Biomonitors: One Step Closer

August 12th, 2010

“Calgary researchers have created a microchip that “communicates” with brain cells”

An important step in the technology required for a fully functional biomonitor.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/08/10/calgary-neurochip-brain-cells-syed-alzheimers-parkinsons.html

Catalyst Game Labs Call for 2010 Conventions GMs

January 25th, 2010

Hello all !

We are now heading into the 2010 Convention season and we need to start getting our volunteers lists into order. We will have a need for 12 GMs for Origins and 40 GMs for Gencon (This number includes GMs for BT:RPG, Eclipse Phase, CthulhuTech, and Shadowrun)

I have been assured that the benefits for GMing will be increased over what was given last year. Details on GM comp to follow (as I get the info).

So….What say you? Are you up for a challenge? Contact me at

Cburhanna001@hotmail.com

and volunteer for one or both conventions. I will be putting out the proposed game session schedule in early Feb. so stay tuned. Feel free to contact your friends and ask if they might be willing to help us out in running these games.

As an aside, what would you like to see as additional GM comp? Let me know and I’ll see what we can do.

…Chuck

The Retired Mage

A.K.A. Nim-Nu

Catalyst Game Labs Price Reduction On All Core Rulebook PDFs

December 24th, 2009

Catalyst Game Labs Price Reduction On All Core Rulebook PDFs

Effective immediately, Catalyst Game Labs is lowering the prices for its core rulebook PDFs for all game lines. This includes:

SHADOWRUN

Shadowrun 20th Anniversary Edition: $15

Runner’s Companion: $12

Arsenal: $12

Augmentation: $12

Unwired: $12

Street Magic: $12

BATTLETECH

Total Warfare: $15

TechManual: $15

Tactical Operation: $15

Strategic Operations: $15

CTHULHUTECH

CthulhuTech Core Rulebook: $15

Catalyst Game Labs has embraced electronic publishing as a vital medium for expanding a community’s enjoyment of a game line. This is readily apparent with the launch of Eclipse Phase under the Creative Commons license and at a $15 price point, simultaneously with the release of the print rulebook into standard distribution. Catalyst Game Labs continues to follow this pattern with the recent publication of Leviathans’ Lieutenant’s Manual, the first major miniatures game release also utilizing the Creative Commons license, embracing the open-minded nature of the electronic medium.

At the same time Catalyst Game Labs is dedicated to supporting brick-and-mortar hobby stores, still the life’s blood of our hobby and the greatest avenue for new players to be exposed to new games. The Catalyst RED (Retailer Electronic Distribution) combines Catalyst embracing of electronic distribution and retailer support into a single system that allows retailers to sell our PDFs directly to customers.

The release of both Eclipse Phase Core Rulebook and Leviathans’ Lieutenant’s Manual PDFs at a reduced price showcased the willingness of gamers to “check out a new game” if the price is reasonable; especially combined with the willingness of a publisher to stand by the quality and strength of their game line. With two of the most icon universes in our industry (and a fabulous up-and-coming game line) Catalyst Game Labs is standing by the strength and quality of its game lines, lowering the price of its introductory products for the entire gaming community.

If you’ve always wanted to check out Shadowrun or BattleTech (or would like to return after a long hiatus), there’s never been a better chance to grab a PDF and see what the excitement is all about!

Catalyst R.E.D. Program – Buy your PDF’s at your local gaming shop!

September 26th, 2009

As seen here: http://catalystgamelabs.com/2009/09/25/catalyst-red/

It seems that, historically, the only place to buy a PDF was from the manufacturer (or a select few online websites). If you wanted both a PDF and physical book, you were limited to what was available from the manufacturer. Retail stores that serve the player with play space, selection, and knowledge just could not offer a player a PDF and a book. We at Catalyst Game Labs have been working hard to change that.

Therefore we’re proud to announce the creation of Catalyst RED, our new Retailer Electronic Delivery system. With RED, retailers will be able to sell you copies of the core book PDFs along with your hard copies right at the store simply by providing your email address. And should you for some reason lose your PDF, you can easily request another download of the file, just like a online customer. We feel that Catalyst RED will finally allow that next step in customer satisfaction that you and the owners of your friendly local game store have been asking for.

Currently the system is in Alpha testing at select game stores across the country, and we plan to have the system available at more retailers later this year. For a list of retailers who currently offer Catalyst RED purchases see below:

Adventure Game Store
6967 Stirling Rd
Davie, FL 33314

Black Diamond Games
1950 Market St Suite E
Concord, CA 94520

Castle Perilous
207 West Main Street
Carbondale, IL 62901

EndGame
921 Washington
Oakland, CA 94607

Le Valet d’Coeur
4408 St-Denis, Montreal
P.Que, Canada, H2J 2L1

Modern Myths
34 Bridge St #4
Northampton, MA 01060

Myriad Games
8 Stiles Rd.
Salem, NH 03079

Rainy Day Games
18105 SW TV HWY
Aloha, OR 97006

The Danger Room
2213 S. Scatterfield Rd
Anderson, IN 46016

Shadowrun public chat this Saturday, September 19

September 17th, 2009

“We’ll be holding a Shadowrun public chat this Saturday, September 19th, at 10 AM PDT (Seattle time), which is 12 PM CDT (Developer time). It’ll be your chance to fire questions at the new developer! Learn how it is that the guy who wrote Battlerun is now in charge of the line! Find out what he wants to do with the line (besides more drop bears and elven porn)! Discover what’s in the pipeline! Influence his malleable little brain while it’s still fresh and full of hope!

Just meet us at the Shadowrun chat site on Battlecorps on Saturday for all the fun!”

(Originally Posted to the Dumpshock Forums by Jason Hardy)

Catalyst Game Labs Hires New Shadowrun Line Developer

September 8th, 2009

In a year celebrating 20 years of Shadowrun, Catalyst is more committed than ever to this fantastic game and universe. First through the publication of the full-color anniversary edition of the core rulebook this summer, and now through the hiring of a new line developer who’ll take Shadowrun into its next twenty years.

After interviewing several highly qualified candidates at Gen Con, Catalyst is pleased to announced that Jason Hardy is filling the hot seat as the line developer for this perennial game line.

“I’ve known Jason for a long time? said Randall Bills, Catalyst Game Labs’ Managing Developer. “His passion for the universe is huge and he’s got a great eye for detail. Before Gen Con was even finished he was meeting with the SR freelancers and talking future plots and books. That type of passion, dedication and communication are exactly what we’re looking for and what’ll help elevate Shadowrun even more as we head into the future.?

Jason Hardy joins Catalyst having been freelancing for almost a decade, working for a variety of companies and game lines, as well as publishing a half dozen novels.

Image-Link/Visual Augmentation Contact Lenses

September 1st, 2009

One step closer to becoming a reality. The article has some good discussion about potential methods of powering them as well as other practical applications like functioning as a simple biomonitor.

 http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/bionics/augmented-reality-in-a-contact-lens/0

Welcome to the Data Haven!

August 27th, 2009

http://datahaven.dumpshock.com/

Welcome to the Dumpshock Data Haven, Dumpshock.com’s new Shadowrun Magazine!

DDH will be a collection of In-Game fiction and world information, as well as Game Mechanics, reviews, information, and advice for GMs and Players alike to bolster their game.

Keep watching the Data Haven site, as we’ll be adding more to it over the next few days and weeks leading up to our inaugural release on October 1st!

Eclipse Phase PDF & Hardcopy Pre-Order is now available!

August 23rd, 2009

Eclipse Phase isn’t technically Shadowrun, but it’s produced by Posthuman Studios, which is headed up by long time Shadowrun Developer Rob Boyle and Shadowrun writer Brian Cross.  It’s a fantastic game, and I strongly urge you all to check it out!

— Bull

The Eclipse Phase core book PDF is now available! You may also pre-order the hardcopy book or get a bundle hardcopy + PDF deal from Catalyst through their BattleShop.

Note that we’re making the PDF available for the low price of only $15 ($10 if you take the bundle deal with the hardcopy). This is substantially lower than standard industry PDF pricing for an equivalent book. If anyone’s wondering, this is part of the reason we took a bit longer to get the PDF out, as Posthuman Studios and Catalyst Game Labs negotiated on a PDF price point that would get this game in as many hands as possible while still meeting Catalyst’s business needs. As Cory Doctorow has noted, the biggest danger to new authors (or in this case, a new game) is obscurity. This is part of the reason we pursued the Creative Commons license, allowing our fans to share the game with their friends. The RPG publishing industry is a business with low profit margins, however, and PDF sales are often viewed as supplemental and necessary income that can mean the difference in a company’s well-being or even survival. We’re taking a risk here, and we’re hoping the gaming community will reciprocate and show us some love back. So if you receive this PDF from a friend who shared it in accordance with the Creative Commons license, and you like it, please support the cause by buying the PDF and/or bundle. To some degree, this is an experiment, and we hope to make it work. If it does, it may very well affect how Catalyst and other game companies go about biz in the future. So to be blunt, we need your support!

Seattle 2072 PDF + Print Pre Order Now Available. Welcome Home!

August 23rd, 2009

Seattle 2072, the second full-color hardcover as part of our 20th Anniversary of Shadowrun celebration, is available now in PDF, and the print version is also available — along with the PDF + Print Pre-Order combo. We anticipate shipping these books in October.

This 200 page book is the ultimate look at Seattle, presenting the City on the Sound in full-color, like you’ve never seen her before.

Preview the first seven pages of Seattle 2072, including Tables of Contents and fiction from Kris Katzen.

Welcome Home

It’s a screwed up city. Isolated from the rest of the UCAS, it’s haven for criminals—smugglers, syndicates, gangers. Legal criminals, too—megacorporations, governments, politicians.

As beautiful as she is dysfunctional, Seattle is urban sprawl amid rolling hills and forests nestled up to man-made wonders next door to natural and man-made disasters. Whether you’re a native or not, Seattle will draw you in like no other.

You can run for a lifetime and never leave Seattle, but some say you can’t run for a lifetime without entering.