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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Willowhugger on December 18, 2006, 09:07:14 PM
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Just a curiosity here.
If so, any ideas of what you'd like to do for them?
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We aren't *planning* for supplements -- the idea here is to produce a wholly stand-alone game in its own right. I know, sounds crazy. :)
That said, I wouldn't be surprised if people want "updates" occasionally, based on the progress of the books... but *that's* something I want to try to address through the website rather than in producing more books for folks to buy.
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Pity, I'd really love to see expansion books.
But that'd probably require Jim's approval and review before it could be done.
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Pity, I'd really love to see expansion books.
We'd really like to see people be able to afford a complete game. Supplementism seems to fight against that.
But that'd probably require Jim's approval and review before it could be done.
That too. :)
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True, I am very fond of large amounts of supplemental material though because it always adds to the experience.
A singular affordable RPG is great so long as it remains in print but I'm greedy.
;-)
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Yeah, but I'm very distressed with the sheer VOLUME of supplemental material that exists for some games. I'm glad to hear someone creating a game that can be played properly with only a single book, rather than some other games that require several *coughworldofdarkness* or even dozens *coughD&D*. Sorry. Seems to be something in my throat.
Seriously though, I'm totally in favor of a single volume with occational updates and errata to be gotten and printed offline. I wouldn't be opposed to collecting said updates and errata and publishing them as a second volume should there be enough to merit it, and not as a replacement to the online availability, but rather as a cleaner, prettier alternative. (which of course you guys would be totally expected to throw in some sort of nifty extra to encourage sales and cover the printing costs. It doesn't help anyone for you to go into debt or out of business.)
net balance: -$.02
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Yeah, but I'm very distressed with the sheer VOLUME of supplemental material that exists for some games. I'm glad to hear someone creating a game that can be played properly with only a single book, rather than some other games that require several *coughworldofdarkness* or even dozens *coughD&D*. Sorry. Seems to be something in my throat.
Seriously though, I'm totally in favor of a single volume with occational updates and errata to be gotten and printed offline. I wouldn't be opposed to collecting said updates and errata and publishing them as a second volume should there be enough to merit it, and not as a replacement to the online availability, but rather as a cleaner, prettier alternative. (which of course you guys would be totally expected to throw in some sort of nifty extra to encourage sales and cover the printing costs. It doesn't help anyone for you to go into debt or out of business.)
net balance: -$.02
As a long time, old skool gamer I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear this will be a self-contained entity. This will put an end to to the nightmare of players turning up with supplements (and rules) you know nothing about and throwing a spanner in the works! Now, I know a gamesmaster (GM) can always overrule his players and say these supplements aren't canon to his game ... but that immediately drives a wedge between players and GM ... and the rot begins!
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This is why I absolutely loved working with Fred and Rob. They're easily two of the most professional, ethical people in the RPG industry, and their philosophy on games production reflects that.
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No library of minutiae? Whatever will we do with all the excess trees?
Nice to see everything contained in a single volume, updates would be nice as long as they remain relevant and regular.
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I've been gaming for the past 26 years, and I'm 36 now, and I have come to appreciate companies that try to produce self contained games that need no supplements. In my opinion, supplements only exist to increase "addiction". It is true that you are not being forced to buy them, but you inevitably find yourself in a situation where you are either running a game, or being a player, and somebody comes in with the newest supplement and tries to use the info it contains.
That being said, I do like the idea of web updates for the Dresden game.
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well me and my friends have talked about the rpg and i've claimed it will either be awsome or has been put on a back burner and will be thrown out when people get tired of being asked when is the release, and i really hope the first part is right. I agree with most that other games hold back or put out suppliments for marketing purposes only, i really think that those involved in a project solely dedicated to a fan base for Butchers work aren't like that. However sometimes when creating a game you can miss something and as someone else said as the books develope so should the game. My suggestion is have loyal proven fans of both the books and the game when it comes out, be able to add their own updates and rules to the game on this site and allow others to download/print the parts they want. I to am a old school gamer been rpging since 1984, and would hate to think the money i've spend on suppliments, case in point i've got every d20 modern book wizard has released, a couple are 20 bucks and not much larger than a magaizine. well that's my 2 cents guys
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well me and my friends have talked about the rpg and i've claimed it will either be awsome or has been put on a back burner and will be thrown out when people get tired of being asked when is the release, and i really hope the first part is right.
The first part is right.
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good thanks
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Iago said the actual books can be the suppliments I like that idea.
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Rather than paper-printing supplements that cost money, why not have single-sheet scenario seeds that could be posted on a weekly or bi-weekly basis on this site? I know the Dresdon RPG is going to be a FATE system publication, but if you look at the Savage World page (www.peginc.com) you'll find a number of single-sheet adventures for their system. Most of them are for their 2nd ed. version of Deadlands, but lately they've been publishing some modern horror single-sheets as well. These adventures are bare-bones scenarios with little more than a plot sketch and some stats for important NPCs and beasties -- enough game info for all but the most green GM.
Basically, if you provide a "downloads" site for people to upload/download pdf adventures, I think it could do nothing but help the game. I don't don't know of many GMs that couldn't bash together an adventure into a one- or two-page format without a little thought and effort. I've written more than a few that could be easily bashed into the pretty much any game system (most are for Buffy or Savage Worlds, but its the story that's most important, not the system).
The bottom line -- free is good, and if a bunch of us have already done the hard work, why not spread the wealth?
Packy
A Dresden newbie, so don't flame me. I'm kinda sensitive that way ;)
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You know what that sounds like to me, Packy? That sounds like an awesome fan-run website idea to help GMs who are running low on ideas to get something to run for a little while. A place where GMs can throw in ideas they've had that they used and don't mind someone else reusing or ones that won't work for their groups and such like that. Some of them might not work 'cause of game-specific developments in the Dresdenverse Baltimore, but it'd be something along the same lines.
Not that the Evil Hat people couldn't do something like this. I'm sure they'd be able to do it awfully well. They are, after all, the professionals. But think of how much more stuff people could get at this way? Especially with a couple good volunteers to quality-control it.
Free and professionals don't have to put in time they can be paid for. That's my two cents. *coughs* Although they could see it as an investment in getting more people to buy the base system, etc.
Another line of inquiry though! Is there any plans for addressing differences in magic between the books and TV show? The TV show magic seems to be a lot more ... broad and less logical? To me, at least.
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ya know a easy way to do the site is make a yahoo group, there's one already for fate which spirit of the century ties in with it too. but those sites are free and you can upload files and post messages as well, also make poles and post photo's. And i'm sure when dresden rpg comes out then the fate group will pick it up and someone will start a couple of new groups just for dresden, check it out if you like http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/FateRPG/
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Well, I'm still really green in Dresdenverse Canon (and know little to nothing of the FATE system), but once I feel comfortable, I would be willing to set up and moderate a Dresden Files RPG group on yahoo for the express purpose of uploading scenarii. I know for sure that I have at least two Buffy scenarios that would work perfectly in the Dresdenverse with only a little tweaking.
Now, if someone else is inspired to start this puppy up right away, feel free. Ya won't hurt my feelers.
I'm currently working on a heavily Dresden-inspired RPG using the Savage Worlds system (closer to a modern version of the movie "Cast a Deadly Spell" than anything else, actually), and will keep you posted on how that's going. I'm pretty excited about it, BTW, and spending more time on it than I should. Why does work have to get in the way of hobbies?
Packy
Edit: Hey, here's a link to one of the Savage Worlds one-sheet horror PDFs. Check it out . . .
http://www.peginc.com/Downloads/Winter%20Break.pdf
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Sounds like a good idea to me, Packy.
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Another line of inquiry though! Is there any plans for addressing differences in magic between the books and TV show? The TV show magic seems to be a lot more ... broad and less logical? To me, at least.
If we do that, it'll be outside of the actual RPG book. The TV show's too divergent; we'd make a muddled project if we tried to take it on, and our license for the RPG is specifically targeted at the novels, not the TV show.
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If we do that, it'll be outside of the actual RPG book. The TV show's too divergent; we'd make a muddled project if we tried to take it on, and our license for the RPG is specifically targeted at the novels, not the TV show.
A first, sidebar entry for the web material? Would that be feasible with the license as it is written?
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Don't know yet. Honestly, I'd prefer to sort that out after publication. ;)
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It might also be worth waiting for the TV series to have a couple of seasons before spending too much time trying to make a sourcebook. Many TV shows have a growing period before they hit their stride, and it's possible (assuming that DFTV continues for a while) that the show might evolve such that later shows have a very different direction than earlier shows.
For example (from the books) Susan plays a big part early but fades into the background a few books into the series. Early books are more noir detective while later books have a somewhat different epic plotline.
The TV series may have similar growing pains as the writers try to follow their own path that isn't just a rip-off of the books.
Just a thought.
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May a toss in a (Very late) Suggestion?
Every time a new novel in TDF comes out, add a .pdf supplement to the website. Really, I don't see each novel generating more then 15 pages of new things that can be added to the RPG, and I may be overstating that. Then anyone can DL the supplement, print it up and add it to the rulebook. That way, the game can stay current without the need to keep buying additions to the core book....
Craig
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May a toss in a (Very late) Suggestion?
Every time a new novel in TDF comes out, add a .pdf supplement to the website. Really, I don't see each novel generating more then 15 pages of new things that can be added to the RPG, and I may be overstating that. Then anyone can DL the supplement, print it up and add it to the rulebook. That way, the game can stay current without the need to keep buying additions to the core book....
Craig
Yeah, I was even thinking, a wiki, so folks can just evolve the RPG given new material, communally.
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While I embrace the notion of having a short PDF supplement add-on after each of Jim's books, keep in mind that Evil Hat also has to somehow turn a profit along the way. The unfortunate economics of the gaming industry are such that free PDF files may not be reasonable, but perhaps they can be relatively inexpensive. I would imagine that most supplemental materials would be fan-generated unless enough material was accumulated such that an official supplement from Evil Hat would be warrented.
As to the estimate of 15 pages of PDF per new novel, I agree that this seems somewhat large to me. Keep in mind that each book so far tends to bring in a few new characters, but that those are Chicago characters and the DFRPG will be based on Baltimore. It's possible that new characters in the novels will not be part of the Baltimore Dresdenverse because the two threads are not really designed to overlap so that cross-polination would be at a minimum.
Even so, each new novel adds a couple characters and a small slice of a timeline. Each book advances the plot but it seems like most of the mechanics of the Dresdenverse were unveiled in the early books so unless Harry's powers change radically, there may not be much to write up in that department. Also, the skill system for the original RPG rulebook should cover most generic skills and I wouldn't anticipate many additions after the fact. In other words, once the original gamebook is written there may only be very minimal additions unless the intent is to "pad out" the text with fluff (which really doesn't seem to by Fred's style).
Bottom line -- if Jim really writes 20 books I can maybe see an official supplement coming out at the end because there might be enough new material by then to fill up another book.
Just my two cents.
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I am also a 25-years+ Gamer/GameMaster. And I'm sure you can all guess my most played game by my Call Name, here. (It was supposed to be spelled DragonDM, but there was a glitch in the system that day, and so it had to be spelled with a y.)
I like a wide varity of Games, and there are a few that I don't like.
Supplements are both interesting and frustrating. Why did WoTC need to publish both the Complete Arcane, and the Complete Mage- beyond just making more money?
Sure, I loved the idea of the Reserve Spell Feats, and a few of the new spells - but the rest was just advice for new players on how to play a Wizard.....Not worth the almost $30 for that book, for me.
I mean, if I had some totally new Players, sure. I don't.... But wish I did. :'(
But, I think that it would have been better for WoTC to make a single large book simular to The Complete Adventurer, with all this advice for New Players on how to actually understand and play all of those Old Classes and especially all these New Classes. With more advice on some of the Class Options, and Feat Combinations, so as to make each Character different than the others, beyond just the Character's description.
This comment kinda ties into the 4th Edition D&D Thread that seems to have died...
(4e is switching over to the Computer Table Top, and the internet suppliments.)
Internet Supplements. Great.
Except for those of us that don't have a constant internet connection.
I have to either use a Public Library's computer (where I can't download anything) or borrow a friend's computer.
And, if these supplements are accessable online, will there be a fee to access them
- Like the new version of Dungeon and Dragon Magazines Online?
These kind of e-suppliments will not even exist as far as people like me are concerned.
Unless someone is willing to print it out and mail it to me, for only the cost of postage..?..
I can understand why the fee is there, I just don't always have sufficient fundage.
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For myself, as a DM, if someone brings a new book that I don't own, and have not read yet, I tend to tell them that If they can quickly explain what the book does to change their Character, I will allow them to play it, while keeping that book nearby me to quickly paruse.
If I am allowed to take the time to read the book, they would be able to start using it by the next game.
Diplomacy and fairness go a long way to keeping Players at the Table.
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Imaginative GMs don't need tons of books on their shelves; all that junk only distracts from the roleplaying. Ever had a GM who needed to crosscheck 10 books before he could answer a simple question in the middle of the action? Or a GM who is so fascinated by all the wonderful detail he researched about, say, Sigil, that he cannot restrain himself but has to tell his players everything about the town as soon as they set foot in it when they would rather explore the alley they have just entered and proceed one street at a time, deciding for themselves whether to turn left or right, and which citizen to ask for directions?
Makes you want to scream in frustration. But then again, I'm female. I don't need 1000000 rules, feats, and gadgets to enjoy a game; I prefer interaction with the other PCs and NPCs (how cliché, huh), and a background story + motivation for my own character.
So I wouldn't mind 1 or 2 supplements for TDF-RPG, but I'm fed up with games like D&D. WOTC are insane. I could simply ignore their newest publications if it wasn't for this one guy in our group insisting on 3.5 (and already threatening us with 4.0) when the others think it sucks. We've ended up with different GMs mastering different versions, one 3.5, the other half 3.5, half 3.0, incl. this supplement but not that one, and 100 house rules, some Arcana Unearthed from Monte Cook, and, oh, Ptolus setting (and this is the GM who's fun). In other words: chaos. Not that chaos isn't the natural state of our group and I love it, but why spend 2000 bucks on something you can have for free?
P.S. I haven't GMed since 3.0 rules and rule-fussy players ruined the game world & central plot I had created based on AD&D, but I've already told my current group that I want to try and master TDF. None of the other players have read Jim's books, so I will have to forcefeed them 3-4 episodes of the series, and we'll go from there... The other players will probably not bother to buy/read the rulebook, so there shouldn't be any rule discussions. That's all those zillion supplements achieve: add to rule discussions and the feat and gadget haggling that take up hours of our precious, limited gaming time.
The fewer rules & supplements, the more fun.
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Although I agree that less books can be good, Suilan, it’s not always possible.
I would love to get a group that was more concerned with the Story, then the Rules:
But, I am usually stuck with only a few Players at a time, and most of these are unconscious Rule lawyers, and so if I wish to be involved with the group at all, I must give some leeway to said Players. It's just easier when there is a conflict between the players, to have the Rules that are applied on hand. This prevents someone stopping all the action to argue over what can, and can’t, be done.
I can also respect that the Players want to use the Rules to create strong Characters.
The problem with this is the misunderstanding that there are different kinds of strength.
One Player that I have loves to build strong RP characters that end up having almost no power when it comes to a fight. The Gadgiteer Scientist (or exclusively Item-Creating Wizard) with their Lab. Makes a great RP Character, but place this PC in a Dungeon and he’s FUBAR-ed, since they have no access to their Lab, and can only carry a few items at a time. Most of the time, I try to keep this kind of people as NPCs: someone you go and bargain with, to get the item(s) that the Character wants, or the Party needs.
Another Player loves to build powerful combat-oriented Characters (regardless of Class), and then worries about adding RP to them. Effective? Yes. But also tends to be able to be a Party Killer if the Player is ever in the wrong mood.
I can’t get rid of either of these Players, as they make up the majority of the Group that actually shows up on a regular basis. The rest of the Players either have to deal with overwhelming IRL issues (which is understandable, and forgiven), or have other interests that take higher priority in their views – something that happens, and just has to be dealt with, or overlooked.
And just because I’m the DM, does not mean that I always get listened to.
If I’m being ignored too much as a Player, and especially as a DM, I tend to leave.
“TV is more exciting then this game, now. Later…” Sometimes this gets the other Players to stop and get back to the Game, but not always.
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But I also don’t want to have to write an entirely new version of a Game, like I had to do with C.J. Carella’s Witchcraft.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good system, and one that I prefer over White Wolf, but there were things that were important to more then one game, that were not even covered.
Example: The overall Armor Value and Damage Capacity that your average car has. Well. Depends on the make, model and year, that it was built. A 1956 Roadmaster is going to have a lot more durability then a 2000 Roadmaster. The 56 is made of metal siding and solid steel beams that are layered in a way that adds to the durability; where the 2K is made of plastic siding and carbon-composite fiberglass framing, which is way less durable.
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As a DM, I love to help new Players learn to play the Games – any of the RPGs.
Personally (as a Player) I love to take a wimpy PC and build them into a Powerhouse – and it’s the story of how they became that Powerhouse that is important to me; but I also want the other Players to have a good time, and to be involved in the same story that my Character is in – each in their own way.
Suilan a GM who is so fascinated by all the wonderful detail he researched about, say, Sigil, that he cannot restrain himself but has to tell his players everything about the town as soon as they set foot in it when they would rather explore the alley they have just entered and proceed one street at a time, deciding for themselves whether to turn left or right, and which citizen to ask for directions?
LoL. This is a hard temptation to overcome, especially when it’s a group of friends that are playing together all the time.
Funny thing is, I have more of the reverse of this, where I will go and get a Module or a Supplement, and at least one Player (and usually at least two) that has already read (if not owns) that item, and knows all about it. (Awesome! I know that there’s an Orge in Dungeon Room 3, and a Mermaid in the town’s well!!)
Ruins the excitement for me of slowly revealing it to the Group. As such, I have a really bad habit of getting these things, not telling anyone that I have it, and then going in and modifying a lot of it with custom made locations, NPCs, and VPCs. The maps stay the same, only some of the place names change.
I’ll check out 4e D&D, but am not sure how much of it I will actually buy.
But, unless I can get my own laptop computer the Virtual Gaming Table
and e-supplements are not going to be something that I am going to be able to get.
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This prevents someone stopping all the action to argue over what can, and can’t, be done.
At least this is a debate we have never had so far. If it's not in the rulebook, the GM decides. Period.
But also tends to be able to be a Party Killer if the Player is ever in the wrong mood.
There is no such thing as players turning against their own people. You're either on the team, or not playing in our group. Not that I ever met a player who tried to turn on the other characters; I'm always a little amazed to hear about them. Perhaps it doesn't happen in groups with male/female ratio of 3:2? Anyway, I'd probably quit a group if that happened and the other players didn't put an end to it.
Another Player loves to build powerful combat-oriented Characters (regardless of Class), and then worries about adding RP to them. Effective? Yes.
We have one of those too. He's harmless as long as he's a player. When he's GM, he forbids almost everything you could do with your awesome skills & feats, ruining most of the fun. Say, you have this dragon adept character with spectral wings and near perfect maneuverability. So in a fight against flying opponents, you say: so I hover just above my comrade and spit acid. The GM rules: Not enough room to maneuver. Player replies: why? You said the ceiling was 15 foot high, and I can hover on the spot, and it's a line of acid. Where's the problem? Well, not a chance.
Funny thing is, I have more of the reverse of this, where I will go and get a Module or a Supplement, and at least one Player (and usually at least two) that has already read (if not owns) that item, and knows all about it. (Awesome! I know that there’s an Orge in Dungeon Room 3, and a Mermaid in the town’s well!!)
Ah well, that's just my point. Most of the supplements are utterly useless. If you want to center your adventure on a special magical item, you can simply invent one yourself. Why would I bother to buy yet another supplement with yet another 100 different magical items if all I need for my campaign are a few special items I can easily invent myself? What do I need maps of 25 cities complete with 1000 stores and taverns in each complete with the price of stew & ale if all I need for my current adventure is one city and ten stores & taverns?
Our GMs usually improvise 50-80% of the adventure. So if we players talk to a NPC the GM didn't expect us to talk to, so the poor bloke doesn't even have a name, that doesn't mean the GM won't adapt to our actions. The NPC might turn out to be a very important person. In the case of your ogre in DR 3, the GM would simply update the ogre by giving him ten classes of monk-barbarian or something ;)
Besides, all players are forbidden by penalty of death not to take a peek into the Ptolus campaign setting. Only the GM knows.
Ruins the excitement for me of slowly revealing it to the Group.
I would imagine so.
As such, I have a really bad habit of getting these things, not telling anyone that I have it, and then going in and modifying a lot of it with custom made locations, NPCs, and VPCs. The maps stay the same, only some of the place names change.
How is that a bad habit? You're a GM who works extra hard to make sure your players (and yourself) will have a good time.
Our GMs usually master their own settings, or a setting that the other players know zero about and are forbidden to "research," or a setting that mixes Babylon 5 with Star Wars with every SciFi game the GM ever played. The downside of this: we switch a lot between settings, systems, and genre. At the beginning I tried to get the GMs to cooperate, that is to take turns mastering games in the same system & setting & for the same group of characters, with their own characters tagging along or going off to special training for a while. But we didn't have two people in our group who could agree on one setting, so I gave up.
I’ll check out 4e D&D,
Argh. I just hope that TDF is published before 4.0. Please.
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Well, in my defense, Suilan - there a lot of DM/GMs (as well as Rule Lawyers) mixed into the Group.
And I have done "DM Calls" that were ment for dramatic effect, and the next time something simular happens and I changed it. This causes the Players to become confused and the Game to come to a total screeching halt, because I did not take the time to actually recod what I had did, and why; and I run several different Games that I can forget.
Keeping the Game to the actual Book Rules is usually just easier.
I mean, if I happen to write the House Rules Book for that Game -
- like I did for Witchcraft that I print out and give to all the Players - Ok.
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Well, as more Video Games become PvP, more and more Players are also being of this mindset.
Other Players will start doing PvP when the Game become boring, or doesn't go their way.
They mean it to be fun, and only rarely does this actually work.
It can be a difficult thing to overcome. -and takes the actual participating Players to shut this kind of thing down.
I'm usually too busy just trying to run the Game to catch this, as they will hide in in "civalized" borders,
until they decide to strike at the Party.
I just tend to tell my Players that if this happens, to defend themselves to the best of their ability.
If need be, I'll have some HPCs* come alone and "rescue" the other Players form the Bully PC.
* Hero Player Characters = Characters that I have actually built and played in other Games,
or that I have designed as Town Defenders against Intruders - possibly including these Player Characters.
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I like to get the good Supplements for town maps and terrain, since I don't always have the time to do these myself. But your right, if the whole Module is just based on a specific Creature, or Item,
I tend to not get it, and make my own Mod. But new Creatures, New Items, and etc - are eagerly sought after.
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It's a bad habit, because I can forget what I intended to do with that Town or Dungeon, if left alone for very long - and so if the same PC Group goes back to there, things are radically changed - and not enough time has passed to rally justify this.
D&D makes this a little easier, since there are both Magic and Wars that can change a Town's appearance.
But other gamesystems (like Witchcraft) this becomes a lot less believable, and I don't abuse Time Travel/Warping.
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As for trying to get a GM Round Robin Game, Sci-Fi or Fantasy, all of these attempts have utterly failed.
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Dresden Files RPG is supposed to release this year - D&D 4e isn't to be released until June through Aug of 2008.
So, your wish should be granted.
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In point of fact, I have no gaming group at this time.
Everyone is just too busy, including myself. Once I have a new J.O.B. - I should be ok.
I need to find a new Group of Players.
Anyone in the KC, Mo area, and interesting in having me either join their Group as a Player, or be their DM?
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In my offense, I gave up GMing when things/players got difficult and the D&D supplements became too many that I felt being crushed by an avalanche and was losing the overview and my control of the game -- so don't mind me waffling on about the perfect RP group that I supposedly have. (They have more than once reduced me to tears. ;)) Besides, it sounds like you always had very large groups / many players to watch out for. We're a confy 1 GM + 3 players (sometimes 4).
Dresden Files RPG is supposed to release this year
Ah, don't jinx it! (Keeping my fingers crossed.) That would be perfect timing.
Anyone in the KC, Mo area, and interesting in having me either join their Group as a Player, or be their DM?
Off by about 5500 miles. Otherwise I would have said: we're starting a new campaign this Sunday, come and have a look. :) Good luck finding a new group and a new J.O.B.
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I just purchased this game, but have been a gamer for a while and can tell you that -in general- a game that doesn't have supplements gets left out of the rumor cycle (and thus misses out on a lot of word of mouth advertising).
Also, supplements NEED crunch IMO; devoid of rules discussion and/or expansion, a supplement is more akin to gamefiction.
I would like to see:
City Guides: Los Angeles, Hong Kong, etc. with npcs
A Magical Item Catalog with rules for playing them (animate?)
Historical: WWII, Victorian, Enlightenment, Elizabethan etc. with more creatures
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You'll be getting some of that in the Paranet book we are working on. :)
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Historical! More historical, please.
At least some guidelines for handling different historical periods:
- tech level (hexing, equipment)
- effects to skill trappings (drive...)
- eras (how far can you go before no longer Dresden)
Building the cities ourselves is fun so finished writeups are not as essential as the above guidelines.
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Historical! More historical, please.
We'll be doing the Russian Revolution, for starters. :)
At least some guidelines for handling different historical periods:
- tech level (hexing, equipment)
- effects to skill trappings (drive...)
- eras (how far can you go before no longer Dresden)
Building the cities ourselves is fun so finished writeups are not as essential as the above guidelines.
We do plan on talking about sliding around the time period dial -- the author responsible for the Russian section just did his first draft of that topic, in fact.
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Thank you guys for doing the Paranet book Iago, I look forward to seeing it and appreciate all that you guys do!
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I'd love to see a book with expanded/additional Powers of the newer baddies and write-ups for the same, rules fro making your own powers similar to the rules for stunts, addition Sponsored Magic, pre-made spells (mostly Thaumaturgy/Rituals) and enchanted items.
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I'd love to see a book with expanded/additional Powers of the newer baddies and write-ups for the same, rules fro making your own powers similar to the rules for stunts, addition Sponsored Magic, pre-made spells (mostly Thaumaturgy/Rituals) and enchanted items.
That's a bit much, tho we will cover -some- of that territory.
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Indeed, thanks for doing the paranet supplement. I myself would not mind supplements that came out a year after each novel that updated the Dresdenverse's stats.
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That's a bit much, tho we will cover -some- of that territory.
Mostly that was an Ultimate Wishlist of things I hear from my players (or whine about myself when making NPCs ;D). I'd most like rules for building your own powers. I think that would go a long way towards eliminating the need for more material down the road and make my job as GM easier. The premade spells and trinkets would be gravy; some of my players have difficulty building/coming up with their own effects, and I would occasionally prefer to have a big list to choose from when building characters (I built 10 pregens for a con game in the last 2 weeks and I left all the spell stuff till last, so they came out feeling a little...generic; fortunately the players helped fix that for me)
I really like the rules, you & your company's approach to the fans, and appreciate that you don't want to break our pocketbooks with supplements.
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Mostly that was an Ultimate Wishlist of things I hear from my players (or whine about myself when making NPCs ;D). I'd most like rules for building your own powers.
Honestly I'm a bit mystified there. Powers are concatenated stunt effects, by and large. So you already have the rules. :)
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Honestly I'm a bit mystified there. Powers are concatenated stunt effects, by and large. So you already have the rules.
I believe its the difference of exactly how much better a supernatural power should be then a stunt that people have trouble with.
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Defiantly cant wait to see the paranet book. The one book i would like but i know is a near impossible feat (mostly due to waving opinions) is a who's who, a book of faces. That being said i know it would be bring about the flame wars of "they nerf'd this character" or "that's too over powered, LAME" plus the big problem in stating out Icons is now that people have the stats let the killing commence.
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We did that in Our World already, and will be doing an update in Paranet.
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I believe its the difference of exactly how much better a supernatural power should be then a stunt that people have trouble with.
This is more what I was getting at; I would have thought, for example, that True Shapeshifting would only cost say -2 or 3 not the -4 it does...it doesn't to me seem to be much more powerful than Beast Change which is -1. You need Modular Abilities to pick up anything concrete rules wise, all it really allows is freedom to swap your skills around willy nilly based on your form, and I'm of the opinion that while that flexibility is potent, it's nowhere near as cool/potent as say Thaumaturgy (which could with time and effort actually outpace True Shapeshifting and a moderate score in Modular Abilities) and is certainly not as powerful as the Surernatural Speed, Strength or Toughness Abilities. I 'm not trying to be argumentative, I just trying to illustrate that the balance issues aren't always apparent to everyone.
Iago, do you think you could break down a few powers along the "stunts as powers theme" you were just talking about for some clarification? Thanks in advance.
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Iago, do you think you could break down a few powers along the "stunts as powers theme" you were just talking about for some clarification? Thanks in advance.
Email me a wishlist of powers (no more than 3 or 4) and I'll consider doing a blog post.
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Sweet. can't wait for the paranet expansion.
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Email me a wishlist of powers (no more than 3 or 4) and I'll consider doing a blog post.
I will most certainly do that, sir; most likely tomorrow. Though I may just post them here if I have trouble finding/sending you the message. Thank you for your attention to the player base, and thank you for your answers in advance.
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One thing I'd be interested to see is stats on more governmental or paramilitary groups that might interact with/oppose the paranormal. There are stats on SI, which covers the police and could be extraploated for a federal X-Files division, but I wonder what an anti-wizard or anti-magic military unit might be statted out as (motto: "We don't believe in fairies!") Or a department whose job is to cover up the occult community because the government doesn't want a panic. Or a group of diplomats whose job is to negotiate treaties with the various magical folks in the country so that humans can keep on living normally. Or a generic terrorist or militia group that aligned with magical forces to achieve their evil ends, and so has some spellcasters among the soldiers.
(Loving the RPG, by the way; I'm GMing a game and it's a lot of fun. I'm excited about the new Paranet book too!)
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This is more what I was getting at; I would have thought, for example, that True Shapeshifting would only cost say -2 or 3 not the -4 it does...it doesn't to me seem to be much more powerful than Beast Change which is -1. You need Modular Abilities to pick up anything concrete rules wise, all it really allows is freedom to swap your skills around willy nilly based on your form, and I'm of the opinion that while that flexibility is potent, it's nowhere near as cool/potent as say Thaumaturgy (which could with time and effort actually outpace True Shapeshifting and a moderate score in Modular Abilities) and is certainly not as powerful as the Surernatural Speed, Strength or Toughness Abilities. I 'm not trying to be argumentative, I just trying to illustrate that the balance issues aren't always apparent to everyone.
The thing about true shapeshifting is that it means that any physical/perception abilities are always going to be used at your maximum skill level (since you can just shift them around). This is basically +2 or more to every physical and perception skill, for all trappings.
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The thing about true shapeshifting is that it means that any physical/perception abilities are always going to be used at your maximum skill level (since you can just shift them around). This is basically +2 or more to every physical and perception skill, for all trappings.
Not precisely. Your skills are still limited to the same rules as character creation, so while you are able to shift the skill/s you feel would be the most important to the maximum skill level, you are stuck with that particular array until the next time you can shift. So if you shifted Athletics to your apex skill, you are stuck with that for this exchange and you are taking the supplemental action modifier if you had shifted this exchange. So unless you are hulking out from Banner, it really isn't all that much of a boost, IMO.
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(http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o319/Morfedel/Funnies/threadnecromancy.jpg)
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Not precisely. Your skills are still limited to the same rules as character creation, so while you are able to shift the skill/s you feel would be the most important to the maximum skill level, you are stuck with that particular array until the next time you can shift. So if you shifted Athletics to your apex skill, you are stuck with that for this exchange and you are taking the supplemental action modifier if you had shifted this exchange. So unless you are hulking out from Banner, it really isn't all that much of a boost, IMO.
Nevertheless, Piell has gotten to the heart of why it is priced the way it is. Flexibility is expensive.
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True Shapeshifting also justifies a lot of freedom with modular abilities as you can pretty much be any creature at all (within reason). So the ability to have a specialised battle form, healing form, travelling form and stealth forms could be quite potent in its own right at higher refresh.
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Nevertheless, Piell has gotten to the heart of why it is priced the way it is. Flexibility is expensive.
Yes, even in the more simulationist/point-based games (HERO, or Mutants & Masterminds), this same type of power is incredibly expensive, and you remain limited to switching around the points which comprise the character build, minus whatever premium they charge for the "power pool."
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Iago, the email is sent.
I tried to pick some things that the whole community might be interested in / benefit from; but I will admit to being totally selfish with one of the powers.
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Iago, the email is sent.
I tried to pick some things that the whole community might be interested in / benefit from; but I will admit to being totally selfish with one of the powers.
Where did you send it? I haven't gotten an email yet.
Evilhat at gmail is the way to go!
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Um...Poop. I think I sent it to you here as a private message...I'll have to recompose it.
Edit: Ok, now the email is sent; I royally screwed that one up. Sorry for the confusion, Iago. Sometimes I almost think I should get my internet privileges revoked.
Almost. ;)
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Got it. Thanks. It'll be a while before I can put together something coherent (my kid kept me up laaaaate last night), but it's on my to-do pile.
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No, Thank You, sir. The wait will be totally worth it, as I'm sure it will give the community at large and myself new insight into kitbashing some cool new toys for the Dresden Files and FATE as a whole.
On a side note, I totally understand the child issue; I watch my married room mates two year old so they can work and go to school, and he is routinely awake until 3 am. Makes me want to by a year's supply of Nyquil and a dart gun. :D
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This may or may not have been answered somewhere, but I would like an estimate on the release date for Paranet, please and thank you =). After spending a frustrating 4 hours of google searches and forum searches (Evil Hat really needs to organize their main site better ><), I have to bother you, the mods, with this question. Any light you can shed on this issue would be greatly appreciated ^^.
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Evil Hat chooses not to publish ETAs
Because they cannot miss an ETA if there is none. ;D
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darn, well it was worth a shot to ask XD. thank you for the prompt response Tsu.
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Evil Hat chooses not to publish ETAs
Because they cannot miss an ETA if there is none. ;D
This is correct. We provide ETAs when we know we'll hit it. Several chapters on Paranet are written, others aren't, many are in a partial state. Editing and then statblocking should proceed on many of them soon, but I'd expect that to take months; art direction hasn't begun yet because we want the art to fit the text.
In the meantime, we released a new family-friendly Avatar: The Last Airbender-esque story-telling game called Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple. Check it out!
As to the main website, it's a work in progress. We just recently accomplished a facelift, which is step one of many.
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This is correct. We provide ETAs when we know we'll hit it. Several chapters on Paranet are written, others aren't, many are in a partial state. Editing and then statblocking should proceed on many of them soon, but I'd expect that to take months; art direction hasn't begun yet because we want the art to fit the text.
In the meantime, we released a new family-friendly Avatar: The Last Airbender-esque story-telling game called Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple. Check it out!
As to the main website, it's a work in progress. We just recently accomplished a facelift, which is step one of many.
Cool, will check out the Avatar-esque RPG definitely. Sounds interesting :)
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Do disrespect was intended by the website comment, for the record =). It was just frustrating trying to look for intel and getting next to nothing and getting rerouted back to where I had already been when I was expecting other locations >_>. The insight that there was a recent renovation of the site lets understanding replace the frustration and I thank you for sharing it =D!