This week in Gaming

[tcpip]

Well, I reviewed the AD&D1e Players Handbook at RPG.net and war broke out because I dared give it 1/5 for substance. In the past days I've also reviewed A3: Assault on the Aerie of the Slavelords, the Megatraveller Rebellion Sourcebook, A2: The Secret of the Slavers Stockade and U2: Danger At Dunwater.

I've also set myself a "hard deadline" of finishing at most of the first draft of my Dragonlords RPG by the end of today and have spent several solid days working on the manuscript. It's currently hovering around 25,000 words - much shorter than it needs to be - and I'm pretty happy with what has been done thus far. It feels right thus far. Also I need playtesters - lots of them - and I want plenty feedback as well. On a related note, can someone sell me on The Burning Wheel. I'm trying to like this game, but it just isn't moving me.

caseopaya did another fine job as GM of Little Fears last Friday. On Sunday the retro-group finished the high-cheese AD&D A3 module. Tuesday's game has changed (due to narrative reasons) from Megatraveller to Traveller: The New Era. Have also managed to deal with two scenes of the HeroQuest Glorantha pbem that I manage, play through one the Rolemaster Hyborea scenes and the initial investigative encounters of a d20 Call of Cthulhu game - particularly great setting this one; the civil war and war of independence in the Congo.

News that does not relate to my interest in the crossover between fantastic literature, tactical wargames and improvised radio theatre will have to wait for a subsequent post :-)

Comments

[mikey-ob.livejournal.com]

You have provided a clearly written and fair assessment of a rulebook from an old RPG system system from a contemporary gamers relative context.

I would like to see you write a review af AD&D where you provide an analysis of the components of the system and their infulence - both negative and positive - in the development of RPG systems over the 29 or so years since it's release. Why things worked and why other mechanics are discarded.

[discordia13.livejournal.com]

Yeah I'de agree with the review on this one. 1st ed hasn't aged well, but the design of the books of that era were brilliant - they were in a lot of ways a lot like comic books. Fairly shallow, but you were paying for the art.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

You have provided a clearly written and fair assessment of a rulebook from an old RPG system system from a contemporary gamers relative context.

Thank you. That was exactly what I intended to do.


I would like to see you write a review af AD&D where you provide an analysis of the components of the system and their infulence - both negative and positive - in the development of RPG systems over the 29 or so years since it's release. Why things worked and why other mechanics are discarded.

A good idea; I've been thinking about writing such a column piece for rpg.net

BTW, love the icon. I sold a virtually new 'blue cover' Basic D&D set last year...

[mikey-ob.livejournal.com]

That book was my intro to RPG's in 1980 thanks to my dear friend Andrew Watson; 26 years later we now share our RPG experiences in Azeroth, it's not the same as F2F, but still game together.

The only copy I own now is from my D&D 25 year special box...also contains B1 and B2.

I anticipate your essay on the subject on the development of mechanics from AD&D.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

RPG experiences in Azeroth

That's very close to Astaroth, the demon bunny.

.also contains B1 and B2.

B1 was absolutely hilarious in how bad it was. B2 was a tragedy because one page of backstory could have made it so much better.

I anticipate your essay on the subject on the development of mechanics from AD&D.

It's damn enticing; I'll mail rpg.net tomorrow morning and see what they say.