tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post8268102834100787040..comments2024-03-29T07:58:31.156-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: Retrospective: James Bond 007James Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-63606464328553389562020-12-16T05:45:05.261-05:002020-12-16T05:45:05.261-05:00You are, of course, correct. I simply forgot this ...You are, of course, correct. I simply forgot this fact at the time I wrote this post.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-28538962909238309022020-12-16T03:43:52.425-05:002020-12-16T03:43:52.425-05:00It seems odd to say that Gerry Chris Klug's on...It seems odd to say that Gerry Chris Klug's only previous credit was on Universe when he us listed as head designer on DragonQuest 2nd ededhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04476472786465182209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-3387587791005049822011-07-10T00:51:57.066-04:002011-07-10T00:51:57.066-04:00Is that mentioned Double Zero game available anywh...Is that mentioned Double Zero game available anywhere anymore? That presented link seems dead.Jeffrywith1ehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04657915338624925974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-66319115561019637102010-04-23T12:03:27.257-04:002010-04-23T12:03:27.257-04:00I played quite a bit of this and it was a great sy...I played quite a bit of this and it was a great system - I still have a copy of it today and I wouldn't hesitate to run it as-is. We usually played with 1 Gm and 1 player as a 00 or 2 players as Agent-level partners. <br /><br />One thing about the Avalon Hill-backed RPG's like this and Lords of Creation, etc - they came in nicely-packed boxes. There was no shortage of separate maps, player handouts, screens, etc. I still have my mostly-complete pad of character record sheets for this and LOC.<br /><br />And the Q Manual...sigh...Rookies drove Beetles, 00's drove Ferrari BB512's...Blacksteelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16289298640828309072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-17343695148075338432010-04-22T21:12:38.644-04:002010-04-22T21:12:38.644-04:00One of the best of the old-school games from my ch...One of the best of the old-school games from my childhood. I could never convince friends to play, but I loved how it perfectly modeled the feel of the Bond mythology, focusing on girls, gadgets and gambling.<br /><br />I'd go so far as to say no other game before or since (with the possible exception of <i>Ghostbusters</i>) so perfectly modeled their source material.<br /><br />Come to think of it... I'd love to hear your thoughts on that WEG classic.maltezefalkonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01442524418746856226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-21510967312729258772010-04-21T23:46:53.656-04:002010-04-21T23:46:53.656-04:00My favorite part is the Example of Play which take...My favorite part is the Example of Play which takes an iconic scene from Goldfinger and "interprets" it as a RPG session. When I am preparing to GM a session I often pull it out for inspiration!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-78379747070500430922010-04-21T23:08:39.776-04:002010-04-21T23:08:39.776-04:00I loved TS, but marveled at how it morphed into a ...I loved TS, but marveled at how it morphed into a gun-battle game and quasi-military in our group.<br /><br />When we played T2000, it morphed into sneaking, limited gun play, and more spy-esque. Oddly, FASA Star Trek was like that too...<br /><br />Go figure.<br /><br />Not too much demand for JB/naught-naught-seven in our group. TS held our interest, when we weren't fighting Drow or tramping across Greyhawk.Sheep_doghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08446661779176619720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-52833217292345536692010-04-21T22:07:18.706-04:002010-04-21T22:07:18.706-04:00I spent many a summer night in highschool playing ...I spent many a summer night in highschool playing James Bond with my first gaming group (along with D&D, Rolemaster, and Gurps, WFRP, and Gurps). Many years later, we still regularly quote those sessions.<br /><br />And one more thing... Best... chase... rules... ever!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17635116929490398699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-41671665342689869612010-04-21T17:51:33.464-04:002010-04-21T17:51:33.464-04:00@Sean Robson
Yes, I am and I am still writing revi...@Sean Robson<br />Yes, I am and I am still writing reviews. How my reputation...pookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09521454715536568847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-35319676017484896612010-04-21T17:50:09.066-04:002010-04-21T17:50:09.066-04:00With regard to the franchise being rebooted and re...With regard to the franchise being rebooted and reset in the 1950s, BBC radio recently broadcast a nicely done adaptation of Goldfinger that had Sir Ian Mckellen play Auric Goldfinger. You could literally hear him relishing the opportunity to play a villain. I am hoping that the BBC release it on CD.<br /><br />With regard to playing an espionage style game set in the 1950s (a decade that seems weirdly overlooked when it comes to gaming), you might want to look at two games, both set in Berlin. The first is Cold City, which while well done, does focus on co-operation, betrayal, and monster hunting between the four powers in the city. The other is Ron Edwards' Spione, a story telling game set in Cold War Berlin.pookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09521454715536568847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-40926740499774763242010-04-21T17:40:31.178-04:002010-04-21T17:40:31.178-04:00@John Fletcher
The game was scaled so that you cou...@John Fletcher<br />The game was scaled so that you could play with just the one 00 agent, two ordinary agents, or more rookies. So that it could be played with more than one player and the GM. That was certainly how we played it.pookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09521454715536568847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-20570332078034068412010-04-21T17:35:58.084-04:002010-04-21T17:35:58.084-04:00Loved this game and we tried to adapt the rules fo...Loved this game and we tried to adapt the rules for a fantasy game but found it didn't scale up very well but that's to be expected from the scope of its inspiration. We were also in our late-teens and so our characters were mostly min/maxed "draw first, shoot best" speed demons. I'd like to try this again with more seasoned players more interested in RP and colorful characters.Scott Faulknerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04017047782663517483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-87896537179528966902010-04-21T17:07:05.165-04:002010-04-21T17:07:05.165-04:00Such a great post. I know that this was the first ...Such a great post. I know that this was the first RP game I ever played back in '86, mainly because of being such a big Bond fan (still am). It is also refreshing to see someone not only mention the game, but also praise it for its superb design; I feel it has really gone by the wayside and is quite forgotten. Thanks!Chris#6https://www.blogger.com/profile/08305925037284931371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-8020555899822811072010-04-21T16:33:40.096-04:002010-04-21T16:33:40.096-04:00I would likely set the game in a 1950's era Bo...<i>I would likely set the game in a 1950's era Bond setting ala the actual Fleming novels (which I find far more interesting and exciting than the movies.)</i><br /><br>I agree. I was naively hoping that, when the reboot of the franchise was announced, they might go the historical route and set the new series in the 50s, but, alas, it was not to be.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-22708819326561818122010-04-21T12:43:48.326-04:002010-04-21T12:43:48.326-04:00I too am an admirer of the Gorden's resolution...I too am an admirer of the Gorden's resolution table style designs. We played a lot of TORG but the follow-up Masterbook (done w/o Gorden?) was terribly over written, relying on a formulas and derived stats that made no algebraic sense.<br /><br />007 was a solid design but I never got past Bond being a lone wolf -type character. Top Secret had more role-playing potential because it catered to agent teams with specialties.Captain Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10682678777940123469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-71987661887150950062010-04-21T12:22:23.788-04:002010-04-21T12:22:23.788-04:00I am actually surprised to hear that so many peopl...I am actually surprised to hear that so many people played James Bond back in the day. I did collect the game and almost all it's supplements, because I was the GM of our group and an Ian Fleming fan, but we never actually got around to playing. (Now I heartily regret giving it all away many years ago.)<br />I do still like the spy-genre, though, and if I were to go back and try it again I would probably want to use this system... although I would likely set the game in a 1950's era Bond setting ala the actual Fleming novels (which I find far more interesting and exciting than the movies.)Duglashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04952607750940479779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-27871544350612652402010-04-21T12:12:46.941-04:002010-04-21T12:12:46.941-04:00Great post! I loved both Top Secret and James Bon...Great post! I loved both Top Secret and James Bond and this took me right back to those days. <br /><br />With respect to Top Secret, I never saw it as a mish-mash. Although it certainly drew from a variety of sources in the genre, I always thought that, with its character archetype specialties, cleaved more closely to Mission Impossible - a team of operatives with specialized niches as opposed to Bond style super-agents.<br /><br />@Pookie: are you the same Pookie I knew from the Pyramid message boards ten years ago or so, and whose game reviews I loved so much?Sean Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16429301144221551751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-59630322766294597602010-04-21T11:11:24.269-04:002010-04-21T11:11:24.269-04:00Pookie,
That was my recollection as well; good to...Pookie,<br /><br />That was my recollection as well; good to see it confirmed. I believe Victory Games regularly altered the plots of the originals in their modules, most famously in <i>Live and Let Die</i> where one character in the film is split into two characters in the adventure.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-90506559881591860242010-04-21T10:48:44.204-04:002010-04-21T10:48:44.204-04:00Apart from the two sequel and thus wholly origina...Apart from the two sequel and thus wholly original scenarios (Goldfinger II - The Man with the Midas Touch and You Only Live Twice II - Back of Beyond), all of the scenarios for the game were written so that anyone who followed exactly what Bond did himself in the films would actually fail. This certainly happened when we played A View to a Kill. <br /><br />Nevertheless, this RPG is certainly the best espionage themed RPG so far published. It perfectly emulated its genre and we had a lot of fun playing it. It is not a game for more than two or three players though -- playing it with six players was a nightmare!pookiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09521454715536568847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-43886205473655933852010-04-21T09:56:47.416-04:002010-04-21T09:56:47.416-04:00it's quite possible - it's a long time sin...it's quite possible - it's a long time since I last looked at them, too, and it seems pretty much inconceivable that anyone would put out an adventure that directly replicated a well-known movie. Still, that's a deeply strange genre of game design to work in - the same-but-not-quite adventure, which you could fail on die rolls as much as through inattention. Thinking about it now it sounds like a neurotic catechism, where the priest changes the formulae to make sure the congregation is really listening. No doubt that's unfair and was far from the intention.richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517340075234811323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-40369622084424561952010-04-21T09:28:55.777-04:002010-04-21T09:28:55.777-04:00Fr Dave,
It's true that the 007 adventures we...Fr Dave,<br /><br />It's true that the 007 adventures were very "structured," but I don't recall their being particularly heavy-handed in this regard. Mostly, each "chapter" corresponded to a new locale to which the PCs were assumed to be going in accordance with clues and plot threads presented in earlier chapters, much in the way that Bond might go from London to Jamaica to Hong Kong in pursuit of his quarry. Certainly there wasn't a lot of provision for going to someplace other than those connected to the villain's schemes but I'm not sure that's a fault of the adventures (or maybe I just had unimaginative players).James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-12062830140669001752010-04-21T09:25:42.869-04:002010-04-21T09:25:42.869-04:00Richard,
It's been a while since I last looke...Richard,<br /><br />It's been a while since I last looked at any of the adventures, but my recollection is that most of them only superficially resembled the movies/books on which they were based, often deviating from them in important ways -- so much so in fact that relying on one's knowledge of the originals would lead one to draw the wrong conclusions and thus take the wrong course of action.<br /><br />Am I misremembering them?James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-7394975948602269932010-04-21T09:23:15.851-04:002010-04-21T09:23:15.851-04:00@Allen and @Christian; I heartily agree -- Greg Go...@Allen and @Christian; I heartily agree -- Greg Gordon is, I think, an unsung hero of very functional game design. One interesting aspect of his designs to me is that efforts to adapt them resulted in efforts not nearly as smooth or effective as the original (viz Torg, DC Heroes) with perhaps the possible exceptions of Kansas Jim Ogle's tuning to produce Torgv2.0.<br /><br />Another interesting note on the 007 game: much testing and contribution for the game came from Prof Neil Randall, a professor of English Lit at the University of Waterloo here in ON (my alma mater). Neil now does game development (apart from his professorial duties) for GMT. I have taken a number of courses from Neil, and still see him reasonably regularly.Viktorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04867648528753994863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-31519308427449647832010-04-21T09:15:18.818-04:002010-04-21T09:15:18.818-04:00I never actually ran any of the published adventur...I never actually ran any of the published adventures, but I read them the same way I read Shadows of Yog Sothoth - as indications that a certain set of things were going on in the world semi-independently of the players, that the clues were to be found in these places and that, were the players to engage in these situations, this might be how they'd work out. <br />I confess to being made deeply uncomfortable by how closely sample adventures hewed to the actual movie plots, though. It was as though the players were supposed to have seen and not seen them. Or (and this just didn't occur to me at the time) as if they were supposed to want to replicate the films exactly.richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517340075234811323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-51353026767179771822010-04-21T08:42:45.337-04:002010-04-21T08:42:45.337-04:00I, too, remember this game fondly. I spent hours p...I, too, remember this game fondly. I spent hours pouring over the Q Manual; however, I was also acutely aware that adventures were organized into sequential scenes or chapters (they were based on James Bond movies, after all). As a result, I was reluctant to actually ref or play the game, because I was already very experienced in the reality that players often had their own ideas — which meant I either would have to do a lot of work to try and anticipate player moves and run the risk of wasting much time writing possible encounters or railroad my players into a predetermined plot. Neither prospect appealed to me much at all.<br /><br />This brings up the question of how genres affect game play — how some lend themselves to "sandbox" play and while others seem to require a "narrative" style.FrDavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00459281821319914530noreply@blogger.com