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

[anthanum.livejournal.com]

I need to organise some people up this way into a semblance of a gaming group. Missing my geek time :)

[mundens.livejournal.com]

So, what's this Dragonlords thing then?
Maybe we can get some people play-testing over here?

We have a local BBS at www.nzrag.com where such things could be discussed !

[severina-242.livejournal.com]

Still want me to do and Illustration on the 'Dragonloards' theme?

Also let's do dinner again soon.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

If you get desparate I could slot you into one of the pbems...

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Ahh Dragonlords. A RPG based using the world of Greg Costikyan's "Barbarian Kings" (I have the OK from Greg and Jim Dietz of Jolly Roger Games). I consider "significant influences" in the game to be RQ, DQ and RM.

I would love some NZ input, because, well kiwi gaming rocks. Send me a private email and we'll organise more...

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Yes and yes... Dinner sometime next week? Wednesday?

[lederhosen.livejournal.com]

I reviewed the AD&D1e Players Handbook at RPG.net

...which is much like poking a wasp's nest, but I'm sure you knew that going in ;-)

I had many happy years with 1st Ed, but I have absolutely no desire to go back, for pretty much the same reasons you've covered in the review. 3rd Ed works much, much better, even if they never did clear up the 'level' confusion...

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

...which is much like poking a wasp's nest, but I'm sure you knew that going in ;-)

Yeah, I kind of did expect it. But I also hoped for some better arguments from the AD&D1e defenders, apart from "balance" and "market sucess"...

Perhaps there just isn't any.

Of course, if I was reviewing the PH in 1980, the rating would be much, much different.

3rd Ed works much, much better, even if they never did clear up the 'level' confusion...

Indeed. It is a much better game. D&D has improved significantly over the decades. I don't see why this should be considered a problem for some.

[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.

[curufea.livejournal.com]

D&D proponents are almost relgiously obsessed with being apologists for it. Including lashing out at those "in the fold" who give bad reviews.

[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...

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

There is many, many things for which the roleplaying industry owes AD&D1e a lot of credit. The design of a good, lasting, game system is not one of them.

[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.

[one-horse-town.livejournal.com]

As well as those religiously obsessed with Runequest, for example. *wink*

It's the Forever War of roleplaying. Joe Haldeman would be proud.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

As well as those religiously obsessed with Runequest, for example. *wink*

Oh, I could make a hell of a list of what's creaky in RQ I, II and II and as for the one I was actually involved in playtesting/design, oh lordy, don't get me started, I was starting to go off my rocker on that list; which regrettably has been deleted.

[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.

[one-horse-town.livejournal.com]

Oh, i agree. Which is why i gave you some grief over on RPGnet. Listing all the fualts of one product whilst, lets face it, barely mentioning those in the other, doesn't strike me as being very objective.

That aside, i'm finished with that. I like both games and don't see why anyone would foster bad feeling between the two (i don't mean you BTW). Live and let live and all that.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Well the only serious RQ faults include:

- Some scaling issues, especially wrt special successes (which I did mention)

- The clumsy implementation of the skill bonuses for characteristics (which I also mentioned).

- The emphasis on military skills and separate skills for attack and parry (ditto)

- The flat rate of advancement for occupational experience (33 percentiles per annum) compared to increasing difficulty through experience. Not a huge problem really.

- Some parts of sorcery, which I was going to mention in the review (you will note that two paragraphs join which was were my deletion point was), which came up in discussion anyway.

Live and let live and all that.

Sure. As much as I like debates over rules, I don't see why some people seem to take it so personally. It's a bit weird, imo...

[lardarsegreg.livejournal.com]

So, what exactly do you play?

Or should I instead be asking what exactly you don't play...

[tentacularone.livejournal.com]

Hello. Whenever you get to that stage, I've got a few groups that could playtest out here (US). Just let us know. Looking forward to basking in your brilliance.

[tentacularone.livejournal.com]

Hello there. Whenever you get to the playtest stage, I've got at least one group that's always ready for fresh meat. Let us know.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Excellent; I'll send you some material this weekend.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Hey, longtime no see...

Ummm... Currently playing;

Rolemaster, Little Fears, d20 Call of Cthulhu.

And I wish my DragonQuest GM would get a move on as well; and I really should get my Lunar Duck up and running for a RuneQuest game.

Currently running;

AD&D (oh, the irony), RuneQuest, HeroQuest, Traveller

Hmmm... Those games are pretty mainline aren't they?

oh it went through

[tentacularone.livejournal.com]

LJ told me it ate my comment. LJ's pants are on fire.