The Forge Archives

Hey all.

I was sitting looking at TROS next to a few other games on my "office" shelf just now, and I got to thinking (last time I did that I wrote a game...not good, not good). Why do you play/read/talk about TROS? What pulled you in? Was it experiences in actual play? Was it just the ideas that ran through your head as you read combat/sorcery/Weyrth/Spiritual Attributes? Maybe it was my dashing good looks at GenCon or some Demo I did somewhere...

I'm not trying to get all metaphysical here, but there's a lot of energy and loyalty around here, and I want to understand it. Well, and maybe I want a pick-me-up after this whole Russian Porn Site Fiasco...but who'd admit a thing like that?

Anyway, I just want your honest answers and...well...testimonials. No bitching. Bitch in another thread if you like (please do, actually), but I just want a positive group-hug sort of thing in here for a while. So speak up. Give examples. Be happy. Relive the moments.

Ahh...and we'll all feel better.

Jake

What pulled me in?
I read about the combat system somewhere on the net.
Saw the name that intrigued me.
Logged to the website (that was way before russian porn companies invaded...they will be cut down swiftly I am sure.)

Got the game.
Yes, the combat system was incredible and it brought the excitement of battle back to my games. Curiously however, the amount of fighting in our sessions was cut back a lot. But those few bouts that we have offer more excitement than anything before.

Still more surprising was the spiritual attributes. At last some system to really encourage my players to work towards their goals and beliefs. It is so much easier to make adventures now.

Thank you, Jake.

The thread on RPGnet of course!!! (reeled me in)

When you released your limited edition (or whatever you call it) and the rpg.net thread got started, I had just gotten burned by buying a game I knew nothing about, only on the basis of hype.  I knew it was dumb, but the fanboys seemed nifty, and the setting seemed neat.  Then I bought the game and despised the mechanics with an undying passion.  (Which RPG I'm talking about really is irrelevant, so don't ask.

Then I see the rpg.net thread for TROS.  My first thought was "oh, yay... more silly hype."  Then I noticed the thing that was drawing people in was that the (combat) mechanics were not only usable, but apparently very good.  But I was still hesitant.  What finally pushed me over to buying the game was your commentary, Jake.  Seriously, you did an amazing job of selling your game.  You knew exactly why it was good and could articulate that effective ways.  So, I bought the game.

So, I get it and start reading, and come to the Forge and start participating in discussion here.  Thanks primarily to Valamir and Ron (and a few others), I realized a basic truth about TROS: the combat mechanics are what bring the people in, and the SAs are what make them stay.

So, I stayed.

My only regret about TROS is that it has now tainted my idealized view of internet porn.
*looks around, wondering who said that*

Unlike a lot of people here, I knew absolutely nothing about TRoS until I walked into my local gaming store.

There were a lot of new games in that day, all looking nice and new and exciting. I spent a good hour, sat down, going through them, looking for something to blow me away. After all that time, I found nothing....then, in the corner of the shelves, almost hidden by other games I saw TRoS.

Intrigued, I picked it up and flipped it over to read the back cover. Then I opened it up to get a look at the mechanics. By this point, however, I was pretty tired of going through game books, so the book only really got a glance.

Now, I'm the type of gamer who buys a lot of books, even books that I'm never going to play.

That day, I only left with one book, TRoS, and I've never regretted it. In addition to that, it was at least two weeks before I bought any more books, simply because I was so hooked on TRoS.

It's good to see that there are some game designers out there who still understand that a game doesn't have to be complicated to be detailed, or sacrifice it's ideas for the sake of game balance and mass appeal.

Long live TRoS

-Holt

I don't think I can write anything better than what people have already said in this post, but obviously for me, the combat system got my attention, and though I'll admit not caring much about SAs in the beginning, I didn't really understand them then.  Now that I have gotten a better understanding of them and how they augment the game, I can't imagine playing a RPG without them.  You really did an excellent job promoting your game on your website, and everyone who has gotten involved here in the Forum with their posts are a very enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and courteous group of mature gamers that I wish lived in my area so I'd get more of an opportunity to play.  Thank you very much for taking the time to produce such a fantastic game.

On my end of the group hug I just wanna agree with Durgil/Tony that you guys really are

Quotea very enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and courteous group of mature gamers...

This forum really is a pleasure.

Anybody else that wants to chime in is still encouraged to do so.

Jake

I first found the (at that time) small tRoS thread on RPG.net. From there I found your now kidnapped website, saw the DOS combat-sim and the combat system demonstration on your site. Couldn't resist and bought it over the internet.

A decision I'll never forget, as tRoS probably won't come to Sweden anytime soon...

Quote from: Mokkurkalfe
A decision I'll never forget, as tRoS probably won't come to Sweden anytime soon...

Which is a friggin' shame, as the Swedes and the Finns really like TROS...I've sold tons over there through mail-order and otherwise.

Grr...who distributes out there?

Jake

I skimmed through threads on Harn forum when I saw thread The Riddle of Steel. I looked it through and intrested in. Next I read thread on RPG.net and I was hooked. I took Combat Simulator, Damage Tables and Character Sheet from Riddle's website and looked them through and I was more hooked. Next day I got to my retailer and ordered the book. It took month before I got it, but it was worth of waiting.

I intrested in mostly because of great combat system. Everything else is great too, I have never seen more complete system where almost every rule is put on book. System is still simple enough, but realistic. I showed book yesterday to one of my friends and he was hooked too. He is going to buy book when he gets some money.

I also was bored for D20 and similar products, so I wanted some change. I have played paper-and-pen D&D or AD&D only twice (more with computer). I started may roleplaying with RuneQuest, so I have been always intrested in realistic systems and worlds. I looking for more Riddle products with great interest.

Oh, and disbruter here in Finland is Fantasiapelit, www.fantasiapelit.com.

Janne

Quote from: Jake Norwood

Which is a friggin' shame, as the Swedes and the Finns really like TROS...I've sold tons over there through mail-order and otherwise.

Grr...who distributes out there?

Jake

Well, who wouldn't like it?
About the worst thing I heard about TROS is a mention in a "games that are good but you just don't get" thread in the RPG.Net forum.

On then distribution thing...No idea. Not at all.

What got me into tRoS?  You did, Jake.  Seriously, at first, I was starting to practice sword stuff, and it was good.  Then, you told me that you'd made an RPG based on your research.  At that point, I pictured you going outside with your waster and telling Earta that you were "going to do some... research."  LOL.

Then, I was the first to buy a book from a store.  Then, I read it, and combat simulator/skill system sounded kewl.  I hadn't even touched actual play or the sorcery system yet, so I got into that first demo.  That's really what did it.  That demo was the first time I'd ever been in a homogenous character group in which everyone had an excuse to be interested.  That was the cool part.

To sum up: A combination of being in the swordfighting group, knowing you (and wanting to support a friend in an RPG endeavor), liking the book, and liking the actual play.

Well, the thread on rpg.net was what got me interested.  It had grown to something like 18 pages by the time I got to it, and it took me two days to read!  Then I picked up the windows combat sim... you have no idea how many hours I spent with that thing!!!!!  I missed a lot of practice time, I'm sure. ;)  After that, I started the thread on the Harn Forum that Janne mentioned, because I thought this system (based on the sim alone, mind you) was too cool to keep to myself.  FWIW, that thread is AFAICT the longest and most viewed thread on the Harn Forum.

Then I got the book.  Boom.  I was blown away.  I must have read it cover-to-cover the day I got it (more practice time down the tubes, heh heh).  Heck, I had even bought a bunch of 10-siders in anticipation of getting the book.

Everything in the book just smacks of "coolness", which very few other rpgs manage.  From the combat to the magic to the very engaging Seneschal's section... I knew I had to play this game.  It has everything I look for in an rpg... realistic combat, cool magic, reasons for character advancement... the list goes on.  And it's exceedingly well-written, to boot.  The whole thing just makes sense.  I don't have to keep my disbelief suspended with a heavy-duty car jack, either, which is my litmus test for rpgs BTW.

So why do I play it?  I play it because it feels real.  In fact, I just used TROS to convert a newbie gamer just the other week.  We'll be playing TROS during our band's road trips.  Fittingly enough, the campaign is now set in a caravan.  The combats are easy to picture, and play quickly.  The system encourages intelligent play, not merely relying on your character's scores and attributes.  I like that what your character believes makes a real difference.  I like the fact that magic in TROS feels dangerous and mysterious.  I like that I get to roll large handfulls of dice. ;)

I play TROS because it's a classic, and it was a classic before the main print run was even done.  So there.  It's one of the finest frpgs ever designed, and you only have to play it once to know that with certainty.

Well done, Jake.  Bravo.  May all your progeny be well-endowed. :)

-Mark

My first awareness that TROS was a product was when a friend of mine in my friday night gaming group bought it.   He made some claim about it having the most realistic combat system.    I flipped through it briefly  and saw the hit charts.  The D&D game commenced and i thought little more about it.    An important note here is that the friend who bought it buys 2-3 different roleplaying books a week,  so it didn't register much with me at the time (he's a collector).  

Then one Friday night...  Jake was in the store doing a DEMO..  My group of salted system breakers sat down to play after going through a wonderful charachter creation process.  By the time the three merchants took out three guardsmen by a surprise flanking attack with a pewter mug, a stool, and dagger in one round...  I was HOOKED.  At last a game with realistic combat.   Where surprise was meaningful and strategy rewarded.  (I used the stool I was "moving out of my way").   That night the store sold it's last two books of TROS. 1 month later I'm running TROS for the Friday night group instead of D&D.  Charachter creation this week after the Current Module is wrapped up.

As for mature players,  that describes us.   Average age in my group of 8 is over 30.  The youngest is a school teacher who has been playing with this group since his Junior year in HIGH SCHOOL. 5 of us have been playing together for 7+ years.  The new 3 are in thier 30's.  I believe when we looked at it earlier this year we Averaged 16 years RPG experience (I have 23,  one guy only had 9).  For Riddle of steel, a couple people are swapping out,  but the new people who are begging to get in all have 10+.  Looks like i might end up running two groups.  1 weekly, 1 bi-weekly,  and then play-testing Gladiators 1 night a week.   lol,   doing all i can to turn my store into a hotbed of TROS.   Since your Demo Jake I believe we have sold 6 books...   I'll be the First Seneschal running there.

I first came across TROS when I was just skimming through RPG.Net's forums one day. I saw this topic called "The Riddle of Steel" and of course it brought Conan The Barbarian to mind, so I went in to check it out. I think it was about 12-13 pages long at that point, and by the time I had read half the first page I knew I was going to read the whole thing :-)

After that a quick trip to the web site and a download of the dos combat sim got me hooked on the system (like many people, I was brought in by the combat but stayed because of the SA's). However, the one thing that truly got me "into" the game at the start was...

You, Jake. Hell, I have played a lot of RPG's in my life, and been involved in a lot of forums, discussion lists, etc. This was the first time I had ever seen a games designer so cool as to actually be in there, answering questions (even trivial ones) and chatting with all of these folk who were obviously very taken with the game. Then I emailed you personally about ordering a book and you replied really promptly and gave me great service. That was pretty much what sold me initially - you've "got the attitude", my man, and it's fucking refreshing to see.

And then of course I got the game, and it turned out to be every bit as good as it had been hyped up to be, and I have never regretted buying it for a second. Hell, there's never been a game that inspired me so much as to make me write a combat sim for it before (although in truth, part of that decision was probably dissatasfaction with the serious limitations of the DOS sim and the realisation that "even I could do better" *grin*).

I buy a hell of a lot of RPG's, and most of them just sit on my roleplaying shelf and never get played, just read once and forgotten. TROS, however, is a keeper - cool system, cool setting and cool developer, they all add up, mate.

Brian.