It seems that my diligence toward blog posting has waned in some respect, so a massive general update is in order. To keep things organized, I will hit the highlights below.
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3rd Edition
Yes, folks, it is official: I am now the proud owner of both the core box set and GM toolkit for this redesign of the traditional Warhammer roleplaying system. For those of you unfamiliar with the history behind this particular edition, you should follow some of the hate threads online discussing gamer disgust toward the game's packaging. Many people pan the reboot as being too much like a board game and not a roleplaying game. To this stance, having not played or run the game yet, my response to all haters is to shut the hell up. True, you do have spend loads of money on an assload of chits and cards and skinny rulebooks, but as one poster has stated, you can use whatever elements suit your needs. I am thoroughly impressed with the quality of materials, although with Fantasy Flight Games, quality is hardly ever an issue. I will save the larger review of the components for either a lengthy post or a video post with the help of my nemesis 8-bit Emma.
The Big Bang Theory and Genshiken
Well I have watched these two series before, I am becoming obsessed with both shoes, although I cannot understand why. Both are excellent, but my fanboy appreciation and attention toward these shows have reached epic proportions (I am on my third run-through of Genshiken in a month). Sadly, after posting this entry, I shall return to a few more episodes of Genshiken before bed.
Comfort Breeds ADD
As I am becoming more comfortable with my hobbies and expressing those feelings to other people, I find myself running into a significant problem regarding focus. To begin, I have never been ashamed of gaming and geekiness. However, I tend to be a very private person about some matters, and these two facets of my personality sometimes fail to make into conversations, often deliberately. However, in recent years, I have become more forward with them, as well as other things, and I find that pronounced underdevelopment in my hobbies have forced a turbulent period that has caused me to view numerous different sub-hobbies as viable options for collection and exploration. However, the bank account has stipulated steep purchasing restrictions, so I have spent the last two weeks trying to figure out which hobbies represent the most viable options. Hopefully, once I figure this issue out, I can begin a slow, steady initiation into it/them rather than my usual approach, which often leads to ridiculous amounts of buyer’s remorse.
That is all for now. Hopefully, I shall have an initial review of WFRP 3rd up in the next few weeks.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Pathfinder...You and I must mate ideas.
It's true. After much reflection and helping of witty banter from 8bit Emma, I have decided that revisiting my old 3.5 setting through the new Pathfinder system shall be the best way to assist our new recruit into the pen and paper world. This decision does not come without some reservation, for I have not touched the setting, let alone a 3.5 variant in over two years. What's even better is that my old notes are mostly on my previous HP desktop, the victim of a transformer overload critical failure. However, as providence would have it, I located the old website where numerous bits of information had been previously uploaded. I have established the shell of a wiki and should have the migration complete in a matter of weeks.
I must begin preparations immediately...
I must begin preparations immediately...
Monday, May 31, 2010
Game Nostalgia Friday...On Monday
Yes, it has been a few days since the previous posting for this article. When the weekend strikes, shit usually hits the fan and this weekend was no exception, albeit some laziness does apply. Without further delay, I wish to discuss my topic of choice: The Amber Diceless Roleplaying Game
Background
One of my many games attributed to the local college gaming club, Amber represented one of my longest investments in a roleplaying game. While the group was often turbulent and I left halfway through the campaign due to school obligations, I still have some fond memories of the campaign and the motley bunch of misfits causing chaos throughout the realm. For those of you who are unfamiliar with game, it revolves around adventuring through Roger Zelazny's world of Amber, in which godlike beings (Amberites) use their powers of reality manipulation, sorcery, epic strength, and shameless Machiavellian politicking to battle against the forces of Chaos. In this game, you play one of the young neophyte spawned by one of the named characters in the series. You spend much of the time plotting against one another and striving to amass a certain level of power over others.
System
As stated previously, this game is diceless, completely and utterly diceless. Moreover, it also lacks a distinct resource allocation system as well, although the attribute rankings can serve as a crude model. Essentially, you have four major stats (Psyche, Strength, Endurance, and Warfare) into which you sink character creation points and set up a system of rankings against other players. Often, this system is run in a fairly blunt fashion, so the person with the top rank in Strength is simply stronger than all other PCs, and likewise with the other stats. The only way to defeat the top rank is a careful strategy that renders their stat complete useless or hampered. Putting zero points into an attribute still makes a character quite competent against any normal threat, as a zero point Warfare PC could survive most mortal battles with only a few residual scratches. In addition to these four stats, players can also buy numerous other bennies, including powers to manipulate order or chaos, items of true power, personal shadows, which are universes completely modeled to the PCs tastes, and allies to help protect you. Essentially, after spending your allotted points, that is the last you have to deal with the rules. The rest is fairly freeform, allowing a highly narrative experience without relying too heavily on die rolls.
Why I love this game
Since it was one of my first heavily narrative games, I fell in love with the sheer requirement of making my character stand out through well-developed, articulated description. I had the responsibility of making the character jump off the page with my own storytelling abilities rather than rely on die rolls to talk for me. Zelazny's world has a number of strong structures, but the game allows you to explore aspects undiscovered through the ten novel series.
Why I hate this game
This game is an obvious example of early generation attempts at diceless systems, and its age is unmistakable. While the system is simple, it is also quite janky and left entirely up to interpretation. The Power System for example is very loose on its interpretation, and given that Pattern abilities, the set most readily available to the PC, involves reality bending hijinks, it is disheartening to see such poor attention devoted to it. A Google search for rearticulations of the powers system will lead one to multiple interpretations that create a web of confusion. Furthermore, even Wujick's system stipulates that a GM can adapt the system and setting in any conceivable way. While sandbox lovers might rejoice, believe me, given how complex the setting is, such ill-conceived discussion does not help for newer and/or unfamiliar players. Is it possible to play the game without any knowledge of the universe? Yes, but the side effect is that much of the smaller nuances of the setting are often lost in the translation.
Verdict
The system is good for a test run, but be very cautious about investing wholeheartedly into this vintage model without a good look under the hood.
Background
One of my many games attributed to the local college gaming club, Amber represented one of my longest investments in a roleplaying game. While the group was often turbulent and I left halfway through the campaign due to school obligations, I still have some fond memories of the campaign and the motley bunch of misfits causing chaos throughout the realm. For those of you who are unfamiliar with game, it revolves around adventuring through Roger Zelazny's world of Amber, in which godlike beings (Amberites) use their powers of reality manipulation, sorcery, epic strength, and shameless Machiavellian politicking to battle against the forces of Chaos. In this game, you play one of the young neophyte spawned by one of the named characters in the series. You spend much of the time plotting against one another and striving to amass a certain level of power over others.
System
As stated previously, this game is diceless, completely and utterly diceless. Moreover, it also lacks a distinct resource allocation system as well, although the attribute rankings can serve as a crude model. Essentially, you have four major stats (Psyche, Strength, Endurance, and Warfare) into which you sink character creation points and set up a system of rankings against other players. Often, this system is run in a fairly blunt fashion, so the person with the top rank in Strength is simply stronger than all other PCs, and likewise with the other stats. The only way to defeat the top rank is a careful strategy that renders their stat complete useless or hampered. Putting zero points into an attribute still makes a character quite competent against any normal threat, as a zero point Warfare PC could survive most mortal battles with only a few residual scratches. In addition to these four stats, players can also buy numerous other bennies, including powers to manipulate order or chaos, items of true power, personal shadows, which are universes completely modeled to the PCs tastes, and allies to help protect you. Essentially, after spending your allotted points, that is the last you have to deal with the rules. The rest is fairly freeform, allowing a highly narrative experience without relying too heavily on die rolls.
Why I love this game
Since it was one of my first heavily narrative games, I fell in love with the sheer requirement of making my character stand out through well-developed, articulated description. I had the responsibility of making the character jump off the page with my own storytelling abilities rather than rely on die rolls to talk for me. Zelazny's world has a number of strong structures, but the game allows you to explore aspects undiscovered through the ten novel series.
Why I hate this game
This game is an obvious example of early generation attempts at diceless systems, and its age is unmistakable. While the system is simple, it is also quite janky and left entirely up to interpretation. The Power System for example is very loose on its interpretation, and given that Pattern abilities, the set most readily available to the PC, involves reality bending hijinks, it is disheartening to see such poor attention devoted to it. A Google search for rearticulations of the powers system will lead one to multiple interpretations that create a web of confusion. Furthermore, even Wujick's system stipulates that a GM can adapt the system and setting in any conceivable way. While sandbox lovers might rejoice, believe me, given how complex the setting is, such ill-conceived discussion does not help for newer and/or unfamiliar players. Is it possible to play the game without any knowledge of the universe? Yes, but the side effect is that much of the smaller nuances of the setting are often lost in the translation.
Verdict
The system is good for a test run, but be very cautious about investing wholeheartedly into this vintage model without a good look under the hood.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Newest Distractions
My life has been consumed by two new pastimes that might become staples of my weekly routine. Though my feud with 8bit Emma has not been resolved by any means, our Wednesday trip to the Castle P to obtain new delicious comics has become something I now cherish greatly. Though I did not buy any new comics, I bought some newish Marvel Ultimates comics that take place after the Ultimatum debacle. I have committed to getting into a few series on a monthly basis as opposed to my usual routine of spam buying trades when I come upon them.
The second distraction, totally awesome and fitting within my love of old games, is the download and expansion of my Game Room on Xbox Live. For those of you unfamiliar with this program, it is a virtual space, modeled after a retro arcade, where you can buy old Konami arcade, Atari 2600, and Intellivision games, and install their arcade likenesses into this space. You can also buy mascots from the games that float around inside your game room looking totally pimped out and awesome. Any friends on your Xbox Live account appear as patrons in your arcade, and if they decide to download the free program and expansions, they can visit your arcade and see how you have designed it. My room is starting to look fairly active, as I have the bottom floor completely decked out in themed rooms, while the second floor has two rooms according to game system.
Despite these distractions, I still hope to continue with Game Nostalgia Friday tomorrow, but I have decided to review a tabletop roleplaying game instead of another video game. While I will not divulge the identity of the game, I hope that you will find it most enlightening.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Game Nostalgia Friday...On Saturday
I apologize for my lack of punctuality, but my conflict yesterday with 8bit Emma took a lot out of me. But without further adieu, let us begin the first Game Nostalgia Friday entry
PERSONA PSP
This game holds a special place in my heart as being the first console RPG that I played on the PSOne, and man, was it a piece of shit. Its early incarnation suffered from what all RPGs suffer in the early stages of a console: mediocre graphics, un-user friendly interfaces, horrendous load times, and overall asstastic editing. The game was no exception, so being allowed to play it again on the Playstation Portable was greatly appreciated (GO ATLUS!)
The game fits into the larger Megami Tensei series, which has spawned dozens of offshoot titles and series. The basic premise behind most games in the series is that the world is about to undergo a cataclysmic event and the protagonist is endowed with demon summoning abilities to change the world for the better...or the worse, should the player choose. The Persona series takes a unique spin on this formula and instead of summoning demons, the protagonists summon these creatures as aspects of their personality in a Jungian-Pokemon fashion. Through character actions and serious grinding, newer, more powerful personae emerge to assist the heroes in stopping the forces bearing upon them.
(Minor Spoilers Ahead)
The basic plot of the first Persona game is snatched right from your traditional anime series, as our youthful protagonists begin playing a local game in an abandoned classroom of their school. Upon witnessing the ensuing events, their town is overrun by monsters and with the help of their newly awakened persona ability, they charge off to locate the source of the madness and promptly kick its ass. Along the way, the protagonists learn the truth about the demon invasion, come to a decision about how to handle it, and save the world for the better. Sounds pretty run of the mill stuff for a console game, but adding in parallel worlds, cosmic gods, split personalities, and evolving personae does give the game its charm. One of the things that the Persona games have always been adept at doing is providing a limited physical landscape to travel, but providing endless story lines and plot hooks to explore.
In terms of the game play elements, as many people discuss, the game does not age well. Even though the PSP version sports an entirely new battle and overworld interface, reduces load time, and provides much needed additional save points, the first-person dungeon perspective and lack of developed dialogue makes for some jarring experiences. The characters themselves are a bit two-dimensional and fail to live up to the standards set by other entries in the series. Aside from all that, here is what does work. The game has two divergent story lines which players can follow: the SEBEC story and the Snow Queen Quest, the latter of which is a themed dungeon run. The persona aspect, in its infancy, departed wildly from its contemporary PSOne counterparts, and the PSP version still holds the same charm of coaxing cards from demons with conversation rather than brute force and fusing them together to create new personae. For those who love the grind and their Pokemon, this element will hold your interest. The conversation system is fun as well, and those playing the game blind will enjoy locating the exact dialogue choices to get the cards. As an aesthetic note, the electronica music from the original has been replaced by Shoji Meguro's interpretation of the original soundtrack.
Out of the entire series, this is the weakest entry, but to be fair, it has to live up to three monster sequels that all redefined RPG storylines and mechanics. So if this game whets your appetite, seek out Persona 2 if you still want the linear gaming experience, or Persona 3 and 4 if you like your Persona goodness paired with some wholesome dating sim fun.
Here is a brief video of the Snow Queen Quest. Beware that it has some minor spoilers:
Captain Osmotic's Faves and Hates
Most Awesome Character
PERSONA PSP
This game holds a special place in my heart as being the first console RPG that I played on the PSOne, and man, was it a piece of shit. Its early incarnation suffered from what all RPGs suffer in the early stages of a console: mediocre graphics, un-user friendly interfaces, horrendous load times, and overall asstastic editing. The game was no exception, so being allowed to play it again on the Playstation Portable was greatly appreciated (GO ATLUS!)
The game fits into the larger Megami Tensei series, which has spawned dozens of offshoot titles and series. The basic premise behind most games in the series is that the world is about to undergo a cataclysmic event and the protagonist is endowed with demon summoning abilities to change the world for the better...or the worse, should the player choose. The Persona series takes a unique spin on this formula and instead of summoning demons, the protagonists summon these creatures as aspects of their personality in a Jungian-Pokemon fashion. Through character actions and serious grinding, newer, more powerful personae emerge to assist the heroes in stopping the forces bearing upon them.
(Minor Spoilers Ahead)
The basic plot of the first Persona game is snatched right from your traditional anime series, as our youthful protagonists begin playing a local game in an abandoned classroom of their school. Upon witnessing the ensuing events, their town is overrun by monsters and with the help of their newly awakened persona ability, they charge off to locate the source of the madness and promptly kick its ass. Along the way, the protagonists learn the truth about the demon invasion, come to a decision about how to handle it, and save the world for the better. Sounds pretty run of the mill stuff for a console game, but adding in parallel worlds, cosmic gods, split personalities, and evolving personae does give the game its charm. One of the things that the Persona games have always been adept at doing is providing a limited physical landscape to travel, but providing endless story lines and plot hooks to explore.
In terms of the game play elements, as many people discuss, the game does not age well. Even though the PSP version sports an entirely new battle and overworld interface, reduces load time, and provides much needed additional save points, the first-person dungeon perspective and lack of developed dialogue makes for some jarring experiences. The characters themselves are a bit two-dimensional and fail to live up to the standards set by other entries in the series. Aside from all that, here is what does work. The game has two divergent story lines which players can follow: the SEBEC story and the Snow Queen Quest, the latter of which is a themed dungeon run. The persona aspect, in its infancy, departed wildly from its contemporary PSOne counterparts, and the PSP version still holds the same charm of coaxing cards from demons with conversation rather than brute force and fusing them together to create new personae. For those who love the grind and their Pokemon, this element will hold your interest. The conversation system is fun as well, and those playing the game blind will enjoy locating the exact dialogue choices to get the cards. As an aesthetic note, the electronica music from the original has been replaced by Shoji Meguro's interpretation of the original soundtrack.
Out of the entire series, this is the weakest entry, but to be fair, it has to live up to three monster sequels that all redefined RPG storylines and mechanics. So if this game whets your appetite, seek out Persona 2 if you still want the linear gaming experience, or Persona 3 and 4 if you like your Persona goodness paired with some wholesome dating sim fun.
Here is a brief video of the Snow Queen Quest. Beware that it has some minor spoilers:
Captain Osmotic's Faves and Hates
Most Awesome Character
- Yuki - Out of the entire group of teenagers, we get one really cool and responsible person.
- Nanjo - He is a real bastard and his arrogant dialogue makes me want to punch his pixelated face.
- Starting the Snow Queen Quest - The opening FMV is really cool.
- Listing to Nanjo talk - Really, it is that bad.
- "PERSONA!!!" - When calling out your persona.
- Persona 2 (Innocent Sin/Eternal Punishment) - Playing in one game, then playing in a weird alternate reality of the first game=Epic
- Persona 3 - The second game in my entire life that I couldn't bear to finish, but still did. I never wanted it to end, and I was almost in tears to see it over.
- Persona 4 - Huh, so you can refine the gameplay of 3, give me characters that I am ambivalent toward, and provide an engaging mystery for them to solve, all of which add up to a fun game. Who knew?
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Lost, But Not Forgotten...
It has been awhile since I have posted, but that is mainly due to post-semester depression and reorientation for the summer months. I have a few updates and a preview of my new Friday segment, "Game Nostalgia Fridays."
Updates
I spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday wrapping up a little post-semester business, but my primary engagement was...Warhammer 40k. The roomie took me out to watch his epic game with two other friends and I spent the better part of eight hours witnessing the carnage and bloodshed. This experiment was mostly designed to see if I really wanted to assemble my own army in the fall, and the answer is.................Plague Marines!!!! Yes, I will yet again put disposable income into a hobby that I will likely drop again in the future. On the bright side, once the minis get painted, I can always display the nicer ones.
Summer gaming is adrift in a sea of uncertainty, as I don't know what the plans are at this point. Hopefully, Exalted will start up again, which I hope to discuss in blog entries, pursuant to GM's permission. If that doesn't pan out, I have supers on the brain, so I can probably pull a group together and start running M&M.
Tomorrow: Game Nostalgia Friday
Tomorrow will mark the first entry in a series of discussion about console, computer, tabletop, and other gaming. Brace yourself for my endless ramblings about my experiences and advice for those seeking or considering these games.
Tomorrow's game shall be........................Persona PSP
See you then.
Updates
I spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday wrapping up a little post-semester business, but my primary engagement was...Warhammer 40k. The roomie took me out to watch his epic game with two other friends and I spent the better part of eight hours witnessing the carnage and bloodshed. This experiment was mostly designed to see if I really wanted to assemble my own army in the fall, and the answer is.................Plague Marines!!!! Yes, I will yet again put disposable income into a hobby that I will likely drop again in the future. On the bright side, once the minis get painted, I can always display the nicer ones.
Summer gaming is adrift in a sea of uncertainty, as I don't know what the plans are at this point. Hopefully, Exalted will start up again, which I hope to discuss in blog entries, pursuant to GM's permission. If that doesn't pan out, I have supers on the brain, so I can probably pull a group together and start running M&M.
Tomorrow: Game Nostalgia Friday
Tomorrow will mark the first entry in a series of discussion about console, computer, tabletop, and other gaming. Brace yourself for my endless ramblings about my experiences and advice for those seeking or considering these games.
Tomorrow's game shall be........................Persona PSP
See you then.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Time for Some Humble Roots
At long last, my responsibilities for the semester are winding down and I have time to write again. Sure I have a ton of grading to do, but my attempt to go back to villainous writing will certainly be more apparent. I hope to have a review for both The Boys Volumes 5 & 6 up in the next few days, along with some photos of recent miniature acquisitions.
For now, I leave you with a small observation and an awesome Youtube video. To deal with the stress lately, I have dusted off some old Atari games that I have playing online to curb my desire for super villainy. I must say that in the video game department, I was always a late bloomer, as family finances and country living did not always allow for easily upgradeable systems. So Atari 2600, and briefly 7800, were the staples at our home for quite awhile, so I migrate back when I want some mindless, unending fun. While the graphics are terrible and certain games leave a bad taste in your mouth (fuck you E.T.), they will always hold a place in my heart.
Which is why this video made my day...
Stay tuned for more...
For now, I leave you with a small observation and an awesome Youtube video. To deal with the stress lately, I have dusted off some old Atari games that I have playing online to curb my desire for super villainy. I must say that in the video game department, I was always a late bloomer, as family finances and country living did not always allow for easily upgradeable systems. So Atari 2600, and briefly 7800, were the staples at our home for quite awhile, so I migrate back when I want some mindless, unending fun. While the graphics are terrible and certain games leave a bad taste in your mouth (fuck you E.T.), they will always hold a place in my heart.
Which is why this video made my day...
Stay tuned for more...
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