anyway.

Well to the extent that any name is a necessarily grotesque simplification of the thing named, I suppose I chafe at the term "urban fantasy." But it's a useful genre designation nonetheless. I'd never kick your ass for that. (Still need to figure out what it means that it and steampunk are the two sides of the twirling phantastick coin these days.)

And also I still need to get up the gumption to run a goddamn game of Apocalypse World. (That, that I might kick your ass over. One of these days.)

This is funny, it reminds me that I only got back into roleplaying after a nearly 10-year hiatus after seeing Barry post about Breaking the Ice and going "huh". I used to read Kip's blog a lot too! Turn and turn, world!

Kip, I'd like to hear what you think of Apocalypse World, ass kicking or not, whether you play or don't!

Kip!!! I'd pay good money to play AW with you. And Alex, your post made me try to use the marginalia. Delightful!

I realize it is entirely self-centered of me, Vincent, but Apocalypse World seems designed down to its bones specifically to break every bad habit I've ever had in gaming, either as player or GM. I'm fascinated by the weltanschauung-as-emergent-property of the interaction of these deceptively simple rules and I want to get in the middle of it and splash around. The one thing holding me back beyond the tyranny of my word count (time! Just a little more time! One or two more days in the week, that's all I ask!) is, well: the setting? Maybe I'm getting old or maybe it's the general leaching of Hope and Change in the current day and age, but I find myself terribly hesitant to put on the black leather and pick up the gun and really commit, you know? (Squeamish.)—And I've thought about maybe if we all sorta kinda agree that our basic purpose is in trying to make the shattered wasteland in which we've found ourselves a better place and maybe we go from there, but that seems to violate a spirit of something-or-other; I mean if you're gonna do it, let's do it, you know? And the apocalypse is very much a necessary thing here: I am aware of the existence of remixes and hacks and kitbashes, but I want the pure and uncut deal here, you know?

I also thought maybe: an analogous setting that short-circuits the issues I'm having with diving headlong into a worse place: a generation starship gone feral and bad Out There. But but but: the thing about it being us, our world, this place gone bad is it gives everyone at the table the same permission to Make Stuff Up; another world brought to the table by someone no matter how well-intentioned preempts that permission I think at a basic level, even if everyone's agreed we can all Make Stuff Up: there's the risk of a fatal hesitation at a crucial moment because at a fundamental level there'd be this reflexive inhibitor: it's not our place, it's the MC's place.

Or maybe I'm just looking for other reasons so I don't have to admit I just don't have time anymore? Maybe.—I've got a couple bloodthirsty possible people chomping at the bit. There's a trigger, right there. Pull it already.

Emily! I would love to as well except all the foregoing plus airfare. We need to arrange something. Also, the kid.

Vincent,

Are you a jazz fan?

"[O]ur basic purpose is in trying to make the shattered wasteland in which we've found ourselves a better place and maybe we go from there"

Yes. Exactly. Kip, Emily - let's look at playing via google docs.

Whoa.  Dicebox looks amazing.  Must go read archives...

Paul: A jazz fan, sure! If you're a little generous.

The shameful truth is that I like old jazz a lot but I haven't sought out anything newer than Kind of Blue. I haven't heard beforehand of any of the musicians Jason interviews. I'm enjoying the education.