Greyhawk Grognard: Marketing the OSR

Greyhawk Grognard: Marketing the OSR, Part 2 of 4: Innovation

GG has put forward two really great posts on the OSR. Do yourself a favor and check them out.

I'd Make a Horrible PC

My sinuses and the accompanying post nasal drip are driving me out of my mind. I blame the wonderful NYC weather.

I could never survive as a PC, getting my ass beat on a daily basis, sleeping outdoors or in a dungeon.

Sinuses knock me down ;)

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Another Twofer Tuesday

Today we have two new freebies for your collection.

First up is Oil Pressure, a module for Villains and Vigilantes.  Coming in at 16 pages, it should give you an evening of entertainment and a nice sample module for you V&V game.

Our second freebie is also the second part of a series of adventures.

Campaign 1: Secrets of the Ancients from Mongoose Games for Traveller.  There are three separate download links on the page.  The campaign intro, part 1 and part 2.  Enjoy

Waiting is the Hardest Part

Alright, consider this a parental blog entry.

So, The Kid is at a birthday party tonight.  He's 17, stubborn, likes to show he is independent.  Got a whole lot of: "and you know you don't have to text me every five minutes."  "You DON'T need to know everything."  Normal adolescent spreading of wings.

All I asked was: "When you know what time it is wrapping up, send me a text"."

The independent lad needed 5 bucks for a MetroCard (NYC Subway) and has already texted me that: "It wraps up at 10 and if I feel lazy I may need a ride."  That's my boy... you can spread those wings as far as you want, but your father will always be there for you.

So, what am I doing in my spare time this evening?  Watching the Dungeons & Dragons: The Complete Animated Series... cause if the lad were home he'd probably laugh me outa the house ;)

 Alright, its a little dated, and the putz shares my name (Cavalier named Erik... sheesh, what a tool) but its still D&D, its still fun, and it makes me feel years younger.  It can't be all that bad ;)

Looking For a Good First RPG

I started a thread pretty much asking for the same on ENWorld.

I'm looking for a good RPG to introduce a first time player to roleplaying. They want something they can read first, so it shouldn't be too huge and should include an easy to follow sample of play.

The vast majority of my 30 years of game collecting assumes prior knowledge of roleplaying games. I'd like to hear some suggestions if y'all if possible.

Thanks :)

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And the Winner is...

I need to figure out a better way to do this.  It's not that I don't like rolling dice, but when it comes to online media, an online solution would probably fit better.  I guess I could do it via Fantasy Grounds or iTabletop in the future, but I'd have to make sure others log in to witness.  Grrrrrr...

In any case, we have 5 entries.  In order of their posting it is:
    1-2 Greg
    3-4 Mikemonaco
    5-6 James
    7-8 dogrodeo
    9-0 Tim Shorts

Can we have a drum roll please?

Taking a randomly chosen 10-sided die from my desk drawer.  Witnessed by Ashley, the 4 y/o feline... we have rolled a 5.

Woot!  James wins a PDF copy of Dragon Warriors courtesy of RPGNow.

 James, check your email.

Still Six Hours Left...

Six Hours left to tell us about your favorite Big Bad Evil Guy.  Easy chance to win yourself a PDF copy of Dragon Warriors (I remember this being advertised as a paperback series of RPG books in Dragon Magazine back in the 80s).

Your comment must be in by 6 pm today, Eastern time.  Just Do It! :)

Quick Start Rules - The Listing - Part the Fifth

Woot!  Post 300!

There is still time to add your favorite BBEG to the thread here and have a chance to win a PDF copy of Dragon Warriors.  Comments must be added by 6 pm Eastern Time July 11, 2010.  Operators are standing by. 

Anyhow, back to the Quickstarts:

FFGs quick starts for its Warhammer 40k line of RPGs is available at the following links:
     Deathwatch               Rouge Trader               Dark Heresy
Actually, lots of free goodies at those links... enjoy

StarSiege from Troll Lord Games- Cross Castles & Crusades' engine with sci-fi and this is the result.  My son gave me this as a Christmas gift when it came out.  He rocks!

PDQ Sharp! from Atomic Sock Monkey - The game engine behind Jaws of the Six Serpents, Zorceror of Zo, and many others.

 PDQ - For an ever more streamlined version of the above.  In case you don't like Swashbucklers and such ;)

Lazy Saturday Afternoon

( Don't forget to add your post to the Tell us About Your Favorite BBEG thread.  One lucky poster gets a free PDF copy of Dragon Warriors courtesy of RPGNow - post before 6pm Eastern Time July 11, 2010 to be counted)

So far today I have played some Star Trek Online, read the latest Knights of the Dinner Table, surfed the web, played with the iPad... I've really missed the Do Nothing of Importance type of Saturday.  I think I need to schedule these more often ;)

Oh, and we are getting some rain here in NYC.  Woot!  About friggin time.

Anyhow, when I motivate my lazy ass I'll put up the next installment of the Quick Start collection.  I expect that should be sometime this evening.

K, back to blowing shit up in STO.

Tell us About Your Favorite BBEG

Big Bad Evil Guys... or Gals.  We all have our favorites, whether it is Darth Vader, Sauron or Lex Luthor.  The media may change, but we all have our favorite baddies.  Here's your chance to share your favorite with others.  It could be from movies, fiction, comics, a game module or a campaign you played in.  I wanna know.  Tell us why he rocks.

Besides, everyone that posts gets a chance to  a single copy of Dragon Warriors RPG from RPGNow. 

Yep, I have a copy to give away, and one lucky random poster will get it.

Get your posts in by 6pm eastern time Sunday, July 11, 2010.  The winner will be announced by 6pm on July 12th, and probably a lot sooner.

The ongoing contest is still in effect.  When we hit 40 Google Connect Friends, one lucky random friend gets a PDF copy of Fantasy Craft.  Prizes at 50 and 60 friends also.

So, who is your favorite baddie anyhow?

Warhammer 40k Quickstarts gone from RPGNow

Apparently Fantasy Flight Games has removed the assorted quick starts for their Warhammer 40k RPG lines from RPGNow. They are still available if you dig through the FFG website, although you will need to sign up on their site to download anything.

I noticed this as I was preparing the next installment of the Quickstart Collection posts. In any case, any previous links I may have posted for these are dead. I'll try to get the new links up this weekend. (posting links with the iPad is a PITA... Heh)

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July Specials at RPGNow

Here's July's RPGNow participating publishers in the 20% off monthly special.  You will need to use the following coupon code to get your savings:    

                    JulyDriveThruBlogPod2010

 

Simon Burley Productions

Team Frog 

Better Late Than Never

Tonight I should be posting July's RPGNow Discount Code and the participating publishers. I also have a few more prizes for the prize closet. Already have a quick and easy contest in mind for the weekend. Let's see if I can pull it off.

NYC heatwave might have broken, so I'll stop bitchin' about the heat and annoying my Southern readers ;)


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Thoughts and Random Crap

It's still hot.  No, I don't like heat.  That is why I live in the North East.  Hopefully this heatwave ends and I can get back to thoughts of games, books and dice.

Got my hard copies of the Dresden Files RPG 2 Volume set today.  Holy crap but those are big books.  They might go out as gifts as I have the PDFs, but they are certainly a beauty to behold.  I just stumbled across the TV series on Netflix on Demand last night... I'm getting psyched... now to find a game ;)

Probably will have a short review or two up for tomorrow.  Depends on how the day progresses and if I can get any reading done during lunch tomorrow.

Stay cool.

Gathering of Fools

Looks like the Spring / Summer Gathering of Fools - (aka my old gaming group) will fall on the last Saturday of this month. It's also right near my birthday. The lads better take care of the old man ;)

The heat here in NYC in right there in the unbearable range. Not that it would have kept me from gaming at the back yard table in my younger years, but these days give me A/C or don't even think of gaming / gathering or anything.

Heck, even the A/C at work can't keep up with the heat, and they are all new centralized cooling units.  Can you tell I don't much like the heat?

At least it's a short work week. 


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Basic Roleplaying Quickstart Edition - Worth It?

Earlier today I gave my thoughts on Classic Fantasy for Basic Roleplaying.  Some folks may be interested in checking out the system, but don't want to cough up huge wads of cash for something that might not be their cup of tea. 

I understand.  Really, I do.  It's why I've been putting together the free quick starts postings.  Sometimes a new RPG game system can be like sushi - all your friends like it, but to you its just raw fish.

For those that are interested in Basic Roleplaying, but are concerned it might just be raw fish, Chaosium has published the Basic Roleplaying Quickstart Edition.  It's not free.  It's a whole 2 bucks.  Less then a Starbucks Coffee - except I also group coffee with raw fish, but I digress.

Two bucks gives you a pruned down version of the BRP rules (no Magic, sorry), but it is more then enough to run a session or two, or even a campaign if you are the improvising type.  Well, probably lots of improvising, as  the equipment list is fairly short.

It includes 7 extremely short scenarios, but they serve the purpose of showing the flexibility of the rules as written.

Me, I'd want a copy of the BRP Quickstart in all my players hands before running a BRP game.  Let them print out their own copies or just work off the PDF.  I'd rather start them small and add to their knowledge, then drown them behind all the options presented in the full rulebook.

Classic Fantasy - Bastard Child of BRP & AD&D

So, I spent some time perusing the Classic Fantasy Monograph for Basic Roleplaying from Chaosium.  I wasn't sure what to expect going in, and I wasn't entirely sure of what I saw as I started reading it.  The reason for that confusion is that I felt like I was in two worlds the whole time - Classic AD&D (although the Bard is more AD&D 2e or even Dragon 56) somehow translated into BRP.

When one thinks of the two systems, they are pretty far apart.

AD&D uses classes and levels.  BRP uses broad professions and skills.

AD&D uses a D20 for most task resolution.  BRP uses percentiles.

AD&D characters earn experience points.  BRB characters earn skill increases.

The list goes on with spell lists and levels, hit points, the whole power curve for the players is different.  On the surface, there isnt much that links them, besides perhaps the fairly similar ability list overlap of Strength, Constitution, Intelligence and Dexterity.  Then Rodney Leary came along and did his mash up.  From what I can tell, it works fairly well, if it is a bit disorienting.  At times, I didn't know whether to read with my AD&D eyes, or my Basic Roleplaying eyes.

All of the basics from the players' POV are included.  All the classes you know and love (except assassins) are included.  The classic fantasy races are there. Multiclassing rules are even included, which is pretty nice for a expansion built on a classless system.

Alignment is a major addition, especially for classes that need to reach certain levels in good / law / etc to unlock new abilities.  For the Paladin's warhorse, or his turning undead, or his spell use... he needs to do actions that show how good he actually is.  It's a novel concept to work around BRP's lack of level advancement, and I think it would work well.  Heck, it might work well enough to lift that for AD&D, D&D and their brethren. 

The spell list is extensive and takes up about a third of the book.  Most of the spells are fairly direct ports from D&D and it's different variations.  I can't tell you how well the spell casting replicates D&D, asI think I would need to see it in action, and I'm about 20 years away from playing Runequest 3 and its horrid spell casting system.

There is a decent equipment section included, as well as some new / optional rules that deal with dungeon delving in BRP.  It lacks a monster bestiary, but there is a book just for that. Classic Fantasy is pretty much the Player's Handbook for a Fantasy themed BRP campaign.  On that level, it works pretty well.  You just need to remind yourself its not Dungeons & Dragons, no matter how similar the taste ;)

Beating the Heat

My A/C does about a 10 degree temperature change from the outside, so 102 on my back porch in the shade converted to 90 degrees inside... not fun.

Still, I got to watch American Pickers on the History Channel for the first time, and it's pretty cool watching them go thru other peoples stuff.  It's almost like going to a garage or yard sale, but the junk is better on TV.  I'd love to see them run across a classic sci-fi / fantasy collection, or, god forbid, some gaming material.  I can always hop... heh

Started reading Classic Fantasy for Basic Roleplaying.  It's kinda like AD&D meets Runequest.  I'll give more feedback when I get further.  Besides, it's splitting time with Obsidian Twilight on my iPad ;)

Quick Start Rules - The Listing - Part the Fourth

Damn it!  I missed posting the Fourth part on July 4th by a day.  Ah well, here we go, a day late and a dollar short:

Mecha Quick Start - Heroic Journey Publishing.  Think Japanese robot cartoon and comics, and you have the right mindset.  Has to be a better system then Robotech (not talking setting - just system).

Mage: The Ascension- (Revised) Quick Start) - Back in the day this was the 2nd White Wolf game I picked up (Vampire: The Masquerade was the first).  My plans for the campaign that never happened were very Dresden-like in retrospect.

Hunter: The Vigil Quick Start (The Hunt) and (One Year Later) - This quick start puts you in the roll of Philly's Finest surviving in a world full of supernatural.  One Year Later is the follow-up / new quick start.  So it's like a two-fer, or a White Wolf three-fer ;)

Supernatural: The Hunt Begins - Margaret Weis Productions.  This is based upon the CW Network tv show of the same name.  I need to watch more TV apparently.


That's it for today.  Enjoy the day off if you have it ;)

Obsidian Twilight - First Impressions.

Wow.  Seriously.  Simply wow.

I got my copy Obsidian Twilight  last night, Dropbox'ed it for easy viewing on my iPad, and what I saw was damn sweet.  Visually, it looked nice on my netbook, but it was a beauty on my iPad.  LPJ Design really outdid themselves with the presentation.  I would go as fat to say it is visually stunning.  That being said, it would be a beast to print out at home for those that like to do so.  Perhaps Louis can add a "less-frills" version to the file for those that like to hold a copy in their hands.

Obsidian Twilight is a dark world for sure.  Death and the walking dead are everywhere.  Which makes it a huge change from most default game settings.  While made for the Pathfinder rules, I plan on looking at how much work would be necessary to move this to Labyrinth Lord, or Castles & Crusades.

I literally have done little more then read the first chapter and flip through the rest.  I'll give this a  real write up when I  finish reading it.  First glance is extremely promising.  Here's part of the blurb:

Inside this book you will find you’ll need to embark on adventures in the exciting setting of Obsidian Twilight: 

• 8 new races usable as player characters or NPCs.
  
• Over 100 new feats, over 140 new spells and 6 new prestige classes.
  
• New equipment, weapons and magic items.
  
• New monsters and monster template.
  
• Highly detailed regions and history, new organizations to launch your campaign
  

Players assume the roles of brave adventures facing ultimate evil in the hopes of saving the world, all in a postapocalyptic setting of survival horror and adventure.

You  can download a free preview of Obsidian Twilight here.