Hackmaster

[theemrys]

That initiative system sounds keen...I wonder if I can reverse-engineer it to work in a d20 system with FFZ...I like that "seconds" is the only measurement of time, but I'm a little worried that speedier characters will be overly favored. If my buddy the thief gets three attacks in the time it takes me, the barbarian, to get one, is my attack three times as accurate and three times as powerful?

That works in the Old West (where "quickest on the draw" is important, and where attacks are pretty binary), but with a more heroic fantasy vibe, I dunno...

Gotta check that out...

Well, I haven't played HMB yet to see how it plays out, but my hunch is that it doesn't have that dramatic of a difference in time.. but I don't know. Also, I expect that the larger, slower weapons do MUCH more damage, which in a system with DR makes a bigger difference as well, rather than a number of small hits.

 

[Agamon]

As for actually tracking it, a whiteboard still works well as you just keep counting the number up and if you wanted, you can each PCs/NPC/Monster's name on there with the count when their next action takes place.

Yeah, I kinda got how it worked, just wondering how tracking all these upcoming actions would work. I suppose the players would each know what second their action happens and the GM keeps track of the monsters. Maybe tracking it on a board or paper might be more work than it's worth.

 

[theemrys]

Yeah, I kinda got how it worked, just wondering how tracking all these upcoming actions would work. I suppose the players would each know what second their action happens and the GM keeps track of the monsters. Maybe tracking it on a board or paper might be more work than it's worth.

Well, in A&8 I've used a board with count up on it... (downloads for the printout on the Kenzerco site). Basically it's a piece of wood with 3/4 inch boxes on it that count up from 1 to 50... Then I got little wooden blocks and put each PC and NPC on one of them. The player puts their block on the count of their next action. It's more confusing in A&8 since shooting and movement happen separately, so should be simpler in Hack. Anyway, then you have a current count marker move up, and you just loop around when you hit 50. It works pretty well.

I'm actually looking for a cribbage board to use. Then you can just keep track of the current count, and give each person in the encounter a different colour and they put the pin at the number of their next action.

 

[Mark Plemmons]

Mark, is the book black and white or color?

With a $20.00 price for 200 pages, I'm guessing black and white.

Also -- who is doing the cover art for the Advanced version?

Yes, b&w. We haven't announced the Advanced book covers yet, but they're going to be pretty cool.

Yeah, I kinda got how it worked, just wondering how tracking all these upcoming actions would work. I suppose the players would each know what second their action happens and the GM keeps track of the monsters. Maybe tracking it on a board or paper might be more work than it's worth.

I think so. Each player can easily keep track of his own initiative and actions - the GM has better things to do.

 

[Ulairi]

If a player doesn't know when it is his turn to act, it's not my job as the GM to tell him. It's combat not "wait around for someone to pay attention"bat.

 

[Agamon]

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be tracking it as GM. As DM, I'm not the initiative tracker in my D&D game, either. But yeah, having each player track their own looks like it would be easier. Might it not get dicey for the DM if there are different enemies in a fight?

 

[I'm A Banana]

"wait around for someone to pay attention"bat.

I have one of those... it's this:

"Is it my turn yet?"
*whack!*

 

[Lidgar]

Amazon?

Any chance that Hackmaster Basic will be available on Amazon? Happy to order straight from the site, just curious.

 

[Mark Plemmons]

Any chance that Hackmaster Basic will be available on Amazon? Happy to order straight from the site, just curious.

Yes, it will eventually be available from Amazon.

 

[Mika]

If a player doesn't know when it is his turn to act, it's not my job as the GM to tell him. It's combat not "wait around for someone to pay attention"bat.

If you have a large number of players, you probably want the DM to track initiative just to maintain a semblance of order. In our Friday games, the DM uses index cards to track initiative and calls out each character's name when it is his or her turn. On the rare occasions when somebody isn't paying attention, they get a nudge. In the more likely event that they left the room for a bathroom or smoking break, the DM usually rules that they delay until they get back.