Some Thoughts on Generic RPG Systems

With the release of Beasts and Barbarians, a fantasy supplement from Gramel Publishing, Savage Worlds moved one step closer towards its apparent goal of replacing GURPS as, well, a gurps.  By my count, so far, Savage Worlds has a horror supplement, a couple of fantasy supplements, a superheroic supplement, two versions of Martian high adventure,  science fiction horror, a zombie outbreak supplement and, oh yeah, let’s not forget Deadlands.  While certainly not as comprehensive as Steve Jackson Games GURPs (especially the Third Edition, GURPS Robin Hood anyone?), Savage Worlds is the only print RPG I have seen making use of its core system to expand into other genres, as Chaosium has its Basic Role Playing System but hasn’t expanded it much beyond Call of Cthulhu and, during the last presentation from them I caught, Steve Jackson Games didn’t even mention the fact that they publish what was at one time one of the top selling RPGs.

More on Cthulhu Fluxx

August 17^th Street Date!

LOO-052

Cthulhu Fluxx

$ 16.00 SRP

Follow the wild-eyed Poet, the obsessed Artist, and the expeditions of the Professor, as they investigate Eldritch Secrets no mortal was meant to discover. Someone has stolen the Necronomicon from the library at Miskatonic University, and a Farm in the hills is undergoing a horrifying Metamorphosis. Meanwhile, unspeakable abominations stir in Penguin-riddled Tombs beneath the ice. Are you Inevitably Doomed to a lifetime of Nightmares in the Sanitarium, or are you, in fact, a Secret Cultist, worshiping the Minions of Darkness? Gaze upon the ever- changing face of Madness with Cthulhu Fluxx!

* Developed by noted game designer and Cthulhu guru Keith Baker.
* The Cthulhu mythos has a strong – dare we say – cultish following among gamers.
* NEW “Doom” and “Anti-Doom” symbols on Keepers and Creepers add an element of foreboding that builds tension.
* Lots of Ungoals: opportunities for all players to lose to the forces of evil – unless one of them pulls out a surprise victory as the Secret Cultist!

New 7 Wonders

For those of you who really like Asmodee's 7 Wonders game:

Coming in July!

ASMSEV03

7 Wonders: Cities

$ 29.99 SRP

7 Wonders – Cities is the new extension of the award-winning 7 Wonders game. For an added challenge, you can play all three versions together [7 Wonders, 7 Wonders - Leaders and 7 Wonders – Cities]. Far from the pomp of palaces and gardens, in the darkest alleys, gold changing hands, exchanging information, alliances are formed and secrets are betrayed. This extension provides a new family of cards that complements Ages already existing in 7 Wonders. Now, mercenaries, thieves, spies and diplomats will give a new scale to your cities. Reap the benefits by sowing discord among your opponents, play them off each other and push them into debt.

Features •Ability to play with up to 8 players! •Introducing new “team” play. •New cards, new playing tactics

Brass In August

Back in Stock in August!

EGL101081N

Brass

$ 59.99 SRP

Welcome to Lancashire, England in the 18th Century. The world is about to change from Medieval to Modern. This change will be called the Industrial Revolution. Can you take advantage of this transformation? What’s the best strategy? Build cotton mills? Develop new technologies? Dig canals? Produce coal, or maybe steel? There is no simple answer and the opportunities that arise will be different in each game you play as you move through the Canal and Railway periods, striving to get the best return you can from your investments – hopefully just in time to snatch the next opportunity from under the noses of your rivals. Brass is a logistical game where you make money to make more money. However, you also need to make certain the industries you’re creating are sustainable, which makes Brass unique and endlessly fascinating. Game Components:. Beautifully Illustrated 6-panel Game Board. 4 Counter Sheets. 8 Player Wooden Disks. 66 Cards. 30 Black Coal Cubes. 25 Orange Iron Cubes. 1 Black Marker. 100 Plastic Coins. 12 Distant Market Tiles. 1 Heavily Illustrated Rule Booklet. Plastic Storage B

Cthulhu Fluxx Coming

Follow the wild-eyed Poet, the obsessed Artist, and the expeditions of the Professor as they investigate Eldritch Secrets no mortal was meant to discover. Someone has stolen the Necronomicon from the library at Miskatonic Univeristy, and a Farm in the hills is undergoing a horrifying Metamorphosis. Meanwhile, unspeakable abominations stir in Penguin-riddled Tombs beneath the ice. Are you Inevitably Doomed to a lifetime of Nightmares in the Sanitarium, or are you, in fact, a Secret Cultist, worshiping the Minions of Darkness? Gaze upon the ever-changing face of Madness with Cthulhu Fluxx!

Street Date: August 17, 2012, just in time for GENCON

Our Number 3 RPG

Though the big two, Dungeons & Dragons and the Pathfinder RPS get all the attention, there are a number of second tier RPGs that quietly sell, day in and day out.  At our store, that’s Shadowrun.  Released back in 1989, we’ve carried it since before the store opened, when we used to do conventions and mail order only.  One of the few times I remember seeing a crowd of gamers running  was at GENCON in 1992, when the release of the 2^nd edition of the Shadowrun rules was released. FASA announced only a limited number of copies available at the show. For some reason, I was in the exhibit hall when the doors opened and watched as a couple of hundred excited games ran through the aisles towards the FASA booth, hoping to score a copy of the 2^nd edition rules.  The only other time I have seen that much excitement over a game release was when TSR finally released the Temple Of Elemental Evil  back in 1985.

FCBD and Pre-releases

Well, we made it through another Free Comic Book Day and, due to increased staffing, plus the fact that comics only represented about 8% of our business, I was right.  We could easily have handled the Yu Gi Oh Galactic Overlord Sneak Peek/ pre-release at the same time, much more so than we did the previous weekend when we had to deal with both the Yu Gi Oh Sneak Peek and the Avacyn Restored Pre-release.  Are you listening WOTC?  Konami?  Check out the competition’s schedules and for Pete’s sake, stop with the overlapping.