My History with Role-Playing Games

A few years ago I had never played a Role-Playing Game, but I’d definitely heard about them all of my life. I’d almost gotten to play a game of D&D 4th edition with a friend in school, but it looked too complicated and he/we didn’t find anyone else who wanted to play. I was still interested, but I didn’t feel like I had the energy, time, or money to invest in games with complicated systems that were in 350+ page books that I couldn’t get in any local store (I hadn’t access to Amazon yet). But I was aware of and in some cases a part of the RPG culture for most of the time I can remember.

Fast-forwarding to 2014, when I had moved out, and had been a part of a fairly successful board gaming group for a few years, I was investigating more possibilities of games to play, going in every direction that seemed interesting. At the time Dungeons & Dragons was going through a re-brand with D&D Next, which was soon being released as 5th Edition (which is just called Dungeons & Dragons on the books for some reason). It seemed to be created and marketed in such a way as to attempt to attract new players (but don’t all new editions do that?). It seemed that there would be no better (foreseeable) time to get into the game; the starter set had just come out and there was no convoluted supplements, expansions, or errata to deal with. And if I was going the get myself and a group of people interested in playing that starter set seemed like the best bet, so I ordered one.

I was quite surprised when it arrived (after a bit of a problem with the USPS) that even with my general knowledge of the subject and excited-ness to learn the book was hard to get through. Even this 30-page mini version of a 350+ page book was incredibly boring to read. I couldn’t believe that this product that was created for, and marketed toward, new players seemed so unfriendly to those new players. And after trying and failing a few times to read the starter rules I shelved it. But not before I looked up a few “simple” “1-page” RPGs online. I gave them a once over and thought maybe I’d play them, and if they went over well I’d take another look at D&D (at least I understood the little ones). But in the end my excitement had waned enough that I just put them in the box and forgot for a while. The box sat on the shelf unused. Occasionally I would think about playing one of the smaller games but it always seemed to be in the wrong place. For more than a year I barely looked at and RPG.

But then, when I was moving again, my games were getting shuffled around and I wanted to pick a core set of games to keep in a location where I could play them. In general I picked one game per genre and on a whim I put the only Role-Playing Game I had into the mix. I never got the play it with that group, and I probably wouldn’t have, considering I didn’t finish reading how to play myself, but I though maybe one of those smaller single-page games would hit the table at some time. Even still, just having it around and visible again piqued my interest once more. But, once again, I started looking at the smaller RPGs that were easily accessible and inexpensive. I went to see if any of them had been updated and amazingly some had been, and new ones (at least ones I hadn’t seen before) were floating around. I downloaded some more pages, organized them and started reading the more thoroughly. I really liked how much game was being put into these little packages. And that I could create the world I wanted to play in with them and didn’t feel restricted to what the games’ creators had come up with because of the structure of the game. I do know that I could do something similar with D&D, and create my own world, but when reading about the game or starting to play, the focus on (very) high fantasy and magic is obvious and very difficult to shake. I personally am more of a medium fantasy type of guy and games almost don’t exist in that category, preferring to go from Conan straight to Lord of the Rings. I liked being able to shape the world how I wanted it to be, and even with such tiny games (usually 1-page +”expansions”) I could still take the mechanics I liked and keep them in, throwing out or changing the other “suggestions” the game offered at my leisure. In fact the smaller size made it easier to do that, as I didn’t have to comb through hundreds of pages to find potential inconsistencies.

But still I couldn’t find the perfect one for me. I combed through forums, blogs, and RPG websites to find as many as I could and printed out the best ones (I’ve got 22 currently in the binder) and starting to look more seriously at the systems that were “universal” or just of a somewhat different theme. And there are a lot of good ones out there, but they still didn’t feel quite right. 1-page didn’t seem long enough for me, there needed to be a little more depth to the system, but 10 or more pages was more than a “simple” system could handle; at least I didn’t want to read that much for something I had to print off myself and seemed like it should be flushed out a bit more into a small book. I wanted something in-between. The “universal” games were generally longer in rules, but lacked the focus and mechanics shaped by the scenario that the “themed” games had (RISUS being a great example here). It seemed I wanted something like the “Dead Simple” RPG system. One that was essentially the same from game to game, but had various tweaks with each of the different themes to make it work.

After hours of searching and not finding just the right thing I wanted I got the great(?) idea to create my own system. That way I could control how everything worked and make it, if not the perfect system, just that much closer to the game I really wanted. I had jotted down a few notes previously about how I would’ve liked to improve RPG systems, so went back to those notes and started revising them. I found that with a little tweaking I got something workable in my head, and then that amazing thing that happens when you’re working on a project started happening; things just started to fall into place. The more I worked, the ideas just fit together and kept coming. Of course, this comes with the less-than-amazing part where I have to write it all down. And as I started doing that I found that the project quickly grew in scope. What I had envisioned as a simple “5-page” game that I might go back to and add a few things later became (first a little more squished to keep it 5 pages and) something that looked a lot more like a full game. Not one of the modern 300-pagers but closer to the “classic” home-printed, staple-bound games. Suddenly I had 5 pages of rules, 5 pages of game master guide, 5 pages of monsters, and then extra stuff about potions, spells, hirelings, stores and more. And suddenly I needed more games to research how they handled different gameplay aspects. I didn’t want to copy but I also didn’t want to flail about blindly for mechanisms or balancing. So I looked into a newer, smaller systems I could easily get my hands on to compare, most notably Chris Gonnerman’s Basic Fantasy RPG.

And after a few weeks of working on it I found out about a local RPG group starting up in my area (a rare thing in a small town) and I was able to join and start playing a game. (I had played several single sessions and playtested my system before so I wasn’t a complete n00b) It was D&D, but as it turns out that system is a lot more fun to play that it is to read the rules (I did have a good general idea of how to play before going in, just something I picked up from the internet and the video circles I watch in). It also gave me an excuse to purchase the rulebooks, which actually have way more fascinating information that the starter kit books but are still not excitedly written. Everything was stacking up. I had both smaller and larger systems to use as comparisons and I was working through what was now to become my RPG system and various “supplements”. I called it RPG LTE: Swords and Sorcery for various reasons, but mainly because I thought it was a good name and one that is expandable with other RPG LTEs to come in the future.

My plan was to finish up the “core rules” in three 5-page parts (consisting of: Game Rules, Game Mastering, and Monsters) and then follow that up with several single page supplements and a small book of this “beta” that would be available in limited quantities (I have already printed books with a PoD service, but I had no idea that would be the easiest part). That got all muddied up as I finished most of the final supplements before finishing the “monster” section (when creativity calls, sometimes you gotta follow it). So I printed the beta book and have had it along with several of my other books at the art shows and cons I attend. And, after a few more tweaks, I gave the beta a “soft” release on my website a few weeks ago, to which this is the follow up, and there will soon be a “hard” release with a post that is more focused on the game itself and what it is trying to accomplish.

That’s been my “journey” so far, and I’m sure it’s far from over. Hopefully as I continue to acquire, play, and work on RPGs I can keep this story going, learn more, and have fun indefinitely. It’s always hard, especially in this day and age where people do so much, to get a good role-playing group together and even harder to keep it together. But actually getting the games played, and exploring the world as well as the mechanics is a great experience, and one I will hopefully have many more times, with many more systems in the future.

-Austin

Suit EDC – Every-Day Carry 2016-17 Part 2

While my regular EDC works well for standard “civilian” clothes (though not quite standard, as I’m rarely in anything “less” than a button down shirt and slacks) I do wears suits as often as I possibly can (especially now in the winter), and it doesn’t work nearly as well for them. I can’t wear anything on the belt (for the most part) without having it look ridiculous, and my pants pockets would bulge since I carry mostly in the front. So I have to shift where I carry things and adjust a few usage scenarios (I probably won’t be using a full-sized multi-tool when in a suit). Fortunately, suits have a ton of pockets for me to spread my gear out in while looking nice and “fashionable”. Here’s the stuff I carry.

Man I wish I had a better photo of me… But you can see how little the pockets bulge in this one.

  • Inside Jacket Pocket 1
    • Pocket Notebook (Field Notes Expedition) (It always impresses people when you pull a notebook out of your jacket pocket)
    • Pocket Planner (Brownline)
    • Pen (Zebra F-301) (Sleek, dependable, and it fits a lot of styles)
    • Flashlight (Coast A5) (Goes better with most suits and that “classy” look than a “tactical” looking light)

  • Inside Jacket Pocket 2
    • Maxpedition Micro Pocket Organizer (This bulges a bit, but that’s because of the phone, which is the only thing I need, but otherwise fits surprisingly well in a common inside jacket pocket)
      • Work Phone
      • Lighter** (I run into people who want to light something more often in a suit, as strange as it is. This one is a Bic, but I sometimes have a Zippo elsewhere)
      • Multi-tool (Leatherman Style CS)** (or) (Gerber Dime Travel) (It depends on which I think I will use more that day: scissors or pliers. And if I’m going though a checkpoint)
      • Pocket Comb (always need one when I’m wearing a hat)
      • 2 Lens Wipes (Nikon)
      • Knuckle Bandage
      • Fingertip Bandage
      • 4 Alcohol Swabs
      • 1 Alcohol Towel-ette
      • Electrolyte Tablets
      • Mini Med Bag
        • 3 Diphenhydramine
        • 2 Acetaminophen
      • 2 Ricola Original Cough Drops (don’t want to have a problem when meeting people, especially in the cold)
      • GUM Soft Picks in Case (usually don’t have to use these, but they can be “life-saving”)

  • Outside Jacket Lower Pocket (Sometimes)* (When you need a USB stick you need a USB stick, and it doesn’t bulge much at all, so it’s there when I remember to put it there)
    • EDC Altoids Small Tin** (hopefully most of this is self-explanatory)
      • Flash Drive (Patriot Tab)
      • Knife (Opinel #2)**
      • Cord
      • Cotton Ball
      • Ziplock Bag
        • Matches**
        • Striker
        • Kleenex
      • Nail
      • 4 Straight Pins
      • Paperclip
      • Electrical Tape
      • 2 Migraine Medications
      • Butterfly Bandage
      • Cash (≈$10)

  • Belt
    • CRKT SPEW (Sometimes Around Neck)** (my one exception to the belt rule. It’s a bit harder to get in and out of its sheath, but it’s easy to access and super slim)

  • Pants Pockets (I went over most of these items in my previous post about my regular EDC, you can check that out if you want more info about my personal usage case)
    • Wallet (Austin Leather Tri-Fold Wallet) (I’m not sure the company even exists any more)

And that’s the suit carry. Not quite as much stuff, and a bit more limited in use than the standard EDC, but it all fits very slimly into the pockets and keeps me looking nice. Hopefully I won’t be doing too much down and dirty work in a suit anyway. I’ve also excluded a few of the regular trappings that may go along with a suit like: shoes, ties, tie bars, cufflinks, hats, etc. because those things change more frequently (by the day usually) than the gear I carry does. This has been a very good working system for me for about a year, but I’m always looking for a way to slim it down, and that gets harder ever time.

Next I’ll be returning to more of a “regular” “EDC’ set, my bag, which has probably seen the most change since my last update. Hopefully you’ll join me there.

(Amazon Links provided may not be the cheapest one’s around. If no Amazon link is available another one will be provided so long as I think the item is of enough importance)

* Items that are carried on a conditional basis or can be one of a few like items

** Items that will need to be specially treated when going into restricted areas (read: airports) (i.e. liquids and pointy things)

Introduction and “Standard” EDC – Every-Day Cary 2016-17 Part 1

EDC stands for Every-Day Carry (or Electric Daisy Carnival if you’re into dance music). And, the name fortunately being self-explanatory, it is the general items one carries with them every day. Most people have an EDC but don’t call it that because it’s generally unnecessary. But if you’re a bit nuts about being prepared and organized like me, it’s a nice, easy way to condense the idea of what things you need with you all the time (or various levels of such) and separate it from all of the other things that are in life either for fun or more specific tasks.

This is my 3rd (maybe 4th) year of really being in to EDC, and my 3rd (maybe 4th) year of detailing a list of what I carry (hopefully with videos as well) online in the hopes of being helpful and entertaining. Last year I had a little bit of a debate with myself over what EDC really meant, and if I go by the strict definition, as I am one to do, this set of posts as well as the last one go beyond my (or a) true EDC. Still, I believe that the different layers of organization and carry items are relevant both in the creation of the lower and higher levels and in the sense that they can, I believe, help and entertain as much as and true EDC list would.

I will be breaking this down into chunks, to make them easier (for you) to digest and reference, while ignoring the bits that don’t pertain to you. Some smaller sets of items (like my pocket EDC) will be contained all in one post while larger sets of items (like my backpack) may be broken up into several relevant parts (like the bag of tools in my backpack being its own separate post from the other “sub-bags” in the backpack). Hopefully once I’ve finished and gone through the entire list I can go back and collect it all into one post for anyone who wants to see it all together. I’ll talk a little bit about how I use each layer and what capabilities it provides me with, and follow that up with a list of the items and my various comments about their usefulness, hardiness, aesthetics, or just something interesting about them. Those of you who have read my previous entries in this series will find some familiar items but there are many new ones and things that have been tweaked. One of my favorite things about preparedness kits and EDC is how dynamic it is, and how it can, and should, change regularly to continue to be effective. Coming up with a “perfect” kit and leaving it stagnate doesn’t work out well in the being prepared world. There is no “perfect” kit, and it only gets better the more you experiment.

* Items that are carried on a conditional basis or can be one of a few like items

** Items that will need to be specially treated when going into restricted areas (read: airports) (i.e. liquids and pointy things)

My Main EDC is stuff that I’m almost guaranteed to have on me when leaving the house. If I’m going out for anything I’ll certainly have my wallet, phone, and watch, but more often than not I’ve got all of the items on this list, so naturally, they’re some of the most useful and most portable items I have in my daily carry systems.

(Amazon Links provided may not be the cheapest one’s around. If no Amazon link is available another one will be provided so long as I think the item is of enough importance)

EDC

  • Wallet (Austin Leather Tri-Fold Wallet) (I’m not sure the company even exists any more) (I’m not a fan of billfolds because they are wider than my pocket is in some cases, and have fewer card slots or ways to expand. I would still have the phone-case wallet if I wasn’t planning on upgrading my phone at some point and not wanting to buy two of them. This gives me more options anyway.)
    • Mini Lock Pick Set (Without Case. In Ziploc bag) (These guys aren’t great but they are inexpensive and will get the job done if I or a friend gets locked out. They’re certainly better than paperclips)
      • Tension Wrench (Not what I would choose to use in any case)
      • Hook (Medium to Large)
      • Half Diamond
      • City Rake (L Rake)
      • S Rake
    • Bobby Pins x2 (Plenty of uses. If nothing else, they’ll hold hair in place, but now I have quite a few of them hanging around doing nothing)
    • Safety Pins x2
    • Straight Pins x2
    • Paper Clips x2 (Super tools)
    • Band Aids x2 (For when I cut myself every time I buy a new sharp thing)
    • 11 in 1 Credit Card Multi-tool (basically a bottle opener) ** (This thing is super dangerous to hold, and mostly useless. I covered up the sharp bits and it makes a good $1 bottle opener for the wallet)
    • Iain Sinclair Cardsharp 2 ** (It’s a working blade at this size, and it means I can have a functional knife on me essentially all the time. Only for when I have to use it though as I’d rather use anything else)
    • Touch Screen Stylus (Good for when the hands are cold)
    • Cash (Of course)
    • Cards (Of course)

  • Phone (iPhone 4s) (Still, maybe I’ll get a new one soon)
    • Custom Printed Phone Case (It looks cool, but it’s worn out way faster than I would’ve liked it to)
    • Emergency Cash (Comes in handy when you forget your wallet)

  • Knife (Ontario Rat II)** (Still goin’ strong, it’s as close to perfect as they come)

  • Watch
    • Armitron Face (It’s not as pretty anymore but it’s probably my longest running face)
    • Timex Band (The original band wasn’t as good, plain metal ones work better)
  • Change Bag (Small Leather Marble Bag) (I get a lot of compliments on this, separately from the people who are annoyed I have to get my change out of it)
    • Change
  • Keys (Leather Holder) (I ordered a custom key holder from Bulgaria over Etsy. The original clip was pretty cheap and has already broken, but the leather is still beautiful, and the rest of the hardware still going)

  • Belt Pouch (Maxpedition Anemone) (New pouch, quality is incredible, after more than a year it still looks brand new)
    • Two Maxpedition Tac Ties as Belt Loops (I don’t like these, and they have to be retightened periodically, but there aren’t many other options for belt carry here)
    • Leatherman (Juice S2)** (Still one of the best Multi-Tools out there as everyone in the world will tell you)
    • Pen (Fisher Space Pen Stowaway) (Works well; the clip is getting a bit wobbly clipping on to such thick fabric. I’d be open to something else but it’s so small and light I hardly even know it’s there)
    • Flashlight (Coast A5) (One done quit on me, but I like the new color better anyway. I hope the last one was just a fluke because this is the prefect design for me)
    • Work Phone (LG 328BG) (Got a new one because TracFone was changing their network. Not as good as the last one in my opinion but it’s just there to take calls)
    • Whistle (This one was my grandmother’s. It’s a bit rusty but I like the look and feel)
    • Lighter (Bic Mini)
    • Knife (Victorinox Classic SD)** (In lieu of having a dedicated nail file I can have a few other redundant tools as well)
    • Tape Measure (One of the first things I put in my EDC, still there, still surprisingly useful)
    • Worry Stone (Something to do with my hands when there’s nothing else. Unfortunately it gets lost in the bottom a lot and I forget about it)
    • Lens Wipes (Nikon) (For glasses and cameras)
    • Cash $10
    • AAA Battery (Flashlight spare)
    • 364 Watch Battery (Sony) (Watch spare)

  • EDC Altoids Small Tin** (This tin hasn’t changed much since I made it a few years ago, mostly it’s a back-up smaller version of other things in my EDC)
    • Flash Drive (Patriot Tab)
    • Knife (Opinel #2)**
    • Cord
    • Cotton Ball
    • Ziplock Bag
      • Matches**
      • Striker
      • Kleenex
    • Nail
    • 4 Straight Pins
    • Paperclip
    • Electrical Tape
    • 2 Migraine Medications
    • Butterfly Bandage
    • Cash (≈10)

  • Mini Tool Kit (In a GUM Soft Picks Case) (Mostly for repairing eyeglasses and feeling cool about having some small tools)
    • Glasses Screwdriver
    • Razor Blade** (This one is annoying to remember to take out when going through a checkpoint)
    • Paperclips x5 (one insulated)
    • Eyeglass Pads x2
    • Small Screws (2 sizes) x4
    • 5ft of Wire (Wrapped around one Paperclip)
    • 3 Straight Pins Wrapped in Electrical Tape
    • Copper “Snare Wire” (From the Bear Gryll’s Mini “Survival” Kit, I think it’s better suited here)
    • Cut Down #2 Pencil (I shaved the edges to get it to fit in such a small case)

  • Boo-Boo Kit/Hygiene Kit (I hope most of this is self-explanatory)
    • GUM Soft Picks in Travel Case
    • Electrolyte Tablets
    • 5 Alcohol Swabs
    • 1 Alcohol Towel-ette
    • 2 Knuckle Bandages
    • 1 Fingertip Bandage
    • Mini Med Bag
      • 3 Diphenhydramine
      • 2 Acetaminophen

  • Pocket Notebook (Field Notes Expedition Edition) (Such a good book, shows a little more wear than I would like but it holds together better than anything)
  • Pocket Planner (Brownline 2016 Weekly Planner) (Soon to be 2017)
  • Pen (Zebra F-301) (I love these guys and have one wherever I usually need a pen)

Like I said, I hardly go anywhere without this stuff, and as such I’ve tried to make it what I think is the best gear for the job. It’s a collection of my “finest equipment”. There’s probably the most similarity to other people’s EDC here as the things I need are mostly the same as what everyone needs, but there are always those differences, and those become more pronounced the higher up on these lists. My backpack will likely vary considerable from most other peoples’ EDC backpacks. But that’s to look at in the future; hopefully I’ll see you there.

Board Game Creation Blogging Part 5 – Rethinking and Downsizing (w/ Making an RPG)

Where I last left off this series I was failing at Kickstarter, which was actually quite some time ago now. I’ve made two household moves and published a dozen books (of my comics) since then, among other things, so it’s kind of crazy coming back now. I definitely re-evaluated my position and have been looking into why I was unable get my game off the ground. I have made several games (and game-related items) since then, but they need some more polish before I blog about them.

I had mentioned at the end of my last post that I would be working on a smaller game; one that could more easily be kick-started for next time. And I have been (I’ve got a couple of good ones), but I thought as I was working on them, “why not go smaller? Or with less cost?” It was a hard thing to think about, especially since I’m a bit of a stickler for components (I want them to last a long time). I didn’t want to create a game that used a PoD service like the Game Crafter or one that was print-it-yourself as both of those would be “less than perfect” (don’t get me wrong, GC is a great product. I use them, and what they’re doing is really cool, but it’s a bit more expensive than I would like for the quality). It then occurred to me at some point (I will have a separate post about it) that a type of game that I would be interesting in making and that could be downloaded and printed by people easily was a role-playing game.

I had recently started trying to get more into role-playing, and since most of the major books are huge, intimidating messes (and I mean that in the best possible way, they are endearing messes) I went looking for short, simple RPGs online. And I found quite a few (22 is the number I currently have printed off in my binder, and that’s not counting all of the ones I found online). Most of them ranged from 1-10 pages, but one seems the most common length. There is a certain sense of satisfaction that I can understand would come from both writing and playing a “single-page” RPG. But none of these were exactly what I wanted. I wanted mechanics that were slightly more “intuitive” but still something you could “sink your teeth into”. I believed there was and is some room for something closer to my “perfect” version of a role-playing game, so I set about writing it.

bookcoverimage-rpglte

It took me far longer to do that than I had anticipated, but that was because it ended up much longer than I had thought. Not the rules, necessarily: they’re only 5 pages (though a bit cramped at around 7,000 words), but the “everything else” that comes with making an RPG. I’ve ended up writing 27 pages full of stuff for it, and in my excitement to get my ideas down I was writing some of the later pages before finishing the “necessary” pages, which would be: rules for playing the game, rules for running the game, and some pre-built enemies to go in the game (a “3-book” structure if you will, a-la D&D but with only 5 pages for each section). My plan was to put these “core rulebooks” up online and maybe a few “supplements” (1-page extras) after that, then combine them all into a book that would be the “beta” for the game. Hopefully. people would then play it and I would be able to gather feedback and write some extra stuff for the “first edition”. I still hope to do that, but I did it a bit backwards and finished the book first (it took me far too long to write this post), so now that it’s already out in the wild (though at the moment only purchase-able through me personally) I will be putting the PDFs up for download on the dragoncompany.org site.

Core Rules Beta (PDF)

Game Master Guide Beta (PDF)

Monsters/Bestiary Beta (PDF)

Beta Character Sheet (PDF)

I’ve been using a print-on-demand service to print my comic books for a few years now; so going with them for the beta version was a simple choice. Even with them being PoD I don’t anticipate the print version of the beta getting a wide release. I think it is good and playable, but I’d like to add a little more polish before putting it up on Amazon like my comic books. Also the PoD service only does paperback books, and I do hope that after I’ve put the contents up online and gathered some feedback and done some more playtesting to get everything collected for the first edition in a hardback (or likely both formats, as I want the game to be as accessible {inexpensive} as possible), not just to look like other RPGs but because I like the feel and longevity of a good hardback. In any case I’ve put the beta files up, and I hope you use them, play the game and let me know what you think.

Business Cards

Every time I walk into an establishment I grab a business card. I almost never use this card to contact said establishment later, I just keep it with all of the other cards I have. There is absolutely no reason for me to be doing this, aside from the odd joke about me having a card for “My Shaman” etc.

So why in the world do I do this? Well, I just like to, and business cards can be useful. I know several (okay more than that) businessmen (people) who would get sick to their stomach at the idea of taking in more business cards than they already do. I’m sure many people routinely purge their business cards either from their systems entirely or import them into something digital and forget them. I don’t have enough business interactions nor do I walk into enough establishments that have prominently displayed cards for that to be necessary.

I (as with many things I acquire) like having them. But in this case I “can” (should I want to) use them later as well. When indexed properly I can easily find businesses or people in whatever area I’m in that I frequently go to and find contact info or even business hours (and since I’m in the middle of nowhere and many places have no web presence it’s sometimes the only way to find out information like that). And sometimes they are wacky and unique (see “Shaman” above), or pieces of art. But many times they are good examples of what not to do on a card, and upon occasion something you can point to as the best way to make a card ever (that would be my business card, I’m sure of it).

As far as collections go, this one is nice because it doesn’t take up much space and some people can understand why you would want to keep information easily available. And sometimes I realize I’m just a graphic design junkie and I like having all of the styles, sizes, and materials available for reference or brain training or something similar. The cards just look pretty sometimes, which just cements their place in my collections.