JcFalkenburg
SOC-9
I got a copy of Dune: Chronicles of the Imperium for Christmas. I hope your Christmas was as Merry!!
I don't want to brag But...
- Thread starter JcFalkenburg
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Starviking
SOC-13
Lucky man!
I passed up a chance at this when it was first available, as I (foolishly) trusted WoTC's word that they'd make it available in D20.
Very good get! The Dune universe is one of my favorites; I re-read the first three books every 12-18 months. Haven't been able to use them much to sweeten MTU but I continue to try.
You'll have to give us a book report, please.
You'll have to give us a book report, please.
jfetters
SOC-14 1K
Yeah, that trilogy (but especially the initial book, IMO) is like a fine wine.
epicenter00
SOC-13
Seriously?
Dune lends itself naturally to Traveller, I think. At times the whole 1800s vibe gets a bit too strong, but the whole idea of nobles sitting on this ancient power structure (and the Imperium is ancient - a single regime for over 1,000 years - I think a lot of people don't really appreciate how ancient that really is) with an Emperor who is only able to indirectly exercise power oftentimes?
The big tweaks to make is to get rid of a lot of the friendly familiarity - the narrations of Strephon, Dulinor, and Norris always make them seem too friendly and trusting, not at all how men in such towering positions of power really would be. But Dune is perfect for a less-OTU based universe. The Shulshadam (sp) Accords are basically the Butlerian Jihad pre-empted. Mentats would go a long way to explaining the laughably primitive computer technology of the 3I, for instance.
I think the idea that other humans are the biggest threats, and are more alien than "real" aliens are lends itself very well to Traveller as well. Weird cultures with standards and goals so strange to most of us that they make a chittering, bug-eyed monster your natural ally compared to them? Great stuff.
JcFalkenburg
SOC-9
Preliminary impressions
I'm still working my way through it, of course, but i must say that the production values and presentation are A++. I have a copy of the Dune Encyclopedia and I've been crossreferencing the data in the book with that and it seems pretty solid. It's a shame that wotc killed it...
I'm still working my way through it, of course, but i must say that the production values and presentation are A++. I have a copy of the Dune Encyclopedia and I've been crossreferencing the data in the book with that and it seems pretty solid. It's a shame that wotc killed it...
Lucky bugger.
I sooo miss my Dune Encyclopedia. That was a really neat if huge book. Congrats on your new addition to your library.
jfetters
SOC-14 1K
I had to special order mine years ago - it's probably only available now through eBay...
I got the JTAS & Megatraveller CD-ROM's & Terry & the Pirates 1939-1940 from my wife. & Barnes & Noble & Menard gift cards from relatives.
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
I picked up a copy of the Dune Encyclopedia at my local used book store for $5 bucks about a year ago. I still have it.
The Dune rpg I bought when it was released, then turned around and sold it on eBay that same week, making $100 bucks profit.
I love Dune. I do. But, heck, it was $100 bucks!
If you like Dune, check out Fading Suns. FS is Dune without the license.
If you're sad that you've got the Dune rpg but no supplements, look to the Fading Suns books.
The two universes have a very similiar feel.
Rhialto the Marvelous
SOC-13
I have to say I actually prefer FS over Dune. Not a fan of licensed RPGs, and FS gives you so much to do. It's the only White Wolfy game I really like.
Burning Wheel Jyhad is Dune without the license, set during Mua'dib's jyhad, a time skipped in the novels.
Fading Suns is much further from the dune feel, tho it kind of feels like the early post-butlerian jihad.
But the Dune RPG included a lot of good advice on running that kind of setting; advice that would do well to find its way into Fading Suns, since both focus on the houses.
Fading Suns is much further from the dune feel, tho it kind of feels like the early post-butlerian jihad.
But the Dune RPG included a lot of good advice on running that kind of setting; advice that would do well to find its way into Fading Suns, since both focus on the houses.
Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
Here is Burning Sands Jihad, based on Dune, free for download:
http://www.burningwheel.org/wiki/images/0/08/Jihad.pdf
Looking over it (I've never looked at Burning Wheel before), it is, indeed, a thinly veiled, non-licensed Dune surrogate. The "Sisterhood" is obviously the Bene Gesserit. I see an ornithopter in the equipment section.
It's very much "Dune".
If I were going to play a Dune game, I'd grab this and the Faded Suns stuff. You'd be able to make an entire universe out of that material, using the Dune books as a base line.
http://www.burningwheel.org/wiki/images/0/08/Jihad.pdf
Looking over it (I've never looked at Burning Wheel before), it is, indeed, a thinly veiled, non-licensed Dune surrogate. The "Sisterhood" is obviously the Bene Gesserit. I see an ornithopter in the equipment section.
It's very much "Dune".
If I were going to play a Dune game, I'd grab this and the Faded Suns stuff. You'd be able to make an entire universe out of that material, using the Dune books as a base line.
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JcFalkenburg
SOC-9
I've had burning sands Jyhad for some time, just looked at it recently, though. Wish I was a lawyer 
it's actually really cool it covers a topic not covered in the Novels. As for the rules, I'm old and don't know if I like my rpg's that consensual...
it's actually really cool it covers a topic not covered in the Novels. As for the rules, I'm old and don't know if I like my rpg's that consensual...JcFalkenburg
SOC-9
Oh hell, OCD has got the best of me--I just ordered the 2d edition Fading Suns hardback from Amazon...
tbeard1999
SOC-14 1K
One of the great pleasures of my life was to become friends with Dr. Willis McNelly, author of the Dune Encyclopedia. He was a true gentleman scholar and had a close friendship with Frank Herbert. I knew Willis for the last three years of his life -- never saw him face to face, but spoke with him on the phone numerous times. Even did some lawyering work for him.
The Dune Encyclopedia is filled with inside jokes and potshots at scholars. Since it was written by numerous academics, the spoofs are self-parodies. I especially like the entry on Paul Muad'Dib that concluded that he didn't really exist. Also, Jehanne Butler's husdand Thet'r -- an anagram for "Rhett". As in Rhett Butler...
I ran a Dune campaign long ago using Classic Traveller. It worked okay, but I made a few changes to the melee combat system.
Essentially, all combatants rolled 2D and added modifiers. Each person scored a hit on every opponent whose roll he exceeded. Ties have no effect (the blows are parried, dodged, etc.) This allowed fencing exploits like Duncan Idaho's defeat of twenty Sardaukar.
Example -- Duncan is fighting six Sardaukar. He rolls an 8, modified to 15 for his Blade Combat skill of 7. The Sardaukar roll totals of 17, 14, 12, 12, 11, and 9. Duncan hits every Sardaukar whose roll he exceeds (five of them). The Sardaukar who rolled a 17, which is higher than Duncan's 15, hits Duncan.
I'm going to probably use this system in my Combat System C, when I get around to actually playtesting it.
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tbeard1999
SOC-14 1K
Yeah, I like some of the in-jokes. The "technologists of 9" aka the inhabitants of Ix in the Duniverse. Ix...nine...get it?
I'd also caution folks about the prequels. While they add a lot of background material, much of it conflicts with Frank Herbert's novels. And some of it is downright stupid-bad. For instance, the uniquity of laser weapons in the prequels is ridiculous. Recall that personal shields have rendered projectile weapons obsolete. When a laser hits an active shield, the result is a nuclear explosion. Thus, "lasguns" are exceedingly rare in the Duniverse.
Yet the prequel authors have laser rifles everywhere. Somehow, I doubt that in a sane universe the Powers that Be would entrust security guards with weapons capable of causing nuclear explosions...
Whatever RPG you use for a Dune campaign will require a good melee combat system. CT is okay, but I "improved" it (see my other post for details). I always thought that Pendragon would make a decent engine for a Dune RPG.
Somewhere out there, you can find my skirmish miniature wargame rules "A Fistful of Sardaukar" for mass combats in the Duniverse...
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Ty: Ix is the 9th planet in its system in Dune canon...
JC: One can play BW/BWR less consensually. It still works. Big thing is that the setting, by consensual build, REALLY hooks players into the action. Also, in BW/BE, one need not have all players on the same side of the big conflict. Because of the way things are set up, mechanically, it is far more suitable to that style of play than many games.
JC: One can play BW/BWR less consensually. It still works. Big thing is that the setting, by consensual build, REALLY hooks players into the action. Also, in BW/BE, one need not have all players on the same side of the big conflict. Because of the way things are set up, mechanically, it is far more suitable to that style of play than many games.
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Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
OMG, those things are HORRIBLE!
The actual story isn't bad. But, the writing is like a High Schooler wrote it. It's such a chore to trudge through. I couldn't through the original prequel series.
Evidently, they're selling, though. Herbert & Anderson have written several books...going on 10 or so, I think.
They absolutely suck, though. I'm a huge Dune fan. I can't get through them.
And, Kevin J. Anderson has got to be one of the worst writers I've ever read. All of his stuff sux. I tried his Jedi Academy triolgy. It sucked hard. Like I said, bad High School writing.
Plotting isn't bad. It's the execution--the actual writing--that sucks so bad.
And, KJA is a very prolific writer, too. I don't know how he does it. He's worst than a hack.
I'd use my favorite rule system, backed up by the supplements in BW/J and Fading Suns.
Heck, use the mechanics from the Dune Chronicles book. They're not bad at all, as I recall.
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