Pen and Paper RPGs

[KWhit]

You guys that have been playing NWN have got me thinking. Does anyone on here play any of the pen & paper role playing games like AD&D?

I used to play as a kid and it was a blast. Seems like it has to potential to be fun as an adult as well, but I'd like to get some first hand accounts as to your experiences as adults.

I'm not all that geeky (believe it or not) and my feeling is that most people I could hook up with to play would be uber-nerdy types that I'd not really enjoy spending time with.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Depends. I played pretty much from age 6-27 or so. Had a great time. I still do it once or twice a year when I go back home. Can be great fun. Sure there are plenty of uber-nerdy types out there. They are to be avoided, but there is likely a group of mature, smart, interesting socially-apt people out there who just enjoy it.

I think the game is much more fun as an adult. If you are able to get away from the hack'n'slash/numbers aspect of it and focus more on characters, story, etc. it can be quite rewarding.

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by KWhit
You guys that have been playing NWN have got me thinking. Does anyone on here play any of the pen & paper role playing games like AD&D?

I used to play as a kid and it was a blast. Seems like it has to potential to be fun as an adult as well, but I'd like to get some first hand accounts as to your experiences as adults.

I'm not all that geeky (believe it or not) and my feeling is that most people I could hook up with to play would be uber-nerdy types that I'd not really enjoy spending time with.

You know I used to work for Dragonware hobbies? I bet you had been in there if you played when you were younger.

I played way too much when I was younger, and wish I could find a group to play with again, but I've I had no luck finding anybody.

[QuikSand]

I played back during the predictable ages - took years working on one character, and really enjoyed it.

I recently joined a PnP campaign playing once a month. Regrettably, due to a tediously slow pace set by the DM and lots of pointless "role-playing" (quotes used disparagingly) it fell apart, just as I was getting comfortable with the new 3rd Ed rules. (Which I believe are a vast improvement, overall)

I never got into the other genres, but definitely believe that the RPG concept is a really good one.

[KWhit]

Hey GD, we're practically next-door neighbors. It would be great if we could find another 2-3 "normal" guys and start a campaign.

And yes, I used to go into Dragonware all the time. Spent way too much money there actually.

[Fritz]

I play PnP at least once a month with a regular group. It is mostly social, but a good time.

[KWhit]

How did you go about finding that group Fritz?

[condors]

well i have had horrible luck "looking" for groups to join, i am a dm and when a few of us from the old gang get together we will play and it will be a blast but we are all in our mid 30's and wife and kids gets in the way of regular gaming so we play when we feel like it. works out well but i want to game some more, there is a comic book\d&d store and i have tried to join 3 groups 2 of which i felt so akward the minute i met them(kids much younger and one group "dressed" the part) the other group was ok and went for a few months but they decieded to relocate things and it would mean 4 hours on the road to play 2 hours for me its just too far.

Best thing for a good time with small group is Warhammer its more like a game of chess with dice but sure is fun espcially when my skaven defeat those silly knights of brettonia :p

[cuervo72]

Hmm, never much played pen and paper games, but in college I did "MUD" (multi-user dungeon) a lot. Pretty addicting, trying to advance levels. Basically a C++ program which runs on a telnet port. It served for the most part as a real time chat where you ran around killing things. Knowing the guys who ran it, we were able to program some new areas (built one based on the Running Man, before they edited it out :( ), monsters (>kill dolaposter) and objects.

http://www.circlemud.org/

Hmm, looks like someone DID actually archive .New Sparta, the Cheers bar, and the Blood Bowl stadium (http://abermud.tripod.com/zonelist.html)....but not the Running Man arena. Oh well.

[Bee]

cuervo,

Are you playing on Avlis with NWN? It reminds me a great deal of some of the old MUD's I used to play.

[cuervo72]

Bee - no, I haven't played (any mud type game) in years, probably since '94 or '95. WAAAAYYYYY to addictive (I'd have no time for this board!)

Ha, just found another reference to New Sparta (http://www.1plus3.com/chaos/area.php3?area=23100)....cool. Of course, they list author as unknown :)

[Eilim]

Was once a big time PnP player. I think I own every Forgotten Realms 2nd edition book put out. Was in a weekly gaming group for about 7 years, but was more of the develop a story/social type of game than most. (One of our players actually got a book published based on our adventures)

Eventually it died out as the group of us started moving further apart and starting families. At 30, I just don't have it in me to go looking around for a new gaming group.

Nowadays I work on my MUD project (that will probably never see the light of day), tinker with my NWN world and buy up any decent looking computer rpg I can find to get my fix.

-Eilim

[Fritz]

I was brought into it by a close friend and co-worker. He recruited the others as well. Over time we have culled players from the group.

Like many others, I played when I was a teen and then gave it up. I only went back for something to do.

[Syrinx]

I have played D&D off and on as an adult. The most recent gaming group consisted of my wife, two buddies of mine from college, one of their wives, and another friend. We used to play every other week (for about 2 years), but haven’t played more then three times since taking a break just before Thanksgiving. It was a very good experience, with a lot more imagination and character development then in many of the high school and college games I played earlier in my life.

I played in both high school and then college with a couple of large groups, but after school I moved to Boston for a few years, where I didn’t know anyone who played. I didn’t start back up until moving back and meeting up with some of my friends who used to play. We started back up, in part, because of the new 3rd Edition Rules. Neither my wife, nor the other wife in the group had played while they were in school, so it was new to them. The new rule set is a lot easier to teach and learn.

I also tried a brief campaign with some co-workers a year or so ago, but it was too much trouble to maintain. If I didn’t have contact with my college friends, who I was already comfortable gaming with, I don’t think it really would have worked out.

[Fritz]

My bud and I thought about going to the local geek store to find a game, but a survey of the people playing left us with the impression that they were goons. I don't know how I would find a "new" group.

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by KWhit
Hey GD, we're practically next-door neighbors. It would be great if we could find another 2-3 "normal" guys and start a campaign.

And yes, I used to go into Dragonware all the time. Spent way too much money there actually.

I'm in, but I can't supply any people that I can think of. I still know the former owner of Dragonware (she actually built a castle just up the road here) and a few of her friends still play some, but I wouldn't call them "normal" (I mean, she built a freakin' castle!). The most important thing would be to find a solid DM. I went and sat in on one of their games, and the guy running it was pretty bad. I have a friend who would probably do a great job, but he lives in Alpharetta.

[KWhit]

Unfortunately, I don't know anybody who plays at all. I used to DM back in the day, but I don't even know the new rules. I think we played AD&D version 1, but I'm not sure. I'll give this some more thought and see if I can come up with anyone.

It might be fun to sit in on a game now and then to get re-aquainted with the game.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by KWhit
Unfortunately, I don't know anybody who plays at all. I used to DM back in the day, but I don't even know the new rules. I think we played AD&D version 1, but I'm not sure. I'll give this some more thought and see if I can come up with anyone.

It might be fun to sit in on a game now and then to get re-aquainted with the game.

if you play, make the move to 3rd ed rules. They are much better. The best way to describe it would be going from standard measure to the metric system.

[KWhit]

Yeah. Just from playing NWN I can tell that the system is much more robust.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

I played PnP for a while . now its purely pc rpg .

[Tekneek]

I have a big stack of AD&D books that I still keep, but never do anything with them. Last time I ever tried to get together with anyone in real life to play, they were dolts that I could not stand to be around. Not counting the time I got together with some guys and came up with some great characters, and then the suicidal girlfriend of one finally got her death wish and a couple of the guys got on a downward spiral and we never got back together...good story, eh?

I kept the books, because I am still interested in it, but don't know if it would ever work out now with a kid, and crazy work schedules. Ho hum.

Along that line I am interested in war/strategy games, other RPGs like The Morrow Project, and so on. I have almost never found people to enjoy those things with...

I used to play in Muds, back in the early-to-mid 90s. They are still kinda interesting, but not enough to engage in on a regular basis. The ones that really caught my eye, that were going to have global simulations, involving militaries, economics, etc, never fully materialized.

[oykib]

I have to echo the problems mentioned here. As you get older it is much more difficult to find other players. I had a pretty regular group going with my brothers and cousin when I was a kid.

PnP RPGs have really declined, though. I remeber the Golden Age, right before MtG made its appearance. I think that the combo of collectible card games and the explosion of video and computer games really killed PnP. Now, most of the guys who you'd get in a group are playing Everquest or something.

Most of the companies that published the Rpgs are now defunct.

[Coffee Warlord]

I used to play D&D and the like all the time.

A few of my friends stilll play via IRC here and there, since we've moved all over (it works fairly well with a small enough group).

In fact, if anyone is interested, I'd be more than happy trying to get a game going on IRC for the FOFC crew.

Any takers?

[Tekneek]

I might be, it is just that my schedule is most likely not convenient for anyone else. :)

[sachmo71]

I played often as a kid, but quit playing in my teens. Last year, a coworker decided to get a group together. We've played about 15 times, usually in 8 hour streaches. Since we are all married (mostly), we have to get what we can in the time "allowed". We started with 2nd Edition D&D and recently moved to 3rd Edition. Pretty good move, I think.

Recently, I bought the 5th Edition Hero rules and am trying to learn them so I can take the guys into superhero land. I'm definately looking forward to that. Who knows, maybe I can write a book from their story? :D

[RendeR]

If there is anyone in the new enalgnad are who wants to get a game together say a couple times a month, please let me know. I've been hoping to get into a pen and paper game for a long time now, I used to play all the time growing up.


Ren

[Blade]

I used to play all the time as a kid...mainly 2nd Edition DnD. I have played off and on for the past few years, and I have tried all manner of systems: 3rd Edition DnD, Vampire, Star Wars, Palladium, and Rolemaster.

Of course, if anyone asks me what I am doing on the night when I go play a PnP, I tell them I am off to play poker...

[Draft Dodger]

I still remember being in the 3rd or 4th grade back in the late '70s and someone teaching me. Soon bought that pink Basic set, and was hooked.

I've tried to get a few sessions going in the last few years, but the old gang is now pretty much scattered around, and the few who are close enough have work / family priorities that have made it impossible to start.

I haven't played an PnP D&D since 3rd edition came out - just no freaking time.

[Celeval]

KWhit, GrantDawg -

Depending on timing, etc., I might be interested in getting into a regular to semi-regular campaign. I'm not the DM you're looking for, though. :)

Kevin

[condors]

coffee warlord,

i am interested what kinda of times do you normally play?
what edition? i am familar with all 3

anyway you can drop me an email at lordmalbin at hotmail

got lots of questions

[Coffee Warlord]

I was more referring to a new game for the FOFC crowd. The one game I'm in at the moment I doubt anyone would be able to get into.

But, for the record, I'm a 3rd edition advocate, although we've (me and a friend) have a thing for low magic games, and have been monkeying with d20 modern to produce a workable set of rules for such a game. It actually could be pretty spiffy.

[condors]

well i am up for it

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Coffee Warlord
and have been monkeying with d20 modern to produce a workable set of rules for such a game. It actually could be pretty spiffy.

I just saw a set of d20 modern rules in a bookstore. Can't remember the name of the book though. Twilight 2000 turned me off to modern games (but I loved traveller and gamma world).

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by Celeval
KWhit, GrantDawg -

Depending on timing, etc., I might be interested in getting into a regular to semi-regular campaign. I'm not the DM you're looking for, though. :)

Kevin

That's is three, and my friend from Alpharetta said he would run. What kind of time frame are we talking (every couple weeks, once a month) and length (8 hours or a couple hours) and where (my home is a possibility, but I have a baby due in the next month or so).

[Calis]

Heh modern day stuff, very first P&P game I ever played was the old school Top Secret, man I loved that game. Then I went on to play Rifts for a good amount of time, with a dash of the White Wolf Games thrown in. My group was mostly P&P whores, we liked the idea of new games, short attention span though.

I haven't played any P&P in years, I really don't have any desire to either for some reason, but that might be more to do with the people that I would I play with if I did, I think I'd hate it. :)

In conclusion I'd like to add, Shadowrun owns all, by far my favorite setting.

[sachmo71]

Where is Cougar? He would figure out how to run an online RPG.

[Calis]

It's actually real easy to run one online in mIRC and using a dicebot, I was in a pre-release "guild" for NWN, and we played quite a bit online. It's a pretty good time.

I'd probably be interested in trying this out sometime, that's if people decided to play something other than D&D, I'm just bored all to hell with that, and most fantasy settings in general.

Sachmo- What's this Hero rules? Is it a standalone game? Who makes it? Just curious, I think a Superhero-based RPG could be a lot of fun, but I've yet to ever try one out.

[oykib]

Originally posted by Calis
It's actually real easy to run one online in mIRC and using a dicebot, I was in a pre-release "guild" for NWN, and we played quite a bit online. It's a pretty good time.

I'd probably be interested in trying this out sometime, that's if people decided to play something other than D&D, I'm just bored all to hell with that, and most fantasy settings in general.

Sachmo- What's this Hero rules? Is it a standalone game? Who makes it? Just curious, I think a Superhero-based RPG could be a lot of fun, but I've yet to ever try one out.

The main imprint of Hero System was Champions. I had a good time with that game back in the day. Running it could give you a headache, though. There was a lot of math involved. It wasn't particularly tough. But it was tedious to keep track of.

I suppose as an adult it might not be that bad.

[Coffee Warlord]

Originally posted by Fritz
I just saw a set of d20 modern rules in a bookstore. Can't remember the name of the book though. Twilight 2000 turned me off to modern games (but I loved traveller and gamma world).

Yeah, I'm not that big of fan of modern games. This was working the d20 modern rules (a good system) into a low magic medieval setting. I really enjoy the 'realistic fantasy' genre of gaming. IE very little uber magical stuff, more harsh, cold steel kinda worlds, with mystical things being rare & unknown.

[Coffee Warlord]

Dola.

Dear god NO Champions.

I despise that system/game with the fire of a thousand hells.

[condors]

palladium role playing game is very suited to this

or the eeks conan d&d campaign setting

[condors]

any here ever play rolemaster?

i wouldn't mind putting my books to use and running a campaign again

[oykib]

Actually, the best system for superheroes was probably DC Heroes from Mayfair games. A lot of people don't like it because they prefer the marvel characters or were turned off by the simplicity of the system. But it was the only one that properly mimicked comic books.

I was going to do a Dragon Ball campaign using that system with my brother and a few friends, but it never got off the ground.

[oykib]

Dola--

Rolemaster was cool. Elfquest had the same system. It was the most fun I ever had fantasy gaming.

I also thought that the system for Pendragon was cool. But the range of characters that you could use was too limited.

[Travis]

Rolemaster is one of the best systems I've played, but we also used a modified initiative system that enhanced the "realism" of combat a bit more too.

Way better than 3rd edition anyways.

[Fritz]

I like rolemaster, and thought the character deveolopment was great, but the mechanics were a bit complex.

[oykib]

You know-- I think I got Rolemaster mixed up with Runemaster.

Rolemaster was actually the one that MERP was based on, wasn't it?

[KWhit]

Originally posted by GrantDawg
That's is three, and my friend from Alpharetta said he would run. What kind of time frame are we talking (every couple weeks, once a month) and length (8 hours or a couple hours) and where (my home is a possibility, but I have a baby due in the next month or so).

I heart GrantDawg and his DM friend.

I would prefer to get together for a sizable chunk of time (so the travel time is worth it for all of us). I'm pretty excited about this right now, so I want to play often - once every 2 weeks, maybe. I'm sure real life will bring things back down to earth fast, but until that happens I want to get in my gaming fix.

Just to throw something out there, why don't we do a Saturday thing every 2 weeks for 5-6 hrs.

Also, my house is available. It's in Conyers. I have a bonus room that would probably work well. It might be good to rotate the venue so that the travel is spread out among us (but I really don't care too much about that as long as I don't have to drive to Alpharetta EVERY time).

I gotta re-learn the rules though (it's been forever since I played).

[KWhit]

Dola -

I had forgotten about Top Secret. I loved that game.

I also enjoyed Star Frontiers - the system wasn't that great, but I GMed a fun campaign in which the players were space-detectives. It was great fun to try to come up with some elaborate mystery they had to solve. I think that's where my love for storytelling and writing comes from.

I played SO many of these games. DC Heroes was really good too. I also played a Marvel RPG for a while that was fun. What else? There was a 007 RPG that was fun for us, too.

I was never a meta-gamer. I was always more interested in the role-play than I was the combat or tactics. I loved to put my character in crazy situations and try to talk or think my way out of them.

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by KWhit
I heart GrantDawg and his DM friend.

I would prefer to get together for a sizable chunk of time (so the travel time is worth it for all of us). I'm pretty excited about this right now, so I want to play often - once every 2 weeks, maybe. I'm sure real life will bring things back down to earth fast, but until that happens I want to get in my gaming fix.

Just to throw something out there, why don't we do a Saturday thing every 2 weeks for 5-6 hrs.

Also, my house is available. It's in Conyers. I have a bonus room that would probably work well. It might be good to rotate the venue so that the travel is spread out among us (but I really don't care too much about that as long as I don't have to drive to Alpharetta EVERY time).

I gotta re-learn the rules though (it's been forever since I played).

Let me see what kind of time he has available. Most likely that is going to be fine. What do you think, Celeval? Every other Saturday?

[WSUCougar]

I've toyed with the idea of floating an FOFC-RPG dynasty/game. Some of you might recall the misadventures of Sol the Thief/Archer from the old board...something like that, only party-based and more dependent on player interaction, role-playing, etc.

Regardless of the other discussions and PnP possibilities from this thread, would any of you be interested in such a thing?

Perhaps more free-form (not based on any particular system of rules)?

Thoughts? Comments?

(You knew I couldn't resist this and that I'd be here eventually, sachmo! :D)

[Fritz]

Originally posted by WSUCougar

Regardless of the other discussions and PnP possibilities from this thread, would any of you be interested in such a thing?



Could it involve frozen yogurt and body art? if so, count me in.

[KWhit]

CoffeeWarlord or WSU:

Well, us ATL folks seem to be working our way toward a face to face game, but I would be up for trying out an online campaign too. It seems like you'd miss some of what makes PnP games fun, but I'll give it a shot.

I would rather have it be DnD 3rd ed rules so we have some structure to it, but I agree it should be more of a roleplay experience than anything.

[KWhit]

Originally posted by Fritz
Could it involve frozen yogurt and body art? if so, count me in.

Now I'm glad it's not a face to face game!

[Passacaglia]

Since MUDs were brought up, I'll mention the one I help design, and play on as well. We're a CircleMUD, like cuervo mentioned, but we're in the process of creating a new MUD using C++, since CircleMUD can be buggy. Anyway, here are the URLs:

http://castle.mudsrus.com/
http://castle.mudsrus.com/~stories/redesign2/

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by KWhit
Dola -

I had forgotten about Top Secret. I loved that game.

I also enjoyed Star Frontiers - the system wasn't that great, but I GMed a fun campaign in which the players were space-detectives. It was great fun to try to come up with some elaborate mystery they had to solve. I think that's where my love for storytelling and writing comes from.

I played SO many of these games. DC Heroes was really good too. I also played a Marvel RPG for a while that was fun. What else? There was a 007 RPG that was fun for us, too.

I was never a meta-gamer. I was always more interested in the role-play than I was the combat or tactics. I loved to put my character in crazy situations and try to talk or think my way out of them.

Good call on Star Frontiers. I only played 1 campaign ever, and really enjoyed it. Top Secret was also an interesting game that I had very little experience with. ahhh, the RPG days... how i miss them.

[mrsimperless]

Cougar,

I was a big fan of Sol and would be very interested in participating in your online game if you go through with it. I had been wondering if you were still going to try and go through with the idea. I'm looking forward to it.

[Eilim]

I'd be up for an online AD&D session. I have to admit though, that my only experience with the 3rd edition ruleset was with NWN and my 2nd edition knowledge would have to be classified as "rusty" at best.

[sachmo71]

HERO is now attempting to become a multi-genre system, much like GURPS. However, it is math intensive. I'm still learning the game, but this seems to be my sort of system. Basically, the powers fit into a framework and it's up to the player to decide what the "special effects" are. This is supposed to allow HERO rules to mimic any gaming system around. It looks promising, but not for the feint of heart. For example, if you want to create a superhero who shoots waves of confetti on his enemies, you can do it. Just buy the desired amount of "Flash", choose any limitations to make it cheaper (such as "only works at social gatherings"), and describe it on your character. Wa-la, you've just created Party Boy, hero extroidnare.

My friend loves Rolemaster, as all good D&D geeks should, except combat lasts forever. I wouldn't be adverse to trying this system out sometime.

I never played DC Heroes, but I have heard good things about it, one of those points being simplicity. However, the guys I play with don't like simple, so I'll probably never get to play.

For those fans of Shadowrun, did you know that the company who makes HeroClix is putting out a Shadowrun combat game? Looks pretty neat! Whizkids (www.whizkidsgames.com)

[sachmo71]

Originally posted by WSUCougar
I've toyed with the idea of floating an FOFC-RPG dynasty/game. Some of you might recall the misadventures of Sol the Thief/Archer from the old board...something like that, only party-based and more dependent on player interaction, role-playing, etc.

Regardless of the other discussions and PnP possibilities from this thread, would any of you be interested in such a thing?

Perhaps more free-form (not based on any particular system of rules)?

Thoughts? Comments?

(You knew I couldn't resist this and that I'd be here eventually, sachmo! :D)

Dola:

Hey Cougar! I knew you couldn't keep out of this thread!! I would love to play along, but I would suggest we use an established system that people know, or that's not hard to learn as we go...like 3rd edition.

[Calis]

Damn't, all this talk of P&P games is getting me nostalgic. I've long ago lost all my Shadowrun stuff, but now I find myself scouring the net for places to start restocking, bastards!

The good news is, Amazon has very good condition copies of the 3rd Edition ruleset, which I don't believe I ever even played, for 6-7 bucks, can't beat that. Problem is, all the other books are still normal price, and I KNOW I'll start buying them as well. Damn it.

[Coffee Warlord]

One, I started a new thread for culling out interest in an online game.

Two, I am definatly more of a role-player than a roll-player. Granted, there's always some fun in a little gratuitious hacking and slashing, but some of my favorite gaming sessions involved zero combat whatsoever, and nothing more than a handful of skill checks mid-roleplay. d20 system, while I do have some issues with it, is still probably the most easily accesible system for tabletopping, online or in person, while still allowing for character unique-ness.

[KWhit]

Those of you that play face to face D&D 3rd ed - Do you play with miniatures? From what I've read, they seem important in this version of the rules.

[sachmo71]

Yes, in combat they really help.

[oykib]

Cougar, I'm guessing that for what you want a Storytelling system like Amber or Prince Valiant would be best.

[sterlingice]

Originally posted by Calis
Damn't, all this talk of P&P games is getting me nostalgic. I've long ago lost all my Shadowrun stuff, but now I find myself scouring the net for places to start restocking, bastards!

The good news is, Amazon has very good condition copies of the 3rd Edition ruleset, which I don't believe I ever even played, for 6-7 bucks, can't beat that. Problem is, all the other books are still normal price, and I KNOW I'll start buying them as well. Damn it.

Finally decided to get caught up on this thread. I have 3E Shadowrun- better game design than 2E and who really needs the supplimental books anyways. They add some fun but I ran a 2E and 3E campaign out of just the one handbook and I don't think my players were much the worse for it.

Granted, I'm not much of a DM: just not detail oriented enough, but I think Shadowrun had some game design problems (first and foremost what to do with deckers/everyone else when decking was necessary and secondly, it seemed as if there really were only four classes: fighter, mage/shaman, decker, rigger; but there were lots of little things). Still, it was one hell of a fun world: you could do anything you wanted with it.

SI

[sachmo71]

I was at Wizards Of the Coast the other day, and they are having a huge sale on all RPG products that are not published by Wizard (basically anything not D&D or D20). I picked up RIFTS and thumbed through it...and I think it's just too strange for me. Too many options and too much chaos. Lots of source material though. That game has to have about 30 books written for it. I almost picked up Palladium's After the Bomb. It looks like an updated Gamma World. Now that was a fun game!