Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Back to the Dungeon Version 1.7

Here is V1.7
Not going to do another revamp for many moons and just concentrate on MODULES!

All Vanican type magic.
Corrected some typos throughout all documents.


STILL finding more DAMN!
Druid Typo
Added 0 level offensive spell for Wizard.
Working on Book 7 AND another Monster book


https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/0BzYaSvmA-OpUQWM1Q0tpVjVldFk

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Back to the Dungeon RPG Update Version 1.6

So have you played back to the Dungeon RPG? No? If not then what the hell! I wrote the goddamn game for you!

Here is version 1.6 just for you!

You tried all those other "clones" and have still been left wanting! There is still something missing form your sessions!

You want this Neoclone!

Other games not doing it for you eh?

That ol skew game still left you wanting as well.

This game scratches that itch.

Back to the Dungeon RPG...

It cost FREE dollars!


https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BzYaSvmA-OpUQ19PZjV2UmJya28&usp=sharing

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Dungeon Crawl Classics a FULL Review

Dungeon Crawl Classics a Review  

Oh my gods! What an incredible piece of gaming ART! What a fantastic presentation of the random and the profane! Goodman games is not afraid! They have cam up with one of the most incredible RPGs that I have ever seen. Taking the art of the RPG to a "whole nuther level".

The RPG is an art but let's talk about the art! First of all the artwork in this book is so beautifully done that it would take years to totally catch all of it. One will find themselves suddenly discovering another detail that was not noticed from the art.

The rules are a non OGL yet still kinda D20 version of the rules. The "BASIC" interpretation of the rules are here such as the classes cleric, fighter, thief, wizard, elf, dwarf, and finally halfling. OH to the modern gamer this sounds so uncool but they have MADE it cool once again.

ONE does not simple choose to play what he or she wants as one must travel through the FUNNEL in order to make a zero level character. OH how cool. (SO cool that I kinda stole it and made my own version for my own game). You roll the 3d6 in order and you like it. You do this three to four times and then randomly roll what you are on a D100. You now have three to four level zero victims that must claw their way to first level!

Once you make it or should I say IF you make it to 1st level you may choose a class. The Race as Class are chosen in the funnel. One creates his class adding the two hit point totals together. 

It's the presentation of what they have done to the classes per the three BASIC alignments and YES! level titles.  Most players are considered "Name" level when they reach 5th level though one can continue to excel in the game, making up his or her own level titles.

Weird 1970s pulpy gods are described per the three alignment of Law, Chaos, and Neutrality.

The equipment list is really short but for some reason it just works for this game. 

Magic is now done by rolling for the spell. IF you roll low you loose the spell for the day and if you are a cleric then the gods are displeased with you. This may provide a bookkeeping problem as one needs to consult the book for each spell. 

The monsters and magic items are pretty much here are a few examples but make the rest up as you go BUT it gives you lots of hints of how to do it.  

What this game does is FREE the Referee up to just create. 

I would suggest getting with many of the old school masters and making YET another index of old heavy metal to listen too while gaming. MUCH of that music will be lost if people are not reminded.

I also suggest to suggest burning incense and just sit back looking through the book.  

Some may say the game lacks many of the modern options. I would say yes, yes it does and it's wonderful!  

Thursday, October 29, 2015

The OWLCON A-Hole

So a year or two ago I was in the game room at Comicpalooza about to play a game of Shadowrun which I had always wanted to try. 

One of the guys in the game introduced to me as  "One of the main guys running OWLCON" in which I said COOL! He was sitting at the table next to us and told the guy running the Shadowrun game he was not playing. He was just siting there. Didn't look mad or in a bad mood.  

Knowing that the OWLCON was kinda known (or it was supposed to be) for it's old school friendliness I decided to share with "Mr. One of the Main Guys Running OWLCON" my current version of Back to the Dungeon RPG.  

I politely said to him "Hey I got this Old School game I would like you to look at called Back to the Dungeon which is a mixture of old simplicity and new school options and..." 

The guy rudely said "No I don't want to look at that. Get that book away from me. Not interested !" Like I was a smelly unbathed sore covered flatulent peasant weirdo.

Thanks guy!  

Like I was some lesser dork to be dismissed. 


I was kinda taken back, embarrassed, went back to my table.

I then was thinking WTF? This guy is supposed to be running a con and representing it? 

Couldn't pick him out in a crowd, don't remember what he looked like but what an impression a supposed representative of OWLCON left on me.

SO how would you feel if this happened to you?     

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Dungeon Crawl Classics a Review Part 1, BttDRPGv1.5, Playtesting of BttDRPGv1.5

Dungeon Crawl Classics a Review Part 1

Oh my gods! What an incredible piece of gaming ART! What a fantastic presentation of the random and the profane! Goodman games is not afraid! They have cam up with one of the most incredible RPGs that I have ever seen. Taking the art of the RPG to a "whole nuther level".

The RPG is an art but let's talk about the art! First of all the artwork in this book is so beautifully done that it would take years to totally catch all of it. One will find themselves suddenly discovering another detail that was not noticed from the art.

The rules are a non OGL yet still kinda D20 version of the rules. The "BASIC" interpretation of the rules are here such as the classes cleric, fighter, thief, wizard, elf, dwarf, and finally halfling. OH to the modern gamer this sounds so uncool but they have MADE it cool once again.

ONE does not simple choose to play what he or she wants as one must travel through the FUNNEL in order to make a zero level character. OH how cool. (SO cool that I kinda stole it and made my own version for my own game). You roll the 3d6 in order and you like it. You do this three to four times and then randomly roll what you are on a D100. You now have three to four level zero victims that must claw their way to first level!

More on part 2.


Back to the Dungeon RPG V1.5

 I finally have come out with the  1.5 version. Do it yourself gaming. The old 1970s style.


Playtesting of BttDRPG

I am working a turnaround so all life and existence is on hold. I am a work zombie.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Chapters 7 and 8 of Book 6 Dungeon Arcana of the Back to the Dungeon RPG

7.0 THE GIANT CAMPAIGN
LIKE DAYS OF OLD: WHAT THESE RULES ARE FOR!

Back in the 1970s at the dawn of role playing games known as the ancient times there was a movement inspired by Fantasy Novels, Tolkien, and Hippy Magic. Giant Campaigns with Hundreds of Players and Godlike Rock Star Game Masters. The Wizard God King Game Master could whip up cool adventures in seconds in the heavy metal and incense filled air! Stats were simple and monster blood flowed from behind the blades, maces, and magic of the players! Much Drinking and Whoring! Wenches came running to greet the players and their clothes fell off! Rules were cool for the player and it took only MINUTES to roll up a new character! As medieval sounding Heavy Metal blared out while tales of Swords and Sorcery became so real that a war started between the Worshipers of the Ancient Gods and the Devil Worshipers! Yes it was a cool time to be a Gamer.
These rules are designed for large scale play as well as small scale. I does what you need simply. Game Masters need to gather all the Game Masters of like mind and start a shared campaigns. It is helpful if there are multiple separate parties at first.

8.0 THE RETURN OF THE GODLIKE ROCK STAR GAME MASTER!


The time of the wizard god kings have returned! The ancient order has awakened and the call from the ancient gods and the devils from hell have been made to the game masters of the world. Game Masters must choose a side and begin plans for the wars to come. Dungeons now must be made to house the challenges that await the players. Each Game master must craft each dungeon as a living breathing work of art. They must draw out the lands and places of civilization as directed in the Game master's Guide! In the old days the Game Master was the star and people lined up to see what foul challenges and tricks he had up his sleeves! Many times Game masters joined forces (and maps) even though rivals to make grand campaigns! If you succeed in doing this sometimes these worlds can become almost real. I don't know maybe in some quantum multidimensional level Game Worlds are real! If you are a Game master then feel the power! The age of adventure has returned! 

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Stranger Gamer


The Stranger in Saint Antonio
He walks in and finds some friends. Gamers like him who let him hang out. A stranger once a young, a gamer now old and from out of town. 

They play their games that groups of players do. Complicated and confusing the new and improved games are. The stranger knows rules old and new. He understands them all. The theory the goal of the rules. Most crush themselves under their own weight. 

The players could be having so much more fun! Stop and look at the book, stop and look at the book! Stop and look at the book, stop and look at the book! Stop and look at the book, stop and look at the book! Less play but a rule for everything! Stop and look at the book! The poor game master looks tested.

The stranger now older and wiser offers them a glimpse of the olden days. Something that was magical and simpler yet elegant. He offers them a real test of wits! An adventure!

An ancient city teeming full of adventure. A giant dungeon full of secrets, monsters, and deadly traps! The stranger exclaims with very much excitement and charisma! 

The younger gamers only versed in the new ways look in wonder! They are taking the bait! I can now run the game they way it is supposed to be! They did not seem to be having any fun their way.  

The older jaded gamer in their group says “Nay I am tired of standard fantasy gaming. Thanks but no thanks”. The younger gamers follow! Not knowing as their mentor and hero speaks to his way of gaming. Never getting to try out Old School.

A few of the older gamers also in following say “not interested in the old school thing” as if it is a disease! They too are followers. If the stranger could just show them once! Their mentor seeming satisfied and wanders off with his following.   

The stranger is once again disappointed but this is nothing new. Many days and nights of adventures lost to stubborn players back home who only want to play the new complicated rules yet they can't run them. The stranger can but take no joy in running overcomplicated crap. 

The stranger post upon the winds that he is here and a few old schoolers reply. Some out of town and some reply and ignore. The stranger is saddened. He sees his time is short in the city. 

They do not reply. His weekends go by. Alone a stranger in this city. A kindred spirit of these other gamers yet they do not invite him or they have something other to do. Others are too far away. 

Now his time has ended in this city. Here the old school is as dead as it is back at home. He solemnly puts his books up and stashes his dice bag. He will not miss this city as much as he thought. 

The stranger writes this before it happens. All of the old schoolers say READY TO GAME as he leaves the city. But alas it is too late! Eldrad the Wizard is gone and is no more...


None here in this city will get the chance to adventure in his world as told by Eldrad. A world in need of brave foolhardy adventurers...  
In a Little Barony far far in the Western Frontier...

Year 2012
EW

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Back to the Dungeon RPG V1.4

 MAJOR CHANGES to MAGIC!

The spell points were simply too powerful so I decided on just giving them 4 spells plus Attribute bonus plus 2 spells a level. 

A Wizard with a 16(+2) Intelligence would start out with 6 spells a day and get two additional a level. He cast at 1/2 his level so a 1st level charter can cast cast 0 level spells and 1st level spells. 

I had multiple criticisms about the magic system being too powerful and the spells being hard to track. 

This fixes that problem. Thanks for the suggestions Tony and Tom.  

A few minor editing problems are now fixed but there are still more.  

ALSO book 6 Dungeon Arcana has been released as well as an updated Module: The Hills of Death!  


https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BzYaSvmA-OpUflNIa3FvSVg0M0lDNDcwNzdBbWlhM1pQdUFyRFY2R21oNE4yZnBoYl9BRDg&usp=sharing

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

To the people I met at CyPhaCon

Here is the link to Back to the Dungeon Role Playing Game!

I am glad that I met a few gamers!




From the Adobe PDF viewer print out in booklet form and fold over.

Covers can be printed in cardboard.

Enjoy my game!

Download it HERE!

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Expeditionary Campaigns: Final Thoughts...

A set of rules conducive to quick play and ease to create. Stick with one set of rules. Steal ideas from other rules! 

What I am talking about is simple.  Many of the modern sets of rules, even though great in their own way, would crush an Expeditionary Campaigns such as the one we are suggesting. The reason so many groups became so large is the rules themselves were so simple that they could facilitate such huge growth. Notice that there are huge societies today with huge numbers but due to the rules, mostly the publishing company releases the adventures. Is this the main factor that the huge multiple game master and huge player groups don't happen anymore? 

My rules Back to the Dungeon RPG were written with the Expeditionary Campaign in mind. Check them out if you have not. 





Plans for economics and politics.

Have the groups form economic and political intrigues between each other. Another group could be sabotaging the wheat and dairy production, not for war but for economic takeover of the industry and to gain power over another nation without a drop of spilled blood.  Does the kingdom upstream have the right to dam up the river to flood his crops each year? Why are hunters from the next kingdom hunting in our nation's forest? If characters of are royal blood make one character in another group heir to the king IF the current character of noble blood in the other group dies.  






Plans for warfare!

When the talking fails and the victims of economic schemes become tired of victimization, war occurs. Make the wars good and deadly. Make them suck. Make things precious destroyed. Many times wars in the past took place in a battlefield and there were rules of engagement. This may or not be the case. 

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Expeditionary Campaigns: More information!

Main Event Games at local convention.
Make sure that your games are leading to a "MAIN EVENT" that can be only finished by gathering all the Players and Game Masters in one place to have an epic game. The local Convention is a great place for this. Here wars can happen, scores can be settled new alliances and new rivalries can be formed. IF the characters are from different countries then have them be manipulated by powerful NPCs. Set up trade routes and such as well. Introduce a common enemies or monstrous threats.   

In Game calendar rules.


Set up a calender so that that one player with no life cannot dominate the entire game by playing in every scenario. Have holidays, seasons, weather events between games. 

Message Board or Facebook PageThe Message Board and Facebook Pages can be uses for In Game and Out of Game communication. Use it and use it well. 

 
Zine made to PDF and Print. Make sure and mention any player that plays by character name!


Catalog and make into history the tales of your game world so that years form now it may not be forgotten. Even one may rekindle the old game and or be playing the children of the original players. 

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Expeditionary Campaigns: Getting Started



Ingredients... (At least the first five)

Multiple Game Masters all local. At least three to start. Have to be really good to excellent Game masters! 


So you have to go out and look for these. You may already know who you want. Make sure and exclude anyone who is a negative ninny. They will come begging to join later. You can start out like a council having the originator of the idea the Leader or more like Project Manager to keep things going.  No end of the world scenerios unless everyone agrees. Keep threats fairly local. 

Multiple Maps that connect between the Game Masters.


Start with one map. Everyone who is a Game Master needs to work on it. Keep it small like one 8.5 x 11 with one inch equaling 20 miles is a suggestion. As Game Masters are added so are single page maps. Start from inside and go outward. Never try and make a whole world and then back fill it! Each Game Master gets the other to help fill the different maps. Multiple maps, stories, campaigns!     

Make competition between players and parties!

Very important as the games progress that each Game Master has different parties between them. Use the in game calendar  for travel times and such to see if a character can even be in certain areas if not using teleportation gates. Be strict on encumbrance and food rules.

Video Game like awards and trophies! 


Be creative and make up many awards and such. Steal from video games and any other source. Awards can also be weapons and titles as well as lands.  

Multiple groups of players that can interlock. 


At first keep them somewhat separated and only hear tales of these other adventurers.  As time progresses have grande adventurers where the heroes meet to work together or against each other. Warning hard feelings can occur so coaching is suggested.  

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Expeditionary Campaigns: Introduction

Expeditionary Campaigns like they used to do in the old days. Like the Ryth Chronicle (1975-1977)  and the West Marches and of course the original Blackmoor and Greyhawk interlocking campaigns.

People in my area keep saying that it cannot be done in this modern world.

I say bullpucky!



Ingredients...

Multiple Game Masters all local. At least three to start. Have to be really good to excellent Game masters!

Multiple Maps that connect between the Game Masters.

Make competition between players and parties!

Video Game like awards and trophies!

Multiple groups of players that can interlock.

Main Event Games at local convention.

In Game calendar rules.

Message Board or Facebook Page

Zine made to PDF and Print. Make sure and mention any player that plays by character name!

A set of rules conducive to quick play and ease to create. Stick with one set of rules. Steal ideas from other rules!

Plans for economics and politics.

Plans for warfare!


So in our modern day can we still have great games of old? Is that time passed to never happen that way again?