Layout For TFT 2nd (3rd?) Edition

[Jpot]

Has anyone looked at ShadowDark yet? I happened to finally look at it via several pictures of the interior and I must say:

It has an extraordinarily simple arrangement, with a font that is extremely clear and readability looked high. Additionally, the writing appeared to be very succinct, distilling every description down to just what is necessary. Spells were a few sentences long if that, clear parameters, same for monsters. Tables for random generation looked easy to implement.

I would offer that it is even more concise and organized than HOW (TFT variant during the dark ages).
DCG accomplished this distilled version of TFT to a degree, but sadly not in book form which would require more meat.

It made me yearn for such an edition for our beloved TFT and its easy and sensible mechanics. I'd be satisfied with a retro-feel B& W color scheme as well. Same size as the current rulebook. I'm not overly fond of digest-size offerings, but will take it if I must as in HOW.

Thanks for listening.

[amenditman]

I liked the original small size of Melee and Wizard in the baggies.

Had to have the full size when we got to ITL though.

[Shostak]

ITL would benefit from a thorough editing with the goal of increased clarity and better organization. As it is, finding information sometimes requires looking in places that one would not intuit as the location.

[hcobb]

It won't ever be up to me, but I'd just switch to GURPS Cidri for better playtested mechanics. There's lots of edge cases where balance is achieved through reading in all sorts of dimly lit corners where the players have a perfect plan until the slime drops down on them.

[Jpot]

Henry TFT seems to be your jam...would you really leave it behind and embrace GURPS?

I have always had the idea that TFT should have been marketed as "Entry Way to GURPS"

I mean everyone is always weighing in on how to best introduce GURPS to new players. The answer is The Fantasy Trip.

Like D&D and Advanced D&D in those heady days of Huey Lewis and the News.

I have imagined it might have helped this way...when Steve brought out Man to Man it was the "Melee" of GURPS as I see it so...
A national push to run Melee tourneys and games nationwide could have preceded the launch of the TFT Kickstarter, and Steve could have done a different layout and organized ITL at that time. Although he likely wanted to see his favorite creation in old school form. And I don't blame him.

[stefanj]

What Anthony & Jpot said.


I've rattled on about this before.


I think a Munchkin box sized set could be the way to go. Larger but not Letter sized books, lots of room for white space and diagrams and pull-out boxes and such.

[Bill_in_IN]

Even though it was originally a pain to have ITL, Advanced Melee, and Advanced Wizard as separate books, I used to navigate them well. I think that when they were combined into one ITL, some well-placed edits could have helped with info transition, redundancy, and coverage gaps.

[hcobb]

Tempted to distill a page of readings that I can point players to who think that there are no counters to the Flingers or other such issues where I walk them through how all the various bits interact. (And my reading of unclear text.)