THUNDERBALL RALLY (d20 70s Racing)

[Erik Mona]

Folks,

The new issue of Dungeon/Polyhedron should be arriving in subscribers' hands as I type this. Some of you already own it. That issue contains Thunderball Rally, a d20 mini-game of high octane action that simulates the "illegal trans-continental car race" genre popular from the 70s to 80s. It's by far the biggest departure from standard fantasy we've tried yet, and I'm very eager to hear what people thought of it.

The rules also contain a preview of the d20 Modern vehicle rules, which contain some interesting surprises of their own.

So, what did you think of it? Should we do more "off kilter" games, or should we stick to more traditional sword and sorcery/sci-fi fare?

Thanks,

Erik Mona

 

[King_Stannis]

i think it was a fantastic idea for a game, eric. who doesn't have a soft spot for those 70's racing movies? not only that, it's very easy to think of scenarios for that genre. again, well done. the rules seem solid (not having played them), but then again i think the rules - other than those for chasing - come secondary in games like this.

personally, i love these offbeat games you guys are producing. quite frankly, there is a ton of stuff for standard fantasy. i like to see things like this as opposed to the same old mix of prestige class articles for your run of the mill fantasy campaign.

the thunderball rally mini game almost justified my year's subscription to dungeon. my verdict...... keep on truckin' with stuff like this, bandit!

 

[MythandLore]

So, what did you think of it? Should we do more "off kilter" games, or should we stick to more traditional sword and sorcery/sci-fi fare?

I haven't got it yet but I like the more "off kilter" games now, there is a flood of sword and sorcery stuff, not a huge amount of sci-fi yet, at least it's not overloaded with sci-fi yet.
But I think having the off beat settings in poly is good thing, or else it would be getting the same thing as normal d20 stuff.
Besides traditional stuff if what Dragon (mag) and Dungeon (mag) are already full of.
Keep/make poly cutting edge and interesting.

 

[Psion]

who doesn't have a soft spot for those 70's racing movies?

/me raises hand

That's not to say there might not be an off kilter genre out there that interests. But for me, this ain't it.

 

[Voneth]

/me raises hand

That's not to say there might not be an off kilter genre out there that interests. But for me, this ain't it.

And there in lies the rub with getting so much fantasy stuff. Most game publishers know that they'll get about 80 percent chance of improving the sale of a product if it is set in a tradtional fantasy setting. Anything else that strays away from that pretty much hits a niche market.

 

[Horacio]

And there in lies the rub with getting so much fantasy stuff. Most game publishers know that they'll get about 80 percent chance of improving the sale of a product if it is set in a tradtional fantasy setting. Anything else that strays away from that pretty much hits a niche market.

But niche market fans still need their niche market fix, so I think Polyedrons should continue with its 'different flavour d20 settings".

Please, Erik, don't change it

 

[Voneth]

But niche market fans still need their niche market fix, so I think Polyedrons should continue with its 'different flavour d20 settings".

Please, Erik, don't change it

oops! I was speaking in more general terms such as a whole adventure or sourebook. Perhaps a magazine format would be better for niche d20 games.

I know that one company was going to try a magazine format for the Pulp genre, throwing in stories, a mini-d20 game, and an acemdemic discussion of the classics in every issue. The response for pre-orders was so small the company backed out

 

[King_Stannis]

/me raises hand

That's not to say there might not be an off kilter genre out there that interests. But for me, this ain't it.

that's too bad. i still quote "smokey and the bandit" lines with my friends. i can also remember watching "death race 2000" on HBO, one of their earliest movies.

to each their own, but those movies represented to me a much simpler time - and in many ways, a better one.

 

[Katowice]

I love that you are trying lots of eclectic settings for d20. I think the editorial in this month's issue said it best, that there is a glut of fantasy RPG material out there and not some much other stuff.

One thing that is great about d20 is that you can take a break from your regular campaign(s) and play something out-of-the-ordinary like Shadow Chasers, Pulp, or Thunderball Rally without having to re-learn all-new rules. I own almost all the old Indiana Jones books from TSR and West End Games and loved the idea of Pulp d20.

Please keep up the good work. D&D/Fantasy already has support by way of Dragon/Dungeon Magazines. In the future, I'd like to see: Super Heroes, Military, Cyberpunk, Giant Robots, Future Fantasy (i.e., Steampunk) and possible adventures or additional material for any of the settings you covered so far.

 

[EricNoah]

Erik, as far as I'm concerned the Poly stuff is the free stuff I get with my already good-value-for-the-dollar subscription to Dungeon. So feel free to experiment.

As far as this particular experiment ... it seems like a clever way to dress up a preview of the vehicle rules from D20 Modern. I didn't care for the "dressing" but the rules were interesting.