What you really don't like . . .
Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 7:17 am
To complement the "What you really like . . ." thread I decided to start this thread for the negative stuff (hey I posted a lot of positive stuff too ), eventhough I appear to be late to this playtesting round (oh well better late than never). I will note that I haven't played this game yet and have only read through it.
1) In looking to later editions for better mechaincs that can be applied to the Appendix N stuff I find it curious that the designesr stopped at 3.5. I think 4e has some good changes that could work well in this game. I know the designers are going for a high mortality game but as I stated in another thread that doesn't seem to fit with what I know of the the Appendix N genre. The stories I am familiar with (mostly Conan and the Gray Mouser stuff) don't have high mortality for the main characters. So I think the 4e higher HP at first level and healing surges would have been great additions to this game and fit the appendix N stuff better.
2) Speaking of the Appendix N main characters they didn't have ability scores stats either. Conan was very strong, quick, and smart. Fafhrad was definitely very strong as well. Speaking of 4e a point buy system seems like it would work better than rolling stats.
3) On the same note I don't understand the 0-level average Joe thing. I am an average Joe in real life. I don't need a game to pretend to be one. The main characters in the Appendix N stories didn't start out as a group of 15-20 average Joes and by luck just happened to be the ones that survived. I guess I just don't get this tone for the game. It seems to be emulating OD&D more than Appendix N and I thought the goal was to change the things from OD&D that didn't fit with Appendix N.
4) Speaking of Appendix N. Are clerics represented in Appendix N? Again this seems like an OD&D retread than inspired by Appendix N.
5) There are a lot of tables to reference during the game. Seems like too much book referencing during play, but I will see how this one comes off in actual play.
That all I can think of for now. If I totally have misunderstood the appendix N thing then please enlighten me. Like I said I haven't read much of it but what I do know of it just seems different than what is presented in this game.
1) In looking to later editions for better mechaincs that can be applied to the Appendix N stuff I find it curious that the designesr stopped at 3.5. I think 4e has some good changes that could work well in this game. I know the designers are going for a high mortality game but as I stated in another thread that doesn't seem to fit with what I know of the the Appendix N genre. The stories I am familiar with (mostly Conan and the Gray Mouser stuff) don't have high mortality for the main characters. So I think the 4e higher HP at first level and healing surges would have been great additions to this game and fit the appendix N stuff better.
2) Speaking of the Appendix N main characters they didn't have ability scores stats either. Conan was very strong, quick, and smart. Fafhrad was definitely very strong as well. Speaking of 4e a point buy system seems like it would work better than rolling stats.
3) On the same note I don't understand the 0-level average Joe thing. I am an average Joe in real life. I don't need a game to pretend to be one. The main characters in the Appendix N stories didn't start out as a group of 15-20 average Joes and by luck just happened to be the ones that survived. I guess I just don't get this tone for the game. It seems to be emulating OD&D more than Appendix N and I thought the goal was to change the things from OD&D that didn't fit with Appendix N.
4) Speaking of Appendix N. Are clerics represented in Appendix N? Again this seems like an OD&D retread than inspired by Appendix N.
5) There are a lot of tables to reference during the game. Seems like too much book referencing during play, but I will see how this one comes off in actual play.
That all I can think of for now. If I totally have misunderstood the appendix N thing then please enlighten me. Like I said I haven't read much of it but what I do know of it just seems different than what is presented in this game.