My nickname is Bert. I’m from Vienna, Austria.
I’ve been around the web since the mid-90s. Been working professionally in IT for a long time. And have always been creative; sketching, shooting photos, retouching them, writing, telling stories. At some times I‘m more active on the web, at other times less.
You can find more of/from/about me here…
It’s about time to make fun and have fun with viruses with a playful game: viruses who think they are the superheroes and defend their world (their host body) against the so called evil masterminds and their lackeys.
I created a brand-new TTRPG roleplaying game based on PbtA, and it’s story-driven, rules-light and GM-light. Also: playable for new and veteran gamers alike. Bonus: it’s free.
You can download it here ▶️ https://bertschal.itch.io/superhero-viruses
Short background story on how this game came to be is also here on this blog ▶️ https://qnn.vivaldi.net/2023/09/17/some-random-and-interconnected-musings-about-war-and-roleplaying-games-and-strange-topics-and-viruses-and-again-strange-topics-and-a-new-roleplaying-game-in-that-order/
When Russia invaded Ukraine I was shocked. Even though Ukraine has no borders with Austria (the country I live in) I felt connected. Ukraine is in Europe, as is Austria. It’s a neighbor and another neighbor invaded this country.
It felt so wrong and devastating. The first thing that came to my mind was the Chernobyl incident of the 1980s. I remember it just a little bit, I was only a child at the time.
I can’t really remember the war in Yugoslavia (starting in the 1990s) or rather was shielded by my parents. Even though this one was closer to Austria.
So the invasion of Ukraine felt – for me as an adult – especially horrible. Innocent lives lost, people fleeing, children becoming orphaned.
And yes I know, this is happening all over the world all the time. I feel with everyone; Ukraine as a European country just felt closer.
At the same time as this happened I – as the Game Master – prepared a tabletop roleplaying campaign for my “Dungeon World” group. I had an invasion of agents of the underworld in mind and already planned out the overall plot and the story.
But I couldn’t introduce this plot into our game. It felt extremely wrong. My play group was on board with this. And so I didn’t do it. I changed it, removed NPCs (Non-Player-Characters), that I created, and we played it without an invasion.
It was a great campaign. We had a lot of fun. And even though I planned the invasion I didn’t miss it in the overall story. It would have been fun to play and give the characters a lot of options to help the oppressed people. And to do right by overpowering the aggressors. But it wasn’t right to incorporate it into the story and so we just didn’t do it.
So what is it with this fascination of war in our games, books, plays, and movies?
We’re playing or seeing or reading it, and it’s not real. And we’re entertained by it.
Is this wrong, should we revel in it or not?
I don’t think there’s an easy answer to this. I love to be scared by horror stories but wouldn’t want to have a real killer running around and slaughtering people. But in a story it’s entertaining.
It’s the same with thrills, conflicts, drama, action, brutality, sex, comedy, murder, etc. It entertains – to a certain point. We’re taking part as an audience or as players; but at the same time we can feel safe.
Though sometimes it’s even too much for me. When there’s too much violence, or too much horror, especially when children are involved. Then I have to stop. I do this when playing tabletop roleplaying games and when watching or reading stories.
I remember a very disturbing episode of the show “Private Practice” where a pregnant woman was involved. I won’t write down what happened. But if you know the show, you know what I mean. I was disgusted and appalled at this episode and was cursing the writers for this sh*y story.
Rewind to the pandemic of 2020+
I was helpless, hopeful, afraid, upset, glad when the worst was over, stupefied about the dumbness of certain people, and I had many more feelings. I, like so many people, lost a close friend of the family. Much too young. To this awful virus.
At some point during the pandemic I needed a creative output to cope with it all. Another lockdown was coming, people were even more stupid. So I created a webcomic and made fun of it all. Of the stupidness, of the virus itself, and of myself. It helped. I liked it. I published it online. But because it was more for myself than for the rest of the web wide world; I eventually took the webcomic down.
During the course of the comic I created the so called “Superhero Viruses”. Stupid viruses, disguising themselves as superheroes and just being dumb and funny. My children loved them, I loved them. I drew them, and created backstories, their enemies, their fears. But I took them down, also.
A year later or so I thought about them while I was in the process of creating a new roleplaying game.
Is it ok to play with and as viruses, even though they killed and still kill a lot of humans? The same way as it is ok to play with guns in video games while there are too many deaths by guns all over the world? The same way wars destroy lives and still we humans like to watch and read stories of war and destruction?
For me it was a certain line that I didn’t want to cross while writing the game. I wanted to create a funny game with dumb and silly viruses. I wanted for the players to play the viruses and make them their own. Their characters. Their stories. Their entertainment. And at the same time not make them deadly or devastating. This game should be playful and not grim.
I guess, in the end I wrote this game more for myself (again just like the webcomic) than for other gamers. Just to be creative and to put the superhero viruses to use.
The use being relief to the ‘normal’ world.
If you want to read the book, head over to my itch.io site where you can download it for free.
If at some point while reading the book or playing the game you think it would be cool to give money; do so – but not to me – being creative is a hobby and not a means of income.
Give money to a social or environmental organization of your choice. Just a little bit, but a little bit that makes a difference.
▶️ https://bertschal.itch.io/superhero-viruses
PS the final release of the game is scheduled to be in late September
/ early October 2023.
🇬🇧 intro
This article is my longest – to date – and since it’s about an Austrian newspaper/news organization and since it’s very, very dear to my heart I’m writing it in Austrian German; my mother tongue. I don’t think I’m going to translate it; but there are enough online translators if you’re interested in what it is I’m writing about.
🇦🇹 TLDR
Die Wiener Zeitung in ihrer alten Form ist weg, futsch, verschwunden. Gibt’s so nicht mehr, nur mehr als Archiv online unter www.tagblatt-wienerzeitung.at und epaper.tagblatt-wienerzeitung.at.
Aber die neue Wiener Zeitung, kurz WZ ist da und eine der besten; wenn nicht die beste; Qualitäts-News-Plattform in Österreich. Zu finden unter www.wz.at.
gesamter Text beginnt hier:
Ich kann mich noch gut erinnern. Es war vor langer Zeit und ich hatte schlussendlich die Schnauze voll von den ganzen Boulevard-Medien. Ich wollte etwas Gscheites lesen. Angefangen hab ich mit der Presse. Hin und wieder gekauft und reingeschnuppert. Ich bin aber nicht wirklich warm mit ihr geworden. Keine Ahnung woran das lag..
Dann hab ich den Standard ausprobiert, sogar ein halbjährliches Abo gekauft. Und wirklich jeden Tag in der U-Bahn und beim Frühstück den Standard gelesen. Wirklich gelesen. Also beinahe alles, außer die Sachen die mich nicht interessiert haben: Sportnachrichten und dergleichen.
Zwischendurch hatte ich auch ein Abo bei der New York Times. Da hab ich echt viel nachgelesen. Total viele online Artikel und hab’s auch sehr interessant gefunden. Auch wenn mich viele Artikel (speziell über die US Politik) nicht wirklich persönlich betrafen. War mir dann aber doch zu viel des Guten und hab das Abo gekündigt und schau seit einiger Zeit dort auch nicht mehr nach.
Naja, nach dem Standard Abo (hat mich dann auch nimma angesprochen) und auch schon währenddessen habe ich mit der Wiener Zeitung angefangen. Anfangs hab ich auch die Print-Ausgabe gelesen und später dann hauptsächlich nur noch online.
Ich hab sie geliebt. Bin fast jeden Tag eingestiegen, hab mir die Artikel durchgelesen die mich super brennend interessiert haben und hab andere überflogen.
Die Berichterstattung war immer top. Wenn’s um Wahlen ging oder um COVID habe ich die Newsticker verschlungen.
Und dann 2022/2023 herum kam die blanke Ernüchterung, dass die Regierung, die Wiener Zeitung so wie ich sie kannte einstampfen würde. Ich war enorm enttäuscht. (Die WZ gehört ja der Republik Österreich und daher hat die aktuelle Regierung auch das sagen). Endlich eine Qualitätszeitung, die ich jahrelang las, die für mich über Längen hinaus interessanter war als die Presse oder der Standard. Die einfach nicht mehr aus meinem Leben wegzudenken war. Und nun soll sie weg sein und etwas Anderem weichen? Etwas Anderem, unter dem ich mir überhaupt nix vorstellen konnte.
▶ Kein Printmedium mehr (ok, das war mir ziemlich wurscht, weil ich’s eh nur mehr online konsumierte).
▶ Keine tagesaktuellen Berichte (das war mir nicht wurscht).
▶ Kündigungen von vielen Mitarbeiter*innen (das war mir auch nicht wurscht).
▶ Das Ende der Wiener Zeitung in ihrer altehrwürdigen Form als älteste Tageszeitung der Welt (das war mir sowas von nicht wurscht).
Ja und dann kam der Tag der letzten Ausgabe, ich hab sie mir nicht gekauft. War einfach zu traurig. Der 30. Juni 2023.
Das Titelblatt war umwerfend schlicht gehalten:
116.840 Tage
3.839 Monate
320 Jahre
12 Präsidenten
10 Kaiser
2 Republiken
1 Zeitung
Ich krieg grad Ganslhaut wenn ich das schreib.
Ich hab mir trotzdem gedacht, ja ich schau auf jeden Fall nach wie die neue Website jetzt ausschaut, vielleicht ist ja was Brauchbares dabei.
Na und ob da was dabei ist, bist du wahnsinnig. Was das Team der WZ da im Hintergrund die letzten Monate auf die Beine gestellt hat. Unglaublich.
🔝 Was mir total taugt:
☹️ Was mir leid tut:
🧐 Was mir fehlt:
Was ich zur Kenntnis nehme, mir aber ziemlich wurscht ist:
🗣️ Mein Feedback (falls es jemand von der WZ lesen sollte):
Super genial und brilliant umgesetzt!!! Bitte weiter machen. Ihr könnt wahnsinnig stolz sein, auf das was ihr geleistet habt und leistet. Ich freu mich jedes Mal aufs Neue wenn mir mein RSS-Reader neue Inhalte anzeigt. Vielen Dank!
well … I guess these few emojis describe me the best 🤗👌🖖🧙👓🐼🌱🌕🪐🍌🫖🏀🥏🎬🎧🎲♟️🛴🚲🚀🌅📱💻🗂️📍📝❤️🔥♻️🌐♾️💭🏳️🌈🇦🇹
Instead of a lot of hashtags and lengthy introductions I thought emojis would be nice in my various online profiles. But what do they actually mean?
🤗 love to hug
👌 am an optimistic realist
🖖 Star Trek fan
🧙 Fantasy fan
👓 glasses wearer
🐼 Panda FTW
🌱 plants lover
🌕 man on the moon seer
🪐 astronomy lover
🍌 fruits eater
🫖 tea drinker
🏀 basketball player
🥏 outdoor stayer
🎬 film watcher
🎧 music listener
🎲 board game player
♟️ chess player
🛴 scooter driver
🚲 biker
🚀 sci-fi fan
🌅 sun worshiper
📱 phone user
💻 laptop owner
🗂️ organizer
📍 maps user
📝 writer
❤️ love lover
🔥 hot food eater
♻️ recycler
🌐 web enjoyer
♾️ infinity symbol admirer
💭 messaging apps user
🏳️ peace lover
🌈 LGBTQIA+ friend
🇦🇹 Austria native
Actually there are many more interpretations. Those are the ones I thought about right now at this moment. I’m sure that at the time I picked these emojis for the very first time I thought about other meanings. 🤷
here are the pen & paper role playing games I’d love to play someday 🟨 and the ones I already played ✅.
🟨 Amazing Heroes by Martin Lloyd
✅ Amazing Tales by Martin Lloyd
✅ Hero Kids by Hero Forge Games
✅ No Thank you Evil by Monte Cook Games
🟨 Princess Guard by Amalara Game Studio
✅ Things That Go Squeak In The Night by Jim Davies
✅ Tiny Dungeon by Alan Bahr
🟨 Dark Nation by Martin Lloyd
🟨 Dead Letter Society by Rori Montford
🟨 Fedora Noir by Less Than Three Games
🟨 Goblin Quest by Grant Howitt
🟨 In the Shadow of the Lord by The Wanderer‘s Tome
✅ Noir World by John Adamus
🟨 Paranormal Inc. by Alicia Furness
🟨 Ocean by Jake Richmond
🟨 Raging Grannies by Alicia Furness
✅ Space Recruits by me
✅ Superhero Viruses by me
🟨 Tangled Blessings by Cassi Mothwin
🟨 Alien by Free League Publishing
🟨 Apocalypse World by D.Vincent & Meguey Baker
🟨 Army of Darkness by Eden Studios
🟨 Blade Runner by Free League Publishing
🟨 Brindlewood Bay by Jason Cordova
✅ Call of Cthulhu by Chaosium
🟨 Cold Shadows by Gallant Knight Games
🟨 Dark Chrystal by River Horse Games
🟨 The Darkest House by Monte Cook Games
🟨 Dune by Modiphius
✅ Dungeon World by Sage LaTorra & Adam Koebel
🟨 Hellboy by Mantic Games
🟨 Highcaster by Christopher Grey
🟨 Old Gods of Appalachia by Monte Cook Games
🟨 Omega Horizon by Paleo Gaming
✅ Private Eye by Redaktion Phantastik
🟨 Star Trek Adventures by Modiphius
✅ Star Wars Edge of the Empire by Fantasy Flight Games
🟨 Stealing Stories of the Devil by Monte Cook Games
🟨 Tiny Cthulhu by Alan Bahr
🟨 Tiny Supers by Alan Bahr
🟨 Tiny Taverns by Robert Denton III
🟨 Tiny Wastelands by Alan Bahr
🟨 Trophy Dark by Jesse Ross
✅ Witchtomb by Highland Paranormal Society for Dungeon World and Tiny Dungeon
✅ The Crypt of the Forgotten King by Lucky Dice Games for Tiny Dungeon
✅ The Midsummer Mischief Express by TTRPGKids for Tiny Dungeon
✅ Chimera by Dwarfare Games
🟨 Cypher System by Monte Cook Games
🟨 Elemental by Gildor Games
🟨 Fate by Evil Hat Productions
🟨 Fiasco by Bully Pulpit Games
🟨 Forge Engine by Hero Forge Games
🟨 Journey by Luke Miller
🟨 Microscope by Lame Mage Productions
🟨 Universalis by Ramshead Publishing
🟨 Unknown Armies by Atlas Games
