December 26, 2017: The Fantasy Trip Returns Home

[David L Pulver]

Originally Posted by JLV

Frankly, I think that describes what I would want in an ideal world as well. Steve has the opportunity to tweak the system now, and it would be a shame to "waste" it, but massive re-writes wouldn't be either necessary or desirable IMHO. So count my vote for the above, as well!

Why not do something like THE OGRE BOOK that included fiction, variants, and optional rules (past or updated) and scenarios from SJ and a variety of authors?

Or even do one of these every so often as a "TFT Annual" - keeps the system "pure" in the sense of the original game, but provides a venue for variants, options, and Cidri material.

I love the clean design of the original TFT system, but agree that some of SJ's rules that made into GURPS would be a nice fit for TFT.

* A parry/defense mechanism, so the Grey Mouser can survive against Fafhrd. (I like the GURPS-inspired "half adjusted DX/2 + 3").

* Some sort of energy battery rule for mages so they don't have to be high ST. Power stones, storing energy in staves, making magical energy a separate pool equal to ST + IQ/2, whatever...

Both of these are useful for genre emulation; I'd like to see something like this at least as an official option...

[pyratejohn]

Originally Posted by David L Pulver

* Some sort of energy battery rule for mages so they don't have to be high ST. Power stones, storing energy in staves, making magical energy a separate pool equal to ST + IQ/2, whatever...

There is one of these on page 34 of Advanced Wizard - the Strength Battery.

[stefanj]

I like the idea of an Annual. Tightly curated. Adventures, variants, maps, counters, monsters.

I really like the idea of keeping TFT light and tight. Expand it with material, not complexity.

[ColBosch]

Originally Posted by stefanj

I like the idea of an Annual. Tightly curated. Adventures, variants, maps, counters, monsters.

I really like the idea of keeping TFT light and tight. Expand it with material, not complexity.

Agreed on both counts! Keep the crunch to a minimum.

[dar]

The cardboard heroes and the counters have a style and aesthetic all their own. Including bellbottoms! Please please capture that aesthetic in 3D!

[Steve Jackson]

I don't suppose that anyone actually knows where Pat Hidy is?

I understand that Roger Stine passed away some years ago.

[JLV]

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

I don't suppose that anyone actually knows where Pat Hidy is?

I understand that Roger Stine passed away some years ago.

My Google-Fu skills are not grand master level, but there is a Pat Hidy associated with the Texas Vietnam Veterans who helped inaugurate the Texas Vietnam Vet's memorial in August of this year. The newspaper article describing it was in the Copperas Cove newspaper (near Austin), so I'm guessing there is at least a possibility that it's either him or a relative. (Austinites do seem to stay there -- God knows I would have too, could I have done so; however the military decided my skills were needed elsewhere and I've never had the opportunity to go back...)

I also note there are quite a few folks named "Hidy" who are artists out there!

[Steve Jackson]

Originally Posted by JLV

...there is a Pat Hidy associated with the Texas Vietnam Veterans

Well spotted, that man. It is indeed he, and we're chatting. I let him know the fans would like to see the old team back together!

[pyratejohn]

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

Well spotted, that man. It is indeed he, and we're chatting. I let him know the fans would like to see the old team back together!

That is excellent news! I can't wait to see what direction this takes. His art is some of the best from the early era of rpgs, as good as Trampier's, and to see it again, and hopefully some new art too, would be a dream come true.

[stefanj]

This is the first Gaming Thing I've read in 2018.

Picturing Steve Like rogue visiting old adventurers holed up on remote farms, summoning them to go on one more dungeon raid.