NUCLEAR BLAST ROCKS ARTIC WILDERNESS

From the New York Times:

A Nuclear explosion of unknown origin was detected in the arctic wilderness this morning, approximately 230 miles from the nearest inhabited area. The blast was a small megaton bomb, with approximately only .4 the destructive power of the Hiroshima bomb. At present, world scientists are rushing to the area, but it is unknown who detonated the blast, whether it was an accident, an act of war, or an act of terror. It is not believed that anyone was killed in the blast.

Scientists from the climatology institute at UC Berkeley report that studies have already begun as to the effects the radiation will have on local wildlife, and whether the blast and resulting heat signature will cause global effects. "It is not my view at present that a blast of this small size will create widespread melting of the arctic ice sheet, but it will have long ranging effects on ocean temperature and the stability of the artic ice region, which was already stressed with global warming. We will study the situation, of course.

CAMPAIGN RESTARTING

I plan to restart the campaign this upcoming thursday, September 14, 2006. I will be on Skype at between 930 and 10pm that evening, and anyone who wants to play should be online.

Ongoing plans will be to play every thursday evening, with anyone who wants to able to join in. Depending on who is online and how many, we may need to switch over to Ventrilo or Teamspeak to accomodate the numbers.

If Paul is willing, I would like to have him GM perhaps every third thursday. He should let me know if this is ok.

See you at AlertForce Mansion!

Chad/GM

FUTURE PLANS - POST YOUR SUGGESTIONS/VOTE HERE PLEASE

Hi all:

At yesterday's labor day cookout, only Greg and Rob/Brenda showed up. However, we did discuss the future of the campaign or our group's roleplaying. We reached no resolution. Comments were as follows:

1. Everyone wanted to continue roleplaying in one form or another.

2. I reported that GMing five days a week for a year was taxing, and I am probably not going to be able to start that up again.

3. Rob said he IS going to get his internet up and running, so he should have Skype soon to participate.

4. We all agreed that with families/work/geography being what it is, whatever we decide to do for roleplaying will have to be primarily online, with periodic gatherings in person when possible. It is probably (sad to say) impossible now to go back to the days of getting together in person, even once every two or three weeks, as we did before children arrived on the scene.

Suggestions/possibilities:

1. Resume AlertForce/DC Heroes, on a more spaced out schedule (playing only a couple days a week with more players involved on each night, AND other folks joining in on the GM duties.

2. Keep our online method (skype, web page, calendar, etc.) but switch to Dungeons and Dragons (with whom as GM)?

3. Keep our online method (skype, web page, calendar, etc.) but switch to Traveller (with Rob as GM?).

4. Go back to playing an MMORPG (Greg suggested World of Warcraft). Rob and Chad were not inclined, but I list this as an alternative.

Please post here or email me your votes/comments/suggestions!

Thanks,

Chad/GM

PERSPECTIVE STUDY: SNOW ANGEL AND ZEPHYR

Just playing around with some recent sketches here. I pasted a couple things together in photoshop just to see if the perspective worked, and it seems to. This is Snow Angel and Zephyr preparing to confront some big monster coming down the street towards them. The goal is to create tension/anticipation by showing their position and gaze directed "off camera" towards whatever is approaching. The colors are a ten minute job just to show the positions.

Comments welcome.