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More About Us Mike Kelly Bio: 50 years old -- Software Engineer. I got started in roleplaying after discussing the genre with a coworker who had played in college. It sounded intriguing and he set it up for a small group that has been playing ever since. I enjoy playing fighters, clerics, and most of all monks (I was quite disappointed when these were cut out of second edition and pleased when they returned in third). Notes on Playtesting and 3rd Edition D&D I enjoyed the playtest even with the fits and starts. The rules conversions were hard to rationalize, having gotten used to second edition, but that problem would mature with time and familiarization. I like change, so I was happy with most of the new rules. Favorite quote My favorite quote: "That water's pretty murky. I'll bet it could hide a lot of stuff." As it turned out, there was more than one thing hidden there.
Steve Greenspan Bio: 41 years old -- Software Engineer. I first started roleplaying after joining a strategy gaming group at the local country club. Some of the people were playing AD&D and it looked like fun. After playing with them for a short while, I started DMing my own group so that I could play more often. In fact, it was through that group that I got to know the woman who is now my wife, Paula. Paula and I wrote a module called "You've Lost Your Marbles," which was published in Polyhedron. Paula introduced me to the group with whom I currently play (and with whom I playtested "Tealpeck's Flood"). Over the years, while playing in tournaments, I have played all of the different character types, and clerics are the only ones I wouldn't be happy to play again. The character types I like to play most are foolish fighters and brilliant magic users. Notes on Playtesting and 3rd Edition D&D I enjoyed the playtest. I particularly enjoyed the considerable flexibility the new rules allowed in creating characters. Although the 3rd edition rules differed enough from the 2nd edition to be very confusing at times, they did seem to work well as a whole. What I enjoyed least was the extremely confusing rules on approaching during combat and opportunity strikes. I am still not sure if the problem is the rules or the way the were explained in the draft Player’s Handbook. I can't really remember what things had to be changed in the module. I do remember enjoying the "hook" incident but not liking the odd paintings in the castle. The module was clearly targeted to those who enjoy solving puzzles rather then hack and slashers.
Paula Greenspan Bio: 40 years old -- Project Manager. I began playing D&D with this group of people (most of them, anyway) 20 years ago. I was interested in the game based on descriptions I'd heard, but had never met anyone who played. At work, I spoke with Mike who told me about a fairly recently formed group of players with an opening. I've been playing with them about twice a month ever since. I still have a fondness for my first character, a mischievous gnome fighter-thief named Verin, who miraculously retired battered but healthy when we switched to 2nd edition. I also enjoy druids and other specialty priests. Currently our 10-year old son is pestering Steve and me to DM a game for him and his friends. I'm trying to put him off until 3rd edition D&D becomes available so he doesn't get confused by the rule changes. Notes on Playtesting and 3rd Edition D&D I enjoyed many of the problem-solving aspects of the dungeon, as well as the roleplaying. I found it took me a lot of time and reading to create a 3rd edition character because of the differences from 2nd edition D&D. As we played, I found that I liked the new consistency of rolls for combat, saving throws, and almost everything. And I appreciated the flexibility of the various skills to tailor my character. I also liked the concept of a single roll for initiative, as it could help speed up combat. We did, however, have some confusion about the new rules in combat, especially concerning closing and retreats. I hope these clear up in the final rules.
Nathan Bragg Bio: 20 years old -- I am a computer science major at the State University of New York in Albany. I got into the whole gaming industry because of my Dad. I saw him playing with some of the people in this playtest group over 10 years ago, and it looked like loads of fun. I now like to try many types of games, but I find Dungeons & Dragons to be the best out there. Notes on Playtesting and 3rd Edition D&D I liked 3rd edition D&D pretty well. I like that you can be any type of character no matter what your stats are, and I like the fact that you can multiclass in almost any classes you want. I also appreciate the greater number of options in choosing classes. As for characters, I like to play priests the best. I feel they are the most versatile, and have a lot of roleplaying value than, say, warriors, who when they get to a town basically just hit the bars the whole time.
Jonathan Heiles Bio: 40 years old -- high school science teacher. I started RPGs in 1979 during the summer after my freshman year of college. One of my high school friends came back from his year at MIT, bringing D&D with him. The first edition Player’s Handbook wasn't out yet: We used "The Blue Book." I still travel to Long Island a few times a year to play in that first campaign, and I also play regularly with this playtest group. I have run another campaign for high school students for the past 16 years, whose veterans include three of the playtesters for "Tealpeck's Flood" (including the author). Notes on Playtesting and 3rd Edition D&D Working with the 3rd edition D&D rules was great. They have many clever, thoughtful aspects. The most innovative and fun is the sorcerer class. The "difficulty class" game system is also a valuable and impressive advance.
Peter Vinogradov Bio: 26 years old -- foreign language teacher. I have played for years in a campaign designed by my colleague and former science teacher Jonathan Heiles, whose years of experience as a professional storyteller continues to make this 16-year game irresistible. That campaign, which combines today's D&D rules with elements from the very earliest D&D material, inspired my love of long, epic adventures, lethal traps, and persistent villains with well-established personalities. |
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