The C&C poll

[Shade]

I'm sticking with D&D. I have no interest in a "rules light" system. In fact, I'm more likely to lean the other way if I were to try another system.

 

[KenSeg]

One of these days Diaglo I am going to stop by and sit in on one of your games. We actually have all of the old brown books but never actually played using that system. My first one was the light blue boxed set.

-KenSeg

 

[mcrow]

I so want to try this game. I have scoured the boards for how to implement feats and abilities in and it would give me a chance to use my old stuff. It looks like it would satisy my need for a lighter but more fufilling D&D.

My players, however fall into two camps. One group will not play anything except d20 (specifically 3.5 D&D). The other group plays indie games and Rifts.

If you want feats, you are better off sticking with 3.5. C&C works best just using the base mechanics and you will either love the game or think it's a bit too restrictive and simplistic.

Now, I love to GM C&C because it stupid simple and takes me little or no time to prepare for, plus I can use my old D&D books. That said, I like playing D&D 3.5 more, but don't like all the prep work involved when DMing.

 

[Dragonhelm]

I avoid Cultists & Cultists, as that's how most of the fans come across.

It's really a pity that some C&C fans come across that way.

I like C&C and enjoy visiting the Troll Lords forums - they have built a nice community of users who are, on the whole, a solid group of folks. Yes, there are a few zealots who come off overly bombastic and preachy, but what group doesn't have its share of "those guys"?

True. And maybe I've been a little harsh on the TLG fan community of late. They're mostly good folks, but I get tired of the d20 bashing I see from some of those zealots.

I believe that you don't build a fan base around a game system by tearing down another system. It's just a put-off. I hear a lot of C&C fans talk about how C&C works with AD&D, but I think there needs to be even more outreach to D&D fans without putting down d20 in the process.

As for the game, again, I like the idea of a "lighter" D&D, but frankly, C&C seems to go to far. As others have noted, selectable skills and feats are neat and a feature of the current D&D ruleset that I really like. And frankly, the "C&C is modular...you can just add that stuff in" is not really an answer in my mind. If I have to finish the product to make it do what I want, I have to question whether the product is the right choice for me. For my dollar, its simply a lot easier to strip out the rules-heavy parts of 3.5 that I don't like than to add to C&C.

This is something I've questioned quite a bit, and I'd like to get other opinions on it as well. Is it easier to take a stripped-down system like C&C and add in the things you want, or is it easier to strip out the things of D&D that you don't like (i.e. attacks of opportunity, the crit system, etc.)?

Because really, what I want in a game system is rules-light D&D. Perhaps the closest I've seen to what I want is the new Star Wars SAGA Edition. I like a lot of the changes made there and would love to see something like that applied to D&D.

See, while I like C&C for the most part, I still want to use stuff from the d20 products, and I'd like to do so with minimal conversion. I feel like, if I was to use D&D materials with a C&C game, I'd be spending so much time converting that it wouldn't be worth it.

Of course, this all means that I have to have a game going currently...

 

[Festivus]

I bought the PHB and Monster and Treasure books, gave them a read and ran a short adventure with some from my regular crew. It's easy to learn if you are a player, but judging was reminicent of 1st edition, I found myself making many rulings that had no real solid rules behind them (e.g. it was what made sense to me).

For the players that was too subjective for their tastes, and we went back to playing 3.5 after the demo.

I will likely teach my kids to play using C&C for starters, since the rules are much easier to learn... and then move them into 3.5 when they are ready for it. That will be years from now however, as my oldest son is only three and a half

 

[sjmiller]

I am a GURPS played stuck playing D&D because that is what my group wants to play. They are a bit odd about their gaming choices, so I am not sure if they would play C&C.

 

[Imaro]

It's really a pity that some C&C fans come across that way.

You know, I can see that people might get this impression about fans of C&C. I wish it wasn't so and will try to be more diplomatic in my view on the game in the future.

True. And maybe I've been a little harsh on the TLG fan community of late. They're mostly good folks, but I get tired of the d20 bashing I see from some of those zealots.

I believe that you don't build a fan base around a game system by tearing down another system. It's just a put-off. I hear a lot of C&C fans talk about how C&C works with AD&D, but I think there needs to be even more outreach to D&D fans without putting down d20 in the process.

However I will say alot of us have been shaped by attacks on C&C, on sites like rpg.net. I have witnessed numerous threads, specifically about C&C...where someone who favors D&D comes in(with nothing really constructive to add) and attacks C&C with...archaic, simplistic, no difference between characters, why not just play 1e, etc., etc. So I've actually witnessed this on both sides and just chalked it up to...it's the internet and gamers get passionate, YMMV.

This is something I've questioned quite a bit, and I'd like to get other opinions on it as well. Is it easier to take a stripped-down system like C&C and add in the things you want, or is it easier to strip out the things of D&D that you don't like (i.e. attacks of opportunity, the crit system, etc.)?

For me personally I find it simpler to add things to a simple rules set than subtract from a more complex rules set. I do think this is totally dependant on personal taste though. I've never got the feeling that I had a complete grasp of all the intricacies of D&D 3.5, thus it makes me wary to implement my own house rules, with C&C I don't feel this way. Others may feel differently.

Because really, what I want in a game system is rules-light D&D. Perhaps the closest I've seen to what I want is the new Star Wars SAGA Edition. I like a lot of the changes made there and would love to see something like that applied to D&D.

See, while I like C&C for the most part, I still want to use stuff from the d20 products, and I'd like to do so with minimal conversion. I feel like, if I was to use D&D materials with a C&C game, I'd be spending so much time converting that it wouldn't be worth it.

I think SWSE is one of the best products...as far as rules wise...to come out of WotC in a long time. I would love it if this is the direction D&D goes in, and it would probably make me rejoin, both as a player and DM, the flock. Of course there are alot of people who feel it's too simplistic, I think it is a nice medium

Of course, this all means that I have to have a game going currently...

Good Luck!

 

[tankschmidt]

I grew up playing Mentzer D&D and AD&D and eventually switched over to D&D 3x when I could no longer find 2nd edition games. I like C&C in part because it reminds me of my old gaming days but mostly because it is so simple to run. I'll still play in 3x games, but sometimes the complexity and the power levels are too much for me. When I run games, I prefer to use C&C nowadays.

Comparing True20 and C&C isn't really fair. I like both games, but True20 is solidly in the realm of the d20 system, and C&C feels a lot more like traditional roleplaying. I'd be ecstatic to play either system.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

They are a bit odd about their gaming choices

That's to be expected - they're roleplayers.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I And frankly, the "C&C is modular...you can just add that stuff in" is not really an answer in my mind. If I have to finish the product to make it do what I want, I have to question whether the product is the right choice for me. For my dollar, its simply a lot easier to strip out the rules-heavy parts of 3.5 that I don't like than to add to C&C.

But but... you can play any edition of D&D in it! All you have to do is convert it. And if the archetype you want to play isnt there, just make up some rules!

Gee... sort of like any game.