Aerial Dogfight to End All Dogfights

This news story is from John C.

At the upcoming Origins convention, a group called The Buckeye Gamers in Flight will be attempting to set a new world record for the most gamers playing a single board game simultaneously. The game they're going to be using is Wings of War which they hope to have 100-140 people playing. So if you're going to origins and you want to be involved in this... good luck to you, my friend. It's everyone for themselves, fight to the death, last man standing. My suggested strategy? Fly along the boarder of the table for the first ten rounds or so, trying to avoid everyone and every thing!

To me, this SOUNDS like a really cool idea but I would be surprised if it isn't anything but a total mess, especially considering the rules for elevation and overlapping planes. Also, they're trying to set the world record for a BOARD GAME. Is WoW a board game? I wouldn't call it that. I would say it is a miniatures game.

Here's an idea of what the table might look like with all of those planes:


This reminds me of the "grand melee" playing format for the Magic: The Gathering Game in which literally hundreds of people play simultaneously.

You, Too, Can Be a REAL Jedi!!! REALLY!

So, how does one become a Jedi? Aren't I, "Too old for the training?" Well, it turns out, I just have to read this book (and the three after it): http://newilluminatiprotocols.com/media/TheBookOfJedi-np.php?RSID=1146&r=jedi2

The thing is, these people are SERIOUS. I mean, SERIOUSLY serious. Here's what is says from the New Illuminati Protocols website:

"The Book of Jedi is a free publication that prepares the Initiate for training in a Jedi Academy. It has been imbued with specific thought seeds and a secret internal rhythm that will awaken an awareness of The Force within you. Simply by reading through this document in it’s entirety, certain inner preparations will be made within you. The Jedi Order has existed quietly on Earth for centuries, awaiting for this moment in history to come forward and make our training available to many more who qualify to learn the ways of The Force. In the final pages, instructions will be given to you should you choose to request additional information about formal training in one of our academies."

So look out, bullies who picked on my in high school. I'm a JEDI now and I don't take no gruff from nobody! Man, it was easier to become a Jedi than it was to bulk up on muscle like that Charles Atlas ad on the back of comic books promised me! Sweet!

'Cause Tonight We're Gonna Party Like It's May 20, 2011...

...because, as you may already know, the world ends tomorrow. Well, not REALLY. It's just the Rapture. So if you're a true believer, say your goodbyes today because as of 6 o'clock you have a one way ticket to Heaven and an date with God that will last all of eternity! Don't believe me? Check out the news story here: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/05/20/jonathan-kay-for-the-insecure-and-the-rootless-tomorrow-the-world-ends/

Everyone is always saying, "The world will end tomorrow." But they won't say that on May 21, 2011! They'll say, "The world ends TODAY!"

KGS would just like to thank all of our loyal fan(s). You'll never get to read my Superman IV movie review. Life and Raptures are full of disappointments it seems. Mom, I love you very much. Goodbye!

One Dollar Movies are Back at Regal in York, PA

KGS applauds the Regal movie theater in York, PA for their one dollar ticket price on second run, family friendly movies. What a great chance to take the kids out to the theater without breaking the piggy bank! All showing will be at 10:00 a.m. - perfect for kids! This concept is brilliant for the theater as well. It works on the same philosophy as Free Comic Book Day - get the kids used to using your product and they'll continue in their teen years and perhaps into adulthood. As stupid as it sounds, movie theaters may go the same way video rental stores went - into extinction. That would be a shame and KGS is glad to see Regal promoting theater attendance with such a great program.


Movies will include....

June 28 How to Train Your Dragon

June 29 Muppets from Space

July 6 Karate Kid (I'm guessing the new one... darn!)

July 12 Jason and the Argonauts

July 13 Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

July 19 Megamind

July 20 Open Season

July 26 Open Season 2

July 27 Yogi Bear

Aug. 2 The Last Airbender (Some M. Night Shamalan "goodness.")

Aug. 3 Open Season 3

Aug. 10 Muppets Take Manhattan

Movie Review - Superman III

This image pretty much sums up Superman III. Richard Lester, who took over Superman II from Richard Donnor, was allowed to run wild with this film. What was Richard Lester drinking when he directed this? I would call this the worst of the original Superman movies. Still, it's not without its positives, so let's start there.

• The bit with Clark's old high school sweater was neat. At one point he holds it up to his chest, the giant "S" mirroring his Superman icon. At another time he wears it tied around his neck, draped down his back like a cape.
• Lana Lang was a welcome addition. Her character was wonderfully ADD and seemed to embody Smallville's innocence. 
• When Superman takes an interest Ricky, Lana's son, this mirror the father-son themes from the first movie. Since Jor-El "dies" in both the first and second movies (well, at least the Richard Donnor cut), it was refreshing to see Clark take a fatherly interest in Ricky.
• Evil Superman caused by synthetic kryptonite. Clearly the highlight of this film is the "Dark Superman." Right after the world is threatened by Zod and the other criminal Kryptonians (try saying "criminal Kryptonians" ten times fast) they witness a Superman without inhibitions. It was cool seeing Superman pick up chics and getting blitzed. But Superman's "crime spree" is more like a series of childish pranks - straightening the Leaning Tower of Piza and blowing out the Olympic torch. I liked the color scheme of the "Drunk Superman" and I noted that it was very similar to the color scheme using for Superman Return's creepy voyeur Superman. Irony, anyone?
• The Clark Kent / Superman fight is epic. You're never quite sure if this is real or all in Superman's head but it is awesome to see Evil Superman gloat as he kicks Clark Kent's press pass across a junkyard. And how awesomely out of character is it to see Clark choke the life out of Superman? Makes you think that even though Clark won, he'll never be the same...
• This is the first Superman movie that I actually remember going to see in the theater and my one true memory of seeing this movie the first time is Vera turning into the mechanical computer woman. MAN DID THAT CREEP ME OUT AS A KID!

Now, on to the... sigh... bad... I'll try to be brief as there's just so much of it...

• First, where's Superman? The Superman action in this film is incredibly limited. In fact, for that matter, the CLARK action in this film seems limited. WAY too much time was spent on Richard Pryor's character, Gorman, and the film's boring villain, Webster.
• It seems Lester just wanted to get rid of the entire supporting cast: Lois is off to the Caribbean, Jimmy breaks his leg early, and Perry is stuck in Metropolis while Clark is off to Smallville. Lex Luthor is replaced with a stupid villain, Webster.
• The film really shows its age. Since computers are the primary focus, every time a computer is shown you just think about how old they are. Also, Gorman gets cut off of unemployement after 36 weeks. He views himself as a bum. Today you can get unemployment ranging for up to 99 weeks! Talk about changing times!
• Stupid slapstick. Why did Lester feel that Superman movies needed more stupid visual gags? He was the one responsible for the windstorm in the second movie. Now he brings us more slapstick with mimes and blind people. Oh, the blind man walked through the painting and used the street line drawing machine as a seeing eye dog! Ha-ha-ha-Ugh.
• The very little Superman action we do see is either inconsequential or very unrealistic. 
• Thrill, watching Superman stop a wheat harvester!
• Gasp as you witness Superman freeze and entire lake, lift it up, and then the lake melts before it can hit the ground! Wait, why didn't Superman just cool the acid tanks or put the fire out with his cold breath?
• Don't blink or you'll miss Superman rescue a guy from a car improbably filled with water!
• Take you heart meds to prepare for Superman RECEIVING A AWARD!
• Stare in amazement as Superman DRIES OUT THE GROUND AFTER A RAIN!
• Try not to freak out as Superman FIGHTS A COMPUTER! *Yawn*
• The entire plot is very, very, very weak. Wait... you're telling me that all of this is so a businessman can control the coffee crop and oil industries? Isn't that how it works in reality anyway? 

So, in conclusion, Superman III is bad. Not as bad as Superman Returns, which I will tear apart in the next installment of the Superman movie reviews, but bad. 

KGS Podcast - Episode 00023 - Savage Worlds Review

KEYSTONE GAMING SOCIETY REVIEW
GAME:	SAVAGE WORLDS
PUBLISHER:	PINNACLE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
WEBSITE:	http://www.peginc.com/
PRICE:	$9.99
THE RATINGS:
SCOTT:
OLD BRIAN:
YOUNG BRYAN:
DAVE:
TISHA:
SAM:

Who Says Video Games Make You Lazy?

Who says video games are bad for you? For these teens it inspired them to make an absolutely unbelievable tribute video to Guitar Hero - BIKE HERO! This video is a you-gotta-see-it-to-believe it all in one take wonder. The sheer logistics of working this out must have taken months. Why aren't these guys running NASA.... or the government?

101 Alternative Uses for D&D Fortune Cards (#5)

Dungeons and Dragons has jumped the shark with Fortune Cards.
We have a new 'comedy bit' called 101 Uses for Dungeons and Dragons Fortune Cards. Check out the photo gallery on the right of this page to see how we are putting our crappy fortune cards to better use.

Thor Holds Strong at #1

Flop? I say to thee, nay!

Check out http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3163.

Thor - #1 again. According to this Box Office Mojo article, Thor's numbers held better in the second weekend than Iron Man 2 and X:Men Origins: Wolverine, among others. A 10 day total of $119.3 million is certainly no flop!

Movie Review - Superman II: The Richard Donnor Cut

I liked the Richard Donnor Cut. I had never seen it until viewing it recently. Viewed in conjunction with Superman: The Movie it is a little odd considering they re-used the time-travel bit (which is not actually "re-using" since the time travel scene was originally in this movie anyway). It makes me wish there was a "Richard Donnor Cut" of Superman: The Movie as well so you can see both films together as he originally intended them.

In places this version of the film is a bit rough considering that some of the scenes were never filmed in a finished take. It is amazing to me how you can take the same plotline and with some minor tweaks make a completely different film.

First, the changes that worked for me:

• S2:TRDC does a much better job of tying the two films together than the original Superman II. Gone is the Eiffel Tower terrorists - instead, the missile from the first movie is used to free the villains from the Phantom Zone. 
• Lois suspects Clark's secret much earlier on, comparing a picture in the newspaper of Superman to Clark. This makes it seem much more plausible when she tests him by jumping out of the window.
• Superman's mother is replaced with Brando as Jor-El. Give me a Hallelujah! 
• Probably my favorite new scene is one in which Lois tests Clark by firing a gun at him. Clark admits he's Superman and then Lois tells him she used a blank. Brilliant!
• When Superman loses his powers his clothes don't magically change. Street clothes stay street clothes.
• Superman sleeps with Lois BEFORE losing his powers.
• Jor-El "dies" to restore Superman's powers. In the original version no explanation was given. 

And, the bad...

• Superman destroys the Fortress of Solitude... why again?
• Superman breaks up with Lois. He's just going to turn back time and erase the whole thing so why make her suffer by breaking up with her?
• Superman turns back time. It didn't make sense in the first one and it doesn't make sense here. Let's think about it. Superman turns back time, undoing all damage to Earth, to the point where the villains are re-imprisoned in the Phantom Zone. BUT...
• He doesn't CHANGE time, meaning the same sequence of events should occur all over again. The missile will still free the villains.
• Clark avoids Lois's suspicions successfully this time. 
• Clark then proceeds to go to the diner and beat up the bully trucker but here's the thing - Since Superman turned back time the trucker never beat Clark up! That means that Clark goes a beats up a trucker for absolutely no reason at all! Man, now THAT'S vindictive! "You punched me in another reality. Welcome to intensive care!"

All in all I would say I enjoyed the Richard Donnor Cut more than the original. Gone are many of the visual pranks that just seemed to be out of place in the original version. This version just seems to flow better and is more cohesive. Despite his efforts it is obvious that this film is truly a Frankenstein - sewn together from bits here and there. I just wish that Donnor's vision had remained intact for both films so we could see them both as they were truly intended to be.