Art from Hunters Hunted II |
Originally, I had planned to write
an article on either the first session of my current Vampire: The Masquerade Chronicle or to discuss how I
got trapped being the Storyteller/GM whenever I play RPGs. However, I’ve put those aside and this week I’m
going to do some free advertising for Hunters Hunted II for White Wolf, TheOnyx Path, and CCP Games. They’ve
created some of my favorite games and supplements so I figured I’d help them
out with a little free advertising.
I’m
excited that the latest Onyx Path Kickstarter has begun. Hunters Hunted II has been teased for months
now, and I’ve been waiting, rather impatiently, to get my hands on this
book. The original Hunters Hunted was a guide to playing Vampire Hunters in the World of Darkness. It included rules for making mortal hunters without supernatural powers. Hunters Hunted II is an update of that book for V20. As of writing this post at noon on
Jan 26, the Hunters Hunted II Kickstarter is already at 93% of its goal; having
only begun 2 days prior, that’s amazing!
Simon Belmont: Vampire Hunter |
What’s more amazing, to me, is that
this rebirth of White Wolf and Classic World of Darkness is thanks to the fans
who are paying for books in advance. The
fans are funding these projects and with each dollar put towards a Kickstarter,
we have showed our support for our favorite game. This is truly the democratization of role
playing games. I was honestly proud that
I could put my $60 towards Hunters Hunted II knowing that I was able to support
The Onyx Path, CCP, and White Wolf as they publish more and more books. Also, with each stretch goal met during a Kickstarter project, The Onyx Path announces new source books, novels, and extras for players. The more we give them, the more they give back to us!
Currently, I only own copies of
Vampire the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition and The V20
Companion, but I have plans to purchase the other books on DriveThruRPG as soon
as I can afford them. Between myself and
the rest of my gaming group, we’ve purchased 3 copies of V20 in hardback. DriveThruRPG's library of CWoD games is nearly limitless and you can buy games in either pdf format or as a physical book, but that does vary according to title.
Without V20, I wouldn’t be writing
this blog. The resurgence of interest in
Vampire: The Masquerade and other Classic
World of Darkness games has been astonishing.
After years of playing Dungeons and Dragons and Star Wars D20, I am back
to my first system: the system that I
fell in love with during college. What’s
great is that I get to share my enjoyment of CWoD with younger gamers, who
prior to a campaign that I ran last year, had never played Vampire the
Masquerade or any of the other White Wolf games.
Cover to the Original Hunters Hunted |
What I hear most from them is that
they enjoy playing in a game that is socially focused rather than tactically
focused. I have nothing against D&D
or the other D20 games. However, those
games emphasize the tactical & combat elements of RPGs through their use of
grid maps, miniatures, etc. On the other
hand, games like Vampire the Masquerade and Legend of the Five Rings has a
stronger emphasis on the social aspect of character interaction. I have never needed to use a grid map or
miniatures with Vampire the Masquerade, although I do draw some simple maps to
help orient players. I’m not saying that
one style of gaming is wrong, but that I have found that my group doesn’t enjoy
the tactical side of gaming as much.
What I enjoy most as a
Storyteller/GM is that I can create interesting NPCs and stories using Vampire
the Masquerade easier than I have with D&D.
Again, that’s probably due to my preferences for modern games and my
love of the setting and themes of Vampire the Masquerade.
As many of also know, CCP Games, the
makers of EVE Online, has been working on a Classic World of DarknessMMORPG. Currently still in develop and
in early Alpha testing, all indications are good. While I am not following that development
closely, I am excited at the chance to play in a big sandbox MMO where I can
really explore and develop a character.
CCP knows how to run a sandbox MMO.
Cover for Laws of the Night Revised |
Finally,
it was announced that By Night Studios has been awarded the license for Mind’sEye Theatre. That’s great news for
LARPers who have wanted an update to their favorite systems. They will be publishing material related to
Vampire: the Masquerade first and then
branching out into Werewolf and other areas soon after. I assume their first source book will be an update for Laws of the Night, but I'm not sure.
As this resurgence of Classic World
of Darkness continues, let’s remember that we, as fans, support it. We have to continue showing that support
through blogging, going to conventions, buying books, and supporting
Kickstarter Projects. And most
importantly, introduce your gaming group to a Classic World of Darkness
game. Whatever their style of play, you’ll
find a game that suits them.
You can find By Night Studios on Twitter @ByNightStudios
You can find CCP Games on Twitter @CCPGames
You can find The Onyx Path on Twitter @TheOnyxPath
You can find DriveThruRPG on Twitter @DriveThruRPG
Please support the Hunters Hunted II Kickstarter! Every dollar helps.
If you'd like a copy of the original Hunters Hunted, it can be purchased at DriveThruRPG as a pdf, or you can purchase an original printing from Amazon.com
Thank you for your support.
ReplyDeleteJason Andrew
You're welcome
ReplyDelete