OT: am playing D&D light and am having fun - Page 5

Baron Grazic · #41 December 11th, 2003, 01:14 AM

Their was D&D which, at least in Oz, started with the Beniginers Red Box, Advanced Blue Box & Expert Green Box.
Then there was the AD&D Hard Back books, followed by the AD&D 2Ed Hard Back books.

Taera, can you explain the KISS principle.

Loser · #42 December 11th, 2003, 02:38 AM

Third Ed. is best. It is refined, simplified, better.

If you haven't bought the books yet be sure to buy 3.5. The book is laid out better, more tables, more examples. A more mature product (not with reference to its audience, but its progression and development.)

[edit (sung): If you want it to be possessive, it's just I-T-S, but if it's supposed to be a contraction it's I-T-apostrophe-S!]

[ December 10, 2003, 12:42: Message edited by: Loser ]

Narratio · #43 December 11th, 2003, 05:36 AM

(Oneupmanship eh? Okay, I can do that) In the begining, hmmmm call it '70 or '71 I think, there was a small A5 size (US equivalent) booklet, which became 3 booklets in a box. And then there was Greyhawk Manor and... After about 2 or 3 years it went fullscap / A4 and the imitators burst upon the scene with "Tunnels and Trolls" etc, and the more wierder ones. Anybody remember "Bunnies and Burrows", "Swords and Starships"? Then it went hardback and then it went re-write and AD&D... sometime 76'ish I think. (Somebody out there must remember the time line. I've still got the originals in storage back in England.)

For it's time AD&D was the way to go. No idea about now. The whole point of RPG's though (and I know Taera will agree with this) is not the mechanics, it's the role play. Any system can be used and cheated with. The story telling and teh fun of involvement in that story is what it's all about.

The KISS principle. "Keep It Simple, Stupid!"

Taera · #44 December 11th, 2003, 07:17 AM

narratio said it all

ZeroAdunn · #45 December 11th, 2003, 07:34 AM

I always say this: It is all about the group you play with. Right now I have found a really good group (except for the fact that we can't go a single quest without getting into a fight with eachother) and find it much more enjoyable then any I have played with in the past.

I have enjoyed 3e D&D above all others I have played. I don't understand why everybody always needs or wants to buy all the supplements. Just glance through them at the store/borrow them from someone you know, and then buy the ones you really like.

Fyron · #46 December 11th, 2003, 08:16 AM

I certainly don't buy all the supplements. There are just a lot I liked.

That, and have to put something on christmas/birthday lists for people...

Erax · #47 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 · #48 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.

Puke · #49 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 · #50 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.