I'm fine with WotC not making "new" settings. Just bring back their old TSR settings. Planescape and Dark Sun are 2 of my favorites. While I was able to make up my own adventures, I like having a few modules to throw at the players to have them get the feel for the setting first.
I mean, they have Al-Qadim, the Aztec one, the Asian one, etc. Generic fantasy is great for the core, but my players get tired of the same race/class stuff.
Heck, update the old 2.0 books to 4th or Next and you're set.
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Commander (EDH) Decks BRGProssh, Skyraider of KherBRG BWRAlesha, Who Smiles at DeathBWR BGVarolz, the Scar-StripedBG
I'm fine with WotC not making "new" settings. Just bring back their old TSR settings. Planescape and Dark Sun are 2 of my favorites. While I was able to make up my own adventures, I like having a few modules to throw at the players to have them get the feel for the setting first.
I mean, they have Al-Qadim, the Aztec one, the Asian one, etc. Generic fantasy is great for the core, but my players get tired of the same race/class stuff.
Heck, update the old 2.0 books to 4th or Next and you're set.
There's quite a few fan websites that have taken the liberty of updating their favorite TSR settings for DnD 3.0/3.5/Pathfinder and 4E. I visit the Birthright and Planescape one quite often. Most of them have .pdfs for free in the format you want. Most of the fan updates aren't that bad, either.
I haven't heard of the Aztec flavored setting... I'm going to have to check that out.
Any Shadowrun fans here?
I used to play versions 2 & 3 regularly.
When 4.0 came out (revamped system), we played one campaign but after that we stopped for various reasons (pregnancies, time-constraints, etc).
I'm curious if anyone else loves the game, setting, storyline, and how the new system is working out these days... I really haven't heard much about it.
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Quote from "Mysticake" »
(about the English language) It's kinda like a raft that was cobbled together from parts of three different boats and since then has been kept barely afloat with crude repairs every time a leak appeared.
Seriously, though, it worked very well through the incarnations of 3rd Edition, which was and still is a very popular system. And the current troubles that the brand is inferred to be in can almost certainly be attributed to the botched 4E transition, not anything to do with settings. (Pathfinder, I think, just capitalized on the opportunity WotC provided; D&D would have taken the hit to its playerbase even without Paizo around.)
Lovecrafts works are in the public domain, so there is no copyright on the general world/concepts. In this case it is a different company making the RPG than it is the board games (which are Fantasy Flight).
Yeah, and I like Arkham Horror precisely because you can take a tommy gun to anything up to and including the Great Old Ones - and win. But I've always preferred Robert E. Howard's take on cosmic horror to H. P. Lovecraft's. Monsters are there to be overcome.
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Vive, vale. Siquid novisti rectius istis,
candidus inperti; si nil, his utere mecum.
Seriously, though, it worked very well through the incarnations of 3rd Edition, which was and still is a very popular system. And the current troubles that the brand is inferred to be in can almost certainly be attributed to the botched 4E transition, not anything to do with settings. (Pathfinder, I think, just capitalized on the opportunity WotC provided; D&D would have taken the hit to its playerbase even without Paizo around.)
Yeah, and I like Arkham Horror precisely because you can take a tommy gun to anything up to and including the Great Old Ones - and win. But I've always preferred Robert E. Howard's take on cosmic horror to H. P. Lovecraft's. Monsters are there to be overcome.
This is a big "sort of". WotC bought TSR. For that matter, Magic: the Gathering's huge success is probably the only reason the Wizards logo is still in used and they're not just all Hasbro - Hasbro owns WotC, and will keep the Wizards logo just as long as they think it has value.
D&D isn't doing wonderfully but it's not dead, but the truth is tabletop roleplaying has been floundering for most of the last decade. 4th Edition didn't do well, Pathfinder is doing well but not as well as its aficionados would have us believe, and there's nothing else out there doing better than niche of a niche.
I'm picking a helluva time to enter this side of the games industry, but then again niche of a niche would be enough to make it worth my time
Seriously, though, it worked very well through the incarnations of 3rd Edition, which was and still is a very popular system. And the current troubles that the brand is inferred to be in can almost certainly be attributed to the botched 4E transition, not anything to do with settings. (Pathfinder, I think, just capitalized on the opportunity WotC provided; D&D would have taken the hit to its playerbase even without Paizo around.).
Yeah I knew TSR was done, but we stopped playing shortly after 4E was released, so I was just curious.
I do appreciate the update; I figured it was "struggling" ...for lack of a better word at the moment... since I haven't heard barely a peep about it recently nor do I visit any of my old Shadowrun web-haunts.
the truth is tabletop roleplaying has been floundering for most of the last decade.
As sad as it makes me, you are right. In the 80's and 90's video games started to take over table tops, but no where near it is now... why get together around a table with dice, a pencil, and a character sheet when you can just connect to your friends from your couch with no imagination involved? *SIGH*
I know its not dead and probably never will be, but I think its fair to say that the tabletop RPG is well past its prime and will never hit that peak again.
Although, it has seen a bit of a resurgence in the form of Settlers of Catan (among other games, I'm sure). I know Settlers isn't a RPG, but its still a table top game that gets people to interact in person... so that is something.
Thanks again guys, for the update.
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Quote from "Mysticake" »
(about the English language) It's kinda like a raft that was cobbled together from parts of three different boats and since then has been kept barely afloat with crude repairs every time a leak appeared.
I would suggest that the insistence of tabletop roleplaying game companies that they're going to chase computer game players by introducing computer game-style game mechanics is a big part of it. Much as I've had more than my fair share of fun over the years with both 3rd and 4th edition D&D, they're not really designed to the strengths of the medium.
P&P games bring things that computer games don't - that social setting of being around a table and all of its implications, from being a great Friday night hangout to the infectious excitement around a table when something awesome happens. And you've got the imaginations of every player around the table available to make the game better, even if it's just by an unanticipated reaction. Computer games have to be (for now, at least) a lot more scripted than tabletop games can be.
You damage both of those things when you get into 10 minute turn times where a player has to roll 8 dice, with absolutely prescribed ways to use all of your skills. And while you do get a solid tactical miniatures game out of the bargain (both 3rd and 4th editions work quite well on that level - I'm no hater, like I said I enjoy both systems quite a bit), they both make you work a lot harder to keep the things that are unique to the tabletop experience.
You damage both of those things when you get into 10 minute turn times where a player has to roll 8 dice, with absolutely prescribed ways to use all of your skills. And while you do get a solid tactical miniatures game out of the bargain (both 3rd and 4th editions work quite well on that level - I'm no hater, like I said I enjoy both systems quite a bit), they both make you work a lot harder to keep the things that are unique to the tabletop experience.
Due to the increase in game system complexity that you describe above, there's been a surge of interest in systems that replicate the "classic" feel of original D&D and 1st/2nd edition AD&D.
The Basic Fantasy RPG is nice and simple, and has the added benefit of being free (at least the PDF). Castles and Crusades is another great one. It's easy to learn and the SIEGE engine allows for a lot of character customization without a million different feats and skills. Gary Gygax was doing a lot of work on Castles and Crusades before he died, so it has a lot of the same spirit.
That being said, I do enjoy Pathfinder and 3.0/3.5, but sometimes I just want to play something that is rules light and flows much easier. Plus, it's easier to plan adventures and DM rules-light games as well.
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I was disappointed by Disappointing Signet, Inc.
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I mean, they have Al-Qadim, the Aztec one, the Asian one, etc. Generic fantasy is great for the core, but my players get tired of the same race/class stuff.
Heck, update the old 2.0 books to 4th or Next and you're set.
BRGProssh, Skyraider of KherBRG
BWRAlesha, Who Smiles at DeathBWR
BGVarolz, the Scar-StripedBG
There's quite a few fan websites that have taken the liberty of updating their favorite TSR settings for DnD 3.0/3.5/Pathfinder and 4E. I visit the Birthright and Planescape one quite often. Most of them have .pdfs for free in the format you want. Most of the fan updates aren't that bad, either.
I haven't heard of the Aztec flavored setting... I'm going to have to check that out.
I think the Aztec one was Maztica. It may be gone because it got wrapped up in Forgotten Realms.
BRGProssh, Skyraider of KherBRG
BWRAlesha, Who Smiles at DeathBWR
BGVarolz, the Scar-StripedBG
I used to play versions 2 & 3 regularly.
When 4.0 came out (revamped system), we played one campaign but after that we stopped for various reasons (pregnancies, time-constraints, etc).
I'm curious if anyone else loves the game, setting, storyline, and how the new system is working out these days... I really haven't heard much about it.
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Seriously, though, it worked very well through the incarnations of 3rd Edition, which was and still is a very popular system. And the current troubles that the brand is inferred to be in can almost certainly be attributed to the botched 4E transition, not anything to do with settings. (Pathfinder, I think, just capitalized on the opportunity WotC provided; D&D would have taken the hit to its playerbase even without Paizo around.)
Yeah, and I like Arkham Horror precisely because you can take a tommy gun to anything up to and including the Great Old Ones - and win. But I've always preferred Robert E. Howard's take on cosmic horror to H. P. Lovecraft's. Monsters are there to be overcome.
candidus inperti; si nil, his utere mecum.
This is a big "sort of". WotC bought TSR. For that matter, Magic: the Gathering's huge success is probably the only reason the Wizards logo is still in used and they're not just all Hasbro - Hasbro owns WotC, and will keep the Wizards logo just as long as they think it has value.
D&D isn't doing wonderfully but it's not dead, but the truth is tabletop roleplaying has been floundering for most of the last decade. 4th Edition didn't do well, Pathfinder is doing well but not as well as its aficionados would have us believe, and there's nothing else out there doing better than niche of a niche.
I'm picking a helluva time to enter this side of the games industry, but then again niche of a niche would be enough to make it worth my time
Yeah I knew TSR was done, but we stopped playing shortly after 4E was released, so I was just curious.
I do appreciate the update; I figured it was "struggling" ...for lack of a better word at the moment... since I haven't heard barely a peep about it recently nor do I visit any of my old Shadowrun web-haunts.
As sad as it makes me, you are right. In the 80's and 90's video games started to take over table tops, but no where near it is now... why get together around a table with dice, a pencil, and a character sheet when you can just connect to your friends from your couch with no imagination involved? *SIGH*
I know its not dead and probably never will be, but I think its fair to say that the tabletop RPG is well past its prime and will never hit that peak again.
Although, it has seen a bit of a resurgence in the form of Settlers of Catan (among other games, I'm sure). I know Settlers isn't a RPG, but its still a table top game that gets people to interact in person... so that is something.
Thanks again guys, for the update.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
P&P games bring things that computer games don't - that social setting of being around a table and all of its implications, from being a great Friday night hangout to the infectious excitement around a table when something awesome happens. And you've got the imaginations of every player around the table available to make the game better, even if it's just by an unanticipated reaction. Computer games have to be (for now, at least) a lot more scripted than tabletop games can be.
You damage both of those things when you get into 10 minute turn times where a player has to roll 8 dice, with absolutely prescribed ways to use all of your skills. And while you do get a solid tactical miniatures game out of the bargain (both 3rd and 4th editions work quite well on that level - I'm no hater, like I said I enjoy both systems quite a bit), they both make you work a lot harder to keep the things that are unique to the tabletop experience.
Due to the increase in game system complexity that you describe above, there's been a surge of interest in systems that replicate the "classic" feel of original D&D and 1st/2nd edition AD&D.
The Basic Fantasy RPG is nice and simple, and has the added benefit of being free (at least the PDF). Castles and Crusades is another great one. It's easy to learn and the SIEGE engine allows for a lot of character customization without a million different feats and skills. Gary Gygax was doing a lot of work on Castles and Crusades before he died, so it has a lot of the same spirit.
That being said, I do enjoy Pathfinder and 3.0/3.5, but sometimes I just want to play something that is rules light and flows much easier. Plus, it's easier to plan adventures and DM rules-light games as well.