Y otro año más | I un altre any més | And another year more

Colorful Rose Bouquet by Petr Kratochvil
(CC0 1.0)

Sant Jordi i el Drac - Casa Ametller (Barcelona)
Eusebi Arnau
(CC BY-SA 3.0)

DnD Dragon by LadyofHats
(CC0 1.0)
Test color by me using Gimp

Castellano: Y coincidiendo con Sant Jordi el blog cumple otro año (y ya van 12), más lento de lo que me gustaría pero aún sigo aquí.

Català: I coincidint amb Sant Jordi el blog fa un altre any (i ja en van 12), més lent del que m'agradaria però encara soc aquí.

English: And coinciding with Sant Jordi the blog makes another year (12 already), slower than what I would like but I'm still here.

El Dado Inquieto

Returning to the blog (again)

Charge of the Rohirrim

Aragorn opening the doors of the palace at Edoras

Hello everybody, after some months (too many!) I come back to write in the blog.

I published the last post on August 24th (more or less 4 months ago) and during this time had happened many things:

On one hand I had been busy with personal and study matters during much of the time (and I hope these will be useful), for the other I've decided to not longer use Twitter after Elon Musk landing in the platform and began dismantling it (you may follow news about these in Reuters, Mashable and NewsNow for example). I will maintain my account there to avoid it to be used by others but there won't be many activity there.

Instead of Twitter I'm using Mastodon, an alternative of the Fediverse using the ActivityPub protocol by World Wide Web Consortium, which with the passing months have grown in number of users (you may follow the progression following this link about the instances).

The instance I have chosen is Mastorol.es, if you want more information about Mastodon, its workings and an up-to-date list of instances you may check the following links:

• Mastodon - Decentralized social media: Mastodon's main website
• Mastodon Help - Guide: Mastodon's help
• Fedi.tips - An unofficial guide to using Mastodon and the Fediverse: Unofficial guide of Mastodon and the Fediverse
• Mastodon documentation
• Mastodon instances: Website allowing to choose an instance to join
• ActivityPub Rocks!: Guide to implement ActivityPub
• Followgraph for Mastodon: Tool allowing to see connected Mastodon profiles
• Apps' list for mobile phones allowing to connect with Mastodon (Comparative in a Google Docs spreadsheet)

As for current series and posts I hope to resume them as soon as possible, although I will prepare a post about OGL 1.1 with which Wizards of the Coast pretends to emulate Dark Lord Sauron...

But they where, all of them, deceived,
for another License was made.
In the Land of Seattle, in the headquarters of WOTC,
the Dark Lord Hasbro forged in secret a master License
to control all others. And into this License he poured his cruelty,
his malice and his will to dominate all life.
One License to rule them all.

OGL 1.1
OneD&D
...To Rule Them All,
OneD&D To Find Them,
OneD&D To Bring Them All
And In The Darkness Bind Them.

This entry it's also available in the following languages:
Castellano Català

Y otro año más | I un altre any més | And another year more

El blog cumple otro año

Estos días el blog cumple otro año de vida (y ya son 11) y aquí estoy, pensando y preparando más cosas que espero que os gustarán.

Si mirais a vuestro alredededor veréis que las cosas no estan yendo tan bien como deberían, pero esto no os tendría que impedir leer, jugar, aprender y divertiros.

Hasta la próxima entrada.

El Dado Inquieto

El blog compleix un altre any

Aquests dies el blog compleix un altre any de vida (i ja en van 11) i aquí estic, pensant i preparant més coses que espero que us agradaran.

Si mireu al vostre voltant veureu que les coses no estan anant tant bé com ho haurien de fer, però això no us hauria d'impedir llegir, jugar, aprendre i divertir-vos.

Fins la propera entrada.

El Dado Inquieto

The blog makes another year

These days the blog makes another year (11 already) and here I am, thinking and preparing more things I hope you will like.

If you look around you will see that things aren't going as well as they should, but this should'nt keep you from reading, playing, learning and having fun.

Until the next post.

El Dado Inquieto

Of blogs, feeds and other useful tools

In today's post I will take the opportunity to comment you some technical matters which can be interesting for blog following and recovering of information of unavailable websites.

10 años | 10 anys | 10 years

El blog cumple 10 años de vida

Hoy, día de San Jorge y el dragón, día del libro y de la rosa y día de los enamorados el blog llega a la cifra redonda de 10 años de vida.

Este proyecto personal ya lleva acumuladas 835 entradas, escritas en tres idiomas (castellano catalán e inglés), que son una muestra de mi pasión por los juegos de rol que espero seguir compartiendo con todos mis lectores y lectoras durante otros 10 años o más (sí, queridos amigos, entradas como la de ayer son el resultado del esfuerzo de una sola persona).

Se que el blog es leído por personas de varios países y me gustaria conocer la opinión de los lectores sobre sus contenidos, por lo que gustosamente os animo a dejar vuestros comentarios para así seguir mejorando en los meses y años que vendrán.

El Dado Inquieto

El blog compleix 10 años de vida

Avui, dia de Sant Jordi i el drac, dia de el llibre i de la rosa i dia dels enamorats el blog arriba a la xifra rodona de 10 anys de vida.

Aquest projecte personal ja porta acumulades 835 entrades, escrites en tres idiomes (castellà català i anglès), que són una mostra de la meva passió pels jocs de rol que espero seguir compartint amb tots els meus lectors i lectores durant 10 anys o més (si , benvolguts amics, entrades com la d'ahir són el resultat de l'esforç d'una sola persona).

Se que el blog és llegit per persones de diversos països i m'agradaria conèixer l'opinió dels lectors sobre els seus continguts, de manera que gustosament us animo a deixar els vostres comentaris per així seguir millorant en els mesos i anys que vindran.

El Dado Inquieto

The blog is 10 years old

Today, the day of Saint George and the dragon, the day of the book and the rose and the day of lovers, the blog reaches the round figure of 10 years of life.

This personal project has already accumulated 835 posts, written in three languages (Spanish, Catalan and English), which are a demostration of my passion for role-playing games that I hope to continue sharing with all my readers for another 10 years or more (yes , dear friends, posts like yesterday's are the result of the effort of a single person).

I know that the blog is read by people from various countries and I would like to know the opinion of readers about its contents, so I gladly encourage you to leave your comments so that I can continue to improve in the months and years to come.

El Dado Inquieto

Coming back

Hello, I know that the blog has been idle for a while (the last post is from the end of July), but there are moments in which the exertion, especially the mental one, to manage a trilingual blog being only one person at command is really important. Adding to this what is happening with the COVID-19 pandemic and see certain irresponsible attitudes, you can take for sure that my mood is not exactly happy and inspiration is not being too auspicious (luckily, as fas as I know, nor I or any of my family members, friends or close ones is affected by the pandemic, otherwise everything would be worse).

But well, having blown off steam a little it's a matter of moving forward because “show must go on”, so a certain Hobbit seeking adventures I jump in with today's post and comment a couple of interesting and necessay topics given the times we are living:

Solidarity Campaign Ayudar Jugando 2020

As in every year the association Ayudar Jugando organize his campaign to collect funds for solidary projects to help children and teenagers risking social exclusion, but due to the pandemic the days held at Cotxeres de Sants in Barcelona every year devoted to this are suspended, instead of this they encourage to collaborate with the association organizing events during this last quarter of the year (October to December) as is explained in their website.

All those people or associations interested in collaboring may do so through this page, where they can register their solidarity activities or help in other ways.

La Marató 2020

As every year La Marató starts, organized by TV3, Catalunya Radio and the foundation La Marató de TV3, which since 1992 is devoted to collect funds for medical research and scientific dissemination and social conciousness activities.

This year's edition, as all that is happening right now, has been marked by COVID-19 pandemics, so it has been decided that instead of devoting it to mental illnesses (a topic moved to 2021 edition) it will be fully dedicated to collect funds for researching about this disease and help those affected.

And this is all for now, I'll see you in the next post (I hope it won't take so long).

This entry it's also available in the following languages:
Castellano Català

Y otro año más | I un altre any més | And another year more

Castellano: Este mes el blog cumple años una vez más, aunque no esperaba que todos nos encontraríamos con una situación como la que estamos viviendo ahora con la pandemia del COVID-19.

Durante las últimas semanas han aparecido varias iniciativas para ayudar a sobrellevar la situación que he estado recopilando en este hilo de mi cuenta de Twitter y al final de esta entrada también os he añadido algunos enlaces a sitios web con contenido de rol que os pueden interesar.

Espero que todos vosotros y vuestros allegados os encontréis bien y que podáis disfrutar de esta Diada de Sant Jordi, el día de los enamorados, el libro y la rosa de la mejor manera posible.

Català: Aquest mes el blog fa anys un altre cop, tot i que no esperava que ens trobaríem tots plegats en una situació com la que estem vivint amb la pandèmia del COVID-19.

Durant les últimes setmanes han aparegut diverses iniciatives per ajudar a suportar la situació que he estat recopilant en aquest fil del meu compte de Twitter i al final d’aquesta entrada també us he afegit alguns enllaços a llocs web amb contingut de rol que també us pot interessar.

Desitjo que tots vosaltres i les vostres persones afins us trobeu bé i que pugueu gaudir d’aquesta Diada de Sant Jordi, el dia dels enamorats, el llibre i la rosa de la millor manera possible.

English: This month the blog turns years again, although I didn’t expect all of us to be in a situation like we are living now due to COVID-19 pandemic

During the last weeks many initiatives to help to endure the situation have appeared, I have collected these in a thread in my Twitter account and at the end of this post I have also added some links to websites with role-playing content which you also may find interesting,

I hope that all of you and your close are well and that you can enjoy this Diada de Sant Jordi, the day of the lovers, the book and the rose the best way possible.

Maqui Edicions: al pot petit

grapas&mapas

El Tomo carmesí

Sinergia del juego de rol

One Page Dungeon Contest

Role-playing games... in decline?

Logo of Joc Internacional,
originally designed by Arnal Ballester

Last May 3rd the Spanish newspaper El Mundo published in its online edition the article titled Decadencia y caída del imperio de los juegos de rol (Decline and fall of the empire of role-playing games, here with a link to the Google machine-translation, just in case the article disappears or is deleted you can find a copy of it in Google's search cache and Archive.org) which proposes that role-playing games in Spain have been a fad that had its peak in the decades of the 80s and 90s of last century and coinciding with the sale of the game Oráculo by the now dissapeared publisher Joc Internacional (Wikipedia | Roleropedia) this playful period was extinguished leaving only a few players (“románticos trasnochados” ie "outmoded romantics" literally citing the article) who insist on going ahead with hobbies that, quoting the article again “se reducen a curiosidades casi arqueológicas” (ie "are reduced to almost archaeological curiosities") and one might think they are like Asterix, Obelix and the Gauls of the village which obstinately resists again and again to the Roman invader, The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper or the 300 Spartans of king Leonidas in the Battle of Thermopylae...

Well, what can I tell you?, as one of these outmoded romantics I can tell you that the view presented in the article does not correspond much less to the world in which I move and is full of a large number of errors and fallacies (to see a thorough breakdown and critique of the article you may read this post of the blog Play it again, Sam or see this video of the Youtube channel of El Poderoso Crom).

In fact we are living through a really fabulous creative bloom in which contact between veteran players and newbies recently discovering this marvelous hobby does not stop growing, in which ideas and publications of fans and publishers bloom and are spread thanks to Internet and the new technologies using websites, blogs and social networks, as you can see in the feeds appearing at the right side of my blog, in Red de Rol or the community El Rol de Siempre Online to put just a few examples (and yes, those are the technologies which apparently had to definitively bury our “analogical” hobby but are helping to mantain it and grow it).

And if that was not enough some of the role-playing games created in Spain wil have an English language edition as can be read in this post of the blog of Nocturnal Media, so the future is very interesting and does not seem to fall into decline more or less immediately.

Perhaps you, dear reader, have reached my blog being a role-playing games connoisseur and already know all of this, but there's also the chance of you being a person who have heared about our hobby and want to know more about it, if so, I recommend you take a look to the corresponding Wikipedia entry and the excellent blogs Rol de los 90 and La Frikoteca to knwo more about it, also you may want to test some games, so you may visit the websites offering freely downloadable games and aventures in Spanish and Catalan like RolGratis.com, Sinergia del juego de rol or Codice Grupo Creativo (Facebook | Google+ | Wix), the digital shelf of Maqui Edicions at Lektu and the blog Fanzine Rolero, so if you want it you will not need to spend any euro (or dollar, or whatever), you also may know of players willing to invite you to a demonstration session and who knows, perhaps you like it, but if not dont worry, not all people likes the same things and there is nothing wrong with it.

This entry it's also available in the following languages:
Castellano Català

Christmas Truce of 1914

© IWM (Q 11718), part of GRIGG J SELBY (MR) COLLECTION,

used under the terms of the IWM Non Commercial Licence.

A day like today, but a century ago, soldiers of two opposing sides left their weapons behind for a few hours to celebrate Christmas together in No Man's Land separating their trenches. This brief and unexpected break went down in History as the Christmas Truce of 1914.

300 years ago...

Representation of the infantry counteratack del contraatac by Rafael Casanova in the enbankment of the wall in Jonqueres sector.

When one hears the date of September 11, you can come immediately to mind events like the attack on the twin towers in New York in 2001 or coup of General Pinochet in Chile on 1973, but today I want to talk about events that happened 300 years ago in the city that I was born and where I live: this is obviously the siege and fall of Barcelona in 1714 against the assault of the combined French and Spanish troops representing the Bourbon monarchy.

I wish for a moment all to forget what politicians and media from either sign are saying these days to go back in time and see a brief summary of the events that occurred at that time.

The PWYW Model

This last months it's beginning to be obvious in the English-speaking role-playing environment the tendency of apply to games and modules in digital format (mainly in pdf format but sometimes also in epub) the Pay What You Want (PWYW) model, consisting in offering your products and give the chance to your buyers to pay the marked price, only a part, only a part or even not a cent.

Noticia triste de carácter personal / Notícia trista de caràcter personal / Sad personal news

Castellano:

En la entrada de hoy no voy a hablaros de juegos de rol u otras aficiones relacionadas ya que el tema que ahora mismo me  ocupa es mucho más serio.

Mi padre ha fallecido este mediodía tras una semana ingresado en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos y tres operaciones quirúrgicas complicadas. Lo enterraremos este viernes, por lo que el blog estará desatendido durante unos días.

Asimismo debo anunciar que suspendo mi participación en las Juguem 2011, como espero que comprendan todas las personas implicadas (organización y posibles jugadores) mi estado de ánimo no es ahora mismo el más adecuado para arbitrar en unas jornadas. Espero poder arbitrar La Colonia más adelante, ya sea en otra edición de las Juguem o en otros certámenes de rol.

Hasta más adelante.

Català:

A l'entrada d'avui no us parlaré de jocs de rol o altres aficions relacionades ja que el tema que ara mateix m'ocupa és molt més seriós.

El meu pare ha mort aquest migdia després d'una setmana ingressat a la Unitat de Cures Intensives i tres operacions quirúrgiques complicades. L'enterrarem aquest divendres, de manera que el blog estarà desatès durant uns dies.

Així mateix he d'anunciar que suspenc la meva participació en les Juguem 2011, com espero que comprenguin totes les persones implicades (organització i possibles jugadors) el meu estat d'ànim no és ara mateix el més adequat per arbitrar en unes jornades. Espero poder arbitrar La Colònia més endavant, ja sigui en una altra edició de les Juguem o en altres certàmens de rol.

Fins més endavant.

English:

In today's entry I will not tell you about RPGs and other related hobbies as the issue that now concerns me is much more serious.

My father died this midday after a week in a Intensive Care Unit and three complicated surgeries. We'll bury him this Friday, so the blog will be unattended for a few days.

I also announce that I suspend my participation in the Juguem 2011, I hope all the people involved (organization and potential players) will understand that my mood is not the most appropriate now to arbitrate in a game day. I hope to arbitrate The Colony later, either in another edition of Juguem or other RPG days.

Until later.

There's Dungeons Down Under goes on!

Well, as Mark Twain once said: « The report of my death was an exaggeration.»

Austrodavicus, the owner of There's Dungeons Down Under has decided to continue the blog as he states here.

Congratulations, Dave!

There's Dungeons Down Under closes

Austrodavicus of There's Dungeons Down Under, a fellow Australian gamer who aided me with the English translation of the module Pantano de los Suspiros have decided to shut up his blog.

Thank you for your help Dave, I desire you the best.

Thoughts, preparations of the Blue Box, interesting news and recommended downloads

Waiting for the photographic review of the Spanish edition of Donjon to be ready I’m going to offer some news sure to be of interest.

Thoughts about the visibility of Role-playing games fandom

In the blogs Veinticinco Horas al Día and Outcasted Project there are some very interesting thoughts about the ways to raise awareness our hobby.