Previous Topics

8/29/2002 Mike Holmes: Synthesis Playtest
I got a chance to try out my system Synthesis with Josh and Rich at GenCon. We all wanted to talk about it, but have not gotten around to posting…
In Actual Play
Participants: Mike Holmes, joshua neff.

8/29/2002 Mike Holmes: Die Conventions
A statistically similar, but possibly simpler method to the current die mechanic would be to roll the same number of d4s as before, and count each as one unless it…
In My Life With Master Playtest
Participants: Mike Holmes, Paul Czege.

8/28/2002 Mike Holmes: Character Effectiveness (or Lack Thereof)
I started my character in our playtest with 2 Self Loathing, and 1 Weariness in a game where Reason was one lower than Fear. What did this mean? That I…
In My Life With Master Playtest
Participants: Mike Holmes, Paul Czege.

8/28/2002 Mike Holmes: My Master
I feel that the Premise of this game is timeless. If that's so, then I should be able to create a Master in any setting. Here' my experiment to see…
In My Life With Master Playtest
Participants: Mike Holmes, xiombarg, joshua neff, Paul Czege.

8/28/2002 Mike Holmes: Publishing
In discussing publishing of Master, I'd like to make a clarification. Universalis went direct to print. Only sort of true. While games like Universalis and Dust Devils did…
In My Life With Master Playtest
Participants: Mike Holmes, Silent Tamatama.

8/27/2002 Mike Holmes: Status
Hey Nathan, Considering that you've rolled out a new site, I was just wondering what the status of Mysticages was. Has it's scope changed? If so, how? How do the…
In Mystic Ages Online
Participants: Mike Holmes, Nathan, Paul Czege, Valamir, Spooky Fanboy.

8/21/2002 Mike Holmes: Web Site
Ralph and I continue to try and improve our web site for Universalis, and already we have quite a bit of support up. Check out Ralph's essays that didn't make…
In Universalis
Participants: Mike Holmes, Roy, Valamir, Ayrizale, Matt, Fabrice G., Tony Irwin, Jason L Blair, Bob McNamee.

8/20/2002 Mike Holmes: What Does Master Czege Require?
So, Paul, what exactly are you looking for here? Further playtest reports? General discussion on the system? What do you think needs doing most? Mike
In My Life With Master Playtest
Participants: Mike Holmes, Paul Czege, hardcoremoose, Ron Edwards, Emily Care.

8/7/2002 Mike Holmes: Sorcerer and Space demo
Well, I had a chance to run Sorcerer and Space for a fun group last night. Present were Ron, Josh , Jurgen, and Josh's friend Julie. Here's how it went.…
In Actual Play
Participants: Mike Holmes, Bailywolf, Ron Edwards, joshua neff.

7/8/2002 Mike Holmes: Mike's Standard Rant #5: The Myth of Opposed Rolls
[size=18px]Mike's Standard Rant #5: The Myth of Opposed Rolls[/size] When RPGs started resolution rolls were all of the "Roll vs. Target" type. Soon thereafter, however, somebody invented the idea of…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Mike Holmes, Clinton R. Nixon, Le Joueur, Bankuei, Gordon C. Landis, Ring Kichard, Paganini, Reimer Behrends, Paul Czege, Wart, damion, Jake Norwood, Walt Freitag, contracycle.

6/25/2002 Mike Holmes: Equipment and Balance
First, this is a little fragmented so please bear with me. This is not intended to be a discussion of what balance means, please hash that out elsewhere. The discussion…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Mike Holmes, Jared A. Sorensen, damion, J B Bell, Valamir, Le Joueur, Bankuei, Andrew Martin, Victor Gijsbers, contracycle, Paganini, Zak Arntson.

6/16/2002 Mike Holmes: Faster, Better, Cheaper playtest
As part of the playtest swap program I organized a session using Kirt Dankmyer's Faster, Better, Cheaper system last night, 6/15/02. I assembled three players. Brad, who is amongst…
In Actual Play
Participants: Mike Holmes, joshua neff, xiombarg.

5/15/2002 Mike Holmes: Final Draft Feedback
Hello all, Well, Ralph and I feel that we want to write the final beta and move to Actual Version 1.0. We're looking closely at all suggestions so far. Given…
In Universalis
Participants: Mike Holmes, Ayrizale, amiel, Bankuei, joe_llama, Blake Hutchins, Valamir.

5/2/2002 Mike Holmes: Mike's Standard Rant #4: Stat/Skill systems
This one's title may be misleading. I am not against Stat/Skill systems per se. I am against their general mishandling, and this rant takes a look at a common problem…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Mike Holmes, Ron Edwards, Valamir, Paganini, xiombarg, Seth L. Blumberg, Le Joueur.

4/30/2002 Mike Holmes: Mike's Standard Rant #3: Combat Systems
I post this here because I wanted to link to it from another discussion: http://indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=19344#19344 I didn't want to derail that thread. Besides, I feel like bomb throwing today, and…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Mike Holmes, J B Bell, joshua neff, Ron Edwards, GreatWolf, xiombarg, Fabrice G., Bankuei, joe_llama, Le Joueur, Bailey.

4/2/2002 Mike Holmes: Well Behaved
I cannot get over how well behaved this internet forum is. I may be the worst poster on the site! What are you and Ron doing right, Clinton? I mean,…
In Moderators
Participants: Mike Holmes, Clinton R. Nixon, Ron Edwards, Jared A. Sorensen.

2/22/2002 Mike Holmes: Mesopotamia Game
[quote]...Also, maybe we are thoroughly hijacking this thread and need a new one. [/quote] You were very right about the hijacking, so, here we are. [quote] I would be concerned…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: Mike Holmes, amiel, Mithras, contracycle, Valamir, Ron Edwards.

2/14/2002 Mike Holmes: Narrativist Spies
Well, BW, here's your chance. I can't think of a Narrativist game that does traditional spies. Oh, sure, EV, would work, but might not generate the right mood for some.…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: Mike Holmes, lumpley, Ron Edwards, Mithras, Bailywolf.

1/18/2002 Mike Holmes: Dialog
As the game stands, dialog is a little odd. Who gets to speak for whom, and when? If it's one player's turn can others speak? If not, how do yyou…
In Universalis
Participants: Mike Holmes.

1/18/2002 Mike Holmes: Add-Ons
We really like how the game can be modified in many directions successfully. In order to allow players access to these methods, while not unnecessarily encumbering the game for them…
In Universalis
Participants: Mike Holmes, Ron Edwards, Balbinus, Valamir.

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Subsequent Topics

9/6/2002 Mike Holmes: Potential Resource
Hey, check out this RPG.net review: http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_7076.html Could make for a great resource for the Dealer to come up with random details. Mike
In Chimera Creative
Participants: Mike Holmes, Valamir.

9/12/2002 Mike Holmes: Weapons Designs
About time for a weapons post. Give us your favorite. This thread had a lot of interesting notes about designing weapons. Here's one to start it off: Atlatl - spear…
In The Riddle of Steel
Participants: Mike Holmes, Valamir, Thirsty Viking, Jasper.

9/23/2002 Mike Holmes: Converting to Scattershot Science Fantasy
Can I get an order of Traveller, please? And can you have it ready by Thursday night? Scattershot will replace GURPS, which I'm currently using. Mike
In Scattershot
Participants: Mike Holmes, Le Joueur, Seth L. Blumberg.

9/24/2002 Mike Holmes: Splitting Threads can be Hard
Um, how'd my posts get over in "Site"? Mike
In Scattershot
Participants: Mike Holmes, Le Joueur.

10/2/2002 Mike Holmes: Observable Probability
Not as dry as the subject line sounds. What I want to look at is the question of players being able to discern the probabilties of their characters chances of…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Mike Holmes, Le Joueur, contracycle, damion, Andrew Martin, Christoffer Lernö, Jeremy Cole, deadpanbob, Valamir, C. Edwards, Marco, Bankuei, Matt Wilson, M. J. Young.

10/8/2002 Mike Holmes: Plot Components
Just thinking a bit today, and I realized that there is a simple and effective way of introducing a lot of plot and pacing to a game that uses the…
In Universalis
Participants: Mike Holmes, Bankuei, Tony Irwin, Valamir.

10/8/2002 Mike Holmes: Dead Meat review
Ooh, I get the extra credit for being the first to post it! http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_7302.html Mike
In Destroy All Games
Participants: Mike Holmes, Demonspahn, unodiablo.

10/9/2002 Mike Holmes: "Iron Game Chef" Lives!
[size=18px][color=blue]Iron Game Chef Contest![/color][/size] I can wait no longer! The people have spoken, and must know! Are there designers yet living who can accept the challenge to create a game…
In Indie Game Design
Participants: Mike Holmes, Valamir, JSDiamond, contracycle, Jonathan Walton, talysman, Paul Czege, greyorm, Walt Freitag, Kuma, lumpley, Le Joueur, M. J. Young, Palaskar, Zak Arntson, Matt, hardcoremoose, Emily Care, Ron Edwards, Blake Hutchins.

10/9/2002 Mike Holmes: Let's make a game!
People keep suggesting doing cool stuff, and then not starting the projects up themselves. Guess if you want something done... OK, here's a thread for a theoretical game design that…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Mike Holmes, talysman, Jack Spencer Jr, Bob McNamee, Bankuei, JMendes, Mark D. Eddy, Paganini, RPunkG, Emily Care, M. J. Young, amiel, Jeremy Cole, Valamir, Ron Edwards.

10/18/2002 Mike Holmes: Hero Wars in an Alternate setting
There has been some clamor to hear about my impending Hero Wars game, so I thought I'd post the general outline. Josh and Julie, and possibly one or two others…
In Actual Play
Participants: Mike Holmes, AndyGuest, Matt Wilson, Ron Edwards, joshua neff, Julie, Christoffer Lernö, Blake Hutchins, ADGBoss.

11/1/2002 Mike Holmes: Forge Convention?
Paul and I have been batting around an idea for, well, way too long about putting together a small convention. When I mention it to people, they often say, hey,…
In Moderators
Participants: Mike Holmes, Valamir, Jason L Blair, Matt Snyder, Ron Edwards, Le Joueur, Clinton R. Nixon, unodiablo, Jared A. Sorensen.

11/8/2002 Mike Holmes: Hero Wars in an Alternate Setting - Session II
See about set up and Session 1 here. Lot's quieter this week, as my wife had taken my two-year old son out of town. Nice. Anyhow, things started off with…
In Actual Play
Participants: Mike Holmes, joshua neff, Ron Edwards, Valamir, hardcoremoose, Ian Cooper, Julie.

11/15/2002 Mike Holmes: Hero Wars in an Alternate Setting - Session 3
Refer to the prior session here. Summary This may be the last summary of the action of play at least until other issues come up. At this point all the…
In Actual Play
Participants: Mike Holmes, contracycle, Ian Cooper.

11/22/2002 Mike Holmes: Hero Wars in an alternate setting - session 4
The previous session can be found here. I did a bad, bad thing this week. I used the game for some experimentation. Gareth, listen up. I did Shakespeare. Merry Wives…
In Actual Play
Participants: Mike Holmes, Julie, contracycle.

11/22/2002 Mike Holmes: Combat systems [Pervy and Vanilla]
Something just occured to me. Combat systems are Pervy! Mike
In GNS Model Discussion
Participants: Mike Holmes, Mark D. Eddy, M. J. Young, Ron Edwards, JMendes.

11/29/2002 Mike Holmes: Player Power Abuse
[quote="Christopher Kubasik"] If anyone has any actual "All my fears of trusting my Players/GM with too much power played out exactly as I expected" stories, I'd love to get them…
In Actual Play
Participants: Mike Holmes, Ron Edwards, damion, MK Snyder, Christopher Kubasik, Bankuei, Blake Hutchins.

12/4/2002 Mike Holmes: Environment
[quote="Nuredin"]We could go on to explore the ergonomics of a good gaming environment... [/quote] Cool topic. I've often heard discussions of mood stuff, lighting, music, etc, but I've not really…
In Actual Play
Participants: Mike Holmes, Ziriel, bluegargantua, cruciel, Maurice Forrester, Valamir, Emily Care, Walt Freitag, Enoch, Matt Wilson, Steve Dustin, Le Joueur, Clinton R. Nixon, GreatWolf, Stuart DJ Purdie, Paul Czege, DaR, A.Neill, contracycle, Michael S. Miller, J B Bell, rabidchyld.

2/15/2003 Mike Holmes: Mike's Standard Rant #2 - Species/Race/Culture/
As with all my Standard Rants, I put this down here as a sort of shorthand to which I can refer people so as not to have to repeat the…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Mike Holmes, clehrich, Ron Edwards, M. J. Young, ADGBoss, Bob McNamee, Jack Spencer Jr, Le Joueur, C. Edwards, simon_hibbs, JMendes, Drew Stevens, xechnao, Christoffer Lernö.

2/24/2003 Mike Holmes: The Forge's Reputation on the Line
So over on RPG.Net there's this monumental discussion about how the Origins Award is messed up that turned into a war about the quality of HackMaster. Anyhow, if you look…
In Site Discussion
Participants: Mike Holmes, Bankuei, Dave Panchyk, C. Edwards, Jake Norwood, Gordon C. Landis, clehrich, Walt Freitag, Jack Spencer Jr, Ron Edwards, Kuma, Jeffrey Miller.

2/28/2003 Mike Holmes: Age-old Imponderables
Quoting Jason from another thread: To list or not to list? You're kind of fighting the impossible to answer question. That was a good point. Over the years, I've…
In RPG Theory
Participants: Mike Holmes, clehrich, cruciel, M. J. Young, Jack Spencer Jr, Walt Freitag, Andrew Martin, Thierry Michel, Drew Stevens, simon, Le Joueur.

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