Marvel Superheroes RPG – Why FASERIP Remains the Best

Some like Champions with its crunch. Some like Villains and Vigilantes. For me it is neither. If I am going for a superhero system it has to be Marvel Superheroes. In my mind nothing else even comes close. The Marvel system does a great job of recreating the comic books. Henceforth I will refer to it as MSH.

One huge advantage the system currently enjoys is the wealth of information available for the game, most notably at Classic Marvel Forever. To put it bluntly there is no shortage of material for the Judge to pick from. TSR then Wizards of the Coast apparently let the copyright expire and it went into the public domain. Woot!

The Marvel system is a breeze. Many fans know it as Marvel FASERIP. FASERIP stands for the attributes in the game: Fighting, Agility, Strength, Endurance, Reason, Intuition, and Psyche. The first four are combined to create the character’s Health score and the latter three are combined to determine the character’s Karma. Health is analogous to Hit Points while Karma is akin to Luck Points in other systems. Characteristics range from Feeble (2) to Beyond (unlimited) with most being somewhere between Typical (6) and Monstrous (75). Once you start getting above Unearthly (100) it starts to get a bit dodgy, but I think a skilled Judge can pull it off. In Marvel there is always someone tougher than yourself or your group.

Talents are likewise well thought out and easy to use. Equipment is straightforward and does not bog the game down. In a way the entire rule set is an early version of Savage Worlds when one thinks about it: keep it Fast, Furious and Fun. MSH does just that.

While there are powers listed in the rule book the best route to go is to use the Ultimate Powers Handbook (do not forget the errata from Dragon Magazine issues 134 and 151). Powers are always something of a weak spot in MSH. The main problem is you pick a grouping (say Defensive) and then roll to see what you get. I think it works because otherwise everyone would be picking the same powers (can you say every character with Danger Sense, Cosmic Awareness, True Flight, Regeneration and Invulnerability?). That said in my groups we just picked powers after rolling for the number of them and it always seemed to work out.

"Don't leave super hero HQ without me."

The box set is a great entry into the game and has everything that fledgling players and the Judge need to get rolling. I recommend actually getting the base game and going for Advanced rather than the Basic rules (the picture above is from the Advanced game box set).

Most of my experience with the game was in high school where we played it irregularly, which is a shame as it is a fine system. Most of my characters were mutants as I liked characters who actually had powers. This is probably because I also disliked DC comics whose heroes were typically non powered as typified by Batman. One of my gaming crew from back in the day was a big fan of the rule set but paradoxically a big fan of DC and created his own version of Batman he tried to foist on me. I had none of that and preferred to play my own characters.

Task resolution is handled via a well thought out system of green, yellow and red intensities. The task becomes harder as it goes from green to red and requires a higher percentile dice roll. Speaking of which, being based on a d100 makes it easy to use and visualize for players where their scores lie. It also works perfectly with the ranking system from Feeble (2) up to Unearthly (100) in the attributes. One would guess they did this on purpose.

As noted above the Judge is spoiled for choice. He has a vast amount of material to draw on in the Marvel Universe before even writing his own stuff. The Basic line and the Advanced line cover all of the main material from the Bronze Age of comics in the 80s to the early 90s.

If I were to play today I think a hi-tech wonder character ala Ironman would hold the most interest for me. There is just something about being able to tinker with one’s battle suit and adding more gizmos than R2-D2 that is appealing.

No matter what your inkling you really cannot go wrong with Marvel Super Heroes as it is a great system.

What is your favorite super hero RPG?

Hurled into Eternity RPG – Domain Name Secured

 

http://www.hurledintoeternity.com/

As you  an see its not much at the moment, but I have taken the steps to make sure that I have my preferred URL reserved. In the future the plan is to house my online endeavors there with links to my Facebook Page as well as back to this blog.

As it stands right now Hurled into Eternity is being edited as we speak. My next goal is to get it to play testing then onto production for print. Right now a fiend of mine and I are contenplating some custom playing cards to go with the game. That is at the planning stages.

While Im waiting for the editing to be complete I'm hard at work on the first two supplements for the game as well as Let it Beagle Media. Right now its a lot of ideas, but not in a cohesive form.

Stay tuned for more.

Inside My Man Cave – Gaming Table, Terrain, and Old School Vibes

Just some of the shelves in the gaming man cave...

EDIT: (7-14-26) The man cave has changed a lot since 2013 when I originally posted this, time for the upgraded version!

Man Cave, every gamer has one, or should. I’m lucky enough to have the whole basement to myself! We built my current house in 2011 and left the basement is unfinished, but I've managed to fill it up with a pretty decent gaming space. 

Over the years it received upgrades in an ad-hoc way, but last December (2025) I upgraded eve more beyond the photos you see here. Now an improved stereo system, a new fish tank for Fred VII, new book cases, new computer desk, carpeting, and a new gaming chair amongst others.

In a way, it hearkens back to the days when we played in my friend’s basement on Saturday nights in early high school, at least until we could drive.

Not only is it where I game with my friends but where I've written two novels, worked on countless terrain pieces and painted tons of minis. 

Its also where my dogs fall asleep on their various beds throughout, including one dreaming and paws twitching as I type this.

Weird War II for Savage Worlds – Monsters, Magic, and Mayhem in WWII

 

Weird type events for World War II? Yes, please. Unlike Deadlands, I think this one pulls it off. (That’s not an indictment of Deadlands, I like the concept, but that’s another topic.)

The topic at hand is the Weird War II sourcebook from Pinnacle Games for their Savage Worlds rules.

Weird War II is a source book for using the Savage Worlds system with a twisted take on World War II. Like Deadlands, there are dark forces at work, and Europe is in deeper trouble than just Nazi Germany or Imperial Japan. The “Weird War” genre has been around for a while, but I think this book captures it better than anything else in RPG form.

I’m not diving deep into the Savage Worlds rules here (if you’re reading this, you probably already know the system). Instead, I’m focusing on the book itself as source material.

Released in 2009, Pinnacle did a solid job capturing the feel of the genre. Character creation really shines, with advantages tailored to soldiers from each major nationality. While you could play Axis forces, the best campaigns are built around the Allies. The mixed nature of Allied forces gives tons of latitude for military and civilian backgrounds. Female players will find great inspiration in the illustration on page 12, who wants to play a WAC when you could be a French resistance fighter with a penchant for explosives?

The Office of Special Investigations concept neatly sidesteps traditional gender roles in combat: if you can handle the horrors of Weird War, you’re in, regardless of gender. It also feels very ad-hoc, much like units in Twilight 2000.

Equipment levels feel just about right. The book adds the right amount of new skills and Edges, plus an excellent mission generator that keeps things moving. The Warmaster can always “pull rank” with superior officers when the players start wandering off in search of Option Z.

The material scales perfectly, from personal arms all the way up to fighters, bombers, and naval vessels. Rules for fortifications, artillery, disease, parachuting, and more let you play out nearly every aspect of the war (and then some).

Large sections focus on the weird elements (especially Chapter Five), with monsters, Nazi blood magic, and Soviet psychic powers. While the European Theater gets a lot of attention, the Pacific campaign offers just as much potential for weirdness amid sweltering jungles and vast oceans.

The last chapter covers the Axis powers and their monstrous creations. Standouts include the Axis Stitch (soldiers sewn together from multiple bodies), nasty mustard gas zombies, and Wehrwolves.

Graphically, the book looks excellent. Even with some recycled art from previous editions, it’s uniformly strong and captures the tone perfectly. My favorite piece is the Axis Stitch on page 163. Additionally, the front and back covers are also outstanding.

Axis Stich, one fearsome monster!

 

One negative: the hardcover binding is flimsy. My copy is already separating from the spine despite light use.

If I ran this, I’d draw heavily from Return to Castle Wolfenstein for visuals, there’s natural overlap there. Handled right by the referee, Weird War II makes for a fun, exciting break from traditional sword & sorcery.

In closing, I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. How about you? Have you played Weird Wars?

Talisman as I Know It – A Fond Look at the Fantasy Board Game

One great game that one of my gaming buddies Simrion owns is Talisman 3rd edition. It’s a very fun game with many twists and turns. I’ve tried to purchase it for myself many times, but these days even the base game (without expansions) is costly on the second-hand market like eBay. The Realm expansions push auctions into the $150 range. Along with Lost and the Damned, it’s one of those items that keeps eluding me.

Talisman is one of our go-to games when someone doesn’t show up for game night. Looking at it overall, it’s one of Games Workshop’s better releases. The rules are not overly complex, the playtime is just right, and it remains engaging with several viable strategies. It’s a true classic, and many players still remember the older editions fondly.

The goal of the game is to amass enough power, obtain a Talisman, and ascend the tower to slay the Dragon King. In theory a player can accomplish this in a number of ways, but remember that everyone else at the table is trying to do the same thing.

All three of the Talisman expansions for 3rd Edition.

To get the full experience you’ll want the three main expansions: The Dragon's Tower, City of Adventure, and The Dungeon of Doom. The latter two add the additional Realms to the board. A word of warning: 3rd Edition has been out of print for a long time and commands high prices on the secondary market. I completed my full set plus expansions back in 2013 and it wasn’t cheap.

Character Selection & Gameplay

To start, each player randomly draws character cards and their matching minis. Many classic GW favorites are present: Chaos Warrior, Goblin Fanatic, Chaos Dwarf, Witch Elf, and more. Each character has its own special abilities. While some are stronger than others, all start within a similar basic range. (There’s still an active online community that creates fan-made characters for the game.)

The Outer Realms (Forest, Mountains, City, and Dungeon) are stand-alone expansion boards that connect to the main board. When traveling in these realms, players roll a d3 instead of a d6, which slows movement.

Game play is fairly quick with some classic Games Workshop flair: “If a rules conflict arises, roll a d6 — on a 1-3 you are right, on a 4-6 the other interpretation stands.” You roll a d6 to move, land on a space, and draw the appropriate cards. Early encounters can be deadly depending on your character. Combat is resolved through Strength or Craft. Warrior types excel at Strength fights, while spell casters fare better with Craft. Another player rolls for any enemies, so everyone stays involved even when it’s not their turn.

I’m of the mindset that warriors are generally the stronger choice if you want to win consistently. Good characters like the Ranger or Templar, and neutral ones like the Barbarian, are solid. Spell casters feel weaker early on due to lower Strength and limited spell capacity.

Magic is handled as a random draw from a recycling deck. Some spells are far stronger than others, and certain magic items or character abilities boost spell casting.

Strategies

There are several viable strategies. One strong approach is to become powerful enough to claim the title of High Wizard or Sheriff for big boosts to Craft or Strength. Attacking other players is allowed when you land on the same space, but I only do it occasionally, usually only when someone has a Talisman I need.

Evil characters often hunt for the Doom Sword (which restores lost lives on successful hits). Other strong items include the Sword of Power in the Forest and the Hammer in the Mountains. I’ve had good success heading to the Mountains or Forest once strong enough. In all my years playing I’ve mostly avoided the Dungeon, something I should try next time. The Mountains usually offer the best return on time invested.

Two things to keep in mind. One. with experienced players its possible the game can go on for basically "forever," especially if the opposing players have certain spells and another player is making a run against the Dragon King. 2. The nature of the rules is such that randomness can still effect even well built out characters with cards like the Toad, Witch or Imp. Be forewarned this game can go on for hours!

I’ve enjoyed many great games of Talisman with my friends and usually come out on top (much to Simrion’s wife’s dismay). In fact, I’ve won the last two times we’ve played! EDIT: Since I originally wrote this my family and I played quite a bit. I have even manged to win with the halfling out of all the characters!

If you can find a copy of the 3rd Edition, it’s well worth it. For me this gets a solid 5 out of 5 stars.

What about you? Is 3rd Edition you preferred version of Talisman?

Weird West Roleplaying Game Review – The Ultra-Light $1 Western RPG

At 8 pages and $1.00 for the PDF, Stuart Robertson’s Weird West Roplepalying Game Basic Rulebook doesn’t get more spartan — or cheap. But for some reason the price and style feel just right.

Starting off, the cover is cool, though it does mirror the art for A Fistful of Dollars — which, as a fan of the trilogy, I appreciate. The whole PDF is in black and white, and for some reason this works fine. It gives the game a stark, gritty feel. The font used for the title “Weird West” is just right, and of course the tentacle in the logo is a nice touch. It does have a watermark on it for your purchase. I would hope, however, that people don’t feel the need to pirate a $1.00 PDF…

If you are looking for an ultra-light ruleset for your Weird West games, this is it. I can’t say that enough — it takes “rules light” to a whole new level. A PDF with 8 pages (one being the cover and one the opposed fighting chart in the back) means the actual game is only about 6 pages. That has to be some sort of record.

With all this said, for an experienced role-player the ruleset is probably right up their alley. Certainly with years of judging, a GM can easily wing the areas that need filling in. A beginner, however, would likely be lost, as it’s not developed enough for newcomers.

Characters have four attributes and a “path” to guide one’s character — it can probably fit on a 3x5 index card. The game is d20-based and utilizes the d4, d6, and d12. Levels and hit points make an appearance in the form of Stamina Points.

For one’s character, magic and weird west abilities are all lumped together, which in the interest of spartan rules and space probably makes the most sense. There are spells like Electromancy, and then skills which are treated as magic, like “Fastest Gun in the West.” Later still is Shaolin Monk (which to me should be a skill, but it’s not my game). The player has 4 points to split amongst the attributes (Fighting, Grit, Magic, and Skill), but must place at least one into Grit. Leveling is fairly simple — the group decides when to do so (usually between game sessions).

Initiative is handled with a simple mechanic: higher-level characters go first. Combat is fairly straightforward, using the familiar mechanic of rounds and an opposed roll vs. the defense. Modifiers are simple to understand, with firearms ignoring armor — which is a bit puzzling in a Western setting… The Man with No Name in A Fistful of Dollars notwithstanding.

Weapons are broken down by dice, with rifles doing the most damage at d10, the ever-trusty pistol at d8, and the lowest being unarmed attacks at d2. Further, a character’s path (aka class) determines what type of dice they have for unarmed combat: magicians utilizing the lowest and fighters the highest. Once reduced to zero Stamina Points in combat, death is a possibility on a roll of a d6.

Skill checks are easy to resolve, with examples of typical tests appearing on page 6. Also on the final page of text are some pieces of advice for the GM and ideas on how to play.

The main criticism I have is that it is not clear whether or not there is a traditional GM in the game. Only on page 6 does the word “referee” appear. The text seems to assume there is one earlier, but it’s not until later that it becomes clear.

If I go too much further it will reveal the whole game, as it’s so short. Suffice to say I like the system. All in all, it looks like an interesting game. I have no major plans to run it, as I’m well into the creation of my own Western game, but as a source of inspiration it was worth the price. It does have the honor of being one of only three Western-style RPGs I read while creating my own (the other two being Boot Hill and Western City).

Lastly, for my game Hurled into Eternity it will probably become a supplement down the road. (NOTE: As an update — my game is under a number of revisions right now and the version that is up has some new changes coming, making the game even better. Stay tuned.)

WFRP- 1st Edition- Small, but vicious dog

A few years back Fantasy Flight Games released the 3rd edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. At first, I thought about purchasing the latest edition. The problem was, that much like when WotC went to 3rd edition with Dungeons and Dragons the move to 3rd edition WFRP resulted in  a vastly different game, and hence no sale for me. 1st and 2nd edition Dungeons and Dragons are pretty much the same game and interchangeable, same for 1st and 2nd edition WFRP. 3rd edition in either case? Not so much.

Trollslayers are always cool.

In thinking about that new version, my mind harkened back to one of my best friends and the rousing games of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay that we played in his basement. We adventured through the Power behind the Throne series almost to the very end and had a blast in doing so (I played a rat catcher with a whose name I forget, but I do quite clearly remember his small, but vicious dog(s): Rat hammer and Rat hammer II, after the first one bit the dust fighting some Skaven. My rat catcher had uncovered the Skaven tunneling under Bogenhaufen quite by accident while cleaning the cellar of a noble family all on his own. My rat catcher and the dog killed two Skaven and I scored a magical dagger  that had a flame attack in the bargain, also made for some interesting trophies to his ratting pole.  No, don't ask me how I remember this stuff 20+ years later...

The Enemy Within campaign series for those not in the know, is basically the Games Workshop equivalent for the classic G1-3, D1-3, Q1 series for 1st Edition AD&D in terms of the "defining adventure of the system".  It is widely hailed as one the greatest module series of all time in the pen and paper RPG areana and I agree up until Power Behind the Throne. With the next module something Rotten in Kislev it started to come off the rails and especially Empire in Flames were let downs. Empire in Flames was pretty much non-canonical and even for the inconsistent GW its fluff and background really didn't mesh. Anyways instead of Empire in Flames, which is pricy despite its meh content there is the fan made Empire at War which replaces Empire in Flames

Come to think of it I should probably write a review of all of the modules.

As a system I think WFRP was a very good. Character creation was fast and didn't require a major amount of time which was a good thing considering the short shelf-life of characters in the game. The character races were certainly not balanced with elves and dwarfs being particularly unbalanced. The crux of WFRP is that a character engages in a career, and then improves his character with experience points that he gains through (and surviving adventures). From there each basic career has a career exit.

WFRP starts with all characters in the basic career paths ranging from Agitator to Woodsman with a focus on variety. There are even regular classes like Laborer and apprentices that real reinforce the idea of regular people who set out on adventuring, can't get much grittier then that. Funny because in many corners of the web gritty play is dejour; Warhammer is far more gritty and less high adventures then any of its contemporaries, yes, including 1st AD&D.

Basic careers run the gamut from some very weak, to some very powerful. The fighting classes are probably the way to go with a few other specialized careers with an eye towards spell casting in the advanced career section. Particularly the pit fighter, protagonist, squire, soldier and mercenary amongst others that are well suited for survival. In fact we remarked that we should have just run a game with all warriors and see what the results would be, but we never did. Of course we came to this observation after a number of our characters met untimely demises and the school copier was *ahem* "getting a workout".

One of my favorite parts of WFRP was combat! Unlike AD&D (its main competitor at the time) the combat system made logical sense: armor doesn't make a character harder to hit, it absorbs damage. That is not a knock on AD&D as it was the grand daddy of them all, it just didn't make sense. In combat and major wounds could happen with messy and amusingly graphic deaths via the critical hit charts. Characters even after several advanced careers where not unstoppable killing machines except for the "naked dwarf syndrome". Armor comes in three flavors: leather, chain and plate and reduces corresponding damage the better the armor. Not all weapons are created equal and require skills to wield them effectively.

Magic was the wild card in the whole thing and the fabled Realms of Sorcery that was supposed take the place of the "stop gap magic system" in the Core Rulebook. Players and GMs had to make do with what was presented for somewhere around 17 years, Realms of Sorcery comes out, and then the game moves to 2nd edition! In terms of magic items the game was fairly low powered certainly comapred to its main rival D&D. The supplement Apochrapha Now expanded the list. Players of D&D might be disappointed in the magic system which is not as high level as D&D nor as expansive of a list for magical items.But for a gritter or low adventure system you cant get one much better.

Monsters are well thought out and most of the major ones that one would imagine to be there are  in the setting. One thing I always wondered was did GW downplay dragons in the Warhammer pantheon of monsters on purpose given the prominent nature of them in D&D, at least in spirit if not in the actual game?

Perhaps the thing that kept bringing players back was the story of the Old Word, the setting. The Old World is a near approximation of Europe with the twist of the Old Slann changing the world to suit their creations. One of GWs greatest strengths has been their IP, and fluff, but as mentioned previously not something they always keep straight.

One of the great side benefits of 1st edition WFRP was the fact that one could use 3rd edition Warhammer Fantasy Battle, The Lost and the Damned and Slaves to Darkness all together. The Losta nd the Damned and Slaves to Darkness were great resoucres and certainly great values for the price (they are outragouelsy priced on Flea Bay now). While 3rd edition Warhammer Fantasy Battle was unwieldy it still is my favorite edition of the game. GW (in an instance of doing something right) actually gave the purchaser something for his value.

"Welcome to Nuln!"

Lastly to wrap it up the art across the line was consistently great: grim, dark and moody and violent. The art really captured the time in the industry and for the edition quite well. There is a mix of color and black and white throughout and while some of them are reprints that appeared in their line previous they are still cool to look at. Plus anytime John Blanche does art for a game system its going to be cool.

For my next post I might have to review Death on the Reik first as it is probably my all time favorite Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay module, (rather then start at the beginning of  Power Behind the Throne series: Shadows of Bogenhaufen) and ranks in my Top 3 of any modules, regardless of system.

Book Review- High Country by Peter Dawson

After my ultra heavy read of my last book, Atlas Shrugged- by Ayn Rand, I  needed something lite. I found it a my friendly local bookstore. It was in the form of Peter Dawson's High Country. I paid 50 cents for it so I can't complain and read it during my lunches at work. I was in the mood for a dime store novel western and found this one.I wasn't disappointed with my first foray into the genre.

I should start out with the writing was solid. And at 137 pages it was a breeze to go through (especially in light of the a fore mentioned monster Atlas). At points it's easy to see where the plot was going, but I was able to imagine the scenes quite vividly and the book was a surprisingly entertaining read. Dawson does a good job of making the images come to life in such a short space.

The book follows the exploits of Jim Sherrill, a drifter/rancher of sorts and right from the get go he has a problem: someone has stolen his horses and its up to him to get them back. The pacing is good, but its a bit light on the action as a good chunk of the book deals with the cast of characters that surround Jim, some good some bad, some stereotypical.  Thats not bad as each character gives you an instant feel for the Old West: A greedy wealthy southern land owner (the commodore) and his requisite southern bell daughter, plus a gang of outlaws. The main bad guy isn't blatantly evil which is a nice touch. In a way it's a bit more natural of a read as the villain(s) are believable and all in line with the 1940s view of westerns.

Jim has to take back what is his and gets some help along the way from his mountain man friend Jake who I especially liked and a few others. There is also an interesting love triangle with Jim in the middle and his affections for the vapid Ruth and the sturdy, but beautiful high spirited Jean. It doesn't take much to see where this one is going... I will warn you it is even complete with the requisite western ending meme...

In terms of the setting, the mental image I had of the town of Whitewater is a good one as is the distances of the involved. I pictured it as a river bank town in the vein of Big Whiskey from Unforgiven. I actually felt as if I was in the Old West along with the action, so the author did right by me there.

I won't go more into the story (as is usually the case) because if you are going to read it, I won't spoil it for you. And ass I'm fully back to my interest in westerns this short read fit right into my busy life. Also it was a good read to inspire me to jot some notes down for the first module that I have underway for my game Hurled into Eternity from Restless Rust Monster Publications (Icebiter Games Publications was too much of an in-joke.) And if you like where Im going with Hurled into Eternity please give me a like on Facebook to help spread the word about my game.

Lastly this book does reflect the times it was written in, namely 1947; so be forewarned: there are some racial stereotypes in the book as well as some words spoken by the characters from the south that are verboten today. 

(As I've been mentioning I'm trying to blog more and not just about my game I'm writing so keep looking out for an increase in my blogging activities. More short blog then massive sprawling ones).

The Lone Ranger, Mail-Order Dreams, and 1981 in the Rearview Mirror

 

That is what the ad said "Just mail away!" and man, I always wanted one. But for some reason I never actually sent it in. Chalk it up to the distracted priorities of an eight year old.

If you were a comics fan in 1981, you probably saw the massive merchandise blitz for The Legend of the Lone Ranger plastered across the back covers of practically every comic book on the rack. I did not know it at the time, but the movie was a critical and commercial bomb. That did not matter to me. The advertising hit hard, especially for kids.

The toy line that really grabbed my attention was the smaller scale Lone Ranger figures from Gabriel. These were not the old school 13 inch behemoths (those were always a little too bulky for my tastes), but the more manageable, play friendly action figures. You had the full lineup: The Lone Ranger and Silver, Tonto and Scout, Butch Cavendish and Smoke, even historical figures like Buffalo Bill Cody and General George Custer (who was a lieutenant colonel at the time of Little Bighorn).

To this day I wonder how, or if, they crammed all of that into one movie.

I never saw The Legend of the Lone Ranger as a kid (still have not, actually), but the toys were definitely on my radar. The problem? Serious competition. Star Wars was in full swing and I was all in on the Kenner figures. I was just getting into D and D too, poring over my Moldvay Basic Set and trying to figure out hit points. The new 3 3/4 inch G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line was right around the corner, and that would steal what little toy budget (and attention span) I had left.

Looking back, I wonder if this was the real life early version of Toy Story. Lone Ranger and Tonto, quietly sidelined by Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Relegated to the back of the toy box, never to ride again.

Still, that mail away town? The play sets? That stuff looked cool. Really cool. And while I did not get in on the Lone Ranger craze, it still sticks with me as one of those "almost" moments of childhood. One of the few times something slipped by me in that golden age of toys and pulp inspired adventures.

Watching The Lone Ranger the other week (yes, that one) reminded me of all this, of a time when the Wild West still had a place in our toy aisles and imaginations, even as the galaxy far, far away was pushing everything else out.

In the end, this is not really about the toys or even the movie. It is about the snapshot of 1981 it conjures. That brief, weird moment in pop culture when cowboys, space wizards, and dungeon crawlers all coexisted in a kid's world.

And if you were eight like I was at the time, that world? It was very cool.

How about you? Do you every see one or actually get the set?

Brrrrrraaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnssssss!

ZOMBIES! 

Now that I have your attention, just who doesn't like the Zombie genre? Not many people considering the obsession with the zombies on TV and at the box office (although I'm protesting World War Z).

Now if you don't like them get the hell outta here, Zombies are cool! In RPG land there are a few good choices for zombie horror survival, but for me I'd probably settle on using All Flesh Must be Eaten (fans shorten it to AFMBE) a second choice would be to use Savage Worlds and use the Weird War campaign setting an modify it from there. Savage World rule system would be perfect for zombie adventures using Weird War II rules as I like the feeling of the supplement and they sanded off the rough edges compared to the previous installment.  Lastly, there is also the Battlefield Evolution with the Apocalypse Z supplement, but bear in mind that is a tabletop battle miniatures game first and foremost.

Released in 1999 AFMBE is still the standard for Zombie RPGs out there. With a number of supplements the line is well supported. While there are other systems, I think All Flesh Must be Eaten does the best job of capturing the feel of the genre. The rules are not cumbersome (or "crunchy") which might be off putting to some gamers but I like the ability to use in many types of settings from traditional end of the world trope "Rise of the Walking Dead", to voodoo zombie lords "Dawn of the Zombie Lords" to space aliens zombies "They came from beyond", to name but a few. Seriously, if you are a GM and you can't come up with SOMETHING in this genre, it's time to hang up your your GM Screen.

Back to characters three basic types (Norms, Survivors and Inspired) each with their own built in advantages (for the most part). 6 stats on a point system and away you go. Grab some qualities and drawbacks (here is where I think Savage Worlds is better) and you are off. Also in the character creation chapter I especially like the Archetypes section as it gives a good feel of the tone of the design of the system.

Equipment and vehicles are well handled and I also like the sections for different types of zombies (Apocalypse Z does this as well).  For a game with only one and really defining monster some variation is needed and with the system presented its simple to do so: take the base profile and add to it for variation. Boom, done.


One thing I did not like (I have the revised edition so I cant speak to the original) is the graphic design. I like the look at feel but a lot of it looks like it was low-res quality scans, making it look bit muddy. Even if they are not, that's how it looked.  Shame in an otherwise fine presentation.

In closing I recommend the game. I can't imagine playing All Flesh Must be Eaten for really long periods of time but I can certainly see it for a beer and pretzels type of gaming. Anyone else out there with thoughts on this RPG?

(as a blogger's aside: I want to make sure I keep blogging so be on the lookout for more posts about games that I've been collecting over the last few years as I get back/up to speed with the modern RPG scene. Some Warhammer blogging might be in order as well, stay tuned).

The Lone Ranger Movie Review – Underrated or Box Office Bomb?

The Lone Ranger and Tonto

 

Despite getting scathing reviews, I have to get one thing out of the way first: I enjoyed

This post will not be about the story — I’ll leave that to you when you watch the movie. Being that I’m not a child of the 1950s who grew up with the iconic “Hi Ho Silver, away!”, I come from a vastly different viewpoint. I didn’t watch many reruns because by the time I was old enough, the show had been off the air for at least 20 years. I was weaned on gritty revisionist Westerns like Unforgiven, High Plains Drifter, and Pale Rider.

So what’s my reaction to a traditional “white hat” Western? It was a fun movie. Both Johnny Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger turned in very good performances.

The Good:

• The pacing was just about right and never felt like it was dragging.
• Special effects were mostly strong, with only one noticeable instance.
• The soundtrack was excellent. Of course no Lone Ranger movie would be complete without the William Tell Overture, which they used skillfully early on and then during the finale.
• Clever reason for the naming of Silver.
• Shootouts were gripping.
• The finale was awesome.

The Bad:

• At one point I was going to bring my kids, but the Captain Dan Reid scene involving Butch Cavendish changed my mind. I read about it beforehand and decided to keep my young kids away. This partly explains the demographic issues the movie faced.
• The Lone Ranger as played by Hammer comes across as somewhat “wimpy,” especially when contrasted with Depp’s Tonto. Hammer is somewhat overshadowed, but I actually thought his awkwardness was well acted. Some called it wooden and lacking charisma, that’s personal preference.

I can see where The Lone Ranger ran into problems finding the right audience, but I’m not entirely convinced it was entirely the movie’s fault. Hollywood seems fixated on producing mega-hits to maximize returns on every film. I get the business reality, but it’s myopic. Not every movie can be Avatar. Studios would rather swing for the fences every time instead of taking solid singles and doubles. The question becomes: Is it better to clear $50 million on a movie or lose $150 million? This is made worse by the ever-spiraling cost of film making. It’s getting to the point where only $1 billion returns are considered acceptable.

Another interesting point: The last two times The Lone Ranger has been on the big screen (1981’s The Legend of the Lone Ranger- and this one), critics savaged both. I get that the 1981 version was bad, but this time it felt like many critics decided they hated it before it even came out. I fully expect the "box office bomb” label will stick.

In a way it might end up like Heavens Gate, another Western that did poorly against high production costs but whose director’s cut has been reevaluated more positively over time. Of course its hard to mess up on the true story source material: The Johnson County War yet it happened.

I don’t think Westerns as a genre are “dead,” but they do have an image problem. In a world increasingly wary of anything distinctly American, uniquely American-focused movies have a tougher sell overseas. Hollywood now makes films with a global audience in mind, which is smart for returns, but trying to be everything to everyone rarely works.

In closing, I can think of many movies where I wanted my money back after seeing them in theaters. This wasn’t one of them. I’d give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s far from Mars needs Moms.

How about you? Bomb or underrated gem? 

Back to the Drawing Board – Hurled into Eternity 2.0 Alpha with Deck-Based Mechanics

I know I’ve been away for a bit, but I have been diligently working on my game, Hurled into Eternity.

Over the last few weeks I ran into several snags with it and “went back to the drawing board.” I didn’t revamp the game totally, but I excised the d100 mechanic and brought it to be fully based on a deck of cards. The Judge (GM section) still uses RPG dice for random events, but they are not critical to the game.

Now the game and its core mechanics use what I call the “Wild Card System.” Character values range from 0–10, with Jacks auto fails, Queens 50/50, and Kings auto success. Aces are always successes with extra bonuses. The funny part is I thought it up quite by accident while looking at a suit spread out before me from the deck. Instead of thinking in terms of a score going from 1–13 (13 cards in each suit), I thought about groupings — and thus the Wild Card System was born.

The next step (aside from editing) is some serious play testing before it even gets to the stage of a campaign. I’d like to see how all of the mechanics fit together, everything from character creation to combat.

Once that is completed, I anticipate making the text more friendly (I’m not the world’s best writer, but I try), and from there getting it ready for graphic design. The ultimate goal is to get it to a point where it can be printed via Lulu or other print-on-demand formats, then after a period of time, PDF. I don’t anticipate getting rich from this, but I think selling it for a nominal price will be well worth it. All without a Kickstarter? Outrageous.

In any event, here is the latest: Alpha. (Alpha is a bit of a misnomer as it’s pretty well developed.) My guess is that I’ve probably missed some spots where it still calls for a roll of the dice rather than drawing a card.

Latest version to download here.

UPDATE: I’ve also done away with Icebiter Games. From now on it will be produced by Let it Beagle Media. 

Silverado – One of My Favorite Westerns

The movie Silverado. As noted, it made my list of top ten favorite westerns (favorite, not necessarily the best). Silverado is a wicked fun movie and a throwback to the Westerns of old. I even mentioned it as a guilty pleasure, but it is not. I re-watched it recently and I have to say, in terms of pacing, it is hard to beat.

The opening scene of Emmett fighting off some desperadoes who were looking to bushwhack him while he was sleeping is all kinds of awesome. It then spreads out to the majestic scenery of the American West.

Did I mention this happens in the first five minutes of the movie?

From there we quickly meet the second protagonist, Paden, left for dead in the desert. From there it is a quick job picking up his brother Jake (played by Kevin Costner) and almost at the same time meeting Mal (played by Danny Glover). So within the first 20 minutes or so, we have all four main characters together.

One of the great things this movie does is give a sense of background very quickly for each of the protagonists. It is a bit clichéd, sure, but in each case it serves the movie well. Remember, Silverado is about quick action and keeping the momentum going throughout.

Before they even make it to Silverado, Paden and Emmett encounter Paden’s former trail friend Cobb and his unsavory henchmen, including Tyree. This introduces the running joke of “Where’s the dog?” This is of course preceded by a great gunfight with Paden in his underclothes.

Lawrence Kasdan also does a good job handling the racism of the Old West with Mal’s character, particularly in the bar fight in Turley. It is difficult to do in today’s political climate, but it is handled well, even with the subtle implications from Sheriff Langston when he runs Mal out of town.

A side track to recover a stolen money box from some wagon train eventually results in the four reaching Silverado. There Paden finds Stella at the Midnight Star saloon, meeting Cobb, who reveals himself as the town sheriff shortly thereafter.

The events in the middle section start the buildup to the finale, but are not without tension or deaths. Mal’s father is killed, Emmett’s nephew is kidnapped, and Emmett is nearly killed by the vicious Tyree. At no time does it feel forced as it jumps from scene to scene, with Jake getting into it with Tyree and Mal and Slick arguing over Mal’s sister.

Events come to a head with the kidnapping of Jake and Emmett’s nephew and McKendrick burning down their sister’s house.

I cannot say it enough: the movie is a whirlwind, with each scene having something to it. One area that lacks somewhat is the usual Western romance. Apparently it was part of the movie and we see snippets of it from the interactions of Paden, Emmett, and Hannah. The problem was that during editing they had to cut something from the various subplots. Because of that, the only thing that seems disjointed is those scenes, as the full story is not there.

In the end the final showdown is great as each of the protagonists guns down his own personal foe: Emmett killing McKendrick, Mal taking out Slick, Jake taking out two bad guys simultaneously (one being Tyree), and finally a high noon showdown with Paden getting the drop on Cobb.

The film ends with a toast in the Midnight Star, which Stella now runs on her own, for the brothers as they head to California. As Emmett and Paden exchange goodbyes, Emmett remarks that Paden will make a farmer yet, to which Paden grins and says “I’ve got a job” as he slowly pulls back his coat, revealing the sheriff’s star of the town of Silverado.

I would also be remiss if I did not point out the ensemble cast, its loaded with stars: Kevin Cline as Paden, Scott Glenn as Emmett; Kevin Costner as Jake, Danny Glover as Mal, John Cleese, Rosanna Arquette, Brian Dennehy, Linda Hunt, Jeff Fahey, Joe Seneca and Jeff Goldblum to name but a few of the actors in the movie. There are a number of other actors you'll probably recognize.

The scenery is great and the town feels very realistic. The filmmakers did an ingenious thing by simply filming it from different angles during shooting to represent different towns as needed. Shot in New Mexico, it is obviously the right climate and locale for the film.

Since critics give out stars, this gets 4.5 out of 5 from me. For a Western there are very few that are better in terms of pure action. Sure, some are legendary like Searchers or Once upon a Time in the West, but Silverado is a fun movie any way you slice it. It is PG-13 as the level of violence is up there, but no worse than the revisionist Westerns of the 1970s.

How does this apply to RPGs?

If you are playing your favorite Western system (Deadlands, Boot Hill, Western City, or whatever), modeling even a portion of your campaign on Silverado will give you a great game. Right from the beginning there is a rise in tension, setups galore for later payoffs, and reasons to care about the heroes (and wrongs for them to right). If one were using the default city and area in Boot Hill (Promise City and its environs), it would work extremely well.

Think about it: recovering loot, vengeance, stampedes, gunfights, shootouts, swearing, tension, whiskey, bar fights, hangings (almost), gambling, backstabbing, the cavalry making an appearance (not in the usual clichéd way) — you name it. The only thing missing is some stagecoach or locomotive fight scenes. In fact, my own game Hurled into Eternity would be a great way to recreate the Old West! (Plug, plug.) Speaking of which, I am gearing up to add some changes to the way combat works to make it a bit more survivable and it should be up soon.

All in all, a great movie, saddle up!

Top Ten AD&D modules of all time

Seems that people like it around these parts when I write up Top 10 lists (or at least they generate lots of commentary cyber-fights)... So with that in mind I am going to list my Top 10 favorite D&D/AD&D modules of all time. As that suggests that means I am leaving out any editions later than 2nd.

And unlike what some have presented on Dragonsfoot, no I do not consider a module as only those that were "stand alone products, not anything that appeared in a magazine!"

To me, that is entirely arbitrary and a module/adventure in terms of nomenclature is interchangeable. Module =adventure, adventure= module.

Willmark's Top Ten

1. UK4 - When a Star Falls
2. The Tomb of Horrors 
3. Return to the Tomb of Horrors
4. Threshold of Evil - Dungeon #10
5. Iron Orb of the Druegar - Dungeon #43
6. G1-3 Against the Giants - a bit of a cheat choice here because I get to pick three modules all in one.
7. UK2 - The Sentinel
8. UK3 - The Gauntlet
9. T1 - The Village of Hommlet
10. I2 - Tomb of the Lizard King

Discuss away as to why I am wrong (even though I know I am not).