Loïc

I saw it a few days ago... I'm not particularly found of Nicolas Cage, but I still enjoy some of his "old" movies: Peggy Sue Got Married, Red Rock West, Kiss of Death, Face Off... as much as I dislike more recent stuffs (Ghost Rider, Wicker Man...). But when I saw there was this adaptation, I said "why not?" Well, I was highly disappointed... I mean, I don't care a movie being close or not to the original text (many times, I prefer to watch a director's own vision than just a word for word illustration). But there, I wasn't convinced by anything. And especially, it all misses the atmosphere - the one thing you cannot miss when adapting Lovecraft!!! Since he's the object of many posts here, the best thing I can say about Nicolas Cage is his acting couldn't anyway save the movie.

Hi! I'm French and I own several of these books (1987 RQ3 by Oriflam, the second edition screen...). As far as I know, I didn't notice any mistake. 😉 Just a word about Multisim's HeroWars edition... I own all of them, and I remember french roleplayers had very mixed feelings about it when Multisim published them. 1st reason: some RQ gamers were destabilized by the technical/narrative approach of the game, and that is proper to each. The 2nd reason is, I think, quite specific to Multisim edition. In fact, some of the books are mixed of several Issaries books. Example: Multisim's HeroWars mixes Issaries' Hero Wars - Roleplaying in Glorantha, the Hero's Book and the Narrator's Book, Game Mastering in the Hero Wars. Add to this that french roleplayers weren't (and still aren't...) used to the size of the books, it made them really confused... And then, I think (and I'm not alone) it's the best HW/HQ french edition ever. The quality of paper, cover illustrations... Even the mixed up text content, that forces you to plunge into the universe... At this time, a great great RPG discover!!! 😍

Hi! I'd like to share some reference guides about gamemastering - whatever the game it's about. I mean, here in France we have very few such guides translated in french, and almost no one produced by french GM. So we have to search in english (I must say most of french GM currently read english, since most of tabletop RPGs are in english). My purpose here is to pick up some new references I don't know. Yes, I like reading Gamemaster guides... this said, I think there are worst addictions... 😉 To begin, I will mention just those who are obvious for me (I deliberately dismiss writing guides - this should be the subject of another topic): - Basic Gamemaster, of course, by Greg Stafford, Sandy Petersen, Charlie Krank, Ken Rolston and Steve Perrin. Still available as a PDF on Chaosium's website. For me, it's a must-have; - Vampire the Masquerade Storyteller's Handbook, by Daniel & Andrew Greenberg, and many others. I got it in 1st edition, and that's the only White Wolf book I still own. It has never been translated in french, that's a pity. I must confess I never read later editions - maybe someone could advise me about them? - How to Game Master Like a Fucking Boss, by Venger As'Nas Satanis. Pretty much D&D oriented, then still many good ideas and advises; - Role-playing Mastery by Gary Gygax - even if I'm not found of the tactical aspects; - Casus Belli, a french RPG magazine. In its first version, it published a section named Destination Aventure (and a special issue compiled many of its articles). Very good quality, both for technical aspects and for atmosphere tips and tricks. Great names for authors, like Tristan Lhomme, Croc and many others. If some of you can read french, I strongly recommand it! Any reading recommandations to feed my addiction? 😋

I agree with Kloster. I would add, both for Orlanthi hospitality and for initiation, that it can be adapted according to the circumstances of the agreement between the parties. Old hate between two clans (even feud), desire of one party to force the hostage to embrace an initiation opposed to his desire, or even to spoil the initiation... Imagine a hostage whose parents are challengers of their own clan chief: what would be the agreement between the chief and the other clan?...

I agree with Soltakss. Maybe one solution (I used it a few times for Magic World) would be: If the character doesn't possess the skill and if (and only if) the planned action is reasonnably conceivable without any specific training, I allow the player to roll a characteristic check, but only with its actual score : for the DEX 21 example, it means a 21% check. And of course, I apply any relevant bonus/malus according to the circumstances. Fair enough, I think.

I voted The Mystery, but like others I think, I manage a melting of 2, 3 and 4, especially when I'm running a campaign (and then, even a few 1). When I'm running one-shots, it depends on my desire at that very moment, and my players' state of mind. I regularly consult them so I can offer the best enjoyment as possible. ...and from time to time, I cheat them by running a non Mythos scenario: they're looking for the Mythos, and discover the horror can be just human... Excellent, at least in my experience, both for atmosphere and for maintaining paranoia!

I forgot three other game-practices in containment : - gamemastering my 7 year-old son with my old Black Eye books (nostalgy...) and soon my wife will join us ! Victory ! I think I will soon get my son on Elfquest... - teaching my son to paint some 28mm miniatures (mainly some old WH orcs from the early 1990s). It's really great time, and I'm impressed by his patience and his attention ! - going back on my own miniatures projects (Bob Murch CoC and Pulp Figures, some Warlod Games Judge Dredd...). I precise I don't play miniatures games, just painting them and building settings as a hobby. To all gaming-parents : it's a great opportunity to make your children discover tabletop RPG. Just don't forget it's not a good idea to slay a 7 years-old kid's PC ! 😜

Thanks for the advice! And no mistake in your french sentences... 😉

For Heroquesting inspirations, I couldn't do without my King of Sartar exemplary! There are also many inspiration sources in the very first HeroWars editions (I have them in french Multisim Edition, and several in english). I know a few RQ or HQ GMs who still extract material from these... Maybe you can still chase them on the internet?

Oh! I forgot something : on Roll20, do prefer pregen characters (or already created PCs). I wouldn't try to make an online creation (or I would just give my players the creation process and let them do it...). For Astounding Adventures, I took CoC The Two-Headed Serpent pregens and let my players choose (just give them the names and the professions), after a few adaptations of course. It worked very well!

Hi! As I said in another topic, I tried Roll20. Twice as a player (Star Trek Next Generation and Te Deum pour un massacre), and once last friday as a GM (Astounding Adventures). Few personal remarks : - I think you must carefully choose the game and genre. Some games entirely based on atmosphere should really have something missing (in my opinion). That's why I chose not to run a CoC ; - I don't like very much battle maps (even as a player) and I prefer narrative scenes. So I used the "create map" function of Roll20 not to create maps, but to illustrate my scenes and NPCs. The players enjoyed it very much : about 6 or 8 pics for each scene, mainly some 1930/1950s Pulp magazines covers (the players said it offered very good immersion), plus the NPCs and handouts. For the characters' illustrations, I found some great pics on google images (all painted illustrations - in order to harmonize the screen) ; - a good pulp scenario certainly helped the pleasure of this session. Enough rythm, etc. But wrong point : you can't really improvise and get off your initial scenario's scheme... - of course, all my habits as a GM, like rolling the dice beyond my players' eyes to say them "I won't help you this time", were canceled... I could just speak, make voice effets/accents and so forth. Wrong point, but couldn't do otherwise... - a word about BRP on Roll20 : there are already many character sheets registered here, including many CoC editions, BRP fantasy, etc. Good point, economy of time... Conclusion : you really can enjoy a game on Roll20, even if it doesn't match (for me) the pleasure of a "real" tabletop RPG. But this containment is also the opportunity to try Roll20 - or any other website of this kind. Surely, after the containment, I will return to tabletops and not gaming again online. But here, I have no choice (I'm in Mulhouse, the most contamined town in France - the containment is drastic here). At least, I can play RPGs, and I can stay in touch with my fellow gamers and spend cool evenings with them... - hey ! Isn't this what RPGs are about ??? By the way, I wish you all good courage and health during all this mess !!! As usual, excuse my english, I'm french...😉 EDIT: Oh, and I'm curious to read / exchange your own experiences online (I'm talking about RPGs... 😁)

Thanks ! I won't interfeer in the debate about your decision to open the BRP licence, I don't have enough law skills to have any judgement about it. And especially american law skills, because here in France we have very different laws about intellectual property. I just hope/imagine you strongly thought about it and about how to do it before taking any decision, so I wish you success and no disappointment with the SRD ! As for me, with a BRP fan point of view, I really hope this will be an opportunity to see new original materials arise. I will anyway continue to buy Chaosium products, owing to their quality, and because it is the best way to support and thank them. Maybe opening the BRP licence is indeed risk-taking, and so we can salute and must support Chaosium for this.

Thank you very much Alter! As soon as the confinement is over, I'm going to order these. I'll add these books to my other pulp materials (Hollow Earth Expedition, Daredevils, Justice inc.)... Thanks also for your blogspot link (and very nice job on the plane)!

Hi! Just before the confinement decision (I live in France), I was planning to run CoC Camp Sunny at my gaming club. Disease, containment... game session canceled... Some of my club's fellows proposed to run RPGs through the website Roll20. So I joined two game sessions as a PC (Star Trek NG and Te Deum pour un massacre). I do prefer "real" tabletop RPG, but we all must find activities to support this confinement... So I decided to gamemaster something. I refused to run CoC, because I think it would miss too much atmosphere. Then I made my choice on Astounding Adventures - Perils of Sumatra (1st scenario of the book). And I had great time ! We went through Roll20, but I didn't create battlemaps (I'm not found of battlemaps, even as a player). I used the function "create a map" just to illustrate the scenes and NPC of the story. For each scene of the scenario, I had about 6 or 8 illustrations. A few 1930s pics collected from google images (padang aerial pic, Alameda docks...), and mainly some 1930s/1950s pulp magazines covers (yes! with titles and so forth...) to illustrate action scenes, bar brawls, head hunters, Taptapnamai mummy... I asked my players their feedbacks, and they loved it. They affirmed they had the impression of being thrown in a pulp action movie, thanks to this excellent scenario. And the pulp magazines covers greatly helped the immersion. As a result, one of my players is also a gamemaster (Tales from the Loop) and decided to GM his scenario through this meanings. And everybody wants some more pulp now !!! It is likely to become a real pulp serial, if not a campaign... And I will certainly keep up with a real Astounding Adventures table when all this mess is over. Thanks to Chaosium for this excellent book. Few people here in France have a "real" pulp culture, but this gaming experience proved they are really receptive to the genre. I will certainly run more Astounding Adventures during this confinement - just regret there aren't more scenarios available... I hope I was understandable in this post, please excuse my english...

Hi! Very interested by this playtesting, if you want french feedbacks! And thanks for this opportunity's proposition!

I confess: there is as much nostalgic pleasure for me than discovery pleasure for my son...😉 And even for reading lessons, I think many materials work much better ! 😜

I am from Bordeaux (South West), living since about 4 years (for work) in Mulhouse (Alsace). But still anger to return home... Yeah stuff like that... I also ran a few others, like Bitume, Alienoids (I liked these two!!!) and few others (the terrible Zone!!). I think so none of them have been translated (unfortunately for Bitume and Alienoids), but there is right now some work for a Bitume's reed, so maybe there would be one chance... For Dark Eye, I am actually running it with my 7 years-old son, with my old Folio Junior Edition. Great family hours!!! And great laughs at watching these old illustrations... 😂

Hi! I'm a new Cult-member, so I'm jumping on the bandwagon... So, what were the results? Can't guess anyway, since the three of them are really really great arts!

Hi Ian. As you, I can't tell which one went first: RPG or archaeology. I began RPG when I was 9, and I always was interested in archaeology and environmental sciences (my specialty is landscape archaeology). But I'm sure each one allowed me to explore new perspectives into the other. I think indeed there is some kind of relationship between RPGs and sciences, at least a strong and easy link. Example: I went through many jobs when I was a student, from building sites to big factories, and the biggest proportion of RPGamers I observed was in archaeology; at my current employer's, about 70/75% are former RPGamers and we are 35% or so still playing (including our geologist - a close friend!). I know, by friends, there is also a similar proportion in informatics. Have you seen similar ratios on your side?

Great! Thanks for the fresh and first-hand news! I agree with you, Pendragon deserves it, and always had a great success in France. And I really really hope there will be some new material, never translated in French! I'm eager to complete my own Folio and Oriflam collection (I partly had with Chaosium original editions)! 😋

There were indeed rumors lastly on french forums about Black Book Editions bribing for Pendragon french rights (I'm french and just checked it). Apparently, they were just rumors. For the french market, right now, nothing is decided, and french players must find ancient editions (I have the Oriflam books published at the beginning of the 1990s and I'm perfectly satisfied with them). But I found a mention that Jeff Richard announced a new edition for 2021... As Pendragon is a big success here in France since its first translation by Folio, I'm certain some French edition will negociate the rights for the French market. But like I said, there is no reliable detail yet!

(Excuse my english... I'm french!) Hi there! My name is Loïc, I'm 42 years-old and I began RPG 33 years ago with the Black Eye. I soon upgraded to ADD, and then discovered CoC! This was love at first sight... With several short interruptions, I never really stopped RPG. I ran numerous campaigns and one-shot scenarios, mostly in BRP system: CoC, Delta Green, Mythic Iceland, Magic World, Crusaders of the Amber Coast, and so forth. I also ran some D&D (3rd ed) campaigns, Vampire (briefly), Dark Continent, Hollow Earth Expedition, CthulhuTech, Amber and several others. I mostly play with my mates, but I'm also part of a RPG association. I'm going to stand behind the screen again (5 years interruption) in two weeks with some CoC stuff, and I'm planning to run campaigns soon again (BRP, CthulhuTech, HeroWars or Amber, according to my players' desires). I also ran several french and not translated RPG, I can send you some details if you like gaming UFOs... Oh! and just a few details, as I saw they were asked when I completed my profile here: I'm married, got two kids (2 and 7 years-old), and I'm an archaeologist. By the way, any other french RPG gamers around there ?