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Old 06-28-2017, 10:02 PM   #61
David L Pulver
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

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Originally Posted by Johnny Angel View Post
Can I post my results from using the random background generator for the first time?
Thanks - I enjoyed reading your writeup, and the story you wove out of the random results.
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Old 06-28-2017, 10:33 PM   #62
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

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Originally Posted by David L Pulver View Post
Thanks - I enjoyed reading your writeup, and the story you wove out of the random results.
It was fun. While not the best thing I've ever written, I'm happy with how it turned out. After having the results from the table to give me a few bullet points, I hashed out the story in about 10 minutes or so. If I were part of a campaign, I would have come up with some specific names for things or asked the DM for some world information to help fill in a few blanks.

I'm happy with the background table. I think it gives enough to provide bullet points to work around. After using it a few times, if someone wanted more variety, I believe the categories for the various rolls are clear enough that a few more entries could be added without much work. Though, in my opinion, the beauty of some of the results being vague is that a lot of variety could come from the same result for two different characters. For example, trying to figure out how Dolgrim's mother was a vampire could have gone a lot of different ways. (I did a random roll to decide which parent was the vampire.)

I also feel as though the background I ended up with creates a few more questions which could be expanded upon later. Why were Dolgrim's parents originally at the desert monastery? How did Dolgrim's father come to be a Swashbuckler? That seems like an unusual career choice which goes against fantasy stereotypes. As a player who randomly tossed together two pop-culture names I was familiar with to create "Qui Chang Picasso," what are some Picasso references I can use as the basis for some cliche martial arts moves in which I shout the names of my strikes? "Stance of the Weeping Woman!" (Maybe I should have gone with Qui Chang van Gogh; Starry Night Punch sounds better.)

I'm aware there are similar rpg supplements and products. For me, the background generator struck a good balance between detail and vagueness without being too light or too intimidating. I have the Central Casting product, which was mentioned earlier in this thread. I think that is a great product, but it may be a bit cumbersome for a new player or a new group... or maybe even for an experienced player who is just looking for a few quick bullet points to give some life to the chunk of numbers and stats that is their character.

I enjoyed the article. Overall, I found the Pyramid issue to be a nice introductory supplement for Dungeon Fantasy.
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Old 06-28-2017, 10:47 PM   #63
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

I played in a game where I the GM insisted on players using Central Casting, I found it nearly unbearable, and I generally prefer to fill in background as needed in play, YMMV, of course.
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Old 06-29-2017, 12:48 AM   #64
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

I did something similar in one of my games, working with the players ahead of time to get a more fleshed out character by asking a lot of questions about their past. Talking about specific events from their past and how they dealt with them.

It worked well for some of the players, but some hated it, one specifically mentioning that he, like sir_pudding, preferred to grow the character in play.
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Old 06-29-2017, 09:21 AM   #65
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

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Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
I played in a game where I the GM insisted on players using Central Casting, I found it nearly unbearable, and I generally prefer to fill in background as needed in play, YMMV, of course.
Oh, as a player, I agree. The one time I had someone proposing such a campaign I refused to join in part based on that. As a GM, however, I find Central Casting absolutely divine. The big difference is that the GM spends most of his/her time with Table 114B and the rolls resulting from that, while the players have to grab all kinds of things.

The background generator in Pyramid gives more busy backgrounds than Central Casting does for players, at least in fantasy games. In modern games, they're about equal. Truthfully, the first two tables in the Pyramid article, which give your birthplace, are the most handy, as it helps to make everyone from somewhere.
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Old 06-29-2017, 01:44 PM   #66
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

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Originally Posted by tbone View Post
The character form differs by listing thr 1d+2, not 1d+3.
You're right. Thanks for the catch; we'll fix that.

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Originally Posted by Rasputin View Post
The quest system worked better than the background system, which I found had too many weird events for one character. Many of the tables on that could have been changed to, "Roll 1d. On a 1, roll on this table; otherwise, move to the next one."
It's important to take that whole system in the spirit of, "Here's some randomly generated background ideas that you can use if you want to." That's an important caveat; the generator exists to help you flesh out a given character, not to dictate absolutes. So instead of "on a 1, use this table, now on a 1, use that table," it should be "roll on all of these tables, then pick whatever seems cool and right for you."

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Originally Posted by joncarryer View Post
Birthday today, and Pyramid has given me a wonderful birthday present, of sitting here working my way through the solo adventure with my seven-y-o daughter. Haven't finished yet, but it was a special moment hearing her run upstairs at bed-time yelling "Mummy, we just defeated two swords, that were flying through the air by MAGIC!!!!!!"
That is easily the most wonderful thing I have heard all week. :)
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Old 06-29-2017, 10:48 PM   #67
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

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Originally Posted by Johnny Angel View Post
I'm aware there are similar rpg supplements and products. For me, the background generator struck a good balance between detail and vagueness without being too light or too intimidating.
Thanks! I agree with your point on the virtues of leaving some results a little ambiguous.

I've seen Central Casting, but it was a bit too detailed for my taste.

My own generator was designed deliberately to be somewhat over-the-top to fit the high-point Dungeon Fantasy mode. My players did use it in my Valley of Swords campaign, and the published version is fairly close to what was used in actual play, with the exception of the monster tables being modified to better fit the specific mix in DF boxed set.
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Old 07-14-2017, 01:05 PM   #68
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

I just pushed out an update to this issue. To forestall the inevitable questions: The only changes were to the character sheet on p. 16: damage was tweaked (as spotted by tbone earler), and I added "lbs." at the end of the encumbrance lines (since that might make a bit more sense to newbies).
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Old 07-14-2017, 01:10 PM   #69
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

Awesome. Thanks!
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Old 07-14-2017, 01:37 PM   #70
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Default Re: Pyramid #3/104: Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game

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Originally Posted by Steven Marsh View Post
I just pushed out an update to this issue. To forestall the inevitable questions: The only changes were to the character sheet on p. 16: damage was tweaked (as spotted by tbone earler), and I added "lbs." at the end of the encumbrance lines (since that might make a bit more sense to newbies).
Thanks for updating, and thanks for letting us know what's in the update.
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