Dungeons&Dragons in Scotland?

[kickingback]

Do you have D&D in Scotland and if so are role playing games popular there? I live about 45 minutes from the birthplace of D&D in Wisconsin. The headquarters used to be in Lake Geneva, WI. before they were bought out by Wizards of the Coast. I know they had another in the U.K. but don't know if it was very popular there. I found some cool RPG shops in Germany but don't read German. So if anyone out there loves the game get back to me and if you think it's just for nerds I've got a pair of steel-toes that beg to differ. Take it easy brothers and sisters.

[Karasu]

Yup we do. We can pretty much cover every spectrum of the RPG industry in Scotland. For example if you go have a look here you'll see the website for Drakcon. A role playing convention that's been run in Aberdeen for the last 16 years.

There was a Scottish role-playing company set up a few years back, but I don't think they're on the go anymore. They were Nightfall Games. They produced a game called SLA Industries.

I don't know if go as far to say that they're popular in Scotland, but there's a definite fan base out there. There's about three clubs I know of in the Aberdeen area and two shops that specialise in the books and paraphenalia and wot-not.

Don't worry I'm not going to call you a nerd. I still run a D&D campaign with the boys every fortnight (time permitting), but I'm sure you can understand the stigma attached to it. Especially if you go to a convention and the majority of them know not what deodorant is let alone soap and water!

Tell me, do play 3rd Ed? What like is it?

Mata ne, Karasu.

[kickingback]

Hello Karasu. It's good to meet a gamer from the other side of the big pond. I've yet to play 3rd edition but I have the books and have read them. There have been some big changes mostly in the lingo but it looks pretty cool. There are less limitations and now any race can become pretty much any class. The idea of dwarven wizards is still odd to me but i'm sure somebody out there has always wanted to play one so in that respect I guess it's all good. A sorcerer class is now available in which ones magic is more an innate ability than a chosen field. I've always been more of a hack and slash kind of guy letting my sword do the talking but most of that has stayed the same. Now I'm left to the struggle of getting the old party together. Most of them have an old ball and chain who will probably never understand the love of the game anyway. I myself feel that if it ain't broke don't try to fix it but in the long run I think this will enhance playing and provide a lot of new posibilities for the player. Take it easy and let me know if you give it a try.

[scottsman13]

Well, I'm in Michigan myself but I'm definately a gamer!

Kickingback, you won't realise how broken 2E is until you give the new system a go. It's the most balanced system I've played in my 18 yrs. of gaming - I love it!

Karasu, it may console you to know the conventions in the U.S.A. are much the same - our hobby attracts all the squids!

Seriously though, if you game I would highly recomend the D20 system. It brought me out of "retirement"!

[kickingback]

Sounds good Scottsman13. I guess I'll have to rally the troops and dust off the dice. It's been too long anyway. What do you find to be better about it? I have read the books but hav'nt played. Was it hard to make the change or did you adjust easily? Get back to me and give me the lowdown. Take it easy.

[Karasu]

Well I'm still waiting to see if the rest of the guys fancy trying 3Ed.
They're a bit long in the tooth and set in their ways: "I remember when this were all the fields and the Caves of Chaos were on the borders......" etc etc.

Scottsman: The D20 system does look *very* nice. I was quite pleased to see they've done a version of Judge Dredd. I've still got the original back home somewhere. (The old Games Workshop one they put out when they were still a *real* RPG company)

So other than D&D what games do guys play? I've continuely got to harass the guys to play anything else. Bit of a shame as my fave is Cyberpunk, but I can't get a game anywhere!

Mata ne, Karasu