[PnP] Hello and a question

[Franklin Robertson]

Well I think that people look at all the formulas and feel as if the 
character creation is a daunting task...kind of like what a 9th grader in 
pre-Algebra would think if given a book on quantum physics! What helped me 
out was that I took the rule book and a character sheet and I put in each 
information slot the outline number and page number the information could be 
found on. I think that, at least for me, when I first read the P&P I would 
quickly get lost in all the math that is needed to be done.  That of course 
was a long while back.  If you compare say, the BL's Warhammer 2nd edition 
(again, I prefer a more thinking rpg than what D20 has to offer even on a 
good day's worth of printing!) to that of P&P, Warhammer has the character 
information sectioned in distinguishable portions...a clear "how to role for 
main statistics" then "carreers" then the combat, et al. For P&P's Book One, 
Character Book, someone just picking up the game for the first time, you see 
so many different charts and diagrams and analysis...there's so much there 
for creating such a unique character that one might if not careful, get 
lost. Now please understand that I dont think badly of P&P, I wouldn't have 
kept it all this time and play it when able to get players if I didn't like 
it, and I will clearly state that it is one of the best created roleplaying 
systems and world systems. Again, what helped me was to take a character 
sheet and jot down the page and section number that particular character 
information would be found.

Then again, P&P was written in that golden age of roleplaying games when the 
creators of the games were trying to create something special and something 
that could be treasured by both Game Masters and players alike.other games I 
would suggest placing in that "golden age" opinion would be those like 
Arduin Grimoire, RuneQuest (original 1st and 2nd edition RQ), Lords of 
Creation, Warhammer, and those like that.sadly, as I see in the game stores 
and even in the bookstore I work at, all game companies want to do is hitch 
a ride on the D20 bandwagon and that really saddens me.  You just dont see a 
lot of on the shelf action for creative and exploring game systems like P&P. 
Of course I am probably preaching to the choir, but I would think there 
would be agreement with me.  Still, it is good thing that one can still find 
here and there over the net games like P&P and also find a community like 
this one to go along with the game system. Maybe the gods of the Perilous 
Lands will come forth and bring about a renaissance in games and we'll see 
P&P there on the shelf one day, kicking the D20 parrots off the shelf.  I 
can only hope!

And yes I'd be interested in the P&P play by email.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Adams" <longshot at darktech.org>
To: "The Powers and Perils Mailing List" <pnp at abroere.xs4all.nl>; "The 
Powers and Perils Mailing List" <pnp at abroere.xs4all.nl>
Sent: Monday, July 31, 2006 9:22 PM
Subject: Re: [PnP] Hello and a question


> At 01:33 PM 7/31/06, Franklin Robertson wrote:
>>I would have to agree with the discussion.  I'm not a big fan of D20, I 
>>like rpgs that challenge the mind and games that try not to fit into the 
>>Lord of the Rings' cliche.  P&P is one of these games that I have admired 
>>for so very long, though I dont have anyone to rp with (hint hint to 
>>anyone lol). Other games I've enjoyed are RuneQuest, HarnMaster, and 
>>Warhammer FRP, games that create realistic worlds, realistic characters, 
>>realistic mysteries (i.e. fantasy worlds that are real, that bloom before 
>>you with each game adventure, not those kinds of games you see around 
>>D20).  What I would love to see, though, maybe, if someone here is willing 
>>to do this, is a step by step character creation of a "normal" character 
>>and a magic user style character.  I think that if we are able to see the 
>>step by step process, a lot of people would realize just how good P&P is, 
>>and I wish to say again that it is still one of the best games out there 
>>that I've placed in my many years of rpling. !
>  By knowing how to create these two styles of most common characters, a 
> lot of people would be able to understand the rest of how the system 
> works.  Hence, I would love to see P&P republished and sold again (like 
> with what some people did with the Arduin Grimoire system), all it would 
> need instead of a full major rewrite would be example character creations 
> step by step.  Well there's my two-cents into the discussion.
>
> Hrm...Step by step you say?  Book 1 has it pretty well.  Granted for MUs 
> you have to then use Book 2.  But the process step by step chart in book 1 
> seems quite well designed.  Not sure how one could improve on it.  For me 
> the entire system is fine as is.  Whereas AD&D tends to be the newbie game 
> of choice once one graduated to non-hack and slash thinking (killing 
> everything in sight for tha tgreat shiny sword) and get into more brain 
> thinking character backgrounds and actual (oh my god) role playing they 
> tend to jump to a good system like P&P.  Granted after 2 decades character 
> generation is all of maybe 10-15 minutes now without the use of the books 
> since I've done so many (and my character generator doens't hurt as well 
> :)).  Its been 20 years or so since I've been a newbie in rpgs so I guess 
> I've lost that perspective.
>
> If your wanting to play with some pnp folks theres always PBEM games like 
> mine :)
>
>
>
>
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