Author Archive

Posted on December 6, 2009 - by jamie

Poetry of the Nosferatu

Yesterday I was very excited to receive my author’s copy of Vampyr Verse from Popcorn Press. I’m a lousy poet, but my 100-word piece of prose titled “Reflection” was selected. It’s about hypocrisy. And vampires. The remainder of the collection includes one actual short-story along with a great collection of poetry—observing all kinds of forms and tones from whimsical to dark and serious.

I’m proud to be included in this collection. Learn more at the official website or grab a copy using the link below!

Posted on November 8, 2009 - by jamie

The Return of the Alien Lizards

It’s an unfortunate truth of getting older that I’m watching the movies and television series of my youth being remade for the modern era. The latest is the new version of V — the scifi tale of humans under the fascist control of the alien Visitors. SmartPop Books asked me to write a guest blog about V’s premiere, and how it compared to the 80s incarnation.

Read all about it right here!

Posted on October 12, 2009 - by jamie

Bloodsucking Fun

Another year, another Halloween, and vampires are once again the “in” thing. Thanks to Stephanie Meyer and her angsty, sparkly vampires of the Pacific Northwest we are seeing a renewed interest in our pale, fanged pals. Not only do I get to see the Twilight Saga everywhere, but my daughter is newly-obsessed with the show The Vampire Diaries (that imaginatively focuses on the unlikely love of a high-school-attending vampire who can walk in sunlight and a somewhat sullen brunette). But even I’ve gotten in on the act, submitting a short piece of “prose poetry” to my friends over at Vampyr Verse.

My earliest memories of vampires came from horror comics. These were monsters without apology, scary bastards who ripped people out of cars, drank their blood, and left their bodies hanging in trees. And that interpretation went along with my early gaming impression of them as well, where vampires were in the earliest D&D rulebooks as powerful undead that could level-drain your ass with a single hit. I do vaguely recall my Mom talking about Barnabas Collins from Dark Shadows, but I wouldn’t learn more about that show until well into my adult life.

Being the sad gamer-geek I am, I’ll have to confess that Strahd von Zarovich from the original Ravenloft adventure-module was the first time I really saw the vampire as a more tragic figure or interesting character. And even if Tracy and Laura Hickman borrowed from the mythology of Dracula and sprinkled in bits from other vampire-writers, they still managed to create a very compelling, and now iconic, character—and what is probably one of the best adventures ever written for a roleplaying game.

It was Strahd that really got me more interested in vampires as characters—as opposed to evil that should have its ass kicked. Strahd still needed to be put down, of course, but you could feel for the guy before you staked him, chopped off his head, and stuffed his mouth with holy wafers.

At some point in the nineties I worked my way through a copy of Interview With The Vampire. And while I was interested in Anne Rice’s take on the undead, I absolutely could not stand the character of Louis. I can appreciate the novel now a bit more from an adult perspective, though I wouldn’t necessarily call it entertaining. I read the original Dracula by Brom Stoker and have to give the author credit for ushering in the modern age of the vampire, even if the book itself isn’t a favorite. On the gaming side I never jumped in on phenomenon of Vampire: The Masquerade, even though my non-gamer girlfriend at the time was really interested in the live-action version and made me purchase the Mind’s Eye Theater boxed set (that came with cheesy vampire fangs).

Then along came a girl named Buffy, who got me thinking about vampires (along with high school, relationships, and life) all over again. Joss Whedon managed to rebuild the vampire mythology in a relatively simple way—vampires are again soulless bloodsuckers who need to be staked—yet still offer a window for interesting characters and tragic figures. It worked so well that a vampire became the central character in its spinoff, Angel.

There are too many other pieces of vamp-culture to easily name, from the vampire detectives of Forever Knight and Moonlight, dozens of novels from Elrod to Saberhagen, from board games (Dracula’s Revenge) to video games (Castlevania, anyone?). Vampires have been messing with my mind for most of my life.

So what makes vampires keep on coming back from the dead, culturally speaking? It’s been analyzed by folks a lot smarter than me, but I think a big part of it is wish-fulfillment-fantasy tempered by such a heavy price that most people would not willingly go through with it. Imagine being immune to age and disease, to be strong and powerful, and exist apart from the normal cares of the workaday world. Now imagine you have to kill to live, to be forever apart from normal people while you watch them age and die while you live on, unchanged. That you could never feel the sun on your face or feel the beat of your own heart.

It’s hard to say what my favorite take on the undead might be. I think they all have their place. Just like I might enjoy butter pecan on one day and Ben & Jerry’s Karamel Sutra on another, I like having vampire variety. Sometimes vampires should be scary monsters that need to be killed (George Clooney-style in From Dusk Till Dawn). Other times it’s great to have the vampire-viewpoint to let us take a look at our own lives from a different perspective. Vampires are pretty much all good in my book.

But c’mon, gang, sparkly vampires … ?

Posted on September 12, 2009 - by jamie

Convention Madness

I’ve been all over the place the last several months. Origins, Comic-Con, Gen Con, and Dragon*Con. I’ve survived an 800+ mile move (taking my family from Wisconsin to Georgia) and the Swine Flu. (No, I’m not kidding. It was confirmed by the CDC itself!) I can’t even begin to talk about it all. I’ll be talking about upcoming trips soon, but in the meantime I’ll just leave you with this … a video of Felicia Day and I singing karaoke on the Friday night of Dragon*Con. I’m grateful to still be standing, and grateful to have my family and friends.

Posted on July 21, 2009 - by jamie

Interviewed by Ogres

I recently did an interview with Allan “Sven” Sugarbaker of OgreCave.com as part of their “Random Encounter” series. The Ogres were curious about the recent announcements regarding my new game company, Signal Fire Studios, and the first product we announced. I filled them in and talked a little about where things are headed.

Read the whole interview right here!

Posted on July 13, 2009 - by jamie

Interview with Myriad Games

I sat down with Myriad Games when I was at the Origins Game Fair this year. Even though it was the fourth day of the convention and I was bone-tired, the interview came off pretty well and I actually managed to make some sort of sense!

Give it a listen! I talk about the recent releases from Margaret Weis Productions and hint of upcoming material from Signal Fire Studios. I also discuss the game industry in general from the perspective of a small-press publisher and member of the GAMA board of directors.

Listen to the interview now!

Posted on July 11, 2009 - by jamie

Action-Adventure Science Fiction Returns with Metamorphosis Alpha

Signal Fire Studios LLC is proud to announce that 2010 will see the publication of the newest incarnation of the very first science fiction role playing game, Metamorphosis Alpha! Using the Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition game rules, players take on the role of mutated humans, plants, and animals and experience sci-fi action-adventure.

“The chance to work on Metamorphosis Alpha is really exciting,” says Jamie Chambers, President of Signal Fire Studios. “It’s a fun mix of nostalgia for those who’ve followed MA over the years, new rules for fans of D&D4e, and a chance to really embrace the ‘dungeon in space’ concept that the original game was created with.” The story of Metamorphosis Alpha centers on the Starship Warden, a massive generation ship stricken by a catastrophe. Its population of humans, plants, and animals are left mutated and unaware that the world they live on is actually a huge vessel traveling among the stars.

The Metamorphosis Alpha Player’s Guide is the first product in the series, and offers many new options for D&D players. It includes new races, from genetically-altered humans to self-aware plants. Four brand-new character classes, one for each of the game’s tactical roles, draw on the Mutant power source. Each is supplemented by paragon paths, epic destinies, and feats. The book also expands upon the skill system, adding the Tech skill and rules for discovering and understanding high-tech items. The book is tentatively set for publication in January 2010.

The Starship Warden sourcebook offers a comprehensive campaign setting for the 4th edition D&D rules. It gives the Dungeon Master an array of mutant creatures, androids, and other threats to challenge the heroes. In addition, this second book includes suggestions for ways to integrate the new rules with other settings or the creation of original campaigns that mix the science fiction and fantasy elements in exciting new ways.

James M. Ward, the creator and author of Metamorphosis Alpha for TSR, Inc. in the 1970s and designer of the classic MA’s own Fourth Edition, looks forward to this newest version of his creation. “D&D 4th Edition is bringing a lot of people back to the exploration, discovery, and tactical fun of the old days of the game,” says Ward. “In the early years of Dragon Magazine I wrote an article about how to combine MA with D&D. These new products will be the first time that idea is fully explored.” Ward is working with the MA design team to offer his insight and vision to the new products.

It’s important to lead designer and writer, Cam Banks, that this iteration of Metamorphosis Alpha offers the best of both worlds. “I want our MA books to be fully compatible and interchangeable with existing D&D4e and GSL products,” says Banks. “If someone wants to play a Mutant Feline Enforcer in a traditional fantasy world, the rules will support that. If a wormhole opens up and drops a Warlock into the middle of the Warden, that won’t be a huge problem, either. There’s a lot of great options, so each gaming group can make use of the new Metamorphosis Alpha products in whatever way they want. It’s fantasy meeting science-fiction head on.”

The Metamorphosis Alpha product line for D&D 4th Edition is being produced under the terms of the Game System License from Wizards of the Coast. Full details and release dates for the first two products, as well as news regarding adventures, sourcebooks, and online support materials will be announced soon.

www.metamorphosisalpha.net
www.signalfirestudios.com

Contact:

Jamie Chambers
jamie@signalfirestudios.com

Artwork by Dan Bryce

Signal Fire Studios and the SF logo are trademarks owned by Signal Fire Studios LLC. All rights reserved. Metamorphosis Alpha and its logo are trademarks owned by James M. Ward. Used with permission. The use of another company’s trademarks is for reference only. No violation of copyright or trademark ownership is intended.

Posted on July 11, 2009 - by jamie

Signal Fire Studios to Light the Way for New Games and Entertainment

A new game publisher is creating a strong lineup of role playing game titles starting in 2010 that include some familiar names, and carries on a legacy for producing quality tabletop games for both dedicated and casual fans. Signal Fire Studios, LLC was founded by the core creative team that has produced games based on properties including Serenity, Battlestar Galactica, and Dragonlance.

Signal Fire Studios is led by Jamie Chambers, award-winning lead writer and designer of the Cortex System role playing game products that have included a mix of licensed and original properties (Serenity, Demon Hunters). The company will use the Cortex System rules, along with other available game systems, including Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition, for its tabletop RPG products depending on the needs of the product.

“Weʼll definitely be using Cortex for story- and character-driven style game products. D&D 4th Edition is also a good choice for action-adventure and exploration-style games,” Chambers reports. “We want to find a good match for the material and the rules involved, but also offer our players the opportunity to use rules they are already having fun playing. But there are new role playing games in the works as well!”

Cam Banks, fantasy novelist and former lead designer of the Dragonlance game line, is an integral part of the Signal Fire Studios team. He will be developing original content and leading teams of freelance writers to produce material for both established game properties and new. Digger Hayes, art director and graphic designer, will continue his work marrying images and text to create game products that are both functional and attractive.

Signal Fire Studios will soon announce a lineup of games starting in early 2010. “Role Playing Games have always been at the heart of our business, and will continue to be with Signal Fire,” says Banks. “Weʼll also be producing self- contained boxed games and really embracing the power of the Internet and digital publishing.” The company will develop an interactive website and online community, will produce regular podcasts, and is looking to develop a retailer-rewards program to offer their customers an incentive for patronizing their local game store.

“Iʼm really excited about the future,” says Hayes. “Weʼve learned a lot over the years-both good and bad-and this is a chance to take these lessons and produce some really great games.”

www.signalfirestudios.com

Contact:

Jamie Chambers
jamie@signalfirestudios.com

Signal Fire Studios and the SF logo are trademarks owned by Signal Fire Studios LLC. All rights reserved. Cortex System is © and ™ 2009 Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd. Used with permission. The use of another company’s trademarks is for reference only. No violation of copyright or trademark ownership is intended.

Posted on June 30, 2009 - by jamie

Vegas the Dawg

I’ve long been a fan of the Knights of the Dinner Table comic, ever since the days of the late, lamented Shadis Magazine. For those who don’t know, KoDT shows us a group of roleplaying gamers sitting around the table. It could almost be described as a very geeky-soap opera comic strip, showing us what’s going on in the game and in the lives of the Knights.

One of the strips long ago revealed how Game Master B.A. Felton created his own RPG that was such a colossal failure that it ended up in bargain bins at game stores across Indiana. It was the chance to roleplay the lives of man’s best friend: Dawg: The RPG. The fictional game has come up again over the years, all the way up to more recent stories in which Bob Herzog uses it as a chance to run an RPG for his niece and nephew.

In a recent, kick-ass double magazine celebrating a staggering 150 of the Knights, Kenzer & Co. actually gave us Dawg. And I cannot help but be charmed with a fun little RPG that I’m very tempted to try out in the near future. In Dawg you can play everything from a pure-breed French Poodle all the way to a mongrel junkyard stray. The inspiration for games can come from Lassie to Air Bud to other crazy pooch-centric stories. Just check out this list of dog movies!

Being a dog-lover and dog-owner, I immediately thought about how my best friend, a golden retriever named Vegas, would translate into Dawg: The RPG. I read through the rules and gave it some quick thought, so here we go!

Vegas

Vegas

Breed/Type: Golden Retriever/Hunting Dawg
Lifestyle: Pet
Size: Medium
Traits: Brawn 40%, Hustle 55%, Dodge 50%, Alertness 55%, Human Handling 40%, Animal Magnetism 45%
Tricks: Beg, The Mighty Sniffer
Disadvantages: Canine Compulsion 30%, Happy Tail, Neutered

Vegas is a golden retriever who’s been with his current family for years. Though he’s entering his doggy middle years, he gets as excited as a puppy and still has lots of energy when something interesting is going on. A complete pacifist when it comes to humans, he dislikes arguments and conflict and is known to bark and try to get in-between people who are fighting. Vegas is friendly and agreeable with others dawgs, but will defend himself if pushed too far.

Though content with his family, Vegas is extremely curious and has little caution when it comes to wandering off with other dawgs or to follow the sound of children playing. He loves to play fetch but isn’t always great about actually giving the ball or toy back to the owner once he trots back with it.

Maybe I’ll get together a little one-shot game of Dawg sometime in the future. It would be fun to make my players deal with situations without opposable thumbs to fall back on.

Posted on June 18, 2009 - by jamie

Demon Hunters RPG Video Review

With a few exceptions, I’m proud of all of my work. I enjoy taking films, television shows, and books that I enjoy and translating them into the world of games. But I have to say it was a true pleasure to introduce the world of Demon Hunters from my friends at Dead Gentlemen Productions to a wider audience.

I was thrilled to see the following review show up from The Game Geeks on YouTube.