[Sterling]

Hey Sterling, I was eating a grilled cheese and pondering how this situation rubs me the wrong way. I had an idea. Do you play with one character in particular? Like, what's your character's street name in your SR games? It's not much, but what I'd like to do is insert your character into one of the SR books I'm working on - probably Data Trails at this point. Maybe some shadow comments or something. It's not much, but at least you can tell to people you meet on Roll20 that "that guy from the book is based on me". It's kind of cool right, should give you a little street cred. I can use "Sterling" too, if you like. That's a pretty cool name, I could work with that.

I'm truly overwhelmed by this.  So much so my poor wife came into the room to ask what was wrong as she could see the tears!  Not too many things have felt like they were going right ever since the accident and its been easy to adopt a fatalistic approach.

Thank you for this.  I'd love to take you up on the offer.  Sterling is / was my character's street name (a human bounty hunter in the mould of the iconic Sticks, got the name from the fact he always carries at least on silver blade).

Even if you cannot work him into the book please know that just the offer has brightened my whole week.  Thank you.

[Backgammon]

Well, good. There. I feel better already. I'll PM you when I can make something happen. The dev process is kind of long, so you might not hear about this for a while, but I'll definitely see what I can work in.

[Reaver]

Well, good. There. I feel better already. I'll PM you when I can make something happen. The dev process is kind of long, so you might not hear about this for a while, but I'll definitely see what I can work in.

+1 to Sir for being an upstanding individual

[Jamelfr]

Suffice to say the problem does appear to be related to my lack of mobility.  One example given was how long the game gets held up if I need to use the bathroom.  Believe me, if I could speed that process up I would! 

I had to say something about that quoted part... They seriously complained about that?!? Find another group, seriously, they are not good people and you deserve better.

My wife is (temporary) injured since last week and, ldo, those kind of things are now longer than usual : if a "friend" begins to complain about that, he will have 15 seconds to leave my house (maybe less).

Good luck with finding a new group, I am sure it will turn out ok in the end.

[Critias]

+1 to Backgammon being good people.

Also, to put it rather indelicately, screw those folks in your group.  Complaining because someone in a wheelchair mildly inconveniences a game session (that he's running) because they take too long to go to the bathroom?  Insisting on moving the game elsewhere, when you know that two of the regular players literally cannot make the trip to join you?  Man, eff that. 

Right now Mrs. Crit and I drive about 95 miles each way to game once a week.  It stinks, but we do it because that's where our friends are, and they've all got kids so we don't expect them to come to us, y'know?  They appreciate that we make the trip, just like we appreciate our buddy opening his home to us every single weekend and letting us hang out and play there.  We bring snacks, they provide snacks, we bring drinks, the provide drinks -- everyone brings something to the game, and when financial hardship hits, everyone else just brings a little extra (like last week we brought pizza for everyone, because our GM recently lost his job and the least we can do to help our friend is bring dinner, along with a little extra so he and the kids can have leftovers to munch on).

Anyone that DIDN'T think that way, didn't feel that way, isn't someone I'd want to hang out with, anyways.  Maybe I'm just lucky because -- conventions notwithstanding -- I've only ever gamed with friends, but...man, I just can't imagine hanging out and gaming with people that weren't my friends.  And certainly not with folks dickish enough to pull garbage like that.

Sorry your group's pulling stuff like this, Sterling, and good luck being able to sling dice and tell cool stories again.

ETA - Backgammon, I'm going to join you, I think.  Sterling's gonna be a bounty hunter in the next Kincaid novel (I've got a scene an extra hunter'll be perfect for, anyways!).  Sterling, shoot me a PM with how you want him to look, and I'll work it in. 

Next time you see someone from this 'gaming group' of yours, point out your character, then hit 'em with the book.

[Mystic]

Sterling, keep your head up man. Echoing a lot of sentiments here, seems that (in my not-so-humble opinion) you ended up with a group of insensative, inconsiderate jerkwads. Sorry for that happening. My mom was in a wheelchair the last few years of her life and I know how hard it is to simply live like that. I'd offer to put you in one of my upcoming works, but I think Mr. Backgammon and Critas have you covered. That and I think the Line Dev may smell conspiracy...he's like a bloodhound that one. 

 

But, as I feel the need to enact some sort of writer's justice, a tradition many writers over the years have engaged in towards people who have wronged them, I will work in a blerb about an assassin "taking care" of some people becasue they were insensative, inconsiderate jerkwads. Why? Becasue it would also make ME fell better. I have a real job where I have to "be nice" to people who frankly don't deserve it a great deal of the time. Now, I won't and don't want ANY personal descriptions BUT...we here who read this today (and tomorrow, and the next day, I'm sure next week, maybe next month, and perhaps into the coming years) shall know!

MUHAHAHAHAH-MU-MU-MUHAHAHAAAA!!! *COUGH COUGH COUGH HAAAAACK* Ugh, need to let the evil and vindictive voice out more often. 

[Sterling]

To everyone, thank you for your messages and suggestions.  I'm no writer so feel that I cannot express how much support you've provided to this old Gamer.

I knew logically that I'd been affected by the very small minority in our hobby, but reading such messages has just re-affirmed it emotionally.

I have decided to try and set up a Roll20 game (see post here:http://forums.shadowruntabletop.com/index.php?topic=19739.0) so hopefully I can get back to running the shadows soon.

Critias, PM sent, with thanks.

[Backgammon]

ETA - Backgammon, I'm going to join you, I think.  Sterling's gonna be a bounty hunter in the next Kincaid novel (I've got a scene an extra hunter'll be perfect for, anyways!).  Sterling, shoot me a PM with how you want him to look, and I'll work it in. 

Ok, we need to synch on that. I was going to have a chapter in Data Trails be written with in-game voice, and that would be Sterling. Cause he's Data Trails, I was gonna modulate him a little. Currently, he's a fixer specializing in hacking work. He's a bit of a hacker himself, but not overly so. He WAS a bounty hunter in his younger days, but he's a charismatic guy, so he made friends, started branching out, became a fixer.

He's from the UK, but currently lives in Metropole, Amazonia. Like I said he's charismatic, a little laid back, a little snarky. I was also going to have him appear in the Nothing Personal sequal, set in Metropole.

We can have the same Sterling or we can have 2 different Sterlings. Yours seems closer to the mark since he's an actual bounty hunter. What do you think? Same guy or not?

[Critias]

I think it'll be easier to have 'em be different guys, sharing an OOC motivation/inspiration.  Mine'll be a still-active bounty hunter doing still-active bounty hunter things (like, uhh, hunting a bounty).  And if he's a UK born hacker who's and currently operating out of Amazonia, it's tough to explain why he's collecting scalps in Seattle.   

[Backgammon]

Alright, sounds good. Let's get to it 

[Sendaz]

oooh oooh.. can they be twins separated at birth?

how could you pass on a possible cross-over?

[Spooky]

Like that idea, Sendaz, as long as it does NOT look like that movie with Ahnold and Danny.....

[Sabato Kuroi]

@Sterling
I hope the next group will not be a bunch of inconsiderate @$$ holes.
Roll20 is great.I wish you and your wife many more hours of awesome gaming!

@Backgammon
You're the man.

[Critias]

Just a little bump and a reminder:  Shaken: No Job Too Small hit today as an e-novel (hardcopy is also available from some retailers), so if you want to see Sterling's canon debut, check it out.  Here's the Amazon link, 'cause it's the one I've got copied right now:  http://www.amazon.com/Shadowrun-Shaken-Job-Too-Small-ebook/dp/B011GJZU9Y

[Sterling]

I bought my copy this morning from DriveThruRPG and have been immersed in it for the past couple of hours.

I haven't got to my namesake's debut yet, but I do want to thank both Critias and Backgammon for the massive bolster to my confidence that they have given me.  I am truly grateful and want everyone to know what wonderful people these talented writers truly are.

I am now gaming again, not with Roll20 because that sort of fell through due to lack of interest, but I have met a new virtual group composed of gamers in New York, Illinois, and Colorado.  We play on Sundays and have a great time both playing and just generally chatting.

Thank you everyone who posted such positive comments, and a special thank you again to Critias and Backgammon.

(I'm just waiting to buy physical copies of both books for the express purpose of following Critias' earlier advice:

Next time you see someone from this 'gaming group' of yours, point out your character, then hit 'em with the book.

Anyone know the damage codes?)