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Post by badger2305 on Aug 29, 2011 23:41:01 GMT -6
Octavia nods to Roger. "That is certainly the case. We should come back and see what can be retrieved for our tribe."
Octavia walks away from the tables and listens carefully - do the beeping sounds continue?
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 29, 2011 23:36:29 GMT -6
Part Nine - Some Deeper PrinciplesI had originally wanted to title this "Things That Make Tekumel Unique" but that is better suited to a Resource Interlude. What I really want to get to with this post are some of the "deeper principles" that emerge from reading Empire of the Petal Throne. As such, it is subject to issues of personal interpretation, but I believe some judicious quotes will help illuminate these topics in a useful way. Magic and technology are indistinguishable. "Old machines took on a divine aura, and as they failed, men lost the knowledge to repair them..." (pg. 8) Looking at the list of Eyes, it is difficult to ignore the overlap between many of them and many magical spells. But the important point is that we're into Clarke's Third Law territory: on Tekumel, one cannot tell the difference between magic and science. That means things like recognizable technology, e.g. Mark V Ogre cybertanks, are quite anachronistic and therefore jarring to the sense of Tekumel. Declarative statements reflect conventional wisdom - but there are hidden exceptions. Such statements - and their associated caveats - are readily found throughout the text of EPT. Case in point: horses on Tekumel. In the same paragraph, Prof. Barker says: and What this means is that as far as anyone in the Five Empires knows, there are no riding animals except Chlen-beasts, and those are hardly war-steeds. But that is not to say there are no riding beasts. It can then become an adventure to bring them back to Tsolyanu, alive, healthy and at least something of a curiosity. Similarly, in the descriptions of Miscellaneous Magical Items, the number and location of at least some of the items are given - but the descriptions also use conditional phrases such as "...it is said that..." or "...if legends throughout Tekumel are the be trusted..." What this does is provide room for the beginning EPT referee to decide the "actual" truth, and elaborate on the scenario from there. Discovering lost secrets and hidden truths leads to greater puzzles. Re-reading the entirety of Sec. 200, the World of Tekumel, as well as the section on magic items and tomes, provided me with a host of questions - where is lost Purdanim? What negotiations have actually taken place between Baron Ald and King Griggatsetsa? What planet did the Little House of Tranquil Dwelling originally come from? What is the relationship between Lord Hrsh and Lord Vimuhla; are they different or merely different aspects of the same god? Each and every question of this sort - if answered completely and truthfully - will almost certainly lead to deeper questions and enigmas. There are no atheists on Tekumel When it is the case that the Gods are manifested daily in the temples of their faith, it means that on Tekumel, there are few people - if any - who would suggest that the Gods are not real. They may be vast inter-dimensional beings, but they are for all intents and purposes, gods. Next up - Part Nine, continued.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 28, 2011 21:36:03 GMT -6
"This is interesting - but it is not the Medlar. That's what we're supposed to seek. Let us leave here and go back to the trail to the North-Northeast." Octavia scans the surrounding area, with her spear at the ready, and then looks towards the strange door with unease.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 28, 2011 21:30:35 GMT -6
Mottán smiles slightly at the admission from the young priestess. "Then you are in the right place. I am sure the noble Bushetra has armor you can wear."
At that moment, two slaves enter the room. Wearing only a breechclout, each of them carries a sturdy pack over his shoulder. Mottán says, "this is Jaru, and this one is Kemul. They are experienced in the ways of the Underworld. Give them such gear as you do not wish to carry yourselves."
Some time passes as the gear is assembled and distributed. "We'll wait another kiren (Trans: about a half-hour), and then enter the Underworld not far from here," says Mottán.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 28, 2011 21:12:21 GMT -6
BTW, I think we have another player, Casey. We'll get him added in shortly.
Your should assume you have the gear you requested. Mottán didn't seem too concerned (if at all) about the cost of what you wanted. I'll keep track of it, and remind you if you forget what your character would use.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 28, 2011 9:41:06 GMT -6
The high-level fighters get attacks equal to their hit dice when facing ordinary (1HD) fighting men and creatures comes from "Questions Most Frequently Asked About Dungeons & Dragons Rules" from The Strategic Review #2:
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 28, 2011 9:25:49 GMT -6
Ok, I started playing AD&D in 2006. This was my first encounter ever with pnp games and I was quite impressed. From there I went on to try 3.5 and even had a brush with 4th. I always liked AD&D best for its classic feel. Just recently I learned about OD&D, that there was something before AD&D. I've been doing quite a bit of reading up, with the hope of starting a campaign. However, I am a bit lost. What is the difference between the three volumes (Men and Magic etc..) and the Basic, Expert, and Master Rules? How does the Rules cyclopedia play into this? I'm sorry if this is not the right place to ask this question, or if it's been asked before. Nope, this is a decent question! The quick answer is that it is mostly a matter of successive editions. What I'm about to offer is an approximation, and others might quibble or dispute the exact placement, but the overall relationship should be generally acceptable. Chainmail Miniatures rules with a fantasy supplement | Original Dungeons & Dragons (3 booklets: Men & Magic, Monsters & Treasure, Underground & Wilderness Adventures) | Supplement 1: Greyhawk (Introduces thieves, expands monsters and magic) | |------------------------------------------------------------| Supplement 2: Blackmoor..................................Holmes Basic D&D (introduces monks & assassins,...........................(bundles together OD&D's underwater monsters and adventure,.......................3 booklets & parts of Greyhawk) and Temple of the Frog)......................................| |............................................................| Supplement 3: Eldritch Wizardry..............................| (introduces druids, artifacts)...............................| | Supplement 4: Gods, Demi-Gods, and Heroes....................| (Gods and mythologies).......................................| | AD&D (1st Edition).......................................Moldvay Basic/Expert D&D (MM, PHB, DMG)...........................................(revises Holmes, provides higher levels) |............................................................| | AD&D ("1.5 Edition").....................................Mentzer BECMI D&D (adds Unearthed Arcana, Survival Guides).................(Basic, Expert, Companion, Master, Immortal) |............................................................| | AD&D (2nd Edition).......................................D&D Rules Cyclopedia | | | ....
...so as you can see, there were two main threads of D&D development. However, distinguishing between the two becomes a matter of minutiae over time - held apart, the two games have sufficiently different mechanics to be distinguishable from each other. However, in actual play, it is usually not very difficult to "port" items, characters, and adventures from one to the other. It is also the case that, over time, "AD&D" was associated with "by-the-book" tournament-oriented game play, while "D&D" was associated with more open, looser interpretation. This was partly a matter of intent, and partly a matter of which game players got used to playing. But this distinction is very fuzzy and not clear-cut at all. (If I've gotten my chart wrong, others please chime in!)
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 26, 2011 12:49:07 GMT -6
"I agree," says Octavia. "The medlar lies ahead, but we should be watchful of danger."
She looks around to see if there are any signs of animal spoor, crouching down and using a spear shaft for support.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 25, 2011 19:48:47 GMT -6
The Chaparral is said to lie ...said to lie... (which direction?)
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 25, 2011 11:06:34 GMT -6
I think Victor’s overall plan-of-attack here is to deliberately restrict the canon so the potential GM doesn’t feel like he has to collect and study materials for decades before finally starting a game (or, as is more likely, being overwhelmed and giving up). Precisely. Let me expand a little on my one-word response. The reason why I wanted to restrict myself to just Empire of the Petal Throne and the articles from The Strategic Review and The Dragon is that: - ...it's Old School. It is what people would have had access to back in 1977 or so, and wanted to play Tékumel,
- ...you can get it all right now; you don't have to wait to order or find anything else, and
- ...people keep saying that Tékumel is too overwhelming, too intricate, too detailed, etc. etc. etc. - well, it can be overwhelming if you add in everything else.
Frankly, EPT is almost completely compatible with what came out later (i.e. Swords & Glory, Gardasiyal, etc.). The biggest difference is in the magic system, which is fixable.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 24, 2011 22:41:38 GMT -6
Good idea! Help me out here - which ones were you thinking of? I'm so close to the rules in my own head that I might have a hard time coming up with examples. Experience. Is the table of XP after the high level deductions or before? The example of going beyond 10th level confuses it. And is it really a mere 10,000XP (after the deduction) for levels after that while 125K after to get from 9th to 10th? That's genuinely a mix-up; Prof. Barker admitted as much in a private letter. I do believe that some sort of experience reduction makes sense, but I think it ought to get keyed to the relative toughness of what you are fighting, e.g. a 10th level lay-priest should not get full experience from fighting a bunch of Mrur or Kurgha. There are very few places in EPT that need genuine fixing, but this is probably one of them. I'll put some thought into it.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 24, 2011 22:30:14 GMT -6
Once Nyara has provided Mottán with a list of her needs (perhaps some armor or at least some sort of wrap against the chill of the Underworld?), I will move things along.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 24, 2011 20:05:40 GMT -6
I am working on a brief profile of Underworld monsters and a pronunciation guide to their names and the names of the various intelligent races. That will be the next Resource Interlude, out probably on Friday.
I should note that I am still taking votes on the one magic item that did not appear in Prof. Barker's notes for the Jakallan Underworld.
I am always interested in comments and questions, too!
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 24, 2011 11:14:53 GMT -6
Ok. In that case, my questions were pretty idiotic. Don't worry about it. Put it down to being FOBs.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 24, 2011 0:17:47 GMT -6
Mottán considers your questions in turn. "I was hoping to depart relatively shortly. I doubt that my friend would be able to survive the rigors of the Underworld for more than a few days, given the supplies we had with us. As for how long we would remain underground...that is less clear. No more than a day, possibly two."
His brow furrows slightly at the next question, mostly to give it careful thought. "I am willing to fund particular necessities, but I was assured by your friend Dresu that you were resourceful and battle-ready. I hope that is indeed true."
"As for how to identify my friend - I will be happy to discuss that, once we are underground and on our way." His smile is somewhat tight after that comment. "The same for the creatures we faced. I am sure a well-equipped party would be able to best them; we - we were taken by surprise." His thin smile turns to a frown.
Giving his attention to Bátikan, the young nobleman says in a somewhat distracted tone, "there is little possibility of any decent High Cartography for the Underworld...everything is changed too quickly to make it worthwhile. And I doubt that a 'merchant's map' would suffice; how could all of the relationships be drawn properly? I have a decent idea, nevertheless, about where we need to go."
"Other questions? If not, then make a list of whatever articles you need to be purchased, and Dresu will see to their acquisition. We should be about this expedition with immediate dispatch, if possible."
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 24, 2011 0:04:47 GMT -6
Oh, he's definitely going with you.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 23, 2011 17:02:05 GMT -6
Yes, there's something more going on here, judging by the lack of clan support. However, that might just be "we're not throwing good money after bad-" with a young jack-a-napes.
I'll have some replies later tonight, when I get done with the group in Bey Su.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 23, 2011 16:56:26 GMT -6
Octavia looks around at the others gathered nearby. While her clan and siblings might doubt her abilities, she was determined to succeed. Fairly short and slight of build, she knew that her ability to climb could be helpful in the trials to come.
Taking a step towards the forest path, she looks around at her new companions. She nods to Meat, Roger and Poke, giving them an expectant look. "Ready?"
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 22, 2011 18:45:11 GMT -6
The world in which I have most often conducted campaigns is fantasy Earth, with timeframes typically ranging from circa 300 B. C. to A. D. 1500. It's dang easy to do: "MY campaign world? Um... It's 13th-century France, with magic." Even Gary's own Greyhawk campaign was set on fantasy Earth. The trick is to not forget the term "fantasy" in fantasy Earth. This isn't history class. It's not names and dates and such. Rather, it's more of a romantic "Let's indulge ourselves in fantasies of the days of castles, knights in shining armor, fair maidens, etc." Prester John, King Arthur, and all the other legendary, less-than-historical personages are fair game. Probably the best published example of what I'm talking about is Gary's own Epic of Aerth for his Dangerous Journeys: Mythus FRPG. Heck, I used to use that as my campaign sourcebook. Sure, I can see that. However, I can also see doing things historically - except when you aren't. Case in point: my C&S 1st Edition campaign, set in 1195 AD. Richard is hammering away at Phillip, John is trying to play both of them against one another, and Innocent is not yet Pope; Celestine is hanging on. In the midst of all of this, there are still Fair Folk to be found - every now and again the Queen of Avalon will send an embassy to Albion, and magic works, too. Interesting things are happening in Toulouse, and the fate of the Holy Church may depend on the outcome. I don't run C&S exactly as written; the magic system is magnificent and incomprehensible. But there's enough there to make it fun, and I've had a grand time reading LOTS and LOTS of history of the Angevin Empire, watching The Lion in Winter, and generally steeping myself in the history of the period. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, e.g. how Richard dealt with Isaac of Cyprus, or what really happened to Ingeborg of Denmark?
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 22, 2011 16:20:20 GMT -6
I've done semi-historical a few times. A Victorian era game that included a trip and extended adventures on mars before retuning to earth and thwarting an evil cabal tryign to start a world-war a few years early. A musketeer era game with magic and city hopping adventures. A couple sessions of adventure that mixed D&D and Boothill in a burroughesque valley of gwangi dinosaur hunting lost city setting. That one wold have been fun to expand into a wider campaign but I could see where there were limits. I played in a game years back where the Germans had won WW2 and the PCs were part of the resistance fighting back with a little bit of magical help, it was inspired by an old D&D magazine article. Currently I'm DMing a historically inspired campaign with the PC's being old-worlders exploring and conquering the new world. It's not earth but there's a whole bunch of analogs. It's mostly humans doing horrible things to other humans. D&D can work in world's outside of the quasi-medieval one just has to nudge rules and expectations the tiniest amounts. These are all great ideas for campaigns - any chance we can get you to describe them in more detail? I would really like that.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 22, 2011 16:11:54 GMT -6
Part Eight - Developing ScenariosThe term "scenario" has a particular importance in Empire of the Petal Throne, because it describes a phase or part of an overall campaign. It's important because it is the link between gameplay and the overall planning for the campaign as done by the referee. Several quotes help illustrate this point: So a major conclusion from this is that rather than having set-piece "adventures" or "modules," the completion of which becomes the focus of the campaign, "scenarios" consisting of a generalized theme and characters to bring it to life are the intermediary stage of any EPT campaign. World-level: the campaign | Intermediary level: the scenario | Ground level: the game or adventuring session By implication, this is more demanding in terms of preparation, since it isn't so much about this or that specific locale and its dangers, but rather more about a range of possibilities within a larger purview. It also suggests a much more "sandbox"-like orientation for EPT, though such a conclusion is clearly an after-the-fact assessment. Thus the possibilities presented in Sec. 1110: Initial Encounters in Jakálla may be considered as "opening moves" in the development of a scenario - though they do not need to be obvious and simplistic! Again, to illustrate this: What is clearly suggested here is something of an on-going negotiation between the players and the referee, as they mutually decide which sort of scenario is of the most interest. One specific corollary to this is that different characters are more suited to some scenarios and missions more than others - and other characters potentially less so. So a beginning EPT referee who may not have thought everything through might face the possibility of having to split up the party in order to continue pursuing a particular scenario. While it is possible to have some characters "go off and pursue their destinies" and come back to them later, it is often better to find some way for the party to stick together. (NB: just to be clear, once you and your players have developed some familiarity with Tékumel, the possibility of letting characters pursue their own goals and weave their own skeins is much less of a problem.) Here is a partial list of potential scenarios suggested by Prof. Barker in Empire of the Petal Throne: - The plot surrounding General Kéttukal (political and religious)
- The war with Yán Kór (political and military, as well as religious)
- Plots for and against the Imperium (political and secret)
- Sailing voyage to the west (more "picaresque" in character)
- Adventures among the hostile Ssú or Shunned Ones
- Inter-factional fighting
- Becoming a fief-holder (by implication)
- Joining the legions (by implication)
- Administering a temple (by implication)
Much of the material presented on pages 3 through 11 in Empire of the Petal Throne becomes source material for these scenarios, not too surprisingly.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 22, 2011 13:55:32 GMT -6
Here are my three characters. Let's see how this goes.
Octavia - pure strain human
Radiation Resistance:....8 Mental Resistance:......15 Dexterity:..............15 Constitution:...........12 Leadership Potential:...16 Strength:................9 Hit Points:.............42
Vox - mutated humanoid
Radiation Resistance:...17 Mental Resistance:......10 Dexterity:..............12 Constitution:...........16 Leadership Potential:....8 Strength:...............12 Hit Points:.............60
Physical Mutations (3): Regeneration, heightened touch, heightened balance Mental Mutations (1): Telekinesis
Rayn - mutated creature (Fox)
Radiation Resistance:...14 Mental Resistance:......14 Dexterity:..............14 Constitution:............9 Leadership Potential:...17 Strength:................9 Hit Points:.............30
Physical Mutations (1): Heightened hearing. Mental Mutations (4): Heightened intelligence, precognition, mental transparency, scientific genius
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 22, 2011 12:49:39 GMT -6
I've moved things along a bit. We can make use of flashbacks and the like to deal with unfinished business.
General question: I am planning on rolling the dice for combat, and leave tactical choices for you to determine. That having been said, how much summarizing of combat are you all comfortable with? What would you like in terms of description?
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 22, 2011 12:40:46 GMT -6
The 10th of Shapru, 2354 A.S.
The rest of the day and evening pass uneventfully. Dawn slowly reveals itself, orange-red Tuléng - as the Tsolyani call the sun - brightening the watery sky to the east, and the one passable advantage of the apartment's height above the street is the welcome breeze that sluices off the growing heat of the morning.
Despite the mild confusion on the part of your landlord, Dresu's note is clear - present yourself at the gate of the Armoury of Bushetra, and he will meet you there. The Armoury itself is in the north end of the Foreigners Quarter, uncomfortably close to the Prison of Little Ease, but the city is sufficiently large that the proximity is lost in the sheer numbers of people, the height of the buildings and walls, and the clangor of the day.
Bushetra's armoury is a large, wealthy concern, and after presenting yourselves, it is some minutes before Dresu appears, happy to see you.
"Friend Kogush!" Dresu's open, uncomplicated face shines with happiness. "Good to see you again. I see you have companions - that is well." With that, he welcomes you and walks with you along a colunnade and down a narrow hallway to a side room used for showing the smithy's wares to potential customers.
As you walk, Dresu recounts his own recent experiences, ending with "...and after that, Shanushash recommended me to the employ of Bushetra - and he accepted! So here I am, with some coin and noble patrons who think well of me."
Pausing at the door to the room, Dresu says in a lower tone, "So your own experiences must have been of some note. The noble lord who seeks companions was vouchsafed our names by the fellow who had us recover that book - or so he says."
Opening the door, Dresu steps inside. "My companions have arrived and I have brought them here, as you requested." He uses the "You of Noble Status" - /mìsritúsmidàli/ -
Across the small room, admiring a set of armor, a fellow dressed in a finely-cut kilt and wearing two armbands of gold set with gems, turns to greet you. As he does, you can see that there is a sword in a scabbard, hanging from his belt.
"Many thanks, Dresu. Come inside and take some refreshment," gesturing at a pitcher of chilled Chumétl-milk and cups near a semi-circle of mats on the floor. As you seat yourselves on the mats, he looks you all up and down, and continues. "My name is Mottán hiTlélsu. Two days ago, I was exploring in the Underworld with - a friend, and some clan guards. We were beset by warriors of unknown origin and creatures of the Underworld, and in the ensuing battle, I was knocked unconscious, and later carried out. When I asked about my companion, I was told he had fled down a side passage before our guards were overwhelmed. My task is simple: I wish to find my friend and bring him back to the open sky, or if not, find his body and sees that he receives a decent funeral. For this task, I will need to hire mercenaries as my clan deems this a futile endeavor; I am willing to pay 100 káitars and a share of any treasure found."
Mottán pauses. "I am sure you have questions."
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 22, 2011 9:41:52 GMT -6
I think the note in Salarvyani is just Dronnu's note telling us where and when to meet? Dresu - not Dronu (my bad). Dresu is the character, Dronu is the wine. And yes - just telling you where to meet. I'll update things this morning.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 21, 2011 10:12:21 GMT -6
Of course, your mileage may vary, but to say that Gary got everything exactly right the first time around (and I don't know that this is what YOU are saying) would be ludicrous. You're right. I'm NOT saying that. I think you're missing my point, subtle though they may be.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 21, 2011 9:50:31 GMT -6
Well, yes, but there's that paradox in being a "flawed masterpiece." Could the Original D&D set been written with greater clarity and precision? Sure. Could the Original D&D set provided more of an idea about how Gary and Dave played? Probably. Would greater clarity and more information about the home campaigns affect how people learned the game? Probably. Would that greater clarity and more information narrowed the imaginative scope of the game? Possibly. I would submit that the fact that we have different viewpoints about "how to play the game" based in part on which set did people start with, Holmes Basic or Original D&D, is proof that "what's better?" is mostly subjective. Put another way, there are - very broadly speaking - two different views of the game, based on which rules set you started with - Original D&D: endless possibilities, no additional rules needed (not even Chainmail), but also some areas of ambiguity that required personal interpretation. This requirement actually reinforces the emphasis on creative input.
- Holmes Basic: greater clarity and more information about author's intent (specifically Gary; Dave was not really in the loop at that time). This provided more of a framework of "how to play the game" but also focused (or narrowed, depending on how you see it) the scope of the game. The need for rules past 3rd level ended up getting muddled in the existence of AD&D and OD&D, further muddled by Moldvay and Mentzer.
...so we're back to "how were YOU introduced to the game?" I never really played Holmes Basic - when I was a kid, it was seen as "D&D for people who needed Cliff's Notes." But I can't deny that LOTS of people were introduced to D&D via Holmes Basic, and for them, THAT is what the game was. So it's a pretty subjective thing - and I doubt we're going to be able to resolve it. I would also note that various efforts to write a definitive retro-clone of OD&D, e.g. S&W White Box Edition, are in essence attempts to square this circle by providing the clarity of Holmes Basic while retaining the possibilities of OD&D. Frankly, I think it's a good idea - but also a kind of Xeno's Paradox.
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 21, 2011 8:25:37 GMT -6
Let me wuibble with you here. 0d&d is not vague. The reason there was a tonne of variety is that 0d&d explicitely fostered multiple rules. ...and with THAT, I believe we ARE quibbling. I hear what you are saying, but I also have read Arnold Hendrick's review. He clearly did not get it, and from people I know who were experienced wargamers, and encountered OD&D, he wasn't completely alone. Mike Ford used to say to me, "Original D&D wasn't so much a set of rules as a set of notes towards a set of rules" - but that left room for people to make sense of it for themselves. Which is exactly what Gary intended in the Afterword to Vol. III - "for everything herein is fantastic, and the best way is to decide how you would like it to be, and then make it just that way!" (I would also submit that this is not the same as in Holmes Basic, which ends without any sort of similar exhortation.)
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 21, 2011 8:18:03 GMT -6
Great energy from the Planes Beyond, Badger. Now all you need is a mobile/Kindle/tablet app and you can drive yourself insane playing out options. Then again. I read of the Google limits on player interaction as noted above. I would suggest Ventrillo, a free voice link for eight players. Easy set up, easy use. Only GM needs to play the server to which others can log in. Sets up in about five minutes. I run my WOW group with it on some gamenights. A GM can even set up multiple servers so that he can run different groups exclusively in different games. I was fun to recollect my game days in MARBs basement in the 70s. A 90 mile sojourn from Duluth to gaming goodness. Chuck Monson Good to see you here, Chuck! When I was in grad school this past decade, I would drive from Ames, Iowa to Minneapolis on Thursday afternoons to get to Prof. Barker's place in time to game. Mind you, I had other reasons to come back to the Twin Cities on weekends, but that's another story. (edit: the thread about old Blackmoor players was located by Chuck already)
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Post by badger2305 on Aug 21, 2011 8:10:36 GMT -6
To keep it on topic, however, The Complete Book of Wargames boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/18531/the-complete-book-of-wargames gave the LBBs a rating LOWER than its lowest possible rating for rules presentation (Rock Bottom). That said, they also stated that, despite its enormous deficiencies, it was the best [rpg] game going. I think what some people may be objecting to is your perceived-as-sweeping conclusion that it just wasn't possible to learn D&D from the original set without some other prior experience. (This, itself, may be an overstatement of what you are saying, but I suspect that's what people are hearing - or reading, as it were.) But in the particulars of what you are saying, i.e. some wargaming experience, introduction by someone else, or theatre background - historically, there was enough of all of that to make D&D a wild success with just the original three booklets - and I know you would agree with that. That having been said, there are some interesting pieces of data to illuminate this discussion: - I used to game with John M. Ford, the celebrated author. Mike (as he was known to his friends) told me several times about "the Summer of Love" as he impishly referred to it, in 1974, when people were beginning to play D&D. He was fairly sure that he was one of the first people to spread it around in Indiana and Michigan, playing games with friends at IU and elsewhere.
- If you read Arnold Hendrick's review of D&D in The Courier, it's pretty clear that even with a wargaming background, it's possible to not "get" the original set. Mind you, Gary wrote a pretty scathing reply to the review (and that link is probably a copyright violation so look at it quickly), but the point is fairly clear that Mr. Hendrick, an experienced wargamer, didn't "get" D&D. This has also been discussed here and here.
- In the Minnesota Science Fiction Society (or "MinnStF" - don't ask), there was a game called "MinnStf Dungeon." It was a role-playing game, with many of the features of D&D, without the D&D rules. It was based on the experiences of a Twin Cities sf fan who had played D&D at a few conventions in 1973-74, and had brought back his experience of the game and people built their own versions from his accounts. (Interesting to consider that there was a "spin-off" of D&D taking place in the same urban locale as Dave Arneson, without any major social contact between the groups - sf fans and wargamers - that came a little later.)
- I used to teach classes - yes, community education classes - about how to play D&D. For several years, they were packed. I was in college, so it was well after Holmes Basic was released, but even then there were people who wanted to know how to do it "right."
I think what may be causing a lot of fuss and bother here is a logic error in parsing your argument. "In order to understand how to play D&D from the original D&D set, it was necessary to have a wargaming background, or get introduced to it by someone who has a campaign, or have some theatre background" - it's the "necessary" that may be too broad. From a logical perspective, all we then need is one example to invalidate it - but that can also be perceived as quibbling. From a historical perspective, we simply do not know how many people picked up the original D&D set, did not have any of the background factors you've cited, and learned on their own how to play the game. But I have a hard time imagining that the number was zero. So to amend your argument, I would completely agree with you if you had stated "in order to understand how to play D&D with the original it was very helpful to have a wargaming background, or get introduced to it by someone who has a campaign, or have some theatre background" - but even then, no guarantee. I've argued in an article that originally appeared in Shadis magazine that the success of Original D&D was precisely because Original D&D was so vague in some areas - people had to add in their own ideas to make the game work. In my own memory, there was a huge amount of variety in D&D campaigns in the era 1974-1977 - far more than you saw after the introduction of both Holmes and AD&D (I blame the latter), in 1977 and later. So we might also be debating about different values - the value of personal imaginative interpretation versus the value of playing the game as its authors intended. Mind you, in the latter case, I interpret the "author's intent" from the Afterword in Vol. III of Original D&D and not what Gary wrote later - so even that notion is fraught with interpretive peril.
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