randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Sept 15, 2016 6:27:39 GMT -6
Fall 1980. Holmes.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Aug 15, 2016 19:29:41 GMT -6
Even better: if a player shows up to the game deficient in personal hygiene, apply corresponding penalties to their character. Nothing like an incentive to change behavior!
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jul 20, 2016 15:23:37 GMT -6
The way I look at it, The Thrawn Trilogy is literature. I’m not sure if I have a “cause;” I just can’t get too worked up about the whole question of canon/non-canon. It’s transitory and meaningless. You said it better than I ever could. Thanks!
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jul 18, 2016 6:02:31 GMT -6
I'd prefer to not have even his previous stories shoehorned in to the new canon. Yeah, the fact that Zahn is onboard with a new novel for an old character could prove to be a little awkward for him. If he likes some element of Thrawn's past, how much does he re-write and re-sell to the public, and what if some Thrawn thing contradicts something from the non-canon books. This path could lead to madness. I like the character overall, however, and I think he was a lot stronger as a bad guy than what we got in film VII. I am hoping that he has a decent role in future Star Wars canon. Thrawn is definitely one of Zahn's strong points as a writer. Transplanting him to the Rebels era is probably the best way to salvage the character out of the old EU. Side note: I may be tilting against windmills, but I definitely want to deflect any "Return of the EU" hopefuls from seizing upon this news as a banner for their cause.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jul 17, 2016 15:27:17 GMT -6
As I've noted elsewhere, this brings the character into canon, not the previously de-canonized novels. I always liked most* of what Zahn wrote as the best of the mixed bag of the old EU, but I'd prefer to not have even his previous stories shoehorned in to the new canon.
*Zahn is the one who made, or first wrote about, what is in my opinion an execrable decision - that Leia never became a Jedi. That much, at least, appears to have become enough of a sacred cow that it persists in the new canon.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jul 12, 2016 13:21:02 GMT -6
I have read the space combat system in Book 2 and to a lesser extent in High Guard. The system looks okay, although I haven't tried it yet. So I was wondering how well it plays out. If you've played different space combat games, how does Traveller's system compare to them? Which one? Book 2 '77 Book 2 '81 High Guard '79 High Guard '80 Mayday The Traveller Book Starter Traveller There are differences, some small and some larger, among each of those. Unfortunately, I don't have any recent or recallable play experience with any of them. (FYI: The current version of the Classic Traveller CD, sold by FFE, has clean PDFs of all of the above, including the '77/'81 and '79/'80 distinct editions.)
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jun 8, 2016 6:52:36 GMT -6
I've read them in the past. The main point of the level 100 pregens was to demonstrate that character power did not scale indefinitely (this was AD&D 1st, as I recall); the final module in the series, where those pregens were included, was actually scaled for levels 18 and up. Interesting. It would be cool to see what rules they did use for scaling, since they intended some sort of capping mechanism. I wonder if this was a response to Arduin (which I believe had rules up to level 100) or some other source that caused them to feel the urge/need to create such rules. As I recall, they simply applied the existing rules for "x per y levels after level 20", which showed rapid diminishing returns of XP cost vs. ability increase per level. RPGNow has H1 Bloodstone Pass available; that's the opening module of the series and the showcase for Battlesystem. H4 was the concluding module; that one had the level 100 pregens as an alternative to using the same characters used for the previous modules in the series.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jun 7, 2016 6:45:09 GMT -6
The bloodstone series, which is really cool, but a little out of the mainstream as it is designed for levels up to 100. Huh. This I did not realize. They really designed a series of modules to go that high? Now I'm curious to see how they did it. I've read them in the past. The main point of the level 100 pregens was to demonstrate that character power did not scale indefinitely (this was AD&D 1st, as I recall); the final module in the series, where those pregens were included, was actually scaled for levels 18 and up.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jun 4, 2016 11:39:52 GMT -6
Has anyone ever thought about using the Outdoor Survival map for MA, perhaps as an extremely large level of the starship?
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Feb 15, 2016 20:50:50 GMT -6
It's like history... and stuff... and like that thing that happened to these people... and it's totally just like that... and... um... SAN DIMAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RULES!!
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Feb 14, 2016 8:13:13 GMT -6
Depending on which group of Presbyterians, there's not much difference these days.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Feb 13, 2016 10:12:47 GMT -6
If and only if force sensitivity is exclusively genetic in origin. Given that the Force, while strictly speaking not a person, is referred to as having a "will" and depicted as acting on its own, anyone could be force sensitive if the Force so willed it. "The Force is strong in my family." That line seems to indicate that there is some sort of hereditary component involved. Oh, there is definitely a genetic component, as you noted. I merely raised the possibility that it is not exclusively genetic; that is, that there are also non-genetic origins of Force sensitivity, by the will of the Force. And the Jedi prohibition on marriage and children always struck me as a measure taken against the emergence of a ruling or noble class based solely on force sensitivity - the chief and negative example of this being the role of the Sith in their eponymous Empire during its various incarnations. This is, of course, an EU/Legends lore reference, which falls outside of the primary thesis of this thread. Actually, I think it has more to do with Lucas' goofy efforts to make the Jedi into an organization of Space Buddhists where self-denial and asceticism are part of the "faith." That, and George doesn't know how to write a romantic storyline. Oh, the Buddhism is strong with the Jedi, no doubt. And Lucas definitely cannot write a Hollywood romance. I found the romance in the prequels painfully realistic rather than Hollywood dramatic.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jan 27, 2016 17:39:53 GMT -6
I think I was in 7th grade when the original series came out. Loved it! When I heard they were doing a reboot, and major character like Starbuck would be different I was skeptical. I ended up giving it a try and liked it. It was obviously different than the original, but still good in its own way. I will say that you can't beat Anne Lockhart as Sheba... Two words too many at the end of your post.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jan 23, 2016 16:36:43 GMT -6
On further reflection, I think that WotC is counting on "fanfiction syndrome". That is, they are counting on the popularity of (at least) the FR to entice contributors who are dying to make their own mark ((esp. a canonical one) on their favorite setting. That enticement ("My view of X is now official - take that!") is powerful and may well work as intended.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jan 18, 2016 21:34:22 GMT -6
Hm. The later psionic rules (whatever ones opinion of them) seem to hearken back to this.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jan 16, 2016 9:16:43 GMT -6
I see it (along with the 5e SRD) as an attempt to get the benefits of the original OGL (lots of fan-made materials driving brand mindshare and Players Handbook sales) while reducing the risk of another Pathfinder coming to market. The former is likely to be successful. The latter? Pathfinder may have been a "lightning in a bottle" event anyway, so the risk may not be that great to start with.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jan 11, 2016 7:55:43 GMT -6
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jan 5, 2016 16:07:20 GMT -6
I once ran a thought experiment on using Trek races in fantasy, reskinning existing stats. All I remember is that I used hobgoblin stats for Klingons. (I also used the Kzinti as presented in Dragon magazine.)
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jan 5, 2016 16:00:39 GMT -6
If force sensitivity is as rare as it appears that it is, then the Jedi's refusal to allow Jedi to have children is downright criminal. They are effectively breeding the Force out of the galaxy. If and only if force sensitivity is exclusively genetic in origin. Given that the Force, while strictly speaking not a person, is referred to as having a "will" and depicted as acting on its own, anyone could be force sensitive if the Force so willed it. And the Jedi prohibition on marriage and children always struck me as a measure taken against the emergence of a ruling or noble class based solely on force sensitivity - the chief and negative example of this being the role of the Sith in their eponymous Empire during its various incarnations. This is, of course, an EU/Legends lore reference, which falls outside of the primary thesis of this thread.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jan 3, 2016 8:30:44 GMT -6
I checked it out. It definitely captures the feel of Star Wars in an OSR-flavored package. Or should that be the other way around? Either way, it's a nice piece of work.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Jan 2, 2016 10:08:14 GMT -6
Awesome work!
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Dec 24, 2015 8:26:37 GMT -6
Sweet! Thanks for sharing your work.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Dec 20, 2015 12:24:03 GMT -6
MILD SPOILERS The more I think about the movie, the more interesting the character of Kylo Ren gets. In a universe of fairy tale morality, straight up good and absolute evil, he seems to a very modern Columbine shooter-style young psychopath. CONTINUING THE SPOILER "I'm the grandson of Darth Vader! I should be the most powerful!" Not said by him, but otherwise revealed in the mutual interrogation session.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Sept 13, 2015 20:04:09 GMT -6
Oh, it's even worse than that. He has two other series, both set in a different world from the Belgariad, and uses the same plot in those as well. Amazing. I think this is the problem - the Belgariad was fine (not great) on its own and had some neat and very gameable elements. The fact that Eddings subsequent series simply re-skinned the same story shouldn't put you off reading the first series, and in my opinion it very much qualifies as "light" fantasy, if you don't equate light with humorous. I did play in a relatively long-lived GURPS* campaign based on the setting and it was great fun. In retrospect that was probably because it was a relief from the "dark" fantasy of the 80s. * Started with 2E and then converted to 3E shortly afterwards.I enthusiastically concur. The Belgariad alone is exactly as you have said.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Sept 12, 2015 9:49:30 GMT -6
He's commenting on the fly rather than reading beforehand and preparing his commentary. That's the chief flaw. To his defense, he may be trying to "recreate" the "first exposure" experience of someone who gets the book and tries to generate a character immediately.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Sept 11, 2015 19:03:25 GMT -6
As a referee I LOVE players who decide that bringing a company into the dungeon is the answer. As you say, in the first place they're unwieldy as all hell. In the second place, "The moral is to the physical as three is to one," to quote Napoleon. And I love, love, love, love players who bring ordinary soldiers into the second or third level... because the rule that PCs get one attack per level against 1 HD creatures works in reverse.... watch a troll wreak red ruin on a formation of men sometime. Seems to me to be a way to identify future henchmen - the survivors (if any) could be recruitable and level up as henchmen, referee permitting.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Sept 10, 2015 18:09:47 GMT -6
And that's the ridiculous 400 lb. bugbear in the room, right? That somehow rules can protect you from an asshat? The first rule of ANY game should be "Don't play with people you don't like, because it's NOT better than not playing at all!" I phrase it this way: "Bad gaming is worse than no gaming."
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Aug 18, 2015 19:08:02 GMT -6
I've watched a couple documentaries on this secret organization. From what I understand, they're along the lines of the Illuminati of the gaming world. If you really want to know more, the titles of the documentaries were.... "Meet the FKR's" and "Little FKR's" Really intriguing stuff! Highly recommended. Saw the first one. Very entertaining. I don't recall seeing the second one, though I recall being aware of its existence.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Aug 18, 2015 9:09:49 GMT -6
As the German manufacturer of fighter planes during WWI? "But dese Fokkers were flying Messerschmidts!" Got it in one.
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randyb
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 92
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Post by randyb on Aug 18, 2015 6:26:32 GMT -6
And yeah, it's pronounced exactly the way you think. As the German manufacturer of fighter planes during WWI?
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