Anyone check out Radiance RPG yet?

[AncientSpirits]

Oops, duplicate post.

 

[Option]

Damn, that is some really cool world-building. I like that many real-life cultures are used to describe the world powers. Its a great way to get a quick feel for who is who without having to read pages of descriptions for each.

 

[DanotheSlender]

just tried to download the pdf and no go, blank page no download box..sigh

 

[AncientSpirits]

just tried to download the pdf and no go, blank page no download box..sigh

Sometimes the server gets bogged down for some reason...
Anyway, you can download it here for free too:

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/produ...te-Roleplaying-Game-in-the-Age-of-Electrotech

If you click on big Radiance House logo, you see related books like the Masters Guide.

 

[Robyo]

I've found the Master's Guide very helpful to my campaigns. Lots of tools and bits to insert as needed. Especially enjoying the Create Your Own section. I think D&D has long-needed a reliable point-based creation system. Using the rules, I've made centaur, veggie pygmy, and hegeyokai (oriental-style shapeshifters) player races. Yet, when I analyze and compare the races given in the Player's Guide, I am bewildered. Is the 5 pts baseline a hard-rule or more of an estimation? How do Kobolds end up with only 3 wound points? Or Goliaths with 12?

The bulk of the tome is the Creatures section and it's excellent. Lots of useful and traditional beasties alongside more steampunky ones. The templates are really helpful (and creative) too. I only wish creature abilities were listed by tier/cost. It makes it a bit harder to build original monsters or augment what's listed. I can usually figure it out, but it takes time. Also would like to see more mundane animals listed.

The Places section is awesome too. Enjoy the creative locations and the style of maps.

Looking forward to the mind-expansion kit whenever it comes...

 

[AncientSpirits]

I've found the Master's Guide very helpful to my campaigns. Lots of tools and bits to insert as needed. Especially enjoying the Create Your Own section. I think D&D has long-needed a reliable point-based creation system. Using the rules, I've made centaur, veggie pygmy, and hegeyokai (oriental-style shapeshifters) player races. Yet, when I analyze and compare the races given in the Player's Guide, I am bewildered. Is the 5 pts baseline a hard-rule or more of an estimation? How do Kobolds end up with only 3 wound points? Or Goliaths with 12?

The bulk of the tome is the Creatures section and it's excellent. Lots of useful and traditional beasties alongside more steampunky ones. The templates are really helpful (and creative) too. I only wish creature abilities were listed by tier/cost. It makes it a bit harder to build original monsters or augment what's listed. I can usually figure it out, but it takes time. Also would like to see more mundane animals listed.

The Places section is awesome too. Enjoy the creative locations and the style of maps.

Looking forward to the mind-expansion kit whenever it comes...

Robyo, thank you for this quick review of the Radiance Masters Guide.

To answer your questions:

1) I did my best to design each race with 5 points. The kobold suffers on wound points, for example, because it has an awesome retreat ability. Here's a breakdown (off the cuff):
-2 Strength = -1
+4 Dexterity = +2
Small Size = -1
Speed 30 ft = +2 (small gets auto 20 ft speed)
3 wound points = -2
Claws and Teeth = +1
Cold weakness = -1
Darkvision = +1
Kobold skills = +2
Light blindness = -1
Swift Retreat = +2
Scaly Hide = +1

2) I considered how to list abilities by tier or cost. But it began to get cumbersome quickly and take up valuable page real estate. Ultimately, making new monsters is perhaps the most time consuming aspect of the game. Thus, the desperate need for lots of monsters.

3) I should've made more mundane animals, it's true.

4) I loved doing all the places. Did that chapter entirely myself .

Cheers!

 

[Robyo]

Thank you Dario, for the kobold race breakdown. It is helpful to see listed the numbers/costs...

I was wondering if you had done the maps yourself. What software do you use?

 

[AncientSpirits]

I was wondering if you had done the maps yourself. What software do you use?

I did the maps myself. I use Photoshop. Here's my process:

1) Place grid as lowest layer
2) Trace outline of walls, etc. using line tool of 6-point width or whatever.
3) Marge wall layers and apply filter(drop shadow, beveling, gradient, pattern, stroke)
4) Add dungeon dressings from a pallet of items
5) Maybe add rocks or woods layer, and cut out unneeded portions of layer as well as unneeded portions the underlying grid
6) Add text

 

[AncientSpirits]

A character creator is in the works!

Over at RPG.net, OberonViking is creating an Excel based spreadsheet to make townies and NPCs of all races and classes.

You can try it out here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/svqhq6olllkuw6q/Radiance Character Creator.xlsx

Be sure to use the drop-down menus embedded in the spreadsheet. You reveal a menu by clicking on boxes (for class, race, etc).

 

[AncientSpirits]

Contest time!

Gnome Stew -- with whom I am unaffiliated -- is sponsoring a contest this month for the best new game campaign idea. The game doesn't have to be new. Rather, you as GM pitch why you'll be playing a new game, which game (ahem, Radiance RPG), and why you're idea is amazing.

To join the contest or just read the fascinating entries...

http://www.gnomestew.com/crock-pot/the-second-annual-new-year-new-game-contest-a-challenge-to-gms/