First, the Basic Charts Edition of Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl is still available for free download. Over 170 hits on the Lulu site and 31 downloads as of now.
I'd love to know if anybody has pulled out the six siders and given this game a shot, perhaps using the adventure in the book? The material in that book gives enough information for several adventures. I have considered a reedit of that book to make a few adjustments and make the book appear more "old school" in a two column format. Plus, I has acquired some art for it. For now, it stays as is.
I have been taking some time off over the last month. I needed a break. In the immediate future, I have no plans to resume, at least not in December. This will give me some time to think about things and reevaluate what I want to do. It's not the end of the line for this project by any means. There are things happening in the Basic RPG world that weren't happening when I started this deal.
Since I started this thing:
Labyrinth Lord was announced and ultimately released.
Troll Lord Games announced Basic Castles & Crusades.
Wizards announced a new Basic D&D that may be more like the old red book in that it's not a quick adventure then you have to move on to the three core books.
I like that. This was needed. I never considered myself a game maker, and yet, I have released a book for HotDC (31 downloads so far), done this blog for several months, put my own version of Dungeon Squad together for free download and edited two books for Labyrinth Lord. In many respects this is a childhood dream fulfilled. Plus, I finally made it to Gencon.
What needs to happen now is I need a break for a while. I don't intend for it to be long. If there is any major announcement I need to make, I will make it. If I come up with something cool for HotDC, I will post about it here. I do intend to post before the year is up, so keep checking.
In the meantime, Happy Holidays Everyone and Keep Gaming!!!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Labyrinth Lord And Patience
I've been watching for a while now as the old school community debates the issues regarding "retro clone" games such as Labyrinth Lord. Never mind the fact that this game was created with old schoolers in mind. If you've still got your red book, then rock on and keep playing, but what if you don't?
People can debate whether it is right or wrong to even do what Goblinoid Games did by making LL, but there are two facts staring the critics in the face. It's here and available, and if the Wizards don't have a problem with it, what's the big damn deal?
Fact is, I have been impressed with the way LL has been handled since day one. Dan Proctor has calculated every move with this game since the announcement that it was being created. He also hasn't been working on a big budget. We're still talking $100's invested on a working man's salary, but we're also talking about thought going into it to get more bang for the buck.
Dan probably didn't consider back lash from the very community he's pitching this to, but maybe he did. There are those who want their old books and have other objections to LL. Fair enough. The problem is that you can't let those critics prevent you from trying to reach those in the old school crowd who would be interested.
Dan has been very level headed and has projected a good image on the net. This is another thing I respect about how he has handled things. It could be very easy to fall into that trap of getting negative, but he's had none of that. One of the important places to reach people about LL on the net is Dragonsfoot. It was a key place in the announcement of LL, Basic Fantasy and other games.
Where do you post about it, though? The General section isn't appropriate. Classic D&D would seem a good place, but some traditionalists don't like LL or OSRIC. That left the Other RPG's section. Dan used that section to announce LL. Problem is not everybody at the forum would know to look there. This was addressed recently when Basic Fantasy creator Chris Gonnerman and Skathros (don't know his name), two mods at Dragonsfoot, helped get a new section established.
The section is called Simulacrum Games. A witty name, I suppose. I'm not thrilled about it, because there are people who may be interested in what is there, but they won't look. They won't "get" what the name means. I would have preferred this to be a sub section of the Classic section with a name more to the point of what it's about. But, at least it has been created.
Baby steps, that's what it takes. Dan knows this, so Goblinoid Games is doing what it has to do. Labyrinth Lord is just one of GG's titles. There are a few others as well. What Dan has done is made announcements every few weeks to get the interest up. LL debuted a new cover for those who didn't like the old one a few weeks ago. Not long ago, Dan debuted a Monster Stat book for LL. Keep the word out and work within the budget.
When the Goblinoid Games forum was created, there was much excitement. Some good books have been created already. The Phoenix Barony campaign setting book, which I assisted in editing, was offered up by David Bezio. There are other books out there and more coming, but the initial excitement has died down. I've even heard some disappointment that more money wasn't generated yet.
Patience. It will take patience. If you are doing this as an independent, you can't expect big money over night. You've got to give it time. For instance, Dan has said he will wait a year or two to judge success or failure. In the meantime, he finds ways to keep putting the word out. This is what it takes. I know some have spent money on art work. If you are not putting this in a store, how important is art work, really? You spend how much to get it? Plus, are the players running through that dungeon even going to see the art in that book? Is the art needed if the cost is high enough?
This is a fair question. Why spend a couple hundred dollars on art if you don't have the outlet to recoup that money in a reasonable time? Are you looking to make enough money to take the wife out to dinner within a few weeks of the release of the book? Well, you need to consider how much money needs to be invested, Also, look around for art. There is public domain art and probably some artists willing to work with a person just trying to get started.
The work will be the thing. How is that dungeon or campaign setting? Have you created some new monsters that can challenge the group? Work on your writing and polish it until it shines. If you have created something that the player wants to play, it will sell. I know the pictures and that stuff look nice, but when you sit down at the table, the players are gonna roll the dice and play the game. If you wrote something fun and challenging, they will come back for more. Use clip art and that sort of stuff to make the book prettier.
But, most importantly and the reason for my post, be patient. It will take time for the word to spread. Go to the forums and spread the word. The more places you can get to, the better. Also, a free pdf sample of what you did can't hurt. If they don't know what you can do, why will they buy the book? I'm a big fan of Labyrinth Lord and what this game offers, but anybody creating mods for it needs to follow Dan's example and be patient.
People can debate whether it is right or wrong to even do what Goblinoid Games did by making LL, but there are two facts staring the critics in the face. It's here and available, and if the Wizards don't have a problem with it, what's the big damn deal?
Fact is, I have been impressed with the way LL has been handled since day one. Dan Proctor has calculated every move with this game since the announcement that it was being created. He also hasn't been working on a big budget. We're still talking $100's invested on a working man's salary, but we're also talking about thought going into it to get more bang for the buck.
Dan probably didn't consider back lash from the very community he's pitching this to, but maybe he did. There are those who want their old books and have other objections to LL. Fair enough. The problem is that you can't let those critics prevent you from trying to reach those in the old school crowd who would be interested.
Dan has been very level headed and has projected a good image on the net. This is another thing I respect about how he has handled things. It could be very easy to fall into that trap of getting negative, but he's had none of that. One of the important places to reach people about LL on the net is Dragonsfoot. It was a key place in the announcement of LL, Basic Fantasy and other games.
Where do you post about it, though? The General section isn't appropriate. Classic D&D would seem a good place, but some traditionalists don't like LL or OSRIC. That left the Other RPG's section. Dan used that section to announce LL. Problem is not everybody at the forum would know to look there. This was addressed recently when Basic Fantasy creator Chris Gonnerman and Skathros (don't know his name), two mods at Dragonsfoot, helped get a new section established.
The section is called Simulacrum Games. A witty name, I suppose. I'm not thrilled about it, because there are people who may be interested in what is there, but they won't look. They won't "get" what the name means. I would have preferred this to be a sub section of the Classic section with a name more to the point of what it's about. But, at least it has been created.
Baby steps, that's what it takes. Dan knows this, so Goblinoid Games is doing what it has to do. Labyrinth Lord is just one of GG's titles. There are a few others as well. What Dan has done is made announcements every few weeks to get the interest up. LL debuted a new cover for those who didn't like the old one a few weeks ago. Not long ago, Dan debuted a Monster Stat book for LL. Keep the word out and work within the budget.
When the Goblinoid Games forum was created, there was much excitement. Some good books have been created already. The Phoenix Barony campaign setting book, which I assisted in editing, was offered up by David Bezio. There are other books out there and more coming, but the initial excitement has died down. I've even heard some disappointment that more money wasn't generated yet.
Patience. It will take patience. If you are doing this as an independent, you can't expect big money over night. You've got to give it time. For instance, Dan has said he will wait a year or two to judge success or failure. In the meantime, he finds ways to keep putting the word out. This is what it takes. I know some have spent money on art work. If you are not putting this in a store, how important is art work, really? You spend how much to get it? Plus, are the players running through that dungeon even going to see the art in that book? Is the art needed if the cost is high enough?
This is a fair question. Why spend a couple hundred dollars on art if you don't have the outlet to recoup that money in a reasonable time? Are you looking to make enough money to take the wife out to dinner within a few weeks of the release of the book? Well, you need to consider how much money needs to be invested, Also, look around for art. There is public domain art and probably some artists willing to work with a person just trying to get started.
The work will be the thing. How is that dungeon or campaign setting? Have you created some new monsters that can challenge the group? Work on your writing and polish it until it shines. If you have created something that the player wants to play, it will sell. I know the pictures and that stuff look nice, but when you sit down at the table, the players are gonna roll the dice and play the game. If you wrote something fun and challenging, they will come back for more. Use clip art and that sort of stuff to make the book prettier.
But, most importantly and the reason for my post, be patient. It will take time for the word to spread. Go to the forums and spread the word. The more places you can get to, the better. Also, a free pdf sample of what you did can't hurt. If they don't know what you can do, why will they buy the book? I'm a big fan of Labyrinth Lord and what this game offers, but anybody creating mods for it needs to follow Dan's example and be patient.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Getting In The Door With The Game
First, the Basic Charts Edition of Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl is still available for free download. Over 130 hits on the Lulu site and 26 downloads as of now.
There's a local game store that just opened up. Actually, it was at another smaller location for a couple years, and it was time to move up. Business was doing well enough, as I understand it, that he had to make the move to take it to the next level.
Let's face it, in this age of computers, any game store that can make it is doing well. I have a few within transit distance, and I'd rate this one about in the middle of them all in terms of product availability and charm of store. It ain't the best, but it ain't the worst.
One of my frustrations with the place is getting them to recognize other RPG's. This is definitely a D&D is the center of the universe type of store. Now, please don't think I'm trying to slam them for this, because I'm not. It's a business, even if it started out as a hobby. Once you have a store, you are invested in the deal.
The safe bet is D&D. Wizards controls a huge share of the market, after all, and this is the game most people have heard of. Ignore that fact at your own peril. What's interesting is I've heard the guy complain about the big book stores getting better treatment than the game stores by Wizards. That's not a very game store friendly attitude from a company that you would think needed these stores.
In the end, I know the money made off of these products justifies putting up with any crap you might have to put up with.
But, I couldn't help wondering if he could do himself a little bit of a favor by trying to increase awareness of one of the other games. Which one, I don't know. Let's use Castles & Crusades as an example. I know people play this one in the area. Get them to hold weekly games there in the game room and increase the visibility of the game with a better display. No, not a bunch more space, just better visibility.
The problem is I have only seen the Players Book on the shelf there. The other two core books were not on the shelf. Hackmaster was nowhere to be seen (yes I know Kenzer has made plans for a new version, but I'm talking earlier this year). In fact, he didn't have much nice to say about Kenzer. Nope, there are tons of D&D books on the shelf, and THAT is what this guy pushes. With all the space he has now, it's a disappointment.
I need to travel about 30 miles or more to see a Tunnels & Trolls book, Hackmaster, Castles & Crusades, Lejendary Adventures and so many others, and I might add I can see many of those books in more than one store.
Do I blame the store owner? No. It's his store, and he can run it as he wishes. Just because I think the lack of certain books there is not a good thing for the RPG companies doesn't make it so. IT IS A BUSINESS!!! He is there to make money, not to help promote smaller game companies that could use the help.
THIS is the problem that a game like Labyrinth Lord will have in being more than a net fad. With Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl, I'm not worried about getting rich or finding shelf space, because I simply don't have the money to make the push. I have a few ideas up my sleeves, don't get me wrong, but I have no visions of money here. I simply wanted to add s new basic element to the RPG that is very much in need of one.
I don't see this industry growing. The big boon period was probably the early 80's for this. Most people interested in this type of deal will just get the computer game. It's cheaper, easier and it takes less time. Look at the money made off of games like Everquest, Ultima Online and World of Warcraft if you need proof. Heck, Wizards knows this, which is why there are options for playing D&D on computer, and good ones at that.
Daniel and Goblinoid Games had good intentions with Labyrinth Lord, and there has been a nice buzz surrounding it. He spent money to make a nice book that you can even order in a Barnes & Noble for purchase there (no cards needed). I tried to get the attention of the local store to order it there and put him in touch with Goblinoid Games. Nothing happened. I had even offered to purchase a book through him. It didn't say D&D on it, and you only need the one book to play. Where's the money in that?
Daniel has a big challenge ahead to go further with this, but to his credit he has said he has no major goals for this game. At least he tried, and I have nothing but respect for what he did. But even the community he seeks to sell this to is divided. Because this book isn't red with Erol Otus or Larry Elmore art on the cover, some reject it. Why do we need it? Why isn't it just free (the pdf is)? So, he can't really market it in one forum the way other games I won't name are allowed to be pushed.
I never deluded myself into thinking any of this was going to be huge, but I am disappointed in certain reactions. The old school community ought to embrace Labyrinth Lord and OSRIC for what they bring to the table, professional quality new material for an old game, but they don't. Many see it as a money grab, and don't believe it should even be there. So, the cause is hurt at the very start by that, and getting the word out is a challenge that leads to frustration by those who tout it to the masses. Simply put, many will abandon early when results aren't what they hope.
Daniel made this book available through some distributors, including Barnes & Noble. It's a little too early to see how well that will go. I believe some stores, a few at least, might stock it if asked, but will anybody ask? Others, like my local store, will just ignore the request and pretend they never heard it. After all, Wizards has new books coming with the D&D logo, and that's what people want, or are told to want anyway.
What I have noticed during the year that I have returned to gaming is not all that encouraging for anybody looking for a basic game with an old school feel. When D&D finally dropped the Basic from the name in the early 90's, it was assumed everybody could just buy all the hard cover books and jump in. No basic game needed. In my opinion, That was a mistake, but it's not one that the company will lose any sleep over.
The little guy trying to get in the door with a new game has a huge challenge ahead of him. It's not a rich industry, and why does the store need your game when they have the great RPG Monolith that is D&D? It's not an easy road. As I said, it is a business for the store owner and game maker before being a hobby. Store owners have reason to be hesitant to try new or different stuff from outside of their comfort zone.
Why am I getting into this subject? No reason really. Just a few observations I have made. It is what it is until somebody is able to make the move that changes the way things are. It has happened before and will happen again. I just feel that having a basic game you can play in minutes will go a long way towards getting people off of their computers and back to the table for a good old fashioned gaming session.
To those trying to change things and get their feet in the door with that new game, I salute you.
There's a local game store that just opened up. Actually, it was at another smaller location for a couple years, and it was time to move up. Business was doing well enough, as I understand it, that he had to make the move to take it to the next level.
Let's face it, in this age of computers, any game store that can make it is doing well. I have a few within transit distance, and I'd rate this one about in the middle of them all in terms of product availability and charm of store. It ain't the best, but it ain't the worst.
One of my frustrations with the place is getting them to recognize other RPG's. This is definitely a D&D is the center of the universe type of store. Now, please don't think I'm trying to slam them for this, because I'm not. It's a business, even if it started out as a hobby. Once you have a store, you are invested in the deal.
The safe bet is D&D. Wizards controls a huge share of the market, after all, and this is the game most people have heard of. Ignore that fact at your own peril. What's interesting is I've heard the guy complain about the big book stores getting better treatment than the game stores by Wizards. That's not a very game store friendly attitude from a company that you would think needed these stores.
In the end, I know the money made off of these products justifies putting up with any crap you might have to put up with.
But, I couldn't help wondering if he could do himself a little bit of a favor by trying to increase awareness of one of the other games. Which one, I don't know. Let's use Castles & Crusades as an example. I know people play this one in the area. Get them to hold weekly games there in the game room and increase the visibility of the game with a better display. No, not a bunch more space, just better visibility.
The problem is I have only seen the Players Book on the shelf there. The other two core books were not on the shelf. Hackmaster was nowhere to be seen (yes I know Kenzer has made plans for a new version, but I'm talking earlier this year). In fact, he didn't have much nice to say about Kenzer. Nope, there are tons of D&D books on the shelf, and THAT is what this guy pushes. With all the space he has now, it's a disappointment.
I need to travel about 30 miles or more to see a Tunnels & Trolls book, Hackmaster, Castles & Crusades, Lejendary Adventures and so many others, and I might add I can see many of those books in more than one store.
Do I blame the store owner? No. It's his store, and he can run it as he wishes. Just because I think the lack of certain books there is not a good thing for the RPG companies doesn't make it so. IT IS A BUSINESS!!! He is there to make money, not to help promote smaller game companies that could use the help.
THIS is the problem that a game like Labyrinth Lord will have in being more than a net fad. With Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl, I'm not worried about getting rich or finding shelf space, because I simply don't have the money to make the push. I have a few ideas up my sleeves, don't get me wrong, but I have no visions of money here. I simply wanted to add s new basic element to the RPG that is very much in need of one.
I don't see this industry growing. The big boon period was probably the early 80's for this. Most people interested in this type of deal will just get the computer game. It's cheaper, easier and it takes less time. Look at the money made off of games like Everquest, Ultima Online and World of Warcraft if you need proof. Heck, Wizards knows this, which is why there are options for playing D&D on computer, and good ones at that.
Daniel and Goblinoid Games had good intentions with Labyrinth Lord, and there has been a nice buzz surrounding it. He spent money to make a nice book that you can even order in a Barnes & Noble for purchase there (no cards needed). I tried to get the attention of the local store to order it there and put him in touch with Goblinoid Games. Nothing happened. I had even offered to purchase a book through him. It didn't say D&D on it, and you only need the one book to play. Where's the money in that?
Daniel has a big challenge ahead to go further with this, but to his credit he has said he has no major goals for this game. At least he tried, and I have nothing but respect for what he did. But even the community he seeks to sell this to is divided. Because this book isn't red with Erol Otus or Larry Elmore art on the cover, some reject it. Why do we need it? Why isn't it just free (the pdf is)? So, he can't really market it in one forum the way other games I won't name are allowed to be pushed.
I never deluded myself into thinking any of this was going to be huge, but I am disappointed in certain reactions. The old school community ought to embrace Labyrinth Lord and OSRIC for what they bring to the table, professional quality new material for an old game, but they don't. Many see it as a money grab, and don't believe it should even be there. So, the cause is hurt at the very start by that, and getting the word out is a challenge that leads to frustration by those who tout it to the masses. Simply put, many will abandon early when results aren't what they hope.
Daniel made this book available through some distributors, including Barnes & Noble. It's a little too early to see how well that will go. I believe some stores, a few at least, might stock it if asked, but will anybody ask? Others, like my local store, will just ignore the request and pretend they never heard it. After all, Wizards has new books coming with the D&D logo, and that's what people want, or are told to want anyway.
What I have noticed during the year that I have returned to gaming is not all that encouraging for anybody looking for a basic game with an old school feel. When D&D finally dropped the Basic from the name in the early 90's, it was assumed everybody could just buy all the hard cover books and jump in. No basic game needed. In my opinion, That was a mistake, but it's not one that the company will lose any sleep over.
The little guy trying to get in the door with a new game has a huge challenge ahead of him. It's not a rich industry, and why does the store need your game when they have the great RPG Monolith that is D&D? It's not an easy road. As I said, it is a business for the store owner and game maker before being a hobby. Store owners have reason to be hesitant to try new or different stuff from outside of their comfort zone.
Why am I getting into this subject? No reason really. Just a few observations I have made. It is what it is until somebody is able to make the move that changes the way things are. It has happened before and will happen again. I just feel that having a basic game you can play in minutes will go a long way towards getting people off of their computers and back to the table for a good old fashioned gaming session.
To those trying to change things and get their feet in the door with that new game, I salute you.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Combat in HotDC
When I look at combat in Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl, I have had numerous thoughts on the subject. I want to keep it simple and I want to keep it unique. The Attack-Defense System was created with the second point in mind, while still trying not to forget the first point. Having tested the ADS, I can honestly say it works about how I hoped it would. The 0 Degree setup works well with it too. But, is it simple enough?
The new player has to determine an Attack Strength and a Defense Strength. In combat, both sides roll twice and factor in bonuses and negatives. There's more math in the works. Is that a good idea for a basic game? I like the idea of three characteristics instead of six. It speeds up the creation process, and it means three less things to worry about when starting out. Though I don't feel that the ADS is that difficult, would simplification in this area help?
In the article I'm working on for the next Hero's Chronicle, I take a look at combat. I don't want to get into everything here, but the stat I'm looking at is called Hit Factor at the moment. Basically, your hit factor is the number your opponent needs to equal or beat to score a hit. You would roll three six sided dice to determine success. The weapon damage as assigned now won't change, and the armor bonuses won't change much.
Basically, you roll three stats, determine a race and profession, decide if you will start at 0 Degree or 1st Degree, equip your character, set Hit factor and start playing. It's simple this way, and I feel it is still unique enough. I mean, the idea of rolling dice to determine success or failure is not something that can be owned, as I understand it. Now, the charts used back in the day are another thing altogether.
As of now, things are what they are. Nothing has been changed. As I say in the book, changes are possible in every area. I will continue to explore this issue in the weeks ahead.
The new player has to determine an Attack Strength and a Defense Strength. In combat, both sides roll twice and factor in bonuses and negatives. There's more math in the works. Is that a good idea for a basic game? I like the idea of three characteristics instead of six. It speeds up the creation process, and it means three less things to worry about when starting out. Though I don't feel that the ADS is that difficult, would simplification in this area help?
In the article I'm working on for the next Hero's Chronicle, I take a look at combat. I don't want to get into everything here, but the stat I'm looking at is called Hit Factor at the moment. Basically, your hit factor is the number your opponent needs to equal or beat to score a hit. You would roll three six sided dice to determine success. The weapon damage as assigned now won't change, and the armor bonuses won't change much.
Basically, you roll three stats, determine a race and profession, decide if you will start at 0 Degree or 1st Degree, equip your character, set Hit factor and start playing. It's simple this way, and I feel it is still unique enough. I mean, the idea of rolling dice to determine success or failure is not something that can be owned, as I understand it. Now, the charts used back in the day are another thing altogether.
As of now, things are what they are. Nothing has been changed. As I say in the book, changes are possible in every area. I will continue to explore this issue in the weeks ahead.
Friday, October 19, 2007
This, That And The Other
First, the Basic Charts Edition of Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl is still available for free download. Over 100 hits on the Lulu site and 19 downloads as of now.
The Next Step For HotDC
Though I'm not on schedule with Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon, I have done some work. A few days ago, I did computer versions of the map of the Stoutheart Farm and some of the dungeon below it. I have also begun stocking the rooms in the file I have opened for this project. So, yes, work has begun. I'm still excited about this adventure, and I hope you will be too once it's done. It will be fun and challenging, while offering an interesting plot and plenty of opportunity to role play or hack n slash. And, This will be made for the HotDC system. I have other stuff in the works for Labyrinth Lord.
While splitting my time between HotDC and LL, I have begun to consider what the next step will be for the HotDC rules. I have a few ideas in mind, and I have begun looking at combat. I'm not budging on the six sided dice thing, but combat is on the table. The reason being that I want to keep it as simple as possible. I'll get more into this in future posts, and the second issue of The Hero's Chronicle as well. After looking at some other stuff and getting my hands on some art, I am considering an update to the HotDC Basic Charts Edition. This would take place after the Dwarven Dungeon is completed.
I am still working on things and learning as I go, which is why HotDC is free to download. You can buy a copy at any time of you wish to support the cause. This hasn't happened yet, but I'm not losing any sleep over it either.
Labyrinth Lord
While it wasn't in the plans to get as involved with LL as I have out of the gate, I really felt compelled to do it. I've had my worries over the whole "can they really do this" issue, as you know, but here it is. It's out there, and Goblinoid Games has recaptured something pretty special from my youth. I have been active in the community supporting the cause and will continue to do so, but I do want to get back to HotDC as well
While keeping up with things at LL, I have assisted in editing two projects. The first is an uncredited effort (I didn't ask) called The Pheonix Barony by David Bezio. This is a campaign setting and offers lots of details of people and places. He has some adventures in the works, and I will assist in editing if he asks. I really like what he has done so far and recommend it.
The second is Fortress of the Mountain King by Moritz Mehlem. It has not been released yet, but he discusses it little in his thread on the Labyrinth Lord forum. I'm not sure what he plans to do with it as far as downloads and purchases, but I'm guessing it will be a Lulu offering as well.
I have offered some ideas of my own in a thread I created on the Labyrinth Lord forum. I even put the very first map created in my time of gaming by my brother in that thread. You have heard me discuss it in this blog. The adventure was called When In Doubt, Seek It Out. I have done a computer version of that map that I haven't released yet. Originally, my intent was to use it in the Secret City of Moldayvia project.
The other adventure idea I discuss in that thread is the Wizard's School Adventure. That is actually the first one I intended to do for LL, but it turns out I have done more work on When In Doubt. It may be the first one that sees the light of day. What I'm trying not to do is get sidetracked from HotDC, which needs more attention.
What's interesting to note is that people there are pretty excited about that game, but I hope they will be patient and understand that it won't all happen at once. The worst thing they can do is get impatient and give up. I really believe a more focussed game plan is needed there, but as I don't have a financial stake in tings there, I don't want to come off as somebody who is trying to tell them what to do.
There has been a little news in the Basic RPG movement, which I still think can be a boon to bringing new players into the game if done right.
A thread over at Enworld asks, Why No Beginner Boxed Set For D&D
Well, as we have reported here, there was a Basic D&D announced, and Chris Perkins told me at Gencon that it would cover at least three levels, which is what it covered back in the TSR days. My concern is whether this will be a boxed set like the old ones that allowed you to create adventures and play several sessions with what is included in the box, or will it be like the current Basic Set for D&D 3.5 that has a couple adventures and then tells you to get the three core books?
In that thread, Scott Rouse of Wizards of the Coast said:
Keep on the Shadowfell will be an intro product for existing players to help transition to 4e rules.
In the fall of 2008 we have a product planned that will be a starter for new RPG players that will teach the basics.
As for what will be included in the Basic Set, we still wait for details. I know it's not the priority over at Wizards, but a few details would be nice. I think they'd be surprised at the reaction they would get if they do it in the style of Moldvay Basic with stripped down 4e rules. Time will tell.
The Basic Set that will likely be in that style is the one being prepared by Troll Lord Games. I'm talking about the C&C Basic Set, which has been discussed in this thread of their forum.
Steve, and I believe that is Steve Chenault, posted this recently in that thread.
The new cover has been sent to the web-master. I'm working on the detailed TOC so we can post that and people can get a better idea of what is coming.
Steve
Could that mean a Christmas release for Basic C&C? Time will tell.
Anyway, to wrap this long winded post up, work will continue on HotDC. I want to get back to focusing more on it in the days ahead. To those who have downloaded the HotDC Basic Charts Edition, thank you very much for looking. You have seen it at an early stage, and the plan is to clean it up, explain things better and improve this game in the months ahead.
Stay Tuned!!!
Gimme Basic And Other Stuff
There has been a little news in the Basic RPG movement, which I still think can be a boon to bringing new players into the game if done right.
A thread over at Enworld asks, Why No Beginner Boxed Set For D&D
Well, as we have reported here, there was a Basic D&D announced, and Chris Perkins told me at Gencon that it would cover at least three levels, which is what it covered back in the TSR days. My concern is whether this will be a boxed set like the old ones that allowed you to create adventures and play several sessions with what is included in the box, or will it be like the current Basic Set for D&D 3.5 that has a couple adventures and then tells you to get the three core books?
In that thread, Scott Rouse of Wizards of the Coast said:
Keep on the Shadowfell will be an intro product for existing players to help transition to 4e rules.
In the fall of 2008 we have a product planned that will be a starter for new RPG players that will teach the basics.
__________________
Scott Rouse
SR. Brand Manager - Dungeons & Dragons
Wizards of the Coast
Scott Rouse
SR. Brand Manager - Dungeons & Dragons
Wizards of the Coast
As for what will be included in the Basic Set, we still wait for details. I know it's not the priority over at Wizards, but a few details would be nice. I think they'd be surprised at the reaction they would get if they do it in the style of Moldvay Basic with stripped down 4e rules. Time will tell.
The Basic Set that will likely be in that style is the one being prepared by Troll Lord Games. I'm talking about the C&C Basic Set, which has been discussed in this thread of their forum.
Steve, and I believe that is Steve Chenault, posted this recently in that thread.
The new cover has been sent to the web-master. I'm working on the detailed TOC so we can post that and people can get a better idea of what is coming.
Steve
Could that mean a Christmas release for Basic C&C? Time will tell.
Anyway, to wrap this long winded post up, work will continue on HotDC. I want to get back to focusing more on it in the days ahead. To those who have downloaded the HotDC Basic Charts Edition, thank you very much for looking. You have seen it at an early stage, and the plan is to clean it up, explain things better and improve this game in the months ahead.
Stay Tuned!!!
Friday, October 12, 2007
More Progress Made On TKI-1 And Other Stuff
First, the Basic Charts Edition of Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl is still available for free download. Nearly 100 hits on the Lulu site and 13 downloads as of now.
As you've seen here on the blog, I put out issue 1 of The Hero's Chronicle and released my own version of Dungeon Squad. They will probably be moved to the Lulu site for free download soon.
HotDC has been sort of in the back seat lately as I have assisted in some stuff over at Goblinoid Games with Labyrinth Lord. In fact, I recently went to Barnes & Noble and bought LL there. Daniel has shown a path to getting books into the store that I didn't realize was there, and at some point, I will be doing the same thing.
I have offered some creative ideas at the LL forum and worked a little on my own project. I'm working on monster conversions for LL as well. Also, David Besio recently released a campaign setting for LL called The Phoenix Barony that is pretty nice. He has been spreading the word about that game and is pretty excited about it. After looking at the layout, I volunteered to proof read it, so that has been my main project this week. Actually, this book is on my get list for a hard copy, which I will be buying soon.
As it turned out, it rained today, so I took advantage of the extra computer time to work on maps for TKI-1, Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon. With that done, I will be typing the rest of the hand written notes for it (already typed the back story and that stuff), and that will make more progress. The editing of another book might cut into time a little, but there will be time made for this project.
Also, I have picked out articles for The Hero's Chronicle, Issue 2. However, there will also be original material. For sure, I want to include Stupid Things We Did At The Table (already written) and Another Look At The Combat System For HotDC (mostly written) as new pieces for the magazine. But, an ETA on completion of any of this is not set.
I do know I want to complete TKI-1 and get back to work on First Edition HotDC, but as I am considering rules, I don't want to rush it. TKI-1 will be compatible with the Basic Charts Edition of HotDC. That's the status of things at the moment.
As you've seen here on the blog, I put out issue 1 of The Hero's Chronicle and released my own version of Dungeon Squad. They will probably be moved to the Lulu site for free download soon.
HotDC has been sort of in the back seat lately as I have assisted in some stuff over at Goblinoid Games with Labyrinth Lord. In fact, I recently went to Barnes & Noble and bought LL there. Daniel has shown a path to getting books into the store that I didn't realize was there, and at some point, I will be doing the same thing.
I have offered some creative ideas at the LL forum and worked a little on my own project. I'm working on monster conversions for LL as well. Also, David Besio recently released a campaign setting for LL called The Phoenix Barony that is pretty nice. He has been spreading the word about that game and is pretty excited about it. After looking at the layout, I volunteered to proof read it, so that has been my main project this week. Actually, this book is on my get list for a hard copy, which I will be buying soon.
As it turned out, it rained today, so I took advantage of the extra computer time to work on maps for TKI-1, Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon. With that done, I will be typing the rest of the hand written notes for it (already typed the back story and that stuff), and that will make more progress. The editing of another book might cut into time a little, but there will be time made for this project.
Also, I have picked out articles for The Hero's Chronicle, Issue 2. However, there will also be original material. For sure, I want to include Stupid Things We Did At The Table (already written) and Another Look At The Combat System For HotDC (mostly written) as new pieces for the magazine. But, an ETA on completion of any of this is not set.
I do know I want to complete TKI-1 and get back to work on First Edition HotDC, but as I am considering rules, I don't want to rush it. TKI-1 will be compatible with the Basic Charts Edition of HotDC. That's the status of things at the moment.
EA Games Buys Bioware
I was sorry to read the newspaper and find out that Bioware, makers of such Dungeons & Dragons computer games as Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights, has been bought out by EA. In theory, it could mean more money to develop a better RPG for the computer, but that's just a theory at this point. I wish them luck.
Unfortunately, I don't expect much. Neverwinter Nights is now with Obsidian and Atari in the form of Neverwinter Nights 2. I have it, but I don't have the computer capability to play it. Another thing I hate about these companies. They seem to make games for these super systems that they have, but many people don't.
RPG's will live on in the computer game world. Fact is, they are big business. Do some number crunching, and you realize just how much money they make. What made Bioware special was they put out quality products. BG kicked the door open, but NWN rearranged the place. Suddenly, you had these persistent worlds on the net that you didn't have to pay a monthly fee to be a part of.
There was a lot of creativity out there too. Before I played the game that came with NWN, I actually downloaded somebody's version of Palace of the Silver Princess (The old B3 Mod for Basic D&D). Good stuff there.
They guys at Bioware just had a big payday, I would suppose. Congratulations to them for that. But, EA does not impress me with their tactics. I'll spare you the political rhetoric, but they did make a mess out of the online Sim Racing community by getting exclusive rights to the NASCAR license.
If they had made the game right, I suppose it would not have mattered. As it was, they ran the company that did make it the right way out of business by getting the exclusive rights. Then, they released what many consider a pile of crap called NASCAR Sim Racing. In less than a year, the landscape changed because of that, and not for the better. And, no, the community did NOT embrace that game.
Instead they went in a different direction with a more attractive game that's harder on the computer. Had EA not come in and screwed that up, the company that was doing it the right way could have continued their progression and continued to make the community happy as they had been. EA wasn't content to be one license holder for NASCAR, hey had to monopolize things, and do it half ass to boot.
They basically killed it for me as far as being involved. In a way, they did me a favor, but it a way I'm still pissed off at them.
Nothing EA does would surprise me. Could they suddenly want to tack a crack at the D&D license? I'm not familiar enough with this to know for sure, but it wouldn't surprise me. I know Wizards has D&D 4.0 coming out and has not made any licensing deals for it yet, or so developers have recently said. With that in mind, anything is possible. Considering what EA has done to Sim Racing, I can only imagine the huge dump they would take on role playing games if given that chance.
Unfortunately, I don't expect much. Neverwinter Nights is now with Obsidian and Atari in the form of Neverwinter Nights 2. I have it, but I don't have the computer capability to play it. Another thing I hate about these companies. They seem to make games for these super systems that they have, but many people don't.
RPG's will live on in the computer game world. Fact is, they are big business. Do some number crunching, and you realize just how much money they make. What made Bioware special was they put out quality products. BG kicked the door open, but NWN rearranged the place. Suddenly, you had these persistent worlds on the net that you didn't have to pay a monthly fee to be a part of.
There was a lot of creativity out there too. Before I played the game that came with NWN, I actually downloaded somebody's version of Palace of the Silver Princess (The old B3 Mod for Basic D&D). Good stuff there.
They guys at Bioware just had a big payday, I would suppose. Congratulations to them for that. But, EA does not impress me with their tactics. I'll spare you the political rhetoric, but they did make a mess out of the online Sim Racing community by getting exclusive rights to the NASCAR license.
If they had made the game right, I suppose it would not have mattered. As it was, they ran the company that did make it the right way out of business by getting the exclusive rights. Then, they released what many consider a pile of crap called NASCAR Sim Racing. In less than a year, the landscape changed because of that, and not for the better. And, no, the community did NOT embrace that game.
Instead they went in a different direction with a more attractive game that's harder on the computer. Had EA not come in and screwed that up, the company that was doing it the right way could have continued their progression and continued to make the community happy as they had been. EA wasn't content to be one license holder for NASCAR, hey had to monopolize things, and do it half ass to boot.
They basically killed it for me as far as being involved. In a way, they did me a favor, but it a way I'm still pissed off at them.
Nothing EA does would surprise me. Could they suddenly want to tack a crack at the D&D license? I'm not familiar enough with this to know for sure, but it wouldn't surprise me. I know Wizards has D&D 4.0 coming out and has not made any licensing deals for it yet, or so developers have recently said. With that in mind, anything is possible. Considering what EA has done to Sim Racing, I can only imagine the huge dump they would take on role playing games if given that chance.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
The Hero's Chronicle Issue 1
It's on the shelves... er, um, I mean, it's available for free download. Get it HERE.
A few notes on this issue:
1-I have no artist and I am no artist. I am looking for one, but the pay won't be that great. If you are looking for a place to get started, I'd be happy to give your art a try. Until then, I use clip art from my publisher's program.
2-I may move this and my version of Dungeon Squad over to Lulu at some point. I haven't yet as I am monitoring downloads of the Basic Charts Edition of Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl and don't want other downloads there. If bandwidth becomes at issue, I may have to.
3-This issue looks at the early history of Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl and adjustments I made, why I did some of the things I did, the first test session of the game, some posts from the Dragonsfoot thread that led to Labyrinth Lord being announced and the Gary Gygax-Dave Arneson debate.
4-There is nothing in the book that you can find by weeding through the blog. The reason I am doing this it for an easier reference to the HotDC creative process for those coming late to this project.
I don't claim to be doing anything revolutionary. I'm just a guy trying to put a basic game together and trying to offer something to the hobby for those who feel the way I do. The Hero's Chronicle will feature blog posts in its early run, but original material will appear as well. Eventually, it will contain mainly original material.
5-Anybody wanting to get published is welcome to submit material. I am covering mainly basic type games like HotDC, Labyrinth Lord, Dungeon Squad, Tunnels & Trolls and games of that nature. I believe the big boys of gaming have their stuff covered, but I may include stuff occasionally if I find it relevent.
Anyway, I hope you can gain at least a little insight into HotDC through this issue.
A few notes on this issue:1-I have no artist and I am no artist. I am looking for one, but the pay won't be that great. If you are looking for a place to get started, I'd be happy to give your art a try. Until then, I use clip art from my publisher's program.
2-I may move this and my version of Dungeon Squad over to Lulu at some point. I haven't yet as I am monitoring downloads of the Basic Charts Edition of Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl and don't want other downloads there. If bandwidth becomes at issue, I may have to.
3-This issue looks at the early history of Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl and adjustments I made, why I did some of the things I did, the first test session of the game, some posts from the Dragonsfoot thread that led to Labyrinth Lord being announced and the Gary Gygax-Dave Arneson debate.
4-There is nothing in the book that you can find by weeding through the blog. The reason I am doing this it for an easier reference to the HotDC creative process for those coming late to this project.
I don't claim to be doing anything revolutionary. I'm just a guy trying to put a basic game together and trying to offer something to the hobby for those who feel the way I do. The Hero's Chronicle will feature blog posts in its early run, but original material will appear as well. Eventually, it will contain mainly original material.
5-Anybody wanting to get published is welcome to submit material. I am covering mainly basic type games like HotDC, Labyrinth Lord, Dungeon Squad, Tunnels & Trolls and games of that nature. I believe the big boys of gaming have their stuff covered, but I may include stuff occasionally if I find it relevent.
Anyway, I hope you can gain at least a little insight into HotDC through this issue.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
The "To Do" List Keeps Getting Bigger
First, I'm keeping this bumped for easy access.
The Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl Basic Charts Edition is on Lulu for book or free download HERE
I did my own version of Dungeon Squad that you can get for free HERE
The HotDC Quick Start Charts Lulu Page has been hit 75 times and downloaded for free 11 times. I have begun to put it out there a little bit more, and I'm sure that has helped. I'm just happy it's being noticed. There's still much to do, but the game is playable at this point.
Now, there seems to be a growing list of things to do, but nothing has been finished. I hate when that happens.
1-The Hero's Chronicle
2-Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon
3-A Labyrinth Lord Module tentatively titled Quest For The Ancient Tome
4-A non game related book that I need to finish
5-HotDC First Edition Rule Book
6-A non game related book I plan to start working on in 2008
.
I mentioned in a previous post that I had laid this magazine out already. The content is written and consists largely or early blog posts. The pdf will be free. A book may be offered for only a small fee to any who want it.
I have given thought to the second issue, and here are a few thoughts on that one. I may be debuting content in that book not previously posted here. Of course, that's the future of the magazine, but I have some stuff I want to put into the first few issues that document the early days of HotDC creation and my Gencon 2007 experience. Here are three ideas I have for issue two.
1-Stupid Things We Did At The Table - This will debut in the magazine at this point, though it may be posted here after that issue is released. It documents my early days of playing and the things we did that would be frowned upon by the game makers.
2-Another Look At HotDC Combat - This one will look specifically at the Armor Level System, raise some OGL questions that may or may not have been addressed by the OSRIC guys and offer my take. What makes the old red book's combat system unique to it? Well, that's what this column will be about.
3-An Adventure For HotDC - This will be the small Quest For The Emerald Gem dungeon that was used as the first HotDC test. It's already been written, so why the heck not?
The third thought came to me while I was out walking around today. These are things I would like to do in the second issue, but I need to get the first issue done. I plan to work on that a little bit more tonight.
The Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl Basic Charts Edition is on Lulu for book or free download HERE
I did my own version of Dungeon Squad that you can get for free HERE
The HotDC Quick Start Charts Lulu Page has been hit 75 times and downloaded for free 11 times. I have begun to put it out there a little bit more, and I'm sure that has helped. I'm just happy it's being noticed. There's still much to do, but the game is playable at this point.
Now, there seems to be a growing list of things to do, but nothing has been finished. I hate when that happens.
1-The Hero's Chronicle
2-Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon
3-A Labyrinth Lord Module tentatively titled Quest For The Ancient Tome
4-A non game related book that I need to finish
5-HotDC First Edition Rule Book
6-A non game related book I plan to start working on in 2008
.
The Hero's Chronicle
I mentioned in a previous post that I had laid this magazine out already. The content is written and consists largely or early blog posts. The pdf will be free. A book may be offered for only a small fee to any who want it.
I have given thought to the second issue, and here are a few thoughts on that one. I may be debuting content in that book not previously posted here. Of course, that's the future of the magazine, but I have some stuff I want to put into the first few issues that document the early days of HotDC creation and my Gencon 2007 experience. Here are three ideas I have for issue two.
1-Stupid Things We Did At The Table - This will debut in the magazine at this point, though it may be posted here after that issue is released. It documents my early days of playing and the things we did that would be frowned upon by the game makers.
2-Another Look At HotDC Combat - This one will look specifically at the Armor Level System, raise some OGL questions that may or may not have been addressed by the OSRIC guys and offer my take. What makes the old red book's combat system unique to it? Well, that's what this column will be about.
3-An Adventure For HotDC - This will be the small Quest For The Emerald Gem dungeon that was used as the first HotDC test. It's already been written, so why the heck not?
The third thought came to me while I was out walking around today. These are things I would like to do in the second issue, but I need to get the first issue done. I plan to work on that a little bit more tonight.
Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon
.
This one has had work done to it, believe it or not. I have created a back story for the dungeon, Pradius Stoutheart and his comrades and the town of Dragon Vale. A main plot has been outlined, and many of the rooms of the first two levels have been assigned encounters or whatever. Level 3 needs a little work, but maps for all three levels have been drawn up. Some typing has been done, but there's more to be done.
.
Labyrinth Lord
.
We've had quite a bit of excitement over on the Labyrinth Lord forum. There have been discussions about the future, ideas have been shared, the first products have been created and people are getting more familiar with each other. What's not to be excited about.? Daniel Proctor has brought the old game of our youth back to light and given us a canvas to paint upon again. Some are already worried it isn't going fast enough, but there's no reason to panic. Things are right on schedule.
.
I pick up my copy of LL at Barnes & Noble, hopefully, early next week. When I get it, I will be looking at my idea for a first LL Module, set near Dolmvay at an old and abandoned Wizard's School. I call it Quest for the Ancient Tome. I already have many notes and an overall outline of where the buildings are and what creatures are there. If I feel comfortable with it, I will proceed.
.
Everything Else
.
The first book is already written. I had a pdf for it, but it needed work. I need to put the Table Of Contents in it, possibly rename it, make sure the cover and layout are set and put it out there. It's not game related, but I doubt it will take long to finish, perhaps a day or two. I worked on this book over the course of a few years and finished it last year. I hesitated to do anything with it, but it will be published.
.
I'm not trying to overwhelm myself here, and I generally won't allow myself to spend too many hours staring at the computer. The Labyrinth Lord stuff probably shouldn't be in the top three right now, but I'm excited about this game and want to support it as it gets going. Though I played around with Dungeon Squad a little bit, I doubt I will have time for any games other than HotDC and LL for the time being.
.
There's enough on my plate to keep me busy for a while. Hopefully, The Hero's Chronicle will be released within the week. That's all for now. Stay Tuned for more in the days ahead.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
A Few Updates, the D&D Petition & other Stuff
As mentioned in the previous post, I did my own version of Dungeon Squad that you can get for free HERE
The Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl Basic Charts Edition is on Lulu for book or free download HERE
Sorry for the gratuitous plugs, but I want to keep this stuff bumped.
I have drawn the maps for the three levels of Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon. Most of the first level encounters are set along with many of the second. The third has a few. I would say I may be 40% done, if that. Just wanted to give the update. I plan to get back to work on making the book version of that map and Three Kings Island soon.
Labyrinth Lord is now available at Barnes & Noble for purchase. You can actually order it through a physical store and buy it there.
I have done just that. I hope to pick it up within the next week. Once I do that, I will begin to sketch ideas for a Module compatible with LL. I have actually started jotting ideas down, but there's NOTHING like having a rulebook to go through without having to stare at a computer. More details will surface in the weeks ahead.
Well, okay, I have a working title for it. I'm tentatively calling it Quest for the Sacred Tome. I'm setting it at an Abandoned Wizard's School near Dolmvay in The Known Lands setting. That's what I have at the moment, but it can all change. I post along with others at the Goblinoid Games Forum if you want to see what's happening in that community.
For the time being, the Three Kings Island stuff for HotDC and my LL stuff will be separate. I feel it's important to do it this way at this time. Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon and The Hero's Chronicle are the main two projects on the drawing board for Basic Old School Games.
Anyway, I wanted to point out two things from the Wizards of the Coast community.
I don't claim to have started this thread, but I joined in on it late. It is the petition to get old D&D books back into print. My post late in the thread talks about Print on Demand as an option. The thread, which has nearly 5500 views as of this writing, has over 100 signatures. I know, because I counted. Will it matter? Who knows, but it couldn't hurt. View the thread HERE.
The second one is about the 4.0 version of Basic D&D. I'm curious what is going on with this deal. Since talking to Chris Perkins at Gencon, I've seem nothing written about it on the web. I want to know what is going on with it, so I started a thread on their forum HERE.
The Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl Basic Charts Edition is on Lulu for book or free download HERE
Sorry for the gratuitous plugs, but I want to keep this stuff bumped.
I have drawn the maps for the three levels of Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon. Most of the first level encounters are set along with many of the second. The third has a few. I would say I may be 40% done, if that. Just wanted to give the update. I plan to get back to work on making the book version of that map and Three Kings Island soon.
Labyrinth Lord is now available at Barnes & Noble for purchase. You can actually order it through a physical store and buy it there.
I have done just that. I hope to pick it up within the next week. Once I do that, I will begin to sketch ideas for a Module compatible with LL. I have actually started jotting ideas down, but there's NOTHING like having a rulebook to go through without having to stare at a computer. More details will surface in the weeks ahead.
Well, okay, I have a working title for it. I'm tentatively calling it Quest for the Sacred Tome. I'm setting it at an Abandoned Wizard's School near Dolmvay in The Known Lands setting. That's what I have at the moment, but it can all change. I post along with others at the Goblinoid Games Forum if you want to see what's happening in that community.
For the time being, the Three Kings Island stuff for HotDC and my LL stuff will be separate. I feel it's important to do it this way at this time. Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon and The Hero's Chronicle are the main two projects on the drawing board for Basic Old School Games.
Anyway, I wanted to point out two things from the Wizards of the Coast community.
I don't claim to have started this thread, but I joined in on it late. It is the petition to get old D&D books back into print. My post late in the thread talks about Print on Demand as an option. The thread, which has nearly 5500 views as of this writing, has over 100 signatures. I know, because I counted. Will it matter? Who knows, but it couldn't hurt. View the thread HERE.
The second one is about the 4.0 version of Basic D&D. I'm curious what is going on with this deal. Since talking to Chris Perkins at Gencon, I've seem nothing written about it on the web. I want to know what is going on with it, so I started a thread on their forum HERE.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Dungeon Squad Version 1.5
I have attempted to play with Dungeon Squad with what I call Version 1.5, which you can get by clicking HERE.
I am considering a few other touches, mainly an Adventure and Character Sheet, inspired by what Shathros did. However, I wanted to put this one out there now.
It is 20 Pages, but this is mainly because I laid it out differently, enlarged the print to 20 font and added the Creative Common License in the back. I also added page numbers if anybody wants to print it.
I considered putting it up on Lulu for free download and print at no profit option, but I didn't think that was within the spirit of the license. The Foreword section of the book explains what else I did. I hope you like it.
I am considering a few other touches, mainly an Adventure and Character Sheet, inspired by what Shathros did. However, I wanted to put this one out there now.
It is 20 Pages, but this is mainly because I laid it out differently, enlarged the print to 20 font and added the Creative Common License in the back. I also added page numbers if anybody wants to print it.
I considered putting it up on Lulu for free download and print at no profit option, but I didn't think that was within the spirit of the license. The Foreword section of the book explains what else I did. I hope you like it.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Thinking About Rules For The Next Book
The Quick Start Charts Book is still at Lulu and there have been 8 downloads and 50 unique page hits so far. I made a clarification and slight adjustment to Incantations. For one thing, I neglected to assign Incantation Points to the Incantations.
I am rethinking some of the rules, but that book is HotDC as it is now. It is a playable and fun game with enough in it for several Adventures. Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon and Issue 1 of The Hero's Chronicle are next on the agenda.
There could easily be some rule additions through either of the next projects, though I don't know for sure.
I am continuing to rethink Incantations. It started based on magic from the old red book that I used back in the day, but that is changing. I'm not even sure we will have Incantation Degrees for that much longer, but Incantations that require a certain amount of Incantation Points. I'm working to make HotDC rules more unique, while retaining simplicity. I continue to look at this and consider the possibilities.
I have a tentative Character Profession called a Blade Mage. As the name implies, he will be part Warrior and part Mage with some restictions and a tougher challenge in gaining Degrees. This is something that could debut in an issue of The Hero's Chronicle. In the old red book, an Elf fit this bill, but HotDC allows the other races to pursue a Profession.
Half Dragons will get another look, though I'm not sure they will make it into HotDC. I'll just have to see what we come up with.
I am also looking at Dragons and Demi Dragons and their potential ability to use Incantations and Shape Shift. This may come up in an Adventure I'm writing (maybe the next one), so I'm jotting down notes. These abilities aren't intended to be basesd on the color of Dragon or Demi Dragon.
There's a little game called Dungeon Squad that has been all the rage in the other rpg's section of the Dragonsfoot forum. The discussion that has created the buzz in in this section of the forum. The rule book is only six pages long. I'm going to take a closer look at this and perhaps contribute to the community. If I do anything, I'll post it here. I do like this little game, which is why it has been linked in my big links section.
I am rethinking some of the rules, but that book is HotDC as it is now. It is a playable and fun game with enough in it for several Adventures. Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon and Issue 1 of The Hero's Chronicle are next on the agenda.
There could easily be some rule additions through either of the next projects, though I don't know for sure.
I am continuing to rethink Incantations. It started based on magic from the old red book that I used back in the day, but that is changing. I'm not even sure we will have Incantation Degrees for that much longer, but Incantations that require a certain amount of Incantation Points. I'm working to make HotDC rules more unique, while retaining simplicity. I continue to look at this and consider the possibilities.
I have a tentative Character Profession called a Blade Mage. As the name implies, he will be part Warrior and part Mage with some restictions and a tougher challenge in gaining Degrees. This is something that could debut in an issue of The Hero's Chronicle. In the old red book, an Elf fit this bill, but HotDC allows the other races to pursue a Profession.
Half Dragons will get another look, though I'm not sure they will make it into HotDC. I'll just have to see what we come up with.
I am also looking at Dragons and Demi Dragons and their potential ability to use Incantations and Shape Shift. This may come up in an Adventure I'm writing (maybe the next one), so I'm jotting down notes. These abilities aren't intended to be basesd on the color of Dragon or Demi Dragon.
There's a little game called Dungeon Squad that has been all the rage in the other rpg's section of the Dragonsfoot forum. The discussion that has created the buzz in in this section of the forum. The rule book is only six pages long. I'm going to take a closer look at this and perhaps contribute to the community. If I do anything, I'll post it here. I do like this little game, which is why it has been linked in my big links section.
Monday, September 24, 2007
HotDC Update
The book is on Lulu as of this writing. Of course, you knew that already, but I'm keeping a link bumped at the top. We've had 42 unique page views and 8 downloads of the pdf at the moment, and this is without any hyping on other forums. When Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon is ready, we will hype things a little more. It's low key for now.
Now, DitDD has had much of its intro typed as of now. I think I have mentioned it has become a 3 level dungeon and that more exist, though they are not going to be described in the Adventure. I have opened up a map file for the dungeon. I also updated the icons to be used on the Three Kings Island map to appear less derivative of other products. Better safe than sorry.
The editorial for The Hero's Chronicle Magazine has been written and most of the book is in early stages of layout. It will be 24 pages.
I have backed off a bit in recent days for family reasons, but it is still my intention to have this Adventure ready for release as soon as possible. It's going to be a fun one too. There is a nice story for role pay being developed, but there will be plenty of hacking opportunities as well.
Anyway, that's your latest update. Stay Tuned for more!
Now, DitDD has had much of its intro typed as of now. I think I have mentioned it has become a 3 level dungeon and that more exist, though they are not going to be described in the Adventure. I have opened up a map file for the dungeon. I also updated the icons to be used on the Three Kings Island map to appear less derivative of other products. Better safe than sorry.
The editorial for The Hero's Chronicle Magazine has been written and most of the book is in early stages of layout. It will be 24 pages.
I have backed off a bit in recent days for family reasons, but it is still my intention to have this Adventure ready for release as soon as possible. It's going to be a fun one too. There is a nice story for role pay being developed, but there will be plenty of hacking opportunities as well.
Anyway, that's your latest update. Stay Tuned for more!
4th Edition or Neverwinter Nights?
Here's the deal. I was in the name draw pool for 4th Edition play testing of D&D. Didn't get picked, and I didn't expect to. I'm not active on their forum very much. I did post on another thread that I may talk about in another post, but anyway...
I like the cover art of the core 4th Edition books, and the way Chris Perkins spoke at Gencon, it sounds like it could be fun. I like how he spoke of a new Basic D&D, but lack of posts backing up what he said at Gencon make me wonder what will come out next year. Should I get my hopes up? I don't plan to. If they do Basic D&D and do it right, I will buy it.
Now, had I been chosen to play test, I had every intention of setting up a game at my local store with some hard core 3.5'ers and seeing how much fun it is. But, as I said, I wasn't chosen.
So, the question of the post must be asked, NWN or 4e? If I can't find a game, I don't see me spending the money on books. I want to find a game, but it's not always easy. That 3.5 game I was in suffered from a controlling DM and lack of hack. I didn't want to be babied. If my character gets whacked, so be it. I think the new version could be fun if I could find a game that would start from first level.
In the absence of that, I gotta tell you. Neverwinter Nights 1 was fun, and it was on my computer. I have expansions yet to play, plus Neverwinter Nights 2. All the complex rules are played out on the screen, and I don't have need of books or a bunch opf reading. So, if I have to choose, NWN is what I choose. It's cheaper in the long run, but I really would like the table experience.
I like the cover art of the core 4th Edition books, and the way Chris Perkins spoke at Gencon, it sounds like it could be fun. I like how he spoke of a new Basic D&D, but lack of posts backing up what he said at Gencon make me wonder what will come out next year. Should I get my hopes up? I don't plan to. If they do Basic D&D and do it right, I will buy it.
Now, had I been chosen to play test, I had every intention of setting up a game at my local store with some hard core 3.5'ers and seeing how much fun it is. But, as I said, I wasn't chosen.
So, the question of the post must be asked, NWN or 4e? If I can't find a game, I don't see me spending the money on books. I want to find a game, but it's not always easy. That 3.5 game I was in suffered from a controlling DM and lack of hack. I didn't want to be babied. If my character gets whacked, so be it. I think the new version could be fun if I could find a game that would start from first level.
In the absence of that, I gotta tell you. Neverwinter Nights 1 was fun, and it was on my computer. I have expansions yet to play, plus Neverwinter Nights 2. All the complex rules are played out on the screen, and I don't have need of books or a bunch opf reading. So, if I have to choose, NWN is what I choose. It's cheaper in the long run, but I really would like the table experience.
A Necromancer Speaks
OSRIC is a topic that that comes up on this blog from time to time, because (A) I like the idea of the First Edition of the game I like being put back into action and (B) I'm concerned that what was done is risky and not particularly legal. It's these concerns that have kept me from commiting to a project compatible with OSRIC's little brother, Labyrinth Lord. Is it legal? That's the question.
To boil it down in a way that OSRIC creators are not allowed to say, the OSRIC document attempts to bring 1st Edition AD&D rules back into play. As long as you follow the OSRIC documents, the makers of said document claim, and print OSRIC Compatible on the cover, you can make and sell legal modules for eager 1st Edition fans looking for them.
I have mentioned in previous posts that some companies, such as Troll Lords, Goodman Games and KenzerCo, have have expressed concerns or have had employees do so. Recently, Necromancer Games has done the same over at Enworld. I'll post his comments here without any responses on my behalf.
His first post of Interest:
Orcus
I guarantee that Necromancer Games will give 4E a huge "first edition injection" David Lee Roth style whether it wants it or not... And we've got a big "first edition". You can see it in our spandex pants.
As for OSRIC, I love the idea but I have huge questions about its legality. Always have. I, for one, would never touch it with a ten foot pole. Or in old school speak, a 10' pole. But I understand the attraction. You're on your own. And that is no criticism of the guys who use it and will probably flame me for saying that. I know they are into it and believe in it and want it to succeed. And I respect that. But I still wouldnt touch it. So anyone who tells you OSRIC is clearly legal is, IMHO, looking at it with biased eyes because they want it to be. If you are going to use it, hire a lawyer.
Frankly, I think there will be a pretty significant niche of publishers who stay 3E and try to keep that segment alive.
We've chosen to embrace 4E, because that is just my philosophy. I started with the boxed set. When Blackmoor and GH came out, I used them. When Eldritch Wizardry came out and DDG, I used them. When the AD&D MM came out, ditto. Same with the PHB and DMG. Same with 2E. Same with 3E. I have always done it and always will. But my heart is firmly in the game experience I had with old school D&D. We want to bring old school goodness to the most current version of the rules. And I have every reason to believe we will be successful.
Clark
Clark PetersonNecromancer
Gameswww.necromancergames.com
In the thread, it isn't the OSRIC people who are asking for clarification, it's a poster going by the handle Valiant. Later, the two main OSRIC authors distance themselves from Valiant. The thread stays civil, and Valiant was friendly about it.
Pressed for reasons why he takes the stance he does, Orcus posted this:
Let me make one thing clear. I have never been asked to, nor have I ever given, legal advice to anyone other than my own company. I have made comments based on decisions I have made that people are free to take how they want. And, for myself, I have concluded the legality of the OSRIC materials is highly questionable. Another attorney could come to a different conclusion. This is a very complex issue.
TLG has NEVER asked me for any opinion on the matter, nor would I counsel them one way or the other. I would say: hire an attorney. I am not licensed in your state and I work for a competing company so there are all sorts of potential legal and ethical confilicts.
If you do want my reasons, I will gladly share them.
1. As stated above, I find the OSRIC to be of dubious legality. It has copyright violation writtten all over it, IMHO.
2. The fact that WotC hasnt acted is proof of absolutely nothing. It may mean that the potatos are too small right now for them to care. If you are hanging your hat on their inaction, that IMHO is a bad bad plan.
3. I dont buy into this "two tiered" approach to try to shield others from potential copyright issues. Granted, I appreciate the creativity of the approach. The OSRIC Compatible thing doesnt fly in my view. See below with my "Napster compatible" analogy.
Those are legal issues I see. Here are some practical/philosophical ones.
1. I dont want to play like that. Necro has had unprecedented access to WotC content. We have always been good caretakers of the content entrusted to us. Clearly, WotC wanted to open up 3E. Also clearly they do not want to open up 1E. So even if it was legal (which I doubt) I wouldnt want to be a part of it. I think the mutual respect that Necro and WotC has would be violated by the "end around" that OSRIC tries to do.
2. You just know it is wrong. Its like Napster. Sure, back in the day before the courts et all said you couldnt just share songs like that, we could at least kid ourselves that it was ok but we all knew we shouldnt be sharing songs for free. Maybe no one has done anything with OSRIC yet, but that doesnt make it any more ok--you are trying to indicate compatibility with a system the publisher has a long history of keeping closed, whether you like it or not. And, by way of analogy, I wouldnt put "Napster compatible" on my products either. You know they dont want 1E open. Heck, that is the whole reason for the d20 logo and OGL and d20 STL and the SRD.
3. Not worth the risk. Hey, maybe I am wrong. Maybe WotC doesnt care. But they arent issuing any advisory opinions on the matter and it isnt worht the risk. I dont care if I win or lose the law suit, I dont even want to be named in one. And let me tell you, neither do you. Oh, and as an aside, I take offense to the suggestion that I am "harming the 1E community" by saying this stuff.
Clark
Note: this is not legal advice, it is me explaining my opinion when asked. Do not rely on this. Hire your own attorney.
I'll let these comments stand on their own merits, but the entire thread can be found at Enworld.
To boil it down in a way that OSRIC creators are not allowed to say, the OSRIC document attempts to bring 1st Edition AD&D rules back into play. As long as you follow the OSRIC documents, the makers of said document claim, and print OSRIC Compatible on the cover, you can make and sell legal modules for eager 1st Edition fans looking for them.
I have mentioned in previous posts that some companies, such as Troll Lords, Goodman Games and KenzerCo, have have expressed concerns or have had employees do so. Recently, Necromancer Games has done the same over at Enworld. I'll post his comments here without any responses on my behalf.
His first post of Interest:
Orcus
I guarantee that Necromancer Games will give 4E a huge "first edition injection" David Lee Roth style whether it wants it or not... And we've got a big "first edition". You can see it in our spandex pants.
As for OSRIC, I love the idea but I have huge questions about its legality. Always have. I, for one, would never touch it with a ten foot pole. Or in old school speak, a 10' pole. But I understand the attraction. You're on your own. And that is no criticism of the guys who use it and will probably flame me for saying that. I know they are into it and believe in it and want it to succeed. And I respect that. But I still wouldnt touch it. So anyone who tells you OSRIC is clearly legal is, IMHO, looking at it with biased eyes because they want it to be. If you are going to use it, hire a lawyer.
Frankly, I think there will be a pretty significant niche of publishers who stay 3E and try to keep that segment alive.
We've chosen to embrace 4E, because that is just my philosophy. I started with the boxed set. When Blackmoor and GH came out, I used them. When Eldritch Wizardry came out and DDG, I used them. When the AD&D MM came out, ditto. Same with the PHB and DMG. Same with 2E. Same with 3E. I have always done it and always will. But my heart is firmly in the game experience I had with old school D&D. We want to bring old school goodness to the most current version of the rules. And I have every reason to believe we will be successful.
Clark
Clark PetersonNecromancer
Gameswww.necromancergames.com
In the thread, it isn't the OSRIC people who are asking for clarification, it's a poster going by the handle Valiant. Later, the two main OSRIC authors distance themselves from Valiant. The thread stays civil, and Valiant was friendly about it.
Pressed for reasons why he takes the stance he does, Orcus posted this:
Let me make one thing clear. I have never been asked to, nor have I ever given, legal advice to anyone other than my own company. I have made comments based on decisions I have made that people are free to take how they want. And, for myself, I have concluded the legality of the OSRIC materials is highly questionable. Another attorney could come to a different conclusion. This is a very complex issue.
TLG has NEVER asked me for any opinion on the matter, nor would I counsel them one way or the other. I would say: hire an attorney. I am not licensed in your state and I work for a competing company so there are all sorts of potential legal and ethical confilicts.
If you do want my reasons, I will gladly share them.
1. As stated above, I find the OSRIC to be of dubious legality. It has copyright violation writtten all over it, IMHO.
2. The fact that WotC hasnt acted is proof of absolutely nothing. It may mean that the potatos are too small right now for them to care. If you are hanging your hat on their inaction, that IMHO is a bad bad plan.
3. I dont buy into this "two tiered" approach to try to shield others from potential copyright issues. Granted, I appreciate the creativity of the approach. The OSRIC Compatible thing doesnt fly in my view. See below with my "Napster compatible" analogy.
Those are legal issues I see. Here are some practical/philosophical ones.
1. I dont want to play like that. Necro has had unprecedented access to WotC content. We have always been good caretakers of the content entrusted to us. Clearly, WotC wanted to open up 3E. Also clearly they do not want to open up 1E. So even if it was legal (which I doubt) I wouldnt want to be a part of it. I think the mutual respect that Necro and WotC has would be violated by the "end around" that OSRIC tries to do.
2. You just know it is wrong. Its like Napster. Sure, back in the day before the courts et all said you couldnt just share songs like that, we could at least kid ourselves that it was ok but we all knew we shouldnt be sharing songs for free. Maybe no one has done anything with OSRIC yet, but that doesnt make it any more ok--you are trying to indicate compatibility with a system the publisher has a long history of keeping closed, whether you like it or not. And, by way of analogy, I wouldnt put "Napster compatible" on my products either. You know they dont want 1E open. Heck, that is the whole reason for the d20 logo and OGL and d20 STL and the SRD.
3. Not worth the risk. Hey, maybe I am wrong. Maybe WotC doesnt care. But they arent issuing any advisory opinions on the matter and it isnt worht the risk. I dont care if I win or lose the law suit, I dont even want to be named in one. And let me tell you, neither do you. Oh, and as an aside, I take offense to the suggestion that I am "harming the 1E community" by saying this stuff.
Clark
Note: this is not legal advice, it is me explaining my opinion when asked. Do not rely on this. Hire your own attorney.
I'll let these comments stand on their own merits, but the entire thread can be found at Enworld.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
A Bigger Dwarven Dungeon & Other Notes
It's been kind of hectic here for the last week or so, but I am creating for this project and other stuff. Sometimes it does get a little overwheling and you need to step back and look at things.
The HotDC Quick Start Charts book is up on Lulu and has had seven downloads so far. Not bad considering we haven't really been pusing sales just yet. I have a dungeon map and general ideas for what to do with it in the book, but I want more than that. When the next phase is completed, I will probably push a little harder.
That next phase is Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon. This was meant to be a two level dungeon at the start, but it may end up covering three in the release. Once more, rumors are that there are several levels of dungeon below that Dwarven farm!
I can't get too much into it at this time, but a back ground story for Pradius Stoutheart is being developed at this moment, and it ties him in with the bigger campaign picture that is emerging on Three Kings Island!
I think I have a nice dungeon crawl in development with this one, so I'm not rushing it too hard. I want to do it right. There will be role play opportunities here, and the party can emerge as heroes to the town of Dragon Vale after this one. But, there's much more than just this Adventure brewing!
Now, if you use the dungeon and plot line suggested in the HotDC Quick Start Charts book, it actually ties in with this Adventure and the bigger picture. Things are happening that will keep the party occupied as they rise in Degree and become Heroes by title.
So, I'm pretty happy about what's happening. I have opened up the file and begun typing. There's lots to do. I have a lot written that needs to be typed and a lot more to write. I don't know how many pages it will be or when the release date will be. These and other details will emerge in the weeks ahead.
The first issue of The Hero's Chronicle is being prepared as well. I have hand written the Editor's Notes column for it. Need to type it. The first issue will contain posts from this blog about game development. The next two probably will as well. I may have additional stuff in the second issue not typed here first, such as Stupid Things We Did At The Table and notes on Danger In The Dwarven Dungeon. One step at a time though. I want to get the first issue together first. The pdf will be free on Lulu when ready
I am revisiting an old project for release before the year is over. It's not game related, but I mention it because it may take time from HotDC. Also, I am doing some prep work for another project that will hopefully be done in 2008. Not game related, but there's that time issue.
HotDC is still my main project. Realistically, I may not get the HotDC First Edition Rulebook done before the year's end. I could push it, but I like my time with my family and getting out and excesizing. The computer has to go off sometime.
I plan to hand write outlines for two novel ideas I have. One called "he Do Over and the other Playing The Role. I intend to use the 21 Steps as learned from Michael Stackpole to do this. The first is sort of auto biographical, to a point, but it takes a science fiction turn. What if you could talk to your younger self? What would you say?
The second book will look at the early RPG community as it is created and is pure fiction. Some of it may seem like real life, but it's not. One reason I'm saying this is that I don't want people thinking it's about Gary or Dave or anybody. It won't be. It's just a story idea I have.
If anything comes of this after the 21 Steps, I'll probably post about it here.
The HotDC Quick Start Charts book is up on Lulu and has had seven downloads so far. Not bad considering we haven't really been pusing sales just yet. I have a dungeon map and general ideas for what to do with it in the book, but I want more than that. When the next phase is completed, I will probably push a little harder.
That next phase is Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon. This was meant to be a two level dungeon at the start, but it may end up covering three in the release. Once more, rumors are that there are several levels of dungeon below that Dwarven farm!
I can't get too much into it at this time, but a back ground story for Pradius Stoutheart is being developed at this moment, and it ties him in with the bigger campaign picture that is emerging on Three Kings Island!
I think I have a nice dungeon crawl in development with this one, so I'm not rushing it too hard. I want to do it right. There will be role play opportunities here, and the party can emerge as heroes to the town of Dragon Vale after this one. But, there's much more than just this Adventure brewing!
Now, if you use the dungeon and plot line suggested in the HotDC Quick Start Charts book, it actually ties in with this Adventure and the bigger picture. Things are happening that will keep the party occupied as they rise in Degree and become Heroes by title.
So, I'm pretty happy about what's happening. I have opened up the file and begun typing. There's lots to do. I have a lot written that needs to be typed and a lot more to write. I don't know how many pages it will be or when the release date will be. These and other details will emerge in the weeks ahead.
The first issue of The Hero's Chronicle is being prepared as well. I have hand written the Editor's Notes column for it. Need to type it. The first issue will contain posts from this blog about game development. The next two probably will as well. I may have additional stuff in the second issue not typed here first, such as Stupid Things We Did At The Table and notes on Danger In The Dwarven Dungeon. One step at a time though. I want to get the first issue together first. The pdf will be free on Lulu when ready
I am revisiting an old project for release before the year is over. It's not game related, but I mention it because it may take time from HotDC. Also, I am doing some prep work for another project that will hopefully be done in 2008. Not game related, but there's that time issue.
HotDC is still my main project. Realistically, I may not get the HotDC First Edition Rulebook done before the year's end. I could push it, but I like my time with my family and getting out and excesizing. The computer has to go off sometime.
I plan to hand write outlines for two novel ideas I have. One called "he Do Over and the other Playing The Role. I intend to use the 21 Steps as learned from Michael Stackpole to do this. The first is sort of auto biographical, to a point, but it takes a science fiction turn. What if you could talk to your younger self? What would you say?
The second book will look at the early RPG community as it is created and is pure fiction. Some of it may seem like real life, but it's not. One reason I'm saying this is that I don't want people thinking it's about Gary or Dave or anybody. It won't be. It's just a story idea I have.
If anything comes of this after the 21 Steps, I'll probably post about it here.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Into The Random Dungeon
Last night, another test session was held for Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl. By the way, you can get a copy of the pdf for the Basic Charts Edition or order a copy of the book at Lulu. We've had five downloads so far, which is cool considering this blog is the only place we've hyped it at. For this test, a random dungeon was used. This one doesn't have a plot to it that is being considered as HotDC cannon at this time.
Basically, it was a random encounter, 20 room dungeon that allowed me to check random treasure rolls and other stuff. Most of the charts were tested at one point or another. I had to create a chart on the fly for determining what might be in a room, using the rd1 method as described below:
1 Empty
2-5 Creature
6 1 Treasure Chart roll
As you can see, I wanted combat to happen. I wanted to see how much death the party would have to deal with. Only four rooms were empty, and two had unguarded treasure. No party members died, but we had some close calls. Now, I want there to be a chance at death, but it is not my intention to have a boat load of deaths for beginning characters. How did I attempt to deal with it in the rules?
1-If you look at the Creature Charts for 0 Degree, you'll notice that most won't do more than 1-3 points damage per hit, though on some Creatures I have an option for more damage. This means that it will take at least two hits to kill a character at 0 Degree, even a Mage or Rogue.
2-Bandaging is introduced as an option in the game. This means that if a GC gets down to 0 Life Points, they can be stabilized by bandaging them, though there is still a chance at death according to a roll of the dice.
3-Priests get Incantations at 0 Degree, and Band Aid is an option. I know the red book doesn't have that option, but we part ways on a few things.
4-Potion of Healing Touch is on the chart for purchasing. As it turns out, the party had enough change left over to buy two of these.
We'll get to know the party involved in a moment, but let me just say I like the Attack-Defense System for combat. It worked as hoped for this test. The Hero Guide must keep an eye on game balance at all times with this system, but it works. I have another combat system option that may get introduced in the Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon Adventure book.
Anyway, the party was:
Alcoe (al-co-ay) the Elven Applicant Mage
Harlin the Human Applicant Warrior
Marlin the Human Applicant Warrior
Nimble the Dwarven Applicant Rogue
Talwyn the Halfling Applicant Priest
One of the first tests of the party was putting Nimble on the front line with the Warriors and Priest in combat with more than three Creatures. He got smacked early on and reduced to 2 Life Points. After that, it was decided to let him stand back and fire arrows from a safer distance. The Mage had four daggers for throwing and did the same thing. Both scored hits doing that.
This reminds me of another rule option that may get introduced at the back of the first Adventure book. That is, what happens if an arrow or dagger misses the intended target? Could it hit a party member by mistake? I don't want to get too heavy on rules, but this seems like something to consider. I'm looking at introducing this and a few other options in the Adventure book, and they may make the First Edition HotDC Rulebook from there.
Being on the front line meant Harlin & Marlin got hit. On fact, Harlin got hit a couple times in two battles and still lived. Now, this may seem a little easy on the party, but I don't believe it is. You want people to get a feel for things, and that's rather difficult if they are rolling up a new character every five minutes. Believe me, death will happen in this game. It's not safe out there, and lessons will be learned by the fool hearty.
At the end of the dungeon, in the 20th room, I rolled a Creature from 1st Degree and got two gnomes. This was a bigger challenge, and Harlin got smacked again. However, the party lived. I believe you can have 1st Degree Creatures in a 0 Degree Adventure, but too many can prove lethal if you are using the Attack-Defense System.
The unguarded treasure was another opportunity to check out an aspect of this game, Rogue Abilities. Similar to the red book, doing some tasks is not easy for a Rogue, and failure will occur. I tested the trap detect & removal ability, but the Rogue failed on the first check. This led to him being put to sleep. The party did not encounter any Roaming Creatures while he was taking his nap.
The next trap was a poison needle, but he was successful in his Resistance Roll. Choosing a Dwarf as a Rogue was a good option as they have a slightly better tolerance for poison.
I didn't get to check the Repel Living Dead ability for the Priest (I knew I'd forget something), but having two 0 Degree Incantations available for the Priest was very useful. These aren't super powerful Incantations, but two Band Aid Incantations are important for a 0 Degree party.
The Mage was good at slinging a dagger, but not equipped well enough for the front line. This is as it should be. He had four 0 Degree Incantations to start with and used Short Nap to bail the party out on two occasions. He considered Stinging Mist, but backed off as it could have done 1-3 LP's of damage to each party member in the area as well.
At times, combat was a challenge. I rolled 3 Giant Bees in one encounter, but the party managed to take them out before being stung. I was using Creature Reaction Charts to get reactions. A Hero Guide can and will use his judgement as they get comfortable, but I wanted to see what would happen. It was about 50-50, as it should be. The Bees attacked, but victory gave the party healing honey from the Bees.
5 Grunt Goblins, 6 Grunt Orcs (twice), 5 Grunt Orcs and 5 Ratlings were among the bigger battles encountered. Short Nap was only used once, on the goblins. Everybody who stood on the front line took damage, and Harlin and Marlin were both reduced from 6 to 2 Life Points on more than one occasion.
The Priest Band Aid Incantations, a dose of Bee honey and one of the Healing Touch Potions were used, and the party rested twice with posted guards. Roaming Creatures were rolled for three times both nights, but nothing happened.
Treasure. In HotDC, you don't get Adventure (experience) Points for gold. At least, this is the way I want it to be, because with only 10 Degrees, it could go by rather quickly. When treasure was rolled for, it totaled in at about 3,600 gold pieces. Most of it was in silver, but the party walked out with 730 gold a piece and one standard dagger of +1 enchantment.
It might seem a touch high for a 20 room dungeon with 14 rooms of fights, but the chart did it's job. There is a clause in there about awarding in the 100's instead of the 1000's based on Creature count in an encounter.
Plus, early on, there are things to spend that money on.
Better weapons
Better armor
Healing Touch Potions
0 Degree Incantation scrolls
And so on...
As has been pointed out in the book, you don't have to roll for everything anyway. If you think 3,650 in gold and a dagger of +1 is too much for a party of 5 0 Degree adventurers is too much, you can adjust it yourself. It's all in what you want from he game.
The Creatures overcome (not all were killed, but they were overcome) resulted in 111 AP's for each party member, plus 200 a piece for clearing the dungeon as per the book's rules on Quest Completion. An HG would have had several opportunities during the adventure to make notes of individual bonuses as they see fit. I chose not to, but showing mercy when it was begged for, successfully making that first kill, taking the hit for another party member and other deeds might be considered. It depends on what you want from the game.
What I also learned from this is that it will take three Adventures to advance a party from 0 to 1st Degree this way, which is fine with me. The Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon Adventure is being designed to possibly get the party to 1st Degree in just that Adventure, or at least very close.
All in all, I'm liking what we've got so far with the Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl Basic Charts Edition, and we will continue to add to it with new Adventures and other good stuff. Stay tuned
Basically, it was a random encounter, 20 room dungeon that allowed me to check random treasure rolls and other stuff. Most of the charts were tested at one point or another. I had to create a chart on the fly for determining what might be in a room, using the rd1 method as described below:
1 Empty
2-5 Creature
6 1 Treasure Chart roll
As you can see, I wanted combat to happen. I wanted to see how much death the party would have to deal with. Only four rooms were empty, and two had unguarded treasure. No party members died, but we had some close calls. Now, I want there to be a chance at death, but it is not my intention to have a boat load of deaths for beginning characters. How did I attempt to deal with it in the rules?
1-If you look at the Creature Charts for 0 Degree, you'll notice that most won't do more than 1-3 points damage per hit, though on some Creatures I have an option for more damage. This means that it will take at least two hits to kill a character at 0 Degree, even a Mage or Rogue.
2-Bandaging is introduced as an option in the game. This means that if a GC gets down to 0 Life Points, they can be stabilized by bandaging them, though there is still a chance at death according to a roll of the dice.
3-Priests get Incantations at 0 Degree, and Band Aid is an option. I know the red book doesn't have that option, but we part ways on a few things.
4-Potion of Healing Touch is on the chart for purchasing. As it turns out, the party had enough change left over to buy two of these.
We'll get to know the party involved in a moment, but let me just say I like the Attack-Defense System for combat. It worked as hoped for this test. The Hero Guide must keep an eye on game balance at all times with this system, but it works. I have another combat system option that may get introduced in the Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon Adventure book.
Anyway, the party was:
Alcoe (al-co-ay) the Elven Applicant Mage
Harlin the Human Applicant Warrior
Marlin the Human Applicant Warrior
Nimble the Dwarven Applicant Rogue
Talwyn the Halfling Applicant Priest
One of the first tests of the party was putting Nimble on the front line with the Warriors and Priest in combat with more than three Creatures. He got smacked early on and reduced to 2 Life Points. After that, it was decided to let him stand back and fire arrows from a safer distance. The Mage had four daggers for throwing and did the same thing. Both scored hits doing that.
This reminds me of another rule option that may get introduced at the back of the first Adventure book. That is, what happens if an arrow or dagger misses the intended target? Could it hit a party member by mistake? I don't want to get too heavy on rules, but this seems like something to consider. I'm looking at introducing this and a few other options in the Adventure book, and they may make the First Edition HotDC Rulebook from there.
Being on the front line meant Harlin & Marlin got hit. On fact, Harlin got hit a couple times in two battles and still lived. Now, this may seem a little easy on the party, but I don't believe it is. You want people to get a feel for things, and that's rather difficult if they are rolling up a new character every five minutes. Believe me, death will happen in this game. It's not safe out there, and lessons will be learned by the fool hearty.
At the end of the dungeon, in the 20th room, I rolled a Creature from 1st Degree and got two gnomes. This was a bigger challenge, and Harlin got smacked again. However, the party lived. I believe you can have 1st Degree Creatures in a 0 Degree Adventure, but too many can prove lethal if you are using the Attack-Defense System.
The unguarded treasure was another opportunity to check out an aspect of this game, Rogue Abilities. Similar to the red book, doing some tasks is not easy for a Rogue, and failure will occur. I tested the trap detect & removal ability, but the Rogue failed on the first check. This led to him being put to sleep. The party did not encounter any Roaming Creatures while he was taking his nap.
The next trap was a poison needle, but he was successful in his Resistance Roll. Choosing a Dwarf as a Rogue was a good option as they have a slightly better tolerance for poison.
I didn't get to check the Repel Living Dead ability for the Priest (I knew I'd forget something), but having two 0 Degree Incantations available for the Priest was very useful. These aren't super powerful Incantations, but two Band Aid Incantations are important for a 0 Degree party.
The Mage was good at slinging a dagger, but not equipped well enough for the front line. This is as it should be. He had four 0 Degree Incantations to start with and used Short Nap to bail the party out on two occasions. He considered Stinging Mist, but backed off as it could have done 1-3 LP's of damage to each party member in the area as well.
At times, combat was a challenge. I rolled 3 Giant Bees in one encounter, but the party managed to take them out before being stung. I was using Creature Reaction Charts to get reactions. A Hero Guide can and will use his judgement as they get comfortable, but I wanted to see what would happen. It was about 50-50, as it should be. The Bees attacked, but victory gave the party healing honey from the Bees.
5 Grunt Goblins, 6 Grunt Orcs (twice), 5 Grunt Orcs and 5 Ratlings were among the bigger battles encountered. Short Nap was only used once, on the goblins. Everybody who stood on the front line took damage, and Harlin and Marlin were both reduced from 6 to 2 Life Points on more than one occasion.
The Priest Band Aid Incantations, a dose of Bee honey and one of the Healing Touch Potions were used, and the party rested twice with posted guards. Roaming Creatures were rolled for three times both nights, but nothing happened.
Treasure. In HotDC, you don't get Adventure (experience) Points for gold. At least, this is the way I want it to be, because with only 10 Degrees, it could go by rather quickly. When treasure was rolled for, it totaled in at about 3,600 gold pieces. Most of it was in silver, but the party walked out with 730 gold a piece and one standard dagger of +1 enchantment.
It might seem a touch high for a 20 room dungeon with 14 rooms of fights, but the chart did it's job. There is a clause in there about awarding in the 100's instead of the 1000's based on Creature count in an encounter.
Plus, early on, there are things to spend that money on.
Better weapons
Better armor
Healing Touch Potions
0 Degree Incantation scrolls
And so on...
As has been pointed out in the book, you don't have to roll for everything anyway. If you think 3,650 in gold and a dagger of +1 is too much for a party of 5 0 Degree adventurers is too much, you can adjust it yourself. It's all in what you want from he game.
The Creatures overcome (not all were killed, but they were overcome) resulted in 111 AP's for each party member, plus 200 a piece for clearing the dungeon as per the book's rules on Quest Completion. An HG would have had several opportunities during the adventure to make notes of individual bonuses as they see fit. I chose not to, but showing mercy when it was begged for, successfully making that first kill, taking the hit for another party member and other deeds might be considered. It depends on what you want from the game.
What I also learned from this is that it will take three Adventures to advance a party from 0 to 1st Degree this way, which is fine with me. The Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon Adventure is being designed to possibly get the party to 1st Degree in just that Adventure, or at least very close.
All in all, I'm liking what we've got so far with the Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl Basic Charts Edition, and we will continue to add to it with new Adventures and other good stuff. Stay tuned
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Another Test Game Completed
This one was with five Game Characters, two Warriors, a Rogue, a Mage and a Priest. It was a random 20 room dungeon. A few close calls, but all party members lived. I plan to post more details later. One thing I noticed was that the Basic Charts Edition book was missing #30 on the Magic Item Chart. I have updated that and put it up on Lulu. We're still early in the process, so mistakes will be made. Anyway, when I updated, I noticed there have been five downloads so far. That means that somebody has seen the book.
I have opened the file for Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon. I was planning on working on that a little when the test came about. I'm glad that happened as we learned a few things. I'm happy with the way it's going so far. Anyway, more updates to come. Stay tuned.
I have opened the file for Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon. I was planning on working on that a little when the test came about. I'm glad that happened as we learned a few things. I'm happy with the way it's going so far. Anyway, more updates to come. Stay tuned.
Monday, September 10, 2007
You Can Now Get HotDC Basic Charts At Lulu
It's finally available. I believe the continuity and the rules as depicted in the book are now set. There may still be spelling or format errors, and those can be corrected.
Please note that this thread will be a good place to discuss questions or comments that need to be addressed, and it will be linked to the right side of the main page for easy access.
At this time, we are offering free pdf downloads of the book, and we encourage you to do that first before ordering a copy of the book.
If you desire a hard copy of the book, we are selling at at Lulu for less than $7.50. We're not making a big profit off of it, because we don't wish to stick it to you on cost, it's still a work in progress and we want to keep it affordable.
The rules needed to play HotDC are in that book, and we believe you can play and have fun with these rules for hours on end.
Stay tuned for coming HotDC Adventures as well as the debut of The Heroes Chronicle pdf magazine.
Remember to have a good look at the free pdf. If you like it, buy a copy of the book. Feel free to leave comments here, but try to be nice. We're doing our best here.
Now, here's the link for the Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl: Basic Charts Edition at Lulu:
Here is the Lulu Link http://www.lulu.com/content/1190599
Please note that this thread will be a good place to discuss questions or comments that need to be addressed, and it will be linked to the right side of the main page for easy access.
At this time, we are offering free pdf downloads of the book, and we encourage you to do that first before ordering a copy of the book.
If you desire a hard copy of the book, we are selling at at Lulu for less than $7.50. We're not making a big profit off of it, because we don't wish to stick it to you on cost, it's still a work in progress and we want to keep it affordable.
The rules needed to play HotDC are in that book, and we believe you can play and have fun with these rules for hours on end.
Stay tuned for coming HotDC Adventures as well as the debut of The Heroes Chronicle pdf magazine.
Remember to have a good look at the free pdf. If you like it, buy a copy of the book. Feel free to leave comments here, but try to be nice. We're doing our best here.
Now, here's the link for the Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl: Basic Charts Edition at Lulu:
Here is the Lulu Link http://www.lulu.com/content/1190599
Sunday, September 9, 2007
A Quick Update
I have updated the Basic Charts Edition Book. It's still 44 pages, and I think I should be putting it up on Lulu in the next day or two. This book has undergone so many changes, but it's time to release it and get to work on the first Adventure. I wanna take a day or two to go over a few things, but that should be all I need. I will make an announcement when it is finally released.
The Heroes Chronicle Magazine is on the radar now. It won't really take that long to get the first issue out as it will include several posts from this blog about HotDC. It will be a free pdf download when it is released. The first two or three issues will be material that has appeared mainly here and discuss HotDC, old school games, Gencon 2007 and whatever else I can add to it. I'm looking at 20-24 pages per issue at this moment.
Danger In The Dwarven Dungeon is on deck with some more work on First Edition HotDC in the plans. I am considering rule adjustments already, which will make the blog in the days ahead most likely.
The Heroes Chronicle Magazine is on the radar now. It won't really take that long to get the first issue out as it will include several posts from this blog about HotDC. It will be a free pdf download when it is released. The first two or three issues will be material that has appeared mainly here and discuss HotDC, old school games, Gencon 2007 and whatever else I can add to it. I'm looking at 20-24 pages per issue at this moment.
Danger In The Dwarven Dungeon is on deck with some more work on First Edition HotDC in the plans. I am considering rule adjustments already, which will make the blog in the days ahead most likely.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Doing Combat Differently, 0 Degree And Other Stuff
When I started on HotDC, before a Labyrinth Lord was even announced, I made the decision to go another route. The first decision was to lose all but the six sided dice. The second decision was to mimic the old basic game as far as keeping it simple. The combat system has already changed from Armor Level to the Attack Defense System. It has a completely different mechanic from the old basic game. I have decided to look at AL again and possibly propose a rule option in the TKI-1 adventure.
As I said before, I'm just making the two other adjustments with the HotDC Basic Charts Edition, and that's it. The mechanics will be there for people to begin playing. I need to move on to the next phase. I want to get this book out and available to the public.
This is the challenge I've had with HotDC from the first day. There are some good concepts in that old basic game, but I can't just take everything and use it. I need to readjust it. The idea is that it has to be kept simple and easy, or I have defeated the purpose. If you can't jump into HotDC and have a character and a dungeon ready to go within minutes, I haven't done my job right.
The 0 Degree Character and Creature has it's origins from the old Book Of Options my cousin and I did years ago. At the time, I think I was looking for a way a party of 1st level thiefs and magic users could have an adventure without fighters and have a chance at not getting killed every time they entered a dungeon. What I did in the BoO is make a chart of just 1/2 level monsters, creating a few new ones in the process.
In HotDC, there are only going to be 10 Degrees for the Game Characters to advance. That's all I'm planning to cover, because that's all that is needed in this game. Now, somebody may come along with ideas for 10-20 Degrees, but I don't see me creating the Expert or whatever edition of the game. I don't think it's needed. What I did do, back when this was a 7 Degree game, was create a 0 Degree option. Basically, you have to earn 1st Degree. Why should you get it just by starting?
Rules for starting a GC at 0 Degree and Creature Charts for 0 Degree were then created. Part of the fun of the game that my old table forgot about back in the day was earning your first successes. This is why the best armor and weapons aren't going to be affordable at the start. It will be something to earn. Getting that better (but still not magical) sword or armor and earning your 1000th Adventure Point will mean something.
These are things that set the game apart from the old game, while maintaining the spirit of what it was about. I like the old school game feel, and HotDC will retain that as it evolves, or it won't continue. I am looking at EVERY aspect of this game for adjustments that could make it more unique, while keeping it fun and simple. That's the plan, and there is a definite challenge in keeping it different.
I have commented on the Basic Revolution that has begun to stir. What will 4th Edition Basic D&D be? Will there be too many confusing character and combat rules or will they strive for that Moldvay feel? What will Basic C&C be? Basic Hackmaster? I've seen Lejendary Adventures Essentials, and though it comes in a box like the old basic games, it's not that simple. Labyrinth Lord is a faithful interpretation of the old basic game.
While HotDC will be in the spirit of the old game, it will be different. It is my intention to have a post here within the week to announce the release of HotDC Basic Charts Edition. We are starting at Lulu. There will be a free pdf to allow you to check it out. If you like it, a hard copy book will be available for a small fee (less than $10 is the goal). This will be just the first step in Basic Old School Games plan to build Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl.
As I said before, I'm just making the two other adjustments with the HotDC Basic Charts Edition, and that's it. The mechanics will be there for people to begin playing. I need to move on to the next phase. I want to get this book out and available to the public.
This is the challenge I've had with HotDC from the first day. There are some good concepts in that old basic game, but I can't just take everything and use it. I need to readjust it. The idea is that it has to be kept simple and easy, or I have defeated the purpose. If you can't jump into HotDC and have a character and a dungeon ready to go within minutes, I haven't done my job right.
The 0 Degree Character and Creature has it's origins from the old Book Of Options my cousin and I did years ago. At the time, I think I was looking for a way a party of 1st level thiefs and magic users could have an adventure without fighters and have a chance at not getting killed every time they entered a dungeon. What I did in the BoO is make a chart of just 1/2 level monsters, creating a few new ones in the process.
In HotDC, there are only going to be 10 Degrees for the Game Characters to advance. That's all I'm planning to cover, because that's all that is needed in this game. Now, somebody may come along with ideas for 10-20 Degrees, but I don't see me creating the Expert or whatever edition of the game. I don't think it's needed. What I did do, back when this was a 7 Degree game, was create a 0 Degree option. Basically, you have to earn 1st Degree. Why should you get it just by starting?
Rules for starting a GC at 0 Degree and Creature Charts for 0 Degree were then created. Part of the fun of the game that my old table forgot about back in the day was earning your first successes. This is why the best armor and weapons aren't going to be affordable at the start. It will be something to earn. Getting that better (but still not magical) sword or armor and earning your 1000th Adventure Point will mean something.
These are things that set the game apart from the old game, while maintaining the spirit of what it was about. I like the old school game feel, and HotDC will retain that as it evolves, or it won't continue. I am looking at EVERY aspect of this game for adjustments that could make it more unique, while keeping it fun and simple. That's the plan, and there is a definite challenge in keeping it different.
I have commented on the Basic Revolution that has begun to stir. What will 4th Edition Basic D&D be? Will there be too many confusing character and combat rules or will they strive for that Moldvay feel? What will Basic C&C be? Basic Hackmaster? I've seen Lejendary Adventures Essentials, and though it comes in a box like the old basic games, it's not that simple. Labyrinth Lord is a faithful interpretation of the old basic game.
While HotDC will be in the spirit of the old game, it will be different. It is my intention to have a post here within the week to announce the release of HotDC Basic Charts Edition. We are starting at Lulu. There will be a free pdf to allow you to check it out. If you like it, a hard copy book will be available for a small fee (less than $10 is the goal). This will be just the first step in Basic Old School Games plan to build Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
The Name Of Our Little Gaming Effort
I had two choices that seemed interesting to me. They were Basic Old School Games and Die In A Dungeon. In Indy, my friend suggested the latter. Actually, I think he said Guy In A Dungeon, but I heard Die. It had a nice ring to it, and I kept it on the maybe pile.
When I got home, I considered other ideas, but Basic Old School Games was my favorite. I am striving for a basic game with an old school feel. I decided to go with Basic Old School Games TM.
I also had considered changing the name of the game, but I will leave it Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl TM (HotDC TM).
Hero Guide TM as the person who runs the game and Three Kings Island TM are a part of the Trademark of the game as well.
Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl TM Basic Charts Edition is copyright 2007.
More Progress On HotDC
The adjustments I have made on the HotDC Basic Charts Edition have been designed to make it easier to understand. I have redone the intro, defined what is in each section for easier reference and explained the Character Creation process better. It might have been the perfect time to just release things, but I had two more updates I felt needed to be made.
1-The Incantation section was explained a little bit better in terms of what the Resistance Rolls are for and what they do. This should make it easier to understand.
2-I don't have Creature descriptions in this book, just stats and charts. Kinda T&T'ish in that regard, I suppose. But, I felt I needed a page or two to explain terms from the Creature charts.
I want people to be able to play the first 4 Degrees of this game with his book with as few problems as possible. I'm sure there will be questions, and I will have a thread on this blog devoted to answering them.
The main focus of this game is having simple and basic mechanics for easy game play. As the name suggests, it is a game of crawling around in the dungeon, but outdoor encounters can be handled as needed. As the book won't go too far into that area, more experienced Hero Guides will likely be the ones handling those types of adventures.
I do not plan to add any new rules to this book after this update. If spelling or phrasing changes are needed, they will be made. A free pdf will be available anyway. The hard copy is for those who want a copy to use, at a minimal cost.
TKI-1 Danger In The Dwarven Dungeon will offer a few rule options and new Creatures, but that information won't be required to play if you just get the Basic Charts Edition and create your own stuff.
Rules tweaking will probably continue all the way to the release of the First Edition of Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl, as I have already explained in an earlier post.
1-The Incantation section was explained a little bit better in terms of what the Resistance Rolls are for and what they do. This should make it easier to understand.
2-I don't have Creature descriptions in this book, just stats and charts. Kinda T&T'ish in that regard, I suppose. But, I felt I needed a page or two to explain terms from the Creature charts.
I want people to be able to play the first 4 Degrees of this game with his book with as few problems as possible. I'm sure there will be questions, and I will have a thread on this blog devoted to answering them.
The main focus of this game is having simple and basic mechanics for easy game play. As the name suggests, it is a game of crawling around in the dungeon, but outdoor encounters can be handled as needed. As the book won't go too far into that area, more experienced Hero Guides will likely be the ones handling those types of adventures.
I do not plan to add any new rules to this book after this update. If spelling or phrasing changes are needed, they will be made. A free pdf will be available anyway. The hard copy is for those who want a copy to use, at a minimal cost.
TKI-1 Danger In The Dwarven Dungeon will offer a few rule options and new Creatures, but that information won't be required to play if you just get the Basic Charts Edition and create your own stuff.
Rules tweaking will probably continue all the way to the release of the First Edition of Heroes of the Dungeon Crawl, as I have already explained in an earlier post.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Just A Few Thoughts On What's Next For HotDC
I have a list of things to do:
1-Get the HotDC Basic Charts Edition up on Lulu within the next week or so. I have a few adjustments to make on the rules, and that's it. Any updates on that afterwards will be grammar related.
2-TKI-1 Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon. This is a two level dungeon (at least at the moment) for 0 Degree Game Characters. I will offer a few rule options in the back, a few new Creatures and whatever else I may come up with. Hope to be done by some time in October.
3-The HotDC Rule Book 1st Edition. This will have Creature descriptions, Incantation descriptions and do a more complete job explaining rules. And, yes, rules will probably change between now and then as I make HotDC a more unique experience. I will touch on this in a sequel to my old Challenges Of Doing It Differently post. I'd like to get it done by December, but we'll see.
4-Find an artist or two. I have only clip art at this moment. Flavor text may be used more in the 1st Edition Rule Book and future Adventure Books.
5-Chose a logo and name for this game effort. I actually have, and it will be announced soon.
6-Merka's Maze Of Madness TKI-2 is the working name of the next adventure, I think. It's probably a 1st or 2nd Degree Adventure in which the Game Characters have been teleported into a dungeon and have to fight there way out, or die trying.
7-The Secret City Of Moldayvia is the possible title of TKI-3. This one's a biggie, and that's all I will say at the moment. There may be hints elsewhere on this blog.
8-Get a game started. It's nice to create, but I wanna get a game going. I wanna put HotDC to the test.
9-More interesting posts on the blog. Stupid Things We Did At The Table and other ones. I'd like to do a post about what I'd do if I owned D&D, just for the heck of it.
10-Can't think of anything now, but I know there's something.
At the moment, I'll be going back to the note book and writing down the next ideas for TKI-1 and the Basic Charts Edition. I actually know what I want to to with the rules, but I like to plan things out in the note book ahead of time.
1-Get the HotDC Basic Charts Edition up on Lulu within the next week or so. I have a few adjustments to make on the rules, and that's it. Any updates on that afterwards will be grammar related.
2-TKI-1 Danger in the Dwarven Dungeon. This is a two level dungeon (at least at the moment) for 0 Degree Game Characters. I will offer a few rule options in the back, a few new Creatures and whatever else I may come up with. Hope to be done by some time in October.
3-The HotDC Rule Book 1st Edition. This will have Creature descriptions, Incantation descriptions and do a more complete job explaining rules. And, yes, rules will probably change between now and then as I make HotDC a more unique experience. I will touch on this in a sequel to my old Challenges Of Doing It Differently post. I'd like to get it done by December, but we'll see.
4-Find an artist or two. I have only clip art at this moment. Flavor text may be used more in the 1st Edition Rule Book and future Adventure Books.
5-Chose a logo and name for this game effort. I actually have, and it will be announced soon.
6-Merka's Maze Of Madness TKI-2 is the working name of the next adventure, I think. It's probably a 1st or 2nd Degree Adventure in which the Game Characters have been teleported into a dungeon and have to fight there way out, or die trying.
7-The Secret City Of Moldayvia is the possible title of TKI-3. This one's a biggie, and that's all I will say at the moment. There may be hints elsewhere on this blog.
8-Get a game started. It's nice to create, but I wanna get a game going. I wanna put HotDC to the test.
9-More interesting posts on the blog. Stupid Things We Did At The Table and other ones. I'd like to do a post about what I'd do if I owned D&D, just for the heck of it.
10-Can't think of anything now, but I know there's something.
At the moment, I'll be going back to the note book and writing down the next ideas for TKI-1 and the Basic Charts Edition. I actually know what I want to to with the rules, but I like to plan things out in the note book ahead of time.
OSRIC Discussions From Other Forums
I decided to make a post where OSRIC is discussed. It gets heated, but good points are made on both sides. The reason I do this is not to hurt anything, but to get a better understanding of the arguments. I'd like nothing better than for this to succeed, particularly Labyrinth Lord. My big fear is contributing to LL and helping it grow, only to end up being sued by Wizards and losing ownership to works I create using the rule set.
From Troll Lord Games. This one started about Basic Fantasy, but drifted to OSRIC, where it revealed some negative feelings from that community.
http://www.freeyabb.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2929&mforum=trolllordgames
Discussion of OSRIC Legality on the Circvs Maximvs forums. This one was started with a link to Ryan Dancey's thread a Enworld. This one gets rather lively.
http://www.circvsmaximvs.com/showthread.php?s=ad5e85d0644f11e0a9de8e31c4bb475f&t=28156
Dragonsfoot OSRIC Discussion. The question posed is how legal is it. Not a lengthy discussion here, but some good posts.
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18928
OSRIC announced on Dragonsfoot
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18307&highlight=osric
Ryan Dancy Answers OSRIC Questions with his opinion. I believe he had something to do with writing the OGL and D20 documents.
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=201334
Goodman Games Board. It has an interesting post by the recent First Edition rules compatible Witch Queen Module Designer.
http://www.goodman-games.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2204&highlight=osric
From Troll Lord Games. This one started about Basic Fantasy, but drifted to OSRIC, where it revealed some negative feelings from that community.
http://www.freeyabb.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=2929&mforum=trolllordgames
Discussion of OSRIC Legality on the Circvs Maximvs forums. This one was started with a link to Ryan Dancey's thread a Enworld. This one gets rather lively.
http://www.circvsmaximvs.com/showthread.php?s=ad5e85d0644f11e0a9de8e31c4bb475f&t=28156
Dragonsfoot OSRIC Discussion. The question posed is how legal is it. Not a lengthy discussion here, but some good posts.
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18928
OSRIC announced on Dragonsfoot
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18307&highlight=osric
Ryan Dancy Answers OSRIC Questions with his opinion. I believe he had something to do with writing the OGL and D20 documents.
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=201334
Goodman Games Board. It has an interesting post by the recent First Edition rules compatible Witch Queen Module Designer.
http://www.goodman-games.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2204&highlight=osric
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
