Initial Thoughts on the AiF Restatement Project

In my last post I mentioned the Adventures in Fantasy clone project that I am working on currently.  While there have been many clone games, of both the retro and neo variety, this game will not use the OGL as a basis.  I aim to restate the rules in a clearer fashion to the best of my understanding; anybody that has read through this game will understand what I am talking about.  Now, on to some thoughts related to this project.

Why Am I Doing This?

Adventures in Fantasy has been a source of fascination for me.  On one hand, it gives a look at how Arneson would have possibly done things differently; of course, much of that is up for debate with Snider as a co-author when you look at Powers & Perils. On the other hand, the rules read like they were one or two edits away from a much more manageable and understandable system.  I have entertained the thought of doing a Book IV: Book of House Rules for some time but I think a restatement would actually be a better idea.  

Another consideration is the availability of the boxed game.  I have no knowledge of how rare Adventures in Fantasy is but I do know that there are still many role-players that have never seen or even heard of this game.  I was fortunate and bought my copy at a time when the price was less than $20.  I have seen some outrageous prices - around $200.00! - for a copy of a complete boxed set.  Do not misunderstand me on this issue.  I believe that Adventures in Fantasy is definitely a fascinating piece of gaming history but I also think some of the sellers are pricing this game at an unrealistic price.

What Is The Name?

I am currently using the name of A.S.P., or Arneson and Snider's Percentile-Based, Fantasy Adventure Gaming Rules for this project.  The name is not that catchy but it gets the point across and will be okay until something more suitable comes along.  I have received some excellent suggestions from Havard in this thread over at The Comeback Inn.  I suspect I will likely use one of his ideas but I am also open for other suggestions.

Will There Be Changes?

Of course, there will be differences between the rules as written and the rules as restated.  I am aware that the rules themselves can be redone with relative ease by stating them in a different manner.  In contrast, someone can fairly and legally cry foul* if the tables, location names, and other such areas are just reproduced exactly.  There will be changes in those areas.  The important thing is that the rules will be presented in a format that is much easier to comprehend.

* Of course, now I wonder if just simply stating my intentions are enough to consider this a derivative work?  

Final Thoughts

In addition to those initial thoughts behind the restatement project, I have made a few basic decisions...

1. The format for this project is planned to be a single volume instead of three booklets.
2. I have been working on the character creation section of the rules.  After a large section of it is completed to my satisfaction I will post it up for some feedback.
3. There are several threads on The Comeback Inn detailing ideas for house rules.  If the posters that originally posted those house rules are agreeable, then I would be interested in including them in the final version; maybe in sidebars or an appendix?
4. If anybody has any good links for some appropriate public domain art that I could use then I would highly appreciate it.  
5. I think some Appendixes at the end of the rules would be a neat idea.  Maybe they could include a bio on Arneson, a bio on Snider, inspiration, etc.
6. If anyone is interested in collaborating on this project, I would definitely be open to it.

That should just about do it for now.  More later...

             

[Adventures in Fantasy] Opening the Box

I have owned a copy of Adventures in Fantasy (AiF) for several years now.  I bought it by placing the high bid on an ebay listing.  Although I have had it for years I have never played it or completely read the rules.  I have pulled it down from the collection several times to flip through and read various sections of the rules.  It has also survived the two times I have drastically reduced the size of my game collection.  It's time to fully investigate the AiF boxed set of rules.

Condition: The box came to me in really good shape. I'm not sure if this is a good sign or a bad sign. The condition could mean the previous owner took exceptional care in handling the box and contents.  On the other hand, the condition could also mean the rules were not used and the previous owner forgot them on a shelf or in a box somewhere. The box now shows wear and is starting to separate.

The Authors: Dave Arneson and Richard Snider are listed as the authors.  I believe both of them are more famous for other works - Snider for Powers & Perils and Arneson for Blackmoor and Dungeons & Dragons.  I am aware of the debate over proper credit between Gygax and Arneson about the creation of D&D. I am a non-participant. I play the games and that is it.

The Box: The cover art depicts two heroes (a male warrior and a female mage) in combat with what appears to be a green-skinned, axe-wielding orc on a black horse.  It reinforces the following description found on the side of the box, "ADVENTURES IN FANTASY is the next generation of FANTASY ROLE PLAYING GAMES. YOU are the Knight sent upon a QUEST by the King to battle villains and creatures right out of Mythology.  From Dwarfs to Dragons your wits will be just as useful as your sword.  This game comes complete with separate CHARTS, 20-sided Die, Sample Adventure and complete rules for starting on the road to high Adventure."

The Contents: There are 3 books included in the box: Book of Adventure (character creation and related rules), Book of Faerry and Magic (magic, spells, magical combat, and the faerry races), and the Book of Creatures and Treasure (creatures and treasure).  There are also 3 double-side reference sheets that look like they could be used for a GM screen of some sort.  Everything from the description above seems to be there except for the D20.  I've been playing and collecting dice since 1980 so this is not an issue at all.

First Impression: I like what I see so far.  the The boxed set was an industry standard at one time.  I would like to see more boxed sets now.  The cover art is good at showing what might be a typical scene from a game.  Most important for me, it looks like fantasy instead of dungeonpunk. The combined page count on all 3 rulebooks is only 155 pages; much shorter than the current standard.  I also wonder if there were expansions planned to follow this boxed set since the description stated that the contents were "complete rules for starting on the road to high adventure." As far as I know, this boxed set was the only thing ever published for AiF but maybe there were additional rules to follow in a similar fashion to Basic, Expert, Companion, Master, & Immortal D&D. Who knows? I'll look for mention of it while exploring these rules.

Next: I will begin reading Book I - Book of Adventure.

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edit 1 - added a picture of the AiF box
edit 2 - changed title format of post