I Trudge Onward in the Blogging World

First of all, I want to thank those bloggers that kept me on their blogrolls. So, "Thank you!". I've decided to continue blogging, and hopefully coming up with some stuff worth blogging about.

The Sandbox Dilemma

I'm sure this topic has been discussed ad nauseam in blogs and elsewhere, but it's something I have been thinking about. How much is enough when it comes to a sandbox setting? ( I think I may have written about this before? I didn't go back and check... ) Unless, you are using published material, who has the time to fully flesh out a fantasy campaign? Much less a star-spanning science fiction campaign?

I've thought one solution would be to use a patchwork method. Using a variety of sources, I could patch together a fantasy sandbox world. There's plenty of free material on the web. An almost endless variety of dungeons, and other adventures that could be used without any or very little preparation.

The only problem I could see is that it wouldn't feel... cohesive. Well, it would feel that way to me, maybe not the players. I guess that's not really a problem, just my opinion. With a little work, I'm sure it could be made to feel cohesive.

In fact, in the early days of role playing, I think a lot of players used the patchwork method. I can imagine most DM's used the TSR modules set in their own worlds, along with some of their own creations. It worked for the most part, and was enjoyable. In fact, I think I probably had more fun in the early days of role playing, than later in life. Maybe because it was all so new, and exciting?

I guess, in the long run, it doesn't really matter, unless it's going to be a multi-year, long running campaign? I don't see that happening for me anytime soon, and I'm not getting any younger. So I think I can get away with just getting enough together for a few gaming sessions, and feel good about it. In fact I think I've got a good idea to base a few game sessions around. I'll have more on this idea later this week.

Rolemaster Gets a New Edition?

Okay. Fine. This happens after I've reacquired many of the Rolemaster Standard books I want. I guess I need to go check their website. UGH. Oh well, who am I kidding? If the books are priced right then I will be buying them. In fact I will probably buy more than one copy. I've been a Rolemaster aficionado since the beginning.

Until next time, Happy Gaming!

Some Of My Thoughts On Skills In RPGs...

Over at Grognardia, James discusses skills in RPGs.  I thought I would discuss what I think about skill systems,  and how skills are handled in the Rolemaster Standard System.

First of all, in most old school RPGs, skill use resolution seems fairly simple.  In Traveller ( at least what I can remember ), success or failure is determined by one die roll.  If you fail, I always ruled that you can try again, unless I determined it was beyond your skill level, i.e. if you only have one skill bonus in electronics, and you're trying to repair a major malfunction of the starships computer.

Of course the same idea could be used in rule sets without skills.  If a character is trying to "bend bars or lift a gate" and they fail, shouldn't they be able to try again?  Of course if you've determined that to bend the bars requires a certain strength then of course no amount of rolls will succeed.  Then again I suppose you could say that the one roll could represent multiple attempts, but in some situations this wouldn't work, especially if there was a time constraint involved, for example fleeing a horde of zombies.

One thing I always enjoyed about GURPS is the fact that that when making a skill roll, you don't just have success or failure, but you can also have a critical success ( something good happens ), or a critical failure ( something bad happens ).

In the Rolemaster Standard System, skills are grouped in categories.  For example there is the Subterfuge - Stealth Category, and covers hiding, picking pockets, stalking, and trickery.  Every skill category comes with a static maneuver table which is specific to the skills in that category.

Let's say that you are a thief, and you're fairly sneaky.  It's night, you've just robbed a shop, and couple of the city's watchmen are coming down the road.  You decide to duck into the shadows.  It's time to make a skill roll...

In the RMSS, skills are rolled on a d100, and are open ended, if you roll a 96 or higher you roll again, and add the result.  You also add or subtract any modifiers that would apply to the skill in this situation.  So the thief moves up against a building, it's night and very dark, but the watchmen have lanterns, but the thief is far enough away that these don't come into play.  So lets see  what the result of the roll might be!

So depending on the roll, a player can have a Spectacular Failure, Absolute Failure, Failure, Unusual Event, an Unusual Success, Near Success, Success, or Absolute Success.  If you get a Near Success you can roll again, hopefully with a better result.  All in all, I find the RMSS method of dealing with skills  a lot more fun than just the succeed or fail mechanic, and really creates some interesting game play situations.

I know some people will say that Rolemaster requires way too much book keeping and chart flipping, but I find that if I stay organised this was never much of a problem.

Editorial Note:  Either blogger or my computer is having fits, and I need to stop for now.

The Strong Points of Rolemaster

Yes, I've got Rolemaster on my mind.  What can I say?  I like the rules, I like the overall system.  What's good about it?  Well, this is something me and my friends discussed when we first started playing.

First of all, RM came out back when there mainly only AD&D 1E, then the second edition, and other early fantasy role playing games.  For the most part a character, like a fighter, seemed like any other fighter.  There were very few differences, especially in the first few levels.  That can't be said of a Rolemaster character.  You might create a fighter, but with all the options and skills he's going to be unlike someone else's fighter.  The fighter will be unique.  Especially in the Rolemaster Standard System, and the next edition Rolemaster Fantasy Role Playing.

You aren't limited in the skills you can learn.  If a fighter wants to learn to pick locks he can.  It's going to cost him more development points ( skill points ), and he won't be able to learn as fast as a thief or rogue, but he isn't prevented from learning the skill.  A fighter could also learn certain spell lists if he wanted.  Again, it's going to be difficult, but it's possible.

Add in talents, flaws, background options, etc. you can really customise a unique character.

Combat is always unique as well.  No two combats will seem the same.  I think that's a real strong point of the system.  Combat has many options, it's not just a swing and hit or miss.  You can remain in a strictly defensive mode, or go all out on offense.  Or mix and match as you see fit.  Want to try something different, an unusual maneuver to surprise your foe?  Go right ahead,  it's covered in the rules.

I don't want to go into a lot of detail but there is a rich variety of spells.  There are plenty to choose from.

As your character gains experience he can buy new skills, get better with his weapons, and can even have his characteristics ( stats ) get better, or even worse!  Leveling up can be an adventure all on it's own.

Speaking of experience it's handled in a fairly unique manner.  The first time you fight a monster you get more experience points for defeating it, than subsequent fights with the same monster type.  After fighting dozens of orcs you don't get the same amount of experience as you did when you first fought one.  You also get experience points for good ideas.

Creating a character for RM can be a slow process, but I think the results are worth it.

Exploring Rolemaster

Pondering a new campaign world for Rolemaster I wondered what was available out in "cyberspace".  Well, I found the website of Iron Crown Enterprises , and I started poking around there.  Harumph,  apparantly they consider the Rolemaster Standard System a "vintage" game, and have "archived" it, and they state that for the most part they do not support the archived vintage games.  Although I notice they still sell some PDFs and some of the books of the RMSS.  Although, to be fair they did say questions would be answered about vintage games in the forums.

Heck, I wasn't even sure ICE still existed as a company.  I was a faithful follower of most of their products up through RMSS.  I'm glad to see they're still around, and may check out some of the new stuff, but I plan on sticking with RMSS.  I like it.

I was also reminded of Spacemaster.  It was kind of cool, but not something we really got into in our gaming group.  However, since I want to try out some cross-genre sessions I may need to get it again.  Predators in a fantasy setting might be cool.  A Predator versus a War Troll might be quite a fight.

If you really don't know anything about Rolemaster you can check out the Wikipedia page, it's a fairly good explanation about the system.

The current edition, Rolemaster Fantasy Role Playing is compatible with RMSS, and this article on the ICE Webring is a good overview comparing the two editions.

Browsing the official forums has shown me that RM is still popular and that people play it, and are developing software to help in running it.  All this is exciting to an old RM player like me.  Woot!

Only three days left...

Since there are only three days left in this year,  I've decided to finish out the year blogging in a carefree kind of way.  I'm not going to worry about content too much over the next couple of days.  There's plenty of time for serious posts and great gaming content next year.  The Reader's Choice Challenge kind of burnt me out to tell you the truth.  I enjoyed it, but it was difficult at times.

I picked up a copy of the Rolemaster Standard Rules from the used book store the other day with some of my sparse Christmas cash, they were having a 20 percent off sale, so I got it for less than nine dollars.  It's in good shape, the cover is kind of wonky, but that doesn't matter.  The interior is almost pristine, and I'm going to de-spine it anyway to put in a three ring binder, and tab it for easy reference.  Now all I need are Arms Law, Spell Law, and Creatures & Treasures, and I can get started on my new RM sandbox campaign.  I know many people don't like RM, but I do.  And you know what?  That's what matters.  Plus, if I can get my old gaming group together they like also like RM, and even if it's only once a month that would be good.

Does this mean I wouldn't play somethig old school?  No, I just have a hankering for some RM, and since I'm probably going to have to run the game, it might as well be something I'm used to running.  I'm probably going to prep some stuff for AD&D 1E or LL, just in case, but it won't be a priority.  I know I won't be running any D&D 4E.  I would like to run the new Gamma World, and maybe the old Gamma World, but that's not a priority either.  Oh yeah, the used book store has some of the new WoD books as well, and for decent prices.  Although I imagine by the time I can get them they will be gone.  The Dr. Who RPG is still there, but I feel it's priced waaaaaay too high, as well as one of the modules.  $55 for a module???  Sheeesh.

So as 2010 takes it's last breaths, I look forward to 2011!

What I want to play...

Theron, over on My Dice Are Older Than You discusses games he would like to play.  He lists roleplaying games, but I thought I would list some of the many games I would like to play, roleplaying and otherwise. These are not in any particular order.

World of Darkness RPG
Reading many blog posts about WoD has piqued my curiosity.  I really want to play a Created, or more specifically a Wretched, from Promethean: the Created source book.

Rolemaster: The Standard System RPG
One of my favorite fantasy RPGs of all time.  I like the system.  Yes, character generation can be glacial, but once that's done; I find everything else about the system to be fairly smooth going.  Unless of course the gamemaster doesn't know what they are doing; then you might as well be playing Uno.

Champions/Hero System RPG
Champions is another favorite of mine, and I've played in, and ran a few campaigns. I mean what's more fun than picking up a car and smashing it on a supervillain?  One thing that bugged me was that my players always made the stupidest superheros.  Roachman was a giant humanoid cockroach, with super strength.  Quiche Lorraine, was a speedster cook, who threw explosive quiches.  I could go on, but now my brain hurts.  These players really ruined the genre for me for a while...

A Weird West RPG/Skirmish Miniature Game ( System ? )
I used to read Heavy Metal Magazine, and one of the regular series I really enjoyed was Tex Arcana, which was quite a weird west.  I'm not sure which system I would want to play in...  More research needed...

All Things Zombie Skirmish Miniature Game
"Braaaaaaaaaains..."

Cosmic Encounters: the "Board Game"
"I'm a giant alien Brain!"
I never owned a copy of this game, but a friend did, and we played this game so much the box wore out, and he had to keep all the components in a cookie tin.  ( He had almost all of the expansions. )  This is one game that I never grew tired of playing.  There is an online version that I've played a few times, but unless you subscribe to the game the options as to what alien you play are limited.  A company has recently rereleased CE, and I really want a copy.

Traveller RPG
Traveller was one of the first games I ran as a GM.  I also played in a couple of campaigns.  It was fun, and being a more "mature" gamer I would like to play again; even if it's only a play by post campaign.

Gamma World RPG ( Both the old and the new... )
"I'm a giant mutant braaaaaaaaiiiiin!"  That's also got tentacles, and is clutching a Popeye Gumball Machine.  "Thanks for the gumball Popeye... thanks for the gumball!"

Call of Cthulu RPG
"It's a giant braaaaaaaaaaaiiiiin! RUN!!! It's got tentacles! Aaaaaiiiiieeeeee!"  Actually I may have played once or twice, but the passing of so much time and maybe the loss of a few sanity points makes my episodic memory so unreliable...

Necromunda: Skirmish Miniature Game
This is one of two Games Workshops games I have played.  I also ran a Necromunda league at a comic book and game store.  Man, that was a pain in the arse.  I actually had my entire gang painted, and built quite a bit of terrain for the game. Funny thing is, well not so funny at the time, is that I LOST every game I played.  My gang list wasn't so good I guess.  Eventually, I sold it all on eBay, and made a little profit.

BattleTech
I guess BattleTech is a skirmish level minaiture game?  Dunno, but I played it a few times.  I believe my brother owned it, and we always just used the cardboard stand ups.  As I remember there was quite a bit of stuff to keep track off, like heat, etc...  Sheeesh, maybe I don't really want to play this again.  On a side note there used to be a place in Dallas where you could sit in a "cock pit" and pilot a mech, and play against other people.  "Death from above!" Tons of fun.

Superhero Genre Skirmish Miniature Game ( System ? )
Yeah, something fun, rules lite, but still with all the car smashing, krash kapowing, and zoooooming, that's so vital to the superhero genre.

I could go on... Car Wars, Ogre, GURPS, Magic the Gathering CCG ( Hey, I figured I better put on CCG in the list. ), Mage Knight, etc.  I don't know why, but I'm not too keen on D&D, AD&D, or any of the retroclones right now.  Maybe, I've just been reading too many blogs about them.

Also, I know I'm not interested in any of the MMORPGs.  I used to play Ultima Online, and a little City of Villains.  I have never played WoW.

Maybe next time I will list the games I never want to play again.  EVER!

On an editorial note, I plan on trying to finish out the year by posting everyday.  Hopefully, the computer will cooperate with me.  Otherwise, I may invent a new game called, 'SMASH the Tower!'  Also, anybody know where I can get a Popeye Gumball Machine???

Randomness

April 1st came and went, and I didn't post anything.  I had this great idea for an April Fool's Dungeon, but it just didn't motivate me that much.  Then I thought of something else, but meh...  I decided to take the day off from blogging.

So far I'm really happy with what I've done here on HDWT.  I have 12 followers, and that's 12 more than I thought I would have.  This is the 21st post.  I think the next milestone should be 50.  If I make it to 50, that will be good.  I don't have an accurate hit count, because I accidently deleted my original counter, but I think I may have had around 500 hits.

When I first started this blog, I considered writing a mission statement, a statement of purpose, but the more I think about it, it would, or might, limit me in what I want to do with HDWT.  However, here's a brief statement of purpose:  I want to promote gaming in all it's manifestations, whether it's role-playing, wargaming, or board games, and as a adjunct to that, to encourage and foster creativity, and utilizing it in gaming. Have Dice ~ Dice Will Travel is also a journal of my return to gaming after a long hiatus.

So I have a fairly simple "mission statement", and covers what I want to do with HDWT.

On another subject, I like old school, but I'm not dogmatic about it. I like to think of myself as "cool school".  Hah!  Maybe that will catch on, I need to define it better.  Some of the blogs I've read seem to come from the "cruel school", but hey, to each his own.  Okay,  enough digressing...

As I said before, I like old school, but I'm not married to it.  I haven't played D&D 4E, but I wouldn't be opposed to it.  I really doubt I would buy the books, they seem way too expensive to me.  I could go buy used copies of 3.5 for less than the price of an 4E D&D book!  Oh, and I haven't played 3.5 either, remember?  I took a long hiatus from gaming.  A looooooooooong hiatus. 

I think the last RPG I played was Rolemaster.  In fact, I remember what happened to my character.  He received a mortal wound, and was gushing blood.  He had 10 rounds to live, if I recall correctly.  He made some amazing rolls, and took revenge on the beast that was responsible.  While I was fighting the beaast, the other players were chatting about how they needed my magic items, and planned on looting me.  I wasn't really happy with this, and in the cavern we were in, there was a lava flow.  So to thwart their greedy plans I ran and leaped into the lava.  The GM laughed, and the other players were, to say the least, ticked off at me.  Ah, good times...

It looks like I won't be able to attend the North Texas RPG Con.  I had forgotten about a prior commitment, and since it was largely my idea I can't back out. However, I'm still working on attending Texicon, so that's still up in the air.

Okay, enough rambling.  Everybody have a great weekend, and hopefully you will get a chance to game, and roll some dice.