Then (Now Archives)

Table of Contents

Here is what I was doing then.

2025-02 #

I’ve worked hard on my HMK Toolkit application (it now has 33,336 lines of code) and there are now a number of testers among people from Kelestia Productions. The idea is that they can assess if the app would fall under the “fanon” contribution and be released to everyone. I got zero feedback yet so I am questioning the process…
I started working on the documentation for the app, it’s under construction but I made it available so that the testers have access to even partial docs. It’s available here.
I’ve just received my physical copy of HârnMaster Kèthîra so I started reading that (I read the PDF but I much prefer reading a physical book to learn a new system).
I’ve started playing Medieval Dynasty. I still don’t understand how management works but I’m slowly getting the hang of it.

2025-01 #

I’ve continued development of my HârnMaster Kèthîra application. It is getting closer to something that I could share. Discussions with Kelestia Productions are ongoing to explore possibilities. The physical book will ship (to me) in January, I look forward to sitting down with it (I prefer reading a physical book).
I’ve played through Indiana Jones and the Great Circle which was a lot of fun. I am now in the middle of the first campaign of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
On a personal note, my wife and I have had a busy year. We’re happy that 2024 is behind us as both of our mothers passed away this year, one of them in late November.

2024-12 #

I’ve spent a lot of time developing an application for HârnMaster Kèthîra, it’s well underway and I should write a post about it.
I’ve updated my old price list for Hârn, which I started in the late ’80s and updated through HM3 (so the last update I made to it was in 2003 I think). I changed all the prices included in the HârnMaster Kèthîra core book, but I will have to check all the prices in the Venarive module. It’s available in the Resources section here.
I’m reading the Venarive module from Kelestia Productions, it’s very good.
I’m doing a new play of Subnautica, and having a lot of fun. I’m technically done since I built the Neptune and I’m cured, but I’m completing things I haven’t done and building a base.

2024-11 #

I had the pleasure of attending the Draconis convention, a local event that I thoroughly enjoyed. I didn’t get to play in any games but I had fun watching the games that were played and browsing the merchants and the second-hand stuff.
I’m having a blast with HarnMaster Kethira. It’s an excellent system that I’ve started developing an application for (expect a blog post about it soon).
This newfound interest in HarnMaster Kethira has led me to rediscover my old Hârn material and reacquaint myself with its content.
I had a go at Starfield’s latest expansion, which delves into the enigmatic world of Var’un. Although I haven’t touched the game in a few weeks, I’ve been immersed in coding, which I find incredibly enjoyable.

2024-10 #

I’m still reading HârnMaster: Roleplaying in the World of Kèthîra and I like it very much. I started a resource page for it. I joined the Discord and I am in contact with the main author. I’ve been play-testing the calculating character sheet for him and we exchanged comments on the rules. It’s quite a system! I am planning a series on the rules (a bit like I did for Suldokar’s Wake).
I’m still playing Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s quite a game! Gorgeous and quite immersive. Great dialogs and the gameplay is fun. I’m still only in the beginning of Act 2.
I’ve been coding a bit, making some changes to my Trinary app. It’s a macOS app that I use while I play Clanlord. I started playing a bit more Clanlord lately. It’s been a while since I’ve actively played. Lots going on in that game’s world, but it’s a bit hard to play catch up.
I’ve downloaded the Shattered Space add-on for Starfield and I plan to start that up in a few days. I haven’t played Starfield in a while. I have a character that has gone through NG+ 3 times now and he is 100th level.
Normally at this time of year I’d be preparing for the upcoming moose hunting season, but I decided that I am not well enough to go hunting anymore, so sadly my hunting days are over. I am quite sad about that, but the preparations and the week at the hunting lodge were too taxing for me, considering my condition (ME-CFS).

2024-09 #

Since my last update to this /now page, I’ve continued to work on T5, and I also began to adapt the Mindjammer setting (the Traveller version) to the T5 rules. But…
While searching for something about Mindjammer at the end of August (so a few days ago as I write this) I happened on a news that there would be a new version of Harnmaster coming out in 2024 (!). Looking into that, I found out that the new version came out that very day! Hârn is the first setting I bought (I bought it even before Greyhawk). I bought it in 1983. I have all three editions of Harnmaster (I was even a beta tester on the third edition), although I did not get Harnmaster Gold. It’s been decades since I’ve looked at Harnmaster and played it, but it was an instant buy for me. This new edition is gorgeous and I really like what I’ve read so far. I’ll continue with T5 and Mindjammer but I put that on pause for now to dig into HârnMaster: Roleplaying in the World of Kèthîra!
I stopped playing Palworld, it was getting repetitive… I started playing Baldur’s Gate 3!
I haven’t read Agent of the Imperium at all last month, I should really make an effort to finish it.
On a more personal note, my mother died on August 4th. She was almost 90 years old and she died surrounded by her loving family.

2024-08 #

Still reading my T5 slipcase and quite enjoying it. What a wonderful system. I made a first blog post about it.
I finished my playthrough of Valheim and, after trying various games, I’ve started playing Palworld, which, unexpectedly, is a survival open-world game, despite the Pokemon look (but it’s also Pokemon like).
I am still reading a novel made by the author of T5 (Marc Miller) which is set in the Traveller universe. Interesting to see that come to life in a story. It’s called Agent of the Imperium. I’m almost done. Although it is interesting, I have some issues with it but I have hope it all ties up by the end.
At this point I’m not expecting news from my regular GM so I’m still not playing any RPG at the moment and I’ll have to think of other options. For example I registered for the Draconis Festival/Con that occurs next October. Usually I am out of town hunting (moose) at that time, but my health made me decide that my hunting days are over. Sadly…

2024-07 #

Still reading my T5 slipcase and quite enjoying it. What a wonderful system. Blog post coming.
I made a resources page for T5 with, at the moment, only an ‘in-progress’ character sheet for humans.
Started a new playthrough of Valheim at the ‘hard’ level, now that the Ashland biome is in the game.
I am reading a novel made by the author of T5 (Marc Miller) which is set in the Traveller universe. Interesting to see that come to life in a story. It’s called Agent of the Imperium.
Still no news from my GM friend so I’m not playing any RPG at the moment.

2024-06 #

Reading Traveller 5th edition (T5), one of the two “current” versions of the Traveller RPG, the other being Mongoose’s Traveller. I started writing down notes on a setting I’ll make with T5.
Playing Hogwarts Legacy.
Still on a break from coding CL Informer although I started something for generating star systems for Traveller. I’ve had a lot of trouble with concurrency for CL Informer and there is a new version of Swift and XCode coming in just a few days at WWDC24 and I hope the tools and tutorials will help me get through this.
Still no news from my GM friend so I’m not playing any RPG at the moment.

2024-05 #

Reading Cepehus Universal, a Sci-Fi RPG in the Traveller tradition, and thinking of building a campaign using this system.
Playing a very cool game called Tunic.
Currently on a break from coding. I’ve had a lot of trouble with concurrency and I know there is a new version of Swift and XCode coming in June and I hope the tools and tutorials will help me get through this.

2024-04 #

Reading about Tàijíquán (also known as Tai Chi) and starting to practice again.
Writing a page for this site on Tàijíquán with notes of things I read and learn (might be online soon).
I started looking into learning Mandarin.
Learning about concurrency in Swift for an iOS application I am making.
Building an iOS companion application for a game called Clan Lord
Playing Fallout 76.

2024-03 #

Reading about Tàijíquán (also known as Tai Chi) and starting to practice again.
Writing a page for this site on Tàijíquán with notes of things I read and learn (might be online soon).
Learning about concurrency in Swift for an iOS application I am making.
Building an iOS companion application for a game called Clan Lord
Playing Fallout 76.
Going through a list of things I want to add to this site this year (adding a ‘/now’ page was on that list).
Currently on a break from GMing a role-playing game called ACKS II. I’ll get back to it when I have reached a point with my app where I can share it with people to test.

2024-02 #

Learning about concurrency in Swift for an iOS application I am making.
Building an iOS companion application for a game called Clan Lord
Playing Fallout 76.
Getting my (this) website back up and running.
Writing a blog post about learning Swift to help others on their journey.
Setting up a list of things I want to add to this site this year (adding a ‘/now’ page was on that list).
Currently on a break from GMing a role-playing game called ACKS II. I’ll get back to it when I have reached a point with my app where I can share it with people to test.