Mapping progress

I haven't quite decided if my crosshatching is up to snuff yet.

Here are a few maps that I've been working on.  These will hopefully become part of the #enormityproject.

Shane's retarded system for slightly balancing encounters in OSR games (Patent Pending)

K this is how I do it.  Basically I take the players collective hit dice (at lets say full strength).  So you got 4 players all level 1.  A maximum total of 32 HP's collectivelly if they are all fighters and all roll 8's for starting HPs.  As far as monsters are concerned, I can't throw the following at them ( +/- 1D8)

One big guy monster 4HD at the most
5 single HD monsters (there's that plus or minus, you don't want to make it exactly even do you! hence the one extra bad guy)

3 - 2HD monsters.

That's sorta how I look at it.  Obviously everyone is slightly different.  I just like the idea of there being some odds in there.  That's not to say I won't put a higher HD monster in a low level campaign.  I mean if there dumb enough to let em try, go ahead... meat....

How do you do it? Do you even worry about it?

Easter Eggs

I already posted this on google plus, but I figured its also a bit of a blog post as well.  I love easter eggs! I like catching those little references in video games, and RPG's that relate to other things.  I just finished reading thru all of the easter eggs in the Oblivion video game (which I've been highly addicted to again lately).  http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Easter_Eggs

Here is the definition from the site - Easter Eggs are secrets that the developers put in games to give people a laugh when they find them (provided that they understand the joke or reference)

As I spent most yesterday mapping and thinking about the enormity project, A few easter eggs popped into my head.  Of course you'll have to grab a copy of it when its out to catch these funny little things, but I assure you they will be worth a laugh and in some cases a smile.  

At this point I have 6 maps done, I am not quite sure if I need 6 or 8 more yet.  There was a recent discussion about mega dungeons that Dyson posted about, that gave me a few extra ideas for what a "mega dungeon is".  

Once I get the whole thing mapped, I am going to finish writing the rest of the module.  I started with all of the factions and have since added a few more.  I have a introduction and the first map all filled out, as well as some NPC's figured out.  Its coming along! 

Joined a facebook group

So I joined a local D&D facebook group, although it appears that most of the players come from 4e or pathfinder backgrounds.  I'm stating to feel there is a rather big divide somedays.  I posted the following: 

Thanks for adding me to the group! I grew up playing 2e, and have since started playing all the OSR games. Looking to jump in a group for any iteration of D&D. Anyone trying out 5e yet?

31 comments later.

Later on I posted the following: 

I am in the process of reading the basic rules & dmg guide for 5e (the free versions) when I feel comfy enough, we might be able to setup a game. I'll write something up. But it will have a old school feel for sure, I'm not a fan of organized challenge levels.

One of the comments I received was: 

Not entirely sure what 'old school feel' means. As long as its not a dungeon crawl slog I'll be down.

Not that this gives me a bad taste in my mouth, but that sorta of comment makes me feel that not only are us old school guys gronards, but those 4e types are gronards in their own way as well! LOL. 

Most of the comments revolved around 4e type games, etc.  At this point I think I'm just going to do another post and say "Hey if anyone wants to play some old school stuff, I'd be happy to DM that".  Rather than get into any kind of edition war type situation.  Of course if I ran 5 edition it would have a old school feel, because that's what I am, I've never played 3, or 4th edition, and from reading fifth, it feels like 2nd edition to me.  Obviously there's some things from 3 and 4 in there, but I think it comes down to individual perspective.  Much like any game system.  

When I look at it I go "Well its got ascending AC (3rd edition), its got proffencies (2nd) and its got some crazy bonus per level (4th power up thing)."  


After re-reading all the comments, it appears if I can figure out the basic rules of 5, I'd have a group to DM, of course all of these players are coming from a 4th edition background.  So that'd be the conundrum.  

Evil PC's, you play em?

I have a confession.  I like to play evil characters.

When I play Skyrim or Oblivion, more often than not I play a bad guy.   Usually an assassin.  I like the idea of sneaking up and backstabbing, or picking people off with a bow from a safe distance.  Light armor! awesome I can carry more stuff.  To test how awesome my character is I'll go on a killing spree in town and see how many guards I can take down before they finally catch me.




Organizations I'm for:

Cobra - check!
Sith - check!
Empire - check!
MAD - check!
Decepticons - check!
The Dark Brotherhood - CHECK!

What would be a interesting idea to do, is to plan a campaign entirely around a evil organization.  The PC's are the anti heros.  Their mission, go out and cause chaos.  Sneak into the keep assassinate the leader.  Disrupt trade.  Murder and kidnap innocent villagers, hold them hostage.

I do however believe that more often than not RPGer's prefer to be the heros in a fantasy game.  I mean who wouldn't want to be Legolas, or Aragon?  Me, I'll take the Dark Brotherhood.

Test Hex Map

Obviously the players don't have to stick to the road.  I may change the color of that yet.  I change the opacity of the tiles to a lighter color so that the hexes are clearly readable.    A little bit of playing around yet, but I think its getting close!

A.D.D. + Procrastination

As I've stated before, my brain seems to have more ideas than time allows for me to get them done!  It's relatively a pain in the arse.  More often than not I've said "well I'm putting this aside to work on this project". etc.  I'm not going say I am going to finish "insert title here".  What seems to be happening is that I have 6 things on the go that I'm slowly working on.  Get bored of something, move on to the next, get a great idea for something, switch to that for a bit.  So alas, I think what will end up happening is that everything will probably come out at the exact same time.

keep rolling those dice

sw