The Keyhole

The latest Secret Doors Web Press news

Maintenance -- 11 Sept 2002 I've been pretty lax on updates lately. The site is on my mind, I assure you.... A recent server upgrade by my ISP has permitted me to more easily finish some maintenance on the Characturge page I've been putting off. If you've had trouble downloading my Characturge templates for Werewolf: the Apocalypse 2nd ed., please try again. Let me know if you have any trouble. I've received some promising games in the last month or so, and I'm reading some really excellent books, so keep your eyes peeled for the reviews.... --Mac Moyer

Pyramid Publishing, Updates Here -- 14 Jan 2002 Shortly before my last news item, Pyramid Magazine published my review of Tom Jolly's Drakon Board Game. I'm not sure why I didn't mention it then, but I'm mentioning it now. You'll need a subscription to Pyramid to view the article, but it's a great deal! Read It! and Play It! have just been updated with two solid recommendations. Check 'em out! If you're not on the Secret Doors mailing list, sign up to get these news items by email. --Mac Moyer

New Material -- 29 Oct 2001 And you thought I was sleeping the last two months! I've got some new stuff for ya: Two new features! Read It! and Play It! HTML version of Demon Mine. Linux-users rejoice! Werewolf: the Apocalypse 2nd ed. quick reference sheet in Weaver Moon. That's more progress on my August 29th wish list. Enjoy! --Mac Moyer

Forum Change -- 30 Aug 2001 One of my most important goals with Secret Doors has been to provide a community setting, and I created a forum for that purpose. For various reasons, I haven't been happy with the forum I've been using for the past year, so I've set up a Yahoo Group to do the job. The big advantages: postings are emailed to me, so I'll be able to respond to them more quickly, and you don't have to be a member to post... although you can sign up as a member to receive all postings, including Secret Doors news, via email. Check out the new forum now! --Mac Moyer

Fixes and Updates (or Lack Thereof) -- 29 Aug 2001 It's been quite a while since the site got some attention. In the last couple of days, I've fixed some broken links in the Weaver Moon section, and removed some dead and out-of-date links from the front page. Dan "The Hand" Bentley's 3e D&D review is still available, but the link is off the main page. Still on my list of things to do: Add my Werewolf quick reference sheet and my collection of Caerns to the Weaver Moon site. This stuff is prepped, I just need to HTMLize it and get it online. I'm running some Werewolf chronicles right now (I really do love the game), so that's on my mind lately. Post the Demon Mine material in HTML format. A Linux-using buddy of mine reminded me that PDF is not 100% universal. Develop "Smite! The Biblical Whoopass Card Game" and the Knights of Tempest RPG. Those are big projects, but I think I'll have time to devote to them in the immediate future. I've been considering a regular book review, something like "On Mac's Nightstand Now," about whatever gaming-related fiction/non-fiction I'm reading. I'm thinking it'd be a similar format to the Werewolf book and movie list, but updated regularly and more broad-based. Yes, it would be 90% an excuse to generate some Amazon.com partner revenue.... Game Storm, by the way, was lots of fun. Because it's still a fairly small con, it has a nice, intimate feel to it, but it's getting big enough to provide a nice range of options for gaming. If you have the opportunity to be in the Portland, OR, area for the next one, I urge you to attend. If you have something to say to me, drop me a note. --Mac Moyer

Goin' to Game Storm -- 7 March 2001 Game Storm is this weekend in Portland, OR. I'll be in attendance, and I'll be handing out party favors in the form of "Dark Dungeons" Chick Tracts! This wonderful book is the sole reason I got into roleplaying. But I've been playing D&D for fourteen years, and I still haven't learned the freakin' Mind Bondage spell, dammit.... If you see me handing out Chick Tracts, shake my hand and tell me you saw my web page. I get more feedback about my commentary on Yeats' "The Second Coming" than I do about roleplaying. I wanna hear from gamers! I'll also be packing a few of my favorite games, maybe Wiz-War, Cosmic Wimpout, Cheapass Games, and some unreleased stuff! Challenge me to a game! --Mac Moyer

Roc Games and Mythica -- 16 Jan 2001 Roc Games is selling the beta version of their new Mythica Rules Engine online. As a champion of online adventure games publishing, I heartily encourage you to support them! Better yet, after a quick read-through of the product, I'm pretty pleased with the rules and I eagerly endorse their game. I've been approved for their playtesting team, too, so expect to hear more about Roc Games here at Secret Doors! --Mac Moyer

Pyramid Article -- 4 Dec 2000 I'm a month overdue on this announcement, but Pyramid Magazine published an article I wrote, "Keys to the Dungeon: Your Computer at the Gaming Table" in the November 3rd issue. Pyramid is a great magazine, and I'm honored to have my work included in the same electronic pages as folks like Kenneth Hite and John Wick. You'll have to have a Pyramid subscription to read the article. But if you're an Internet user and a fan of RPGs, it's well worth it. --Mac Moyer

RoleplayingTips.com -- 5 Oct 2000 I've been a subscriber to the RoleplayingTips.com newsletter for a month and a half now, and I have to say I'm impressed. It's free, with no advertisements or spam, and every issue is full of nifty roleplaying tips. I consider myself a pretty experienced gamemaster, but I haven't read an issue yet without at least one thing that made me say, "Hey, good idea!" Check it out! --Mac Moyer

Laughing Dragon -- 12 Sept 2000 Saturday I attended the Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire in Philomath, OR, with some friends. It's a strange sort of entertainment. I really enjoyed the jousting; that alone made it worth the price of admission. I spotted a booth that was cool enough to mention, Laughing Dragon. This fellow carves dragons and other fantasy critters in wood. The prices are surprisingly low, and the product is very beautiful. Check out the web page for yourself. He does flying critters, like the one pictured here, as well as free-standing sculptures of various sizes, and wall plaques and a clock that I'm going to have to buy for myself. Good stuff! --Mac Moyer

Knee Deep in MUD -- 1 Sept 2000 At Dragonflight, I heard a lot of questions about MUDs on the Secret Doors site. I have to admit, I'm not much of a MUD player myself, but it just so happens that my buddy Shawn Blaylock has started one up, so I've linked it in. I'm playing a halfling named Mouse, so if you see me ... spare some food? --Mac Moyer

Conventions -- 29 Aug 2000 I'm back from Dragonflight, and I must say I enjoyed myself. I roleplayed mostly -- good introductions to Feng Shui and Everquest, and another top-notch experience with Amber -- and played my first game of Chez Geek, a Steve Jackson card game, which I highly recommend. A big Mac-style thanx to the GM's who put in their time! I passed out a load of Secret Doors bookmarks and some copies of Demon Mine, and hooked up with Portland friend Aaron Curtis, vice chair (which I think means he's in charge of addictive gaming) for Game Storm 2001, a springtime Portland, OR, convention. Secret Doors has swapped links with Game Storm, so check it out! I can pretty much guarantee I'll be there. --Mac Moyer

First Review Published, More Material on Its Way -- 19 Aug 2000 The review for Wizards of the Coast's new 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook is online. Big thanx to The Hand for his good work. I'm still looking to publish more reviews on this major adventure gaming event. I'm also working with the authors of the Seven Crowns roleplaying game to bring them on board with Secret Doors Web Press. Watch for it! Remember, your submissions are welcome, anything from game reviews to new stand-alone games! Check out our submission guidelines to find out what we're looking for and how we want it. --Mac Moyer

3e D&D Player's Handbook -- 10 Aug 2000 Through a special deal with Wizards of the Coast, Secret Doors was able to obtain a copy of the 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook at the same time as everyone else, at the generous ten percent discount from the local gaming store. My first impression ... it's beautiful. I've flipped through to look at the art, and this is truly a book worthy of the top gaming publisher's flagship game. Heck, this is the adventure game hobby's flagship game. And the look is definitely up to par. From the gorgeous cover, to the nifty border-and-background on every page ... from the illustrations of spell effects (!), to the friggin' fantastic color art ... this is without a doubt the best looking RPG product I've ever seen. I am impressed. I haven't actually read the thing yet, but Secret Doors will have reviews in a few days. Stay tuned. --Mac Moyer

The Best Laid Plans -- 9 Aug 2000 This year I'll be at Dragonflight 2000, one of the Pacific Northwest's larger gaming conventions, for my first time ... my first con in quite a while, too. From August 25th through 27th, I'll be gaming my heart out in beautiful Seattle, Washington. I'm thinking of taking Secret Doors business cards (hmm ... perhaps gamers would appreciate bookmarks more), maybe some copies of Demon Mine to distribute, or even some t-shirts. At any rate, I plan to have a good time, meet gamers, and properly geek out. Since I started into this speaking of plans, I reckon I'll mention some near-future plans I have for Secret Doors: I plan to publish a customizable-but-not-collectible card game that's been percolating in my head for maybe years now. The working title is "Smite!" The subtitle is "The Biblical Whupass Card Game." Each player takes on the role of a god who just came up with a really top-notch idea for a religion. The god picks out a tribe to be the Chosen People, and bosses them around a not-quite-but-almost-entirely-unlike-the-Middle-East landscape looking to convert followers. It is, as Homer Simpson would say, "sacrilicious." I have a large collection of fully detailed Garou Caerns I'd like to include in the Weaver Moon section. They're leftovers from my "Rage across Oregon" chronicle, and I'm so proud of them that it would be a shame not to share them. I have it near-to-next on my list of things to do with the site to get Knights of Tempest up to date. If you've visited the page, you know it's badly in need of attention. I'm maybe halfway (who am I kidding, 20% at best) through a first draft of the rules, and I'd like to publish that ASAP. It certainly wouldn't hurt to have some playtest volunteers to chide me on, so if you're interested drop me an email. --Mac Moyer

Forums Added -- 7 Aug 2000 I just added a forum page for the Secret Doors games, along with a few others topics. Right now, you'll notice there are four roleplaying forums and two board game forums listed. These are "shared" forums, which folks can access through other sites. I'm looking to see which forums get the most (interesting) activity, then I'll pare it down to one for each topic. [See the new forum here. --Mac] --Mac Moyer

Site Launch Announcement -- 5 Aug 2000 Welcome to Secret Doors Web Press! The site launch today features three sites of gaming material, all of them created by yours truly. Demon Mine is a stand-along board game for two players. Miners and horrifying ghost beetles vie for control of Demon Mine, a collapsed tunnel complex on a hostile alien world. The game is ready to print and play in PDF format. Knights of Tempest is a post-modern fantasy roleplaying game under development. Weaver Moon offers original essays, articles, and source material for White Wolf's Werewolf: the Apocalypse roleplaying game. Secret Doors is looking for game designers, writers and artists to expand our selection of adventure gaming material. Check out our submission guidelines! --Mac Moyer

Secret Doors Web Press -- who we are, and why we do this Secret Doors Web Press exists: to publish adventure-themed board games, card games, roleplaying games -- any kind of games. to make games available on the Web to a community of gamers for free or below a reasonable cost for the product. to provide a forum for undiscovered talent -- game designers, artists, writers, and so on -- in the adventure game field. to be fun. Who are we? Well, right now, "we" means me, Mac Moyer. I'm a gainfully employed as, among other things, a Web designer for ClipperNet Corporation. I'm a dedicated gamer, with a love for roleplaying games and other kinds of adventure games. Why do we do this? 'Cause it's fun. I happen to be in a position to publish games on the Web with almost no monetary cost to me. I enjoy doing the "work" involved in making this happen, and I'd really like to contribute something to the gaming community. If the opportunity came a long to make Secret Doors Web Press a profitable affair, and I could make a living at it -- well, what gamer wouldn't accept a career in the industry? But for now I'm content to do this for the opportunity to play and publish some neat games, and to rub shoulders with the adventure games talent of tomorrow. --Mac Moyer

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