What are the edges of the "Big hex" supposed to represent?

Quote from: Cole;416294What are the edges of the "Big hex" supposed to represent?

From my interpretation of the map: the edge of the world. Like in medieval legends, where waters just endlessly fall off the edge. The map indicates some winds blowing all around Hyperborea. Maybe they have a role to play in the way the waters behave, or not. I don't know.

It looks like you can actually venture to Hyperborea from any setting. A bit like travelling on the oceans through the mists and -bam- you end up in Hyperborea. Maybe this is detailed in the setting, I remember Jeff talking about the possibility to plug the setting to your homebrew. We'll see.

It would be funny if the world was hex-shaped. If it is, I hope there's some mythology explaining why written up in the setting notes.

If anyone would like to download the pdf of my pencil sketch Hyperborea map, it can be found here. Indeed, the entire setting is hex shaped.

Thanks to Benoist for mentioning the map, and yes, please do note that the chicken scratchings of the author are not indicative of the quality mapping rendered by cartographer Andreas Claren.

Quote from: ghul;416186Hi fellows,

Thank you for the interest in my project. I'm pretty thick-skinned, so do feel free to continue to criticize my quoted post as you so choose. Also, if I can answer any questions, I'd be happy to do so.

Legerdemainist, as I perceive it, is one who practices legerdemain. Perhaps my nomenclature is awkward or unwieldy, but I've come to like the term.

Cheers,
Jeff T.

I look at it this way, Jeff: you've got some capital earned up from your great work on the Castle Zagyg line (sad is it was that ended prematurely). I'll at least give a look-see at anything you're producing. Plus, the setting sounds like it might work well with the setting I'm still tweaking!

Here's a question: it sounds like there's a lot of different stuff (21?) that's named as an option in combat.  How much of this is defined in the book vs. GM adjudication? Thanks!

I always look at rulesets as being better if they are setting specific; I'm quite pleased that you took the time to try to integrate many retrogame functions into the rules while adding/changing rules to (presumably) to match up better with the setting and the feel of that world.

1) What are the difference between the classes and the subclasses, or are all PCs supposed to be sub classes? If not, please include a snippet descriptor for them as well, as it will be vague otherwise.

2) No alchemist or Artificer?  Who makes items in this world?  If this is just a function of the Magician, would you say this skill will be purposely depowered in Hyperboria?

3) Pyromancers with no counterbalance class?  No water or weather specific magi? I can see the druid is somewhat elemental, but I am haing trouble figuring out the pyromancer being in the wizard camp alone, while the possible counterbalance spells are deilogic in nature.

4) Love your Bard description, and the makeup of the thief subs in general.  I am imagining thieve's guilds would have a few of many classes for different jobs.

5) Alignment system with good classes and no counterbalance on the evil side.  On purpose?  Setting specific?  Help me out.

6) I'll need to see the spell lists to really get a handle on the setting, and you don't mention what type of spell power/usage system tyou plan on using, which is really definitive in the feel/power curve equation.  I look forward to that.

I actually was using the TD Hypeborea 1 as background to my IRC game a few sessions ago.  Something you like as well?

I look forward to reading more.

Quote from: ghul;416186Also, if I can answer any questions, I'd be happy to do so.

How much playtesting is involved?

Quote from: Zachary The First;416340I look at it this way, Jeff: you've got some capital earned up from your great work on the Castle Zagyg line (sad is it was that ended prematurely). I'll at least give a look-see at anything you're producing. Plus, the setting sounds like it might work well with the setting I'm still tweaking!

That's very kind of you, Zachary, and thank you. It was a great honor to work with Mr. Gygax, because he was always an idol of mine. We got to be good pals in the process. I keep in touch with his sons, Ernie and Luke, and I will see them in March. But to tell you the truth, I can think of other gamers who might have done a better job than I did. I was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time when I was selected to develop CZ. How it turned out after Gary passed was indeed a shame.

QuoteHere's a question: it sounds like there's a lot of different stuff (21?) that's named as an option in combat.  How much of this is defined in the book vs. GM adjudication? Thanks!

The 21 combat actions are each defined. Some are simple in their function. For example there is one called Reckless Fighting / Conservative Fighting. The former provides a +1 "to hit" bonus at a -2 AC penalty; the latter provides a +1 AC bonus in exchange for a -2 "to hit" penalty.

I used the above example because it is perhaps one of the simpler combat actions, but each of these has some type of mechanical effect. It is the purview of the referee as to which combat actions are acceptable in his game, and when their implementation is appropriate. As a point of emphasis, we note that each combat action must be declared in advance before initiative is rolled. Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Jeff T.

Quote from: LordVreeg;416418I always look at rulesets as being better if they are setting specific; I'm quite pleased that you took the time to try to integrate many retrogame functions into the rules while adding/changing rules to (presumably) to match up better with the setting and the feel of that world.

Hi LV, and thanks. It sounds like we are on the same page regarding the above, because I not only agree with your statement, I have been using this sort of criteria as a design goal.

Quote1) What are the difference between the classes and the subclasses, or are all PCs supposed to be sub classes? If not, please include a snippet descriptor for them as well, as it will be vague otherwise.

I think you might have missed that part of the post Benoist quoted, but I realize it was a large post and that some info may have gotten buried.

Classes: There are four principal character classes.
• Fighter: a swordsman, bowman, or other warrior type.
• Magician: a sorcerer who studies magical tomes and casts spells.
• Cleric: an armed and armoured fighting sorcerer of mystical nature.
• Thief: a nimble swordsman possessed of numerous specialty skills.

Of course, these are the most minimalistic descriptions of each the classes.

Well, I was prepared to answer all your questions while sipping my coffee, but my 3 yr old daughter is crawling all over me... Be back later, or maybe not until tonight.

Quote from: LordVreeg;4164182) No alchemist or Artificer?  Who makes items in this world?  If this is just a function of the Magician, would you say this skill will be purposely depowered in Hyperboria?

Yes, purposely depowered in Hyperborea. This is largely the purview of NPCs, otherworldly beings, and dwarfs, who are not Tolkien's dwarfs, but malign worms of the earth of strange and perverse predilections.  

Quote3) Pyromancers with no counterbalance class?  No water or weather specific magi? I can see the druid is somewhat elemental, but I am haing trouble figuring out the pyromancer being in the wizard camp alone, while the possible counterbalance spells are deilogic in nature.

I suppose we might not be of the same mind in this regard, LV. You see, I've never taken an interest in balance or counter-balance. In Hyperborea, the sun, referred to as Helios, is a massive red giant that never rises to a zentih, but ever remains at or near the horizon, bathing the realm in cool, scarlet light. Some sorcerers draw power from the sun, and the pyromancer (and yes, the druid, too) are among these. There are plenty of weather related spells, cast by magicians, clerics, druids, priests, shamans, etc.

Quote4) Love your Bard description, and the makeup of the thief subs in general.  I am imagining thieve's guilds would have a few of many classes for different jobs.

Exactly so. In the City-State of Khromarium, I have established much the same. The variation of the bard is a skald, a Viking version of the bard who does not use a musical instrument or song to effect his sorceries; rather, he employs kennings and sagas infused with sorcerous content.

Quote5) Alignment system with good classes and no counterbalance on the evil side.  On purpose?  Setting specific?  Help me out.

Well, certainly necromancers are largely Evil or, at their best, Neutral, and druids are Neutral with Evil leanings, so there are some classes that might be seen as Evil in the same sense that other classes might be viewed as Good. But again, I must stress that balancing the classes has not been part of my design criteria for this campaign setting and rules.

Quote6) I'll need to see the spell lists to really get a handle on the setting, and you don't mention what type of spell power/usage system tyou plan on using, which is really definitive in the feel/power curve equation.  I look forward to that.

If you can pardon me, I'm going to quote myself, because I just answered a very similar question at Dragonsfoot:

Spells [include] many standards that are associated with traditional RPG gaming, but some have been modified to fit the setting and others are new. Others still are derivative of other spells, or variants if you would. As I am hopelessly devoted to Vancian spell casting and view it as the finest method I have ever played, I am not inclined to try anything else, especially a spell point system. I understand the allure, but it is not to my preference. One thing I would mention that is different is how movement can work in conjunction with spell casting. Combat utilizes a 5-phase sequence in which a level 1-3 spell can be cast on phase 1 (stationary caster), phase 3 (1/2 move caster), phase 5 (full move caster); a level 4-6 spell can be cast on phase 3 (stationary caster), or phase 5 (1/2 move caster).

QuoteI actually was using the TD Hypeborea 1 as background to my IRC game a few sessions ago.  Something you like as well?

Hey, I like Tangerine Dream, too, especially the soundtrack to the movie Legend (the only Tom Cruise movie I like, perhaps). It was years later that I learned that Tangerine Dream was hired to provide the soundtrack after the director, Ridley Scott) decided to ditch a goodly amount of the Jerry Goldsmith. As a YES fan, too, I liked hearing Jon Anderson singing with TD. So, yes, I like it.

QuoteI look forward to reading more.

Thank you.  It means a lot to me to know some folks are interested in the project.

Cheers,
Jeff T.

Quote from: ColonelHardisson;416635How much playtesting is involved?

Hi Colonel H.,

Playtesting has been going on for about two years now. It is confined to select fellow gamers I'm friendly with, and of course my own group which just completed its 66th session of play last week. As this game is derivative of traditional Gygaxian gaming methods, there are many procedures that have not required extensive testing, simply because they are procedures that have been used by gamers for decades now. Where innovation is concerned, we have worked hard to test, revise, test, and revise again. Benoist has kindly offered to be a reader/tester of the soon to be complete final beta of the game before I send it off to my editor.

Cheers,
Jeff T.

Hi Jeff,

Can you talk about layout for a minute?  Are we looking at a more modern-style, easily-referenced book, or (as much as I love it) AD&D DMG reference, where you're digging in the book to find the right tables/modifiers?

Speaking of modifiers, how many reference tables or charts can we expect to find?

Thanks again!

Quote from: Zachary The First;417001Hi Jeff,

Can you talk about layout for a minute?  Are we looking at a more modern-style, easily-referenced book, or (as much as I love it) AD&D DMG reference, where you're digging in the book to find the right tables/modifiers?

Hi Zach,

I am hopeful that information will be easier to locate than, say, the AD&D DMG. Me? I know where everything is in the AD&D DMG, but this is due to 30 years of looking at that book. I understand some folks have trouble finding their way around it, and I'd like to believe that I am working towards having a presentation that is easy and intuitive to reference.

QuoteSpeaking of modifiers, how many reference tables or charts can we expect to find?

Thanks again!

There are many tables and charts, but they are mostly not modifier related. I feel that tables and charts are excellent forms of conveying information to the reader. It is easily accessed and processed. When procedures are buried in thick paragraphs of text, I feel they are more difficult to work with. Of course, this can be unavoidable in some instances, particularly when a spell is complicated, but largely I prefer to table and chart information when possible; or, in many cases, have blocks of text that are supported by the presence of a table. Actually you bring up a good example, Zach. Attack roll modifiers are listed on a table; then, below the table they are more clearly defined in text form.

Cheers,
Jeff T.

Quote from: Zachary The First;416340...you've got some capital earned up from your great work on the Castle Zagyg line (sad is it was that ended prematurely). I'll at least give a look-see at anything you're producing...

I agree.  And "Charnel Crypt of the Sightless Serpent" was very good as well!  So I will definitely check out the core AS&SH book.

I would be curious to know, however, roughly what percentage of the book will be devoted to the rules, and what percentage will be devoted to the setting?

Quote from: Akrasia;418068I agree.  And "Charnel Crypt of the Sightless Serpent" was very good as well!  So I will definitely check out the core AS&SH book.

I would be curious to know, however, roughly what percentage of the book will be devoted to the rules, and what percentage will be devoted to the setting?

Hi Akrasia,

At the early going of AS&SH development, I waffled between having the rules as setting-less with the idea of devoting later chapters to the setting, but at some point I came to accept that there are enough setting-less rules out there that are traditional in scope -- LL, S&W, OSRIC, BFRPG, etc. So, I resolved to infuse the setting into the rules, though decidedly in lightly flavoured manner.

Despite the large amount of time I have devoted to rules development, discussion, and play-test, I feel that the strongest component of this game is its setting. So, the goal has been this: the rules support the setting, and the setting supports the rules. On the surface it may seem that the rules comprise 80% or even more of this game, but when you look under the hood, as it were, you'd see that classes, races, spells, monsters, and treasure are all components of the setting; i.e. not just those chapters that specifically cover the setting itself. In essence, these are the rules for playing Hyperborea, so Hyperborea is included throughout the work.

Thank you for the kind words and the genuine interest. It's important to me.

Cheers,
Jeff T.