Questions about EGG

[S'mon]

Just got this URL on a review of GAXMOOR.

The comments about role-playing vs. Roll-playing amuse me, as both ignore the really operative word, "plat." Play is something that amuses one, fo hack or yak, no matter. Also the complaint about not sufficient treasure was particularly interesting, as all the players whined about that. As in the same breath, virtually, the reviewer also mentions rapid level rise (from the combat), why the need for treasure?

Anyway, here's the URL:

http://www.gamingreport.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=210

Ciao,
Gary

Interesting read, thanks. Re hack'n'slash, personally I find it a lot easier to inject roleplaying into a good hack'n'slash framework than vice versa - as long as it's not a totally mindless zoo-dungeon (like the Bloodstone series) and has some reason to hang together, I'm happy. You never know which hobgoblin or troll the PCs will decide to talk to instead of butcher.
And the political-infighting setup of Gaxmoor is a particularly easy one to use for roleplay, with so many factions there's a very good chance the PCs will end up deciding to join one group against the others.

Re the lack of treasure - music to my ears! I run a low-ish magic game so this is ideal.

One point the reviewer doesn't mention is that it may be really too tough for 1st level PCs (unless played by EGG, say). The introductory encounters are all around EL 5-7. While skillful diehards of 25 years' gaming experience may be able to survive these initial encounters with 1st level PCs, I aim to start the adventure with PCs around 5th to 6th level.

Re Tolkien - although his overall influence on 1st ed AD&D seems probably no stronger than Leiber or Moorcock or Vance, it is strongest right at the start, with character generation - elf, half-elf, dwarf, half-orc and halfling. Because the character races are straight out of Tolkien, and highly reminiscent of Fellowship of the Ring, people tend to see it as a Tolkien-based game.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Optimizer, I post all over if it goes well, and not a peep shall I make if the plan bombs

S'mon, despite rumnors to the contrary, the success of D&D and AD&D wasn't entirely dumb luck... When it became apparent to me that many of the interested persons were attracted to the FRPG concept by the LotR novels, I greased the way, shall we say, by creating the noted "racial types" for play in the game. Expanded them when the initial material proved popular but "not enough" for the lads.

The dwarf is not really Tolkeinesque. It is just Norse with a leavening of the good old fairy tale in it's makeup.

Now what have ye to opine about the drow?



Gary

 

[optimizer]

Howdy!

Optimizer, I post all over if it goes well, and not a peep shall I make if the plan bombs

Gary

Sounds reasonable to me!!

I'm looking forward to hearing the great news on this experiment!

Mike

 

[Regdar]

Bah

You know that it’s bad when every third page or so, the adventure offers means for players who have lost their characters to be able to come back in with new ones. The campaign expects the DM to kill off the characters.

Yeah, that's an idea of an adventure, bah pass.

 

[S'mon]

S'mon, despite rumnors to the contrary, the success of D&D and AD&D wasn't entirely dumb luck... When it became apparent to me that many of the interested persons were attracted to the FRPG concept by the LotR novels, I greased the way, shall we say, by creating the noted "racial types" for play in the game. Expanded them when the initial material proved popular but "not enough" for the lads.

The dwarf is not really Tolkeinesque. It is just Norse with a leavening of the good old fairy tale in it's makeup.

Now what have ye to opine about the drow?



Gary

Interesting point/confession about adapting the game to take advantage of the '70s Tolkienmania!

I'm assuming the D&D drow (as black-skinned, silver-haired, beautiful evil elves) were an original creation?
I tend to use fair-skinned dark elves, like Moorcock's Melniboneans, who I guess might have been a bit of an influence on the drow. Moorcock's Vadhagh, Eldren etc also are a lot like Tolkien's good elves, although perhaps more interesting (IMO).

Re dwarves, the doughty Lawful-Good magic resistant AD&D dwarves do seem more Tolkienesque than the Norse archetype, who seem more Neutral alignment, and more magically-oriented - powerful enchanters as well as smiths. However there are clearly still non-Tolkien Norse elements in the PHB's description, eg the bit about lusting after human women AIR.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Re: Bah

Yeah, that's an idea of an adventure, bah pass.

Heh,

And bad players do tend to lose their PCs rather quickly in GAXMOOR, I'll freely admit. I hate to lose a PC. and I seldom have, but there are a lot of players who seem to expect it, come back with a renewed determination with new characters.

Of course while the challenge, and peril of loss is there, a clever palyer can likely avoid death, and a good DM can assure it happens only when play is so sorry that elimination of the character is a kindness...

Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

I'm assuming the D&D drow (as black-skinned, silver-haired, beautiful evil elves) were an original creation?

Re dwarves, [snip] However there are clearly still non-Tolkien Norse elements in the PHB's description, eg the bit about lusting after human women AIR.

Yuppers, I needed a ruling race for the vast underground world, so duegar and drow were developed

As for the latter, well, blame it on the fellow who wrote the book. Hey, wait, that's me!

Cheerio,
Gary

 

[Devall2000]

Col_Pladoh,

Do you have any plans to do a 'Castle Greyhawk' module or mega-adventure? I know I'd love to play it, and I'm sure a lot of other people would too. Granted, it would have to be under a different name.

thanks,
Jamie

 

[Sir Hawkeye]

Am I the only one here that thinks Gary should send something in to the WOTC contest that starts with:
"I call it Greyhawk..."

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Howdy

Fact is I am nearly finished with a super module called THE HALL OF MANY PANES. It is a dual D20/LA game system adventure that could well take a group a year of weekly game sessions to complete. It contains a very broad mix of scenarios, from a long dungeon crawl to some pure roleplay ones, with all manner of fifferent sorts in between requiring exploration, problem solving and the like. I have the concluding two portions to finish--this week--and Lee Vanderlip is working on the D20 material for it now.

As for "Greyhawk," that's the trade marked property of WotC, so I can't do anything with it.

The revision of the old material dealing with the ruined castle and dungeon levels is a project I have considered. It would take at least two years to complete, and I'd need the assistance of one of the "old timers" who played in that campaign, adventured in the dungeons. So far both my sons that did play in it--Ernie and Luke--have turned it down as too demanding. They have jobs and don't want to spend all of their free time developing the material with me. To turn rough dungeon maps and one-line notes into a publishable module is a real chore, of course. I woinged about 80% of all the action.

The WotC offer regarding the new World Setting is a most interesting one. IMO it takes a lot of time and effort to create a believable and compelling one, and I wonder if anyone without a complete world ready to revise and adapt to fit their needs can possiobly hope to compete in the contest.

Cheerio,
Gary