Who are the most interesting Old School Forum Posters?

[StormBringer]

What fuckwittery is this?  Popularity contests?  Did you run out of things to troll about on tBP?

[Ladybird]

So you think SwoN is worth picking up? I saw it at my FGLS. Got more info, like how exactly is it like Dnd? Do you need S&W?

It is amazing.

It's stand-alone, so you don't need any other books. The rule system is very simple (D&D stats with 2d6-based skill checks against difficulty-dependent target numbers), and applies that same set of core mechanics across the entire rules.

Where SWN really stands out, though, is that the majority of the book is help and advice for a GM on running a sandbox-y campaign in space. There are chapters on worlds, adventures and aliens; factions get their own chapter, which also includes a high-level set of rules for them "interacting" with each other (Read: faction wars mechanic). There's a fleshed-out example sector of space, and an entire chapter on quick lookup tables for GM's who want complex information right now (Name generators, room dressing tables, religions, political parties, etc). It's very much designed around "what will people playing this game need?". And none of it's condescending in tone; it's all friendly, explanative and helpful. There's no sneering comments about other games or ways of playing; everything in SWN is done the way it is because that's how it worked best for SWN.

There's no need to take my word for it - the free .PDF is here. If the copy you saw had the starfield cover, then it's the same as that .pdf; if it had some explorers fighting off an alien, it's the Mongoose edition (Which has some extra chapters on robots, mechs, and societies).

[Dog Quixote]

Personally, I recommend T. Foster's posts at Dragonsfoot and The Knights & Knaves Alehouse (though I decline to recommend that forum in general). His posts are often treated as TL;DR by other contributors but he writes nonetheless with earnest diligence as if expecting, some day, that someone will write his gaming biography.

Here for example is the spine of Foster's posts from DF.
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&author_id=240&start=3225

You know I actually wasted time following that link.  The first three pages consisted of out of context posts off no longer than two lines.  If that's TL;DR, I'd hate to see what the usual post is.

Really providing links like this is a complete waste of everyone's time unless you find some way to separate the gems from the swill.

[The Butcher]

So you think SwoN is worth picking up? I saw it at my FGLS. Got more info, like how exactly is it like Dnd? Do you need S&W?

No, you don't need S&W.

SWN appropriates the TSR-era D&D class-and-level structure, boils it down to three SF-appropriate class (Warrior, Expert, Psychic) and tacks on a Travelleresque, 2d6-roll-high skill system, which players acquire by choosing Background and Training skill packages. These are not random, sadly, but I'm sure the enterprising ref can whip out random Background and Training table for each class in a pinch.

Also there's a built-in setting, complete with a wealth of material on setting up your spacefaring sandbox. And plenty of great PDF support, complete with

It does much of what Traveller sets out to do, using a very streamlined TSR-era D&D engine with a few easily manageable add-ons.

I want to play a Traveller game badly because, during my short-lived Mongoose Traveller game, I learned to love Traveller for what it is. SWN feels much easier to use; however, I can't help but feel that at least some of the hard SF flavor that comes with Traveller's crunch is lot in SWN's Traveller-to-D&D translation.

Totally worth it in my book.

[Elfdart]

What fuckwittery is this?  Popularity contests?  Did you run out of things to troll about on tBP?

Ran out of sock puppet accounts at Dragonsfoot, more likely. Kent, here's a hint:

Since you are the only one who uses the death mask of Immanuel Kant as his avatar, it kinda gives you away when you use that same image for your sock puppet accounts.

[Elfdart]

This whole thread just gives old school a bad name and to me is a none too subtle jab at a couple of people that are regulars on this site. Who cares though, I'm just a girl and Middle School myself.

To talk brass tacks Kent, this thread makes you look like an elitist in the worst definition of the term. I sense serious sour grapes at the root of this.

You're selling him way too short. Kent is fairly talented troll who, when he puts his mind to it, can stir up a shitstorm in a heartbeat. Check out his DF thread about female characters: It's a masterpiece of trolling!

See, Kent writes as though he takes his own bullshit VERY seriously, which makes it that much more hilarious when people take the bait. He also has a subtle, layered approach to trolling. For example, singling out an all-around fuckwit like T.Foster as an exemplar of informative posting is pretty clever because curious readers will go check out some of his threads and realize too late that (a) T.Foster is a witless moron whose contributions to D&D discussion consists almost entirely of wishing he could be Gary Gygax's footstool, trying to play backseat moderator (and Grand Poohbah of All Things By-the-Book AD&D) and crazed horseshit like his infamous "David 'Zeb' Cook" IS TEH LIURRRRRR!" thread; and (b) that Kent was just fucking with them.

If only Kent could think of new avatars, his career as a troll could truly blossom!

[Benoist]

You got to give it to the OP here itself: it's not a bad approach to trolling, when you're unaware of Kent's antecedents, that is.

[ggroy]

Mistwell and the RpgPundit.  :rant:

:rolleyes:

[Panjumanju]

Ran out of sock puppet accounts at Dragonsfoot, more likely. Kent, here's a hint:

Since you are the only one who uses the death mask of Immanuel Kant as his avatar, it kinda gives you away when you use that same image for your sock puppet accounts.

Elfdart, I enjoy when you make an accusation against someone because of how fitting your avatar is. I derive a childish joy imagining your avatar pointing finger forward, eyes wide and exclaiming "J'accuse"!

//Panjumanju

[Marleycat]

No, you don't need S&W.

SWN appropriates the TSR-era D&D class-and-level structure, boils it down to three SF-appropriate class (Warrior, Expert, Psychic) and tacks on a Travelleresque, 2d6-roll-high skill system, which players acquire by choosing Background and Training skill packages. These are not random, sadly, but I'm sure the enterprising ref can whip out random Background and Training table for each class in a pinch.

Also there's a built-in setting, complete with a wealth of material on setting up your spacefaring sandbox. And plenty of great PDF support, complete with

It does much of what Traveller sets out to do, using a very streamlined TSR-era D&D engine with a few easily manageable add-ons.

I want to play a Traveller game badly because, during my short-lived Mongoose Traveller game, I learned to love Traveller for what it is. SWN feels much easier to use; however, I can't help but feel that at least some of the hard SF flavor that comes with Traveller's crunch is lot in SWN's Traveller-to-D&D translation.

Totally worth it in my book.

Thanks for the info both you and Ladybird.  As an aside it was the one with a starfield. I will definitely look at it again it seems it fits my style.

[DestroyYouAlot]

The obvious answer is Richard / Blue Light / Blue Blaster / Arlo
phasedoor / elemental awe, AKA Richard Stincer.

For a summary:
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=27509

A couple examples:

http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/search.php?author_id=3120&sr=posts
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/search.php?author_id=869&sr=posts

You could almost smell the smoke coming out of Gary's ears when Richard would pester him about one insane edge case or another.

This is elementalawe; one of the reasons I'm TN-aligned in real life is because I like balance and reasonability. The answer to which is the proper deity for archcleric Hazen is easy. Just analyze the portfolios of each god and analyze what Hazen is doing as a cleric. For me as a character in real life and in the game, I like St. Cuthbert because St. Cuthbert's alignment is LN(LG) and LN(LG) is the same as TN--or is it? In the 1979 1st. edit. DMG where the section about alignment is, it is printed that the remaining 'gray' areas of the outer planes where alignments shade in to each other are areas with inhabitants who generally have the same world view as the inhabitants of the material planes. Does that mean St. Cuthbert's alignment of LN(LG) is the same as having no set alignment or the same as TN because TN means having no set alignment?

Finally, I have figured out what alignments my TSR 1E AD&D rpg character can be. In my signature below, I put TN and NG as a shorthand way of saying: LG, NG, CG, CN and TN, CN and CG, CN and NG, LN and TN, LN and LG, or LN and NG. TN and NG is the average alignment or general alignment for all of those alignments. If I am CN or LN, it has to be with TN, NG, CG, or LG. Which deities are CN or LN with those tendencies and with residences on the outer planes of CN or LN?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Fiasco]

The obvious answer is Richard / Blue Light / Blue Blaster / Arlo
phasedoor / elemental awe, AKA Richard Stincer.

Wow that brings back Memories!

Was he a master troll or just genuinely unhinged? I prefer to think the latter.

[_kent_]

We are not getting many solid recommendations here. Am I the only one who prefers to browse away from the front page of a forum using searches and so on?

If only Kent could think of new avatars, his career as a troll could truly blossom!

Not a troll. When you are banned from a forum you can't use the same name, no-one can use that name, so you have to choose a new one. If I could I would use 'Kent' all the time.

Since you are the only one who uses the death mask of Immanuel Kant as his avatar, it kinda gives you away when you use that same image for your sock puppet accounts.

It's Beethoven. Kant was a good guess I suppose.

My understanding is that a 'sock-puppet' is when you have more than one account [1] at the same time, and [2] the sock-puppets give each other phony support.

Ive never had two accounts at the same time on a forum. Ive never referred to any of my previous incarnations on a forum. I think 'sock-puppetry' is cowardly.

I certainly don't mind offending people. I don't think 'being offended' counts for Jack.

You got to give it to the OP here itself: it's not a bad approach to trolling, when you're unaware of Kent's antecedents, that is.

The OP is sincere and you know it is because I imagine you have much the same view.

[The Butcher]

Thanks for the info both you and Ladybird.  As an aside it was the one with a starfield. I will definitely look at it again it seems it fits my style.

For some weird reason, the Mongoose print version has a trite picture of an armored soldier fighting a bug-eyed monstruous alien, instead of the beautiful, simple and evocative galaxy we see in the cover of the PDF version.

Download the free PDF, and make sure you don't miss out on the excellent free supplements too (I will use the Red Sangha on a Traveller game some day).

[Ladybird]

For some weird reason, the Mongoose print version has a trite picture of an armored soldier fighting a bug-eyed monstruous alien, instead of the beautiful, simple and evocative galaxy we see in the cover of the PDF version.

Download the free PDF, and make sure you don't miss out on the excellent free supplements too (I will use the Red Sangha on a Traveller game some day).

The interior art is better reproduced in the Mongoose hardcopy, as well as the extra content, but you'd only notice if you put them side-to-side (Although, my starfield copy was printed by rpgnow's UK printers, I don't know how good their US ones are). Crawford's explanation for the monster cover is that he was advised it would help the game sell better in stores; I do think the starfield looks more striking, but if a redesigned cover helps it in the mass market, so be it.