On 27 Aug 2001, at 10:49, Jeffrey Miller wrote:
> > What? Ars Magica is bad? Whew.. that IS heresy.. ;D
> >
> > Ars Magica is the worst system I've ever READ, let alone had the
> > misfortune to play.
>
> Well, I'll agree that its that absolute WORST book to read - I
doubt
> they could've obfuscated it any more without translating it into
> russian and then back. =(
Well..hehe. Yeah, the layout (like most RPG books) was done by
someone high on something, for sure :)
> ymmv. I will gleefully admit that its combat system is attrocious,
> but will, until I see evidence to the contrary, defend its magic
> system as one of the best - in terms of design and ease of use (those
> not in the know - it uses a verb/noun combination to allow you to
> invent just about any effect).
I happen to prefer less free-form magic systems, my players
roleplay well, but have a tendency to take ANY leniency in the
system and come up with some results you KNOW the designers
didn't intend :P
> > And it was a TOTAL disapointment, given what we were promised...
>
> I would /really/ like to hear about it, offlist if you prefer :D (not
> to defend it to you, just to find out what didn't work for you)
Well, I'm not the best person to talk to about that..most of my
knowledge there is 2nd hand.. (I libe 10 mins walk away from
Cavalier Books, who import LOTS of RPG's from America, and I'm
friendly with most of the large staff (various people are off to set up
stalls at various conventions, etc...probly 20+ ppl work for them,
countil the small printing business and the mail order work))
> :P I'm not a big fan of d20, but the positive changes made to D&D from
> 2nd edition into 3rd edition are directly lifted from Ars - the crappy
> stuff that makes up the rest of the "update" are not the fault of Ars
> ;D
Actually, the BIG change of throwing out Thaco and AC in favout of
hit bonuses and armour is STRAIGHT from the Gamma World
books! I've been using the "reversed" to-hits in my D&D setting for
ages...
3rd ed is nice..mostly :) The system itself is pretty good, anyway,
if you like level-based systems...
> > Yes, and the Sillouete (sp) system is quite nice, but not
> > outstanding.
>
> I have some issues with it - I've never found a "perfect" uber-system
> - but one thing I do enjoy is the simplicity of rolling just one or
> two dice, and I also am so far liking the emergency dice idea, that
> you can't raise a skill level until you've spent a certain amount of
> "heroic bonus points" doing it.
My tastes run to more realistic combat systems (and my own
system is especially nasty..get hit a few times when your personal
shield is down and you'll be lucky if you can do anything except roll
on the floor and say ouch!)
> -jeffrey "Let's debate Deadlands now!" miller-
Deadlands? *smacks head on table* Not a bad system, but my
group HATE it. *sighs*
'scuse me if this is a tad confused :P
I'm discussing RPG's on Brin-L and the Uplift Universe on Starfire-L
at the moment :)
Andy
Dawn Falcon
