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King Con and Other Things

It’s been a while since I’ve updated this blog. A lot has happened since my last post. First, Two Kings Games business. As most of you can tell, we’re trying to get a local gaming convention started here in the MIddle Georgia area. We’ve dubbed it King Con to go along with our name “Two Kings Games”. As you’re reading this, you may or may not know that we’ve actually had a Kickstarter to try and raise funds for the convention. It failed.

That might seem like a bad thing, but strangely enough, it hasn’t been. Since the initial Kickstarter failure, we’ve been seeing more and more interest in King Con. My only guess to why this is, is that our first Kickstarter was much like one of those first conventions that always seem really rocky. It’s almost as though we were given a pass on that and allowed to start at our second convention.

Since our failed Kickstarter I’ve had a number of people approach me with events that they want to run at the convention. Because of this, the King Con effort will not just end quietly. We’ve started a new Kickstarter and added in the details for all these great events, which include a Magic tournament, a Heroclix tournament, a WarHammer 40k tournament, a HeroScape tournament and a Settlers of Catan tournament. This is not to mention, that two well-liked board game groups have volunteered to run our board game tables. We’ve even signed on a guest of honor to come game with us during the con. With all of this new support I don’t see how we can fail now.

I have to admit, with all the work going into the convention, there hasn’t been a lot of time spent on the D4: Basic development. It’s not a dead project by any means, but there has been a large gap in production. I do plan on having a nice looking, full fledged demo of D4 at King Con for people to try out.

I’ve also started running Gamma World 1E at Heroes & Villains (the local gaming store here in Warner Robins). It’s been a fun and different ride. This is the first time I’ve ran any version of Gamma World and it took me a little time to get the hang of it completely. My biggest pitfall was that since I have so many players who played a miutant (probably upwards to about 12) that almost every major mutant power is owned by someone in the group. Another tough thing that I battle with, is that I have 2 players with the “giant” power. It’s hard to keep in mind how this effects things such as surprising and how NPCs would react to these giant players.

One thing I liked about the system was the whole “discovering artifact” mechanic. I think it’s a neat mechanic and a wonderful idea. The only beef I have are those stinking little charts are so hard to use, especially in the book. Because of this I came up with my own system. I feel that it does a good job at capturing the randomness of the old system and uses a simple enough mechanic that you can use it without looking back into the book.

Here’s a download link.

What dost the future hold?

Welcome back traveler. Long time no see. Sit down and let us talk a while. A rousing conversation with an old friend is good for the heart and helps strengthen the soul. A lot has changed since we last had a chat.

Let us discuss the Hero Guide you will soon hold in your hands. Last we talked, I had passed you information that is no longer viable. The Two Kings have converged. and in their council have decided that the tome you will use to bring heroes into being will not be on a system in which you expend points.

Instead, as you will see, it will be quite the opposite! Instead, the rulings used to fabricate our lands' champions will mostly be a random affair! The decisions of the Two Kings were not taken lightly for they understand that the balance of all that is known is at stake.

Some jongleurs might have you believe that the Kings' reason for this change is due to the process of picking and choosing the qualities of a hero might prove to be a lengthy affair, and they might be right! But I know the more fuller truth. As it is known, the Kings believe that whisking a hero into being should be viewed as part of the game itself, not a pastime to be loathed in a dark damp corner while sitting in a stuffy lonesome room. The Kings are also wise enough to realize that by leaving adventurers of the land's attributes to fate and not to overly calculated decisions will not only make the whole affair as quick as a frightened hare, but will turn every die roll into an exciting happening.

Oh the fun that will be had as bands of freshly made heroes are pitted against a dungeon of tricks, traps, and evil wizards!

But this is not the main point I wish to convey to you this eve. Oh no, not at all.

Another decree has be declared by the Kings, in the way of heroes.

Two skills not normally ranked among those viewed as general, have been inscribed to be so.

Sense Magic & Sense Good/Evil

So do you think our Kings mad? Well that may be, but listen to their reasons before throwing such harsh judgements. Just as not every hero will be created equal, not every hero will begin with all the vast skills. One must choose what to practice and earn proficiency, for a hero can not do ALL earthly things well. So one must chose to have a heightened innate sense of deciding if magical properties are about or the extra sense of being able to determine if the being before the hero is of maligned or benevolent nature.

And even then, success is not guaranteed!

Oh, I've grown tired old friend. I must rest, for these bones are ages old and my head swims with mead. But I leave you with this. A portrait found deep within the Crypts of the Unclean. They say that not a single ounce of treasure was left in the deep crypts, the only thing found was this...

Cheers old friend.

Now, THIS is D4! - Thanks to the Game Hermit

Everyone here at Two Kings Games has spent the last 3 hours of their life watching and excitedly chatting back and forth, like the bunch of gaming nerds we are, over something really exciting shown to us by a fellow D4: Basic enthusiast. Jack Berberette, better know as the Game Hermit, after getting his hands on the D4: Basic beta set, Referee'd the introduction module--Trouble in Treaton-- with his local gaming group. But he didn't stop there...

As to help promote D4: Basic, he taped the whole session! Not only that, he taped his intro to the game (which I have to say, explains the game to a T) and then follows up the session with a feedback interview with his players.

I can't imagine a better way to relay to everyone what this game is about, how it works, and show the amount of fun a group can have with the system. I personally watched all 4 videos from beginning to end and I didn't stop being entertained the whole time.

Kudos to Jack's group at completing the scenario! (something only 2 other groups alive can claim, since the birth of the scenario).

I have to say that you would be hard pressed to find anything else that fully explains, shows, exemplifies and relates to the viewer exactly what D4: Basic is and what it's all about.

Cheers to Tyler, Sorena, Kat, Pete and of course Jack for a game well played!

Below you'll find the intro video, explaining the game, but I strongly suggest watching the whole series. Not only does it help explain the game, but it is highly entertaining. You can find the whole video series here.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy. Game on!

NOTE: The videos showing the game session include major spoilers, so if you plan on being a player running through the Trouble in Treaton scenario, you might want to skip over the game-play videos.

D4 Hero Guide

So, like I stated on Facebook, I've been brewing up a D4 Hero Guide. There's not much planned for this little guy yet, or where he'll fit into the D4 universe. But essentially it'll allow folks to create their own D4 Heroes.

Some key points.

It's 100% point buy
It doesn't change the core of D4, as in it doesn't add any more mechanics to the game.
It will offer more power spell/power options for players. (Yes, this will probably include healing of some type...)
These spell/power options will be left pretty vague, intentionally, in order to keep the game rules light as possible.

As of right now, the plan is to still release pre-made heroes with scenarios, and to build scenarios with intended heroes. This is done to continue to facilitate the "open and play" mentality.

As it stands the Hero Guide does not offer leveling, but can in an essence offer a way to scale the power of heroes, with hopes that we might be able to match up scenarios to a power scale.

I can really see this as an additional item, sold separately from the core rules and bundled with a booklet of tear away, blank, hero sheets. Although, I'm not sure if it will be cost effective to sell it this way, since the end document probably won't be very long....depending on how descriptive we get with the spells/powers/items/weapons. (Although I can -so- see it as a digest item bundled with the hero sheets and a D4 pencil...maybe even a tool to help you track how many points you've spent so far! Hmmmm.)

Happy Gaming!

Games, Games and Games

Evenin' adventurers. I see you are weary from your travels to the small hamlet named Treaton. Sit down, sit down, tell us your tale. What horrors were lying in wait for you as you entered the abandoned peasant town? What evils were hiding in the shadows behind the small homes of the missing townsfolk?

The first wave of the D4: Basic Beta invites have been sent and it's only a matter of time before the vileness that awaits your group of unsuspecting gamers comes crashing down onto their fragile heroes...and we want to hear about it!

Tell us about your first experiences with D4: Basic and the Trouble in Treaton scenario. Better yet! Even tell us about any homebrew scenarios you might have pushed your friends through. You can brag about your session on our forums here.

You can share on our Facebook or Google+ page as well!

If you look below you'll see a, much requested, "short" snippet of the first online Trouble of Treaton game. The video starts at the last battle that took out the players. Hopefully this will give you an idea of how the game is designed to be ran.

Cheers!

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