PK Games

Well here is the basics of what is planned. The Encounters Manual has six or so 2-4 page setting/adventure locales with plot ideas, sample NPCs and a general summary of what sort of adventures can take place there. The area include a Orthodox Cemetary, a restaurant and its cannibalistic chefs, a scientific research facility, and other locations in Berlin. The second part of that book will be similar to a monster manual of sorts, with stats for some animals, creatures and typical NPCs for everyday encounters. Finally the Encounters Manual has a short scenario called "Midnight Train to Moscow" which is a horror/mystery aboard a express train from Berlin to Moscow. Which is to lead right into the city guide of Moscow '61 currently called Red City. Red City will cover the basics of the city in 1961 in a way similar to how the core rules for Berlin '61 covered Berlin. It will also have some sample scenarios similar to the style presented in the Encounters Manual. The Wall is a special adventure that takes place on the weekend of August 13th 1961. The weekend the Berlin Wall is erected over night. All three of these books are written by me and several co-authors. The first two by my friend Bartosz and several of the other original contributors of B61, while the Wall is written by newcomer Neale Sourna and looks promising. In addition some basic notes have been constructed for an espionage sourcebook for B61. Other then that, PK Games is also working on a GORE centric monster book called B-Movie Monsters or Matinee Monsters as we havent really decided on the name yet. (written mainly by Kevin Scrivner) The release schedule is set to begin probably sometime in February for the first book and then each additional book either every month after or every two months. Depends on real life.

Just so everyone knows, Triff is not on the PK Games staff. But again, thanks for the compliments. The character sheet he designed is far superior to the one I had. As you can see by his reviews on the layout of both books and the sheet, I am not a graphic designer. I do my best. Cheers.

Ah yes the lost ERB novella. Brokeback Barsoom!

Thanks for the review. It was too kind. I also am not pleased with the magic system and am looking to revise it and make it either more like CoC or something unique entirely. As for the Kotothian Pantheon stuff, yes it is a bad rip off of Cthulhu style stuff and I was trying to do something similar, yet different. Guess it didnt work so much. I was thinking the big evil truth of alien intelligent entities was necessary to fuel the cults and evil, but I suppose typical demon/devil judeo-christian mythos stuff would work as well, and would allow me to do a less is more approach. I would love to do B61 for CoC or BRP but the licensing issue is at hand. But again, I am not getting paid to do this stuff and studied film in college, not writing. So I am still overwhelmed by this all and am pleased to have gotten such a good review. On a side note, Im not responsible for the binding, as I am sure we are all aware, but none of my copies have fallen apart. The hard back is the best so far, but needs to have the cover resized. Thanks again. CS

GORE has radiation rules for BRP style play.

So the core setting is Gorilla, Chimp, Orangutaun with Herdsmen. 19th century firearms (possibly a bit 20th century firearms as seen in BtPotA), horses and the forbidden zone. On the fringes of that setting you have mutant bomb worshipping psychic humans. Even further out you have normal humans and a ape culture that enslaves intelligent humans where dogs still live. So you cover the four main species (races) found in the setting (the three types of apes and herdsmen) and their variations (mutants, time lost human, human). Describe the basic ape culture then give variations. So we know how the "basic" culture is from the first few movies (PotA, BtPofA, EFtPotA), and we show the mixed cultures of CotPotA and the warring cultures of BftPotA. Then we see what the west coast was like in the PotA tv series. Then we get to have a little fun. We get to explain continuity errors (according to CotPotA all dogs and cats are killed in a plague, yet there are dogs in PotA the TV Series) and we get to create other cultures around the globe. Like we know the east coast and west coast, but what about Ohio, or Gulf of Mexico, or Europe or Asia? Surely we dont want to explore too far out, the heart of PotA is not knowing whats out there beyond the Forbidden Zones. But it could be fun to write.

Fair enough. But in the same vein, before you go and make statements about people (like Pondsmith) and how they feel (about XXVc) perhaps you should state whether or not it is a "Oh I read that if..." reference. The way you initially said it was as a matter of fact. Like you have seen it happen and it sounded like he was indignant about the game and was bashing it. You didnt state that "his coworkers wrote that....la la la..." Personally Id like to know what he didnt like about it?

That I understand. Im not defending MRQ. Im not saying XXVc was a great game. Im just saying Pondsmith shouldnt be ashamed of it, embarrassed by it or feel a need to put the blame on TSR. I understand he needed the money or just couldnt drop the job cause its what he does for a living. Either stand up for your beliefs at the time you need to or do the job and move on.

Get over it. Im sure his attitude toward the game now is just him jumping on the fanwagon of "Grrrr evil TSR!" "Grrrr evil WotC!" "Grrrr evil MRQ!" Hearing everyone complain about MRQ makes me just want to go out and buy it. Other then its just too damn expensive!

Kroot. Hate those bastards!

I still got my copy of UA from 1985. First book I bought. Very attached to it. Very fond. In excellent condition. I think my copy is magical as all my friends copies fell apart in a few weeks. Now my Oriental Adventures, that thing was cursed I tell ya, CURSED!!!

Thats the nature of the beast. And thus why God created pseudonyms. Personally I think his bitching and moaning about TSR makes him a hipocrite. He took the job, he knows how the industry works, he cashed the check and Im sure he spent the money. I hate it when writers and artists who are work for hire get all indignant that "oh I hate that one, its not "really" my work. The editors controlled it!" Yeah well you are work for hire. A mercenary. A thug. A mook! Instead he could be saying "Not one of my best, but I learned from it!" And I happen to know many people who are fans of that game. Who still play it by old school rules. I understand how the industry works, its like most work for hire. The client wants something, they tell you what they want to see, you make your recommendations but at the end of the day its really up to them. I would never hire someone like Pondsmith now. Afterall, when he is done working for you, all he is going to do is insult the work and say "It wasnt my work!" Then give the damn money back you jerk.

It was an interesting setting, yes Id rather it had a different system overall, but it was at the height of 2nd Edition AD&D and was readily compatible with stats for creatures and encounters and classes from AD&D 2e as well a the Gamma World stuff. And if Mike Pondsmith is embarrased by the game then shame on him for not taking pride in his work and maybe he shouldnt have designed the game the way he did. All he did was mix the character generation skill system from Cyberpunk, turn skills into % based and shoved it into a AD&D framework. Though the rules for space ships and ship to ship combat were a bit lacking. But like I said, I enjoyed the setting.

I forgot to mention these two settings. V (Mini-Series, The Final Battle, The Series, The Comic and the Novels cover a wide and varied adventuring setting) XXVc (The old TSR product, with or without the Buck Rogers stuff would be fine)

The Hasslein Curve—A Timeline of the Planet of the Apes

I would honestly like to redo my Berlin '61 OGL MRQ books for BRP. But alas they have no OGL to go on so Id have to actually really submit it and then before I do that Id have to yank the game off lulu. I dont know, might be worth it though. Id much rather use the psychic/mutation/magic system from BRP for B61. As also thinking of adding some low-key non sanity causing/mutation causing low-end spells (cantrips anyone, but a bit more powerful) that some characters could use regularly without the risk of going evil insane demonic mutant on the rest of the party. That way B61 could mimic some of the styles of play presented in Dresden Files. And Im on board for th PotA setting if anyone really wants to put together a rules set and set up a PDF?

As we learned in later movies from the series, all dogs and cats die from some sort of plague in the future before the rise of Caesar and the apes. So you wont have any mutant dogs or cats running amok. We know that there are horses that are not mutated and I think (but do not recall 100%) we see normal beasts of burden (oxen and what not) as well as a few birds that are not mutated. Remember the Apes began to "mutate" into their forms during PotA while human civilization was still in charge, not out of radiation or other mutant effects. Something to do with them being raised in human households and probably genetically engineered to be more servile and humanlike by corporations or something. But the introduction of the Future Chimp (Caesar) into the world's history helped lead the revolution. Then you have primitive de-evolved caveman like humans. They are tended to be rounded up by the apes for study, zoos and possibly slave labor. They are not anything special, but tend to have lower INT and POW scores Id say, but a few exceptional ones exist (ie Nora) who would be able to learn new skills and abilities. This has me intrigued, Im now off to Amazon to buy the PotA movies. Thanks!

Movies: Beastmaster, Excalibur, Conan, Clash of the Titans, Legend, Lady Hawk, Universal Soldier. Books: JRRT, ERB, REH, HPL, some early Dragonlance, Avatar Trilogy. College: Minored in medieval history, Im sure thats been a big influence. My biggest influence as far as games go is my long quest to get into super hero games. First experience was adapting various palladium games (TMNT, Ninjas & Superspies, After The Bomb Series, Palladium Fantasy) into my own Supers setting. That was ruined when I got Heroes Unlimited. Then I got Marvel Heroes, Champions, Heroes & Heroines, Superworld and finally hit Jack Pot with DC Heroes. As far as super hero game styles go, Im highly influenced by the multipart long cross over super events of the 90s. Knightfall, Doomsday, Clone Saga, Operation Galactic Storm. Basically I like to set up future plots well in advance, and run more then one gaming group and occassionally do cross over adventures.

Use to always go straight to character generation as that is the cornerstone of learning a game. But when I got the book, it was straight to the bestiary and I pretty much stopped somewhere between Xeno Morph, Galactic Knight, Ninja and Pirate and said hmmmm? Jedi vs Aliens? Fun fun. Now Im browsing equipment and powers trying to figure out the gadget creation rules. Pretty cool book. First non CoC Chaosium book Ive owned.

It has stats for both Ninjas and Pirates, so that age old question can be finally resolved. (Though watch out, the Viking entry may be an upset contender!)

Got mine today. #26. Looking through it I really want to redo Berlin '61 for BRP instead of Mongoose OGL (no offense to Mr. Proctor's GORE, there are just lots of things in BRP that Id love to steal LOL)

BRP of course

Does anyone know where you can find a website that has generic stats for NPCs and what not? Such as police officers, librarians, soldiers, scientists and others.

Now that my friends is comedy!

Yeah, been trying to design a better one. Any help would be greatly appreciated.