Alternity (and OOP games in general)

[Starglim]

I'm running an Alternity Dark.Matter PBeM and playing in a couple of other online games. There's a lot to like in the single skill mechanic, not-easily-broken task resolution, damage system (which also extends to vehicles and starships), FX, and the Most Important Rule: Not everything needs a dice roll.

For an "out of print" game, there's a lot of rules development and creation of free stuff going on at alternity.net, and seemingly quite a few new players coming in.

I haven't picked up on other out-of-print games, especially, though I'd like to find some Kult or 2300 material.

 

[Bagpuss]

Depends what you mean by out of print.

I play Cyberpunk which isn't offically out of print but hasn't had anything new for eight years.

I also play Flashing Blades which isn't technically out of print, the rules get printed everynow and again for some legal reason (I think it protects the copyright), but it came out in 1984, and never had more than a few suppliments for it.

I occasionally play 2300AD (best Sci-fi game ever made IMHO).

But you don't have to play oop games to have this as a cheap hobby (just play rather than DM). Or just invent homebrew games and stick to the core rules.

Actually by playing so many different games OOP or not, I've made this into a very expensive hobby for myself. Cheapest way to play is always be a player and stick with one system.

 

[Chupacabra]

I would love to get two campaigns going in two game systems that are currently OOP, but will soon be reborn -- Paranoia and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. Both are slated to be reprinted / revised in the very near future.

Oh, and PS, neither will be d20! Hooray!

 

[Davelozzi]

I think Alternity's great. I played it a few times, and tried to start a Star*Drive campaign but it fell apart because two out of three players moved away from the area one or two sessions in. I still have the desire to run either a long-term Star*Drive campaign or a short Dark Matter one, and may do so at some point, though it's unclear whether I'd actually use Alternity or d20 for it. I loved the system at the time, and don't have any problems with it now, but the material would still be easy to run in d20 and my players are more familiar with it.

I haven't actively run any other out of print games.

 

[ssostac1]

I've converted my long standing 3e game to Alternity rules last September, and have not regretted a moment of it. The skill system in Alternity with its varying degrees of success is just great, and the health system is far more realistic than D&D. I don't think I'd ever switch back.

Just one DM's opinion.

 

[Chainsaw Mage]

I've converted my long standing 3e game to Alternity rules last September, and have not regretted a moment of it. The skill system in Alternity with its varying degrees of success is just great, and the health system is far more realistic than D&D. I don't think I'd ever switch back.

Just one DM's opinion.

A question for you then. In your opinion, having played (and even converted) both D&D 3.0 and Alternity, which has the more "complex" rules? It seems to me that, on the surface, the idea of having varying degrees of success or failure (Alternity) seems rather complicated. On the other hand, so does much of the d20 combat system...

 

[carmerillia]

im currently playing a dark matter and tangets campaigns using the alternity system. I like the elegancy of the system and agree with what's been mentioned about hit points. Having skill advancement is a more realistic option than the level (and hit point) system of D&D.

I also have alot of old Wraith the oblivion, star wars rpg (d6) and dark sun. (this is not to say i don't play d&d - my library is getting big as it tries to contain most of the wizards and white wolf catologue)

 

[Werther von G]

Well, technically, Vampire: The Masquerade is out of print now, and I still run that twice a month.

 

[AFGNCAAP]

Used to play in a TORG game for a while, but sporadic attendance more or less killed off that game.

Played 1 game of the Marvel Universe RPG (the diceless/cardless one that used counters): I had mixed feelings about it: oddly enough it seemed to simplify & complecate things at the same time. It died not too long after its release--actually, I think it died just after 2 sourcebooks were released for it.

I have run & will still run my Marvel SAGA supers game--overall, I really like how that game works for supers (even more than the newer, short-lived MURPG). It's proven to be remarkably easy for me to make stuff up off the top of my head for.

There are more dead (or barely living) games that I've played over the years, but they've pretty much sank into obscurity & have never been played again.

 

[rogueattorney]

2) How many of you play OOP games in general? I have a buddy who only plays games that are out of print. It's sort of a point of pride for him. His argument: waaaay cheaper, he's off the "buy this new supplement" bandwagon, and, well, he loves OOP games. Which is the best reason, obviously. So if you play OOP games, which ones do you play and why?

It IS way cheaper to play OOP games. Especially if you have games you've been buying for the last 25 years. Even if you don't, you can, for example, pick up a copy of the 2nd edition of Paranoia on ebay for cheaper than Mongoose is going to be selling their new version this Summer. You can pick up a 1e PHB in good condition for less than $10. The old D&D Basic sets for for a third of what the new one WotC is putting out this Summer. New 6th edition CoC goes for $40, a used 5th edition for about half that (and the rules are almost identical). I could go on and on.

I refuse to subscribe to the notion that I can't have just as much fun with old games as with new games, that in order to stay up to date I have to get the new supplement or new edition of whatever.

And I don't believe for a minute that newer is better with regard to games. Personally, I find the converse to be true. Many of the new game systems (and I don't just mean d20 here) seem to be obsessed with the multi-volume, multi-supplement, library of rules that's just too much to handle for me. I liked it better when all you needed was a couple books or a box set to play. I'd rather have a lot of little games, that a lot of one big game.

R.A.