Official ICE Forums
Systems & Settings => HARP => Topic started by: Uriel on January 08, 2008, 07:49:47 AM
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Hey there all,
Please forgive the length of this post...
First a little about me as a gamer.
I first played RM back in 1987, although I bought MERP in 84/85 or so, when I first saw it in a book store. I swore off AD&D, and continued to play other RPGs (Stormbringer,CoC,Mechwarrior), as well as throwing together Homebrew Systems.
I ran a Middle Earth game from 87-89, then moved from Az to Ca, where I started another RM group (As well as Cyberspace and SM games), lasting from 90 to 95 or so, when I again moved (To Nevada).
I pretty much stopped playing games for a year or so, due to a lack of players in the small town, but when I moved back here to San Francisco (96) I started playing games again, mostly miniatures games (Chronopia,Warzone), and my homebrew.
It seemed that ICE games were a thing of the past for me...
During this time I was the general manager for a game store chain here in the Bay Area (Gamescape), though my RPG interaction was usually just derisive comments about Gurps/AD&D "If I wanted to play a fantasy RPG, it would be Rolemaster, and I don't have time for that". Miniatures games and one CCG (L5R) took up what gaming time I alloted myself.
So, along comes D&D 3.0. I laughed, said I wouldn't play, I had sworn it off etc...Then I played it, noticed the skill ranks, the crits...then spotted Monte Cook's name on it. Aha! One of the old boys from ICE, in another endeavor. Nostalgia is what really snagged me. I missed Mind Flayers, Drow, Umber Hulks and Grimlocks, Ya'Know?
I won't lie, I enjoyed it, and 3.5, and I still do (I plan on continuing two of my three current campaigns in 3.5, as they wouldn't convert well).
However...with the coming of 4.0, I haven't felt the same about d20. I found myself Nostalgic for Black Reavers, Demons Beyond the Pale, and Shards. Especially Shards.
Memories came flooding back of my Seduction roll of 427... one shot kills, spell casting rolls (One of my biggest peeves regarding D&D 3.whatever is the lack of a casting roll).
This hit me about a week ago, and I decided that I was going to reconvert my beloved Homebrew World back from 3.5 to it's original system. Then, I looked up ICE on Wiki, out of curiosity. I spotted HARP. I Googled HARP and read some old ENWorld posts where silly men talked smack to a very eloquent and honest Tim. Kudos, Sir, for your civility when faced with illogical 'D20ism'.
Anyways, I walked in to my old stomping grounds and bought every HARP book they had (CoM,ML,Bazaar,Loot book and Monsters book). The basic book was OOS, but it should be there when I visit tomorrow.
I had been considering dredging my old RM stuff (RM2 and before) from the boxes where it lies, like some Lovecraftian beast, but I think I will cut my players on HARP first. It has great reviews, isn't so far off from my HB that I can't convert, and seems easy enough to play(Er...my setting does have 32 races, but I can change that since 8 are human, 3 elf, 4 dwarf etc...It'll all come out in the wash, as far as Backgrounds, Cultures etc...).
Anyways, that's me. It's odd, I sort of feel like I am calling up an old Ex-GF, but one where the breakup wasn't bad, and I can't figure out why we stopped dating. Sure, she was a detail oriented girl, but at least she didn't mind my thousands of miniatures...
I hope that HARP provides me with as much fun as RM and MERP did in days of old.
-Uriel
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Welcome! ;D
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8) welcome uriel!!
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HARP is a fantastic system! I'm sure you'll enjoy it a lot!
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HARP is indeed a wonderful system...
much superior to D&D3.x IMHO.
D&D 4th edition isn't D&D anymore anyway...
I switched over to HARP and haven't looked back!
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HARP brought me back to ICE games as well. We played MERP then RM2 ages ago, but dropped them both in favor of other genres (more so than for other systems). I discovered HARP when I was looking into FRP systems that were better than D&D. I investigated RM materials but probably would have passed on by if it weren't for HARP. Now I frequent these boards and read/buy more ICE books than anything else.
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Welcome back :party:
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Mwuahahaha!!!
One of my players (Gabe,A former RM guy as well, from the early 80s) has been re-converted to the Fold as well. It's like a Virus, but one of logic and fun...
In his attempt to Min-Max a bit regarding adolescent skills/race combos, he has created an elven Underhill village, existing on the outskirts of an old elven forest. I let him go to it, since my Campaign world has the equivalent of 'Mound Elves' anyways.
He just ran down to the LGS to buy a copy of the rules, along with Matthew (The diehard D&D or nothing guy) in tow.Matthew isn't a d20-zombie, but rather a guy with very little time for gaming, and he knows D&D. It's ok, though. I have converted whole groups of guys (And a few girls) to ICE in 2 earlier Campaigns, and these guys will be easy, as I am turning their fave setting into HARP (Maybe a RM version down the line).
Ah, it is all coming together...
-Uriel
PS:When I told the LGS guys that they would soon have folks clamoring for HARP, and that I would sell 4-6 copies for them, they looked dubious. One down...
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Good job! We need more people like you recruiting for the cause! :)
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Welocme.
I am an old MERP & RM player/GM from way back too. Now I run HARP for my group (who have all given up on D&D now).
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Count me in as back to the fold too!
I was a MERP/RM fanatic "back in the day", but I was lost to a certain popular 20-sided dice system for years.
I am now GM-ing HARP to try and convert my little group away from the dark side.
So far so good!