Troll Lord Games

Share what cool products your looking forward to in the coming year....

Mostly, the dead tree version of the Hacklopedia of Beasts, and anything else Kenzer releases.

The digest-sized C&C core books! And Hacklopedia of Beasts too.

More deathwatch goodness!

The CKG and the C&C Codex of Erde.

R-

More of the A series mods - after the CKG is finished, I'm hoping that several of those mods get published!

Dark Heresy: Blood of Martyrs... which should be in the first week or two of Jan 10.
Robotech RPG supplements (New Generation, Palladium)

~O

Only a couple things that come to mind right now:
* The C&C CKG, of course!
* Rogue Games' revised Thousand Suns RPG
* Goodman's DCC RPG
* Lords of Gossamer and Shadow (compatible with Amber Diceless)

I'm hoping that there is a lot more coming out that I want, but I haven't heard about it yet or have forgotten about it.

I am looking forward to getting a lot, but of those specifically being released in 2011 that I am looking forward to most is Cthonian Stars for Mongoose Traveller.

The second most is the Mouse Guard RPG boxed set. Had a surprisingly good time with this at Neon Con as well.

Things I have "discovered" this past year but have not bought as of yet is the Dresden Files RPG. I had waaaay to much fun with that at Neon Con to not get it. Plus I am a Jim Butcher fan.

I hope to get more heavily into Starblazers, but I already have the core rule book, so I need to see if more is out or coming out. This is another one I had fun with at Neon Con as well.

Other than that I am looking out for my "normal" stuff, C&C, Frog God Games, and Paizo. As well as map goods like WOTC's tiles and Paizo's map line, and as always whatever cool stuff Tom at Fat Dragon Games comes up with this year.

Plus I am getting more heavily into mini's this year, specifically those I have to paint. I did just get a ton of Confrontation mini's at 80% off, though. I already have some Eastern Front Studios and Reaper's lined up on my "to purchase" list. One of which is that Alchemist I posted on these boards about a week ago.

Thats about it for me. Already entirely too much for me to say I spend my money wisely.

Edit: I forgot to mention Mongoose Traveller, especially their new space minis game, as well as new L5R. Shadowrun I think I am done buying. I can easily use any remaining materials from my old editions.

Mostly, the dead tree version of the Hacklopedia of Beasts, and anything else Kenzer releases.

Yeah, the Kenzer stuff is very well written, but dear Lord, does some of it get expensive! $59.99 for the Hacklopedia. Insane. Gonna have to wait for it to hit eBay before I'll be able to grab a copy.

...and the C&C Codex of Erde

They're doing a new version? I hadn't heard about that. I assume it's going to be renamed to Codex of Aihrde? (I probably spelled that wrong, but I'm too lazy to look it up.)

Goodman's DCC RPG

Now that's an interesting idea, but I wonder if it's overkill. I'm all for the "old school" renaissance we've been experiencing now for several years, but it's got to be nearing its peak, what with so many companies getting in on the act. We've already got Labyrinth Lord, Microlite74, Swords & Wizardry/WhiteBox (which now appear to be broken into two entities and going in different directions under different publishers), Basic Fantasy, Dark Dungeons, OSRIC, Legends of the Ancient World, Spellcraft & Swordplay (beautiful print job in the little brown books), and of course, Castles & Crusades (which, despite everyone always saying it's an AD&D clone, to me has always been an updated/revised OD&D, with 30 years of experience lending itself to the revision). And that's not even mentioning the "other," non-high-fantast retro-clones, like G.O.R.E., Mutant Future (Gamma World), and now the forthcoming revised version of Starships & Spacemen, to only name a few.

Honestly, I think all of this interest is in direct proportion to the amount of effort that was put into forcing d20 down everyone's throats and stomping on all the indy and small-press games. More and more the roleplaying (and, well, the fun) was sucked out of gaming, and instead of simply pushing for more unique, independant and original games, people instinctively wanted to "go home" where it was safe and fun again, thus the retro-clones were born. But now things are beginning to return to normal, so to speak. Unique, original systems are beginning to hold their own again, and I suspect the retro-clone phase won't entirely survive for more than another few years, with maybe one or two holdouts remaining for the long-term.

Plus I am getting more heavily into mini's this year...

Not that I have anything against miniatures, but as an old, hardcore roleplayer I'm disturbed by this trend. 3.5, which I loathed, kept pushing for more minis and less roleplaying, and 4th Edition is little more than a combat board game with cards and minis, and this seems to be spreading into other games. Warhammer is now the same way, and FFG is pushing the concept into other areas (because it's selling), and Mongoose is now talking about it and making plans to dip into this pool of high revenue. I fear what this could do to the market, right when things were beginning to look bright again for roleplaying. If the market can support both, without "real" RPGs going back under, then no sweat. But there is that fear of the new craze doing the same thing d20 did a few years ago (ie. putting everything else back under the table and out of business).

I'm looking forward to board games more than RPGs for the most part. On the RPG front, I'm hoping for a few good items from the Trolls like the CKG, Engineering Castles, and more Haunted Highlands.

Honestly... I don't know what other companies are doing, but I have also only been buying old products like Deadlands and whatnot, so I've been in my own "retro movement." I've heard some things that might be cool, but I'm not excited about them.

Kurgan wrote:

...and the C&C Codex of Erde

They're doing a new version? I hadn't heard about that. I assume it's going to be renamed to Codex of Aihrde? (I probably spelled that wrong, but I'm too lazy to look it up.)

Yep, Steve's been chomping at the bit to redo this for a while now and with the CKG damn near off to presses, he should have time to knock it out.

R-

He also mentions in the new Crusader that the 9 maps will be out in the coming year.

Kurgan wrote:

Mostly, the dead tree version of the Hacklopedia of Beasts, and anything else Kenzer releases.

Yeah, the Kenzer stuff is very well written, but dear Lord, does some of it get expensive! $59.99 for the Hacklopedia. Insane. Gonna have to wait for it to hit eBay before I'll be able to grab a copy.

Plus I am getting more heavily into mini's this year...

Not that I have anything against miniatures, but as an old, hardcore roleplayer I'm disturbed by this trend. 3.5, which I loathed, kept pushing for more minis and less roleplaying, and 4th Edition is little more than a combat board game with cards and minis, and this seems to be spreading into other games...

First off the pre order on the HoB is expensive, but it is going to be on real high quality paper and full color, much like Aces and Eights was done. Plus it includes the PDF now, with free updates as they finalize things. What really bugs me is shipping is added, and nearly $10. So its actually closer to $70 when shipping is included. Personally I like how Kenzer has done the monsters the best because they also include a section on market value as well as use in magic items. Plus the fluff is always a good read.


As for the mini's, I am not a mini's gamer. I hate that aspect of every edition of D&D. But I do appreciate the value of a cool looking mini on the board as well as help it gives with visualizing what is going on. Plus I like painting them, it is a nice artistic outlet.

Like one of the reasons I bought the first of my Confrontation mini's isn't because I play the game, but because I was playing a C&C Knight, and the CK was using the old UA rules for my gaining followers, etc... so I bought the Knights in the Confrontation series because they were on sale at Paizo. I was right to get hem because when I pulled them out of the box and set them all up in a charge line it gave me goose bumps when I used my imagination to picture them as being my Knight and his men.

So rest assured I don't do mini's because I like to play mini's games. I don't. However I did have fun using Fields of Battle for my Tuesday group a month or two ago, so I will be using them for that whenever possible in the future.

I will add the revision of Starships & Spacemen to the mix of things I'm looking forward to in 2011. I'm kind of lost on what TLG is doing in 2011. We've heard about the maps, and that would be awesome. A new, updated version of the Codex of Aihrde is desperately needed to bring the campaign setting up to standard, but let's be honest, that one is probably some time off. One thing that TLG announced back in June 2010 or so was Gods & Monsters of Aihrde. If Steve can get to cracking on that book, it would in no doubt be amazing. So, I'll look forward to that one too.

~O

Really only the CKG. I really haven't heard of anything else that has sparked my interested.

CKG and this little SF game called X-Plorers which is really cool.

Those and the things I wrote, not to sound like tooting my own horn too much. I'm so excited at the prospect of them seeing print and either being well received or flamed to ashes. But seeing them published will be a dream come true.

Relaxo wrote:CKG and this little SF game called X-Plorers which is really cool.

Those and the things I wrote, not to sound like tooting my own horn too much. I'm so excited at the prospect of them seeing print and either being well received or flamed to ashes. But seeing them published will be a dream come true.

And I will make sure that happens!

CKG is a definite ( ), but also holding out (and hoping) that Pulp Siege and Victorious! will see the light of day in 2011
D.

The biggest thing I'm looking forward to is Mongoose Publishing's Traveller 2300AD, using their version of Classic Traveller rules.

Primarily, I want to mine it, so as to utilize it with Classic Travellerr.

Probably not much. I'm not really sure what's out there to be honest. Though some of the "old skool" thingies might be interesting.

I just want to finish the projects I've been working on for Harvesters.

Kurgan wrote:

Mostly, the dead tree version of the Hacklopedia of Beasts, and anything else Kenzer releases.

Yeah, the Kenzer stuff is very well written, but dear Lord, does some of it get expensive! $59.99 for the Hacklopedia. Insane. Gonna have to wait for it to hit eBay before I'll be able to grab a copy.

For the dead tree and pdf, $60 isn't bad. Besides, this puppy is hard cover and full color - comparative products on the market go for a similar price (any of the Dark Heresy core books, for instance, or the Song of Ice and Fire books, which are 150 to 200 pages less and cost $40). Realistically speaking, unless a company has the printing capabilities of Wizards, anything of high quality is going to come with a price tag, but having had plenty of chances to read through the HoB, this is definitely one that's worth it. It's outstanding.

I'll admit that I'm getting kind of tired of really thick hardback rulebooks.

Remember when rulebooks were tiny? Homes Basic D&D was 48 pages? Mentzer B/X (rules for levels 1-14) was 176 pages divided into 3 rulebooks of 64 (Basic Player), 48 (Basic GM), and 64 (Expert) pages?

finarvyn wrote:I'll admit that I'm getting kind of tired of really thick hardback rulebooks.

Remember when rulebooks were tiny? Homes Basic D&D was 48 pages? Mentzer B/X (rules for levels 1-14) was 176 pages divided into 3 rulebooks of 64 (Basic Player), 48 (Basic GM), and 64 (Expert) pages?

For me, it's an either/or thing. I find myself loving the C&C books - they are simple, elegant, and affordable. Not to mention it only takes 20 minutes to roll up a character -- that's a definitive bonus!

At the same time, I think C&C is the exception, not the rule. There are a lot of companies out there that produce a lot of drivel, although it was more of an issue during the d20 glut. If I'm standing in front of a wall of books made by an army of gaming companies, then the thing that will make one stand out over the other is production value -- and the Hacklopedia of Beasts might be the best-produced monster manual ever to be. It looks -- and reads -- fantastic.