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Post by carjack on Dec 2, 2007 15:54:18 GMT -6
Has anyone used the dungeons for Blackmoor as presented in the First Fantasy Campaign book from Judges Guild? I'm rereading it with an eye to use it for a con game in February. Things are pretty bare-bones, but I think that an OD&D game really doesn't need much more than that to run. It was either that or Tegel Manor, which has waaaay to much map for me to run in a three-four hour session!
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Post by coffee on Dec 2, 2007 19:18:04 GMT -6
I'm waiting for my copy which I just won on ebay this week. Should be here within the week.
And I'm also planning on running OD&D at a convention (or conventions) sometime soon.
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Post by makofan on Dec 2, 2007 20:04:20 GMT -6
Ohh big congrats on the eBay scoop!
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Post by Finarvyn on Dec 2, 2007 20:52:45 GMT -6
I think that it's a great setting and the dungeons are prefect for an "old school" feel -- there is enough detail to start a DM out, but enough empty space for a DM to customize and personalize the dungeon. The d20 Blackmoor Dungeons are pretty filled up and tend to be a tad stuffy, in my opinion, but I love the FFC versions.
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Post by coffee on Dec 2, 2007 23:39:17 GMT -6
Ohh big congrats on the eBay scoop! Thanks, I fought off some stiff competition. Anybody else want one? Check out ebay item #320190308631. |
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Post by carjack on Dec 3, 2007 4:52:15 GMT -6
I think you'll find FFC a fun read. Lots of interesting little bits in there. I especially like the Orchian Way, which immediately teleports you to the 10th level with, like 180 Orcs in your path. Also the Elves who guard the entrance keeping hoses full of holy water to keep the vampires from wandering out of the dungeon! Nobody writes stuff like that anymore! Priceless...
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Post by coffee on Dec 3, 2007 4:58:14 GMT -6
I'm rereading it with an eye to use it for a con game in February. Which convention is that? |
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Post by carjack on Dec 3, 2007 7:41:47 GMT -6
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Post by evreaux on Dec 3, 2007 9:36:49 GMT -6
Are you really running an OD&D game, CJ? I might have to make that. ;-)
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Post by coffee on Dec 3, 2007 10:10:40 GMT -6
Iowa City? We're practically neighbors! I'll be at Con of the North in February, just up here in the Twin Cities. www.conofthenorth.org/ |
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Post by carjack on Dec 3, 2007 13:44:48 GMT -6
Are you really running an OD&D game, CJ? I might have to make that. ;-) Yes, I decided to run OD&D, as well as Encounter Critical and maybe something else, but I haven't decided what. Hope to see you down there, Ev! Coffee, you should definitely come down, if the weather holds and all. Last year we had a lovely ice storm, but hopefully we can skip it this year! |
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Post by coffee on Dec 3, 2007 14:16:18 GMT -6
Thanks for the invite, but we've been going over our vacation schedule for next year and are pretty well booked. That's both for available time and available funds.
Next year, maybe.
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Post by coffee on Dec 4, 2007 10:24:47 GMT -6
Just got my First Fantasy Campaign. So far, it looks good!
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Post by Finarvyn on Dec 4, 2007 11:47:08 GMT -6
FFC is basically just someone's (Dave Arneson's) campaign notes. They aren't slick, there are no fancy graphics. Often things written up are incomplete or confusing or not well explained.
Thsi book is like gold, in my opinion. :-)
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Post by coffee on Dec 4, 2007 11:52:51 GMT -6
FFC is basically just someone's (Dave Arneson's) campaign notes. They aren't slick, there are no fancy graphics. Often things written up are incomplete or confusing or not well explained. Thsi book is like gold, in my opinion. :-) I agree. And like gold, it needs refining before it will make others ooh and ahh! over it. |
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Post by Finarvyn on Dec 4, 2007 14:16:33 GMT -6
But Zeitgeist games did all sorts of refining, and I still like the original version better!
It's a fine line between a total overhaul (which is what d20 Blackmoor is) and some orgainzational tweaks. I'm not sure how much one can "improve" something before it becomes another something instead.
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Post by coffee on Dec 4, 2007 14:39:49 GMT -6
But Zeitgeist games did all sorts of refining, and I still like the original version better! It's a fine line between a total overhaul (which is what d20 Blackmoor is) and some orgainzational tweaks. I'm not sure how much one can "improve" something before it becomes another something instead. Sorry, I didn't communicate that well. What I meant was that it would need me going over it and choosing what to use, throw, house rule or adapt before using it myself in a game. (I wasn't trying to cast any aspersions on the work as it stands, honest!)  |
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Post by coffee on Dec 4, 2007 14:51:04 GMT -6
Okay, does anybody have the 3rd printing (1980), which is the one I have, and an earlier printing also?
The reason I ask is that mine has a 64 page book, but the others listed at the Acaeum have 96 pages.
I'd like to know what I'm missing, if anything (they could have just typeset it differently to include the same info but reduce the page count).
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Post by foster1941 on Dec 4, 2007 15:37:31 GMT -6
From what I understand (and I also only have the 1980 printing) the actual contents are the same, and the difference in the earlier printing is some art (not sure if the earlier versions have more, less, or just different art), bigger dungeon maps (in the version we have most of the dungeon maps are crammed 2 to a page, whereas in the original they're apparently a full page apiece) and probably different typesetting (since art and dungeon-maps alone wouldn't account for that big a pagecount difference).
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Post by coffee on Dec 4, 2007 16:21:07 GMT -6
Good, that's what I was hoping!
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Post by coffee on Dec 5, 2007 10:36:15 GMT -6
I haven't finished reading the whole thing yesterday (things to do, you know how it goes), but I'm liking what I see!
If I understand correctly, there's a system for working out the hit dice and progression of the monster as a character. That's pretty groovy.
And that dungeon! Seriously weird, but I kinda like it. I may end up running it someday; it just needs a little dungeon dressing. Fortunately, I already have tables for that...
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Post by philotomy on Dec 5, 2007 10:49:08 GMT -6
If you can figure out how some of those stairways match up, let me know. (I've only skimmed through it, so maybe I missed something.)
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Post by coffee on Dec 5, 2007 11:11:09 GMT -6
I've only skimmed so far myself, but I plan on devoting some time this weekend to a detailed examination.
Part of it will be scanning the dungeon levels, so I can print them out larger. Maybe then it'll be easier to match them up.
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Post by crimhthanthegreat on Dec 13, 2007 15:48:38 GMT -6
You're going to scan those dungeons? Perhaps we could talk you into sharing those scans or trade you something for them?
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Post by coffee on Dec 13, 2007 16:32:23 GMT -6
You're going to scan those dungeons? Perhaps we could talk you into sharing those scans or trade you something for them? Hmmm... tempting. I really couldn't say no to some issues of The Strategic Review, for those of you who have the CD ROM archive (which I'm still stalking on ebay, by the way). |
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Post by crimhthanthegreat on Dec 13, 2007 19:07:24 GMT -6
FFC is basically just someone's (Dave Arneson's) campaign notes. They aren't slick, there are no fancy graphics. Often things written up are incomplete or confusing or not well explained. Thsi book is like gold, in my opinion. :-) I agree. And like gold, it needs refining before it will make others ooh and ahh! over it. And like gold, quite valuable nonetheless. FFC is quite a resource, everyone should have one. |
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Post by gsvenson on Jan 26, 2008 15:44:52 GMT -6
Today I mentioned to Dave that it would be nice to have a First Fantasy Campaign PDF available and he said that he would check to see if that was something he could make available or not. So, who knows it may become available again. On the other hand, we agreed that there were parts of it that if it could be done over we would not consider printing now....
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Post by Falconer on Jan 26, 2008 17:36:22 GMT -6
The maps in the 1977 are a full page for each dungeon level. In the 1980 they squish them down to be two levels per page. That makes the 1977 hugely more usable, in my opinion. If you are bidding on one, you can easily have the seller check whether the text throughout looks like it was typewritten (1977) or if it uses a sans-serif font. The other easy check would be the number of pages, I guess. The 1977 has 96 pages, the 1980 has 64 pages. See also The Acaeum. Regards. |
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Post by Rhuvein on Feb 12, 2008 21:43:54 GMT -6
I recently tried to acquire a copy, but gave up after the bidding started to escalate. I think it finally sold for $51+ dollars and shipping ($5.50 or so). Nice to have but way too much for my blood.  |
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Post by Rhuvein on Feb 12, 2008 22:23:43 GMT -6
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