Dragon Age Rpg...the review.

So, Saturday, I picked up the Dragon Age Rpg...cuz it was dirt cheap. I have wanted to read through it before, since I am such a huge fan of the game on my ps3. I must have beaten that game 5 different times. L O V E D it.

So, I was excited when I opened the box when I got home. Inside? A players guide, GM's guide, a map of Ferelden, and a bag with three of cheapest looking d6’s I have ever seen. I think they took them out of yatzee or something. 

I knew beforehand that this was a fairly, rules light kind of game...but damn. It really is. I personally don't have too much of a problem with it, but I know others would. Especially those that like a bit of crunch to their game. 

So after rolling stats. Wait. Rolling stats? It actually makes you choose the ability and then roll to see what you get. I have never been a fan of this way, and would allow anyone to change that if I ran this.  So, anyways, you can choose to be a wizard, rogue, or a thief...just like in the game. You can also choose backgrounds that allow you to get other skills. Nothing to out of the ordinary here. Then you choose focuses, which allows you to add a +2, to any die roll it associates with. So a +2 to sneaking if you chose that as your focus. Character creating did not exactly break the chains of the industry, but it did seem pretty quick.

The books were small, and very quick reading. Again, nothing out of the ordinary, and the book on how to run the game was almost boring at times. The artwork was not too bad…nothing great, but definitely worth looking at.

The mechanics are very simple. 3d6+ability (like strength) +focus and you compare it to the total. The one thing that was sort of interesting is the dragon die. Just choose a different six sides die to be that one and when you are making a roll and succeed, check the dice. If any two of the three dice are the same number, you then check and see what number the dragon dice is. You get that amount of points to use in stunts. For example, if you are healing, and this happens, you can use stunt points to heal for an additional amount. It seems like a nifty little device, to break up the mundane system it seems to be using. I like the idea behind it.

It also comes with a starting adventure that seems more like a tutorial than anything. Reading, it felt like it was holding my hand at the beginning of Skyrim. Not bad, just kind of generic. But it is free and not a bad way to start. I would just tweak it a bit.

Overall, this game is mostly going to appeal to the fans of the video game. Which to be fair isn’t a bad thing. IT would also be a great game to start people out with. Other than that, I am not sure how many other people are going to be too excited about it. I would definitely play it, but I fit in their demographic pretty easily. But as a rules light kind of game, I think it could be a lot of fun.

Rating. 6.0 out of 10.0

Game day!

My thoughts on yesterday's gaming.

It was nice to get back into it, I have not done as much as I would like in the last few years. 

Game 1. Mouse Guard. I have actually wanted to play this for some time, and even owned it before the awfulness of my storage unit happened and I lost over 800 books. 

The game appeals to me, cuz I like to play the characters that are fighting for a cause or against evil. Making the character was actually fun, and that is how it starts. Making a character SHOULD be fun. 

Saying, that, we got our asses kicked. I played a scout that took too many skills in pathfinding, and not enough in scout. Duh! After 30 minues, one mouse almost dead, one lost, and one robbed and chasing (badly) bandits through the forest.

Game 2. Dungeon World. This is a hack of Apocalypse world (which I want to play). I do NOT like D&D, so when it had some of the same spells and components, initially I was not thrilled. But it is a story game for the most part, and it turned out to be a lot of fun. I played a cleric named Wesley "the hammer", and it was fun smiting the undead. Also, I got to kill the evil cleric Sheldar the Cooper (in one strike also), Raj the unholy, and the dreaded wizard Wolowitz.

I also bought a couple of games, since they were so cheap from the vendor at the gaming place. Mouse guard, and Dragon Age. Reviews of both of these game will be forthcoming.

I also, have finally gotten Bulldogs! Which I will review, once I have read it.

I had a lot of fun, and may have even found a few players for our local group. :)

Tie-in novel to game?

So, now that I am back on the creative path (yay life improvement), I can start concentrating on the game again. Just a reminder, the game draws alot of influence from Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series, and I for one am damn excited about finishing it at some point. Volitle world, magic galore, good vs evil...blah blah blah. :)

Still, one idea I had, was to write a few novels (or novella's) that take place in the world. I want to do this for a few reasons. 1. I can finally write the novel I have been talking about writing for most of my life. 2. It is a good way to get people interested in the game as well. Well, unless the novels suck, and then it could be very counter productive to say the least.

Still, I like the idea. Two diferent stories from the two main factions of the world. One from the faction that has a stranglehold on the world and looks to make sure that doesn't change...and one from the faction trying to fight for it's freedom.

I have already started writing the later, but am at the beginning stages. It is called Kushara's Fate.

Is this a good/bad idea?