tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.comments2024-03-12T11:33:13.142-04:00The Wandering Gamistjedavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08586249502818922886noreply@blogger.comBlogger1042125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-40177755714024354042024-03-12T05:19:40.152-04:002024-03-12T05:19:40.152-04:00I'm not sure about all this "post-apocaly...I'm not sure about all this "post-apocalyptic implicitness", I checked the inhabitation table in ad&d, and what I see is that it is roughly equal to 40 people per square mile if you have one medium sized town, one village and some smaller dwellings around it per 100 miles. So yeah, it's basically medieval Britain, and not some "recent science-fantasy apocalypse". Add one medium sized city per 1000 miles and there you have your medieval France.<br /><br />It is just a tool for those who did not prepare their _wilderness_ map beforehand.Akim Demianencohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17942138974958100068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-66199322859592526342024-03-07T02:43:25.714-05:002024-03-07T02:43:25.714-05:00You can turn it around - if you want to prep a tru...You can turn it around - if you want to prep a truly great game, don't just sit there running the usual stuff you run, start prepping your perfect game today, one dungeon at a time. Because you will never get better at preparing games if you only run sessions. It's no joke, I checked it - campaigns run with little or no prep feel shallow.<br />So worldbuilding and actual refereeing are two distinct entities. Excelling at one while ignoring the other gives unfulfilling results. You can't run an interesting dungeoncrawl, if your dungeon is content-lite. You can't design a great dungeon, if you never run dungeoncrawls. I guess regular alternating between the two is the way to go: you have created your first dungeon, you run it and see how it goes, then you get back to building, and then you run it again - a short cycle. Akim Demianencohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17942138974958100068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-62841093101794930912024-01-08T12:10:32.586-05:002024-01-08T12:10:32.586-05:00I have no idea where I head this but many of the p...I have no idea where I head this but many of the plots of cowboy shows from the 50's were supposed to be derived from the Icelandic Sagas. Perhaps the writers just mined a few of these plot threads to get plot ideas for shows with a short runtime. I can easily see Boot Hill being a good fit.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04195679204000324271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-47831560856278455422024-01-02T15:27:18.754-05:002024-01-02T15:27:18.754-05:00How very......hypothetical. *malevolent laughter*How very......hypothetical. *malevolent laughter*davebhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07531919635590898334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-38061721318842224542024-01-02T05:37:03.929-05:002024-01-02T05:37:03.929-05:00Very good!Very good!Blue Tysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01090584083476832111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-27559166362863819212023-12-12T08:58:44.470-05:002023-12-12T08:58:44.470-05:00Gardens of Ynn is a bit of a randomised depthcrawl...Gardens of Ynn is a bit of a randomised depthcrawl/pointcrawl, so there isn't really cartesian continuity to the map, but it does try to get across the idea of a heavily curated magical garden.Tom Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14295247089905712338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-88192781059358682292023-12-03T12:28:23.080-05:002023-12-03T12:28:23.080-05:00Very handy, thanksVery handy, thanksBrutorz Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10261330634648140358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-73344189670948684232023-10-22T23:00:42.842-04:002023-10-22T23:00:42.842-04:00hopefully this link works to the mulligans post<a href="https://wanderinggamist.blogspot.com/2019/04/acks-stat-mulligans-and-swaps.html" rel="nofollow">hopefully this link works to the mulligans post</a>jedavishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08586249502818922886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-6918507068450058082023-10-22T23:00:14.886-04:002023-10-22T23:00:14.886-04:00There isn't really a mechanic stopping someone...There isn't really a mechanic stopping someone from retiring PCs quickly in order to get better stats. There are, however, somewhat diminishing returns on stats (better bonuses get increasingly unlikely in B/X - +1 on a stat is 42 out of 216 I think, +2 is 9 out of 216, +3 is 1 out of 216). And rolling all 18s would take 216 ^ 6 characters in expectation, which is something like 100 trillion. Nobody has time to roll a set of 6 18s.<br /><br />Personally I have considered allowing a couple of mulligans ( https://wanderinggamist.blogspot.com/2019/04/acks-stat-mulligans-and-swaps.html ) to let players discard a set or two that they really, really don't want to play.jedavishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08586249502818922886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-57962653441461266762023-10-22T22:21:55.963-04:002023-10-22T22:21:55.963-04:00A sort of related but unrelated question I have is...A sort of related but unrelated question I have is, how you're supposed to play rolling multiple PCs from 1 player. What stops a player from just rolling PC after PC until they get all 18s or something? Or to roll one and retire them quickly in pursuit of a better PC?mAc Chaoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17960006143198050576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-88977054554071332832023-10-18T21:11:30.400-04:002023-10-18T21:11:30.400-04:00Sure that's an option. Part of the question I...Sure that's an option. Part of the question I've been pursuing here is how the game works under Moldvay's advice - ""It is recommended that the DM not allow beginning players to hire retainers. New players tend to use retainers as a crutch, letting them take all the risks. If a dungeon is very difficult, the DM should let players have more than one character apiece before using retainers, at least until players are more experienced."jedavishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08586249502818922886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-34680492878029985312023-10-18T08:54:15.552-04:002023-10-18T08:54:15.552-04:00Well, if anything is an experience then dying is.Well, if anything is an experience then dying is.gmkeroshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13230061545143361333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-84066595244474112122023-10-18T03:46:42.703-04:002023-10-18T03:46:42.703-04:00One thing that could also be used is the presence ...One thing that could also be used is the presence of henchmen, who now might get a field promotion to player character.gmkeroshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13230061545143361333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-23827419110249878412023-10-10T08:57:32.219-04:002023-10-10T08:57:32.219-04:00Hey, I really dig these. I have a similar concept ...Hey, I really dig these. I have a similar concept of Quests in my home game. The best ones, to my mind, are discrete and achievable. I think you should be able to say "Yes, I have done this." Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-19636003148502514022023-09-24T19:20:02.461-04:002023-09-24T19:20:02.461-04:00I haven't looked at any of the ACKS 2e stuff, ...I haven't looked at any of the ACKS 2e stuff, to tell you the truth. I might mine it for ideas eventually but I think if I were to start a new game, it would probably look more like B/X with a few ACKS and AD&D bits welded on than like ACKS straight up.jedavishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08586249502818922886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-60399308183808017772023-09-24T19:13:17.521-04:002023-09-24T19:13:17.521-04:00Going full Fellowship level distribution would be ...Going full Fellowship level distribution would be pretty wild!jedavishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08586249502818922886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-78185256700214170772023-09-24T18:46:15.386-04:002023-09-24T18:46:15.386-04:00I feel like in Imperial Imprint that first level p...I feel like in Imperial Imprint that first level parties will be more viable than in the original rules. Have you run a game starting from scratch yet?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16256480605458826439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-18613197366859328952023-09-21T15:25:17.137-04:002023-09-21T15:25:17.137-04:00Very good idea, I am thinking for years on doing t...Very good idea, I am thinking for years on doing the same. I like the natural leadership dynamics that comes from veteran PCs caring for noob PCs. It seems natural to have them right at the start of a campaign, while its also more "realistic" if we take the fantasy sourcebooks as the reality (the fellowship of the ring had PCs of many different levels)Jack Tremainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12906068267967864239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-85569156465446157162023-09-17T02:25:01.955-04:002023-09-17T02:25:01.955-04:00Somewhat tangential: something I very much prefer ...Somewhat tangential: something I very much prefer to actual measurements is comparisons; a doorway wide enough for two carts abreast, a corridor longer than you could throw a stone, a globe the size of a pumpkin, eyeball sized gems, ... This reaches it limits when you step outside your readily available experience (how wide is that river? how tall that mountain?), but at the same time I feel especially big measurements don't really profit from a high degree of precision. It's range bands, all over again.ashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10795724304995296184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-79600150658882802292023-08-28T09:23:19.761-04:002023-08-28T09:23:19.761-04:00One of the assumptions that I make is "1st le...One of the assumptions that I make is "1st level PCs are free." As long as the party are not strip mining them and feeding them to zombies, you can add however many 1st level characters as you need in order to have fun. <br /><br />Does this change the math? Well, yes. Is it unfair? I don't think so. Scott Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06719105828151924883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-62529514300917666522023-04-30T09:45:00.585-04:002023-04-30T09:45:00.585-04:00Part 2 (too long for one post):
Now, can you just...Part 2 (too long for one post): <br />Now, can you justify that for the ludicrously wealthy? Yes. But not the individual spacer. And what's the difference in ships? Well, most of the insanely rich folks have massive yachts worth in 100s of millions of USDs (so lets say a 300 million dollar yacht = 100 MCr). Slightly less insane yachts may come in at $50-100 million dollars (which might look like 17-33 MCr which seems to be closer to the smaller ship). But all of those have pools, small craft, some have helipads, every sensor and comms system, and can sleep 20+ so they have parties (some likely sleep 50+). Bars, etc. That is not the spartan layout of Traveller designs. Some of the expensive yachts have multi room suites that would be as large as a medium condo. Not in Traveller designs! To match that, you'd be looking at for at least three times as much space and that'll really jack up your yacht costs (for those who don't care, that's not an obstacle). Those yachts could have crews from 10 to 30. And they work. The really wealthy expect that from their employees. <br /><br />So you can do a rich Baroness or better yet an Marqessa with a big yacht. But even then, there is a lot of business goes afloat and the ship's crew works and doesn't set the travel plans nor do they get a lot of time off in ports of call. <br /><br />On the one hand, I'd let that kind of action go on in my game world. On the other hand, I'm kind of against glorifying the excess wealth of the ludicrously wealthy by showing yet another area where the very rich get to flaunt their wealth and live lives none of us normal folk can imagine. <br /><br />Now, how could you do something closer to 'maritime cruising'? <br />1) You have lots of planets where you can set down in a calm lagoon or on a hard rock 'pad'. <br />2) You posit instead of nuclear reactors, a high energy power cell that is repaired every so many years. That cuts down maintenance. <br />3) You consider doing in-system cruising versus jump. You can get a lot of space back for the J-drive and you need a less powerful computer and you get back fuel space by using a power cell. That might start to make your 100-300 ton ships have more space like a yacht. <br />4) You could consider a solar sail for parts of in-system travel. <br />5) A planet with some habitable worlds could be like an archipelago. If you had several planets like that in your system, you'd have a lot of room for in-system cruising. (My theory is you need beautiful places with unique visuals and cultures to visit and you need to have atmo that doesn't require a suit or mask).<br /><br />That's my 0.02. Happy Travelling! Lux Mentishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16188286486649909678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-55339572445497140712023-04-30T09:44:45.005-04:002023-04-30T09:44:45.005-04:00I think this model doesn't work (and I had loo...I think this model doesn't work (and I had looked at a cruising life when I was doing yachting training - cruising, coastal navigation, comms, first aid - etc) in several areas. A friend's dad actually captained ships up to 500 tons and up to 125 tons under sail (tall ship) and regularly ferried yachts to the Carribean and back. He also worked for the CG for a long time and was working on their rules for hovercraft and Wing-in-Ground vehicles. I've also spent time in the Carribean and talked to yacht skippers down there as to the pros and cons. Also one of my bosses had done a circumnavigation that took them 9 years and he took the kids. <br /><br />Economics: Cr1 roughly equal to 2.5-3.0 USD. <br /><br />1) A 34-36' keelboat (often what it is that people try open ocean with) with a few years on it could cost you $60K-$110K here (USD). You could kit it up to be $175K if you put a lot of ocean safety, comms, radars, etc. A 40' keel boat could run closer to $200K-250K and a catamaran (smaller) could run from $100K-$200K and it could be.<br /><br />Compare that to any modestly decent ship in Traveller - 30-50 MCr = 75 Mil to 150 Mil USD and upwards. That's a vast difference in who can participate. <br /><br />Going transatlantic is risky (unwise as a solo venture). You can end up with a broken mast (friend of my dad's lost his going around the Cape of Horn and had to lash himself to the stump of the mast and hope the boat didn't capsize). You can damage a keel, steering or props (my boss that did the round the world trip hit something off the coast of Africa and it took 6 months to repair). That can lead to vast bills and long repair times where you are beached. <br /><br />With the sorts of maritime vessels I mentioned, the cost could run in the 10s of thousands (to make the same sort of analogy, that's 4-10% of the ship's value and for a ship that is worth equivalent to 30-50 MCr, that'd look like 1.2MCr to 5MCr. And that's not counting the costs of being beached. <br /><br />Crews living a cruising life can fix many things. But a lot of the systems on boats are designed to be the most simple they can be so that this is possible. If you tried this with a racing catamaran, good luck. It won't end well. But what you almost always have without anything else working is: you can breathe, you can usually find some drinkable water, and you most of the time can call for coast guard help or some other sailor to drop by and help you out and give you a tow. How well does that work in space? You run out of reaction mass, of air, or the ability to vent heat because you don't have anything to heat and eject... or you can run out of power and end up cold and dark. And a call for help could take so long you might be years in getting heard depending on the particulars. And misjumps with damage can leave you in a place nobody goes and you can't easily get back from. <br /><br />To run a nuclear plant, an M-drive, and a J-drive, you need more engineering ability than jackleg mechanic or plumber skills. <br /><br />Also, in the modern world, I know a lot of cruisers that worry about going anywhere near the coasts of South America (and the Panama Canal) or along Africa and some parts of the Asian Rim. Small yachts often get stolen and the crew dump in a small boat or just killed. There's money to be made. And that's on a ship that would cost maybe 75-80K Cr (translating the costs of a decent keelboat or catamaran)... imagine 30-50 MCr! Piracy is real. You could end up hostages while your ship is sold off and until someone pays to get you back. It's actually an economy in some places. <br /><br />The banks will back ship loans for ships that are working and ideally have a company owner and that company has a reputation and the owner has some positive indicators they are going to work and not flee with the ship. With cruisers who may or may not get back to where they started... why would the banks be bankrolling that? And if they did, wouldn't they want a much higher interest rate? I'd think so. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Lux Mentishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16188286486649909678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-65241294833063351852023-04-15T16:11:37.319-04:002023-04-15T16:11:37.319-04:00MILD SPOILER FOR SECRETS OF THE NETHERCITY BELOW
-...MILD SPOILER FOR SECRETS OF THE NETHERCITY BELOW<br />-------------------------<br /><br />In AX2: Secrets of the Nethercity, wandering monsters that can enter a sealed temple/tomb (the only potential bunkers in that module) are marked with an asterisk. Those include incorporeal undead, insect swarms, and oozes/jellies. If you roll other than those while bunkered up, you might hear it but you will be safe. Otherwise, you're hosed. 1/3 of the encounters are bunker-busters, so a .89% chance of an encounter during an 8-hour rest (called out in the module). <br />First time I had seen that made explicit in a module (that I can remember anyway).<br /><br />[insert obligatory "ACKS already does that" meme here :-) ]Michael Gaihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06980336874374787270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-88410486858122409272023-03-21T21:10:34.178-04:002023-03-21T21:10:34.178-04:00Interesting distinction to make, I like it. The Si...Interesting distinction to make, I like it. The Sinister Stone of Sakkara notably does not have any bunker-buster monsters, and in the playtest game we did in fact rest inside the dungeon. I think secret rooms are also a dynamic that's helpful there, because if they're secret from most members of the dungeon, lots of encounters won't notice or bother you, even if they have the ability to batter the door down (e.g. ogres, giants).Arbrethilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00905267082469329489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2657266526705426756.post-67573862023027047942023-03-12T21:35:39.601-04:002023-03-12T21:35:39.601-04:00It doesn't have to be anything that special. ...It doesn't have to be anything that special. Given time, a group of orcs is going to bash a spiked door in.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04786498942396099197noreply@blogger.com