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| #1gv_dammerungSep 19, 2005 15:41:45 | As some of you are aware, I am working on a “map” of all of Oerth’s parallel worlds and definable interconnections between the parallels. In this way, I set about reading the Codex of Erde over the weekend. That no one part with their hard earned dollars needlessly, please allow me to opine that the Codex of Erde is, IMO, the single worst fantasy setting I have ever encountered. Its chief drawback, among a number, is its utter lack of respect for its reader’s intelligence. It is “fantasy” at perhaps its lowest ebb, a mishmash of historical names set down helter-skelter amidst the laughably defined and atrociously mapped geography with no rhyme nor reason, developed in trite detail and set against an elementary background and laugh out loud gods and godlings. Perhaps, this sort of conglomeration passes for a fantasy setting in backwoods Arkansas (home of Troll Lords, the publishers of the Codex of Erde), where readers may yet not be acquainted with either actual history or descent fantasy literature. Any well read audience will, however, find the Codex of Erde nothing short of appallingly bad or, charitably, trite. The Codex of Erde reads like D&D written by Larry the Cable Guy. I have in mind Erde as something of a sump in the Oerthly multiverse, an “underverse,” if you will. |
| #2zombiegleemaxSep 19, 2005 19:49:09 | As some of you are aware, I am working on a “map” of all of Oerth’s parallel worlds and definable interconnections between the parallels. In this way, I set about reading the Codex of Erde over the weekend. Your posts are the best, here and at Canonfire. Please, take no prisoners and just tell us what you really think! Okay, so Erde is terrible, but do you think Castles and Crusades has any merit as a quick-play system? I have an idea brewing in my head of late that goes something like this: My group of seven plays weekly, but it is rare that we can play every week, as there is always one knucklehead among us who can't make it for one reason or other. It seems we play about 2 or 3 times per month. Largely, we are opposed to carrying on with the campaign when the group is not whole. All the characters are high level (ranging L10 - 16). So what do the rest of us do on these off-nights? We play RISK. We have sophisticated the system with many house rules, and we usually have fun when we play it, but lately, it's been a stale substitute for DnD, so when one guy cancels, we usually don't get together. I was beginning to think of a simple side campaign that would have us running Castles & Crusades for these off-weeks. Why C&C? Quick character creation, quick rules, fast play, fast drama. I don't know that it would be a worthy substitute to any 3/3.5 gamers, but for a quick fix when your group can't all make it, I think it may be fun. GVD (or anyone else) -- Any thoughts on C&C? Beer! --Ghul |
| #3gv_dammerungSep 19, 2005 21:55:51 | Quick character creation, quick rules, fast play, fast drama. I don't know that it would be a worthy substitute to any 3/3.5 gamers, but for a quick fix when your group can't all make it, I think it may be fun. I honestly don't know enough about C&C to venture an opinion. I was given a "starter" set at Gencon (little white booklets) but I have not yet had time to read through them or try to run the game. Any game that is vaguely d20 _and_ which can speed up play, however, grabs my interest as I find 3X a huge time consumer for the DM. IMO, that is the greatest drawback of 3X. The monsters and NPCs get terribly complicated and take much more time to put together from scratch. If C&C can speed up 3X, more power to it. I will look forward to reading the starter books. PS - I've got nothing against Troll Lords. I have a number of their titles that I like. Unfortunately, the Codex of Erde is not one of them. |