What is HackMaster???

[ColonelHardisson]

Ouch!


Gris.

I vastly prefer how Kenzer squeezed in so much information, to the various $30 d20 hardbacks with large font and too much white space. Not that all of them are like that, but there are a lot of them. The HackMaster books seem to have probably 500+ pages of content in their 400 pages, in comparison to a given d20 hardback. HM makes for good reading.

 

[diaglo]

How about any of you other old-schoolers out there? If you're lurking out there, de-lurk for once and counter what I consider to be largely a myth - that old-schoolers are driven away from 3e. If you know of other old-school gamers in real life who are now 3e fans, pipe up.

I'm an old schooler. I'm still upset they introduced 1edADnD. but I played it. And I was more upset when the UA, WSG, DSG, etc...came out.

I was upset when they introduced 2edADnD. but I played it.

I'm upset with 3ed. but I play it.

I would play Hackmaster over 3ed any day of the week. I'd play 2edADnD over 3ed. I'd play 1edADnd over 2edADnD. I'd play 1edADnD over Hackmaster.

problem is I can't find anyone to play my game for a face to face. Original D&D. it was never Basic to me.

in my current group, we have 3 old timers, 3 2eders, and 2 3ed. to compensate we play 3ed.

 

[Dinkeldog]

Oh, AND both the HM PHB and GMG are 400 pages crammed with lots of info - no big fonts or wide margins to stretch out the page count!

Mark Plemmons
Kenzer and Company
www.kenzerco.com

Just curious, but are you implying that some other games use big fonts and wide margins? Let's just look at D&D, d20 and other game family members.

Thanks!

 

[Emiricol]

Definitely glad to hear that - I was (and am) considering making KoK my next setting purchase

Um... the ranting guy doesn't work for us.

We're all gamers here at KenzerCo, and we believe in BOTH HackMaster and the Kingdoms of Kalamar. No reason you can't like two systems at once, right?



Mark Plemmons
Kenzer and Company
www.kenzerco.com

 

[buzz]

Rival?

Ranger REG:

Kenzer & Co. decided to publish a Hackmaster RPG. What became a parody or satire of past RPG, has now become a strong-selling product to rival 3rd edition.

It' certianly rivaling the other games in the discount bin at my FLGS.

Buzz, who sold his copy of the HM PHB a week after he bought it.

 

[The Traveler]

Eh, Buzz, just 'cause your FLGS isn't selling well doesn't mean it's doing badly. It certainly flies off the shelves in most stores I've been to.

 

[JeffB]

My FLGS guy just dropped his 3E game, and his whole group has decided to run HM full time (before, they were playing both)...they asked me to join, but I'm strapped for time.

I realize that may not be the norm, but around here it's doing darn well, and selling better than most of the D20 stuff (other than WOTC).

 

[Breakdaddy]

Just asked my local retailer and he loves it, Im gonna pick up the GMG, PHB, and GM's Screen, but no way Im gonna drop the ducats on those Hacklopedias. Whats up with that kenzerco?? I saw the message about the large amount of monsters and the expandability, but 160 dollars just to have a complete A-Z monster guide??? C'mon, how about a compendium of the most popular, I'd pay 40 bones for that!

 

[buzz]

Eh, Buzz, just 'cause your FLGS isn't selling well doesn't mean it's doing badly. It certainly flies off the shelves in most stores I've been to.

I didn't say it was doing badly (well, not *everywhere*), I was contesting that it "rivals 3e." As many other people have pointed out in this thread, HM isn't even a blip on the 3e sales radar.

Personally, I hate HM and find it ludicrous when people talk about how much it emphasizes roleplaying (as that is pretty much the exact opposite of it's purpose). After reading the PHB, I couldn't get rid of the thing fast enough.

Still, like other reasonable people, I agree with the sentiment "to each his own." If you like it, by all means play it.

 

[clockworkjoe]

To be fair, nothing in the pen and paper rpg industry rivals WOTC except white wolf. No other company comes close to those two in that particular sales category.

Although I do think Kenzerco shot themselves in the foot by not selling a basic book of monsters.