UncleBear is probably the most senior of Role Playing Blogs. It's certainly the oldest respected one. So respected you could say it's Ancient. Well. As Ancient as Blogs go. Since 1996.Berin Kinsman (what's in a name? he even kind of looks like a bear) is the initiator and long time runner of the blog. Even nowadays posts keep appearing. And always there's a new thought. Or a new review. Or a new something. Even if it's a Haiku Thursday on women gamers, or a series called Jumping the Dire Shark. He supports the hobby. Not the industry. Impressive. I tip my hat to you Berin!
Berin also seems to work continuously on Imagination's Toolbox - a generic role playing system. And on DoubleZero, a retro-clone of a not to name espionage RPG. Unfortunately, I've been able to find neither. But maybe that's because they are in continuous development. What was available for download on UncleBear is the Tenfootwiki. A html file as a solution to storing your entire campaign, with player adresses, NPC data, maps, inspiration, everything. You can carry it on USB-stick, and have it ready everywhere. Now that's something I should have started to use long ago.
Scouring over his posts I gulp. I read that when Berin and his wife had an exceptionally hard time, his family and colleagues were not there for him. No one was. Except the roleplaying community, overwhelmingly. That probably sums it up. UncleBear has a love for the hobby. And the hobby has a love for him.
Soon Berin will merge his personal blog and Unclebear into one - then you'll find him at BerinKinsman.com. Probably all kinds of now missing stuff will then reappear once more.
- picture is the to be cover art for Imagination's Toolbox, done by Robin Stacey.
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