Where my *real* RPGers at?

[Orsino]

No bloody computer games, miniature rules, console games, or FPSers. I'm talkin' good ol' fashioned role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Who plays on any sort of regular basis, and what do you play?

My wife and I play Alternity via IRC (chat) every other Wednesday, with folks in other states. We've just joined a larger group of much the same people in a Forgotten Realms campaign--but using a fantasy version of the Alternity rules.

I've tried an awful lot of computer RPGs, but they just don't hold my interest for long.

[Streetdoc270]

1. pen and paper player as well....

I have not heard of alternity, Do you have a link?

[Orsino]

2. Alternity...

...didn't last long, and was already defunct by the time we started playing it regularly. The system was WoTC's flagship sci-fi engine, created by various minds who had worked on later flavors of D&D.

It's a grittier system, with separate mortal/wound/stun damage. It's got character classes, but any class can learn any skill, so there's none of this having to switch five times to get the skills you want. I like it and the fantasy version our GM came up with on his own.

Gamma World was briefly reincarnated as an Alternity setting shortly before its most recent reappearance as d20.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

11. I think Alternity has the best firearm combat system I've played

It's quick, accurate, and just feels good.
It's definitely for advanced roleplayers, and the system takes a bit of practice to understand, but I rank Alternity as one of my favorite engines.
I consider it the "father" of the new d20 system, which is much improved from 2nd ed AD&D.

[Ravenseye]

3. D&D 3rd Edition - Every 2 Weeks

We played in college but then a friend of mine gave me the 3rd edition DM's guide early last year and we have been playing now for a little under a year again. Averaging once every two weeks, though occasionally will go a month between sessions if schedules don't permit, or go 4 weeks in a row if they do.

We only have four total, including me the DM.

After 20 sessions they are 8th level, so we're definately not power gamers but it's loads of fun. Once they reach epic level maybe we'll retire them, and start a new game with new characters and rotate the DM so I can play for a change.

I like Alternity but I never really got into it. Got the basic books and enjoyed reading them. I'd be interested in running a Space/Sci-Fi campaign. I've never done so. I've run Fantasy, Superheroes, Cthulhu, and Vampire...Sci-Fi would probably be fun.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. I *write* sci fi, so if you need any ideas. let me know

I can include great software yuo can use for your games

[Ravenseye]

6. Well if we do it'll be a year or two out

My players are really addicted to the current game. They send emails about strategies and ideas back and forth when we're not playing. I doubt they'd even want to stop once we reach epic level. :)

Still sci-fi rpg's intrigue me. the only one I ever played that I remmebred after I wrote my last message was Star Frontier's WAY back when. The DM for that sucked though.

My big question about a sci-fi campaign would be how to bring the characters together, how to keep them together, and what to have them do. See, my players can be...difficult. I'd have to put a restriction on something like "you all know each other" or something like that, or I'd have to put it in the story. My current group started with a LE Drow Monk who was pretending to be good, a CN Elf Rogue, and a N Human Druid....try and get those three to band together...I did so but it was tough. The drow died, and I had to find a way to integrate a new third, the Dwarven Fighter (now Fighter/Cleric)...

I think it'd be great because the universe is so infinate. Give em a ship and the posibliities are limitless.

My first thought would be to combine a few genre's. Bring a bit of the sword and sorcery into the sci-fi. Have the group be slaves on a mining colony. Have a fourth 'NPC' lead them in an escape attempt. They reach a small jump ship, the NPC buys the farm, and the rest escape...Then they're hunted for by the 'Space Marshalls' or some such...but then what...

Thing is starting them off as criminals which they didn't earn themselves seems kinda cheap...

So what other ways to get 3-6 disparate individuals into a ship together and hopping around the galaxy. :)

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Several

The old bar \ inn trick works also in space opera

The other... make them part of the same military unit... if they desire to do a miltiary themeed campaign.

If not, ask what are their characters aka what is it they want to play. Some Sci Fi RPGs allow you to make ANY type of character, from the rich dilattante to the criminal. Others focus on the military and everybody is either part of a mercerany unit or a regular army unit. So the first question... is what type of a campaign will you run?

I can tell you the demo characters I have are the following, a Navy Chief, a Marine (blue blood) Captain, a JAG officer, an Internal Security Service Spy, and an Deep infiltration specialist. I have to make the other two... now exactly what do they have in common? They are given the equivalent of a quest by their Lord.

That is what they have in common.

To round the party I may make a Medic... and quite possibly a Special Forces type... or just two civilian scientists depending on where I want to start the story line.

Oh and given it is a year or two, by then Future Nexus will be out. Yes you could try to run Traveller. Heck GURPS works as well, but I will do the shameless plug. This system has rapid combat resolution, with an optional grid system for the battlespace familiar to DnD players, and a very flexible character creation system, as well as a vehicle construction system.

[Ravenseye]

8. I don't think pure military would work

They're not the types to do that. Maybe one of them. Most are...more stealthy...more cautious.

They're a tough group to DM for. YOu have to force them into things sometimes. If something looks dangerous, even slightly, they wont' do it unless they have to, and even them they look for a back way.

It's funny though because if they get into trouble they'll attack very fiercely, but they do everything they can to avoid conflict.

If they're in a dungeon and they open a door, and notice a trap in the room, they won't even go in...even if that's the direction they need to go, they wont' go in there unless there is no other alternative. I've had to redesign dungeons on the fly with them because of their refusal to enter dangerous situations.

If they had a lord that told them to do somethign they're just as likely to say "it's abig galaxy. Screw it, let someone else die, i'll find a nice house on a nice quiet planet and retire now."

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. hmmm

then what yuo have is a group that is perfect for POLITICAL intrigue. There are many ways to fight, and ironically most do not include bullets...

Create an adventure that involves lots of poltiical intrigue... and yes there are ways to get them in trouble without ahem seemingly getting them in trouble

[HawkerHurricane]

24. Classic start up...

"You're all in the same jail cell..."

They start out in thier underwear, cold and damp, and the fun doesn't stop there!

(If you want another idea, see the 'Firefly' TV series)

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Pen and Pencil, game under development

Open to do demos on line over IRC, speaking off

www.deistgames.com

[NuttyFluffers]

10. love 'em. play almost anything.

Call of Cthulhu (now there's a game that's like pulling teeth to make characters go to dangerous situations)

DnD

In Nomine (fun game, but try to avoid the pretentious 'epic battle of good and evil' trap)

7th sea (great swashbuckling fun)

legend of the 5 rings (a bit too easy to die, but can be great fun)

vampire, changeling, werewolf, wraith...

deadlands (cool world)

heroes unlimited/champions (zany good fun)

star wars, old version (now that's a space opera)

mechwarrior/battletech (because the inner sphere is replete with evil politics)

would love to get into fading suns and blue planet, but haven't been able to run a game yet.

[Kellanved]

12. IRC? Like on a Computer?

:evilgrin:


Well, I play a largely unknown RPG (in the US, that is) named "The Dark Eye".


http://www.thedarkeyerpg.com/

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Internet Relay Channel,

easy as pie, some even have dice rollers...

There are several programs out there you can use. I use MiRC

[Kellanved]

14. Yup;

I am quite familiar with IRC. It's just, where do MUDs begin and where does pen and paper end?

:D

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. I dunno actually

anyhow I am, as I have stated open to do demos of the system I am writing.

At this stage, will do them at Cons (gamex this weekend), but will also do them over IRC if people are interested

[Orsino]

20. Yep. mIRC for us.

With kLoOge for map sharing and movement.

[Mojambo]

16. I used to play. I'd actually like to pick it up again.

It's just hard to find a group. Maybe looking to play over IRC is an option.

I do really like the face to face aspect though. Does anyone know where one goes to find groups looking for players?

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. ok several places

1.- Your local game store.. assuming your Friendly Local Gaming Store has a board, POST the I am looking for a gaming goup, or see if any group is openly recruiting.

2.- Online places like RPG.Net, they do have player finders

3.- Company message boards... BEFORE YOU POST read the fine print as some believe waht yuo post is their property.

4.- Gaming conventions... yes they still exist. For instance this coming weekend I am gong to LA Westing Hotel for Gamex 2005

5.- If all this fails I mean it, I can run online adventures using IRC... I have pregens, and even a channel on a server.

That is truly an alternative today.

[Ready4Change]

18. Regular Traveller gamer

I and some friends have been playing a monthly Traveller campaign for the last couple (few? that long) years. I think it's fizzling out, as the players have become distracted with events in their real lives. Nothing wrong with that, and the campaigns had a good run.

We tried something quite different this time. More political, far less gunplay. I think some of the players liked it, some would ahve preferred more action. As the GM I still tried to mix things up a bit.

In the past I/we have played a variety of others. Space Quest, Boot Hill, D&D, Gamma World. I've tried some Sandman, and have always wanted to try Cthulhu and Paranoia, but have yet the chance.

Plus any number of table top wargames, but this is about RPGs, so I won't go there.

[DavidMS]

30. Have you tried the T20 ruleset?

I am thinking of doing a Traveller game in the fall useing Traveller20.

Right now I am involved with a 3rd Ed. D&D game that meets monthly. If the group was a little smaller we would get some very cool roleplaying and politics in.

We do use minis for combat and it helps simplify things.

[Ready4Change]

33. Nope. Original edition Traveller.

I looked over the D20 (T20?) set and didn't see any reason to switch, expecially as most of my group has old edition books.

[DavidMS]

34. Mostly the reasion I ask is that it will be easier for the players

As most of them have played D20. I certanly understand how so many people love the classic black books.

[Ready4Change]

35. Playing mostly with a bunch fo old buddies...

So we all have and are familiar with the old books/rules. If you were to start a new group unfamiliar with Traveller then D20 would make good sense.

[LeftyMom]

19. Hiya!

I'm into the World of Darkness stuff and Shadowrun, the better half prefers D&D or Call of Chtulhu.

I'm not into computer games at all, which is a blessing because I'm really bad at them.

[NewJeffCT]

21. I only play "real" RPGs

but, since my daughter was born 27 months ago, my real gaming time has been limited, at best.

I almost exclusively play D&D when I get the chance.

[malmapus]

22. P&P vet here

AD&D (actually snuck my dice and had a game going when I was in Basic)

Robotech, Dragonlance, tried that other one for a bit that was popular in the late 80s / early 90s ummm Rip something...like sci-fi and fantasy mixed up.

Haven't found a group since my ex, me and her two brothers had a great group goin doing Dragonlance (still have all my maps of Krynn and books).

Even have a first edition D&D DM book, one of my prized possessions next to my Revenge of the Jedi poster hehe.

[HawkerHurricane]

23. DnD ed. 3.5, every 2 weeks on Friday.

My Male Elven Wizard4(conjurer)/Cleric4(Boccob)/Mystic Theurge2 rocks!

[TheMightyFavog]

25. Our group at UWSP alternates.

One week, I play Buffy, where I am David adams, a guy who is the son of a previous slayer, who was just a week away from her due date when she became the slaer. Out I came, with the voices of every previoud slayer (including that of my mother) in my head, and some of the abilities of a slayer basically, I'm a bitter, mysogynistic dickhead who can kick a demon's ass six ways from Friday.

This fall, I will be running a Red Dwarf: RPG campaign featuring an alternate universe featuring Yvonne McGruder (Rimmer's first lay, who in this alternate universe was put into stasis on trumped up charges when she found out that Captain Hollister was really Dennis the Donut Boy) Frank Toddhunter, (Rimmer's superior who in this universe was really a mechanoid that looks exactly like a human. However, He does not know that he is a mechanoid. He knows that he can't be human because he didnt die in the radiation leak and did not decompose into a pile of grit like the other crewmembers, but he does not know exactly what he is.) Rizzo, a lifeform that evolved from rats, A female 4000 Series GTi who has the unusual ability to make balloon animals out of condoms, a Pacifist hippie roughe simulant with an addiction to "Wacky Weed", and a mystery character, which will be a hard light hologram of one of the following personalities, Ted Nugent, Elvis, Santa Claus, Lee Harvey Oswald, JFK, Tiger Woods, The Crocodile Hunter, or Jack Aubrey.

[blueraven95]

26. man I would love to play in Red Dwarf

I just watched every episode available on DVD over the course of a week.....and I am so into it at the moment. Must think about it.

At the moment I am in the middle of a d20 game based on Garth Nix's "Abhoreson" series. We have changed all of the magic rules from D&D and modified the skills a lot, but otherwise its basically D&D.

Before that it was a Star Wars campaign. That was a lot of fun.

I gotta say, I prefer tabletop to computer/video games, simply because I am interacting with real people, face to face. Not that there is anything wrong with video games.

[Chovexani]

27. I enjoy both, thank you very much.

Please, this argument's been going on for 30 years, and it is just as asinine now as it was back then. Apples and oranges, my dear.

I've been playing D&D off and on since I was nine years old, and am currently alternating between a homebrew 2E campaign (largely based on Final Fantasy games) and a Forgotten Realms campaign that is also 2E. I've also LARPed in the World of Darkness off and on for about 9 years, mostly Vampire (I've always been Toreadors or Tremeres).

I've also been a hardcore Final Fantasy player since the first one. At one point I even created rules for an FF pen-and-paper game, but mercifully that's been lost to time. I use a lot of elements from console RPGs in my homebrew campaign--I've written up and used lots of kits mimicking different classes in various games, for instance, and have adapted various spells.

[Orsino]

28. Um...argument?

My original post was just trying to smoke out pen-and-paper RPGers specifically. No denigration of computer or console games expressed or intended.

And the "bloody" was an invocation of Scotty's appearance on Next Generation Trek.

[ZRB]

29. Check this out

www.the-gamers.com

I got a chance to participate in the making of this film, and I think any RPG gamer will get a big kick out of it, when it's released.

[The Revolution]

31. "The Gamers" is one of my favorite movies

Note that the original Gamers movie is already available. If you play RPGs and you haven't seen it, you really should. I can't wait for the new movie to come out :)

DM: "Why do you want his pants?"
Player: "I don't want them, I just want to see if I can steal them."

:rofl:

[The Revolution]

32. We play about once a week

I'm running a D&D 3.5 campaign set in Faerun.

We also occasionally do Call of Cthulhu (d20). We used to do a lot of Star Wars (d6 system), but haven't for a long time.

As far as computer RPGs, I thought the Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale series were fun to play through. Also, Neverwinter Nights can be a lot of fun with a group of friends. You can play through a module together, or someone can DM while the others are players. The module editor is pretty easy to use too. You could design a simple adventure fairly easily, and if you want to mess around with making/editing scripts, you can do pretty much anything.