Free RPG Day

[mntnjeff]

A couple quick questions about the Free RPG Day that's coming up soon...

1. Will the wonky dice ship w/ the package? Or is the person running the game expected to have them at hand?

2. I've heard mention of two modules (0 and 5th level) but just recently Joseph said "the module", indicating one? Not that it's a big deal at all, just curious.

3. Will the rules be available prior to the event? If not, how is a demo game to be run on the specific day if the GM is not passing familiar w/ the rules?

I'm looking forward to the release though! Fun times...

[GnomeBoy]

Should I take a stab at this...?

• I think the pdf of the beta rules are going to be out near to when Free RPG Day happens. But I don't think you're expected to run/play a game on FRPGD. That's just the day they want to get you in stores and pick up "the module".

• "The module" contains two short adventures.

• I don't think they're including dice with any iteration of the game (so far). Like batteries, dice are not included (but are available elsewhere).

[mshensley]

• I don't think they're including dice with any iteration of the game (so far). Like batteries, dice are not included (but are available elsewhere).

I still think this will be the single biggest obstacle in convincing people to play this game. Hardly anyone has all the dice necessary and they are relatively expensive and troublesome to get. Somebody needs to convince an online store to put together a packaged set pronto.

[smathis]

I still think this will be the single biggest obstacle in convincing people to play this game. Hardly anyone has all the dice necessary and they are relatively expensive and troublesome to get. Somebody needs to convince an online store to put together a packaged set pronto.

I agree that this will be an obstacle. But not that great of one, IMO. Regular dice can still be used. For everything except the d30, IIRC.

d3: everyone should already know a way to do this
d5: roll d6, ignore 6s.
d7: roll d8, ignore 8s
d14: roll d20, ignore 15+
d16: roll d20, ignore 17+
d24: roll d12 and a d6. If the d6 is an odd number, add 12 to the result of the d12.

Goodman Games packaging a full set of dice and offering them for sale at a reasonable price would be a huge benefit for the game. But it's not like the WFRP3 dice which, while cool, are really only applicable to WFRP3. Plus a player can get by with one set of DCC dice. A player would reasonably need 2, possibly 3, sets of WFRP3 dice.

Sure, not the most convenient route. But no worse, IMO, than trying to track down (or improvise) Fudge dice.

[mshensley]

Sure, not the most convenient route. But no worse, IMO, than trying to track down (or improvise) Fudge dice.

And that's one of the main reasons I've never bothered to try Fudge.

[GnomeBoy]

Alternately, the d7 is the only one you would 'need' to make things 'simple'*:

d5 = 1d10 halved
d14 = 1d7 and a control die (low/high)
d16 = 1d8 and a control die (low/high)
d24 = 1d8 and a d6 control die (base/+8/+16)
d30 = 1d10 and a d6 control die (base/+10/+20)

That's pretty much my plan to start off. It's been a long time since I used a control die regularly, but since I did it for about a decade, I think it'll come back to me...



* Yes, I consider rolling a control die simple.

[finarvyn]

Alternately, the d7 is the only one you would 'need' to make things 'simple'*:

d5 = 1d10 halved
d14 = 1d7 and a control die (low/high)
d16 = 1d8 and a control die (low/high)
d24 = 1d8 and a d6 control die (base/+8/+16)
d30 = 1d10 and a d6 control die (base/+10/+20)

That's pretty much my plan to start off. It's been a long time since I used a control die regularly, but since I did it for about a decade, I think it'll come back to me...

* Yes, I consider rolling a control die simple.

That's what I did at first. The game runs quickly with control dice or with the actual dice sizes. I don't think our game was any less fun without funky dice.

[jmucchiello]

Sure, not the most convenient route. But no worse, IMO, than trying to track down (or improvise) Fudge dice.

And that's one of the main reasons I've never bothered to try Fudge.

You can't do 1-2 = -1, 3-4 = 0, 5-6 = +1 of 4 dice just by looking at them? Actual Fudge dice are entirely unnecessary for playing Fudge.

[mshensley]

You can't do 1-2 = -1, 3-4 = 0, 5-6 = +1 of 4 dice just by looking at them? Actual Fudge dice are entirely unnecessary for playing Fudge.

I know but it would bug my gaming OCD tendencies.

[goodmangames]

1. Will the wonky dice ship w/ the package? Or is the person running the game expected to have them at hand?

Here's a quote from page 6:

Funky Dice

This game utilizes polyhedrons of unusual shapes. Specifically, it utilizes the standard suite of dice, as well as what the author refers to as “Zocchi dice.” As an experienced gamer, you undoubtedly own a d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20. DCC RPG also makes use of Zocchi dice in the following configurations: d3, d5, d7, d14, d16, d24, and d30. Later this year you will be able to purchase these dice from Goodman Games. For now, you can purchase from your local game store (ask them to special order if they do not already stock them), and from http://www.gamestation.net, http://www.chessex.com, and http://www.koplowgames.com (as well as other select internet sites).

It is easy to substitute for the “funky dice” with a regular dice set. For a d3, roll 1d6 and divide by two. For a d7, roll 1d8 and re-roll on an 8. For d14 or d16, roll d20 and ignore rolls above the die-facing threshold. For d24, roll 1d12 and 1d6; if the 6-sider is odd, double the 1d12 roll. And so on.

2. I've heard mention of two modules (0 and 5th level) but just recently Joseph said "the module", indicating one? Not that it's a big deal at all, just curious.

Packed into a mere 16 pages are an intro to the game, a level 0 adventure, a level 5 adventure, and a ton of great art! Huzzah for the days of thin modules!

3. Will the rules be available prior to the event? If not, how is a demo game to be run on the specific day if the GM is not passing familiar w/ the rules?

The rules will be released digitally by Free RPG Day or sooner. It's a race to the finish! Look for the beta rules on http://www.goodman-games.com sometime before Free RPG Day...

Hope that helps.

[Stainless]

The rules will be released digitally by Free RPG Day or sooner.

Music to my ears! Fingers crossed.

[Hamel™]

You can't do 1-2 = -1, 3-4 = 0, 5-6 = +1 of 4 dice just by looking at them? Actual Fudge dice are entirely unnecessary for playing Fudge.

You can also use a black marker to turn a d6 into a Fudge Die, without messing your mind:
- join dots on '4' and '6' faces to make a square for '0'
- draw a diagonal line on '1' and '2' faces to make a '-'
- draw a X on '3' and '5' faces to make a '+'

[mshensley]

You can't do 1-2 = -1, 3-4 = 0, 5-6 = +1 of 4 dice just by looking at them? Actual Fudge dice are entirely unnecessary for playing Fudge.

You can also use a black marker to turn a d6 into a Fudge Die, without messing your mind:
- join dots on '4' and '6' faces to make a square for '0'
- draw a diagonal line on '1' and '2' faces to make a '-'
- draw a X on '3' and '5' faces to make a '+'

I actually prefer the way that some FATE games are doing it without Fudge dice.

d6-d6

It's not the same range, but it's pretty close to being the same. I prefer that it's more random and doesn't need special dice. Also, it's a system that is very Traveller compatible.

[mshensley]

I'm really hoping that someone other than gamescience will make the dice needed for this game too. I like my nice shiny dice with rounded edges, thank you very much. If nothing else, can't GS make a d7 that matches the look of their other dice?

[smathis]

It is easy to substitute for the “funky dice” with a regular dice set. For a d3, roll 1d6 and divide by two. For a d7, roll 1d8 and re-roll on an 8. For d14 or d16, roll d20 and ignore rolls above the die-facing threshold. For d24, roll 1d12 and 1d6; if the 6-sider is odd, double the 1d12 roll. And so on.

Of note on the bit bolded above... "doubling" the d12 roll won't work. You need to add 12 to the d12 roll if the 6-sider is odd.

Otherwise, instead of a 13 and 14, you'll get a 2 and a 4 -- which are already available on the regular d12.

Just something to keep in mind.

[smathis]

I actually prefer the way that some FATE games are doing it without Fudge dice.

d6-d6

It's not the same range, but it's pretty close to being the same. I prefer that it's more random and doesn't need special dice. Also, it's a system that is very Traveller compatible.

I prefer that as well for Fate.

I was just pointing out that the hassle of the non-standard die-sizes was equivalent to the hassle of Fudge dice -- either making your own with a marker and regular "pip" six-siders or using an alternate system with standard dice or finding them and buying them (which can sometimes be hard to do and/or expensive).

That's a turn-off for some, to be sure, but I think the issue will be mitigated if Goodman Games can make these extra dice affordable and fairly easy to acquire.

[finarvyn]

I'm really hoping that someone other than gamescience will make the dice needed for this game too. I like my nice shiny dice with rounded edges, thank you very much. If nothing else, can't GS make a d7 that matches the look of their other dice?

Yeah, I wondered about that. You can pick black or white d7's and they have strange colored dots. Somehow, that particular configuration doesn't match my other poly dice sets.

I'm looking forward to the day that we can buy d3, d4, d5, d7, d8, d10, d12, d14, d16, d20, d24, d30 all in one single high-quallity dice set and with the same color scheme. Sigh.

[Stainless]

Warning!

The Koplow URL in Joseph's post above takes you to a spam site. I believe the REAL URL is http://www.koplowgames.com/

Jospeh, you might want to fix that text before the beta rules are sent out!

[mshensley]

Warning!

The Koplow URL in Joseph's post above takes you to a spam site. I believe the REAL URL is http://www.koplowgames.com/

Jospeh, you might want to fix that text before the beta rules are sent out!

Also, they don't sell their stuff on their site.

[mshensley]

I'm really hoping that someone other than gamescience will make the dice needed for this game too. I like my nice shiny dice with rounded edges, thank you very much. If nothing else, can't GS make a d7 that matches the look of their other dice?

Yeah, I wondered about that. You can pick black or white d7's and they have strange colored dots. Somehow, that particular configuration doesn't match my other poly dice sets.

I'm looking forward to the day that we can buy d3, d4, d5, d7, d8, d10, d12, d14, d16, d20, d24, d30 all in one single high-quallity dice set and with the same color scheme. Sigh.

You can get an almost complete set like this (except for the d7 and d30)-

http://www.amazon.com/GameScience-Ameth ... B002JYD2V4

Expensive though.

[mshensley]

What is the deal with the letters on their d3?

[mshensley]

Yeah, I wondered about that. You can pick black or white d7's and they have strange colored dots. Somehow, that particular configuration doesn't match my other poly dice sets.

Yeah, those d7's are really fugly.

[goodmangames]

What is the deal with the letters on their d3?

Paper, Scissors, Rock. For the truly dice-addicted, who would prefer to roll a die over using your hands.

Some of the older Gamescience d14's also had the days of the week printed on them, above the numbers, once for 1-7 and once for 8-14. Just in case you ever needed to randomly determine a day to do your shopping!

[goodmangames]

Good catch on the Koplow URL - thanks. Unfortunately the book's already gone to press but I'll correct it for the digital version.

[mntnjeff]

Ordered the dice about a month ago, so I'm set on that front. No, I'm not a dice "nut". I don't have a shopping cart full of the things...But this game is gonna be cool. I'm invested.

I suppose the reason I asked about the rules was that I'd love to run a game at the local shop. I had such a wonderful experience at Genghis Con that I'd love to share. I think people will really warm to this game. Well, some will, some won't. But hey, I'd like to give them a first hand glimpse into the coolness that's coming in November.

But that doesn't sound like it's going to be possible. Bummer.