Hi, I’m Flyp, and I’m a Gamer.
Or at least I used to be. Now that I can drive and get into bars, my gaming hours have been cut drastically. And actually, I had a hard time suspending my disbelief enough to play most roleplaying games; I’ve mostly played wargames (like Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000) and CCGs (like Magic:the Gathering and Legend of the Five Rings). Still, I cut my teeth on Dungeons and Dragons, and fantasy/science fiction games still hold a place in my heart.
I know we’ve had threads were we reminisced about our favorite D&D characters, but what I want here is more of a profile of what types of games you play(ed), with the occasional anecdote thrown in. John Corrado’s response to my post in the Paranoia thread got me thinking about this, so here’s my list:
1.Paranoia-this is one of the few RPGs that I could actually get into, probably because it’s so goddam funny. The PCs play genetically-engineered people in a huge industrial complex that is completely shut off from the outside world. A sentient but paranoid Computer oversees the complex, called Alpha Complex, and it demands utter loyalty from the PCs (and everyone else in Alpha Complex). However, there’s a bureaucracy that would boggle the mind in place in Alpha Complex, and between its endless forms and the machinations of the other people in the complex, the characters are almost constantly under suspicion of being Commie Mutant Traitors. And of course, Commie Mutant Traitors are executed on the spot. Each character starts the game with 6 clones; the average lifespan of those clones combined is generally about three game sessions (if the game’s being run right).
2.H.O.L-gotta love any game whose name stands for Human Occupied Landfill. That and the range modfier chart has categories like Really Not Far; Not Far, Really; Really Far; and Really Really Far. Oh, and there’s the skills, like Comprehension Through Pugiliation and That Psycho Bruce Lee Shit. And the Sodomy Bikers, ultimate antagonists.
3.Magic:the Gathering-a great card game when it started, but the rules they’ve heaped on it have sucked most of the fun out of it. Still, it’s one of the few ways gamers can actually make money in their hobby; Wizards of the Coast sponsors a series of Pro and Semi-Pro tours with purses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Plus, the cards were a good investment; I hope to sell my collection sometime soon, with an opening price in the $2K mark.
4.Legend of the Five Rings-another collectible card game. This one’s rules make a little more sense and the storylines behind it are awesome, which probably explains why the adolescents who flock to M:tG won’t touch it. It’s not everyday a player can actually effect changes in the storyline of the games they play. L5R does it regularly, with storyline tournaments where the cards in the player’s decks and the interactions during the games have a direct and powerful influence on the game’s future. I highly reccommend this game.
5.Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000-strategic wargames. The rules have been tested and changed about 6 times for both games, but they seem to get more streamlined each time. Rules aside, the miniatures are the highest quality on the market, and the support network Games Workshop has put in place is amazing.
Okay, I’m done. Now you guys.
This game kept me on the edge of my seat with the eerie setting and wierd noises. It also made me freak out quite a few times when something came out of nowhere to assault me. Very good premise continuing the storyline of the first System Shock, which was also very good.
