I've also been working on a new RPG project over the last couple of weeks. It sort of grew out of my current writing project, but it's really been in the back of my mind since I passed over my draft of the T&B RPG to Rob Lang at the Free RPG Blog. Rob's biggest criticism of the game was that, when all was said and done, there was very little to make it interesting or special, nothing to set it apart from all the dozens, nay hundreds, of "medium crunch generic fantasy / general purpose role-playing games".
I had to agree with Rob, and have been spending a lot of time pondering a suitable vehicle for the rules, ideas simmering on the back-burner of my creative stovetop. Something that hasn't been seen a lot, something that'd be fun to play, use some interesting rules, but not over-burden or over-complicate matters.
I think I've finally found that game.
More to come...
15 comments:
Intriguing...
This made me think of the old RPG "Recon" for some reason. I think it's just a vibe I pick up off the concept, except in this case playing resistence, partizan or commandoes instead of recon patrols and special forces teams in the jungles of Vietnam.
As it stands now, my concept is for a three-pamphlet core; Operative's Handbook, Operations Manual, and an Equipment Guide. The Operative's Manual will cover just the OSS, SOE, and other "Mission-Specific Teams".
If all goes well, I hope to put together a Partisan's Handbook dealing with the Maquis, Dutch resistance, and a few other organizations.
I'd love to see an Eastern Front partisans book too!
Cool - great idea. I've promised myself and others to focus on the core books before anything else, but that'd definitely be something to look into.
Last night's G4 "Movies that don't suck" selection compels me to mention that any game featuring commandos should, by default, include an alien Predator in the appendix. :)
The T&B RPG "Monsters & Minions" document has a Predator-like alien creature in it. For right now, I'll probably keep the game straight "real world" adventures, but there's nothing stopping me from releasing a "weird" supplement at some point...
I vote for keeping it real and then putting in a wierd supplement!
Yeah, I know that the more expansive the project gets, the greater the likelihood of me never finishing this. So, If I can get the "three little books" finished first, then I can open it up to other ideas. If I go into this project contemplating sci-fi monsters and psychic Nazis and such...yeah this will never get done.
And I've just been clunking along reading wonderfully cluttered (feature not bug) game material, trying to get a bloody manuscript printed, and tinkering with writing a deranged little rules-something minirpg that is trying to change flavour mid-stream.
You're so much more productive than me, I swear *grins*
Well I hit six thousand words today, as well as taking the time to Photoshop up that little title graphic, so I guess I'm doing all right, seeing as I've been working on it for about a week now...
Just an image?! You tease me with an image!? Oooooo, naughty Badelaire, you are such a tease.
You've taken the big step, though. Looked back at your game with new eyes and taken it in a VERY exciting direction. I don't think I've read a free RPG that focuses on Commandoes of WW2. EXCELLENT!
This is definitely pretty awesome looking, conceptually.
Haven't read T&B yet, but perhaps I should now.
Nathan,
The "Tankards & Broadswords RPG" is, right now, essentially a SRD - system rules document - of sorts right now. I've written it, but essentially, it's a generic rules-set that I'm cannibalizing to write Commando.
There are a number of earlier posts where I discuss aspects of the rules and how they work, so you're more than welcome to read through them and let me know what you think.
Thanks, I'll do that.
I didn't notice until after I posted that you actually haven't put up a full ruleset for T&B yet.
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