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Post by robertsconley on May 9, 2008 6:34:19 GMT -6
I really recommend this for any GM wanting to add some detail to their fantasy cities. www.lythia.com/2008/05/eastside-city-block/The most important use of this is to get an idea of what could be packed into a city block. Another use is that you can see how maze like the city block is. This could lead to interesting encounter areas for different city adventures. Enjoy Rob Conley
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Post by robertsconley on May 6, 2008 9:22:53 GMT -6
I can do a one page map for somebody. I did a wilderness map for JamesM and still got time to do another one page map of a dungeon, village, or wilderness before the deadline.
Rob Conley
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Post by robertsconley on Apr 24, 2008 10:32:55 GMT -6
"We were four days out of City-State bearing south towards Tula when we could see a smudge on the water near the horizon. As we came closer a vast stony plain stretched before us. The captain ordered the sail reefed and sent a boat to investigate. They the found rocks of various sizes from fine grains to stones of fist size floating the water. So densely packed they looked as solid ground. Not wishing to deal with such strange magic, the captain ordered the ship to turn and ran next along the edge for several hours. Those of us not on duty were mesmerized by the slow undulations of the stony plain. Occasionally in the distance we could see shapes rise out of the stones and clash together. Shattering in a spray of rocks. Finally in the late afternoon we spotted a plume in the distance and a hellish glow. The captain ordered the Sunspirit further away from the edge. Another hour's travel the captain was able to resume our original bearing as we slowly circled around the plume showing on the distant horizon. By sundown we left it behind and was able to reef the sails for the night. In the morning we resumed the course back towards Tula and did not encounter the stones again. I wonder what strange magics produced such a sight. Perhaps a portal has been opened in the midst of the Sea of Five Winds. I will begin discrete inquires once I reach Tula. Perhaps some of the wizards there will be interested in paying for such knowledge. Enjoy Rob Conley Based on this yacht-maiken.blogspot.com/2006/08/stone-sea-and-volcano.html
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Post by robertsconley on Apr 24, 2008 9:30:48 GMT -6
James and I are going to start this by having me draw a basic map then he will detail it. Followed by me finalizing the map with the details that James wrote. The constraint is that it has to fit on a 8.5 by 11 piece of paper. Right now I have a format of 27 hex columns by 19 hex rows. The upper left hex being 0101 the lower right hex being 2719. Using Book 3's five mile hexes this gives an area of 135 miles by 90 miles. The hexes are a little less than 7/16" of an inch. The Map will be drawn Judges Guild style like this one. www.ibiblio.org/mscorbit/beta/campaignmap19lg.jpgFor reference the Outdoor Survival Map has 43 hex columns by 34 hex rows. I was going to suggest this in the email to James but I think a good title for this map would be simply call it The Outdoor Map.
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Post by robertsconley on Apr 22, 2008 17:20:40 GMT -6
robertsconley ----at---- gmail ----dot---- com
Look forward to it
Rob Conley
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Post by robertsconley on Apr 22, 2008 11:59:55 GMT -6
I can do one or two pages of maps before the June 2nd Deadline if anybody need a map done.
Rob Conley
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Post by robertsconley on Apr 16, 2008 18:53:05 GMT -6
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Post by robertsconley on Mar 13, 2008 13:16:29 GMT -6
I can appreciate this. While I participated in NERO Larp from 92 to 04, I saw an evolution of rules similar to what D&D went through. The first system was real basic compared to what was used later and there were a lot of intermediate steps and regional variations in between.
For somebody entering the LARP today and try to understand how it was back in the day it would be a rather confusing thing to try to figure out.
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Post by robertsconley on Mar 13, 2008 6:19:14 GMT -6
Note that the quote I posted is said by Arneson not the article's author. That why I found it interesting.
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Post by robertsconley on Mar 11, 2008 12:47:14 GMT -6
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Post by robertsconley on Jul 12, 2007 13:19:23 GMT -6
So I guess even unintelligent swords can tell what race you are! Think of it as the elves themselves enhancing the magic of the sword. It is very much in the spirit of Tolkien. It not so much a specific spell but part of the elves magical aura.
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Post by robertsconley on Feb 27, 2008 11:01:22 GMT -6
My comment how could this come about? Think about it, Gygax, Arneson, and crew weren't just doing random stuff. Why would it would seem reasonable that M-Us need half of the xp?
I haven't played a full OD&D from start to finish so I am not sure about this but my guess would be that melee ability was the prized ability. This would make sense in light of the wargame roots of OD&D. M-U and Clerics sacrifice melee abilities in favor of spells. The cleric less so.
So what do the spell get you? It a 10th level wizards overpowering compared to a 10th level fighter. It is overpowering over the course of a dungeon crawl versus a single combat. It looks like sustained effort was also a consideration.
Also how to magic items change the perception that M-Us need less xp.
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Post by robertsconley on Dec 11, 2007 9:39:38 GMT -6
By using a silver standard, one tends to keep silvers (and probably coppers since they're not too far removed in value). At the same time, one really covets the occasional gold piece when it's found in a treasure! I agree wholeheartedly. This is indeed a benefit of going to a silver standard that I witnessed in my own games. Rob Conley
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Post by robertsconley on Dec 10, 2007 10:59:52 GMT -6
Realism aside, I found game benefits from using a silver standard.
One main coin -the silver penny one really valuable coin for rewards - the gold crown. A weight based system for generating different types of currencies easy. If you want to have that complexity.
The system I use is the following
silver to gold ratio is 20 to 1 all prices are stated in silver 90% of coinage is silver penny. coins are minted in using 1 pound (very rare), 1 ounce (rare), or 1 dram (1/256 of a lb, 1/16 of a oz).
1 silver penny = 1/240 of a pound. 1 gold penny = 1/240 of a pound = 20 silver pennies 1 gold crown = 1/oz = 320 silver pennies
Other coin types that I don't normally use are
1 copper farthing = 1/4 of a silver penny = 1/256 of a pound note the farthing is the term for breaking a silver penny into quarters. Many coins are pre-scored at the mint to make this easy.
1 silver mark = 1 pound = 240 silver pennies 1 gold pound = 1 pound = 4800 silver pennies 1 silver guilder/shilling = 1 /20 of a pound = 12 silver pennies
Electrum is half gold and half silver so would be 10 to 1 instead of 20 to 1
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Post by robertsconley on Aug 9, 2007 10:56:31 GMT -6
My AD&D/Fantasy Hero/GURPS campaign originated in the Wilderlands of High Fantasy/City-State of the Invincible Overlord in 1982. My timeline has progressed from 4433 BCCC to 4453 BCCC through a dozen player groups over 25 years.
The main effect are
a) in the main campaign area around City-State I would say half of the 4453 background is the direct or indirect result of PC actions. Many of the 4453 NPCs are former PCs.
b) Several of the campaign I ran were focused on a single topic. The first was "everyone is a magic-user". The background and used for that campaign became the "offical" background of magic for my version of the Wilderlands. I did this for Clerics, City Guards, Thieves and Evil (players played unequivocal bad guys) Each was not only fun but developed an aspect of my game far beyond my own efforts could.
A side benefit that groups that were mocked or ignored in earlier campaigns (particularly magic users and city guards) now became respected or even feared.)
The best example is the City Guard Sticks and the knight killer crossbows. Basically City Guard Sticks are made in pairs and are just a thin dowel rod of wood about 8" long. They are enchanted so that if one breaks the other one breaks as well. Anytime a patrol gets into trouble they break a stick. The other stick breaks at the barracks alerting the guards that there is trouble.
The knight killer crossbow is a high tension heavier variant of the heavy crossbow that does a lot more damage. It takes a man about 5 minute to use a winch to re tension it after it fires. The idea is that they take one shot with these crossbow before closing. I have to look up their AD&D stats but I believe they do something like 5d6 damage.
The City Guard campaign has made the City Guards of CSIO a force to be reckoned with. High level PCs still can take them on but it is a lot harder. The nice thing most of this was developed without changing the average level of the guard. Just better tactics and a better selection of equipment.
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Post by robertsconley on Jul 12, 2007 7:19:34 GMT -6
What size paper is your workup designed to print on? BTW this is an awesome job you have done. Thanks I can create this at any size. What would you like. ;D If you print the linked graphics at 300 dip it will be roughly 8.5 x 11 in landscape. If you jump to here wayfarer.myfreeforum.org/about232.html. You can see what I am thinking about doing with it. In a nutshell I am thinking of making a "blank" version with the map and all locations in a form that a DM can fill out with his notes. Then making a "Rob Conley" version with a mini campaign in the style of Wilderland of High Fantasy (which I am a co-author of). I would limit my self to what in OD&D (not even Greyhawk, Blackmor, or EW) even though I may have the stats in different versions for OSRIC, Castles & Crusades, and D20. Although I have to say that there are some pre-OSRIC first edition AD&D stuff that WoTC didn't go after so maybe the same can be done for OD&D adventure. Now that the PDFs have been released there will be a market. I am also wondering is my interpretation of the Outdoor Survival Map is sufficiently different for copyright.
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Post by robertsconley on Jul 12, 2007 6:50:46 GMT -6
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Post by robertsconley on Jan 8, 2008 8:02:12 GMT -6
I was thinking that perhaps a good first step is simply listing all the things in the D20 SRD that are found in OD&D. Classes, abilities, spells, monsters, and treasure. Along with where they are found in OD&D.
No stats or descriptions. Then when people have the time they can flesh out the stats and descriptions part. This way module and setting writing can get a jump on presenting material that is SRD and OD&D compatible.
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Post by robertsconley on Jan 6, 2008 23:39:56 GMT -6
My comment on this topic is that what do people want to buy/download?
If it is adventures and settings then we need X, if it some thing like a splat book then we need Y.
My own point of view is creating adventures and settings for OD&D. For that I need to be able to at least reference an OGL document for creating characters (with spells if needed), that has a list of monsters, and a list of treasure.
It doesn't need to be a full RPG like OSRIC is. We can refer people to the PDF for buying a copy of the rules.
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DIY RPG
Aug 9, 2007 17:25:58 GMT -6
Post by robertsconley on Aug 9, 2007 17:25:58 GMT -6
lol! Until I read robertsconley's post, I couldn't figure out what this entire thread was even about. It seemed to be a response to some post we were not privy to, and a recap of further replies to an argument we had not been actually debating at the time. I don't mean to imply the points were not good, nor to trivialize the thread, merely to say that I had been trying to figure out the purpose of the thread so I might contribute (or at least understand what was going on). The discussion of RPGs' origins gave me solid footing. Now, with the implication that robertsconley's remarks were off-topic, I'm more puzzled than ever. Um, boys, I'd like to play, too. What are we talking about? Ron Edwards and the Forge jump started the whole RPG Theory debate. Trying to figure how different games appeal to different people. Other people think their theories are bunk. And other people spun off in their own direction. So people debate. My strongest opinion on the matter that theory need to take in account observations of actual play and that it need to account for the genuine popularity of Dungeons and Dragons. Note I use a loaded term... genuine. This because the popularity of D&D 3.5 is often a bone of contention went it shouldn't. Every source of data we have show its strength as a market leader. So matter much I would like my favorite system to be #1, GURPS, the fact is that D&D is #1. Also I use genuine because I have seen too many people just have fun with it. If it didn't have the history and the network of pre-existing players D&D in every incarnation would wind up a successful game seller. With it external advantages is a dominant marker leader. Only thing that is going to kill D&D is D&D. If D&D 4.0 stinks beyond all belief then takes to the OGL somebody elses D20 Game will be viewed as the successor to D&D. Plus the market history has shown that D&D is the dominant reason that new players are pulled into RPGs. When TSR mismanaged its finance and AD&D 2.0 was so lackluster it hurt the entire industry by shrinking the pool of gamers playing RPGs. 3.0 reversed that. Yet for being some dominant 3.X doesn't serve the needs of all RPGers. Which takes me back to calithena's hypothesis. Is his type of RPG represented in the market? If it is, does the existing games do a good job supporting this style of play. If they don't is there is niche for a RPG that does. Or because we are on this forum can a certain older game be supported or adapted to fill this niche.
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DIY RPG
Aug 9, 2007 17:02:24 GMT -6
Post by robertsconley on Aug 9, 2007 17:02:24 GMT -6
Robert, though non-wargamers got in on the action pretty early on too. Was there something you wanted to disagree about? Good call, I wasn't clear about that. Hypothesis: Tabletop RPG design has gone wrong by ignoring this principle. Systems that overly constrain the referee's and group's ability to create their own system out of the tools in the book in play, which include virtually everything published to day from WotC and WW to the Forge, are cutting directly against the make-believe process which RPGs do best by supporting. I disagree with your hypothesis. The hypothesis emphasizes the creative side of RPGs too much over the rule side. No different how White Wolf overemphasizes the role-playing, the Forge the story, or 3.X the rules. I submit that what most people want out of role-playing is a clear consistent set of rules that are fun to play that supports adventure. In early days of D&D adventure = the Dungeon with a capital D. Later people figure out that there are other types of adventures that could be run with the D&D rules. Not all versions of D&D were equal in doing this. AD&D 2nd edition made a lot of mistake. While it remained #1, it drove a lot of existing people to alternatives and didn't excite newer players. But 3.0 changed that, it had more choice, clearer rules and indefinite expandability. I am not saying it is perfect. Only that its strength as a D&D successor overshadowed any weaknesses. Combined with the Open Gaming License it became the overwhelming leader of the market. I don't think that WoTC has gone wrong with 3.X. They made the outstanding choice. However 3.0 doesn't serve the entire gaming market. Heck it doesn't serve me. I play GURPS. Because 3.0 doesn't serve every gamer there are niches that alternatives can fill. True20, Forge Games, GURPS, etc. So your Hypothesis has some validity. It expresses a Gaming Style. Now the question becomes how much of a market is there. Are the gamers who play that style not served or underserved by what is existing. Given that this a OD&D forum I am guessing that OD&D is what you use. If I encountered your post elsewhere I would say that if you are into light rules then True20 or Castles and Crusades would support your style of play. If you are into heavier rules then Hero Games or GURPS. Possibily the D6 system that powers West End Games stuff (They have a generic system book as well). Or Fudge. All of those games support a freeform style of play with "tools" that allow individual referees campaign to be very different from another. Rules light systems like OD&D, D6, True20 rely on DM rulings while Hero and GURPS does it up front before the game via the options the DM chooses to run his campaign by.
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DIY RPG
Aug 9, 2007 13:35:27 GMT -6
Post by robertsconley on Aug 9, 2007 13:35:27 GMT -6
What we're doing is, playing a make-believe game. Original D&D grew out of the wargaming community of the late 60's and early 70's. From playing in the 70's it had several characteristics that made more interesting than wargaming (miniature or board) 1) It ditched the scenario and allowed for a more free form style of play. The goal switched from achieving the objective or victory points to improving the character you played. 2) It had continuity. Your character grew from session to session. Past actions had an impact on the present. 3) It was individual. Instead of being a general of whole army, fleet, or force you focused on just this one guy. (or maybe two as the case may be) Now various wargames had one or two of these elements prior to D&D but D&D was first in combining them into the RPG. D&D was created because it overcame limitations of traditional wargames. It was found that by doing this it made for a fun and compelling game. Plus it concepts were a heck of a lot more accessible which is why it's audience expanded beyond wargames. And as it turned out, the various ideas that combined to create D&D turned out to be very flexible. In my experience the initial surge of RPGs after D&D were mostly created to do one of two things. Either they were in reaction to D&D; attempting to correct flaws or extend the basic game. (Rolemaster, Chivalry and Sorcery, Arduin Gimoire are examples of this) Or they were created by someone going "This D&D has some good ideas, I am going to use some of it bring life to X or play X." (Traveller for SciFi, Runequest for Glorantha, Empire of the Petal Throne for Tekumal.) Since then we had numerous games released and a great expansion of what can be played in a RPG, in genre, tone, system, and setting. I apologize if I sound authoritative but many people theorizing about RPGs forget or don't know what it was like back then. When RPGs were little more than another game that wargamers played to to gain more variety.
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Post by robertsconley on Aug 10, 2007 11:23:43 GMT -6
My campaign is also the combo ~ the epic saga combined with the long haul. My campaign is coming up on its 32nd anniversary in just a month and a half from now. 25th year for mine, started using Wilderlands of High Fantasy and City-State in 1982. Been running it ever since under a variety of systems. Game time has advanced from 4433 BCCC to 4453 BCCC.
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Post by robertsconley on Mar 4, 2008 11:20:30 GMT -6
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