Campaign worlds

[Maouse]

Now, with all the votes tallied, I predict (fill in your candidate) the
winner...  what a close one, eh?

Scott,

Anyway, as I recall Fringeworthy was actually the predicessor to Gamma
World, but I may have that confused with another game I had.  Fringeworthy
was very neat in concept, but I prefered Ancient/Futures (a "homemade"
never to be published game - or so it would seem some 20 years later -
which was also "self-based"(usually, but not always)).  Fringeworthy can
now be "seen" on Cable networks under the name "Stargate SG-1".  Which is
also cool.

David,
   I would have to concur that some (A)D&D modules rocked.  Take for
example the unforgettable "Keep on the Borderlands."  I would think it
would make an AWESOME adventure for a party in P&P.  In D&D you could hack
and slash through it, but here it would be deadly (Stat those piddly little
orcs as a 8hp, ocv 4-6 dcv 6-8 or so creature for example... 100 would
still be deadly if we're talking bows and clubs).  You can also go into the
actual intrigue behind the keep as well.  I would have to say that Dragon
put out some great adventures (and since I have the first 250 dragons on
CD...).  For advanced tacticle combat there is no better reference than 101
orc tactics.  This is a must read for any highwayman as well.

Now on the other hand there has been a lot of junk put out.  I would
consider any supplement that puts limits on the original game's spells in
this category.  Yes this includes ravenloft and underdork.  It also
includes any GM out there that has to include "peanut brittle walls" to
keep players from doing things like, oh I don't know, escaping.  It is fine
to have wild magic zones and no magic zones, but to limit spells just so
you can run something "your" way seems to me to be the "Cry-Baby" approach
to GMing.  As in, waaa, he teleported behind my big bad monster and
backstabbed for 4x damage and killed him in one blow.  Well, MR. GM, you
KNEW he could teleport, You knew the F-T-M/U could specialize in short
sword and got 4x damage from backstabs. What are you whining about?
Perhaps I've just been playing BGII too long, but I think some battles
should be hard NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE (say a straight 25 F-T-M/U char with
148 HP?).

I would have to say this about BAD *SS characters... treat them like it.
If they have a rep, make them live up to it.  Have them tick off the wrong
people with their attitude.  Boot Hill (another game I LOVED - REAL History
and gun fights, too cool) was a great system for teaching GM's two things:
the bigger they are the harder they fall AND don't be afraid to kill
someone when you set them up in an ambush and they don't see it coming (one
other thing I learned from Boot Hill is that a repeating riffle (c. 1889)
was a character's best friend AND their worst nightmare).

Well, enough preaching...

-Marcel aka maouse

PS. I have a list of 15 or so people's names... I need addresses as well
(only got one, plus me, plus my bro and sis...).  It's still gonna be a
while though, so if you are weary you can wait until it actually exists
first :)