Tuesday 24 December 2013

Bored over Christmas? Some help is at hand.

I'm home for Christmas this year, rather than visiting relatives. This does, at least, make it a little easier to get hobbying done, rather than some sort of portable solution being set up on the dining table...

Anyhow, in the interests of seasonal sharing and goodwill, I thought I'd give people a few ideas for things to do if they are bored at a family Christmas and can't get their modelling and painting stuff out. I mean, seriously, you don't see your family that often, and you should make a bit of an effort to spend some time with them, but there will come a point where you need a little "you" time, so here's a few suggestions for that.

Pretty miniature things to look at

The Ammobunker


Or, more specifically, the Ammobunker's Inq28 Painting and Modelling forum. This is one of the best collections of kit bashed inquisitorial goodness on the web, and one that is often overlooked. If you are missing your modelling and want to look at many pretty miniatures assembled in ways that the designers did not necessarily intend, this is the place for you.

Massive Voodoo


These folk are pretty well known already, but they are worth mentioning again. They have a lot of very pretty models on the blog, but also a lot of tutorials to help you get better. They are definitely worth some time, and you can really get lost browsing through their stuff.

Interesting things to read

The Gonzo History Project
This is a history blog, sure, but not of the sort that you'll have seen before. Its run by a friend of mine, who also paints, models and games - but this is all about the history. You might wonder why I'm linking this, but go look - his series on the archaeological themes in Skyrim, in particular, are worth a look.

Youtube

Beasts of War
I know that the Beasts of War crew aren't everyone's cup of tea, but you will definitely find some gems in there. I'm particularly fond of their Infinity series (so much so that I shamelessly stole the idea of an Infinity Week). They do run features on games I have no interest in whatsoever, like Dropzone Commander, DUST or Kings of War, but a selective browse will find you videos to while away the time before Christmas dinner.

Templars Crusade
If you are more interested in the painting and modelling side of things, then go have a look at Templars Crusade's channel. He's been particularly interested in Flames of War and Horus Heresy recently, but he does love him his Forge World as a general theme...

Terranscapes
This chap builds terrain. He does some pretty big projects, and its worth having a look at for inspiration and ideas.

Computer Games

And if you need something to keep you entertained on your computer?

Tiny Death Star (Android)
Tiny Death Star (iPad/iPhone)


A little tower building game that is horribly addictive, where you help fund the death star with shops, restaurants and toy shops...

Papers Please


Not one to play while you're feeling down, but a fascinating game where you play a border guard at an Eastern European border checkpoint in 1982. Incredibly depressing, but a real work of art that is worth playing over and over, as it gives you some real challenges, both mentally and emotionally.

And a couple of quick ones...

Public Service Announcement

Someone recently made the mistake of letting one of the guys who made Cards Against Humanity know their Youtube password . . . and this was the result.

Blogger won't let me embed this one, so you can go to Youtube. It is work safe...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARfg4p031os

Drinking White Wine in the Sun

And finally, here's a video of what has recently become one of my favourite songs about Christmas.



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