tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post7339546286768726328..comments2024-03-19T03:02:38.228-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: Throw Away the D10sJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-31265622111787811422008-10-14T08:06:00.000-04:002008-10-14T08:06:00.000-04:00Those are great videos! Thanks for sharing them.Those are great videos! Thanks for sharing them.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-45266280087960754812008-10-10T23:38:00.000-04:002008-10-10T23:38:00.000-04:00Check out the two videos with Colonel Zocchi from ...Check out the two videos with Colonel Zocchi from <A HREF="http://www.dicecollector.com/DICEINFO_VIDEOS_OTHER.html" REL="nofollow">Kevin Cook’s dice site</A>. I’d heard of his pitch before, but—not being much of a convention goer—never heard it myself.<BR/><BR/>Heck, after watching that, I think for the next MSH session I’m going to put away my Koplow 20-sided d10s and break out my old Gamescience “classic +” 20-siders.Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16733274876782876659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-62769730720892379222008-09-30T11:17:00.000-04:002008-09-30T11:17:00.000-04:00To make unbiased dice, you also have to carefully ...<I>To make unbiased dice, you also have to carefully ensure that the volume of material missing for the numbers is the same on each face. (“20” would need to be shallower than “1”.) Likewise, inking should be controlled to ensure it adds the same amount of mass to each face.</I><BR/><BR/>I clearly haven't thought enough about the process by which dice are made :)James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-58326395569852337662008-09-30T11:12:00.000-04:002008-09-30T11:12:00.000-04:00It’s almost certainly true. The tumbling process r...It’s almost certainly true. The tumbling process randomly removes material.<BR/><BR/>To make unbiased dice, you also have to carefully ensure that the volume of material missing for the numbers is the same on each face. (“20” would need to be shallower than “1”.) Likewise, inking should be controlled to ensure it adds the same amount of mass to each face. Even this isn’t ideal, since the distribution of mass on each face will differ.<BR/><BR/>That’s why casino dice have sharp edges and the pips are filled flush with material the same density as the die itself.<BR/><BR/>But D&D isn’t craps. That kind of precision is overkill for a role-playing game. Most dice from Chessex, et al. are unbiased <EM>enough</EM>Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16733274876782876659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-39628307287383747782008-09-30T10:43:00.000-04:002008-09-30T10:43:00.000-04:00I don’t care what Professor Z says, though, I like...<I>I don’t care what Professor Z says, though, I like tumbled, professionally inked dice whether they’re slightly biased or not.</I><BR/><BR/>Lou Zocchi thinks tumbled dice are biased? I'm not surprised he says that, but I'd never heard it before.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-89413661968397139612008-09-30T02:06:00.000-04:002008-09-30T02:06:00.000-04:00I’m not a big fan of the “true d10” either for aes...I’m not a big fan of the “true d10” either for aesthetic reasons.<BR/><BR/>I still have my sharp-edged, un-inked d20s with the plus signs. My first two sets of dice beyond what came in my Moldvay box. (Still have those too.) I don’t care what Professor Z says, though, I like tumbled, professionally inked dice whether they’re slightly biased or not.<BR/><BR/>Besides, I’ve never been happy with any of my attempts to ink (or crayon) those old dice.<BR/><BR/>I did finally find a pair of d20s—tumbled and inked—numbered 0–9 twice, but without the plus signs. Plus, they’re ugly colors. I enjoy them, though.<BR/><BR/>Now I want one numbered 00–90 (by tens) twice. (^_^)<BR/><BR/>I’m also not a fan of d4s. Sometime I’m going to order some d8s numbered 1–4 twice.Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16733274876782876659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-74720813314121775262008-09-25T08:06:00.000-04:002008-09-25T08:06:00.000-04:00However, they were - and remain - better than Holm...<I>However, they were - and remain - better than Holmes edition chits drawn from dixie cups.</I><BR/><BR/>Very much agreed. I hated the chits and felt cheated that my Holmes box didn't come with real dice.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-12259549427979502762008-09-24T22:02:00.000-04:002008-09-24T22:02:00.000-04:00I own that d8. Well, one of its brothers (class o...I own that d8. Well, one of its brothers (class of '79). With the exception of my long lost 20 sider (0-9, twice, and sharpied), I have all those original polyhedrons.<BR/><BR/>I smile every time I see them, but I retired them a long time ago.<BR/><BR/>However, they were - and remain - better than Holmes edition chits drawn from dixie cups.Brian Ihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03611254309132646269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-60684120253745180602008-09-24T11:20:00.000-04:002008-09-24T11:20:00.000-04:00Heh. I remember getting MERP and having the two ti...Heh. I remember getting MERP and having the two tiny 0-9x2 d20s in that box.<BR/>I also recall my being such a dummy that I was angered that for a while I couldn't figure out how to roll a "100", while at the same time not understanding exactly what rolling a 00 meant. Folly of youth.<BR/><BR/>Also, you make a good point about the inspirational material mentioned in rpgs. I hadn't noticed or thought of it until now, but now that I haven...I can't remember the last time I saw books listed as inspirational material in an rpg.<BR/><BR/>Sad.<BR/><BR/>-EricAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-44516630551412160802008-09-24T03:23:00.000-04:002008-09-24T03:23:00.000-04:00I definitely understand it. It had never occurred ...I definitely understand it. It had never occurred to me before that the d10 is not a regular solid, and now that I notice it, it does make it seem like an outsider when arrayed with its companions. I'm not sure that's enough to make me stop using it, but the d10 definitely stands out now!thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-56588195747779359952008-09-23T22:36:00.000-04:002008-09-23T22:36:00.000-04:00Though lately I've been thinking about getting som...<I>Though lately I've been thinking about getting some of Zocchi's non-tumbled dice.</I><BR/><BR/>Are there any examples of those online anywhere? I'd love to see what they look like.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-22507740714467143262008-09-23T20:38:00.000-04:002008-09-23T20:38:00.000-04:00Kelvin: the weird little surfaces along the equato...Kelvin: the weird little surfaces along the equator of old d10's were kind of an aesthetic turn-off. Now that dice are tumbled to round the edges it's not so much an issue. Though lately I've been thinking about getting some of Zocchi's non-tumbled dice.<BR/><BR/>Speaking of Zocchi, I own a couple modern d20's marked 0 to 9 because his Star Fleet Battle Manual is written with them in mind. I sold my copies of SFBM a while back but kept the dice.Jeff Rientshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-79063108496093777462008-09-23T17:12:00.000-04:002008-09-23T17:12:00.000-04:00That's it? I thought there was more to it than tha...That's it? I thought there was more to it than that, but I can understand it, certainly.thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-58598689015992417052008-09-23T17:08:00.000-04:002008-09-23T17:08:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-25343963159759306112008-09-23T14:11:00.000-04:002008-09-23T14:11:00.000-04:00Out of interest, what is "wrong" with the modern d...<I>Out of interest, what is "wrong" with the modern d10s?</I><BR/><BR/>They're not regular solids.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-47151199524038008352008-09-23T13:48:00.000-04:002008-09-23T13:48:00.000-04:00Out of interest, what is "wrong" with the modern d...Out of interest, what is "wrong" with the modern d10s?thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-72391556882889791542008-09-23T13:08:00.000-04:002008-09-23T13:08:00.000-04:00Ah, the old Gamescience "plus 20" dice, with the l...Ah, the old Gamescience "plus 20" dice, with the little + sign next to half of the numbers. I have a dozen or so of them and they're my d10 and d20 of choice. It's not really nostalgia (although I've had one of them for well over twenty years) so much as preferring the way they roll.Big Jack Brasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12685412912767965560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-34045233744042975302008-09-23T11:18:00.000-04:002008-09-23T11:18:00.000-04:00roleplaying, as an activity, is an old fashioned o...<I>roleplaying, as an activity, is an old fashioned one.</I><BR/><BR/>It requires patience and a commitment of time, but so do flashmobbing and mentos/coke stunts. It's a weird thing, I don't think the time issue answers it at all... maybe it's just that it makes poor youtube fodder.richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517340075234811323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-32488378695002216892008-09-23T10:10:00.000-04:002008-09-23T10:10:00.000-04:00I think I'm behind the times. I pulled out a 0-9 ...I think I'm behind the times. I pulled out a 0-9 twice d20 at a game fairly recently and was surprised to see my fellow gamers -- who are mostly my age, so I wouldn't have expected this of them -- react as if I'd pulled out a turkey quill pen and an ink pot and started writing on my character sheet in Chaucerian English.Ed Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01262472490580424119noreply@blogger.com