Monday, December 8, 2014

Winding Down The Year: Fading Fantasy, Starting Up Science Fiction

Shift from Fantasy RPGs


Perhaps it's because I'm actually playing in a D&D campaign now, I'm kind of winding down my rules forays into fantasy RPGs. I do like picking at rules systems from the point of view of playing, but it's very different from the usual Armchair Gamer approach of distance and theoretical play.

So, I think I'll just practice that offline for a while, though I'll probably still schedule the play summaries for posting for those following the Isle Imperium and Echoes posts.

Shift to Science Fiction RPGs


In its place, I'll be focusing more on Science Fiction RPGs (and maybe some Science Fantasy -- the line gets blurry, you know) when I find the time to post. No shortage of RPGs there, and I do have some loose ends in my blog concerning this genre, after all.

BUT WAIT: Fantasy Settings


Interestingly enough, there is no shortage of settings that I'd like to begin exploring with D&D 5E or perhaps some of the other options out there.

There's Calidar: In Stranger Skies, by Bruce Heard. Some promising options there for a colonized world with flying ships and an old school setting feel. Lots of great maps, great art, and great source material for a fantasy romp.

There's Uresia: Grave of Heaven, by S. John Ross, which I picked up in the recent Indie Bundle of Holding and have been skimming through and enjoying.

There's A Red & Pleasant Land by Zak S., whose general premise I've kind of grokked through various posts on his famous / infamous blog, but have been intrigued and excited by in my initial skims.

Last but not least, Arrows of Indra by the RPGPundit. Hopeful for an RPG and setting that will open up more ideas on dealing with other cultures in the fantasy realm -- but I'll be looking largely at the setting stuff rather than the rules. And trying to extract parallels with Spears of the Dawn by the machine that is Kevin Crawford.

So, let's see how all this planned blogging works out.