Dungeoneer Role-Playing Game

[tldenmark]

...is now available!

http://www.cafepress.com/denmarkstudio.14937601

For those of you not familiar with Dungeoneer, it is an xcg (expandable card game - not collectable!) licensed by Atlas Games. As the creator, designer, & artist I own the rights to the intellectual property so I've taken my design notes and expanded them into a self-published role-playing game.

The gist of the game is that each player creates a "deck" that represents all the things their character can do. This deck can be a physical deck made of cards, or a numbered list on their character sheet (so cards are not necessary).

The "dungeonlord" (referee, game master, storyteller, etc.) creates a deck that represents the adventure. Actually the dungeonlord makes 3 decks: map, quest, and peril. The peril deck is divided into three "grades": heroic, epic, and legendary, to keep the adventure challenging as the characters become more powerful. Again these decks can be made of physical cards or on a numbered list (except quests have to be at least written on pieces of scratch paper to be handed out to the players).

The fantasy world itself is standard fair. There are some creative elements to the world, but it certainly falls under the category of Tolkein fantasy.

The game is played competitively with the player's building their characters to beat the adventure, and the dungeonlord building the adventure to beat the characters. It can be played as a standard role-playing game though (albeit with an unusual format with the decks and all).

I'm looking forward to discussing the game here, and particularly with those who playtest the game. This is the first edition and so will have quite a few warts to file off.


Thanks!
Thomas Denmark
http://www.denmarkstudio.com

[Paul Czege]

Hey Thomas,

I'm looking forward to discussing the game here, and particularly with those who playtest the game. This is the first edition and so will have quite a few warts to file off.

How much playtesting has it had so far?

Paul

[tldenmark]

Hey Thomas,
How much playtesting has it had so far?
Paul

Hey Paul,

It has had a lot of playtesting. It's pretty solid. Where I foresee the most issues is in communication of some of the information, you know things that could be spelled out more clearly.


td

[Paul Czege]

Cool.

Thanks,

Paul

[ethan_greer]

Are cards a necessity for the dungeonlord, or can they just use lists like the players?

[tldenmark]

Are cards a necessity for the dungeonlord, or can they just use lists like the players?

Cards are not necessary, but they are a useful prop. The character sheets and dungeonlord sheets have a system for listing a "deck" that can simply be rolled for rather than drawing a card.

Cards are only necessary for quests (the missions the characters must complete). But these can simply be written on post-it notes or scraps of paper and handed out to the players.


td

[greyorm]

Thomas,

I'm looking at Dungeoneer right now and am very interested in it. I'll be running down to our new local comic & game shop to see if they have any sets in.

Regarding the RPG you've made alongside it, is the book illustrated, or not? I ask as the Cafe-press description gives no details about the internal contents of the book.

[tldenmark]

Thomas,
Regarding the RPG you've made alongside it, is the book illustrated, or not? I ask as the Cafe-press description gives no details about the internal contents of the book.

Good point. I've updated the listing to mention that the interior is black & white and illustrated. Though it is not heavilly illustrated.


td

[Hudson Shock]

I'm very interested in the idea that this can be used for a tradional rpg.  Can you elaborate a bit on how that would work?  How much freedom do the players have to wander off of the "plot" (if there is one)?  Given the name of the game, "Dungeoneering", can it support games outside of the dungeon, such as the occassional political intrigue or exploration of unknown wildernesses?

[tldenmark]

Given the name of the game, "Dungeoneering", can it support games outside of the dungeon, such as the occassional political intrigue or exploration of unknown wildernesses?

The primary focus is the classic dungeon crawl. But by expanding the definition of dungeon crawl to mean "any set of limited options" it allows the game to venture into the wilderness and into urban areas.

There are three "modes" that the game may be played in, and these are defined by how you use the maps in the game.

Tactical requires a strict adherence to the rules. It is almost boardgame like in it's limited choices. This is the game at it's most "crunchiness", or as they may say here on the Forge "gamist".

Abstract is the most like traditional role-playing. There is no strict adherence to keeping to a map, the game is played purely for fun. In this mode the mechanics of the game become little more than a story device to say "yes you succeed" or "no you fail" at a task. Though it is quite interesting to use the cards in this capacity I think, as it gives the players a limited number of mechanical options. Of course they would still have an unlimited number of role-playing options.

Strategic is the awkward blend of Tactical and Abstract. I would say this is where most d20 players are in terms of how they play D&D.

Opportunities for political intrigue and the like are not very prevelant, it's just not that kind of game. This is a "make the coolest character I can" game. What I've done is created the tools for the gamemaster to join in the fun with a "make the coolest adventure I can" aspect. If there is any real innovation its in treating the adventure making the way most RPG's treat character creation.

td

[greyorm]

Good point. I've updated the listing to mention that the interior is black & white and illustrated. Though it is not heavilly illustrated.

Thanks for the info, Thomas! I wanted to know as I enjoy your art work a great deal, so any illustrations in the book are bonus for me.

[Hudson Shock]

The primary focus is the classic dungeon crawl. But by expanding the definition of dungeon crawl to mean "any set of limited options" it allows the game to venture into the wilderness and into urban areas.

-snip-

Opportunities for political intrigue and the like are not very prevelant, it's just not that kind of game. This is a "make the coolest character I can" game. What I've done is created the tools for the gamemaster to join in the fun with a "make the coolest adventure I can" aspect. If there is any real innovation its in treating the adventure making the way most RPG's treat character creation.

td

Thanks for the clarification.

[Callan S.]

Hi Thomas,

How do you go about describing the tactical, abstract and strategic modes of play? How much space and if you use examples of play? I think this is where a lot of past RPG's have been lacking, so as to clarify either the method of play the RPG should be used for, or what modes you can play it in and how to get the whole group on the same track.

[tldenmark]

Hi Thomas,

How do you go about describing the tactical, abstract and strategic modes of play? How much space and if you use examples of play? I think this is where a lot of past RPG's have been lacking, so as to clarify either the method of play the RPG should be used for, or what modes you can play it in and how to get the whole group on the same track.

Well, really not a lot of space is devoted to it. It's in the Maps and Mapping section which takes up little more than a page of description (though there are a little over 4 pages of actual maps to use in the game).

I'm working on some documents that will be free adventures and characters to support the game that can be downloaded from my site.  They are nearly done. These will give more concrete examples step by step of how to play the game. So if you get the game you'll be getting a lot more for your money than just the book itself.

td

[Callan S.]

Hi Thomas,

How do you go about describing the tactical, abstract and strategic modes of play? How much space and if you use examples of play? I think this is where a lot of past RPG's have been lacking, so as to clarify either the method of play the RPG should be used for, or what modes you can play it in and how to get the whole group on the same track.

Well, really not a lot of space is devoted to it. It's in the Maps and Mapping section which takes up little more than a page of description (though there are a little over 4 pages of actual maps to use in the game).

I think it might be a good idea to pimp it more. I mean, a lot of games devote some space up front just on how to roll dice, because it's pivotal (even though eveyone knows it).

I'd say this bit is even more pivotal than how to roll dice.

I'm working on some documents that will be free adventures and characters to support the game that can be downloaded from my site.  They are nearly done. These will give more concrete examples step by step of how to play the game. So if you get the game you'll be getting a lot more for your money than just the book itself.

td

Good idea, but make sure you pimp the support. I think when your holding the book as a potential customer, its easy to forget about the extra stuff you also get from the authors website (you just think about what you do have in your hands right now). So heavy reminding would be good, IMO.