Lotr Rpg

**qerlin** · 09-02-2002, 01:13 PM

Got my copy a few days ago. Book is REALLY nice -- satin finish cover, the layout and presentation are top-notch. The systems is CODA with all the strengths and weaknesses; the magic system looks tight -- "yesh...touit like toiger..."

Easily on part with the Trek stuff. Great Decipher!

**Doug Burke** · 09-03-2002, 06:54 AM

Glad you like it, Qerlin!

**prophetsteve** · 09-03-2002, 09:34 AM

Now that you have the book, how would you react to the criticisms of it.

Most posters on the RPG.net boards (and Decipher) are pretty hard on the game, criticising the rulesets and some deeming it unplayable.

Just wanting to know if these are warranted (not likely) or just a bunch of netpeople whose life mission is to shoot down any game that isn't using their fave system (more likely).

Funny though that while LotRPG is getting killed on RPG.net, Buffy is getting rave reviews... shrug.

**Don Mappin** · 09-03-2002, 10:08 AM

Originally posted by prophetsteve
Most posters on the RPG.net boards (and Decipher) are pretty hard on the game, criticising the rulesets and some deeming it unplayable.

I have to disagree. It's been getting torched on the Decipher boards by a select few who keep espousing the same rhetoric over-and-over. The thread on RPG.net is of a much more even keel and fairly positive.

Bottom line: no one's played the game on either site yet so thus far it's simply people with a bone to pick.

**qerlin** · 09-03-2002, 10:24 AM

I'm with Don on this. The criticisms are a bit premature if they haven't played it. I've done up a few characters (faster to do than the Trek stuff even...) and did a couple of 'just screwing around' game tests of the magic system. Works fine. The rest of teh system's solid; just like the Trek stuff.

They're grousers everywhere...look at some of teh criticisms of ICON & CODA Trek.

**REG** · 09-03-2002, 02:50 PM

So does Steve Long have any comment on Decipher's LOTR final product?

**Don Mappin** · 09-03-2002, 02:56 PM

From Steve Long:
"I say, anyone who doesn't like the LOTR RPG should try the HERO System instead!

Seriously, though, I haven't followed the debates or discussions all that closely, so I'm not really in a position to respond -- and for the most part, I'd rather leave any detailed responses to my former employers. I don't want to seem as if I'm speaking for Decipher, since I'm no longer employed by the company.

I'm sure some of the criticisms are at least partly justified; no game designer or game company is perfect, after all. And I'm sure some are the result of misinformation or misunderstanding; no fan is perfect, either.

In general, I think as long as people follow the advice and guidelines about Tolkienian characters, mood, themes, and so forth, they should have fun, regardless of what system they do or don't use. Or at least I certainly hope so. "

**Sheliak Bob** · 09-03-2002, 05:07 PM

...Of course you realize that this here CODA LOTR game is just a cosmetically altered D20 game without the OGL stuff....
Oh. heh. Sorry 'bout that. Been there already!
(Just joking Don! I Sweeeeeeear! Either that or looking for another chance to finangle that there limited edition Enterprise book....)
hee hee hee

(C'mon! Put down the sharp thingie! I was just kidding! uh oh. Heeeeeeeeelllllppp!)

**Troy_Of_Borg** · 09-03-2002, 06:25 PM

I got my LOTR Book at Gen Con. I have enjoyed reading it. I hope to get some of my friends to try it.

One of my friends that it is just D&D. I told him that D&D may have been the first fanstey RPG. But LOTR help get it started by all people who read the books.

Also I have stopped reading Decipher's LOTR Board do to people who just want to take the fun from rest ouf us.

**qerlin** · 09-03-2002, 07:22 PM

Got a big haul just today: got my Farscape RPG in today -- looks nice; on par with the CODA stuff. The background looks pretty solid (has a episode synopisis up to ep 44 even), has most of the races and critters seen. There's some starship stuff, but it's kinda small.

d20, of course, but easily ported into CODA.

The other: NObilis. Only have had the chance to scan it, but it looks nice. The artwork is on the good side of the usual stuff. The book is BIG -- with a real eye-catching cover. So far, it looks REALLY in-depth.

So with the LOTR arrival, I've got major distraction from my grad studies material.

**REG** · 09-03-2002, 09:06 PM

Now that the rulebook is hitting stores, will be there an online resource of the same quality as TrekRPGNetwork?

**Don Mappin** · 09-03-2002, 09:33 PM

Not if the people on the Decipher boards are representative of the type of visitors one could expect!

**Erik Filean** · 09-03-2002, 09:52 PM

Originally posted by Don Mappin
Not if the people on the Decipher boards are representative of the type of visitors one could expect!

Ugggggh. You've got that right. I thought the synergy of Trek fandom and gaming made for the most dogmatically nitpicky people imaginable; then I saw some of the Decipher-board Tolkien scholars in action.

I'd love to see a forum where the rest of the LOTR gaming base could rap unperturbed, but I understand that that can't easily be done without really draconian posting rules and enforcement. Perhaps you're right not to try. I hope, though, that some discussion starts up on the general boards here.

**REG** · 09-04-2002, 03:23 AM

Originally posted by Don Mappin

Not if the people on the Decipher boards are representative of the type of visitors one could expect!

What if we don't tell those folks? Hehehe.

I'm sure that we can trust the moderators here to do their vigilant duty to keep the board's peace.

**prophetsteve** · 09-05-2002, 11:36 PM

I figured as much Don. Thanks for the heads up. Still trying to hunt down my copy... its seems no stores which I normally buy RPG stuff from currently have a book in stock.

Just as a side note, I wasn't trying to criticise the game in any way. Was curious based on what I had seen on various message boards...

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