A New Direction for Classic Fantasy?

[Scootman1166]

Hello Rod,

Thank you for taking the time to provide us with insight regarding the future of Classic Fantasy. This is your baby and you have done well by it so far. I am confident that you will continue to provide us with quality retro gaming goodness.

Thanks again for everything you have done.

Scott

[Baron]

Well. See what happens when I don't check for new messages? Here are some thoughts in no particular order.

I'm glad to hear that Rod is taking matters into his own hands, to get his products out. I've enjoyed reading the book and hope to run a game soon.

I prefer a stand-alone book, rather than a supplement. I approve Rod's comment that the base system he goes with should bend to match the first edition of CF. I haven't used any of the systems you've mentioned. However I'm a huge fan of Chaosium's RQ2, and of Call of Cthulhu. My leanings are towards stripped-down rules systems, rather than crunch. For the same reason I prefer a stand-alone book: I want to roll some dice and get on with the game, not get bogged down. So in fact I'm more in favor of stripping down my preferred system, RQ2, to something on a par with CoC. If it's a stand-alone book, does it really need to be associated with an existing system? BTW I applaud Vile for his SRD-thing, for emulating RQ2.

I've played RQ2 since back in the earliest days, and consider it old-school by definition. That's the feel I enjoy, and I would think you could get some additional interest among we older gamers who are looking to relive the old days. I'm a hardcover guy, so I'd be looking for a printed book.

From all the other comments I've read here, it sounds to me like if you're going to associate yourself with something, Openquest might be a good match for you.

IAC, I wish you success and hope to follow developments. Thanks for everything, Rod.

[Chorpa]

Haven't been on the forums much lately. Seems like most areas have been covered. In all I must first say that CF is an excellent product and have used parts of it myself for my own BRP Fantasy campaign. It just felt to old school for the kind of campaign I had in mind but it's still a good product none the less.

Magic World on the other hand seem to be more along the lines what I had in mind. I did hope that the two games would be able to co-exist but seems like you have decided to breathe some new life into the system by breaking loose from Chaosium. If that is good or bad I leave for others to decide, but I agree that CF seem to have been lacking some love after the reveal of Magic World.

Either way from all the d100 systems out there I must say I would chime in for taking the OpenQuest system as base for CF. Not only I think it seems to be such a good fit but my impression is that OpenQuest is such a simple and scaled down core that is very easy to build and expand on. Either way I do wish you good luck in the future and think you already have a good base to build a successful game on.

[threedeesix]

I just wanted to let everyone know that I think I have a destination in mind for Classic Fantasy's future. I'm not at liberty to comment further at this time however. I want to thank everyone that commented, your feedback really helped me during this rather confusing period. More to come as things get finalized further.

It could be a little bit so don't think I forgot about you if you don't hear soon. Believe me when I tell you, you'll know as soon as I get the ok.

Thanks again and happy gaming,

Rod

[ragr]

Best of luck with whichever direction you've chosen, Rod.

Safe to say that a hell of a lot of your work bolsters my Greyhawk BRP at every session.

[soltakss]

It could be a little bit so don't think I forgot about you if you don't hear soon. Believe me when I tell you, you'll know as soon as I get the ok.

So, we can look forward to Classic Fantasy D20 in the very near future, then?

[samwise7]

Good luck to your Rod with your project (wherever it ends up).

[threedeesix]

So, we can look forward to Classic Fantasy D20 in the very near future, then?

Damn, I couldn't keep that quiet for long could I? Some of the innovations I'm working on include...

Every time your weapon skill improves by 10%, you gain 1D6 hit points.

Your chance to hit is now going to be modified by the armor your opponent is wearing; for every point of armor below 8, you get a +5% chance to hit and every point above gets you a -5%. It sounds more confusing than it really is, but using the simple system I've come up with called THAC8, "To Hit Armor Class Eight" it will be a breeze.

I will also be incorporating my new "A use for every die" system. Some of those innovations include; "bend bars and lift gates" on a D100, "break down doors" using 1D6, and general STR checks on a simple 1D20. Really obvious uses when you think about it, but for those that have trouble remembering, theres the WTHDIRN "What The Hell Do I Roll Now" cheat sheet included with every third copy of the book.

Stay tuned for further information,

Rod

PS - Let me throw a couple emoticons in here just so it's clear...

[rust]

I am very much looking forward to the d1000 character hair colour table.

[Atgxtg]

Why not use a D20 and the resistance table for attacks?

[BMonroe]

I just wanted to let everyone know that I think I have a destination in mind for Classic Fantasy's future. I'm not at liberty to comment further at this time however.

You should port it over to Labyrinth Lord. I hear that's doing quite well.

Wait...

[Guest Vile Traveller]

I will also be incorporating my new "A use for every die" system.

More d12 tables, please! My favourite die is sadly neglected in many games, and a 12-base system is fantastic for fractions - divides easily into 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12.

Accept no 2d6 substitutes!

[Baron]

I think I might still have a d30...

BTW, you had me going there for a minute!

[staceyman]

Rod,

It is shameful that Chaosium has failed to support your cool product. I am running a CF campaign and it is a blast!

However, I hope that whatever D100 system you choose as a vehicle for CF, maintains the current rules as close as possible. I love the way you have emulated the feel of AD&D 1st edition in a BRP context with hit locations and other BRP mechanics.

I am sure RQ6 and Magic World are great games, but they do not scratch the same nostalgic itch as CF.

I fear that Chaosium may be engaged in RPG snobbery because your game emulates AD&D. This does not mean that CF is only good for dungeon crawls, which it does very well, but like any RPG, the game reflects what the GM and players bring to it. I like running the old modules that I ran when I was 14 and new to the hobby. Now that my players and I are in our mid-40s we bring much more maturity and role playing to the Keep on the Borderlands.

Spooky! I've just turned 40, I just bought Classic Fantasy from the Chaosium site and first scenario i was planning to run is Keep on the Borderlands!

Feeling a little hard done by that the book i paid $16 + for is actually incomplete!

Anyway, Rod please do what ever it takes to get Vol 2 & 3 out there as i cant wait to buy them!

Kind Regards

Stacey

Edited October 18, 2012 by staceyman

[Guest Vile Traveller]

Stacey, check out Rod's Classic Fantasy Yahoo! group if you haven't already. IIRC there is a B2 conversion available for download there.

brpclassicfantasy : BRP Classic Fantasy

[staceyman]

Stacey, check out Rod's Classic Fantasy Yahoo! group if you haven't already. IIRC there is a B2 conversion available for download there.

brpclassicfantasy : BRP Classic Fantasy

Will do, thanks Vile

[g33k]

... Back when D&D 3E was around and WotC used the OGL, a lot of companies produced some 3E stuff just to generate revenue. Apparently one D&D product would finance the company's non D&D products for the year ...

Erm... bit of hyperbole, that? Maybe a VERY few products had that kind of revenue & profit; but I believe(1) that, in general, they simply sold "better than average."

- Steve, the g33k

(1): Having corresponded with a couple of game-publishers (who I have NOT asked permission to give a "reveal" on their info, so I won't state publicly ... but they produced campain/setting books, adventures, monster-books, etc), I've been told that their d20 lines tended to do well, but not fantatstically.

[keops]

Hi all,

I'm reexperiencing part of my youth by reading through some of the d100-systems. I Started out roleplaying with the swedish 1st edition "magic world" translation Drakar och Demoner, and I find the BRP-system really intuitive for the most part.

I'm wondering if there's any way to get hold of an actual physical copy of Classic Fantasy? I tried ordering from Chaosium, but that site seems error-prone, and I've not heard back from them in over a week. Any european shops that carry this product that ships internationally? Thanks.

[threedeesix]

Hi all,

I'm reexperiencing part of my youth by reading through some of the d100-systems. I Started out roleplaying with the swedish 1st edition "magic world" translation Drakar och Demoner, and I find the BRP-system really intuitive for the most part.

I'm wondering if there's any way to get hold of an actual physical copy of Classic Fantasy? I tried ordering from Chaosium, but that site seems error-prone, and I've not heard back from them in over a week. Any european shops that carry this product that ships internationally? Thanks.

Hi keops,

The only way you are going to be able to get a physical copy of BRP Classic Fantasy is directly from Chaosium or from e-bay/Amazon or something like that.

The last I checked Chaosium only had the PDFs available. Keep bugging them and maybe they will reprint it.

I am working on a much larger and more fleshed out second edition that will be out later this year hopefully. So keep your eyes open.

Rod

[Michael Hopcroft]

And some companies suffered creatively from their fixation with capturing a share of the new d20 market. People forget a lot of really bad stuff was released when the d20 boom was at its height. Chaosium's Young Kingdoms sourcebook wasn't too bad compared to what others were releasing, but compared to the typical Chaosium product it left an enormous amount to be desired. d20 doesn't work for everything -- and it certainly didn't work for Elric.

[TrippyHippy]

Hi keops,

The only way you are going to be able to get a physical copy of BRP Classic Fantasy is directly from Chaosium or from e-bay/Amazon or something like that.

The last I checked Chaosium only had the PDFs available. Keep bugging them and maybe they will reprint it.

I am working on a much larger and more fleshed out second edition that will be out later this year hopefully. So keep your eyes open.

Rod

I cannot see the point of holding out for a monograph hardcopy. The design is so basic, you may as well take the pdf down to your local printing shop and get it bound yourself.

[madprofessor]

Hi everyone,

I am new to these boards, and just a typical GM in the trenches. I have been running Chaosium based games for 30+ years and I thought I would drop in my 2 coppers.

I found Classic Fantasy to be the most useful BRP/D100 supplement that I have come across in a very long time, and I don't particularly care for dungeon crawls. I collect old school D&D for the nostalgia, but one of the reasons why I run BRP is that classes, levels, high power gaming, and many other facets of that game just rub me wrong. Classic Fantasy is a perfect fit for me when I want high fantasy, or a slightly more cinematic BRP fantasy game. Also, it has been great to revisit some classic adventures in a new format (I ran Dwellers of the Forbidden City using CF, and it was awesome).

Beyond this, CF introduces some new mechanical concepts that I think provide excellent possibilities for BRP. The spells alone are worth the price of the book. The classes and races are good concepts for new players who get lost in the clean slate, anything goes BRP chargen. In short, I found CF to be something new for D100 games. I don't use it all, but I do use some of it often, and that is saying a lot in this age of RPG proliferation.

Rod, I for one, will pledge my silver to any future CF products in whatever format, publisher, or license. If something can't work out with Chaosium for whatever reason, I cast my vote for OpenQuest. It would be a perfect fit, perhaps even better than BRP.

[Gollum]

I found Classic Fantasy to be the most useful BRP/D100 supplement that I have come across in a very long time, and I don't particularly care for dungeon crawls. I collect old school D&D for the nostalgia, but one of the reasons why I run BRP is that classes, levels, high power gaming, and many other facets of that game just rub me wrong. Classic Fantasy is a perfect fit for me when I want high fantasy, or a slightly more cinematic BRP fantasy game. Also, it has been great to revisit some classic adventures in a new format (I ran Dwellers of the Forbidden City using CF, and it was awesome).

Revisiting these old adventures with an other system than D&D is great. As soon as they speak Goblins or Kobold, player characters can try a lot of other options than just fighting monsters to grab their treasures. And BRP has skills for diplomacy and negotiation!

The old D&D adventure which best lend itself to that manner of playing is certainly the Lost City, with its different factions. It was specifically written for that. But with BRP, it works even better.

[madprofessor]

Gollum,

I agree. Classic fantasy helps me to bridge the strengths of two very different systems.

D&D, especially in the TSR era was great for creating wildly imaginative material that was instantly useable: monsters, magic items, traps, scenarios, spells, etc. Its all very playable stuff, except for the system, which I find wonky and impossible to enjoy with out reams of house-rules, or regular hand waving rules away in favor of reason and story. I can enjoy D&D if I run it as a non-system where the rules are mostly ignored - but it is not ideal, especially with experienced players.

On the other hand the great strength of Chaosium games and BRP is the system. It is simple, believable, playable, and less gamey than other systems. I discovered a long time ago that it aids in suspension of disbelief and encourages players to play their characters rather than the game.

Classic fantasy helps me to combine a "nearly" perfect system (I say nearly because I still tweek the rules endlessly) with all that great TSR creative playability. It makes for good times. Besides Dwellers (I1), I've run X1, The Isle of dread, which is kind of sandboxy. B4, the lost city is a great option that I forgot about. Thanks for the reminder! I am currently running my wife through the UK module "Blade of Vengeance." Its a solo module full of plot. I also want to look at converting some of Goodman's DCC adventures which are short but epically creative.

Anyway, CF helps me to combine a great system with some great adventures. I would happily support any direction that Rod decides to take the game - especially if it involves new material.

[keops]

I just wanted to say that Chaosium apparently have Classic Fantasy in stock again. I just recieved an email that my order shipped! :-)