(Re) introducing Wizards World

Back in 1983 A small California company put out a very good fantasy game called Wizards World. It had so many different and groovy ideas that were ahead of its time like each race having its own dice rolls stats, a magic system that gives Wizards a lot better utility at lower levels especially when combined with the racial advantages of Elves (spell points baby). instead of Armor that doesn't make you harder to hit but reduces damage, percentage base rolls for combat and other things, Intervals for betterment between levels. Our first session involved a Elf Wizard, A dwarf attacker,a half Elf defender and a Human warrior. They headed off into fangheart Forest looking for the creatures responsible for the deaths/thefts of local livestock. they encountered a Troll at waiting to collect tolls for safe passage thru the Forest. The party tried to negotiate a price when they found themselves trapped by two other Trolls. The combat was joined with the Trolls taking initiative and getting in first strike but the party returned blow for blow. The combat system took a little practice but soon it was mastered after the trolls the weather took a turn for the worse and the party sheltered in a cave inhabited by a friendly old human Scout (heh, heh) who gave them information about the forest. By this time it was time to call it a night, we will play again. I highly recommend this game it is available from Gobliniod Games both in PDF and Print. This game was years ahead of anything I remember from that era and still walks with games of today and outpaces many of them.

Swords & Wizardry White Box as therapy

I have not been blogging much because of gaming projects like this one. A few months ago A friend of mine asked Me to use games to help with his Physical therapy class for those with motor skill issues, of course I said yes. To accomplish the goals of fine motor control therapy I used S&W white Box rules, large dice, miniatures and a battle mat. The dice helped with grip and motor control the mini's and battle map with reaching and stretching. The party consisted of A pair of fighter, two magic users, a Elf and a Dwarf. The first encounter was with a party of goblins that were dispatched with little trouble the next encounter was a group of soldiers in full retreat from some Bug Bears they were a bit more troublesome but a Elf with a bow in the party is always a good thing. The fighters were bummed because they had not purchased ranged weapons. The progress made by the players in real world results was great by the end of the program. Motor control and dexterity issues improved and the participants came away with a new hobby, some dice (grateful for the one pound bag of dice) The links to several OSR game companies and everyone got to make and decorate their own dice bags (thanks to the arts & crafts people from a local Church for their generosity and time) When asked if I would do this again I said yes. these people have been hurt in accidents, suffered debilitating illness, abused and who knows what else the time I spent was well worth it if you get the chance to use gaming to help others take the opportunity the smiles alone are worth it.

ROTWORLD

This game has been out for a while now but I just got the pdf last week. It uses the Pacesetter system same as Time Master. Now I have not used the pacesetter system much in the past as most of the people I gamed with back in the old days were into D&D,Marvel super heroes, Star Trek and the like.
Here is what I like about the system: the Action table this is cool no more remembering what weapon does what damage. Combat took a little getting used to but after a few minutes I was used to it. Lack of a setting I feel this is a plus because everyone has their own Zombie/Undead setting/back story from movies,television,Comics, novels or any combination thereof. The book is short only sixty five pages, the art is plain but not terrible. The one thing I didn't like was the charts were scattered through out the book but with a little effort the corpse master (G.M) can make a screen with everything He/She needs. Overall this solid game and should give lots of play value.
The PDF is 4.95 from RPGnow
the soft cover is 17.95 and the hardcover is 27.95 at Lulu.com.

Who would play D&D essentials?

For the last few weeks I have set in on the Wednesday night D&D encounter sessions at My FLGS and found it to be enjoyable especially since at the moment it is the only game in town so to speak. The essential rules are by no means My favorite ( that goes to Swords& Wizardry and Stars without Number) but essentials is more user friendly than the original 4e layout and the DM's they have are very good at what they do and the adventures have been light based around combat. so for a hour or so of My Wednesday nights it beats watching television and no gaming at all.

It is time for Geek Rage

I found this at Examiner.com (see fumble link on right) And like most geeks was really put off by the attitude of this Lady, than she tried to cover herself (see cover it up link at right) Now I believe in personal freedom but why drag someone through the mud over a mismatch at a online dating site? Come on We all have had bad dates but this was over kill. Well something good has come of this it is time to SPEAK OUT WITH YOUR GEEK OUT see the link I have posted to this event. Please join us this week and let your Geek out.

Here is My fantasy game post Swords& Wizardry the retro clone of OD&D.
There are three versions all of them good and differing in complexity.
White Box this is a basic 1974 Role playing simple rules small rule book needs lots of Imagination. Not a bad thing because I started with OD&D back in 1974 OK so I am old.
the next part of the S&W line is the Core rules this is D&D with the supplements and some more mechanics
than we come to Complete this set is a retro clone of the best of the first seven printings of the original rules.
I use all three sets for different game groups and each works well. There is a reason for these posts that I will make clear a little later.

A Sci-Fi kind of mood.

And the OSR ROLLS ON ! I want to look at some of the Sci-Fi games that have been revived/never went away and the new “old school” so let's see what the features are for some of them.
Classic Traveller, this is the grand daddy of them all first released about 1977 it was My intro into Science Fiction gaming over the years a complete background universe has around it as well as a series
of miniature war games, a large group of fanzines. Even though the science is outdated such as computers it is still in print and play.
Starships and Spacemen was first published by Fantasy Games Unlimited in the Eighties it has been called unbranded Star trek it is nice game and is back in print as well as the board game Star explorers thanks to Goblinoid games buying the rights to these two classic systems. As long as We are talking about G.G they also have revived Time Master, I have never played this one so I can't say a lot about it save that it looks interesting.
Today We have at least two excellent new games done school style one is X-plorers
from Grey Area games and published by brave Halfling publishing asking what if the fathers of the role playing hobby were more into science fiction than fantasy when they wrote that first set of official rules back in 1974? it is well worth looking at.
Next up is Stars without Number it has elements from several old school games is easy to pick up world generation and ship generation are quick and easy with several supplements. the good news is Mongoose games will be publishing this game this will put it in game stores look for a September release date or get it from RPGnow.
This is just a overview I will be do a fantasy overview in the next week or so then a post apocalypse game review.
If anyone knows a great game I missed please let me know.