DiceCast

This special audio segment is about freelance writing for the Polymancer family of publications; including but not limited to: Polygraff™; Polymancer magazine; Paladin; Bayonets, Spears & Blasters; as well as full-length novels; and non-fiction books about topics relating to the gaming hobby and non-gaming topics as well.

Please note that Polymancer Studios's submission guidelines are subject to change. Detailed, updated information may be obtained by writing to [email protected].

DO NOT SEND UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS! This means that if you have a written work (whether or not it is complete) that you wish to submit for consideration for publication, do not e-mail it to us without sending us an e-mail in which you first ask if we are interested in reviewing it for consideration of publication.

All writers whose works are published by Polymancer Studios, Inc. are paid. Please note that no publication occurs unless and until a written contract is signed between the writer and the publisher.

Further information can be obtained at the following links:

• List of publications


• Fictional genres considered


• Pay rates for published periodical articles


• Rates for longer works


• General submission guidelines


• Polymancer Game & Hobby Division

Other links

• Polymancer main site
• Polymancer corporate web site
• Polymancer on Twitter
• Polymancer on LiveJournal
• Polymancer on MySpace
• Polymancer on Facebook
• RSS feed for DiceCast
• Subscribe to DiceCast in iTunes
  

All publications named in this segment and on the web sites linked to here are trademarks of Polymancer Studios, Inc.; the word "Polymancer" is a registered trademark of Polymancer Studios, Inc..

This audio file is copyright 2011 Polymancer Studios, Inc., released under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivative Works license, the full text of which can be obtained from creativecommons.org; this episode may be freely copied and redistributed as long as it is done in its original form, free of charge, and due credit is given to the copyright holders. The music for this segment was obtained from iStock Audio and is used with permission.

DiceCast is available at the iTunes music store. The RSS feed is http://feeds.feedburner.com/Dicecast.

In this episode, we discuss running one-shot convention adventures. How do you fit a complete, satisfying adventure into a 4-hour time slot, and finish it? We discuss some of the dos and don'ts. Even if you never run one-shot adventures at cons or in stores, these are tips that can make anyone be a better GM, by helping accomplish more in a limited amount of time.

We also have a short interview with a member of the 501st Legion, Quebec.

Other links

• Polymancer main site
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• Polymancer on LiveJournal
• Polymancer on MySpace
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• RSS feed for DiceCast
• Subscribe to DiceCast in iTunes
  

DiceCast is available at the iTunes music store. The RSS feed is http://feeds.feedburner.com/Dicecast.

This official trailer was produced by Polymancer Studios as part of our sponsorship of the Montreal Gamers Guild.

Conjurations is Montreal's game conventions: RPG, miniatures, wargames, board games, LARPs, and more. May 14 to May 15, 2011 at the Church of St. John the Evangelist ("Red Roof Church"), 137 President Kennedy, near the Place des Arts Metro station.

For more information, go to www.ggconventions.com or send an e-mail to [email protected]




Other links

• Polymancer main site
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• Polymancer on Twitter
• Polymancer on LiveJournal
• Polymancer on MySpace
• Polymancer on Facebook
• RSS feed for DiceCast
• Subscribe to DiceCast in iTunes
  

DiceCast is available at the iTunes music store. The RSS feed is http://feeds.feedburner.com/Dicecast.

In this episode, we interview Patrick Acton of the Matchstick Marvels Museum in Iowa (matchstickmarvels.com). Patrick makes amazing models of buildings and vehicles out of matchsticks and glue; including detailed scale models of the city of Minas Tirith from Lord Of The Rings and the Hogwarts Academy from the Harry Potter novels. Patrick discusses how he creates his models, some of the models that he has made, and about the museum that he operates in which they are on display.

We also include a promotional bumper for the Conjurations game convention in Montreal (May 14-15, www.ggconventions.com for more information).

Other links

• Polymancer main site
• Polymancer corporate web site
• Polymancer on Twitter
• Polymancer on LiveJournal
• Polymancer on MySpace
• Polymancer on Facebook
• RSS feed for DiceCast
• Subscribe to DiceCast in iTunes
  

DiceCast is available at the iTunes music store. The RSS feed is http://feeds.feedburner.com/Dicecast.

>Conjurations is a game convention for fans of roleplaying games (RPGs), miniatures wargames, collectible card games, non-collectible card games, board games, live action roleplaying games (LARPs), and similar hobbies. Running over the course of two days (the weekend of May 14-15 2011), its goal is to put as much fun and as much variety as possible for enthusiasts of the hobby under one roof. It is held in the reception room of The Church of St. John The Evangelist ("The Red Roof Church"), at 137 President Kennedy, conveniently located in downtown Montreal at the corner of President Kennedy and Kimberley (which is between St-Urbain and Jeanne Mance). For more information: www.ggconventions.com
You are encouraged to place this into your podcast as often as you like up to and including the date of the convention. Just download the MP3 file.

DiceCast is available at the iTunes music store. The RSS feed is http://feeds.feedburner.com/Dicecast.

In this episode, we interview Andrew and JD from Boolean Union about their recent animated film adaptation of the infamous Jack Chick tract "Dark Dungeons." Their work is a serious adaptation of a work that is inherently funny. It is produced to a very high level of quality. We found Andrew and JD to be as animated as their movie, articulate, and perceptive in our interview. And for the record, they are not in the least bit "anti-game."

In brief, "Dark Dungeons" is a short comic book (called a "tract") about a teenaged girl who gets swept away into the occult from playing a fictitious RPG called "Dark Dungeons" (which, as described, is D&D in all but name). The comic contains a number of amusing misconceptions about RPGs, including the notion that players can start to believe that they really are their characters or that the goal of RPGs is to make people learn how to cast "real spells." It has gained a cult following among roleplayers for its humor value.

Links

• The Dark Dungeons Movie. The producers encourage everyone to link to it and share it with their friends.
  
• Boolean Union's official Dark Dungeons Page.
  
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 meets Dark Dungeons. A famous spoof that contains the original tract in full, and heckling.
  
• The Escapist. Game advocacy web site.
  

Other links

• Polymancer main site
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• Polymancer on Twitter
• Polymancer on LiveJournal
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• RSS feed for DiceCast
• Subscribe to DiceCast in iTunes
  

DiceCast is available at the iTunes music store. The RSS feed is http://feeds.feedburner.com/Dicecast.

We close off 2010 and welcome in 2011 with an awesome selection of interviews, many of them with people who have never appeared on a podcast before.

Our first interview is with David Pulver, RPG freelance writer extraordinaire. Fans of GURPS® and Transhuman Space™ by Steve Jackson Games will know his work well. Pulver also revised Big Eyes, Small Mouth by Guardians Of Order for that game's second edition and also for that game's third edition, which was published by White Wolf. In this interview, Pulver talks about his background in games, writing, and about how he researches his technologically-oriented works. N.B. this interview was originally recorded for print and thus, little regard was made for sound quality; while we apologize for the poor sound quality, every step was taken to ensure Mr. Pulver's words were understandable and we are confident that what he had to say more than makes up for the audio.

Next up, we have a truly Foundational member of the roleplaying game pantheon, Marc Miller. As a founder and an original author for the celebrated Traveller roleplaying game and setting, Miller has left his mark on tens of thousands of worlds. In this interview, Miller discusses how Traveller was created and how he got started in game design. Marc Miller also expresses his heartfelt appreciation for his fans.

In the "blast from the past" department, we unearthed an old interview with Eric Gibson of the (now defunct) West End Games. Done back when Gibson had new plans to release the d6 System under the terms of the Open Gaming License, this interview offers a glimpse into what could have been for this much beloved roleplaying game. Gibson also speaks frankly about what happened with the Septimus RPG (now published by Precis Intermedia Games (PIG).

We include an interview with a volunteer from Geekfest Montreal, recorded at that convention's 2010 debut. This interview offers insight into what it takes to run a large, technology and game-themed multimedia event. N.B., a longer interview with the same person is available, in French, at our other podcast, Royale With Cheese.

This is followed by a brief interview with a volunteer from iMusee.org, a museum dedicated to the preservation of vintage personal computers. Their fascinating collection includes such specimens as an original NeXt computer and a "first edition" Apple Macintosh from 1984. This interview is also available in French on the Royale With Cheese podcast.

The last interview on this show is with Mitch Morris of the Ninjas vs. Pirates game company and the podcast by the same name. Morris talks about his theories of game design and his company's premier product, a card game called Shennanigans on the Eighth Sea.

We close the show with some thoughts on the events of 2010 and their implications for the hobby game industry and the professions of freelance writing and freelance art.

Links

David Pulver's home page. Transhuman Space.

Far Future Enterprises, Marc Miller's company for publishing his editions of Traveller. Mongoose Publishing Traveller page.

D6 System SRD. There is currently no official web site with the D6 System books available for sale or download or for the Septimus RPG.

Geekfest Montreal, and a longer interview in French.

iMusee.org, and a longer interview in French.

Ninjas vs. Pirates game company; purchase page for Shennanigans On The Eighth Sea. Ninjas vs. Pirates podcast.

Conjurations 2011

Other links

• Polymancer main site
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• Polymancer on Twitter
• Polymancer on LiveJournal
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• Polymancer on Facebook
• RSS feed for DiceCast
• Subscribe to DiceCast in iTunes
  

DiceCast is available at the iTunes music store. The RSS feed is http://feeds.feedburner.com/Dicecast.

Monica Gaudio is a medievalist who recently became a reluctant Internet personality when she was embroiled in a controversy. Two of her medieval pie recipes were copied from a web site where she posted them for free by Cooks Source (sic), an advertiser-supported food magazine, without her permission. She protested to the magazine's publisher and the answer that she got was not what anyone would expect to get under those circumstances. She posted a part of the response to her blog and that was where things got interesting.

Neil Gaiman, Will Wheaton, John Scalzi, and thousands more people on the Internet took up the cause of protesting what happened, and the result of this massive outpouring of support was a victory for Monica Gaudio. Rather than discuss the issue and the fallout surrounding it ourselves, we decided to interview Monica Gaudio and get the story from her, in her own words. We caught her while she was on the road, so the sound quality is not perfect, but it is clear enough for you to hear what she has to say.

This is essential listening for anyone who writes, who is interested in writing, or who wants to know about the legal disposition of anything that they write that is posted online.

Monica Gaudio requested that we guard her privacy and we agreed to respect that. No information regarding where she lives, the kind of work that she does, or other associations that she keeps are part of this interview. We are not linking to the original recipes or to Cooks Source's web site, nor to Monica's blog. Our purpose is to inform our listeners, many of whom are writers, about an important issue related to their intellectual property rights that was made current by an interesting event; not to exacerbate an Internet phenomenon that has already taken on a life of its own.

As we say in the introduction to the podcast, we exhausted every available means to contact Cooks Source so that they could give us their side of the story, to no avail. Contacts by e-mail bounced or went unanswered; with at least one address returning an automated message that the account in question had been disabled. Attempts to contact them by phone were similarly unsuccessful, because the number for Cooks Source has been disconnected.

Two points of law are mentioned in the cast. Links to the actual sections of the relevant statute are posted here for reference. We also include a link to Brad Templeton's famous list of myths about copyright.

• US Copyright Act. Section 102. Subject matter of copyright: In general.
• US Copyright Act. Section 107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use.
• 10 Big Myths about copyright explained

Although this incident took place in the United States, we post the relevant passages of the copyright laws of a few other countries where we have writers and listeners. Various international treaties signed by most countries in the world guarantee that the copyright laws of most countries have a similar scope and a similar range of exceptions.

• Canada: Works in which Copyright may Subsist, Fair Dealing.
• The United Kingdom: Copyright and copyright works, Acts Permitted in relation to Copyrighted Works
• Australia: Original works in which copyright subsists, Fair dealing for purpose of research or study

Other links

• Polymancer main site
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• Polymancer on Twitter
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• RSS feed for DiceCast
• Subscribe to DiceCast in iTunes

DiceCast is available at the iTunes music store. The RSS feed is http://feeds.feedburner.com/Dicecast.

This episode features more interviews from Fan Expo 2010, an annual sci fi, fantasy, horror, anime, and gaming convention held in Toronto. Most importantly, we interview noted writer and game designer Robin D. Laws. There is a bonus special "wordless" appearance by William Shatner.
We also interview Lee-Ann Farruga of Steampunk Canada, new Star Wars® fan film "Saber Legend" director Cal Drew, Red Herring of Red Herring Products discusses her sci fi burlesque show "Babes In Space."
Links

• Fan Expo, held every year at the Metro Toronto Convention Center on the weekend before Labor Day.
• Robin D. Laws's LiveJournal. His bibliography is available at the Pen & Paper database and there is more information about him on Wikipedia. Robin's latest book is Hamlet's Hit Points; also referenced on the show is Robin's Laws of Good Gamemastering.
• Hammercon, an all-gaming convention held every year in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (listen for the promo in the 'cast).
• Steampunk Canada, a resource and forum for Canadian steampunk enthusiasts.
• Saber Legend, a Star Wars fan film.
• Babes In Space and Red Herring productions has no official web site, but there is information about the show at Eventful.com.
• Polymancer Studios publication site and main corporate site.

Listen to the episode by clicking on this post's header, by using the player below, or subscribe to DiceCast™ on iTunes.
DiceCast is available at the iTunes music store. The RSS feed is http://feeds.feedburner.com/Dicecast.

Ed Greenwood is the creator of the Forgotten Realms setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. We interviewed him at Fan Expo 2010 in Toronto. He is a friendly, approachable man who, in spite of being one of the living legends of the roleplaying world, is surprisingly humble. In this interview, Ed Greenwood talks about how he created the Realms, how he got into writing, the importance of being an active roleplayer for those who want to work in the industry, and much more.
Links

• Ed Greenwood Biography at Wizards.com
• Ed Greenwood at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Fan Expo

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