Thursday, December 31, 2009

Wallpaper - Star Wars Clone Wars Collage 005



The Battle for Ryloth was a costly one, in more than one way.

Wallpaper - Star Wars Clone Wars Collage 004



Anakin and Ahsoka race to assist an embattled Aayla Secura in the Quell system.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Wallpaper - Star Wars Clone Wars Collage 003



Much to learn, Ahsoka Tano has. But will her hot head get her into something beyond her ability before she learns what she must?

Wallpaper - Star Wars Clone Wars Collage 002




Asajj Ventress, pupil to Count Dooku. She has a dark purpose, but is she truly what she appears to be?

Wallpaper - Star Wars Clone Wars Collage 001



War! The Republic is under attack. Jedi fight against the mysterious Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress. What is the true purpose of the Sith?

Monday, December 28, 2009

Wallpaper - Luis Royo Collage 001




Rate Luis Royo Collage 001

Sanctuary - Sheila Wolk

Sheila Wolk has produced some gorgeous figurines. Her pieces touch on a slightly darker aspect of Fairy and Angel than some of the current representations, and Sanctuary is no exception.

Sanctuary is an angel in a place of nature and beauty - attended by her friends the birds and with plentiful flora to complement her own colorful appearance.

Standing almost 9" tall, this piece is one of her best, and a must have for any serious collector of Angel figurines - she would also be at home amidst a Fairy Garden as well.


Purchase from Amazon

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Movie - The Last Airbender Trailer



Avatar: The Last Airbender was a cartoon that aired on Nickelodeon between 2005 and 2008. The series ran for three seasons, and ended July 19th, 2008. It was the story of Aang, who has been selected as the Avatar - a being who can master (Bend) the use of the four elements - Air, Earth, Fire and Water.While there exists in the four nations (each represented by it's own element) people who can "Bend" the powers of their element, there exists one who takes the place of the Avatar, a spiritual embodiment of the world.

Aang, when twelve years old, discovers he is the next Avatar (who is reincarnated over and over again). He fears the responsibility, and attempts to flee - only to be trapped in an iceberg and frozen for 100 years.

When he escapes from the iceberg, he discovers that in the absence of the Avatar, the Fire nation has waged war against his Air nation and all but obliterated him. As the last of the Airbenders, Aang must attempt to restore balance to the world. With the help of his friends Katara and Sokka, Aang begins accepting his destiny and sets out to re-balance the world.

While Avatar: The Last Airbender incorporates many elements of Japanese Animation, including thematic and stylistic content, it was conceived and produced in the United States. It achieved much critical acclaim, including an Emmy and the Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Award for Favorite Cartoon in 2008. There have been Action Figures, a card game, lego sets, as well as a Roller Coaster at the Mall of America in Minnesota.

The latest incarnation of the Avatar will take place in the form of a planned trilogy of live action movies, each movie tracking one season of the show. The first movie, by M. Night Shyamalan, will premiere in July of 2010. It will feature newcomer Noah Ringer as Aang.



Purchase the DVDs for the three seasons:


Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Settlers of Catan




Board Games in Germany rely less on luck and more on strategy and good playing ability. The Settlers of Catan is a prime example of this philosophy. Released in 1995 in Germany, Settlers was one of the first German board games that achieved popularity outside Europe. Multiple expansions have been released, adding to the game's longevity and playability. Another game, Starfarers of Catan, was loosely based on the mechanics of Settlers, and taps into the same strategic and political ideas that drive the original game.










Monday, December 21, 2009

Movie - Primer

Not for the faint of heart, or mind. Possibly. This might be the most amazing low budget time travel movie ever made, or they might have fooled a bunch of people into thinking they were watching a great movie that was nothing more than a load of dreck.

Primer is the movie, and people either love or hate the movie. Rarely a middle ground, this movie polarizes people as it does the characters within. The premise is simple - a couple of young, aspiring computer geeks accidentally discover the means of moving through time. Not the old fashioned Back to the Future or Dr. Who sort of time travel, but a more subtle form that takes as much time to travel through as one wants to travel through.

Lost yet? It gets worse.

Basically, the machine that is built creates a field within that oscillates in time. So if you turn on the machine, put something in it, the time goes back and forth within the particular timeframe the machine is turned on. The item inside goes through time many more times than it is actually in the box - so if the machine is on for 5 days, approximately 5 years will pass within.

Lost yet? It gets worse.

So far, the protagonists (Shane Carruth as Aaron, David Sullivan as Abe) only tested it on inanimate objects. But eventually, they (of course) test it on themselves. And discover that a sentient being in the time oscillation can choose to get out of the machine at one end or the other. So, turn the machine on at 6:00 AM. Wait until 6:00 PM. Get in the machine. Wait for twelve hours in the cramped little box. Get out, and you are now back at 6:00 AM.

Lost yet? Most people are.

But, if you can accept this premise, what unfolds is a fantastic exploration of some of the ethical and moral implications of time travel, as well as some of the incongruities and paradoxes that might ensue.

Primer was written, directed, produced, edited, casted, acted in, and had the music composed all by Shane Carruth. The total budget for the film was $7,000.00 (yes, seven thousand). As a fluff time travel entertainment piece, this movie falls quite flat on it's face. As a thought provoking, insightful film that is character and philosophically driven, Primer is more than worth the 77 minutes on screen. Of course, that 77 minutes (if you enjoy it at all) will rapidly turn into 154 minutes, and then 231. I myself am at 616 minutes and counting.

Exodio's Rating: 5 Stars


 

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Star Wars - Seismic Charge

Jango Fett attempts to destroy Obi-Wan Kenobi's Starfighter over Geonosis using seismic charges.

Black Magic M-66




Black Magic is a manga turned anime, that started in 1983. The basic story is of two military androids that have gotten loose and are hunting down the creator's daughter. The action is followed by a reporter named Sybel, who ends as the girl's protector from the androids.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Wargames

Definition
Wargames, also known as War Games, span a wide variety of gaming systems. In some cases it can be difficult to determine if a particular game is really a Wargame, or if it is a RPG or a Board Game. The system here generally considers a Wargame to be a system that primarily consists of Miniatures, with the Rule Books and Statistics being focused mostly on group tactics and strategy as opposed to a single person. An RPG, by the same token, is a system that primarily consists of Rule Books and Statistics on paper, with Miniatures being a secondary consideration, if desired.

Board Games may have elements of both, but generally the distinguishing factor of Board Games is that the game comes out of a box ready to play, without having to Generate any characters or units on paper to start play.

RPGs

RPGs>

Types of RPGs
Fantasy
Science Fiction
CyberPunk




Defined
RPGs, also known as Role Playing Games, spans a wide variety of gaming systems. In some cases it can be difficult to determine if a particular game is really an RPG, or if it is a Wargame or a Board Game. The system here generally considers an RPG to be a system that primarily consists of Rule Books and Statistics on paper, with Miniatures being a secondary consideration, if desired. A Wargame, by the same token, will rely most heavily upon Miniatures, with the obligatory Rule Books and Statistics being focused mostly on group tactics and strategy as opposed to a single person, in RPGs.

Board Games may have elements of both, but generally the distinguishing factor of Board Games is that the game comes out of a box ready to play, without having to Generate any characters or units on paper to start play.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

D&D - Player's Handbook AD&D 1st Ed.

The Player's Handbook is one of the original three "core" rulebooks put out by TSR. The original cover is of a large statue with gemstone eyes, of which one is being stolen by a group of adventurers. The book consists of different sections dealing with information that "anyone" can know - meaning that there is an assumption that people who just "play" the game should only read the Player's Handbook, while the Dungeon Masters can read other supplemental material so they can provide a truly surprising world for the Players.

The Goblin Trove
We currently have 1 copy of the Player's Handbook in stock. It is in Very Good condition, with minimal shelfwear and a crisp, clean feel to it. Please inquire if you have further questions.






Saturday, May 30, 2009

D&D - 1st Edition

For many people, the 1st Edition is the true beginning of D&D. Known as Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, the rulebooks were hardcover and had fantastic covers and were chock full of great information and pictures that could enthrall for hours. The books began publication in December of 1977.

The first style of books, with covers that wrapped around the entire book including the spines, was limited to 5 different books. Later, in 1983, the original books were reprinted with orange spines and different cover art. Although still part of the same "Edition", this differing set of books somewhat represents a collection in and of itself. The Goblin Trove recognizes these books as 1st Edition, but will often refer to them as "1.5" (Similar to later distinctions in 2nd and 3rd Editions).



Orange Spine Series (1.5)
  • Player's Handbook
  • Dungeon Master's Guide
  • Unearthed Arcana
  • Monster Manual
  • Monster Manual II
  • Legends and Lore (Previously Deities and Demigods)
  • Dungeoneer's Survival Guide
  • Wilderness Survival Guide
  • Dragonlance Adventures
  • Oriental Adventures
  • Greyhawk Adventures
  • Manual of the Planes

Thursday, May 28, 2009

D&D - Birthright

Birthright is a campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons that takes place on a more epic scale than individual adventuring. Instead of going into dungeons, Players assume the role of semi-divine kings that control large swaths of land. It was a shortlived campaign setting from a publishing perspective, but has gained a large enough following to continue as an internet based campaign setting officially sanctions (but not supported) by Wizards of the Coast.

Publications
Box Sets
  • 3100 - Birthright Campaign Setting
  • 3103 - Cities of the Sun
  • 3121 - The Rjurik Highlands
  • 3129 - Havens of the Great Bay
  • 3134 - Naval Battle Rules: The Sea of Cerillia
Guides
  • 3104 - Player's Secrets of Roesone
  • 3105 - Player's Secrets of Endier
  • 3106 - Player's Secrets of Medoere
  • 3107 - Player's Secrets of Tuornen
  • 3108 - Player's Secrets of Ilien
  • 3109 - Player's Secrets of Talinie
  • 3111 - Player's Secrets of Ariya
  • 3119 - Player's Secrets of Binsada
  • 3120 - Player's Secrets of Baruk-Azhik
  • 3122 - Player's Secrets of Halskapa
  • 3123 - Player's Secrets of Khourane
  • 3124 - Player's Secrets of Tuarhievel
  • 3127 - Player's Secrets of Stjordvik
  • 3135 - Player's Secrets of Hogunmark
  • Player's Secrets of Müden (PDF Only)
  • 3101 - Blood Enemies: Abominations of Cerilia
  • 3140 - Blood Spawn: Creatures of Light and Shadow
  • 3147 - Tribes of the Heartless Wastes
  • 3117 - The Book of Magecraft
  • 3126 - The Book of Priestcraft
  • 3137 - The Book of Regency
Modules
  • 3102 - Sword and Crown
  • 3110 - Warlock of the Stonecrowns
  • 3118 - The Sword of Roele
  • 3125 - Legends of the Hero-Kings
  • 3142 - King of the Giantdowns
Novels
  • The Iron Throne by Simon Hawke (Nov, 1995. ISBN 0-7869-0357-0)
  • Greatheart by Dixie Lee McKeone (Feb, 1996. ISBN 0-7869-0480-1)
  • War by Simon Hawke (May, 1996. ISBN 0-7869-0495-X)
  • The Hag's Contract by John Gregory Betancourt (June, 1996. ISBN 0-7869-0496-8)
  • The Spider's Test by Dixie Lee McKeone (Sept, 1996. ISBN 0-7869-0512-3)
  • The Falcon and the Wolf by Richard Baker (May, 2000. Online publication.)
Computer Games
  • Birthright - The Gorgon's Alliance (Sierra)

D&D Settings

Dungeons and Dragons, besides giving the world an RPG system that has seen numerous incarnations and 35 years of play, also gave us multiple game settings - that is, standalone worlds within the D&D system with unique lands, kingdoms and characters to explore. Some have been more popular than others, and some have spanned several versions of the game while others have fallen away.

Some are complete worlds, while some are really modular mini-realms or concepts that can be plugged into any world.

Settings
Al-Qadim
Birthright
Blackmoor
Council of Wyrms
Dark Sun
Dragonlance
Eberron
Forgotten Realms
Ghostwalk
Greyhawk
Jakandor
Kara-Tur
Kingdoms of Kalamar
Lankhmar
Maztica
Mystara
Pelinore
Planescape
Points of Light
Ravenloft
Rokugan
The Savage Coast
Spelljammer
Wilderlands of High Fantasy

World of Darkness

Really several systems combined into one Storyteller universe. The first, Vampire: The Masquerade, is arguably the most famous of the settings. Also included are Werewolf: The Apocalypse and Mage: The Ascension as the basic settings. Other settings have been incorporated, allowing players to select from almost any supernatural creature imaginable.

The settings are based on the Storyteller game system, which is more point based and allows players extreme flexibility in creating their particular characters.

The "New" version of World of Darkness doesn't have the same breakdown of individual systems for each type of character - rather it is an all inclusive Storyteller System that allows customization based on choice, and combines elements from all the disparate games.

List of Original Settings
  • Vampire: The Masquerade
  • Werewolf: The Apocalypse
  • Mage: The Ascension
  • Wraith: The Oblivion
  • Changeling: The Dreaming
  • Kindred of the East
  • Hunter: The Reckoning
  • Mummy: The Resurrection
  • Demon: The Fallen
  • Orpheus