Let's look back at the year 2012

This is the post about my gaming year of 2012. I'll write here about things that affected my gaming the most.

Old School Reneissance And Clones

Old Dunegons & Dragons never was the game I enjoyed when I was a kid. I already played RuneQuest and Warhammer 1e so when testing some red box D&D and AD&D 2e those didn't feel fun for me. The main reason propably is that I didn't start gaming with d20 (well, my first game was ANKH what is inspired by D&D) so D&D just didn't feel special anymore.

Last year I started to get really interested in OSR thanks to several blogs. At that time I enjoyed mostly Vampire: the Masquerade and was totally bored in fantasy because it was almost exclusively fantasy that I gamed when I was a kid (some scifi and cyberpunk too, but less of those).

But reading all neat OSR stuff I realized that fantasy can actually be cool if you do it right. Also I found out that actually some old-school games are rules simple and you can focus on the adventure instead of hundreds of pages of different rules.

I do enjoy storytelling games where characters are in the center but I also found out that games where the adventure is the main thing are awesome. Also the fact that it is so easy to write universal material for old-school games is awesome!

Lamentations of the Flame Princess

It was late 2011 when I bought the Grindhouse Edition box but I started to read and like it in early 2012. The rules are simple and I like the weird/horror themes of the game as I am a horror fan. It was easy step to start digging OSR with LotFP because it did hit the spot where my interests are. Also the Referee book is good read.

I liked the rules how they played like 3.0 but still old-school. That's ascending AC there. When I played D&D 3.0 I stripped the rules and when got into LotFP I realized that its rules are what I wanted 3.0 to be.

I never was that interested in pre-made adventures because I wanted to create and control my own games. LotFP adventures are so good that they actually made me appreciate pre-made adventures for the first time.

Of the 2012 games for me LotFP must be one of the most influencing game. It was the final hit for my OSR interest and it is a great game with great adventure and sourcebooks.

Also whole year 2012 LotFP products (Vornheim, adventures, Isle of the Unknown) were only gamebooks I wanted to buy new. That's something.

Labyrinth Lord

When searching for a real retro-clone (LotFP is like house-ruled version of traditional D&D-esque fantasy games) there were several game PDFs I checked out but none of those felt right for me. Then I found Labyrinth Lord and with some background research I realized that this is the real retro-clone for me.

I love how simple the rules are even though I am not a fan of Thac0 type combat (it fits LL perfectly though).

Labyrinth Lord is like old D&D for me now.

Most of the year I only owned the no-art PDF of Labyrinth Lord but in the autumn I won the softcover book in one competition. That was super awesome!

Creating Material

Now with OSR it is super easy to write fantasy (and other genre) material for roleplaying games. I don't have to worry what system to use, because OSR is universal system. Raggi in LotFP showed how to easily write stats for monsters and NPC compatible for both ascending and descending AC (armor as leather). And it's pretty fun to write little fantasy stuffs in the blog (and easy as I said).

Mutant Future

Interested in OSR and liking Fallout 3 videogame a lot and hearing about Gamma World I started to find out about that game more. Soon I found that Gamma World 1st and 2nd edition would be most interesting for me but unfortunately those are out of print now. Then I found Mutant Future and I was happy!

With Mutant Future you can play totally gonzo or more realistic Mad Max style. Or Fallout game with black humor including mutants. Mutant Future easily found its way to my favorite games. Rules are simple, mutations are whacky and post-apocalyptic setting is neat. I love playing this game and I am looking forward to buy the book.

Netflix

This is not roleplaying game, but I have enjoyed watching movies when I go to sleep (some movies might take even 5 days to finish). TV series I haven't watched that much but with Netflix coming to Finland and being compatible with Xbox 360 I've watched also several series.

When I watch movies I always thing roleplaying. How this scene, background story, character, gadget and so on could be awesome in a rpg.

Netflix is not only an awesome passtime but also great resource for endless inspiration for roleplayer.

Chainmail bikini statted

Chainmail bikini is one kind of armor that possibly cannot protect you that much. Here's stats for the chainmail bikini and what it actually does.

AC: No change.
Price: 50 gold (silver for LotFP)

If the opponent doesn't hit you roll d20 against your Charisma. If the roll result is below your Charism the opponent is awed and cannot attack you for your Charisma modifier + 1d3 turns (minimum 1 turns).

Every 1000 gold (silver for LotFP) extra you invest in your chainmail bikini you get +1 to your Charisma modifier when wearing it.

Chainmail bikini cannot be used with any other armor (except with helmets and shields if those are separated from other types of armor).

Lost world adventure - Haven't done it

If this isn't awesome I don't know what is!

I have played roleplaying games for 19 or so years now. But I can't remember I have ever ran a lost world adventure. By lost world I mean for example a forgotten valley or some other place with dinosaurs and primitive tribes and forgotten temples.

Why? I don't know. When I was a kid I liked dinosaurs. I read all these books about dinosaurs in library and had my share of Dinoriders but still didn't include those in my games. Why didn't I do it because it would have been an obvious adventure to play? I don't know.

But I bet if I played AD&D back then (I didn't like it stupid me) it would have been different. Why? If I had played and liked AD&D in Monster Manual there are dozens of dinosaurs waiting to be used in an awesome way. So if I were an AD&D gamer there would have been all these dinosaurs right in the rules book waiting to be used.

I bet that if I would have played AD&D back then I would have been playing lost world type of campaigns with dinosaurs. Now I am 30 years old so should I finally make it happen? Not a big AD&D fan today either but luckily there are all these retro-clones to be used with AD&D MM.

Oh and check out that Dinoriders picture up there. That + roleplaying games would be mind-blowing!
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Have you played lost world type games with dinosaurs? Did you do it when you were a kid or later as a nostalgic awesomeness? Or does the little kid inside you still like dinosaurs?
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Oh, and fuck you science!

LotFP excitement and yet again OSR

Because I just bought Lamentations of the Flame Princess Grindhouse edition (not delivered yet, check out my last post HERE for more details) I started to try to find out more what it all is about. And what would be better place to do investigation than the authors own blog?

You can find the blog here: http://lotfp.blogspot.com and should check it out. There are interesting posts what keep me entertained.

By reading the blog I have already had some good hints about (oldshool) gaming. Also other tips on gaming and even arranging games. There are also material for games to use or introductions on what kind of material you can buy in very affordable price from LotFP store.

Lamentations and Raggi are both liked and criticized. For some reason Raggi's stuff is what I find easy and entertaining to read and from games what make old games modern without loosing the essence LotFP is the most interesting for me. But as LotFP and all this OD&D and OSR and amazing adventures gaming is unfamiliar for me I kinda need more support for it. Forums aren't good to learn in my opinion but blogs give this one individuals views to observe. Of course this one individual might be wrong but it is for reader to decide if the blog is good or not.
I have read other OSR blogs also and found them great (you might find one or two from my blog roll, but I have read different posts about OSR bloggers from RPG Bloggers). But somehow as I am now waiting for my LotFP order to deliver I find LotFP blog more influental for that reason. Not to dismiss other blogs of course, but to start by focusing on one.

Different Games For Different Needs

I am so excited now and I think that my future of gaming will be in different kind of categories balancing itself with enough variation to keep gaming new and interesting. I think I am a drama player. It's my cup of tea most definately but sometimes it gets a bit boring. When you want more action. You can put action in drama focused games of course. One session is not about Vampires drinking (blood)tea but vampires getting attacked by [add thread here]. It works naturally (same rules, but Werewolf is all about kicking litterers' arse) but still it is not the same. Naturally you can also make combat oriented campaign for drama game (warring city in Vampire, Sabbat shovelhead gang, Werewolf pack against toxic stuff) but it is not same as picking up a game and showing it to your player(s) and tell: "now we play this one."

But sure you can use one game to run all these different types and genres of adventures? Sure. But I like variety. I like playing different games and sometimes make the adventure inspired by the game and its setting. But sometimes breaking the genre can be entertaining. Mix genres to get something new. It gets boring if every time you take your D&D players know what to expect. To keep things surprising and interesting you should do a little experiments every now and then. Maybe not too often if you don't want to go gonzo with it.

You might also want to try this little trick. Take adventure/module/campaign but prepare it for different game it was originally written. You might need to re-write some parts or make big adjustments to make it work, but you might make an unique adventure what is totally different than usually adventures and campaigns in that game. Vampire campaign in D&D Forgotten Realms or dungeon crawl for Vampire?

Cover Art Is Important

In my opinion game title and game front cover - or box if boxed set - has a lot of influence. You take AD&D 2nd edition Player's (warrior riding a horse) and DM's books (wizard battling a dragon) and I bet players have a way different idea what game will be about if you took 2300AD box (dude and chick posing with 80's hair-do and weapons in scifi desert). Same with more stylished games. Vampire: the Masquerade's  green marble with red rose tells different story than D&D 3.0 old magical tome type cover.

And what I said above I come to this. Lamentations of the Flame Princess cover is so neat! Just look at it. (That picture is from Deluxe version and the difference to Grindhouse cover I think is that Grindhouse has mild topless nudity).

You show that to players and say:
"Let's play this." Yeah. It's badass in totally different way that Dungeons & Dragons is.

Unfortunately I don't have much to say about the content yet. But when I get the box (and I got time) I will most definately do the "unwrapping it" post.

And about LotFP art, Something Awful has a WTF moment for it: http://www.somethingawful.com/d/dungeons-and-dragons/lamentations-flame-princess.php (partially not work-safe, as there is lot's of gore and partial nudity from LotFP rpg viewed).

Any ways, I want my RPG cover art to show what the game is about. When I am choosing a game I will run next I look at the books what looks like I could use if I don't have clear vision what I want to do next. If I have a clear vision what I want to run I of course pick up the setting or rules to suit my needs best. As we talk mostly about Flame Princess here, that cover is different from Dungeons & Dragons 3 (we already talk here). It gives different vibes. By cover D&D 3.0 (well, also 3.X) is about making characters better and using characters to do quests. It's all about characters, what they can do. But LotFP looks like badass action. Not action in game mechanical way, but badass "this is cool" way.

I can run D&D how I like (when I started playing 3.0 I didn't focus and I didn't DM it I did Storytell it) from tactical minis combat to conversation filled drama. But still, the cover has a huge impact on what kind of game I want to use the game in.

Well, of course there are the rules and settings. What matter also. But... And if I want to run drama I pick up the book with possibly lighter rules. But in the other hand rules don't matter me that much. I can play several sessions without rolling a single die. Or I house-rule. Make over complicated rules easier or strip rules. Or make too light rules a bit more comprehensive.

Why LotFP Suddenly?


So, why I post about LotFP so much? Because I am OVER EXCITED about it. To be frank even V20 Masquerade didn't make me this excited. I don't know much about LotFP and best information is the actual product.

Would I have bought LotFP if it wasn't so good deal past weekend? Yes. Some day but not now. Even though I have considered getting a copy of LotFP this was an impulse purchase. Saw email with cupon code and other great deals. Immediately made an order. Forgot to ask my gf about it and hoping she doesn't be mad about it (gotta go buy some horse stuff for her today to make hobbies even).

I do have free Grindhouse PDF's somewhere in my harddrive though. But I don't like to read PDF's that much and because LotFP is a boxed set it is not the same thing.

So, this ranting is useless and repeating as long as I don't have the actual product in my hand. So, next post about LotFP will be unwrapping.

LotFP- Had to get mine & Thoughts about OSR

First product I bought from LotFP store was Zak Sabbat's Vornheim: the Complete City Kit (buy it HERE, it's cheap and cool). Then this weekend when I checked my email inbox I had this email from LotFP...

Code which provides -20% for list price (LotFP grind house 20€ with this offer).
Free shipping.

What did I do? Ordered immediately!

The offer is no more, but hey, go buy it anyways! With (currently) only 32,50€ you get:

Contents:
• Tutorial Book (96 A5 pages) Introducing the Basics of Role-Playing
• Rules and Magic Book (168 A5 pages) A comprehensive reference for playing the game
• Referee Book (96 A5 pages) Tools for campaigns and adventure
• 7-piece Dice Set
• Character Sheets


http://www.lotfp.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=69

See, I do like OSR stuff. I didn't play D&D or other games now concidered as OSR. It was not my thing. But now as I am growing older both in physical age and how long I have roleplayed I've become more and more curious about OSR.

I do have my own "oldschool" period of gaming. But I don't find it that nostalgic. Basically it was just learning to play and it is just a base for how I play now. If I'd go back to my oldschool gaming it would be just not as advanced how I play now. But still similar (if we forget really early days with random encounters character's die before they get first level).

I have played AD&D 2nd edition when it started to be old-ish because I wanted to play something older and that was a game I had*. I think I've mentioned it dozens of times that in the first session we continued the adventure but switched the rules (to Praedor).
*Actually, I've played Runequest, Stormbringer, Rolemaster, MERP etc. old games but in my opinion AD&D 2nd was still the old fashioned one!

Anyways, then way much later I wanted again try out something more basic what our games usually are not. D&D 3.0 was our choice (not that long ago). It was fun. But I had to strip rules to keep it relatively quick and fun. And we didn't use miniatures so there were plenty of rules what weren't necessary anymore. It was fun, but not oldschool enough. It was just like playing this time fantasy instead of horror or scifi. Fun, but not what I wanted.

What about dozens of free-to-download OSR PDF games? I have plenty of those but haven't found the one I'd like to use. There are actually really cool ones. Some fast and simple, some really detailed with thick rulebooks. But still, something was missing from those. Maybe the fact I am not OSR gamer because I don't have history so from these D&D/AD&D/T&T clones I cannot find the one that ticks.

But Lamentations of the Flame Princess has been one game I've been really curious about. I think it is oldschool but with a little different touch. Also I like how monsters are. They aren't stats you try to remember to be better next time you encounter one or dozen of them. No, in Lamentations of the Flame Princess monsters are unique and that way more horrific. I do like that. Also, I like horror - a lot. And LotFP is bent in the horror direction.

LotFP has it's small unique touch as I am not a fan of generic fantasy with elven and dwarven and heroes and bad guys. It was fun when a kid, but today I want more. Actually I went and bought Ravenloft Campaign Setting for D&D 3.0 to make D&D more interesting. I also got Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (have read novels earlier) but didn't even open it. Too boring.

I am not sure what kind of setting LotFP has, or does it have any. But I already have some ideas how to use it. I'll use some ideas from Ravenloft and will also use Vornheim tool kit.

Maybe coming dark winter gets some dark weird fantasy.

N for Noob in D&D and could I survive in REAL D&D group? (A-Z)

Still going with A-Z challenge. May is over, but I entertain myself to the end of alphabets. Now it is turn for letter N, what stands for noob in D&D.

I never actually played any of D&D editions. When I was a kid, one of my friends had D&D Red Box Finnish version with a dungeon battle map, cardboard figures etc. We did play it once or twice, but never actually found it enough fun to play more. Maybe because we already had Warhammer, MERP, Rune Quest and other fantasy roleplaying games we were used to play already.

One of my friends even got himself second hand AD&D 2nd Edition Dungeon Master's Manual and Player's Handbook with Psionics Handbook, but I don't really remember us playing AD&D even once. As AD&D2 was left unplayed, I got it from my friend for free.

Later I got this Lankhmar boxed set really cheap from my local gaming store. Liked the map and the fact that whole boxed set was focused on this one particular city. And the map was gorgeus. Big, four color map with details of every building and street. I wanted to give it a try and we started a game with AD&D2 rules which Lankhmar boxed set was meant to use with. After first fight we ditched AD&D2 rules and started to use Praedor (Burger Games Praedor site) instead.

I got myself Dungeons & Dragons 3 core books, because I got them cheap. Otherwise I wouldn't have bought them, but the price was only 10€ total for three of them and it was a nice addition for my collection. Later I got myself Forgotten Realms book for D&D3, also cheap. I did not play it until my player-girlfriend agreed to try D&D3 out just to see what's the fuzz about the game.

We had earlier played Blue Rose, what uses True20 system. Simplified version of D&D3. I think it helped us to understand D&D system before we grabbed the real D&D system. Blue Rose setting I dislike and probably will never play it again. D&D was fun to play, but we used kind of ripped version of it. All attack of opportunities, flat footed, minis etc. we did not use at all. But it was fun and different what we were used to play.

So, Why Would I Be Noob In Real D&D Group?


That was introduction to my relationship of D&D. And the main reason why I would be a noob and weakest link of the more experienced party is that I think I am not that good in optimizing my character for the needs of party. I know how to do a character, I know how most basic rules work, but I don't know how to abuse character creation and advancement system to make an efficient character.

I'd probably create a character what I find interesting and what I think is fun to play. I might buy feats and skills I find suitable for character in cost of efficiency. If the game was challenge oriented, I guess my character would suck. This is if the group is power gamers, who optimize their characters to meet all the tough  challenges DM creates for them.

If game was more story oriented, well, it would be obviously easier to play when all these nifty rules and combat grids weren't involved. But if game was for example a tough dungeon crawl, my character would be first to die or first to cause trouble for rest of the player party for bad character build or bad combat decisions.

It would be fun though to try out more tactical rpg with minis and tactical combat. It's not my style of play as I consider story and inner character development more important than combat achievements.

Got Dungeons and Dragons books

I have critisezed D&D in few posts. It is not a game for me, but meh, I am a rpg collector. And got this good opportunity to get two D&D books for my collection. So, here those are:

Dungeons & Dragons 3. Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. I am not sure, if Forgotten Realms is the best setting out there for D&D. I quess there are better basic fantasy settings, as those a bit more "weird" settings. But currently I am playing Baldur's Gate 1 with PC, and it is really a good game. So, I thought, that Forgotten Realms could be this basic adventurous fantasy setting for company my D&D.

Anyways, now I got it. I haven't read it and not sure will I anytime soon. I flipped it through and its quality is as high as in basic books. Layout is sweet and artwork, really, really great. It is pretty book. I thought it might be a bit thicker though, but less reading is good in this case. I am happy with this product.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual by Gary Gygax. I actually got AD&D 2nd edition Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide, but I never owned the Monster Manual. They two looked orphan together, so I had to make a change for that. I tried to get AD&D MM 2nd edition, but it was already sold. So I thought that what ever, AD&D MM 1st edition is good enough to replace it. And I got a gap filled on my bookshelf.

I haven't read this either, but wow, some of the illustration is really... umh how would I say it. Impressive. One thing I noticed flipping it through, there is no exp value for monsters. But there are on some monsters pencil marks of exp value. That's a bit confusing, but maybe reading it clarifies it a bit. If someone can tell right away what's this experience thing here, I'd really appreciate it.

Does by the way anyone know what is the difference between 1st and 2nd editions of Monster Manual?

In general, I am happy with these two products.

Retro time

I have wanted for some time do it retro style. Luckily, there is plenty of OD&D retro clones available, most of them for free. So I had just to google some options through and pick one up what I liked the most.

Mazes and Minotaurs is good, I have heard. And it looked nice. Only problem was though, it was quite big book with two separate parts for player's and gamemaster. So I decided to skip that for it's amount of read.

A little more digging and I found Swords & Wizardry. 118 pages so not that bad. And spell lists take a great slice out of page count. Illustration is fun and oldschool and what I quickly flipped it through, rules seemed to be really simple.

This is my choice. Now I just need to learn it and learn the differences between S&W and D&D so I can see how I could use D&D material with S&W. Do I need to convert it and is it simple.

Maybe some nice saturday evening my player's character wont be this space smuggler slash thief in love with alien who she is pregnant to (yep, current situation in Fading Suns campaign), but a warrior or a mage who just want's to... gain xp and better stuff. Hell, that would be cool!

So, starting to read S&W.

Rant: I hate D20

Allright, D20 system can be used in Dungeons & Dragons, I don't mind that, but one thing what really, really aggravates me is that every single game must be converted to D20. I'd like to get BESM for my collection, but quess what, easily available version is D20. I think it isn't the original or it doesn't have the original feel anymore. I am not sure of tri-stat system (doesn't it use that) or is D20 actually better system or not, but I don't buy it (as a "feel" or a copy of it). Many of out of print games are again available, but in damn D20 format. There is many games that I'd like to collect, and they are hard to find nowadays and when browsing rpg shops and I actually find a copy of game I'd like to get, I allways get disappointed when I see that cursed D20 logo on them. Hey, c'mon! If I want to buy an older game, I want it older, not damn D20 incarnation of it.

As I am watching Farscape now and really, really like it and I knew there is Farscape rpg available, I almost wet my pants. When I did search it in rpg store's stock I cannot describe my rage, as it is - ofcourse - in D20. I don't want any level or class based Farscape science fiction. I don't want to roll D20 + modifier against difficulty number or what ever it is. I don't want uni-rules for all frikkin' games (at least when those uni-rules are damn D20), so I stopped lusting for my copy of Farscape rpg. D20 system ruined it for me, even if I didn't buy it.

I like Star Wars, not a big fan, but I like it. It has great value in science fiction genre, and I really enjoyed the movies when I was a kid, and I still do (even if episodes 1-3 are bull's butt). I got myself Star Wars SAGA and thought I can bear the D20 system, but never finished reading it. Most of the book is damn D20 rules and them damn D20 rules are stupid in my opinion. I will never run it. Nor read through. I wish I had Star Wars D6 instead of that stupid D20 book.

What about WoD D20? I don't want to even start about it, as in one forum I got my butt whooped over ranting about it. Okay, I know I haven't read it or even kept it in my grip, but still... D20 WoD with totally different backstory than original World of Darkness. I can take the idea of "dungeon crawl vamps and wuffies fighting with each other" and I can even bear the idea of supernatural beings from other darn dimension, but still... LVL 6 vampire. I don't buy it. It just feels so wrong. If the idea of D20 WoD is to give WoD to those D20 purists, it is a failure. If you cannot bear storytelling system and love your D20, don't play damn WoD. It is not ment for you. I can imagine conversation between D20 WoD-player and Storyteller WoD-player. Is there anything common with them? Might be, but I doubt. We are emo.

The fact is, that WotC is huge, they are one of the few dominating the markets, and they got money. It is good and respected effort that they actually cast resurrection spells to games what have been forgotten, or where setting was nice but rules sucked, but I am starting to get really, really angry about everything turning to D20. I don't like D20. I got my D&D 3rd edition and Blue Rose with True20 (please, don't tell me how D&D 3.5, or 4th, or Pathfinder or anything else with D20 system is better than my "experience" with 3rd edition) which is my actual D20 experience. Well, never played D&D 3rd edition but I have read it a couple of times. If I want basic high fantasy adventures, I wouldn't choose D20 even then. I just don't like it. I like to roleplay in my mind, not with minis and battlemaps. I do want to roleplay, not rollplay. I know, you can roleplay even with tv-guide with enough imagination, and I am not rules heavy gm even in games with lightest rules but still, whole D20 concept relies on rules in my opinion. And all those attacks of opportunities and other feats you basically cannot play without buttons, paperscraps or minis is so frustrating. I want to be able to fully play my rpg without any other items. If I want to use minis, I play a game like Necromunda (been adding rpg aspects on it also in the past actually).
True20 was bearable. Take D20 system, make it a bit more simple. But still, it didn't tickle me. It still is lvl based. It still has some combat manouvers what are used in big part of action. I like my action to be "throw dice and describe" not "read your character sheets dozen feats and decide what you use". I like freedom in action, not list of what my character can do and cannot do.

You can still play D20 without rules, or modificate the rules to suit you, or make it rules light. You can ditch the attack of opportunities and other things you don't like, but it still is the same. You cannot change it.

I don't mean to attack all of you D20 lovers out there. Billion people cannot be wrong, and D20 is doing good. It just isn't for me. I don't mind what you play, more important thing is that you enjoy what you are playing. Most annoying about D20 what actually concerns me is that everything seems to be D20. Many interesting settings and books turn me off because of that D20.

Well, as a WoD fan, I don't like nWoD actually, but that is another story. I think Savage Worlds could be a good competitor to D20. I know, it will never take the crown from D20 and claim itself the "one" who resurrects old games, but it has potential. For Savage Worlds there is also good number of old games re-published.

It's good to get this out of my head. Now, peace, finally.

(Pictures from:
http://www.velvetdicebag.net/images/vdb/d20logobig.jpg
http://www.thesuperest.com/heroes/g07_d20.jpg)