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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dr Simon" data-source="post: 5944081" data-attributes="member: 21938">Issues 1-10Part One: The Early Years (Issues 1-10)<a href="http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=5887" target="_blank"><img src="http://index.rpg.net/pictures/show-thumbnail.phtml?picid=6765" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></a> <a href="http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=5891" target="_blank"><img src="http://index.rpg.net/pictures/show-thumbnail.phtml?picid=6770" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> </a>OverviewThese issues cover a span from June 1977 to January 1979, published bi-monthly and costing 60p. From Issue 7 onwards (a year into publication), WD gets a colour cover as opposed to the single colour covers of the first six.Most of the contributions come from two men, Don Turnbull and Lew Pulsipher. Editor Ian Livingstone contributes a few reviews and monsters but is otherwise unseen. Issue 4 has a cover by long-term GW artist John Blanche, and in issue 10 there are letters from Bryan Ansell and Pete Tamlyn, prominent names to come.<a href="http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=5894" target="_blank"> <img src="http://index.rpg.net/pictures/show-thumbnail.phtml?picid=6772" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> </a> <a href="http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=5896" target="_blank"> <img src="http://index.rpg.net/pictures/show-thumbnail.phtml?picid=6773" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> </a>GamesAt the beginning there are very few RPGs. D&D is in the form now known as “Original D&D”, and is a real mish-mash of rules. By the end of this period the Monster Manual and Players Handbook have been released and reviewed (10/10 for the PHB, the MM is reviewed before ratings are given). Metamorphosis Alpha is the other existing game, but during the period under discussion Gamma World is released, a game that essentially relocates MA and updates the rules a bit. Empire of the Petal Throne exists but, bar a few monster conversions (and one scenario much later on), never really features in WD. Also released during this run are Traveller, RuneQuest, Chivalry and Sorcery, Tunnels and Trolls, and Starships and Spacemen. The last evidently never took off, as bar one article it is never heard of again, but the others did relatively well, with RuneQuest and Traveller emerging as market leaders over the others (despite Don Turnbull  doubting the appeal of Traveller in his review).<a href="http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=5899" target="_blank"> <img src="http://index.rpg.net/pictures/show-thumbnail.phtml?picid=6777" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> </a> <a href="http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=5884" target="_blank"> <img src="http://index.rpg.net/pictures/show-thumbnail.phtml?picid=6762" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> </a>ScenariosThere are only a few complete adventures published in this period. The predominant concept of the time seems to be that a Dungeon Master creates a single huge dungeon (a la Greyhawk and Blackmoor) that he keeps “stocked”, and that it must be some kind of designed challenge where rooms present puzzles and obstacles for players to solve. The prime example is Don Turnbull’s “Greenlands” dungeon from which he presents the “Alice in Wonderland” levels (mostly a series of Orc-and-Pie rooms) and the Lair of the Demon Queen, where solving a riddle gets you a fight and some treasure. The problem with these “puzzle dungeons” is that they make little sense in any kind of logical or realistic game-world. They exist solely as a game in themselves. There is nothing wrong with this as one option, but it can pall pretty quickly. It can also lead to annoying riddles and puzzles that may make sense to the DM but not to anyone else. Witness these examples by Fred Hemmings who describes a competition dungeon where doors will only open if riddles are answered. He was surprised that players got stuck at this point. Have a go yourselves. Answers in next post:“What would you do with a flying door?”“Someday...Judy Garland.”“What fruit grow on pylons?”“This street is closed.”“State that you stand as did Maude’s suitor.”Better is Lew Pulsipher’s “A Place in the Wilderness” except that it’s neither really an adventure nor a monster entry, but somewhere in between. He gives several pretty cool creatures based on Jack Vance’s “The Dragon Masters” and a potential set-up for an adventure, but only sketchy details for running it. This is good in that it is much more naturalistic than a puzzle-dungeon, and also allows for some pretty free-form play, but for more information, including descriptions of some of the creatures beyond bare stats, LP basically says “read the book”.Best is Albie Fiore’s Lichway, which at 30 keyed rooms is classed as a “mini-dungeon” (a name based on the idea of the huge puzzle-dungeon described above). It manages to convey a lot of information and atmosphere in few words, with a unique and interesting background plus a few rumours, giving at least three different reasons for PCs to visit the location. They may be after the evil sorceress Dark Odo and her bandit retinue thought to be hiding in the area, or the band of Xvarts last seen heading into the Lichway, or after the treasure of the Sandlanders, the original (long-lost) builders of the place. Dark Odo with her urn full of the ashes of past lovers, is a character full of potential drawn in few words, and the Lichway itself is a great setting showing how an unusual monster can be made the centrepiece.Finally, Issue 9 features a review of G1-3, the Against The Giants series and first commercially released D&D “modules” from TSR. It seems odd that most of TSR’s early output of adventures were for high level characters.<a href="http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=5903" target="_blank"> <img src="http://index.rpg.net/pictures/show-thumbnail.phtml?picid=6781" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> </a> <a href="http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=5904" target="_blank"> <img src="http://index.rpg.net/pictures/show-thumbnail.phtml?picid=6784" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> </a>ArticlesMost articles tend to be extended reviews of one game or another, or ways to improve the D&D rules. Some are horrendously complex (one that involves calculating damage absorbed by layers of armour, flesh and bone for 31 different hit locations) and some sensible (a suggestion from Roger Musson that essentially prefigures touch and flat-footed AC). There are a few articles by Don Turnbull and Lew Pulsipher about how to play the game which smack of one-true-wayism, and one or two supplements for systems like Metamorphosis Alpha and Chivalry & Sorcery. In fact, I can’t resist trying out the trout tickling rules for the C&S Forester class (Issue 9):First, I roll on the Fish Encounter Table for Trout:  31% - Other. No trout for me today.So, I need to roll on the Basic Fish Encounter Table: 34%, giving a fish of 6oz to 1lb in size.To catch this, first I need to approach it a slip a noose around it. My Approach chance for this size fish is 80%, I roll 14%, the fish is approached.Next, having got it within my noose I need to quickly tighten the noose and flip it onto land. My Pull chance for this size fish is 50% - I roll 91% and the fish gets away!. So I don't get a chance to roll to catch it when it is flopping around on land.Too complicated? What do you mean? That's highly realistic gaming.Molten Magic discusses new figures whilst Treasure Chest is a miscellany of ideas and Open Box covers reviews. These latter two will last a long while into WD’s future. New monsters are initially discussed in Treasure Chest, then briefly as a column called Monsters Mild and Malign (who wants a “mild” monster?) which essentially rehashes monsters from other publications (White Dwarf’s predecessor, Owl and Weasel, for example), before becoming the Fiend Factory with readers suggestions; another long-running column. Don Turnbull spends three issues describing his “Monstermark” system, a method for calculating the danger level of monsters, essentially Challenge Rating but to three decimal places. A lot of these monsters can be found in the 1e Fiend Folio (such as Xvart, Sandman and Coffer Corpse). Some can still be found today in modified form. The Warlock Cat has basically become the Bezekira (Hellcat), for example, and the Necrophidius is still with us. A few themes can be found in these early monsters. Some like to tag along with adventuring parties and cause trouble by attracting other monsters or hindering abilities (my favourite is the Typo, which causes spells to be “mis-spelled”, ho-ho, which could be fun in a light-hearted game. Magic missile could become e.g. magic missive and harmlessly shower your opponent with letters). Others are “reverse” monsters, such as the Withra (by Don Turnbull), a dud wraith who raises levels and the Dahdi, a dud mummy (see what they did?) who heals you with a touch. That one’s by the appropriately named Mervyn Lemon. In issue 10 they go for broke and give a pseudo-template, the Inverse Monster, to cover all eventualities. These get a bit wearyingly repetitive. Admittedly Gygax and co weren’t being serious with the likes of rust monsters and gelatinous cubes but these work somehow whereas The Bragger (by Roger Musson), an imp who follows the party around boasting, just seems pointless. Worst monster ever, however, must go to the Stair Stalker, a shaggy green creature that will only walk up and down a specfic set of stairs, and attacks anyone who tries to pass. Take a bow Roger Musson.There are also a few character classes published of which three, the assassin, the man-beast and the barbarian, are serious (the others being the pervert, the weakling and the scientist, who if gifted the nobel prize is immediately attacked by all other scientists!). The assassin is fairly well balanced, getting an instant kill if it scores a “critical hit” on the first strike but for some reason can only be male. One problem is that critical hits are ill defined and no definition is given with the assassin class. Elsewhere, Lew Pulsipher offers one idea – if you roll a natural 20, roll again and if that roll hits then you’ve scored a critical. It’ll never catch on. Rather than simple double damage, however, his system then goes on to a hit location effect, which might be workable for a slightly more gritty and less abstract variant. Barbarians are pretty close to their 3.x version although their berserk strength only lasts the first round. They’re better than the official 1e version that came out in Unearthed Arcana anyway. The man-beast is an interesting idea with increasingly powerful natural weapons and beast’s senses as it progresses. I disagree with it needing a magic ring to gain the abilities – some kind of werebeast ancestry would be better, maybe. Actually the shapeshifter druid variant would give you a similar kind of character these days, particularly if it was also a shifter.<a href="http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=5928" target="_blank"> <img src="http://index.rpg.net/pictures/show-thumbnail.phtml?picid=6811" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> </a> <a href="http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=5912" target="_blank"> <img src="http://index.rpg.net/pictures/show-thumbnail.phtml?picid=6791" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> </a>General ThoughtsThere’s a general trend from really amateurish stuff to more professional games over this time period. It’s a bit like the early days of the OGL, really (and I say this as a semi-pro myself). Natural selection mostly went the right way with these products, I think. WD attempts a cartoon, Kalgar, which is a quite well drawn serious story full of cod-gadzookery, ending abruptly with “it was all a dream” when reader opinion goes against it. Also a preponderance of bare-breasted women throughout, in adverts and incidental illos (not to mention a worrying trend of trivialising rape). There’s also a terrible story (Valley of the Four Winds) which is coupled to selling miniatures (not well-made but interesting designs) and, oh look, later GW bring out a game of the story. It’s got some good ideas, but again features lots of gadzookery. Finally, a roll on Issue 9’s Useless Items Table:84% - Octopus Leg(Tentacle, surely?)</blockquote>

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