Author Archives: Shane

Let’s Play Shadowrun Returns: Dragonfall 11 (That’s How I Troll)

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In part eleven we make a shadowrun to steal a prototype from a big corporation (is there any other kind in the Shadowrun universe) and the team gets a nasty surprise when they finally discover what the prototype actually is. On the plus side, there’s plenty of combat afterwards and having that prototype around sure doesn’t hurt.

Thanks for watching!
Shane

Subscribe to the Shane Plays YouTube Channel! You know you want to!

Shadowrun Returns is a CRPG based on the tabletop Shadowrun RPG first introduced in 1989. Shadowrun Returns was funded via Kickstarter and is available for PC, Mac, iPad and Android tablets.

GOG.com (Good Old Games)
Base Game: http://www.gog.com/game/shadowrun_returns?6a3236f5f213960de5c415fd15c6d1cb5a46d04e
Dragonfall DLC: http://www.gog.com/game/shadowrun_dragonfall?6a3236f5f213960de5c415fd15c6d1cb5a46d04e

Steam:
Base Game: http://store.steampowered.com/app/234650/
Dragonfall DLC: http://store.steampowered.com/app/272030/

GOG:
Base Game: http://www.gog.com/game/shadowrun_returns
Dragonfall DLC: http://www.gog.com/game/shadowrun_dragonfall

Apple:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shadowrun-returns/id667026182?ls=1&mt=8
*Dragonfall is not out for iOS at this time but will be soon according to developer. Base game available

Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.harebrainedschemes.shadowrun
*Dragonfall not available on Google Play yet, base game available

D&D Basic Rules Logo

Basic (“Core”) Dungeons & Dragons to be FREE, kids!

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D&D Next, also known as Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition but which has been recently officially announced as simply Dungeons & Dragons… will be free.

dndfree
No, really, you’ll be able to basically (pardon the pun, which will be apparent in a moment) play the game wihout buying a single rulebook.

I’ll let Mike Mearls, Wizards of the Coast employee and senior manager for the D&D research and design team, explain in his own words from his Legends & Lore column  (full link here):

“Basic D&D is a PDF that covers the core of the game. It’s the equivalent of the old D&D Rules Cyclopedia, though it doesn’t have quite the same scope (for example, it won’t go into detail on a setting). It runs from levels 1 to 20 and covers the cleric, fighter, rogue, and wizard, presenting what we view as the essential subclass for each. It also provides the dwarf, elf, halfling, and human as race options.”

Furthermore:

“At the launch of the D&D Starter Set, Basic D&D will include the material needed to create characters and advance to 20th level. In August, with the release of the Player’s Handbook, Basic D&D will expand to include the essential monsters, magic items, and DM rules needed to run the game, along with the rules for wilderness, dungeon, and urban adventuring. (The Starter Set already covers the aspects of these rules that you need to run the included campaign.)

“As we introduce new storylines like Tyranny of Dragons, we’ll also make available free PDFs that provide all the rules and stats missing from Basic D&D needed to run the adventures tied into the story. The adventures released as part of Tyranny of Dragonsare playable without requiring any of the core rulebooks or the Starter Set. With just the Basic Dungeons & Dragons rules, you can play D&D for years.”

Note: Emphasis added by me, not Mike.

That’s the meat of it. Feel free to check out the full column for more of Mike’s thoughts on the subject.

Also note that the D&D Starter Set is set to release July 15 of this year, so it looks like that’s when we will have access to the Basic D&D PDF if I am understanding correctly.

For my part, I think this is both a cool move to show love to gamers and also a smart marketing move. The healthier D&D is (and RPGs in general) the more physical product sells.

It also puts me in mind of several MMORPGs that have a “free to play” option to attract more players.

Regardless, I’ll be downloading my PDF of Basic D&D as soon as I can get my grubby little mouse on it.

 

Let’s Play Age of Wonders III – Multiplayer with Matt and Nathan #5

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*Note: At 43:45 the voice audio cuts out but the in-game music and audio remains. The remaining parts will still have voice audio.

This is part five of an Age of Wonders III multiplayer Let’s Play (or should I call it a Let’s Chat 😛 ) series where I am joined by video game show host and author Matt Barton of Matt Chat fame (see Matt’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/blacklily8 and his website at http://mattchat.us) as well as Nathan Tolbert, who is not only a founding member of the long running Gamers Haven podcast (http://gamershavenpodcast.com/) but a walking smartopedia of video game and computer hardware knowledge. Plus they’re both darn nice guys to boot.

As with my previous Age of Wonders III multiplayer intro Let’s Play, this is a very casual, chatty game among buddies where we talk about the game and shoot the breeze about many other topics of interest to geeky dudes hanging out. If you’re looking for a hard hitting, in-depth play by play commentary of Age of Wonders III, I just want to be fair and let you know this probably isn’t what you’re looking for. If, however, you want to pull up a chair and hang out with some fellow geeks, this is your Let’s Play — er, Let’s Chat.

Thanks for watching!
Shane

Age of Wonders III is the long anticipated sequel to the award-winning strategy series. Delivering a unique mix of Empire Building, Role Playing and Warfare, Age of Wonders III offers the ultimate in turn-based fantasy strategy for veterans of the series and new players alike!

Age of Wonders Official Site: http://ageofwonders.com/about-age-of-wonders-iii/

Age of Wonders III on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/226840/

Age of Wonders III on GOG.com: http://www.gog.com/game/age_of_wonders_3

Subscribe to the Shane Plays YouTube Channel! You know you want to!

Let’s Play Age of Wonders III – Multiplayer with Matt and Nathan #4

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This is part three of an Age of Wonders III multiplayer Let’s Play (or should I call it a Let’s Chat 😛 ) series where I am joined by video game show host and author Matt Barton of Matt Chat fame (see Matt’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/blacklily8 and his website at http://mattchat.us) as well as Nathan Tolbert, who is not only a founding member of the long running Gamers Haven podcast (http://gamershavenpodcast.com/) but a walking smartopedia of video game and computer hardware knowledge. Plus they’re both darn nice guys to boot.

As with my previous Age of Wonders III multiplayer intro Let’s Play, this is a very casual, chatty game among buddies where we talk about the game and shoot the breeze about many other topics of interest to geeky dudes hanging out. If you’re looking for a hard hitting, in-depth play by play commentary of Age of Wonders III, I just want to be fair and let you know this probably isn’t what you’re looking for. If, however, you want to pull up a chair and hang out with some fellow geeks, this is your Let’s Play — er, Let’s Chat.

Thanks for watching!
Shane

Age of Wonders III is the long anticipated sequel to the award-winning strategy series. Delivering a unique mix of Empire Building, Role Playing and Warfare, Age of Wonders III offers the ultimate in turn-based fantasy strategy for veterans of the series and new players alike!

Age of Wonders Official Site: http://ageofwonders.com/about-age-of-wonders-iii/

Age of Wonders III on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/226840/

Age of Wonders III on GOG.com: http://www.gog.com/game/age_of_wonders_3

Subscribe to the Shane Plays YouTube Channel! You know you want to!

Let’s Play Age of Wonders III – Multiplayer with Matt and Nathan #3

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This is part three of an Age of Wonders III multiplayer Let’s Play (or should I call it a Let’s Chat 😛 ) series where I am joined by video game show host and author Matt Barton of Matt Chat fame (see Matt’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/blacklily8 and his website at http://mattchat.us) as well as Nathan Tolbert, who is not only a founding member of the long running Gamers Haven podcast (http://gamershavenpodcast.com/) but a walking smartopedia of video game and computer hardware knowledge. Plus they’re both darn nice guys to boot.

As with my previous Age of Wonders III multiplayer intro Let’s Play, this is a very casual, chatty game among buddies where we talk about the game and shoot the breeze about many other topics of interest to geeky dudes hanging out. If you’re looking for a hard hitting, in-depth play by play commentary of Age of Wonders III, I just want to be fair and let you know this probably isn’t what you’re looking for. If, however, you want to pull up a chair and hang out with some fellow geeks, this is your Let’s Play — er, Let’s Chat.

Thanks for watching!
Shane

Age of Wonders III is the long anticipated sequel to the award-winning strategy series. Delivering a unique mix of Empire Building, Role Playing and Warfare, Age of Wonders III offers the ultimate in turn-based fantasy strategy for veterans of the series and new players alike!

Age of Wonders Official Site: http://ageofwonders.com/about-age-of-wonders-iii/

Age of Wonders III on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/226840/

Age of Wonders III on GOG.com: http://www.gog.com/game/age_of_wonders_3

Subscribe to the Shane Plays YouTube Channel! You know you want to!

Let’s Play Age of Wonders III – Multiplayer with Matt and Nathan #2

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This is part two of an Age of Wonders III multiplayer Let’s Play (or should I call it a Let’s Chat 😛 ) series where I am joined by video game show host and author Matt Barton of Matt Chat fame (see Matt’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/blacklily8 and his website at http://mattchat.us) as well as Nathan Tolbert, who is not only a founding member of the long running Gamers Haven podcast (http://gamershavenpodcast.com/) but a walking smartopedia of video game and computer hardware knowledge. Plus they’re both darn nice guys to boot.

As with my previous Age of Wonders III multiplayer intro Let’s Play, this is a very casual, chatty game among buddies where we talk about the game and shoot the breeze about many other topics of interest to geeky dudes hanging out. If you’re looking for a hard hitting, in-depth play by play commentary of Age of Wonders III, I just want to be fair and let you know this probably isn’t what you’re looking for. If, however, you want to pull up a chair and hang out with some fellow geeks, this is your Let’s Play — er, Let’s Chat.

Thanks for watching!
Shane

Age of Wonders III is the long anticipated sequel to the award-winning strategy series. Delivering a unique mix of Empire Building, Role Playing and Warfare, Age of Wonders III offers the ultimate in turn-based fantasy strategy for veterans of the series and new players alike!

Age of Wonders Official Site: http://ageofwonders.com/about-age-of-wonders-iii/

Age of Wonders III on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/226840/

Age of Wonders III on GOG.com: http://www.gog.com/game/age_of_wonders_3

Subscribe to the Shane Plays YouTube Channel! You know you want to!