Suicide Squad makeS a decent trailer

What do you get when you toss some of the worst people in the DC Universe together? You get what could be the most interesting movie from the DC franchise in a while. For the most part the DC movies have been serious affairs where the idea of a joke is a foreign concept and the campiness that makes comics so endearing is lost. That appears to not be the case in this most recent Suicide Squad trailer. Take a look:

Not bad huh? And Bohemian Rhapsody just seemed perfect for this crew of misfits. Now the main question, will this trailer end up being better then the movie? Guess we find out in August.

The Professional Gamer - January 18, 2016

Hello readers!  I've had another great week out here.  In spite of that, I don't feel like I have a lot to discuss with you all that is really new and interesting.  I continued to work on my Traveller sector and finished reading The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage.  I also watched the last 14 episodes of Season 6 of Adventure Time that was recently release to Hulu, and the "Log Date 7 15 2" of Steven Universe.  Mostly, I seem to be finishing (in some sense at least) a lot of things this past week.

In terms of starting things, I've picked up a new book.  Not anything that is likely to sound like a lot of fun to you my readers.  The book is Ways to the West by Tim Sullivan, in which the author attempts to take a road trip through the American west without using a car.  Along the way, he discusses our dependency (addiction even) to automobiles and the influence that has had on the cityscapes of the western United States.  But, he's also looking at some changes that have come about in the past decade and how these my influence the future of design.  Due to my exposure to various public works projects, I often take an interest in articles and books that discuss the future of our public infrastructure.  Since most of the books that I have read previously seem to assume the types of urban densities more typical of the coastal and mid-west metropolises, Ways to the West offers a fresh perspective.  Especially with regards to the lower density development that has been the norm in the western states.  I'm a little less than a quarter into the book so far, and I'll have to dedicate some major time to it if I'm going to finish it before it is due back at the library, so wish me luck.

That's all I have for this week.  Have a great week and game on!

The Professional Gamer - January 11, 2016

Hello readers!  This week has mostly been full of adulting. Went to a chiropractor to try and reduce the tightness in my neck (seems to be helping), scheduled a dental exam and cleaning, and did some more yoga and pilates.  All told, I'm feeling pretty good about things.  

Some cool things happening this week.  Of primary interest, we had another Steven-bomb this week.  I haven't watched the Friday episode yet ("Log Date 7 15 2"), but I have enjoyed all of the new episode so far this week.  I loved learning more about Ruby and Sapphire, and seeing some more development of Peridot's character.

I also spent some time this week watching the last few episodes of Community.  I'm sad that the series is over, although the finale was a lot of fun.  Now I have to find another casual show to binge through during the week.  Any suggestions?

In roleplaying news, I've got about a third of my systems information input into a game wiki and have started inviting my players to make some stories about some of the inhabited planets.  I'm hoping that we can make this game a bit more of a collaborative, storytelling game.  This would be in sharp contrast to our typical dungeon delver / combat heavy type games, but would hopefully be a welcome change.

Finally, I'm still playing through Knights of the Old Republic.  I'm a Jedi now, running around with a blue lightsaber in one hand and a vibroblade in the other.  Future goal: duel wielding lightsabers.

That's all I've got for this week.  See you next time, and game on!

The Professional Gamer - January 4, 2016

Happy New Year readers! I hope you all have enjoyed the end of one year and the beginning of a new.  I enjoyed a short week at work (probably the last until we get closer to summer).  And I've ended up spending most of my free time this week working on plans for my Traveller game.  And I've got quite a lot done.  For example, I've made a map of the sector where the players will start out:

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If you can't tell, I'm rather excited about this whole game.  I have Star Wars to blame for a large portion of that enthusiasm.

Speaking of Star Wars, I'm still reading Shadows of the Empire, and it has improved somewhat.  I still feel that reads a bit like a fan-fiction, with a lot of purple prose and too much telling, rather than showing.  I'm a bit surprised that I was so into these sorts of novels when I was in high school and college.  I suppose that imagining the action sequences, like the star fighter battles and the blaster shoot-outs, was more important to young Jim than artful prose and characterizations.  In spite of my concerns about the quality, I'm having a ton of fun reading it.

I also got back into reading The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage.  I haven't quite finished yet, though I think my favorite part is the visit from George Boole.  I just love the setup and build to the punchline.

That's all I've got for this week.  I hope 2016 treats everyone with care and respect, and that you all have a great year.  Have a great week and game on!

Star Trek Beyond Trailer

Some how I missed the memo on the new Star Trek movie coming out this summer. I don't know how I managed it, but none the less it is coming, and it even has a teaser trailer!