I'm waiting for Hackmaster Advanced.

Let me apologize for a typo in my post. The clerk said, "It's not a serious game. It's not meant to be played." I left out the "not" in my post.

Despite trying to discourage me, he tried to help me find it, but they didn't have it. Or they had it and couldn't find it. Whatever.

I was so excited to read the game after hearing a favorable review on the Wapcaplets podcast. Instead, I left bummed. It's a fine store all in all, but I don't think it's a good idea to dissuade people from giving you money.

Quote from: Christian;332430Let me apologize for a typo in my post. The clerk said, "It's not a serious game. It's not meant to be played." I left out the "not" in my post.

Despite trying to discourage me, he tried to help me find it, but they didn't have it. Or they had it and couldn't find it. Whatever.

I was so excited to read the game after hearing a favorable review on the Wapcaplets podcast. Instead, I left bummed. It's a fine store all in all, but I don't think it's a good idea to dissuade people from giving you money.

It (BHM) also is having supply issues... it sold faster than expected.

I'll happily sell someone my HM4 stuff...

I'm playing it allegedly tomorrow. Again. So far the system hasn't been pushed, just brushed against. Mostly PC creation was problematic, but we've yet to see the rules playout.

Quote from: brettmb;332384I don't think it's out yet. You only need the Basic set to play, but it only has 4 classes and 4 races.

And 5 levels. That's not bad.

RPGPundit

I had alot of fun with Paranoia so I'm keen to try Hackmaster.

Quote from: Malleus Arianorum;332454I had alot of fun with Paranoia so I'm keen to try Hackmaster.

HackMaster really isn't much like Paranoia, unless you're referring to the humorous foundation upon which both are based. But even given that, the new HackMaster Basic has dispensed with pretty much every satirical and/or parodical element that made the previous edition of HackMaster unique.

Sure, the Knights of the Dinner Table show up in an extended example of play (though the actual game play itself isn't humorous in nature), and there is the dice rolling etiquette article which comes from the previous edition. They also did away with a lot of the "Garyspeak," which either used the actual text from the original 1e books (particularly the DMG) goosed up a few notches in its authoritarian tone, or which emulated that style. There are echoes of it in there still, but it's pretty anemic, comparatively speaking.

brettmb said it was more playable than 4e, and at first I thought he meant 4e D&D (I've been reading too many 4e D&D threads lately), but then it occurred to me he probably actually meant 4e HackMaster, which was the previous (and only prior) edition of the game. In that regard, I'd agree. HM5e is more easily playable than HM4e. HM4e was a mix of AD&D 1e and 2e, with stuff unique to HackMaster, like the Honor system, critical hits (with a d10,000 hit location chart), some classes (the Knight Errant leaps to mind), races (the Gnome Titan, for example), and odder stuff like protegees. It all could collapse under its own weight.

Given all that, I still miss a lot of that stuff.

Actually, I meant both D&D and HM 4e. It's much easier to get started and doesn't get weighed down by itself - at least, in my opinion.

I've played HM Basic in a couple lengthy sessions that gave the system a good workout.

PC creation isn't anything special, but its Basic. Standard concepts. They worked very hard to make the thief an interesting PC with a lot of combat tweaks to liven up the role-it worked fairly well.

Combat is the same old d20 drek. They buffed it up with a couple new quirks, but its still the same dull roll d20 to hit, roll dice # for damage, attrit your foe before getting attritted yourself. They added a threshold of pain which means you effectively can take 15% of your hit points before being overcome with pain (and helpless), so it doesn't drag on as badly as most d20 material.

The combat is handled via the count-up method used in Aces & Eights, and is really very good-I'm going to use it in my next campaign. It really gives the players a sense of impending action, although a lot of that is lost due to the damage model.

The writing is poor; we had real problems sorting out some combat questions; mainly it was due to very bad organization.

The skills system was pretty good.

In all, ok stuff, but very little new, and in need of editing.

Quote from: ColonelHardisson;332560HackMaster really isn't much like Paranoia, unless you're referring to the humorous foundation upon which both are based. But even given that, the new HackMaster Basic has dispensed with pretty much every satirical and/or parodical element that made the previous edition of HackMaster unique.

I was referring to the humorous foundation but then again I was unaware of the big changes in 5e. Thanks for the info, I'm not in the market currently but this is one to watch.

Quote from: Malleus Arianorum;332657I was referring to the humorous foundation but then again I was unaware of the big changes in 5e. Thanks for the info, I'm not in the market currently but this is one to watch.

I know I came off as negative in my comments above, but to be honest, I think it's worth giving a try. Despite my feeling that HMb is lackluster - mostly in presentation, and because it's "basic" - I think it's a worthwhile game, and my immediate reaction upon reading it was a desire to run it. So it's got that going for it. Plus, it made me look forward to HackMaster Advanced.

Not sure if Mark mentioned it here but we're on our last box of HMB books and expect to sell out this week.  A nice problem to have.

Unfortunately we the 2nd printing won't be available til around xmas. We have several new products in the works and like the gang print to bring down cost.

Just thought I'd give folks a heads up.

Quote from: aramis;332435It (BHM) also is having supply issues... it sold faster than expected.

True enough. We expected to have books in stock til at least when AHM came out. I actually made a special trip to the warehouse saturday to grab a copy of HMB for myself. I gave away my personal copy last week at the game.

Quote from: islan;332382That's only the price for the Basic ruleset, though.  Is the Advanced ruleset out yet?

Advanced ruleset is slated for next summer (although that's not the 'official' release date that's what we're pushing for in house).

We will be presenting AHM material in KODT each month. Last few issues have already presented some AHM material in fact.

Quote from: FASERIP;332393So it sounds as though it is doing well (probably a print run of a 1000 or 1500 copies, likely the lower number.)

Much much higher than that actually.

Seriously, a 1000 book print run and we would have sold out during its first week of release.
Just our online pre-release sales would have done that I think.