The Rogues' Gallery

[shadowls]

thanks

[Tangential]

Name and intentions
I go by Jaerc all across the Internet. You can find me at WotC as Obsidianjaerc. ENWorld, Dicefreaks, Planeswalker, and CBG get plain old Jaerc. I've kept my eye on you fellows for a good long time now and after much proding by a few of you have decided to throw my hat in.

Code Select Expand

I may update this later

Gaming systems you use
D&D v3.5: This would be my primary system of choice.
AD&D 2e: Just for the fluff
d20 Various: I've played or ran in more then a dozen d20 systems
Shadowrun 3e: Oh the math makes you want to cry blood. Good fluff though.
Shadowrun 4e: Oh the system is so simple it makes you want to cry for joy.
Alternity: Mmmmmm, oldschool.
World of Darkness: Yeah, yeah I've done it. Stop looking at me.
Traveller: Now that was a cool game.
GURPs & RIFTS: d20 handed you your asses. Sorry.
MERPs: Decent for a time, before it all went down hill.

General gaming history
A good intrest in history, mythology, and drama since I was a wee lad lead me to role-playing as a slightly less we lad. I have a good decade of experience behind me now and I'm not about to stop. I've played D&D all along and continue to do so now. I (hold your applause) also LARP, it's not as bad as it's cracked up to be. Other systems come and go like so-so poetry.

Personal likes and dislikes
Music
History, Linguistics, Theatre, and Astrophysics
Some Sports
Role-Playing

Game Design: Mechanics & Flavor
Melding non-epic and Epic play
FUN

Strengths in game design
Great Ideas
Execution
Strong Writing
Willingness to research

Weaknesses in game design
Lack of time
Procrastination
Small details that lend authentic feel
Making crucial descions quickly

What published settings have you used/do you like?
At the risk of being outcast, I for the most part like and enjoy the majority of "official" settings I come across. Each has it's merits and flaws but in every one you will finds gems. I have used modified versions of Planescape, Ravenloft, Athas, Faerun, Oerth, Kalamar, Iron Heroes, Arcana Evolved, and many others.

Major influences on your world-building
History & Mythstory
Literature (17th century - current)
Other's Work
My own Muses
Small things: a pciture, a lyric, a name

Disclaimer
Written at 2 AM, be kind.

[SA]

"Music, History, Linguistics, Theatre, and Astrophysics."

I like you.

[Thanuir]

Finnish, math student, first year, 19 years, Tommi Brander is the name.

You may have encountered me on Dicefreaks or WotC (in which case I may have to apologise for some of my past behaviour, especially if you happen to be Roxlimn) as Gilean, at RPG.net as Thanuir, at the Forge by my real name, or somewhere as ToB.

Systems I frequently use, or have frequently used
Burning Wheel, D&D 3,5 and 3, Star Wars d20, various homebrews.
I am familiar with a lot of games. Feel free to ask recommendations if you want to branch out.

General gaming history
Started with homebrewed system, played two session of Finnish OD&D-clone, more homebrews, occasional ventures into published systems, even more homebrewed games, D&D 3 and online activation, more homebrews occasionally spiced by D&D, broadened internet presence (RPG.net, the Forge), Burning Wheel spiced with homebrews and currently I am playing SW d20.

Game design
I am competent at creating systems. I like doing it.
I know next to nothing about creating settings. I am working on this deficiency.

I am also the local roleplaying theory junkie of virtually every place I visit, which gives me a fairly broad view on roleplaying.
I am also no longer a Forge theory zealot like I was for a while.

Influences on setting design
Anything and everything I have ever read or, especially, am currently reading.


I am also a big believer in connecting separate pools of knowledge to each other and enjoying the show, which is exactly why I will usually sprinkle my texts with more-or-less appropriate links. I do this elsewhere and will usually link here when someone asks for advice on world building. It has happened at least three times now.

[Tangential]

"Music, History, Linguistics, Theatre, and Astrophysics."

I like you.

Yay.

[Telesk]

Name and Intentions
I'm Telesk at most sites, though you can find me as Telethar at the Wizco board. I joined because limetom has hounded me for awhile, and he challanged me to duel in your Arena, and I generally don't back out of a challange, unless it's bigger then me. I speak gibberish and english to some extent.

Gaming systems I use
DnD 3.5
D20 modern/future
Star Wars D20
Anything that I'm given a chance to learn.

Personal likes and dislikes
Music
Literature
Philosophy
History
Personal Fitness

I don't really hate much, 'cept ignorance and certain citrus fruit.

Strengths and weaknesses in game design
I'm fairly original in mechanics and flavor, with a preference for the second. I do suffer from  a lack of interest in my own projects, and it takes me a lot to "finish" one.

Major influences on your world-building
Music
History
Realism
Poetry

[WorldConquerer]

Game Systems Used
D&D 3.0 and 3.5. I'm too young to know of much else.

Gaming History
Picked up a 3.0 Player's Handbook three or four years ago, played a little with friends, but I've never gotten involved in a serious, long-lasting campaign. This is kind of weird, because I own all kind of sourcebooks and such, and I love world-building. I originally began world-building in 2004, and continue to this day. I have not played D&D in a very long time, but I still write my ideas down and actively develop them. World-building is its own hobby to me, and maybe some day I may get to put these ideas to use.

Likes
Gaming (computer and RPG)
World-building
Computers
TV, including a select few silly cartoons

Dislikes
Anime/manga (never got into it)
Music (not a dislike per se, but to me it's enjoyable background noise at best)

Strengths
Coming up with ideas, I guess.

Weaknesses
I am extremely new to actual game design. Up until now I've just stuck with generating ideas and writing them down. I'm also not so good at drawing maps, but I'm getting better.

Published Settings
Forgotten Realms is okay, but I love the fresh feel of Eberron.

Influences
Lovecraft and Tolkein of course, as well as the Redwall series. Ideas from the cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender have really influenced my setting, as well as computer games, especially American McGee's Alice.

[Hibou]

Welcome Thanuir, Jaerc, Telesk, and WorldConquerer.

Picked up a 3.0 Player's Handbook three or four years ago, played a little with friends, but I've never gotten involved in a serious, long-lasting campaign. This is kind of weird, because I own all kind of sourcebooks and such, and I love world-building. I originally began world-building in 2004, and continue to this day. I have not played D&D in a very long time, but I still write my ideas down and actively develop them. World-building is its own hobby to me, and maybe some day I may get to put these ideas to use.

Well, we're in a similar situation. Though I've been into the game longer and am familiar with more systems (my favorite is 2e AD&D), I also own a lot of sourcebooks and haven't played in ages.

[Alagard]

Hi, This is my first try at crating my own world, I saw the link to this page in a signature in the WotC boards.

I have been playing RPG since 2ed, I had a brief season as a player but mostly I have always been the DM, I have also played World of Darkness for some years but since 3.0 came out I have only played D&D and the ocacional Aberrant game.

I think Im a dreamer my mind is always some place else most of the time planing an encounter or a pice of an adventure, this has led me to imagine pices of a new world but Im having problems puting my ideas togheter.

I hope to find some friends in here that can help me. :cool:  

By the way cool smileys  :drunk:

[Ishmayl-Retired]

By the way cool smileys  :drunk:

Yes, we think so too :)

Welcome to the Guild!

[Ra-Tiel]

.....:::::Background:::::.....
Hi, my name's Alex and I've been an avid roleplayer for several years now. I'm 24 years old and I live in Germany. I started my rpg career with Shadowrun 2ed, and have seen many good (and alas bad, too) things so far. Personally, I'm a huge fan of computer games (favorizing FPS, RTS, and RPGs) and - of course - PnP. I'm studying computer science, which probably - especially considering my other hobbies - makes me a classical geek. :P

.....:::::RPG-Experience:::::.....
As said above, the first system I started gaming with was Shadowrun 2ed. Since then I've seen many different systems. If my memory doesn't play tricks on me right now, the following should be all (in no particular order):

*

Dungeons and Dragons 3ed
*Dungeons and Dragons v3.5
*Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2ed ( :-/ )
*Hârnmaster ( :ill: )
*Blue Planet ( :heart: )
*Legend of the Five Rings 3ed
*Shadowrun 4ed ( :cool: )
*Spycraft
*Babylon 5 d20
*EverQuest d20
*EverQuest II d20 ( x. )
*StarWars d20 rev.
*DragonStar d20
*Fading Suns 2ed
[/list]

.....:::::Strengths and weaknesses (in game design):::::.....
...:::Strengths:::...

*I can come up with ideas for characters/NPCs pretty easily.
*Quite good at putting stuff into game mechanics.
*Things I finish tend to look good (thanks to LaTeX :D ).

...:::Weaknesses:::...

*I have a hard time getting stuff finished, and not dropping it for something else.
*Not entirely perfect at balancing, because I'm not really into optimizing (and therefore sometimes missing a thing or two).

.....:::::Published Settings:::::.....
Some of the systems I mentioned above are so firmly interconnected with a setting that it's hard to differ, especially regarding Legend of the Five Rings and Shadowrun. In DnD, however, I've playing in several settings. My favorite is undoubtedly the Forgotten Realms, probably thanks to Faerûn's rich history and detailed pantheon ("Dawn Cataclysm", anyone? ;) ). I've also played in Eberron, and while being a good setting I find it to be less of my taste. My major critique is that Eberron tries to copy our modern world technology with magic, instead of discovering to which technology magic could have lead instead. And of course I've seen Greyhawk (only moderately, however) and some home-brew worlds.

.....:::::Influences:::::.....
Hmmm... I guess my ideas are a conglomerate of quite some stuff. Of course the official settings all influence me to a certain [small] degree. Additionally, several SciFi tv shows like "Stargate" contain some in my opinion very good ideas that could be made into an rpg. Also, there are the "EverWorld" book series by K. A. Applegate, as well as "Space" and "Time" by Stephen Baxter that gave me some ideas. Finally, other systems/settings inspired me to some "adaption" for my ideas, including "EarthDawn" (mainly background and theme) and "Everquest II" (mechanically).

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Glad to see another Shadowrun fan.  Never heard of Blue Planet, but since it gets a :heart:, maybe I need to check it out.

Welcome to the CBG.  

[Jharviss]

My name is Jharviss.  If I had known the CBG existed prior to now, I would have been all over these forums like a beetle on a junebug.  Comically, I am also known as Jharviss in real life despite my best efforts for it not to be carried over.  And, even more comically, my non-gaming friends are the ones who call me Jharviss.  My gaming friends use my real name.  Odd?  I think so.
 
Gaming Systems I Use
Dungeons and Dragons, Edition 3.5 - I'm a fan, I have to admit it.  And I don't like change.  Sorry.

General Gaming History
I've played for about seven years now, starting right as D&D second edition was coming to an end.  My friends have experimented with countless other systems, but I've never really strayed from D&D.  As long as I can remember I've DMed.

Personal Likes & Dislikes
I love a well-developed world and plotline.  I'm also a Creative Writing major in college, so these are the things I actively look for.  The highest priority in my world is a realistic feel that can be combined with magic.  I know, I know, a near-impossible ideal, but something I continue to strive for.  Magic can be realistic too!  And I hate plot-holes.

Stengths and Weaknesses in Game Design
I'm a lazy bastard who happens to be a perfectionist.  It's a bad combination.  But otherwise I think I tend to do fairly well.

What Published Settings Have I Used/Do I like?
I read Dragonlance growing up but I just can't use the setting.  In fact, I don't think I've ever DMed a published setting.  I played briefly in living Greyhawk and that was fun.  But otherwise I just like to admire the different settings for what they offer and then move on.  Admittedly, I would love to try Spelljammer.

Major Influences on my World-Building
My life.  And some other people's lives.  But beyond D&D and some creativity, not much.  My world is fairly streamlined.

And So On
The above is an odd bit of information about me.  I play exclusively now in my own world, Aldreia, which was originally a team project (big team too, about 20 people) but over time dwindled down to just me and the people I can, once a couple months, get to stop by my forums.  It would be depressing but I get by.  Now I can just claim it as my own and be happy (especially since I did most of the work or will be soon revamping a lot of the older stuff).  In any case I'm building a website for my world, something that's going quite slowly as I rather suck at web design.  I'm a college student who tries to avoid virtually all video games and just work and roleplay.  I'm an active Creative Writing and Political Science double major, and that takes up most of my life.  But I try to combine those two aspects and put them into my world design.  I also have an odd obsession with the United Nations.  But that's a story for another time.

Tootles.

[Numinous]

Welcome to the CBG, and I hope to see you around.

[Illithid00]

Gaming history:
I started playing DnD 3.0 a few years back, but I didn't get to play much due to school, not having a gaming group, etc. When 3.5 came out I got the Player's Handbook and started getting back into the game. I still don't get to play much, but I spend quite a bit of time building/editing/revising my world settings.

Personal Likes/Dislikes:
I like playing DnD, and I enjoy building scale aircraft models. I enjoy researching models and thinking up things to put in my DnD games. I dislike arrogance, show off-ness, and people who think that they're right ALL THE TIME and won't back down when they're wrong.

Published Settings I've used/liked:
So far I haven't used any published settings, but I've taken a lot of my campaign material from what I've read that helps described certain settings. I'm willing to try any setting though.

Strengths:
Attention to details (most of the time)
Creativity
Flexibility (sometimes)

Weaknesses:
Tunnel vision at times
Curiosity (which will kill me someday)
I'm sure there's more that I'll think of later!

Influences:
DragonLance novels
A need to break the "norm"
Pretty much anything else I read (which is a lot) or see.