Thursday, July 2, 2009

The Face of Old School in Finland

Nothing is definite in publishing, and this might all be cut down to a sidebar, small column, or be left on the cutting room floor completely... but...

Today I was interviewed by Jukka Särkijärvi for Roolipelaaja magazine. The interview lasted just about two and a half hours, and I'm told the plan is for it to be a three or four page article. We discussed the Old School Renaissance, my personal history with RPGs and being in Finland, and my upcoming publishing activities (I sent him advance copies of Death Frost Doom and No Dignity in Death: The Three Brides).

He said (not unprompted, I must admit) that I could end up being the face of Old School in Finland.

If he doesn't decide to focus on my weird stories and crucify me in the article, anyway. :D

He's also asked for a picture of me to run with the article. What do you guys think... would the one at the end of this post be good? Or the year-and-a-half old pic I use as my avatar here and on the forums? Or what?

9 comments:

  1. Agh! I forgot about that picture! Now, what can I do to re-forget it!

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  2. Congratulations, Jim. The covers of Roolipelaaja look interesting. What kind of magazine is it? In general, do you have a feel for the role-playing scene in Finland? Do they have prominent home grown games, or play the big name games from elsewhere? Anything you'd like to share would be appreciated.

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  3. That was a great way to sucker me into seeing that picture again. My eyes! You should definitely use that one. Nothing says old school like your birthday suit.

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  4. I agree nudity and gaming go together like steak and lobster, at least at my games...

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  5. Well, that was unexpected (newer reader), still..go with it.

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  6. Do you even have to ask? Nekkid with dicebag. Or, better yet, a slightly different nekkid with dicebag picture. Surely I don't have to spell this out, do I?

    Adam

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  7. >>What kind of magazine is it?

    "Roolipelaaja" is Finnish for "role-player."

    >>In general, do you have a feel for the role-playing scene in Finland?

    Not really. It was remarked in the interview how nobody in "the scene" knew who I was, and the impression I have is it's fairly close-knit. I'm fairly positive that "old school" gaming doesn't exist here as part of the scene.

    LARPing is *huge* though, as is Vampire.

    >>Do they have prominent home grown games, or play the big name games from elsewhere

    There are a few native games, but mostly, it's foreign stuff in English.

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  8. now where did i put that magic eyewash of forgetting?

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  9. No way I was clicking on that link again. :D

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