So why don't you cover Runequest, B.R.P. and all that?

Actually its pretty simple, the blog is already kind of incoherent covering music, Pathfinder and Old School D&D like games, adding the above would just make things even less focused.

To be clear I think RQ/BRP/Legend, Open Quest, Gore and the rest are quite good games and in some other universe where BRP was a little better focused to become a universal system I am probably happily playing that instead of GURPS (since in that verse their probably was no GURPS) .

And note I have played the new MRQ, well MRQ1 anyway. It was just as much hun as I remembered.

However right here and now I have GURPS for my needs.

Locally there is a group playing BRP, mostly play test stuff for monographs or so I am told. I'd be welcome enough but at least currently I am not a good fit with that group. Nothing personal, those guys are welcome at my table too, I just don't belong at theirs right now.

Do note that things could change and if they do, well you may see a bit of that old school BRP round there parts.

Till then since I have plenty to keep me busy, well I'll let BRP slide on by.

Monngoose RQ2 to Become Legend

Via Akratic Wizardry

I do have to agree with Akrasia, Legend is a much better name.

Also this little bit here

Finally, as had been noted widely when Mongoose first announced their new name for MRQII, there already exists a 'Wayfarers' FRPG. It looks like Mongoose will be publishing and distributing the original Wayfarers for Ye Olde Gaming Companye:

Wayfarers RPG
First up, we have been chatting to those nice chaps at Ye Olde Gaming Companye and found out that they were not only prepping a new version for their Wayfarers RPG but that they were in need of distribution. Being familiar with their game and seeing they were obviously such nice chaps, we immediatly offered to print and distribute their game!
The Wayfarers RPG will be released by Mongoose in December this year, likely in the second week. We will be following it up with the first supplement in January, World of Twylos. Look for them in all good game stores.

reminds me just how cool our little hobby can be at times.Mongoose didn't have to do this, probably won't make much money anyway and all they might, operative word, might have been required to do is change a name.

Instead they decided to step and help YOGC increase their sales and distribution . And yeah sure its good publicity but in my book its quite generous and above and beyond the call of duty.

In case anyone from Mongoose should read this, good show gents, good show ...

Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG 1st Impressions

This is cross posted as a comment at Grognardia. As its more an opinion piece than anything that would help improve the game I am not posting at Goodman's boards.

So far the game seems well thought out and designed but there are a ton of things that make me go meh,

The tone of the game is too "agro" as if it was trying to be edgy and dark and invoke Slatanic Panik or something. Not my style. The L0 rules tone was also flat odious reminding me a satire of High Gygaxian. Yuck.

The spell system is too complex and JMO the roll for each spell defeats the entire simplicity of the older system where what you do with it is the decision, not how much stat damage should I take or can I risk a 40% failure rate. If I wanted that I'd play something else

As for the art, no offense to any of the excellent artists , its good but its also something I could care less about. I buy games for mechanics not art or stories. A nice cover and a piece or two if needed is fine. Its well done buts its too "stoner" and dark for my taste.

I did kind of like the idea of just adding L0 stuff to L1 as a kicker. That was a DOH! idea I just never thought off. The deeds were pretty cool as well.

Lastly the Zocchihedrons, just no. Its a clever mechanic and all but I am not going to buy a set of specialty dice made by just one company to play a game. And yes I eventually had to buy some back in the day but that was than and this is now.

However the game does have a few ideas worth stealing and I suspect some will like it. I'd even try it, yes even L0 mode and so thats something.

Good Luck to Goodman on this one. I won't be a booster but I have to say, y'all did a good job.

Goodman Games DCC rpg is up for Free Beta test

You can get the free open Beta here

I have downloaded the Dungeon Crawl Classic Beta from Goodman games and am reading through it. Its interesting thus far but I'll have more to say later, likely on the Goodman Games forum as much as here.

A Very Short Rolemaster Story

Just a short true story.

Rolemaster was the 1st game I ever gamed with a "gaming celebrity" in that case Chris Stone the author of the Shadow on the South Module.

Though we only gamed a short few sessions , generously he even gave me a copy of the adventure which alas I never thought to autograph and no longer have.

Still he was a hoopy frood. Hope he is doing well.

Rolemaster and Why I loved It

I tell you what, I loved Rolemaster 2e and 3e (aka Standard System)

Why?

Well it wasn't the charts (so many we called it Chartmaster) it wasn't the rules which were simply not all that great, it wasn't Shadow World which is cool but we never used it, and it sure as heck wasn't character generation which could take 30 minutes with a spreadsheet.

No it was the people.

For some reason Rolemaster attracted well adjusted, focused and mature players and for that reason alone I'd go back in a minute.

Simply, it was fun 95% of the time and I can't claim that for a lot of other games.

Happy July 4th

Independence Day here in the US, so no posts for me.

Be safe and have a happy holiday everyone.

An Oldy But a Goody I Probably Won't be Supporting

The Fantasy Trip by Steve Jackson (the GURPS one not the UK one) from 1980.

This was was a fleshed out war game and really well designed. I like the fact the Into the Labyrinth (the RPG expansion) included everything you needed for all sorts of adventures, merchants, thieves, whatever -- everybody got a little support.

It would later mutate into GURPS but TFT was more playable in an old school way.

It kind of survives as two retro-clones one of the 1st actually called Legends of the Ancient World which is pretty well supported here at Dark City Games and here at Warrior and Wizard.


Now I probably won't be supporting it as I think the two companies out there already meet the demand. However if you get a chance to try it or the retro-clones, do. Its a lot of fun.