In a move that stunned and amazed role playing gamers everywhere, Wizards of the Coast (WoTC) announced a re-release of the original three hardcover Advanced Dungeons and Dragons books: the Monster Manual, the Player’s Handbook, and the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Just like in the old days, the Dungeon Master’s guide is a bit more expensive at $45 (it was $15 when it was released), with the others at $35 (original price was $12).

Title: Gauntlgrym (aka Gauntlgrym: Neverwinter Book I) Authors (Editor): R.A. Salvatore Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Release Date: October 2010 Price: US $27.95 (Hardcover) Rating: One thumb Up, One thumb Sideways; 85; B; * * * 1/2 out of five. Pros: Great characters, strong story of fantasy adventure and very emotional. Drizzt and other memorable more »

Taking cue from complaints (and from Dungeons and Dragons), Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) is re-releasing Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay as a 3 volume set: the Creature Guide , the Player’s Guide and the Game Master’s Guide . Player’s Vault and Creature Vault contain all the cards and tokens and sheets that were in the original game, for those that don’t want to write everything down by hand.

So I have a new game, Torchlight, a role-playing game (RPG) in the tradition of Diablo. I’ve been at it a few hours, made level 30, and still haven’t used a healing potion. The monsters, hordes of them, all die with one hit.

This is a perfectly good game, but I’m bored.

Have I turned into a gaming god without knowing it? It would seem so, since I’m playing at the ‘average’ skill level. I guess I could crank the difficulty up to hardcore, but why is the baseline so low…

When Wizards of the Coast (WOTC) released its 4th Edition (4E) of Dungeons and Dragons tabletop role-playing game in Summer 2008, it hardly received universal acceptance among gamers. The most common complaint players had against the game was, well, it wasn’t Dungeons and Dragons. Examples of “non Dungeons and Dragons” things that bugged the players are many and varied but a particular sticking point was the spell Magic Missile.

In the last two years, WOTC has tweaked and tweaked Magic Missile of 4E, adding numerous feats and items that allowed Magic Missile to generate more effects, or more damage, but still not satisfying players, even if now it was possible to create a wizard entirely built around the ‘new’ Magic Missile.

All that changed, however, with the latest errata to 4E, released July 6, 2010…

Warner Bros. Entertainment Group recently announced that it has acquired Turbine Inc., the Boston-based developer of popular online role-playing games The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) and Dungeons and Dragons Online (DDO).

Turbine has long been known for its MMORPGs, having also developed Asheron’s Call back in 2001. It’s recently been known for successfully and smoothly switching their business model for DDO from a monthly-based subscription to a free-to-play method. They still offer monthly subscriptions but their focus is on the free-to-play system.

On August 22, 2008, a new game store opened in the Chicago, IL (USA), area. The store, Black Sun Games, is run by gamers and focuses on table-top role-playing games (RPGs), miniatures and collectible card gaming…

Title: Gamers (aka Gamers: The Movie)Price: $24.95 (DVD)Release Date: May 6, 2008Distributer: Monterey Media, Inc.Rating: UnratedPros: A good mix of both subtle and outrageous humor with engaging characters. Surprisingly well made and funny or an indie film produced in six days.Cons: Starts a little sluggish and goes a little odd with a couple gags.Overall Score: Two thumbs up; 90/100; A-; * * * * out of five

Screw the lame-ass box art. Gamers is a great indie flick that will make anyone who has ever rolled something other than a 6-sided die snarf milk all over their mother’s teak coffee table.

Click through for the full review…