Articles tagged with: RPG

Lately I'm a bit bored of just playing games, I miss a bit doing something more creative. I also miss my miniatures. So when I learned about a new game, Talespire, that allowed you to setup and play "boardgame" scenarios as if you had real painted miniatures (with amazing graphics), I wanted to give it a try.

I learned about the game by a blog post, once it was already available at Steam (it's in Early Access), but researching for this post I found that it comes from a successful Kickstarter. Both sources are a good starting point, but check the Steam early access trailer to see why I fell in love with it:

You easily add tiles, walls, props (furniture, decoration) and entities (human-controllable miniatures, NPCs and monsters), save it (everything works online), and then can play, alone or with friends (no AI, though), in a turn-based fashion. It struck me both as how simple it appeared, and really is, you decide how far you want to go adding detail. But the visuals are incredible, it really looks as if you had real high-quality painted miniatures. The die roll realistically, music and sound effects help immerse, and special effects and "atmospheric controls" (time of day, weather, and other visual and lighting conditions) allow to create the perfect setting no matter if you are exploring dark sewers, a dungeon or a mountain on a sunny day.

I encourage anyone interested to read the terminology guide and the player's guide to properly understand what you can (and can't) do. For example, the combat system is as good as many normal computer RPGs, with 4 stats, combat resolution, initiative-based turns and other tweaks, but it is not Dungeons & Dragons. I find it a great balance between a not-totally-freeform game engine (like Vassal) and Baldur's Gate.

Oh, and remember what I mentioned before about the Kickstarter campaign? You should check it out as it hints of things to come later, like character editing (at minimum changing the colors), or a Cyberpunk/sci-fi setting which looks as amazing as the main medieval one (and exactly what I thought, "I'd love to have a Cyberpunk 2020 equivalent!").

This is an example screenshot I took exploring an amazing castle uphill I downloaded from the community:

This was my first experiment, a small tavern made in a few minutes just after finishing the (in-game) tutorials:

And my last screenshot is a work in progress of a bigger experiment, a HeroQuest board. Need to learn to play with tile sizes to see if I can keep corridors same size as the original, while having cool walls and room dispositions, but still I think end up quite similar:

Of course the game is meant to be played with other people, but for now, to me it is a great way to relax assembling maps. I can pick any map from an adventure, or even cool randomly generated maps. Having your friends purchase the game to be able to play the campaigns can be a handicap, but the game is cheap, way less than any boardgame these days.

Before I finish, I wanted to also share a few great resources for inspiration and maps:

• Tales Tavern: Official website, acting both as a hub of player-created content, news, and tutorials (see next point)
• Tales Tavern Training Grounds: An official list of resources
• TaleSpire reddit: All things related with the game, from news to newest creations by people.

Publication date: 2021-05-01

When I backed Shadowrun Returns at Kickstarter nearing a year ago I did it based on pure faith. SR was a game I read about when I was young but never had the chance to play. I now have the third edition book + companion so at least I can read and learn specific rules, but in general I love the aesthetics of this futuristic fantasy world and was curious about how the computer videogame might result.

Well, the first screens and "alpha gameplay" footage is here, and I can't be happier.

In the video we see conversation options, skill points assignment, combat and exploration modes (the first turn-based, the second realtime). It also has the "old school CRPGs" isometric view, but with hi-res graphics and what looks to be a simple but powerful user interface.

And best of all, the level editor is going to come with the PC version!

I love how the whole game is being done: open and transparent communication with backers, frequent updates, early screenshots and even videos, and no desire to get greedy; As they already have quite some money, even non-backers will get a nice RPG that will feature near-endless hours of fun due to the editor.

Publication date: 2013-03-09

CD Projekt RED, creators of The Witcher videogames (quite good RPGs that respect all the lore of the books) have just released a small trailer of their next game, Cyberpunk 2077 (+ wikipedia link, not much info yet, though).

From the trailer description:

Welcome to the year 2077.

The teaser shows how the Psycho Squad might acquire a new member.

The Psycho Squad specializes in combating "psychos" -- individuals who overuse implants and substances that boost or otherwise alter the human body.

There comes a point when they overdose on these innovations, and their bodies start to rebel against their biological body parts as well as all things organic around them. Simply put, they start killing people, who they now derisively call "meatbags."

When a psycho goes on the rampage, strange things can happen. There's carnage, and the psycho might be taken down by regular police, but they're not always able to get the job done.

When things spin out of control, they call in MAX-TAC (Maximum Force Tactical Division), popularly called the Psycho Squad.

And the cool trailer:

I can't wait for the game, Cyberpunk 2020 was my first approach to the futuristic cyborg setting (along with Blade Runner).

I actually have some miniatures painted from long long ago, a dozen characters depicting from gang members and private security mercs to policemen, hackers and executives:

Update: The teaser making of. Awesome level of detail...

Publication date: 2013-01-11

I am around 10 projects backed on kickstarter already, and not all of them are RPG related, but at the time of writing this post, you still have 52 hours to get an incredible deal.

Reaper miniatures is doing a "Bones" kickstarter: For 100$ (+25$ for international shipping), you get the "vampire level" which right now amasses around 150 200 miniatures, including heroes, monsters, futuristinc minis, "fire" and translucid special minis, townsfolk, elfs, dwarves, goblins...

Just count, is less than 1$ per mini, and believe me, the quality is really high and most look really amazing.

And then, if you want, for increases of 10-15$, you can get optional packs with huge minis like dragons (all sorts of them), giant skeletons, ettins, drows, giants, demons, even Cthulhu mythos monsters!

I couldn't resist having the Ettin and Drow extra packs, and I'm seriously thinking about Dragons or daemons, but even the basic pack is incredibly cheap for the stuff you get.

At the kickstarter page you can check the full lists, I won't link them because the image is already huge and constantly changing (the total pledges are coming near 1.9 million dollars!).

If you like fantasy miniatures, either for painting or for any fantasy game (Descent, DnD or any similar one) you should really take a look. But do it fast before the kickstarter ends!

Publication date: 2012-08-23

Kickstarter.com is a nice fresh idea: You present a project, define what it will be, show some concept art, sketches or a video of somebody explaining it, and you define pledges and associated rewards. A simple pledge can be a copy of the new RPG book, or a copy plus t-shirt, or even being included in the book as a NPC!
Then you get funds directly from buyers, and they get their pledge when you finish. Is amazingly simply yet brilliant, and what I love most is t hat you no longer need middle-companies or distributors, so you get mor profit and less restrictions.

While there are some really cool projects about physical RPGs, custom dice or new expansions/modules for existing games, two computer RPGs have all my attention (and now a bit of my money ;)

Shadowrun Returns & Wasteland 2.

If you are a pen&paper RPG player and old enough, chances are high you at least have seen, read about or played Shadowrun. But if not, there is a nice 87 free PDF "primer" at the authors' website.

And about the original Wasteland... Let's just say that the original computer game was the inspiration for the Fallout series.

I'm pretty sure more cool games will appear, but this two ones are looking really promising.

Bonus: Legend of Grimrock has just been released a few days ago. The game is a tribute to the legendary Dungeon Master, and from a few hours of play I can say it's recommend for all old school CRPG lovers.

Publication date: 2012-04-14