And again, for the most part, much fun was had, although there were a couple notable hiccups this time:
Firstly, there was an enormous line to receive my con documents, since a bunch of people showed up during lunchtime and there was only one person processing attendees (there are a second person at the door to the registration room who basically wasn't doing anything very productive and apparently wasn't able to also process attendees), so it took an inordinate amount of time and I nearly missed a game.
Secondly, I did unfortunately have a game during the con that featured my two biggest RPG pet peeves: 1) railroading, and 2) player v. player, better known as PvP (which led to a TPK)! Some people may enjoy those, but not me.
Particularly, the PvP was in the form of a plant among the players who had his own agenda. This, IMHO, is especially unfair in a convention setting because, even if one suspects something is going on, does one act? What if you are wrong and you kill the PC? Will that ruin the game for someone who paid attendance?
Another thing that was somewhat negative was that, during my Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea game, once again I called out the "twist" that the hidden enemy were Snake Men. But, at least the scenario wasn't a poorly done rip off of RE Howard's classic Conan yarn "Shadows in Zamboula"!
Nevertheless, overall, I thought TotalCon 2018 was quite a good time.
I did have the chance to play the Legend of the Five Rings RPG for the first time, which was interesting.
Legend of the Five Rings (usually abbreviated L5R) began as a card game. The RPG uses a "roll and keep" dice pool mechanic (like Exalted, only d10s) where the player seeks to roll over a target number (unlike Exalted, in which the player counts successes). There's an interesting "raise" mechanic, where the player can voluntarily increase the target number in exchange for greater success.
L5R is set in the fictional empire of Rokugan, which is a faux feudal Japan with a smattering of other influences. The background is quite detailed and really adds a lot to the experience by providing deeper character immersion.
I also got a chance to get in a bunch of Old School play with my old AD&D DM, who linked the ends of the classic modules B4: The Lost City and X1: The Isle of Dread!
B4: The Lost City by Tom Moldvay is a dungeon crawl cum mini-setting. Clearly inspired by RE Howard's classic Conan yarns "Xuthal of the Dusk" and "Red Nails," B4 also has a lost, stagnant, drug-addled and dying culture, and the PCs are able to play off/against various native factions.
X1: The Isle of Dread by David "Zeb" Cook and Tom Moldvay is among the most widely played of all Dungeons & Dragons modules, since it was included with the D&D Expert Set. Inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Lost World," "King Kong," and other elements, X1 is an excellent wilderness hex crawl.
X1: The Isle of Dread by David "Zeb" Cook and Tom Moldvay is among the most widely played of all Dungeons & Dragons modules, since it was included with the D&D Expert Set. Inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Lost World," "King Kong," and other elements, X1 is an excellent wilderness hex crawl.
