R.I.P. Steve Tinner

[salamanca]

I've been putting off posting this a bit to gather my thoughts.

Steve Tinner, Shadowrun GM extrodinaire and self proclaimed "GM to the Stars" passed away last saturday evening.

It was unexpected and sudden but related to ongoing health issues he had been dealing with. He leaves behind his wife of 14 years and a large gaggle of nieces and nephews. (and a very shocked contingent of friends )

For those of you that play Shadowrun, Steve was behind a ton of changes in editions as far back as 3rd. He recently got back into convention gaming running stuff at cons in the midwest, normally getting tasked with the introductory adventures because he put a good face on the product. He was one of the few people capable of running a quality game with me at the table every single session. And he is one of the few people capable of sabotaging a session worse than I tend to do. He made me a better gamer.

Steve was the center of the gaming community here. If you were going to run a new game, Steve wanted to try it (and then tell you how terrible the system was) and with that, it was time for a different system because Steve's word was law to our gamers. If Steve didn't like it, nobody was going to play. Conversely, Steve could talk the most reluctant gamer into returning weekly to play terrible games because he was involved. My favorite story about him was not about a game but about Lord of the Rings. Steve had gotten married the spring before Fellowship came out and, being happily married, he had basically withdrawn from gaming to enjoy his new life. So here we are in a sold out theater to see the movie and literally 60% of the audience knows each other. In walks Steve and his wife and the audience gives them a standing ovation because they missed him that much. Meanwhile the other 40% are looking at each other trying to figure out if he is someone famous from the movie or something.

But he went out like a gamer. He ran a Shadowrun session on wednesday and it was a great game as usual I am certain.

The online obit is here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/news-herald/obituary.aspx?n=steven-a-tinner&pid=170451845&fhid=2960

There is also a site to contribute to help out with final expenses if you are so inclined: http://www.gofundme.com/7xi0to

Having lost Verne a few years back and now Steve, I'm going to speak up about something now that Mark and I agree on but he doesn't want to just blurt out...

We love gaming with all of you. not having any of you at the table diminishes our enjoyment in drastic ways and we want to continue to game with you all for a very long time so please, please look after your health and take care of yourself so we can sit together in a room many years from now together and complain about the air conditioning and the fact that we cannot hear the GM.

[Black Jack Rackham]

We love gaming with all of you. not having any of you at the table diminishes our enjoyment in drastic ways and we want to continue to game with you all for a very long time so please, please look after your health and take care of yourself so we can sit together in a room many years from now together and complain about the air conditioning and the fact that we cannot hear the GM.

Yes, YES, A thousand times YES!

[Sister Sonya]

I enjoyed playing Shadowrun with Steve fully as much as being in a game with him as GM.

[salamanca]

Well, words were said today and we sent our favorite GM off to whatever you believe lies beyond. The turn out easily topped 300. Many friends and family but also several people who had played games with him "a couple of times". Stories were shared, laughter spread and sorrow was in short supply. The Pastor called a mutual friend last night to ask him to "explain this Shadowrun thing so I can incorporate it into the sermon". I can't say I expected to hear a minister use "TPK" properly. Now we just need to not do it again for another 50-60 years.

[Lord_Nabu]

Well, words were said today and we sent our favorite GM off to whatever you believe lies beyond. The turn out easily topped 300. Many friends and family but also several people who had played games with him "a couple of times". Stories were shared, laughter spread and sorrow was in short supply. The Pastor called a mutual friend last night to ask him to "explain this Shadowrun thing so I can incorporate it into the sermon". I can't say I expected to hear a minister use "TPK" properly. Now we just need to not do it again for another 50-60 years.

What on earth is weird about a minister using "TPK" properly?