Well, as it happens, we're only one session from finishing our Mutants in Shadows game, that has spanned for more than a year, playing it weekly. This last session will be (I hope) this evening.

As MELS (original title is Mutantes en la Sombra) is a Spanish game, many people will not know about it, so a brief presentation:

In this game, the radiation from nuclear bombs has caused an uprise in the birth of mutants (M for short). These M are your typical psychics: telepaths, psionic assassins, telekinetics, and such. The world governments' start creating secret services (M services) to capture and use this powerful individuals in the Cold War.
In the 70s, an scaped precognitor called Kaufmann uses his vast wealth to create Prometheus, an independent M service which goal is to free the M people from the M services. Prometheus is composed of Prometheus (the front organization, one of the 5 biggest corps out there), Herakles (the real M service, which takes on fighting and neutralizing M services and freeing mutants) and the Kaufmann Foundation (something like Q branch, that also studies the M phenomenon).
The game is set in the 90s (the game was released on 1991), and is quite gritty and interesting. I have my pet peeves with the system, but overall it worked quite well.

Well, in the course of this campaign, which spanned from 1990 to 1994, the PCs have come to discover the real and ugly face of Herakles. When they started as newb agents, Herakles was presented as the white knights org, with an strict moral code, and the certainty that they would never cheated on them.

As time and missions went by, they achieved new ranks, new responsibilities, and a clearer view of the organization. I wanted to have an intense LeCarré-like game, with lots of uncertainty,broken promises, and betrayal, but gradually. I wanted to screw their illusions about them being the goodies, and in the last game one of my players told me 'Congratulations. I'm fucking leaving this job at the first chance'

We intend to setup a second part of the campaign in a few months, using the WoD system plus the Secons Sight book (excellent, btw), given that the WoD system gives us a feeling nearer to what we want (and we all like it a lot),

But, in any case, the story is finishing for the moment. And man, does it feel good to end it with a big fucking bang.

Is this your case? How do you like to end your games? Do you like to end them at all, or prefer to let them fade away?

Hm, no obviously relevant story, but Spain really is brimming over with some cool rpgs isn't it?

Unfortunately not

We have quite few games published, most of them out of print these days. Most Spanish publishers are incompetent businessman, and most RPGs published here are quite trite, mainly due to the very extended idea between designers that system doesn't matter. That is the idea that defends Ricard Ibañez, author of the fantastic Aquelarre (which we're playing right after MELS), who is also the author of the Alatriste game. This game, for example, is a cheap ripoff of GURPS made by a guy who doesn't understand GURPS, and the duel system specially is a crock of shit.

There are some good games with good ideas, of course: you should check Ediciones Sombra (authors of the longest living sci-fi Spanish RPG, Exo, or the game Commandos of War, set in WWII), and Nosolorol, authors of the excellent noir game sLAng. They also are translating and publishing the Usagi Yojimbo RPG and Mutants & Masterminds. They are quite active at cons, good people, and good designers. Other than those two, there's little good to see.

I'm one or two sesssions from finishing my current D&D campaign and it feels pretty damn good.  After almost 25 years DMing this will be the first time I've ended a full length campaign exactly the way I want to.  The first session  featured our heroes fighting some bandits and giant rats.  That was in May of '05.  Last night one guy karate kicked Surtur to death.  Next session features the Final Battle at the End of Time.  Featured opponents include:

Tharizdun
Tiamat
Loki
Nerull
the Midgard Serpent
Demogorgon
Orcus
Lolth
and some balrogs thrown in for good measure

The best part is that I still have one of my original players from that first night in May and he's running his original PC.  Angus the Half-Orc has seen a helluva lot over the last year and a half.

And I have to give a great thankyou, man. After reading your blog she got so pumped with old-school D&D that she's reading my D&D RC and she says she's going to run some classical modules (like Keep on the Borderlands!) for us as soon as she leaves behind this huge patch of work she's in. And it's your fault, man That's the best way to promote traditional gaming: sharing love, not spitting bile.

By the way, your game looks like a blast.

Quote from: ImperatorThat's the best way to promote traditional gaming: sharing love, not spitting bile.

By the way, your game looks like a blast.

Absolutely, every time I read a Rotwang post I want to run some old style fun game.

Posts about how people with their new games are ruining the hobby just depress me, posts about half-orcs kung fuing the gods in a way remind me why I do this.

Quote from: BalbinusAbsolutely, every time I read a Rotwang post I want to run some old style fun game.

Posts about how people with their new games are ruining the hobby just depress me, posts about half-orcs kung fuing the gods in a way remind me why I do this.

I'll third that emotion.

I also love when a game comes to a good conclusion.  My last one didn't end as well as I wanted it to, but it did end up being fun.  Tonight we start a three session mini-campaign of the Shadow of Yesterday...and it will be fun.

Talking of Spain anyone know any gaming shops (other than GW) in Madrid, all the ones I use to know have closed down.

Quote from: BagpussTalking of Spain anyone know any gaming shops (other than GW) in Madrid, all the ones I use to know have closed down.

Well, chief amongst all I would commend you Atlántica in Plaza de la Luna. You should also check tiendaociojoven.com

Thanks for that, Atlántica seems a great place for miniatures. I wish I knew Spanish as it would be great for everything else as well then.

I found Generation X was open when I went past this time. I thought it had closed down since every other time I´d been past before it had been shut.

Quote from: ImperatorUnfortunately not

We have quite few games published, most of them out of print these days. Most Spanish publishers are incompetent businessman, and most RPGs published here are quite trite, mainly due to the very extended idea between designers that system doesn't matter. That is the idea that defends Ricard Ibañez, author of the fantastic Aquelarre (which we're playing right after MELS), who is also the author of the Alatriste game. This game, for example, is a cheap ripoff of GURPS made by a guy who doesn't understand GURPS, and the duel system specially is a crock of shit.

I will note that I disagree here, having played and run Alatriste.  

Not about it being a ripoff of GURPS; it totally is; but I happen to think that its a very well-done ripoff of GURPS and the combat maneuvres system worked just fine for my campaign. I think Jong would agree with me on this one...

Aquelarre is also great.  And Fanhunter/Fanpiro are absolute brilliant satires of Nerd culture, and of White Wolf's Vampire, respectively.  Really bad system on those last two, but if you're playing them for the system you've REALLY missed the point.

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPunditAnd Fanhunter/Fanpiro are absolute brilliant satires of Nerd culture, and of White Wolf's Vampire, respectively.  Really bad system on those last two, but if you're playing them for the system you've REALLY missed the point.

RPGPundit

Totally agree. I've never actually played said games, but Fanpiro in particular seems über-cool, in a Paranoia sort of way. Also, any chance to mock the teenage angst-ridden World of Dumbness is welcome. I've no issues with Werewolf, but if you're making fun out of V:TM, it's all good!

About ending campaigns, I have like, mixed feelings. On one hand, it's good to reach your goal as a DM/GM and finishing the story being told by the party. Nevertheless, it's also tempting, in my case, to extend the game ad hoc if we're having fun, and sometimes if the player's actions span more than the "allocated" time of the initial campaign.

This is the case with my Wheel Of Time campaign, which has been going on for the last 2-and-a-half years. By now, I've long passed Jordan's last novels, and the possibilities are too interesting to let go... it's ending this year, anyway (I guess... )

Quote from: RPGPunditI will note that I disagree here, having played and run Alatriste.  

Not about it being a ripoff of GURPS; it totally is; but I happen to think that its a very well-done ripoff of GURPS and the combat maneuvres system worked just fine for my campaign. I think Jong would agree with me on this one...

I haven't noticed anything wrong with the duel system, either. Granted, we didn't tried every maneuver in the book but as far as I can tell, it flows easily enough.