For a while there were several posters giving updates as to how they were using various systems to run a campaign in the Dresdenverse, but recently this section of the board has been very quiet.

Perhaps this happened at the same time as Fred announced alpha playtesting of THE REAL THING and somehow homebrew games seem less interesting? Maybe people just didn't have anything new to report? I'm hoping that the lack of conversation here isn't indiciative of low long-term interes...

Anyway, I've experimented with Dresden in a couple different game systems with varying degrees of success...
1. Amber Diceless -- this works surprisingly well, since so many of the characters are supernaturals. In a mostly mundane world, it would have some issues.
2. Buffy -- I've found that BtVS (Eden Games) has the right kind of feel, perhaps because Buffy is written with wry humor in much the same way as Dresden. Also I find that I can use some of their ideas for vampires and spells and other things that fit well into Harry's world.
3. Monte Cook's World of Darkness -- this plays like most any d20 system, and typically you like it or hate it. I find some of the ideas (particularly the magic system) to be particularly clever, but overall the system is bulky and cumbersome.
4. Spirit of the Century -- of late I've drifteed back to SotC as my Dresden rule system of choice, in anticipation of the SotC system being similar to Dresden Files. I know that the magic system will be different, but at least my players will be used to the funky +/- dice. 

Anyone else running Dresden at the moment?

I like to have my games that allow me to look at what my characters attempt and then see if they succeed. You can't really do that with with a game that is all scene and chapters but, getting so bogged down by dice rolles and number crunching just to see if a chracter walks across the street without getting hit is a pain in the rear.

I agree with your assessment of fun gaming, Harleshade. One of the strengths of the FATE system is the fact that you can quickly assess task difficlulty, roll, and move on. Whereas many games give lots of tables and charts of modifiers in the name of "realism", FATE is all about playability and getting that task resolved so that we can move onto the next interesting part of the plot.

One neat thing from the "Amber Diceless" rulebook is the way that Erick Wujcik makes observations about Zelazny's writing style. If a contest occurs between people who are balanced in ability, Zelazny may spend pages explaining each and every detail. If the contestents are unbalanced and the conflict should end in a hurry, Zelazny spends a few words on it and moves on. FATE is a lot like that. Certainly you can build in layers of complexity if you want, or set the stage for a prolonged confict if that fits the adventure, but if you want something done quickly and want to move on then FATE lets you do it.

I'm wary of the use of the term "Storytelling Game" because it gives the impression that there aren't any rules but just players sitting around a room telling stories, but FATE is a great example of a game with rules designed to enable a gaming group to tell wonderful stories with some structure guiding the resoltion process. The rules assist you through speedy resolution as needed so you can move the plot forward.

I originally purchased some Deryni (sp?) dice because that was all that my local FLGS in Birmingham had.  I have since called a FLGS in London who are sending me the two fudge dice packs like the ones you have.

What I find is that the color of the dice is very important to some of my players. Who am I to deny them “hot pink” dice.

I went even further and purchased the pdf for Spirit of the Century because I was intrigued by your comment about the quality of Fred and Rob's work.  Having read it I called the game store in London back and ordered a hardback copy.  I guess you could say I have been sold!   

Glad to hear it. Maybe I can get a “referral fee” from Fred? Nah. Didn’t think so. I think that Fred and Rob are really sincere about their writing and I find it neat that they are willing to push off a deadline in order to ensure quality. (Of course, if this happens forever and we never get a game – then I get grumpy.) Not all game designers are willing to do this, as evidenced by the number of products that go into 2E mode shortly after printing 1E. They really want to get it right, and it shows in the final product.

I am also really impressed (and just a little jealous) that your family is your gaming group.  That is just great!   

We like it, too!

I know not many on this forum like to hear this, but I think a d20 system would be really effective.

I think that there are many systems which could be used to run a fun Dresden campaign. Before DF even existed as a series (or, at least before I ever heard about it) I used Buffy the Vampire Slayer and ran a really fun modern-day sorcery game that was similar to Charmed and Dresden in style. I’ve tried out the MCWOD system and with some tweaks I find it to be pretty good as well. I’ve run something similar using Amber Diceless. My point is that you can find good points about many different game systems, so pick whichever one fits your style. If nothing else, buy DFRPG and mine it for ideas that you can use in a campaign of your own rules of choice.

Suddenly, a big smile appears on my face.

My group has been waiting for this for a long time!

While I embrace the notion of having a short PDF supplement add-on after each of Jim's books, keep in mind that Evil Hat also has to somehow turn a profit along the way. The unfortunate economics of the gaming industry are such that free PDF files may not be reasonable, but perhaps they can be relatively inexpensive. I would imagine that most supplemental materials would be fan-generated unless enough material was accumulated such that an official supplement from Evil Hat would be warrented.

As to the estimate of 15 pages of PDF per new novel, I agree that this seems somewhat large to me. Keep in mind that each book so far tends to bring in a few new characters, but that those are Chicago characters and the DFRPG will be based on Baltimore. It's possible that new characters in the novels will not be part of the Baltimore Dresdenverse because the two threads are not really designed to overlap so that cross-polination would be at a minimum.

Even so, each new novel adds a couple characters and a small slice of a timeline. Each book advances the plot but it seems like most of the mechanics of the Dresdenverse were unveiled in the early books so unless Harry's powers change radically, there may not be much to write up in that department. Also, the skill system for the original RPG rulebook should cover most generic skills and I wouldn't anticipate many additions after the fact. In other words, once the original gamebook is written there may only be very minimal additions unless the intent is to "pad out" the text with fluff (which really doesn't seem to by Fred's style).

Bottom line -- if Jim really writes 20 books I can maybe see an official supplement coming out at the end because there might be enough new material by then to fill up another book.

Just my two cents.

I am a much bigger fan of the D20 system than the Fate system.

I think that the two game systems do different things. The d20 system is designed to add a certain layer of complexity and depth of numbers to a campaign. If you want exact data for the characters such as hit points and carefully listed skills and abilities, d20 is clearly a game designed to do that. If you want a game which is more freeform and open to interpretation, then FATE should do a better job.

Any time you attempt to simulate a book or movie, there is always that decision as to whether to achieve the "general feel" of the genre or the exactness of detail. I think it's nice that there are some choices out there, and MCWOD does seem close enough to Dresden that it should make a nice setting until the real thing comes out.

Sometimes it depends upon the style of your campaign.

I find that the soundtrack of VanHelsing is somewhat dark, while Pirates of the Caribbean is more flashy and free-wheeling. Harry Potter is flighty while Conan is booming and somber.