My God, you don't know an edition of RM you know all its editions? You are awesome. Love these in depth videos!
@WillyMuffinUK2 күн бұрын
Hah - I'm that old 🤣 To be fair, I started with Rolemaster at RM2, but kept up the love from there. I once tried to return to RM2 (from RMSS). I thought, "what I'll do here is compile the options from the Companions I want to use, but it'll be a return to basics". As it happens, when I fold in all of the RM1/2 options I like, it looks awfully like an unedited RMSS... Anyway, that's anecdotal. Thank-you for your kind words!
@docsavage86403 күн бұрын
Excellent video. Very informative. I only ever played some MERP long ago but I happened to get some old RM books (1984 edition) in a used RPG lot long ago and would like to try it out.
@WillyMuffinUK3 күн бұрын
You'll find some familiar ground from your MERP experiences if you do manage to give RM a go. Give it a try 🙂
@whangbar3 күн бұрын
Crazy idea: Warlock of Firetop Mountain as a prelude to the Temple of EE. Is that crazy? I think it could be done . . .
@WillyMuffinUK3 күн бұрын
Anything can be done, where there's a will! Where would Zagor sit in the Temple's hierarchy?
@whangbar3 күн бұрын
@@WillyMuffinUK A good question. I think I might situate Zagor as a "plan B" replacement for Lareth, a backup sent by Zuggtmoy in the guise of an assistant, ready should Lareth be taken off the board. I might put Firetop somewhere on the northern hex line between Hommlet and the Kron Hills, reachable by traveling west from the Low Road. Zagor would have a cadre of lesser servants aligned with each of the elemental nodes (and actually put there to assist but also spy on him as he is doing with Lareth). I think there might be precedent for this in the "wheels within wheels" theme set forth on page 6 of the original module. Actually, page 6 is where I see all the most convenient entry points for connecting other individuals and settings ("Other Adventures"). But I don't know. This all feels a little half-baked and would need a lot more thought. The PCs might first explore Firetop and then encounter leads that would take them to Hommlet and into the ToEE adventure.
@WillyMuffinUK3 күн бұрын
@@whangbar Half baked maybe, but could be baked into a lot of fun!
@whangbar3 күн бұрын
@@WillyMuffinUK < takes out mittens . . . preheats DM's Miraculous Ezy-Bake Oven of Convenient Justifications . . . >
@WillyMuffinUK2 күн бұрын
@@whangbar 🤣
@whangbar3 күн бұрын
There is something very special about the FF world and style. I recently returned to it after many years and am enjoying AFF. Thank you for these A/FF videos, by the way. And I like your channel in general.
@WillyMuffinUK3 күн бұрын
Thank-you 🙂 AFF and Titan definitely do have their own fun feeling.
@MemphiStig3 күн бұрын
I recently read The Averoigne Chronicles, the collected works of Smith on the region, which has an excellent introduction (and recommends pronouncing it "A-ve-rone" for what it's worth). They bore little resemblance overall to what I remembered of Castle Amber, tho there were some obvious connections, as you say. Still a brilliant module. And they are brilliant stories, if you like the style. I recommend them highly, especially if you know Appendix N.
@WillyMuffinUK3 күн бұрын
The castle itself isn't hugely Averoigne - mostly Zelazny-influenced. But the characters are expected to visit Averoigne itself, a version that is a mish-mash of stories and eras.
@MemphiStig3 күн бұрын
@@WillyMuffinUK Yeah, that's kinda how I remembered it. I wondered where the other stuff came from tho. Thanks.
@johnherkert98953 күн бұрын
Thanks, Ian. A lot of good information. It would be fun to roll a wizard character sheet and cast some spells. Most campaigns are usually limited to elves opening magic doors. 🚪✨🧝♂
@bustertn20143 күн бұрын
I have played DnD since 1979. Today I still run 3-3.5 games. I still believe that the 3-3.5 era was by far the best version of DnD. It had the most options, the most options in both worlds, publishers, data, you name it. The ability to lay on templates on basic races you name it. And the original OGL that allowed ANYBODY to publish their ideas was great. I have around 150 hardcover books for 3-3.5, let alone the previous versions, along with that many or more soft covers. While it was certainly more complicated, and at times broken, a good DM and group had homebrew rules to address anything that came up. I tried 5e, but find it a watered down version of 3 and further, I find it kind of insulting to previous version players. I don't know of ANY player who was ever insulted by the word "race". I never encountered a single player who was concerned on how certain groups in the fantasy game were oppressed or marginalized etc. That is strictly a construct of the current political philosophy of victimhood of anybody not white or not male. I have ran games with many different ethnicities since there is only 1 sentient race that currently plays DnD on this planet. I have ran games with men, women, straight and gay. One thing that never came up was sexuality or how the fantasy game oppressed various groups. IT WAS A GAME. We all played, we all laughed and we all got along. Which is MUCH more important than what the current version of DnD is trying to do by showing us that Orcs, which I always looked at as evil monsters of fantasy and an amalgamation of folk beliefs of human history and literature, are apparently Mexican and have lots of gay members as well. Talk about racist........
@WillyMuffinUK3 күн бұрын
Well... OK!
@freddaniel50993 күн бұрын
Thanks for bringing some much needed attention and insight to RM's Spell Law. RM is a great joy for me to run, but I find that players generally struggle to grasp the procedures and rely upon me to guide them through anything much beyond rolling the dice and looking up the result. Cheers!
@WillyMuffinUK3 күн бұрын
I'm glad you found it useful 🙂 RM is an too-often overlooked game. It's a shame - there's a lot of solid work that has gone into it.
@openD1003 күн бұрын
Thank for your video and to talking about Rolemaster System :)
@WillyMuffinUK3 күн бұрын
Thank-you!
@rabb1tjones9213 күн бұрын
Great job! I really miss my old Rolemaster and MERP sessions with the lads. A video on Arms Law would be very well received as well. Maybe you already have one. Let me check.
@WillyMuffinUK3 күн бұрын
Not specifically Arms Law, but my general RM videos dive into it a bit. Maybe I should cover all of the core books?
@shanehebert3964 күн бұрын
Well done.
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
Thank-you
@Zr0din4 күн бұрын
Loved this magic system. Wish this was in creative commons so more people would integrate it into their games.
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
We can hope. It may be we'll see more and more systems go that way.
@peterdickinson45994 күн бұрын
Lot of memories returned while listening to this.
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
Good ones of adventure, I hope!
@Rich_H_19724 күн бұрын
As always, a fantastic overview and explanation of a classic system.
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
Thank-you 🙂
@Sensorium194 күн бұрын
Great explanation. Thank you.
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
You're welcome!
@ChrisVengeant4 күн бұрын
This was excellent! Please do more Rolemaster.
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
Thank-you!
@jasonsadler38134 күн бұрын
Bravo zulu! Great content.
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
Thank-you!
@user-pg6qo1wp9f4 күн бұрын
Great video! I’ll take all the RMU content you care to make!
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
I need to get an RMU review done. My RM review videos go up to RMFRP thus far.
@paulelephant95214 күн бұрын
I was never super excited for the Rolemaster magic system, although I enjoyed the Rolemaster system in general, the spells never felt quite as 'special' as in Ad&d. Saying that my group played a lot more Rolemaster than Ad&d, but I never played a magic using character, always a martial class, the combat system was very fun.
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
I need to do a supplemental on this... Each D&D spell is like a rules capsule, while RM spells do most of their work within the rules as a whole. That might make them seem less special, but it's certainly a more logical way to go.
@stevenkennedy41305 күн бұрын
I'm really enjoying Hawkwind. Thanks for the share!!
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
Nothing wrong with a good slice of Hawkwind!
@valenciajones77425 күн бұрын
This overview is EXCELLENT!! Thank u for creating it. I will definitely refer to it in the future. 😊
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
Thank-you - I'm glad you found it useful 🙂
@senorcakenice5 күн бұрын
Im really tempted to get a copy of the new rolemaster. Even if its just for nostalgia purpose.
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
It's not bad. Streamlined some of the more convoluted parts of RM.
@neuromancer9k5 күн бұрын
Excellent retrospective on this one, had forgotten about it for a time. I think I had it as part of a boxed set in the early 80s. Unfortunately, my mother sent this one (along with more relics of the day that I want to think about) to dumpster oblivion. Salud! 🍻⚔
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
Thank-you!
@josephpince47165 күн бұрын
I’m excited for this! 😃
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
I hope it lives up to your excitement!
@docsavage86405 күн бұрын
Excellent informative video. I have Arms Law, Spell Law, and Character Law from 2nd edition but have never used them. Got them used in a bundle of old RPG items. Always intrigued me. I did play a little bit of MERP when it was new. Wish I sset. had the boxed set.
@WillyMuffinUK4 күн бұрын
MERP is on my list to delve into at some point. Although Pete Fenlon's maps and Angus McBride's art are what made the game for me.
@edwardwilliams32165 күн бұрын
So um... I prefer this version...
@WillyMuffinUK5 күн бұрын
Interesting.... I put the no epilepsy statement version up because I felt it would be too disturbing for some people, but it was the best way I could think of at the time to illustrate what my own epilepsy feels like. In that regard, I'm glad you prefer it. Unless you're saying you prefer this version to Floyd's original, which would weird me out! 😱
@edwardwilliams32165 күн бұрын
@@WillyMuffinUK No, you don't understand. I prefer this to the Pink Floyd version.
@WillyMuffinUK5 күн бұрын
@@edwardwilliams3216 Now I feel highly complicated and somewhat weird! Thank-you, that means a lot.
@edwardwilliams32165 күн бұрын
@@WillyMuffinUK There's more emotion in your cover.
@WillyMuffinUK5 күн бұрын
@@edwardwilliams3216 It is a song that means a lot to me.
@Renkaru9 күн бұрын
Metamorphosis Alpha is a game I tried for the first time at garycon this past year. It was great fun!
@WillyMuffinUK9 күн бұрын
Did you know you were on a spaceship, or was that element kept from you (and by you, I mean your character!)
@Renkaru9 күн бұрын
@@WillyMuffinUK My character had no idea whatsoever! It was definitely a role playing experience I never had before, and It was a great way to honour James M Ward. A lot of the older players around the table had played in a metamorphosis alpha game with James before. It was cool to here some of their stories.
@WillyMuffinUK8 күн бұрын
@@Renkaru I admit to being somewhat jealous 🙂 Sounds like you had a ball!
@valorin57629 күн бұрын
Traveller 5 is a work of art. In my opinion it's utterly unplayable, but it's fascinating and amazing somehow.
@WillyMuffinUK9 күн бұрын
I can assure you that it is playable 🙂
@johnherkert989510 күн бұрын
Weird scenes inside the cargo bay. 🚀
@WillyMuffinUK9 күн бұрын
Really weird!!
@alexandrecastagna14210 күн бұрын
Great review. I like that you don’t give just a short view of the product, but put it into a context and provide perspectives about what it is trying to do. That combined with the great knowledge about the lore of the hobby is amazing.
@WillyMuffinUK10 күн бұрын
Thank-you - I appreciate the appreciation 🙂
@stefane191510 күн бұрын
ad&d 2 best édition of d&d. Big Hug from Québec.
@WillyMuffinUK10 күн бұрын
Subjective, but if that's your truth that makes you happy, all is good 🙂
@stefane191510 күн бұрын
@@WillyMuffinUK if this comment on the subjectivity of enjoying a role-playing game makes you happy... so be it
@WillyMuffinUK10 күн бұрын
@@stefane1915 I think it is an important thing to remember - I'm no fan of edition wars!
@T_U372115 күн бұрын
Fantastic video. A clear and concise overview of the whole series of JG's Wilderlands, especially when explaining which book belongs to where on the map. Same as you, I pretty much prefer the blank slate approach for a more open sandbox experience and more unique emerging narrative. FYI I came across a very interesting 84-page script called "A Wilderlands Sandbox Campaign For B/X Fantasy Role Playing Games" (v1.4, Jul 2021) by Norman J. Harman Jr.. It contains a complete set of modified B/X rules with tables and fluff for running sandbox Wilderlands campaigns using JG's Wilderlands of High Fantasy and even Ready Ref Sheets.
@WillyMuffinUK15 күн бұрын
Sounds interesting, and not too far removed from the Majestic Wilderlands RPG. I'll give it a google, thank-you!
@briansmith779116 күн бұрын
I got the original "City State" material in 1976, and had a year-long subscription to the published material. I thought the material was good, but let my subscription lapse because it ended up being more than I could use. Good quality material - really groundbreaking for its time. I never knew that it kept expanding for several more years.
@WillyMuffinUK15 күн бұрын
I have to admit to not having used all of the JG material I have - definitely sympathise with your "more than I can use" sentiment, across more than one game. They were very prolific for a while!
@AlphastreamRPG16 күн бұрын
Really nice review, thank you. I appreciated the positive and insightful comparison. I agree with you that Pharaoh seems like it could have been more. I personally would have loved to see it treated the way Tomb of Horrors was in Tomb of Annihilation - as inspiration for something new that really played off of the themes and challenges from the series.
@WillyMuffinUK16 күн бұрын
Same with Saltmarsh, too. I guess it bites for me because the Desert of Desolation series is one of my absolute faves.
@AlphastreamRPG16 күн бұрын
@@WillyMuffinUK For me as well. I've run it for every edition since it came out.
@Parker875217 күн бұрын
It's a shame the original box set can't easily be re-released in pdf - there are far too many different rights holders involved and I doubt they'd all be willing for it to be re-released. Wizards of the Coast would probably object even if nobody else did...
@WillyMuffinUK16 күн бұрын
It does mark a unique moment in RPG history. I feel sometimes that the RPG industry has moved into a more isolationist phase, with companies having narrow focus on their own IPs, and WotC apparently believing that they and D&D are the only show in town.
@Parker875217 күн бұрын
I’ve never really been a fan of fumbles, but I do sometimes house rule Nat 20s dealing max damage in osr games. Edit: I will say though that I definitely prefer role master critical hits over how any edition of dnd handles them
@WillyMuffinUK17 күн бұрын
RM crits are so much more colourful 🙂
@Parker875217 күн бұрын
@@WillyMuffinUK Not wrong - I particularly like how it's the crits that kill you more often than not rather than hit point damage (especially if you're fool enough to not wear a helmet).
@TheJDough118 күн бұрын
What is the reason that Traveller isn't the D&D of Sci-Fi? I've never played this but scifi is my genre of choice so I need help determining if I dive in. Is it a heavy system? Can it easily run settings like Star Trek, Star Wars, Firefly, Babylon 5, Farscape? Is it mechanics or Setting, or storytelling focused? I'm grateful for any help, thank you.
@WillyMuffinUK18 күн бұрын
That depends what you mean "D&D of Sci-fi". It's a different game, within the broader scope of RPGs, that has been one of the staples of SF role-playing since 1977 - just a few years younger than D&D itself. Is it a heavy system? Again, depends what your base comparison is. It has a simple, task/skill-based mechanic, and sticks to six-sided dice. From that perspective, it's pretty simple. It breaks the "norm" of D&D by not having levels, classes, hit points, etc., which some people coming in from D&D find hard to grasp. Because it delves into science fiction, it has to cover a lot of ground - but you can easily pick and choose which parts of the ground covered are relevant to the style of play you wish to enact. Is it setting specific? Many people use the Third Imperium setting that has grown up with the game, but the system itself does not absolutely assume that setting.. Yes, it can be used to model most, if not all, SF settings. A lot of play is narrative, using ROAN principles for tasks and skills. Some play can get administrative, if that's the style of game (or part of) you want - traders seeking out the best deals and accounting their trades; mercenaries seeking out the best contracts; so on. If you want it to be story-based, it can do that. But, for me, the best style of play is had when the referee gives free reign to the players to figure out their own paths for their characters. The tools are there to enable a fun interstellar hex crawl of adventure.
@TheJDough118 күн бұрын
@@WillyMuffinUK Thank you very much! The reply was prompt and very detailed. I am most grateful. What I meant by it being the D&D of sci-fi is, why isn’t it the vast majority of played Sci-fi? Or maybe better said, D&D is the standard choice for a fantasy based game (though personally I think there are a great many choices better) why isn’t Traveller this for the Sci-Fi genre? Heavy to me is multifaceted. Does it require constant reference to the books for tables? Do I need to by tons of setting books like Hárn? Do the players need to read and read to get great value out of this or can the Game master simply read the core book and play for years? Once again, thank you
@Parker875217 күн бұрын
It probably is the most played sci-fi game, but sci-fi has always been less popular than fantasy among role players.
@craiglytton164118 күн бұрын
I was lucky enough to pick up the necromancer boxed set and I love it, it's one of the best RPG products I've ever owned.
@WillyMuffinUK18 күн бұрын
Somewhat jealous, but the hardbacks I knocked up work for me 🙂
@craiglytton164118 күн бұрын
I bought the Mayfair version of the City-State when it came out. I was away from home in the military and didn't have my Judges Guild stuff with me, and of course there was no internet. Boy was I confused trying to figure out why everything looked different...
@WillyMuffinUK18 күн бұрын
Yeah, it was a confusing product. They must have paid JG a licence fee, but then.. hardly used any CSIO content bar the name? Very odd thing.
@christopherdecator974219 күн бұрын
Very interesting! Thank you. All this was more than a bit before my time, though I'd see or hear references to it over the years. It's too bad some company or another doesn't emulate it. A detailed sandbox without prescribed storylines sounds amazing, though perhaps not profitable, or not profitable enough.
@WillyMuffinUK19 күн бұрын
It goes against the grain of expectations for "modern" settings, but I think it could be made to work.
@lenborges121 күн бұрын
I'm an enthusiast of this franchise and I was impressed with your collection. Here in Brazil we didn't have all of them published, which is a shame.
@WillyMuffinUK21 күн бұрын
It is indeed. I sympathise. It's an unfortunate facet of publishing that not everything reaches everyone 😢
@orpheous9521 күн бұрын
Concise and comprehensive. Precisely what i need from a review. well done sir! you have a new fan!
@WillyMuffinUK21 күн бұрын
Thank-you - I'm glad you found it useful!
@billbacon879421 күн бұрын
I was waiting for this one!
@WillyMuffinUK21 күн бұрын
Me too! 🤣 Seriously though, there are some I have mapped out for this series that have to be there due to their impact, and there are those in there because I genuinely love them to bits. Wilderlands is one of those where those two factors collide.
@jackprutsman82122 күн бұрын
One of my favorite settings. I was looking for all the old materials recently to convert to GURPS. It all seemed to be scrubbed from the internet. Imagine my face when I discovered the reason.
@WillyMuffinUK21 күн бұрын
It's a sad story 🙁
@willmistretta22 күн бұрын
This really is what I consider to be the quintessential old school D&D setting, even more so than something like the published version of Greyhawk, which hit the market later and was considerably different from the home campaign that spawned it. It's "kitchen sink" enough to accomodate practically any module or homebrew adventure concept, but still manages to have oodles of funky '70s pulp fantasy flavor all its own. It even leaves the door open for as much gonzo science-fantasy as the Judge feels like including. Want to go hog wild and use everything in Deities & Demigods? This is the world for you. The Necromancer Games boxed set that collects all the original maps with expanded keys is worth its weight in gold. Pity it almost has the price to match on the secondary market.
@WillyMuffinUK21 күн бұрын
Absolutely agree on every point. When the first Greyhawk Folio came out, I was disappointed, exactly because it didn't hold a candle to the Wilderlands. Sure, the Darlene map is wonderful, but beyond that - TSR should have done better.
@stevenkennedy413022 күн бұрын
Another good one! Thanks for the share!!
@WillyMuffinUK21 күн бұрын
Thank-you 🙂
@jasonjacobson115722 күн бұрын
JG also put out 32-page campaign installments in each issue of Pegasus magazine. There's a ton of info for the setting there. Troll Lord Games also published some Wilderlands campaign installments using their Castles & Crusades system. They pop up on eBay every now & then.
@WillyMuffinUK21 күн бұрын
I wasn't aware of Troll Lords having put out Wilderlands stuff - any specific titles I can hunt down?
@jasonjacobson115721 күн бұрын
@WillyMuffinUK looks like it was James Mishler who did them under his imprint, Adventure Games Publishing. Unlicensed Wilderlands campaign installments for Castles & Crusades. They were on DriveThru, but they're not available anymore. They still pop up on eBay. Google is helpful. 😊
@jasonjacobson115721 күн бұрын
@@WillyMuffinUK I'm also seeing that Chris Bernhardt's Bernhardt Publishing put out Rallu, City State of the Sea Kings for the Wilderlands setting with Bledsaw Jr.'s blessing in 2013, but that's not available anymore, either.
@WillyMuffinUK21 күн бұрын
@@jasonjacobson1157 I do remember briefly seeing something about Rallu, but I think I chalked it up to a fan release at the time. Been a while!
@WillyMuffinUK21 күн бұрын
@@jasonjacobson1157 Ah, so could be that someone chased him regarding the licence. Just googled Mishler Wilderlands, and discovered I actually have at least some of it! Doesn't appear to have made much impact, but now I've discovered it again on my RPG passport drive, I'm going to give it another read! Thank-you for the pointers 🙂
@Renkaru22 күн бұрын
I use tables from the Wilderlands of High Fantasy for my campaigns all the time. It really helps me build out my hex's with interesting things.
@WillyMuffinUK22 күн бұрын
Same. They sometimes produce wacky results that need taming a tad, but they do produce a good starter for ten.
@jamesrickel381422 күн бұрын
I am seeing a couple of the Judges Guilds products coming out from Good man. There is "The Thieves of Fortress Badabaskor" and something else at the local store. There is an active DCC road crew game every week so I think the store gets in more Goodman games material.
@WillyMuffinUK22 күн бұрын
Goodman owns a few Judges Guild titles outright, rather than needing to licence them. Dark Tower has recently been released, Caverns of Thracia is currently crowd funding, and they own a smattering of others. Unfortunately, none of the core Wilderlands materials.