I'm at Gary Con. This is kinda like Day Zero. As in "Zero Tables for the Booth" and probably a late night of setting things up. So, I better get a post in now - and what's better than a Kickstarter post? ;)
Today I'm looking at the Basic and Expert RPG Sets Remastered! Kickstarter. First, I love art. It's a homage to the originals and looks great!
Here's some info:
In 1981 the Basic and Expert game for the world's greatest fantasy RPG was released. Written by Tom Moldvay, David "Zeb" Cook, and Steve Marsh, these two comprehensive books created a complete fantasy game system that exploded on the gaming scene and made it into mainstream game markets. This game system is alive and well some 38 years later! This pioneering game was later revised into what is commonly called BECMI and later into the Rules Cyclopedia. But even as those systems further expanded the game, Basic and Expert (B/X) retained a huge following - one that still thrives today. It is with this history in mind that we have decided to create two new books, the B/X Player's Handbook and Dungeon Guide. Instead of merely retro-cloning this system, we have separated the player rules and game master rules into separate books. We have also expanded the character classes, added spells, weapons, monsters, magic items, and much more. All the while, we have steadfastly maintained the simplicity and elegance of the original game. We have done all of this with one thing in mind; we are not replacing the Basic and Expert books, we attempting open the game up for more opportunity to new and old players alike. You no longer have to search for those beat up copies of the rule books - it's all here and more!My thoughts - I was introduced to RPGs with AD&D 1e. I feel very comfortable with having the Players' and GMs' material in separate books. Additionally, in my old age, I find B/X and its various clones to be more my current style of play. Tastes great, less filling ;)
As for more classes? Awesome :)
35 bucks for the 2 books in Print plus PDF plus shipping. 60 for the boxed set (with dice). 100 gets you 5 players copies and a DM book to outfit your group. I'm going in for the boxed set I think.
Neither The Tavern nor myself receive compensation for Kickstarter coverage or Kickstarter posts. Some Kickstarters are brought to the attention of The Tavern by their creators. Such communication does not guarantee coverage here at The Tavern. I do not back every Kickstarter I highlight as my wallet's contents are not limitless but I do find all highlighted Kickstarters interesting for one or more reasons - Erik Tenkar
It’s good that they allow Frank’s work product there at least.
ReplyDeleteOh, scratch that. Somehow I read “BECMI” was included
ReplyDeleteWhoa, Erik, you're here at GC? Hope I run into you!
ReplyDeleteFeels like it's stepping on Necrotic Gnomes' long term projects.
ReplyDeleteNah. This feels like a one and done to me. I'm in for pdfs, mostly for the extras. Necrotic Gnome is in for the long game. This shouldn't affect Gavin's success at all. I'll be all over that KS - box set, hardback, the works.
ReplyDeleteSo… basically Advanced Labyrinth Lord divided into a player and judge book?
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read it, then read the OGL declarations...
Sounds good but I'm already a dozen plus books into The BX Essentials experience as it prepares to transition into the Old-School Essentials line. I'll probably pick up a copy of the pdfs somewhere down the line but I've already become accustomed to Gavin's way of doing things and it suits me well.
ReplyDeleteI too fail to see the potential of this project compared to Necrotic Gnome's upcoming "Old-school essentials" Kickstarter, whose quality is easier to predict since most of the material has already been published in separate booklets (hint : it will be stellar) and who will be followed by several carefully planned extensions.
ReplyDeleteAgree. Plus one little thing bothers me: why stop at 18th level??
DeleteRight? Seems a weird, unnecessary change fora supposedly accurate clone. I'm still backing, but leery of other changes. But as I've said elsewhere, I have BX Essentials for the rules. I'm in this for his extras.
Delete@James Mishler - No, this looks to be closer to LL core, with a few extra classes and race-classes added rather than the full AEC content added. They also clarified that there will NOT be an option to separate race from class. They're using a concept more like Necrotic Gnome's upcoming Advanced Characters expansion.
ReplyDeleteActually, I am going to split the difference. On the player side, it appeare to be close to LL Core. However, on the GM side. It appears closer to Advanced LL. I think James’s point as well as considering Necrotic Gnome’s offering is what is the point.
ReplyDeleteI think the point is this is yet another company that wants its own ruleset to support its adventures instead of just choosing one of multiple OGL ones that already exist. Also, the belief is only if the ruleset is better organized and better written than it will be more readily accepted. Today, I am amazed what awesome job Moldvay/Cook/Marsh did and in retrospect was too hasty moving on AD&D by 1982.
This has got heartbreaker written all over it. Delivery of a physical product for which the writing hasn't been finished yet, never mind the layout, in June 2019? That's three months from now, two months afterafte Kickstarter ends?
ReplyDeleteYeah, right.
If this is from the same owner of Pacesetter which hasn't been able to finish Cataclysm at the Acaeum which was due in May 2013 and is still in it's perpetual "few more weeks" every few months, I'd say you're right.
DeleteI'll wait for the BX Essentials Kickstarter coming in the next couple of months as I know what Gavin has done with that.
ReplyDeleteI spent $600 on the Center Stage Miniatures fiasco, where for some reason Pacesetter got all the miniatures that we paid for. So I won't pay for this. Parse that as you like.
ReplyDelete