My old D&D group suffered from the opposite problem and I blame the DM.  Everywhere we turned, we would run into some random NPC telling us of this terrible evil that had befallen their village, and when we offered to help, we would get "Oh No!  (Insert random generator Sorcerer name here)(It was ALWAYS some Sorcerer causing the problem) is much too powerful!  You best leave him be or perish"!

There was one time that I killed the all mighty Sorcerer in ONE hit and some of the townspeople that feared him got pissed off and chastised me for my actions.

And then we practically begged him to throw some monsters at us.  Give us some real challenges and quit sending 12th level characters up against Goblins and Orcs.  And FINALLY, we were offered a dragon!  Of course, the villagers told us how much it had destroyed, and then warned us not to mess with it but we persevered and hunted it down... only to find out it was another damned Sorcerer casting illusions.

We got so frustrated with long-winded NPCs and the lack of combat that we turned evil just so we could do more than talk during the game.  If nobody could bring the fight to us, we would take the fight to them!

It was at that point that the game got interesting, and we ran through NPCs like some kind of medieval mafia and my Blackguard was the kingpin!  Then the DM announced that he was out of ideas and cancelled the campaign.

On a side note, I am planning a Karaoke party at my house sometime in the near future.  It's a B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bottle or Bring Your Own Balls.  Your Pick.)  I'm sure there will be lots of singing and none of it good. 

Does that mean we're invited?

Only if you promise not to bring any real talent and don't mind making a spectacle of yourself in front of room full of people. 

The Auld Grump, who's drinking is severely limited... not quite a teetotaler, but close.

When you do that kind of things sober, it's not really a wonder, is it?

(same here)

Hahaha!

Same here.  I'm usually the one that embarrasses my friends and family out in public.  I rarely drink anymore, but when I do, I do it at home and under close supervision.

On a side note, I am planning a Karaoke party at my house sometime in the near future.  It's a B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bottle or Bring Your Own Balls.  Your Pick.)  I'm sure there will be lots of singing and none of it good. 

I used penny sleeves and backed the cards with old cards from the Spycraft CCG.  It gave them nice heft in the sleeve, and made them pleasantly uniform.

I may end up stealing that one. 

Let's just say I knew a guy from Michegan who was REALLY into ears.

And someone bought him a Ferengi mask for Xmas?

 

Its not a case of being lazy.  If it were as simple as that, I would tell my group to open the PDF on their laptops and use the cards in the back of the core book that way.

Its more of a case of wanting something better than homemade.  At least better than my homemade. I like the idea of a professional looking deck complete with artwork on the back depicting each type of Dramatic Conflict and a box specially designed to store them in.  For me, this is worth paying a few dollars extra.  I've still got my decks of 2nd Edition D&D Wizard and Priest Spells, but the index cards I used before I bought them are long gone.

Heh, you are talking to somebody who can, and has, sing the entirety of Man of LaMancha...

Hear me now, oh thou bleak and unbearable world
Thou art base and debauched as can be
And a knight with his banner all bravely unfurled
Now hurls down his gauntlet to thee....

I was at a food co-op when it broke out once, it was very strange when suddenly there were over a dozen people joining in on the songs.... Goodness only knows what the clerk thought of the whole thing.

The Auld Grump

Was alcohol involved in any way? 

Nope, and now I'm a little afraid to ask...

Let's just say I knew a guy from Michegan who was REALLY into ears.

[Hentai (0 xp)]

Hentai (0 xp):  All Agents must be female, and all receive +3 to their appearance modifier.  All villain NPCs, standard or special, gain the use of a single Natural Attack in the form of a prehensile (and suggestively shaped) tentacle sprouting from any unnatural (but easily hidden) area of their anatomy.  This Natural Attack grants the villain NPC a +4 Icky Bonus to all checks made as part of a grapple, and to all checks that would be opposed by an Agent's Resolve skill.

This quality may be applied multiple times.  Each time it is applied, villain NPCs gain an additional tentacle.

Shouldn't the tentacles get some kind of "Charm" attack?  I mean at first there always seems to be a struggle, but it almost always ends in ....not struggling.

One things for sure... that'll take care of those virgin ears I keep hearing about.

...and moves on.

It's better for everyone. Believe me.

You're not from Michegan are you?

Your ears are still virgin? Lucky bastard...

Stops.

Stares.

Ponders.

...and moves on.

We're not going to change our tune about discussing upcoming releases anytime soon, if ever (we'll still only talk definitively about stuff that's imminent), but for what it's worth this year seems to be going much, much smoother than years past. For once we're all pretty optimistic that we'll actually hit the deadlines we're (internally) setting for ourselves - and that we'll have a pretty regular schedule throughout 2008 and beyond.

Good Deal!

I can understand the not liking WotC (Woshippers of the Cash), but the D20 System is solid.  After playing through a number of systems including Palladium, GURPS, 1st and 2nd Edition D&D, and White Wolf, the D20 System is the closest I have found to being perfect.  I didn't say it was, but it is the closest I have found.  I currently use a number of house rules in my Spycraft campaign.

House Rule: Clearance Levels - My PCs can gain new clearance levels within the agency by spending reputation points.  Each new clearance level offers more agency secrets and a number of "upgrades" to the individual operative.

House Rule: Action Dice - Most of the standard Action Dice rules are in place but I have added a few of my own to better suit my players' needs.

House Rule: Wealth - Just a basic decrease in trade-in values to better suit my scale. 

House Rule: Damage Saves - 10 + Full Damage

House Rule: Reputation Bonuses and Penalties - A basic change in some of the values, and a few new additions to better reward or punish my players for following or not following Agency orders.

House Rule: Experience Points Table - Just a more standardized scale.

House Rule: Vitality & Wound Points - Scrapped the -10.  Wound Points now equal 10 + Constitution Score.  If the PC hits 0 Wound Points, he is dead.  -10 and the body is destroyed.  This keeps the PCs fighting until the very end.

If I could ask for some changes...

I would want NPC creation to be better streamlined.  I like the whole "all NPCs are not created equal" thing that is going on with the Levels I - X but going through the build would be so much easier if there was a software app. that let me input the basic info and have it output an NPC complete with Xp Value for various PC levels.

And while on the subject of software, lets get a program dedicated to Spycraft that allows for various house rules and serves as an invaluable tool to both GCs and Players, tracking everything from  combat, to character creation, to important NPCs.  I've heard through the grapevine that something is in the works though, so I'm hopeful.

I also wish I could buy a deck of Dramatic Conflicts.  Put them all together and sell them as one, or break them up into categories and sell them separately.  I don't care.  They would make great stocking stuffers for my group next Christmas.

More reliable release dates.  I was very excited about World On Fire when I first heard about it, but by the time it was released, I didn't feel that I needed it anymore.  The same thing happened with The Big Score and 10K Bullets.  Now I am waiting for Shatterpunk and Farthest Star!

[Scooby Doobie Doo]

Scooby Doobie Doo (+0 Xp) The mastermind has access to a plethora of exotic gear picks but is doomed to an ultimate downfall due to basic snares and cheap rubber masks.  The PCs gain a +2 to all Investigation and Search Checks involving secret passages or food and there must be at least one animal companion that communicates clearly with one of the PCs through "enhanced awareness".  The chosen PC gets a +2 Awareness  and a +2 to Sense Motive whenever interacting with the animal companion.

While on the subject of musicals and the fun facts often found with such trivia... I found out recently that Spider-Man 3 is being transformed into a Broadway musical.  That should make quite the spectacle.