A funny thing happend on the way to the game table....

I have had a realization. It has been spurred on by the insightful James Maliszewski and a number of the OSR crowd and the cogitation of my own mind over some interesting data points.

If you have been following along you can see that I was not so sold on Shadowrun or for a very long time D&D either. The thing is, both these games play great at the table. 

And thats the crux. There are a number of aspects to this hobby but "play at the table" seems in many way to be something which doesn't happen  as much as we would all like. As a result other avenues for expression of our RGP desires have arisen. NAmly the internet, blogs, and forums. 

So a lot of digital dross gets pumped out about rpging - my own efforts included - as a substitute for gaming at the table. Mainly due to a lack of time, resources or people. Cant be helped. Only it is a shallow substitute for real gaming with your mates. 


Last night we had a drop out so SR was put on hold and we did MOD&D [My OD&D like in MTU; My Traveler Universe]. You would think Id be rejoicing this happenstance, only surprisingly I was a little dismayed, and here is why. 


I finally bit the bullet and I'll give SR the proper go it deserves - Like I said, it plays well at the table and the players are enamored of the idea. Ideally we would do sci-fi planet hopping in the X-plorers/Stars Without Number vain or even Diaspora/ Starblazers Adventures (I'm like to get the group over the FATE3.0 hurdle an show them what they are missing) But that will have to wait. Its worth waiting as X-plorers is going through an expansion to a new edition and Mongoose are bringing out the 2300 setting for Traveller this year and Cthonian Star too. So wait I shall. I'll still do some Sandbox development of my own sci-fi setting too.

What got me over the line with Shadowrun was the Brainscan adventure. Its attractive and a good way to have fun with friends and it allows me to build a story in a workable fashion so that is all good there. The themes are appealing too. 

As the backup or potentially even the main game we have MOD-D to go to. I've compiled a house rule set. 
Its funny because there are things I fancy in both B/XD&D and in 3rded too so its likely my house rules will reflect that when they are done.  It will be a bit of a Frankenstein Creation sewn together  from all the OSR stuff I like. 


I'll start putting some of the info up on line here or link it to Obsidian Portal and you can see how its developing, in much the same way I have the Sci-fi sandbox developing too. 

That brings me to another point. I don't mind if my players get involved and read along in the development. I've been long of the belief now that so called DM information should not be so tightly guarded and kept from the players. So what if the Player knows, their character doesn't and they can get a buzz form stuff as they see it shaping in the game. After all we all know Batman is Bruce Wayne and it hasn't killed the story. 

So read along and comment as you feel the need and we can build some good gaming for my group and maybe some other gamers too.