Wish Me Luck

Ebijin · Post by **Ebijin** » Fri Nov 23, 2001 6:37 am

Erm, well, it was okay. It turns out it's really very easy to die in that game.Does anyone have any suggestions for ways to find games in the Seattle area? I have a sneaking suspicion this would be more enjoyable if at least one person involved knew what they were doing.~f
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Tom the Fanboy · Post by **Tom the Fanboy** » Fri Nov 23, 2001 8:44 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Ebijin:
I finally made the plunge ... went out and bought a copy of the Call of Cthulhu Rulebook.This weekend, my brother and I are going to try one of the printed scenarios.Neither of us have done any roleplaying before.I've got my fingers crossed that it'll be fun.~f
keeper.one<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Wow man! You jump right for the meaty stuff!
Good luck with your first game!------------------
Tom the Fanboy
http://www.geocities.com/tee-moss[begin Fans! code]
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Roscoe · Post by **Roscoe** » Fri Nov 23, 2001 8:53 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>
It turns out it's really very easy to die in that game.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>And the Understatement of the Year Award goes to..------------------
O N Video
http://go.to/onvideo
If you have to get your privacy invaded, at least it's by three cute chicks.

T Campbell · Post by **T Campbell** » Fri Nov 23, 2001 8:56 am

Good luck!

Ebijin · Post by **Ebijin** » Fri Nov 23, 2001 8:59 am

*flushes* Hey, who knew? It was just some corpse guy, but I still killed my brother really quickly.~f
Phrases I never thought I'd use...------------------

Blondlot · Post by **Blondlot** » Fri Nov 23, 2001 11:38 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Ebijin:
Erm, well, it was okay. It turns out it's really very easy to die in that game.Does anyone have any suggestions for ways to find games in the Seattle area? I have a sneaking suspicion this would be more enjoyable if at least one person involved knew what they were doing.~f
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Try Gaming and Hobby shops that have tables, tournaments and club membership. Places like this are notorious hangouts for gamers and it is more than likely that you'll find someone who has been playing CoC for some time. Also, become a member of the club, if they have one. Usually it's pretty cheap, you're supporting a difficult business to maintain and you get tons of benefits. With my own I get ten percent off of all purchases, not counting the additional sales that sometimes occur, which are cumulative. I have a personal box for my things and my special orders, I get an additional five percent chopped off of the price of those special orders, I can participate in any tournament and I'm allowed in the store after regular hours (as long as management is there, of course). All of that I got for twenty dollars a year. This is all assuming that you find such a place and want to start spending cash on the hobby. But if you do and you find yourself enjoying gaming, I would highly recommend this next step.Ex animo,
m.d

Strangeone · Post by **Strangeone** » Fri Nov 23, 2001 11:58 am

It's notoriously easy to die in COC. What a friend recommended for this game is to start off by creating three characters before you begin. That way, you'll have a backup character handy should one die.

Ebijin · Post by **Ebijin** » Fri Nov 23, 2001 12:32 pm

I finally made the plunge ... went out and bought a copy of the Call of Cthulhu Rulebook.This weekend, my brother and I are going to try one of the printed scenarios.Neither of us have done any roleplaying before.I've got my fingers crossed that it'll be fun.~f
keeper.one------------------

Kai Tave · Post by **Kai Tave** » Sat Nov 24, 2001 5:26 am

I'm not sure I'd recommend CoC as a beginner's RPG; it's that that there's anything WRONG with it necessarily, but it's very easy to lose characters and not very forgiving of mistakes. It also uses a percentile system, which I hate.I'm not going to start tossing suggestions out since I don't know what appeals to you as far as games go, but I'd just try messing around with some other, more forgiving games first to get a handle on things.And if CoC DOES turn out to be the game for you, take it upon yourself to check out the alternate campaign setting/sourcebook "Delta Green", which takes the Cthulhu Mythos and brings it to the modern world.

Mephron · Post by **Mephron** » Sat Nov 24, 2001 8:20 am

I remember playing in a CoC game where I was the only one to die 'properly'.As in, I got killed by the monster.The rest got killed by chainsaw-wielding shotguns.(And Nessie is real. Trust that character...)

Nullset · Post by **Nullset** » Mon Nov 26, 2001 1:12 am

I've always viewed CoC in the same light as B grade horror flicks. (Um, are there any A list horror flicks, really?) Anyway, how many characters actually survive the typical horror movie. You're typically left with bodies and dismembered corpses left and right. And those that survive will never be right in the head. Ever.If you're a Lovecraft fan, you may want to come back to CoC once you've some more RPG experience under your belt. Elsewise, I'd chalk it up to experience.BTW, the only way I've played that game and managed to stay sane was using a character who lived in the dream realm. That way he was pretty much unfazed by anything. The Purple Worms still thought he was tasty though. <IMG SRC="http://www.keenspace.com/forums/frown.gif">Nullset out.

Maccabee · Post by **Maccabee** » Mon Nov 26, 2001 1:42 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Nullset:
(Um, are there any A list horror flicks, really?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Some of Hitchcock's stuff. You could also argue for the original Night of the Living Dead, which focused on the psychological reactions of the people trapped in the situation rather than the splatter-gore of the zombies. That also goes for the better David Cronenberg movies.Maccabee,
who may not be as famous as Roger Ebert, but at least he didn't write Beyond the Valley of the Dolls------------------
Risus est telum ultimum contra tyrranem. Nullus dictator exercitibus allibus ridiculem vulgi longe resistare potest.

Vitriol · Post by **Vitriol** » Mon Nov 26, 2001 4:11 am

And there's the Shining. Classic A-movie horrow.Actually, if you think Cthulu has a high death-rate, you should try Paranoia (OOP now, but it's quite easy to find old copies; go for the 2nd edition). Players are actively encouraged to betray and execute one another. Each character takes about 5 minutes to create, but you still get 6 clones of each character to avoid slowing the game down. The death rate is really quite frightening. happy days.Anyway, CoC is one of my favorite games, and I've only ever had two characters die on me (then again, five did go irredemably insane). But it does throw you in at the deep end. To get into roleplaying, the best way has got to be to find your local games store and chat to the owner about games being run. Things are much easier when the GM knows the game (and things go much, much quicker). I'll go with Maccabee; play something where all of the character creation is point-based (plus, I tend to prefer this), so you have control over what you are doing, and can get advice on what characteristics to take. Gurps is always good, though the latest addition has so many rules it's becoming unfunny. Actually, if you want a really good starting game, look out for Ars Magica. Set about 1200, magic and faeries are real. The system is entire point-based, and it forces you to roleplay (the medievel 'paradigm' means that functions not understood at the time, like magnetism, medicine and so on, function completely differently). The game is played as a troupe; though there may be a single GM to determine the overarching plot, and member can slot in a quick, or long, piece of plot, add characters and so on. Since sagas tend to last decades, the characters can have a significant effect on the world around them. Oh, and the magic system is wonderful.Here ends my plug. Good luck with your gaming!P.S. whatever you do, avoid AD&D

Maccabee · Post by **Maccabee** » Mon Nov 26, 2001 8:36 am

I like percentile systems myself. They allow for a lot more fine-tuning of ability than D&D, or even dice-pool type skill-based systems.They can get complex (look at Mythos, Gary Gygax's big post-"I got kicked out of TSR" project), but they work really well in my experience.If you want something simpler, I recommend a dice-pool type skill based system. Shadowrun, Vampire, Star Wars... they are better than % systems for quick and dirty character generation, which is a huge plus for a GM.Maccabee,
deep in table-toppers' withdrawl------------------
Risus est telum ultimum contra tyrranem. Nullus dictator exercitibus allibus ridiculem vulgi longe resistare potest.

Blondlot · Post by **Blondlot** » Mon Nov 26, 2001 10:03 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Vitriol:

P.S. whatever you do, avoid AD&D<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I have these friends, named Planescape and Ravenloft, who wish to have words with you, sir.Ex animo,
m.d
[This message has been edited by Blondlot (edited 11-26-2001).]

Blondlot · Post by **Blondlot** » Mon Nov 26, 2001 10:23 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Maccabee:
I like percentile systems myself. They allow for a lot more fine-tuning of ability than D&D, or even dice-pool type skill-based systems.They can get complex (look at Mythos, Gary Gygax's big post-"I got kicked out of TSR" project), but they work really well in my experience.If you want something simpler, I recommend a dice-pool type skill based system. Shadowrun, Vampire, Star Wars... they are better than % systems for quick and dirty character generation, which is a huge plus for a GM.Maccabee,
deep in table-toppers' withdrawl<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Percentile games are the best, in my own humble opinion. I almost have as much fun making my character as I do playing it. Of, course no one else will take over so that I can play... JUST ONCE I WOULD LIKE TO NOT RUN THE GAME! JUST ONE GAME OF CoC, GOD, THAT'S ALL I WANT!!!ahem.If you do go for a dice pool type game, go for something in the WW catalogue first. Hunter, for example, is almost like CoC in some ways. The WW system is easy to use and characters can be made in minutes. Use that knowledge as a springboard to more complex dice pool games, like Shadowrun.Ex animo,
m.d

Shatteredtower · Post by **Shatteredtower** » Mon Nov 26, 2001 11:28 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Vitriol:
 P.S. whatever you do, avoid AD&D<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Surely there was room for some constructive advice, as opposed to waving a red flag?True, the system has flaws. But anyone who relies on a system to determine how enjoyable an RPG is going to be is already in trouble.The real trouble with a lot of these games is that they quickly become prohibitively expensive for some people - especially those who play more than one or two of them. And I will admit that D&D is one of the worst offenders, especially with it's revisions, the recycling of material, and the tendency to abandon projects.But once you know the rules, who needs the product? A good game does not rely on company support - it relies on what the player can derive from the game. Ignore supplements - at most, you require two books. (One, for 2nd Ed and the current game, in fact. The DMG is not necessary, unless you continue to buy other game product.)Finding a good group is far more important than finding a great system, in my personal experience. And I will say this about D&D - I've been able to find groups for it more easily than for any other RPG.Good groups, of course, take longer.

Bevan · Post by **Bevan** » Mon Nov 26, 2001 11:41 am

Well, if the DMG isn't necessary, then it's a gnat's wing away from being necessary. Admittedly, probably only the magical items and maybe the NPC classes are really required for a well-rounded relatively conventional D&D game, but most of the book adds a lot to it.And the Monster Manuel is pretty necessary. If you don't have the MM, you don't have any creatures to interact with the characters.But yeah, just having those three gives you enough to have a solid game. And there is HUGE net support for D&D.

Jarnor23 · Post by **Jarnor23** » Tue Nov 27, 2001 1:04 am

Actually, I'm VERY happy with the D20 system, and one of the nice things is that it's quite flexable while being extremly simple to run. It's quick, the resolution is good, and the skill system is pretty good. It's not GURPS, but it's a much easier system for first time players to get into, at least if my wife was any indication when I got her to first try gaming. Of course, she vastly prefers the Star Wars D20 game to D&D 3rd edition, but she is a Trekkie at heart.Not only that, Wizards has said that they are more than happy with people tinkering with the system. We've found a few rules tweeks we've liked in our groups. In fact, I could see it being very easy to make a point buy system for skills/base attack bonus/spells/etc when you go up level instead of classes, or even getting rid of levels and the normal XP system and instead go with a point buy thing such as GURPS.I guess my point is that D20 may not be quite as advanced as GURPS, but it's a good deal simpler. While one might prefer one system over another, I hardly think it a bad system at all. Certainly not something worth excluding yourself from a good game for.Jarnor23

Ebijin · Post by **Ebijin** » Tue Nov 27, 2001 1:12 am

Eep. Thanks for the advice, though. I'll pester the guy at the hobby store -- in a nice way, of course. This sounds like too much fun to back out of.~f
(who realised his last post sounded pretty whiny)------------------
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