What's the appeal of Hackmaster

[Ayrk]

Ok, on a previous thread it was pointed out that HackMaster was not just a very long running joke.

So, what is it about HM that appeals to you? Is it all the silly races (gummy golems and gnome titans) or is it something deeper?

Just curious. Thanks.

 

[diaglo]

4ed HM is what 3ed should have been. almost. just get rid of some of the jokes/sarcasm.

edit: Hi Jester

 

[the Jester]

There's a lot of nostalgia value if you played the game way back in the day.

Hi Diaglo!

 

[ColonelHardisson]

There are many reasons to like HackMaster. The character creation is fun. The monsters - the ones that aren't standard AD&D critters - are both amusing and playable (the Swack-Iron Dragon is a pretty deadly critter). There are lots of random generation charts (I like stuff like that) that can be used in any game, but fit the feel of HackMaster. But, rather than make a laundry list of merits, and to avoid any kind of qualitative comparison between HM and any other game, I'll tell you the best reason to play HackMaster right now:

The GM screen.

If you don't immediately want to play (or better yet, DM) HackMaster after taking a look at the GM screen, then HM isn't the game for you.

 

[haiiro]

If you don't immediately want to play (or better yet, DM) HackMaster after taking a look at the GM screen, then HM isn't the game for you.

The Kalamar version of this screen for 3e is also a thing of beauty. I was envious of the HM screen for a long time...

 

[Psion]

4ed HM is what 3ed should have been.

3e is what 3e should have been.

There's a lot of nostalgia value if you played the game way back in the day.

Ladies and gentlemen, the truth! It's all about the nostalgia!

Then, I played in the old days and see little need for it. I guess more acurately, you would say "it has a lot of value if nostalgia is something you value." My nostalgia springs from the great stories and games we played then and continued to play today, not willingly submitting to a deliberately baroque rules system. But it takes all types, eh?

I'll tell you the best reason to play HackMaster right now:

The GM screen.

I like my KoK DM Screen. And I don't even play KoK.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I like my KoK DM Screen. And I don't even play KoK.

And, of course, you know that screen is a smaller d20 version of the original HackMaster screen.

The KoK screen is OK, but I wish that it had been a completely d20 screen, without any of the KoK specific stuff. However, I do realize why it wasn't done that way. I was just wishin.'

 

[diaglo]

3e is what 3e should have been.

yeah, well crap is still crap.

 

[Psion]

yeah, well crap is still crap.

And trolls will be trolls.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

And trolls will be trolls.

Hey, Psion, you know what I say now when someone tries to assert that this or that game is crap: it's just geeks calling geeks geeks: "My type of geekiness is better than yours!"

It's a type of trolling that is so very tired now.