The ZÜCA is quite possibly the world’s best gamer bag for convention goers. Trask has been asking me to do a review for a while. He even featured it in this year’s ‘10 Christmas Gift Ideas for a Role-Playing Gamer‘ due to all my man-love speech.

So, without further ado, I will begin…

Trask and I first saw the ZÜCA at the Origins 2006 Convention. We were both intrigued, but the $100+ price tag was a turn-off. I almost went back and got one on Sunday; however, I had exhausted my discretionary spending, so took a business card instead…. and never forgot the things I saw that day!

At Origins 2007, I had made up my mind to get one of these things, as I was in need of a new gamer bag. I really liked the look and the concept. Even though they were originally designed for 8-year-old girls who like to ice skate (I hope gamers bypass the sequined pink bag option), it was perfect for gamers on the go. However, ZÜCA did not have a booth at that convention. Foiled again!

But that didn’t stop me. In early 2008, I was gifted with an Amazon.com gift certificate through work. Well that was it, I purchased my ZÜCA. And I have never been more happy with a gaming bag.

I have had the ZÜCA at Origins 2008 as well as local conventions and game days. I find it perfect for my RPG needs. The main compartment is the perfect size for gaming books. And, its many pockets and compartments carry my full complement of gaming accessories (and snacks). And the best part, I always have everything in one place. I set my ZÜCA right next to my desk at home, and all of the stuff I keep in it, stays in it. So when I need to go, I can go in an instant and not have to remember if I have packed everything.

So what sets the ZÜCA apart from a normal bag or backpack?

• Con Shoulder – The worst part about going to a 4-day convention is coming home with both aching feet and aching shoulders. Carrying around gaming supplies and books is a heavy load and four days really takes its toll. You can have two sore shoulders from a backpack or one REALLY sore shoulder from a sling bag. Well with the ZÜCA, there is nothing. You just have to wheel the thing behind you like a piece of luggage. And it has a handle to grab if, for some reason, you hit a space where rolling doesn’t work so well, like a staircase. The ZÜCA actually does stairs really well thanks to it’s secondary wheel; but, for big stairs I have found it easier to just pick up the thing and go.
• Con Feet – The before mentioned sore feet? Well the ZÜCA is built to be able to sit on. That is right, you are wheeling around a portable chair with you too! It is not the most comfortable seat in the world, and you wouldn’t want to sit on it long term, but it works great for something in a pinch. Standing in line waiting for your RPG to start? Sit instead.
• More workspace – And that flat hard top that is designed for sitting, makes great auxiliary table space at the game table. I routinely set books, food, drinks, on top of that instead of being kicked on the floor or knocked over on the table (Note: I am usually the one doing the kicking and knocking). And since it is like a mini locker, I set it next to me, door open, and all my books are within easy reach.
• Rugged – With a durable aluminum frame, this thing can take a beating and keep going. I had to replace my gamer bag every couple of years due to tears, rips, etc. I am going one year strong on the ZÜCA and have no worn areas. Not, even the mesh netting on the side, since it is somewhat protected by the metal frame.
• Replaceable Bag – Part of me wishes that the bag would rip apart and need to be replaced though. Then I would have an excuse to replace it with this cool Flame Job Bag! FYI:The bag is replaceable and you can keep the same frame, which is the expensive part.

The negatives of the ZÜCA are minimal. Part of me wishes that it was slightly larger. But, at least this way it forces me to bring less stuff with me on the airline (a costly thing now). And you can use the ZÜCA as an overhead bin bag on an airplane if you wanted (I haven’t done that yet). Really, the negative most people will cite is the price. The frames for the ZÜCA sport are $100. From there the bags that go in them are around $30 to $45 depending on how pimped out it is (you can get bags that turn the ZÜCA into a pet carrier). But, I found the price to be well worth it, especially over the long haul.

If you do get a ZÜCA, please just do yourself and everyone around you a favor. You aren’t that 8-year-old ice skating girl, so don’t get the wheels with lights that flash as they turn.

That said, here are a couple of pictures of my personal ZÜCA and how I use it. And feel free to post any questions that you have.

Zuca Bag with Dice Tray

Zuca Bag Interior View with Game Books and Miniature Cases

Haaldaar

Disclosure: I have no relationship with ZÜCA other than being a very satisfied customer.

Thumbs Down on Your DM

In hushed tones and secret emails, the group decides it needs a change. There is no good way to do this, but here are my thoughts on some of the least painful ways to get rid of your DM problem.

Telling the DM in question that you have some concerns and offer some suggestions as to how he/she might improve is the politically correct tactic. Personally, I think that this is pointless. If the DM has no clue after weeks of player groaning and rules arguments, then the DM is just not DM material. Part of the DM’s task is being aware of the total game, not just the tabletop, but his players as well. This approach might work with a newbie DM, but anyone with more than a year of DMing under their belts should know better.

Instead, seek a subtle alternative to the direct confrontation. All of these methods assume you want the current (bad) DM to stay as a player. One of my favorite methods is to volunteer to run a new game or take over the existing campaign. This allows the current DM a “break” and moves them back onto the player’s side of the table. A bad DM is not necessarily a bad player! I met some people at conventions that make me quake in fear at the thought of them DMing again, but demonstrated real skill as players.

Should this approach fail, force the issue with a “majority rules” change of campaign…with someone else running the new game.  It helps to go from a common game to something obscure that the bad DM does not know or own. It helps to make the change with the DM in mind. “Sweeten” the new game with something that targets the problem DM’s tastes. Offering up a sci-fi game to the sci-fi loving DM will encourage a change from DM to player.

Finally, after the bad DM retires back to being a player, make certain that the next game you play is run well. Pick the best DM of the group let him run the game. A running commentary about what the new DM is doing might help as a sort of “on the job” training for the bad DM. Do not expect miracles the next time he runs a game, but it cannot hurt.

All RPG games depend on the DM and the players cooperating to produce a fun experience.  Do not stand idly by and let bad DMing ruin your game. Take action, regardless of how cruel it may seem. It is simply wrong for one person to ruin the game for the other players. Suffering in silence with a bad DM is just a recipe to break up your game group.

A final note about “rookie” DMs. Do not fire them, regardless of how bad they run! Many DMs (myself included) made their major DM mistakes when we were 13 years old, so our “learning curve” is carefully hidden from our current players. There is no school for DMing a game. It is a trial by fire and doing it as an adult for the first time takes no small amount of courage, so give respect (and slack) where it is due. Use these hints only for experienced gamers that are not DM material, not to shoot down the “new guy.”

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

AvatarArt is offering a discount for Livingdice.com readers!  Read on for more details.

If you have other ideas, please throw them in the comments.

1. Custom Dice

Nothing says “I am a gamer with disposable income” more than custom dice. Q-workshop has fascinating designs and reasonable prices.

2. Kilts

Every major convention has a booth filled with kilts. Sadly, most gamers pass them by without a second look. Too bad. Wearing a kilt means one of two things.

A. You saw “Braveheart” too many times and wish you were as badass as a real Highlander.

B. You ARE as badass as a real Highlander and will knock skulls to prove it. Anyone making fun of your “skirt” has a 50% chance of guessing wrong. Go on. Scare the locals. Wear a kilt.

3. Custom Binder for Character Sheets

Admit it. Every gamer has a character binder with some art lifted from a book as a cover. Amateur night is over. Get your binder professionally printed up at Avery.

4. Custom Dice Bag

Custom dice need a custom bag. I am a fan of my leather dice bag, but dicepouch.com can stitch “Gaming Love Machine” into a purple dice bag for those that need to advertise their gamer might.

5. Swords

Yes, it is a cliche, gamers with real swords, but at least you can stab anyone that reminds you of that fact. There are literally dozens of shops that sell replica weapons, but a2armory.com has a nice website.

6. Antique Maps

Most gamers I know are actually closet cartographers. Do the gamer you love a favor and send them a framed map of the old world, complete with sea monsters! Art.com has a few, but there are many fine vendors just a Google search away.

7. Custom Character Portrait

Tire of explaining that “Throkgar the Warlord” has a big scar on his face? Throw a custom character portrait on your folder and display his horrible countenance! AvatarArt has some nice samples on their page and the BASIC portrait is dirt cheap at $25.00.

Offer From AvatarArt: LivingDice readers get $5 off their initial commission, while LivingDice itself will get either $5 cash or $10 in AvatarArt credit (which never expires & is fully transferable) for each unique patron they send our way.

So an even better deal + a way to help support a site you enjoy.

8. Buy Something from Indie Press Revolution

Indie Press Revolution has a large assortment of great games and no corporate overlords. Amazingly, companies besides “Wizards of the Coast” actually produce quality role-playing games. Stick it to the man and shop independently!

9. Zuca

Conventions are tiring affairs. Lots of waiting in lines and carrying heavy books  through a 25-kilometer long convention center. A Zuca solves both issues. It is a wheeled cart for your books and a portable chair in one small package. A bit expensive, but cheaper than a new spine after Gen Con.

10. Dwarven Sweat Shoppe Custom Dice Tray

I reviewed these lovely items a few weeks ago and continue to be impressed by its craftsmanship. At about $40.00 for a base model they are a great gift that will see years of use.

Happy shopping!

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

The Odd Gamer Out

take charge and tread with no fear. Regardless of which type you are, let these helpful hints guide you in making the decision to come back for a second session.

As to why there are only 9, honestly I could not think of anything clever for #10. Besides, everybody does 10. I want to be original.

With no further ado, here is my top 9 list of hints you chose the wrong game group.

9. “Our fighter is a pacifist.”

8. The other players fear girls because they have “cooties.”

7. Cosplay!

6. DM states, “I have all the rules memorized. We do not use books.”

5. “Miniatures are not necessary for 4th Edition.”

4. You play in a dark basement on an old autopsy table and there is a drain in the floor to catch…fluids.

3. The campaign is cross-genre, Cthulhu and Yaoi.

2. Huzzah! We killed the dragon. Time for a group snuggle!

1. The rulebook was written by Jack Chick.

Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments.

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

Marriage.

Yes, this ancient institution has done more to interfere with quality game time than work, school or even illness.  Many a gamer has lamented that he “wants to play” but the wife wants him to:

1. Spend time with her.

2. Do household maintenance

3.  Visit family

4. Come with her to her “Jane Austen” book club. “You will have so much fun discussing ‘Sense and Sensibility!’”

Should you young, single gamers think you can simply say, “I do not want to go,” think again. Powerful is the woman who shares your bed. If you go without her at least tacit consent, curses will be laid upon you. These may include:

1. The Frozen Shoulder: A cold shoulder is when she is angry. Frozen shoulders are reserved for those times you are one step away from evisceration at her hand.

2. Banishment to the couch. It is said celibacy can lead to enlightenment. You will be Buddha before she forgives you.

3. Mother is invited for dinner…nightly. Nothing like a Hag at the table to aid digestion. Don’t look her in the eye!

I have a solution, the copyrighted “LivingDice Gamer Pre-Nuptial Agreement.”  The legalese is so powerful I cannot reprint it here.  No one with a soul can view it safely without going mad, so my lawyers have no problem at all.

I will summarize it for you.

Married couples are not physically conjoined.  Occasionally, one partner or another must run off and play a  game with his (or her) friends that does not involve their spouse.

I understand this fact, please sign below.

Signature Line_______________

(Blood only please! Ink is not legally binding)

All kidding aside, make sure your spouse knows that after the marriage ceremony, you might occasionally do battle with orcs for 16 hours at a time. Also, that every year  you might crawl off to a cheap motel for three days to siege an evil castle with 200 of your closest hygiene-impaired friends. Although you may trudge home smelling  like the floor of a strip club, assure her it is just from hours of battling demons in small, hot rooms.

For the sake of your gaming group, make sure your spouse reads the “Gaming Pre-Nup” before the wedding. Your gaming group will thank you.

Trask, The Last Tyromancer

I play table-top role-playing games.

I am writing this post out of frustration. Frustration at the horrible stereotypes table-top gamers live with every day. The few times I mentioned what I do, I get the standard responses. Perhaps you recognize these choice comments.

“Do you worship the devil?”

“Doesn’t that make you commit suicide?

“Do you still live in your mother’s basement?”

“Hey, didn’t Tom Hanks make a movie about that game? ”

These comments usually accompany a look of scorn and fear.

Perhaps we should examine the activities of these “average” people. The vast majority spend their free time either watching television or some other technological device to amuse themselves. No brain required, just lie back and let some giant corporation feed you information. Ironically, many of them play MMORPG games. Pretending to be an elf with your friends is “geeky,” but doing it online makes it socially acceptable.

I actually pity these people. They cannot see or understand the basic premise of gaming. They forgot their own history.

People gathered around a table telling a story and having a good time. It is an ancient practice. I do not see a difference between a good game and an ancient shaman telling stories of heroism and glory to his tribe. It is one of the foundations of human civilization, to share an oral history. Gaming keeps this tradition alive in an era of digital recordings and eternal storage. Each telling unique, to both the teller and his audience.

Denigrating gamers is like sneering at a master blacksmith crafting a fine sword. The human component of ancient skills is what makes them valuable and worth preserving, regardless if there is a “better” way of doing things.

I hope someday the world comes to understand this, but I do not see it now. So, I intend on staying the closet, quietly moving through the normal world in silence. It is an existence I can tolerate for one reason.

I am in the closet, but my mind is free.

Trask, the Last Tyromancer