Bygoneyrs

Hello there "cjbowser" it is awesome to talk to a resources writer, and I am very honored to have that here on this site. Actually I like the general descript of both books and have a desire to just own them as resource materials. What I al looking at doing, is designing a new "fantasy based"campaign. I am looking at the possibility of..."What IF Roman didn't Fall, and Magic was discovered and started to be practicedin the world"??? What If...can go a long way...What if the Dark Ages didn't happen but instead the Earth was hit by a great shower of some unknown element and in the process magic in the world sprang to life or awakened! What if the realm of the Fae merged with the prime plane, and all those creatures of Myth crossed into our existance...Dragons, Minators, and Trolls oh my<g>! What if beings appeared that became the Gods of the Roman's but also a another God appeard called "Christ", calling himself the One True God. I am going for something different here and yes I will push the limits with religion and magic. Alot of Occult and Paranormal elements will also be intoduced along with what many consider New Age too. It will be a brave new world where no one can guess what is the norm. Penn

Midgard is a great game and most likely you played durring the Midgard USA days that the GM Zan Erskine ran for 7.5 years time. There have been games also running in Midgard UK and Midgard OZ as well too for many years as well. Most of them ran at the same time, but one version or another ran here in the US since 1984. Now the last version of the game running was Midgard UK, but it was very heavy on the roleplaying side, and the new owners that have not yet restrated the game but are close are going to continue the former owners plot lines. So there is alot more "plots" going on now than before in the game. We Seeker players are a Roleplaying faction, and new to the game with a focus on roleplaying and digging into mysteries and plots in the game. There are also new NPC factions like the Dakarians that are fasioned after the Nazi's, and is a faction one can truely hate alot. Players vs GM, and other player vs player situations, plus plenty to dig into. Always looking for a few more players to join the ranks of the Seekers. Penn

Hello guys, I have collected and used BRP elements in my own House Rules for years now, and have started buying everything that has come out for BRP from Chaosium in "printed" format only. So I have bought it all so far, and added to my huge resource library. Now years ago I played "Cthulhu" but never really enjoyed it truely, no liking the Insanity stuff and etc. Now my question now is the rules for the newest version of Cthulhu (what is it), does it use BRP rules or what. Sorry if that sounds stupid, but I have not looked at anything Cthulhu in many many years, and was considering maybe giving it another look again. I liked the sound and rightup for both Cthulhu Invictus and Cthulhu Dark Ages. Is there a core book for Cthulhu and if so what is it's most current version of the game? Thanks, Penn

Sounds like another must have BRP product, but for me I never buiy anything unless I can get it in a "printed" format...I am still awaiting the "Green" to be offered in a printed format by Chaosium. Penn

Well I emailed Chaosium on thursday 2/25 at chaosium@chaosium.com and asked for a status update. Well my order that was placed on 2/9 and status was set to "Order Being Processed" on the same day, still has not changed today being (21) days old now. So I called Chaosium at 510-583-1000 and talked to Charlie. He stated took my name and order number and said he would pull up my order and then email me with what is going on with it and give me a status update on it. Well that is something and hopefully I will hear that is switches to "Shipped" status soon. I just want my (4) BRP products....BRP Rome, BRP Witchcraft, In Search of the Trollslayer, and OutPost 19 To me I like all products that expand my resource libray and I especially like Fantasy and SciFi based stuff. I have played D&D now for 34+ yrs, and Traveller for 32+ yrs. I have always used BRP stuff as the basis for my House Rules for those systems. Now with the current trend of more resource books for BRP, maybe I can switch over to just using BRP system for my campaigns exclusively. Penn

Hey if your "Freedom Fighters" know their terrain and etc, they can be quite deadly with old stuff and primitive tech weapons. Plus the primitive type weapons don't show up on scanners either. Just remember Vietnam. Penn

Well I would define the new skill as either Forward Observer or Recon. Both would imply Military knowledge, and then both are slightly alike but slightly different in their task/job. Just pick a skill name and write up what you want it to do, then just have the player with the skill make two different skill rolls. The first roll for general details and the 2nd roll for specific details. Penn

Don't tell me there are NO Play By Email gamers on this board at all...your all old timers like me...and I have to guess more than a few of you had to have heard of Midgard PBM game over the years...it has been in play under many different companies ever since 1984. Penn

Just a update, I put in a order back on 2/9, and it went to "Order being Processed" the same day of 2/9. I then on this last thursday 2/25 sent a email off to Chaosium customer service asking them for a status update on my order. Well it has only been now (21) days and still now reply or status change. I ordered BRP Witchcraft among a (4) item order, AND asked them as well when this product the Green might come out in Printed format to sell. Well still no word. Anyone have any idea what is going on, I payed using PayPal and the bill was payed that day. So what the heck are they waiting for...Easter? I am not very impressed with customer service for Chaosium at all. Penn

My advise would be to add a few skills like Observer, Recon, or Scouting(Military). Have that one unique skill cover it all, but have the player make a general roll and then have them make a details roll. If they just get the general roll, they they get some details but not specifics. If they gain the 2nd harder class roll, then they are able to come up with alot more details. Now I would also use another skill of "Cover" or "Hide", for the player to remain hidden from the military. Now there should be some good bonuses to not be discovered, because unless they are activiely searching they will not notice a lone concealed Forward Observer Scout, unless he's wearing bright Orange, standing up on a hill in the Open watching them and listening to loud music blarring. You'd be surprised what military forces will "mis" and just march on by unless someone will call notice to it. Penn

Hey there guys, Well I have been here before...I am a 32+ yr D&D DM, and 30+ yr Traveller GM as well too. When Hero System came up with Traveller Hero rules (ver 5 Revised) and they also had Fantasy Hero , I started to convert both of my long running 25+ yrs campaigns in both systems to use the Hero Systems. Yes I used ver 3.5 d20 system and refused to yet again go to another version 4 of D&D. Then Hero System did it to and started version 6. Then Mongoose Publishing anounced they had the only licencse for Traveller, and Hero Traveller was taken out of print with no more support for it. So I have always used different rules borrowed in part from BRP games system, as the basis for many of my House Rules. I have bought all the printed BRP products that have come out lately, and although the idea of Taveller BRP sounds good but it will never be able to be more than Free Ware player created only product. The license issue will prevent it from ever seeing a product or line in buyable printed products. Mongoose Pub. has that only line and they are doing a good job with the Line. Now as to D&D, although I will NOT bother with version 4 of D&D, but Pathfinder's ver 3.5.1 revised D&D d20 system is pretty darn good and has picked up many of the players fed up with D&D v4 system. BRP is pretty good, and seems to have mostly older gamers but doesn't have the appeal to the general masses of gamers. For me I think the poor system of support that Chaosium shows for the product seems to be part of the issue. Heck for me I ordered (4) products back on 2/9 and since that day it has had a status of "Order Being Prepared", seems a bit long to prepare such a small order...19+ days seems to be a bit long to prepare a order. I have even sent a email asking for a status update on thursday, and still no email Customer Service reply or anything. All these things add up to show "POOR" support or customer care from Chaosium, and thus that might also explain why BRP isn't doing to well with new gamers. Lets face it you need to get the products out to gaming stores, to be seen and allow folks to know that it even exists. Oh the Core book is out there but how often or many of the other books have any of you seen in a gaming store. Heck I only know about the other products because I read stuff from this site and buy my other BRP products from Chaosium site. Just a FYI I do NOT collect anything Cthulhu at all. Just my 2 cents... Penn

Also note that we currently have 10+ players to begine game start turn #0 that has not yet begun to play. I am looking to add more players to the mix, the more the better for all. Roleplayers and Wargammers alike! Just email me and I can provide you with all sorts of information. Penn

For me I would love just to see the section on the magic system for the setting. Penn

Well I would love to see both Vikings/Norse and Ancient Celts as my two choices! Penn

Hello everyone, Being this is the "Outside the Hive" part of our form I thought I would try to recruit a few of you to play a Play By Email game of Midgard. Yes the old game of Midgard has been reborn yet again, and will be on the net again. The old code has been rewritten to allow it to run from Windows, and there are two owners Andy/Ali that will GM the game. They are recoding the game again in modern code but the game will still be in play as so many of us that played Midgard for so many years loved. I am looking for fresh new BLOOD, Free thinkers and folks willing to Think OutSide the Box, RolePlayers and Wargamers alike. Now the reason why I am asking to recruit players is I created a new faction in the game called Seekers. You see the old owner ran Midgard for 21 turns (each turn runs once a month) and to bring a new faction into existance one needs to have at least 10+ players and 30+ clans, and they must play for 12 turns before coming live as a new faction. I did this in the old game and now that there is a new game, we are included within that new version of the game too. Yes we are in play as with game start turn #0, and are on both the Main continent of Midgard and the southern continent of Kalmar. Currently we are the largest gaming group in the game, but that is due to me and my recuritment efforts. The Seekers are a faction that are seekers of knowledge, diplomats, explores, investigators all for the betterment of the people. We are neutral to all factions, but stand for the people to help improve their lives. Midgard is a fantasy PBEM game that plays once a month, with a player being allowed to play up to 3 clans. Each clan has a Leader, and 3 Followers, and start with 190 men to set up in units with different arms and with different unit orders and etc. A player may then select from joining/declaring for one faction only, and then they either have all of their 3 clans in that one faction, or they might keep a Independent clan status for a clan or two. Now the factions are loosely based off of dark ages/medieval type setting. All of these different factions via for power and control and fight amongst one another for contol over cities and fight battles (clan vs clan) but don't seem to ever get anywhere...fast. Most of the games factions are all based just up in the main game continent of Midgard, but I started a faction the Seekers that is based on both Midgard and Kalmar. Now the difference in gaming areas, is that the southern continent of Kalmar is half the size of Midgard. Mostly the cities on Kalmar are Independent cities, BUT there is a Evil Nazi based faction called the Dakarian Empire down on Kalmar. This faction is repressive ,and attacks everyone. They slaughter any religion based anything, and bully everyone. When they attack a city, they slaghter all the defenders, and then brutalize the population. They add to city markets such items as Slaves, Opium, Chariots, Elephants, Camals, Spices, and Gems. They have a Middle East / Arab flavor culture, but act like the Nazi's. We Seekers are the ONLY faction and the first faction to stand up to them and say NO MORE! We are looking for players willing to build a better tomorrow and defend those that can't defend themselves. It will be a uphill fight, but one that will mean something. The difference between playing on Midgard and Kalmar, is up in Midgard your playing backstabbing one another and nothing seems to matter because no one ever gets anywhere. Down in Kalmar your fighting a WAR! Good vs Evil! Stop the repression by the NPC GM only run Dakarian Empire, save cities, liberate cities, and fight for freedom of the people. Now we Seekers are neutral to all, BUT we stand for the betterment of the people and killing, slaughter, slavery, and repression of the people is not something we can stand for. What I am looking for is players willing to play clans that want to do all sorts of things from exploring, building cities, to dig into mysteries, and yes fight. At the core of if Midgard is a clan based Military game where clans are set up in units with different combat settings and units armed with different weapons/armors and with defferent orders. The goal is to fight, with your settings against other clans (both PC and NPC). Clan vs clan, where it is your planning vs others to fight to win the battle. We Seekers as everyone else in the game are all smaller clans, thus the largest clan in the game is my own at slightly over 500+ men. I am the Seeker #1, founder of the Seeker cause and willing to fight and die for the cause. New clans start off with 190 men and it takes time to build up ones clans. When one looks at the average clan at being slightly under 300 men, and then when fighting the Dakarians we can't stand toe to toe with their one Seige Army of 6000 men, but get 8-10 Seeker clans together then we can break a seige. We can attack their patrols and attack their outposts. The Seekers are both Land and Naval based faction as well so you can also have naval based clans and attack them on the high seas as well. Thus I am looking to recuit some real wargamers and roleplayers (you can always roleplay if you want to as well too) and willing to Think OutSide the box and play for a greater cause with a group of players and join the fun. It is us against the GMs, and other players too. Oh we also have player's clans up in Midgard as well and you can join that Rats Nest of Cloaks and Daggers too, we have lots to offer you there as well too. So if anyone is interested please contact me either PM me here or email me at pennshome723 @ yahoo.com or I also use yahoo messenger and my id is penneshome723 Thanks, Penn

Well I am starting to find myself buying all of the books in "printed" format for BRP. As a long time collector it doesn't ever hurt to have lots of resource material to draw from when ones to DM/GMing a game. The more the better. Besides I mostly pick elements from any work and create all my own stuff, but looking at examples of what others have done always helps too. Thus a large gaming library is always my focus and making it a complete one it especially important to me. So for me I have to have it "all"! He whom dies with the most toys, dies happiest<g>! Penn

I feel your pain, I placed a order for (4) products on 2/9, and it was then listed as being Processed on 2/9 and that is where it sits even till today. I have not checked my mail yet to see if I have gotten anything from them yet, but today is 2/20. I have not sent a email yet, but will give them till next friday 2/26th before I send a email asking for a status update. Just remember this: Patience is a virtue A Virtue is a grace Grace is a very little girl With a very dirty face<VBG>!!! Just my 2 cents....<g> Penn (I'm bad I know<g>)

Well speaking for myself here, I feel it might be worth while for someone to come up with a book that stepped more completely through the whole character creation process to make is crystal clear for everyone. Maybe even a section of too on crating NPCs as well too to make newer GMs work easier. Also maybe some sections in that same book on some tables or what ever to make a newer GMs job esier. These kinds of books seem to go a long way to making newer players and GMs more willing to actually pick up the books and get to know and use them better. To me it just seems to show more support in a line of books for any RPG game, to have something like that type of book. Also I have always wondered why they have not produced alot more books for the line, instead having fans produce the books and selectively publishing them. Seems to be rather a weaker support for the product line, and it kind of shows using that approach. Oh I have almost bought all the different books that have come out to being a "printed" version, but then I like to have a complete collection of any system I collect anyway. Penn

Well lets just say it is individual playing style, or in my case GMing style. I love plots with plots within plots, and just love Good vs Evil themes. The difference though is I give the players a glimmer of hope, where I feel this work does not. I also love political Roleplaying, where this campaign doesn't have any of that. To each their own I guess. What one person likes, another might not and that is ok too. Penn

Just to make it clear, I am not trying to bash this work at all. It is still a good work, it is just to my taste far to dark and depressing as it is currently. I also feel it is to heavy handed and set in a no winning campaign, wear the players all they can do is eventually die. I like a more positive and open campaign with at least a glimmer of hope for the players to roleplay towards. Also I feel the addition of the return of the Gods would open all that up. Penn

Wow...I started to read my own copy of Ashes to Ashes, The setting is a good one but to darn depressing. I find it a bit extreme the way you have so destroyed the world. There should be all sorts of "stuff" in the rubble from the past for folks to find to aid them. Plus with the amount of bio damage your talking about, I don't think humanity would actually be able to survive. Throw in the Demons too, there is way to much going on to allow a playable existance. Basically there is NO WAY the players would be able to survive long enough to even start to adventure to try and make a difference. The Demons would have noticed them in the "herd" and KILLED them off. The author has painted a pretty grim picture and painted the setting into a corner, inwhich there isn't any escape and only death. So what would I do differently, well I would add another 50 years to this nightmare. I would then have the "people" crying out in their souls for help of a few "Gods". A God of "Nature and Life" , God of "Protection and Justice", and a God of "Knowledge". I would have these three Gods be able to break through back into the world, and begin to make a change in the world. I would have them all raise up believers to become Clerics of their faiths and begin to combat the Demons and Darkness. I would also have a God of the Dwarves also return as well too, to guide them again. Having the Gods return would give the players a chance for hope, and give them a place to start to work from. The setting as it is is to darn depressing and there is no hope for anyone. The way the whole situation played out seems a bit heavy handed, and a bit far fetched too. I don't believe the Gods would have allowed that self serving fool to be able to bring down all of creation the way he did. Then to allow the mages to "break" the world to fix it, thus cutting off the gods and etc. The setting is a goiod one, but just needs to be advanced a bit further to make it playable. I have played FRP not for 34+ years and had my own campaign that has run now for 26+ years. My own gaming group is made up of (5) players that are all my own age (46+ years old) and they all have gaming groups of their own. We play every other week in my own campaign. What I have stated above, is what we all feel would fix/save this setting and make it playable. The return of the Gods, and Hope into the world would be the springing board for players to start to journey forth into this bleak world to make a difference. Penn

Well I got a email this am about the BRP Witch coming out in printed form, but still not the Green. Penn

Yes I got my email notification this AM that it is now available in printed form, I even went to their sight to double check...and it is there for purchase. Now if the Green would also become a printed version, I could pick up the rest of the books that I want. Penn

Yes another 'must" to have source book for my own gaming library! When will it come out? Penn

May I ask how it works in publishing over there at Chaosium? Does a specific book need to reach a certain level of sales before they will offer it as a 'printed version' or what? Penn