with friends and family years later. My brothers as well long to run their own campaigns. It is probably one of the only skills I have that I strove to improve over all else; it has occupied my mind and time, and merely thinking about it brings me joy. I can recall one time when I finished a cross country race—I don’t remember where I placed but it definitely was not first—and the whole time I was thinking about D&D. When I passed the finish line and went up to my dad, the first thing I said to him pertained to whatever D&D-related thing I was thinking of. He just looked at me and said, “Is that all you were thinking of?” It was, and I have not stopped thinking about the hobby for a day. It is not D&D all the time. Sometimes it’s Call of Cthulhu, sometimes it’s something original, but a lot of the time it’s also another game in a forty to fifty-dollar book made by some hardworking mad lads.
The real heart and soul of the hobby and industry are these folk communities that have risen around these games. It is the businesses with a fraction of Hasbro’s budget that produces materials with passion and talent far more boundless than the stale, pastel-washed drivel Wizards of the Coast tries to pass off as sixty-dollar books. It is the kids who were bullied and scolded for playing pretend with their friends and grew up to introduce these games to their own kids. It is the small time artists who paint, sing, and craft just for the simple pleasure of it and expression of this hobby and tradition.
After all this, some might still say, “But D&D is rightly WoTC’s intellectual property.” In name and contract it might be so, but Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro is standing on the shoulders of giants. It is not just Gygax, Arneson, and so many other architects of the hobby and industry, but also the entire body of those who play any one of these tabletop roleplaying games. A company cannot dictate how groups play their games, and although writers from Wizards have expressed that fact, what they are doing with the OGL 1.1 and OneD&D runs counter to that. With any luck, they will get so much resistance and sales will drop so they will just drop the whole thing. On the other hand, has just customer apathy been able to stop a mega corporation in the 21st century?
To be honest, I do not know what plea I am trying to make here. Mostly I just wanted to get this out so I could get back to work, but if there is anything I could do or anyone else could do, I would be willing to do something. In the meantime, I do not know what else there is to do besides post this and maybe write a strongly worded letter to Hasbro. Something I know my friends and family could do is this: first off, do not buy a single product from Wizards or Hasbro; second, buy whatever strikes your fancy from a indie or third-party business in the hobby. Maybe you heard me or a mutual friend talk about this hobby, never tried it yourself, but you want to anyway—might as well now. Maybe you have not played in a while and need something fresh, I guarantee you, there is something for whatever you want to try.
I am leaving this on public so feel free to share it anywhere, critique it, or whatever you would like.
This is my appeal and I am putting it here, although I rarely share anything personal at all on here anymore.
 
My Scale Speaker System speakers came today. I ordered them a on 01/05/23. 4 speakers $17.00 each. Two for my Intermountain F7's and 2 for my Scale Trains GE C39-8's

scale_speaker_system_01.jpg
 
Troy, I have played countless hours of D&D. I always enjoyed it. I have not played in about 40 years.
My friends and I switched to Avalon Hill's Magic Realm; we enjoyed it even more.
Life got busy, friends go in different directions and that was that.
I still have a Magic Realm game and many other games. I had hoped my grandsons would play but the PC and game consoles rule their gaming worlds. I have gotten them to play more traditional board games like Masterpiece, Payday, and a few others.
I enjoyed your post, which was highly informative.
I have no great love for Hasbro. They bought Avalon Hill and shelved most every game they made.

Boris, I enjoy a ball game on the radio. I grew up listening to games on the radio.

Curt and Everyone suffering, I hope it gets better soon.

Inventory, I used to enjoy keeping inventory and it helped in keeping me from making duplicate purchases.
I read somewhere when i began my train obsession, "Don't buy trains as an investment, buy trains you like". I adopted that.

My time is up,

God Bless Us Everyone.
 


Good morning gang

45° and damp, with a pretty stiff breeze. temp slowly dropping through the day with below freezing tonight. Gonna fire up the wood stove tonight!

One good thing about the benchwork assembly, lots of kiln dried pine scraps for starting the fire in the wood stove!

North American House Hippo on the bed this morning!
44EFCBF7-BB4F-420B-A689-EA6611538769.jpeg

We are babysitting the Gkids while Daughter and SIL are in Mexico. We have them this week, then the other Grandparents get them on the weekend, the we get them back Monday-Wednesday when the parents return.

Bailey and the cat are fine with the kids, this one not so much!
 
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Well, howdy there internet people and those who love to wear hockey masks and ... never mind...

The fallout is still happening around the D&D front. Once Paizo's website opened up again this morning, recovered from the fallout and pounding of people wanting to check out their system and their announcement, I placed an order for their core rulebook. I doubt that I'll start playing again, but it doesn't hurt to throw some support their way since they're taking on the big evil dragon in the TT game space.

My own gaming history has a nice checkmark in it. Back when TSR owned D&D, I freelanced to edit one of their game supplements for the Forgotten Realms setting. With hit TV shows like The Big Bang Theory showcasing D&D, it's in a new peak right now. Actor Chris Pine (the new version of Capt. Kirk) is staring in a D&D movie to be released this year... D&D is in a huge resurgence...

and Hasbro got greedy, like companies do. They would have been fine dropping the old Open Game License from their new editions. "Y'all play with the past stuff, we've moved forward. Don't touch our IP!"

But, they decided to make the OGL exclusive to benefiting them.

There is a very, very, very big gaming convention down the road from me, only a 2.5 hour drive away, called GenCon. Fortunately, it's NOT owned by Hasbro. Going to be interesting to see how underpopulated the D&D halls are this year. Maybe only a drop in the bucket?

I might dig up some hobby $$ and go for a day this year, just to see...
 
Good morning. Wisconsin,my portion anyway, has turned white. Not much fell over night, maybe a 1/2”. But, nothing was forecast…

D&D I have never played and for a good reason. I am an addictive person and that game could have taken over my life. I knew it and have stayed away. If the gamers stay together, Hasbro may back down.

Baseball on radio. I listened as a kid going to sleep to the White Sox with Bob Elson and Milo Hamilton making the calls on my little transistor. Today I can still listen to a game and get that feeling of being there. On TV, it’s just a dull boring game, IMO.

The ladies on Maui have made decisions. They head to Pasadena on Sunday, stay at my sisters for a couple days while she does medical appointments and then decide what they do next. I told the son last night to be prepared to be invaded by 5 women around Wednesday next week. The weather is nice in Austin, he has a few horses and he has the rooms for them. His comment, “I should clean the place then?”

LHS, I need to stop there 1st today to check if he has any of the Covered hoppers I posted about yesterday. If not I will drive to Hiawatha and pick them up. I should be able to talk them into a better price

Black walnut, we have a great number of slabs drying in one of the sheds. As I related around Christmas we were unaware of the demand for these type of slabs. We have walnut, black walnut, some cherry, birch and lots of oak. The guy who purchased some of our walnut slabs has set us up with a couple buyers. One should be here around 8 this morning. After that I will head out

Mood, I still am grumpy. Too many life things…

enjoy the day
 
D&D? What's that? Hahaha. I know what DD is. (Dunkin Donuts, not what Sherrill was thinking of) 😁

Never got into it. I was in high school when it came out and as a model railroader I was considered a geek back then. Then the D&D geeks started calling ME a geek so since the snubbed my "game" I in turn snubbed theirs .

Besides, my trains were real and as fierce as your dragons may be, they would be squashed beneath my wheels!
 
Good morning from out here. Forty-two degrees at the moment and dark. Later on it is forecast to be 68 degrees and partly sunny?

Nothing much going on here. The Spousal Unit had a little too much to drink last evening - made a bucket full (lol) of polenta for out sausage and peppers to rest on top of. It was delish! Anyone want some? I seriously have a gallon to share!

Packed up a couple of boxes of Christmas "stuff" and started on the shrubbery lights. The wife and I discussed leaving them up - they were very pretty to look at in the evening.

I just don't have much interesting to say - life has become somewhat boring - I need to get my passport back and go somewhere again. I do look forward to the forum and seeing what all youse guys are up too!
 
Morning all,

I last played D&D over 40 years ago. I enjoyed it, but as in all things, life happens. I never hosted or played Dungeon Master, but had a couple of characters that tagged along the story line. I've lost contact with all of them over the years. I remember enough to laugh when watching TBBT and Young Sheldon.

Currently 21° and clear going for a high of 44° later. At least it is still a short day, just not my usual Friday.
 
Bruette said:
Boris, I enjoy a ball game on the radio. I grew up listening to games on the radio.
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I became an ORIOLES fan once I discovered that WBAL AM, carried their games and was accessible both day and night, as opposed to after sunset like so many other AM band MLB affiliates. (TV13 was only accessible on very rare occasions). I also have fond memories of my son listening to his Yankees on his portable. Radio was a wonderful way of following Baseball.
 


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