At this current stage I am uninterested in it as a game, as it is failing to grab me. The setting and time-period are 'meh' and without the addition of more fantastical elements available to players (magic?fantastical races?) I can't see myself becomnig interested.
I'm interested in it as a game purely and simply because I want to play some disreputable urchin standing by the arena yelling impolite 'encouragement' to their country's team and 'discouragement' to the others...
... yeah... but that's not really enough for me to get involved.
OK, to give examples. a) a WW2 game. b) an alternate history 'WW2-style' game with slightly changed names. c) an alternate history 'WW2-style' game where the Ratzis have zombie shock-troopers 'Albian' has wizards and 'The Unified States of The Americas' has werebears armed with Telsa-guns and 'Soviet Prussia' under Joeseph Taslin has vampires.
Game 'a' dosn't appeal to me. Game 'b' I'd find interesting enough to look at the rule book and no more. Game 'c' I'd be excited about playing.
Currently from what I can see Odyssey LRP is game 'b'. It looks well put together - but has no fantastic elements that make me go "Wow! Werebears with Tesla-Guns! How do I make that kit? I'd best get some brass spraypaint and some leather and some... oh god oh god so cool. Ooh, could I play an Albian RAF captain? Pip pip, chocks away! Wow!".
I might be wrong and Odyssey LRP will be full of "wow factor", but currently it lacks that for me.
I wouldn't mind crewing, but playing... meh. Of course that might change but currently... meh.
You'll notice the "currently"s throughout the comment as well as the "that might change" in the last sentance. I'm unable to comment on the full background but currently while I'm very impressed by the shineyness and profesionalism of it all and am keen to crew I'm unenthused by the setting, of course that might change.
To me, at what I agree is a very early stage of the publically available information, that sounds like "mission accomplished" for the dev. team so far.
That's quite reasonable, the idea is to provide a different flavour to Maelstrom ... there is no expectation that everyone will love everything that comes out of the Profound Decisions stables.
It looks well put together, and I wouldn't mind crewing but the game itself so far dosn't appeal. Of course not every game needs to appeal to every player, and that's OK.
"... set in a mythical version of the Ancient World. ... Use your cunning to piece together the lost magic of the Titans or speak to the gods themselves."
Well, the (as expected) fine looking website does confirm to me that it's a game I'll not be getting involved in. I'm sure that it'll be a lot of fun for the people to whom it appeals - just not me.
Seeing that it has got so far does make me wonder how much of Matt's attention has moved to it and away from Maelstrom. I can quite understand why he wants another, different, string to his LRP bow - I'm just not convinced that he can concentrate on losing both arrows at once.
From what I have gathered, he's pretty much handed it to Si to project manage in development ... Matt runs PD, but doesn't get involved in the running of the games outside of database code for Mael ... though I could be wrong as to the depth of his input into Odyssey.
I can't say what he puts in the odyssey side but I can confirm he is still putting an awful lot of time & new ideas into Maelstrom & encouraging the crew to put ideas forward too.
There are also different people on each team, some cross over but a lot only do one and will be encouraged to play the other.
Matt has very little to do with Odyssey, although clearly he's the person in charge of Profound Decisions and as such is keeping an eye on what's going on. In terms of game development and writing there are very few crossovers from the Maelstrom team.
I'm not in any way comparing it with the LT's traditional way of 'implementing' ideas, but it doesn't appear to me in the way that the same way that the first Heartland Games didn't appeal to me.
I enjoy a good messy LARP fight, but I'm not that good in them, too slow, old, and lazy. I enjoy them when they happen as part of something else happening, not as the focus. They're the means, not the end.
Therefore a game that is based around the arena, however gorgeous it may look with a topping of heroic quests whether implemented on on the Trent flood plain, or the equally barren plains of a downtime, is not one that appeals.
Of course, going back to the Heartland Games, once I realised that it was possible to go, and be very involved in the other stuff while totally ignoring the games (from an IC point of view anyway) I changed my mind, an have enjoyed them a lot. I reserve the right to change my mind on this one - but I feel it is unlikely.
You make a good point WRT the heroic quests ... Trent flood plain site is a flat open site ... with the best will in the world, running a linear (about the only aspect of LRP organisation I can credit myself as 'experienced' at) in an open field isn't really the most fun you can have in a day. I'll be interested to see how this issue is managed by the game team.
I understand completely - it took me ages to finally find a niche I enjoyed in Maelstrom and I still don't like the overall game much. In that context, I can see your argument. I found that while I too am old slow and lazy with the added bonus of fat, I have enjoyed the few batters I have been involved in in recent times immensely, (all the more so when the tingling in my left arm passes and the black spots disappear from in front of my eyes).
However, if I wasn't confident of the game's complexity, coherency and ability to appeal across a wide player spectrum, I wouldn't be giving it my time and support. I'll echo Simon below - as more information comes out, I hope you'll find there's something in the game to appeal to you too.
Makes me wish that the local scene wasn't so deeply, deeply LT. I could almost see me dragging the toga out of the loft to give a pseudo-historical classical LRP a go.
Never gonna happen as I'd be on my own, but I really do wish the project well from afer.
Do you need to find a group (for Maelstrom or Odyssey) from your local gamers? There are lots of groups at Maelstrom who pick up people from all over the place...
Tbh I'm only likely to go to an event if the wife is going (I've been her +1 to the G for the last few years) and she's very much a "Gathering only, to see friends" type.
More's the pity, I have a lot of respect for the way PD do things (player actions having lasting consequences and legacy? Migosh... the heresy of it all) and like I said, I own a toga. :)
I am impressed. Simon told me about the site the other day and I had a walk around it. To me it seems elegant lines and fine details. Very good and am looking forward to reading more.
And I was someone who was not sold on the concept when I first heard it.
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I can see you as mad Persian alchemy wielding bastard with curly slippers and an evil laugh.
I can see you as a Gold covered Egyptian Strategos, Kohl lined eyes, stroking your Bubastis as you send warriors to their glory.
Or even a Roman Priest, slick in appearance, strong in duplicity and opportunity.
(But then I've seen under-the-hood, lucky, privileged sod that I am).
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OK, to give examples.
a) a WW2 game.
b) an alternate history 'WW2-style' game with slightly changed names.
c) an alternate history 'WW2-style' game where the Ratzis have zombie shock-troopers 'Albian' has wizards and 'The Unified States of The Americas' has werebears armed with Telsa-guns and 'Soviet Prussia' under Joeseph Taslin has vampires.
Game 'a' dosn't appeal to me.
Game 'b' I'd find interesting enough to look at the rule book and no more.
Game 'c' I'd be excited about playing.
Currently from what I can see Odyssey LRP is game 'b'. It looks well put together - but has no fantastic elements that make me go "Wow! Werebears with Tesla-Guns! How do I make that kit? I'd best get some brass spraypaint and some leather and some... oh god oh god so cool. Ooh, could I play an Albian RAF captain? Pip pip, chocks away! Wow!".
I might be wrong and Odyssey LRP will be full of "wow factor", but currently it lacks that for me.
I wouldn't mind crewing, but playing... meh. Of course that might change but currently... meh.
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I'm rather encouraged by that...
As Mr Jones says - it's designed to be different.
designed to be different
Re: designed to be different
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The PD ethos has always been 'this is what it is, we hope you like it - but if you don't don't feel you have to stay'.
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Think Harryhausen as opposed to History Channel.
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Up the Greens!
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"... set in a mythical version of the Ancient World. ... Use your cunning to piece together the lost magic of the Titans or speak to the gods themselves."
I suspect there may be magic.
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Seeing that it has got so far does make me wonder how much of Matt's attention has moved to it and away from Maelstrom. I can quite understand why he wants another, different, string to his LRP bow - I'm just not convinced that he can concentrate on losing both arrows at once.
Anyway, best of luck with it.
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There are also different people on each team, some cross over but a lot only do one and will be encouraged to play the other.
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In short, no need to worry.
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I enjoy a good messy LARP fight, but I'm not that good in them, too slow, old, and lazy. I enjoy them when they happen as part of something else happening, not as the focus. They're the means, not the end.
Therefore a game that is based around the arena, however gorgeous it may look with a topping of heroic quests whether implemented on on the Trent flood plain, or the equally barren plains of a downtime, is not one that appeals.
Of course, going back to the Heartland Games, once I realised that it was possible to go, and be very involved in the other stuff while totally ignoring the games (from an IC point of view anyway) I changed my mind, an have enjoyed them a lot. I reserve the right to change my mind on this one - but I feel it is unlikely.
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But maybe not!
Of course, thankfully we're not asking people to book based on a 'holding' website and some teaser material.
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They're nothing new - just firm confirmation of what has been being discussed over the past couple of years.
based on that, it's not a game that appeals to me very much.
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Might try and drag you along to crew closer to the time then!
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However, if I wasn't confident of the game's complexity, coherency and ability to appeal across a wide player spectrum, I wouldn't be giving it my time and support. I'll echo Simon below - as more information comes out, I hope you'll find there's something in the game to appeal to you too.
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Never gonna happen as I'd be on my own, but I really do wish the project well from afer.
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But it's nice to know there's stuff out there that doesn't make me want to vomit bile over the local landscape whenever it gets mentioned :)
(Someone knee-jerk slagged off PD/Maelstrom based on zero knowledge and got a choice me-ism, even though I've never attended, I've done my homework)
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More's the pity, I have a lot of respect for the way PD do things (player actions having lasting consequences and legacy? Migosh... the heresy of it all) and like I said, I own a toga. :)
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And I was someone who was not sold on the concept when I first heard it.
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See you at the weekend? Or soon?