What Hackmaster is?

Turanil · Jan 15, 2005

I read in another thread about Hackmaster. My curiosity got picked up, so I got a look at their website and discovered there were dozens of products already available for this game I had never heard of before. However, the only thing I could understand about Hackmaster, is that it seems to be a parody / funny conversion of AD&D 1e.

Does anyone knows this game? Has anyone ever played it? Can you tell me more about it?

Thanks.

(Not I am interested in playing this game however; I have far too many rpg books right now, that will never be used in any way.)

Phazeal · Jan 15, 2005

Hackmaster

I think it's based on a comic-strip.

It's basically 1ed with a heap of tweaks. It can be serious or a joke game. I play in an online HM game that is serious and it rocks.

I think it's a game for purists. It's not for fudgers or those who want power characters. It's also got a LOT of detail in the rules.

Top game though.

P

Crothian · Jan 15, 2005

It is the best of first and second edition with a bit more to it. It is funny and serious, it works fine as a regular RPG game and laughs at itself and old editions.

Olgar Shiverstone · Jan 15, 2005

Some like to call it "the real 3rd edition AD&D".

Turanil · Jan 15, 2005

Aaargh!!! All you are doing is teasing my curiosity, not quenching it! I will not buy a single book of this game, I swear!

Numion · Jan 15, 2005

Phazeal said:
I think it's a game for purists. It's not for fudgers or those who want power characters.

I think that powergaming surely isn't outside Hackmaster. It's inspired by a comic where the majority of players are powergamers / rules lawyers to boot.

I think that the game caters to varied audiences, like most RPGs do. Powergaming is supported, but not required.

Krieg · Jan 15, 2005

Turanil said:
Aaargh!!! All you are doing is teasing my curiosity, not quenching it! I will not buy a single book of this game, I swear!

If you are a fan of the 1E DMG then you have to pick up the Hackmaster Gamemaster's Guide, even if you never plan on using the system. The nostalgic entertainment value alone makes it worthwhile.

Turanil · Jan 15, 2005

Aaaargh!! Why in the hell did I ever asked this question!!

Time to go to bed. Hopefully, tomorrow I will have forgotten about it.

So many books, so many books, so many...

Aaaah... nostalgia entertainment value...

Maybe I could try selling stuff on ebay to begin with....

Beale Knight · Jan 15, 2005

About Hackmaster

Turanil said:
Aaargh!!! All you are doing is teasing my curiosity, not quenching it! I will not buy a single book of this game, I swear!

The roots of Hackmaster are in the comic, "The Knights of the Dinner Table," a black and white book that started as a strip. KoDT is about a group of gamers and probably 80% of the art involves them sitting around the table during a game. This is one of the funniest and beloved depiction of gamers in all the excentricities and is almost at issue 100.

The game they play inKoDT is called Hackmaster, and it's basicly 1st edition AD&D with a lot of complications thrown in for the sake of storyline humor. A few years ago they people that produce KoDT, Kenzer Company, noticed there seemed to be enough interest in Hackmaster that they decided to turn their story-device parody of 1st AD&D into an actual pen and paper rpg. And so they did. And it seems to have been a pretty good seller.

I've never so much as opened up one of the rulebooks, but from what I understand Hackmaster plays very much like 1st AD&D, but with a number of extra layers of rules and spells and monsters and other etc, all to match specific references the comic book made over the years. Some people consider it nothing more than a parody game, others play it with as much seriousness as any other non-parody rpg.

Much more information can be found at Kenzer's web page: Kenzerco.com

Hope that helps.

Krieg · Jan 15, 2005

Turanil said:
Aaaargh!! Why in the hell did I ever asked this question!!

Time to go to bed. Hopefully, tomorrow I will have forgotten about it.

So many books, so many books, so many...