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Post by finarvyn on Feb 25, 2015 6:40:50 GMT -5
As everyone here probably knows Rob was one of the earliest DM's from one of the earliest camapigns, and over the years has published a pretty extensive range of products (many from the early days). I thought it would be fun to pull out my "Kuntz box" and list off the products he has written that I have, with the understanding that this is by no means intended to be a complete bibliography of his works.
What I have World of Greyhawk: Mordenkainen’s Fantastic Adventure (1984; TSR)
The Maze of Zayene Part I: Prisoners of the Maze (1987, Creations Unlimited) The Maze of Zayene Part II: Dimensions of Light (Creations Unlimited) The Maze of Zayene Part III: Tower Chaos (Creations Unlimited) The Maze of Zayene Part IV: The Eight Kings (Creations Unlimited) The Maze of Zayene Part V: Garden of the Plantmaster (Creations Unlimited)
Maure Castle: The Statuary (July 2004; Dungeon Magazine #112) Return to Maure Castle: Chambers of Antiquities (July 2005; Dungeon Magazine #124)
Tower of Blood (2006; Pied Piper Publishing)
Daemonic Arcane (2007; Pied Piper Publishing) The Living Room (2007; Pied Piper Publishing) signed #241 The Original Bottle City (2007; Pied Piper Publishing) The Stalk (2007; Pied Piper Publishing) signed #122
Dungeon Set #1: Levels 1-6 (2009; Pied Piper Publishing) Dungeon Set #2: Levels 7-12 (2009; Pied Piper Publishing)
Black Festival (2010; Pied Piper Publishing) signed #70
Castle Zagyg: Dark Chateau (Troll Lord Games) [Castles and Crusades]
Some of what I know I'm missing Return to Maure Castle: The Greater Halls (Oct 2006; Dungeon Magazine #129) Cairn of the Skeleton King (2006) El Raja Key’s Arcane Treasury (2009) Sir Robilar's City of Brass (Kenzer and Co.) Revised Bottle City (Black Blade; 2014)
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Post by finarvyn on Feb 25, 2015 6:41:36 GMT -5
So, to get some discussion underway: What are your favorites, and why? I've always enjoyed the Pied Piper products. They really evoke that OD&D feel. Daemonic Arcane is really a fun read.
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Post by Admin Pete on Feb 25, 2015 20:01:21 GMT -5
Most of the time over the years I have bought very little to go with the things I had back in the day and adventure modules are not something I would normally buy; however, I did buy the Cairn of the Skeleton King, IIRC it was a pre-order arrangement, I ordered and received two copies. I moved right after that and it was packed up. I did read through it before it was packed up and I remember at the time wishing I had a group to play with but that did not come along for a while yet. It looked like a lot of fun. I have a number of boxes still to unpack, but I ran across it about a month ago and now can't remember where it is, so now I am going back through things again.
This is the only adventure module I have ever bought new, which indicates how intrigued I was with it. The only others that I own are B-1 and B-2 that I picked up used and I had never read through them. Last year, my one friend reffed and ran us through B-2 and it was a lot of fun as a player(and I was glad that I had not read it). I did keep thinking of all the things I would tweak if I was running it as the ref. So I might run Cairn of the Skeleton King or perhaps get my friend to run it so I can play. If someone else designed it, I would prefer to play.
Fin, you have quite a bit there. I would like to hear you share about Maure Castle and Return to Maure Castle.
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Post by Admin Pete on Feb 27, 2015 12:26:06 GMT -5
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Post by robkuntz on Mar 3, 2015 9:32:00 GMT -5
Yes the RPGNET link is OK, though still missing a ton of stuff, including many articles, a hardbound book (Deities & Demi-Gods), a module or two and a board-game (Kings & Things); and it doesn't really touch on my editorial/design development work (Blackmoor, Supplement 2, for instance), nor works that were translated (such as for Hobby Japan, etc.). Better than my Wikipedia article that describes me as a designer of RPG games even though I've won the major award for board game design and designed/co-designed 4 of them.
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Post by Admin Pete on Mar 3, 2015 15:23:45 GMT -5
Yes the RPGNET link is OK, though still missing a ton of stuff, including many articles, a hardbound book (Deities & Demi-Gods), a module or two and a board-game (Kings & Things); and it doesn't really touch on my editorial/design development work (Blackmoor, Supplement 2, for instance), nor works that were translated (such as for Hobby Japan, etc.). Better than my Wikipedia article that describes me as a designer of RPG games even though I've won the major award for board game design and designed/co-designed 4 of them. Rob, could you expand on this and give us a more complete picture of all that you have done?
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Post by robkuntz on Mar 4, 2015 0:11:25 GMT -5
Sure, at some point I'll do that. Moreso for fact-straightening. It's just a list of objects, really, as no kernels of ideas are included in such descriptions; and design is always about the pushing of boundaries. But for clarity sake I'll get to it before my upcoming move.
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Post by Admin Pete on Mar 4, 2015 12:24:11 GMT -5
Sure, at some point I'll do that. Moreso for fact-straightening. It's just a list of objects, really, as no kernels of ideas are included in such descriptions; and design is always about the pushing of boundaries. But for clarity sake I'll get to it before my upcoming move. It would be interesting to see a complete list and know what we have missed; perhaps you can comment on the items that you find to be from the authors standpoint as the most noteworthy or that you thought turned out the best. If you are moving soon, you have my sympathy, moves are always a lot of "fun". Hopefully your will go well, with no hitches.
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Post by robkuntz on Mar 4, 2015 17:33:04 GMT -5
Garden of the Plantmaster, Maze of Zayene, Supplement #1 to D&D, Greyhawk, and Kings and Things come to mind immediately as examples of pushing the limits of formats and design. This merely sets the stage for continuing to push; and when you're done pushing and the design frontier does not move, then start flipping burgers, instead.
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Post by The Archivist on Mar 4, 2015 22:28:08 GMT -5
If Mr Kuntz ever publishes the Kalibruhn Supplement I would buy that faster than you could say, "Hmm, what do we have here?".
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Post by robkuntz on Mar 4, 2015 23:28:21 GMT -5
Ah Yes. That ONE. The ONE. Must roll it out someday. Maybe during a fit of imbibing absinthe. Seriously, though, it does have its merits in an arcane sort of way. Having evolved my designs since then, I would no doubt expand it in ways consonant with that. That is to say that D&D, if you really catch its intent, is about evolution of play and design/creative thought, so that angle cannot be dismissed or otherwise trivialized without the forfeiture of something keenly related to it, which just happens to be our creative, curious and adventuresome selves. So. If I do it it will be much different due to (DO?DUE) that embedded philosophy alone.
PS--Perilous Dreamer and I have already gone around the ring about this at DF many moons ago...
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Post by Admin Pete on Mar 4, 2015 23:46:55 GMT -5
Ah Yes. That ONE. The ONE. Must roll it out someday. Maybe during a fit of imbibing absinthe. Seriously, though, it does have its merits in an arcane sort of way. Having evolved my designs since then, I would no doubt expand it in ways consonant with that. That is to say that D&D, if you really catch its intent, is about evolution of play and design/creative thought, so that angle cannot be dismissed or otherwise trivialized without the forfeiture of something keenly related to it, which just happens to be our creative, curious and adventuresome selves. So. If I do it it will be much different due to (DO?DUE) that embedded philosophy alone. PS--Perilous Dreamer and I have already gone around the ring about this at DF many moons ago... The word is "due" Yes we did go around the ring about that and reached agreement IIRC.
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Post by robkuntz on Mar 5, 2015 0:41:53 GMT -5
That's correct! So, no word is due, literally or figuratively.
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Post by Admin Pete on Mar 5, 2015 8:36:02 GMT -5
That's correct! So, no word is due, literally or figuratively. Do you mind if I copy that discussion here from DF? Just our part of it - not the whole thing.
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Post by robkuntz on Mar 5, 2015 13:36:39 GMT -5
Sure. Perhaps as a new topic heading in this sub-forum, so as not to confuse issues. I'd also fancy starting one on designers and design thought (basics); but with the move my time is contracting very quickly over the days. But at least this becomes a mental note for the future.
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Post by Admin Pete on Mar 5, 2015 16:06:33 GMT -5
Sure. Perhaps as a new topic heading in this sub-forum, so as not to confuse issues. I'd also fancy starting one on designers and design thought (basics); but with the move my time is contracting very quickly over the days. But at least this becomes a mental note for the future. I will handle the one new topic and once your move is complete you can start the other two topics when you are ready. Sounds like a couple of great topics!
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Post by The Bear Hawk on Mar 13, 2015 12:37:11 GMT -5
I looked up Kings & Things and it looks like a fun game. What are the other three board games you were involved in Rob?
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Post by robkuntz on Mar 15, 2015 11:33:13 GMT -5
I looked up Kings & Things and it looks like a fun game. What are the other three board games you were involved in Rob? Hiya Bear Hawk and thanks for the welcome. Here's the link for my published bg designs/co-designs at Board Game Geek: boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/1188/robert-j-kuntzI have twice as many in various stages of design, and one fully realized prototype, that are unpublished.
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Post by Admin Pete on Mar 15, 2015 16:15:55 GMT -5
From the link:
Lankhmar (1976) - User Summary
Lankhmar is a game based on the characters in the Nehwon world created by Fritz Leiber. It contains elements of both individual character adventures, army combat, and magic quests. Play involves the drawing and following of geas cards, moving units and weaponry, collecting rewards from the Reward Deck after completing quests, and resolving battles. The map is made up of hexes of various land types with varying combat affecting statistics. Units have a set number of action points with which they can move or carry out their other unit abilities such as changing or picking up weapons.
The geas component is the most unique, forcing players to send their heroes off on perilous quests despite whatever plans had been previously made.
Optional rules include the inclusion of healing, land sinking into the sea, and a more complicated combat system.
King of the Tabletop (1983) - Each player controls a kingdom made up of land tiles of different terrains (mountains, forest, etc), castles, settlements, and people and creatures.
The object of the game is to have a certain amount of prestige, judged based on the size of one's kingdom, treasury, and the number of special heroic characters inhabiting the kingdom, as well as having a Grand Muniment (very large castle).
This game was originally published in Dragon #77. Errata appeared in Dragon #78.
Kings & Things (1986) Kings & Things is a classic Tom Wham game of warring kingdoms in a fantasy world and the legions of things that inhabit them. The board is made from hex tiles, which allows for a different board layout every time. Utilizing an interesting flipped counter element, players attempt to out bluff one another regarding the types of things they have in their armies.
Magus (1989) A game of light-hearted acquisition and conquest for 2-6 players. Each player represents a powerful wizard -- a Magus -- and attempts to acquire various Power Zones represented on the game board. By skillful use of his acquisitions and cards, each player then attempts to gain control of the Towers of all other players, or else gain all Power Zones on the game board.
Published in Dragon Magazine #147. Artwork by Tom Wham.
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Post by finarvyn on Mar 16, 2015 5:31:54 GMT -5
I'll confess that I haven't played most of the board game you've done, Rob, but I absolutely love Lankhmar and feel like it's one of those gems from the early days of TSR that nobody seems to know about. I love the topic, I love the mix of role-play with army warfare, I love the geas system, the list goes on and on.
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Post by robkuntz on Mar 18, 2015 13:58:13 GMT -5
Speaking of my collection, I am currently auctioning many of my games, art, fantasy books and odd items here: www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_ssn=the_collectors_trove&_sop=1&rt=ncAmong them the First Fantasy Campaign, Lankhmar, a Kalibruhn composite illo by me, GD&H, etc. There will be another auction in the near future after Garycon for my HB book, mss and other.
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Post by Admin Pete on Mar 18, 2015 14:25:20 GMT -5
Speaking of my collection, I am currently auctioning many of my games, art, fantasy books and odd items here: www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_ssn=the_collectors_trove&_sop=1&rt=ncAmong them the First Fantasy Campaign, Lankhmar, a Kalibruhn composite illo by me, GD&H, etc. There will be another auction in the near future after Garycon for my HB book, mss and other. I will quote this up in the Classified to help gain it some views!
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Post by robkuntz on Jul 9, 2015 9:54:29 GMT -5
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Post by Admin Pete on Jul 11, 2015 8:46:11 GMT -5
Thanks for the heads up Rob! How is your move going? Are you in progress or are you now in your new home?
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Post by robkuntz on Jul 12, 2015 11:32:29 GMT -5
A long, complicated process, involving visas, overseas insurance, the reallocation to three places of my possessions, et al. It's happening, just not fast enough...
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Post by Bartholmew Quarrels on Jul 28, 2015 14:17:59 GMT -5
A long, complicated process, involving visas, overseas insurance, the reallocation to three places of my possessions, et al. It's happening, just not fast enough... How soon do you expect to be back with us? Hope is it all going well!
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Post by robkuntz on Jul 29, 2015 9:08:07 GMT -5
Back with "us"? I am merely an individual with certain insights who is visiting here. I consider it like the days of so many play-tests in Lake Geneva. Designers got together for a time, shared thoughts, and then withdrew. The "us" had nothing to do with anything other than the content that was shared during that time and the respect earned due to that. Kinda like an accordion that you compress to make a singular note and then expands.
PS--Yes all is going wonderfully well, professionally and personally. Thank you...
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