My Melee/Wizard/TFT inspired, using d6's only like the original, old school style game should be coming out in October. Stay tuned true believers!
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Cover from my girl
My Melee/Wizard/TFT inspired, using d6's only like the original, old school style game should be coming out in October. Stay tuned true believers!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
Pocket Fulll of Pumpkins
Could be bad timing, or a bad project or just vast amounts of gameritis? Possibly a combination of all 3.
Most importantly, thanks again to the hardy creative types who signed up and offered to make the the effort! I really appreciate your offer of time and creativity!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Terror Project Update: 24 to go!
What is it?
A mini adventure, just like the Pocket Full of Peril series, themed for the terrors and spookiness of Halloween!
Map fits on one side of a 4x6 note card, adventure fits on the back!
Below is a sample of a Pocket full of Peril so you have an idea. Sign up now only a few days left to make it happen!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Pocket Full of Terror Project
A Pocket Full of Peril format is 4x6 note card sized. Map on one side and adventure on the other. So the requirements are quite small. You can download samples in the Peril icon to the right or just search my site for previous examples. Making one only takes a few hours of time!
If this is of interest please vote and commit below. My goal would be to obtain 31 excursions into terror!
I would kick it off next Saturday (9/22) by sending you a template and instructions, then require all submissions by 10/21. I will assemble and publish them all as a digest sized PDF booklet on 10/31. Assuming the project unfolds, if anyone wanted to supply a suitable cover image that would be outstanding!
Any takers? Commit below and vote if you are interested in seeing this happen!
One week to make it a go or no go project...spread the terror!
Sunday, September 16, 2012
PFoP #11 GRAVE MISTAKE
The lord Gres Vonsul went mad they said, after the sudden simultaneous death of his wife, twin daughters, and his two sons. Some say the influence of his sage Nul Kaymen was the cause. Nul had always been a practitioner of the arts, and some say he traded the lives of his liege lord's family for more power and knowledge.
Despair and anguish set Vonsul to constructing a burial tomb for his family. When it was complete, he had himself sealed within to live out his days, like his family, in the peace and blackness of the an earthen tomb. A lone black tower stood on the hill for centuries as a grave marker with no entrance visible, and none sought to find one.
Now Disciples of Nul are said to have ventured into these lands. Seeking knowledge that may have been entombed with Vonsul clan. Recent disappearances and bloody remains strewn near the hillside suggest the something is wrong. Will the players discover the truth, or are they making a grave mistake?
Back again with a new Pocket Full of Peril! This map is an edited version I made from Stonewerks blog. It's been nearly a year since he posted, and nearly that long since we started a joint adventure project--and then he simply disappeared. I certainly hope all is well, and hope by posting a new Pocket Full of Peril, he may be tempted to return. Download PFoP #11 here.
Pocket Full of Terror?
I'd also like to propose a possible October Pocket Full of Terror project. Using the PFOP Template and format, you'd create a small adventure based around terror, frights, and other spooky themes. These will not be system specific, following PFoP standards. If you create a new beastie, you have to work it into the tiny text space. If this is of interest please vote and commit below. My goal would be to obtain 31 excursions into terror!
I would kick it off next Saturday (9/22) by sending you a template and instructions, then require all submissions by 10/21. I will assemble and publish them all as a digest sized PDF booklet on 10/31. Assuming the project unfolds, if anyone wanted to supply a suitable cover image that would be outstanding!
Any takers? Commit below and vote if you are interested in seeing this happen!
One week to make it a go or no go project...spread the terror!
Friday, September 14, 2012
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Progress: Out for editing
The draft version of Heroes & Other Worlds should be completed today, and then off to Pastor Beau for editing it goes! My wife is working away on the cover for Heroes & Other Worlds while art work is rolling in. Below is a new sketch from Artkid (luigi) that just came in.
At this point the 6x9 Rules books will contain both an introductory programmed adventure (from a known publisher) and a basic refereed adventure as well! The best way to explain the rules book is a Moldvay style with Melee/Wizard/TFT inspired rules. Update: Draft is done, it is out for editing!
At this point the 6x9 Rules books will contain both an introductory programmed adventure (from a known publisher) and a basic refereed adventure as well! The best way to explain the rules book is a Moldvay style with Melee/Wizard/TFT inspired rules. Update: Draft is done, it is out for editing!
Monday, September 3, 2012
Lucky dice
The following information reconfirms my favoritism for the multi-d6 method of gaming for Heroes and Other Worlds. You see a single die (d20) resolution will not produce an average result because of manufacturing vagaries. As a result, yes there are "lucky" or "unlucky" dice because of how they were made. Don't take my word for it, see the results below from Awesome dice blog.
Do Your Dice Roll True?
The founder of GameScience, Lou Zocchi, has long claimed that GameScience dice roll more true than other gaming dice. In a well-known GenCon video Zocchi explained why GameScience dice should roll more true.
His logic is that due to how dice are made, traditional RPG dice are actually put through a process similar to a rock tumbler as part of the painting and polishing, and this process causes the dice to have rounded edges. In theory the uneven rounding gives the dice an inconsistent shape that favors certain sides. GameScience dice are not put through this process, which is why they retain their sharp edges and is also why their dice come uninked.
While Zocchi’s makes a good argument about egg-shaped d20s, what was lacking was any kind of actual testing of how the dice roll. Nowhere were we able to find any tests of d20s — either GameScience or traditional d20s — to determine whether or not they roll true. As giant fans of dice and an impartial third party, we decided to run a test ourselves and see just how randomly RPG d20s really roll.
We pitted GameScience precision dice against Chessex dice (the largest RPG dice manufacturer) to see what science has to say.
The dice were rolled by hand on a battlemat on a level table. For this experiment the dice were rolled on the surface for at least two feet and had to bounce off a flat backstop before coming to rest. This is similar to the requirements of craps tables in casinos. Our logic is that if this method successfully prevents cheating with six-sided dice, it will more than suffice for d20 dice being rolled without any intent to alter the results. (Since casinos are not losing money on gambling, we assume they know what they’re doing).
Each die was rolled 10,000 times, and the results recorded.
Do Your Dice Roll True?
The founder of GameScience, Lou Zocchi, has long claimed that GameScience dice roll more true than other gaming dice. In a well-known GenCon video Zocchi explained why GameScience dice should roll more true.
His logic is that due to how dice are made, traditional RPG dice are actually put through a process similar to a rock tumbler as part of the painting and polishing, and this process causes the dice to have rounded edges. In theory the uneven rounding gives the dice an inconsistent shape that favors certain sides. GameScience dice are not put through this process, which is why they retain their sharp edges and is also why their dice come uninked.
While Zocchi’s makes a good argument about egg-shaped d20s, what was lacking was any kind of actual testing of how the dice roll. Nowhere were we able to find any tests of d20s — either GameScience or traditional d20s — to determine whether or not they roll true. As giant fans of dice and an impartial third party, we decided to run a test ourselves and see just how randomly RPG d20s really roll.
We pitted GameScience precision dice against Chessex dice (the largest RPG dice manufacturer) to see what science has to say.
Methodology
For the principle test we used one Chessex d20 and one GameScience d20, both brand new right out of the packaging. The GameScience d20 was inked with a Sharpe to make it easier to read the results, but the dice were not modified in any other way.The dice were rolled by hand on a battlemat on a level table. For this experiment the dice were rolled on the surface for at least two feet and had to bounce off a flat backstop before coming to rest. This is similar to the requirements of craps tables in casinos. Our logic is that if this method successfully prevents cheating with six-sided dice, it will more than suffice for d20 dice being rolled without any intent to alter the results. (Since casinos are not losing money on gambling, we assume they know what they’re doing).
Each die was rolled 10,000 times, and the results recorded.
Test Results
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Transition
Work on my own TFT inspired game continues. As I read old articles regarding TFT, I thought it would be interesting to share the thoughts of Steve Jackson regarding Man to Man (proto GURPS) and how it compares to TFT. It's interesting to see how Steve Jackson felt TFT was too limiting and needed to be re-done anyway to fit with his vision. I liked Man to Man and had hopes that it might have spawned some of the original material support promised after Orcslayer:
1) A high tech weapons book (originally supposed to be in MtM but cut because it needed more play testing and SJ wanted MtM out at for GenCon and @ $9.95)
2)A book of pre-gen characters
3)An arena campaign with animal rules
4) medieval/fantasy City guards adventure
5) A dungeon crawl
6) A modern street gang adventure
Below are the notes from SJ on comparisons between MtM and TFT.
1) A high tech weapons book (originally supposed to be in MtM but cut because it needed more play testing and SJ wanted MtM out at for GenCon and @ $9.95)
2)A book of pre-gen characters
3)An arena campaign with animal rules
4) medieval/fantasy City guards adventure
5) A dungeon crawl
6) A modern street gang adventure
Below are the notes from SJ on comparisons between MtM and TFT.
