My rant at RPG.net

[SSquirrel]

I just got my copy of the "new" H.P. Lovecraft's Dunwich supplement for1920's Call of Cthulhu from Chaosium. I say "new" but, as most of you probably already know, it is for the most part a reprint of their earlier 1991 version of the book. This time around, however, it features dual stats for both classic CoC and d20 CoC. The d20 CoC stats are in the back in Appendix 3.

Hope ya dug the maps in Dunwich Jaerdaph, my housemate Chris Boll did em and I thought they looked fabulous before he sent the files. We still haven't gotten the book at either of our local game stores so we haven't been able to see em in the book yet

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Seriously?

Wow. I can't imagine anyone having major problems with the HERO5e products released so far. I hereby declare that you're on crack. That, or not much of a HERO fan.

The point remains, however, that they've been through serious business upheavals, have only 5 people working at the company, and yet meet deadlines, keep their fan base interested, and put out products a cut above the norm.

Me too I've loved everything put out for hero5. Can't get my group to play it, cause they only do D20, but I still buy it and love it. Even though I love it that doesn't stop me from having a bunch of house rules to speed the fights up though.

 

[jaerdaph]

Hope ya dug the maps in Dunwich Jaerdaph, my housemate Chris Boll did em and I thought they looked fabulous before he sent the files. We still haven't gotten the book at either of our local game stores so we haven't been able to see em in the book yet

The maps look great! Congratulate Chris for me for a job well done

 

[jaerdaph]

Thanks for the posting. I was wondering if perhaps I was a little too harsh in my original 'blast' of Chaosium.

I don't think you were too harsh Joe - it is frustrating whenever you are anticipating something and it fails to show up on time. Personally, I just take it all in stride whenever a publisher is late with a product - after all I have other games to play. Besides, I'm a Ravenloft fan, so I'm used to waiting I suppose if Chaosium was a pharmacutical company holding the only patent on my life-saving medicine and failed to deliver I might raise a stink, but then again, that's just me

On the whole level thing for the dual statted book. Is this an adventure or ?

It's mostly a detailed sourcebook on Dunwich, with NPC and creature stats for the area and surrounded environment, plus some NPC stats for the characters featured in Lovecraft's original The Dunwich Horror, but it also includes a short adventure, Return to Dunwich that uses material from the sourcebook section and a mini-adventure/encounter, Earth, Sky, Soul, a reprint of a John Tynes piece from The Unspeakable Oath #4.

I'm very curious how this works since D&D is level based and BRP is skill based. Any info on it??

POSSIBLE SPOILERS:










You know, and this might be an oversight on Chaosium's part, there's no suggested levels for the adventures (or average party level) given. As written, it appears to be written for low level characters (see below). Challenge ratings are given for each creature, however, and none is higher than 5, save for (SPOILER: ) the Son of Yog-Sothoth, which is CR 17, but hopefully the party will be able to prevent his return and never have to deal with him directly!

The d20 appendix also presents an optional variant rule about taking away the Take 10 rule, as most of the DCs in the book are scaled towards low level characters, and this variant would make it more challenging if the GM runs it for higher level characters. Interesting concept, but I'm not sure that's the best way to go.

BTW, NPC stats, creature stats and CRs, and spell conversion notes are given in the d20 appendix. DCs are in paretheses in the main text where appropriate.

Edited for really bad formatting.

 

[JoeGKushner]

No suggested levels? Now that's just sloppy work.

Still, it does sound like a great book other than that. Just seems to prove a point that the d20 stuff is slapped on though.

 

[jaerdaph]

No suggested levels? Now that's just sloppy work.

Still, it does sound like a great book other than that. Just seems to prove a point that the d20 stuff is slapped on though.

I wouldn't go that far - the conversions in the d20 appendix are good and it does make the book useful to d20 CoC fans as well as BRP fans, especially if they intend to create their own 1920's adventures set in Dunwich. This book is still primarily a campaign sourcebook - a gazetteer and idea generator - which is its primary role.

I do think Chaosium should give suggested d20 CoC character levels (and average party levels) in any future dual stat supplements, especially adventure collections, be they primarily for d20 or BRP. As you pointed out, level-based play and skill-based play are significantly different to warrant this. The missing d20 adventure levels is an item for an errata file, and I'm sure a simple request to Chaosium could get us an answer, and alert them to the issue for future products.

Initially, I was under the impression (and I think most people were) that the only d20 material would be in the Pulp Cthulhu line, and that would contain appendix material for BRP conversion. I'm thrilled that Chaosium has decided to dual stat some of their traditional BRP 1920's line so they can be of use to d20 fans, and I hope they do so for some of their other CoC lines - Cthulhu by Gaslight reprint, anyone?

 

[Synicism]

Urgh. Not too much offense intended Buzz, but you have a much higher opinion of Steve Long than I do. Voluminous? Yes. Excellent? Ehn. They have been doing a great job of putting out product though...

Whoa, really?

Having met him, Steven is very intelligent, talented, and an all around cool buy. And he has put out some of the best designed stuff anywhere.

I love HERO-5, though God help me trying to find a group to play it. Everyone around here seems to play nothing but D&D 3rd.

 

[JeffB]

Thanks for the posting. I was wondering if perhaps I was a little too harsh in my original 'blast' of Chaosium.

Actually I mus admit, I was a bit taken aback at your post. knowing your reviews here as well as your posts at a few other boards (Kenzer and Necro), I actually thought it was someone different posting.

Yep, RPG.net can be quite rough..but IMO you WERE too harsh on Chaosium. While some of your points were dead on, I found it akin to calling someone you don't really know "fat" or "ugly" when you meet them in person. "here, let me point out all your faults" and offer no praise...."now can you PLEASE get your product out for me?"

That's just me though.

And although I'm as upset as anyone over the delays, I'm on the quality side of the debate.

 

[Darkness]

Ok - I tried to bring a bit more reason to the debate. Fingers crossed...

- Darkness

 

[Vigilance]

I found it akin to calling someone you don't really know "fat" or "ugly" when you meet them in person. "here, let me point out all your faults" and offer no praise...."now can you PLEASE get your product out for me?"

And although I'm as upset as anyone over the delays, I'm on the quality side of the debate.

I think this is a bad analogy. He's not calling a buddy fat or ugly, this would in fact, as you suggest, be quite rude. He's a *customer* calling someone whom he has patronized on not delivering. This is totally fair.

If someone wants to sell you diet products and they're extremely overweight, you have every right to ask some hard questions before you fork over some cash.

And why do we have to choose between product being good and product being timely? There are plenty of companies out there (like Malhavoc) who manage both.