Real RPGs, none of that new fangled computer bullshit

[Sophie Scholl]

We played a fair amount of 2nd edition years ago. I wish we'd managed to get a full set of the books while they were relatively cheap. Now some are crazy expensive. $100 plus baseline. Thankfully I've managed to acquire most of the .pdf's, but I much prefer a hard copy in hand.

[Savonarola]

One of my friends started a Zoom Ghostbusters RPG game.  It's from the 80s and was designed, in part, by Sandy Peterson (who had created the original Call of Cthulhu  game.)  The game mechanism would form the basis for West End Game's "Star Wars" game a few years later.  It's a great deal of fun and, because the rules or so simple, moves quickly.

The game is set in Detroit in the 80s, so naturally the running gag is that Ecto-1's tires get stolen and ends up on blocks every adventure.

My character is a champion of justice  ; everyone else is a smart or cool hero so strength is usually their dump stat.  In the game you get a talent for each of your abilities, and everyone else picked "Run" for their strength talent.

Savonarola:   I see you guys have played the Call of Cthulhu RPG.

They hadn't actually.  In fact when we started talking about our RPG experience everyone else had started in fourth edition D&D or Pathfinder.

Savonarola:  I, uh, started playing D&D when it came in a little red box
Everyone else: 

It is helpful to the group that we have someone there who remembers the 80s (other than the Ghost Master.)  When we have to research I can guide them to mysterious places like "The Public Library" and instruct them on lost technologies like "The Yellow Pages," "Microfiche" and "Fax Machines."

[Barrister]

It is helpful to the group that we have someone there who remembers the 80s (other than the Ghost Master.)  When we have to research I can guide them to mysterious places like "The Public Library" and instruct them on lost technologies like "The Yellow Pages," "Microfiche" and "Fax Machines."

Why the 80s setting if only you are old enough to remember the era?

[Savonarola]

It is helpful to the group that we have someone there who remembers the 80s (other than the Ghost Master.)  When we have to research I can guide them to mysterious places like "The Public Library" and instruct them on lost technologies like "The Yellow Pages," "Microfiche" and "Fax Machines."

Why the 80s setting if only you are old enough to remember the era?

The Ghost Master is my age and he's a monster Detroit History Buff.  He did a Call of Cthulhu campaign set in 1930s Detroit that was a great deal of fun.  Also the the game was first released in 1986; so by setting the game in the late 80s we don't need to adapt anything. 

The rules are available here. 

The original game came with a set of cards for equipment.  I found this one amusing:

Cellular Phone
This is a telephone you can install in the ECTO-I. lt is somewhat extravagant (one
hundred or more dollars rent each month), but what a status symbol!

[11B4V]

Anyone play Call of Cthulhu?

After the starter kit, is it basically get everything?

[The Brain]

Anyone play Call of Cthulhu?

After the starter kit, is it basically get everything?

I've played it a lot the past 30 years, but not the last few years. I don't know what's in the starter kit, but if you have the rulebook (or rulebooks, I don't know if the Investigator Handbook is necessary in this edition, it wasn't before) then all you need is adventures/campaigns, if you don't make your own (I've always played published adventures and campaigns).

[11B4V]

Anyone play Call of Cthulhu?

After the starter kit, is it basically get everything?

I've played it a lot the past 30 years, but not the last few years. I don't know what's in the starter kit, but if you have the rulebook (or rulebooks, I don't know if the Investigator Handbook is necessary in this edition, it wasn't before) then all you need is adventures/campaigns, if you don't make your own (I've always played published adventures and campaigns).

Thank ya kindly sir. Trying to get the daughter interested. Maybe I'll have her follow along with the solo adventure from the set.

[PDH]

So the last week of July we changed our "all the High School and College Buddies get together and game for a week" to "We will google meet the week."

We're all older, slower, and some of us have conditions that make a group getting together from around the US to game in person not a grand idea.  Instead we have all promised to buy the garbage food we normally have, and to spend a week sitting around BSing, playing, and generally pretending we are in the same room.

[Savonarola]

Anyone play Call of Cthulhu?

After the starter kit, is it basically get everything?

It depends on the type of campaign you want to run.  We have a more light-hearted campaign, so we use the "Pulp" book.

[The Brain]

Modiphius is doing a Dune RPG: https://www.modiphius.net/pages/discover-dune-roleplaying-game

I'm kinda interested for the settting. I'm not a huge fan of their system though, in Conan I thought it was dry and it had a player-vs-GM mechanic which I found odd. But I haven't played it mind you.

[fromtia]

Anyone play Call of Cthulhu?

After the starter kit, is it basically get everything?

Yes, but back in the 80's. Loved it at the time.

[fromtia]

Chaosium is offering Print On Demand copies of the 2nd edition rules of Runequest which is the version I played like it was my job back in 1982 or thereabouts. At the time my brothers and my friends all felt very strongly that this was a much better system than the 1e DnD that we had been playing although the magic wasn't quite as good. I didn't really completely grasp the setting in 1982 but it has stayed with me vividly ever since and in recent years I've found myself dipping into Glorantha whenever I can.

The US 2nd edition has a different cover than the UK edition I had at the time, but otherwise it's the same. I like the UK "soft porn" version a bit better. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAest25kc9A

Excellent review of 2nd edition, the publishing history of Runequest and it's place in the pantheon of the Ur-RPG's.

I bought a copy of the current edition just now. 

[celedhring]

Rune Quest was my first RPG! I remember using the board and minis from Hero Quest to play with my brother, with myself doubling as DM/player 

Played a lot with my high school friends, too. Still have a lot of the manuals/settings in pretty good shape.

[fromtia]

Rune Quest was my first RPG! I remember using the board and minis from Hero Quest to play with my brother, with myself doubling as DM/player 

Played a lot with my high school friends, too. Still have a lot of the manuals/settings in pretty good shape.

Spend a minute on the Chaosium website, the '7th' edition, the current one, looks magnificent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0Ok8zseq6k

[The Brain]

I got my final shipment of Conan stuff. Which was a nice surprise, since I didn't remember that there was anything left to deliver. Anyway it's seven books:

Art Book
Conan: The Exiles Sourcebook
Kull of Atlantis
Conan the King
Conan the Adventurer
Conan the Scout
Conan the Wanderer