Post originally by S. John Ross at 2003-04-01 12:53:26
Converted from Phorums BB System
Many thanks for a very generous review of my little book; I've had a lot of fun gaming with Uresia and look forward to plenty more of the same (if anyone's in Austin and wants in, drop me a line).
I'm just posting to plug my Uresia homepage, blue lamp road. There's only a few items there at the moment (some design notes, cartography notes, a conversion article for the Fantasy Bestiary and other tidbits) but I'll be adding things over time. There's also a mailing list for Q&A and (hopeful) space for fan archives:
Post originally by Bloodcat at 2003-04-01 16:42:25
Converted from Phorums BB System
Sigh. We need more of those like I need a hole in my head..
(Read: NOT AT ALL.)
Its a clever idea to be sure.
The problem is:
1: Its another fantasy world. By and large, every other fantasy world that is not Middle Earth is little more than regurgitation. SUCKY regurgitation.
2: Its inspired by the generally sexist and logic devoid anime console RPG genre. By and large, the genre makes my IQ drop.
3: The people who would most enjoy this sort of game are like D&D players and furries. Scary, obsessed insane people who do to geekdom what Right Wing Born Again Christians do to religion. Cept with less Harry Potter book burnings...
4: It is meant to be serious? The only valid entertainment to come from Japanized fantasy animes/console RPGs is to mock and make fun of their amazingly stupid and naieve ripoffs of Ultima, Wizardry, D&D, and of course Professor Tolkien's work. This is the reason the 8 Bit Theater webcomic is so brilliant. It mocks the stupid in the genre, which is fun. Heck, the biggest problem with most console RPGs is the fact their designers take themselves and their unimaginative rehashed stories too seriously. (Though their also obsessed fans who worship them and write hordes of crappy fanfic, much of it involving main characters boinking regardless of how that character acted within the game. It does not matter who they are, SOMEONE is gonna write/draw them having sex with anyone or anything within the game/anime...)
As an aside, since my post is hostile, and slightly trollish. If ANYONE could make this concept not suck, Mr Ross is probably it. But given Pokethulhu, it would be even better as a straight parody. (Almost nobody plays anything other than D&D anyhow, so yall game designers might as well make books that are FUN to read, since that's all most of them are ever used for anyhow..)
Post originally by Conan McKegg at 2003-04-01 17:15:51
Converted from Phorums BB System
Riiiiiiiiiiight.
First of all - Tolkien is not all that. In fact, as far as I'm concerned until Peter Jackson came along Middle Earth sucked big time. Professor Tolkien did not invent the Fantasy genre - he was merely instrumental in galvanising many of the tropes of the western view of the genre.
Secondly, from the sound of it Uresia has very little in common with Middle Earth.
Thirdly, Your views on Anime are merely your views. Stop trying to fob off what you think as being factual evidence. The fact that these genres are successful obviously means that there is more than enough reason for a game like Uresia.
What *I* want to know is how different it is from Exalted. Because if anything it just sounds like a more Anime-esque version of the Exalted setting. Please, tell me why I would want to buy this game if I already have Exalted?
Post originally by James D. Hargrove at 2003-04-01 17:29:42
Converted from Phorums BB System
<B>What *I* want to know is how different it is from Exalted.</B>
From several online conversations that I've had with SJohn in Uresia's early development stages, I understand that at least one thing that really sets Uresia apart from other fantasy settings is the appearance of PC slimes. That alone should count for something
Post originally by James D. Hargrove at 2003-04-01 17:36:15
Converted from Phorums BB System
<B>1: Its another fantasy world. By and large, every other fantasy world that is not Middle Earth is little more than regurgitation. SUCKY regurgitation.</B>
There are a lot fantasy settings out there that just vaguely resemble Tolkien's Middle Earth (Dark Sun, Planescape, Shadow World, etc) and a lot more that don't resemble it at all (Theah, The Exapanse, The Dreamlands, Melnibone, etc).
Remember - although you may really enjoy Tolkien's Middle Earth, many people find it to be tired and old.
Post originally by Bloodcat at 2003-04-01 17:50:07
Converted from Phorums BB System
By fantasy I meant "traditional" Tolkien rip off fantasy.
Not stuff like Ravenloft, Dark Sun, Planescape, L5R, Talislanta, Glorantha, ect.
And I DO find Middle Earth tired and old.
The majority of RPGers, both electronic and Pencil & Paper sadly DO NOT.
Which is why Planescape Torment sold like crap (sub 30K copies IIRC) while the "Traditional" fantasy Baldur's Gate games each sold well over 100K each.
(Which is a shame because Torment was effing BRILLIANT.)
I've actually tried bringing some anime or non traditional elements into my campaigns. Players rarely like or accept them. In many cases they violently reject them.
Post originally by Bloodcat at 2003-04-01 18:00:05
Converted from Phorums BB System
My views of anime come from over 200 prerecorded VHS tapes, about 50 DVDs, a number of books on the subject, 1000s of pages of translated mangas, and over 350 console games, 1/4 of which are RPGs, or quasi RPGS ala Zelda, Metroid, and such, plus numerous issues of anime magazines.
Linear Mode
