Castle Greyhawk - Hackmaster or d20

[Sayburr]

Rumor has it that Gary Gygax and Rob Kuntz have sent a proposal into Kenzer & Co. to write up, at least parts of, Castle Greyhawk for the Hackmaster game. I understand Gary and Rob are commited to it if Kenzer & Co. OKs the proposal and WOTC OKs the proposal (everything Kenzer does with Hackmaster or Kingdoms of Kalamar have to be OKed by WOTC).

So, the questions I have is:

1) Would you buy the Hackmaster rulebooks (players book and GM guide) if Castle Greyhawk were released for Hackmaster?

2) Would you prefer a d20 conversion?

Now, this thread is not to generate a conversation on the merits of Hackmaster vs. d20. I just simply am wondering if Gary and Rob wrote for Hackmaster would it cause D&D fans to buy the rulebooks that go along with the module.

I, myself, have the GM guide and the PHB for Hackmaster and have run a few things with the system (it is a pretty good system by the way) but if Gary and Rob start writing for it I may stop playing d20 and convert over to Hackmaster (at least part time).

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I think it's an interesting question you ask. I don't think great numbers of people will switch, but some will. I think this will appeal more to the older edition set, as it gives Gygax a way to work around the restrictions placed upon him. That is, he is legally not supposed to be writing material for Dungeons & Dragons (why WotC hasn't figured out a way to do away with this stupid artifact from the TSR days is beyond me, but what do I know...). That's what has been said about the matter, I think even by Gygax here on these boards.

I'd hope to see a d20 version of Castle Greyhawk along with the HackMaster version, but I doubt it'll happen...but, Kenzer has released a d20 version of the awe-inspiring HackMaster DM shield, so who knows...

 

[teitan]

I think the very nature of the OGL makes that ban on Gygax null and void, nowhere does it say "and Gary Gygax can not write materials for D20 when applied to a fantasy campaign so nanny nanny boo boo". Aside from that, before the OGL, NO ONE could write DnD material without workin for TSR and the ban was prolly lifted legally when Gary started writing "Up on a Soapbox".

Jason

 

[Aaron2]

1) Would you buy the Hackmaster rulebooks (players book and GM guide) if Castle Greyhawk were released for Hackmaster?

No

2) Would you prefer a d20 conversion?

Definately yes!

I plan on picking up Hackmaster but only if I can get the monster books cheap used.


Aaron

 

[the Jester]

Wait- Kenzer released a d20 screen???

I bought the HMGMScreen even though I don't play HM cuz it's the greatest advance in dming technology in over 25 years and it's already been modified to fit my needs??? DAMN!

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Wait- Kenzer released a d20 screen???

I bought the HMGMScreen even though I don't play HM cuz it's the greatest advance in dming technology in over 25 years and it's already been modified to fit my needs??? DAMN!

It was just released. It's got a bit less than the HM shield. Kenzer has a tour of it on their site.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I think the very nature of the OGL makes that ban on Gygax null and void, nowhere does it say "and Gary Gygax can not write materials for D20 when applied to a fantasy campaign so nanny nanny boo boo". Aside from that, before the OGL, NO ONE could write DnD material without workin for TSR and the ban was prolly lifted legally when Gary started writing "Up on a Soapbox".

Jason

Yeah, that was basically my point. d20 and HackMaster have helped get him doing D&D (or what we all know is D&D) again. However, as I said, Gygax has mentioned this restriction fairly recently, including right here on these boards. So I think it's still in place.

Also, there were other D&D publishers during the TSR era, sort of, but they either got trounced, or worked under what we would now call the OGL. Companies like Judges Guild and Role Aids are examples.

 

[Geoffrey]

The Dungeons of Castle Greyhawk wouldn't feel right in d20. Gary himself has said that.

I own HackMaster and think it's really cool. If I scoffed at it and played only OAD&D, I would still buy Castle GreyHack, but I'd just convert it to OAD&D. Converting from HM to OAD&D can be done on the fly it's so easy.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

The Dungeons of Castle Greyhawk wouldn't feel right in d20. Gary himself has said that.

Well, yeah, but he's also said D&D doesn't feel right as d20, so it's kind of a moot point.

 

[Alaric_Prympax]

I would buy Castle Greyhawk or Castle GreyHack or whatever they would call it and then convert it to d20 myself. I would love to have Gygax's 'original' megadungeon. Something that I've always wanted.

If I had the extra money to spend on the Hackmaster Rule books I might buy them; but besides the Castle book, I and my group probably would not play Hackmaster. We already have a lot of d20 stuff that we haven't touched yet.

Just my 2 cps.