tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post923550737595032910..comments2024-03-19T04:29:47.922-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: HackMaster BasicJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-22691788504131373802009-04-30T09:17:00.000-04:002009-04-30T09:17:00.000-04:00Well, I'm a fan of HackMaster and we run in overal...Well, I'm a fan of HackMaster and we run in overall as a serious game. I find it like I wish 3rd edition had been... closer to 1e (with some 2e) but with some great stuff added. (And some other things I don't use). <br /><br />As for HackMaster Basic... the cover ROCK! Also, from the details they've let out about it, it sounds like a great system which is gritty but fun and still keeps the "feel" of 1e without the same rules (since they can't use them). Besides, for $20 US for the complete HMB game, you can't go wrong. :)<br /><br />The cover is great though and I think captures the feel. I don't find it nearly as violent as some of the previous HM ones have been either... I think it a great throw back to the "old days" and makes me think of adventures from my youth.Ken Falknerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12686580966468700233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-68263317453229246932009-04-24T09:21:00.000-04:002009-04-24T09:21:00.000-04:00... why wasn't Hackmaster 5e done with S&W...<I>... why wasn't Hackmaster 5e done with S&W or something and therefore compatible with everything else?</I>I suspect because Kenzer believes a) that their rules are better suited to the feel they want to convey and b) that they consider <I>HackMaster</I> a valuable enough property that it ought to have its own rules independent of anyone else.<br /><br />I think both notions are completely valid.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-36906794610665009892009-04-23T13:29:00.000-04:002009-04-23T13:29:00.000-04:00... why wasn't Hackmaster 5e done with S&W...... why wasn't Hackmaster 5e done with S&W or something and therefore compatible with everything else?JimLotFPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02992397707040836366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-56981904089736476932009-04-22T16:46:00.000-04:002009-04-22T16:46:00.000-04:00Based on the comments in this thread, I'm not sure...Based on the comments in this thread, I'm not sure that people are aware that HM 5e will be a <I>different game</I> from HM 4e (which I never really got into). HM 5e will not have the 'parody' elements that HM 4e (although it will be somewhat lighthearted in tone), and will not be based directly on AD&D 1e&2e. Rather, I believe "Aces & Eights" has had a major influence on HM 5e.<br /><br />I'm not saying that HM 5e will be a good game (although I hope that it will be). I am saying that one shouldn't judge 5e on the basis of 4e.Akrasiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08734103159691571156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-16262427119453320192009-04-22T12:32:00.000-04:002009-04-22T12:32:00.000-04:00Delta,
Maybe I spoke too soon then. As I said, I ...Delta,<br /><br />Maybe I spoke too soon then. As I said, I never looked too closely at any of the HM cover. Perhaps that's a good thing.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-76387878473559159422009-04-22T12:23:00.000-04:002009-04-22T12:23:00.000-04:00I can't help but agree with Will. Chief exampl...I can't help but agree with Will. Chief example: the K&C DM screen that parodied the original AD&D one, taking Tramp's fighter-character (my favorite depiction of a D&D fighter of all time), and making him be parodically gored through the chest, eyes bugging out. That literally pissed me off.Deltahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00705402326320853684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-58143426301643291952009-04-22T11:58:00.000-04:002009-04-22T11:58:00.000-04:00If you want to see Erol Otus artwork in a computer...If you want to see Erol Otus artwork in a computer game, Check out "The Ur-Quan Masters", which is the Open Source version of Star Control 2. <br /><br />http://sc2.sourceforge.net/JRThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06028363896728357260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-34709092262432706302009-04-22T11:44:00.000-04:002009-04-22T11:44:00.000-04:00This cover is magically delicious.This cover is magically delicious.Kiltedyaksmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03462341093016199620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-44157331231178482712009-04-22T10:39:00.000-04:002009-04-22T10:39:00.000-04:00I just find that really hard to believe.I guess I ...<I>I just find that really hard to believe.</I><BR><BR>I guess I never really paid as much attention to the covers as I ought to have, since I never once thought of buying HM. I think the Kenzer guys are great, but KotDT never did it for me and I just assumed that HM would be more of the same.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-4799428406870201192009-04-22T10:37:00.000-04:002009-04-22T10:37:00.000-04:00Man, I miss Wormy.I miss Tramp.<I>Man, I miss Wormy.</I><BR><BR>I miss Tramp.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-76791269814879310732009-04-22T10:29:00.000-04:002009-04-22T10:29:00.000-04:00"The funny thing is that I never considered t..."The funny thing is that I never considered the HM covers to be 'wacky.' Some of them hew a bit too closely to their inspirations to be considered 'good,' but they don't feel like parodies to me."<br /><br />Surely you didn't miss the supposed humorous intent behind old D&D illustrations with dismemberment and fountains of blood added?<br /><br />I just find that really hard to believe.Will Mistrettahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18403399118961902073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-77571225671197361412009-04-22T10:28:00.000-04:002009-04-22T10:28:00.000-04:00I guess for me HackMaster ultimately failed to be ...I guess for me HackMaster ultimately failed to be funny (probably because I don't find KotDT or other "gaming comics" funny) and was ultimately an excuse to pay more for a softcover AD&D rulebook than one would for a less irritating hardcover one. Truly pointless.<br /><br />Man, I miss Wormy. That was a great example comic closely tied to gaming that wasn't meta-gags about experience points and how gamers are such nerds.Will Mistrettahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18403399118961902073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-91601998405294183422009-04-22T09:36:00.000-04:002009-04-22T09:36:00.000-04:00I'm just a little surprised at how much this seems...<I>I'm just a little surprised at how much this seems like standard "wacky" HackMaster style.</I><BR><BR>The funny thing is that I never considered the HM covers to be "wacky." Some of them hew a bit too closely to their inspirations to be considered "good," but they don't feel like parodies to me. Certainly this Otus piece doesn't. It manages to transcend its origins, I think, and is a fine old school cover in its own right.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-39998202216550258882009-04-22T09:29:00.000-04:002009-04-22T09:29:00.000-04:00"Why do you say that? The cover is clearly a ..."Why do you say that? The cover is clearly a pastiche of Otus's earlier Moldvay Basic Rules cover."<br /><br />Right, I get that. The thing that throws me off is that this edition of HackMaster was supposedly going to be less of a parody/tribute to D&D and more of a "serious" game. The cover, however, follows in the tradition of HM covers, which is to say it's a revamp of an old D&D image with added gore.<br /><br />I'm sure that's proven to be a successful formula for Kenzer, and obviously I'm in the minority for not being a huge fan of Otus' art, so maybe I should just keep my mouth shut. I'm just a little surprised at how much this seems like standard "wacky" HackMaster style.letsdamagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02145102722055581254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-63226425890470959882009-04-22T09:23:00.000-04:002009-04-22T09:23:00.000-04:00That is a TRULY rocking cover. I have paged throu...That is a TRULY rocking cover. I have paged through Hackmaster books, but they were always more expensive than I wanted to pay. From the page-throughs, I just never quite "got" what it was about (which is why the expense always overwhelmed the curiosity).Matt Finchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07678557558458924177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-47975982978354835302009-04-22T09:19:00.000-04:002009-04-22T09:19:00.000-04:00I also think it's much better than the covers he d...<I>I also think it's much better than the covers he did for Goodman, which felt almost like parodies of his old TSR work rather than homages to them.</I>And in reference to the five-headed worm, maybe parody is the wrong word. It's more like an "Otus-Take" on the five-headed dragon. As I've EO's art, monsters should be anything but ordinary.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13973301663176412762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-85179843375998444042009-04-22T09:18:00.000-04:002009-04-22T09:18:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13973301663176412762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-15103964328284839132009-04-22T09:12:00.000-04:002009-04-22T09:12:00.000-04:00Still, it is a really great cover.I agree; it's ab...<I>Still, it is a really great cover.</I><BR><BR>I agree; it's absolutely gorgeous. I also think it's much better than the covers he did for Goodman, which felt almost like parodies of his old TSR work rather than homages to them. This one, though, is just awesome.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-69809058263889963702009-04-22T09:10:00.000-04:002009-04-22T09:10:00.000-04:00This cover has me worried that the new edition of ...<I>This cover has me worried that the new edition of Hackmaster is still going for the ultra-violent slapstick angle, which I'm not too interested in.</I><BR><BR>Why do you say that? The cover is clearly a pastiche of Otus's earlier Moldvay Basic Rules cover.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-39241849340784356912009-04-22T09:09:00.001-04:002009-04-22T09:09:00.001-04:00Brilliant cover. Am I the only one who thinks that...Brilliant cover. Am I the only one who thinks that Otus is doing some kind of parody of the five-headed dragon?<br /><br />It's hard to say if I would buy it though, I really have gotten to the point where like others here, I already have so many games, and more than ever, a willingness to bend them to my will. HM Basic would have to have some really neat rules to convince me that it would be worth getting for rules mining.<br /><br />Still, it <B>is</B> a really great cover.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13973301663176412762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-5324522232728734132009-04-22T09:09:00.000-04:002009-04-22T09:09:00.000-04:00where KenzerCo's head and heart is at.I definitely...<I>where KenzerCo's head and heart is at.</I>I definitely know where their heart is and I love them for that. It's their head that sometimes baffles me. Now, obviously, they know their market better than I do, but, judging by the previews I've seen of HM Basic, it looks as if it'll be a mite more complex and persnickety than I like my games these days. That's not a knock against them by any means. Like <I>Pathfinder</I>, though, I just feel as if they're a bit far off the mark when it comes to meeting my expectations.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-2369819712189083222009-04-22T09:05:00.000-04:002009-04-22T09:05:00.000-04:00I wonder what he's been doing since he left TSR?Li...<I>I wonder what he's been doing since he left TSR?</I>Like everyone else, he's been doing computer games :)James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-57980161352439230712009-04-22T08:41:00.000-04:002009-04-22T08:41:00.000-04:00"they are the only gaming company that has re-enga..."they are the only gaming company that has re-engaged Erol Otus"<br /><br />Actually, he's done several covers for Goodman Games, too.<br /><br />This cover has me worried that the new edition of Hackmaster is still going for the ultra-violent slapstick angle, which I'm not too interested in.letsdamagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02145102722055581254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-91882232944951126782009-04-22T08:22:00.000-04:002009-04-22T08:22:00.000-04:00Yeah, I'll buy just to help out EO.In regard to Ha...Yeah, I'll buy just to help out EO.<BR><BR>In regard to Hackmaster, no way I'd ever run it, for a couple of reasons: 1) I have my AD&D books; 2) Too much 2e-era influence; 3) too much extra work tracking infractions, etc..(though I could toss all that out, I guess) 4)I don't like the bennie/hindrance thing or whatever it is called.<BR><BR>What it is for me though, is sort of a wha-hoo set of sourcebooks to flip through during downtime. Once in a while I find a monster or germ of an idea I can use.<BR><BR>I'm interested to see what HM5 is like, actually.Grumpy Old Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11087904102183244773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-26272648442179177052009-04-22T07:33:00.000-04:002009-04-22T07:33:00.000-04:00This looks promising. It's nice to see an establis...This looks promising. It's nice to see an established moving in this direction. I hope the spirit of the game matches the cover.Jimmy Swillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12549837261062727446noreply@blogger.com