um. it's rather lonely out here. a bit cold, as well. given the circumstances - this being a new set of boards and all - i'm thinking maybe this thread could be a place to (re)introduce ourselves, the collected DS Boards loiterers. i'll go first.
Hi, i'm Ajakutty. my first DnD playing experience was with Dark Sun, and it's still my favorite fantasy setting. i'm here because after all these years, i'm a full-blown Dark Sun addict...and because i'm trying to start DMing a DS campaign soon...
hi to all.
Hello, my name is Corey . . . and I'm an alcoholic. Oops. Wrong introduction. Heh, Dark Sun just plain old kicks majorly serious buttocks. Unique settings have always appealed to me far more than generic, run of the mill copy-cat settings. Granted, I enjoyed my time in Greyhawk and Dragonlance, even a brief stint becomming a diabolical tyrant in Birthright; but of the old TSR Dark Sun and Planescape were my ultimate favorites due mostly to the individuality that each setting possesed. Other games and or settings that I found myself drawn to were Call of Cthulhu by Chaoism (for the variety of ways to scare the life out of overly macho juveniles, especially after the release of Delta Green), Shadow World from Iron Crown Enterprises (for the bizarre and ecletic mix of typical high fantasy, post apacalyptic science fiction, and grim and gritty low fantasy), Skyrealms of Jorune from Chessex (for being an interesting take on post colonization science fiction and unique depth, even if the rules were sheer garbage), Rifts from Palladium Books (for the overwealming amount of information, background, and depth that Kevin Siembieda can cram onto each and every page; plus, there's nothing like hopping into a few S.A.M.A.S and going out to destroy hapless little villagers), Shadowrun from FASA Corperation (for mostly the same reasons as Rifts, but in SR it was bug hunting), and Earthdawn from FASA as well (once again giving credit to depth, uniqueness, flavor, presenting a fine mix of fantasy and horror elements, and for having the game communities coolest trolls ever created). I started gaming in 6th grade in Germany, back in 87' and have almost exclusively been a DM since that time.
Well, that about sums up my addiction. My personal RPG collection has spawned over 3 large full sized bookshelves and is still growing, including all but 2 Dark Sun books (Austiclean Gambit and Valley of Dust and Fire if anyone is interested in selling their copies . . . hint, hint).
I have played multiple systems including, Rogue Swords (favorite magic system of all time!), Star Wars 2e, Shadowrun, D&D2e, D&D Basic, D&D 3e, Vampire the Masquerade, Aliens (combat system was total crap), Werewolf the Apocalypse, Rifts, GURPS, and Rollmaster.
Have also played Magic the Gathering, Rage, and whatever the Vampire the Masquerade card game was called.
Started playing DS around 93-94 era, and started DMing not long after that. DS is my favorite setting, but I also like and/or have played FR, Greyhawk, SpellJammer, Mystara (Basic), Ravenloft (another fave, like combining it with DS), Planescape, and multiple homebrew worlds.
It took me a year to get on the athas.org team and I am happy to be on it. Started designing things here and there to get their attention once I knew of DS3e. Currently I am working on the Terrors of Athas, a monster accessory for DS3e. I also have plans for a Villichi accessory as well as an accessory detailing the ruins of Athas, as well as a few other things.
I look forward to continuing to develop as much as I can for athas.org and helping the fans out as much as I can.
P.S. I look forward to playing or running some DL3e games!
Kamelion here (although I'll answer to Mark just as readily...) I'm a newbie on the boards here, although I've been running D&D games since 1983, from White Box to 3e. Also played a host of other systems (a list would be too long, but the top 3 game systems ever for me have to be Torg, Mage and Chivalry & Sorcery).
OK - I'm kidding about C&S (just what colour were my grandmother's eyes again?)
I'm a father, writer and work in the field of international humanitarian law and can't get enough of the DS setting. Ecological disaster, ethnic cleansing, corrupt authorities, tyrannical overlords - sounds like a regular day at the office!
I think there is something quite special about the online DS community and it's great to find myself a part of it. Looking forward to watching the crimson sun rise over the gaming world once again....
I started playing in '86 with a friend named Wayne, while his older brother, Wade, DMed. In '91 I started DMing for the world of Ravenloft. Since then I ran a few Forgotten Realms games, but my main stay has been a home brewed world consisting of real world myths and legends.
Since I started DMing one of my goals was to familiarize as many people as I can to our stange little hobby. So far I've been fortunate to pull just over 40 people in. Of the ones that still live in the area, all but three of them still play irregularly.
Dark Sun will always hold a special place in my heart, though. The last year my first, and favorite, DM ran games for us he DMed solely in Dark Sun.
I'm also a game developer/designer, who attempts to mix the best elements of each system I've played while minimalizing the worst elements. I've played many of the computer RPG's (which I cannot rightly call Roleplaying Games, they focus on character development and not on roleplaying, plus are pretty straight-forward and don't allow for you to deviate from their storylines), helped write the text input interface for the DIKU MUD system (the MUD that was royally ripped off by Verant Interactive [now SOE] in their game EverQuest), as well as helped clean the code (bugfix) the EnvyMUD system that was based off of DIKU. Using all my past experience with games, both pencil & paper as well as computer, I hope to eventually release my own game (code-named "M.O.R.E.") which will be released with 4 unique and different worlds for players to play on, similar to MMORPGs, however the game allows for much more freedom of choice & allows the players to really make a difference in the game.
When it comes to Dark Sun, I really love running games in that desolate world, pitting my players against overqhelming odds (which does cause a pretty steep character death rate if they aren't careful). I do have my own set of PDF's I have been making for DS3E, organized how I'd like them, however I use copyrighted graphics, and thus cannot simply hand them out without annoying legal issues to deal with.
Originally posted by xlorepdarkhelm
Paranoia RPG (1st, 2nd & 5th Ed),
Hehe, Paranoia. I played that a few times, can't remember what edition it was though. Fun game.
23 year old male DM, loves RPGs, watching the Dark Sun rise and taking long walks across sandy beaches and wastes. Seeks companionship on Athas, the internet, and elsewhere...
:p
Just kidding, though most of it is true. I'm also a humanities teacher (History, Geography, Economics) and English teacher at the highschool level in Québec. I loved Dark Sun the moment it came out. It became MY world, though I am officially the DM of my group on almost any setting (Mostly FR and Greyhawk), and I have been for 10 years (I started playing with 3 members of that group when I was 12, and started D&D when I was 10). Like many of you, we've played with a bunch of settings and systems, the favorites of mine, aside from Dark Sun, being Forgotten Realms, Rokugan (which is a new thing, I've never played L5R...) Shadowrun and MERP (Middle-Earth RPG, I like the decipher version too, and I think their system is great, but would need a balancing revision like D&D had). I've also played a lot with Rolemaster and a re-edition of that system. I've played in a few MMORPGs, but mostly got disgusted by the powergaming of everquest, and discouraged by the difficulty (although still better) in roleplaying in Dark Age of Camelot.
Right now, I'm doing my own conversion of Athas. (as I said, it's MY world, not athas.org's! NAH :p :D just kidding guys!) I just want everything my way (or in way way I 100% approve of...) for that setting.
This summer, I also have to work on my medieval re-enactment stuff. I'm not sure of the English expression for this, but we have "Grandeur Nature" here, which basically means: Life-sized, which are RPGs which you play out in costumes, real armor (question: How many rings do you think you need to made a real chain shirt???*) and foam and PVC weapons (pinches and bruises sometimes, but lots of fun! :D). But the thing is, in August, we have a BIG one here. As in VERY BIG. (question: How many of you have ever been in a 800 medieval and roman soldier convoy escort caught in a valley under attack by a 1300 warrior strong army???)
LOTS of fun!!! :D
Shei-Nad
*Answer: 23 000. Now imagine the time needed to individually link every single one of them. LOTS of fun!!! :D ... or maybe not... ;)
Originally posted by Shei-Nad
This summer, I also have to work on my medieval re-enactment stuff. I'm not sure of the English expression for this, but we have "Grandeur Nature" here, which basically means: Life-sized, which are RPGs which you play out in costumes, real armor (question: How many rings do you think you need to made a real chain shirt???*) and foam and PVC weapons (pinches and bruises sometimes, but lots of fun! :D). But the thing is, in August, we have a BIG one here. As in VERY BIG. (question: How many of you have ever been in a 800 medieval and roman soldier convoy escort caught in a valley under attack by a 1300 warrior strong army???)
I think that might be something like LARPs (Live Action Role-playing) here in the states. There's an anual one in central Wisconsin that usually boasts a decent number of people. Especially considering the closest town only has a population of 2700.
Yeah, I am a math, computer and science teacher in junior grade school (they are around 12 or 13). I am also a gentleman farmer as I have a stable with 16 horses
. Six belong to my girlfriend and me and the others are for $. 
I think I am going to take a picture of the place and put it on my web site so you can have an idea of that. "I" builded the stable with a couple of friend (silly frog is proud of it).I started dnd late, I was around 16 when I first played roleplay game. Mostly everything was in english and since I am far from the big city of the Quebec, not much in english was sold where I lived. We started with darksun and I eventually switched to Greyhawk, rolemaster and shadowrun. BUT I always had a DS campaing running along. I dont have much time on my hand with my job, my barn and the children factory I am trying to open right now with my girlfriend ;) but I find the time to play DS once a week now.
I hope darksun will live long and prospert.
Gamache the silly frog out!
Edit : Btw, I am 29 (seem we are all old gamer here) and last year, I organized a LARP at home (I have a field, a small wood and a stable) that was fun. Maybe I will put some of these so you can have a look
I am 28 yr old tech support drone. I started gaming 2e about 15 yrs ago. In '97, one of my coworkers invited me to his group after seeing me bring in a book (the 2e psionicist handbook no less). I have played FR, DL and planescape, as well as some home done worlds. I have played Mage, hunter, and vampire. I attend a regular Vampire LARP in Galesburg, IL. http://galesburglarp.fateback.com
I tried running a DS campaiugn but Logistics lost out. I am eagerly awaiting DS3e to run. I love the fact is a non magic world and is so grim and gritty.
Originally posted by NytCrawlr
Hehe, Paranoia. I played that a few times, can't remember what edition it was though. Fun game.
It's a great stress-reliever - especially for the GM (the players just have to enjoy the fact that their characters keep getting killed.... over and over again).
then... I've seen in dragon magazine the first ad for dark sun, in a local con I bought everything there was of this setting, and from that time (91 I think) Im hooked.
I believe that it is the best campaign world ever published, the most unique and most realistic...
and the forums and community is the best!!
I'm 27, from Bergen in Norway and was formerly known as jinxter on these boards. I've been playing rpgs for quite some time, but didn't get really hooked untill the Dark Sun campaign was released. It's been my favourite world ever since.
I'm played most of the D&D versions and worlds, but nothing can compare to Dark Sun.
I've also played Cyberpunk, Vampire TM, MWWG (*embarassed cough*), Ars Magicka, MERP, Call of Cthulhu, Shadowrun, Earthdawn, Warhammer, Marvel Superheros and probably a couple others that I can't remember at the moment.
My name is Gonzalo (that's my real name) and I'm 28 years old.
I'm from Lima (Peru) but I've been living in Canada for the last 17 years.
I have played EarthDawn, DarkSun, Forgotten Realms, Starwars d6 and d20, Shadowrun, and lately dnd3e.
Actually, I've never actually played DarkSun, I have always DMed.
I have tried some other RPGs such as Top Secret, Rifts, Robotech, Rune Master (or something like that), but liked none as much as Dark Sun or EarthDawn.
I'm looking forward to DS3E release to start a new campaign.
Also, I would like to translate the Athas.org conversion and other DS documents to FRENCH (I wrote to Grummore and he seemed interested in collaborating with me).
It would be interesting to have the translation posted on the Athas.org site as I don't think I would be allowed to post it anywhere else and there would be a lot of (too much) work involved to translate it for just a dozen players.
Anyway, I'll wait for the final Core document before beginning anything (no sense in translating the wrong rules).
) I started gaming in D&D at 22-23 ( not sure witch) and maybe a year later I began Dming in the Planescape setting (realy bad idea for beginer DMs) and later discovered DS revised ed. I immediatly bought everything with a DS logo. Read all the novels. and now I'm-like you-eager to get my hands on the DS3e full-version. I realy'd like to eventualy participate in a *grandeur nature* but I know how I am and it would cost me a small fortune in equipment ( I hate renting stuff).Thus I play an other kind of grandeur nature called PAINTBALL *IT ROCKS* ( got my own marquer etc
) Even won the Mega war game 2003 (I was in the Japan army-and no I'm not asian, nothing wrong with that either mind you-)My dream is simple: to have my name at the end of: Athas.org/official _novel/e-book/Frederick..../Jihun-Nish, GreenAgeTrilogy
Of course I have other dreams but we are threading DS aspect right!!?
:D so there... next!!
Good-old me tu bring back good-old threads
I've played/GM'd D&D from 1e on. Also played Shadowrun, Rolemaster, Hero System and a tiny bit of Call of Cthulu. Dark Sun is my favorite published system. Mostly we play in "Generic World," though since neither of us are big on world-building.
I'm french speaking and its DS who made me learn english. Strenght of will, and a touch of desperation...
I dredged along (right word?) in the box and books until I got Verdant Passage, then over the course of weeks I got better by an order of magnitude until I burned thru PP4 in an evening and PP5 in the night. I was quite feverish and had to be hospitalised for a while :D
The novels are my verb and the rule books the flesh on my bones (er..hem..or sum such).
I'm now a SF fan (SF, not Sci-Fi, mind you), and have seen X-Files, Star Trek and a dozen other shows over the years and I have DS to thank for it.
Thank you Dark Sun!!!
To think I listened to Fresh Prince of Bel-Air while it ran, wow!, I must just have been a kid then! (Ho, did I tell you I'm glued to my TV, never had a girlfriend and am still a virgin?
)I started RP at the age of 10 (well not exactly RP, but my DM had created some kind of game with pictures and you had to run through an adventure, so yeah RP) The first published game I played was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles RP, wow was that fun!!
Then moved on to Robotech, and finally ended up playing AD&D, first in a generic World, then DL and DS also had a touch of RL, GH and FR, although I know most of the worlds as in most groups I play in I'm called the Librarian, (I own 4/5 of all the books ever published by TSR).
Currently, I DM DL and have been playing DS for the last five years and with another group I also play DL. In Nomine is going to be the next on the list and Discworld is going to start pretty soon.
The only black spot I have in my RP-career and Library is that I don't own RaFoaDK, so if anyone wants to help me in getting me a therapist (this is driving me crazy and I can't find it), please do.