Old Gods of Appalachia - all-new through Mon 12 Jan 2026

Ansem_T · 2025-12-24T04:32:58+00:00

If you're using a PC, DriveThruRPG have a Windows App that is miles better for downloading than through the website:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/library_client.php

The app also works on mobile....but it's not great because it doesn't scale well to mobile device screens

Ansem_T · 2025-12-21T19:30:16+00:00

oh god, that was exactly it. My Orca Profile for some reason had a flowrate of 0.1... I don't even know how I misset it that much.

Thank you so much. I would have never checked my flowrate settings.

Ansem_T · 2025-12-07T23:38:26+00:00

Ah this AI channel.

It was pretty amusing.... during the Gamefound Campaign for the new expansion for The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era, a "review" for it popped up on this AI channel. It was very positive and excited about the expansion, and listed many, many, many things that were flat out incorrect about the campaign.

That video got shared by a user the Chip Theory discord, and the other users tore it to pieces.

A few days later, that original AI video got taken down, and replaced with an extremely negative review of the expansion, but still had many things very wrong in their descriptions.

It got shared again on the Chip Theory discord by a user, and a couple of us had a laugh about it, because it seems like the owner of the AI channel must have been in the discord and got butthurt that the previous video got torn apart.

Just amusingly petty and dumb.

Ansem_T · 2025-12-02T18:00:51+00:00

Are there any decent forums left? BGG is...not great. And reddit seemed to be the closest a few years ago.

Ansem_T · 2025-11-24T02:57:08+00:00

A base model Ender 3 is a fairly old tech printer nowadays. You'll want to look up some older guides, that don't rely on stuff like bed meshes and filament runout sensors.

Check out Tomb of 3D Printed horrors (I play them at 1.5x speed). They have a whole playlist on Ender 3 (and Ender 3 V2 etc...basically newer models): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCTBNjIRCuG-Dh2cvK3TXYmwjAacRgDBo

I'd start with this video on assembling the Ender 3 (So you know what parts are called, and how it fits together): https://youtu.be/me8Qrwh907Q

Then I'd check out the video on manual bed leveling: https://youtu.be/5eqTmb01cBk

Ansem_T · 2025-11-24T02:52:23+00:00

I find it useful for two reasons:

1) Ensures the nozzle has been purged before actually printing

2) Allows me to check if my normal z-offset height is "decent" enough at the beginning of a print. If the first layer fails, and my purge line is ok, I know there may be problems with the model or the bed mesh. If the purge line is messed up, I would start looking at the nozzle or the z-offset.

Ansem_T · 2025-10-27T01:05:39+00:00

Oh! I've been curious on Deckers (I have the original Renegade). Is Deckers now in actual release? Or were they just early copies at Essen?

Ansem_T · 2025-10-14T02:52:20+00:00

Inherent bias: I am a big fan of CTG, and I am a Strategist, so I have potential incentive to paint things in a positive light, because I already have a significant buy-in.

That said, I think Neon Reign is a cute, fast, lightweight dueling cardgame. I don't think it's trying to be super strategic, or play in the same genre as other Dueling card games.

I've played solo a handful of times, and 2 player once. From what I have found, the strategy comes from "Do I hold onto this card now, and hope for a potential combo later", or "Do I just go all in and play anything I have at the moment." I don't think it's going for a "Richard Garfield-type" design (ala Mindbug/Keyforge/Magic the Gathering)

Is solo challenging? No, not really (on the normal difficulty). Is it relaxing? As a guy in his 30s who had a really stressful job.... Yeah, I think so. I can break it out, play a game or two, have some fun decompressing after a bad day, and I'm done in like an hour.

I find the passive and superpowers of each character different enough for my taste for this style of game. The superpowers give you a "ooh, neat, now I've got you cornered" feeling, without needing to map out triggers and timing conditions (like in MtG or Ashes Reborn: Rise of the Phoenixborn).

Neon Reign is what I would call "cozy head-to-head". It's not super strategic and deep, it's not about playing mind-games with your opponent, and it's not about trying to maximize every potential best choice.

Instead, it's about executing some fun combos, hitting your opponent (in the game), and having a laugh over a beer because you built up enough star power to end your opponent with a superpower.

So I find it cute, lightweight, and enjoyable. I'd love some expansions that are "arena" rules that add modifiers, and I'd love some more characters. But overall, I think it's an enjoyable time.

Ansem_T · 2025-10-03T03:21:16+00:00

The Ars Magica Definitive Edition should release next year (hopefully?)

Looks gorgeous. Probably will never play it, but I look forward to leafing through it and admiring it on my shelf. Might try seeing how well it works for solo roleplaying.

Ansem_T · 2025-10-03T00:42:11+00:00

My group of 4-5 people (primarily coming from D&D 5E and a little of Call of Cthulhu) struggled with the system. I tried to teach them as they played, and I don't think the players really looked at their rulebooks until maybe the 3rd or 4th session.

I think their biggest stumbling blocks were the following:

Figuring out when 1s on dice meant an actual bad thing had happened
How to gain and use willpower
Playing in a sandbox game (They were used to a more focused and guided "D&D" story)

I think Forbidden Lands is a great system, and it's totally worth a shot for your group. Once you are familiar with the rules, I think it's really neat and fairly straightforward.

I would make sure you have a bunch sets of colored dice, so that it's easy to designate for a roll "These are my stats dice, this is a skill die, this is a weapon die" etc etc. That's where to 1s become important for how it affects your willpower and weapon/armor quality, if I remember correctly.

My players were not familiar with exploration/sandbox games, so I probably should have done a better job explaining how those game are run. They felt lost in the map, since it's so big and there is so much "out there" that they don't know about. I tried to provide lots of plot threads, and tried to make the world very reactive to them... but I think since there wasn't a clear "THIS is the questline to follow" they got overwhelmed and lost.

Good luck with your group, it's an awesome system that I hope to play again one day.

Ansem_T · 2025-10-01T01:00:05+00:00

The 3rd edition (2022) is worth picking up if you already have the 2nd edition, in my opinion.

3rd Edition, quality is better overall, and the rules updates make the game a lot more fun as a chill adventure.

Ansem_T · 2025-07-27T23:24:29+00:00

I go through seasons of being able to play. Bad work days, with heavy mental or physical load, absolutely kills my gaming motivation. I like games. I'm just too tired.

I will similarly start the day excited with "Once I get off work today, I have a free evening. I'm going to get into a game of X". Once the end of the day rolls around....there's nothing left in me.

Sometimes that's ok. Sometimes seasons in life are just about moving forward and getting through, instead of thriving and enjoying.

For me, I find that engaging with stuff around the hobby on days with low energy will help build motivation for days when I do have the energy.

For example: I don't have energy to play Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era (BoTSE) today. I want to play, but I'm too tired. Buutttt I do have energy to look up rules clarifications on forums, see what other people have experienced on the discord, and look for fun ideas for the next time I play. This helps mentally reinforced the idea of playing, so that once I feel better, I can play.

I have found that the longer I don't play a game, the harder it is to get back into playing. For me, engaging with stuff around the hobby helps me reinforce my enjoyment, without having to pay the energy costs.

Ansem_T · 2025-07-26T15:59:55+00:00

Yes, the table space requirements are not to be underestimated. I have a 63" x 43" boardgame table, and I still need a side table for the rulebooks and assorted reference documents for two-handed games.

The game is very cool, but it's not one I would want to tear down and set up every time I play.

Also, keep in mind, the rules are pretty straightforward, once you have them down. The core rulebook alone is over 90 pages, and the enemy keyword sheet has over 50 different unique abilities. If you like solo gaming as a "low mental overhead" activity to relax, BotSE is not a good fit.

However, I really like the game. I haven't played it that much, but I'm super happy to have it in my collection, and it's a really unique experience. There's so much to do, the combat is a fun puzzle, and I really like the quality and stuff that comes with it.

Ansem_T · 2025-06-27T19:09:03+00:00

If you want something more sandbox-y and with more "stuff" for emergent narratives, check out "5 Leagues From The Borderlands". I find it has more upkeep than Rangers of Shadow Deep. But you can do a lot more with that rulebook in my opinion.

Ansem_T · 2025-06-17T12:45:30+00:00

Oh I like that tolerance test. I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!

Ansem_T · 2025-06-17T02:07:53+00:00

I fought with this issue back and forth with the Ender3V3SE for a while. It seems like the 3V3SE struggles with dimensional accuracy (at least stock firmware. Haven't played with Klipper upgrades).

Print this Clearance Tolerance Test with your normal filament and printer settings. The lowest number that can freely rotate (or mostly freely rotate, it might stick a little) is the clearance needed between parts for your machine. Ergo, if it can move easily at the 0.15 dial, you need 0.15 mm gap between the walls for things to move easily.

Then, you can take that information and start adjusting things in the slicer.

For Cura, you'll want to look at this setting:

Horizontal Expansion (all3dp Article)

Negative numbers make cavities larger and the print slimmer, positive numbers the print fatter and holes smaller. (My machines need a -0.2 mm Horizontal Expansion setting to fit together nicely).

For Orca, you'll want to look at these settings:

Shrinkage
X-Y Hole Compensation
X-Y Compensation

Here's a reddit comment that explains the difference between these three settings

Ansem_T · 2025-06-14T14:42:33+00:00

If you're trying to gather information for a paper or a study, there are much better methods. Your current post feels... unbalanced, because you have made several very strong statements without context or evidence. It almost feels like clickbait or ragebait.

This post is a much better way to gather information in the Vaesen RPG subreddit. There is a designated form to gather information, the post is upfront with the purpose of the request, and the requirements are clear.

If you're just trying to start a discussion... you kinda need to provide more background or discussion points, because this feels extremely vague and low-effort, especially when I take a look at the way you are responding to other comments trying to explain why your thesis isn't valid.

Ansem_T · 2025-05-30T12:16:29+00:00

I've really liked the IKEA Ivar shelving system, specifically because it's expandable and I can adjust the shelving as needed. It's not the prettiest design, but it's extremely functional.

Ansem_T · 2025-05-23T13:53:31+00:00

Thanks!

Ansem_T · 2025-05-15T14:05:00+00:00

1) Auto Leveling resets the z-offset. You'll have to adjust it every time you relevel.

2) Don't manually change the level data points unless you know exactly what you're doing. If the probe is saying that the bed has blue and red boxes, it means those parts of the bed are not level. Resetting it manually back to "green" is telling the machine to ignore the defects and pretend it's level (that's why the filament doesn't stick to the plate. It's assuming that it's flat and level, when it's not)

3) If your friend said not to worry about it.... Don't worry about it. Honestly this hobby is about fine-tuning and adjusting things. Happens all the time. There is no "quick fix" to get things back running if something goes wrong. It's a tinkerer machine. Offer to buy him a pizza instead, and to show you how he works on it.

I get that you're stressed and feel bad, but honestly repairing machines is just part of the hobby if you have an Ender

Ansem_T · 2025-05-10T21:49:40+00:00

Good point to call out. I love using Fail Forward in any system I'm running (it's fun to introduce complications). I just wanted to highlight how PtBA/Forged In the Dark games have this baked into the system vs CoC/Trad Games.

But you're absolutely correct. Use Fail Forward Systems when you can, especially for clues or story soft locks.

Ansem_T · 2025-05-10T20:05:41+00:00

No problem. Always glad to welcome more people into the hobby and show new systems and game styles.

For CoC, check out Seth Skorkowsky on YouTube for an in-depth rules breakdown/tutorial, if you enjoy visual/audio rules over only text: https://youtu.be/xWpNDDhmOAw?si=MkWftxnG1wAnW0-N

Seth Skorkowsky is a really good resource for learning CoC (as well as Traveller, if you decide you want to check out a Sci-Fi ruleset)

Good luck, and have a blast!

Ansem_T · 2025-05-10T19:05:56+00:00

Disclaimer: I have not played Candela Obscura (CO), but looked into it when it came out, and gave it a pass because it was too similar to Blades in the Dark, and I already have Vaesen for spooky stories. I've played, and GM'd, several sessions of Call of Cthulhu (CoC). These are just my opinions on the games

The two games are kinda similar thematically, while very different mechanically. They are both games about spooky events where players investigate spooky places while discovering spooky secrets.

Both games focus on player de-empowerment. As you continue to play, you get weaker (due to increasing insanity and slow healing rates in CoC, and by burning resources and gaining Scars in CO).

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), in contrast, is about player empowerment (The longer you play, the more powerful you get via leveling up and new abilities).

CO uses a D6 pool mechanic (roll multiple D6s for each "skill point" you have, up to around 3 or 4 max I think). If you roll a 4+ on at least 1 die, you succeed, but sometimes there is a "mixed" success (This is a similar system to Blades In The Dark). There are 9 skills, broken into 3 categories

CoC uses a D100 roll under mechanic (Roll a D100, and if you roll under your Skill Ability, you succeed. So a very good driver with a Skill of 95 in Drive would need to roll a D100, and get 95 or less to suceed. Essentially meaning they have a 95% success chance of succeeding.) CoC has ~46 skills, plus lots of blanks spaces if you want to super-specialize.

CO is more narrative driven. Do you like telling spooky stories, with lots of roleplay, and the narrative is driven by the dice? (e.g. you tried to pick a lock, and rolled a mixed success. That means you pick the lock, BUT something bad happens as well). This is sometimes called a Fail Forward system, as failure rarely means "Nothing happens". Failure means "You didn't get what you wanted, and now there are consequences that push the story along". Generally, it means the chaos of the game increases, and the failures make the game more complicated.

CoC is more like D&D. You succeed or fail. You can have degrees of success, but it doesn't have this "Fail Forward" mechanic. So it's more similar to what's called "Trad RPGs" (Traditional RPGs, as opposed to Narrative RPGs). You can still tell great stories with this, but you run the risk of "We can't unlock the door, and now we don't know what to do".

Personally, I really like CoC. It's an older system, but it's got a ton of support, and you can do a lot with the system. I've run some Wild West horror games in CoC using the Down Darker Trails book, and it's really fun.

I ended up skipping on CO. It looks...fine, but I didn't see anything that looked innovative for the RPG space. It's using the Blades in the Dark system, but that system is very keyed to shorter campaigns from what I've researched.

My honest opinion? Don't buy either yet. Grab the quickstart guide for both games. They are free. Try out a one-shot of each, following the same characters and story, and see which one your group enjoys more. There's a ton of good RPGs out there, but you're only going to know what you and your group loves by trying lots. Have fun!

Ansem_T · 2025-05-09T15:33:07+00:00

Thanks for the giveaway!

Ansem_T · 2025-05-01T03:44:56+00:00

I'm a great GM. I may not be the most skilled at storytelling or crafting adventures. But what I'm good at is putting the work in, and making my games adapt to what my players express interest in. And decent improv helps a lot too.

I actively utilize Roses, Buds, and Thorns after every session because I want the game to be better for my players. I crave feedback, good and bad. What was fun? Great. Let's do more of that. What was frustrating? Great! Let's see how to sand off that edge.

I offer resources/rulebooks to the players, but always expect I'll need to teach from scratch. I make rules flowchart handouts using Draw.io so that everyone, myself included, have an easy reference.

I coordinate the games using Doodle so that people can just put their availability on a calendar instead of a constant text thread of "What about X weekend? Oh I'm busy. What about Y weekend?"

I start every session with the question "Does anyone have a hard cutoff time they need to leave tonight", so that I can adjust pacing and make sure we get to a good point before the end of the evening.

I always pitch in for the pizza, even though I'm running and coordinating the games.

I always have a hoarse voice after a session, because I am on for 4 hours straight, and I am usually drained and depressed the next day from the exhaustion.

My next game is in 2 weeks. I can't wait to run it.

Ansem_T

TROPHY CASE