tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post4453157825559090950..comments2024-03-29T00:32:33.920-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: Retrospective: Flashing BladesJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-60413210243777855012012-06-04T21:01:13.809-04:002012-06-04T21:01:13.809-04:00I also still have my copy of Bushido way of the wa...I also still have my copy of Bushido way of the warrior, excellent game and the system was fast once You get to grips with it , I used to allow players to use proportions of Ki to be used as bonuses on critical roles until they had used up all their available points within that "game day"<br />ie if their character slept then Ki was regenerated at 1pt per hour slept up to their max .Dixonrmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-19947682761344736742012-06-04T19:20:38.441-04:002012-06-04T19:20:38.441-04:00can't comment on the flashing blades system as...can't comment on the flashing blades system as I've never played it .<br />Yes space opera was overly complex , as was Middle Earth RPG,<br />Perhaps the simplest was Judge Dredd RPG (loads of FUN specialy allowing the players to play citizens (PERPS) lots of poetic licence required !,<br />Of course Rune Quest and Call of Cathulu are classics and always worth playing and taking STATs from one to the other is simple (Great for horse Operas and time travel adventures ETC) but perhaps the most versatile system in My opinion is -- -- GURPS , Yes ,Generic universal Role Playing Systems has the ability to allow all styles of game (fast and loose or more involved, If You wished ) Drokk Shift work Sucks , I really miss all those wonderful hours of Escapism ,Both running or playing .Keep the Fantasies Alive.<br /><br /> Dick . Aka, Elric the bear slayer , Judge Westwood , Joat Puddel , Scroatum the faithful retainer, (Don't Ask), Etc Etc Etc .Dixonrmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-54400240424602739532011-06-24T22:06:36.335-04:002011-06-24T22:06:36.335-04:00So many useful ideas both in the game and, especia...So many useful ideas both in the game and, especially, in the adventures.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-81838305503740205862011-06-23T20:16:49.819-04:002011-06-23T20:16:49.819-04:00An absolutely magnificent game - the scenarios are...An absolutely magnificent game - the scenarios are models of brevity, but all the better for it. I think they rival Walter Jon Williams Cyberpunk scenarios for sheer amount of punch in a small package.Conrad Kinchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15683395740934527502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-17327811410967909662011-06-23T15:34:42.885-04:002011-06-23T15:34:42.885-04:00This brings back good memories. An extended Flashi...This brings back good memories. An extended Flashing Blades campaign was one of the highlights of my college gaming career.Rafialhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07077298546098373938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-23528002852796052352011-06-22T21:43:23.401-04:002011-06-22T21:43:23.401-04:00James, you should interview Jeff and Jack and hear...<i>James, you should interview Jeff and Jack and hear what they're up to, and how they've managed to keep FGU alive for so long. That AICN interview needs to be expanded upon!</i><br /><br>Actually, it's Scott Bizar who runs FGU, as he did in the past. Jeff and Jack have their own company, Monkey House Games, and, as I understand it, there's a continuing legal battle over the rights to <i>Villains & Vigilantes</i>, with both sides claiming ownership and publishing their own version of the game.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-20602554116353570962011-06-22T18:21:31.533-04:002011-06-22T18:21:31.533-04:00God I love this game. And to think I only got to p...God I love this game. And to think I only got to play it about six years ago. There's a session report from 2005 or three in the Roll Dice and Kick Ass blog here:<br /><br />http://jmcl63.blogspot.com/2005/09/adventures-of-felix-mephisto-gentleman.htmlDangerous Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11494853825931603065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-72397210614097612862011-06-22T15:33:22.037-04:002011-06-22T15:33:22.037-04:00Hi James, great post, and a wonderful Blog. I hav...Hi James, great post, and a wonderful Blog. I have been enjoying your posts for a while. Back in the day (late 1980s and early 1990s) my local gaming group (in Hull, UK) played "En Garde" a lot, and I recall we dabbled with Flashing Blades for a couple of one-shots. The things we loved about En Garde - the clubs, the toadying, the Mistresses, the very brief campaigning rules, setting up a club newspaper - were awesome, but a few of us wanted a bit more crunch with the fencing rules. <br /><br />We therefore gave Flashing Blades a try. The extra depth of setting in Flashing Blades and the combat rules added something, but somehow the additional bits we got with Flashing Blades didn’t make the setting any better than it had been with En Garde's more focused entertainment (which seemed to hit all the spots we were looking for). I don’t think we tried Flashing Blades again, although En Garde does still get a run out (every three or four years!).<br /><br />By contrast, we played Bushido a lot more, mainly through lack of an alternative at that time (until L5R came out). Again, I really like and enjoy the Blog – keep it up!Sidney Roundwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14795563060856586670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-44133610321457788702011-06-22T13:20:00.469-04:002011-06-22T13:20:00.469-04:00Er, upon re-reading that AICN interview I realize ...Er, upon re-reading that AICN interview I realize that the original FGU did actually go under, but rose from the flames like a phoenix. <br /><br />I still think you should interview them if you get the chance. :)<br /><br />AICN interview: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/48121Slaughtermillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11970436092152284178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-54779577052845231882011-06-22T13:12:32.700-04:002011-06-22T13:12:32.700-04:00@Faoladh: I may have been too hasty, because I thi...@Faoladh: I may have been too hasty, because I think that you're right about that. Most of their stuff is available in print and some of it in PDF, not the other way around.<br /><br />Going to their site is like stepping into a time machine; as far as I can see their products are the same as those advertised in the Dragon 25 years ago - timeless indeed :). One wonders if TSR would still be around if their success had been more moderate?<br /><br />James, you should interview Jeff and Jack and hear what they're up to, and how they've managed to keep FGU alive for so long. That AICN interview needs to be expanded upon!Slaughtermillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11970436092152284178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-55069998323179669902011-06-22T13:03:05.623-04:002011-06-22T13:03:05.623-04:00I bought this game originally in the mid-1980s bec...I bought this game originally in the mid-1980s because of it's cover art by Matt Wagner, which struck me. I knew I'd never get a chance to actually play it and I didn't. (My friends weren't into anything so 'historical.') But reading the game book encouraged me to buy "The Three Musketeers" novel. And Matt Wagner later became one of my favorite comic book artists.<br /><br />I still have several FGU games that I never played, including this one, as well as "Psi World." But I did play "Aftermath!" and "Villains & Vigilantes" back in the day.dan2448https://www.blogger.com/profile/18231177444509897757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-90944794869595946622011-06-22T11:35:29.022-04:002011-06-22T11:35:29.022-04:00still have my copy of Bushido, and a few others, w...still have my copy of Bushido, and a few others, which was my favorite of the FGU bunch during high school. it's also the only FGU game i got to run with any sort of regularity. good post, wish i had scored a copy of Flashing Blades.el Mīkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05135143408412212815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-75689932984750335332011-06-22T10:22:22.555-04:002011-06-22T10:22:22.555-04:00One of the most amazing things was that Mark Petti...One of the most amazing things was that Mark Pettigrew was barely 18 years old when it was published.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17911657835535699906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-17765553514707412262011-06-22T09:32:54.495-04:002011-06-22T09:32:54.495-04:00Flashing Blades has been for a while the go-to gam...Flashing Blades has been for a while the go-to game for one shots in my gaming group, thanks to the engagin setting/system and the adventure modules that where produced for it. Parisian adventures is definitely a wonderful little jewel.artikidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17474295473142339717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-49294992140511575442011-06-22T09:02:23.286-04:002011-06-22T09:02:23.286-04:00Your comment "I often call Fantasy Games Unli...Your comment "I often call Fantasy Games Unlimited (FGU) "the producer of the greatest RPGs I never played."" is so true for me as well though I actually did try most of the major ones. All of there games when you look at them are really, really good. I am not sure why they never got the traction (except for V&V perhaps) of others.Wymarchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04210192839647451145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-12258205088385411992011-06-22T08:53:14.474-04:002011-06-22T08:53:14.474-04:00VacuumJockey: Are those PDFs? The rest of the site...VacuumJockey: Are those PDFs? The rest of the site has PDFs clearly labeled as such, with everything else being print copies.faoladhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-12110350746871604612011-06-22T08:49:17.207-04:002011-06-22T08:49:17.207-04:00I don't know if FGU's stuff is still in pr...I don't know if FGU's stuff is still in print, but a lot of it is available in PDF format at http://www.fantasygamesunlimited.net/category/Flashing-Blades-6Slaughtermillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11970436092152284178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-32794964615626079252011-06-22T05:47:30.199-04:002011-06-22T05:47:30.199-04:00This is one of my favourite games. Dripping with a...This is one of my favourite games. Dripping with atmosphere and supported with a clutch of excellent adventure modules.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-55838462764297575032011-06-22T05:31:56.825-04:002011-06-22T05:31:56.825-04:00I masterized several times Flashing Blades, never ...I masterized several times Flashing Blades, never as a campaign, but always it was a prety good success. I esepecially remmeber a convention game with two teams ((muskeeters and cardinal's guards', for sure) and two DMs. It probably had an impact on my later games, like my 18th century Vampire campaign, then some of of my D&D campaigns, where the mood is more 16-18th century europa than strictly middle-age. Rapiers & sorcery!Nicolas Dessauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03010015806129652185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-68762916302334249002011-06-22T05:11:32.904-04:002011-06-22T05:11:32.904-04:00I believe it was actually originally written as an...I believe it was actually originally written as an expansion to <i>En Garde!</i> but GDW declined to publish it. With a slight reformatting, it was offered to FGU as an RPG. But it still is extremely close to it's PBM roots.<br /><br />And yes, @anarchist, I know a number of people, myself included, who have added it back into <i>En Garde!</i>. [Not to mention that some of these games of "<i>En Garde!"</i> have been set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC or in a future SF setting.]<br /><br />The <i>really</i> nice thing about <i>Flashing Blades</i> (and <i>En Garde!</i>) is that they offer a nice example of another path of advancement that players can take, in this case, the social milieu. Like level and wealth, a character's social level is another thing they can strive to increase.<br /><br />Used as is (with appropriate modifications for your campaign), it's useful for downtime resolution once the party has returned to civilisation). For example you cold classify the archetypical Wizards, Thieves, and Assassin's Guilds as a sort of "Club" and then have a guideline for the character's advancement in these guilds, including a nice measure of the favours* owed (and owing) in order to get the character into a position of authority. A character might be knighted by the king for services to the realm and enter an Order of Chivalry. Or a character gets ennobled, or granted an office. So what are the responsibilities of a Sheriff anyway? <br /><br />And even if you don't use it, it still gives you an excellent idea for the sort of things that can happen in the social background of the campaign, and how to integrate your players with it (rather than their being just a motley collection of wealthy and powerful vagabonds continually passing through the social landscape).<br /><br />Well worth looking at in this regard alone.<br /><br />And to cap it all off: "Musketeers!"<br /><br />Le besoin je dis plus de mes amis. Au cheval!<br /><br />[* Favour make an excellent social currency.]Reverance Pavanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01217657347160811310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-5286555953706233362011-06-22T04:19:01.321-04:002011-06-22T04:19:01.321-04:00Like all of the games still owned by FGU, it is st...Like all of the games still owned by FGU, it is still in print. It's a personal favorite. The combat system is extremely easy in practice, and the social advancement system is spectacular.<br /><br />If there were a magic system that someone had done all the work for (and that I liked at all, so probably something derived from RuneQuest or GURPS Voodoo), I'd be sorely tempted to use it as my go-to fantasy game system.faoladhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-48641910910778375682011-06-22T03:44:41.040-04:002011-06-22T03:44:41.040-04:00I've been reading Flashing Blades and am putti...I've been reading <i>Flashing Blades</i> and am putting together some ideas for a game/campaign. During my recent read-through, I was very impressed by the "ongoing campaign" elements in the game, and the tools it provides. Some of my thoughts on it can be found <a href="http://www.knights-n-knaves.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8621" rel="nofollow">here</a>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-28024609779037236132011-06-22T02:12:49.134-04:002011-06-22T02:12:49.134-04:00I ran this game a few times for my high school gam...I ran this game a few times for my high school gaming buddies, we always enjoyed it. It had some great supplements/adventures, and I think they (and the game) may still all be in print and available from FGU! Definitely an overlooked gem, probably my favorite FGU rpg next to Daredevils (and much more playable than that game).horroxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09885881612576463470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-67778848452479747222011-06-22T02:00:21.380-04:002011-06-22T02:00:21.380-04:00After I became enamored of Cyrano de Bergerac, thi...After I became enamored of Cyrano de Bergerac, this was a game I really wanted to play. Alas, I never got the chance.John Matthew Staterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02310914386482078369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-35598479650957434722011-06-22T01:50:54.792-04:002011-06-22T01:50:54.792-04:00Has anyone ever tried to cross this with En Garde?...Has anyone ever tried to cross this with En Garde?anarchisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05546197561922726279noreply@blogger.com