Comments on: My RPG DNA: Part 3: The Oughts, D&D 3.X http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/ The Journal of Gamer Culture Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:53:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: For Your Ennies Voting Consideration : Critical Hits http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-73109 For Your Ennies Voting Consideration : Critical Hits Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:43:45 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-73109 [...] decision to dissolve his gaming group and his origins as a gamer (his gamer DNA, parts 1, 2, 3). He also gives advice to gamers with spouses, and encourages gamers to, put simply, [...] [...] decision to dissolve his gaming group and his origins as a gamer (his gamer DNA, parts 1, 2, 3). He also gives advice to gamers with spouses, and encourages gamers to, put simply, [...]

]]> By: craftygamergirl http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72656 craftygamergirl Mon, 28 Jun 2010 05:27:46 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72656 I've loved this series of blog posts about your gaming history. As a very new gamer, I find it fascinating to watch the evolutionary stages, so to speak, of someone that has been gaming for a long, long time. There's something a little surreal in reading this and contrasting it against my own "I want to try everything" because I've only tried one thing yet (D&D 4th ed) and I'm hooked. I’ve loved this series of blog posts about your gaming history. As a very new gamer, I find it fascinating to watch the evolutionary stages, so to speak, of someone that has been gaming for a long, long time. There’s something a little surreal in reading this and contrasting it against my own “I want to try everything” because I’ve only tried one thing yet (D&D 4th ed) and I’m hooked.

]]> By: pworthen http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72368 pworthen Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:53:57 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72368 @Chatty: Spirit of the Century is Awesome at the table. Even my group of jaded, combat-loving, "you can take my magic items when you can pry them from my cold, dead fingers" players were able to come up with amazing backgrounds and settle in for a little light fun with this game. We ended up with a memorable cast of characters and we've played a few adventures. I highly recommend it. @Chatty: Spirit of the Century is Awesome at the table. Even my group of jaded, combat-loving, “you can take my magic items when you can pry them from my cold, dead fingers” players were able to come up with amazing backgrounds and settle in for a little light fun with this game. We ended up with a memorable cast of characters and we’ve played a few adventures. I highly recommend it.

]]> By: Siskoid http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72274 Siskoid Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:04:52 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72274 Supers has many things going for it: -Fun and wide open character creation process (you don't suffer from 1st level fighters are all the same syndrome). -Easy to get the characters involved (core driving morality) -Clear objectives and endgames (once the villain is beat, the story is done, so easy to do one shots or shorter campaigns) Supers has many things going for it:
-Fun and wide open character creation process (you don’t suffer from 1st level fighters are all the same syndrome).
-Easy to get the characters involved (core driving morality)
-Clear objectives and endgames (once the villain is beat, the story is done, so easy to do one shots or shorter campaigns)

]]> By: My RPG DNA, Part 1 « Geek Related http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72273 My RPG DNA, Part 1 « Geek Related Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:31:28 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72273 [...] Part 3: More D&D [...] [...] Part 3: More D&D [...]

]]> By: ChattyDM http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72262 ChattyDM Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:12:13 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72262 @siskoid: A quick perusal of your 4 part series shows that you were indeed all over the scene in terms of RPGs and played quite a few cool games. I recall a friend trying to sell me on DC heroes while I had just purchased the Advanced version of the Marvel Supers game. In fact our multiple Super Heroes sessions weren't mentioned in my series. Whenever we grew tired of Fantasy, Supers was a safe and enjoyable alternative. @pworthen: Ah yes, Spirit of the Century does come back in discussions of games I should try. How is it at the table... knowing full well it was written by the guy who inspired this series of blog posts :) @Tiorn: Worse.character.yet.funny.name.ever! Best of luck to get a new game going. Go out there and make things happen! @Runesligner: Thank you! The number of gaming DNA posts has gone Memetic in the last few days/weeks. Many RPG blogs have followed suit, making for awesome stories. Bloggers, don't hesitate to leave links to your own stories here. I think that trackbacks have been turned off because of spamming. @siskoid: A quick perusal of your 4 part series shows that you were indeed all over the scene in terms of RPGs and played quite a few cool games. I recall a friend trying to sell me on DC heroes while I had just purchased the Advanced version of the Marvel Supers game.

In fact our multiple Super Heroes sessions weren’t mentioned in my series. Whenever we grew tired of Fantasy, Supers was a safe and enjoyable alternative.

@pworthen: Ah yes, Spirit of the Century does come back in discussions of games I should try. How is it at the table… knowing full well it was written by the guy who inspired this series of blog posts :)

@Tiorn: Worse.character.yet.funny.name.ever! Best of luck to get a new game going. Go out there and make things happen!

@Runesligner: Thank you! The number of gaming DNA posts has gone Memetic in the last few days/weeks. Many RPG blogs have followed suit, making for awesome stories.

Bloggers, don’t hesitate to leave links to your own stories here. I think that trackbacks have been turned off because of spamming.

]]> By: Runeslinger http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72260 Runeslinger Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:33:13 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72260 I am really enjoying these posts! I already have a similar, if less interesting and less detailed post on my own blog on my gaming roots so I won't repeat here, but I wanted to say that these posts have inspired me to haul out some of my best memories of gaming over the years and post about them~ I hope you and your readers will do the same; there is nothing quite like a gaming story told with all the polish of years and years of loving retelling. I am very curious to see what sort of scenes stick out in your mind as some of the best in your time as a gamer~ Thanks~ I am really enjoying these posts!

I already have a similar, if less interesting and less detailed post on my own blog on my gaming roots so I won’t repeat here, but I wanted to say that these posts have inspired me to haul out some of my best memories of gaming over the years and post about them~

I hope you and your readers will do the same; there is nothing quite like a gaming story told with all the polish of years and years of loving retelling. I am very curious to see what sort of scenes stick out in your mind as some of the best in your time as a gamer~

Thanks~

]]> By: Tiorn http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72259 Tiorn Thu, 10 Jun 2010 07:44:37 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72259 I managed to play a little 3.x in about '02 or so. Wasn't much... only about enough playing time to level up a half-orc barbarian once or twice. I really liked it. The DM for those few sessions had an extremely short attention span however, so that game died quickly. Still, even though my half-orc barbarian, Tugg MeNuttz was only 2nd or 3rd level, he's still one of my favorite characters and I would love to get into another game with him. It doesn't really seem like it was that long ago, but around '02-'03 I was taking a look at LUG's Star Trek TNG RPG. It looked really interesting and I was eager to try it out, but I really wasn't in contact with any like-minded players at that point. From Summer '03 to Winter '06, I moved four times. So, that really disrupted a lot of my free time to keep in contact with other RP gamers. Its only been in about the last year or two that I've been so bored with my free time that I've been wanting to get into a regular game again. The thoughts have been constantly there, but even more so recently. I managed to play a little 3.x in about ’02 or so. Wasn’t much… only about enough playing time to level up a half-orc barbarian once or twice. I really liked it. The DM for those few sessions had an extremely short attention span however, so that game died quickly. Still, even though my half-orc barbarian, Tugg MeNuttz was only 2nd or 3rd level, he’s still one of my favorite characters and I would love to get into another game with him.

It doesn’t really seem like it was that long ago, but around ’02-’03 I was taking a look at LUG’s Star Trek TNG RPG. It looked really interesting and I was eager to try it out, but I really wasn’t in contact with any like-minded players at that point.

From Summer ’03 to Winter ’06, I moved four times. So, that really disrupted a lot of my free time to keep in contact with other RP gamers. Its only been in about the last year or two that I’ve been so bored with my free time that I’ve been wanting to get into a regular game again. The thoughts have been constantly there, but even more so recently.

]]> By: pworthen http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72254 pworthen Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:08:05 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72254 Prior to 3rd edition, we had pretty much fallen off of RPGs in favor of wargames. We were playing Warhammer regularly, and other tabletop games less often. One guy in our group had a 2nd edition campaign going, but it was lackluster. 3rd edition D&D changed the dynamic entirely. The first time we played it, we knew it was something special, and before long we had switched everything over and were playing D&D exclusively. During this time, I ran and played in several really epic campaigns, and the guys I played with then are still the core group of guys I game with today. I DMed our massive college campaign, which ran from 1st to 23rd level over the course of 2 years, before eventually collapsing of bloat. I then handed the DM job off to the others, but eventually came back and ran most of Paizo's Savage Tide campaign for the group before we switched to 4e. I played some of my more memorable characters during this time, including Domial ul'Vorak, the Oracle of Wee Jas, and Stiff Ricky Chen, a monk with a bad attitude. I also got heavily into online play-by-post gaming at this point, and that's actually how I do most of my gaming these days. I encourage anyone who's interested to visit the forum at www.dndarchive.com - we have an excellent group of guys over there and we run a lot of play-by-post. In the last few years, we've mostly switched to 4e, but we also have begun experimenting with Indie RPGs - Spirit of the Century is a big favorite of mine! Prior to 3rd edition, we had pretty much fallen off of RPGs in favor of wargames. We were playing Warhammer regularly, and other tabletop games less often. One guy in our group had a 2nd edition campaign going, but it was lackluster. 3rd edition D&D changed the dynamic entirely. The first time we played it, we knew it was something special, and before long we had switched everything over and were playing D&D exclusively. During this time, I ran and played in several really epic campaigns, and the guys I played with then are still the core group of guys I game with today. I DMed our massive college campaign, which ran from 1st to 23rd level over the course of 2 years, before eventually collapsing of bloat.

I then handed the DM job off to the others, but eventually came back and ran most of Paizo’s Savage Tide campaign for the group before we switched to 4e. I played some of my more memorable characters during this time, including Domial ul’Vorak, the Oracle of Wee Jas, and Stiff Ricky Chen, a monk with a bad attitude. I also got heavily into online play-by-post gaming at this point, and that’s actually how I do most of my gaming these days. I encourage anyone who’s interested to visit the forum at http://www.dndarchive.com – we have an excellent group of guys over there and we run a lot of play-by-post.

In the last few years, we’ve mostly switched to 4e, but we also have begun experimenting with Indie RPGs – Spirit of the Century is a big favorite of mine!

]]> By: Siskoid http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72253 Siskoid Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:55:11 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72253 Like is apparent ftom my own RPG DNA, I never got into the d20 revolution AT ALL. I was too busy playing other games. If I had still been into sword & sorcery, I might have felt the need to convert to 3+, and from there, been launched towards other d20 products (Modern, Mutants & Masterminds, etc.) But I wasn't, and I didn't see anything there I couldn't already do with my near-complete GURPS collection, or simpler multi-genre systems like Dream Park's. So d20? No perceptible effect on yours truly. Like is apparent ftom my own RPG DNA, I never got into the d20 revolution AT ALL. I was too busy playing other games. If I had still been into sword & sorcery, I might have felt the need to convert to 3+, and from there, been launched towards other d20 products (Modern, Mutants & Masterminds, etc.) But I wasn’t, and I didn’t see anything there I couldn’t already do with my near-complete GURPS collection, or simpler multi-genre systems like Dream Park’s.

So d20? No perceptible effect on yours truly.

]]> By: ChattyDM http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72250 ChattyDM Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:12:27 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72250 @Andy: Mouseguard is the best RPG I've read in the second part of the ought's, it is masterfully written, witty and fun. It is, however hard to learn everything needed to play the game on the first read-through. That I'm kinda buddies with the game engine's creator has absolutely no influence on my stance :) @Lanir: Hey man, glad to hear from you again! Sorry to see that the 3.5 years weren't all that cool for you. If you still are very much into storytelling, I urge you to explore the crop of indie games that have come up in the last 10 years instead of looking at the big 5. There are a lot of rules light, high roleplaying games out there with mechanics that focus on roleplaying. Burning Wheel being just one of them. As for 4e, I think it was designed to snag new market shares at the cost of some of its original fan base... said base who might not have been bringing all that much cash anymore. But that's a discussion for a Friday post for sure. Stay tuned for my 3:16 Carnage Among the Stars play report for an example. @Alex: Thanks for the feed back! RPG revivals are the best. And don't feel constrained by a given system. Yes D&D often ends up being the default system to get a whole group playing together but there are now many completely supported versions available that will fit your DMing style. As for 4e, if you are willing to explore it further, I'd suggest you try your hand at home brewing it. If you are pressed for time and like adventure path-style gaming, Pathfinder's chronicles and the associated game is also a great alternative. (Again, if only Paizo made printed 4e-patible Adventure Paths, I'd subscribe in a minute. I'm a D&Di subscriber but I don't like looking at the PDFs magazine... ) @Andy: Mouseguard is the best RPG I’ve read in the second part of the ought’s, it is masterfully written, witty and fun. It is, however hard to learn everything needed to play the game on the first read-through. That I’m kinda buddies with the game engine’s creator has absolutely no influence on my stance :)

@Lanir: Hey man, glad to hear from you again! Sorry to see that the 3.5 years weren’t all that cool for you. If you still are very much into storytelling, I urge you to explore the crop of indie games that have come up in the last 10 years instead of looking at the big 5. There are a lot of rules light, high roleplaying games out there with mechanics that focus on roleplaying. Burning Wheel being just one of them.

As for 4e, I think it was designed to snag new market shares at the cost of some of its original fan base… said base who might not have been bringing all that much cash anymore. But that’s a discussion for a Friday post for sure.

Stay tuned for my 3:16 Carnage Among the Stars play report for an example.

@Alex: Thanks for the feed back! RPG revivals are the best. And don’t feel constrained by a given system. Yes D&D often ends up being the default system to get a whole group playing together but there are now many completely supported versions available that will fit your DMing style.

As for 4e, if you are willing to explore it further, I’d suggest you try your hand at home brewing it. If you are pressed for time and like adventure path-style gaming, Pathfinder’s chronicles and the associated game is also a great alternative.

(Again, if only Paizo made printed 4e-patible Adventure Paths, I’d subscribe in a minute. I’m a D&Di subscriber but I don’t like looking at the PDFs magazine… )

]]> By: Alex Crouzen http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72247 Alex Crouzen Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:42:25 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72247 Great post! I'm going to have a look at a lot of the links you've included. I'm having a kind of revival as well at the moment. I'm age-wise probably in the same bracket as you are now (almost 40, pot-belly but no kids yet), but I do have the advantage of working in a field where playing games is actively encouraged (computer games). I've role-played from the mid 80s, mostly (A)D&D with several groups I've now mostly lost contact with. The latest of these was only a couple of months ago, where I was DMming 4th edition and going through the published adventures. Sadly, I got quite disappointed in 4th ed., as I just couldn't get both groups I was leading to get stuck into it. Whether it's the system or my abilities to DM I'm not clear on yet. But a change in work (and location) now gives me a new opportunity! I'm starting a group at work (with something completely different: Trail of Cthulhu) and I'm testing the waters of the PBP community at paizo.com, where I'm planning to start honing the other side of GamesMastery: creating from scratch (settings & adventures, not systems), which I must say I haven't really delved in to at all recently. That's me. Back to work... Great post! I’m going to have a look at a lot of the links you’ve included.

I’m having a kind of revival as well at the moment. I’m age-wise probably in the same bracket as you are now (almost 40, pot-belly but no kids yet), but I do have the advantage of working in a field where playing games is actively encouraged (computer games).

I’ve role-played from the mid 80s, mostly (A)D&D with several groups I’ve now mostly lost contact with. The latest of these was only a couple of months ago, where I was DMming 4th edition and going through the published adventures. Sadly, I got quite disappointed in 4th ed., as I just couldn’t get both groups I was leading to get stuck into it. Whether it’s the system or my abilities to DM I’m not clear on yet.

But a change in work (and location) now gives me a new opportunity! I’m starting a group at work (with something completely different: Trail of Cthulhu) and I’m testing the waters of the PBP community at paizo.com, where I’m planning to start honing the other side of GamesMastery: creating from scratch (settings & adventures, not systems), which I must say I haven’t really delved in to at all recently.

That’s me. Back to work…

]]> By: Lanir http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72243 Lanir Wed, 09 Jun 2010 05:48:38 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72243 Mostly the 3.x years were a bit difficult for me. I went into it alright but I'm more of a story person than a crunch nut, so there were whole layers of newly added goo that really didn't do much for me. All it took was a very antagonistic DM in one of our early games to turn me off of the system (sorry Chatty - yours may have been tough but fair; mine was just tough). This I think led me to not really give the game as much of a chance as I would have otherwise and since the majority of the group was more into crunch than I was, i think it led some of them to think less of me. Which in the end caused the creativity in the games to dry up and the group to implode. Last I'd heard some of them still get together but they just play with Magic cards instead. By the time 4e came out I'd kind of hit a gaming dry spell that's still going on. I've had a lot of ups and downs with the job market lately so fixing that hasn't been my first priority but once I get a bit more settled I'll have to look for a gaming group again. Hopefully I can find one with less drama than the last one. Although I have to admit I would probably be happier if they weren't playing D&D. It just sounds like the authors were trying too hard to copy video games. The strengths of a pencil and paper game lie in different areas. Mostly the 3.x years were a bit difficult for me. I went into it alright but I’m more of a story person than a crunch nut, so there were whole layers of newly added goo that really didn’t do much for me. All it took was a very antagonistic DM in one of our early games to turn me off of the system (sorry Chatty – yours may have been tough but fair; mine was just tough). This I think led me to not really give the game as much of a chance as I would have otherwise and since the majority of the group was more into crunch than I was, i think it led some of them to think less of me. Which in the end caused the creativity in the games to dry up and the group to implode. Last I’d heard some of them still get together but they just play with Magic cards instead.

By the time 4e came out I’d kind of hit a gaming dry spell that’s still going on. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs with the job market lately so fixing that hasn’t been my first priority but once I get a bit more settled I’ll have to look for a gaming group again. Hopefully I can find one with less drama than the last one. Although I have to admit I would probably be happier if they weren’t playing D&D. It just sounds like the authors were trying too hard to copy video games. The strengths of a pencil and paper game lie in different areas.

]]> By: Andy http://critical-hits.com/2010/06/08/my-rpg-dna-part-3-the-oughts-dd-3-x/#comment-72242 Andy Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:08:03 +0000 http://critical-hits.com/?p=13764#comment-72242 Cool! For myself, the oughts were my introduction to RPGs wholesale. First freeform roleplaying on forums, and eventually I got to play a bit of D&D 4th Edition (well, and a session of 3.5). Moving on, I've also played World of Darkness, and found umpteen systems to research. Including Mouse Guard. Cool! For myself, the oughts were my introduction to RPGs wholesale. First freeform roleplaying on forums, and eventually I got to play a bit of D&D 4th Edition (well, and a session of 3.5). Moving on, I’ve also played World of Darkness, and found umpteen systems to research. Including Mouse Guard.

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