I understand. Not particularly where I’d want to see ACKS go, but that’s totally subjective. I do think the (hopefully) forthcoming SRD will address a lot of your needs.
I’ve been using the text documents posted by Caphenid to great effect, but the lack of formatting makes reading some blocks of text a bit difficult. Is the plan for it to be hyperlinked as well?
I could be completely wrong about this, but my understanding was that it would eventually be a hyper-linked version hosted here on the site.
I think you’re right about that; the github is just the raw version 1 text or whatever.
I would love to see the classes formatted in AT LEAST a 3rd edition style, in my opinion. I think that could strike the balance between “natural language” rules-in-the-world stuff and actually being easy to reference and use.
A book in the style of D@W:Campaigns for the peacetime domain management side of things, with everything that’s been developed on the boards, would be great.
I… don’t know that I’d actually use this. One of the things that gets me with some of the domain houserules/proposed rules I’ve been seeing recently is that they add substantially more complexity that I’m really looking for. Ultimately, I think there may be a disconnect between player-groups who view domain play in-and-of itself as worthwhile, and those who wish to use it more as an enabler / context-provider for adventures. On the flip side, I suppose part of the problem with domain play as it stands for the Context crowd (ie, my former group) is that Paperwork To Excitement Ratio is fairly high; were I to propose further rules for peacetime domain play, I think that would be the focus of my efforts, rather than realism.
I’d also like to see more macro-scale world-enginey material; generating personalities for neighboring rulers and vassals, fomenting or combatting conspiracies among the nobility, arranging marriages, and so forth, as well as Oriental Adventures-style random event charts. One of the things that bothers me about the Vagaries tables is that they’re very flat and quite random in comparison with an OA-style system, where one major event is determined for the year and the rest are (typically) related to that event, either foreshadowing or following from.
Some Clarification (or further obfuscation):
Its going to be a while before I have the time to work on it further.
It will be hyperlinked when its put on the site, the txt is basically just a simple master to work from.
It will likely not be in 3rd edition style (unless someone else wants to do it) since I don’t play 3rd ed. (Nothing against it)
Anybody who wants to help clean-up/improve the SRD can certainly do so though, thats why I stuck it on github.
I basically agree with this. My paperwork tolerance is pretty high when I feel like I’m getting something out of it, but there also comes a point where I’d rather just do something simple and abstract that produces roughly the same end result.
I don’t remember the OA tables, but I was a bit disappointed in the Vagaries tables because random events happen even when you’re not recruiting, on campaign, or in battle.
Charles DM:
“Also, IMO, a good set of Judge’s tables can overcome some of the cross-referencing mentioned above. (Preferably part of a Judge’s Screen, perhaps with Thrice-Hidden Secrets of ACKS included, nudge, nudge …)”
There are generic screens available that can be filled with printed-out pages (I know there’s one for Savage Worlds). So all Autarch would really need to do make a 6-page pdf (3 for the players’ side, three for the Judge’s side).
“The integrated economics and how - it - just - works. But how do you sell “Economics!” as sexy when it comes to the game? I really have no idea. You either like that kind of thing, or you have no problem with infinite Cantrips (Just kidding! Sort of…).”
The economics system was a real draw-card for me, but then I actually am an economist, so I’m not really typical.
Yeah, I use one of those myself. I actually prefer game-specific cardstock screens from an aesthetic point-of-view, but in terms of practicality, these customizable screens are great.
They’re especially helpful for small publishers that may not have the wherewithal to do a full production of a screen, but could manage to publish a 6-page (or even a 3-page) pdf.
I’m waiting for the Auran Empire book so I can have an all-ACKS-covers timeline screen on the backside.
Player’s Companion (beginning) → ACKS (conquering) → D@W (early domain) → Auran Empire (late domain).
Buy a colour laser printer → Google Michael C. Hayes → Profit?
Dude. Duuuuuuuude.
(EDIT: Overly vague. Just thought that was an awesome idea.)
Dude?
I claimed I bought the colour laser printer for productive purposes, but who am I kidding? It was originally for printing out colour images of monsters for RPG sessions.
I created a screen, too. I love having so many tables in one place so I don’t have to go looking them up over and over again.
I’m not the only economist! Huzzah!
I never realized we had so many actual economists in the community! That’s very cool, albeit intimidating.
I’m finishing up a double-major in creative writing and statistics this year, and then onward to a PHD in Stats eventually.