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[News] [Members] [Newsletters] [Games]
The format is not fixed. Some of the columns may appear every month, while others may only appear occasionally. This all depends on the readers. With very few exceptions, anything submitted by members will be printed in this newsletter. It's main purpose is to inform the widespread members of the club's activities everywhere. This newsletter also provides a creative outlet for members.
Keeping this in mind, it is easy to see the diversity of topics that can be covered by this newsletter. Anything makes a good topic. Reviews of books, movies, games, conventions, etc. make good articles that other members will want to read. They can use this information to make better spending decisions, or to read views that contrast with theirs. SilverSheen News can also print campaign updates, club news, fiction, art, insanely biased political views, etc., etc., etc. If you have a flyer for a convention or other event, send it in. We'll attach a copy to every newsletter. As a note to RPGA members of the club, a copy of the latest RPGA club bulletin will be attached to every copy of the newsletter.
Please give us feedback. If you don't like something, let us know. If you want to see a topic covered, tell us, or better yet write it and send it in. You can call, too, but we will likely forget we ever spoke to you. Write or send your stuff to:
First this year was the 1993 Winter Fantasy in good ole Milwaukee. HATED IT! RPGA events, if not preregistered for, were handled haphazardly-using sign up sheets not in view of an RPGA official. Honor system? NOT! I saw firsthand too many abuses of this system. The bright side however, was the Battletech miniature gaming. EXCELLENT!
The con itself had too few people attending. Overall I rate this con a 4 out of 10. I will not repeat this one, unless the hotel rooms are free and I will be absolutely sure to preregister.
(N. Remy)
ConnCon - March - Danbury, CT
This is one of the best conventions around. It has been held at the Hilton Towers the past two years. The cost of a room was $80.00 with tax. Divided amongst 4 or 5 people, it comes out cheap. Danbury is fairly easy to get to for chapter members in NY/NJ.
The convention itself is very well organized. Events can be chosen and paid for through pre-registration. When you show up Friday evening, you walk up to the table (no lines!), tell them your name, and receive an envelope. Inside are your event tickets, updated convention program, and any t-shirts, etc. you may have purchased.
There are 9 slots of gaming available; 1 on Friday, 4 on Saturday, 2 on Sunday, and Midnight slots on Friday and Saturday. A half-hour break for lunch and one-hour break for dinner are provided. The games are played in the convention facilities of the hotel. This is a great gaming convention. The location, inexpensive cost, and abundance of good players, game masters and scenarios rates this convention a 9 out of 10.
(R. Guerrero)
DragonCon - July - Atlanta, GA
What to say? Well, let's start with DragonCon '91 when I discovered this con by my lonesome.
The con was large (I had not yet gone to GenCon); lots of gaming, lots of non-gaming events and many conventioneers. As for DragonCon '93 all I can say is "EVEN BETTER." This year I was at the con with three friends but I attended the gaming sessions by myself. Many RPGA events were run; professionally organized and executed. Most impressive about this con were the non gaming activities featured. The Camarilla [Vampire] Nightclub was great-for the first forty minutes. The live bands were good, dealer tables excellent, anime videos top notch and comic dealers plentiful. Overall, I'd rate this con a 9 out of 10. I'll definitely be back in 1994.
(N. Remy)
GenCon - August - Milwaukee, WI
This is the biggie! Well, almost. There was definitely less people present than in 1992, probably due to the fact that '92 co-featured the Origins convention.
The gaming at this year's GenCon was the best possible. All great DMs (although I did see you-know-who from I-Con! Luckily he only had a player badge.) The non-gaming events excepting seminars were nonexistent. The Japanese anime video presentations were held in the walkway between MECCA and the Arena! The greatest discovery made this year is the auction; a must for old games, modules and miniatures. Interestingly the dealer area looked somewhat empty, spread out as though there were fewer dealers. I'll definitely repeat in 1994. Overall I'd rate GenCon '93 an 8.5 out of 10. [Yeah, I know that's 0.5 less than DragonCon '93. Just remember that my overall rating includes non gaming activities and things to do in the surrounding area.
(N. Remy)
Gold Con II - August - Clark, NJ
This small, one-day convention was a pleasant surprise. The location, ten minutes by car from Woodbridge, was convenient to the NY/NJ chapter members. The gathering area was an American Legion Post; neat, clean and with adequate parking. A refreshment and snack area was located on the premises and a small (and I mean smalllll) dealer's area was provided. The convention featured role-playing, boardgames and miniature events with an emphasis on the latter. Gaming systems consisted mainly of AD&D, Battletech, Torg, and Axis and Allies with a few others thrown in. Three time slots were set up with a one hour break between each for lunch and dinner. Role-playing sessions included both open and RPGA events. Prizes were awarded for the RPGA events. The turnout was comfortably small and, surprisingly, included many RPGA VIPs.
On the down side were the following: One large room where all the events took place simultaneously - the noise level was never below a dull roar. Unmonitored sign-up sheets (At least one instance where a player's name was erased and replaced with another was noted). Open AD&D sessions where stories of past glory (both real and imagined) took up most of the game. Remind me to tell you the one about an anti- tank missile going up an elephant's butt.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I gave this convention 7 battle - no, make that hand axes.
(R. Delgado)
Falcon '93 - September - Naugatuck, CT
This very small convention was available only through preregistration. It was organized by Willi Burger (the RPGA regional director for NY/CT/NJ). About 24 people attended this convention, which was held in the Polish American Hall.
The great thing about this convention is that it is a three-round, RPGA tournament where everyone gets to play every round. Instead of eliminating players after the first round, each round is scored separately to determine winners. It's nice to play a whole multi-round adventure without worrying about advancing.
The DM's were a little slow at times. This is probably because most of them were rounded up to DM the night before. There were some good players who we recognized from other conventions.
The location, in the Naugatuck Polish American Club, was on a dead-end street under the railroad tracks. Naugatuck was a ghost town, with a pizzeria the only available food source.
Falcon rates 6 battle axes. It would rate higher if it was closer to home. It was definitely worth the trip, though.
(R. Guerrero)
Contrary '93 - November - West Springfield, MA
Contrary is an excellent convention held every year at the same time and place. The few bad points are bearable.
The location, other than being about a three-hour drive, was great. The Ramada Hotel had a nice indoor pool next to a gazebo bar. The rooms were nice, fitting four comfortably for about $60. All convention events took place in thee hotel.
The hotel was located nicely, with a Friendly's next door. If we wanted something else, right across the street was a Chi-Chis, Burger King, and countless other sources of food.
Preregistration worked very well, with even late preregistration forms receiving most of their requested events. On-site registration needed a little work. One example of a SNAFU occurred when one of us sat down to an RPGA Masters game of TORG, and discovered that four of the six players weren't even RPGA members, much less Masters.
Contrary had the usual quantity of DM's who didn't receive their modules until days (or hours, or even minutes . . .) before they ran them. Much to their credit, everyone had great games.
The Legion participated in the Team event. We scored well enough to advance to the final round. The adventure was excellent, as we played Drizzt, Bruenor Battlehammer and the other characters from R.A. Salvatore's books. It was a shame the event was denied RPGA sanctioning. We have sent a polite note to RPGA headquarters about this.
There were many door prizes given out at the awards ceremony. All the DM's were given certificates for their work. This convention rates 8 battle axes, partly due to the location, but mostly because of the quality players, DM's, and convention staff present. We all came away winners from this one.
(R. Guerrero)