Response to Woas about HARP

[Sado]

In the "Talents and Other Options" chapter, there are several examples of Training Packages (Jade Dragon, Astothian Archer, Caldean Rover, etc). Are these specific to any of the settings coming out for HARP or were they just made up to use as examples?

 

[Rel]

Rasyr,

It looks like it is going to be a good long while before I get a chance to actually try out HARP, but I just wanted to say that I'm glad to see you getting so many good responses to this thread. I hope sales are doing great.

And I also wanted to make sure you were aware that the next NC Game Day thread has been launched and I hope you can make it down this time.

 

[Rasyr]

In the "Talents and Other Options" chapter, there are several examples of Training Packages (Jade Dragon, Astothian Archer, Caldean Rover, etc). Are these specific to any of the settings coming out for HARP or were they just made up to use as examples?

No, they are not specific to any settings. I created them off-the-cuff as examples on how Training Packages are made and how you can tie them into a specific setting and/or leave them generic if you want.

And remember, both Players and GMs are allowed to come up with Training Packages. GMs are encouraged to work with players to incorporate Player-created TPs into the setting.

On the HARP website, you can find a 6 page PDF that contains a lot of "common TPs" to be found in a fantasy setting. http://www.harphq.com/free_downloads/iceCommonTPs.pdf

and you can also find the Non-Adventuring Professions -- http://www.harphq.com/free_downloads/iceNonAdvProf.pdf -- and a GM can easily combine the two to create almost any type of NPC needed. Or even run the "normal folk caught in an adventure" type of campaign if you like.

The whole purpose behind Training Packages is to allow them to be tied to a specific setting, to help give the PCs ties to that setting. One of the biggest benefits of Training Packages is that they give contacts, friends, and other ties to NCPs (and perhaps organizations) that the GM might possibly use as plot hooks later on.

 

[Rasyr]

It looks like it is going to be a good long while before I get a chance to actually try out HARP, but I just wanted to say that I'm glad to see you getting so many good responses to this thread. I hope sales are doing great.

thanks! And yup, sales for HARP are steadily (although slowly - hehe) increasing as more and more folks decide to take a look at it.

And I also wanted to make sure you were aware that the next NC Game Day thread has been launched and I hope you can make it down this time.

Yup! I saw it. Hopefully, I will be able to make it down. It is too far away right now for me to know for sure (it is also approximately a 4 hour drive, so it would be an over-nighter if I came).

 

[Sado]

The book and website mention some kind of character creation software, but I've looked around the site and don't see it anywhere. Could you point me to it?

 

[Rasyr]

The book and website mention some kind of character creation software, but I've looked around the site and don't see it anywhere. Could you point me to it?

Yeah, we have had a run of bad luck with the software.

The first person/company who was working on HARP Character Creation Software let us down very badly (and no, I won't go into details).

The second person we had working on software just up and disappeared on us completely. No idea why or where.

The third person is currently working on the software and the thread about it (along with screen shots) can be found here --> http://www.ironcrown.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5352

There is also an excel spreadsheet available for character creation (lots of automation in it as well). It can be found here --> http://www.harphq.com/charsheets.htm#autocalc

For those who use Bruce Gulke's excellent program Tablesmith, you can find some NPC generators for Tablesmith here --> http://www.harphq.com/vault.htm#tablesmith

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Just want to say you're a rat bastard, taking money right out of my wallet. Yeesh the main book and now 3 supplements. If I can't get them at my store I guess I'll get them off your site, but the sale is in the bag.

Still overall this is an inexpensive game. The main book was like 30$ and that's all you need. The monster book, combat book, and magic book look to be 20$ a pop so if you get all those its 90$ the basics of D&D cost that and with expansions I'm much more in the hole for it. And quite frankly I like this system more.

Side question are any adventures planned for terminally lazy DMs like me. I'm fairly sure I can translate a D&D adventure over with little difficulty, but I am lazy.

 

[Rasyr]

Just want to say you're a rat bastard, taking money right out of my wallet. Yeesh the main book and now 3 supplements. If I can't get them at my store I guess I'll get them off your site, but the sale is in the bag.

hehe... I'll take that as a compliment.

Still overall this is an inexpensive game. The main book was like 30$ and that's all you need. The monster book, combat book, and magic book look to be 20$ a pop so if you get all those its 90$ the basics of D&D cost that and with expansions I'm much more in the hole for it. And quite frankly I like this system more.

Just wait until you see the next book (Loot: A Field Guide -- which has a Nodwick cover). We are currently waiting for art to come in so that we can do the final pagemaking. It was written by Jonathon Cassie, an excellent author. You are sure to enjoy it.

Side question are any adventures planned for terminally lazy DMs like me. I'm fairly sure I can translate a D&D adventure over with little difficulty, but I am lazy.

Eventually yes. We even have a deal going with a third party who will work with us for creating adventures, but first we have to get Cyradon finished.

 

[Rasyr]

Oh! Shard! Here is the sneak peek page that shows the cover of the upcoming book, Loot: A Field Guide --> http://www.harphq.com/SneakPeek/3004_main.htm

It shows the nodwick cover very well, I think.

If you want a sneak peek of a monster from Monsters: A Field Guide, then I would suggest the following link. However, this was before done before the final layout of the book was done, so the printed book may be slightly different.
http://www.harphq.com/free_downloads/3002_Nightlordstats.pdf

I will figure out a good preview from College of Magics and post it up here later today.

 

[Mandos]

A few thoughts from a "switcher":

After 20 more years playing D&D, I grew frustrated with 3rd Edition, searched for a new system and found HARP: great system at the start, takes time to figure some of the things but easy to go on after that, great flexibility, wonderful magic system, fast PC and NPC creation.

And so I went back to try to figure out how to build interesting modules, instead of calculating endlessly the best combos for my NPCs and dealing with my hungry players always wanting the latest (and more powerful) Prestige Classe, that doesn't fit at all in my setting.

From there, I also decided to go back to an old setting, Middle Earth, and convert HARP rules to fit to this wonderful universe. Let's say conversion is a breeze, as Classes, Training Packages, Cultures and even Races are easy to create or customize.

Games are flowing wonderfully since we switched, with nervous and nasty fights, some nice RP opportunities mixed with some rule aspects we had forgotten a bit: finding herbs or dealing them, approaching groups to get some specific Training Packages, etc.


Thanks Rasyr, because after having written the rules, you support them by your (when do you sleep?) presence on the boards. That has been one of the facts that made me switch, and now my group is hooked and we're hoping for a great future for HARP.


(PS: excuse my poor english, native french here . A shameless plug for french speaking readers: here's my website with the Middle Earth - HARP conversion: http://www.harp-tdm.com/).