Alternity (and OOP games in general)

[Chainsaw Mage]

Two questions:

1) Anyone here play ALTERNITY? If so, any opinions, thoughts, comments?

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?

 

[Alzrius]

Alternity seemed somewhat complex when I first saw it. In hindsight, it was quite close to 3E, but with a more complex resolution system. It's pretty good as far as mechanics go, but I think you'd be better served using D20 Modern.

 

[reanjr]

Alternity seemed somewhat complex when I first saw it. In hindsight, it was quite close to 3E, but with a more complex resolution system. It's pretty good as far as mechanics go, but I think you'd be better served using D20 Modern.

Main thing Alternity is better than D20 Modern is in the damage/health system. Very versatile. The D&D abstract HP/AC system just doesn't cut it when you start using vehicle weapons, stun guns, and laser rifles all in the same combat.

 

[reanjr]

Two questions:

1) Anyone here play ALTERNITY? If so, any opinions, thoughts, comments?

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?

I still play Alternity from time to time, though D20 Modern has mostly supplanted it. I also try to play SAGA every once in a while as I think it is the best low mechanic-impact storytelling system I've ever seen. Though it certainly has its flaws, it is great fun.

I still think fondly of AD&D 2e, but I don't believe I would ever play it again.

 

[Alzrius]

Main thing Alternity is better than D20 Modern is in the damage/health system. Very versatile. The D&D abstract HP/AC system just doesn't cut it when you start using vehicle weapons, stun guns, and laser rifles all in the same combat.

True, that was sort of the prototype of wound/vitality points. But Unearthed Arcana makes it easy enough to put those and other things back in.

 

[Shemeska]

I'm playing in Clueless's Alternity game at the moment, every other Saturday.

 

[DmQ]

Personally I prefer EarthDawn. I know that some small publisher has started cranking out a supposed 2nd Edition of the game, but on closer inspection it’s just a re-print, almost page for page, of the 1st Edition... just a marketing ploy to get you to re-purchase the same materials.

Anyway, I just recently bought a TON of EarthDawn stuff off EBay from a guy that was moving, and will definitely be running a game in the near future. EarthDawn is, in my opinion, the only setting that has given me competition with D&D.

 

[Teflon Billy]

I have a great and abiding love for Villains And Vigilantes

I have a bunch of Alternity stuff on the shelves, but have never played it.

 

[Nightchill]

I used to run Alternity (StarDrive setting) a couple of years ago. Really enjoyed it, so did the players. Still have all the books/adventures. I even have Externals (the last ever sourcebook released for download that brought the campaign to a great end)

I doubt I'll be running it again though just because of time constraints. Might be time for ebay... :\

 

[Acid_crash]

I loved Earthdawn, such a great game and it had the best class/level system ever designed. The Talents were cool, the world was well thought out and it made sense, and adventuring was a blast. The Disciplines could have used more Talents, and after seeing Exalted I wonder what would happen of they took the Earthdawn Discipline/Talents system and made Exalted Castes and Charms that worked like that instead of using WW storyteller system.

I think that would be one really cool exalted system.