Magical Mondays: Roll20

Welcome one and welcome all! It is Monday, and we are back with Magical Mondays.

If you’re just tuning in for the first time, this series will be posting every Monday on all things magical! This includes Magic: the Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons, and anything else in the realm of magic.

This is post #4 so go ahead and look back through the blog to find the past posts. Along the way you might even see some other cool stuff the rest of the library staff are working on. Give it a go!

This week we’re continuing with the awesome topic of D&D. Unlike MTG, my knowledge is pretty sparse on D&D. I gave you some basic information in the last post, but it is definitely more involved than it seems. 

I’ve played a handful of times, but I have never been the DM, or Dungeon Master.

To prepare for this video, I realized how little I knew about the prep work that goes into making a campaign for D&D. However, the storytelling and artmaking that happens when you are the DM is super cool!

Now, if you’re a regular in the D&D world, you might have already heard of this program. If not, it is a really awesome way to get back into it with your usual playgroup while following social distancing guidelines.

If you’re not a regular, welcome to this crazy world of becoming characters! It’s fun, and the internet is here for you with the site called Roll20 (https://roll20.net/).

Some of the games that Roll20’s system supports.

Alright, onto Roll20. I will say, it isn’t the easiest interface to learn, but that’s why I’m here! 

I also want to let you know that even though this post is D&D themed, Roll20 is great for any kind of RPG, not just D&D. And though D&D is inherently fantasy driven, there are RPG games out there where you play as pirates or focus on war as human soldiers or really whatever story your DM makes.

So a lot of Roll20 is learning the menus and where stuff is. I go through a bunch of that with you, but that’s pretty boring, and I really don’t want my videos to be boring. However, this is a tutorial so it may be boring anyways. Roll20 also has their own tutorial, but I think my angelic voice is better than their non-speaking dialogue boxes.

However, my focus for showing you Roll20 is to keep it free and fun, even though they give you a bunch of options for buying campaigns.

You’ll see that I’ve added my own drawings (doesn’t it look like I’ve majored in art?) of characters and maps, and uploaded some character sheets I made on 

D&D Beyond (https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/builder#/).

Have fun with the video! I hope you’re able to get going with some campaigns faster than I’ve been able to. Don’t be discouraged, it takes some messing around, but once you got it, you got it.

Good luck and see you next Monday for all things magical!

~

Email me with questions, suggestions, to talk about Magic, or just to say hello at alandry@cwmars.org.

New! Pop Up Library!

Introducing the Pop Up Library! 
Access eBooks from the library's parking lot without using a library card.

1. Access the WiFi connections on your phone or tablet
2. Select Pop Up LIbrary
2. Select Pop Up Library at PopUpLib.com and tap Go to start reading.Access eBooks from the library's parking lot without using a library card.

Welcome to Magical Mondays

Introducing Magical Mondays!

Calling all Young Adults (and YAs at heart)! Are you a fan of trading card games (TCG), like Magic: the Gathering? Ever wanted to learn, but didn’t have the money to start or anybody to teach you? Did you play in the 90s, and want to try it out again?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, this is the place for you!

I’m Amanda, I will bring videos of gameplay performed by none other than me, and some basic knowledge that I have about Magic, D&D, and other cool magical things to you every Monday.

Since my inspiration for these posts is Magic: the Gathering, I’m going to start there, with some history and how to play.

https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/18583/how-should-i-set-up-a-draft-from-multiple-old-sets

This is what happens to most TCG cards, where they’re sold for change at yard sales. This can be a huge mistake.

TCGs have only increased in popularity since their inception in 1993 with Magic: the Gathering. Games like Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokémon, and countless other collectable card games have surfaced after Magic gained traction in the gaming community. Not only a game, these cards have trading and collectable value. Cards with a limited number of prints (like the ones printed in the very first sets called Alpha and Beta) can be worth thousands of dollars when kept in mint condition. To see prices by set visit https://shop.tcgplayer.com/price-guide/magic/alpha-edition.

Sounds pretty risky to play with $1,000 cards, right? It definitely is, so most people don’t play with those cards. Actually, most of those cards are on a banned or restricted list. This means they can only be played in a particular format of Magic, or not at all. Even with relatively inexpensive cards, players cover their cards with sleeves to protect them since the values of the cards fluctuate so much.

This leads me to mention, what is this game really all about? 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Magic_the_Gathering_-_Commander.jpg#/media/File:Magic_the_Gathering_-_Commander.jpg

First, let me clarify. When I talk about formats, I mean different ways of playing Magic. All the basic rules stay the same, but deck construction, amount of life, and number of players can change. Different formats are called Vintage, Modern, Commander, and Standard, just to name a few. You can visit https://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/rules-and-formats/formats for more on this.

Ultimately, each player is a planeswalker (kind of like a wizard). Each player has a deck of cards that have creatures and spells with varying different abilities and mana costs. These cards, depending on their type, allow for players to interact with their opponent or their own cards. You play creatures to defend yourself and attack your opponents for life, and you play spells to buff up your creatures or stop other spells from being played. The last player alive wins! 

If you want to watch some gameplay, one of my favorite streams is MTGGoldfish: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZAZTSd0xnor7hJFmINIBIw/playlists

I swept past a new word: mana. Each card is associated with one-five colors – white, green, blue, black, and red – and can be paid with their associated colors of mana given by land cards – plains, forests, islands, swamps, and mountains, respectively. These colors are known for specific abilities. An example: black cards are best at getting cards from your graveyard (cards defeated by your opponents or spells that are only cast once). Having to pay a mana cost limits how much a player can do on their turn, keeping the game fair.

Here’s an awesome picture to sum up the parts of a card 

https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Parts_of_a_card

I know this sounds like a lot, and yeah, it can definitely get complicated. But there is a deck for everyone!

And I’ll tell you a secret…there’s a program that can teach you how to play!

Yup, that’s right. It’s called Magic: the Gathering Arena, and it’s an easy and free way to play the first and, I unabashedly say, the best TCG (yes, even above Pokémon). If you’re a YA, always ask a parent before downloading anything onto your computer or using any of the pay to play features

Next week, I’ll be playing MTG Arena!

So stay tuned for more Magic: the Gathering and other magical content every Monday!

~

Email me with questions, suggestions, to talk about Magic, or just to say hello at alandry@cwmars.org.

Looking to entertain the kiddos?

Click on the photo to view a list of super-fun online resources to keep kids entertained that includes science experiments, dance tutorials, virtual theme park rides and more! 

Your library's online resources are now in one handy location

Check out all the great online resources you can access with your Blackstone Public Library card here! 

Young Adult Check-in!

HELLO! HI! HOW ARE YOU???? I sure miss seeing your smiling faces, hearing your infectious laughter and watching your Tik Tok dances come to life! I even miss shushing you when you get too loud because I know it only happens when you are having a super great time with your friends. I'm sure it's hard to be cooped up at home and away from your friends but please know that this is only a temporary situation and one day, this will all be a story that you tell.

While you've been working hard on your schoolwork at home, I've also been home in meetings and searching for cool stuff to share with you.

First things first- BOOKS! Yes, the library is closed but that doesn't mean that you don't have access to amazing stories. If you have a library card you can still borrow digital copies of books and audiobooks through the Libby app!

If you don't have a library card, don't fret! Check out our previous blog post that details how you can sign up for a free instant digital card. If you run into trouble, leave a comment on this post and we'll help walk you through the steps! If you need book recommendations, please don't hesitate to ask!

Hoopla Digital is a FREE database available to you with your Blackstone Public Library card. Hoopla is a groundbreaking digital media service that allows you to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, or phone – and even your TV! With no waiting, titles can be streamed immediately, or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later. Hoopla has hundreds of thousands of titles to choose from, with more being added daily. It's like having your public library at your fingertips. Anytime. Anywhere. 

Now for something FUN! 

It's likely that your pets have become your best friends (although they probably were already) over the past few weeks. Maybe now they have become your classmates and snuggle on your lap while you are logged into a Google Classroom. Perhaps their antics are the only thing that bring an easy smile to your face. Or maybe they are confused as to why everyone is home all day and have picked up some new habits that make you laugh (or shake your head in confusion).

Well, we want to hear about it.

Send a photo of your furry (or not so furry) friend, along with some facts about your pet and they will be featured on the young adult Instagram page (@blackstone_library_ya) as well as our Facebook page!

Please email your submissions to kdelvecchio@cwmars.org or alandry@cwmars.org. If you have a question, leave it in the comments below. We look forward to seeing your pets!

New! Virtual Book Club

Come read with us and share your thoughts through the Blackstone Public Library's Virtual Book Club! We will be using Hoopla Digital, a digital media service offered by your library that allows you to instantly borrow digital movies, music, eBooks and more, 24/7 with your Blackstone library card. Titles can be streamed immediately on most devices, including personal computers, or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later.

What do you need to join?

You will need an active Blackstone Public Library card, an email address, and an electronic device on which to read or listen to our digital book club material. This device can be a personal computer, a tablet (iPad, Kindle, Android, etc.), or mobile phone.

You will also need a Hoopla Digital account. To sign up at Hoopla, go to https://www.hoopladigital.com and click on "Sign Up" in the upper right corner.

Once you are ready to read, ask to join the group. A moderator will attend to your request as soon as possible.

To join, go to https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1079321-blackstone-public-library-hoopla-book-club