tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25326154498971235722024-02-28T18:44:13.418-05:00The Cryptic ArchivistTonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-25744036790873381312023-12-25T18:17:00.002-05:002023-12-25T18:17:58.077-05:00New English Scenario collection for Tsukuda Hobby's Jabro<h1 style="text-align: left;"> Get the Scenarios on BoardGameGeek.com</h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL926l1aTlVp3YjsEOrEnj-987ua9j_DikEvvdaSP1dUzdUbfGwrvJhqQra4L0NzpRUBNXYIvXM4J8YcyCPO-tT1O17k9-EjjYKDjYfwYKOBlol6yfZRSgeBBzbSOATdPGJCw2RVIfaTOPPlGhMIHHVrh_a2B7hS92BktKTdzaSDUUE8s1UQZmUriSLIFS/s4032/IMG_5365.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL926l1aTlVp3YjsEOrEnj-987ua9j_DikEvvdaSP1dUzdUbfGwrvJhqQra4L0NzpRUBNXYIvXM4J8YcyCPO-tT1O17k9-EjjYKDjYfwYKOBlol6yfZRSgeBBzbSOATdPGJCw2RVIfaTOPPlGhMIHHVrh_a2B7hS92BktKTdzaSDUUE8s1UQZmUriSLIFS/w640-h480/IMG_5365.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shown above is Tactics magazine #1, Japanese source for the original article</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>I've completed my English translation of three scenarios for Tsukuda Hobby's <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6078/mobile-suit-gundam-jabro" target="_blank"><i>Mobile Suit Gundam: Jabro</i></a> (1981) game. These scenarios were first published in Tactics magazine, vol. 1, no. 1, Jan-Feb 1982, pg. 53.<br /><div><br /></div><div>First and foremost,<b> here is the link to the download page hosted on BoardGameGeek.com</b>. You need an account on the site in order to download the file, but if you are reading my blog, you probably already have one: </div><h2 style="text-align: left;">TV Episode Scenarios</h2><div>I originally wrote about <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2022/09/new-english-rule-book-for-tsukuda.html" target="_blank"><i>Jabro</i> when I translated the game's rules into English in 2022</a>. The game is based on the original <i>Mobile Suit Gundam</i> TV series that premiered in 1979. The nine scenarios in the game are based on the events of specific episodes from the TV show. This small collection of three scenarios continue that tradition.</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Episode 6: Garma Strikes</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWaqPrGWYTijnz8meNYNVXqXWY1YTjmISUOWx7EcZQo7W-Es-AjoUXC9f4PXisVCW1M_Thhyphenhyphenfe3qToHLT8-AJAvMgmzK1nmcparmshyh7Nzt5OxGrDdgKO1Gvi8bkZI4zpn3bFkFQhpiDge4PFWngdML2gUpCc5uRzT2PCxXmEqOYdZz7rwT4x4KQAwMYE/s4032/IMG_5370.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWaqPrGWYTijnz8meNYNVXqXWY1YTjmISUOWx7EcZQo7W-Es-AjoUXC9f4PXisVCW1M_Thhyphenhyphenfe3qToHLT8-AJAvMgmzK1nmcparmshyh7Nzt5OxGrDdgKO1Gvi8bkZI4zpn3bFkFQhpiDge4PFWngdML2gUpCc5uRzT2PCxXmEqOYdZz7rwT4x4KQAwMYE/s320/IMG_5370.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A two-unit (MB and MT) "Magella Attack" tank with a couple of Zaku suits<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The Gundam and Guntank must face off against 3 Zaku mobile suits and 4 Magella Attack tank units. Each Magella Attack can temporarily separate into two different units: the "Magella Top" turret with its 175mm cannon may fly separately from the "Magella Base" tank hull, which is armed with a triple machine gun.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a tough battle for the outnumbered Federation pilots in the Gundam and Guntank (Amuro, Kai, and Ryu). Since this is only episode 6, the young pilots are still inexperienced and their piloting and combat skills in this scenario reflect this.</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Episode 15: Cucuruz Doan's Island</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWY1PdcpNcrC4TXdrqYmdkdFrrgsTFDyEtJt3G4-PSEri2D6lPpn89IrBBC41F71N5jOvsnuEdCvkty5fAydUwXejgQajpuExpYhS3UtB0zxcRz7lKx9dAON8pVRZ4z5lBiNjzMKuRnKplnUYncmxKpybEOb7qiO2K2PelpkUcNVA-RWqrj8cB8eMtiG0J/s3119/IMG_5371.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3119" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWY1PdcpNcrC4TXdrqYmdkdFrrgsTFDyEtJt3G4-PSEri2D6lPpn89IrBBC41F71N5jOvsnuEdCvkty5fAydUwXejgQajpuExpYhS3UtB0zxcRz7lKx9dAON8pVRZ4z5lBiNjzMKuRnKplnUYncmxKpybEOb7qiO2K2PelpkUcNVA-RWqrj8cB8eMtiG0J/s320/IMG_5371.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rare Zaku vs. Zaku battle</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>This scenario is an interesting one-on-one battle between two Zaku mobile suits. Cucuruz Doan is a skilled veteran pilot, but his Zaku suit is only armed with a shield. He faces off against a Zaku armed with a Zaku machine gun and an average pilot. Doan's best bet is to use the hills and trees as cover while closing in on the enemy to engage in melee combat. The inexperienced pilot must try to keep Doan's Zaku at range for as long as possible.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumyV_ScKztPgQ7yCM_3As7RsxWVsc3iOY9-PQnZq06mtiq7UCY5-7DIzmDimiiyVe5RBb719IX9AUGNtxkg2ZJqwZMvHlcF7zRgvntbxoM8Ygz_bYnWSrRJ-RaKSUVfWWZSpUrAOAR4aT1-vAuzMIUxM1epqAlj5H95rZIZgIIFchfwELAaKWRzQ6669B/s854/gundam%20ep%2015%20kukuros%20doan's%20island%20(missing%20Ep)%208-16%20screenshot.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="854" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjumyV_ScKztPgQ7yCM_3As7RsxWVsc3iOY9-PQnZq06mtiq7UCY5-7DIzmDimiiyVe5RBb719IX9AUGNtxkg2ZJqwZMvHlcF7zRgvntbxoM8Ygz_bYnWSrRJ-RaKSUVfWWZSpUrAOAR4aT1-vAuzMIUxM1epqAlj5H95rZIZgIIFchfwELAaKWRzQ6669B/s320/gundam%20ep%2015%20kukuros%20doan's%20island%20(missing%20Ep)%208-16%20screenshot.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cucuruz Doan's long-snouted Zaku</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsW-0BBE0gPwRiEWG2P1-T4hyphenhyphendI2NP0JebwgadKs0hBv4f6z5x1ixjsHaEQdKxvBUz-H02Wq4kM438ImmuFFu6_42hRj0koUj2win37U0cEYlIPfnoKIf3qxtx2QRJe5l1o4UKxSOPGSPLgTk7iXMF2IVJOsxcgQg0x2wqev0aZk_Wwh8e3LT9Z6wKD5T/s854/gundam%20ep%2015%20kukuros%20doan's%20island%20(missing%20Ep)%2018-12%20screenshot.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="854" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwsW-0BBE0gPwRiEWG2P1-T4hyphenhyphendI2NP0JebwgadKs0hBv4f6z5x1ixjsHaEQdKxvBUz-H02Wq4kM438ImmuFFu6_42hRj0koUj2win37U0cEYlIPfnoKIf3qxtx2QRJe5l1o4UKxSOPGSPLgTk7iXMF2IVJOsxcgQg0x2wqev0aZk_Wwh8e3LT9Z6wKD5T/s320/gundam%20ep%2015%20kukuros%20doan's%20island%20(missing%20Ep)%2018-12%20screenshot.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In one moment, Doan's Zaku (in background) has a shield on its right arm...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjgUh2ZlIueUTYSYX7uICscsh4VV-ANqV4rYCf4xj83jtsWpnWcU1DhUQ47TV5AnE02AycRcSArwjJR7VxF60LviOpbEQyb-g8u1ouy66Y0sf99ggI7Ksuc2j1Y_t1R3MhD5dt1AOaENFStkb3CGvYBv57WuLfmKAMIlpHlDzTskpE-2XEf_WKkKnpA4R/s854/gundam%20ep%2015%20kukuros%20doan's%20island%20(missing%20Ep)%2018-13%20screenshot.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="854" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjgUh2ZlIueUTYSYX7uICscsh4VV-ANqV4rYCf4xj83jtsWpnWcU1DhUQ47TV5AnE02AycRcSArwjJR7VxF60LviOpbEQyb-g8u1ouy66Y0sf99ggI7Ksuc2j1Y_t1R3MhD5dt1AOaENFStkb3CGvYBv57WuLfmKAMIlpHlDzTskpE-2XEf_WKkKnpA4R/s320/gundam%20ep%2015%20kukuros%20doan's%20island%20(missing%20Ep)%2018-13%20screenshot.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... then it magically moves to the left arm!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Episode 15 has been little-known in the US as the episode was not included in American MS Gundam releases. It is presumed that this is because of the quality problems with the animation in this episode. There are a number of off-model images of the mobile suits, which may have resulted from hiring Anime Friend (a Tatsunoko spin-off studio, I believe) to work on this episode. You can see some of the errors in my screen shots here.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHb74ye8_62OGLuhvnkflYDH49zArPlrZEJX81eed4qGCdI7uBpR77d-NmC3Lthf9FeAySaBHNQPapzBzc8dJy7cwnxKE_edl7sQ9RvZE51mHDqdPS5-rWdtOp-nwEftYrp36KDgEenhh_9h5epw7zuFIXs1LhtHgSe-hm8Ckuvfxb-Ti22PQoNc3RtPRB/s854/gundam%20ep%2015%20kukuros%20doan's%20island%20(missing%20Ep)%207-33%20screenshot.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="854" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHb74ye8_62OGLuhvnkflYDH49zArPlrZEJX81eed4qGCdI7uBpR77d-NmC3Lthf9FeAySaBHNQPapzBzc8dJy7cwnxKE_edl7sQ9RvZE51mHDqdPS5-rWdtOp-nwEftYrp36KDgEenhh_9h5epw7zuFIXs1LhtHgSe-hm8Ckuvfxb-Ti22PQoNc3RtPRB/s320/gundam%20ep%2015%20kukuros%20doan's%20island%20(missing%20Ep)%207-33%20screenshot.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doan's Zaku with long, skinny legs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHJaVnKpURVbMCgrvgNMmQ0FGjHNO79wE-8nZa5Fuorsut2S5rFJufKcHLJ902AFZZg14lJ7iA1BQEg-SDi9tvKAg1haMVNZsAnYC8wvWzrLVZItDxMbdXiBifh1-InYtnUDjLSFMEGdz-ypDl7xuxS1P9b5wvHenjxxtFJIpPx86wFNCcK_GxPYHWqN6/s854/gundam%20ep%2015%20kukuros%20doan's%20island%20(missing%20Ep)%2019-16%20screenshot.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="854" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHJaVnKpURVbMCgrvgNMmQ0FGjHNO79wE-8nZa5Fuorsut2S5rFJufKcHLJ902AFZZg14lJ7iA1BQEg-SDi9tvKAg1haMVNZsAnYC8wvWzrLVZItDxMbdXiBifh1-InYtnUDjLSFMEGdz-ypDl7xuxS1P9b5wvHenjxxtFJIpPx86wFNCcK_GxPYHWqN6/s320/gundam%20ep%2015%20kukuros%20doan's%20island%20(missing%20Ep)%2019-16%20screenshot.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Gundam face that only a mother could love</td></tr></tbody></table></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Episode 27: A Spy on Board</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTOm7s3N1zTpqy050EOOHrzrfJTwQ6vh0XEFRd5Ary9Gn432cWOtSR4FLYSTwlS_P_lQ733xENa_SOxU05KBktNKBsOywaM2DwpLCEoVpLPafGjkSg765gqmzgqfeFhyphenhyphennlqwu_Jd4OYs36Kvyqs2o2TWEeE2DWOWz-0NWcpo9ZpAStxnSRDo-mvzyc6SH/s4030/IMG_5362.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2226" data-original-width="4030" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTOm7s3N1zTpqy050EOOHrzrfJTwQ6vh0XEFRd5Ary9Gn432cWOtSR4FLYSTwlS_P_lQ733xENa_SOxU05KBktNKBsOywaM2DwpLCEoVpLPafGjkSg765gqmzgqfeFhyphenhyphennlqwu_Jd4OYs36Kvyqs2o2TWEeE2DWOWz-0NWcpo9ZpAStxnSRDo-mvzyc6SH/w400-h221/IMG_5362.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Federation and Zeon forces in the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland</td></tr></tbody></table><br />In this scenario, powerful aquatic Z'gok and Gogg mobile suits approach White Base while it is docked in Belfast. In this battle, much of the right edge of the map is ocean (see the striped area in the inset illustration, above). The Gundam and Guncannon are the first lines of defense, with the Guntank joining them in round 4. The Federation pilots are much more experienced by this point in the story and their piloting and combat skills are much better than they were in episode 6.Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-6422321450285533172023-09-16T16:57:00.009-04:002023-09-16T17:01:08.340-04:00New English Rule Book for Urusei Yatsura: Tomobiki-cho Kaigui Wars<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Get the Rule Book on BoardGameGeek.com</span></h2><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSpiaLyTmQR5KTaMyw3PhIFQrWAZza-Brp_fg-ulEvOw9WRe5wvDmACwmgim_G1-BQen3wKv7yzsc7tdwzn9V4FeYeX4jYYRGMigNVxd5V3E-DtEoWpnbtbn733uZViRhRgAjjZ8dnwq8GioSLSrePMCeswaCHrHZcJwrBp84WtPaCi0XIA8jgz7kkpYu/s1681/box%20front%20b%20SM.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1681" data-original-width="1259" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSpiaLyTmQR5KTaMyw3PhIFQrWAZza-Brp_fg-ulEvOw9WRe5wvDmACwmgim_G1-BQen3wKv7yzsc7tdwzn9V4FeYeX4jYYRGMigNVxd5V3E-DtEoWpnbtbn733uZViRhRgAjjZ8dnwq8GioSLSrePMCeswaCHrHZcJwrBp84WtPaCi0XIA8jgz7kkpYu/s320/box%20front%20b%20SM.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="text-align: left;">The</span><span style="text-align: left;"> cover art has nothing to do with the game and would be better-suited as a city pop album cover</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I've completed my English translation of the rules for <i><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/5967/urusei-yatsura-tomobiki-cho-kaigui-wars" target="_blank">Urusei Yatsura: Tomobiki-cho Kaigui Wars</a></i> (Tsukuda Hobby, 1985) (<span face="proxima-nova, Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 15px;">うる星やつら 友引町買い食いウォーズ</span>) and posted the rule book on BoardGameGeek.com.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Get it here</b> (may require site registration): <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/265130/urusei-yatsura-tomobiki-cho-kaigui-wars-english-ru">https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/265130/urusei-yatsura-tomobiki-cho-kaigui-wars-english-ru</a></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What is Urusei Yatsura?</span></h2><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This game is based on the Japanese <i>Urusei Yatsura </i>(often translated as "Those Obnoxious Aliens") sci-fi high school slapstick romantic comedy manga series created by Rumiko Takahashi in 1978. It was also made into a successful anime TV series in 1981, with motion pictures, OVAs, and video games that followed. The TV series was recently rebooted in 2022.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/xHuUCXh.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="600" height="218" src="https://i.imgur.com/xHuUCXh.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Urusei Yatsura</i> anime character line-up</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />The protagonist of the story (he's no "hero") is Ataru Moroboshi, a lazy, lecherous, unlucky teenage boy who finds himself at the center of many unusual events that happen in his hometown of Tomobiki (mythical creatures, evil spirits, a terrifying potato curse, etc.).</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">At the start of the series, Oni aliens threaten to invade the planet unless their champion, the beautiful superpowered alien Lum Invader, is defeated in a game of tag by one randomly-chosen Earth champion: Ataru. Ataru wins (by cheating), Earth is saved (for now), and Lum ends up falling in love with Ataru and enrolling in his same high school. Ataru and his friends, family, and teachers make up the main cast of characters.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What are the Kaigui Wars?</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9UZ_LjA8jg0TpTeNhuTRAbVvdBzRaMccg68DqT1Z-VCyUy4DwrNNjAx91z9gvfu4GbaRfpdq_bCxOCtNA3-7ZfH7mZ6fuf-rw36pMm0yXc1u9f6k2sN9Xz3TPz1idY3xYQeI1ydMAv952JdMSLgOzDsIZpWvGlQAkkE36ZKz3Gd0t6Nnx_rLEuIHN78z/s1238/Urusei%20Yatsura%20-%20c106%20(v06)%20-%20p055%20%5BVIZ%20Media%5D%20%5BDigital%5D%20%5B1r0n%5D_SM.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="863" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9UZ_LjA8jg0TpTeNhuTRAbVvdBzRaMccg68DqT1Z-VCyUy4DwrNNjAx91z9gvfu4GbaRfpdq_bCxOCtNA3-7ZfH7mZ6fuf-rw36pMm0yXc1u9f6k2sN9Xz3TPz1idY3xYQeI1ydMAv952JdMSLgOzDsIZpWvGlQAkkE36ZKz3Gd0t6Nnx_rLEuIHN78z/w223-h320/Urusei%20Yatsura%20-%20c106%20(v06)%20-%20p055%20%5BVIZ%20Media%5D%20%5BDigital%5D%20%5B1r0n%5D_SM.jpg" width="223" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Kaigui Wars translated as "The Great Off-Campus Snack Battle" by Viz Comics</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Kaigui Wars refers to a week in which the Tomibiki High School faculty and staff work to "crack down" on the school rule that states students are not allowed to eat lunch off-campus. "Kaigui" translates to "buying and eating" and usually refers to when small children are allowed to buy snacks or treats with their own money. The students refuse to eat their packed lunches and revolt by sneaking through town to eat at various restaurants and food stalls. The school staff are in hiding throughout the town, waiting to catch a student in the act of eating forbidden food while in school uniform.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIogLZvABxEq28hHwgcO22Y4qK9zIaIPL8fqECxE-dOOXVf2sJl40Ntu9MsLzKh65borvFGcdZ8_AFluhg3wimmuLiA4e5rlLg-OVXN_bC3sSH5CQGc2pv1NDAIUImbEIduyreRRoyo91pwx43IvH_aOF0G3bdCAvKPMWv_fHGog3gomyDA68tCHdscH3g/s960/Urusei%20Yatsura%20screenshot%2002.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIogLZvABxEq28hHwgcO22Y4qK9zIaIPL8fqECxE-dOOXVf2sJl40Ntu9MsLzKh65borvFGcdZ8_AFluhg3wimmuLiA4e5rlLg-OVXN_bC3sSH5CQGc2pv1NDAIUImbEIduyreRRoyo91pwx43IvH_aOF0G3bdCAvKPMWv_fHGog3gomyDA68tCHdscH3g/s320/Urusei%20Yatsura%20screenshot%2002.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The school principal directs his units in the field by radio, tracking student and faculty movement in the town on a strategic map that looks a <i>lot</i> like this game's map board</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The cat-and-mouse spy game of sneaking past disguised teachers eventually devolves into an all-out war as the lunch break come to an end. The students unite and strike back against their oppressors. The school staff mobilize by car and motorcycle to pursue delinquents. Fighting breaks out in the streets and everyone misses their afternoon classes.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This story happens to be one of my favorite UY stories. It is told in manga form in 買い食い大戦争 ("The Great Kaigui War" or <a href="https://archive.org/details/urusei-yatsura-omnibus-edition/Urusei%20Yatsura%20%28Omnibus%20Edition%29%20v06%20%282020%29%20%28Digital%29%20%281r0n%29%20%28f2%29/page/54/mode/2up" target="_blank">"The Great Off-Campus Snack Battle,"</a> Viz Comics, vol. 6, ch. 4) and TV anime form in 買い食いするものよっといで! ("Let's Go Buy and Eat!" or <a href="https://archive.org/details/anime-out-urusei-yatsura-024-480p-ven/%5BAnimeOut%5D_Urusei+Yatsura+-+046_%5B480p%5D_%5Bven%5D.mkv" target="_blank">"Lunch is a Battlefield!,"</a> 1982, season 1, ep. 46). It was brought back again in the new TV series as 買い食い大戦争 (<a href="https://uruseiyatsura.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_13_(2022)" target="_blank">"The Great Kaigui War,"</a> 2022, ep. 13).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><h2><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What is this game?</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />The game is a detailed "simulation game" (like a hex-and-counter wargame) that reproduces the chaotic, ridiculous events of the first afternoon of the Kaigui Wars. Players break up into a Student team and a Teacher team (including school faculty, staff, and the students in the "Student Behavior Task Force" who are helping to enforce the rules). Each Student team player controls 3 characters and each Teacher team character controls 4 characters. The game is ideally played by 4 players, 2 on each team.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJK7mLGYeWRLhxa9I17L-Wbmq6TeW6PT7_wj6ADTdrpEr0_U27ivayP8uqCeDmMQO65fws1OJXUojlh7m2zidcqeqsERJlXteRmJxYvo6vgqFLUTT3g2upIvq6qXtglIonYzoy4N3dhmYgA-vIwaisVMi3Nt4zw_7vT_TQ8ISXvVnIr1K7zeUB_i1BnTN/s1380/board%20complete%20SM.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="1380" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJK7mLGYeWRLhxa9I17L-Wbmq6TeW6PT7_wj6ADTdrpEr0_U27ivayP8uqCeDmMQO65fws1OJXUojlh7m2zidcqeqsERJlXteRmJxYvo6vgqFLUTT3g2upIvq6qXtglIonYzoy4N3dhmYgA-vIwaisVMi3Nt4zw_7vT_TQ8ISXvVnIr1K7zeUB_i1BnTN/s320/board%20complete%20SM.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Game board map of the town of Tomobiki. The large orange square is the school grounds of Tomobiki High School.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Student team earns victory points by buying and eating food from food vendor spaces (red squares). The Teacher team pursues and captures students (by intimidating them into compliance or by force), escorting them back to school grounds. The students can't buy food in the presence of a teacher and teachers may start the game disguised, hiding at food vendors anywhere on the map.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2p0hP1o-2LQgUszzO68ocIpdp9USdain9tgEUpUBZVZ6xjeKaXdUCcJer0ii0MbXXt43s5icyvunhIsyL9pKt1khtFu49HqKrCGHXLQVHTwe2Kt_wqlRS9zRwCMulJmWGvY116Onw7o7FUzPp_gvO79gI24bjk1KKq0u0mul7nDEm9Uvlf6cjXyrEDsC/s520/cast%20Ataru%20SM.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="324" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2p0hP1o-2LQgUszzO68ocIpdp9USdain9tgEUpUBZVZ6xjeKaXdUCcJer0ii0MbXXt43s5icyvunhIsyL9pKt1khtFu49HqKrCGHXLQVHTwe2Kt_wqlRS9zRwCMulJmWGvY116Onw7o7FUzPp_gvO79gI24bjk1KKq0u0mul7nDEm9Uvlf6cjXyrEDsC/w124-h200/cast%20Ataru%20SM.jpg" width="124" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sample character card A: Ataru Moroboshi</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Each character has detailed characteristics of Stamina (ST), Reflexes (REF), Fighting Strength, Money, and Friendship Levels. This information is tracked on a detailed log sheets that must be used for each character in the game.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Stamina </b>(ST) is vital to this game and characters must spend Stamina to walk, run, drive, ride a bicycle or motorcycle, fight, capture, or escape. Stamina can also be lost in a fight, due to random events, or if one's alien girlfriend jealously zaps one with electricity after being caught ogling another girl. The Student team replenishes their Stamina by eating. The Teacher team automatically recovers Stamina each round. At zero Stamina, a character faints and can do nothing until they recover after spending three rounds unconscious. A fainted student can automatically be captured.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Reflexes </b>(REF) is used when dodging out of the way of hazards, capturing or avoiding being captured, or when trying to escape after having been captured. The acting character subtracts the REF value of the challenge (hazard, other character, school walls they are climbing over) from their own REF, then rolls one die on a chart and cross-references their die roll with the REF difference to determine success.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A fight may break out while a teacher is trying to capture a student or if a student decides to pick a fight with a teacher. The two characters compare their <b>Fighting Strength</b> values and roll one die on the Fighting Table to determine the outcome. Either the Attacker or Defender may lose Stamina points or the Defender may faint outright. Each character in a fight has the option to draw a random Fighting Card for a chance at a </span>±1-3 bonus or penalty to their Fighting Strength by focusing their willpower or grabbing a nearby hammer or frying pan.</div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Money </b>is spent to buy food or pay to ride a bus. Ataru starts with 60 money, just enough for a tempura donburi.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><b>Friendship Levels</b> are rated from 1 to 10 and show a character's feelings toward other characters. Friendship Levels are used when students ask favors of each other to borrow money or food or convince members of the Student Behavior Task Force to release captured students. Friendship Level is also used when a teacher is trying to coerce/intimidate a student into complying and returning to school. Ataru's Friendship Level with D: Lum is 10, he is devoted to her (though he would never admit it). His Friendship Level with his homeroom teacher H: Onsen-Mark and rival B: Mendō is 1, he thoroughly dislikes them. Note that he would also do anything for a pretty girl, as shown by an inflated Friendship Level of 9 with C: Sakura (the school nurse), E: Ran (Lum's childhood friend), F: Shinobu (ex-girlfriend), and N: </span>Ryūnosuke (schoolgirl fighting to express her feminine identity after she was raised as a boy by her father). Those characters do not feel the same way about Ataru.</span><p></p></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlchW0Z90sW1SD9P2ha33kV1ZnnNufaKYk9cpq2g4cMI1Ih1tA6n5Lpjhl4R2LHreITmytQdHOvIPpJa5i1gG08jQ-NigOSnK-2Zg-MKyXuZDDzcr0cNokn5W25yPYHF-06SRClwtZ0qyif0cHKXy9ILKGI2UyGP95C5rBS60WuyZWooxsaAlvEPRPZdi/s520/cards%20event%20Umeboshi%20SM.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="332" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlchW0Z90sW1SD9P2ha33kV1ZnnNufaKYk9cpq2g4cMI1Ih1tA6n5Lpjhl4R2LHreITmytQdHOvIPpJa5i1gG08jQ-NigOSnK-2Zg-MKyXuZDDzcr0cNokn5W25yPYHF-06SRClwtZ0qyif0cHKXy9ILKGI2UyGP95C5rBS60WuyZWooxsaAlvEPRPZdi/w127-h200/cards%20event%20Umeboshi%20SM.jpg" width="127" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sample event card Umeboshi (Dried Plum) IM</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Event cards really bring the sense of chaos and random, unpredictable events from UY into the game. Each round, players secretly draw one event card for each character. Normal event cards may be equipment teachers can use when capturing (like a net or a lasso), a large temple bell that may fall on </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Mendō and incapacitate him, a pretty girl who passes by and distracts any male students, or may do nothing at all. These cards may be held by the character and used later as needed. When an Immediate Effect (IM) card is drawn, it is shown to all players and takes effect immediately. The above example is Umeboshi (Dried Plum), which affects Lum's alien physiology by making her drunk when she eats them. She is incapacitated for 2 rounds and any other character who happens to be in the same area as her during that time runs the risk of being zapped with her electric shock power and losing a devastating 8 points of Stamina.</span></div><div><h2><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Order of Operations</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Each of the game's 30 game rounds is divided into a daunting and complex 14 different phases:</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="break-after: avoid; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">①<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><b>Stamina
Recovery Phase</b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="break-after: avoid; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">②<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><b>Bus Movement
Phase</b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="break-after: avoid; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">③<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Teacher
Movement Phase</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="break-after: avoid; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l12 level1 lfo9; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">④<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Teacher Event Phase</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="break-after: avoid; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l8 level1 lfo10; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">⑤<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Spotting Phase</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="break-after: avoid; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo11; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">⑥<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Intimidation Phase</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="break-after: avoid; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l13 level1 lfo12; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">⑦<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Capture Phase</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="break-after: avoid; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo4; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">⑧<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Teacher Fighting Phase</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="break-after: avoid; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo5; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">⑨<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Student Movement Phase</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="break-after: avoid; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo6; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">⑩<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Student Event Phase</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="break-after: avoid; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo7; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">⑪<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Escape Phase</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="break-after: avoid; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l9 level1 lfo8; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">⑫<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Friendship Phase</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="break-after: avoid; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo13; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">⑬<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Student Fighting Phase</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="break-after: avoid; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo14; page-break-after: avoid; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">⑭<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Buying and Eating Phase</span></b></span></span></p></blockquote>
<div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Note that this is supposed to be a fun and silly game about teachers chasing students around town as they try to eat snacks. This is far more detailed than other simulation games by Tsukuda Hobby that I've translated, including their <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2020/09/three-new-english-rule-translations-for.html" target="_blank"><i>Star Wars: Death Star,</i> <i>Hoth</i>, and <i>Endor </i>games</a> (6-8 phases each), <i><a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2022/09/new-english-rule-book-for-tsukuda.html" target="_blank">Mobile Suit Gundam: Jabro</a></i> (5 phases and based heavily on Squad Leader), and the <i>Macross </i>games <i><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/248258/tsukuda-macross-city-fight-english-rule-book" target="_blank">City Fight</a> </i>(3 phases) and <i><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/246988/tsukuda-macross-dogfight-english-rule-book" target="_blank">Dogfight</a></i> (6 phases).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The game starts to bog down in the tedium of details. First, every Teacher team character must roll to determine how many Stamina points they recover. Then, each bus vehicle must move along on of three different bus routes. The Teacher team moves their units and draws one event card for each character. Then, teachers must spot students in the same area before they can attempt to intimidate them into following the rules. If that doesn't work, they can physically try to capture the students, which may cause a fight to break out. Then, the Student team moves, draws event cards, tries to escape, asks favors from friends, and may opt to attack any Teacher team characters. Finally, the Student team may go shopping at food vendors, choosing options from a detailed menu for each different food vendor.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><h2 style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Results</span></h2><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The game does a very good job of simulating the Kaigui Wars events, as seen in both the manga and TV series. Unfortunately, the game drags on with bookkeeping, card drawing, vehicles, capturing and escaping, and stacking game effects. The randomness and overabundance of options make it difficult to determine a winning strategy. The map board is large and most characters typically move 2 areas per round, so it takes multiple rounds to move from one important location to another.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I like the events in general but many of the effects are too limited. For example, when the deranged monk Cherry shows up (a fairly important character in the TV series), everyone in the same area loses 8 points of Stamina. That's it. However, in the TV anime, Ataru was able to bribe him with food and he helped the kids escape from Sakura (the school nurse and Cherry's niece). That interaction is much more interesting than, "everybody in the same area gets hosed."</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There are too many dull events that simply cause damage, incapacitate characters, or can only be used to counter other event cards. There are no events that cause a character to increase character movement, affect Friendship Levels directly, gain money, or as a bonus/penalty to Fighting Strength. This part of the game is ripe for expansion without adding further complexity.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Japanese blog <a href="https://yuishika.hatenablog.com/entry/2020/02/24/234507" target="_blank">Their Finest Hour</a> has a good review of the game that I agree with. One big problem is if there are too few characters in the game, then characters rarely</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> interact with one another. If there are too many characters in the game, the game bogs down in detail and takes too long to play.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><h2>Final Thoughts</h2><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This is a game <a href="https://x.com/bagelpriest/status/1490115420791128067?s=20" target="_blank">I've wanted to translate for a while</a> and I'm glad I've had the opportunity to do so. Unfortunately, it is every bit as overdesigned as I hoped it wouldn't be. Tsukuda Hobby's own system ranks it complexity level III (3) on Tsukuda's 1-6 scale, comparable to some of their simulation games based on military anime. This game would've played a lot better with a lower complexity level (and I'd argue that it is closer to games with complexity level IV (4)).</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The game rules include a "beginner" scenario designed to be played by 2 players. This removes many extraneous details (including the bus movement, spotting, intimidation, friendship, and student fighting phases). Instead of choosing food items from an extensive menu, Student team characters automatically restore all Stamina points and earn 3 VP for visiting a food vendor. This is a good step toward making this a playable game without losing too much of the game's flavor.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ideally, I'd like to see this game redesigned from a modern point of view. Characters should move more than 2 spaces at a time. A fight should involve both players rolling lots of dice against each other, not looking up the outcome on a bland CRT. The nameless teachers should be replaced with recognizable characters. Vehicles should not be required to follow detailed traffic rules (that section of the rule book is like reading a DMV handbook). The game should play like a frantic and humorous episode of UY, not a detailed war simulation.</span></div></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div></span></div>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-34488282847304598002023-07-08T10:21:00.000-04:002023-07-08T10:21:01.434-04:00New English Rule Book for Indiana Jones and the Hidden Treasure of Pyramid<h1>Get the Rule Book on BoardGameGeek.com</h1><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHg5l6_BLNaECV4ZltbL31s9xYU-SCOOkpd33HWAWQsQOlyxijdRN72bWUAOu12petQKx01-Ys_WcpnbsWYV2TfT2pN5JW_pZpxXdITlgWycN8GzyVrxeHqm-qm-WxKpMtQx_RfS_wnXkR_AMG8P2ry3_eFg_BfUmXQFan3khUyO5k3T5uds2w33YfgMo/s4032/415F74DE-5E63-47D8-B3F0-75CB581499FB.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHg5l6_BLNaECV4ZltbL31s9xYU-SCOOkpd33HWAWQsQOlyxijdRN72bWUAOu12petQKx01-Ys_WcpnbsWYV2TfT2pN5JW_pZpxXdITlgWycN8GzyVrxeHqm-qm-WxKpMtQx_RfS_wnXkR_AMG8P2ry3_eFg_BfUmXQFan3khUyO5k3T5uds2w33YfgMo/w400-h300/415F74DE-5E63-47D8-B3F0-75CB581499FB.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Indiana Jones and the Hidden Treasure of Pyramid</i> contents and my rules translation</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">I've completed my English translation of the rules for <i>Indiana Jones and the Hidden Treasure of Pyramid</i> (Central Hobby, 1989) (インディ ジョーンズ ピラミッドの秘宝) and posted the rule book on BoardGameGeek.com.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Get it here</b> (may require site registration): <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/261565/indiana-jones-and-hidden-treasure-pyramid-english">https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/261565/indiana-jones-and-hidden-treasure-pyramid-english</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">There was no record of this game on BoardGameGeek, so I also populated a new entry for it: <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/393878/indiana-jones-and-hidden-treasure-pyramid">https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/393878/indiana-jones-and-hidden-treasure-pyramid</a></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Team Up</span></h2><p style="text-align: left;">The game is played by 2-4 players playing against each other, or 4-8 players playing in 2-person teams. Each team member takes a different role, either Indy or his female companion Heroine. Cards are dealt to the players (Power cards to track Indy's power level (health) to Indy players, Heroine cards to Heroine players) and the Indy and Heroine players of matching colors team up together.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTOTwXGVJWgcTzRhlRPNZZHFBy622COhECG7n7WPq3YeG4yYBD6WTmkQvot6q5WeQvQyP4RIvQkA98WrGNcrKy91ktgjsg8fBjfu4nRVSlKfrNLbvgUn2cthN65wbXqnOPjoHhXA9l2D-fImiJ_2BbHIgxc5pyeE-_3I_QpfI_a2_olVgKGPaqYWCdrbL/s2365/IMG_20230702_0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2365" data-original-width="1582" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTOTwXGVJWgcTzRhlRPNZZHFBy622COhECG7n7WPq3YeG4yYBD6WTmkQvot6q5WeQvQyP4RIvQkA98WrGNcrKy91ktgjsg8fBjfu4nRVSlKfrNLbvgUn2cthN65wbXqnOPjoHhXA9l2D-fImiJ_2BbHIgxc5pyeE-_3I_QpfI_a2_olVgKGPaqYWCdrbL/s320/IMG_20230702_0006.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Heroines all look alike, but they are mechanically different. The top two affect movement and the bottom two affect combat.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">Two of the Heroine characters (as noted on the Heroine cards) give a big +2 bonus to either movement or combat. That's great! The problem is that the other two Heroine cards give a big -2 penalty to either movement or combat, with nothing to counteract that penalty. That's not great! When playing an 8-player game, two of the players become pariahs that nobody wants to team up with. That is not fun. The only explanation I can think of is that some are adept, active partners (like Marion Ravenwood) and some are enemy agents trying to undermine Indy (like Elsa Schneider). Still, it is a poor design choice.</p><p style="text-align: left;">It gets weirder on the second floor of the pyramid, where "Heroine Contests" are permitted. When one player pawn lands on another, the moving player may choose to fight in order to force the other team to swap Heroines. If they win, the Heroine cards <i>and </i>players are traded between the two teams. The game story makes it clear that Indy and the Heroine are lovers, so this trading just seems wrong (Indy, you cad!).</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">How to Play</h2><p style="text-align: left;">The team members take turns moving their team player pawn on the map board (first, the Indy players take their turns, then the Heroine players). A player selects and plays an Explore card from their team's hand of 2 cards to move. Their pawn may be moved in the directions shown on that card, a number of spaces (corridors and rooms) up to the Indy player's current power level.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfthKm3jidp9f0T7DlaeXfCzr4vs6eYAOYtZ9NkQeNpr0YBYpFqlI2iltu8H9UFY8mbHUmYpJvWoTw4ptfi3mXRZA_UUuYP9m8s6GC2nDlLHsWMXd3ldYb2cr8AFgTuyB79FpJQLH2Azm47MpAMXlL605vXZXKjEIparjozd4PHDs45UJaNPcy4NMt8FC/s3115/IMG_20230702_0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="3115" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfthKm3jidp9f0T7DlaeXfCzr4vs6eYAOYtZ9NkQeNpr0YBYpFqlI2iltu8H9UFY8mbHUmYpJvWoTw4ptfi3mXRZA_UUuYP9m8s6GC2nDlLHsWMXd3ldYb2cr8AFgTuyB79FpJQLH2Azm47MpAMXlL605vXZXKjEIparjozd4PHDs45UJaNPcy4NMt8FC/w400-h151/IMG_20230702_0005.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Players use cards to track Indy's current power level</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">If the player pawn enters a room space, movement for the turn ends and the player follows the instructions for the type of room entered. Stairs lead up to the next level in the pyramid. Medicine rooms (which only the Heroine may enter) can heal Indy's power level or allow the player to harm another team's Indy. When entering an unlocked room, a card is drawn to determine the trap or monster (bat, mummy, snake, or spider) that is encountered. Monsters are fought by rolling one six-sided die and adding the result to Indy's power level (Indy always fights, even on the Heroine's turn) and adding any bonus or penalty. If the total <b>exceeds </b>the monster's power, the enemy is defeated and the player team gets to keep the equipment (medicine or a key) listed on the monster's card. If the total is <b>equal to or less than</b> the monster's power, Indy loses one power level in damage and the monster is discarded. Keys are used to enter locked rooms, where tougher monsters and stronger equipment (whip and gun to give bonuses in combat, mine cart to give bonus movement) await.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The end goal is the locked treasure room on the third level of the pyramid. A player team must be the first to defeat a power level 11 monster and seize the magic jewel in order to escape the pyramid as victors.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">A Card Game? An RPG? A Board Game?</h2><p><i>Indiana Jones and the Hidden Treasure of Pyramid</i> bills itself as an "R.P.G. card game" (RPG カードゲーム), but this is a misnomer.</p><p>When a player enters an unlocked or locked room on the map board, the player to the right draws a card (from either the Unlocked Room or Locked Room deck) and describes the encounter to the active player (instead of saying "It is a bat with power level 6," say, "A creature pounces on you with a high-pitched cry!"). From this description, the active player decides whether they want to use a weapon or not, then rolls one die for combat, and presumably describes the actions taken. This is where the role playing comes in, but as a board game, it is unnecessary. Each player has a role to play (Indy or Heroine), but there is little of the standard traits we might identify from a role-playing game. RPGs were very popular in Japan in the mid to late 1980s, and this was likely a marketing move to capitalize on their popularity (much like how the board game <i><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4621/cloak-dagger" target="_blank">Cloak & Dagger</a></i> (Ideal, 1984) is touted as a "role-playing game" during the USA RPG boom of the early 1980s).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3Ck-nKz4KA-86YzjtnyN_NINcSlX5kLyB7r2TW19iqAfIl8X_AsgeA3HAfCqa_S7cLYbsBYrq5zPdWPN7cqw2e9qLDjIC2rQ5o7LdPkfdk2G4h7X9jkpkrlEziTdmcsSEXh9qAmrhfZ82frSI8pHpj2TWNg24G1Uej_RAE8lP1KgGcsrfS0CUzIZSTa5/s4032/2D8CFD28-EED0-4910-B9E5-0FA8CF05CBBC.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3Ck-nKz4KA-86YzjtnyN_NINcSlX5kLyB7r2TW19iqAfIl8X_AsgeA3HAfCqa_S7cLYbsBYrq5zPdWPN7cqw2e9qLDjIC2rQ5o7LdPkfdk2G4h7X9jkpkrlEziTdmcsSEXh9qAmrhfZ82frSI8pHpj2TWNg24G1Uej_RAE8lP1KgGcsrfS0CUzIZSTa5/s320/2D8CFD28-EED0-4910-B9E5-0FA8CF05CBBC.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three decks of Explore, Unlocked Room, and Locked Room cards. Which deck is which?</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It does use cards, but that doesn't necessarily make it a card game, either. There are three different types of cards drawn from different decks during the game: Explore, Unlocked Room, and Locked Room cards. Additionally, there are Heroine cards and different Indy Power cards that the players hold onto throughout the game. The problem is, <b>all of the cards in the game have the same card backs! </b>It is easy enough to organize the cards into different decks by looking at their card fronts, but it is easy to confuse them when they are flipped over.</div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Upgrading the Game Components</h2><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9OslN_xxyIHg3Z7_suist9OK03THSxkF-BWpBgsXUezFQJ2Co7VeLqVQf6epR1YyT563nk-A1QmKv_CmcWUm_M537DWbQsB4BJhO8ggG65kMTCFDN3gXOIKRkcU7SKglW5XR8ww839q2O_QzfJ1k94svvGvPQssb61_ONFevcgFxbWlMbr8V_l90sAUy/s4032/17573E22-3D8A-4658-80B5-74EB7083733C.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9OslN_xxyIHg3Z7_suist9OK03THSxkF-BWpBgsXUezFQJ2Co7VeLqVQf6epR1YyT563nk-A1QmKv_CmcWUm_M537DWbQsB4BJhO8ggG65kMTCFDN3gXOIKRkcU7SKglW5XR8ww839q2O_QzfJ1k94svvGvPQssb61_ONFevcgFxbWlMbr8V_l90sAUy/s320/17573E22-3D8A-4658-80B5-74EB7083733C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original IJ: Treasure of Pyramid game pawns on the left, my Game of Life: IJ pawns on the right</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Each player team is noted by a standard board game pawn GRYB color: green, red, yellow, or blue. <b>However,</b> the game includes colored metal pawns of gunmetal, bronze, silver, and gold (the pawns look like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djed" target="_blank">djed pillars</a> <span style="font-size: large;">𓊽</span> to me, matching the Egyptian theme). This disconnect between the color on a player's cards and the color of the game pawn makes no sense to me. I replaced them with the Indy pawns (in standard GRYB colors) from my <i><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/36615/game-life-indiana-jones" target="_blank">The Game of Life: Indiana Jones</a></i> board game.<div><br /></div><div>The game's map board is printed on a thin sheet of paper that has been kept folded in the game box for decades. The creases in the folds are hard to smooth out, so I placed a sheet of plexiglass over the map to help keep it flat and protect it while playing.<br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Play's the Thing</h2><p>I tested the game out to see how it plays. The Explore cards have a certain number of compass directions printed on them (from 1 to 4 different directions), and the player pawn can only be moved in those directions on your turn. This limits the player's choices, but only rarely did I find I could not move at all. You always have a choice from a hand of 2 different Explore cards, so there is usually at least one interesting destination that your pawn can move to.</p><p>Indy's power level is vital to both movement and combat, so it makes sense to keep him at 6 power whenever possible. Medicine can be found in medicine rooms and unlocked rooms, so it isn't hard to find enough healing to keep you topped off. You may lose precious time by healing, but a power 6 Indy can move twice as far and his 50% more effective in combat than a power 3 Indy.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fYGTyuISs8uJSvau3UPJMmC-0OUB58Miuvj_QnnsjCXWyVgyr5H2LdFnAv6cDe7xKKs0OovJwdyDx19YlPgFf-LwKnae351pCBpleSQxsUULpOa6A6H38JeIirI0bo48YU0BJB6P80qCTw5q6Yrku_36sAbkiuLsTAy1Iq4ort26RnRJftD4Kt5v73ja/s4032/4B50B374-33D0-4B3C-9220-40C00911B008.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3fYGTyuISs8uJSvau3UPJMmC-0OUB58Miuvj_QnnsjCXWyVgyr5H2LdFnAv6cDe7xKKs0OovJwdyDx19YlPgFf-LwKnae351pCBpleSQxsUULpOa6A6H38JeIirI0bo48YU0BJB6P80qCTw5q6Yrku_36sAbkiuLsTAy1Iq4ort26RnRJftD4Kt5v73ja/s320/4B50B374-33D0-4B3C-9220-40C00911B008.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final battle with the treasure chamber monster, guns blazing and at full power. I still lost.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The treasure chamber fight is not easy, since you need to score an attack power total of 12 or more. If you are stuck with the -2 combat Heroine, this battle is impossible without using a pistol (even then, you only have a 1-in-6 chance of succeeding). In the example above, I used a key to enter the locked treasure chamber at full power (6) and used my pistol (+2), rolling a 3. My attack power of (6 + 2 + 3 = 11) tied with the monster's power, which means I was defeated. I had used up my key and pistol, lost 1 power level (down to 5), and had to return to the staircase at the start of the floor. Chances are, you will lose the treasure chamber combat <i>unless</i> you are the lucky player teamed up with the +2 combat Heroine and are wielding a weapon, too.</div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Conclusion</h2>I already stated that the Heroine game mechanic is problematic but I'm not the only one. I've read a recent play report from a Japanese game club that played this game and complained about how the penalties are not fun (I lost the link to their post, though). An easy fix would be to make all Heroines give bonuses, either to combat or movement (though, I still think the combat bonus is more powerful since it is so important at the end of the game).</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, if the game had some sort of hidden role mechanic where one Heroine is secretly working for Belloq and trying to win by betraying all the Indy players, that could be interesting. As this game is designed, there is just a 50% chance that any Heroine is an albatross around Indy's neck and nobody will want to play with them.</div><div><br /></div><div>The end game can drag on too long, with several teams attempting to clear the treasure chamber but failing at the final combat. I suggest a variant where the final monster's power decreases by one level each time it is in combat. That way, the fight gets a little easier over time, guaranteeing that SOMEBODY will eventually win and bring the game to a conclusion.</div><div><br /></div><div>I do like the map design and the overall concept of the game. It reminds me of <i><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1339/dungeon" target="_blank">Dungeon!</a></i> (1975) and <i><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/62/curse-mummys-tomb" target="_blank">Curse of the Mummy's Tomb</a></i> (1988). The choices of monsters on the cards are strange. Bats, snakes, and spiders all make perfect sense in and IJ game. Mummy and ghost enemies make some sense, as both are hinted at in <i>Raiders of the Lost Ark </i>(mummies in the Well of Souls, ghosts emerging from the Ark of the Covenant). But the zombie, treasure keeper (axe-wielding hunchback), and haunted chest (an undead monster inside of a treasure chest) look like they are more appropriate in a <i>Castlevania </i>or <i>Wizardry</i> video game.</div>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-81890843777203335322022-09-20T15:53:00.007-04:002023-07-03T14:08:34.910-04:00New English Rule Book for Tsukuda Hobby's Mobile Suit Gundam: Jabro Simulation Game<h1 style="text-align: left;">Get the Rule Book on BoardGameGeek.com</h1><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjWEfd_9ou_OuVHKpl5Q97aZi6_SSqiSVkXy2UTOojjToRjmBFb5pUTC2SS1kzEJZkxXHgt0XlV6_9LRpV2Rf4x-YNGVO9uv5KzdlTCZzfy0j5EFOszFvSaaxXsZ2vHlx5wixGxftgMvGLeCP_aMnZBO1W8Lr7VObtB3wFkNlxVkQ8fH9elkoUO4yp1g/s2100/Jabro_A_sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1612" data-original-width="2100" height="493" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjWEfd_9ou_OuVHKpl5Q97aZi6_SSqiSVkXy2UTOojjToRjmBFb5pUTC2SS1kzEJZkxXHgt0XlV6_9LRpV2Rf4x-YNGVO9uv5KzdlTCZzfy0j5EFOszFvSaaxXsZ2vHlx5wixGxftgMvGLeCP_aMnZBO1W8Lr7VObtB3wFkNlxVkQ8fH9elkoUO4yp1g/w640-h493/Jabro_A_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My translated Jabro rule book, reference sheets, and custom game counters.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I've completed my English translation of the rules for Tsukuda Hobby's <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6078/mobile-suit-gundam-jabro" target="_blank"><i>Mobile Suit Gundam: Jabro</i></a> (1981) game, covering both the 1st and 2nd editions of the rule book.<br /><div><br /></div><div>First and foremost,<b> here is the link to the download page hosted on BoardGameGeek.com</b>. You need an account on the site in order to download the file, but if you are reading my blog, you probably already have one: </div><div><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/246707/tsukuda-jabro-1st2nd-edition-english-rule-book">https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/246707/tsukuda-jabro-1st2nd-edition-english-rule-book</a></div><div><br /></div><div><h1><span style="font-size: large;">Gundam Squad Leader?</span></h1><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdqlOBEZepSI-1O4D6raDCOc7JD5HHXsKHvxQs39F1lKdYqg43vcNrue9-mZGdqOMAO2IH7a20DvRDltO81v4ApugGc8W-81O9hob8zAe1ENxcYK6pUHML3zd1zxE0Ovx8cWTqyDlYGeC5HIhsd06Hm-slO4WaJ2szBUXUUVezrT1SewXYA2ZjORQmg/s2100/Jabro_SL_sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1533" data-original-width="2100" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdqlOBEZepSI-1O4D6raDCOc7JD5HHXsKHvxQs39F1lKdYqg43vcNrue9-mZGdqOMAO2IH7a20DvRDltO81v4ApugGc8W-81O9hob8zAe1ENxcYK6pUHML3zd1zxE0Ovx8cWTqyDlYGeC5HIhsd06Hm-slO4WaJ2szBUXUUVezrT1SewXYA2ZjORQmg/s320/Jabro_SL_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you tell which game is which?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Hobby Japan started importing American hex-and-counter wargames for the American market back in the mid-1970s <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201019161314/http://legalalien.sakura.ne.jp/wiki/?Tabletop+Wargaming/A+Brief+History+of+Tabletop+Wargaming+in+Japan#m0a99bde" target="_blank">(source)</a>. These "simulation games" proved to be popular, but the strengthening value of the American dollar vs. the Japanese yen at the time made imports expensive. By 1981, three Japanese companies started making their own lines of domestic simulation board games: Bandai, Epoch Co., and Tsukuda Hobby <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201019161314/http://legalalien.sakura.ne.jp/wiki/?Tabletop+Wargaming/A+Brief+History+of+Tabletop+Wargaming+in+Japan#ec5f291f">(source)</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Both Bandai and Tsukuda started developing games based on the hit TV anime, <i>Mobile Suit Gundam</i> (1979). While Bandai's own <i><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/16446/mobile-suit-gundam">Mobile Suit Gundam (1982)</a></i> game would feature scale plastic models like an "actual" game (Japanese term for a scale miniatures wargame), Tsukuda Hobby wanted to create "<i>Squad Leader</i> (Avalon Hill, 1977) for Gundam." They began work with one designer, but instead decided to contact Atsutoshi Okada for the job. At the time, Okada was hobby "actual" game designer (again, miniature wargamer) whose convention games had been featured in Popeye and Hobby Japan magazines <a href="https://en.gundam.info/news/goods/news_goods_20110902_69374p.html" target="_blank">(source)</a>. He and his doujin circle, THQ, set to work to create what would be Tsukuda's flagship release in their new series of hobby games.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'd often heard that Jabro was based on Squad Leader, but how close are the two games? I analyzed Jabro and found the following similarities:</div><div><br /></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><div><b>Player Turn Sequence</b> – This is nearly identical
between the two games. The only differences being that Jabro collapses the
Close Combat Phase into the Advancing Fire Phase and that Jabro does not feature
the Rout and Advance Phases.</div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Movement Costs – </b>Jabro’s movement costs are
essentially double what Squad Leader’s infantry movement costs are.</p></div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Support Weapons – </b>The concept of carried equipment as
“support weapons” is nearly identical to Squad Leader, but with set weapon
loadouts rather than the concept of portage costs.</p></div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Line of Sight – </b>Rules for elevation levels of
terrain, height levels of obstacles, and blocking line of sight follow very
similar rules in both games.</p></div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Morale – </b>Morale in Jabro represents a pilot’s ability
to remain conscious. Contrast this to Squad Leader’s typical morale rules for
keeping troops in good fighting order. However, the mechanical results are
similar. Units often make morale checks to avoid damage (which gives the
unusual situation where a pilot must check morale to avoid getting their mobile
suit’s legs blasted off with a beam rifle). Jabro does not have the concept of
routing.</p></div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Defensive Fire During Movement- </b>This is nearly
identical in both games.</p></div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Breakdown – </b>In Squad Leader, a support weapon breaks
if its attack roll equals or exceeds its Breakdown number and broken weapons
can later be repaired. In Jabro, a separate breakdown dice roll is needed in
addition to the attack roll and once broken, a weapon is destroyed and lost.</p></div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Armor Modifiers – </b>Squad Leader’s AFV Armor Modifier
to resist damage is very similar to Jabro’s Armor Thickness.</p></div></div></blockquote><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
</div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
</div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
</div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
</div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
</div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
</div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
</div></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div><div>Overall, Jabro is like a somewhat simplified version of Squad Leader with 30-foot tall robots instead of WWII infantry squads.</div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Upgrading the Game Components</span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsK2BFeWT8T2JsTnbwVkUFae3BcjGZNXChffTg9-2RhjA39-xkokW4Q8HIczPqeAdPoeZ0FWF-o1kYzjwD2nXOBXM1vkutnPR11FsxvRf27dYxepH5219hl9l973yKlZZpwK4JAFhjVWsXPtbP6_d3cISFoMK9149vhOUa86Rgl2xnlYNeWuZ24rh1Rw/s2100/Jabro_Components.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1513" data-original-width="2100" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsK2BFeWT8T2JsTnbwVkUFae3BcjGZNXChffTg9-2RhjA39-xkokW4Q8HIczPqeAdPoeZ0FWF-o1kYzjwD2nXOBXM1vkutnPR11FsxvRf27dYxepH5219hl9l973yKlZZpwK4JAFhjVWsXPtbP6_d3cISFoMK9149vhOUa86Rgl2xnlYNeWuZ24rh1Rw/s320/Jabro_Components.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My custom-made counters and carrier</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I was fortunate enough to get an unpunched, mint condition copy of this 41-year-old game and decided not to punch out the counters for a number of reasons. For one, I can keep the game in pristine condition. For another, the pilot counters all have the Japanese names of the characters and it would be easier for me if I printed them in English. For another, the original counters are somewhat plain (mostly black-and-white) and I wanted to add some color.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRHGUwhpE_Kqsq7WR0eravV-DkuDx9SUd9j2brFJMSVe3eLgrzFcSQrT8NfU3Ef83La2my3sl7tkmsd1oyzfFoPlTNNvogtebvsGhiAVrLGeNThLplMNeIa3f9HsWqMIirT-sv_HAoqr5oWU3kRYNQFlnbkHVWh_3Uk7yqI6Hkk3vlftnUZoI3kcEUw/s2100/Jabro_Zakus.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1575" data-original-width="2100" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRHGUwhpE_Kqsq7WR0eravV-DkuDx9SUd9j2brFJMSVe3eLgrzFcSQrT8NfU3Ef83La2my3sl7tkmsd1oyzfFoPlTNNvogtebvsGhiAVrLGeNThLplMNeIa3f9HsWqMIirT-sv_HAoqr5oWU3kRYNQFlnbkHVWh_3Uk7yqI6Hkk3vlftnUZoI3kcEUw/s320/Jabro_Zakus.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three different Zakus, weapons, and pilots</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I scanned in all the counter art and added some color to the main units (mobile suits, vehicles, and artillery guns) in Photoshop. I also added the English translations of all the pilot names. I then printed everything out on cardstock and mounted the units to thick pressboard.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><h1><span style="font-size: large;">Edition Wars</span></h1><div>Tsukuda originally released a 1st edition rule book (printed in green ink) for the game, but later upgraded the rule book to 2nd edition (printed in blue ink). In my translation, I analyzed both editions and all text that is only found in the 2nd edition is in blue type.</div><div><br /></div><div>The biggest difference is that 2nd edition has many, many more examples and illustrations of the rules (especially movement and line of sight). The game is very complex, especially for a target audience that may not be accustomed to playing complex board games (like Squad Leader). I imagine that they received a lot of questions and complaints and felt they needed to amend the rule book.</div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><h1><span style="font-size: large;">Getting into the game</span></h1></div></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44X8asvhmN9SpxzEolFkEwHDXTaSujfF8YW_BY4JQSk-St47iXBxS7AWDZ2xQyEJuUCbwb4HXl3-nvjJuEgUFx7ES1soRiASJoz9OtiBES22Uw5nwO0l09wiMly_xl9nuvUxb8PcZiKyMOeWNxnKfH137fLPxD_M4jfikaoo8Y-bSa9mpy5u8HamLmQ/s2100/Jabro_ZakuDown.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1575" data-original-width="2100" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44X8asvhmN9SpxzEolFkEwHDXTaSujfF8YW_BY4JQSk-St47iXBxS7AWDZ2xQyEJuUCbwb4HXl3-nvjJuEgUFx7ES1soRiASJoz9OtiBES22Uw5nwO0l09wiMly_xl9nuvUxb8PcZiKyMOeWNxnKfH137fLPxD_M4jfikaoo8Y-bSa9mpy5u8HamLmQ/s320/Jabro_ZakuDown.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Denim's Zaku, with shield and heat hawk axe, gets its arms blasted off with a missile.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Almost every mobile suit can be customized by equipping them with different "support weapons" (ranged weapons, like Beam Rifle or Hyper Bazooka) or "melee weapons" (such as the Beam Saber or Gundam Shield). Unfortunately, this means that each unit is represented by a teetering stack of 1/2" counters - you can imagine the leading tower of cardboard that is created if 3 Earth Federation mobile suits (each with two weapon counters and one pilot counter) stack in the same hex as 3 Zaku mobile suits!</div><div><br /></div><div>The game comes with three reversible, fold-out, two-panel map boards. All three map boards can be put together to create the map for the underground Jabro base hidden in the jungle (see top image). The back sides of the map boards can be put together to create woodland, desert, and urban environments.</div><div><br /></div><div>The game includes nine different scenarios that closely follow some of the battles seen in the TV series. Some of the main Earth Federation pilots (especially Amuro) grow and develop their abilities in combat as the scenarios progress, and this is reflected in different pilot unit counters for different scenarios.<br /><h1><span style="font-size: large;">Results</span></h1></div><div>Much like the <i><a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2022/08/new-english-rule-book-for-takaras.html" target="_blank">Armored Trooper Votoms</a></i> game I translated before, shooting a target and determining a hit can take a while and have room for error.</div><div><br /></div><div>First, the shooting player looks up their chance to hit based on range and terrain the target is in (for example at range of 5 hexes, the chance to hit a target in the woods is <b>9</b>).</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, there are so many possible combat modifiers affecting your chance to hit:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul><li>The shooting pilot's shooting skill</li><li>The weapon's hit adjustment</li><li>If the shooting unit is moving</li><li>If the shooting unit is jumping</li><li>If the shooting unit is taking a defensive action</li><li>If shooting at the previous target from last turn</li><li>The target pilot's evasion skill</li><li>The target unit's evasion value</li><li>If the target unit is moving</li><li>If the target unit is jumping</li></ul><div style="text-align: left;">After accounting for all modifiers, the shooting player rolls two dice and, if less than or equal to the hit chance, a hit is scored.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But, even if the weapon misses (unless it is a beam weapon), it can still affect the target at 1/2 firepower (a "grazing hit")!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Once a hit is scored (or not, in the case of a grazing hit), the damage outcome must be calculated. The shooting player looks up the weapon's firepower at range (for example, a Beam Rifle at 5 hex range has a firepower of <b>13</b>).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The shooting player cross-references their firepower and rolls two dice on the Damage Resolution Chart, modifying the dice roll by the following:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul><li>Target with shield gets to attempt a shield block to add to their unit's armor</li><li>Target in forest modifier</li><li>Target in partial cover modifier</li><li>Target unit's armor thickness</li><li>Target pilot's piloting ability</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;">The result may have no effect, destroy a target's weapon, stun the pilot, immobilize the target, make the target unable to fight, or destroy the target.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><b><i>Also,</i></b> for every attack, the attacking player must make a breakdown roll to see if their weapon suddenly jams, runs out of ammo, or otherwise becomes unusuable. If the total on two dice is greater than or equal to the weapon's Breakdown number (usually 10, 11, or 12), the current attack is unaffected but the weapon becomes unusable in future rounds (this is almost exactly like the rules in Squad Leader).</div></div><div><br /></div><div>In itself, none of these rules are that complex, but it would be quite a lot to learn in aggregate for a player that is new to simulation games.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think that Tsukuda Hobby realized they needed a more intuitive game, first with the printing of the 2nd edition rule books and then what is essentially a 3rd edition rule book later. In Tsukuda's game magazine <i>Operation </i>(issue 1, 20 June 1983) featured yet another version of the rules for Jabro. This one had few rule changes, but instead the rules were broken up into basic, medium, and expert level rules. A beginner could play the early scenarios with only the basic rules until they had enough experience for a greater challenge.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of that magazine and wasn't able to add the changes to my translation. Something to do in the future!</div>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-2919723193958915132022-08-23T22:13:00.001-04:002022-08-23T22:13:36.823-04:00New English Rule Book for Takara's Votoms Simulation Game Manual from Dual Magazine<h2 style="text-align: left;"> Get the Rule Book on BoardGameGeek.com</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAONxPHTd6PeevfG9B3lG3C_NmryrI_1CskGAOadjhc7GzdTArLBjNgrR0_xB-B5XoKegxQX8Tz2bOSNZbIAJehy5_BIFcJD_oUswxS9ydGUnyIK8jAhGDDJYec26KHdcB-8meBUsGOsDQq8VvSkjscHMAubcql71_J7hAgMVF40wmBSsEbQvrrHSXA/s4032/IMG_1584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Armored Trooper Votoms Simulation Game Manual" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAONxPHTd6PeevfG9B3lG3C_NmryrI_1CskGAOadjhc7GzdTArLBjNgrR0_xB-B5XoKegxQX8Tz2bOSNZbIAJehy5_BIFcJD_oUswxS9ydGUnyIK8jAhGDDJYec26KHdcB-8meBUsGOsDQq8VvSkjscHMAubcql71_J7hAgMVF40wmBSsEbQvrrHSXA/w640-h480/IMG_1584.JPG" title="My translated rules and several games in the Votoms Simulation Game Manual series" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My translated rules and several games in the Votoms Simulation Game Manual series</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>I've completed my English translation of the rules for Takara's <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/123993/votoms-simulation-manual" target="_blank"><i>Votoms Simulation Game Manual</i></a>, covering the complete rules set to allow one to play games no. 1 through 5. These games were originally published in Japanese as articles in Dual Magazine issues no. 6 through 10.<br /><div><br /></div><div>First and foremost,<b> here is the link to the download page hosted on BoardGameGeek.com</b>. You need an account on the site in order to download the file, but if you are reading my blog, you probably already have one:</div><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/245358/votoms-simulation-game-manual-english-rule-book">https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/245358/votoms-simulation-game-manual-english-rule-book</a><div><h1>Armored Trooper Votoms wargame in a magazine</h1><div>Takara's Dual Magazine published issues quarterly in the early 1980s with a "dual" focus on Takara's 2D (board games) and 3D (model kits) anime products. Many of Takara's products were licensed from Sunrise animation studio, such as <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusher_Joe" target="_blank">Crusher Joe</a></i>, <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_World_Galient" target="_blank">Panzer World Galient</a></i>, <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Runaway_Ideon" target="_blank">Ideon</a></i>, <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armored_Trooper_Votoms" target="_blank">Armored Trooper Votoms</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fang_of_the_Sun_Dougram" target="_blank">Fang of the Sun Dougram</a></i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Starting with issue no. 2 in 1982, Dual Magazine began publishing hex-and-counter wargames, often called "simulation games" in Japan, in each issue. Each game could be played standalone, but would also add more rules, units, and game mechanics to the overall game system with each issue. The <i>Votoms </i>series of five games were published from 1983 to 1984. Different games covered different terrain, from urban fighting in the city of Uoodo (sometimes spelled Woodo) to the marshy wetlands of Kummen to outer space battles in orbit around the deadworld Sunsa.</div><h1>Upgrading the Game Components</h1><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6LDlyvMF7s8-IL9hLMMEduL5dnqqFd-isA2wUft1nws9xOPz2sFUqZ_d54CZukdPoldXfg5CaPS-gyp52uulND_d68xvbBlp3VSgI5kNzbsdFTz7hUqC6JhdDWzVHIolF4D-IkRMGWpTYdB5LGQyI6y1ISAJ7O4_Ko3iqHMTe69ju29SzOYTO2oqsQ/s4032/IMG_1585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6LDlyvMF7s8-IL9hLMMEduL5dnqqFd-isA2wUft1nws9xOPz2sFUqZ_d54CZukdPoldXfg5CaPS-gyp52uulND_d68xvbBlp3VSgI5kNzbsdFTz7hUqC6JhdDWzVHIolF4D-IkRMGWpTYdB5LGQyI6y1ISAJ7O4_Ko3iqHMTe69ju29SzOYTO2oqsQ/w300-h400/IMG_1585.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Select game counters</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">Since the games were published in magazines nearly thirty years ago, the main components are printed on thin cardstock. I'd rather not watch all the game components blow away if I sneezed too hard, so I decided that the game needed an upgrade.</div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpMrCPqX4GkifizJupPmtYKvc3cfB1yVu_2tT7LNdoy_0iN2W-9CU7tFbgcAVeKcFTr6Qm2NQU0uh-XSxR9RYpoTOFWf-iXDnJ9tgRnkBt6h8iZxWkyne8oWsOHvU6ky5IhP1L0a7d3_EglPZEhIMp4myDGdoAUGTgjJpV23-MRwq24hZoMnbSkhpng/s4032/IMG_1575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpMrCPqX4GkifizJupPmtYKvc3cfB1yVu_2tT7LNdoy_0iN2W-9CU7tFbgcAVeKcFTr6Qm2NQU0uh-XSxR9RYpoTOFWf-iXDnJ9tgRnkBt6h8iZxWkyne8oWsOHvU6ky5IhP1L0a7d3_EglPZEhIMp4myDGdoAUGTgjJpV23-MRwq24hZoMnbSkhpng/w400-h300/IMG_1575.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Metal figures from Plotters City Woodo (not a magazine game!)</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /></div>I opted to use some old Battletech game boards and miniatures figures from Takara's <i>other</i> Votoms board game: <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6147/armored-trooper-votoms-plotters-city-woodo" target="_blank">Plotters City Woodo</a>. This game in development while the Dual Magazine game series was published and uses completely different rules, but the miniatures work perfectly.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you've read my blog for a while, this post may sound familiar to you. That's because I did the exact same thing when I translated the earlier Dougram Simulation Game Manual series and <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2021/03/new-english-rule-book-for-takaras.html" target="_blank">posted about it here!</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9L6sGBMLGYS8aWmpzyBWkhInPzg4FsUiDSkkUAH_-PVdJKI-stYh6_tOe_1h1gKxyA4bJLXfZLKs3FNQOfiIlGx1vi63UKaoRF8p4gq2h-b2KgYDRPFYGhreMJuI1rPWny9c293OG-QLMsGX9j0PV2sIkMX4JtbKsoudechdgFsCQKncBX-6BAVWXw/s4032/IMG_1576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9L6sGBMLGYS8aWmpzyBWkhInPzg4FsUiDSkkUAH_-PVdJKI-stYh6_tOe_1h1gKxyA4bJLXfZLKs3FNQOfiIlGx1vi63UKaoRF8p4gq2h-b2KgYDRPFYGhreMJuI1rPWny9c293OG-QLMsGX9j0PV2sIkMX4JtbKsoudechdgFsCQKncBX-6BAVWXw/s320/IMG_1576.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><div><div><div><h1>Testing the game</h1></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDqmu7V4BfhWsEwL0IOUbDSZsRKAML2v70GaatjbNM7zhXUcNSaiWCiXto7ecsLYZDHerUCkLbU56TjkwpDK94xj7AopNksOOzKwfo-03daHz1FAPJOpYG9qMgJ2Drns23aX4E_VnlcuruN_1wU8uLqLO4t_b3i574rVKXjFJIRQ5Ded8YWiKJmKdXA/s4032/IMG_1577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDqmu7V4BfhWsEwL0IOUbDSZsRKAML2v70GaatjbNM7zhXUcNSaiWCiXto7ecsLYZDHerUCkLbU56TjkwpDK94xj7AopNksOOzKwfo-03daHz1FAPJOpYG9qMgJ2Drns23aX4E_VnlcuruN_1wU8uLqLO4t_b3i574rVKXjFJIRQ5Ded8YWiKJmKdXA/w400-h300/IMG_1577.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting the battlefield.</td></tr></tbody></table>I started with a simple test scenario, based on the recommended scenario in the first game. Two Armored Trooper (AT) units face off against each other in combat. I chose two Scopedogs and gave one a shoulder-mounted rocket pod and the other a machine gun. Both units had pistols as secondary weapons (and it is not a bad weapon in this game!).</div><div><br /></div><div>This game is fairly complex - much more complex than <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2021/03/new-english-rule-book-for-takaras.html" target="_blank">the earlier Dougram games in this series</a>. While it was easy to manage a handful of "Combat Armor" mecha in Dougram, these Votoms rules presumed that each player would usually manage only "Armored Trooper" at a time.</div><div><br /></div><div>The player starts by choosing an "Action Pattern" for the unit in secret. This is a clever design, first developed by designer Atsutoshi Okada for use in the Tsukuda Hobby game <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/5968/macross-city-fight" target="_blank">Macross: City Fight (1983)</a>. The action pattern defines a certain "behavior" for the unit to take during the turn, such as running, walking, zooming around on roller wheels (think mecha on roller skates), or concentrating on shooting a weapon or engaging in hand-to-hand combat. This chosen action pattern defines how the unit may move, shoot, fight, and dodge incoming weapons for this turn. Like, running doesn't stop a unit from firing a machine gun in the same turn, but your accuracy is going to suffer.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next the player secretly plots the exact movement the unit will make, what type of camera lens the mecha is using (lenses are a whole thing in Votoms - you must choose between standard, telephoto, or wide angle), and how many shots you plan to fire from a weapon (if any).</div><div><br /></div><div>During the movement phase, all units are moved simultaneously, based on their secret movement plots. This can be a real surprise as the enemy can and will move wherever you least expect it to. Trying to outguess the opponent's moves adds a level of tension and unpredictability not seen in simpler games, at the cost of added complexity.</div><div><br /></div><div>Last is combat, including shooting and hand-to-hand "battling." Even if you didn't plan to have a valid target this turn, your unit can always shoot one snap shot off if you have line of sight on an enemy.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sAYwA0HZW0t4qTj1Gb-p3NRUmTg-5IfuzHwXDqDLnmWR-WGBbxgidUlDaT0Ho1-JbgTzO34SNOUr3fwTTwtrFm4b8TCQhld_KLq0gSBNL0uM5TyFyWIUhP8v_wNdGF68r5iGu8RtWBDL1XvN-70JipGbtd8ewCgMtfU3w8zF6Fo59sJwFeU1Dxtt3g/s4032/IMG_1578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sAYwA0HZW0t4qTj1Gb-p3NRUmTg-5IfuzHwXDqDLnmWR-WGBbxgidUlDaT0Ho1-JbgTzO34SNOUr3fwTTwtrFm4b8TCQhld_KLq0gSBNL0uM5TyFyWIUhP8v_wNdGF68r5iGu8RtWBDL1XvN-70JipGbtd8ewCgMtfU3w8zF6Fo59sJwFeU1Dxtt3g/s320/IMG_1578.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In my first test game, both units cautiously maneuvered around the dense patches of forestland between them for two turns. On the third turn, both were ready to approach within weapon range. The machine gunner ran at full tilt, attempting to outflank the opponent and blast them in their blind side. However, the rocket pod AT didn't advance very far and had readied a volley from their short-range pistol.</div><div><br /></div><div>The units were only one hex distant, and both were in each other's front arcs. The machine gunner unleashed a burst of 5 shots, but only 1 hit its target. The rocket pod AT fired 4 shots with its pistol, which is less powerful than the machine gun but highly accurate at this range. 3 shots ripped through the machine gunners armor, destroying the mech. The pilot did not escape the wreckage.<h1>Results</h1></div><div>This is a surprisingly complex game, especially for the anime fans reading this magazine and maybe starting out with their first board wargame ("simulation game," as they are called in Japan). Designer K. Otomo bemoans this problem in some of his designer's notes in the series, all of which I have translated and included in the rule book.</div><div><br /></div><div>Much of the complexity comes from plotting one's moves in secret and having a rich choice of actions and equipment that closely resemble battles in the <i>Armored Trooper Votoms</i> anime. If the players are patient and experienced gamers, this pays off with an exciting game that is true to its source material.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, just shooting a target can make my head spin. It is simple enough on paper, but breaks every intuitive notion when I try to figure out what number I need to roll to hit. First, each weapon has a certain hit chance at short, medium, or long range. This is the number you attempt to roll less than or equal to on two dice in order to hit the target (for example, at range 5, a machine gun has a base hit chance of 8).</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, there are so many possible combat modifiers affecting your chance to hit:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The shooting pilot's shooting skill</li><li>The shooter's AP for this turn</li><li>Any damage previously suffered by the shooter's AT</li><li>The target pilot's dodge skill</li><li>The target's AP for this turn</li><li>Any damage previously suffered by the target's AT</li><li>The number of shots fired</li><li>The relative velocity between shooter and target (if in outer space)</li></ul></div><div>But what doesn't makes sense is that <i>these are modifiers to the dice roll not the hit chance! </i>That means that negative numbers are bonuses and positive numbers are maluses, which is never intuitive. Also, if you want to figure out your hit chance, then you must <i>subtract </i>your modifier total from the hit chance to figure out what you must roll on two dice.</div><div><br /></div><div>It just seems like it would all be more logical if all negative modifiers were positive and vice versa, then you added the modifier total to the hit chance and immediately know what number to roll. It may not seem like much, but it would help streamline something you do a lot of in this game.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-75955316506584584932022-08-20T10:43:00.000-04:002022-08-20T10:43:26.966-04:00New English Rule Book for Yanoman's Mobile Suit Z Gundam Tactical Card Game<h2 style="text-align: left;"> Get the Rule Book on BoardGameGeek.com</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkv9xfSAjMelKTT-QTmVThSj_taLpohVlJMBBJlKMZPyy-tzPuhPqC5LqBDrmLvwrt0mltZkQiequGP4jaqUTbU-_6Skx3itfhVm8O2Ko96TFwNSSKgPkwC3bLntulaJv-T9joExHcYtr5fYGdYW5fHSEftoCS8Kq9OzL_ClXrRkf0jeIoo1p5BKJ9XA/s1900/IMG_E1543.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1900" data-original-width="1749" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkv9xfSAjMelKTT-QTmVThSj_taLpohVlJMBBJlKMZPyy-tzPuhPqC5LqBDrmLvwrt0mltZkQiequGP4jaqUTbU-_6Skx3itfhVm8O2Ko96TFwNSSKgPkwC3bLntulaJv-T9joExHcYtr5fYGdYW5fHSEftoCS8Kq9OzL_ClXrRkf0jeIoo1p5BKJ9XA/w369-h400/IMG_E1543.JPG" width="369" /></a></div><br /></div>I've completed my unofficial English translation of the rules for Yanoman's Mobile Suit Z Gundam Tactical Card Game.<br /><div><br /></div><div>First and foremost,<b> here is the link to the download page hosted on BoardGameGeek.com</b>. You need an account on the site in order to download the file, but if you are reading my blog, you probably already have one:</div><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/245041/" target="_blank">https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/245041/</a><div><br /></div><div>Here is the link to the main game page on BoardGameGeek: <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368787/" target="_blank">https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368787/</a></div><div><h1>Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Card Game</h1><div>Yanoman is a Japanese company mostly known for publishing jigsaw puzzles, but they also publish tabletop games from time to time. This card game is licensed from the second Gundam TV series, Mobile Suit Z Gundam, which aired in Japan from 1985-86. There is no publication date on the game, but I presume it was published while the show was still on the air.</div><div><br /></div><div>The game was designed by Atsutoshi Okada, one of the most prolific Japanese simulation game designers of the 1980s (I've translated some of <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2020/09/three-new-english-rule-translations-for.html" target="_blank">his other games and written about him before</a>). This card game is much simpler and plays faster than his innovative hex-and-counter wargames, as expected. There is still some variety, like how Ship combat and MS combat uses the same general die-rolling mechanic, yet work differently. Also, not knowing what cards your opponent may be holding adds unpredictability missing in perfect information games, like most wargames (though Okada adds hidden information into some of his other games, such as <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6080/star-wars-endor" target="_blank">Endor</a>).</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhXvjRJ30PKAyTjDAZK_AWLQ0_9ab9CDuJYoyaETgP3R03qg1mQPReAU8oj7THti0A1KEUMypnrnGPl41YTEZedRPI_R8xbO25DGzb0hFYx1Vl8_jNd39Kw79GlbFGXR3Y2540HMcNMtjSBpoklrhRTI0XtnZ8DefOWSleRhWd-31P8UmxaJW3FuS-Q/s1900/IMG_1508.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="1900" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhXvjRJ30PKAyTjDAZK_AWLQ0_9ab9CDuJYoyaETgP3R03qg1mQPReAU8oj7THti0A1KEUMypnrnGPl41YTEZedRPI_R8xbO25DGzb0hFYx1Vl8_jNd39Kw79GlbFGXR3Y2540HMcNMtjSBpoklrhRTI0XtnZ8DefOWSleRhWd-31P8UmxaJW3FuS-Q/w400-h300/IMG_1508.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting play with a 2-player game.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Each player is dealt a starting hand of 4 Ship Cards (3 Ship Cards in a 5-6 player game) and 8 Special Cards (a random assortment of MS Cards, Pilot Cards, and Event Cards) to assemble their starting fleet.<div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Ship Cards</b> are the backbone of each player's fleet and are kept in a separate deck apart from the Special Cards. A Ship may be used to attack an opponent's Ship, but not and opponent MS. Ships are rated for the Combat Strengths (both vs. MS units and vs. other Ships), Durability (maximum damage before the Ship is destroyed), and Hit Number (accuracy in combat vs. other Ships). A ship's damage taken is tracked by the yellow numbered damage chits included in the game. The game may end when one player loses all of the Ships in their fleet*.</li><li><b>MS Cards </b>are the Mobile Suit mecha of the Gundam universe. Each MS is rated by its Combat Strength and may be used to attack other MS or Ships in an opponent's fleet. An MS Card may only be brought into play if it is paired with a Pilot Card.</li><li><b>Pilot Cards</b> are the heroes and villains of the Gundam universe. Each Pilot is rated by Ability, which represents both their skill as a pilot and any Newtype powers (if any).</li><li><b>Event Cards</b> may be played for various one-shot effects in the game. An Event Card is discarded after use.</li><ul><li><b>Repair </b>is used to repair Ship damage.</li><li><b>Dummy Meteorite </b>may be played during an opponent’s turn to cancel a Ship vs. Ship combat.</li><li><b>Cease Fire Signal </b>may be played during an opponent’s turn to cancel an MS vs. MS combat.</li><li><b>Betrayal</b> will steal an opponent's piloted MS if you roll 1-3 on one die.</li><li><b>Blow Up </b>is played along with a Pilot card to attempt to sabotage an opponent Ship.</li><li><b>Supply </b>lets a player draw a Ship from the Ship Card deck.</li><li><b>Colony Lazar</b> (yes, it is spelled "LAZAR" in the game) is a devastating attack on each MS and Ship in the defender’s fleet.</li></ul></ul><div>On their turn, a player draws a Special Card and then may make an attack with an MS or Ship in their fleet, they may put an MS and Pilot Card pair from their hand into their fleet, play an Event Card, or discard a card from their hand.</div><div><br /></div><div>* Game end conditions may vary and are decided upon by the player before the game starts. Any of the following are valid game end conditions depending on the number of players, the time frame available, or just the preferences of the players:</div><div><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"></span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">When the last card is drawn from the Special
Card Deck.</span></li><li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"></span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">When one player has no Ship Cards in play.</span></li><li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"></span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">When only one player has any Ship Cards in play.</span></li></ol>Players then tally up their victory points based on the enemy MS, Pilot, and Ship Cards they destroyed in combat.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><o:p></o:p></p></div><h1>Results</h1><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDuu_dDn5zL5ualorjD-Qa1GXzE9SfZfIwDzNarE3hqp1THG2zNnbhyS2iJiwqvCQNe-2zAJE_ctRpoIruj5Fn00ClC01aWBpM9RO5np-RDyElDIvE-XiDDmZgm61EMv0qvpo0QolTpozivS235_VRzp1UJPUqt4StL64RaGOMVS-y0g_-TRlK64dQw/s1900/IMG_1509.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="1900" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDuu_dDn5zL5ualorjD-Qa1GXzE9SfZfIwDzNarE3hqp1THG2zNnbhyS2iJiwqvCQNe-2zAJE_ctRpoIruj5Fn00ClC01aWBpM9RO5np-RDyElDIvE-XiDDmZgm61EMv0qvpo0QolTpozivS235_VRzp1UJPUqt4StL64RaGOMVS-y0g_-TRlK64dQw/w400-h300/IMG_1509.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">End of game in a 2-player game.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>In the test game shown here, the right player destroyed all of the left player's Ships, triggering the end of the game. The left player's forces had been whittled down after several turns of attacks before the right player played a Colony Lazar, wiping out the last of the left player's Ship fleet.</div><div><br /><div><div>Unfortunately, luck played an extremely strong factor in determining who wins or loses. In the sample game photographed above, the right player wound up with several of the most powerful MS and Pilots in the game, just by the luck of the draw. The left player simply couldn't compete, drawing several low to mid-tier MS and Pilots.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>One unusual aspect to the game is that each Ship, MS, and Pilot card has a faction affiliation (Titans, AEUG, Zeon, etc.) but they aren't used in the game at all. Players are free to mix and match units from opposing factions. I can see a scenario-based battle, maybe where each player has their own faction deck to draw from, might be designed to make for a better balanced game or one that better replicates one of the battles seen in the TV series.</div></div>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-202251358102213332021-06-06T13:25:00.001-04:002021-06-06T13:25:48.357-04:00Tim Kask's Adventure Gaming Magazine Available in PDF<h2 style="text-align: left;"> Adventure Gaming magazine is available on DriveThruRPG!</h2><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdKYUDgMdJvsLcHbNBRRrne5znyOfeOI5z9gfJxRa8hNoGSihtYM3zxak26KiDuEvFk_eAijjE6PQuyXpt2Q-OPJbkPSrCw3aQ9uJ5JEwBRlQplBK8erf51oKA1dbpogH_9Fk0Ko96oQy/s2005/AdventureGaming_5_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2005" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdKYUDgMdJvsLcHbNBRRrne5znyOfeOI5z9gfJxRa8hNoGSihtYM3zxak26KiDuEvFk_eAijjE6PQuyXpt2Q-OPJbkPSrCw3aQ9uJ5JEwBRlQplBK8erf51oKA1dbpogH_9Fk0Ko96oQy/s320/AdventureGaming_5_cover.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adventure Gaming, vol. 1, no. 5, November 1981</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I've written in the past about Adventure Gaming magazine, especially about issue no. 5 and some rarely-seen art by Dave Trampier that appears in that issue (along with articles about Titan by creators Trampier and <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2017/04/jason-b-mcallister-passed-away-may-21.html" target="_blank">Jason B. McAllister</a>).</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/03/rare-dave-trampier-art-part-1.html" target="_blank">Adventure Gaming magazine vol. 1 no. 5 cover art</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2020/12/rare-dave-trampier-art-addendum-to-part.html" target="_blank">Adventure Gaming magazine vol. 1 no. 5 cover art, addendum</a><br /></div><div><a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/03/rare-dave-trampier-art-part-2.html" target="_blank">Adventure Gaming magazine vol. 1 no. 5 "hidden" interior art</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Tim Kask was editor of the first 33 issues of Dragon magazine (a.k.a. The Dragon. He also edited <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/04/rare-dave-trampier-art-part-5.html" target="_blank">Little Wars</a> and the last issue of The Strategic Review). He left TSR in 1980 and soon founded Manzakk Publishing to publish his own independent gaming magazine, Adventure Gaming. It was a quality periodical with informative content, but the magazine business is a tough business, and the magazine folded after 13 issues.</div><div><br /></div><div>But now, at long last, the first five issues are back "in print" thanks to <a href="https://mudpuppycomics.com/games/" target="_blank">Mudpuppy Games</a>. They are available on <a href="https://mudpuppycomics.com/games/shop/" target="_blank">Mudpuppy's site</a> or at <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/13826/Mudpuppy-Games" target="_blank">DriveThruRPG</a>. They are currently being sold for only $1.99 each - that's <b>less than the original cover price 40 years ago!</b></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://mudpuppycomics.com/games/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcGMPHYuTsOcvwlwVlHe0STJfwS7cgMDltElP5kcY0LE3NzLMkmu9ZFr4_hGCqn64Khs_CSCbNNuyd31lw3dnxfeHfQ_ec9xR4arD1r4aAUfHrnp_ljGXc3NNC94SKkLI0uetnFudNhhe/s320/AG-ad-600x754.png" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://mudpuppycomics.com/games/" target="_blank">Mudpuppy Games Adventure Gaming ad (source)</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Some Issue Highlights</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://mudpuppycomics.com/games/product/adventure-gaming-no-1/" target="_blank">Adventure Gaming, no. 1</a></h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Royal Pains in <i>Traveller!</i></li><li><i>Civilization</i></li><li><i>Knights of Camelot</i></li><li><i>Divine Right </i>variant by Glenn Rahman</li></ul><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://mudpuppycomics.com/games/product/adventure-gaming-no-2/" target="_blank">Adventure Gaming, no. 2</a></h3></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>Ace of Aces</i></li><li><i>Titan</i>, both a review/analysis by Tim Kask and article by Jason B. McAllister</li></ul><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://mudpuppycomics.com/games/product/adventure-gaming-no-3/" target="_blank">Adventure Gaming, no. 3</a></h3></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Thoughts on <i>Diplomacy </i>variations by Lewis Pulsipher</li><li>Magical kisses for <i>D&D?</i></li><li>Gambling in <i>Traveller</i></li></ul><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGbNE4tr479KDbcCBiiBd0X_8Fl4ZdcNu_V2gr7tI1p4uAOuV6jAjDiUIbCX22Lu5m4isgOAUh0jIvjRI2Q76EEGc6qG6GpqLs4XIKG1qBmuogPswGk8a54eNp3cNwvjrCnHI2FrA4-EW/s3264/iPhone+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGbNE4tr479KDbcCBiiBd0X_8Fl4ZdcNu_V2gr7tI1p4uAOuV6jAjDiUIbCX22Lu5m4isgOAUh0jIvjRI2Q76EEGc6qG6GpqLs4XIKG1qBmuogPswGk8a54eNp3cNwvjrCnHI2FrA4-EW/s320/iPhone+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got to meet Adventure Gaming interviewee Al Leonardi at Too Many Games in 2015</td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://mudpuppycomics.com/games/product/adventure-gaming-no-4/" target="_blank">Adventure Gaming, no. 4</a></h3></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Part 1 of an interview with Al Leonardi, designer of <i>Ace of Aces</i>, <i>Lost Worlds</i>, etc.</li><li><i>SFB</i> scenarios covering the First Romulan War</li><li>Feudal <i>Diplomacy</i> by Lewis Pulsipher</li></ul><div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://mudpuppycomics.com/games/product/adventure-gaming-no-5/" target="_blank">Adventure Gaming, no. 5</a></h3></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><i>TITAN</i></b></li><li><b><i>TITAN</i></b></li><li><b><i>AND MORE TITAN</i></b></li><li>Part 2 of the Al Leonardi interview</li><li><i>TFT </i>character backgound variant rules</li><li>Mini-campaign for <i>SFB</i></li><li>Strategies for playing <i>Space Invaders</i> on an Atari VCS console!</li><li>Rules for <i>Star Wars</i> and <i>Battlestar Galactica </i>ships for use in <i>Traveller!</i></li></ul></div><div><ul></ul></div></div></div>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-52087954795247790652021-03-29T15:06:00.001-04:002022-08-22T15:14:54.112-04:00New English Rule Book for Takara's Dougram Simulation Game Manual from Dual Magazine<h1 style="text-align: left;">Get the Rule Book on BoardGameGeek.com</h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarGj80Vl3Qt4YcRZSEQRLqR_bSA_F_16g6MjLkE2pQxKOCnu78QeY6BkWVTZIB-uftCyHeP0qJ4UVOWRmpA_qSyIuW9bB85q-Fbgk9ulHW6eiVlXWD6dRbmpuxsfpE1td9tnghOT6kLXD/s3024/IMG_8408.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarGj80Vl3Qt4YcRZSEQRLqR_bSA_F_16g6MjLkE2pQxKOCnu78QeY6BkWVTZIB-uftCyHeP0qJ4UVOWRmpA_qSyIuW9bB85q-Fbgk9ulHW6eiVlXWD6dRbmpuxsfpE1td9tnghOT6kLXD/s320/IMG_8408.JPG" /></a></div>I've completed my English translation of the rules for Takara's Dougram Simulation Game Manual No. 4: Omnibus Edition, originally published in Dual Magazine issue no. 5.<br /><div><br /></div>
<div>First and foremost,<b> here is the link to the download page hosted on BoardGameGeek.com</b>. You need an account on the site in order to download the file, but if you are reading my blog, you probably already have one:</div><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/219911/dougram-simulation-game-manual-no-4-english-rule-b" target="_blank">https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/219911/dougram-simulation-game-manual-no-4-english-rule-b</a><h1 style="text-align: left;">Fang of the Sun Dougram wargame in a magazine</h1><div>Takara's Dual Magazine published issues quarterly in the early 1980s with a "dual" focus on Takara's 2D (board games) and 3D (model kits) anime products. Many of Takara's products were licensed from Sunrise animation studio, such as <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusher_Joe" target="_blank">Crusher Joe</a></i>, <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_World_Galient" target="_blank">Panzer World Galient</a></i>, <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Runaway_Ideon" target="_blank">Ideon</a></i>, <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armored_Trooper_Votoms" target="_blank">Armored Trooper Votoms</a></i>, and <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fang_of_the_Sun_Dougram" target="_blank">Fang of the Sun Dougram</a></i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Starting with issue no. 2 in 1982, Dual Magazine began publishing hex-and-counter wargames, often called "simulation games" in Japan, in each issue. Each game could be played standalone, but would also add more rules, units, and game mechanics to the overall game system with each issue. The <i>Dougram </i>series of four games were published from 1982 to 1983. The first game introduced the basics of the system and a few units. The second game introduced desert combat, infantry, and transport units. The third game introduced combat in the snow and the fourth game is an omnibus edition that combines the rules of the previous three games. This fourth game is the one that I've translated and can be used as a rule book for any of the four games.</div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Upgrading the Game Components</h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Hhd4LcrzeEApqQP50NwA9uy-BiZdGamSCfwhwbcNXZnASsvRdR1sT1zjuklmCWzIs61omloxiu42phYoQAIdzRhduUCd7d5XygMqyaeOj1kI2GQ5eKlhdsvP4-Gmjf59-uICmK_8Kbmb/s4032/IMG_8387.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Hhd4LcrzeEApqQP50NwA9uy-BiZdGamSCfwhwbcNXZnASsvRdR1sT1zjuklmCWzIs61omloxiu42phYoQAIdzRhduUCd7d5XygMqyaeOj1kI2GQ5eKlhdsvP4-Gmjf59-uICmK_8Kbmb/s320/IMG_8387.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Instead of playing the game with the thin game boards and flimsy cardboard counters included with these near-thirty-year-old magazines, I opted to use some old Battletech game boards and miniatures figures from Takara's <i>other</i> Dougram board games: <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8780/battle-stanrey" target="_blank">Battle of Stanrey</a> (1984) and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/14165/battle-kalnock" target="_blank">Battle of Kalnock</a> (1985). These games were published a few years after the Dual Magazine series and use completely different rules, but the miniatures work perfectly.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2R7pY7tthzCwYGRQIO4C3LyOuHqW1wJSNSLjBUAS27314VY0mdYOPK5FtUQy0gwqqlHZdwRQZ1AJTsTpgqpi9OMYudFfuviMcpv46Z44JJz_Wh-b6oqa3Z1kNW6p5FFSb2dyCcCS704hg/s3024/IMG_8413.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2R7pY7tthzCwYGRQIO4C3LyOuHqW1wJSNSLjBUAS27314VY0mdYOPK5FtUQy0gwqqlHZdwRQZ1AJTsTpgqpi9OMYudFfuviMcpv46Z44JJz_Wh-b6oqa3Z1kNW6p5FFSb2dyCcCS704hg/s320/IMG_8413.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up on a Kolchima Special Soltic Roundfacer</td></tr></tbody></table>Battletech fans will recognize many <i>Dougram</i> mechs (or, "Combat Armors") as being the "unseen" mechs from the game's earliest editions:<div style="text-align: left;"><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Shadow Hawk - Dougram</li><li>Griffin - Soltic H8 Roundfacer</li><li>Scorpion - F35C Blizzard Gunner</li><li>Wolverine - Abitate T-10B/T-10C Blockhead</li><li>Thunderbolt - Hasty F4X Ironfoot</li><li>Goliath - Abitate F44A Crab Gunner</li><li>Battlemaster - Soltic HT-128 Bigfoot</li></ul></div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Down, Periscope!</h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5Ro69E1Tp_Kj2XJy4uka7l_iQHnDTt0YOTVK5rqs_cwr6WDpi_eru-3wAMeTuU9desDp12_NUEsbNrMgPsi3gwl0ZnjWYFYuNdJ9iAi8Hv70-KTZ2ZuKFvgtkt-tr-LA8fxJrnFSWDzb/s4032/IMG_8416.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5Ro69E1Tp_Kj2XJy4uka7l_iQHnDTt0YOTVK5rqs_cwr6WDpi_eru-3wAMeTuU9desDp12_NUEsbNrMgPsi3gwl0ZnjWYFYuNdJ9iAi8Hv70-KTZ2ZuKFvgtkt-tr-LA8fxJrnFSWDzb/s320/IMG_8416.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The two newer Dougram games use tree models and periscopes for determining line-of-sight checks. Place the periscope in the shooting unit's hex, then look through to see if the target is obscured by cover or not. It's a neat gimmick that can be applied to other miniatures games. Also, my kids thought it was really cool.<br /><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkP4wzdSEiyvJhBPAMXAJ5Skvvd6fYLaJUhDCySTulrYdYzLK1NEbuZV7KVsDp2pZINXVItHM7Fz2XPvqQz2fD_zI1fvVpWBA7XhZ2WJdjIa-S82UKvlzxPAmjOqtrbbT-iPkgcNWwBAoS/s1312/IMG_8415ed.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="1312" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkP4wzdSEiyvJhBPAMXAJ5Skvvd6fYLaJUhDCySTulrYdYzLK1NEbuZV7KVsDp2pZINXVItHM7Fz2XPvqQz2fD_zI1fvVpWBA7XhZ2WJdjIa-S82UKvlzxPAmjOqtrbbT-iPkgcNWwBAoS/s320/IMG_8415ed.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Periscope view of an Iron Foot unit partially hidden behind a tree. Note the "control panel" sticker at the base of the mirror to help simulate being in a mech's cockpit.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><h1 style="text-align: left;">Test Scenarios</h1><div>I enlisted my daughters to help me playtest the game rules that I translated before I published the new rule book. First, we used an open game board. My oldest daughter, as the heroic Deloyeran rebel forces, took the unique Dougram combat armor unit. I played the role of the corrupt Earth Federation with two Soltic Roundfacer units. I didn't stand a chance, as the Dougram's linear gun tore my armored units to shreds.</div><div><br /></div><div>We chose a new board with light woods so that we could add some tree miniatures to the board.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_U1upkT0O_1nyOZKuzqrK5HCFl6VVWsYUGIf5NmGFe8wY2_IXoBHnGAdYSBBT0RpnYoZ23_CbVCl3v9dMuQY89pL6c_fI6uOP4Lsf_gS_-PsjyCTSTtHEAIoVCwNdoDo0G69KLXD3-dd/s4032/IMG_8392.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_U1upkT0O_1nyOZKuzqrK5HCFl6VVWsYUGIf5NmGFe8wY2_IXoBHnGAdYSBBT0RpnYoZ23_CbVCl3v9dMuQY89pL6c_fI6uOP4Lsf_gS_-PsjyCTSTtHEAIoVCwNdoDo0G69KLXD3-dd/s320/IMG_8392.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Roundfacers spring forth from the woods with two quad-leg Crab Gunners (the miniatures are actually Blizzard Gunners) covering their right flank to face down Dougram and two Iron Foot units at close range.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The final game was a Deloyeran ambush on a convoy of Kolchima Special Roundfacers and two Crab Gunners in a thick forest. Mostly, this was so we could place ALL of our little trees on the game board (much to my daughters' delights).</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApOgzXvX2HLSzgZM-lusS8W8CPYxOYBFsw7O_THhIdBrr_gXeAfSAf80Kpahi3nk9fGJe2r30Um07zjNCnkrX6yULcLA_EHXXqKhSyPLN6f6PPcGbzsGwIH4crJJ7EWLcmG00R5yDn7_q/s4032/IMG_8394.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApOgzXvX2HLSzgZM-lusS8W8CPYxOYBFsw7O_THhIdBrr_gXeAfSAf80Kpahi3nk9fGJe2r30Um07zjNCnkrX6yULcLA_EHXXqKhSyPLN6f6PPcGbzsGwIH4crJJ7EWLcmG00R5yDn7_q/s320/IMG_8394.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How it started: Earth forces in lower left, Deloyer forces hiding in upper right.</td></tr></tbody></table>This ended up being a disaster for the Deloyerans. It became clear that woods help the Earth Federation with their relatively short range weapons, compared to the longer range Deloyeran Dougram (with added Turbo-Zack system) and Iron Foot units. Even after I removed a Roundfacer when I realized our forces were unbalanced, it ended up being an unfair fight. Oops.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYt_-8t2QaKmZUKBzyKYxWE68rmRkCtt63o7ANFzww75LVWZIvWXQhZzvMv5HNSwglLLfa2tYZdN1c0MuXLWXbviKwQR0PAZYX5R0jDdspskDy39K3yEPQmShZIpBT0VTYUC9ctbUJjJb/s4032/IMG_8397.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYt_-8t2QaKmZUKBzyKYxWE68rmRkCtt63o7ANFzww75LVWZIvWXQhZzvMv5HNSwglLLfa2tYZdN1c0MuXLWXbviKwQR0PAZYX5R0jDdspskDy39K3yEPQmShZIpBT0VTYUC9ctbUJjJb/s320/IMG_8397.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How it ended: five fallen combat armors in the river with only the two Earth Crab Gunners left standing.</td></tr></tbody></table><h1 style="text-align: left;">Results</h1></div><div>This is not a very complex game. Each combat unit is rated for Attack Strength, Armor Thickness, and Movement. Moving through difficult terrain, such as up hillsides or through woods, slows a unit down. To attack a unit, the target must be within the shooter's fire arc and there must be a clear line of sight between them. Count the range in hexes, then consult the unit type's hit chart to find the chance to hit on one six-sided die (-1 to hit chance if shooting unit is moving). If the shot hits, subtract the shot range and target Armor from the shooter's Attack Strength. Use this final, adjusted Attack Strength and roll on one of the two damage charts to see if the target is undamaged, loses its ability to move or attack, or is completely destroyed.</div><div><br /></div><div>As mentioned earlier, there are additional rules for infantry units, transport units (to transport infantry or combat armors into battle), different terrain types, and rules for expert pilots. It is easy to come up with new variant rules and scenarios while watching episodes of the <i>Fang of the Sun Dougram</i>, TV show, where most of the action is skirmish-level mech combat. The rules are simple enough to easily handle a handful of units on each side but rich enough for tactical planning and decision making. <br /><div><br /><div>The Dougram Simulation Game Manual was designed by K. Otomo and <strike>Atsutoshi Okada, one of the most prolific Japanese simulation game designers of the 1980s (I've translated some of <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2020/09/three-new-english-rule-translations-for.html" target="_blank">his other games and written about him before</a>).</strike></div><div><br /></div><div>[<b>CORRECTION </b>posted 8/22/22: I had been under the impression that Atsutoshi Okada had a hand in designing this game, but that is incorrect. Otomo and Okada both designed games at the THQ dojin circle and Otomo was heavily influenced by Okada's designs (as Otomo freely admits in his design notes, but Okada did not work on this game directly. Okada has <a href="https://en.gundam.info/news/goods/news_goods_20110902_69374p.html" target="_blank">stated in an interview that he worked on "putting together" this and the similar Votoms game together for Dual Magazine</a>, but he is not credited as a designer on them anywhere.]</div><div><br /></div><div>Like many of Okada's other games, each side gets to attack twice per round, making for fast and frenetic battles and is an interesting variation on the "I go, you go" turn order concept:</div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Turn Order</h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Side A Moves</li><li>Side B Attacks</li><li>Side A Counterattacks</li><li>Side B Moves</li><li>Side A Attacks</li><li>Side B Counterattacks</li></ul></div><div><div>All in all, it is a fun game that I will certainly continue to play. As a bonus, I now got my oldest daughter hooked on the <i>Dougram</i> anime and is insisting on watching the entire series. What could be better?</div></div></div></div><div><br /></div>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-2532175123775912972020-12-27T16:03:00.000-05:002020-12-27T16:03:10.081-05:00In Memory of Terence Peter Donnelly<p>I recently learned<a href="#footnote1"><sup>1</sup></a> that Canadian game designer Terence Peter Donnelly passed away on September 23, 2020. "Skookum Pete" is best known for his fantasy adventure tabletop games, The Sorcerer's Cave and The Mystic Wood (lists of Donnelly's games and other works are at the bottom of this post). Philmar/Ariel Games published both titles in the UK, with Fantasy Games Unlimited (FGU) handling distribution to the United States.<a href="#footnote2"><sup>2</sup></a> The games were also published by Gibson and Avalon Hill published a new edition of Mystic Wood in 1983. They were released in an era of many other fantasy adventure boardgames, such as Dave Megarry's <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1339/dungeon" target="_blank">Dungeon!</a> (1975), SPI's <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3625/deathmaze" target="_blank">DeathMaze</a> (1979) and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3248/citadel-blood" target="_blank">Citadel of Blood</a> (1980), Yaquinto's <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1560/hero-game-adventure-catacombs" target="_blank">Hero</a> (1980), and Mayfair's <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/7389/castle" target="_blank">The Castle</a> (1981). </p><p>My Ariel Games editions are illustrated by Polly Wilson, an artist who also contributed illustrations to early issues of <a href="http://jasonzavoda-hallofthemountainking.blogspot.com/2016/02/white-dwarf-5-cover-art.html" target="_blank">White Dwarf</a> magazine, the 1st ed. AD&D Fiend Folio sourcebook and the <a href="http://the-lost-and-the-damned.664610.n2.nabble.com/Tunnels-amp-Trolls-4-UK-1st-ed-Illustrations-by-Polly-Wilson-td7359957.html" target="_blank">UK 1st ed. of Tunnels & Trolls</a>. Strangely, the dragons and other creatures featured on the box covers all appear to tears in their eyes, as if they are all saddened by the adventurers invading their lairs.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Sorcerer's Cave (1978)</h2><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NXMY1SMHG7CxjB3-7e0MhK5uolIOspfk2UjjnIoA5OYWVCjlnmJDFXV12L5NhV0rJOVwodloTDYWVF26mIG0W3A2a_cNWn_vE7FHMCcGUi_S3j3uCkrdwFBPABlciISO_fc6Qr-16l7x/s4032/IMG_8074.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NXMY1SMHG7CxjB3-7e0MhK5uolIOspfk2UjjnIoA5OYWVCjlnmJDFXV12L5NhV0rJOVwodloTDYWVF26mIG0W3A2a_cNWn_vE7FHMCcGUi_S3j3uCkrdwFBPABlciISO_fc6Qr-16l7x/s320/IMG_8074.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ariel edition of The Sorcerer's Cave with the cover to the Extension Kit</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote>A huge cave of many levels is built by placing large cards one at a time. As players explore the cave, another set of cards indicates hazards, treasures, and creatures that can be hostile or friendly. One to 4 players.<a href="#footnote3"><sup>3</sup></a></blockquote></div><br /><div><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1202/sorcerers-cave" target="_blank">The Sorcerer's Cave</a> began as a way to translate the "dungeon adventure" experience he'd played learning the then-new role-playing game of Dungeons & Dragons into a game that could quickly be played with "no laborious set-up and no referee - a game that could be taken out of the box and be played instantly, yet be different every time."<a href="#footnote4"><sup>4</sup></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Donnelly spent about two and one half years developing the game before it was published<a href="#footnote4"><sup>4</sup></a> and it remains an early and influential example of the adventure game genre.<a href="#footnote2"><sup>2</sup></a> Each player assembles a party of adventurers with differing Fighting Strength, Magic Power, and other special abilities. The cave system is randomly generated by drawing large terrain cards with the random denizens and hazards drawn from a smaller deck of cards. Staircases may lead down to lower levels and new sections of the cave. The winner is the player who manages to escape the cave alive with the most treasure, with bonuses for slaying the dragon or the titular sorcerer.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9FOpcl4SP-fhZVGWKqXAq1G6lZ8EGmAB2pFVcRlT2rA67za5zanHeZayfjTCLIU5BNbBuTXkoyJuEmMsB8YmOsaNMzxL-rce3euWLUv8zX382P-Xg4ygm7pRNAXCthCeMOmc2ZI-NQnP/s3857/IMG_8075.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3857" data-original-width="2892" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9FOpcl4SP-fhZVGWKqXAq1G6lZ8EGmAB2pFVcRlT2rA67za5zanHeZayfjTCLIU5BNbBuTXkoyJuEmMsB8YmOsaNMzxL-rce3euWLUv8zX382P-Xg4ygm7pRNAXCthCeMOmc2ZI-NQnP/s320/IMG_8075.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Games & Puzzles magazine #74 (Autumn 1979) with a Sorcerer's Cave cover story and a detail of two weeping monsters from the box cover</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The game was well received as "fast, fun, and thoroughly worth buying,"<a href="#footnote5"><sup>5</sup></a> and "works well... as a family game... but real Fantasy buffs will be disappointed by its simplicity when compared to D&D,"<a href="#footnote6"><sup>6</sup></a> which sounds like exactly what Donnelly was aiming to create.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Digital Sorcerer</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ75irM1ZiuLdbNYDEz-l-xI2RfkUaakIkrkBvYp6chHmyVCtNpVoNjkzMxhVXIH52p8nKD8PjZl7qj6Du7aa6V0RZr6gLUJ02b20vuQh8bVZBX5H-p0UvXPwstO_hNMdSrcJFtSEIotJZ/s596/3220-4-sorcerer-s-cave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ75irM1ZiuLdbNYDEz-l-xI2RfkUaakIkrkBvYp6chHmyVCtNpVoNjkzMxhVXIH52p8nKD8PjZl7qj6Du7aa6V0RZr6gLUJ02b20vuQh8bVZBX5H-p0UvXPwstO_hNMdSrcJFtSEIotJZ/s320/3220-4-sorcerer-s-cave.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorcerer's Cave (Windows) screen shot from https://www.old-games.com/download/3220/sorcerer-s-cave</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXe-TtzqYTt4u6U5G-uv9YXJzESwldefhAd5seUYXnfqrO1-c7xemu_QMW9-ATBDBV_03ti0IaGMDqraNrQ9vHB1lfvv-p_20FXyigemJokKQnrVK3P9t_Tj0VPjwldrgIGRBmfiNczQJk/s808/3220-5-sorcerer-s-cave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="808" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXe-TtzqYTt4u6U5G-uv9YXJzESwldefhAd5seUYXnfqrO1-c7xemu_QMW9-ATBDBV_03ti0IaGMDqraNrQ9vHB1lfvv-p_20FXyigemJokKQnrVK3P9t_Tj0VPjwldrgIGRBmfiNczQJk/s320/3220-5-sorcerer-s-cave.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorcerer's Cave (Windows) screen shot from https://www.old-games.com/download/3220/sorcerer-s-cave<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>In 1995, Donnelly created a <a href="https://archive.org/details/SORCAV" target="_blank">shareware computer game version of Sorcerer's Cave</a> under his company name of Skookum Software. This game aptly replicated the experience of the board game and I played quite a bit in around the year 2000, before I had acquired a physical version of the game. I sent a check to Skookum Software in order to purchase the full version of the game, but it was returned to me with address unknown. Donnelly later released it and all of his software as freeware (see links at bottom of this blog entry).</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 18.72px; font-weight: 700;">The Mystic Wood (1980)</span></h2><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpleL4pM8F1wtwJQy4XqKPYu_w9xoXYoGW3OZdcpr1qG5aDrIkdgYxydoqp0fWkUdtq3ql3O98j7RdnKbYJ7PlPmITlj303Zp4xWEvINw-wmN6LRZb5XSlRPkkhDjIkAjeZNG1GDPXGvV/s4032/IMG_8073.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpleL4pM8F1wtwJQy4XqKPYu_w9xoXYoGW3OZdcpr1qG5aDrIkdgYxydoqp0fWkUdtq3ql3O98j7RdnKbYJ7PlPmITlj303Zp4xWEvINw-wmN6LRZb5XSlRPkkhDjIkAjeZNG1GDPXGvV/s320/IMG_8073.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ariel edition of The Mystic Wood</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><blockquote>A hidden wood is set up with two gates, a tower, and forty-two face-down cards. Knights explore by turning up an adjacent card. They discover objects and denizens, who can be helpful or hostile. Two to 4 players.<a href="#footnote7"><sup>7</sup></a></blockquote>This spiritual sequel to The Sorcerer's Cave feels more like a fairy tale than a dungeon delve. Each player portrays a different knight errant searching the wood to complete their personal quest first and win the game. Most of these heroic knights are inspired by characters in the 16th century epics: Ariostro's <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Furioso" target="_blank">Orlando Furioso</a></i> and Spenser's <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Faerie_Queene" target="_blank">The Fairie Queene</a></i>.<a href="#footnote8"><sup>8</sup></a> Each knight is rated in their Strength and Prowess (similar to Strength and Craft in the game Talisman) and some have special abilities. Items, companions, and titles (such as "Giant-Killer") acquired during the game enhance the player's abilities and help them complete their quest. There is no player elimination as a knight who loses in an encounter is typically only banished to the tall tower at the center of the wood until they can escape.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unlike the sprawling Sorcerer's Cave, the Mystic Wood is restricted to a grid of 5 columns by 9 rows of cards (unless the <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/3415/mystic-wood-extension-kit" target="_blank">Extension Kit</a> is added to the game), and is a "much cleaner, tighter design."<a href="#footnote9"><sup>9</sup></a> Each knight has a specific quest they must complete, giving each player a specific goal and alleviating "the aimlessness that characterizes most of these adventure games."<a href="#footnote9"><sup>9</sup></a> There are better rules for player character interactions, jousting to lay claim to a companion or piece of equipment or to banish the other knight to the tower. It is "a good beer-and-pretzels game... if you enjoy Dungeon! or The Castle, buy this one: it is the best of the three."<a href="#footnote10"><sup>10</sup></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Avalon Hill licensed Mystic Wood for publication in 1983, which is unusual as they already had their own geomorphic fantasy wilderness adventure game, <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/22/magic-realm" target="_blank">Magic Realm</a> (1979) by Richard Hamblin. Magic Realm is a masterful, detailed simulation of adventuring as different characters in a fantastic realm. It is also even more complex than most of Avalon Hill's wargames. I've had Magic Realm for many years but never succeeded in completing a game once I brought it to the table (I did play in one play-by-e-mail game around 2004). With Mystic Wood, you can also set it up, play a game, and pack it up within 60 to 90 minutes. Magic Realm is a much bigger time commitment, so Avalon Hill must've been looking for a simpler title.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Mystic Wood Playthrough</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLLK-Iqj-3FOZEqW9fqt2muoJPeRZfF38VJdpO97XCBEDQWBCJ6jWXAh79FMowUfeZkDz8c17tst96AGlIZ6L7MEKWQHCVOjetEQbf0TzJkfvMBcFbcs45BdEDboxJ9ZmURue_i0wquIu/s4032/IMG_8071.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLLK-Iqj-3FOZEqW9fqt2muoJPeRZfF38VJdpO97XCBEDQWBCJ6jWXAh79FMowUfeZkDz8c17tst96AGlIZ6L7MEKWQHCVOjetEQbf0TzJkfvMBcFbcs45BdEDboxJ9ZmURue_i0wquIu/s320/IMG_8071.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mystic Wood, end game</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>I played Mystic Wood with my 7-year-old daughter on Christmas Day this year. She took the role of Britomart (from <i>The Fairie Queene</i>), the only female knight in the base game. Her quest was to rescue the Prince and escort him safely out of the woods. I was Sir George who needed to slay the dragon, of course.</div><div><br /></div><div>We entered the wood through the Earth Gate at the "south" end of the map. At the game start, only the Earth Gate, Tower (center), and Enchanted Gate (north end) cards were face up. All other areas would only be exposed as we explored them with our knights.</div><div><br /></div><div>My daughter ran afoul of an angry wizard in a castle and was banished to the dreaded Tower. I discovered the dragon's lair, but needed some arms and armament before I could defeat the wyrm. My daughter was betrayed by a dastardly rogue and sent to the tower. I ran into a grumpy magician who summoned a magic storm to stop my movement, then I ran into him again and he cast another storm on me. Meanwhile, my daughter held aloft the Holy Grail (if she played as Perceval, her quest would be at an end).</div><div><br /></div><div>After more adventuring, we were in a final race to the end of the game. With a mighty lance and a magic ring of strength, I plodded my way to the dragon's lair. At the same time, my daughter befriended the Prince and began leading him out of the wood. My dice failed me, I lost to the dragon and watched my daughter leave the wood in victory from my cell in the tall tower. She's already declared Mystic Wood as her "favorite game" (any game where she can beat Dad is a good one in her eyes).</div><div><br /></div><div>We will certainly be playing this game again. The occasional random swings of fortune give younger players a fighting chance against experienced grognards. The events of the game unfolded like a story and it was easy to construct a narrative from the unrelated, random card draws. I'm already planning how we can make custom LEGO minifigures for each of the knights to replace the pawns. I hope I can get a copy of the <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/3415/mystic-wood-extension-kit" target="_blank">Mystic Wood Extension Kit</a> with its second female knight (Marfisa from Orlando Furioso) before my youngest daughter is old enough to play with us.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Donnelly's Works</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Ludography</h3><div>1972 <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1620/decline-and-fall-roman-empire" target="_blank">Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire</a></div><div>1974<span> </span><i>Hsiang Ch’i: The Chinese Game of Chess</i> (early English-language book about Chinese chess, published by Wargames Research Group)</div><div><span>1978 <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1202/sorcerers-cave" target="_blank">The Sorcerer's Cave</a></span></div><div><span><span>1979 <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/3930/sorcerers-cave-extension-kit" target="_blank">The Sorcerer's Cave Extension Kit</a></span></span></div><div><span><span>1979 <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2097/middle-sea-empires-feudal-age" target="_blank">Middle Sea: Empires of the Feudal Age</a> </span></span>(with Wilf Backhaus)</div><div><span><span><span>1980 <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1152/mystic-wood" target="_blank">The Mystic Wood</a></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span>1982 <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/3415/mystic-wood-extension-kit" target="_blank">The Mystic Wood Extension Kit</a></span></span></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><span><span>Shareware/Freeware Games and Editors (as Skookum Software)</span></span></span></span></span></h3><div><span><span><span><span><span>Originally developed as shareware games for DOS and Windows-based computer systems, later released as freeware.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>1995 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070305030404/http://home1.gte.net/res1bup4/Pgview.zip" target="_blank">PGView</a> (DOS Panzer General Editor)</div><div>1995 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070305030214/http://home1.gte.net/res1bup4/Brass.zip" target="_blank">Brass Polish 3</a> (Windows Allied General and Panzer General Editor)</div><div><span><span><span><span><span>1995 <a href="https://archive.org/details/SORCAV" target="_blank">Sorcerer's Cave</a></span></span></span></span></span></div><div>1996 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070305030154/http://home1.gte.net/res1bup4/Gem.zip" target="_blank">Gem Polish</a> (DOS Fantasy General Editor)</div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span>1996 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190603131636/http://skookumpete.com/Animal.zip" target="_blank">The Animal Game</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div>1996 <a href="https://archive.org/details/Jotto_1020" target="_blank">Jotto</a> (also for <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060714062121/http://home1.gte.net/res1bup4/Jotto4Palm.zip" target="_blank">Palm devices</a>)</div><div><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>2004 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180826005229/http://skookumpete.com/TurncoatNoSetup.zip" target="_blank">Turncoat</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span>2006 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060504151101/http://home1.gte.net/res1bup4/PlayTheHorses.zip" target="_blank">Play the Horses</a> (only for Palm devices)</span></span></span></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span><span><span>Some Other Writings</span></span></span></span></span></h3><div><span><span><span><span><span>1986 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071212012451/http://home1.gte.net/res1bup4/KayproGraphics.htm" target="_blank">Graphics on CP/M Kaypros</a></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><span>2008<span> </span><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080313235916/http://home1.gte.net/res1bup4/adrianople.htm" target="_blank">What Happened at Adrianople?</a></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span>2016 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200220214024/http://skookumpete.com/chariots.htm" target="_blank">Some Observations on Roman Chariot Racing</a></span></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Footnotes</h2>
<div><span><span><span><a name="footnote1"> 1.</a> <span>I learned the news of Donnelly's passing from a Sorcerer's Cave news forum post on BoardGameGeek.com: </span></span></span></span><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2565315/passing-peter-donnelly-skookumpete">https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2565315/passing-peter-donnelly-skookumpete</a></div>
<div><a name="footnote2"> 2.</a> Shannon Appelcline, <i>Designers & Dragons: The '70s</i> (Silver Spring, MD: Evil Hat Productions, 2014), 235.</div>
<div><a name="footnote3"> 3.</a> Sid Sackson, <i>A Gamut of Games</i> (New York: Pantheon, 1982), 195.</div>
<div><a name="footnote4"> 4.</a> <span>Donnelly wrote about the origins of The Sorcerer's Cave and The Mystic Wood in the Autumn 1980 issue of Games & Puzzles magazine, modified and republished here: </span><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201005235651/http://skookumpete.com/CaveAndWood.htm">https://web.archive.org/web/20201005235651/http://skookumpete.com/CaveAndWood.htm</a></div>
<div><a name="footnote5"> 5.</a> Phil Willis, "Gamesview," <i>Games & Puzzles</i>, no. 74, Autumn 1979, 13.</div>
<div><a name="footnote6"> 6.</a> Ian Livingstone, "Open Box," <i>White Dwarf</i>, no. 7, June/July 1978, 18.</div>
<div><a name="footnote7"> 7.</a> Sid Sackson, <i>A Gamut of Games</i> (New York: Pantheon, 1982), 194.</div>
<div><a name="footnote8"> 8.</a> Donnelly wrote an appendix in the Mystic Wood instructions that detailed the game's literary influences, reproduced here: <span> </span><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20201005235651/http://skookumpete.com/CaveAndWood.htm">https://web.archive.org/web/20201005235651/http://skookumpete.com/CaveAndWood.htm</a></div>
<div><a name="footnote9"> 9.</a> Andy Davidson, "Open Box," <i>White Dwarf</i>, no. 20, August/September 1980, 17.</div>
<div><a name="footnote10">10.</a> Steve Condit, "Capsule Reviews," <i>Space Gamer</i>, no. 73, March/April 1985, 33.</div>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-41968845271889981202020-12-06T16:05:00.002-05:002020-12-06T16:13:46.924-05:00Rare Dave Trampier Art - Addendum to Part 1<div><h2>Adventure Gaming magazine vol. 1 no. 5 cover art, addendum</h2></div>Back in early 2014, I wrote <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/03/rare-dave-trampier-art-introduction.html" target="_blank">a series of blog posts about little-seen art by Dave Trampier</a>, the enigmatic artist from TSR's early days, creator of the comic strip Wormy, and co-designer of the board game Titan. As I was in the middle of my series, Dave Trampier emerged from hiding after decades of nobody knowing where he was, agreeing to sell artwork and come to a convention in Carbondale, IL. Unfortunately, he passed away soon before the convention. I had to <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/03/david-trampier-passed-away-march-24-2014.html" target="_blank">post the solemn news on this blog</a>.<div><br /></div><div>In <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/03/rare-dave-trampier-art-part-1.html" target="_blank"><b>my first blog post in this series</b></a>, I discussed one of Tramp's impressive color works for Titan, a painting was used on the cover of Adventure Gaming magazine #5 for a special issue with several Titan articles.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAw_b97tBqXxk1j7oncjC6xBnnZbaP-XPRcALErbO9A02gUwMT6X9_nJqU0YHi0fYcx6N1yZOS3ZvgRsG81SuE6aJH7_KfVclTfWjx_f_2skP7cTYqZGP96KkeIJMlskyR2g5vRHeyIJ31/s2005/AdventureGaming_5_cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2005" data-original-width="1539" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAw_b97tBqXxk1j7oncjC6xBnnZbaP-XPRcALErbO9A02gUwMT6X9_nJqU0YHi0fYcx6N1yZOS3ZvgRsG81SuE6aJH7_KfVclTfWjx_f_2skP7cTYqZGP96KkeIJMlskyR2g5vRHeyIJ31/s320/AdventureGaming_5_cover.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adventure Gaming vol. 1, no. 5</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I speculated that the image was probably intended as cover art for the new edition of Titan, which was published by Avalon Hill with cover art by Kenn Nishiuye instead of Trampier. I created a mock-up image of what the Avalon Hill game might've looked like with Tramp's art (see <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/03/rare-dave-trampier-art-part-1.html" target="_blank">Rare Dave Trampier Art - Part 1</a>). Earlier this month (December 2020), I had a Zoom meeting with Tim Kask, publisher/editor of Adventure Gaming and close friend of Trampier's. I asked if he remembered what the image was originally intended for, but he did not. Tramp had given Kask the original artwork long enough to make color separations for printing the cover, then required that the original be returned.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since that time, <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2017/04/jason-b-mcallister-passed-away-may-21.html" target="_blank">Jason McAllister, Titan's other co-creator, also passed away</a>. I assisted the McAllister family in identifying and helping find an auction agent for a number of Jason's personal effects, including several art pieces created by Dave Trampier. One item was a sketch of a store display for Titan games.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNr5D3QGWeKLbpW9oPBdCfspE7BHq18AaxrwS64bmK9RKx2FaVKZzCmEBxDv-TGG-Eq5Zk4gI4T79Ys0rv9ilB-3YsSDSf2oZ-X5S-D3EmSMxXuGUn1HeSqHnEfkJly72V0Rs3D8PdxlsE/s960/Titan+Display+Detai+edl.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="902" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNr5D3QGWeKLbpW9oPBdCfspE7BHq18AaxrwS64bmK9RKx2FaVKZzCmEBxDv-TGG-Eq5Zk4gI4T79Ys0rv9ilB-3YsSDSf2oZ-X5S-D3EmSMxXuGUn1HeSqHnEfkJly72V0Rs3D8PdxlsE/s320/Titan+Display+Detai+edl.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Titan display sketch, detail<br /> by David A. Trampier</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The display is sketched in perspective, as if it is sitting on a store counter. The Gorgonstar logo at the base tells us this is not meant as a concept for Avalon Hill's Titan, but for a new self-published edition under McAllister and Trampier's Gorgonstar name. This looks like a new "bookcase" style game box, made popular by Avalon Hill and 3M, and very different from the flat and wide 1st edition Titan game box. The black, white, and red coloring of the display case closely matches the 1st edition game box, so they may have intended to screen print these cases using the same method, with broad swathes of flat colors. The game boxes sketched here would require color separation and CMYK printing, more difficult but not impossible for the Gorgonstar "basement" print shop.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, that is clearly the dragon-on-a-volcano art on the cover, the same art seen on Adventure Gaming #5! This looks like definitive evidence that a new edition of the game was intended, without Avalon Hill, and with this stunning artwork to serve as the cover image.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_RVCHYydNVCOqwkQiUp1PLKc6eebxfc-BW4Wg_7S__Z1AQEkHwmTHxGFDUHNNsnEWCalgjRIkfXilPOc_yQWSSkQWYN7S5bggifU5qhFbZC-_E2NfqhT4mx-fmc3x7hd0vBWm5A3_Rt8/s1299/Titan-Trampier-v2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1299" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_RVCHYydNVCOqwkQiUp1PLKc6eebxfc-BW4Wg_7S__Z1AQEkHwmTHxGFDUHNNsnEWCalgjRIkfXilPOc_yQWSSkQWYN7S5bggifU5qhFbZC-_E2NfqhT4mx-fmc3x7hd0vBWm5A3_Rt8/s320/Titan-Trampier-v2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My speculative interpretation of a Trampier Titan box lid, take two</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>In light of this information, I've updated my interpretation of what this unpublished Titan might've looked like with a black border and TITAN in bold, white lettering.</div>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-86376000871987554692020-09-12T15:03:00.005-04:002020-12-06T16:08:03.322-05:00New English Rule Book for Dark Force<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What is Dark Force?</span></h2><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWEq4PmwVSBLz9mCAgakzJbBeu9mY1kl1ULrrhx_G5KdJKKYdOM6X07mRXQTo8TJGUeSzBBeo9bVaJIYqMfa9p9kda7QJ2osQ6HWTL5Jo53AwYzERQ9xdpNH8A9E4T071m0eAsVUnA4oP/s4032/IMG_E7648.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWEq4PmwVSBLz9mCAgakzJbBeu9mY1kl1ULrrhx_G5KdJKKYdOM6X07mRXQTo8TJGUeSzBBeo9bVaJIYqMfa9p9kda7QJ2osQ6HWTL5Jo53AwYzERQ9xdpNH8A9E4T071m0eAsVUnA4oP/s320/IMG_E7648.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dark Force cards and Master Pack (starter deck) boxes</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/18574/dark-force" target="_blank">Dark Force</a> was a German collectible card game (CCG) based on the popular fantasy role-playing game, <a href="https://rpggeek.com/rpgfamily/2329/das-schwarze-auge" target="_blank">Das Schwarze Auge</a> (The Dark Eye). Players are rulers in the land of Aventuria, commanding heroes to lead armies and beasts to conquer their opponent's lands to win (or defeat enough of your opponent's forces or let your opponent run out of cards to win). Heroes include warriors, fantastic beings (elves and dwarves), spellcasters (casting magic spells and summoning elemental spirits, demons, or the undead), and "Blessed Ones" (priests) of the Twelve Gods working miracles.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Players could by Master Packs (starter decks) and Power Packs (booster packs) when the game launched in 1994. They also printed an "edition" boxed set of every card with gold borders to differentiate them from the random pack cards. The game had a few expansions in the years that followed. Attack Pack (1995) added more cards. Captain's Pack (1996) added all new rules for ships, fleets, ocean travel, and naval combat. Unfortunately, publisher Schmidt Spiele went out of business in 1997, bringing Dark Force to an end.<br /></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This Sounds Kinda Like <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/463/magic-gathering" target="_blank">Magic: The Gathering</a></span></h2><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoefP79tmfZMvUxgEf741-ElRrjmS2V91HV-lc8jgbXAYbJ7etpfXm6P5f_iq055vaETTsluptsUwOeyj2b4PqU5W0zlP-xCDus5fb0GBxGKhPc6lwTQoAlySA8OKTiGGihR7DZv5cPC8_/s3910/IMG_E7649.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1980" data-original-width="3910" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoefP79tmfZMvUxgEf741-ElRrjmS2V91HV-lc8jgbXAYbJ7etpfXm6P5f_iq055vaETTsluptsUwOeyj2b4PqU5W0zlP-xCDus5fb0GBxGKhPc6lwTQoAlySA8OKTiGGihR7DZv5cPC8_/s320/IMG_E7649.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Mountain, Plain, Swamp, and Forest "land" cards (I don't have an Island, but it is in the game)<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Well, every CCG owes something to Richard Garfield and M:TG, and this one is no exception. The first edition of Dark Force launched in 1994, just one year after Magic. Whereas the locations of lands are abstracted in Magic (planeswalkers "tap" into distant lands to draw mana from them), the terrain cards in Dark Force are laid out to form a map, much like a board game. When two opposing stacks of units meet in one terrain, the cards are picked up and the players lay them out in a tactical "battlefield." Combat is its own sub-game where positioning matters, allowing for ranged attacks, flanking attacks, and heroes supporting armies.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In fact, Dark Force really reminds me of Tom Wham's <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/58/kings-things" target="_blank">Kings & Things</a>. I am not sure if the Dark Force creators ever played K&T (the first German version wasn't printed until 1997), but there are also similarities to Tom Wham's earlier game <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2252/king-tabletop" target="_blank">King of the Tabletop</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Which reminds me of another story...</span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That time I accused Richard Garfield of Plagiarism to His Face</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">King of the Tabletop is a fantasy game about controlling five different land types in order to summon specific creatures to use to battle your opponent(s). Control swamps to summon a ghost or black knight, plains to summon a lion or white knight, mountains to summon dwarves or a roc, Forests to summon elves or a walking tree. Sound like the original edition of Magic? Well, Tom Wham's KotT was printed in Dragon magazine #77 back in 1983, 10 years before Magic saw print.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I ran into Magic creator Richard Garfield while walking around at an E3 convention around 2000 or 2001. I had been playing Magic since Arabian Nights and the Unlimited edition were new, so I struck up a conversation with him. I brought up the similarities between King of the Tabletop and, though I didn't specifically use the word "plagiarize," I certainly implied it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">He stated that he didn't remember KotT at the time he designed Magic. He later saw KotT after Magic had exploded in popularity and the similarities between the two games was obvious. He surmised that he probably played the game when it came out in Dragon and then forgot about it, but perhaps some elements subconsciously influenced his design when he created Magic.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Now, I see the similarities as more coincidental and thematic than anything like an intentional attempt to steal a design. I am sorry that I confronted him in the manner that I did. Richard, if you are reading this, I apologize. Game designers are often influenced by works that came before. This is how we learn and understand games and is a way that our games evolve, mature, and improve over the years. We all stand on the shoulders of many giants.</span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Rule Book Download</span></h2><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjpVJNmJqPc7V8l7lCnHXi0BWsgAKih9AtzcHbiPlg_KZJu5uVg-77zJFv3tMN-k2iJK6aR6Ry2-bq7d8ADUe2elyLLItJuvlPL2uhBV5A-r10I-ZiRdWNJgxiD-tJpfFrkC608sufTLe/s4032/IMG_7650.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjpVJNmJqPc7V8l7lCnHXi0BWsgAKih9AtzcHbiPlg_KZJu5uVg-77zJFv3tMN-k2iJK6aR6Ry2-bq7d8ADUe2elyLLItJuvlPL2uhBV5A-r10I-ZiRdWNJgxiD-tJpfFrkC608sufTLe/w320-h240/IMG_7650.JPG" title="My translated rule booklet with the original German rules" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My translated rule booklet with the original German version</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><span>You can download the new English rule book from BoardGameGeek (BGG) at the following link. A BGG account is required for download. Feel free to contact me if you are unable to create an account but still want the rule book.</span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I translated the original Master Book rules for the game and incorporated errata from Aventurian Messenger (<span>Aventurische Bote) magazine and the tournament rules for the Essen Open '96 tournament. This also adds the naval movement and combat rules from the Captain's Pack game expansion.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/208311/dark-force-rule-book-english-translation-v-10" target="_blank">https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/208311/dark-force-rule-book-english-translation-v-10</a><br /></span></p><p><br /></p></div></div>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-6044352806902111162020-09-06T13:19:00.004-04:002022-10-05T13:48:59.908-04:00Three New English Rule Translations for Tsukuda Hobby's Star Wars Simulation Games<h3 style="text-align: left;">History</h3><p>The history of official Star Wars strategy games typically begins with works by West End Games, starting with <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3593/star-wars-star-warriors" target="_blank">Star Warriors</a> in 1987. This starfighter combat game features a hex grid poster map of outer space, a familiar piece of game equipment to science fiction board wargamer fans of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1589/star-fleet-battles" target="_blank">Star Fleet Battles</a> and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2891/starfire" target="_blank">Starfire</a>. West End Games followed Star Warriors with two more "hex-and-counter" Star Wars games: <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3548/assault-hoth-empire-strikes-back" target="_blank">Assault on Hoth</a> (1988) and <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3594/star-wars-battle-endor" target="_blank">Battle for Endor</a> (1989).</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpxHszxTLKqNnZ__tR4Yy1x8a2aJghW4cOxZ57S6sKFRh_7Eo35_kUf1VED3c3naXW1JW79xOuRiU5nJ_W9KSPfNp28UT5SRQ7pnxjdMOHwO8mseJ8ur4-bHyp0xbos8bEF8gH3eZbdcO/s4000/IMG_7615.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2072" data-original-width="4000" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpxHszxTLKqNnZ__tR4Yy1x8a2aJghW4cOxZ57S6sKFRh_7Eo35_kUf1VED3c3naXW1JW79xOuRiU5nJ_W9KSPfNp28UT5SRQ7pnxjdMOHwO8mseJ8ur4-bHyp0xbos8bEF8gH3eZbdcO/w500-h260/IMG_7615.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tsukuda Hobby's Original Trilogy in hex-and-counter format<br />Photo by the author</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">It turns out that board wargame ("simulation game" in Japan) fans in Japan played their first official Star Wars game in 1982 with the release of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6082/star-wars-death-star" target="_blank">Death Star</a> (a.k.a. "The Game of Death Star Combat in Star Wars"). As you can surmise, this starfighter combat game recreates the Battle of Yavin as a ragtag bunch of Rebel Alliance snubfighters dared to strike against the Galactic Empire's dreaded battlestation, the Death Star. The somewhat complex rules rival Star Warriors in complexity, though the two games are quite different.</p><p style="text-align: left;">In 1983, Tsukuda released <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6081/star-wars-hoth" target="_blank">Hoth </a>(a.k.a. "The Game of Battle on Hoth"), my personal favorite of the three. The Imperial walkers are huge in this game, each one has six different counters for the locations of the torso, head, and feet. The walker feet smash any other units they step on. A Snowspeeders may fire its harpoon at a walker's foot, circling its cable ("wire" in the original Japanese) around the vehicle and trip it up. If Luke Skywalker's speeder is shot down, he can become a terror on the battlefield, attacking Imperial units with his lightsaber.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Tsukuda also released <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6080/star-wars-endor" target="_blank">Endor </a>(a.k.a. "The Game of the Combat on Moon Endor") in 1983. The game starts with the players constructing a new game board by using terrain tiles of bushes and forest surrounding the underground bunker entrance that leads to the Empire's shield generator. The Rebel units are all hidden on the map with decoy counters and traps to spring on the Imperial forces. The Empire units are powerful, but must hunt down and find the Rebels and ewoks camouflaged in the surrounding forests. Speeder bikes have a 1-in-6 chance of smashing into a tree for every forest hex they travel through.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Who Made These Games?</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Tsukuda's games were designed by the prolific game designer <a href="https://th.gundam.info/news/goods/news_goods_20110902_78636p.html" target="_blank">Atsutoshi Okada</a>. He was a fan of Avalon Hill wargames (published by Hobby Japan) and anime (he refers to himself as an otaku) so he designed a Mobile Suit Gundam miniatures game for play at conventions. This led to getting hired by Tsukuda Hobby and designing "Squad Leader for Gundam," which became <a href="http://gundamguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/mobile-suit-gundam-jabro.html" target="_blank">Jabro</a>. This first game led to a wave of science fiction and anime "simulation games" in Japan from Tsukuda and others, popular enough to have their own <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5Ha4rlq8ls" target="_blank">television commercials</a>. Okada had a six year career with Tsukuda, designing countless games for them. He also <strike>created </strike> <b>inspired the creation of </b>[edit 5 Oct 2022] new <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2021/03/new-english-rule-book-for-takaras.html" target="_blank">Dougram</a> and <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2022/08/new-english-rule-book-for-takaras.html" target="_blank">Votoms </a>games for Takara's terrific <a href="https://chiharakai2005.at.webry.info/200710/article_13.html" target="_blank">Dual Magazine</a>. By my count, Okada-san designed and published more than 40 games in the 1980s. He took a break from game design during the 1990s, then created <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/41535/panzertales-world-tank-division-i" target="_blank">Panzertales: World Tank Division</a> in 2003.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Translated Rule Book Downloads</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Okada-san's Star Wars games have never been translated into English, until now! <b>You can download my new translations of the Tsukuda Hobby trilogy at these links</b> (Note, a Board Game Geek account is required for downloading as that site is hosting the files. If you cannot sign onto BGG, send me a message):</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Death Star:</b> <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/207946/tsukuda-star-wars-death-star-english-rule-book">https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/207946/tsukuda-star-wars-death-star-english-rule-book</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Hoth: </b><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/175579/tsukuda-star-wars-hoth-english-rule-book">https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/175579/tsukuda-star-wars-hoth-english-rule-book</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Endor:</b> <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/207945/tsukuda-star-wars-endor-english-rule-book">https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/207945/tsukuda-star-wars-endor-english-rule-book</a></p><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And More in Print!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OzFTaRDGm9uteXJwMZ1ghZm_cGwIpbr4j4QKaw292tF61RqZ6F6roKWQVH6_M0u5r_jVfbWgj1D6wgO7C-DmtIDl7GvZFd0VH5sfbYrhf-aK-v7GlsW0l9BBh5aWspT3Q4JHiB_d9mmN/s1163/Destroy+Death+Star+TwoImages.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1OzFTaRDGm9uteXJwMZ1ghZm_cGwIpbr4j4QKaw292tF61RqZ6F6roKWQVH6_M0u5r_jVfbWgj1D6wgO7C-DmtIDl7GvZFd0VH5sfbYrhf-aK-v7GlsW0l9BBh5aWspT3Q4JHiB_d9mmN/s320/Destroy+Death+Star+TwoImages.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: left;">Also, I recently wrote "Destroy the Death Star," an article for Star Wars Insider magazine #195. This piece is a historical record of all the different ways players have been able to blow up the Death Star (and Death Star II) in electronic games, board games, card games, and video games over the years, including Okada-san's Death Star game. You can order a copy here: <a href="https://titan-comics.com/m/33-star-wars-insider-195/">https://titan-comics.com/m/33-star-wars-insider-195/</a></p><div><br /></div></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-73208165595010697362017-04-12T03:00:00.000-04:002020-12-06T16:07:11.100-05:00Jason B. McAllister Passed Away May 21, 2016This happened almost one year ago but haven't seen an announcement on any major game sites.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/533734/jason-b-mcallister" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-TIzigwPwuQ-PxPPs3AXqjgUVxKMbYUwyGTcZ0NgQReieJ1hxjZzPewQUVv_3VOC-ljy89WX3Bqqy6-P6H7Cbz7u5ifGig09n8VeYY6HM6R4TJrWTUna6y-G6jwRLrGfUe0I4CGJ566R/s200/JasonMcAllister.jpg" width="181" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jason B. McAllister<br />
Image Source: <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/533734/jason-b-mcallister" target="_blank"> boardgamegeek.com</a></td></tr>
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Jason B. McAllister, co-designer of the epic fantasy board game <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/103/titan" target="_blank">Titan</a>, passed away suddenly at his home on May 21, 2016. He was 62 years of age.<br />
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Obituary: <a href="https://www.friedrichjones.com/obituaries/Jason-B-McAllister?obId=2802704#/obituaryInfo">https://www.friedrichjones.com/obituaries/Jason-B-McAllister?obId=2802704#/obituaryInfo</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIb4JNf7Q_L_mNpPfMp2sGD6CcIH_WeolOC9YJN9Vl2lB4p-Ddgjy4UL4MATr6lve9l5-KkkB2YWJQEfQXmQiZ0jkyYLq1KpjunAjtfZmUuy_lkdZhjZPLE1JQg3zdarhaobPI_9cY7-2l/s1600/GorgonstarTitan0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIb4JNf7Q_L_mNpPfMp2sGD6CcIH_WeolOC9YJN9Vl2lB4p-Ddgjy4UL4MATr6lve9l5-KkkB2YWJQEfQXmQiZ0jkyYLq1KpjunAjtfZmUuy_lkdZhjZPLE1JQg3zdarhaobPI_9cY7-2l/s320/GorgonstarTitan0004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Titan, original Gorgonstar printing</td></tr>
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Titan is a legend. I've posted about the game <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/03/rare-dave-trampier-art-introduction.html" target="_blank">several</a> <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/03/rare-dave-trampier-art-part-1.html" target="_blank">times</a> <a href="https://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/03/rare-dave-trampier-art-part-2.html" target="_blank">in the past</a> but it is worth mentioning again. This is a true designer's game - most every professional board game and RPG designer I know loves this game and has been influenced by it. It has several amazing innovations (unit recruitment, board movement, different game scales (masterboard vs. battleland)) that are still rarely or never reproduced in modern games. The game was first independently published under "Gorgonstar Publications" in 1980, then republished by Avalon Hill in 1982 and by Valley Games in 2008.<br />
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McAllister self-published a few more games after creating his Titan masterpiece.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_WYj7pdZfWHN7IYiqMmyqAPg1Gdo5I6HVohQ3gbiyxWdHDuKXynVv1e6s_tqKQwJEtTqnlnCsL0A69XiHM5J23Ii4id2EJO8frZYYf-EvZvJrEsTfGknd-SugrH_cLZYMFr8GzaKdVtA7/s1600/AntWars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_WYj7pdZfWHN7IYiqMmyqAPg1Gdo5I6HVohQ3gbiyxWdHDuKXynVv1e6s_tqKQwJEtTqnlnCsL0A69XiHM5J23Ii4id2EJO8frZYYf-EvZvJrEsTfGknd-SugrH_cLZYMFr8GzaKdVtA7/s320/AntWars.jpg" title="Ant Wars" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ant Wars Instructions<br />
Image Source: <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/87302/ant-wars" target="_blank">boardgamegeek.com</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXN6SvNgbWcAq30grbzxbVfLt-2-0Z53NepGSQIpPYt-zx8YBrQi-W5QStl8gXAUACxoSGYuLejMHKtgkShPjcj39CjY75fd-mhM_igV7b-efNjqqUx3orzXr35WMktNlJhpvpkWZAbTH/s1600/pic269567_lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXN6SvNgbWcAq30grbzxbVfLt-2-0Z53NepGSQIpPYt-zx8YBrQi-W5QStl8gXAUACxoSGYuLejMHKtgkShPjcj39CjY75fd-mhM_igV7b-efNjqqUx3orzXr35WMktNlJhpvpkWZAbTH/s320/pic269567_lg.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ant Wars Counters<br />
Image Source: <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/269567/ant-wars" target="_blank">boardgamegeek.com</a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2837/ant-wars" target="_blank">Ant Wars</a> debuted in 1982. This board wargame simulates the titular war between different colonies of ants as they battle for control of a theater of war of several back yards and empty lots. A family creation, the game was designed by Jason and illustrated by his brother, Barry. The unit counters are reminiscent of Titan's (if Titan was all about battling ants).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxw70Ysb_pyrSC47gBOXKsjtNikf6zVs8OB8znEYOKIuH0mTMI43r69qiOqJJv-pEDelyGbcpLxgeD_i9xhEr6yYKOSzbp2S6AFjyqvh5KUT-al1kXVLWxFplUp7hyPXFTFrZg1yOLWZf/s1600/MagicalBattlions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxw70Ysb_pyrSC47gBOXKsjtNikf6zVs8OB8znEYOKIuH0mTMI43r69qiOqJJv-pEDelyGbcpLxgeD_i9xhEr6yYKOSzbp2S6AFjyqvh5KUT-al1kXVLWxFplUp7hyPXFTFrZg1yOLWZf/s320/MagicalBattlions.jpg" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magical Battlions (Battalions?) rule book<br />
Image Source: <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/604505/magical-battlions" target="_blank">boardgamegeek.com</a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/61486/magical-battlions" target="_blank">Magical Battlions</a> (sp) is a set of fantasy miniature skirmish rules designed for battles with from 10 to 200 figures at a time. Designed for use with hex or square grid maps and is compact enough that a 50-figure battle should take up only the space of a card table. Players are encouraged to measure their miniatures to determine what their stats should be.<br />
<br />
McAllister was not the most prolific of game designers but his work on Titan ensures that he will long be remembered. He is missed.<br />
<br />
[EDIT 6/21/2019]: Updated link to obituary page.Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-25157130468512948342014-12-15T21:16:00.000-05:002014-12-15T21:18:56.563-05:00#12B - California Gaming Part II - LSD&D with Erol Otus #RPGaDAY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h2>
Tracing the California Gaming Scene, part II: Erol Otus in NorCal</h2>
<a href="http://www.erolotus.com/">Erol Otus</a> was one of the "second wave" of TSR artists hired in the mid 70s
after the "first wave" of David A. Trampier, Tom Wham, David C.
Sutherland and the like. His second wave contemporaries include Jeff
Dee, David S. "Diesel" LaForce, Bill Willingham and later, Jim Roslof. Otus' trippy, semi-surreal illustrations brought a macabre yet whimsical, <i><b>gonzo</b> </i>touch to TSR's publications: D&D, AD&D, Gamma World, Dragon magazine, Boot Hill, Top Secret and more. He became a fan favorite and his distinct style made his illustrations easy to pick out from the rest.<br />
<br />
In about 1983, he left TSR and the RPG industry. Nowadays, he creates art for several RPG companies looking for the classic-era look for their products. It is easy to forget that we didn't see any new weird fantasy RPG art come from him for a long, long time after leaving TSR.<br />
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<h3>
1999 San Francisco: Return to the Art on the Borderlands</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnx9Cg1y8lt4C8Pcu4jifn541i79iff6Emjx76dc_dtF1fbRHpEHK4izwCvLl6QWK_Rc-yEV8k3x4b2Pg9r0EkAy1mLBQjCZ0xOZc-pKglWAPFMLWc39D1J205XCUFYzQJhrOENGZTN5M/s1600/TwilightoftheIdols.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBnx9Cg1y8lt4C8Pcu4jifn541i79iff6Emjx76dc_dtF1fbRHpEHK4izwCvLl6QWK_Rc-yEV8k3x4b2Pg9r0EkAy1mLBQjCZ0xOZc-pKglWAPFMLWc39D1J205XCUFYzQJhrOENGZTN5M/s1600/TwilightoftheIdols.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Twilight of the Idols</i> (1999)</td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: yellow;">"LSD&D"</span></span></b></span> succinctly describes Otus' trippy D&D art style, a term I first saw when I contacted Allan Horrocks of San Francisco's <a href="http://www.aquariusrecords.org/">Aquarius Records</a> back in 1998. "LSD&D" doesn't mean that Otus uses mind-altering substances to create his art (he doesn't (1)), just that his art mirrors the unrealities that such substances unveil.<br />
<br />
Otus illustrated an album cover for SF band <a href="http://www.sloughfeg.com/">The Lord Weird Slough Feg</a> (above) with an image that could've been pulled from a 1980 D&D module. Fellow Otus fan Horrocks, friend of the lead singer, interviewed Otus for <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20010503015439/http://www.sirius.com/~mool/index.html">his music 'zine, <i>Hoe</i></a> (now, unfortunately, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20010513130755/http://www.sirius.com/~mool/intz.html">lost to time</a>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichYho91uHbe52lvCmc1Gy6TZM3CXJGZt58Vs8X4XROmulMsO9QW-eLgl_mfiR8FlNmmZRLR9be7gnuaZb-YEtX_cYwKHMQioXX1ZCMPqOPv2JKHSCsUpPtoaTPfZXigMgEWvAtaLGn0_4/s1600/down-among.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichYho91uHbe52lvCmc1Gy6TZM3CXJGZt58Vs8X4XROmulMsO9QW-eLgl_mfiR8FlNmmZRLR9be7gnuaZb-YEtX_cYwKHMQioXX1ZCMPqOPv2JKHSCsUpPtoaTPfZXigMgEWvAtaLGn0_4/s1600/down-among.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Down Among the Deadmen</i> (2000)</td></tr>
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Slough Feg hired Otus to illustrate their next album the next year (above). Clearly, the members of the band are gamers and if their choice of artist doesn't give it away, you should check out their 2003 concept album <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveller_%28Slough_Feg_album%29"><i>Traveller </i></a>based on the RPG <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveller_%28role-playing_game%29">of the same name</a>.<br />
<br />
This was the first time fans like Horrocks and me saw Otus work in his
classic fantasy D&D style in over 15 years. Remember, this was long before Erol's covers for the <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgseries/309/dungeon-crawl-classics">DCC </a>adventures <i><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/55124/mysterious-tower">The Mysterious Tower</a></i> and <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/58105/haunted-lighthouse"><i>The Haunted Lighthouse</i></a> and the <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/1298/hackmaster-4th-edition">Hackmaster</a> module <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/55105/descent-netherdeep"><i>Descent into the NetherDeep</i></a>. By 1999, some D&D fans had even started asking the quesion, "<a href="https://groups.google.com/forum/#%21msg/rec.games.frp.dnd/4NQpRnVnxUY/5thzJZIzcQYJ">Whatever happened to Erol Otus?</a>"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKnVePITve-nWHo-XQ-FT2m2SEVRPR9RKhTgTLvKzjyqMRfhTGL4iOfHzrOjiLBQEeXbsn3FPCwjr1dJjw4OtZRRHlylAEOfk3jkDobCpDRBKZhNH7QruIOuFahjZLJ_HqiGzBtjyGysV/s1600/359516-starflight-2-trade-routes-of-the-cloud-nebula-dos-screenshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKnVePITve-nWHo-XQ-FT2m2SEVRPR9RKhTgTLvKzjyqMRfhTGL4iOfHzrOjiLBQEeXbsn3FPCwjr1dJjw4OtZRRHlylAEOfk3jkDobCpDRBKZhNH7QruIOuFahjZLJ_HqiGzBtjyGysV/s1600/359516-starflight-2-trade-routes-of-the-cloud-nebula-dos-screenshot.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Humna Humna alien graphics for <i>Starflight 2</i> (1989)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKh58FzUZtP7HZ_OtPT_Z8chSFyE2rNdETRor5Tcz7A7Oq8a6SQpxboVYYzOKEYw2IodH3s1o2DshER5SXev_iKaR6wxaQnhvn0mNnZ6reosdgScUeLV_KB0KFrrc_GGSj4u8pNwRT50P/s1600/HumnaHumna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKh58FzUZtP7HZ_OtPT_Z8chSFyE2rNdETRor5Tcz7A7Oq8a6SQpxboVYYzOKEYw2IodH3s1o2DshER5SXev_iKaR6wxaQnhvn0mNnZ6reosdgScUeLV_KB0KFrrc_GGSj4u8pNwRT50P/s1600/HumnaHumna.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Humna Humna alien illustration for <i>Starflight 2</i> (1989)</td></tr>
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After Otus left TSR, started his continuing career <a href="http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,318/">creating game designs, illustrations, graphics and music for video games</a>. His refined his self-taught art skill first by studying painting at <a href="http://berkeley.edu/index.html">UC Berkeley</a> and later studying illustration at the <a href="http://www.academyart.edu/">Academy of Art University</a> in San Francisco. Otus joined his childhood friend <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Reiche_III">Paul Reiche III</a> at the <a href="http://www.toysforbob.com/">Toys for Bob</a> studio in the early 1990s and still works there today.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: red;">My question is: how did this gonzo gamer from Berkeley become an influential artist at such a pivotal time in TSR's history?</span></span></b><br />
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<h3>
1976 Richmond: We'll always have Arduin</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOhdl9v6panvBByyVT8b9F2kD_EYEqRrI0MKvfWNtp9er6r8MBTw-5qlOo0HoIBB-WTXpuHAbSIcND3XE2mNZHpcJq4RjRFXdqbhsEMDyOw1vhxr2bQs68tttz4Vy5Rp1WHSeWiVeraHb/s1600/sS7Glh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOhdl9v6panvBByyVT8b9F2kD_EYEqRrI0MKvfWNtp9er6r8MBTw-5qlOo0HoIBB-WTXpuHAbSIcND3XE2mNZHpcJq4RjRFXdqbhsEMDyOw1vhxr2bQs68tttz4Vy5Rp1WHSeWiVeraHb/s1600/sS7Glh.jpg" height="254" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Arduin Grimoire</i> (1977) cover illustrated by Erol Otus</td></tr>
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As a young gamer, Otus played miniature battles with his friends using the <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8193/chainmail">Chainmail</a> rules. They soon moved on to D&D when a friend bought the original three booklet set (2). Sometime probably in early 1976, Otus began gaming with <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgdesigner/15000/david-hargrave">Dave Hargrave</a> in his already long-running <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/736/arduin">Arduin</a> campaign. Hargrave hired Otus to illustrate his upcoming series of <i><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/45033/arduin-grimoire">The Arduin Grimoire</a></i> rulebooks to be published by <a href="http://www.chaosium.com/">Chaosium</a>.<br />
<br />
The Chaosium deal fell through, <a href="http://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/12/12a-old-rpg-you-still-read-california.html">as I explored in a previous post</a>, and Hargrave was forced to self-publish <i>The Arduin Grimoire </i>and its two sequels, <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/45036/welcome-skull-tower-arduin-grimoire-vol-ii"><i>Welcome to Skull Tower</i></a> and <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/45043/runes-doom-arduin-grimoire-vol-iii"><i>The Runes of Doom</i></a> (all three illustrated by Otus). The change of plans delayed publication of the first book until 1977 and the sequels until 1978.<br />
<br />
In the forward to <i>The Arduin Grimoire</i>, Hargrave gives this odd note:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Special Note: the artwork for this supplement is the sole doing of one fine young artist: Errol [sic] Otus. I'm only glad I'll be able to say in ten years from now, "I knew him when..." (3)</blockquote>
Did Hargrave have mystical foreknowledge about Otus' future career, even if he couldn't spell his name? Not really. By 1977, Otus was already a published artist with TSR.<br />
<br />
<h3>
1976 Lake Geneva: The Dragon Reaches Westward</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlJezy58zAp0xHH8mzurj3vgLXycQR1KyA0-N2YT5am03NwiPMlGw5jY2-0s0hX244bXntTMaqyC74KCr2OXkHswMdCy2ia0m53X0JF5x0-YVB8FFI6cOY66zyVANxcp8-7MXgf-SV0nF/s1600/otus-dragon-2-1976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlJezy58zAp0xHH8mzurj3vgLXycQR1KyA0-N2YT5am03NwiPMlGw5jY2-0s0hX244bXntTMaqyC74KCr2OXkHswMdCy2ia0m53X0JF5x0-YVB8FFI6cOY66zyVANxcp8-7MXgf-SV0nF/s1600/otus-dragon-2-1976.jpg" height="320" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Remhoraz from <i>The Dragon</i> #2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Otus began submitted illustrations to TSR soon after he started playing D&D. TSR Periodicals finally purchased a piece for the August, 1976 issue of <i>The Dragon.</i> Otus describes this in a <a href="http://www.tor.com/blogs/2009/04/an-interview-with-fantasy-artist-erol-otus">2009 interview with tor.com</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
One the drawings was of a blue and fuchsia winged worm in an icy landscape, this was published in<i> The Dragon </i>#2 with stats by Gary Gygax as “The Remorhaz.” This was my first published color piece.</blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDjtmJTfAe9se-E643vnQDIYzX8DsKQD6__vovGJb4oozyNQYfKRSef9WVoONGV71wx5I6YPsYtZbD3_6Cwj_wAHB48CsZJ63p2SCYhvb246eOTfDrEkfrFxbm5AOz8NNqvgvtxMc0kex/s1600/otus-dragon-5-1976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDjtmJTfAe9se-E643vnQDIYzX8DsKQD6__vovGJb4oozyNQYfKRSef9WVoONGV71wx5I6YPsYtZbD3_6Cwj_wAHB48CsZJ63p2SCYhvb246eOTfDrEkfrFxbm5AOz8NNqvgvtxMc0kex/s1600/otus-dragon-5-1976.jpg" height="320" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Anhkheg from <i>The Dragon</i> #5</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Three issues later, TSR Periodicals published Otus' creature write-up and illustration for the Anhkheg, now an iconic D&D creature (and now spelled <a href="http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Ankheg">Ankheg</a>). Gary Gygax gives Otus credit for both the above creations in the 1st ed. <i>Monster Manual</i>(4). Not long after, TSR needed a new staff artist (possibly because Dave Trampier had just quit(5)) and hired Otus. He moved out to Lake Geneva.<br />
<br />
There appears to be some trouble for Dave Hargrave's Arduin after this. About the time <i>The Arduin Grimoire</i> was in its second printing, TSR sent him a cease & desist letter to remove any references to D&D from his books. This may include Erol Otus' art as it starts to disappear from later Arduin printings.<br />
<br />
<h3>
1979 Berkeley: The Booty, the Beasts and the Necromican</h3>
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<h3>
</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr06Sx3Z6gqiW_FPR47AAddMwOMXwFSAglYmWIlzatvat1WVsYxz5ob-Dyx-OndabWU6fNJgY8kyLY3jYVQeM5nJOPYVbdpg6XCpQ8LhoqwZFFU-kwIRilvcoyR2Po8HRMaF_TXvy12t7_/s1600/FAE_logo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr06Sx3Z6gqiW_FPR47AAddMwOMXwFSAglYmWIlzatvat1WVsYxz5ob-Dyx-OndabWU6fNJgY8kyLY3jYVQeM5nJOPYVbdpg6XCpQ8LhoqwZFFU-kwIRilvcoyR2Po8HRMaF_TXvy12t7_/s1600/FAE_logo.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fantasy Art Enterprises logo</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Erol Otus still had an effect on California Gaming. In 1979, he teamed up with his buddy Paul Reiche III (who was also being hired by TSR around this time) and <a href="http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,2873/">Mathias Genser</a> to create a couple of unlicensed fantasy RPG supplements. They founded their tiny publishing company, <b><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgpublisher/10418/fantasy-art-enterprises">Fantasy Art Enterprises</a></b>, in the "hills north of the UC Berkeley campus."(6)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYSHEAlspFLCka-lyu4ii8UcYxBN5Luy7gF8z4iNz3BZOUDxgVFt8CXf15bQ30jMkWmbj18-zLrBpXtAf2ShVUCfRlbC4BGNEd87hjY9LFsuMmOS1Rua6wXiGwhWoVE8_yTC9vLyfXiD7/s1600/BootyCover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYSHEAlspFLCka-lyu4ii8UcYxBN5Luy7gF8z4iNz3BZOUDxgVFt8CXf15bQ30jMkWmbj18-zLrBpXtAf2ShVUCfRlbC4BGNEd87hjY9LFsuMmOS1Rua6wXiGwhWoVE8_yTC9vLyfXiD7/s1600/BootyCover.jpg" height="250" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Booty and the Beasts</i> (1979) cover art by Erol Otus</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAsCsTyM3ldeDW2GYLL3kbz7jCbpYjr4rsNC1ThnOXazhPvoGmqlwzlVxbFC7AmXeJbwIfNMBlx7QR5mndbTdZfdUelvXZLlRIvulgjaOtSqO2gPDXgsLlq3T8SQGC9v_CsXn5XC1l2P8/s1600/BootyDedication.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAsCsTyM3ldeDW2GYLL3kbz7jCbpYjr4rsNC1ThnOXazhPvoGmqlwzlVxbFC7AmXeJbwIfNMBlx7QR5mndbTdZfdUelvXZLlRIvulgjaOtSqO2gPDXgsLlq3T8SQGC9v_CsXn5XC1l2P8/s1600/BootyDedication.jpg" height="251" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Booty and the Beasts</i> autographed by Otus to Mike, the lead singer of Slough Feg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Otus illustrated all products and contributed numerous designs. Reiche and Genser wrote the rest. They created a compilation of new monsters and treasures (<a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/54206/booty-and-beasts"><i>Booty and the Beasts</i></a>), a book of 132 new spells (<i><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/54207/necromican">The Necromican</a> </i>(not The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necronomicon">Necronomicon</a>)), a set of <a href="http://www.tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2146">Geomorphic Mini Dungeon Modules</a> and a set of <a href="http://www.tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3170">New Magical and Technological Item Cards</a>. The last item notably includes <b>"HANDY DANDY RANDOM MAGICAL ITEM GENERATION TABLES" </b>with which the user may create an item that deals <b>3d20</b> points of damage or a cursed item that slays its user, "<b>permanently</b>."<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3fYL7LNwdNi395ik5-P37XuO9RA4Iz8W156OFCIaxycskqISYKSX0WJNof2P9EfpGgyTWm6uHOJH9ssJS7ecU8-UuiDR8DJDSo0RFpsEtOFC0esY-58lGsYVHWX0pfSeCqid5GDEAZ0sX/s1600/necromicancover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3fYL7LNwdNi395ik5-P37XuO9RA4Iz8W156OFCIaxycskqISYKSX0WJNof2P9EfpGgyTWm6uHOJH9ssJS7ecU8-UuiDR8DJDSo0RFpsEtOFC0esY-58lGsYVHWX0pfSeCqid5GDEAZ0sX/s1600/necromicancover.jpg" height="254" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Necromican</i> (1979)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Their books were saddle stapled, softcover, roughly digest-sized (more like trade paperback sized 8 1/2" x 5 1/2") booklets and other supplements were printed on letter-sized (8 1/2" x 11") cardstock. This was the <i>de rigueur</i> RPG supplement publishing style at the time, matching the <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/45328/dungeons-dragons-woodgrain-box-white-box-sets">original D&D booklets</a> (1974) and early TSR supplements <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgseries/4692/dungeon-geomorphs">Dungeon Geomorphs</a> (1976) and <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/127301/outdoor-geomorphs-set-one-walled-city">Outdoor Geomorphs</a> (1977). One advantage is that the rulebooks and other supplements (once the cards or geomorphs
were cut apart) easily fit inside the original D&D box<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sNRsDPTcBkHufkuNEp1xXaGks00xnBvogGr17gfXBlYP04PPhZJ9j9JBteaKeE84IzHfRk6jIjorr4hjZP3NPBm2jbWN7jLIX4qmSE80hiDitSIWgzZ0jnyIIQoC2Oq9UI8bh5QYlcIw/s1600/magtechcards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sNRsDPTcBkHufkuNEp1xXaGks00xnBvogGr17gfXBlYP04PPhZJ9j9JBteaKeE84IzHfRk6jIjorr4hjZP3NPBm2jbWN7jLIX4qmSE80hiDitSIWgzZ0jnyIIQoC2Oq9UI8bh5QYlcIw/s1600/magtechcards.jpg" height="243" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>New Magical and Technological Item Cards </i>(1979) art by Erol Otus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Other Califonia gamers published in this same <b>"digest booklets + cut-apart cardstock"</b> style. Dave Hargrave's <i>The Arduin Grimoire</i> booklets and various <a href="http://tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3458">Arduin Cards supplements</a> (1977 Grimoire Games) are in this style. Clint Bigglestone, Terry Jackson (Steve Perrin's fellow DunDraCon organizers) and <a href="http://www.dundracon.com/DDC_DragonHistory.php">Kate Wadey</a> published <a href="http://tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2054">Artifact Cards</a> (1979) and both <a href="http://tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3524">Dungeon</a> and <a href="http://tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2053">City Geomorphs</a> (1978) under the <a href="http://www.afterglow2.com/Product/Dundracon.htm">DunDraCon, Inc.</a> name. Bigglestone's other company, <a href="http://www.afterglow2.com/Product/FF.htm">Fantasy Factory</a>, produced similar card-based accessories in 1978. The Playing Board of Albany published the digest-sized <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/67287/spellcasters-bible"><i>The Spellcaster's Bible</i></a> (1979) (see Conclusions, below). Matthew Walley of Chula Vista self-published his own <i><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/95045/wizards-aide">Wizard's Aide</a></i> (1977) booklet of the same mold.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGq4zRuQTqlDrGAYPH2289YP_hNfo_0gdNEXXYrp5zzZKmyq8cG-JFPoahhTixrQxwtogCqWQXtOuildYu78G6E0Xty9gRfACnNg2p7N1ECqcIGKNMnDcXfNf4wUcOVl4eQAxxjTD1uG4b/s1600/GeomorphicMini0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGq4zRuQTqlDrGAYPH2289YP_hNfo_0gdNEXXYrp5zzZKmyq8cG-JFPoahhTixrQxwtogCqWQXtOuildYu78G6E0Xty9gRfACnNg2p7N1ECqcIGKNMnDcXfNf4wUcOVl4eQAxxjTD1uG4b/s1600/GeomorphicMini0001.jpg" height="244" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Geomorphic Mini Dungeon Modules</i> (1979) art by Erol Otus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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Fantasy Art Enterprises' supplements tended to be of better quality than their competitors. Erol Otus' earliest illustrations were still better (or at least, more interesting) than most other amateur artists in the industry at that time. Otus' geomorphs are regarded as <a href="http://www.afterglow2.com/Product/FAE.htm">better than Bigglestone's or even TSR's offerings</a>. Otus teamed up with legendary-designer-to-be Paul Reiche III (future co-creator of <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/49200/legion-gold">GW1: <i>Legion of Gold</i></a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_Order_Monsters"><i>Mail Order Monsters</i></a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archon:_The_Light_and_the_Dark"><i>Archon</i></a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Control"><i>Star Control</i></a> and even the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/technology/article/Toys-for-Bob-Skylanders-game-creator-5517943.php#photo-6376322">Skylanders </a>franchise) and with an ability to create a legible book (a rarity in that era) made for a winning combination.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_eTcRxzkBERsoNd-Im_BZf6lpRYKJIoPZl20ExsNVQ74qWGwdEWRcqNDNQsxehtGvjA23DEZeLlGgQGR8hnxU4V4ttjBXivK_6-YrvBHZmvEqMnGFSi97OCd_3MZlVMc0M2Ugi_zTWRN/s1600/TheNeila.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_eTcRxzkBERsoNd-Im_BZf6lpRYKJIoPZl20ExsNVQ74qWGwdEWRcqNDNQsxehtGvjA23DEZeLlGgQGR8hnxU4V4ttjBXivK_6-YrvBHZmvEqMnGFSi97OCd_3MZlVMc0M2Ugi_zTWRN/s1600/TheNeila.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Neila, not H. R. Giger's Alien, from <i>Booty and the Beasts</i>, art by Erol Otus</td></tr>
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</td></tr>
<tr></tr>
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<br />
And their stuff was <i>weird</i>, like, <b>gonzo, out-there, bizarro <i>weird</i></b>. It was weirder that the poster child of gonzo gaming, <i>The Arduin Trilogy</i>.(7) Like Arduin, there is a mix of sci-fi and fantasy equipment and creatures, including aliens, robots, pulses rifles, ornithopters, particle beam weapons, whirly chairs (personal mini-helicopters) and more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWIVkA-1HJPZZYV3wcpahIT0DkWd-iP8IUjqq7RdPykqhIPcgunji7-UuqLxQWX4Fn9hYDjcnLkgKTMxzjmBxMzH5Wb5Rp0VbUuEnaZ5gMXL1VqdlPS7xuavYmR8CY53aNLC53O-B7oGx/s1600/vacucumber.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWIVkA-1HJPZZYV3wcpahIT0DkWd-iP8IUjqq7RdPykqhIPcgunji7-UuqLxQWX4Fn9hYDjcnLkgKTMxzjmBxMzH5Wb5Rp0VbUuEnaZ5gMXL1VqdlPS7xuavYmR8CY53aNLC53O-B7oGx/s1600/vacucumber.jpg" height="320" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vacucumber, victim and pile of treasure/excrement, from <i>Booty and the Beasts</i>, art by Erol Otus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Also, <b>there are plenty of puns</b>, such as the <b>"Vacucumber"</b> seen above, "a gargantuan sea cucumber with one addition: it has 11 huge tentacles... [with which] it combs the ocean around it for bits of food (sailors, scubadivers [sic], large fish, etc.) to suck down into its immense stomach."<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7k5jwo2mBB8Oy-XhhiCo7u7XeFQTreNg3myZ4ulhQMnkf5aXwD0rcj2pX2EE27QmVnZhpL47MClFSuJLKKrP2_j_B5FP5ibamJ6jJ7DPDubut-e4QWN2R2B7jbMFHnd_lysl0H5LazhM/s1600/Drillbot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7k5jwo2mBB8Oy-XhhiCo7u7XeFQTreNg3myZ4ulhQMnkf5aXwD0rcj2pX2EE27QmVnZhpL47MClFSuJLKKrP2_j_B5FP5ibamJ6jJ7DPDubut-e4QWN2R2B7jbMFHnd_lysl0H5LazhM/s1600/Drillbot.jpg" height="320" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drillbot, from <i>Booty and the Beasts</i>, art by Erol Otus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>It was weird, but not abstract.</b> <i>Booty and the Beasts</i> includes a 20-location hit location system used for certain weapons/creature attacks (such as the Drillbot, above). The monsters stats tended to be simple (no alignment or treasure) but always include a Dexterity rating (sometimes as high as 25!), probably due to the dexterity-based initiative rules in the <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/45783/dungeons-dragons-basic-set-first-edition">Holmes Basic D&D set</a> (1977) or <i>The Arduin Grimoire</i>.<br />
<br />
<b>Whatever happened to Fantasy Art Enterprises?</b> Otus and Reiche were hired by TSR, who would frown on employees making their own products to compete with them. Eventually, all three members of the company (Genser included) moved into the video game industry. FAE produced no more products after 1979.<br />
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<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Conclusions:</h3>
<br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><b><span style="color: red;">ARDUIN WAS EVERYWHERE.</span></b></span> Every time I research a 1970s Californian RPG supplement, publisher or game designer, Dave Hargrave is affiliated somehow. Even my copy of <i>The Spellcaster's Bible</i> by The Playing Board has a notice stamped (not printed) to the inside front cover stating, "Some of the material within this book is inspired by and based upon material from "Adruin Trilogy" and other works by David A. Hargrave©." My planned Arduin post will require further research.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgUrhuCAGpZgRLxJlBSl65qorAHPFqxiH4EYL3jsbZQRNnNw4prHkAIjYmAFcopQXutuM_FJ0RcHFQwqUCPceH8Jf3q54e7cfFSKCXLYF52xn_6mzn4H1n6BHCr4vkJq6Y5pJURwjDWSl/s1600/TermiteMen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgUrhuCAGpZgRLxJlBSl65qorAHPFqxiH4EYL3jsbZQRNnNw4prHkAIjYmAFcopQXutuM_FJ0RcHFQwqUCPceH8Jf3q54e7cfFSKCXLYF52xn_6mzn4H1n6BHCr4vkJq6Y5pJURwjDWSl/s1600/TermiteMen.jpg" height="153" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left, Termite People from <i>Booty and the Beast</i> (1979). Right, Buggems (a.k.a. "Termite Men") from GW1: <i>Legion of Gold</i> (1981). All art by Erol Otus.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><b>TSR got a healthy dose of gonzo where it needed it most - Gamma World</b></span></span>. Somebody at TSR wisely put both Reiche and Otus together on <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/261/gamma-world-1st-edition">Gamma World</a> (1978), Jim Ward's new post-apocalypic, science fantasy RPG and pseudo-sequel to <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/53040/metamorphosis-alpha">Metamorphosis Alpha</a> (1976). Reiche and Otus were able to reuse some old designs, perfect for this game, as seen by the Termite People and Termite Men, above. <br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: red;"><b>The lasting power of friendship?</b></span></span> There is something to be said for childhood friends who can work together through the decades. I met both Reiche and Otus in 2011 and they were both warm, receptive guys who were a pleasure to speak with. That will be the subject of another post, dealing with <a href="http://rpggeek.com/image/536095/legion-gold?size=large">a certain artifact in my possession</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
1: "When people ask me if I was on drugs when I created, then I must inform that I never was." Rients, Jeff, "Interview with Erol Otus," Fight On! no. 8 (2010): 78.<br />
2: "We had tried a bit of battling with the Chainmail rules, then a friend bought the boxed set of three pamphlets." Ibid., 77.<br />
3: Hargrave, David, <i>The Arduin Grimoire</i> (Richmond: David Hargrave, 1977), 2.<br />
4: "Erol Otus for doing the preliminary work and illustrations of the <i>anhkheg </i>and <i>remorhaz </i>which appeared in <i>The Dragon</i>." Gygax, Gary, Monster Manual (Lake Geneva: TSR Games, 1977), 4.<br />
5: "My favorite D&D artist is Trampier, though he had just quit before I got there. In fact I believe that was the reason they were looking for an artist at the time." Rients, Jeff, 77.<br />
6: Appelcline, Shannon, <i>Designers & Dragons: The '70s</i> (Silver Spring: Evil Hat Productions, LLC, 2014), 322.<br />
7: "Most consider Fantasy Art's books even more gonzo than <i>Arduin</i> itself." Ibid. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-50396445560017914522014-12-09T01:49:00.002-05:002014-12-14T22:52:15.988-05:00#12A - California Gaming Part I - Steve Perrin's Conventions - #RPGaDAY<h2>
Tracing the California Gaming Scene, part I: Steve Perrin in NorCal</h2>
I still read a number of old RPG supplements in my study of the early history of gaming. While many game historians study the origins of the hobby that spread from the wargame groups of the Great Lakes region (specifically, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Geneva_Tactical_Studies_Association">Lake Geneva</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackmoor#Early_history">Twin Cities of St. Paul/Minneapolis</a>), I focus on the gaming scene that developed in my home state of California. West coast gamers created their own "flavors" of playing. I'll cover these in several posts and see how they wrap back into the official D&D game.<br />
<br />
<h3>
1976 Berkeley: Dundracon I, An Unconventional Convention for Perrin's Conventions</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<b><a href="http://dundracon.com/index.php">DunDraCon</a> </b>(<b>Dun</b>geons & <b>Dra</b>gons <b>Con</b>vention) was first held in Berkeley's <a href="http://www.claremontresort.com/">Claremont Hotel</a> in March, 1976. There, the public first encountered <i><a href="https://app.box.com/shared/fuj3cuzbib"><b>The Perrin Conventions</b></a></i>, a set of D&D house rules handed out by organizer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Perrin">Steve Perrin</a> (who was also a founding member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_for_Creative_Anachronism">Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA)</a>).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvy4RfC1RaKpswoIQfY26IPpFx4RUMyv6NlyDqq0BTG7Km6tZVAt9FJrbmjPP-2uJUoBLYPRJFiNQ3CwDr7_h1moyNLWqMhr63Q8FJg8_nsXLSGlGjxeZvPfjBWY3N6I2SY9eWqLfJoc2/s1600/Hotel_Claremont_Berkeley_CA_005-707363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvy4RfC1RaKpswoIQfY26IPpFx4RUMyv6NlyDqq0BTG7Km6tZVAt9FJrbmjPP-2uJUoBLYPRJFiNQ3CwDr7_h1moyNLWqMhr63Q8FJg8_nsXLSGlGjxeZvPfjBWY3N6I2SY9eWqLfJoc2/s1600/Hotel_Claremont_Berkeley_CA_005-707363.jpg" height="202" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Location of the first Dundracon </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i>The Perrin Conventions</i> included details for D&D combat, like: breaking up a round into phases, adding a "dexterity roll" to do other actions, knocking down opponents and two-weapon fighting. These were likely inspired by Perrin and his friends' experiences in mock battles with the SCA. This initial set of rules modified the magic system and included Dave Hargrave's critical hit rules(1).<br />
<br />
<i> </i><a href="http://www.dundracon.com/DDC_StaffBios.php">Perrin's own Dundracon bio</a> admits that he didn't design all the rules, he was just the guy who typed them up for distribution. The rules received some notice from the convention attendants, but this was a limited group of mostly gamers from the Bay Area and surrounding regions. Still, it served as an early mutation on the original D&D rules from 1974 and showed that some players were interested in a less abstract combat system.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclBppvVx1QInZqwB96p07c9qQbUh3o8YXPFwwJOgKhD1X8imuMpJ1W6SOFR5XiCega6glED_BJGpiti1GFnTFXaYZTiE1FlRbDP5hcFXxwDOFsWlB2Mvtv-mNOEZwyALREUGYbzQpNpFZ/s1600/SteveNLuisePerrin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclBppvVx1QInZqwB96p07c9qQbUh3o8YXPFwwJOgKhD1X8imuMpJ1W6SOFR5XiCega6glED_BJGpiti1GFnTFXaYZTiE1FlRbDP5hcFXxwDOFsWlB2Mvtv-mNOEZwyALREUGYbzQpNpFZ/s1600/SteveNLuisePerrin.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve Perrin and his wife Luise in SCA regalia at the 1968 Worldcon (<a href="http://www.lasfsinc.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=285&Itemid=514">source</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Steve Perrin wanted to become more involved in the nascent RPG industry and teamed up with fellow gamer Jeff Pimper to edit together a book of monsters, complete with stats for D&D and two newer games: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnels_%26_Trolls">Tunnels & Trolls</a> (T&T, first published 1975) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduin">Arduin</a> (first published as <i>The Arduin Grimoire</i> in 1977).<br />
<br />
In addition to their own creations, Perrin and Pimper compiled creature designs mostly from APA zines (<a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgperiodical/1497/wild-hunt">The Wild Hunt</a> and <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgperiodical/1494/alarums-excursions">Alarums & Excursions</a> (A&E)) or from local gamers. The designers included <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_A._Hargrave">Dave Hargrave</a> (local gamer and creator of The Arduin Grimoire), Clint Bigglestone (Dundracon organizer), <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgdesigner/59990/sean-cleary">Sean Cleary</a> (A&E and Wild Hunt), <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgdesigner/63431/hilda-c-hannifen">Hilda Hannifen</a> ("The Ignoble Mockturtle" A&E zine), <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgartist/24246/roger-harvey">Roger Harvey</a> (later, an illustrator for Judges Guild), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Henderson_%28game_designer%29">Steve Henderson</a> (another SCA and Dundracon founder), <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgdesigner/29717/dan-pierson">Dan Pierson</a> and <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgdesigner/21281/glenn-f-blacow">Glenn Blacow</a> (both from Wild Hunt), and others.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgdesigner/13161/jennell-allyn-jaquays">Jennell Jaquays</a> (using the name Paul) contributed a few designs from her RPG fanzine, <i><a href="http://www.acaeum.com/jg/DungeoneerMags1-6.html">The Dungeoneer</a> </i>(about one year later, <a href="http://www.acaeum.com/jg/HistoryDungeoneer.html">this became a Judges Guild magazine</a>). Jaquays went on to a prolific career designing and illustrating RPGs, authored classic modules like <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/50937/dark-tower"><i>Dark Tower</i></a>, became one of the first tabletop designers in video game design (at Coleco). <span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: yellow;">(12-11-14 edited for clarity)</span></span><br />
<br />
They had more than one book's worth of material, so the editors decided to only print monsters that were never published before. Thus some of Jaquays and Hargrave's designs were left on the cutting room floor with some others from A&E. The monsters were given only D&D stats, though each entry included ranges for "IQ" (Intelligence) and Dexterity. They just needed a publisher.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
1977 Albany: Chaosium publishes a Monster Manual or two before TSR </h3>
<h3>
</h3>
Greg Stafford <a href="http://www.rpg.net/columns/briefhistory/briefhistory3.phtml">founded his company</a> The Chaosium in 1975 to publish <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/10884/white-bear-red-moon">White Bear & Red Moon</a> (later reprinted as <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1720/dragon-pass">Dragon Pass</a>), the first board game set in his fantasy world of Glorantha. Stafford was an D&D player and <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090719194323/http://weltentore.dyndns.org/?Interviews:Greg_Stafford:English_Version">maybe purchased the first D&D set ever sold</a>. Perrin, Pimper and Stafford met through mutual friends and when Stafford heard about their project, he was eager to have Chaosium publish it and get into the RPG supplement business.<br />
<br />
Stafford was trying and failing to get a Gloranthan RPG off the
ground. First, Dave Hargrave tried to make a Gloranthan version of his
Arduin system and Chaosium had planned to publish <i>The Arduin Grimoire</i>; Chaosium house magazine Wyrm's Footnotes issue 2 notes: "THE ARDUIN GRIMOIRE will be the first of our new products." A few months later, the <i>very next issue</i> states: "When we finally received the manuscript to ARDUIN GRIMOIRE, it was not quite what we had hoped for... we have decided not to publish the rules." Hargrave had to self-publish <i>The Arduin Grimoire</i> (more on this later). It is said that Chaosium felt Arduin was too derivative of D&D; issue 3 doesn't say this directly, but it does refer to Arduin as, "a supplement, if you will," and highly recommend it for, "experienced dungeoneers," (i.e. anyone who already owns the D&D rules?).<br />
<br />
Stafford's design team of
Hendrik Jan Pfeiffer, Art Turney and Ray Turney worked on the Gloranthan
RPG as a D&D supplement but Stafford's world was unique and needed its own unique
game system. Impressed with <i>The Perrin Conventions</i>, Stafford asked Perrin to <a href="http://www.maranci.net/rqpast.htm">"look in and see if he could help the situation</a>" on July 4, 1976(2).<br />
<br />
Perrin
came up with revolutionary changes to the new system, like doing away
with experience points, having no character classes and flat hit point
values that don't increase linearly with experience. Slowly, Perrin was put in charge
of the project. Only Ray Turney stayed on from the original design team
and Perrin added fellow SCA members Steve Henderson and Warren James.
Stafford was very pleased with the team's work on his fantasy world.<br />
<br />
Chaosium published Perrin and Pimper's <i>All the World's Monsters</i> sometime in 1977, getting to market before TSR's official monster collection, the AD&D <i>Monster Manual </i>(released in December, 1977).
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS1E05tThzIl3IpBc6UpNV20kMePH9TNaLUMcdaA6NMrEfox7hqVtcN-rGpoPPfwQqt-5aQBeZNwvrY1jzNHkl1PRNz5JD86Q2oaOMv1-1470KrqtN5j1IPMOpJA5QPaXkPSH53UOPMK1q/s1600/Games+AllTheWorld+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS1E05tThzIl3IpBc6UpNV20kMePH9TNaLUMcdaA6NMrEfox7hqVtcN-rGpoPPfwQqt-5aQBeZNwvrY1jzNHkl1PRNz5JD86Q2oaOMv1-1470KrqtN5j1IPMOpJA5QPaXkPSH53UOPMK1q/s1600/Games+AllTheWorld+sm.jpg" height="320" width="152" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the <i>All the Worlds' Monsters</i>, volumes 1-3</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>All the World's Monsters vol. 2</i> followed that same year and maybe hit the shelves before <i>Monster Manual </i>as well. In addition to adding in cut designs by Hargrave, Jaquays and others, the second volume included T&T conversion notes (by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_St._Andre">Ken St. Andre</a>) and a refined, revised set of <i>The Perrin Conventions</i> (dated November, 1977) that focused mostly on D&D combat, less Hargrave's critical hit rules. Now, the house rules were available to a much wider audience.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8-_CYTLl-nCzKFOvsyFQ8ll_p0s0AgIyAlccDbmj8J1Tcnxuu-opsTMb0KYjdQ2UB4LQa1sU5N7b44hz46V3Rc3gbrCQ1IerN2h-eH4lObENFqksqqPFL2SLgMosj7XBC7V3Hat7Xe_p/s1600/Runequest1sted1stprint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8-_CYTLl-nCzKFOvsyFQ8ll_p0s0AgIyAlccDbmj8J1Tcnxuu-opsTMb0KYjdQ2UB4LQa1sU5N7b44hz46V3Rc3gbrCQ1IerN2h-eH4lObENFqksqqPFL2SLgMosj7XBC7V3Hat7Xe_p/s1600/Runequest1sted1stprint.jpg" height="320" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RuneQuest, 1st printing cover. Illustration by Luise Perrin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In 1978, the new Perrin-led Gloranthan game <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/277/runequest-1st-2nd-editions">RuneQuest</a> was born and, with it, Chaosium's in-house <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgsystem/603/basic-role-playing-brp">Basic Role-Playing</a> (BRP) system. This BRP system was also modified into Worlds of Wonder, Call of Cthulhu, Elfquest, Stormbringer/Elric!, Hawkmoon, Pendragon, Superworld, Ringworld and many other games. This was also one of the earliest "universal" RPG systems (though many of the different games were only barely compatible).<br />
<br />
The combat system was quite detailed, with parries, fumbles, critical hits, hit locations and more. RuneQuest the first totally skill-based RPG without classes (Traveller (1977) had character skills but no way to improve them) where the player could develop their character as they desire. For some years, RuneQuest provided competition to TSR's sales and Chaosium is one of the few game companies from that era still in business today.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="background-color: black;">12-11-14 Update: </span> </span><br />
I'll let <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Eric_Holmes"><b>Dr. J. Eric Holmes</b></a>, editor of the first D&D Basic Set and a SoCal gamer, describe RuneQuest's combat system as he compared it to D&D in 1981.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The combat system requires a little more bookkeeping than D&D and is, therefore, more "realistic."(3)</blockquote>
Could you elaborate, Dr. Holmes?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Combat rules are extremely complex. There are die rolls for each hit and its parry, for the location of the hit as well as for the extent of the damage. There are special scores which indicate a "critical hit" or a "fumble," and then another roll to see what the nature of the critical injury or fumble might be. Special training will increase the character's ability to hit with a particular weapon. Each weapon must, realistically, be trained for individually, at a cost of silver lunars (the coin of the realm) or maybe by doing some more die rolls to see if your character has learned from experience after a successful fight.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
All of this takes a lot of bookkeeping, die rolling and calculation with every blow struck. <b>This is not necessarily a criticism.</b> A great deal of any game is spent in the calculations and die rolling involved in combat... A pocket calculator might come in handy. <b>Many game players revel in these complicated calculations. The more complex the computations of each weapon blow, the better they like it.</b>(4) (emphasis mine)</blockquote>
So, Holmes found players in Southern California that, like many Northern California counterparts, preferred a complex, "realistic" combat system. Holmes did not share that opinion, himself:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
What are the advantages of this game over its (inevitable comparison) competitor, Dungeons & Dragons? In terms of basic game mechanics, character generation, experience, combat, magic, I would say none. Some fans of the game would cry that it has greater "realism," but I think these are minor differences.(5)</blockquote>
<br />
Holmes appears to like the RuneQuest game and speaks highly of its clarity in writing, numerous examples and the novelty of a game manual with an <b>index </b>(something he wished for his own Basic D&D(6)). Besides the combat complexities, his main complaint was he didn't feel the RPG captured the "feel" of Glorantha (as seen in White Bear & Red Moon). It missed out on the "eerie feeling of <i>reality</i> to his imaginary world(7)" that Greg Stafford brings when he writes games, himself.<br />
<br />
<i>Note:</i> Holmes probably played 2nd edition RuneQuest as opposed to 1st edition. As far as I understand, the differences between the two are minimal. <br />
<span style="color: yellow;"><span style="background-color: black;">End 12-11-14 Update </span> </span><br />
<br />
<h3>
Conclusions:</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
First of all, <span style="color: red;"><b>RuneQuest did not evolve directly from <i>The Perrin Conventions</i></b></span>. It may seem obvious, but the internet is full of quotes like, "Runequest's rules were made from The Perrin Conventions," or, "RuneQuest is a codification and development of the Perrin Conventions." (quotes slightly obfuscated) These statements imply that RuneQuest is nothing more than a D&D variant, but that simply isn't the case. There are similarities between the two, but no more so than with countless other systems. If Chaosium just wanted a D&D variant, they would've used Pfeiffer, Turney and Turney's design and gone to market with it back in 1977.<br />
<br />
Second, <span style="color: red;"><b>SCA members and wargamers play differently</b></span>. D&D evolved from wargame rules by members of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_%26_Crusade_Society">Castle & Crusade Society</a>, founded by Gary Gygax and Rob Kuntz as a chapter of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Federation_of_Wargaming">International Federation of Wargaming</a>, itself founded by Gygax, Scott Duncan and Bill Speer in 1966. These gamers got together around a sand table (usually in Gary's basement) ordering miniature armies into mock battles. Abstract combat was simple and made sense.<br />
<br />
Conversely, the SCA was founded in Berkeley in 1966 with armored members going outside to fight mock battles with padded weapons. Their point of view was not that of a military commander with a bird's eye view of battle, but as a common soldier who has felt the heft of their shield and the sting of a (padded) sword. <span style="color: red;"><b>Combat seems abstract if you aren't the one fighting</b></span>. The reenactors saw something missing in abstract combat and created their own rules and games to fill those gaps.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Maybe it all comes down to the weather</b></span>. In sunny California, you can go outside and play practically all year round. When it gets cold up North, it is best to hunker down next near the heater and go to war with some good friends around the sand table.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<h3>
</h3>
1. Peterson, Jon, <i>Playing at the World (</i>San Diego: Unreason Press, 2012), 554.<br />
2. Appelcline, Shannon, <i>Designers & Dragons: The '70s</i> (Silver Spring: Evil Hat Productions, LLC, 2014), 251.<br />
3. J. Eric Holmes, "Science Fiction and Fantasy Games," <i>Locus </i>v. 14 no. 11 (1981): 24.<br />
4. J. Eric Holmes, <i>Fantasy Role Playing Games</i> (New York: Hippocrene Books, Inc., 1981), 120-121.<br />
5. Ibid., 121.<br />
6. J. Eric Holmes, "Basic D&D® Points of View... from the Editors Old and New," <i>The Dragon</i> v. VI no. 2 (1981): 17.<br />
7. J. Eric Holmes, <i>Fantasy Role Playing Games</i>, 121-122.<br />
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Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-37057092588095548452014-09-03T22:02:00.001-04:002014-12-08T00:03:05.088-05:00#11 Weirdest RPG Owned - The All Australian Role Playing Game #RPGaDAYWhile riding a hotel shuttle from the <a href="http://www.comic-con.org/">San Diego Comic-Con</a> back in the early 90s, I overheard a young man excitedly describe a game to his friends in the seat behind him. The player characters are cartoon-like alien tourists who go on hunting safaris on backwoods planets, tracking and killing the low intelligence native species there. One particular backwoods planet is called <b>"Earth"</b> though, due to a translation error, the alien hunters call it <b>"Dirt."</b> There, the low intelligence native population of <b>"Whoomens"</b> are fighting back, retaliating with all manner of absurd ordnance. Also, the game is entirely focused on Australia, written by Australians, played by Australians, published in Australia and features an Australia-centric view of Earth on the front cover.<br />
<br />
I continued to my hotel, probably to play some AD&D with a cadre of friends I shared a room with (the hotels were expensive even back then).<br />
<br />
But the image of that Australia-centric view of Earth never left my mind.<br />
<br />
... <br />
<br />
Some 15 years later I found <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/45791/hunter-planet"><b><i>Hunter Planet</i></b></a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlWsDjWLWF_edlI0oWaRjkqJA3zXElAFG818aq7oaJWfdjEBd8LO52Lkmljl21648bxuDty6bJoVoLU2024ti4cfeCAf5TIKoyqOybuPnIWCo9KVL54LHW03D2AY2TPiQ3ieW3IC0zXyZ/s1600/HP_cover_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlWsDjWLWF_edlI0oWaRjkqJA3zXElAFG818aq7oaJWfdjEBd8LO52Lkmljl21648bxuDty6bJoVoLU2024ti4cfeCAf5TIKoyqOybuPnIWCo9KVL54LHW03D2AY2TPiQ3ieW3IC0zXyZ/s1600/HP_cover_sm.jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Target: Dirt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The game is every bit as bizarre and Australia-centric as my memory of that overheard description. Imagine a cross between <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgfamily/378/paranoia">Paranoia</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator_%28alien%29">Predator</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitchhikers_guide">The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</a> and <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/571/toon">Toon</a>. The alien player characters are working class schlubs who saved up their vacation time for an exotic safari to shoot easy game and bring home a nice trophy for the mantlepiece (or alien equivalent).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Cm5DDwBmqtHsSQmQnDjMhf65JKdQNdXmeVxqxtzDv1PKs6iR15ozlEmgEodwh9LnsA3INeKGIjkcdeA6sytw28RAkVDyy6pIiYSTTKNb-ucXdl-86ylMihZkE6lpT4iXZOoqixKSEEGz/s1600/HP_PhotoOp_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Cm5DDwBmqtHsSQmQnDjMhf65JKdQNdXmeVxqxtzDv1PKs6iR15ozlEmgEodwh9LnsA3INeKGIjkcdeA6sytw28RAkVDyy6pIiYSTTKNb-ucXdl-86ylMihZkE6lpT4iXZOoqixKSEEGz/s1600/HP_PhotoOp_sm.jpg" height="320" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smile!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What they find on our home of Dirt is a Whoomen population ravaged by constant hot wars and cold wars where most citizens have access to arsenals that outclass the tourists' laser rifles and automatic crossbows. The Hunters become the hunted. The powerful Whoomen weapons are also more likely to backfire, so a tourist who steals a Whoomen rocket launcher is bound to end his vacation in a predictably tragic, yet hilarious, manner.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUPS0h291Sm_UV8morOBCNPkYdZRZDFNaflFXUxKsVTpE36qlgYjaHs_oDE1EtE_SYZVs3-hdy4aWj9KtVbsCr3GJMc-mA26HJo7axbyOh_XqQIcVMOPisVXWZAqqCpm14kXDSTfwf4Hc/s1600/HP_Bugs_sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUPS0h291Sm_UV8morOBCNPkYdZRZDFNaflFXUxKsVTpE36qlgYjaHs_oDE1EtE_SYZVs3-hdy4aWj9KtVbsCr3GJMc-mA26HJo7axbyOh_XqQIcVMOPisVXWZAqqCpm14kXDSTfwf4Hc/s1600/HP_Bugs_sm.jpg" height="320" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sample Character</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The game is run with several different players in the roles of the Hunters and one player as <b>CM</b>
(which may stand for Control Man, Condition Modifier, Chocolate Milk,
Carbon Monoxide, Crazy Man, Chance Master or Certified Maniac). The
players create their characters by rolling 1d10 for each characteristic (Strength, Dexterity, etc.) in order
with two rerolls allowed. Luck is rolled on 1d6 and is rerolled at the
start of each game.<br />
<br />
At this point, we are directed to refer to footnote 87. Spoiler alert: there is no footnote 87.<br />
<br />
Players roll 1d10+10 to determine Hit Points, a term which is not explained. It is assumed the players role-play enough to know what any D&D-derived terms mean.<br />
<br />
The players now select their equipment and weapons, but no more than three grenades and no Alpha-Beta Plus Gamma Radiation Neutron Destructo Particle Accelerator Beams. Otherwise, the players are free to choose what gear they wish... with the realization that the natives they encounter will probably have something equally egregious. If the CM determines that your character is carrying too much weight (footnote 35 says you probably are), he will probably strike any excess off the character sheet. Example equipment is listed, such as Light Sword, Tangle Grenades, Dehydrated Water, 10 Sided Die, Anti Gravity Belt and "Whammo" Door Charges.<br />
<br />
The CM then describes the scenario the Hunters find themselves in on their one-week tour of Dirt before they are beamed back up to the Hunting Tours Incorporated ship. They probably won't survive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbD2XayYivpGG3aP6ZuZoHMaa_NYQVvDHz47_WbOVVoZeLADeN0z7wqw7tMpcHmb8tl67Z9ZATXhF-GgpHiWqb28D70KKoDAjIz8RXK_kS4pgcD_3lWP9Hm4jvzk4z8v36mPEH-eS83Hl/s1600/HP_Emperor_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbD2XayYivpGG3aP6ZuZoHMaa_NYQVvDHz47_WbOVVoZeLADeN0z7wqw7tMpcHmb8tl67Z9ZATXhF-GgpHiWqb28D70KKoDAjIz8RXK_kS4pgcD_3lWP9Hm4jvzk4z8v36mPEH-eS83Hl/s1600/HP_Emperor_sm.jpg" height="252" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note: this is not Emperor I. M. Wunndafull. I think this is his secretary.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My biggest surprise when I picked up <i>Hunter Planet</i> was the realization that this was the <b><i>second</i></b> game I owned by designer <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgdesigner/15949/david-bruggeman">David Bruggeman</a>. The first was an obscure set of miniature wargaming rules titled <i><b>WWII Book of Armaments</b></i> that I picked up somewhere on a whim. The rules are good, but the game is SO obscure that I can't find a good web link for it (<b><i>EDIT:</i></b> I created a page about the game <b><a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/165434/wwii-book-armaments">HERE</a></b>). It was published by <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgpublisher/10138/australian-games-group">The Australian Games Group</a> (TAGG) best known for publishing <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/50000/lace-steel"><b><i>Lace & Steel</i></b></a>, the swashbuckling fantasy RPG with innovative card-based mechanics and illustrations by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Barr">Donna Barr</a> (see Ms. Barr's Boinger and Zereth at the bottom of <a href="http://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/08/10-favorite-game-fiction-maze-of-peril.html">this post</a>).<br />
<br />
The Book of Armaments includes a photo of the designer:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOLFrpwOpqMpILDNfxftryA-mSBcgTj8QXWO_Y1HYpuTaUla_o6PVWuN-RmGDpbBSEnBXUJY8O6HBxk-XweLc5UsF8pAOVnCAs7Tmcw0wKmLZ-vDzAwdakDll7y8kaInIcyBbWZQOBmdl/s1600/DavidBruggeman_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOLFrpwOpqMpILDNfxftryA-mSBcgTj8QXWO_Y1HYpuTaUla_o6PVWuN-RmGDpbBSEnBXUJY8O6HBxk-XweLc5UsF8pAOVnCAs7Tmcw0wKmLZ-vDzAwdakDll7y8kaInIcyBbWZQOBmdl/s1600/DavidBruggeman_sm.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Emperor I. M. Wunndafull</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Bruggeman devotes four full pages of the 35-page <i>Hunter Planet</i> to his "<b>Guide to Better CMing (or The Dos and Don'ts of CMing)</b>." Some pieces of advice are obvious but many are quite good. I summarized several of them as follows:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">DO</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Read widely</span></span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"> (An extensive general knowledge is an important benefit to all CMs)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Prepare a scenario</b> (Prepare a situation where the Hunters will find themselves)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Concoct various surprises</b> (Ammunition wasting creatures, traps and tricks, strange inhabitants, etc.)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Roll dice frequently</b> (This puts the players on edge and causes them to react to non-existent dangers)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Build tension and action up to the beam up time</b> (The mothership checks in with the Hunters once every four hours. They may be beamed up at this time, but at no other time. Actually, they can request it at other times, but the request is ignored)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Ad lib frequently</b> (Unexpected events create confusion, excitement and fun)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Inspire character conversations with non player characters</b> (The CM gets to role play a more interesting character than a stupid Orc and gets to hear what the players call a logical, convincing argument) </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Cheat</b> (But cheat fairly)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Tell the Hunters only what they would know as aliens</b> (Which isn't much)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Ensure that everything in the game has both a good and bad side</b> (Called the "Bad News Factor," all weapons and equipment have at least a 5% chance of something horrible happening when used)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>React to players comments</b> (Once a player says something, even in jest, it will be acted upon by the CM)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>DON'T</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Be sadistic</span></b><span style="font-size: small;"> (The adventure should be dangerous, not a suicide trip)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Play strictly to the rules</b> (What rules?)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Give away benefits easily</b> (Benefits must be earned)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Hide behind the CMs screen</b> (The screen is designed to hide the CM's game information, not the CM himself)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Forget</b> (The CM should remember when a player forgets to reload his weapon and tries to shoot, etc.)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Land the Hunters in the middle of nowhere with nothing to destroy</b> (Where they land may "appear" to be peaceful but it should be nothing of the sort)</span></span></div>
Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-70386348549638371622014-08-25T00:01:00.000-04:002014-12-08T00:04:52.365-05:00#10 Favorite Game Fiction - The Maze of Peril #RPGaDAYLet's face it, most game fiction isn't very good.<br />
<br />
Many examples of game fiction tend to break the rules of the game's universe or adhere too closely to the game's format and just end up with mediocre stories. Not every good game designer is a good fiction writer (but many think they are). They often get tangled up in serious, epic, wanna-be Lord of the Rings, everything-depends-on-us quests to save the world and miss out on the fun of adventure gaming. To belabor the famous Joker quote, <i>"Why so serious?"</i><br />
<br />
I've read some of the earliest game fiction novels ever printed. Veteran author <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Norton">Andre Norton's</a> <a href="http://blogofholding.com/?p=5498"><i>Quag Keep</i></a> (1978) is notable as a historical, early peek into Gary Gygax's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Greyhawk_Fantasy_Game_Setting">World of Greyhawk</a>/<a href="http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-great-kingdom-domesday-book-9.html">The Great Kingdom</a> setting. The sequel, <a href="http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Return_to_Quag_Keep"><i>Return to Quag Keep</i></a>, loses the Greyhawk setting and the small amount of charm the original held.<br />
<br />
The oldest game novel I've found is <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2202947.War_Gamers_World"><i>War-Gamers' World</i></a> (1978) by Hugh Walker (pen name for <a href="http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubert_Stra%C3%9Fl">Hubert Straßl</a>). It was first published in German as <a href="http://www.amazon.de/Reiter-Finsternis-Fantasy-Roman-Hugh-Walker/dp/B004VWSOVK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1408545666&sr=8-3&keywords=Reiter+der+Finsternis+Hugh+Walker"><i>Reiter der Finsternis</i></a> (Rider of Darkness) in 1975 and is the first book of the <a href="http://www.librarything.com/series/Magira">Magira</a> series. It is based on the German fantasy wargame/proto-RPG hybrid <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/17522/armageddon-das-strategische-fantasyspiel">Armageddon</a> developed by the gaming group FOLLOW in 1966. Since that time, the setting spawned <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgsetting/16780/magira">several RPGs</a>. This first novel opens with a player getting sucked into the game's fantasy world. There are several references to seeing the world as interconnected hexagons. Not recommended except as another historical oddity.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihakYhH07mp0EtRkk5HQTPF6AXFdUp3iGJgZZ3sqU4N3ALh368aXK14_uSAO_8WnLaFkCcZhs14eW5mBI9IAWg5hOy57kswkOGv3KWefk4lgM7SjULkalfZ3XohT5UFEbRgcZC3CXWqjBv/s1600/MazeofPerilheader.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihakYhH07mp0EtRkk5HQTPF6AXFdUp3iGJgZZ3sqU4N3ALh368aXK14_uSAO_8WnLaFkCcZhs14eW5mBI9IAWg5hOy57kswkOGv3KWefk4lgM7SjULkalfZ3XohT5UFEbRgcZC3CXWqjBv/s1600/MazeofPerilheader.gif" height="48" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I give a hearty recommendation for my favorite piece of game fiction: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Maze-Peril-John-Eric-Holmes/dp/0917053052"><b><i>The Maze of Peril</i></b></a>, a short novel written by the original Basic D&D rules editor, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Eric_Holmes">Dr. John Eric Holmes</a>.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5jceYSnn5ayWgLDlmpoemrzYk0yYukyo0GYCC0-d7V2ElyhTJZFAWgA5GQRgSoKBeVxirSvdfizORWHwI1CD22aqH93EHgrQMU6h-M2CCYUdFnwd7WnkNTIIJiwfxmUzEwS3qDALZXuj/s1600/MazeofPeril_blurb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5jceYSnn5ayWgLDlmpoemrzYk0yYukyo0GYCC0-d7V2ElyhTJZFAWgA5GQRgSoKBeVxirSvdfizORWHwI1CD22aqH93EHgrQMU6h-M2CCYUdFnwd7WnkNTIIJiwfxmUzEwS3qDALZXuj/s1600/MazeofPeril_blurb.jpg" height="202" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SPOILER ALERT: They don't save the world</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Contrary to the publisher's blurb. Our heroes don't try to save the world. Boinger the halfling and Zereth the elf are just out to make a buck without having to get a real job. They undertake adventures to make quick cash and live the life of Riley at the Green Dragon Tavern for a few months. When the gold runs thin and the landlord comes a knockin', they undertake another delve into the Underworld to relieve some nasty monsters of their glittering treasures.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boinger, another party member and Zereth relieving some nasty monster of its glittering treasure (art by Jim Roslof from "The Sorcerer's Jewel")</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It is so refreshing to read an adventure story without the gloom and doom of the ultimate destruction of everything good folk hold sacred due to the megalomaniacal plans of some evil Sauron look-alike dark lord. These are two good friends just struggling to get by and maybe, someday, hit it rich. Their camaraderie and their humor really comes through in Holmes' writing. In a good way, it reminds me of the early <i>Star Wars</i> comic books by Marvel. The galaxy was safe from the ultimate apocalypse weapon, the Death Star, and the raised stakes of <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i> hadn't come into play yet. Han, Luke, Leia and their friends were free to adventure and freewheel their way across the galaxy.<br />
<br />
<b>BEGIN SPOILER WARNING</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bardan the dwarf's fate (as portrayed by Barely A. Dwarf in "Were-shark," an early version of <i>The Maze of Peril's</i> chapter 2 published as a stand-alone short story, art by Chris Holmes)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Nothing world-shattering is at stake; Boinger &co's quests are of a personal nature. During an early foray into the Underworld, one of the party fighters, Bardan the dwarf, perishes in combat. They bury his body in the cemetary but disturbingly find his grave exhumed and coffin empty a few days later. Boinger implores the party to return to the dungeon to thwart the revenge plans the evil-doers have for his friend's corpse.<br />
<br />
The <i>Maze of Peril</i> adventures run the gamut from dungeon delve, urban adventures, bureaucratic red tape cutting, carousing, burglary, back to dungeon delve, Lovecraftian horror and even naval combat. Also, the book features one of the funniest uses of a petrification gaze that I would totally allow to happen if it comes up in a game.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>END SPOILER WARNING</b><br />
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Holmes had <a href="http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=38933&start=0">several short stories</a> about Boinger, Zereth (a.k.a. Xoreth) and their fellow adventurers published in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_%28magazine%29"><b>Dragon</b></a> magazine and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alarums_and_Excursions"><b>Alarums & Excursions</b></a> APA-zine. It is no secret that these tales were based on Holmes' home D&D campaign; Boinger was the player character of Chris Holmes, Dr. Holmes' son and <a href="http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2012/04/hall-of-mountain-king-warrior-for-hire.html">occasional illustrator</a>. These stories give us a window into Dr. Holmes' campaign and even how he interpreted certain D&D rules.</div>
<div>
<br />
One famously unclear rule regards magic-users and their restriction from using armor and swords. In the days of OD&D, even famous, accomplished gamers were unclear on the ruling* and many cried foul against the sword restriction (after all, <a href="http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Gandalf">Gandalf</a> used a <a href="http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Glamdring">sword</a>). What logical reason (besides gameplay balance) could there be for this restriction?<br />
<br />
Holmes succinctly gives his reasoning in two sentences. On page 34 of <i>The Maze of Peril</i>, Zereth removes all metal from his body, washes up and puts on a wizard robe before casting a spell. He explains to a confused Boinger that he:<br />
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">"Can't
have iron touching the body anywhere; no iron, even nails in the boot heels. It
drains the flow of force from the other world."</span></blockquote>
No further explanation is required. Boinger asks, "It does? How?" Zereth tells him to, "Keep quiet," and no more is said on the matter. <br />
<br />
This prevents magic-users from even wearing leather armor (with iron buckles). Presumably, a wizard's dagger must be made of bronze, silver or another non-ferrous metal. This stems from old folklore about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_in_folklore#Cold_iron">iron's protective properties against magical creatures</a> and has become a <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ColdIron">modern trope</a>. It fits with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Powers">Tim Powers'</a> piratey fantasy novel <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Stranger_Tides"><i>On Stranger Tides</i> </a>(<b>HIGHLY </b>recommended reading) where magic disappears from the world as iron spreads with the advances of western civilization. The faerie-folks' aversion to iron seen in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poul_Anderson">Poul Anderson's</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Hearts_and_Three_Lions"><i>Three Hearts and Three Lions</i></a> (also recommended) resonates as well.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixetzzsmNLSBqkDrLyyFbxSZiCAH5mXDZ3BA1_iGWlMOBpNkpn2AKwwAm8qDHvRhf57nS54aMhqknLY5Tz0wOZdkuHj-OH_A3LcdX10gy85Bp0BvuoH07yMQNSuHV_ZajZWEdOrZAAafbF/s1600/TH_2_sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixetzzsmNLSBqkDrLyyFbxSZiCAH5mXDZ3BA1_iGWlMOBpNkpn2AKwwAm8qDHvRhf57nS54aMhqknLY5Tz0wOZdkuHj-OH_A3LcdX10gy85Bp0BvuoH07yMQNSuHV_ZajZWEdOrZAAafbF/s1600/TH_2_sm.jpg" height="320" width="143" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boinger vs. a one-armed troll (art by Chris Holmes from "Trollshead")</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This leads to another rule: elves are combination fighters and magic-users and the OD&D rules state they "freely switch class whenever they choose, from adventure to adventure" (<i>Men & Magic,</i> p. 8). How does that apply to spellcasting and armor/weapon use? Holmes gives another example with Zereth in the short story "Trollshead" in The Dragon magazine #31, p. 41:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Zereth took off his sword belt and helmet and laid them on the ground... He lay flat on his belly and reached into an inner pocket of his linen tunic to produce a pinch of fine sand. This he tossed into the air, mumbling rapidly as he did so."</blockquote>
To switch from fighter to magic-user, Zereth removes his sword belt and helmet (the only iron on his body) before casting a sleep spell on some unexpecting half-orcs. This goes against his own "<a href="http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/11/part-3-elves-must-decide.html">elves must decide</a>" ruling in his Basic D&D manuscript that states that elves cannot change in the middle of an adventure. In later stories, such as "The Sorcerer's Jewel"** (Dragon #46), Zereth wears armor while casting spells. It is <a href="http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/11/part-3-elves-must-decide.html">assumed that Holmes was playing AD&D</a> by this time, which does allow for spellcasting, armored, multiclassed magic-users. <br />
<br />
Another question arises: just what are the "dungeons" in the world of Dungeons & Dragons? Why is there a near-endless number of underground labyrinths filled with nasty creatures and fabulous treasures? Zereth ponders the titular maze in <i>The Maze of Peril</i>, p. 3:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Somewhere beneath the surface of this ancient land the tunnels and corridors of some prehistoric race coiled and raveled, delved, and probed unimaginable depths into the core of the world... What race or races had built the original maze no one knew. It seemed in the opinions of the sages and magicians of the time, that there must have been many layers of dungeons and underworlds laid down, one atop the other, as the world crust was formed, so that now no one knew, or even guessed, how many levels it extended below the surface."</blockquote>
<br />
Here, in one (wordy) sentence is the justification for a world of dungeons. It explains just enough to give the game world some logic yet leaves plenty of mystery for players to discover in their journeys into the Underworld. Of course, the truth may be very different from what the sages and magicians assume as fact.<br />
<br />
Gary Gygax first hinted at such an Underworld with the <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgseries/1116/d-drow">D series of modules</a> starting in 1978 (about the time <i>The Maze of Peril</i> was written). Later D&D authors would call this subterranean realm the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underdark">Underdark</a> and give their own reasons for its existence.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JN32RDxUImge7sw9dvUQ8mVgVyKY8c6Cx3mkLXnWNdXBtasWPMARNPqIOGUzXbmyD9JSxtcBf6KE9cgLSNv8RBm_EmG2CI5NjDh0W44jKL-F9jK82CVjd0syYsHXqRSAMNLK5IoUwkJ6/s1600/ZerethBoingerDonnaBarr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JN32RDxUImge7sw9dvUQ8mVgVyKY8c6Cx3mkLXnWNdXBtasWPMARNPqIOGUzXbmyD9JSxtcBf6KE9cgLSNv8RBm_EmG2CI5NjDh0W44jKL-F9jK82CVjd0syYsHXqRSAMNLK5IoUwkJ6/s1600/ZerethBoingerDonnaBarr.jpg" height="165" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zereth and Boinger (art by Donna Barr from "In the Bag")</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>In Conclusion:</b><br />
<br />
<i>The Maze of Peril</i> is my favorite piece of game fiction because it feels most like the D&D games I've played. Rarely did we adventure to save the kingdom/world/multiverse. We were a bunch of friends looking for some excitement and quick cash together. We'd hatch elaborate schemes, find ourselves in deep trouble, then put our heads together to make sure they didn't roll off our shoulders come the dawn. We were comrades, bonded in the face of danger, celebrating each success until wanderlust crept back into our hearts and we were off on another wild quest.<br />
<br />
Those are good times, and so is this book.<br />
<br />
<b>Notes:</b><br />
<br />
Watch for <a href="http://www.fightonmagazine.com/"><b>Fight On!</b> magazine</a> issue #15 dedicated to J. E. Holmes <a href="http://odd74.proboards.com/board/35">coming soon</a>! Read my <i>heavily</i> researched character write-ups for Boinger, Zereth and their "pal" Murray the Mage, along with guidelines for iron-restricted spellcasting, in my article, "<b>Holmes Town Heroes</b>."<br />
<br />
The 1000 copy print run of <i>The Maze of Peril</i> is getting harder to find, <a href="http://www.nobleknight.com/productdetailsearch.asp_Q_ProductID_E_2147463148_A_InventoryID_E_2148066402">but still available</a>. Check out Holmes' short stories from Dragon magazine:<br />
<br />
<b>"Trollshead"</b> The Dragon #31<br />
<b>"The Sorcerer's Jewel"</b> Dragon #46<br />
<b>"In the Bag"</b> Dragon #58<br />
<a href="http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=38933&start=0"><b><br /></b></a>
<a href="http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=38933&start=0"><b>Complete Holmes Bibliography</b></a><br />
<br />
* UK game designer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Livingstone">Ian Livingstone</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Games_Workshop">Games Workshop</a> co-founder, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_Fantasy">Fighting Fantasy</a> game books co-creator, etc.) erroneously wrote in his 1982 book <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/46447/dicing-dragons"><i>Dicing with Dragons: An Introduction to Role-Playing Games</i></a> when explaining D&D classes: <b>"Each class has restrictions as well. For instance, The Magic User may only wear leather armour or no armour at all..."</b><br />
<br />
** Although <i>The Maze of Peril</i> (1986) was published 5 years after "The Sorcerer's Jewel" (1981), we know <i>Maze</i> was completed earlier as Holmes <a href="http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii247/pro565/DD4a.jpg">states that it was ready to publish</a> in an <a href="https://www.acaeum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?cache=1&p=101857#p101857">L.A. Times interview from 1979</a>.</div>
Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-85038643163510748742014-08-19T19:12:00.000-04:002014-08-19T19:13:19.229-04:00#9 Favorite Dice - Random Number Generators of Chaos and Entropy #RPGaDAYI already wrote about my <a href="http://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/08/1-first-rpg-played-also-first-game.html">favorite die</a> and how it started me on the path of gaming over 30 years ago. I use it in a set with <a href="http://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/08/2-first-rpg-gamemastered-beyond-secret.html">some of my other oldest dice</a> when feeling nostalgic (which is often).<br />
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But one of my other favorite sets is my<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: red;"> <b>Chaos Dice</b>.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRBrWB9ZmHG1SU-JY58nEO6jRTZMkgXJVAqWCk8efS0ve6nCHyuNsF7gBxJrpeJiwnCPvZfCUXW4TDFy8_uldP-2ZGDU9ZkCJ9D2u4umLUQYZshd731RG-_BtYsVXMLMn0vvbSu9q-qZx/s1600/Blog09dice01_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRBrWB9ZmHG1SU-JY58nEO6jRTZMkgXJVAqWCk8efS0ve6nCHyuNsF7gBxJrpeJiwnCPvZfCUXW4TDFy8_uldP-2ZGDU9ZkCJ9D2u4umLUQYZshd731RG-_BtYsVXMLMn0vvbSu9q-qZx/s1600/Blog09dice01_sm.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can't you feel the CHAOS!? Blood and souls for my lord Arioch!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b><i>Blood red</i> </b>on <b><i>obsidian black</i></b></span></span> is the perfect color scheme for Servants of Chaos laying waste to all Order in the world. Unfortunately, it is a terrible color scheme to read unless the lighting is really bright. In sub-optimal conditions, I'll use a set with stronger contrast.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMXspwu8-9uWE2ONcKUg5Ixu7rKQ42StLh8SbhaaKEHdI6XK8BksXUhTwL6RWHMkUtmqv35VJE3xI6eAHAIv9St3SSRqwsXRoc5gBvrN3cf6BL-5_eO4DAUAtheyznp4hVuGeZRi24USA/s1600/Blog09dice02_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMXspwu8-9uWE2ONcKUg5Ixu7rKQ42StLh8SbhaaKEHdI6XK8BksXUhTwL6RWHMkUtmqv35VJE3xI6eAHAIv9St3SSRqwsXRoc5gBvrN3cf6BL-5_eO4DAUAtheyznp4hVuGeZRi24USA/s1600/Blog09dice02_sm.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I rolled an 8... I think</td></tr>
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These are <a href="http://chessex.com/">Chessex</a>'s old "<a href="http://www.nobleknight.com/productdetailsearch.asp_Q_ProductID_E_12807_A_InventoryID_E_2148097914">Arrows of Chaos</a>" <a href="http://www.frpgames.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=31710">dice</a>. I purchased them when they first became available and built the rest of the set from other Chessex dice. They look cool but, like most specialty dice, are a real pain to read. I supplement the set with a <a href="http://ccgstuff.com/images/CHX25818PIP36BLACKRED.JPG">brick of smaller, matching d6s</a> with normal pips, perfect for those high-level fireballs (not pictured here because I can't find them...<span style="color: red;"><b> darned entropy!</b></span>).Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-7572379070904168612014-08-18T17:34:00.002-04:002014-08-18T17:34:30.057-04:00#8 Favorite Character - Wonko the Sane #RPGaDAYMy favorite character is my silver-haired, half-elf jester, <b>Wonko the Sane</b> (yes, named after the <a href="http://hitchhikers.wikia.com/wiki/Wonko_the_Sane">Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy character</a>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfuQE2eHOeD5cf8fOxrF0Sok6fPOJCH1nhqZTFulGavYsyD_PA9h0KR0hUPfaPmpPZPw1VFD0wj1PpxnOG-JIppY8h4CLihTzn8AuZu5uY0WaZJmCeQg518t4T-uBhT8beFCrgV1Orl77/s1600/Blog08WonkoSheetPart_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAfuQE2eHOeD5cf8fOxrF0Sok6fPOJCH1nhqZTFulGavYsyD_PA9h0KR0hUPfaPmpPZPw1VFD0wj1PpxnOG-JIppY8h4CLihTzn8AuZu5uY0WaZJmCeQg518t4T-uBhT8beFCrgV1Orl77/s1600/Blog08WonkoSheetPart_sm.jpg" height="243" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonko's main stats</td></tr>
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I first rolled Wonko up in November, 1990 - a 1st edition AD&D character using the Jester NPC rules from the pages of Dragon magazine (revised and reprinted in <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgissue/52497/best-dragon-magazine-vol-iv">Best of Dragon Vol. IV</a>). When 2nd edition AD&D and the <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgseries/538/phbr-players-handbook-rules-supplement"><b>Complete Splat Books</b></a> were all released, I used the Jester kit rules from <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/44584/complete-bards-handbook"><i>The Complete Bard's Handbook</i></a>. Those rules were notably less silly (no <a href="http://www.thenoodlebowl.com/jesters/images/media/dnd-pun1.gif">more</a> <a href="http://www.thenoodlebowl.com/jesters/images/media/dnd-pun2.gif">punfighting</a>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxGCzjvfBnC5FAV-mhjiUBGft2lgkTuDvR7XbbegIs3Zl2j5KTjz8JABm3MHa-bmmsCqr1BZrrDCyQHmb3JekKSNyY1rDlcUzXfUAIaAmbKirH_T_08rA2P_4MjEh8WhLSQhCjtH77Zg6/s1600/Blog08WonkoMandolin_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxGCzjvfBnC5FAV-mhjiUBGft2lgkTuDvR7XbbegIs3Zl2j5KTjz8JABm3MHa-bmmsCqr1BZrrDCyQHmb3JekKSNyY1rDlcUzXfUAIaAmbKirH_T_08rA2P_4MjEh8WhLSQhCjtH77Zg6/s1600/Blog08WonkoMandolin_sm.jpg" height="268" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonko playing his electric mandolin, still smiling at only 2 HP</td></tr>
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Wonko is a lot of fun to draw, especially with his striped leisure suit jacket, polka-dotted cape and checkered trousers. In the top image, you see Wonko wielding his <a href="http://www.comingstorm.it/DA2/info/Books/DMG/DMG00931.HTM">Short Sword +1/+4 Vs. Reptiles</a> and another strange weapon. It is a stick with an <a href="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/f3/df/9f/f3df9f4baac75f71a088ba08f3f7bf87.jpg">Odie stuffed animal</a> on one end and a <a href="http://www.comingstorm.it/DA2/info/Books/DMG/DMG00858.HTM">Rug of Smothering</a> with the command word "<b>Don't Make Me Laugh!</b>" on the other. Wonko must need his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riaqDddmsqY#t=28s">Buck and a Quarter Quarterstaff</a> weapon proficiency to wield it.<br />
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Other unusual supplies on his character sheet include his electric mandolin (see second image), a hanging fern, one can of <a href="https://www.lamrod.com/uploads/products/1320327395_1_FINAL%20WD_40_200_ml_827.jpg">WD-40</a>, a dust rag and "five belts of priestly origin" that I am assuming came from some Gygaxian adventure.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ugvDiJewSUvvBJDUyYDtAs3T59xiQNFctBSsgWL0l8W09AgBArlA-iShsJWav-i1vYgOuT7jBBIG-nRfwWhXwTdEwPlqjFb40bvpX7rB6VnUM-BJrTT3IAFI60qFbZ9EJqTRjH31fISW/s1600/Blog08WonkoLars_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ugvDiJewSUvvBJDUyYDtAs3T59xiQNFctBSsgWL0l8W09AgBArlA-iShsJWav-i1vYgOuT7jBBIG-nRfwWhXwTdEwPlqjFb40bvpX7rB6VnUM-BJrTT3IAFI60qFbZ9EJqTRjH31fISW/s1600/Blog08WonkoLars_sm.jpg" height="311" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lars Leafblower is fed up with Wonko's tomfoolery</td></tr>
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Wonko survived to 10th level, annoying a number of nasty bad guys along the way, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strahd_von_Zarovich">Strahd von Zarovich</a> in <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/48949/ravenloft"><i>I6 Ravenloft</i></a> and whoever was in <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgissuearticle/477/rose-talakara">"A Rose for Talakara"</a> (which I have in my notes as "A Rose for Somebody"). Like most jesters, he had a tendency to annoy his fellow party members as well. In the third image, we see what happens when you push a druid too far.*<br />
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Want to a jester in an old-school campaign? <a href="http://www.thenoodlebowl.com/jesters/pages/dnd.html">This website</a> compiles all the early Jester rules for D&D, including <a href="http://www.thenoodlebowl.com/jesters/images/media/dnd-errata.gif">errata</a> and <a href="http://www.thenoodlebowl.com/jesters/images/media/dnd-gygax.gif">Gary Gygax's musings</a> on the class.<br />
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* My friend Duane came up with some of the goofiest character names. In addition to <b>Lars Leafblower </b>he ran another memorable druid: <b>Waz Weedwhacker</b>.<br />
Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-36690874646853928562014-08-18T12:51:00.000-04:002014-08-18T12:51:55.303-04:00#7 Most "Intellectual" RPG Owned - It's not the game, it's the setting #RPGaDAY<b>How does one define an "intellectual" game?</b><br />
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I never owned or played <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/424/mage-ascension">Mage: the Ascension</a>, <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgfamily/1029/ars-magica">Ars Magica</a>, <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/615/nomine">In Nomine</a> or <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/739/aria-canticle-monomyth">Aria: Canticle of the Monomyth</a> - all games known for being intellectual or, at least, pretentious.</div>
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<a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgfamily/814/call-cthulhu">Call of Cthulhu</a> comes to mind as most player characters are intellectuals: academics, scientists and librarians. However, the game tends to push the characters (and sometimes players) to their emotional breaking points. Close, but it doesn't quite fit.</div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Tweet">Jonathan Tweet's</a> <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/541/everway">Everway</a> system generates random results by interpreting draws from a <a href="https://analogkonsole.wordpress.com/2013/01/03/hongkong-actionmoviekampf/">tarot-like Fortune deck</a>. Players "read" paintings in the game's <a href="http://pictures2.todocoleccion.net/tc/2009/12/09/16316889.jpg">Vision deck</a> to create their character concepts.This has the potential for the most intellectual title. <b>I'd like to see a game played while touring a museum</b>, always interpreting the next piece of art whenever a random result is needed.</div>
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Ultimately, I don't think it is the system that is so intellectual so much as the campaign and setting. For that, I give the "most intellectual" award to a <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgsetting/7557/2300-ad">Traveller: 2300 AD</a> inspired campaign played with <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgfamily/333/gurps">GURPS</a> rules I played back in 1994.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBzpXHvOurt5gyofBi5ECCxcrmlJutZSHnZUq7Yl2IbN8D51fEx2m-Eo6GIRe6hyrl5OoN7Km07T_ly1s4E2TD8e92PBY-E7pPedIUgVDTfE-qymzy8qzwF86KjwnX2SO0Ux3Dg-ZCc8ZF/s1600/Blog07Tachi_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBzpXHvOurt5gyofBi5ECCxcrmlJutZSHnZUq7Yl2IbN8D51fEx2m-Eo6GIRe6hyrl5OoN7Km07T_ly1s4E2TD8e92PBY-E7pPedIUgVDTfE-qymzy8qzwF86KjwnX2SO0Ux3Dg-ZCc8ZF/s1600/Blog07Tachi_sm.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My character, Tachi, and some photocopied pages from the GURPS Space rule book. Even intellectual game characters need samurai swords.</td></tr>
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The GM was an excellent world designer and the campaign made us take a hard look at a possible after-Earth, near-future humanity. There were no extreme technologies like hyperdrives and black hole guns. Most of the human diaspora lived in the colonies of the Moon, Mars, Titan and a few <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange_points">LaGrange Points</a> after a poorly-understood cataclysm left the Earth uninhabitable. Our characters were troubleshooters in the largest human settlement: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonization_of_the_Moon">the interconnected Lunar colonies</a>. The opaque, brown, toxic atmosphere obscuring the Earth above served as an ever-present reminder that mankind may never go home again.</div>
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The reason behind the Earth's catastrophe was never important. What we explored and focused on was how humanity and its culture changes moving forward in a post-Terran existence. Different societies perpetuated their respective cultures in pockets divided by their ancestral homelands, like ex-pat communities settling in Chinatowns, Japan Towns and Little Italys of major American cities. Those country origins of yore meant less and less with each generation as the true differences were between so-called Martians, Moonies, Titanians and the others.</div>
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For example, my character was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachi">Tachi</a>, the tactician and weapons expert of the group and the only Mars native. Growing up in little over 1/3 of Earth's gravity, she was 6 feet tall and somewhat strong for a Martian. Compared to the Lunar natives who grew up in only 1/6 of Earth's gravity, she was very short and brawny!<b> I was the "bruiser" of the party with an 11 Strength</b>.</div>
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As someone who loves futurist books like <a href="http://www.benbova.com/">Ben Bova's</a> underappreciated <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/715727.High_Road"><i>The High Road</i></a>, this game was easy to get into. The world was exotic yet familiar (bicycle was the common mode of transportation) and altogether plausible. This was a thoughtful campaign still punctuated by scenes of excitement and combat (often instigated by my character, <i>ahem</i>).</div>
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It was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCqjR1gHyIQ">hard sci-fi</a> at its best and it made us think.</div>
Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-63427130140088527832014-08-17T17:53:00.000-04:002014-08-17T17:54:59.265-04:00#6 Favorite RPG Never Get to Play - The Original Edition #RPGaDAYThere are plenty of choices for games that I have played in the past but don't get to play enough - <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgfamily/814/call-cthulhu">Call of Cthulhu</a>, <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/355/james-bond-007">James Bond 007</a>, West End's <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/251/star-wars-weg-original-edition">Star Wars RPG</a>, <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/536/powers-perils">Powers & Perils</a> and <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/261/gamma-world-1st-edition">Gamma World</a> come to mind. There are other games I own that I never played - <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/52787/dallas-television-role-playing-game">Dallas</a> ("The Television Role-Playing Game"), <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/659/gangbusters-1st-3rd-edition">Gangbusters</a>, <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/780/hawkmoon">Hawkmoon</a>, <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/1659/behind-enemy-lines-1st-edition">Behind Enemy Lines</a> and <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgfamily/760/boot-hill">Boot Hill</a> would all be fun for different reasons.<br />
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There is one game I know backwards and forwards, own every rule supplement for, and yet never officially played: the <b>Original Edition of Dungeons & Dragons</b>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoNiyVpvGAFd6hD72l3mOFYYbvF4aZaQZlviO3EUcniJ5u1w_gbX7f22_-usl7av8O3pbPfZogNTuFNDBLwx982Ct_WnjPSFJ5d1EInv9tkieS-eeZLOZzTy8hrfPwZ7ZutH0dLQamop9/s1600/Blog0510odnd_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoNiyVpvGAFd6hD72l3mOFYYbvF4aZaQZlviO3EUcniJ5u1w_gbX7f22_-usl7av8O3pbPfZogNTuFNDBLwx982Ct_WnjPSFJ5d1EInv9tkieS-eeZLOZzTy8hrfPwZ7ZutH0dLQamop9/s1600/Blog0510odnd_sm.jpg" height="310" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My complete set of OD&D digest-sized rule books</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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How did this happen? When I started playing in 1982, AD&D 1st ed. was the new hawtness. This edition had already faded into the mythic past like the contents of the Library of Alexandria. I did play nearly every other edition of the game (B/X, BECMI, 1st ed, 2nd ed, 3.0 ed, 3.5 ed). <br />
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My first exposure to this edition was a photocopy of <i><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/51953/supplement-iv-gods-demi-gods-heroes">Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes</a></i> that somebody gave me in the late 80s. It wasn't the entire book; just the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyborian_Age">Hyborian</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melnibon%C3%A9">Melnibonean</a> mythos. In the mid 90s, I was blessed with luck and found a near-perfect <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/45328/dungeons-dragons-woodgrain-box-white-box-sets">"white box" OD&D set</a> at a comic book store for <b>$10</b>. I picked up <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8193/chainmail"><i>Chainmail</i></a> from a dealer at the San Diego Comic-Con for <b>$9.95</b>. I assembled the rest of the set piece by piece, finally completing with <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8197/swords-spells"><i>Swords & Spells</i> </a>(invaluable for its definitions of OD&D spell ranges and durations).<br />
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I also have a copy of <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3716/tractics">Tractics</a>, perfect for combining with OD&D into a game of <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgissuearticle/48544/sturmgeschutz-and-sorcery"><b>Sturmgeschutz & Sorcery</b></a>! Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-91383550487388467392014-08-16T14:41:00.000-04:002014-08-16T14:41:29.482-04:00#5 Most old school RPG owned - Older than Braunstein #RPGaDAYMy oldest RPG might be a controversial choice - "Proto RPG" is a better term. This predates 1974's release of Dungeons & Dragons and 1971's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chainmail_%28game%29"><i>Chainmail</i></a>. It is older than the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wesely#The_Braunstein_Game">first Braunstein game</a> played in 1967, direct inspiration for Dave Arneson's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackmoor">Blackmoor</a>.<br />
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When this game was released, The Milton Berle Show was still on the air and the Apollo Program was yet to launch its first, fateful mission.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_kQewvfLVcnGnk0Xsfqyzj6mo42mQlGYJBGxeeidCKxqb38YHjbEQnTND1S5k-KzhxWogkfeuiJJgJug_njw9zcTYAceLysUQ4YH0sfKzL7-qPxggeU6n5OncbsC3UMTIuhf8aODVBoW/s1600/Blog0500cover_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_kQewvfLVcnGnk0Xsfqyzj6mo42mQlGYJBGxeeidCKxqb38YHjbEQnTND1S5k-KzhxWogkfeuiJJgJug_njw9zcTYAceLysUQ4YH0sfKzL7-qPxggeU6n5OncbsC3UMTIuhf8aODVBoW/s1600/Blog0500cover_sm.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modern War in Miniature by Michael F. Korns</td></tr>
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This is Michael F. Korns' 1966 game <i><b><a href="http://tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4687">Modern War in Miniature</a> </b></i>(MWIM), probably self-published by Korns and a partner in Kansas under "M & J Research Co." I believe the rules are still available in reprint as part of the book <a href="http://www.wargaming.co/books/ew/homepage.htm#vol4"><i>More Wargaming Pioneers</i></a> from <a href="http://www.wargaming.co/index.htm">The History of Wargaming Project</a>. <br />
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MWIM is an unusual WWII, skirmish-level wargame. As normal, two players act as commanders (one Allied, one Axis), directing their combat units in battle. Miniatures are moved across the terrain on a sand table. What is unusual is that a Judge mediates all actions and is the only one with full access to the sand table. The judge is the only one who needs to know the rules and randomly determines the outcomes of all actions. He talks to the Allied and Axis players individually, out of earshot of each other, describing what they can see and hear in 2-second segments of time. It sort of takes the adversarial roles and judge's mediations of a Braunstein game into short time-span, tactical turns. Everything is on a personal scale making it different from a typical wargame.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Partial example of gameplay</td></tr>
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The above example of gameplay shows that the player is expected to embrace their role and step into the boots of the commanding officer. This reads much like samples of gameplay in many RPGs, with the players stating what "I" do in the situation to the GM. Only the adversarial rather than cooperative roles of the players are different.<br />
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Note that any <b>TEXT IN ALL-CAPS</b> is said loud enough for both players to hear. "Schmeisser" is used here as a colloquial term for a German MP38 or MP40 sub-machine gun (which always annoyed me since they were designed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Vollmer">Heinrich Vollmer</a>, not <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Schmeisser">Hugo Schmeisser</a>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFU2w5XaS-lL_iD-SJ1bYf8S9-xwk29emJV7QuEhqWdHQUmNdesyecP3JxFAgnp_HQWYzBP_NlMdwWxiDJk0hvTRAWJw-udeDWtGmdyJ8kLfHgTQnoFuEavDqPOpn6ZktKR-CLiaoo63p/s1600/Blog0504index_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFU2w5XaS-lL_iD-SJ1bYf8S9-xwk29emJV7QuEhqWdHQUmNdesyecP3JxFAgnp_HQWYzBP_NlMdwWxiDJk0hvTRAWJw-udeDWtGmdyJ8kLfHgTQnoFuEavDqPOpn6ZktKR-CLiaoo63p/s1600/Blog0504index_sm.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How to generate random percentile numbers with d6s</td></tr>
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How do you generate random percentile or fractional results without percentile dice? This chart, a <a href="http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2013/02/how-gaming-got-its-dice.html">subject of discussion</a> on Jon Peterson's <a href="http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/">Playing at the World</a> blog, shows how to use a 2d6 result for rough percentages. As Peterson mentions, <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/1600/mike-carr">Mike Carr</a> adapted this chart for use in the 1972 edition his game <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6638/fight-skies">Fight in the Skies</a> (it is titled "Percentage Index" in my 6th edition TSR rules). This shows that the gamers in the Twin Cities of Minnesota were aware of MWIM.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqZG4fyeVeNF1KSoPoYBBxX7ssbeQpYwZYzxzsJ7sNKEK5XCT8mAYsIV5QDGNzcfpnBGTqzqAlZWmnQHCiVS4LGwx4U5xCNVnCX8tMEXOTXEl0BG3BDYzVRS0_k9GNmb0oXPrN6tCZ92U/s1600/Blog0505cover_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqZG4fyeVeNF1KSoPoYBBxX7ssbeQpYwZYzxzsJ7sNKEK5XCT8mAYsIV5QDGNzcfpnBGTqzqAlZWmnQHCiVS4LGwx4U5xCNVnCX8tMEXOTXEl0BG3BDYzVRS0_k9GNmb0oXPrN6tCZ92U/s1600/Blog0505cover_sm.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Unit Tactical Combat Referee's Rule Book</td></tr>
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Modern War in Miniature eventually developed into Small Unit Tactical Combat (SUTC) in 1971. Above, you see my 2nd edition Referee's Rule Book from 1972. Several other <a href="http://tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4692">SUTC products</a> were released published by <a href="http://tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2157&sid=0d82d60928b5eb7c12439cdef5d696f7">"The Limpex Company"</a> of Mountain View, CA. From <a href="http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=184214&page=3">what I could gather</a>, Korns lived and gamed there during that time. Coincidentally, I moved to that area in 2005.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVf0MrBD3D_Y444pNpLKc7g5X4DsYzC7t1fKN2QwqNETNLBw6XRngD1nyJSdB9oLfvc4RY4ncUHCXzkxDPUkMP3U6QqiahYfCIf0yF-OK46n62PtR29hIa_Rsk_woxP_m9xmSYhMKaqsB/s1600/Blog0506trooplist_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVf0MrBD3D_Y444pNpLKc7g5X4DsYzC7t1fKN2QwqNETNLBw6XRngD1nyJSdB9oLfvc4RY4ncUHCXzkxDPUkMP3U6QqiahYfCIf0yF-OK46n62PtR29hIa_Rsk_woxP_m9xmSYhMKaqsB/s1600/Blog0506trooplist_sm.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Monster Manual of WWII combat forces</td></tr>
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SUTC is very similar to its MWIM predecessor. Gone is the chart of simulating random percentile results with 2d6; now there is a chart of random two-digit numbers for the referee to pick from. It appears that this alternate evolutionary line of gaming died out after SUTC. I can't find any games that Korns published after that.<br />
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Was MWIM an influence on Gary Gygax? Probably not for Dungeons & Dragons, but according to <a href="http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2013/02/how-gaming-got-its-dice.html">Peterson</a>, it did insppire <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/1509/leon-tucker">Leon Tucker</a>, Gygax's and Mike Reese's co-designer in the development of <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3716/tractics">Tractics</a>. Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-67800287348263789812014-08-15T16:22:00.000-04:002014-08-15T17:16:33.073-04:00#4 Most Recent RPG purchase - 2 of 9 Doctrines of Darkness #RPGaDAYI've been focused on studying gaming books from the earliest era of role-playing: anything before 1981, by my reckoning. My most recent acquisition was two related adventures published by Dimension Six, Inc.<br />
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<a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/79217/nine-doctrines-darkness"><i>The Nine Doctrines of Darkness</i></a> and <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/79219/nine-doctrines-darkness-second-adventure"><i>The Nine Doctrines of Darkness: The Second Adventure</i></a> were both written by <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgdesigner/39854/randy-fraser">Randy Fraser</a> and published in 1980 and 1981, respectively. These appear to be designer's only contributions to the hobby. I knew of publisher <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgpublisher/678/dimension-six-inc">Dimension Six</a> from their marginally useful <a href="http://tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=515">Compleat Fantasist </a>book of tables to translate characters from one game to another.<br />
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Each adventure focuses on recovering one of the nine titular doctrines of darkness, a set of evil artifact tomes detailing the nine principles that uphold all Evil (that's capital-E evil) as written by Lord Erlich, and Evil Arch Mage, before he perished in his final evil destruction brought on by the evil knowledge of perfect evil. Before collapsing evilly onto the floor, he polymorphed each doctrine into an ordinary object and scattered them around the world. Now, the polymorph spells are wearing off and the elf king's favorite wineskin just turned into a powerful, evil grimoire of evil evil evil.<br />
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Why a party would undertake these adventures depends on its alignment. Good characters must prevent the Doctrines from falling into the wrong hands. Evil characters <b>are those wrong hands</b> who want to use the powers of the Doctrines. The first adventure plays very differently due to this duality of interests. A non-evil party comes to the elf king's side to help protect him from every evil-doer looking to claim the Doctrine. An evil party assaults the elf king's castle and steal the book for themselves.<br />
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These adventures must have been created for evil parties. It is <b>much </b>more fun to assault or infiltrate the good castle than to patrol the forest kingdom fighting random encounters. The second adventure is loaded with awesome magic items that non-evil characters can't touch without, at best, suffering damage. The lone +3 holy sword doesn't compare to the evil staff that shoots 20d6 lightning bolts (among other powers). Good characters can't even destroy the books as, "no efforts either magical or physical can harm the Doctrine in any way."<br />
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The first adventure is short, sparsely detailed and luridly illustrated. There are some odd new monsters (Shammy: a red-furred gorilla wielding a huge axe). The second adventure is about thirteen pages longer than the first and includes some decent room illustrations to be shown to the players (much like <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/44272/tomb-horrors"><i>S1 Tomb of Horrors</i></a>). In addition to some wilderness adventuring (complete with some decent hooks for further adventuring) it has a thoroughly detailed, three-level temple complex to explore. This is more of a typical dungeon delve. There are some good tricks, traps and challenges but, like many adventures of the day, it misses details that give the temple the feel of a functioning place. For example, there are guard rooms filled with ninja guards (!) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umber_hulk">umber hulks</a> (!!) near the front door but nobody is posted to guard duty.<br />
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Since only the first two adventures were published, it begs the question, <a href="http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50815">"what happened to the other seven Doctrines of Darkness?"</a> We may never know, but I know that <a href="https://www.blogger.com/profile/09585095964577331413">Catacomb Librarian</a> was <a href="http://mesmerizedbysirens.blogspot.it/2012/09/the-nine-doctrines-of-darkness.html?zx=e76a44444714fe79">subjecting his gaming group</a> to these adventures <a href="http://mesmerizedbysirens.blogspot.com/2013/04/which-fantasy-rpg-can-carry-me-to.html">recently</a>. Whatever became of them? Cat. Lib. also found an old <a href="http://mesmerizedbysirens.blogspot.com/2013/03/nine-doctrines-of-darkness-review.html?zx=bd05b929907e6949">review of the first adventure</a> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Allston">Aaron Allston</a> (R.I.P.). Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-67619730980224201502014-08-13T14:27:00.001-04:002014-08-15T17:16:20.158-04:00#3 First RPG Purchased - Holmes Basic blue box on the cheap #RPGaDAYI first started role-playing when I was nine years old, learning from friends at school and playing with their books. With an allowance limited to less than one dollar per week, I relied on birthday or Christmas gifts for my first RPG books. I could afford to buy a few dice or miniatures for myself but would take all summer to save up for one AD&D hardback manual.<br />
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My mother was an antique dealer and visited thrift stores in a hunt for underpriced artifacts to resell in her shop. I was often in tow and would always scour the games, toys and books. It was on one of these trips that I made my first RPG purchase: an unplayed copy of the <b><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/45783/dungeons-dragons-basic-set-first-edition" target="_blank">original 1st edition Basic D&D boxed set</a> edited by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Eric_Holmes" target="_blank">Dr. John Eric Holmes</a></b>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qKyj9Z2Iz9phJdQ-2sjmY7ib2882GEbwXaIuvIzSbyN3K9NWrnxDJQ5RxEBNTUN9tsInEb0qNLych_rThrP1YDiz_4TOArg_lULk9zB6T7wZz0X7l0ezDnazO0ee0RXrXACCnxUgta5z/s1600/Blog03Holmes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qKyj9Z2Iz9phJdQ-2sjmY7ib2882GEbwXaIuvIzSbyN3K9NWrnxDJQ5RxEBNTUN9tsInEb0qNLych_rThrP1YDiz_4TOArg_lULk9zB6T7wZz0X7l0ezDnazO0ee0RXrXACCnxUgta5z/s1600/Blog03Holmes.jpg" height="257" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not my original Holmes Basic set, but a close replacement</td></tr>
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I was pleased but puzzled as I'd never seen a D&D set like this one. I knew the <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/45486/dungeons-dragons-basic-set-second-edition" target="_blank">2nd edition basic set</a> edited by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Moldvay" target="_blank">Tom Moldvay</a>. This game, I was sure, must be the original D&D set: the near-mythical 0th edition (that wasn't quite right, but it was still a good find). The price was right (probably 75 cents - the cost of one new lead miniature) and I took it to the register.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CJPPpwSZchs2zt0PAJiBUXZj2D-JNSQblTBGABPvndLPELic4ttLJpXVmp9SGyx2vi7_xashy7ZEpaWl9DZLHL8MqARn_RT9xBy4aN7uzddR9l0oxEQcQAQQ3wijT7HOFxJZ09lDckgo/s1600/Blog03Minotaurs_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CJPPpwSZchs2zt0PAJiBUXZj2D-JNSQblTBGABPvndLPELic4ttLJpXVmp9SGyx2vi7_xashy7ZEpaWl9DZLHL8MqARn_RT9xBy4aN7uzddR9l0oxEQcQAQQ3wijT7HOFxJZ09lDckgo/s1600/Blog03Minotaurs_sm.jpg" height="176" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tale of two B2 spear-wielding, armored minotaurs. Erol Otus' original Holmes-era illustration on the left and Bill Willingham's Moldvay-era version on the right</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Once I got home and read the rules, I was even more puzzled. This was a D&D set from an alternate universe. Cardboard chits instead of dice? All weapons deal 1d6 damage? Why does this copy of <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/44087/keep-borderlands"><i>The Keep on the Borderlands</i></a> have <a href="http://crypticarchivist.blogspot.com/2014/03/rare-dave-trampier-art-part-3.html" target="_blank">different illustrations</a> like that goofy minotaur eating a drumstick? Most importantly, where is <a href="http://jeffdee.deviantart.com/art/Morgan-Ironwolf-322587897" target="_blank">Morgan</a> <a href="http://jrients.blogspot.com/2007/01/morgan-ironwolf-old-school-iconic.html" target="_blank">Ironwolf</a>?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfiRcgqtd2nr17AMj8m0NrWLPgNTnWw7Q3JqZX7jdoPtmWME6OwHWMar2DIoDUaGZbdWyAAyKk6uX6QsSD-1twYLXu_W5Vbi3A5QXWQSSQswc5YKGSPxiz2-egLy_7WUcAiWpiERugXzO/s1600/Blog03Books_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfiRcgqtd2nr17AMj8m0NrWLPgNTnWw7Q3JqZX7jdoPtmWME6OwHWMar2DIoDUaGZbdWyAAyKk6uX6QsSD-1twYLXu_W5Vbi3A5QXWQSSQswc5YKGSPxiz2-egLy_7WUcAiWpiERugXzO/s1600/Blog03Books_sm.jpg" height="248" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Instant adventure: just add dice</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Long before the days of "edition wars" we used whatever rule books we had together in a mishmosh of Basic/Expert/Advanced D&D. I'd alternate between the Moldvay and Holmes rule books, but defaulted to Moldvay for any rules differences. Soon thereafter, I completely switched to AD&D and rarely played the B/X or BECMI rules after that. We still played some of the modules (<i><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/46179/lost-city">B4 The Lost City</a></i> is still a personal favorite) but adopted them to play with AD&D.<br />
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For more on <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/zenopusarchives/home/modules-and-scenarios/b2-keep-on-the-borderlands"><i>The Keep on the Borderlands</i></a> and the Holmes edition basic set, be sure to bookmark <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/zenopusarchives/"><b>Zenopus Archives</b></a> and the <a href="http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/"><b>Zenopus Archives Blog</b></a>. Zenopus' latest project is a fascinating, page-by-page <a href="http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/search/label/Holmes%20Manuscript">examination of Holmes' original manuscript</a> for his rule book and a comparison with the printed version. Highly recommended!Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2532615449897123572.post-49351450775413165922014-08-12T13:29:00.002-04:002014-08-15T17:15:48.740-04:00#2 First RPG Gamemastered - Beyond the Secret of the Lizard King's Sinister Crystal Tomb #RPGaDAYMy 1982 era elementary school role-playing group played the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Moldvay" target="_blank">Moldvay </a><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/45486/dungeons-dragons-basic-set-second-edition" target="_blank">Basic</a>/<a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/52101/dungeons-dragons-expert-set" target="_blank">Expert </a>D&D rules augmented with the AD&D <i><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/43361/monster-manual" target="_blank">Monster Manual</a></i> and any other items we could get our hands on. A typical adventure would be to slaughter everyone in the <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/44087/keep-borderlands" target="_blank">Keep on the Borderlands</a> or hunt dinosaurs on the <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/44092/isle-dread" target="_blank">Isle of Dread</a> with our plate-armored fighter/magic-users brandishing magic shields and +5 two-handed swords. We were typical <a href="http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/SuperMunch.jpeg" target="_blank">munchkins </a>of the day.<br />
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I vaguely recall creating adventures in that time. One probably from 1983 was influenced by the arcade game hit <a href="http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=7647" target="_blank">Dragon's Lair</a> as the dungeon was populated with <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/tobor68/5271046507/in/photostream/" target="_blank">Giddy Goons</a> instead of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCEfApRqWzh8NZV6Bpxk1-E5JLYds5kG345dABJ5bOHYBq7l4yT-KqhHyYCIqxafdbS2fhDuPEYrrv28_6uWlAxJNj2V1vm9firY2F0PVP77munWlXT7rkSKwidQRLqWgUE_tlRY6V7T5/s1600/Orcs.PNG" target="_blank">orcs and goblins</a>. I'm sure that other adventures stole from <i>The Dark Crystal</i>, <i>The Neverending Story</i> and <i>The Black Cauldron</i>. I was not influenced by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089060/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2" target="_blank"><i>The Dungeonmaster</i></a>.*<br />
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Soon enough, I left the "childish" basic rules behind for Advanced D&D (I was entering junior high school, it was time to man up!). By late 1984, I had my own <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/43359/players-handbook" target="_blank">PHB</a>, <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/43361/monster-manual" target="_blank">MM </a>and <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/43360/dungeon-masters-guide" target="_blank">DMG</a>. I was already an avid reader before Gygax's purple prose cast its lurid dweomer on me, transfixing my orbs to these weighty, bloated tomes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibaTC98EQO6Yex2AU2mXbvmgNHUivdKjhJi7g_bnVX5xr_nMV0HbysYZbyqTZ2uYOX7N9VFYBA94hPSuZfYPWqYAlAloVaVD-PgoxdJ1QMQ6z_XnX_Q-LFNDnwWcv1Vag_TwR2LMiwLUX/s1600/Blog02Tomb_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibaTC98EQO6Yex2AU2mXbvmgNHUivdKjhJi7g_bnVX5xr_nMV0HbysYZbyqTZ2uYOX7N9VFYBA94hPSuZfYPWqYAlAloVaVD-PgoxdJ1QMQ6z_XnX_Q-LFNDnwWcv1Vag_TwR2LMiwLUX/s1600/Blog02Tomb_sm.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dice and tomb that distracted me from Chuck E. Cheese's arcade games</td></tr>
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It is around this time that I started game mastering in earnest. My first AD&D module was a gift from a friend at my <a href="http://showbizpizza.wikia.com/wiki/Pizza_Time_Theatre" target="_blank">Chuck E. Cheese's</a> birthday party: <i><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/48902/tomb-lizard-king" target="_blank">I2 Tomb of the Lizard King</a></i> (the gift included my first d8 and d12 - good friend). I've run that module many times over the last 30+ years and it is still one of my favorites. I still remember adding an <a href="http://www.somethingawful.com/dungeons-and-dragons/monster-manual-two/8/" target="_blank">Obliviax</a> from my <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/56036/monster-cards-set-4" target="_blank">Monster Cards</a> as an extra challenge early in the adventure. Like it needed more of a challenge! In 1991, one group finally managed to kill the "end boss," but that was after losing three members of the party:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRgOcnXmat9ojh8dCSFJhofYuz7fqzrAp5ajkl79qMaejI4JPApqkPiEfWYDVD3vJtbU130Hy2LS10Gi2Lk_W3KhjYfjArsM-KgaPYQeyGFqB2NrLYnY6bjc53yfKJLh1ANmXlLg5zGEP/s1600/Blog02PCs_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRgOcnXmat9ojh8dCSFJhofYuz7fqzrAp5ajkl79qMaejI4JPApqkPiEfWYDVD3vJtbU130Hy2LS10Gi2Lk_W3KhjYfjArsM-KgaPYQeyGFqB2NrLYnY6bjc53yfKJLh1ANmXlLg5zGEP/s1600/Blog02PCs_sm.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tol Skullsplitter, Silvarius and Overkill were all victims of the Tomb</td></tr>
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Another of my first game mastered modules was developed by TSR's UK office: <i><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/46874/sinister-secret-saltmarsh" target="_blank">U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh</a></i>. It is a classic adventure and a great twist on the haunted house cliche that made <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeon_%28magazine%29" target="_blank">Dungeon magazine's</a> 2004 list of the <a href="http://rpggeek.com/geeklist/47223/30-greatest-dd-adventures-all-time" target="_blank">30 Greatest D&D Adventures of All Time</a>. <i><a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/46649/beyond-crystal-cave" target="_blank">UK1 Beyond the Crystal Cave</a></i> was another British module in my earliest collection but I never got to run it. I left it at a friend's house during a big sleepover where we all played rounds of the <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/43985/james-bond-007" target="_blank">James Bond 007 RPG</a>, the <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameversion/147035/fasa-single-book-expanded-second-edition" target="_blank">Star Trek III Starship Combat Game</a> and other games (I asked him to give it back repeatedly but he refused - bad friend).<br />
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In my earliest DM sessions, it was hard to get a large group together. I usually played with a single player with one character. However, these adventures were all designed for parties of at least four adventurers. Sometimes I'd run an NPC companion to lend the player a hand, such as with <i>Saltmarsh</i>. In the case of <i>Lizard King</i>, I remember solving the problem by letting my stepbrother use my high-powered munchkin character: <b>Goldleaf </b>(Ugh... I must've been naming my characters after paint colors).<br />
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* <i>The Dungeonmaster</i> (a.k.a. <i>Ragewar</i>) is a schlocky, low-budget movie with no connection to D&D. In fact, newspaper ads for the film read, "This film is not endorsed by, or associated with T.S.R. Inc., publishers of the Advanced Dungeon and Dragons game." I rented this oddity on VHS around 1988. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0596959/?ref_=tt_cl_t2" target="_blank">Bull from <i>Night Court</i></a> plays an evil wizard. The LA metal band <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W.A.S.P.">W.A.S.P.</a> performs. The computer geek star was the boy lost in a pool in the final episode of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bewitchin%27_Pool"><i>The Twilight Zone</i></a>. The film's goofiness deserves its own blog post and <a href="http://suvudu.com/2010/11/what-did-i-just-watch-the-dungeonmaster-1985.html">many</a> <a href="http://horrorsnotdead.com/wpress/2011/the-chronicles-of-horror-movie-night-ragewar-1984/" target="_blank">have</a> <a href="http://www.badmovies.org/movies/dungeonmaster/">already</a> <a href="http://www.film.com/movies/erics-bad-movies-the-dungeonmaster-1984">written</a> <a href="http://horrornews.net/54184/film-review-the-dungeonmaster-1984/">about</a> it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4UuKSGW_3XtAOocGDkgSoStah7jPQ02tczGtpKPAXa5PujnUXujNg5yEThLCCQqtye_gAvcJe_Hif2G-r8IUSuin6r0zsCym45ovqnG_A_8Fn29-RPlh7OB3jQeJv0Gjcc_DH5NfebHJ/s1600/ragewar2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4UuKSGW_3XtAOocGDkgSoStah7jPQ02tczGtpKPAXa5PujnUXujNg5yEThLCCQqtye_gAvcJe_Hif2G-r8IUSuin6r0zsCym45ovqnG_A_8Fn29-RPlh7OB3jQeJv0Gjcc_DH5NfebHJ/s1600/ragewar2.jpeg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Stone Golem</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxCWaJUHQsT9unbqhkMsDtPivPqRRQa-QwjK7Yy3GYwNS35B1npfX5V7o6z1n_fC9bt9KmbWcRLmTSxxj34F3aegYNfEijmGaWBSEd3BYflodaiD5g-BnRbKxt29HQXCQikiYAddAu7I9/s1600/ragewar3crop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxCWaJUHQsT9unbqhkMsDtPivPqRRQa-QwjK7Yy3GYwNS35B1npfX5V7o6z1n_fC9bt9KmbWcRLmTSxxj34F3aegYNfEijmGaWBSEd3BYflodaiD5g-BnRbKxt29HQXCQikiYAddAu7I9/s1600/ragewar3crop.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Without Stone Golem</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I leave you with one piece of trivia: The hero must battle a <a href="http://www.badmovies.org/multimedia/moviesv/dungeonmaster1.mpg">stop-motion-animated living statue</a> in some fantasy landscape. Now, I recognize that landscape as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoney_Point_%28California%29">Stoney Point Park in Los Angeles</a>, a popular site for rock climbers that I used to live down the street from. Fortunately, they cleared out the stone golems and churlish dwarfs before I moved there.Tonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04006976826851198428noreply@blogger.com2