The Sword and Laser discussion

Hi guys

part of my fantasy/SF nerdiness is that i'm an inveterate roleplayer, and thought this would be a good place to share hints, tips, stories, jokes and experiences from role-playing games (RPGs not standing for rocket-propelled grenades in this instance). come on, there have to a few like-minded gamers amongst the ranks.

i play most weeks with a group of friends and my son. most of us like to run games (or "gamemaster"), but that does mean that we chop and change a fair bit. so many games/ideas, so little time.

i'm currently in the chair and am running The Laundry Files based on Charles Stross' series of books about the arm of the British security service tasked with protecting the UK from squamous Cthuloid monstrosities from beyond time and space. amazingly, i haven't killed or sent mad any characters yet. but it is only the introductory adventure. everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, and hopefully matters should be coming to a head over the next couple of weeks and they'll be begging for mercy or becoming gibbering wrecks.

(i am fully aware that any non-gamers reading this thread are probably thinking "WTF?" - trust me, it's great fun)

Hi Paul. I also started playing D&D with the Red Box and then onto 1st AD&D. I played various RPGs in the 80s and 90s and only recently joined a 4th D&D game after a about 12 to 15 years break. It is hard to find the time to play now (wife and kids) and I miss more sessions than I play. We play some Saturday nights.

I have also been an active miniature gamer over the last 30 years. My gaming does influence my reading. For example, I am currently playing a lot of 28mm WW2 and so I reading non-fiction WW2 books. I find history fasinating. Fantasy is my first reading choice, followed by history.

I look forward to getting involved in some gaming/booking reading discussions here.

Paul.

I'm a long time RPG fan myself. Both as a player and DM/GM. Lately I've been at a loss because there aren't any good open (and inviting) groups in my area.

How is the Laundry Files RPG? I was thinking of picking it up as I love the stories, but I'm feeling a bit burnt by Wizards lately. I used to LOVE reading the backstories and world-building bits (aka fluff), but their books seem almost all mechanics now (crunch).

Best trick ever to play on munchkin players. Push them into the Rifts game world. Making them figure out the damage vs mega-damage system was always hilarious.

hi guys

Patrick, i had the problem with the lack of a group for a few years. after the various guys in my groups moved away for college and work i was gameless until my late 20s until i met some people through work - the same group, more or less, i still play with now.

everyone seems to be enjoying the Laundry Files. it's a good solid game, more background than mechanics (i posted a review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...), and i would recommend it. i ordered the hardcopy/pdf bundles from drivethru - along with the supplements.

I've always wanted to play D&D, but I don't have anybody around here who I'd care to actually play it with :(

Oh well.

It's the same reason that I stopped playing in my teens, the group split up due to that the members had to move to go in different schools.
However I see a potential business opportunity here - virtual RPG groups - or perhaps someone can create an open source solution?

It already exists, actually. There's plenty of tools out there that let you have an online game going.

Something like http://www.kloogeinc.com/ or http://www.rpgobjects.com/index.php?c...

Using words like avid and committed don't describe me as a gamer enough. I have been playing RPGs since I first heard about D&D and decided to make up my own rules. The summer camp experience where I was ridiculed for this by "real D&D players" didn't deter me for long, nor did my Mom's insistence that I was searching for demons under every rock (thank you to the a-holes at the Christian Science Monitor for that! Yeesh!)

If you can swing a sword or shoot a gun in it, I've probably played it. In the last few years I've started to expand my interest into the indie side of gaming, having been an addict of D&D through all of its incarnations. Independent games, however, are more interested in the experience and expanding that then the more established power houses.

Right now I'm running a game of the Dresden Files RPG by Evil Hat Games, and we're set in Seattle for the time being. So far it's been a ton of fun. Trying to set the stage for a Warden of the White Council to protect the city alongside a Knight of the Cross, with a tough mortal police officer alongside a champion of the Amerindian deity Raven has been quite the challenge, but very entertaining.

RPGs have been responsible for the strongest friendship bonds I've ever experienced in my life. My gamer buddies are my people, and in some cases they are closer than family. I've formed life long bonds through this community, and can't speak highly enough of it.

Am I biased? You can bet your shiny chrome backside I am!

It's not quite an RPG but you know what I like to play? http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/15...

I have been playing over the table RPGs since the original D&D and Traveller came out. SF and Fantasy books are a GREAT source of material for your adventures (provided none of the players have read the same thing.) If you think about it, the original D&D concept was more or less based on the Mines of Moria section of Lord of the Rings.

After reading the firstWild Cards I joined a Champions group that was playing in the Wild Card universe. 7 years later I moved and had to quit the group but those were some fun times and our characters and adventures eventually became, at least to us, far more interesting that the Wild Card books.

I'm a full RPGer in the video game space, western RPG's (Mass Effect, Fallout, Oblivion, Fable, etc) are my favourite game type by far, but I've never tried the more analogue variants.

To be honest, I'm surprised I have friends on Facebook, let alone Xbox Live. My "in person" friends possess no geeky/nerdy qualities to speak of.

I spent some time role-playing during college (for me some D&D, but mostly anime-related stuff, though my friends played all sorts of different systems). Unfortunately, I kinda lost my group when I left school, and I didn't know anyone back home who might be into gaming. And now it's been several years.

But really, I'm mostly into console RPGs... of the Japanese variety. Been doing that since junior high, and I continue to do it today.

Leighann wrote: "But really, I'm mostly into console RPGs... of the Japanese variety. Been doing that since junior high, and I continue to do it today."

Me too!! Though I have enjoyed my fair share of western RPGs too (Dragon Age and Oblivion come to mind as ones I sunk too many hours into).

I've always wanted to give D&D a go, but never had friends who could be coerced to be quite that nerdy. Hell, even today I'm an engineer and can't find anybody. :( Now Carcassonne, on the other hand, when that came out for iPhone, I was in trouble.. ;)

I gamed back in my high school/college years but stopped when I got married. I'd love to pick it up again, but my work schedule wont allow for a regular time for the time being.

I was a big fan of Palladium Books' RPGs: especially Rifts.

Never touched D&D.

My circle lives in the Warhammer fantasy and 40k RPG universe. We used to play 1st Gen Cyberpunk, and slightly later 2nd gen Shadowrun.

Jason G wrote: "I've always wanted to play D&D, but I don't have anybody around here who I'd care to actually play it with :(

Oh well."

If you want to find a gaming group in your area, try http://www.meetup.com - there's bound to be like-minded people in your town/city.

been running a game of 3rd edition DnD for just over a year now. Made up my own Low magic, Low steampunk universe. Its a lot of work to keep the players happy and busy but well worth the reward when you listen to them talk about how awesome "that one part" was afterward.

Biggest thing I can tell you is to always be ready to do something you didn't expect. The players will always find something they want to do more then your content it seems.

Played a lot of games from the age of 11 till about 19. Just havent had the time or a group since (now 40).
It all started with Laserburn which strictly speaking wasn't an RPG but a set of skirmish rules. We made up the roleplaying element. Also used to play a Western game produced around the same time which i can't remember the name of (anybody help?). Then progressed to Traveller, D&D and then Advanced and then a number of others as well as playing Warhammer, 40K and Bloodbowl for light relief between campaigns. I'm sure there were plenty of others. We'd often buy new games and try them, never to play them again.
My favourites by far over the years were Traveller, Cthulu, Paranoia.
I also loved buying the GURPS worldbooks becuse they by and large were well researched and facinating.

Tyrone wrote: "Also used to play a Western game produced around the same time which i can't remember the name of (anybody help?). "

Boothill (TSR)? We play it during the late 80's. I also loved Traveller.

I started back with The Keep on the Borderlands, original D&D but quickly moved to AD&D and then branched out from there. All during school I played or ran AD&D, Cyberpunk 2020, Shadowrun, Vampire/White Wolf stuff. It was a lot of fun. Also got really into Warhammer and 40k for a while.

I even did a Vampire LARP once. I am not embarrassed because I was 19 and the girls all seemed to love me during that weekend lol. Been trying to get back into AD&D or try some WHF.

And yeah players always find a way. I had a player who basically stole a police swat vehicle and rammed it into a building to save his buddies (the other players) during a shadowrun game. Yeah I did not expect him to do it, or even manage to pull it off. But I always played it with the idea in mind that they could try anything. It was loads of fun and had all sorts of unexpected twists.

No, not Boothill. It predated that it think. I remember the booklet. It had a yellow paper cover and was A5 size. It may only have been a set of skirmish rules like Laserburn but we made up the rest.

And yes, we always did find a way to do something. Anything a gamesmaster could put together, a player could find a way to undo. This was almost always most difficult at the beginning of a campaign when you were trying to push the players in a particular direction. I learnt a lot about motivation which stood me in good stead for work.