OT: am playing D&D light and am having fun

Erax · #1 December 11th, 2003, 12:59 PM

This is the timeline as I know it : First there were the small booklets, called D&D and first released in 1976 or 77, with new booklets being released over the years (Castle Greyhawk, Blackmoor and so on). Then 'AD&D' (three hardback, large-sized volumes) was released sometime between 1979 and 1981. At the same time, D&D was completely rewritten to become a simplified Version of the game, with less options and cleaner rules.

For a long time, D&D and AD&D existed simultaneously; D&D went through several Versions, known as the 'blue box', 'red book', 'white book' and so on. AD&D kept expanding and eventually became 11 different hardback volumes, of which I own 6. The awkward parts of the rules were never rewritten, they were just added to.

Sometime around 1988, 2nd edition AD&D came out. It fixed many things but did not change the basics of the race, class and level system.

Then in more recent years, the old D&D was extinguished and 3rd edition AD&D was released, only it had been renamed D&D. I can't say much about it because I still play (which is almost never) under a mishmash of 1st and 2nd edition rules. However, I do play Star Wars D20, and if that is in any way similar to 3rd Edition, it means they have finally fixed the most irritating aspects of the original game.

Erax · #2 December 11th, 2003, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Which publication of Ars Magica do you favor, Erax?

That title has been passed around like an easy ugly girl.

I prefer to think of it as a beautiful woman who likes do demand expensive gifts - everyone wants her, but those she is with can't stand her for long.

My rules booklet is 3rd edition, but I have varous supplements and adventures from the 2nd to the 4th edition (including two Versions of the same supplement, what can I say) ... and I only played it twice.

Loser · #3 December 12th, 2003, 02:46 AM

I've got the old White Wolf edition, and us it mostly as background for othe White Wolf campaigns, and an indication of the progression of style within the company, as that is the oldest White Wolf publication I can find.

Puke · #4 December 11th, 2003, 06:15 PM

oh how i dispise white wolf. i dont know if its because of the writers, or because of the players. i USED to think it was a cool idea, but it kept getting worse and worse as it was added on to, and as it became more and more popular.

how i try to forget that Ars Magica is a distant cousin... such a beautifle, well written, scholarly game is Ars. Fourth Ed. is available as a free download on the web, if you are interested. Go to the Atlas Games website and look for "Free Ars Magica"

Loser · #5 December 11th, 2003, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Puke:
oh how i dispise white wolf. i dont know if its because of the writers, or because of the players. i USED to think it was a cool idea, but it kept getting worse and worse as it was added on to, and as it became more and more popular.

Did you know they are killing off the enitre World of Darkness?

Yeah, they got tired of the complications and they're pulling the End of the World. I think God did that in the book from which Dave got my avatar.

Erax · #6 December 11th, 2003, 07:10 PM

Stewart Wieck (author of Mage) was a guest at one of our cons, and he's an OK guy. I've been curious about it ever since, but have other priorities for my oh-so-short gaming budget.

But then again, Mage doesn't really mesh into the World of Darkness, and there aren't that many Mage players out there (compared to Vampire players).

And I've never played a Storyteller-line game, not even once. It's like a glaring hole in my gaming history.

gregebowman · #7 December 11th, 2003, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Erax:
Greg - Many good games have been released since the days of FASA's Star Trek. Check out Fading Suns, Ars Magica and (if you like feudal Japan) Sengoku. These are some of the most innovative / well-written / well-researched titles that have been released these Last few years.

The Star Wars D20 system is also quite good, after you get used to the idea of playing Star Wars with levels and classes.

GT - When I said 'group', I meant that as including the DM. He is the most important element of all, I know many people who hate D&D because they started playing with a lousy DM.

Erax, I'm sure there have been quite a few games come out since I stopped playing in the fall of 1993. I had to take on a part-time job and lost contact with my group. NOw I just play the occassional rpg on the computer. It's not the same, however. I miss the interaction of role-playing, even though I'm the shy and quiet type. I think that's one reason I like playing barbarians. I can grunt and then perform some death-defying act. Maybe if some of us who live in the Tampa area could get together....?