For Jong and RPGPundit, if they've not seen it:


This is an rpg based on the novels of Arturo Pérez-Reverte. Wikipedia tells us that,

Quote from: WikipediaThe series started as Pérez-Reverte was disappointed with the lack of treatment of the history of the Spanish Golden Century in the school textbook of his teenaged daughter Carlota. He commissioned Carlota to gather documentation for him (hence, she is billed as co-author of the first novel) and developed the stories. Pérez-Reverte is influenced by the works of many novelists, in particular 19th-century writers like Alexandre Dumas, and his D'Artagnan Romances. He also applies the dark tone of his experiences as a war reporter.

The period settings allows him to insert references to the authors and artists of the time, one of the most important in Spanish history. He reflects on Spain and the Spaniards as a people united that, in spite of being at war with all the major European powers, are capable of showing bravery and honour.

I wish we had some English-language rpgs based on novels. The closest we've got is flyingmice's In Harm's Way, based on Napoleonic era naval fiction. But I can imagine many more still for English... Hmmm, perhaps another thread.

John Kim's Bigass List of rpgs, the Spanish section, lists this game as being published in 2002, so the native Spanish speakers probably know all about it already (I didn't find any reference on therpgsite by a search). But given that we have on therpgsite some people who speak some version of Spanish and mightn't know about it, and that we've recently been discussing the translation of rpgs to and from English, I thought it might be worth pointing out. Because it looks fuckin' cool - historical, with a detailed combat system. That's gotta be good.

My Italian gives me enough understanding of Spanish to get the gist of it, but unfrotunately that's not enough to play it if I had a copy. I'd need it to be in English or Italian. This is one which I think deserves a translation. Or perhaps I'm just confusing what I like with what is inherently good

Who's got any other non-English rpg gems they'd like to point out?

Edit: the link to this game courtesy the LJ of gbsteve

Hopefully I'll get to GenCon again this year, and hopefully I'll think to look for this.

I own, and have ran a campaign with this game; I think its really great.

RPGPundit

Quote from: JimBobOzWho's got any other non-English rpg gems they'd like to point out?

I really liked Vermine



Unfortunately, 7th circle (who also publish french versions of Qin, Unknown Armies, Kult and a few others) have done their usual piss poor job. The line is cancelled and the rights have reverted to the creator, Julien Blondel.

It's a post-apocalyptic setting where insects are now top of the food chain. Characters are in full survival mode. System is similar in complexity to stuff like Synergy and Silhouette. There are nice touches like XPs for GMs. Art kicked ass in the first book but quality went down after that. Writing was evocative and there was a blend between setting material and flexibility to add elements by GMs.

It really had a nice vibe and could have been the best post-apoc line given time. There were plans for an English version, much like Qin.


And maybe not quite a gem but Cyberpunk v3, the French version, will have entirely new artwork. And I must say it will probably be an improvement over the "GI Joes" based on this preview:

Wow, this is weird... Search function doesn't let me find the older threads where we mentioned Alatriste.

There's Aquelarre too.

Quote from: JongWKThere's Aquelarre too.

I wonder if an English-language version of Aquelarre could work as a supplement (third-party using the RQ license, perhaps?) for Mongoose RuneQuest?  The copy I have looks a lot like BRP/RQ tweaked for Spain.

Edit:  On topic, I know almost nothing about Capitan Alatriste...  what's it like, rules-wise?

Any idea where I might find an English version of some of the Alatriste novels?  My Spanish literacy is workmanlike, and while I can likely read the Spanish, English would be a bit easier.

Quote from: Zachary The FirstAny idea where I might find an English version of some of the Alatriste novels?  My Spanish literacy is workmanlike, and while I can likely read the Spanish, English would be a bit easier.

Just about any bookstore should either have them or be able to order them for you.  The first two are already out in paperback:

Captain Alatriste
Purity of Blood

Really, very fun books.  Not Pérez-Reverte's best, but a lot of fun.

!i!

[Edit: And it looks like the third English translation, The Sun Over Breda, is going to be released in hardcover on April 5.]

Quote from: Ian Absentia[Edit: And it looks like the third English translation, The Sun Over Breda, is going to be released in hardcover on April 5.]

The fourth novel in the series, El oro del rey, was translated into Finnish last year as Kuninkaan kulta, or "The King's Gold".

Quote from: RPGPunditI own, and have ran a campaign with this game; I think its really great.

RPGPundit

Could you elaborate on the game system used for the Alatriste game???

How's combat handled? chargen? skills & attributes?

Thanks?

Quote from: JaegerCould you elaborate on the game system used for the Alatriste game???

How's combat handled? chargen? skills & attributes?

Thanks?

The system is clearly a variant of the GURPS system. You have a point buy system, 3D6 rolls for all mechanics. Combat is relatively simple, made more complex with "dueling maneuvres" that "swordsmen" can gain as special abilities.

Its quite good, when played it goes smoothly and works really well.

RPGPundit

There's Lyonesse, a Franco-Swiss RPG based on Jack Vance's novels. But only GBSteve seems to have ever played it.

There's Reve, but that's actually translated... and the translation has one of my all time favorite fantasy RPG covers.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%AAve_de_Dragon

http://www.lulu.com/browse/book_view.php?fCID=109087

Quote from: JaegerCould you elaborate on the game system used for the Alatriste game???

How's combat handled? chargen? skills & attributes?

Thanks?

The system of Capitán Alatriste is a GURPS variation. They are as similar (and as different) as RuneQuest and Stormbringer are.

Capitán Alatriste doesn't offer so many options for character generation as GURPS does, which means that chargen in Alatriste is not so tedious.

I played it and had a lot of fun with it. On the other hand, I'm a GURPS fan, so I didn't expect I wouldn't like the system.

Alatriste's rules are also somewhere half-way in the complexity mark between GURPS Lite and full-blown GURPS. To me, its just right. I don't find GURPS lite quite satisfying, and I find GURPS with all the fixins just too complicated.  With Alatriste, you get a great model to run any renaissance-era historical game.

RPGPundit