• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
25June2009    
T o d a y ’ s T a b b l o i d    
PERSONALNEWSFOR
riorio2@rogue-games.net  
1   
ROGUEFEED    
Iamagamer   
JUN24,200906:43P.M.  Iamagamer.GameshavebeenamajorpartofmylifeforaslongasI  canremember.  Igrewupplayingsuchclassicsas
CandyLand    
,
 Mousetrap   
,
 Monopoly   
,  andtoomanyotherstomention.IrememberwhenIwasinthethird   gradeIdevisedagameusingmy
 StarWars
figures.Gluing
 LincolnLogs   
onalargepieceofcardboard,thegoalwastorescuePrincessLeiaand   escapetheDeathStar.Iplayedthisgameforhourswithmyfriends,  laughingatthetrulynastydeathcardswemadeup.  ItwasnotuntilIenteredthe6thgradethatIdiscovered
 Dungeons&     Dragons   
.Ihadnoideawhatthisgamewas.Therewasnoboard.Instead   thereweresixfunnyshapeddie.Itwasthesummerof1983whenmy    bestfriendClaytontooktheroleofDungeonMasterandescortedour   littlebandintotheterrorknownas
 KeepontheBorderlands   
.  Thesummerwasspenteitherplayingsoccerofbravingthehorrorsthat  Claytoncameupwith.Thiswasnotart;thiswasagroupofkidshavinga   grandtimeusingtheirimagination.Itwasalsoagroupofkidswhoused   thisnewgametopropelthemtostudy.  Iwasalwaysagoodstudent,butitwasnotuntilIstartedplayingthatI   waschargedwiththetasktolearneverythingandanythingrelatedtothe   middleages.IwantedtoknowasmuchasIcould,andmyfriendsandI  competedtoseewhocouldlearnmore.   AsIgrewupmytasteingameschanged.Istillplayed
 D&D    
,but   branchedinto
TopSecret  
,
 StarFrontiers   
,and
 BootHill  
.Itwasnotuntil  afriendboughtacopyofthe
 MiddleEarthRolePlay
thatIbrokeoutof   the
TSR
ghettoIwasstuckin.Thisonegameopenedmoredoorstome   thenIwouldeverknow.  
 MERP    
,leadto
Villains&Vigilantes   
,whichleadto
 Bushido   
,whichlead   tomoregamesthenyoucanpossiblyguess.Mytastevariedwithage,  andIevenremembertheonesummerwhenIplayed
 Rolemaster
almost  religiously   .Icansafelysaythatthemin   dnumbingchartswouldforever   sourmeo   noverlycomplicatedgames.(   Wellthatsummerandthe   
 Rolemaster
gameIplayedatGenConin1989).  ThereweresomegamesthatIbecamehookedonandstuckwithfor   longerthenIcaretoadmit.
 MarvelSuperheroes   
,isoneexampleofthis,   while
 ArsMagica
isanother.Youcannotgetmuchfurtherapartinstyle   andcontentthanthesetwogames.YetatthetimetheywerewhatIwas   lookingfor.   With
 MSH     
,Igotfastpacedsuperheroaction,andwasabletotellthe   storiesthatIwant  edto.Ichanged   rulestofitmyvision,andignoreda   lotofwhatwasgoingoninthecomicbookworld.With
 ArsMagica   
,my   loveforstorytellingwasfilled,  andIboughtin   totheconceptofashared   gamingexperience.Ilovedthesetting,andformethisishowmagic   shouldbe.SadlyIgrewtiredofthegameandfoundmyselfresearching   moreabouttheMiddleAgesandlesstimewritingstoriestoentertainmy   friends.  Thentherewas
WarhammerFantasyRolePlay   
.TothisdayIstilldonot  knowwhatitisabout
WFRP
thatfirstattractedmetoit.Themagic   systemwasnotfinished,
GamesWorkshop
releasedproductof    variousquality,andthensimplykilledthegametomakeroomforthe   leadfigurejuggernaut.Thegamelanguishedforfive-yearsuntil  
Hogshead
tookthelicensesandslowlybegantoreleasenewproduct.  Theonethingthatstandsoutformeistheworld
WarhammerFRP
isset  in.Theworldwasdeliciouslydarkandfilledwithhopelessness.Chaos   hidesbehindmostthings,andoftentimestheonlydifferencesbetween   the“heroes”andvillainsisthattheheroesarePCs.Thisisaworldof   nightmares,aworldwithoutheroes.Itisaworldwithasicksenseof   darkhumor.  Regardlessofwhatgameswereconsumingmyattention,twostayedwith   me,andwereplayedregularly.  Oneis
 D&D    
.Not
 AD&D    
,but
 D&D    
.Hereisagamethatwasself   containedandallowedtheDMtodowhathewanted.Fromtheold
 Basic   
and
 Expert
sets,to
 D&DRulesCyclopedia   
,Iranacampaignthatlasted   from1985to1998.Thisgamegavemethetoolstomakemyownworld,  andignoredtheeverincreasingvolumesfrom
 AD&D    
.  Theothergame?
Pacesetter’s
Chill  
.Ohman,howIlovethisgame.The   rulesmightnotbethegreatest,butthesheerwealthofcoolbitsand   ideasissomethingIstillreturnto.Eventoday,eventhoughIhavemy   ownhorrorgameofColonialGothic,Istillrunoccasionaloneortwo   sessiongamesof
Chill  
.Hell,oneoftheearlierversionsofthegamethat   becameColonialGothic,used
Chill  
.Ilovethisgame.  Gamesystemscomeandgoandmytasteingamesseemtochangeevery   day,butitisthesetwogamesthatIkeepfindingmyselfreturningtotime   andtimeagain.  PostedinGames,Life,thoughtsTagged:colonialgothic,Games,  Gaming,thoughts
 
Today’sTabbloidPERSONALNEWSFOR
riorio2@rogue-games.net  
25June2009   
2    
ROGUEFEED    
Dwimmermount,Session14   
JUN24,200910:42A.M.  ThemostrecentsessionofDwimmermountwas
oneofthose
sessions.   Anyonewho’srunalongstandingcampaignknowswhatI’mtalking   about.It’snotthatthesessionwasn’tfunorthatnothingtranspired   duringthetimeweplayedit,becauseneitherofthosethingsistrue.  Indeed,thepartyventuredfurtherintothecurrentlevelandmadea   numberofpossiblysignificantdiscoveries,chiefamongthembeingthat  Dwimmermountwasusedatsomepointasamonasterydevotedtothe   Thuliangodofmagic,TurmsTermax.Granted,theyhadsuspectedthis   forsometime,butthepreponderanceofreligiousartifacts,monastic   cells,andritualchambersmoreorlessconfirmedit.  It’salsonotthatthesessionwasdevoidof“action.”Thecharacters   continuedtoencountervermin,suchasgiantspidersandcentipedes,as    wellashobgoblinsandanincreasingnumberofundead,albeitofa   mindlessvariety.Thereweretrapstobeovercomeandsecretdoorstobe   foundandalltheusualobstaclesonewouldexpectofamegadungeon.  Thecharactershavealsofinallybeguntofindsomevaluabletreasure,  notthepaltrycopperandsilvercoinstheyhavefoundinlargenumbers   todate.BrotherCandoracquiredastashofclericalscrollsforfutureuse,  aswellassomepotions,whichwillcomeinhandy.AndDordagdonar   andIriadessainchedeverclosertoadvancingalevel.  ButSession14wasaclassic“justabunchofstuffthathappened”session   andmyplayerswerefinewiththat.That’sthenatureofRPGcampaigns   inmyexperience:noteverysessionisarollercoasterrideofexcitement.  Thatlevelofintensityisneithersustainableweekafterweeknor,inmy   opinion,desirable.“Slow”sessionsarevaluable.Theygiveeveryonea   chancetocatchtheirbreathandthey’reverylowmaintanenceforthe   referee.Ididn’thavetocomeupwithimpromptuNPCpersonalitiesor   describeanentirequarterofthecity-statebecausethePCswanderedoff   onsomewhim.Icouldsimplyusemynotestothedungeonandproceed   moreorlessasplannedwithoutmuchhassle,whichIappreciated.I  shouldnotetoothatmyplayersseemtodosoaswell.ItbeingFather’s   Day,ourcontingentwassmallerthanusualandthesocialaspectofthe   eveningloomedlargerthanusual.Thiswasa“comfort”dungeoncrawl—     somethingtopassthetimewithoutplacingtoomuchofaburdenon   eithermyplayersormyself.  Iamloathtocomparelong-termcampaigningtoanythinginthereal   world,sinceIknowfromhardexperiencethatoneormorepeoplewill  misreadmyintention.Therefore,Iwillbevagueandsimplysaythat,in   life,therearemanylong-term,emotionally-engagingcommitmentsinto    whichonecanenter.Toexpectthatthosecommitmentswilleachand   everytimegeneratethesamekindofpassionandintensityisarecipefor   disappointment.Sometimes—often—oneissimplycontentand   perhapse    vengratefulthatthelevelofemotionalengagementhas   subsidedt  olessthrillinglevels.Idoubtthathumanbeingscanbe   ecstatic24/7,365daysayearandIrathersuspectthat,iftheytried,  they’dmakethemselvesanemotionalwreckinfairlyshortorder.  Theabsenceofconstantesctasyisnotanindicationthatacampaignis   failingorthatit’sgrownstale.It
could
 be,but,inmyexperience,it’s   mostlyanindicationthatacampaignisgrowing
comfortable   
andthat  playersandrefereealikehavesettledintoapleasantroutine.Now,  routinesmustbebrokenfromtimetotimeandIcertainlydon’tadvocate   allowingacampaigntofallintoarut.Noonewantsthat.However,we   needtobesuretodistinguishbetweencomfortabilityandstaleness.The   twoarenotthesameandtoconfusethemhas,Ifear,broughta   prematureendtomanyacampaignonthevergeofhavingthestaying   powerthatleadstolong-termsatisfaction.  Ithinkalotofgamersaretooimpatienttoletacampaignfinditsfeet  andtheyboltatthefirstsignofthingsbecoming“boring.”Bymany   measures,mylastsessionwas“boring,”becauseitconsistedmostlyof   mappingandsomescatteredcombats,fewofwhichhadanygreater   significanceandnoneofwhichwereallthatdangeroustothePCs.  Nevertheless,Ithinklastsessionwasimportantandcontributedtothe   healthoft  hecampaign,eventhoughnothingparticularlyexciting   transpired   .But,monthsfromnow,asthecampaignhasunfolded   further,noonewillrememberSession14’sdullness.Iftheyrememberit  atall,it’llbeforitssignificanceinthe
expostfacto   
“story”ofexploring   themegadungeon,astorytheythemselveshelpedtocreatethroughtheir   sharedmemoriesoftimespentaroundmydiningroomtableimagining   aworldnottheirown.  Nothingofgreatimportmayhavehappened
inthegame   
,butIcan   assureyousomethingofgreatimporthappenedinmyhomethispast   weekend:
myfriendsandIgottogetherandgamed.  
ROGUEFEED    
Retrospective:Swordbearer   
JUN24,200908:20A.M.  
 
Today’sTabbloidPERSONALNEWSFOR
riorio2@rogue-games.net  
25June2009   
3    
Theearly80swereafunnytimeingaming,bothformepersonallyand   forthehobbygenerally.By“funny,”Imeanacombinationof   “interesting”and“unusual.”Gaming,particularlyfantasygaming,was   nowfirmlyensconcedasapopularpastime,witheveryonetryingtocash   inonthecraze.Andtherewaslotsofexperimentationwithdifferent  rules,formats,stylesofpresentation,andsoon.  Theresultwasakaleidoscopeeffect,makingmyvisitstoplaceslikeThe   CompleatStrategistsimultaneouslyexhilaratingandconfusing.What   wereallth   esedifferentgamesandwhichoneswouldIlike?Therewere   reviewsin
 Dragon
and
WhiteDwarf  
,ofcourse,aswellastheopinionsof   theguysinthegamestore,but,eventhen,Iknewthatreviewsdidn’ttell  thewholestoryandthattheopinionsofreviewersdidn’talwaysjibewith   myownpr   eferences.  Therewasalsothefactthat,thenasnow,
 D&D
exertedastrangeeffect  overmostgamers.By1982,
 D&D
 wasstartingtofeelalittle“stale”tome   andIwaskeenfornewgaminghorizons.It’snotthatIdidn’tplayother   RPGs—Idid,particularly
Traveller   
and
CallofCthulhu—
 but
 D&D
 was   myintroductionintothehobbyandhadleftitsmarkonmyimagination   inawaynoothergameeverwould.Consequently,evenwhenIwas   lookingtoreplace
 D&D
 withanothergame,
 D&D
 wasstillthereinmy   mind.ItwasthegameagainstwhichIwasjudgingothergamesandI  knownowthatthatprobablylessenedmyabilitytogiveotherRPGsthe   fairshaketheydeserved.  Itwasinthiscontextthat
 Swordbearer
enteredmylife.IknewHeritage   Modelsquitewell,havingpurchasedmanyoftheirminiaturesand   havingenjoyedtheirDwarfstarmicrogameslike
 BarbarianPrince
and   
OutpostGamma
(bothofwhich,alongwiththerestofthelineare   availableasfreeelectronicdownloadsatthissite,thankstothekindness   oftheircurrentcopyrightholder,ReaperMiniatures).So,whenIsaw    thisoddlittleboxedgame,whichproclaimeditscontentstobe“realistic,  fast-playing,complete,expandable,”Ipickeditup,hopingtofindagame   tocuremy
 D&D
malaise.  Iread
 Swordbearer
 withgreatrelish.Consistingofthreelandscape-  formatbooksofvaryinglength(illustratedthroughoutwithblackand    whiteartbythethen-unknownDenisLoubet),
 Swordbearer
 wasn’tquite    whatIexpected.Thegamehasnoclasses,beingaskill-basedonein    whichanycharactercanconceivablylearnanyskill.Thesystemisn’t  particularlycomplexbytoday’sstandards,butitseemedafairbitmore   involvedthan
 D&D    
.ThatmadeitharderformetogetintoitthanI’d   hoped,butIsoldieredthroughnonetheless.Themagicsystemis   interestingandbasedonanodesystemthat’sinspiredbyamodified    versionofAsianelementaltheory.There’salsospiritmagicthat’sbased   onthefourhumorsofclassicalWesternmedicine.   Whatset
 S   word    bearer
apart,though,wasitsbroader“social”focusthan   
 D&D    
.Thereweremany,manymoreplayableintelligentraces,including   thebunrabs,anobviousnodtodesignerDennisSustare‘searlier
 Bunnies   &Burrow     s
RP   G.Thismadeitpossibletocreateacampaignthatfeltvery   differentthantheimpliedpseudo-medievalsettingofmostofthefantasy   RPGswithwhichIwasfamili  aratthetime.Therewerealsorulesab   out  socialstatusthattiedintothegame’sabstractwealthsystem,aswellas    justwhatbeingamemberofaparticularsocialclassmeantinthe   contextofthegameworld.   Allofthismayseemlikeoldhatnowadays,but,in1982,itwasa   revelationtomeanditgave
 Swordbearer
a“serious”feeltoitthatboth   impressedandfrightenedmeatthesametime.Iverymuchwantedto   play
 Swordbearer   
,butdidn’tthinkIwas“goodenough”arefereetodo   so,afeelingI’dalsogottenfrom
 RuneQuest  
,anothergameIownedbut  neverreallymanagedtoplay.Lookingbackonitnow,IfeelbadInever   hadthechancetotryout
 Swordbearer
 withmyfriends.Ithink,even   thoughthegravitationalpullof
 D&D
ultimatelyprovedirresistible,my   gamingwouldhavebenefittedalotfromhavinghadthechancetotest  outsomeof
 Swordbearer   
‘sinnovations.   Aftermyrecentinterviewwithitsdesigner,Idustedoffmycopyfrom     thegarageandhavebegunre-readingitandit’squitethetripdown   memorylane.It’salsosparkingsomeideasinmyheadthatmightseeuse   inmyDwimmermountcampaign.CopiesofthegamepopuponeBay   fairlyregularlyandtheghostofFantasyGamesUnlimited(which   publishedthegame’ssecondedition)sellsbothPDFandprintcopies   here.Youmightconsiderpickingupacopy,ifonlytoseefirsthandsome   ofthediversitythegamingoftheearly80shad.Itreallywasama   gical  time,bothforthehobbyandtheindustry,andweshallnotseeitslike   again.  
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...