Sunday 1 March 2015

True Retro-Gaming Is In Black And White!

I don't know what it is, but looking at pictures of Donald Featherstone just makes me happy!



 

I fantasize about one day stumbling upon a picture of Donald Featherstone and Gary Gygax playing a game of Chainmail together circa 1972.   Sigh. 

On a related note, I was happily surprised at the Time-Travel effects on Picasa...




Makes me curious to see what other Time-Travelling services they offer...

10 comments:

  1. Great pictures. In the top one, the terrain looks like plaster of paris....must have weighed a ton. There are several photos taken in that room with the little staircase in the background....was it a cellar or an upstairs room on a split level floor? All retro-gamers should wear Tattersall shirts as in the second picture, gives one a certain amount of gravitas especially when worn with a cravat. The new pictures look convincingly old... there is an effect called Toy Camera on our camera which fuzzes the edges like a 1960's photo...very nostalgic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Springinsfeld,

      Thanks, I love all those pictures of Mr. Featherstone in his early books. And I've always been curious about that staircase too. Where's does it lead? Although I think the room he is in is down in the bottom of his home - he talks quite often about his sandtable and how heavy it is - and there is that great story about his friend who had a sandtable on a second floor only to have it come crashing down into his diningroom below! Ahh, sandtables! I used to have one in the basement of my old place and I loved it although miniatures would go missing for years! And yes, I agree about Tattersall shirts and proper wargaming attire in general - I feel I must run and get my cravat right now!

      Delete
  2. Pictures do look good indeed.
    So it seems you've given picasa a chance then ? You can add further effect (to make pics look old) when reading your google albums on google chrome.
    I keep meaning to play a game dressed in a proper oldschool attire some day but keep failing. It goes without saying the day it happens will be fully documentated...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Mr. ALMan,

      Nice to have you back! It is too bad you couldn't make it out West in your Canada trip. And thanks for turning me on to Picasa - I would have been still struggling to download pictures onto the blog without it. I will see what else it can do shortly, but I feel it will be tempting to overuse all the special effects and such. And yes to the oldschool attire! A gentleman must always be properly dressed for all occasions, especially wargaming!

      Delete
    2. I missed a couple of opportunities but there will be other occasions I'm sure... Farther west I could do was Ottawa this time...
      As for special effects you've been using a fair share in the past and know how to tell stories, I'm pretty sure you won't fall into the Jerry Bruckheimer syndrome ;)

      Delete
    3. No way, Man, I'm gonna go Jerry Bruckheimer all the way!!! Get ready for a crowd-pleasing chocolate Robot Buddy story with lots of explosions! But it's going to be in Black and White...

      Delete
  3. Your photos re-done in time travel mode look pretty sweet. I'm imagining using those effects on a Pulp or Old West set-up...that would be the perfect touch!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Mouse,

      Thanks, I like the look the time travel mode gives too. I'm on the edge of having the next bunch of posts all be in that style. And Old West would be great too - I love playing with my cowboys and having High Noon style shoot-outs, just don't get the chance to do it much anymore. Must stop working and do more playing!

      Delete
  4. These photos make me wonder; in 20 years what will they be saying: non 3d photos? Figures which don't move themselves or game tables which don't measure ranges themselves? That is of course if our hobby survives 20 years.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey 24_Cigs,

      Interesting. I think there will always be freaks like us who enjoy moving real toy soldiers around a table. Or I hope so - it is just such a nice, enjoyable thing to do! But having said that, I always had wanted to play a holographic battle much like the one Chewie and R2 had played on the Falcon. Perhaps one day we can all play both! And then post the 3D pics of it on our mindlink written and shared blogs.

      Delete