|
|
Post by okgamer on Dec 22, 2021 13:45:36 GMT -5
Whereabouts in Kentucky are you? I live just outside of Berea but Im from Lexington originally. Oh you're pretty close, we're about an hour south of you. |
|
|
|
Post by okgamer on Dec 22, 2021 14:15:50 GMT -5
Thanks for engaging with us here ed. My first concern for T&T would be to have a framework that facilitates and encourages fan based creation. We have a number of independent producers of T&T who are also big fans of and boosters for the game. I really hope you can present a framework that will encourage creativity and grow the game. There are various models for this which I am sure you are aware of and I'm not going to plug any in particular. I absolutely appreciate that T&T is your IP and we don't want another Hobbit Hole producer type trauma for the game, but I am sure we do want to leverage the creativity of the community. Secondly - more content produced to a professional level is likely to get snapped up by the people who frequent here. Thirdly, I am aware of adventure paths from D&D - but have not experienced play of them. If you were able to create some solo adventure connectivity (in the way the meta arcade app aimed to) I think that would be a definite positive. As a model to make the game accessible, I think that GM or solo adventures that grow organically are a good idea. My go to introductory GM adventure for new players to T&T is The Dungeon of the Rat www.drivethrurpg.com/product_info.php?products_id=98876Fourthly Tunnels and Trolls has a flavour to it that is not Heroic Fantasy (though you can do that with it) and of course it's individual to each player, but I think the classic solo adventures, the spell names and the 'make it your own' approach to the rules give it a style that is it's own. If you can pull off the trick of maintaining those elements of it's USP while appealing to a wider audience you will be doing really well  Fifthly the meta arcade app was pretty well regarded. If you can get it working, great. If you can add things to spend gold on, and adventures for casters then many people would be happy about that. Best of luck! Thanks for the thoughtful post. I'll see if I can address your concerns. Concern #1 Community based content. We are looking at this, in fact, I'm officially procastinating from doing that very bit by answering this forum message. My chief concern is to grow the fan base, my solution, if approved, should be a good thing for the community and creators. It is not at a stage where I can offer any concrete details. One thing I can do is to be available to content creators, feel free to email me any questions you have about your projects. Concern #2 We definitely plan on having new content created, but to do a car analogy, the engine is cold, and we swapped drivers, it'll take time to get up and running, but once we're going content should be regular. Concern #3 Solo modules will continue to exist, and I'm already thinking about how I can interweave these things with an organized play system. I'll check out the adventure! Concern #4 I hope we can retain the T&T flavor, a change towards D&D isn't going to help at all, as there is this other game called D&D which takes care of that. I'm under no illusions that everyone will be happy with any changes made, but I'm hoping the vast majority of folks will be happy. Steve has been very helpful during the transition, and I'll certainly be availing myself of his offer for help quite often. Concern #5 We don't own the app, so I can't comment on it. |
|
Vella
Lurker under the Bridge
Posts: 6
|
Post by Vella on Dec 22, 2021 14:23:09 GMT -5
First and foremost, I'd like to see the "spirit" of T&T remain unchanged. High fantasy with a focus on fun and ease of play. It needs to keep its sense of humor. It does NOT need to try to be like D&D. Aside from that, I'd like to see more of a focus on GM adventures. Yes, this exactly. And a third thing: promote the hell out of it, and get it more available and a whole new batch of people into it. (Without throwing away the existing community.) |
|
|
|
Post by gringnr on Dec 22, 2021 14:33:27 GMT -5
Oh, one more thing: this is a super longshot, but I'd love to see GRistlegrim in print again. Not holding my breath.
|
|
|
|
Post by okgamer on Dec 22, 2021 14:35:32 GMT -5
First and foremost, I'd like to see the "spirit" of T&T remain unchanged. High fantasy with a focus on fun and ease of play. It needs to keep its sense of humor. It does NOT need to try to be like D&D. Nothing against D&D, but the things that make T&T great are its differences from that game. Aside from that, I'd like to see more of a focus on GM adventures. Solos are great, and in many ways, they are the T&T brand. BUt GM adventures allow the entirety of the system to shine. T&T really needs a good GM to balance encounters, and recent indie efforts such as Ragnarok Tunnels and Fiend Factory have had built-in "difficulty sliders" to make adventures challenging but (probably) survivable. This is something that can benefit T&T. Speaking of solos, I'd like to see more along the lines of City of Terrors, whose individual NPCs make sure it doesn't play the same way for everyone. To use another old example, the James Bond 007 adventure, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is another solo that uses randomizing elements to change up challenge levels, and make solo gaming more than a "choose-you-own-adventure-with-dice". As Zanshin noted, a program that allows the independent creation of T&T content to continue to thrive is a must. The dedication and quality work coming from these people is amazing. Unparalleled. I've seen chatter on social media about the remainders of two unfinished adventures, Uncle Ugly's Underground and Isle of Darksmoke, having been acquired. These would be an insta-buy from me, and, I'm sure, many others. "Organized play" sounds great. I'd love to see (and participate) in that. Overall, I've felt optimistic about the sale. T&T was a labor of love, obviously, but if I'm being honest, I think it needed to be in different hands to grow and achieve the success it deserves. Much love to all the trolls, and I mean no offense, but that is just my opinion. Best of luck! I think most of these I addressed in Zanshin's reply. I agree being like D&D is not the way to go, as there is already D&D. I also agree that solos are a very important part of T&T, but I think to really grow the game more GM based adventures are needed Certainly with an organized play system you don't want five players sitting at a table going through their own solo adventure. |
|
|
|
Post by stefanj on Dec 22, 2021 19:45:12 GMT -5
Hello and welcome okgamer ! Even without being able to provide concrete details, I think your hopping in here has reassured a lot of T&T fans. I've been a T&T player since 1976, wrote one of the classic solo adventures, and helped out with editing and proofreading for various FBI projects the last few years. I have / had a few solo adventures and a bestiary in the submission queue and hopefully they'll make their way to the T&T editor as things start moving along. I had to look up the details of what Organized Play was. Interesting! I can see the possibilities. * * * Having worked the booth at GenCon a couple years back, I can imagine what some of the "treasures" are in the inventory. FBI had a LONG history under Rick, publishing board games, strange dice, collector playing card decks, variants and supplements. I remember, when typing up an inventory with Steve as we repacked things, finding one-of-a-kind items like a copy of Monsters! Monsters! shrink wrapped with some kind of supplemental booklet I'd never heard of. |
|
|
|
Post by liz0akheart on Dec 22, 2021 20:50:32 GMT -5
Glad to see the conversation unfolding here! Since leaving Facebook myself, it's been hard not hearing from the community except for the bits and pieces I've picked up now and then.
I'm eager to see what happens with Flying Buffalo taking flight under new leadership. And yes, things like Darksmoke have been in my hands (for a long while, truth to tell) but hardly touched without being certain what we could get accomplished with it. Ghawdknows I have enough other projects on my plate(!). I've also talked with Webbed Sphere about several things I was either working on, or wanted to work on, and -- like the rest of you -- am in "wait and see mode" about what will happen, and when. Logically, they have a lot of their own plans to undertake and I imagine those will come first.
I must reiterate how pleased I am that Webbed Sphere is reaching out to the fan community. The community of fans has long been one of T&T's (and FBInc's) greatest strengths.
-- Liz Danforth
|
|
apn
5th Level Troll
Posts: 524 
|
Post by apn on Dec 23, 2021 7:37:45 GMT -5
Welcome to the Trollbridge! Forums aren't as busy at this time of year for obvious reasons but hopefully you'll see plenty of productive suggestions and questions between here, Facebook and wherever else the game is discussed. Lots of forums, not enough time and spreading yourself too thin might be worse than not responding at all! Anyway, what I'd like to see from T&T going forward... 1) A unified look. Appeal to the older fans (of similar age games like D&D and so on) with a design that says 'This is for T&T. Look at the colour of this cover. Any covers this colour are for levels 1-3 (or whatever)'. Go further. Make a map with the location of the adventure and local points of interest. A 5 minute lash up...  2) Split the Deluxe book up. Rules. Monsters. Fluff. Make the font nice and big (some of us aren't getting any younger). Offer softback in a box and Deluxe in one hardback. Make it available via Amazon as some of us (in Europe for example) have to pay hefty shipping fees. Or Drive Thru and POD. 3) Some kind of license/OGL style agreement but with an 'approved for DT&T' tag that means someone has a good look over what is turned out for quality control/tweaking for mistakes/language etc. That's a big thing these days (see what WOTC and others are doing with changing legacy stuff) and not everyone likes it but you have to change with the times or get left behind. I don't want to see T&T turn into some kind of copy cat/clone of D&D, but it was always kind of that anyway with a different way of doing the same thing (killing nasty monsters and taking their stuff). My group was turned off by the strange spell names, no game world (I never much cared for Trollworld and basically ran the game with a version of Karameikos, but each to their own). The art (ranging from fantastic to amateurish) put some of my group off as did the production values. It was an easy choice for my players to say 'This looks like a better game' and go with something else. Oh, for the record I love Liz's art! Also, I add on - take a look at something like Joe Dever's Lone Wolf. A connected series of solos that run the story from the main characters' point of view and create an epic adventure . A T&T version? Just a wish list really! Hopefully for T&T it will be onward and upward! |
|
apn
5th Level Troll
Posts: 524
|
Post by apn on Dec 23, 2021 7:53:16 GMT -5
Oh, and convert the solos into group adventures. For a long time T&T was a great 'no one to play with' game but to get more people playing you need groups. Also get word out there. No use trying to compete with the 800lb gorilla in the room but a relaunch of the game (if that's what is happening) needs the word spreading on the various forums, social media and a decent website.
Right, I'll crawl back under my rock now!
|
|
|
|
Post by okgamer on Dec 23, 2021 10:02:19 GMT -5
Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm flying today, and visiting the family next week (Finally! It's been three years!), so I'll be pretty quiet till the new year.
|
|
|
|
Post by stefanj on Dec 23, 2021 11:01:08 GMT -5
Have a good trip and a good time, and STAY SAFE!
(That goes for all of yiz.)
|
|
Piper
4th Level Troll
Posts: 376
|
Post by Piper on Dec 23, 2021 12:00:58 GMT -5
Is there any possibility of a TnT CRPG?
|
|
|
|
Post by zanshin on Dec 23, 2021 17:48:43 GMT -5
Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm flying today, and visiting the family next week (Finally! It's been three years!), so I'll be pretty quiet till the new year. Have a brilliant break with your family. Looking forward to 2022 with excitement for the T&T potential |
|
dungeondevil
3rd Level Troll
Give me grain and I'll give you guns!
Posts: 136
|
Post by dungeondevil on Dec 23, 2021 23:34:56 GMT -5
WS would certainly win me over by... 1) Reprinting the dT&T rulebook, sans the Trollworld setting info (nothing against it, but some of us use our own campaigns, or prefer to create new settings, using the T&T system.) A reprint with Spite Damage probability stats and how to use them would expand on the appeal of the IP, by making it easier for people to create their own monsters and such. 2) Publishing more solo adventures. 3) Being more public-facing and transparent with their goals with the IP (within reason).
4) Hiring me as an editor: I'm currently looking for work and could certainly help out. |
|
Karl
3rd Level Troll
Posts: 138
|
Post by Karl on Dec 24, 2021 0:48:03 GMT -5
What I would love to see.
The dT&T books broke up into Rules and Setting. If it had to be a new edition then fine. Love the idea of organized play with perhaps the added bit of making the adventures also available in both pdf and print copies for home play. Honestly, since I'm giving you my wish list.....I love pocket-sized books and would love to see an entire line of pocket-sized T&T books like the core, setting, Creatures, and magic.
I would love to see a modular approach to rule options with most of the differences between 5th and dT&T as just options as well as cleaned up missile combat and wider examples of optional ways to split combat up more like other more traditional rpg's. A lengthy section on the Saving Roll mechanic filled with options and examples and guidelines.
Solo adventures are nice but frankly, I think to grow T&T like it deserves much more importance needs to be focused on group adventures and online play. A character sheet for the major online VTT's is BADLY needed.
Also as a nice way to both make some money and give the long time and new fans something fast and easy would be official Kewl T&T Dice!
Also for Pete's sake make Creature books. Rpgers love to collect monster books and dice ..it's what we do.
|
|
