Coda Wtf?

[stule]

OK.

I gotta say this.

I have been gaming for 20+ years (yeah Im kinda old). As you get older I have discovered you care less about game mechanics and more about story content. So I picked up Star Trek by Coda becasue people told me it was easy and was more a skill based system. I tried it and liked it. Then I had someone suggest that I try LOTR by CODA for a fantasy setting (I used it for a Holodeck adventure.).

OMG!!!

This system rocks! It has to be one of the easiest, fastest, story driven system I have ever played. I have tried everything from M+M (Mutants and Masterminds) to 3.5e (Don't even get me started on that...) and CODA is what I have been looking for.

It shouldn't be about how many HP you have, or how many spells you have, or even what level you are. When I watch Star Trek or LOTR, I get a feeeling that it is the skills of the people that make them successful, not that Aragorn has a +5 Vorpal Weapon (which he doesn't). I hate games where the players are caught up in how many Magic Items they have, or what level they are. God, give me a game with a great story and allow me to use skill to solve the problem. CODA did just that.

Now to the point of my post. I mean really, WTF? CODA is by far one of the best games I have ever had the pleasure of playing and DECIPHER decided that they don't want to do it anymore. I feel like Julius Caesar right about now. Cool thing is, I bought most of the Star Trek books and LOTR books today at my local Bookmans (used book store), so my collection rocks!

I make this pledge to you.
If I ever win the lottery (yeah, right), I am going to make my own publishing company, buy the rights to this game, and pump out products till the sun don't shine! I'm going to hire artists, game designers, celebreties, strippers...(ooops), and just about anyone I can to make this system live!

To all you who have kept both the Star Trek and LOTR lines going with your own fan based products, I thank you. You guys make this system live well beyond its expected lifespan and you allow all of us to enjoy this system the way it was meant to. I salute you!

Well, so much for my rant. I'm going to go back to my CODA books and dream of green Orion slave girls.......

[The Tatterdemalion King]

I blame high expectations on Decipher's part and weird editing.

But yes. It's a smooth system.

[Ensign Deconn]

CCGs make more money. It is as simple as that.

Decipher is just barely keeping from going under as it is.

I could go on and on about how vile CCGs are?

That's all I can say. I really can go on and on in re: to this subject.

DC

[7 of 11]

Dreamers and visionaries are always welcome! Here's to you winning the lotto (or me too!)

[Maltese_Falcon]

Stule,
If you ever win that lottery and get the game license I'm sure lots of people will volunteer to contribute content. Personally, besides all the FASA books, I have loads of FASA source material that I convert over as needed. Between that plus fan-based sources, plus the settings GMs create for their players, there's more than enough material to keep Decipher Trek going for years to come. Let's also not forget the novels. Even though they're not canon, there are lots of adventure ideas there. Keep the faith.

-MF

[LUGTrekGM]

Yeah, man, even though I prefer LUG version, Decipher did well on the narrator's guide for sure.

Glad you have found a game you like a lot.

In the end, I think it's more the setting and GM than the system.

Mostly.

[aelius]

I agree, stule, CODA is now the standard system used by my gaming group. We have used it in everything from a fantasy campaign, to Babylon 5, Crimson Skies, Star Wars, Cyberpunk, and, of course, Star Trek. The system is reasonably realistic, but handles cinimatic play well, and it is easy to convert other systems (especially D20) to CODA.
I have created an expanded list of professions (mainly geared for Sci-Fi, but usable for any modern setting) and find it quite handy for gaming.
I like the rules because they are detailed enough, but open to expansion easily.
And yeah, I wish they had not dumped the system.

[Tobian]

Aelius, you should publish that lot on here, it sounds interesting. We keep getting threatened with netobooks, but no one ever seems to have the time! Maybe cross refer with Gandalf Of Borg, as he has an excelent open source style document the BSR (basic reference document) for CODA..