So, for my birthday this year I got myself a copy of the new Goodman Games edition of X2. CASTLE AMBER (Chateau d'Ambreville). This 270 page hardcover reprints in facsimile the famed Moldvay adventure from 1981 (all thirty-two pages of it), then adapts it to 5th edition rules. I'm glad to see a classic return in a form likely to appeal to the current generation of gamers. And it was nice to get a little call-out for my work on the 1995 remake, MARK OF AMBER. Michael Curtis, the adaptor, ends his Author's Introduction with a paragraph praising the late great Tom Moldvay, then follows with another that reads
"I'd also like to express my thanks to Aaron Allston, Jeff Grubb, and John D. Rateliff, whose Mark of Amber adventure proved inspirational when expanding upon the original Castle Amber. You three had already ventured where I intended to tread and blazing the trail made it easier for me to follow in your wake."
I see that they've also released an update of B1/B2 and am curious whether it draws any upon my work in RETURN TO THE KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS. I suspect not. It'd be nice if someone finally went in after all these years and keyed B1.
In any case, it's nice to sit down and immerse myself in the enjoyable combination of Smith (source material) and Moldvay (creating an adventure from said material).
--JDR
--current reading; THE BOOK OF ANDRE NORTON (collection of short stories)
Yes the Goodman B1/B2 book has several version of B1 with the Key filled out.
ReplyDeleteThanks Robert.
ReplyDeleteGood to know.
I always disliked those early modules that took a do-it-yourself approach (e.g. B1, the original version of B3, and I think some of Hickman's early designs) by contrast with those that were fully keyed.
My position was (and still is) that I cd make up my own adventure. If I wanted someone else to write it I didn't want them to stop half-way through.
--John R.