Matchstick bridge

When I work from home, I often have a scented candle - they do smell nice. Just have to make sure the cats don't get too nosy! I've been saving off the matches and made a bridge (or dock if I stick it over water). I may end up staining it. And it may get longer if I keep going through matches. But this is probably 6 months or more of lighting candles. And I actually do have craft sticks, but I liked the idea of repurposing something that most people would throw out.

why are the edges burned?!

The mug behind the bridge is a geometron mug is from Starshipwright Jeff Zugale's store. I backed his spaceship book from way back as we have many of the same SF art books. 

Traveller System Generator Part 9, Gaming Woes, and Crafting Madness

 Got the basic "generate the main world based on Book 3" service completed and it seems to work. Basically, it will create the main world based on book 3. The only thing I do not like is that the service does have the Scout & Navy bases hardcoded in as far as the TL DM, and their chances of being in the system.

Of course, there are a few hundred steps to keep going! I need to decide if I want to generate the rest of the system based on Book 6 & the Mongoose World Builder's book or do the "generate a subsector" and basically, based on system density, see if each hex has a world or not. Or even add in the world explainer stuff on the previous Windows/Android app that never went anywhere. Eventually I'd like to figure out how to draw the maps like the TravellerMap, and since that is open source I think, I can probably get what I need from that to do it. Or cheat like I have in past and create the .sec files and use it's API to draw the maps. But: the core functionality is now in there. I'll probably play some more tonight with it as soon as I decide what I want to add next.

I need to stop spray painting Gatorade bottles. But now I have a scene from Space:1999 (and a partially painted Alphan). Not sure when that RPG will show up, but if we can play face to face I am going to have toys!

inspecting the atomic waste dumps

Today's TFT game was cancelled - too many people could not show up. Last week I was sick. As I've mentioned a few times, adulting is hard! And in some ways, I am kind of relieved: while I am ready to run, I do get a bit of social anxiety even among my friends that I've been playing with for years. But I was ready: even got an apple pie as a running joke in our text messaging from one friend is, when he gets overloaded, "I like pie." Normally, I try to bake something for the group as I like to bake. And it helps break the game afternoon up. I like to be a good host. I even vacuumed the basement. Which is one of the reasons I am glad they show up once a month - it is the only time I get motivated to cleaning the basement!

And a thought about theater of the mind versus maps and scenery. I was going to also make a small house from the Archon stuff assuming they get past the succubus. Complete with the bathtub of healing I mentioned before. Then realized that there was not going to be any fighting in the house (well, unless something else came up) so there was no real need to have the house set up. Just because I do have the toys and want to use them. But I may still build it just because. 

I also got some stats for the demon succubus, along with TFT magic that fits the various traditional views of what these creatures have. And it does fit in with the cult. Which I need to re-read up on as I think I named this demon, and I know I named the cult. But it's been 6+ months....

https://traveller-ct.blogspot.com/2025/04/traveller-system-generator-part-1-of.html

https://traveller-ct.blogspot.com/2025/04/traveller-system-generator-part-2-of.html

https://traveller-ct.blogspot.com/2025/04/traveller-system-generator-part-3-of.html

https://traveller-ct.blogspot.com/2025/04/traveller-system-generator-part-4-of.html

https://traveller-ct.blogspot.com/2025/04/traveller-system-generator-part-5-and.html

https://traveller-ct.blogspot.com/2025/04/traveller-system-generator-part-6.html

Part 7 towards the bottom here

https://traveller-ct.blogspot.com/2025/05/traveller-system-generator-part-8.html

Traveller System Generator Part 5, and odd frustrations

I now have most of the basic editing stuff in place, though still need to prettify a few things. However - adding the law level to the repository to be included seems to be causing an issue. No idea what it is as everything else looks configured correctly. 

But one thing I've learned is that the more complex the system is, the harder it is to find the actual issue. Last time this happened I had an error in the repository that broke routing for some reason. I think it is something similar. And while my side of the code is pretty simple and straightforward, the framework and language are doing some pretty complex things! And as noted in the last blog, the repo was not public - GitHub changed some time ago to default to private repos and I forgot to update it. It is now public so available for people to look at.

Which brings me to a related thought: in our games, often the answer lies not in the initial approach but in thinking about things. While I am not too much of a fan of puzzles in games as my mind just does not work fast (I am stubborn and will get there eventually, but it is that eventual part that slows things down!). A fresh pair of eyes can see things that we may be blind to. Which is why having other players really helps: we all have our strengths.

Anyway, a short post as I wanted to get one out before going on a short vacation. And to note that when I finished my Gatorade, I realized that the bottom of the bottle was an interesting shape. A base coat later, and I have the start of a silo or something interesting.

Baby Bear

And of course, another of my cats. They seem to take shifts when I work from home. I usually get all three of them sitting on me at one point in the day. One of the better parts of working from home!

Cheap Dungeon Crafting - Sir Caffeine's Tower Part 1

I get whole bean coffee usually, and I've been getting these cannisters that are begging for some sort of crafting project! I decided on the typical tower. I've a feeling I'll be making multiple versions of this as I like coffee, and practice make perfect. At least so goes the theory.

First, we need a door. And I could repurpose the Dungeons & Lasers doors to be used here. I also have some of the "functional" doors, so could put one of those in there so we can open and close the door. Had I not had these doors, I would have crafted either a cardboard one or use my trusty craft sticks.

After that, we need to put in at least a 2nd floor, and have access to that floor. Making the floor from a shipping box and sharpies works pretty good. As with my door, v2 may be created using craft sticks over the cardboard. I even remembered to put in some tabs to help hold with the paste, and opened a door for a ladder or staircase to the ground floor. Which, alas, we cannot access. Maybe I'll cut an access panel in the back. In which case I'll need to cover the floor. As I forgot. But hey, this is an alpha test. 

Once we have our second floor ready, I realize we have some shiny walls. While appropriate for an SF tower (or a big elevator: hmm, I think I've at least one world with a space elevator, and this would work for that. Put a cargo bay in the bottom, the 2nd floor the passenger section, and the top mini-level life support. Plenty of greebles from the plastic sprues. Perhaps my next cheap craft project!)

Back to Sir Caffeine's tower, put in some wallpaper and it looks a lot better.

And yes, our drunken monk has moved in.

I've thought about foam & foam rollers. Maybe I'll look into that. But for the moment I'll probably just wrap the thing in printed paper. But textured foam would look a lot better I think, and is relatively cheap. Just not as cheap as using existing containers that would have been recycled. And sadly our hobby can be not too environmentally friendly. My Reapers box has hundreds of plastic baggies. Fortunately they are getting a 2nd use at the fly shop my wife works at to hold flies they sell. Heck - she makes "mop" flies out of the yarn from mops. Crafting on the cheap!

Still need to put in a top floor. I may add crenellations to the top. There is a metal rim and I don't want to cut that, so may just add more bits of cardboard. And of course I may use my ladder or stairs I also have from D&L.

And mostly done with the gator folk. Need to do some touch-ups for places I missed, and another dry coat highlighting but otherwise, I am pretty happy with the Gator Brothers. Now to get back to a table and have them up against our party. Perhaps talking is better than fighting?