Games that didn't survive first contact. . .

[Dannyalcatraz]

Now, a character with a bad leg that became an archer because of his inability to maneuver in combat, that's fine. An archer that can't pick up a bow is just a running joke.

Because the character with a bad leg that became an archer because of his inability to maneuver in combat can't possibly be a running joke.

 

[LostSoul]

Re: The Riddle of Steel:

One of the only RPG purchases I ever returned.

"So...the optimal playstyle is a bunch of thieves who sneak into someone's house while they're asleep and cut their throats, because you'll die in any face to face combat. Okay then."

I haven't played the game, but isn't the optimal playstyle a character who will fight for what he believes in? That is, stuff that will get him his bonus Spiritual Attribute dice.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I think there's a happy medium between the two points you paint though. Like the other poster, I wouldn't want an archer that couldn't shoot. Why would he become an archer?

Now, a character with a bad leg that became an archer because of his inability to maneuver in combat, that's fine. An archer that can't pick up a bow is just a running joke.

Indeed. Especially when the DM in question wanted some "realism" in his fantasy. The realistic thing for such a person to do would not be becoming an archer, not being accepted in any kind of training for this job.
There is of course a spectrum between "talented individual" and "averagely competent".

 

[Subversive]

Isn't that the one that had the minis from Dreampod 9?

If so, then no...but I have a LOT of the minis!

Yeah, they were the same folks who did Heavy Gear. It was a blend of anime and hard-SF Space Opera. Kind of like Cowboy Beebop, but for soldiers instead of bounty hunters.

-Steve

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Re: The Riddle of Steel:



I haven't played the game, but isn't the optimal playstyle a character who will fight for what he believes in? That is, stuff that will get him his bonus Spiritual Attribute dice.

I don't recall it being many dice. Also, I seem to recall that the consequences for being hurt were pretty bad, and it was difficult to make sure you could avoid being hurt, especially if the DM rolled well in anything remotely like a fair fight.

It's kind of the same in any other highly-lethal RPG w/o raise dead-equivalent spells. Heck, in Shadowrun, our preferred fighting style was the massively overkilling ambush with heavy weapons and spirits...but the difference is that even if our opposition got to go and my troll got injured, it'd be vastly unlikely that I'd die of sepsis.

Brad

 

[Jonny Nexus]

I once tried playing FATAL as a charity forfeit at a convention. I don't remember much about it, other than 1) Gareth Hanrahan retiring, mentally damaged, and 2) what happened to my wizard at the end. I'm not sure if I can describe this in a way that would be acceptable to Eric's Grandma, so I'm going to have to try and be cryptic.

Firstly, he got a spell fumble/backfire result that caused him to get so excited that he "made a donation" (of the sort usually not made outside the bedroom or a fertility clinic) every time he smelled the stuff that comes from a sit-down toilet break. And then he suffered a second spell fumble that turned his flesh to the exact appearance, texture, and smell of... the stuff that comes from a sit-down toilet break.

i.e. He'd got turned into a continuously e********ing s**t monster.

It's not a good game.

 

[Jonny Nexus]

ADVANCED THIRD REICH: Not a RPG, but a wargame full of counters. Utterly unfathomable by just reading the instructions. My brother and I couldn't even get the game set up.

Well I believe the perceived wisdom (and this tallies with my own experience) is that you need to allocate a full evening to it.

That's for getting all the counters set up, I should stress.

I have no idea how long it then takes to actually play.

 

[LostSoul]

I don't recall it being many dice. Also, I seem to recall that the consequences for being hurt were pretty bad, and it was difficult to make sure you could avoid being hurt, especially if the DM rolled well in anything remotely like a fair fight.

The quickstart rules tell me that it could be an extra 15 dice! That's the extreme case, but it doesn't seem too hard to get more - I'd think that most of the time you'd have 5-7 dice backing you up for things you care about.

edit: That seems to be what the Riddle of Steel is. Steel is weak, flesh is strong. (Conan was on last night.)

 

[Remathilis]

I once tried playing FATAL as a charity forfeit at a convention.{snip}
It's not a good game.

Yeah, but what did you roll for your wang-size?

 

[Bigwilly]

Living Steel - great setting, character creation and combat were horrible, gave up hope before ever sitting down at the gaming table