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Post by doc on Dec 3, 2007 16:16:59 GMT -6
I have been trying for some time to track down a copy of Dave Arneson's Adventures in Fantasy from the late 70's without much luck. Let me ask: for those of you who have seen, played, or own the game, what is your impression of it? What can you tell us about the game, setting, characters, etc? I'd appreciate any info.
Doc
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Post by coffee on Dec 3, 2007 17:21:20 GMT -6
Very vague recollections, but to me it seemed a lot more fiddly than D&D. I liked the maps, though.
Wish I could say more, but I think my copy went missing once when I moved.
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Post by dwayanu on Dec 3, 2007 17:22:04 GMT -6
I don't remember much, because I didn't actually play it before I gave it away (no thought of it as a "collector's item" 'sigh').
Here's my vague and unreliable take: It had skills somewhat as in The Fantasy Trip, and made much use of percentile rolls. The chance of avoiding damage figured more than increases in hit points. Combat used hit locations.
I may be inserting an anachronism from FFC, but I think one got experience points by spending treasure on special interests.
Both faerie and dragons got quite a bit of special attention. Magic used spell points. The overall feel was fairly distinctive, a slight departure from D&D.
Again, that's IIRC (in this case, a dicey prospect). Here's hoping someone with more recent exposure can better help you!
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Post by dwayanu on Dec 3, 2007 17:45:18 GMT -6
FWIW, here's a character writeup from Chaosium's Thieves' World:
SAMLOR hil SAMT Caravan Master (exp) Minor Mage (exp. lev 3) Fighter (exp. lev 12) AGE: 31 STRENGTH: 85 CONSTITUTION: 90 STATUS: 20 DEXTERITY: 90 STAMINA: 62 EXPERIENCE: 16 INTELLIGENCE: 84 HEALTH: 68 REPUTATION: 100!* CHARISMA: 40 HIT DICE: 18 points
SKILLS: ONE Read TWO Figure THREE Speak two other languages FIVE, SIX Physical Training I, II SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE Horsemanship I, II, III TEN, TWELVE, FOURTEEN, EIGHTEEN Bow, Sword, Lance, Spear, Dagger, Shield TWENTY-FOUR Husbandry
MAGICAL ABILITIES: Can cast up to three 1-2 point spells Knows the following Lawful spells: Light, Protection from Chaos Knows the following Non-Alignment spells: Gambling, Open Door, Find Gold Knows the following Neutral spells: Charisma, Rhetoric 80% chance to know any Non-Alignment spell up to six points Has 24 spell points a day, six points a turn *Get credit for being the champion of one god and cheating another and see what it does for you!
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Post by dwayanu on Dec 3, 2007 17:57:46 GMT -6
From the same source, here are some monster stats:
GIANT CRABS Average Hit Points: 1 Body Type: Scaled Movement: 4" (water) 2" (land) Alignment: Chaotic (Hostile) Hit Dice: 1 (1-3)
SIKKINTAIR Alignment Neutral Av. HP 52 Hit Dice 15 Body Type: Snake / Special SPP: 3" / 30" No. Encountd Clear 1-6
Another thing: I think magicians were supposed to gather assistants as they rose in level.
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Post by Finarvyn on Dec 5, 2007 21:23:44 GMT -6
Personally, I was turned off by the game even though I really wanted to like it. The writing style is a little obscure and tricky to follow, and the rules are full of equations if you like mathematics in your games. Every time I sit down to read Adventures in Fantasy my mind tends to drift away. It simply doesn't capture the same feel as OD&D, in my opinion.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2011 20:22:29 GMT -6
There is a copy of this game on eBay right now.
See my eBay thread in General. I will try to keep an eye out for Adventures in Fantasy and also for the First Fantasy Campaign.
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Post by havard on Oct 16, 2011 10:08:30 GMT -6
Personally, I was turned off by the game even though I really wanted to like it. The writing style is a little obscure and tricky to follow, and the rules are full of equations if you like mathematics in your games. Every time I sit down to read Adventures in Fantasy my mind tends to drift away. It simply doesn't capture the same feel as OD&D, in my opinion. I have a copy. I aint telling how much I paid for it The part of the game that is most appealing to me is the section on Bleakwood and the handful of other connections to the FFC. -Havard
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Post by warrioroffrobozz on Nov 13, 2011 20:05:17 GMT -6
I've only seen it once, at my uncles, but I remember it was based more upon folklore and traditional fairy stories, as opposed to Tolkien worlds like D&D. I remember in particular the Elves which were mostly malevolent little creatures, a farcry from the peaceful bowmen and mages we normally see.
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Post by amalric on Feb 23, 2012 8:16:45 GMT -6
I quite liked the character creation, once you were past your ability scores - IIRC, you were given 'X' number of months to train your character, and could choose all manner of skills - Physical Training, Languages, Sailor, Hunter, Blacksmith, Axe, Bow, etc etc.
But the actual mechanics of the game were pretty poor, and we never even attempted to play it.
I still have a copy in my loft, which I borrowed from a friend many years ago - he passed away twelve years ago, sadly, and I've no idea what he did with my copy of Dragon Pass, so I guess we're even!
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Post by Sean Michael Kelly on Feb 23, 2012 12:50:28 GMT -6
Personally, I was turned off by the game even though I really wanted to like it. The writing style is a little obscure and tricky to follow, and the rules are full of equations if you like mathematics in your games. Every time I sit down to read Adventures in Fantasy my mind tends to drift away. It simply doesn't capture the same feel as OD&D, in my opinion. This was exactly my experience as well!
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Post by keith418 on Feb 23, 2012 14:32:18 GMT -6
I have a copy and I love the rules for dragons. I intend to apply them in my own campaign. Basically, DA gives you tables to play with to make each dragon utterly unique and a real, and ongoing, challenge for the players to cope with.
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Post by thedegenerateelite on Apr 6, 2012 5:51:10 GMT -6
I have a copy of this that it still sealed in shrink and throw box front is signed by Richard Snider and Dave in blue pen under the shrink. Been debating for awile on whether to open it up or keep Minty. I got it for cheap
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Post by Finarvyn on Apr 6, 2012 7:46:52 GMT -6
I have a copy of this that it still sealed in shrink and throw box front is signed by Richard Snider and Dave in blue pen under the shrink. Been debating for awile on whether to open it up or keep Minty. I got it for cheap A really tough one. My gut feel is that books and games are made to be read and played, but there is a certain collectable side of me that wouldn't want to break the shrinkwrap. Maybe the solution is to try to sell your copy to a collector and buy one cheaper that you can read. That way it stays in mint condition, you get to read one, and you make a profit at the same time.
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Post by thedegenerateelite on Apr 6, 2012 8:44:54 GMT -6
True. No idea what these normally go for on ebay etc. Are the majority of the boxes signed? All the copies ive seen photos of seem to be.
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Post by Finarvyn on Apr 6, 2012 8:52:13 GMT -6
I don't know offhand, either. It's not a really popular game, except to folks who are really "into" Dave's game design, and never got much interest. I think I bought my copy for $30-40 many years ago. I would guess that the value has gone up since then, but I really haven't followed it.
Frankly, I rarely dust off the copy I have. I had hoped to find some cool OD&D insight, but AiF is a very different game system from OD&D and not as interesting to me anymore.
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Post by Finarvyn on Apr 6, 2012 8:53:28 GMT -6
By the way -- I just hopped over to Noble Knight and they don't have any for sale. I was hoping they would list one so I could give you a price estimate.
The shrink-wrap and signatures should make this have some value to a collector.
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rleduc
Level 3 Conjurer
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Post by rleduc on Apr 6, 2012 9:55:43 GMT -6
With the signatures and shrink wrap, that is clearly an exceptionally rare find. The shrink wrap may have been added later to preserve the signatures. If not, then it may likely have been part of a limited run of memento copies of some sort; possibly thank you's distributed at the game's release or something like that.
If you can find out more, then you might have something particularly valuable. I have no idea what such a thing might go for.
I'd definitely sell it and buy something I'd use, either this game or something else. I wouldn't open it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2012 12:24:56 GMT -6
The Acaeum ( www.acaeum.com/) is usually a good place to ask questions of this sort ... and perhaps even find a buyer. These guys are serious collectors and give pretty solid advice. Edit to Add: This Sub-Forum "Collecting Appraisal" ( www.acaeum.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2) may be of particular interest to you.
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Post by ffilz on Apr 6, 2012 16:44:41 GMT -6
I bought my copy from Adventures Unlimited at a Boskone when it was released. Every copy was signed, and in fact, my copy was also signed by Kathy Marschall (the artist). I'm guessing all the copies sold at conventions where Adventures Unlimited had a booth were signed. Who knows how many other copies were signed.
I vaguely remember that maybe Kathy's signature was added at the booth.
Frank
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Post by aldarron on Apr 6, 2012 19:36:58 GMT -6
I have a copy of this that it still sealed in shrink and throw box front is signed by Richard Snider and Dave in blue pen under the shrink. Been debating for awile on whether to open it up or keep Minty. I got it for cheap Can't help you much. I'd guess you might be able to get a benjamin for it as is, but there simply aren't as many people aware of or interested in Dave Arneson's products. If you want to sell it, don't open it, if not what purpose would not opening it serve? It is a cardboard box and paper books. It will disintegrate in a couple hundred years unless stabilized with an expensive chemical process. That's inevitable (and equally true of all the oD&D books), and then some distant descendant of yours will have a shrinkwrapped bag full of dust.
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Post by thedegenerateelite on Apr 7, 2012 0:51:19 GMT -6
I love that image. " You mean Suzy go the real estate and I got this.....f-ing bag of dust!!!"
To tell the truth I buy all may game items with an eye towards ripping em open and fully using them but held of on this because at the time I bought it I also got tons of other stuff. RPG and game auction you see. So it sat until I recently was reading through the massive thred where you and Snori (and others!) try to dissect out Dave's old combat mechanics, which is amazing BTW.
Now I know I would never use the game but would like to read it but not if it means wiping out something that a collector would treasure and keep in better shape than I ever could.
Whats weird is that as far as I can tell it is original shrink since there is no box wear underneath except in one corner where some shrink is rubbed away. The signatures are underneath the wrap, so this must have come from the manufacturer as a package.
If you lightly shake the box you can hear the books slide around but no, 20 sided die, though it may be in a bag and silent. Who knows.
Also got a mint copy of Swords and Spells for 11 dollars, sixth printing at the same auction.
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Post by thedegenerateelite on Apr 7, 2012 0:59:56 GMT -6
It is the first edition first printing and has white paper labels on it that say Adventure Games Inc. and obviously cover up all the original printer names on the. You can make out Adventure Unlimited underneath a few of them.
Needless to say this seems odd since I know that Excalibur Games first printed it then Dave bought the rights back with some of his first TSR settlement money and brought it in-house to his own Adventure Games Inc. company.
Existing stock would have been relabeled for sale, which is possibly when the box was signed and then shrunk wrapped, but what gives with Adventures Unlimited under the stickers instead of Excalibur?
Anyone know?
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Post by aldarron on Apr 7, 2012 9:38:56 GMT -6
It is the first edition first printing and has white paper labels on it that say Adventure Games Inc. and obviously cover up all the original printer names on the. You can make out Adventure Unlimited underneath a few of them. Needless to say this seems odd since I know that Excalibur Games first printed it then Dave bought the rights back with some of his first TSR settlement money and brought it in-house to his own Adventure Games Inc. company. Existing stock would have been relabeled for sale, which is possibly when the box was signed and then shrunk wrapped, but what gives with Adventures Unlimited under the stickers instead of Excalibur? Anyone know? I don't have it with me at the moment, but I think its in the interview in Pegasus issue 1, where Dave mentions buying the unsold product from Excalibre and then selling the game directly from his own company (Adventure Games).
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