Microlite74 Revisited

[randalls]

M74 has been out two months now and has been downloaded just shy of 500 times. I'd really like to hear what people think about it. I'm probably going to be releasing a version 1.1 soon with some errors (such as those mentioned in Microlite74 Released!) and omissions corrected -- like the missing surprise rules.

I've also produced a digest booklet-sized version of Microlite74. 24 pages designed to be printed in booklet form by Acrobat Reader. It has a nice 0e feel and has larger print so it is easier on the eyes. I may make this available as an alternate download.

[randalls]

M74 has been out two months now and has been downloaded just shy of 500 times. I'd really like to hear what people think about it. I'm probably going to be releasing a version 1.1 soon with some errors (such as those mentioned in Microlite74 Released!) and omissions corrected -- like the missing surprise rules.

I've done some work on 1.1 over the past couple of days. I've corrected the errors that were pointed out in the other thread. I've added the missing surprise rule. I've borrowed the starting equipment packs and encumbrance rules from M20 Hard Core. (The encumbrance rules are simple and optional.) I've added a section on Retro-Games after the Designer's Notes which lists information on more complete retro-games like Swords & Wizardry, Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game, Labyrinth Lord, and OSRIC on the off chance that someone picks up M74, likes it, but would like a more detailed retro-game.

[dragonstories]

Sounds great.  I introduced my nephew to the game and he liked it.  I had tried other games and he got confused by all the rules.  This system has just ehough rules to tell a story, but not so many that he had to read hundreds of pages to know how to swing a sword. 
When will the next version be out?

[randalls]

Sounds great.  I introduced my nephew to the game and he liked it.  I had tried other games and he got confused by all the rules.  This system has just ehough rules to tell a story, but not so many that he had to read hundreds of pages to know how to swing a sword. 
When will the next version be out?

Probably in a week or two, max.  There aren't a lot of changes. Mainly typo corrections and the missing surprise rule. The main new stuff is a section at the end listing more complete retrogames, but that info does not affect play. M74 seems to work as it is, so I don't see much need to revise it except in response to problems people find with it.

The missing surprise rule is simple: Roll 1d6 for each side at the start of an encounter, a side is surprised on a 1 or a 2. If one side is surprised and the other is not, the side that was not surprised gets a free round of combat before the surprised side can react.

[randalls]

More Minor Additions Planned for M74 Version 1.1:

Morale Rules: Basically a reminder than most monsters will automatically not fight to the death unless somehow forced to and that the GM should decide when monster's lose the will to fight and try to run away or even surrender.

Hirelings: Hirelings were an important part of most 0e games. This section will present simple rules for using hirelings and several standard types: bearer (HP: 2, effective "level" if forced to fight: -2), green man-at-arms (HP: 4, effective combat level: 0), veteran man-at-arms (HP: 5, effective combat level: 1).

[randalls]

More Minor Additions Planned for M74 Version 1.1

I've finished writing version 1.1 of Microlite74. Now to proofreading and layout. The new edition is 6 pages three sheets of paper front and back. One and a half of those pages are the OGL, Designer's Notes, a list of other edition Retrogames, and the like. The actual rules only grew just over a column of text.

There will be two editions of version 1.1:

Standard edition -- the six-page version described above.  This will be a PDF file about 110 to 130K in size.

Special Digest-sized edition -- this edition will be designed for printing with Adobe Acrobat's booklet printing feature to produce an 0e-like digest-sized booklet. The text size will be larger and there will be some very nice printer-friendly fantasy art thanks to an excellent artist in Sweden who allows non-commercial use of his art.  This will be a larger PDF file so the art will print in all its glory, probably around 2.5 megs.

[Riceman]

I downloaded, read, and printed out the digest edition of 1.1. Nice work, mate. I like the feel of it.

The saving throw rules are a little ambiguous....do you roll under the number suggested? Add it to a d20 roll and check it against a DC the DM determines, as in d20?

[randalls]

I downloaded, read, and printed out the digest edition of 1.1. Nice work, mate. I like the feel of it.

Thank you very much.

The saving throw rules are a little ambiguous....do you roll under the number suggested? Add it to a d20 roll and check it against a DC the DM determines, as in d20?

The last. Standard d20 rules apply unless stated otherwise. That's the beauty of Microlite20-based games, most people already know the basics so the rules can be short. I will probably be a bit more explicit on such things when I tackle my next M20 project as it is intended to be a bit more complete.

[Francesco]

Hi Randalls.

M74 v. 1.1 is fantastic !!! I suppose that now the community needs a character sheet for this rpg, like M20. Can you provide us this "necessary" tool ?

Cheers from Italy.

[randalls]

M74 v. 1.1 is fantastic !!! I suppose that now the community needs a character sheet for this rpg, like M20. Can you provide us this "necessary" tool ?

The type of character sheets I make are not very pretty -- and M74 really doesn't need more than a 3x5 card. However, if someone with more design talent than I have wants to make a nice M7 character sheet, I will be happy to host it here.

[enelson]

I downloaded the digest sized version and it is very awesome!

Quick question on the combat section. It says that a character may attack with two weapons at a -2 penalty on each attach. Then in the damage section, it says two weapon attacks roll 2 d6 and take the highest roll.

My ruling is going to be two weapon attacks are at -2 (like the book [err...pamphlet] says) and two-handed weapons roll two d6 and take the highest roll. I saw this on DF I think in Meepo's Holmes Companion discussion.

Thanks for the fun game. I hope I can get my group to try it out in my Citadel of DOOM!!! scenario.

[randalls]

I downloaded the digest sized version and it is very awesome!

Thank you!

My ruling is going to be two weapon attacks are at -2 (like the book [err...pamphlet] says) and two-handed weapons roll two d6 and take the highest roll. I saw this on DF I think in Meepo's Holmes Companion discussion.

That was the intention. Fighters can wield two light weapons at -2 on each attack. Fighters wielding a two-handed weapon roll 1d6 twice and take the higher roll.

[randalls]

There have been almost 270 downloads of Microlite74 1.1 in the ten days since it was released. About 55% in the standard format and 45% in the digest format.