System confusion

[ludomaniac]

I am really, really looking forward to this game.  However, I'm a FUDGE/FATE newbie (the only FUDGE product I own is "The Collectors").  I understand that FATE is an adaptation of FUDGE.  But will I need separate FUDGE rules to play, or is the Dresden Files RPG a complete game in itself?  In other words, when I buy Dresden, will I also need to buy the FUDGE basic rulebook from Grey Ghost?

[iago]

Oh my god I LOVE The Collectors.

The Dresden Files RPG will be a complete game.

[ludomaniac]

Thanks for clearing up my confusion, Iago.

The only problem with The Collectors is that there's not enough of it.  I want White Wolf-style piles of sourcebooks, dangit!  OK, maybe not piles, but I wish there was more support material.  Is Thomas Mackay still active in FUDGE circles?  Poke him until he writes more.

[iago]

Thanks for clearing up my confusion, Iago.

The only problem with The Collectors is that there's not enough of it.  I want White Wolf-style piles of sourcebooks, dangit!  OK, maybe not piles, but I wish there was more support material.  Is Thomas Mackay still active in FUDGE circles?  Poke him until he writes more.

Not sure.  I should track him down again.

[finarvyn]

I'm a FUDGE/FATE newbie ... will I need separate FUDGE rules to play, or is the Dresden Files RPG a complete game in itself?  In other words, when I buy Dresden, will I also need to buy the FUDGE basic rulebook from Grey Ghost?

While DFRPG is a complete game, you can get a better feel for the philosophy for the game by looking at FATE (free download) or Spirit of the Century (a "pulp" RPG from the same company as DFRPG, using a similar system).

Since you termed yourself a "FUDGE/FATE newbie" I would highly suggest you check out this stuff in advance to get a better feel for the game system. FATE isn't quite like other RPGs in that it's more loose than most rules systems. While there are many options, there aren't as many rules as some games and it may take a while for you to get it figured out. Once you do, however, the options are excellent!

[ludomaniac]

Thanks for your excellent advice, Finarvyn.  I'll download the FATE rules and take a look.

I've heard nothing but good about SOTC as well, but never checked it out (20s/30s pulp doesn't appeal to me as a genre for roleplaying, though I like pulp novels and movies).

[iago]

Note, the Fate version for download is "2.0", while SOTC is "3.0", so there are some significant changes between 'em.  Still, some of the conceptual grounding is the same.

[TheMouse]

I've heard nothing but good about SOTC as well, but never checked it out (20s/30s pulp doesn't appeal to me as a genre for roleplaying, though I like pulp novels and movies).

You might want to take a look at the SotC SRD. It's quite worthwhile, even if you're not interested in pulp. You can find it here:

http://zork.net/~nick/loyhargil/fate3/fate3.html

It's all the rules from Spirit of the Century, although it's missing all the cool examples from the actual book. From comments on threads over at RPG.net, the version of Fate used for Dresden is going to be quite similar to the one used in SotC.

[skakid]

I've been checking out the SotC SRD for a couple of days and I'll say this, if it's any indication of how the Dresden Files RPG will go or how well it's written you've far and away sold me on it already. 

[iago]

I've been checking out the SotC SRD for a couple of days and I'll say this, if it's any indication of how the Dresden Files RPG will go or how well it's written you've far and away sold me on it already. 

I sure hope it's an indication of how the game will go and how well it's written!

[finarvyn]

I sure hope it's an indication of how the game will go and how well it's written!

Fred is unwilling to brag, so I'll do it for him. Based on the playtest files I've seen so far, DFRPG will be at least as well done as SotC (and I think actually better).

[SaintAndSinner]

I'll second that.  It is my opinion the game will rock on toast.  I just wish Evil Hat et al had the resources to get it done faster. *sigh*

[TheMouse]

I just wish Evil Hat et al had the resources to get it done faster. *sigh*

No kidding. I just ran my first session of Fate (a hacked version based on SotC) this past Friday. Let's just say that all of my game mechanic problems with Exalted just went away.

SotC's great, don't get me wrong. But I'm a fan of fantasy games. I cannot wait to see how DF RPG turns out.

[prophet224]

You might want to take a look at the SotC SRD. It's quite worthwhile, even if you're not interested in pulp. You can find it here:

http://zork.net/~nick/loyhargil/fate3/fate3.html

Is it just me, or is the formatting there really... weird?

It's OGL, right?  So I could put it up somewhere in a more clean format?

[TheMouse]

Yeah, the formatting is a little weird. I think that someone has already put the SRD onto a PDF. I'm not sure, because I just went out and bought the thing. Definitely worth it.