Introductions

[Harlock]

The only luck Ive had for playing older games is my local gaming group - that way once a month I get atleast a couple hours in

your luckier than most.  Of the places I've lived in the past 20+ years there was no local gaming group.  Closest I found was "games by the water" downtown toronto and as far as I can see even thats been gone for several years.

[evernevermore]

Well here is the best info for my group
http://eonsreach.com/gaspforum/index.php?topic=513.0

maybe it will help kick start something for someone else (I'll post the text if people cant view it)

[knight77]

Greetings all, newbie here

My name's Paul, I came across the site through one of Randall's projects, and being a retro game fan, couldn't resist a chat. I started Red Box DnD back in 1990 ish (Before that in the late 80's I'd been a 'Hero quest' player, who was constantly trying to turn it into an RPG ...without ever knowing what one was...an interesting process).
 
I began running games for my school friends, and soon was playing in a lightly moded version of 2nd Ed with some friends who were a few years my senior. Fond memories, going into a game i knew little about, statistically speaking, and just *experiencing* the game.

Soon my peers and I were running our own modified 2nd Ed games, and years of rules abuse commenced (occasionally by me, but only to keep up, I swear). Being a fellow who enjoys options I was excited about the skills and powers line. After some playing, my feelings changed, it was just too easy to abuse...horribly. Alas, my group was so into this 'progressive' move and we never reverted, with the exception of my forcing them to play Basic again (I love that Rules Cyclopedia *so* much). This met mixed responses, but proved amusing when the 1 hit point Mage killed himself with a fumbled attack (yeah it was a harsh call on my part to make them roll level 1 hit points, but just too funny to pass up!). 

Then came 3, and 3.5. Mixed feelings. It got us all together and playing again after a huge hiatus (women, booze and work have a tendency to interfere...I'm not complaining!) but the combat system was clunkier than we expected (not 2nd ed skills and powers clunky but still lengthy...with too many complications). We stuck with it...modified...it was ok.

Then 4th ed came out. Like may of you here I was aghast. I tried playing it...for months I really tried..but gads, just awful. 'Pushing' 'pulling' combat was SO complex we'd spend an entire session on ONE combat. ONE. There were only 5 of us at the time. Just crazy. And outside combat? Nothing. Just so. little. substance. A friend in a different RPG group said to me 'you just have to *role play* it more. Single worst defense of the system I ever heard. I started an anti 4th ed movement and was succesful. We abandoned that puppy. (disclaimer: this system is fine for what it is, i.e a miniatures combat game. If you like it for that, more power to ya...but DnD it aint, brother!)

Nowadays I run a 2nd ed game which is coming to a close and the other guy runs a 3.5 mod (the other 4 love it, so I couldn't convince them to all go retro full time...yet). I'm keen to learn more about M20 and M75 and I've downloaded Labyrinth Lord to peruse tonight once the GF is asleep...

wow, essay, sorry

Hi all!

[mkotschi]

Hi I'm Michael, and I also don't check here often enough.   

[RandallS]

My name's Paul, I came across the site through one of Randall's projects, and being a retro game fan, couldn't resist a chat. I started Red Box DnD back in 1990 ish (Before that in the late 80's I'd been a 'Hero quest' player, who was constantly trying to turn it into an RPG ...without ever knowing what one was...an interesting process).

Welcome to the forum.  Believe it or not, I've never played Heroquest -- probably because I didn't think of it as an rpg and no one I knew actually had a copy.

Nowadays I run a 2nd ed game which is coming to a close and the other guy runs a 3.5 mod (the other 4 love it, so I couldn't convince them to all go retro full time...yet). I'm keen to learn more about M20 and M75 and I've downloaded Labyrinth Lord to peruse tonight once the GF is asleep...

I like Labyrinth Lord, but would probably just use my Rules Cyclopedia if I was going to run that version of D&D. The RC is probably the best single book version of D&D ever published. My M74 campaign just shut down -- because the players decided they really wanted to try real OD&D set in the Wilderlands of High Fantasy. The first session is tomorrow. 

[RandallS]

Hi I'm Michael, and I also don't check here often enough.   

Welcome, Michael!

[knight77]

Welcome to the forum.  Believe it or not, I've never played Heroquest -- probably because I didn't think of it as an rpg and no one I knew actually had a copy.

I like Labyrinth Lord, but would probably just use my Rules Cyclopedia if I was going to run that version of D&D. The RC is probably the best single book version of D&D ever published. My M74 campaign just shut down -- because the players decided they really wanted to try real OD&D set in the Wilderlands of High Fantasy. The first session is tomorrow. 

Yeah I didn't own the full box set either. I got the rules from my local library I think (bizarrely) and bought a bunch of minis and set about trying to turn it into...well, D and D, but as I said, I had no idea how D and D worked at the time. Eventually I saw the Red Box on sale (for £2 something)...I had just enough for the bus fair and the box set, so off I went on my quest. That fateful rainy morning transformed my childhood fore'er more!

Good luck with your OD&D campaign. I agree on the RC front...it's my single favourite D&D resource. I'm adapting the RC stuff I like to use with BFRPG and see how that goes. Rules light and high fantasy (set in krynn, should be interesting).

Thanks for the welcomes, both

Paul

[RandallS]

Good luck with your OD&D campaign.

The first "full" session went great. The PCs were attacked by kobold bandits along the road to the City-State from Thunderhold. They decided to follow those kobolds who ran away rather be killed and discovered a kobold cave complex lair. They cleaned it out and are now debating rather they should go back to Thunderhold to collect a possible small reward for eliminating a group of bandits, continue on to the City-State, or try to follow a map to what are labeled "green sparkles" in kobold. Oh, and they have these two goblins they found being held prisoner by the kobolds. Unfortunately the session only lasted a couple of hours as two players had church stuff to do later in the day.

[knight77]

hey all

been beavering away at a new retro-clone/rules do-over (like we need another one :p). It's slow going because it has to fit between my PhD research (and impending writeup) but we had our first playtest Saturday before our regular game and it actually worked pretty well.

Anyway, I mention it because you're likely pretty like-minded fellows and once we have our site up it would be great if y'all would take a look at it. More details to follow...

@Randall: how goes the OD&D campaign? what you have so far sounds pretty old school (meant in a good way)!

[RandallS]

@Randall: how goes the OD&D campaign? what you have so far sounds pretty old school (meant in a good way)!

It's on holiday hiatus right now, although a couple of group members are playtesting my no level S&S game I'm working on during the break.

Of course, in the OD&D game, the group never made it to the City-State. They've gotten side-tracked by bandits, small dungeons, a haunted castle and are currently on the run from a (fortunately small) dragon they offended by freeing the sacrificial maiden. At least they are running in the direction of the City-State. LOL.

[knight77]

It's on holiday hiatus right now, although a couple of group members are playtesting my no level S&S game I'm working on during the break.

Of course, in the OD&D game, the group never made it to the City-State. They've gotten side-tracked by bandits, small dungeons, a haunted castle and are currently on the run from a (fortunately small) dragon they offended by freeing the sacrificial maiden. At least they are running in the direction of the City-State. LOL.

Man, that sounds classic. May have to borrow the sacrificial maiden idea for my next playtest session! (just about figured out how dragons work in the new system...)

Best!

Paul