More Aviones Cosmicos

Aviones Cosmicos,

carded and uncarded

by Bullycan of Spain

Ive Got Wood

Just to clarify, we haven't slipped into a parallel RPG universe, Im just excited about the game Toad is organising offsite for readers of the blog. If the system works, the Mystic Wood game will pave the way for a new space themed game soon.. but we need to work out the kinks first.  Anyone else game ?

Glider Flight

Glider Flight

minor colouring by me of an original drawing by Malcolm Stokes in TV21 Annual 1969 [Annual: Woodsy collection].

Drawing also appears in Issue 209 TV21 comic,18/1/69 [GACCH]

If You Go Down To The Woods Today

I'm now the proud owner of the board game, Mystic Wood, thanks to our blog owner, Woodsy!

So, does anyone want to try it out with me? I'm thinking of play-by-email .... but it doesn't have to be actual email. We could use Twitter, or a  blog set up for the purpose.... IMs, a Yahoo or Google group ... we are  spoilt for choice as far as the actual medium for making moves is  concerned.

And those moves are ultra simple. I believe the game is what is known as a "dungeon crawl". If you've never played it before then think of it as being like a sophisticated snakes-and-ladders, but one in which there are choices to be made (so it is non-deterministic). And those choices are simple enough. Essentially you will be choosing to move north (or south or east or west), and things like whether or not you will fight the dragon or retreat ... honestly, nothing more complicated than that. This won't take
more than a few minutes of your time each two or three days. The rules are ultra simple ... and you don't even have to learn those because the kindly Dungeon Mistress will happily explain the options open to you. (And you don't need to own a copy of the game.)

If we were playing around a table, with Woodsy being sent to the fridge to get beers and snacks, and Wote phoning the local pizza place (prawns on mine, please), the game would take about 1 hour. But because this will be played at a distance, it will take weeks to complete. Yes, a very leisurely game ... but I think it will be fun too if you have the mindset to sustain interest over that kind of period.

What do you say?. There can be five players. If you think you'd like to be one of them, contact me via email (toad at gmx.co.uk) or through a comment to this blog post.

Is it a Bird, is it a Train ?

 A while back I came across a really odd toy on ebay, made by Lima Toys who I would normally have associated with train sets, the Convertor set was a strange toy that seemed to cover all the bases. The main part of the vehicle is in fact a train carriage or loco, with standard train wheels and bogeys. Its battery operated and in the set featured above, actually comes with track too. Where it differs though was the clever inclusion of clip on modular elements which allow the basic carriage to convert into a high speed bullet train, a metro bus and a futuristic jet plane.

 Further trawling on ebay, especially on the continent, revealed further sets which included to my delight, a space set. This set allowed the user to make a small moon bus, a large Eagle Transporter style shuttle and a smaller modular craft. The scale is 00/H0 like standard Hornby trains, so the main spaceship and airplane are quite large, detailed models.

 Lima apparently decided to use the same molds and parts for a simpler unmotorised version too, in different more garish colour. These 'Combi-Machines' came in four sets with enough parts in each one to create hovercraft, planes and spaceships. The construction is strong and sturdy generally, although the Combi versions do lack interior windows and other parts.

RETRO ROCKETS ABLAZE!

A bit of messing around tonight with colour 'paint'.

Any more Spacex art welcomed!

LEDYBIRDS ARE GO!

Reader Ferryman has kindly sent me these cool shots of his new vintage Mexican Excavator set. Made by Ledy it's called SERIE APOLO EXCAVADOR LUNAR and is bigger than the Imai kit version.

I love the crate-like box! Talk about function over looks! The swirly boxart inside is really wonderful.

ASIMO IS TEN

I saw ASIMO on TV this morning. ASIMO is Honda's walking robot and like the PINO toy ageing in my attic, is now ten years old. As I watch him/her/it walking up and down stairs and greet crowds with raised arms, I find myself feeling astonished and repulsed in equal measure. I can't explain this confusion as I have been a life-long fan of Asimov, Sci Fi, space and robots. Surely ASIMO is simply a further fabulous step for Mankind's ever-advancing technology? In some ways the word 'step' lies behind my dilemma. Somehow robots walking round like us and doing things we do is innately scary in a way perhaps that Chimps would be if they began to talk. Am I feeling threatened? Is this fear cultural or instinctive? Maybe I've seen too many movies like AI, Terminator and Matrix and can't avoid suspecting robot plots and cyberdine assassins! Surely a fear of machines is irrational but our struggle with them goes way back. But seeing ASIMO walking downstairs today, looking like an astronaut stepping off an Apollo lander, sent a shiver up my spine!