1st Edition AD&D

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (Geleg) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:54:20 GMT

hence John Cooper's raison d'etre on enworld - writing reviews that demonstrate how designers missed stuff like monster skill points. What he can do is very impressive, but that kind of stuff never actually mattered to me

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (DaveMage) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:21:48 GMT

They should, but the RAW doesn't provide for it, so a designer has to take the time to figure all those skill points (again, if they follow the RAW).

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (Sangrolu) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:20:02 GMT

DaveMage wrote:
For NPCs, I think one real time challenge (in the RAW) is skill points. A basic resolution mechanic (such as skill bonus = level + ability bonus) for a standard NPC might work. BBEG's could get skill bonus = level + abilty bonus +3 or somesuch.

You mean everyone doesn't eyeball skills (for impromptu) npc's like this?

(blank look)

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (DaveMage) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:32:54 GMT

I think the best approach to monster design for any edition would simply be to make monsters different than characters, but have blanket rules in place separately to allow monsters to be PCs/NPCs or otherwise have class levels.

For NPCs, I think one real time challenge (in the RAW) is skill points. A basic resolution mechanic (such as skill bonus = level + ability bonus) for a standard NPC might work. BBEG's could get skill bonus = level + abilty bonus +3 or somesuch.

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (Keeper of the Dark Realms) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:26:14 GMT

DaveMage wrote:
That's one thing I loved about 1E was the speed. Getting through a dozen encounters in a session was easy. It takes about three sessions to get through the same in 3E (and, apparently, 4E).

I love 3E, but the time it takes to play (prep and in session) is definitely an issue. With unlimited time, 3.5E would be near-perfect for me.

Yeppers. The encounters thing is something the guys...

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (JeffB) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:02:03 GMT

Time constraints def are a huge factor when you get older and have a life outside of making believe you are elves prancing about the forest saving the princess

I don't run a ton of combat regardless of edition- but yeah...4E combats indeed run long-considerably smoother than 3E, but long.. much longer than I like- I was starting to implement Ravyn's "Brutal 4E" rules and...

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (TheRavyn) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:54:33 GMT

I'm seeing alot of internet chatter along the lines of "Wow, 4E really reminds me of 1E...but..."

From there, its not much of a leap to "might as well just play 1E"

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (Q1000) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:15:57 GMT

Well, I can be a huge supporter of 4.0 if you need one, but I'm also honest. Now is a good time for me to run 1st ed. My last group was based on playing 3.5 and we did for 7 years. I needed a change and 4.0 was it. But not for all my players. Now I'm starting from scratch and I feel that with the number of people I met recently who like 1st ed out there that it looks like a good time to go back to my first love. I also feel I can get more done per session in 1st ed vs 4th ed.
...

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (DaveMage) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:13:10 GMT

I think the reason people are going from 4E to 1E (as opposed to 3E) is that 3E takes a lot of prep and play time. 4E seemed to solve the prep time issue, but did not solve the play time issue (and by play time, I'm referring mainly to combat). While combat rounds are faster in 4E (I've heard), combats themselves (encounters) seem to take the same amount of time as they did in 3E (or longer), and people are reporting that after a while, the combat is monotonous.

That's...

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (TheRavyn) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:01:24 GMT

Much as I'm enjoying 4E, a 1E "Renaissance" would suit me just fine...

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (JeffB) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:42:39 GMT

DaveMage wrote:
I'm seeing this more and more.

The biggest shock was when user Irda Ranger on EN World *in the same thread* went from loving (and vehemently defending) 4E to finding it lacking and became no longer interested.

Now granted, there are still a lot of people that seem to love the game, but the amount of people that were VERY gung-ho for the game that are now finding it lacking in...

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (DaveMage) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:28:19 GMT

I'm seeing this more and more.

The biggest shock was when user Irda Ranger on EN World *in the same thread* went from loving (and vehemently defending) 4E to finding it lacking and became no longer interested.

Now granted, there are still a lot of people that seem to love the game, but the amount of people that were VERY gung-ho for the game that are now finding it lacking in some way is growing.

Maybe it's a good thing that Necromancer hasn't jumped...

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (Elodan) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:24:00 GMT

Q1000 wrote:
To let you all know I'm moving my game back to 1st ed vs 4th ed at this point....

I feel like I entered Bizarro World (<- this is a joke).

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (Q1000) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:13:14 GMT

Good question, Im putting together a players PDF and will let you know when its done. Im reviewing my dragon collection and the rules to determine what Im going to do. I will say that a few of my players never felt that 4.0 was D&D and I did state I felt that 4.0 was very starile versus what you find in 1st ed.

I will be using the Arduain rules for special abilities, fumbles and crits. Im considering a mana system for spell casters but so far have not made up my mind.

...

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (Keeper of the Dark Realms) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:20:56 GMT

Q1000 wrote:
To let you all know I'm moving my game back to 1st ed vs 4th ed at this point. My group has fallen apart and due to work issues I have to move from a saturday format to a friday format which reduces the hours I can play. One thing 4.0 needs is plenty of time for combats. I love 1st ed and have a huge amount of material that I collected for over 30 years. My players still with me love the idea of returning to a...

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (Q1000) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:05:08 GMT

To let you all know I'm moving my game back to 1st ed vs 4th ed at this point. My group has fallen apart and due to work issues I have to move from a saturday format to a friday format which reduces the hours I can play. One thing 4.0 needs is plenty of time for combats. I love 1st ed and have a huge amount of material that I collected for over 30 years. My players still with me love the idea of returning to a more old school rules set. And I admit I love the old rules and how they...

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (Q1000) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 05:36:34 GMT

It was more of an add on, I have it but never used it, was pretty disappointed by it. I do like the material in the ready ref sheets better. This is a case where JG needed to do a better job to capture the D&D fans. City State was released using the universal system about the same time, there were interesting ideas in there never developed.

QvO

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (TheRavyn) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 03:26:53 GMT

leadjunkie wrote:
A big shout out to our very own Plaag and the wonderful job he has done documenting JG on the Acaeum sub-web.

It is an absolutely wonderful resource.

Btw, I don't know of anyone who actually played the "Universal" system. I'm pretty sure it was just a...

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (leadjunkie) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:03:08 GMT

I thought this might be the reference. I discounted it based on Bob's comment in the article you link to. "It was a universal system, though it wasn't related to the Judges Guild Universal System that was being developed otherwise at the time." Also, as Bob indicates it is actually The Dragon's Byte's rules. It's sketchy and incomplete at best. Not to mention not very good. At least that was my take on the read, not having any actual play experience. But as you...

Re: 1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (TheRavyn) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 03:40:05 GMT

leadjunkie wrote:

Q1000 wrote:
Judges Guild ... had there own bare bones RPG system as well.
Really? I am an avid JG collector and have almost everything they ever published. For most items I have every edition/printing. I have never seen nor heard of a RPG system. Can you clue me in?

1st Edition AD&D

feeds@yuku.com (Snoring Rock) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 05:27:04 GMT

After all these big discussions on WotC's failed roll-out/evil conspiracy....GSL from hell editon wars, I have asked myself as a DM and even my players, just exactly how much do we need adjudicated for us? Here are my thoughts; see, as we advance in level using 3.5, we find that the game gets more complicated, true with every edition, but more so with 3.5. Prep time has increased exponentially. Ok, I am not opening the door here to hear about how 4e is better and has an oldschool feel....