Tabletop roleplayer or Gamemaster? Chat to me!

[Morning Star]

Hmm...you see, thats wasted on me! Unless, I take it to mean you're a hardcore fan of 2nd edition?

[I, Brian]

I'm not quite sure of the edition numbers - wasn't it the first edition that had Gary Gygax introducing character classes such as monks and bards? If so it was the 2nd edition I bought, and we mixed elements of both.

I haven't a clue about 3rd edition. What did they change that was so drastic?

[Lacedaemonian]

I am utterly jealous of you RPG peoples. Back in the eighties all the kids in my village played D&D and the likes, but they would not let me play because I was too young. Now that I am fully adult nobody plays anymore, and my friends just look at me strangely when I suggest we play. I have all the new LOTR minitures but have never used them in a game format, I just paint them and look at them. Sad I know. My friend did buy the LOTR Risk game, which we played a few times and I enjoyed but he lost interest. My girlfriend has always said that she would play these games with me but I would just smash her to peices and she would cry. Has anybody played A Game of Thrones board game? It looks good.

[Morning Star]

I saw the Thrones game at the local gaming store...sorry mate, haven't played it, but it does look intriguing.

As for the changes from 2nd to 3rd ed, coming from a noob who listens to the online ramblings of other gamemasters, the biggest complaints I've heard so far are:

Less detail in the Monsters Manual. I read the 2nd ed manual, it was great, it had all kinds of interesting facts regarding the society and ecology of creatures..apparantly, the 3rd ed version is decidedly sloppy and hurried in comparison and leaves these facts out.

Saturation of magical items, whilst I've been told that the forgotten realms settings are chock full o magic, apparantly in 3rd ed, it's possible for your character to gain a feat quite early in his career and begin spouting out powerful magic items. I'll speak to some more disgruntled gamers and find out what else has changed.

However, from reading the Full Frontal Nerdity Webcomic, I've also learned that many D&D veterans hate changes, really hate them and that Wizards of the Coast get flooded with letters questioning new editions and alterations. So I suppose theres just no pleasing some people.

[Lacedaemonian]

I would greatly appreciate some feed back on the Game of Thrones board game. With all the George RR Martin fans on these boards, there must be some people who have played it. I do not want to chuck hard earned (Believe that if you will) money at something that is rubbish.

[Morning Star]

Well, if you have'nt seen this already, here's a review by Wargamer:

http://www.wargamer.com/reviews/game_of_thrones/

I hope this helps somewhat.

[I, Brian]

The thing a lot of people forget about D&D - and role-playing in general - is that rule books are guides.

[Morning Star]

Good point...but I suppose like in all things, there are just those who are die-harders and have every stat and rule memorised.

[Lacedaemonian]

Thanks for the review. I will purchase the game, if I can get some of my friends to first read the books, then convince them to play the game. I am not sure when I became a nerd...

[Morning Star]

You are most welcome of course!

And hey! Nerdity is the new Hula-Hoop!

[aftermath]

I-Brain, I agree with you fully. The books are just to guided you I find. I'vew played f1st,2nd and 3rd. 1st is my fav or it has some cool classes that weren't in 2nd. But like I and you said, they are guidelines. We just use the books to make our characters, and to brush up on some of the basic rules. All the items we use and all the monsters are made up as we go along, that way we can make a fight more interesting by have our own monsters because we can then mold them to the players. I don't see the point of buying 3rd, when you can get 1st second hand for a hell of a lot cheaper.

As for board games, I'd suggest Axies and Allies and Warhammer(I myself play the LotR kind). It's great. I have 2 cave trolls and 12 berserkers . God do they ever cut through mounted units.

And to better hte situation, my gf(to be) plays these games with us.

[Morning Star]

Please share with me your advice on how you got your gf to play? I love my gf dearly, she's the best thing I've got on this earth and I understand that differences in interest make for a healthy relationship, but I would love her to roleplay with me (and I don't just mean in the Britney Spears schoolgirl outfit).

However, she has never ever experienced any form of rpgs and only ever saw Star Wars this year (we watched my trilogy together) She is willing to try though and I won't think any less of her if she doesn't enjoy it, but it would be great to have her with me.

[aftermath]

Hehe, my gf is into sci-fi and likes fantasy but never really had a chance to explore it. So, I brought her along to a d&d meet and she wanted to join. after that, she wanted to start playing other games with us. it's great. play warhammer and D&D then go out for the night oh yeah... lol

i'd just suggest having her sit in on a few games to see if she enjoys them instead of bogging her down with all the rules rite of the bat.

[Morning Star]

Yes, I agree thats a good idea. Nothing puts off a newcomer more than looking at a blank character sheet....all that small print!!!

I am also planning on a one-on-one gaming session with just me and her, so she can test the waters without worrying about other people.

[aftermath]

yes... an one on one gaming session.... lol. just picking. It's a good idea. I'm trying to get my siblings playing. but they're dumb as rocks so I think I may have to do the same thing with them