Greetings all!
A quick little post to note that I have in fact not been kidnapped by aliens, nor have I lost my way in some deep dark dungeon looking for loot. The reasons for my absence are, in fact, a tad more mundane in nature. See it is Christmas time in this household, and IRL things combined with work, has kept me busy. I will return with new updates and articles in here in due time.
Until I do, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, or a very happy whatever else you might be celebrating instead, and I will see you all again soon!
Take care, and be kind to each other.
Until next time!
tisdag 20 december 2016
tisdag 6 december 2016
Shiantiara RPG is up on Kickstarter
Greetings fellow travelers of the tabletop multiverse!
This time of year is a busy time for me, so updates have been a bit scarcer than I would have liked.
Let us talk today about a Kickstarter I recently found. It is for a tabletop roleplaying game called Shintiara.
The story is quite interesting. Shintiara is a planet trapped between a black hole and a star, and the actions of the players will help determine the destiny of the planet. Will it be swallowed by the black hole, or will the star keep it from its ultimate demise? The constant struggle between the black hole and the star causes time paradoxes to appear frequently on Shintiara, with the future and past constantly mixing. The game also appears to have a mix of magic and technology, often intertwined and co-existing and even working as one on many occasions.
The Kickstarter has 39 days left to go at the time of writing this article, and they have so far reached 3,730 euro out of an asked 5,000 euro.
Go check out the Kickstarter and if you like it give it a pledge. :)
Until next time!
This time of year is a busy time for me, so updates have been a bit scarcer than I would have liked.
Let us talk today about a Kickstarter I recently found. It is for a tabletop roleplaying game called Shintiara.
The story is quite interesting. Shintiara is a planet trapped between a black hole and a star, and the actions of the players will help determine the destiny of the planet. Will it be swallowed by the black hole, or will the star keep it from its ultimate demise? The constant struggle between the black hole and the star causes time paradoxes to appear frequently on Shintiara, with the future and past constantly mixing. The game also appears to have a mix of magic and technology, often intertwined and co-existing and even working as one on many occasions.
The Kickstarter has 39 days left to go at the time of writing this article, and they have so far reached 3,730 euro out of an asked 5,000 euro.
Go check out the Kickstarter and if you like it give it a pledge. :)
Until next time!
torsdag 24 november 2016
Kickstarter for new Pathfinder adventure book
Greetings from the Tabletop Multiverse!
There is a new adventure up on Kickstarter for Pathfinder. It is called "The Crossing" and is the third book in the "Return to the Fey" adventure path for the "Dark Return" setting. It is made for 4-6 players using lvl 3-4 characters, so it is a pretty low-level adventure, but if you don't mind that, or if you are new to the game, it is as good a place as any to start.
Here is a link to the Kickstarter page. Go take a look at it if you are interested.
Until next time!
There is a new adventure up on Kickstarter for Pathfinder. It is called "The Crossing" and is the third book in the "Return to the Fey" adventure path for the "Dark Return" setting. It is made for 4-6 players using lvl 3-4 characters, so it is a pretty low-level adventure, but if you don't mind that, or if you are new to the game, it is as good a place as any to start.
Here is a link to the Kickstarter page. Go take a look at it if you are interested.
Until next time!
onsdag 16 november 2016
Progress
Greetings fellow citizens of the Multiverse!
Again, sadly, IRL stuff has taken hold of my time and I have been unable to write in here as often as I might have liked.
I have been getting some stuff done though. I have FINALLY been able to make a map that I am half-way decently satisfied with for my world-building project. It is a map of the northern-most continent, and I am very happy to have it mostly done. I am still tweaking it and changing bits and pieces here and there, but the general lay-out of it should be ok. I've been wanting to have these maps done for quite some time now as I feel that they (this map and other ones I have in the pipeline) will help me visualize the world more clearly. It is one thing having a bunch of pages of written text, but once you see it come alive on a map it really helps bring it all to life. At least for me it does. Also the maps help me to keep track of things.
As the eagle-eyed reader might have noticed, yes, that means I have been spending time learning to use Campaign Cartographer 3+. It and I are slowly coming to an understanding. It still has a few things about it that annoys me from time to time, but then again no program can do everything. And honestly, half the times it is probably (it is) I who have done something wrong and the program is simply doing what I just told it to do.
Overall I would say that CC3+ is a very good program for map-making. I do think I will need to sink some more money into it in the long-run if I want to be able to make all the maps properly that I want to make. Though that is for later.
On the world-building front there has also been a bit of writing done. Not as much as I would have liked perhaps, but then again a lot of that time has gone into the map-making instead, so I guess it is for a good cause.
I really can't wait for the time when I have the world at such a stage that I can try playing some kind of tabletop RPG in it with friends. :) Which tabletop RPG that might be though, I haven't got a clue yet. I might even end up running with the home-made rule-set I have been working on. In a way, I am kind of hoping that I can do that. It would be fun to try out a rule-set that has actually been made for that world. But we shall see.
Time for me to sign off for now.
Until next time!
Again, sadly, IRL stuff has taken hold of my time and I have been unable to write in here as often as I might have liked.
I have been getting some stuff done though. I have FINALLY been able to make a map that I am half-way decently satisfied with for my world-building project. It is a map of the northern-most continent, and I am very happy to have it mostly done. I am still tweaking it and changing bits and pieces here and there, but the general lay-out of it should be ok. I've been wanting to have these maps done for quite some time now as I feel that they (this map and other ones I have in the pipeline) will help me visualize the world more clearly. It is one thing having a bunch of pages of written text, but once you see it come alive on a map it really helps bring it all to life. At least for me it does. Also the maps help me to keep track of things.
As the eagle-eyed reader might have noticed, yes, that means I have been spending time learning to use Campaign Cartographer 3+. It and I are slowly coming to an understanding. It still has a few things about it that annoys me from time to time, but then again no program can do everything. And honestly, half the times it is probably (it is) I who have done something wrong and the program is simply doing what I just told it to do.
Overall I would say that CC3+ is a very good program for map-making. I do think I will need to sink some more money into it in the long-run if I want to be able to make all the maps properly that I want to make. Though that is for later.
On the world-building front there has also been a bit of writing done. Not as much as I would have liked perhaps, but then again a lot of that time has gone into the map-making instead, so I guess it is for a good cause.
I really can't wait for the time when I have the world at such a stage that I can try playing some kind of tabletop RPG in it with friends. :) Which tabletop RPG that might be though, I haven't got a clue yet. I might even end up running with the home-made rule-set I have been working on. In a way, I am kind of hoping that I can do that. It would be fun to try out a rule-set that has actually been made for that world. But we shall see.
Time for me to sign off for now.
Until next time!
fredag 11 november 2016
D&D inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame
Greetings everyone, from somewhere in the Tabletop Multiverse we call home.
It's been a few days since my last post. This has mainly been the result of a very busy IRL schedule and not having the energy to write posts. Hopefully this will turn around shortly.
Today's post will probably be a short one, but it will be a good one. I think. Hope.... I'll just leave that decision to you guys.
Dungeons & Dragons, the tabletop role playing game that we all love, have been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. Yeah, I hadn't heard of the NTHoF before either. Nevertheless, D&D is one of 62 toys inducted this year. It has come a long way since its humble beginnings back in 1974, at the hands of Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. It has grown quite a bit since then and is today perhaps the most famous and well-known tabletop RPG on the market.
A bit of research (Wikipedia artice) on the National Toy Hall of Fame, tells me that it is based in the U.S. and was established in 1998. The wikipedia article says that:
If you haven't checked out D&D yet, I strongly suggest you do so. It might be a bit tricky picking which version to start with, as it is currently on it's 5th edition, but if you are having trouble deciding I would probably suggest starting with 5th edition as it is the latest one and you might have the easiest time getting the books for it, and you are also more likely to find people online who can help you out.
Again, a big contratulations to Wizards of the Coast on the induction of D&D into the National Toy Hall of Fame. It is always nice to see a game that has meant so much to so many people, for such a long time, get a recognition such as that. :)
Until next time!
It's been a few days since my last post. This has mainly been the result of a very busy IRL schedule and not having the energy to write posts. Hopefully this will turn around shortly.
Today's post will probably be a short one, but it will be a good one. I think. Hope.... I'll just leave that decision to you guys.
Dungeons & Dragons, the tabletop role playing game that we all love, have been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. Yeah, I hadn't heard of the NTHoF before either. Nevertheless, D&D is one of 62 toys inducted this year. It has come a long way since its humble beginnings back in 1974, at the hands of Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. It has grown quite a bit since then and is today perhaps the most famous and well-known tabletop RPG on the market.
A bit of research (Wikipedia artice) on the National Toy Hall of Fame, tells me that it is based in the U.S. and was established in 1998. The wikipedia article says that:
"...recognizes the contributions of toys and games that have sustained their popularity for many years. Criteria for induction include: icon status (the toy is widely recognized, respected, and remembered); longevity (more than a passing fad); discovery (fosters learning, creativity, or discovery); and innovation (profoundly changed play or toy design)"I would definitely say that Dungeons & Dragons more than meets all those criteria.
If you haven't checked out D&D yet, I strongly suggest you do so. It might be a bit tricky picking which version to start with, as it is currently on it's 5th edition, but if you are having trouble deciding I would probably suggest starting with 5th edition as it is the latest one and you might have the easiest time getting the books for it, and you are also more likely to find people online who can help you out.
Again, a big contratulations to Wizards of the Coast on the induction of D&D into the National Toy Hall of Fame. It is always nice to see a game that has meant so much to so many people, for such a long time, get a recognition such as that. :)
Until next time!
tisdag 1 november 2016
The Earth Brewery - new Kickstarter from Dicey Ventures Studios
Greetings from the vast expanses of the Tabletop Multiverse, fellow travelers!
Recently I found out that the good folks at Dicey Ventures Studios are planning a Kickstarter for their latest 3D printed tabletop terrain model, so I figured I would give them a hand and help spread the word.
As a little background, I first ran into Dicey Ventures Studios via their Twitter account, and from what I have seen of their work since they seem to be really good at what they do. They also seem like nice people, which is always a plus.
Their latest venture then is what they call their Elemental Village, which consists of stylized, 3D printed tabletop terrain models, that can be used for wargaming as well as adventure gaming.
Sounds neat, doesn't it? That's straight from their website.
So, what about this upcoming Kickstarter then? Well, it is for a model in the Elemental Village model-series, called the "Earth Brewery". You might be interested to find that they actually held a poll on their website for what model to make next, and this was the winning result! They also held a coloring contest for it among their followers, and picked a winner. Gotta love it when a company is listening to their community and lets them get involved. :)
They've held a Kickstarter before, for their Venture Dice Bags in 2015, which was successfully funded. I'm hoping they will have the same luck this time, because the brewery looks great!
The brewery will be sold as 28 mm, 3D printed models, rather than made using resin. As I understand it, by pledging at the Kickstarter you will be able to get the STL file and 3D print it yourself - provided you have access to a 3D printer, of course - or you can ask Dicey Ventures Studios to print it for you.
Having been in contact with them, they sent me the following key points regarding the Earth Brewery and the Kickstarter:
I like the fact that "All Core Elemental Village Models Available as Physical Add-ons" as you can see in the image below. Among them you can also find the Water Dwelling that they mentioned in the quoted list above.
The Kickstarter for the Earth Brewery goes live at 11 am EST today, November 1st, if I understood it correctly. I'm looking forward to checking it out once it is live. I am hopeful that they will do well, because it is a really nice looking product they have there. Also it is always nice when a smaller studio does well for themselves. :)
There is also a video up on Facebook of someone unboxing the Earth Brewery model. It can be found right here for anyone interested.
So feel free to go check it out and if you like what you see give them a pledge. The Kickstarter hasn't started up yet at the time of writing this, but I will keep my eyes open for when it does. If you want to you can also go check out their website. Links can be found earlier in the text.
Until next time, my fellow travellers!
Recently I found out that the good folks at Dicey Ventures Studios are planning a Kickstarter for their latest 3D printed tabletop terrain model, so I figured I would give them a hand and help spread the word.
As a little background, I first ran into Dicey Ventures Studios via their Twitter account, and from what I have seen of their work since they seem to be really good at what they do. They also seem like nice people, which is always a plus.
Their latest venture then is what they call their Elemental Village, which consists of stylized, 3D printed tabletop terrain models, that can be used for wargaming as well as adventure gaming.
The Elemental Village is a set of 28mm fantasy terrain that is designed to be used with and for any tabletop wargame or adventure game. Fantastically crafted by expert goblins, these one of a kind Chibi inspired tabletop terrain pieces will ornament your gameplay in a way that cannot be found anywhere else. Each Digital Element Pack comes with STL Files, Print & Color Guides to help you along the way.
Sounds neat, doesn't it? That's straight from their website.
So, what about this upcoming Kickstarter then? Well, it is for a model in the Elemental Village model-series, called the "Earth Brewery". You might be interested to find that they actually held a poll on their website for what model to make next, and this was the winning result! They also held a coloring contest for it among their followers, and picked a winner. Gotta love it when a company is listening to their community and lets them get involved. :)
They've held a Kickstarter before, for their Venture Dice Bags in 2015, which was successfully funded. I'm hoping they will have the same luck this time, because the brewery looks great!
The brewery will be sold as 28 mm, 3D printed models, rather than made using resin. As I understand it, by pledging at the Kickstarter you will be able to get the STL file and 3D print it yourself - provided you have access to a 3D printer, of course - or you can ask Dicey Ventures Studios to print it for you.
Having been in contact with them, they sent me the following key points regarding the Earth Brewery and the Kickstarter:
*Expansion to the Elemental Village Core Set, joining the Earth Tavern and Dwelling
*3D printed model
*$20 price point for physical model, $10 for STL 3D printing file
*Yuletide Brewery pledge level offering December 2016 shipping, in time for the holidays!
*Other shipping waves with January and February 2017 fulfillment
We’ll Print It For You-
*All Core Elemental Village Models Available as Physical Add-ons
*Price range of $8-$30 per model
*Day 1 stretch goal-If the Earth Brewery campaign reaches $1000 in the first 24 hours, all backers who pledge for the Brewery will receive a free Water Dwelling!
I like the fact that "All Core Elemental Village Models Available as Physical Add-ons" as you can see in the image below. Among them you can also find the Water Dwelling that they mentioned in the quoted list above.
The Kickstarter for the Earth Brewery goes live at 11 am EST today, November 1st, if I understood it correctly. I'm looking forward to checking it out once it is live. I am hopeful that they will do well, because it is a really nice looking product they have there. Also it is always nice when a smaller studio does well for themselves. :)
There is also a video up on Facebook of someone unboxing the Earth Brewery model. It can be found right here for anyone interested.
So feel free to go check it out and if you like what you see give them a pledge. The Kickstarter hasn't started up yet at the time of writing this, but I will keep my eyes open for when it does. If you want to you can also go check out their website. Links can be found earlier in the text.
Until next time, my fellow travellers!
söndag 30 oktober 2016
Map-making for my World-building
Greetings and welcome once more to the tabletop multiverse.
In today's post I will be going back to discussing my world-building project, and map-making for said project to be precise.
In the last few days I have been practicing my map-making skills and learning how to use Campaign Cartographer, or Campaign Cartographer 3+ to be precise. As I am learning more and more about the program I am coming to the realization that it is a really good program for map-making, albeit a bit much to learn for a newbie map-maker such as myself. In the beginning I think I was struggling a bit with my own wish to be good at it straight from the get-go, and to be able to make really good maps, and especially the maps that I wanted to make, right from day 1. Of course I know that something like that isn't really possible, and I have moved away from that into finally actually practicing with the program and making practice maps. I still feel like I am learning something new every day I practice with it, which I suppose is good, and there are still a lot of question-marks that I need answered before I start going into making the actual maps that I need.
As I said before, Campaign Cartographer 3+ is a really good program, and it had better be considering the price. I am still a novice at the whole map-making thing and so I realize that I am probably making a lot of mistakes, and doing things the wrong way, when I really don't need to. If anyone out there is really good at using that particular program feel free to send me a message. I could do with some advice in finding good tutorials etc, as well as some pointers.
So, why am I so into making maps at the moment, you may ask? The reason is quite simple really. I have a lot of written material for my world-building now. Probably enough to fill 3 or 4 different continents, at least mostly, with cultures, civilizations, races, etc. Now I need the maps to get a better visual on how everything fits together. I have it in my head, but I think it will be immensely helpful to have visual maps to look at as well. I don't need anything super-detailed, but enough for me to get a view of the general layout of various regions, where the mountains and mountain-ranges are, the woods, rivers, lakes, major cities and towns, etc, and how it all relates to one-another.
I am sure I will get to that point eventually. I just need to learn how to do it first, and how to make decent looking maps that will work for what I need them for.
A couple of things I miss in Campaign Cartographer - though it might just be that I haven't found those specific functions yet - is a way to just mark something and then click to see what is effecting it at the moment, what sheet and layer it is on, etc. Sort of just to get a good view of it as I have on several occasions been bewildered as to why an item or thing on the map is behaving the way it is, or why a command suddenly isn't making it do what it did before any more. Another thing I am missing is a measuring device. Something along the lines of what AutoREALM has where you can measure distances in feet, meters, miles, kilometers, or even things such as 'days travel by horse' or 'days by sailed galley'. I know this exists because I have tinkered and experimented with AutoREALM a bit in the past, but not many maps have really been produced from it and in any case no maps that have had any real purpose or seen any use.
That's about it for this time, I think.
Until next time.
In today's post I will be going back to discussing my world-building project, and map-making for said project to be precise.
In the last few days I have been practicing my map-making skills and learning how to use Campaign Cartographer, or Campaign Cartographer 3+ to be precise. As I am learning more and more about the program I am coming to the realization that it is a really good program for map-making, albeit a bit much to learn for a newbie map-maker such as myself. In the beginning I think I was struggling a bit with my own wish to be good at it straight from the get-go, and to be able to make really good maps, and especially the maps that I wanted to make, right from day 1. Of course I know that something like that isn't really possible, and I have moved away from that into finally actually practicing with the program and making practice maps. I still feel like I am learning something new every day I practice with it, which I suppose is good, and there are still a lot of question-marks that I need answered before I start going into making the actual maps that I need.
As I said before, Campaign Cartographer 3+ is a really good program, and it had better be considering the price. I am still a novice at the whole map-making thing and so I realize that I am probably making a lot of mistakes, and doing things the wrong way, when I really don't need to. If anyone out there is really good at using that particular program feel free to send me a message. I could do with some advice in finding good tutorials etc, as well as some pointers.
So, why am I so into making maps at the moment, you may ask? The reason is quite simple really. I have a lot of written material for my world-building now. Probably enough to fill 3 or 4 different continents, at least mostly, with cultures, civilizations, races, etc. Now I need the maps to get a better visual on how everything fits together. I have it in my head, but I think it will be immensely helpful to have visual maps to look at as well. I don't need anything super-detailed, but enough for me to get a view of the general layout of various regions, where the mountains and mountain-ranges are, the woods, rivers, lakes, major cities and towns, etc, and how it all relates to one-another.
I am sure I will get to that point eventually. I just need to learn how to do it first, and how to make decent looking maps that will work for what I need them for.
A couple of things I miss in Campaign Cartographer - though it might just be that I haven't found those specific functions yet - is a way to just mark something and then click to see what is effecting it at the moment, what sheet and layer it is on, etc. Sort of just to get a good view of it as I have on several occasions been bewildered as to why an item or thing on the map is behaving the way it is, or why a command suddenly isn't making it do what it did before any more. Another thing I am missing is a measuring device. Something along the lines of what AutoREALM has where you can measure distances in feet, meters, miles, kilometers, or even things such as 'days travel by horse' or 'days by sailed galley'. I know this exists because I have tinkered and experimented with AutoREALM a bit in the past, but not many maps have really been produced from it and in any case no maps that have had any real purpose or seen any use.
That's about it for this time, I think.
Until next time.
torsdag 27 oktober 2016
Halloween Horror Sales!
Greetings my fellow citizens of the Tabletop Multiverse.
For those who haven't noticed yet, there are tabletop Halloween sales going on all around the place online at the moment. I thought I would link you to a couple of them to get you started, in case you wanted to go see if you could find a good game for Halloween. If you haven't seen my earlier post on 11 tabletop horror games for Halloween then you can take a look at that as well for some gaming suggestions. :)
Here's a quick list of links to a couple of places that are currently (at the time of writing this) holding halloween sales for tabletop RPGs, and the like.
DriveThruRPG
RPGnow
To most avid tabletop gamers out there, both of those websites will probably be familiar, but for any who haven't found their way to them yet, they are good places to find tabletop rpgs.
I would also recommend visiting the websites of various publishers to see if they have a sale on any of their products. Again, you can find link to some of them in my 11 tabletop horror games for Halloween post. :)
Until next time!
For those who haven't noticed yet, there are tabletop Halloween sales going on all around the place online at the moment. I thought I would link you to a couple of them to get you started, in case you wanted to go see if you could find a good game for Halloween. If you haven't seen my earlier post on 11 tabletop horror games for Halloween then you can take a look at that as well for some gaming suggestions. :)
Here's a quick list of links to a couple of places that are currently (at the time of writing this) holding halloween sales for tabletop RPGs, and the like.
DriveThruRPG
RPGnow
To most avid tabletop gamers out there, both of those websites will probably be familiar, but for any who haven't found their way to them yet, they are good places to find tabletop rpgs.
I would also recommend visiting the websites of various publishers to see if they have a sale on any of their products. Again, you can find link to some of them in my 11 tabletop horror games for Halloween post. :)
Until next time!
måndag 24 oktober 2016
Kickstarter for Mutant: Elysium, the new expansion for Mutant: Year Zero.
Greetings!
Fria Ligan (English website: Free League Publishing) has started up a Kickstarter for their new expansion for Mutant: Year Zero, called Mutant: Elysium. It will be the 3rd major expansion for Mutant: Year Zero, the previous two being Mutant: Gene Lab Alpha and Mutant: Machinarium.
The current Kickstarter is only for the Swedish version of the game, but according to Fria Ligan there will be a translated version in English released at a later, so far unspecified, date.
This new expansion deals with the un-mutated humans that remain in the world, their "Ätter" (which I suppose could be translated into "clans") and their life in the enclave 'Elysium I'. It will contain new rules, a colour map, a new campaign, and much more.
The Kickstarter has only been up a few days, but it has already amassed 448 backers and almost 6 times their pledge-goal, currently sitting (at the time of writing this) at 333,397 SEK (Swedish crowns) out of a goal of 50,000 SEK. They have already unlocked 5 out of 9 stretch goals. and I hope they will get to unlock all of them. There is also still 17 days to go on the Kickstarter, so if you go to the Kickstarter which is linked at the start of this post and like what you see, there is still time if you want to back it.
Personally I used to really enjoy playing the Mutant games back in the day. I enjoy Mutant: Year Zero as well, but have as of yet not found someone to play it, or any of the expansions, with, or really the time, so I can't really say much about what it is like to play. However I have heard a lot of good things about it, so I am excited for when I can give it a try. :)
Until next time!
Fria Ligan (English website: Free League Publishing) has started up a Kickstarter for their new expansion for Mutant: Year Zero, called Mutant: Elysium. It will be the 3rd major expansion for Mutant: Year Zero, the previous two being Mutant: Gene Lab Alpha and Mutant: Machinarium.
The current Kickstarter is only for the Swedish version of the game, but according to Fria Ligan there will be a translated version in English released at a later, so far unspecified, date.
This new expansion deals with the un-mutated humans that remain in the world, their "Ätter" (which I suppose could be translated into "clans") and their life in the enclave 'Elysium I'. It will contain new rules, a colour map, a new campaign, and much more.
The Kickstarter has only been up a few days, but it has already amassed 448 backers and almost 6 times their pledge-goal, currently sitting (at the time of writing this) at 333,397 SEK (Swedish crowns) out of a goal of 50,000 SEK. They have already unlocked 5 out of 9 stretch goals. and I hope they will get to unlock all of them. There is also still 17 days to go on the Kickstarter, so if you go to the Kickstarter which is linked at the start of this post and like what you see, there is still time if you want to back it.
Personally I used to really enjoy playing the Mutant games back in the day. I enjoy Mutant: Year Zero as well, but have as of yet not found someone to play it, or any of the expansions, with, or really the time, so I can't really say much about what it is like to play. However I have heard a lot of good things about it, so I am excited for when I can give it a try. :)
Until next time!
torsdag 20 oktober 2016
11 tabletop horror games for Halloween.
Greetings!
As Halloween is fast approaching I thought I would talk a bit about tabletop games that you can play this Halloween. They may not necessarily be inherently Halloween-themed games, but I think they will fill the purpose anyway. :)
So, let's get started! You can click on the heading for each game to get to a site where you can learn more about the game and buy it should you so wish.
The classic horror-themed tabletop role playing game from Chaosium. Comes warmly recommended. :) There are a lot of Cthulhu games out there, other than the classic Call of Cthulhu, so I am sure your gaming group will be able to find one that suits its need. H.P. Lovecraft's mythos is very popular.
Another strong contender is Dread, a tabletop role playing game that takes a slightly different approach to horror in its mechanics.Published by The Impossible Dream, it uses a tower of Jenga bricks, with the players drawing a brick each time they attempt to do something. The player can also refuse to draw, but then automatically fails whatever it was they were attempting to do. If the tower falls, the character dies, which helps add extra tension to the game play.
A horror themed board game from Fantasy Flight Games that I haven't had a chance to play myself but have heard a lot of good things about. Using the H.P. Lovecraft mythos to great effect. It's a game for 1-8 players.
The original Kult tabletop role playing game was a Swedish horror game from the early 90's. It is now getting a new edition courtesy of Swedish game-developer Helmgast (website is in Swedish). I am not sure if this has been released yet, but I wanted to put it in here anyway as I used to really like the old Kult game.
A tabletop role playing game in the survival horror genre from Eden Studios where you fight for your survival in a world where the dead has risen again. Pretty straight forward really.
Noctum is a tabletop role playing game designed by Mischa L Thomas, and released through his company Wicked World Games 1.1 - although some sources claim that Mongoose Publishing has the 3rd edition of this game I have not been able to find anything about it on their website. Either way, while I haven't had a chance to play it myself yet, I do like the look of it and I have only heard people speak positively about it. Read up on it by following the link and if you like it I would suggest getting it. :)
A tabletop role playing game from Evil Hat Productions where you all play as insomniac protagonists with super powers. Just make sure your character doesn't push him- or herself too far...
Curse of Strahd for 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons, made by Wizards of the Coast, have been a huge hit so far with the D&D community. It is classified as a Fantasy Horror game, and one I highly recommend.
A zombie survival tabletop role playing game, from publisher Hunters Books. It presents itself as a "Zombie Survival Simulation RPG" on the website. I haven't tried this one myself, but it looks interesting and the few bits I have heard about it seems promising.
Are you a fan of movies such as Friday 13th, Halloween, and other such "slasher" movies? If so, then this tabletop role playing game from Spectrum Games might be what you are looking for.
Tabletop roleplaying game from Alligator Alley Entertainment, according to DrivethruRPG. I have unfortunately not been able to find an official website for the game, so the link leads directly to the DrivethruRPG webpage for it. I haven't looked at the second edition myself yet, but the first edition seem interesting. If you enjoy hunting demons and other things in the late 1600's (the first game is set in 1689, I think it was), then this is a game for you. It labels itself as a horror game, which is why it is on this list.
The links I have posted for these games go to the developer's website, with the exception of Witch Hunter where I couldn't find one. That one instead links to DriveThruRPG.
I know that Halloween isn't quite here for another week or so, but I wanted to compile this list in advance to give people a chance to look up these games in their own time and possibly decide on one they would like to play for Halloween with their friends.
See you all next time!
As Halloween is fast approaching I thought I would talk a bit about tabletop games that you can play this Halloween. They may not necessarily be inherently Halloween-themed games, but I think they will fill the purpose anyway. :)
So, let's get started! You can click on the heading for each game to get to a site where you can learn more about the game and buy it should you so wish.
The classic horror-themed tabletop role playing game from Chaosium. Comes warmly recommended. :) There are a lot of Cthulhu games out there, other than the classic Call of Cthulhu, so I am sure your gaming group will be able to find one that suits its need. H.P. Lovecraft's mythos is very popular.
Another strong contender is Dread, a tabletop role playing game that takes a slightly different approach to horror in its mechanics.Published by The Impossible Dream, it uses a tower of Jenga bricks, with the players drawing a brick each time they attempt to do something. The player can also refuse to draw, but then automatically fails whatever it was they were attempting to do. If the tower falls, the character dies, which helps add extra tension to the game play.
A horror themed board game from Fantasy Flight Games that I haven't had a chance to play myself but have heard a lot of good things about. Using the H.P. Lovecraft mythos to great effect. It's a game for 1-8 players.
The original Kult tabletop role playing game was a Swedish horror game from the early 90's. It is now getting a new edition courtesy of Swedish game-developer Helmgast (website is in Swedish). I am not sure if this has been released yet, but I wanted to put it in here anyway as I used to really like the old Kult game.
A tabletop role playing game in the survival horror genre from Eden Studios where you fight for your survival in a world where the dead has risen again. Pretty straight forward really.
Noctum is a tabletop role playing game designed by Mischa L Thomas, and released through his company Wicked World Games 1.1 - although some sources claim that Mongoose Publishing has the 3rd edition of this game I have not been able to find anything about it on their website. Either way, while I haven't had a chance to play it myself yet, I do like the look of it and I have only heard people speak positively about it. Read up on it by following the link and if you like it I would suggest getting it. :)
A tabletop role playing game from Evil Hat Productions where you all play as insomniac protagonists with super powers. Just make sure your character doesn't push him- or herself too far...
Curse of Strahd for 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons, made by Wizards of the Coast, have been a huge hit so far with the D&D community. It is classified as a Fantasy Horror game, and one I highly recommend.
A zombie survival tabletop role playing game, from publisher Hunters Books. It presents itself as a "Zombie Survival Simulation RPG" on the website. I haven't tried this one myself, but it looks interesting and the few bits I have heard about it seems promising.
Are you a fan of movies such as Friday 13th, Halloween, and other such "slasher" movies? If so, then this tabletop role playing game from Spectrum Games might be what you are looking for.
Tabletop roleplaying game from Alligator Alley Entertainment, according to DrivethruRPG. I have unfortunately not been able to find an official website for the game, so the link leads directly to the DrivethruRPG webpage for it. I haven't looked at the second edition myself yet, but the first edition seem interesting. If you enjoy hunting demons and other things in the late 1600's (the first game is set in 1689, I think it was), then this is a game for you. It labels itself as a horror game, which is why it is on this list.
The links I have posted for these games go to the developer's website, with the exception of Witch Hunter where I couldn't find one. That one instead links to DriveThruRPG.
I know that Halloween isn't quite here for another week or so, but I wanted to compile this list in advance to give people a chance to look up these games in their own time and possibly decide on one they would like to play for Halloween with their friends.
See you all next time!
onsdag 19 oktober 2016
New expansion for Mutant: Year Zero coming up.
Greetings!
Swedish RPG company Free League Publishing (Fria Ligan in Swedish), who created Mutant: Year Zero, has announced a new expansion for the game, the third one so far, called Mutant: Elysium. They will be launching the Kickstarter for it tomorrow (Thursday). This time it is about non-mutated humans in the post-apocalyptic setting of Mutant: Year Zero.
They haven't released much else in terms of information about it yet, save for a teaser picture which can be found, for example, on their Facebook page. It is only showing a part of the cover image for Mutant: Elysium, with a promise to show more of it once the Kickstarter is up and running. The image was made by Simon Stålenhag.
Personally, I really like Mutant: Year Zero, both the setting and the rule-set for it. So I will definitely check it out once it comes up on Kickstarter. At the time of writing this blog post I still don't know whether the Kickstarter is for the Swedish version only, or whether there will also be an English version. My guess is that there will be one, but I am unsure when.
Until next time!
Swedish RPG company Free League Publishing (Fria Ligan in Swedish), who created Mutant: Year Zero, has announced a new expansion for the game, the third one so far, called Mutant: Elysium. They will be launching the Kickstarter for it tomorrow (Thursday). This time it is about non-mutated humans in the post-apocalyptic setting of Mutant: Year Zero.
They haven't released much else in terms of information about it yet, save for a teaser picture which can be found, for example, on their Facebook page. It is only showing a part of the cover image for Mutant: Elysium, with a promise to show more of it once the Kickstarter is up and running. The image was made by Simon Stålenhag.
Personally, I really like Mutant: Year Zero, both the setting and the rule-set for it. So I will definitely check it out once it comes up on Kickstarter. At the time of writing this blog post I still don't know whether the Kickstarter is for the Swedish version only, or whether there will also be an English version. My guess is that there will be one, but I am unsure when.
Until next time!
tisdag 18 oktober 2016
Trudvang Chronicles is getting a Spanish translation in 2017.
Greetings!
I hope all is well with all my fellow travelers in the great, big tabletop multiverse. This will be a fairly short post, due to a busy schedule.
Some quick news:
Trudvang Chronicles, from Swedish RPG company Riotminds, is set to be released in Spanish in 2017. The company has posted about it on their official Facebook account. So congratulations to all my Spanish-speaking readers. :)
I have not yet had a chance to look at Trudvang Chronicles english edition, but I have high hopes for it. I haven't played the Swedish original "Drakar & Demoner Trudvang", though I did play earlier versions of "Drakar & Demoner" quite a lot in the past. I do however own a copy of an older version of Drakar & Demoner Trudvang so I have had a chance to look through it. It will be interesting to see whether the new Trudvang Chronicles is exactly like it or whether they have made any changes. I will try to get back to it in a future post.
That is unfortunately all I have for you today.
If you want to read more about it, and happen to read Spanish, here is a link for you.
See you all next time.
I hope all is well with all my fellow travelers in the great, big tabletop multiverse. This will be a fairly short post, due to a busy schedule.
Some quick news:
Trudvang Chronicles, from Swedish RPG company Riotminds, is set to be released in Spanish in 2017. The company has posted about it on their official Facebook account. So congratulations to all my Spanish-speaking readers. :)
I have not yet had a chance to look at Trudvang Chronicles english edition, but I have high hopes for it. I haven't played the Swedish original "Drakar & Demoner Trudvang", though I did play earlier versions of "Drakar & Demoner" quite a lot in the past. I do however own a copy of an older version of Drakar & Demoner Trudvang so I have had a chance to look through it. It will be interesting to see whether the new Trudvang Chronicles is exactly like it or whether they have made any changes. I will try to get back to it in a future post.
That is unfortunately all I have for you today.
If you want to read more about it, and happen to read Spanish, here is a link for you.
See you all next time.
fredag 14 oktober 2016
Another world-building post
Greetings!
Welcome to a short-ish post today.
Yesterday evening I was on a bit of a writing-binge for my world-building, and I managed to get about 10 pages written on a new continent + a new country for one of the old continents I have been working on for a while. It might not sound like a lot to some, but add into it the creative process, researching some things, etc, and it quickly adds up. This new continent I am working on is shaping up to be quite different than the other continents. I won't say how exactly, but I am forced to think of ways it fits in with the rest of the world around it. It is going to work though, and I am sure it will be an interesting addition to the rest of the world.
My biggest issue is just the shear amount of ideas that I have for the world. I am probably going to have to save some of them for another world or another project instead, but it can be difficult sometimes to decide which ideas should go in and which ideas should be put on hold for something else. I have ideas for other worlds, and projects as well, so I might need to start working on one or two of them in parallell to my work on my main world, to give myself a natural place or two for ideas that don't quite make it into my main world.
As for the nation I wrote a few pages on, I am happy that I was finally able to do so. I have been meaning to for a very long time, but other things have always demanded my attention instead. I have never gotten around to sitting down and writing about it, so I am glad that it is finally underway.
Some times I miss not really having anyone to bounce ideas off of on a regular basis. My girlfriend helps out as best she can, but that is still on a pretty irregular basis. At the same time though, I am very grateful for her help and the inspiration she gives me.
Today I am going to continue work on the new continent as well as the country I was working on yesterday. I will also be working on some other bits and places if I have the time to do so.
Until next time!
Welcome to a short-ish post today.
Yesterday evening I was on a bit of a writing-binge for my world-building, and I managed to get about 10 pages written on a new continent + a new country for one of the old continents I have been working on for a while. It might not sound like a lot to some, but add into it the creative process, researching some things, etc, and it quickly adds up. This new continent I am working on is shaping up to be quite different than the other continents. I won't say how exactly, but I am forced to think of ways it fits in with the rest of the world around it. It is going to work though, and I am sure it will be an interesting addition to the rest of the world.
My biggest issue is just the shear amount of ideas that I have for the world. I am probably going to have to save some of them for another world or another project instead, but it can be difficult sometimes to decide which ideas should go in and which ideas should be put on hold for something else. I have ideas for other worlds, and projects as well, so I might need to start working on one or two of them in parallell to my work on my main world, to give myself a natural place or two for ideas that don't quite make it into my main world.
As for the nation I wrote a few pages on, I am happy that I was finally able to do so. I have been meaning to for a very long time, but other things have always demanded my attention instead. I have never gotten around to sitting down and writing about it, so I am glad that it is finally underway.
Some times I miss not really having anyone to bounce ideas off of on a regular basis. My girlfriend helps out as best she can, but that is still on a pretty irregular basis. At the same time though, I am very grateful for her help and the inspiration she gives me.
Today I am going to continue work on the new continent as well as the country I was working on yesterday. I will also be working on some other bits and places if I have the time to do so.
Until next time!
tisdag 11 oktober 2016
Tabletop RPG Bookshelf - Mutant R.Y.M.D.
Greetings from the depths of the Tabletop Multiverse.
Having unpacked all of my old tabletop RPG books (the ones I still have left anyway) and put them on their shelves in the bookcase, I have been looking a little at a couple of them. This is probably the first time in 15-20 years that I actually sit down and take a look at them, so memories come back and there have been a few 'aha' moments reading through them as I recognise things.
One of the games I have been looking a bit at are Mutant R.Y.M.D (Mutant S.P.A.C.E.), which came out in 1992, published by Target Games. It was quickly 'replaced' by the first edition of Mutant Chronicles the following year. In a way it was a mixture of the Mutant games that had come before it - the Mutant games that recently has seen a new edition released in 'Mutant: Year Zero' from Swedish company Fria Ligan (Free League) - and Mutant Chronicles which has also recently seen a new edition released, this time by British company Modiphius Entertainment.
Mutant R.Y.M.D. has recognisable elements in it from Mutant Chronicles, which I think might be the version of the 'Mutant games' that most people are familiar with. Especially with the release of the 3rd edition by Modiphius Entertainment last year. You can find the same Megacorporations in there, even though they work slightly differently, and there is even the Dark Legion. Though it is not known here as the Dark Legion, but goes under the name "Ondskan" (the Evil) instead. Or rather the forces of "the Evil". The premise is similar though, with the forces of evil having been let loose on the solar system. The technology level in Mutant R.Y.M.D. is decidedly more advanced than in Mutant Chronicles however, with laser weapons, disruptor weapons, advanced cybernetics, spaceships, etc, being part of the arsenal and availiable to the players, as well as other technologies that weren't availiable anymore in the world of Mutant Chronicles.
The game uses a percentile system using d100. There are three "Classes" availiable - 'Normal Human', 'PSI-Mutant' & 'Mutant'. Each class has access to a number of Occupations, with Normal Human being the only one who has access to all of them. There is even the Doomtrooper occupation, again something some of you may be familiar with from Mutant Chronicles.
The game has a list of mutations you can pick, cybernetics, etc. The mutations come in two different forms: "Mental Mutations" & "Physical Mutations". There are also lists of mental and physical defects.
There was only one adventure ever created for Mutant R.Y.M.D. called "Operation Kirkwood", which came out in the same year as the main game did. It was the only module ever created for the game besides the core books which came in a box.
Having looked over it I feel like I want to try playing it again to see what it is like 'in action'. I hope I will get a chance to some day. In the meantime it will sit on its shelf in my new home and I'll take it out and look at it from time to time. :)
It would be nice if one of the Swedish gaming companies would pick up the IP and release a new version of it some day. *hint. HINT.* But honestly I'm not sure that will ever happen as the game was so quickly overshadowed by Mutant Chronicles arrival.
Anyway, that is it for this time. See you all some other time in the Tabletop Multiverse!
Having unpacked all of my old tabletop RPG books (the ones I still have left anyway) and put them on their shelves in the bookcase, I have been looking a little at a couple of them. This is probably the first time in 15-20 years that I actually sit down and take a look at them, so memories come back and there have been a few 'aha' moments reading through them as I recognise things.
One of the games I have been looking a bit at are Mutant R.Y.M.D (Mutant S.P.A.C.E.), which came out in 1992, published by Target Games. It was quickly 'replaced' by the first edition of Mutant Chronicles the following year. In a way it was a mixture of the Mutant games that had come before it - the Mutant games that recently has seen a new edition released in 'Mutant: Year Zero' from Swedish company Fria Ligan (Free League) - and Mutant Chronicles which has also recently seen a new edition released, this time by British company Modiphius Entertainment.
Mutant R.Y.M.D. has recognisable elements in it from Mutant Chronicles, which I think might be the version of the 'Mutant games' that most people are familiar with. Especially with the release of the 3rd edition by Modiphius Entertainment last year. You can find the same Megacorporations in there, even though they work slightly differently, and there is even the Dark Legion. Though it is not known here as the Dark Legion, but goes under the name "Ondskan" (the Evil) instead. Or rather the forces of "the Evil". The premise is similar though, with the forces of evil having been let loose on the solar system. The technology level in Mutant R.Y.M.D. is decidedly more advanced than in Mutant Chronicles however, with laser weapons, disruptor weapons, advanced cybernetics, spaceships, etc, being part of the arsenal and availiable to the players, as well as other technologies that weren't availiable anymore in the world of Mutant Chronicles.
The game uses a percentile system using d100. There are three "Classes" availiable - 'Normal Human', 'PSI-Mutant' & 'Mutant'. Each class has access to a number of Occupations, with Normal Human being the only one who has access to all of them. There is even the Doomtrooper occupation, again something some of you may be familiar with from Mutant Chronicles.
The game has a list of mutations you can pick, cybernetics, etc. The mutations come in two different forms: "Mental Mutations" & "Physical Mutations". There are also lists of mental and physical defects.
There was only one adventure ever created for Mutant R.Y.M.D. called "Operation Kirkwood", which came out in the same year as the main game did. It was the only module ever created for the game besides the core books which came in a box.
Having looked over it I feel like I want to try playing it again to see what it is like 'in action'. I hope I will get a chance to some day. In the meantime it will sit on its shelf in my new home and I'll take it out and look at it from time to time. :)
It would be nice if one of the Swedish gaming companies would pick up the IP and release a new version of it some day. *hint. HINT.* But honestly I'm not sure that will ever happen as the game was so quickly overshadowed by Mutant Chronicles arrival.
Anyway, that is it for this time. See you all some other time in the Tabletop Multiverse!
fredag 7 oktober 2016
Mutant Chronicles: Siege of the Citadel miniatures boardgame
Greetings!
Yesterday Fantasy Flight Games announced that they have entered a publishing partnership with Modiphius Entertainment and Cabinet Entertainment to publish and distribute Siege of the Citadel, a miniatures boardgame tie-in to the Mutant Chronicles franchise. The game first arrived in 1990's and is now getting a new, updated version after Modiphius launched the 3rd edition of Mutant Chronicles.
The game is currently in the final stages of its Kickstarter, with only 28 hours left to go at the time of writing this post. It has done really well for itself, so far amassing over $400.000. The goal was set at $60.000, in case you were wondering.
I wish them all the best, having played the game back in the day on a couple of occasions. Though I was always a bigger fan of the tabletop RPG version of Mutant Chronicles. I love its lore and have many fond memories of playing it. I might return with a review of the older versions of the game, and a look at the new 3rd edition as well. As for the miniatures board-game, I might. It depends on a few things.
I still wish them the best of luck with it and I hope it does really well. It is always good to see old Swedish titles getting revived again and doing well. It gives other people a chance to enjoy the games that I used to play when I was younger. :) Though the game mechanics are different in the newest version of the game of course, but that was only to be expected.
Anyway, I could talk on and on about it for ages so I think I will save that for another post.
If you want a link to the official statement from Fantasy Flight Games, you can find it here.
Yesterday Fantasy Flight Games announced that they have entered a publishing partnership with Modiphius Entertainment and Cabinet Entertainment to publish and distribute Siege of the Citadel, a miniatures boardgame tie-in to the Mutant Chronicles franchise. The game first arrived in 1990's and is now getting a new, updated version after Modiphius launched the 3rd edition of Mutant Chronicles.
The game is currently in the final stages of its Kickstarter, with only 28 hours left to go at the time of writing this post. It has done really well for itself, so far amassing over $400.000. The goal was set at $60.000, in case you were wondering.
I wish them all the best, having played the game back in the day on a couple of occasions. Though I was always a bigger fan of the tabletop RPG version of Mutant Chronicles. I love its lore and have many fond memories of playing it. I might return with a review of the older versions of the game, and a look at the new 3rd edition as well. As for the miniatures board-game, I might. It depends on a few things.
I still wish them the best of luck with it and I hope it does really well. It is always good to see old Swedish titles getting revived again and doing well. It gives other people a chance to enjoy the games that I used to play when I was younger. :) Though the game mechanics are different in the newest version of the game of course, but that was only to be expected.
Anyway, I could talk on and on about it for ages so I think I will save that for another post.
If you want a link to the official statement from Fantasy Flight Games, you can find it here.
torsdag 6 oktober 2016
Reflections on my world-building project and mechanics
Greetings fellow tabletop enthusiasts!
A lot is going on over here with regards to IRL stuff, so I once again apologise for the lack of posts. However this blog is something I am doing out of my own free will because I like it, and it is not earning me any money, so I am not really sure why I just apologised for not blogging more often. XD lol Oh well.
I'm still working on my world-building project, as well as finding that I have renewed energy to work on the game mechanics for it as well. Not to mention I might have found another little game-mechanics side-project that I am also working on. It might seem like much, but switching between the two helps keeping me from getting too tired of one project, and both projects also help spawn ideas for eachother, so that is good. Yes. I am talking about game mechanics for tabletop RPGs here. :)
While the first set of mechanics is meant to be used with the world I am also creating, if I ever get to run a tabletop RPG game in it, the second set of mechanics is a bit different. They have nothing to do with the world I am building, but is more meant to be used for a Noir-style game, or a heist-game or similar thing. It feels different than what I am making for my world, and it should. Again, neither of these systems will probably ever be made into something I will sell or any kind of official product, but even if I am just intending for them to be used by me and my friends (if the systems ever get that far in development that is), I still want to do it right and not just take an already existing system, add a few houserules and be done with it. I'm not saying that doing it that way is wrong however, I am only saying that I want to try and build it from scratch instead. I enjoy the challenge. Admittedly, chances are that in the end some rules might be similar to things that already exist elsewhere, etc. It is almost impossible to do something completely, 100% original, as so many game systems already exist out there. But hey, if it is just for me and my friends, I don't really think it matters. :)
Sadly I have not been practising my map-making skills any more lately. I really should get back to that, but I rarely seem to find the time, or something else has my attention instead. I will try and get back to it when I can, but I have learned not to force it or promise too much. I will get to it when I get to it, basically. Maps will be a useful tool for me, I know this. They will act as a reference point as I continue to build the world. Writing is all good, but it isn't until I put it down on a map that I can see the actual relations and borders between different nations, cultures and races. It is an invaluable tool for me.
I think that is all for this time.
See you all later!
A lot is going on over here with regards to IRL stuff, so I once again apologise for the lack of posts. However this blog is something I am doing out of my own free will because I like it, and it is not earning me any money, so I am not really sure why I just apologised for not blogging more often. XD lol Oh well.
I'm still working on my world-building project, as well as finding that I have renewed energy to work on the game mechanics for it as well. Not to mention I might have found another little game-mechanics side-project that I am also working on. It might seem like much, but switching between the two helps keeping me from getting too tired of one project, and both projects also help spawn ideas for eachother, so that is good. Yes. I am talking about game mechanics for tabletop RPGs here. :)
While the first set of mechanics is meant to be used with the world I am also creating, if I ever get to run a tabletop RPG game in it, the second set of mechanics is a bit different. They have nothing to do with the world I am building, but is more meant to be used for a Noir-style game, or a heist-game or similar thing. It feels different than what I am making for my world, and it should. Again, neither of these systems will probably ever be made into something I will sell or any kind of official product, but even if I am just intending for them to be used by me and my friends (if the systems ever get that far in development that is), I still want to do it right and not just take an already existing system, add a few houserules and be done with it. I'm not saying that doing it that way is wrong however, I am only saying that I want to try and build it from scratch instead. I enjoy the challenge. Admittedly, chances are that in the end some rules might be similar to things that already exist elsewhere, etc. It is almost impossible to do something completely, 100% original, as so many game systems already exist out there. But hey, if it is just for me and my friends, I don't really think it matters. :)
Sadly I have not been practising my map-making skills any more lately. I really should get back to that, but I rarely seem to find the time, or something else has my attention instead. I will try and get back to it when I can, but I have learned not to force it or promise too much. I will get to it when I get to it, basically. Maps will be a useful tool for me, I know this. They will act as a reference point as I continue to build the world. Writing is all good, but it isn't until I put it down on a map that I can see the actual relations and borders between different nations, cultures and races. It is an invaluable tool for me.
I think that is all for this time.
See you all later!
lördag 1 oktober 2016
The Atlas of Rokugan supplement from Fantasy Flight Games
Greetings!
A few days ago, Fantasy Flight Games announced that The Atlas of Rokugan for the Legend of the Five Rings tabletop rpg is now availiable for purchase.
I've always enjoyed the look of Legend of the Five Rings, even though for some reason I can't seem to get more than about half-way into making a character before I am bored with it and have to take a break to return later. None of my friends seem to have that issue though, so I guess it is just on my end. I can't understand why though, because looking at it I really shouldn't have an issue with it. The system itself is ok though, and I would recommend it to anyone interested.
The book itself contains maps of the lands, castles and cities, as well as comprehensive descriptions of the settlements and provinces found in the land of Rokugan. It also contains detailed explorations of the imperial capitols of Otosan Uchi and Toshi Ranbo, as well as the city of Ryoko Owari - three major cities. According to DriveThruRPG the book contains 20 full-colour maps.
The book contains one chapter for each of the Great Clans, as well as for the Minor Clans and the Imperial Holdings. There are also chapters regarding the Shadowlands as well as the forest of Shinomen Mori.
I for one can definately see this book being a helpful tool for any GM wanting to run a game of Legend of the Five Rings. Or for any player who wants to learn more about the world their characters inhabit.
If you are interested in reading more about it, the link to Fantasy Flight Game's article on it is right here.
And if you are interested in buying it you can do that at DriveThruRPG.
See you all later!
A few days ago, Fantasy Flight Games announced that The Atlas of Rokugan for the Legend of the Five Rings tabletop rpg is now availiable for purchase.
I've always enjoyed the look of Legend of the Five Rings, even though for some reason I can't seem to get more than about half-way into making a character before I am bored with it and have to take a break to return later. None of my friends seem to have that issue though, so I guess it is just on my end. I can't understand why though, because looking at it I really shouldn't have an issue with it. The system itself is ok though, and I would recommend it to anyone interested.
The book itself contains maps of the lands, castles and cities, as well as comprehensive descriptions of the settlements and provinces found in the land of Rokugan. It also contains detailed explorations of the imperial capitols of Otosan Uchi and Toshi Ranbo, as well as the city of Ryoko Owari - three major cities. According to DriveThruRPG the book contains 20 full-colour maps.
The book contains one chapter for each of the Great Clans, as well as for the Minor Clans and the Imperial Holdings. There are also chapters regarding the Shadowlands as well as the forest of Shinomen Mori.
I for one can definately see this book being a helpful tool for any GM wanting to run a game of Legend of the Five Rings. Or for any player who wants to learn more about the world their characters inhabit.
If you are interested in reading more about it, the link to Fantasy Flight Game's article on it is right here.
And if you are interested in buying it you can do that at DriveThruRPG.
See you all later!
måndag 26 september 2016
A short update
Greetings.
There has been a longer break between posts here than I normally like. Mainly because of IRL things.
I will return with a proper blog-post as soon as I can.
See you all then! :)
There has been a longer break between posts here than I normally like. Mainly because of IRL things.
I will return with a proper blog-post as soon as I can.
See you all then! :)
onsdag 21 september 2016
A look at a few tabletop roleplaying genres
Greetings!
Today, I thought I would talk a little bit about different genres in tabletop roleplaying games. If you are new to the world of tabletop roleplaying, then perhaps you think that it is all about wizards and warriors fighting against demons or dragons. That however, is not the case. The fantasy genre is but one of a multitude of genres that exist within the realm of tabletop roleplaying games.
I'll cover a few, but covering all of them is pretty much impossible as any type of setting or genre can be adapted for a tabletop roleplaying game. This is a subject I might return to later though in another post.
Let's start off with Fantasy. The classical setting, if you will. It's been a thing since Tolkien's days, and is probably the most popular roleplaying genre out there. There are a lot of different types of Fantasy though, for example:
Today, I thought I would talk a little bit about different genres in tabletop roleplaying games. If you are new to the world of tabletop roleplaying, then perhaps you think that it is all about wizards and warriors fighting against demons or dragons. That however, is not the case. The fantasy genre is but one of a multitude of genres that exist within the realm of tabletop roleplaying games.
I'll cover a few, but covering all of them is pretty much impossible as any type of setting or genre can be adapted for a tabletop roleplaying game. This is a subject I might return to later though in another post.
Fantasy
Let's start off with Fantasy. The classical setting, if you will. It's been a thing since Tolkien's days, and is probably the most popular roleplaying genre out there. There are a lot of different types of Fantasy though, for example:
.. and many, many others. I included links in there to Wikipedia pages about the individual types of fantasy. Personally, I really like fantasy. It's a broad genre, that pretty much can cover almost anything. I mean, who doesn't want to be able to cast cool spells, or defeat a dragon with a sword? ;)
Some examples of Fantasy games include: Dungeons & Dragons (various editions, 5th being the latest) and Symbaroum (Swedish tabletop rpg which has gotten an english release. More leaning towards Dark Fantasy),
Steampunk
Steampunk is a genre that I find very interesting. It is a good way to take a break from the 'standard' fantasy settings and look at something often a little bit different. I suppose it is 'technically' counted as a sub-setting of Fantasy, but I still want to give it its own section here. Steampunk games deal with the idea of steampowered technology, but taken to the next level. They also often include magic in the setting.
Some examples of Steampunk games include: Iron Kingdoms (GREAT steampunk game, in my humble opinion) and Victoriana (Victorian age steampunk game with magic. Looks good but I haven't had a chance to try it yet.).
Horror
Horror is a genre that has been around a while. There are plenty of horror tabletop games out there, of varying kinds. Call of Cthulhu might be the most well-known, but there are others as well. It's a genre that I don't think requires much extra explanation beyond that.
Some examples of horror themed tabletop roleplaying games include: Call of Cthulhu and Dread (a slightly different take on normal roleplaying games in that it doesn't use dice and instead uses a tower of jenga-like bricks. Interested? You should be.).
Science Fiction
A very popular genre. People are probably familiar with things like Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5, and many many other TV-shows, movies, books, etc that takes place in a sci-fi setting.
Some examples from this genre include: several Star Wars games (too many to pick one to link to here, but if you search I am sure you will find one), Stars Without Number and Traveller.
Beyond these four, there are many other genres as well. Too many for me to cover here, in this post, but I might return to this subject in another post further down the line and there cover some other genres. Hopefully you will have found this somewhat helpful at least.
Until next time!
Until next time!
lördag 17 september 2016
A short preview of Thornwatch.
Greetings folks!
Today, I thought I would talk a little bit about a game that I first heard about only recently, but which may be interesting to try at some point. I am talking about 'Thornwatch', a graphic novel adventure game made by Lone Shark Games and the people from Penny Arcade.
I has had a very successful Kickstarter, which has already reached almost $400,000 with 18 days to go at the time of writing this post. That can be compared to the goal which was set at $78,000.
One of the players will act as the 'judge', who picks the storyboard for the game and acts as a kind of 'game master' for the game, controlling the monsters and challenges that the players face. The other players will play as members of the 'Thornwatch', a group which is tasked with protecting the Eyrewood, the place where the game itself takes place. The game uses cards, as well as dice.
The game looks interesting, and the amount of backing it has seen is impressive. I might try it out at some point after it has been released and maybe even try my hand at reviewing it.
In the meantime, head over to their Kickstarter if you want to take a look.
See you all in the next post!
Today, I thought I would talk a little bit about a game that I first heard about only recently, but which may be interesting to try at some point. I am talking about 'Thornwatch', a graphic novel adventure game made by Lone Shark Games and the people from Penny Arcade.
I has had a very successful Kickstarter, which has already reached almost $400,000 with 18 days to go at the time of writing this post. That can be compared to the goal which was set at $78,000.
One of the players will act as the 'judge', who picks the storyboard for the game and acts as a kind of 'game master' for the game, controlling the monsters and challenges that the players face. The other players will play as members of the 'Thornwatch', a group which is tasked with protecting the Eyrewood, the place where the game itself takes place. The game uses cards, as well as dice.
The game looks interesting, and the amount of backing it has seen is impressive. I might try it out at some point after it has been released and maybe even try my hand at reviewing it.
In the meantime, head over to their Kickstarter if you want to take a look.
See you all in the next post!
torsdag 15 september 2016
Review Time: Let's take a look at the Symbaroum tabletop RPG
Greetings fellow travellers on the twisting roads of the tabletop multiverse!
Today, I though I would give my thoughts on one of the latest tabletop RPGs to come out of Sweden. As a Swedish person myself, who grew up playing a lot of other Swedish tabletop games back in the day, it is good to see the resurgence that swedish tabletop RPG's have had in the last few years, and continue to have. Symbaroum is a product of Swedish company Järnringen. While Symbaroum isn't a new version of an old game, like a lot of the others are, it instead is a brand new game which has had some remarkable success since it came out. It quickly got an english translation and it has just kept on going since then.
Let's start off by taking a look at the game itself.
Let's start off by taking a look at the game itself.
So, what's the game like?
Symbaroum is a dark fantasy game set in a rather dark, grim, and deadly world. The world itself is well-defined as it takes place in and around the vast and mysterious Davokar forest. Symbaroum is the name of the region, or rather - as the book explains - it is the name of the civilization which dominated the region up to about 1000 years prior to when the game is set.
The Symbaroum core rulebook is broken down into three sections, or 'books': The World of Symbaroum, Player's Guide and Game Master's Guide. At the end of the book there is a 20-page adventure which can also be downloaded from the company Järnringen's website.
The first book is all about the fluff. Here you can find information about the world, the setting, and the history, etc of the region. It also takes a look at the various factions that exist in the world - for example the noble houses of Ambria, the settlers of the land, the barbarian clans, the church of Prios, Ordo Magica (a magical order), the elves of the Iron Pact, etc. It is also worth pointing out that the elves of the Iron Pact are not the friendly, exotic and pointy-eared humanoids that we are accustomed to from a lot of other fantasy games and worlds. These elves protect the deeper parts of Davokar against intrusion, and won't hesitate to kill intruders on sight.
There is also Thistle Hold, the last bastion of civilization just before the edge of the forest. It is a well fortified town, and a center of activity, both opportunity and crime. It is not, however, the capital of Ambria, that honor goes to Yndaros instead. And there is a chapter describing it as well. Finally we have Karvosti, a plateau next to a lake on the western side of Davokar. It is the place where the barbarian folk hold their Thingstead twice a year
All in all, the first book does a really good job of setting the tone.
Book two deals with the rules, without the fluff. The system is an amalgam of crunchy, dice-based systems and more narrative storytelling based ones. It feels solid and is good for putting the characters in the spotlight. Each character belongs to one of three Archetypes, which are essentially generic classes. They are the Warrior, the Mystic and the Rogue. These in turn split into several occupations. For example, a Warrior can be a Berserker, a Captain, a Duelist, a Knight or a Sellsword.
There are eight Attributes in the game: Accurate, Cunning, Discreet, Persuasive, Quick, Resolute, Strong and Vigilant. You don't roll dice in character creation. Instead you can either divide 80 points between the eight Attributes, giving hem numbers ranging between 5 and 15, or you can use eight preset values, the sum-total of which add up to 80, and divide them between the Attributes as you see fit.
The system uses a d20 dice, and you roll either equal to or below your Attribute value to succeed. Also, it is the players who make ALL the rolls. The GM never rolls. Instead the GM is meant to focus on the storytelling. The game uses Abilities to personalize and differentiate the characters. The Abilities are ranked Novice, Adept and Master, signifying the level of power or skill the character has in each individual Ability.
There are four races that players can choose between when making their characters. They are: Humans (diversified by the choice of Ambrian or Barbarian), Changelings (basically humans with elven characteristics), Ogres and Goblins. I like this as it helps describe the setting as well. There isn't the plethora of standard fantasy races (though some more might be introduced later), which helps describe the setting really well.
The last chapter of the second book deals with Combat and what a player is supposed to know rules-wise. One thing is that the world of Symbaroum is deadly, and so combat is also deadly.
Book three is the Game Master's Guide, and as you would expect it contains information about rewards, advice, special rules and how to enforce them, etc. It also contains rules on Corruption (one of the basic premises of the game), the Shadow that each living being has and the changes that Corruption brings to it, etc. There is advice on how to build an adventure or a campaign set in the world of Symbaroum, as well as a beastiary.
Before I move on to the next part, I just want to mention the art. It is amazing, and really fits the mood they have been trying to go for in the game. It is dark, grim and mysterious and helps to set the tone as you read through the book. The art masterfully reflects the world they are depicting.
My thoughts
These days, there is a plethora of fantasy tabletop roleplaying games out there. Most of which draw inspiration from Tolkien and/or giants in the genre such as, for example, Dungeons & Dragons. Symbaroum however, feels fresh and different, with its dark fantasy setting. That might be part of the reason why it has done so incredibly well, not just in Sweden but internationally as well.
As for playing the game, it is a very good and solid game to play, and I have had a lot of fun with it. If you want to play a dark fantasy game, where your character can actually die, but which also rewards you with a well-designed system where the players roll ALL the dice, and which also has good storytelling aspects to it, then Symbaroum might be right up your alley. The rules are fairly easy to get the hang of, and combined with the atmosphere of the setting, it is something different and something I think a lot of you people out there will enjoy if you give it a try.
So, where can I find Symbaroum if I want to give it a try?
You can find information about it on Järnringen's website.
If you want to buy it, you can find it on Järnringen's online store or over at drivethrurpg.com.
tisdag 13 september 2016
Review Time: A look at the Ryuutama tabletop RPG.
Greetings!
Today I wanted to share with you my first impressions of having played the english translation of an originally japanese tabletop RPG called Ryuutama. It was translated into English in 2014 by Kotodama Heavy Industries.
First, I think we will start with a short description of the game itself. It describes itself as a 'natural fantasy' RPG, and I find that to be a very good description. It feels very natural when you play it, and also because it seems to focus itself more on the pastoral aspects of what is, essentially, a standard Japanese fantasy world.
As a player, you play as an ordinary, mundane inhabitant of the world, and you get to give a lot of input into building the world as well. This can be done before you start playing, or during play itself. It is a kind of shared story-telling, which I quite like, but which I know is not for everyone. It works very well in Ryuutama though, so I would recommend people to try it out. The system itself is also fairly easy to learn and very 'user-friendly'.
The players play the role of 'Travellers', traveling the world of Ryuutama on long journeys, and their adventures in turn feed the dragons of the world. Yes, there are dragons, and they feed on stories. In short, there were the four dragons of the seasons - Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. They created the seven dragons of weather, which in their turn created the 13 dragons of earth. These dragons are responsible for everything that exists in the world. In the game, if you are a magic-user, you will learn magic pertaining to one of the Seasons, as well as Incantation spells. Though the spells tend to focus more on helping your character and his friends overcome obstacles, and be more 'out-of-combat' spells, there are healing and combat-oriented spells in there as well. There isn't much combat focus in the game however, unless you absolutely want there to be of course. Instead the game focuses more on travelling and exploration. It even makes the players manage their resources as they travel, or they could get into trouble quickly.
The mechanics of the game really seem to fit well with the world, which is nice. One mechanic that I like is the "Fumble Point" rule. Whenever a character in the group throws a fumble on his or her dice, everyone in the group gets what is called a "Fumble Point", which they can then use later to enhance another roll, thus increasing their chance of success on that particular roll. It works on the principle that because a member of the traveling group screwed up badly, that character and their friends will now have a chance later on to succeed on another roll where they might otherwise not have succeeded.
There aren't classes such as "warrior", "wizard" or "rogue" in Ryuutama. Instead you can play as a: minstrel, merchant, hunter, healer, farmer, artisan or noble. In short, you are playing as ordinary citizens of the world who come together to travel, driven by an intense wanderlust.
One other thing I feel like I should mention is the art. It is plentiful in the book. It is bright and cheery, and really well-made.
Today I wanted to share with you my first impressions of having played the english translation of an originally japanese tabletop RPG called Ryuutama. It was translated into English in 2014 by Kotodama Heavy Industries.
So, what IS Ryuutama anyway?
First, I think we will start with a short description of the game itself. It describes itself as a 'natural fantasy' RPG, and I find that to be a very good description. It feels very natural when you play it, and also because it seems to focus itself more on the pastoral aspects of what is, essentially, a standard Japanese fantasy world.
As a player, you play as an ordinary, mundane inhabitant of the world, and you get to give a lot of input into building the world as well. This can be done before you start playing, or during play itself. It is a kind of shared story-telling, which I quite like, but which I know is not for everyone. It works very well in Ryuutama though, so I would recommend people to try it out. The system itself is also fairly easy to learn and very 'user-friendly'.
The players play the role of 'Travellers', traveling the world of Ryuutama on long journeys, and their adventures in turn feed the dragons of the world. Yes, there are dragons, and they feed on stories. In short, there were the four dragons of the seasons - Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. They created the seven dragons of weather, which in their turn created the 13 dragons of earth. These dragons are responsible for everything that exists in the world. In the game, if you are a magic-user, you will learn magic pertaining to one of the Seasons, as well as Incantation spells. Though the spells tend to focus more on helping your character and his friends overcome obstacles, and be more 'out-of-combat' spells, there are healing and combat-oriented spells in there as well. There isn't much combat focus in the game however, unless you absolutely want there to be of course. Instead the game focuses more on travelling and exploration. It even makes the players manage their resources as they travel, or they could get into trouble quickly.
The mechanics of the game really seem to fit well with the world, which is nice. One mechanic that I like is the "Fumble Point" rule. Whenever a character in the group throws a fumble on his or her dice, everyone in the group gets what is called a "Fumble Point", which they can then use later to enhance another roll, thus increasing their chance of success on that particular roll. It works on the principle that because a member of the traveling group screwed up badly, that character and their friends will now have a chance later on to succeed on another roll where they might otherwise not have succeeded.
There aren't classes such as "warrior", "wizard" or "rogue" in Ryuutama. Instead you can play as a: minstrel, merchant, hunter, healer, farmer, artisan or noble. In short, you are playing as ordinary citizens of the world who come together to travel, driven by an intense wanderlust.
One other thing I feel like I should mention is the art. It is plentiful in the book. It is bright and cheery, and really well-made.
First impressions
My first impressions of playing Ryuutama is that it is a very user-friendly system - easy to learn and to use. It strikes me as a game that could work well as an introductory system to first-time players. The game focuses on story-telling so you will have ample opportunity to tell your character's story in the game. If you enjoy telling stories, if you enjoy taking an active part in building the world that your character is in, and if you don't mind a game where combat isn't necessarily an every-session thing, then you will probably like Ryuutama. It is easy to learn, and easy to play.
In my experience it is fun to play, and many laughs have been had in my group so far.
In my experience it is fun to play, and many laughs have been had in my group so far.
I would definitely recommed it. :)
So, where can I find it?
That's easy! :) You can find it at kotohi.com, or over at drivethrurpg.com.
söndag 11 september 2016
A world-building project
Greetings!
For a while now I have been working on building a fantasy world. It is not something I am making for a specifit tabletop roleplaying campaign, or anything like that. Instead, it is something I am doing because I love doing it. Because I wanted to see what I could make if I gave myself complete creative freedom and didn't tie myself down by time-limits or to a specific adventure. I love building worlds, and the creative process that goes into it. Making all the pieces fit together, and making it both wonderous as well as making it make sense in some way. I find it all to be a very interesting intellectual challenge. :)
A friend of mine, who is also someone I have played tabletop roleplaying games with on occasion, has however convinced me to run a campaign in this world at some point. It will happen, but I will let the world take shape first and have the campaign be inspired by the world rather than the other way around.
The same friend has also convinced me to work on a game system for this campaign, rather than just using something that is already availiable. I was very hesitant at first, as I have never done anything like that before, but now I have found that I quite enjoy it and that I really find it an interesting intellectual challenge as well. Granted, it most likely won't ever be anything that I will make any money off of, but rather it will with 99% certainty only be a system that I use when playing in this particular fantasy world with my friends. That spare 1% is missing because life has taught me that you can never be 100% sure. Still, even though I am not planning on making an actual tabletop RPG out of it and selling it, I still find the creative process to be so much fun that I actually am putting a lot more effort into it than I originally thought I would.
So far the world-building has been going well, for the most part at least. I have material for about four different continents at the moment, but I need to put everything together. There are so many ideas in my head that I want to somehow incorporate into this world, but I know I can't use them all. So some might be saved for a later project or campaign. That being said, I already have ideas for probably two or three other worlds as well, so the left-over materials will definitelly get used.
Until next time!
For a while now I have been working on building a fantasy world. It is not something I am making for a specifit tabletop roleplaying campaign, or anything like that. Instead, it is something I am doing because I love doing it. Because I wanted to see what I could make if I gave myself complete creative freedom and didn't tie myself down by time-limits or to a specific adventure. I love building worlds, and the creative process that goes into it. Making all the pieces fit together, and making it both wonderous as well as making it make sense in some way. I find it all to be a very interesting intellectual challenge. :)
A friend of mine, who is also someone I have played tabletop roleplaying games with on occasion, has however convinced me to run a campaign in this world at some point. It will happen, but I will let the world take shape first and have the campaign be inspired by the world rather than the other way around.
The same friend has also convinced me to work on a game system for this campaign, rather than just using something that is already availiable. I was very hesitant at first, as I have never done anything like that before, but now I have found that I quite enjoy it and that I really find it an interesting intellectual challenge as well. Granted, it most likely won't ever be anything that I will make any money off of, but rather it will with 99% certainty only be a system that I use when playing in this particular fantasy world with my friends. That spare 1% is missing because life has taught me that you can never be 100% sure. Still, even though I am not planning on making an actual tabletop RPG out of it and selling it, I still find the creative process to be so much fun that I actually am putting a lot more effort into it than I originally thought I would.
So far the world-building has been going well, for the most part at least. I have material for about four different continents at the moment, but I need to put everything together. There are so many ideas in my head that I want to somehow incorporate into this world, but I know I can't use them all. So some might be saved for a later project or campaign. That being said, I already have ideas for probably two or three other worlds as well, so the left-over materials will definitelly get used.
Until next time!
lördag 10 september 2016
Fantasy Flight Games confirm loss of Games Workshop licence.
Greetings!
Fantasy Flight Games made an official announcement yesterday confirming that they no longer hold a Games Workshop licence, and will discontinue all their work on products tying in with Games Workshop licensed material, and that:
So I guess if you want to get something from them you had better do it before then.
It will also be very interesting to see what happens with the Games Workshop licence(s) next. Where will they go in the future? Your guess is as good as mine, but it will definitelly be interesting to see!
I was never a big wargamer myself, or at least I didn't grow up with it as a lot of others have. I still know some wargaming-enthusiasts though, and I can definitelly see its appeal having talked to them about it. Also, I really love the lore in a lot of the wargaming universes. They often have a very rich and interesting set of lore, especially games that have been going for a while, such as Warhammer and Warmachine. I can definitelly see myself picking up the hobby at some point, but that will have to wait until I have more money as it can be a bit expensive according to my friends.
Anyway, I will leave you with a link to the article on Fantasy Flight Games website here so you can read for yourselves as well.
Until next time!
Fantasy Flight Games made an official announcement yesterday confirming that they no longer hold a Games Workshop licence, and will discontinue all their work on products tying in with Games Workshop licensed material, and that:
"All Games Workshop-licensed product lines will leave the Fantasy Flight Games catalog on February 28th, 2017."
So I guess if you want to get something from them you had better do it before then.
It will also be very interesting to see what happens with the Games Workshop licence(s) next. Where will they go in the future? Your guess is as good as mine, but it will definitelly be interesting to see!
I was never a big wargamer myself, or at least I didn't grow up with it as a lot of others have. I still know some wargaming-enthusiasts though, and I can definitelly see its appeal having talked to them about it. Also, I really love the lore in a lot of the wargaming universes. They often have a very rich and interesting set of lore, especially games that have been going for a while, such as Warhammer and Warmachine. I can definitelly see myself picking up the hobby at some point, but that will have to wait until I have more money as it can be a bit expensive according to my friends.
Anyway, I will leave you with a link to the article on Fantasy Flight Games website here so you can read for yourselves as well.
Until next time!
fredag 9 september 2016
Great news for Tolkien lovers!
Greetings!
For all you Tolkien lovers out there, who also happen to enjoy a bit of D&D, Cubicle 7 have released the Players Handbook for their new game Adventures in Middle Earth, a game whose setting is based in the world of The Hobbit and Lord of the Ring. It contains setting-specific rules and guidelines for creating your characters, and adventuring in the setting, and is based on the OGL for D&D 5th edition.
A link to the Players Handbook on DriveThruRPG can be found here, or if you click on the "Players Handbook" link in the paragraph above.
According to the website they also have a Loremaster's Guide in the works, as well as adventures. Though we will have to wait a bit longer for that to come out.
I know one or two people who are HUGE Tolkien fans, and I know they will be VERY pleased to know that the PDF for the Player's Handbook is out. :)
Personally I have read both The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings books, and while I really like Tolkien's works I don't really consider myself an expert. At least not compared to my friends.
I'm pretty sure we will end up getting the PDFs and playing in the world of Middle Earth at some point. It is probably just a matter of actually finding a slot in our schedules to actually do it, and that might take some time. When I have tried it I will return with some more thoughts on it though.
For all you Tolkien lovers out there, who also happen to enjoy a bit of D&D, Cubicle 7 have released the Players Handbook for their new game Adventures in Middle Earth, a game whose setting is based in the world of The Hobbit and Lord of the Ring. It contains setting-specific rules and guidelines for creating your characters, and adventuring in the setting, and is based on the OGL for D&D 5th edition.
A link to the Players Handbook on DriveThruRPG can be found here, or if you click on the "Players Handbook" link in the paragraph above.
According to the website they also have a Loremaster's Guide in the works, as well as adventures. Though we will have to wait a bit longer for that to come out.
I know one or two people who are HUGE Tolkien fans, and I know they will be VERY pleased to know that the PDF for the Player's Handbook is out. :)
Personally I have read both The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings books, and while I really like Tolkien's works I don't really consider myself an expert. At least not compared to my friends.
I'm pretty sure we will end up getting the PDFs and playing in the world of Middle Earth at some point. It is probably just a matter of actually finding a slot in our schedules to actually do it, and that might take some time. When I have tried it I will return with some more thoughts on it though.
torsdag 8 september 2016
My current games
Greetings!
Due to feeling unwell - something I have discussed more in my other blog - I probably won't have the energy or mental capacity to write any in-depth or long posts until my head starts clearing up again. Though I will try to write something at least, for you all to enjoy.
So today I am going to write a short list of what game systems I am currently playing in with my friends. Right now it isn't really an extensive list, but then again I unfortunatelly can only fit so many games into my schedule.
Currently we are playing:
There is a lot of interesting lore in both Iron Kingdoms and Warmachine which I highly recommend reading if you enjoy that sort of thing.
I am planning to go more indepth on various tabletop roleplaying games & systems, and my thoughts on them, in future posts. So stay tuned for that.
I think that will have to do from me for now. Time to go lie down and rest a bit.
Due to feeling unwell - something I have discussed more in my other blog - I probably won't have the energy or mental capacity to write any in-depth or long posts until my head starts clearing up again. Though I will try to write something at least, for you all to enjoy.
So today I am going to write a short list of what game systems I am currently playing in with my friends. Right now it isn't really an extensive list, but then again I unfortunatelly can only fit so many games into my schedule.
Currently we are playing:
- Star Wars Saga Edition
- Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition - Published by Wizards of the Coast, D&D is one of, if not the most well-known tabletop RPG out there at the moment. Especially after the launch of the 5th edition rules, and online attention from shows such as Critical Role and Dice, Camera, Action!. We, however, are still running our old campaign using 4th edition rules, a campaign which has been running for... 3 or 4 years now? Head is a bit too cloudy to remember right now, but we are still running it because we all love the campaign.
- Ryuutama - A Japanese tabletop rpg which has got an English translation via a Kickstarter. We only just started this, so I am still new to the system.
- Iron Kingdoms - A steampunk fantasy tabletop roleplaying game by Privateer Press, which is based off of their wargame Warmachine. We were running a straight up Iron Kingdoms game previously, but now that that has ended we are currently running a new Iron Kingdoms game which also includes elements of a supplement/expansion called Unleashed.
There is a lot of interesting lore in both Iron Kingdoms and Warmachine which I highly recommend reading if you enjoy that sort of thing.
I am planning to go more indepth on various tabletop roleplaying games & systems, and my thoughts on them, in future posts. So stay tuned for that.
I think that will have to do from me for now. Time to go lie down and rest a bit.
måndag 5 september 2016
Playing a tabletop RPG for the first time
Greetings!
Today I will talk about playing a tabletop roleplaying game for the very first time.
It might feel intimidating, especially if you feel like you are not quite sure about what you are in for. Hopefully the Dungeon Master (DM) / Game Master (GM) of your game will fill you in on the details, for example, the basic rules of the game system you are going to use (you don't need to know the rules by heart, but it helps if you have a basic understanding of them at least), and the setting you will be playing in, as well as help you with creating your character. Perhaps one or more of the other, more experienced players, can help as well.
My personal view is that if you have a new player, or players for that matter, at the table, be kind to them. Help them out until they have found their footing. They will make mistakes, they will not always know what to do, and some times you have to explain something several times before it finally clicks. But hey, we were all new at roleplaying at some point, and most of us were pestering someone else with questions. With enough support, the new players will hopefully come back and find the same love of roleplaying games as we all have. :)
And as the new player you shouldn't be afraid to ask questions if there is something you don't understand. There are NO stupid questions, it's simply a case of either you know or you don't. Don't expect everyone around the table to know every single rule by heart, but if you ask nicely they might look it up for you.
Discuss amongst yourselves what kind of genre you would like to try out. If your players are all new to tabletop roleplaying, let them make the final call. It might not turn out to be your favorite genre, but it will be a good introduction for them to play in a genre they enjoy. Next time you, as a GM, might get to pick the genre instead.
If you are a new player, and are looking for people to play with, I would suggest starting with your friends. They may not have played either, but if you know someone who has then perhaps you can get that person to DM for you. Or if no one in the group has any previous experience of tabletop roleplaying, then perhaps you can DM the first game? If you have a story you want to tell, or an idea for an adventure to send your friends out on, go right ahead! :) It takes a bit more work on your part than it does the players, but it will be well worth it in the end. Remember to make sure you know the rules of the game system you want to play in, but the books or PDF's are there for a reason so you don't need to know EVERYTHING by heart. Also remember that, no matter what the system is that you are planning on using, rules are only guidelines. They are not set in stone. If you, as the DM, see something you don't like, or if you feel like you'd like to do something a bit differently than what the rules suggest, go right ahead. It's ok. Every DM does it, more or less, depending on the DM in question. The basic rule should always be that everyone around the table should have fun, including the DM.
Another important rule for everyone to remember is that you can discuss a rule, or a situation, but in the end the DM makes the final call. This is not to be cruel to the players, but because in the case of a disagreement someone has to have final say. As a DM it can some times be a thin line to walk, and a lot comes down to the personality of the players and the DM. I think it is a good idea that you, as new players, discuss it, are aware of it and agree upon it ahead of the first gaming session, so that everyone who plays is aware of it.
If you don't really want to, or can't, play with your IRL friends for whatever reason, there are plenty of forums, and websites, online where you can meet people to play with. You won't all be sitting around a table together, but you can play online with the help of Skype for talking and a program such as MapTools for the maps and tokens. There are also other solutions such as Roll20.net, Fantasygrounds or Epictable.
I think this will do for now. I might return to this subject later at some point.
Until next time!
Today I will talk about playing a tabletop roleplaying game for the very first time.
It might feel intimidating, especially if you feel like you are not quite sure about what you are in for. Hopefully the Dungeon Master (DM) / Game Master (GM) of your game will fill you in on the details, for example, the basic rules of the game system you are going to use (you don't need to know the rules by heart, but it helps if you have a basic understanding of them at least), and the setting you will be playing in, as well as help you with creating your character. Perhaps one or more of the other, more experienced players, can help as well.
My personal view is that if you have a new player, or players for that matter, at the table, be kind to them. Help them out until they have found their footing. They will make mistakes, they will not always know what to do, and some times you have to explain something several times before it finally clicks. But hey, we were all new at roleplaying at some point, and most of us were pestering someone else with questions. With enough support, the new players will hopefully come back and find the same love of roleplaying games as we all have. :)
And as the new player you shouldn't be afraid to ask questions if there is something you don't understand. There are NO stupid questions, it's simply a case of either you know or you don't. Don't expect everyone around the table to know every single rule by heart, but if you ask nicely they might look it up for you.
Discuss amongst yourselves what kind of genre you would like to try out. If your players are all new to tabletop roleplaying, let them make the final call. It might not turn out to be your favorite genre, but it will be a good introduction for them to play in a genre they enjoy. Next time you, as a GM, might get to pick the genre instead.
If you are a new player, and are looking for people to play with, I would suggest starting with your friends. They may not have played either, but if you know someone who has then perhaps you can get that person to DM for you. Or if no one in the group has any previous experience of tabletop roleplaying, then perhaps you can DM the first game? If you have a story you want to tell, or an idea for an adventure to send your friends out on, go right ahead! :) It takes a bit more work on your part than it does the players, but it will be well worth it in the end. Remember to make sure you know the rules of the game system you want to play in, but the books or PDF's are there for a reason so you don't need to know EVERYTHING by heart. Also remember that, no matter what the system is that you are planning on using, rules are only guidelines. They are not set in stone. If you, as the DM, see something you don't like, or if you feel like you'd like to do something a bit differently than what the rules suggest, go right ahead. It's ok. Every DM does it, more or less, depending on the DM in question. The basic rule should always be that everyone around the table should have fun, including the DM.
Another important rule for everyone to remember is that you can discuss a rule, or a situation, but in the end the DM makes the final call. This is not to be cruel to the players, but because in the case of a disagreement someone has to have final say. As a DM it can some times be a thin line to walk, and a lot comes down to the personality of the players and the DM. I think it is a good idea that you, as new players, discuss it, are aware of it and agree upon it ahead of the first gaming session, so that everyone who plays is aware of it.
If you don't really want to, or can't, play with your IRL friends for whatever reason, there are plenty of forums, and websites, online where you can meet people to play with. You won't all be sitting around a table together, but you can play online with the help of Skype for talking and a program such as MapTools for the maps and tokens. There are also other solutions such as Roll20.net, Fantasygrounds or Epictable.
I think this will do for now. I might return to this subject later at some point.
Until next time!
fredag 2 september 2016
Why play tabletop roleplaying games?
Greetings!
Now, I know that tabletop roleplaying has had a major upswing in popularity recently, and I think that is great! Especially for one such as myself who remember playing tabletop RPGs 'back in the day' (read: mainly 90's). As a Swede it is also good seeing some of the old Swedish games coming back with new editions, such as 'Kult: Divinity lost' (Helmgast), 'Mutant Chronicles' (currently published by UK-based Modiphius), Eon (Helmgast), Mutant Year Zero (Fria Ligan / Free League Publishing), etc.
Now, I figured I would take this opportunity to discuss a bit about WHY I think everyone should play tabletop roleplaying games, or at least try it out. Some people might say "well, if I want to play an RPG I can just play it on my computer, X-Box or Playstation.", which I suppose is true. Believe me, I enjoy playing video- and computer games as well, but there is still something special about playing tabletop RPGs because it allows you to tap into your own creativity in a way that a videogame doesn't.
Let me explain: When you are playing a video game or a computer game, you see the world on the screen before you, you mash a few buttons and the monster is dead, you select one of a few options for conversation, etc, etc.
When you are playing a tabletop RPG, you are part of the story. You decide what your character says in a conversation. You decide on your character's personality and manners, and sometimes the backstory you write for your character can help influence parts of the world as well, depending on the DM (Dungeon Master) or GM (Game Master) - the person running the game session that the players' characters are in. You get to use your own creativity to paint a picture in your mind of what the world around your character looks like.
And if you are the GM / DM / whatever-it-is-called-in-your-prefered-gamesystem (I'll just stick to GM from now on in this post, for simplicity's sake), you get to use your creativity to create the world, and to describe it to your players as you guide them on their adventures.
I should probably point out that if you as a GM is willing to do it, allowing your players to take part in creating the world they are in, through their characters' backstories for example, can be really rewarding, both for you and your players. Though for first-time players it might be easier if the GM creates the world him- or herself.
Playing tabletop RPGs are a fun way to do something creative together with your friends, or even your kids. It doesn't have to be about slaying demons or dragons. There are plenty of roleplaying games out there that are aimed at kids - for example: "The Princess Kingdom", "No Thank You, Evil!" or the swedish RPG "Tassar & Morrhår" - and even if you don't use one of those, you as the GM decide what happens in the world, and can homebrew the rules of whichever system you want to use to fit younger players. Never feel tied down by a specific setting or system. Instead I would encourage you to adapt the world you create to the players you have availiable and what kind of game you all like to play together.
Remember, playing a tabletop RPG should be a fun experience that you share with your friends or family members. All ages can join in, and enjoy it. :) It is a fun, social experience which, at least in my experience, can serve up dramatic moments, tense moments, and laughter, all in one game session.
Playing tabletop roleplaying games helps you train your creative thinking, thinking on your feet, imagination, problem solving, storytelling ability, team-play, improvisational skills, and many other skills. It can even help people combat their shyness. They get go play a character, which effectively acts as a mask, which allows them to feel less vulnerable when they face various social situations in the game. They are also surrounded by friends and/or family around the same table, so they also have that comfort while they play and deal with the social situations in-game.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with being shy. I have been shy on occasion as well. But tabletop roleplaying can offer some help if you want to try and get a bit less shy in social situations.
If no one in the group has played a game before, discuss what kind of game you would all like to play for your first try, and then do some research into what games exist in that genre. It does help, of course, if at least one member of the group is a bit more experienced - preferably taking on the role of the GM. But if not, then keep it simple for the first attempt. Just make a short, simple adventure for the players to go on, and then build from there.
I might return to this subject at some point in a later post, but for now I think this will do.
Now, I know that tabletop roleplaying has had a major upswing in popularity recently, and I think that is great! Especially for one such as myself who remember playing tabletop RPGs 'back in the day' (read: mainly 90's). As a Swede it is also good seeing some of the old Swedish games coming back with new editions, such as 'Kult: Divinity lost' (Helmgast), 'Mutant Chronicles' (currently published by UK-based Modiphius), Eon (Helmgast), Mutant Year Zero (Fria Ligan / Free League Publishing), etc.
Now, I figured I would take this opportunity to discuss a bit about WHY I think everyone should play tabletop roleplaying games, or at least try it out. Some people might say "well, if I want to play an RPG I can just play it on my computer, X-Box or Playstation.", which I suppose is true. Believe me, I enjoy playing video- and computer games as well, but there is still something special about playing tabletop RPGs because it allows you to tap into your own creativity in a way that a videogame doesn't.
Let me explain: When you are playing a video game or a computer game, you see the world on the screen before you, you mash a few buttons and the monster is dead, you select one of a few options for conversation, etc, etc.
When you are playing a tabletop RPG, you are part of the story. You decide what your character says in a conversation. You decide on your character's personality and manners, and sometimes the backstory you write for your character can help influence parts of the world as well, depending on the DM (Dungeon Master) or GM (Game Master) - the person running the game session that the players' characters are in. You get to use your own creativity to paint a picture in your mind of what the world around your character looks like.
And if you are the GM / DM / whatever-it-is-called-in-your-prefered-gamesystem (I'll just stick to GM from now on in this post, for simplicity's sake), you get to use your creativity to create the world, and to describe it to your players as you guide them on their adventures.
I should probably point out that if you as a GM is willing to do it, allowing your players to take part in creating the world they are in, through their characters' backstories for example, can be really rewarding, both for you and your players. Though for first-time players it might be easier if the GM creates the world him- or herself.
Playing tabletop RPGs are a fun way to do something creative together with your friends, or even your kids. It doesn't have to be about slaying demons or dragons. There are plenty of roleplaying games out there that are aimed at kids - for example: "The Princess Kingdom", "No Thank You, Evil!" or the swedish RPG "Tassar & Morrhår" - and even if you don't use one of those, you as the GM decide what happens in the world, and can homebrew the rules of whichever system you want to use to fit younger players. Never feel tied down by a specific setting or system. Instead I would encourage you to adapt the world you create to the players you have availiable and what kind of game you all like to play together.
Remember, playing a tabletop RPG should be a fun experience that you share with your friends or family members. All ages can join in, and enjoy it. :) It is a fun, social experience which, at least in my experience, can serve up dramatic moments, tense moments, and laughter, all in one game session.
Playing tabletop roleplaying games helps you train your creative thinking, thinking on your feet, imagination, problem solving, storytelling ability, team-play, improvisational skills, and many other skills. It can even help people combat their shyness. They get go play a character, which effectively acts as a mask, which allows them to feel less vulnerable when they face various social situations in the game. They are also surrounded by friends and/or family around the same table, so they also have that comfort while they play and deal with the social situations in-game.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with being shy. I have been shy on occasion as well. But tabletop roleplaying can offer some help if you want to try and get a bit less shy in social situations.
If no one in the group has played a game before, discuss what kind of game you would all like to play for your first try, and then do some research into what games exist in that genre. It does help, of course, if at least one member of the group is a bit more experienced - preferably taking on the role of the GM. But if not, then keep it simple for the first attempt. Just make a short, simple adventure for the players to go on, and then build from there.
I might return to this subject at some point in a later post, but for now I think this will do.
onsdag 31 augusti 2016
A short introductory post
Greetings!
This is my first post in this blog, of hopefully many to come. I am planning on using this blog for anything I want to write regarding tabletop games, tabletop roleplaying, and other things relating to that.
So, why do I want to write about tabletop roleplaying and other such things? I guess the short answer is because I love it. I love the creative process that goes into creating worlds, characters and stories. I love interacting with other PC's (Player Characters) and NPCs (Non-Player Characters). I love reading about the mechanics of various game systems - though I do not claim to be an expert really. Anyway, this will be my forum for talking about all this and more. Hopefully others will enjoy it as well. :)
This will only be a short, introductory post, but hopefully I will have something better soon. See you all then!
This is my first post in this blog, of hopefully many to come. I am planning on using this blog for anything I want to write regarding tabletop games, tabletop roleplaying, and other things relating to that.
So, why do I want to write about tabletop roleplaying and other such things? I guess the short answer is because I love it. I love the creative process that goes into creating worlds, characters and stories. I love interacting with other PC's (Player Characters) and NPCs (Non-Player Characters). I love reading about the mechanics of various game systems - though I do not claim to be an expert really. Anyway, this will be my forum for talking about all this and more. Hopefully others will enjoy it as well. :)
This will only be a short, introductory post, but hopefully I will have something better soon. See you all then!
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