The trouble with reporting on what's going on stuff in gaming would be easy. But nooooooooo! You just mention one bit of news and another truckload shows up, including stuff you had learned earlier but just hadn't mentioned:
ITEM: In addition to the ENnies, GenCon also is the site of the Diana Jones award, which since 2001 has presented a Lucite-encased fragment of the Indiana Jones game to the game/person/thing that best embodies the spirit of excellence in the game industry, as determined by a shadowy, neefarious, and largely unknown committee. The short list of nominations has been published, including the massive Guide to Glorantha, which, by the way, I am still reading. No, really.
ITEM: The Ed Greenwood Group was established a which back with the idea of launching new worlds and concepts in a variety to mediums. This week they unleashed a plethora of announcements on agreements with the Gamehole Convention in Madison, Twin Fire Productions, Dungeons and Dragons Under the Influence, ACD Distribution, and the latest incarnation of Amazing Stories, Oh, did I mention they were working on their own RPG as well? Yeah, they're a pretty active group.
ITEM: Also I got to see this week Lester Smith's new d6xd6 Expanded Edition. In addition to simple, straightforward rules for roleplaying, the book contains a slew of new worlds, including concepts by a number of the Alliterates - Rob King, Doug Niles, Steve Winter, Steve Sullivan, and Matt Forbeck. Which is what happens when you drinking on a regular basis with other game designers - they all get together and decide to put on a show!
ITEM: Lastly, there is a generational nature to gaming. Tracy Hickman's son, Curtis has been working as the Chief Creative Officer on a new product called The Void, which is two parts Dream Park, two parts Matrix, two parts Lazertag and all wrapped up in virtual reality. Find out more about it here (oh, and Curtis has an interview on Australian TV here, and I am amazed he has a beard now).
More later,