tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post7676881565586142018..comments2024-03-28T14:05:25.134-07:00Comments on Sacnoth's Scriptorium: A Brief History of Tolkien RPGs (part four)John D. Rateliffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12324926298336489295noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-30097620993594016102008-12-08T19:02:00.000-08:002008-12-08T19:02:00.000-08:00Paul: I would say that STAR WARS had already had a...Paul: I would say that STAR WARS had already had a successful rpg (the d6 system one from West End), and that at this late date any rpg revisiting that universe would reap diminished returns. What little I know of the history of the WotC Star Wars game bears that out: it's been successful enough for them to keep renewing the license, but it's never had more than a small fraction of D&D's audience. I think Tolkien D&D would have commanded a LARGE fraction of D&D's audience. <BR/><BR/>Dylan: I'm glad you've found my piece useful; let me know how the class goes. As for your question, I hold up CALL OF CTHULHU and PENDRAGON as two examples of rules systems built from the ground up to match the setting and concept, not imposed upon it from outside. <BR/> A successful Tolkien rpg would first and foremost need to come to grips with the problem of player spellcasters -- every attempt I've seen relies heavily upon this decidedly non-Tolkienian element. <BR/><BR/>Rob: Yes, from what little I've seen of LotR Online it provides a template so far as player-charcter activities go that a successful rpg would do well to build on.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the comments, folks. Always good to learn things I didn't know about a subject I'm this interested in.<BR/><BR/>--JDRJohn D. Rateliffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12324926298336489295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-26364871157091310532008-12-02T09:59:00.000-08:002008-12-02T09:59:00.000-08:00Having collected and played through everything men...Having collected and played through everything mentioned in this series I say the closest that anybody has gotten to an RPG specifically for Middle Earth is ironically Middle Earth Online. <BR/><BR/>If I somehow had the license to do a Middle Earth RPG I would be looking at them for strengths and weaknesses.<BR/><BR/>The key is the Morale mechanic. As it presented in LOTRO I am not sure it would be suited for RPGs. <BR/><BR/>In LOTRO Morale replaces hit points. When you goto zero you retreat and wind up in a nearby sancutuary where you recover. <BR/><BR/>The "healing" classes as such don't "heal" you they "inspire" you through song, or other means. <BR/><BR/>For example I can regain morale as a guardian by crouching behind my shield for a brief instant. <BR/><BR/>This mechanic is key to me in making LOTRO feel like Tolkein's world. <BR/><BR/>I will say that the new Rune Keeper class doesn't feel very Tolkein to me or my friends. It is the game's first "blaster" type class and feels out of place. There is a thin thread of justification.<BR/><BR/>Again LOTRO does a lot of things right including putting you right there in the main books without interfering with the fellowship. (Basically the players either run interference or are the cleanup crew, especially in Moria).Robert Conleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03863009007381185340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-79575872948506811512008-12-01T18:08:00.000-08:002008-12-01T18:08:00.000-08:00While I never actually played MERP, those ICE modu...While I never actually played MERP, those ICE modules were awesome resources for great D&D campaigns.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for a very informative and entertaining read!AccidentalFraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17624177847590940415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-48727133254491229792008-12-01T12:31:00.000-08:002008-12-01T12:31:00.000-08:00Burning Wheel is the closest we have come to a LOT...<I>Burning Wheel</I> is the closest we have come to a LOTR RPG. The core lifepaths have yet to be out-Tolkiened, IMO.buzzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06243298798049780695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-21694240831234327712008-12-01T06:14:00.000-08:002008-12-01T06:14:00.000-08:00Excellent stuff.I'm lucky enough to be teaching a ...Excellent stuff.<BR/><BR/>I'm lucky enough to be teaching a university class next semester studying RPGs, and I'll be incorporating some of this into my lecture on the history of RPGs.<BR/><BR/>I hope you wouldn't mind answering a couple of questions.<BR/><BR/>What, to your mind, would be key to a real Tolkein RPG system? I'm not sure what you would have in mind here, as there are a number of ways to address this question. I find systems like Legend of the Five Rings and, to a somewhat lesser extent, Earthdawn to be fascinating because their game rules fit the metaphysics of the setting, as it were. But there are of course other ways to chose mechanics that capture aesthetic qualities of the setting/genre.<BR/><BR/>I would also be interested to know the outcome of that debate on healing in the WOTC version of the Tolkein RPG.Dylan Gaulthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08458771757994996862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-66948560765738985342008-11-30T22:28:00.000-08:002008-11-30T22:28:00.000-08:00John,You mention LotR lost out to Star Wars at Wot...John,<BR/><BR/>You mention LotR lost out to Star Wars at WotC. You say that history has shown that to be an unwise choice.<BR/><BR/>I'm asking if that's because Star Wars overall hasn't been lucrative for them, or you believe LotR would have been even more lucrative than Star Wars.<BR/><BR/>And thanks for the very interesting read. I didn't think I would be as engrossed as I was!Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12554821653923678509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-68970288464500420022008-11-20T20:23:00.000-08:002008-11-20T20:23:00.000-08:00Staggering, isn't it? But that's my conclu...Staggering, isn't it? But that's my conclusion. The closest we've ever come is the original D&D itself. And even as late as 3.5 D&D, stripped down to its basics and moderately home-ruled, was the closest thing to a Tolkien rpg out there.<BR/><BR/>Maybe the next time there's an official licensed Tolkien rpg things will be different.<BR/><BR/>Maybe.<BR/><BR/>--John R.John D. Rateliffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12324926298336489295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239062544101975016.post-18687429868577122032008-11-20T17:36:00.000-08:002008-11-20T17:36:00.000-08:00A very interesting read! Thanks very much for post...A very interesting read! Thanks very much for posting it. The mind boggles at the realization that the world has yet to see a professionally produced and published RPG system designed specifically for Middle Earth.Mike Mearlshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18338840534913321057noreply@blogger.com