Acaeum Wiki

Posts: 995 · Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 1:23 am

Hey does anyone know if the author Allen Hammack is spelt:

Allan Hammack or
Allen Hammack

I have come across two cases of the first version and two cases of the second version. He wrrote some articles in the early Dragons.

Posts: 995 · Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 1:52 am

Here is another. Can anyone confirm if Glenn Rahman and G. Arthur Rahman are one and the same. I assume they are but it would be nice to have confirmation to be sure.

Posts: 597 · Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:59 am

HermitFromPluto wrote:

Hey does anyone know if the author Allen Hammack is spelt:

Allan Hammack or
Allen Hammack

I have come across two cases of the first version and two cases of the second version. He wrrote some articles in the early Dragons.

"Allan" with an A.

Foul

Posts: 995 · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 2:17 am

Thanks Foul! There are lots of name spelling variations in those early issues of Dragon. It is a bit of a challenge to figure some of them out.

Posts: 8 · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 2:27 pm

Hey, I noticed we have Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror genre categories, but I couldn't find Humour. I have been adding to Comedy instead until we have something solid. I didn't use Humour because then we have to argue over how it's spelled but Comedy is the same.

As well, are we going to have a systems category like we have a games category or just have both all in the games category?

K

Posts: 995 · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:21 pm

Kersus wrote:

Hey, I noticed we have Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror genre categories, but I couldn't find Humour. I have been adding to Comedy instead until we have something solid. I didn't use Humour because then we have to argue over how it's spelled but Comedy is the same.

As well, are we going to have a systems category like we have a games category or just have both all in the games category?

K

We had started a 'genre' classification system when we first starting setting the Wiki up, but decided to wait until there were more items on the Wiki before putting it on the front page. You are correct that so far there are only Fantasy, SciFi and Horror genres at this stage, but we will need more. Comedy / Humour for sure. We will likely also need: Western, Comic book heroes and Espionage as well. Suggestions are welcome. If we agree on a broad genre classification system before implementing it, it will reduce the need for time-consuming adjustements later on.

Concerning systems, maybe others can jump in and offer suggestions. I have always been focussed on older games. A feature of RPGs in the 90s and beyond seems to be RPGs revolving around system as opposed to 'game' per se. I'd be interested in other peoples thoughts on this. It does tend to complicate classification.

Posts: 8 · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:11 pm

It may not matter alot, but even the old WEG games were based on respective systems like the D6 system or Masterbook system. It gets a little whacky with them as they tended to modify their system for the game a bit more than other Universal systems.

Mythus would have been a good example if other Dangerous Journeys games had been put out.

All the different Palladium games?

The best example is likely all the Tri-Stat dX games from Guardians of Order. They are all Tri-Stat, but each a different game. BESM, Heaven & Earth, Silver Age Sentinels, etc... So each is part of the Tri-Stat system, but each has their own series of books. Although some are one-shot books too.

As quick Q, I haven't been adding any until I new, but what about OSRIC modules and that type of game book? I've left them all out of my uploads so far until i knew you wanted them in the mix.

This is a great wiki!

K

Posts: 995 · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:45 am

That is the great thing about the wiki is we can keep tweaking the way we categorise and link products. And it is so quick and easy to navigate around.

I must confess, I am not familiar with OSRIC modules, can you elaborate a little? I rarely buy new games, so do not have much post-Heroic Worlds RPG knowledge.

Posts: 995 · Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 5:35 am

Update on 'Dungeon' on the Wiki.

Hi everyone. I have put the majority of issues #1 to #60 on the Wiki. I am missing #3, 4, 5, 48, 55 and 56. If anyone can put these in (or have some to sell me!) go ahead. I have just a smattering of the remaining issues between #61 and #150 (including #137 to #150), which I will put up in due course.

I am by no means a 'Dungeon' expert - I think that hat fits badmike better than me, so I have a few questions:

1. Is there a point where all the adventures become Second Edition? Through the 20's and 30's, it seems to state explicitly whether it is for Second Edition or not. After a while it is no longer mentioned, so in later issues, I have been signifying 2nd edition if it referred to a 2nd edition book or used terms like warrior and wizard instead of fighter and magic-user.

2. I assume I have the inserts right, but it is of course possible that I have 'new' looking magazines that are missing extras such as maps and pull-outs. Feel free to check what has been put up against your own collections and point out or correct any errors.

3. I have a question about Mystara. As I understand it, the realm of Mystara is the original setting from basic D&D, which in earlier mags seems to be referred to as the 'Known World'. Should all D&D adventures set in these realms be linked to Mystara?

Feel free to jump in and correct a mistake if you see one. The periodicals seem to have many variations of authors names.

Posts: 8 · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:02 am

HermitFromPluto wrote:

I must confess, I am not familiar with OSRIC modules, can you elaborate a little?

OSRIC was an RPG rules system made from the OGL to allow for the publishing of AD&D 1e modules again commercially. So, they're 1e, but they're officially OSRIC as a system/game and OSRIC does differ slightly from AD&D for legal reasons. I'm not the expert on it, but that's the gist of it as I understand it. There are other similar games with commercially available product like Labrynth Lord (BD&D), GORE(BRP), etc... Some are brand new games like Mutant Future and Sorcery & Swordplay. A quick search on lulu for OSRIC will show you what I mean. Some of these are in distribution as well like the XRP OSRIC modules I bought at my FLAGS.

K

Posts: 995 · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 4:41 am

One more question. Do the OSRIC modules require ownership of AD&D1E sets to play or is there a master/rules book?

Posts: 3191 · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:35 am

HermitFromPluto wrote:

One more question. Do the OSRIC modules require ownership of AD&D1E sets to play or is there a master/rules book?

You can get the book for free online, or I think they have it in print now. Google it and you should easily find it.

ShaneG.

Posts: 995 · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 7:58 am

Thanks for the info and links. I've read up on OSRIC now and I think if we put it on the wiki it should be under its own game category. As OSRIC itself never refers expressly to AD&D1E, I think we should not categorise it under AD&D1E, but write in the description article how it originated and how the two are linked.

Posts: 4545 · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 10:38 am

Kersus wrote:

OSRIC was an RPG rules system made from the OGL to allow for the publishing of AD&D 1e modules again commercially. So, they're 1e, but they're officially OSRIC as a system/game and OSRIC does differ slightly from AD&D for legal reasons. I'm not the expert on it, but that's the gist of it as I understand it. There are other similar games with commercially available product like Labrynth Lord (BD&D), GORE(BRP), etc... Some are brand new games like Mutant Future and Sorcery & Swordplay. A quick search on lulu for OSRIC will show you what I mean. Some of these are in distribution as well like the XRP OSRIC modules I bought at my FLAGS.

K

And what is now interesting is that people play "OSRIC" rules driven games, when it was just fashioned as a means of writing 1E adventures and never intended as a actual-use rules system. But a lot of people like it because it's organized well, distills 1E down to it's core, easy to use, and it's FREE...you can print out copies and email them out or hand them out instead of everyone having to dig out or buy old rulebooks.

Labyrinth Lord, in comparison, is it's own rules system, although it is geared more towards BD&D than 1E. However, LL is meant to be used as a rules system AND a way to write BD&D adventures. I have a lot of fondness for the retro clones, they are easy to use (actually easier than the original rulebooks) and lots of fun. Regardless, it would be nice to have entries for all these.

Mike B.

Posts: 8 · Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2008 10:13 pm

Cool, I have a pile of OSRIC Modules and just wanted to make sure it was okay before I added them. I'm good with it being it's own game as it's rules do slightly differ from 1e. OSRIC 2 is on it's way out soon in print.

There is a whole movement of these retro-clone style games now.

K

Posts: 995 · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 2:03 am

This follows on from my questions on Dungeon magazine above. At some point between issue 80 and 83, D&D 3E is introduced. In Dungeon#83, adventures are referred to as D&D as opposed to AD&D. In that issue one adventure states explicitly it is 3E and the others do not. Are those not explicitly designated as such still AD&D 2nd edition or are they all in fact 3E?

Posts: 4545 · Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 3:35 am

HermitFromPluto wrote:

This follows on from my questions on Dungeon magazine above. At some point between issue 80 and 83, D&D 3E is introduced. In Dungeon#83, adventures are referred to as D&D as opposed to AD&D. In that issue one adventure states explicitly it is 3E and the others do not. Are those not explicitly designated as such still AD&D 2nd edition or are they all in fact 3E?

Hermit;

The cutoff is pretty straightforward. Starting with Dungeon #82, everything from that point on is 3E, no exceptions, whether it states it or not.

Dungeon #81 contains the last 2E content; everything after that is for D&D 3E.

Mike B.

Posts: 995 · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:44 am

Thanks Mike!

I have a question also about the first issue where Dungeon and Polyhedron were merged, i.e Dungeon 90 and Polyhedron 149.

The Polyhedron parts seems to be entirely a stand alone d20 game called Pulp Heroes. Here is my first attempt at the description:

http://wiki.acaeum.com/wiki/Polyhedron_149

Does anyone know if the authors are real people? It has some ordinary names like Michael and Dirk Chambers, but there is an Archibald McKill and Sir Ian Pensingstoke, which given the tongue-in-cheek character of the issue, seem fictional. If they are pseudonyms, anyone know more about who was behind the design of this issue?

Posts: 995 · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:43 pm

Problem solved. The Paizo website credits just three of the authors: David Noonan, Karl Hammerton and Sylvia Fox-Renard. At this stage I will just credit those three.

Posts: 995 · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:06 am

Hi all,

Just a quick update on Dungeon magazine on the Acaeum Wiki.

http://wiki.acaeum.com/wiki/Category:Dungeon

A total of 83 of the 150 issues have now been put up. I have done most of these, but have no more yet in my collection. I do one day plan to have and read them all, but that may take a while. If anyone wants to jump in and help get the rest of them up you are most welcome to do so. As we have a good template, it is just a matter of copying it and filling in the gaps.