I think one of the reasons I love roleplaying games is that it's the closest I'll ever come to being like those guys in the movies.

Where else can I jump from an airplane without a parachute and live to tell about it? Popular television shows and movies allow us to escape our boring day-to-day lives and like the famous, David Bowie song says, "Be heroes - for just one day."

Last week I hung from a treacherous ledge while the Captain of the Guard stomped on my fingers - trying desperately to make me fall to my death. Instead, I was able to grab his belt pouch and send him spiraling downward. A few weeks before that I was cornered in a deep labyrinth by a fire-breathing dragon who mocked my puniness (he ended up eating those words).

RP TV

Role-playing games go hand-in-hand with television, video and film in making up the great modem escapism. For years Gamemasters have turned to movies and television as sources of inspiration. Savvy game companies have chased down movie licenses like, Star Wars, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Aliens and many others.

Recently, though, things have begun to take a different spin. Now Hollywood is looking at the gamingindustry for their next hit. Games like Battletech, Mutant Chronicles, and AD&D itself are heading for the big screen. And that's just the beginning.

The recent mega-success of Magic: The Gathering, coupled with a few hits at the box office could mean we are about to see the largest surge of growth in the gaming industry since role-playing hit the scene with a bang in the late 70's. Already, MTG has attracted hundreds of thousands of new gamers into our small hobby (along with their wallets).

It seems everyone is interested in games these days. Oh, but it's not cool to call them games anymore - now everything is 'interactive entertainment'.

Cutting Edge Technology

These days, games are on the cutting edge of technology. Virtual reality, CD-ROMS and even live-action games enhanced with hi-tech gadgetry are popping up everywhere.

Been to Las Vegas lately? You might be surprised - virtual reality and interactive entertainment centers are taking over the casinos. One hotel will soon be featuring a live-action Star Trek theme. Guests at the hotel will assume a rank position and character of a federation officer serving aboard a Federation starship. Their tour of duty includes their own personal crew quarters, bridge duty and a little R&R time to spend in Forward rubbing elbows with other crewmembers.

So if anyone thought role-playing is in danger of becoming extinct - they have to seriously rethink their position. Role-playing is evolving and is quite healthy - thank you. Best of all, the stigmas associated with steam tunnels, suicide and the occult are becoming a distant memory along with other popular myths.

In this issue of SHADIS PRESENTS we attempted to pull together an assortment of articles dealing with popular movie/tv themes. We also decided to have a little fun and bring you a peek behind the scenes of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Don't forget to pick up a copy of the next issue of SHADIS (#19)! We've added an additional 16 pages - at 128 pages it makes SHADIS the largest games magazine available. We'll put those extra pages to good use.

Enjoy the issue and keep those letters coming. Somebody get this robot off my desk.