Anyone remember Melee?

W

wandmlaw

First Post

• Feb 8, 2005

• #1

Does anyone remember Melee?

They haven't produced it in about twenty years, but as newbie gamers many moons ago, we used to play this obsessively. The perfect pick-up-and-play combat game (by SJ no less)

I posed this same question over at rpg.net and got a lot of "oooohs" and "aaaahhhs" as everyone got nostalgic over their memories of this and Wizard and Ogre and the like.

 

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MonsterMash

First Post

• Feb 8, 2005

• #2

Yes, I remember playing it a lot many moons ago. The Metagaming products I still have (adn play) are Ogre, GEV and Black Hole, still got some others buried like Olympica and Sticks and Stones, but haven't played those for a long time

 

JimAde

First Post

• Feb 8, 2005

• #3

Ah, yes. Proto-GURPS. I think I bought Wizard and Melee at GenCon back when it was in Kenosha. Gladiatorial goodness!

 

WayneLigon

Adventurer

• Feb 8, 2005

• #4

Yep. I still have it and Wizard, the maps and counters, and some of the solo adventures. I also have Advanced Melee, Adv. Wizard and the... GM book for that, the name of which I forget right now.

I really liked them, even if I never could get anyone to play a campaign using the Advanced books.

Chitin was my very first wargame, period. I saw an ad for it in... Analog, I think.

 

BiggusGeekus

That's Latin for "cool"

• Feb 8, 2005

• #5

Minigames were very cool.

Melee and Wizard (the precursors to GURPS) were nifty. You could play a game in about 15 minutes. Perfect for school.

Of course, now the kids have all those crazy card games that do the same thing and are more portable. Stupid kids.

 

K

kenobi65

First Post

• Feb 8, 2005

• #6

I also recall when Steve left Metagaming to form SJG, and GURPS was in development for what seemed like forever.

 

The Shaman

First Post

• Feb 8, 2005

• #7

I was thinking about this just the other day. There was a cool "Quest for the Holy Grail" solo adventure, like the "Choose Your Own Adventure Books," that used the Melee mechanics.

Melee and Wizard - good times.

 

WayneLigon

Adventurer

• Feb 8, 2005

• #8

BiggusGeekus said:

Melee and Wizard (the precursors to GURPS) were nifty. You could play a game in about 15 minutes. Perfect for school.

Click to expand...

My favorite school game: WarpWar. No dice involved, and we could set it up anywhere.

My only game-related story from high school. We're playing either Melee or Wizard. Dice are being rolled. The librarian apparently thinks we're gambling or something and asks what we'd do if the govenor walked into the library.

Now, this derailed any train of thought we might have had as we briefly contremplated the amazing turns of fate and fortune that would be required to have this occur. She might as well have asked 'What if the President and Superman came in here?'.

"We'd invite him to play," was the eventual answer. She shook her head and went back to her office.

 

Garnfellow

Explorer

• Feb 8, 2005

• #9

I was reasonably close to converting my entire 2nd edition campaign to the Fantasy Trip when 3rd editon was announced. (Systems also considered: SAGA, Ars Magica, Advanced Fighting Fantasy.)

That system really is a model of simplicity and elegance.

 

Last edited: Feb 9, 2005

JimAde

First Post

• Feb 8, 2005

• #10

I had completely forgotten until I read this. In high school we used to play Ogre/GEV in the library on our lunch hour. Eventually they made us stop. I guess we got a little loud.