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(TFT) Exp

To: tft@brainiac.com
Subject: (TFT) Exp
From: "Jay Carlisle" <selfinflicted_wounds@boardermail.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2007 06:40:13 +0800
Reply-to: tft@brainiac.com
Sender: tft-admin@brainiac.com

Sorry for the Python reply folks! Thought I was sending that one personal....

from;
TFT Fantasy Masters Screen

Experience Table

> = 36 = 125
37 - 40 = 250
41 - 45 = 1000
46 - 50 = 3000
51 - 55 = 5000
each 5 = X2 prev

REVISED Experience Table
(players pissed?)
> = 35 = 125
36 - 39 = 250
40 - 43 = 500
44 - 47 = 1000
48 - 51 = 2000
each 4 = X2 prev

Melee

To the death

50 exp to survivors
+20 exp if enemy avg >+3 in attributes

Practice

10 exp to winners

When a figure gets 100 exp he/she may "trade them in" for one additional (att pt.)

TFT ITL has this to say

Experience points are awarded by the GM whenever a character(figure) does something "well".

FOR COMBAT: One experience point for every hit of damage you put on a foe,....
(1exp for one-hit nuisance and +5exp for killing blow on STR 2or3 nuisance) {???}
(killing blow gets points equal to that foe's basic DX.)

FOR CASTING SPELLS: 1exp for each point of ST used casting "in a presure situation"

FOR DIE ROLLS:
10exp for 4-die roll
20exp for 5-die roll
30exp for 6-die roll
etc....

FOR TIME SPENT IN PLAY: Each hour of real time spent in play is worth 5exp

GAME MASTER'S DISCRETION: (anybody check out the "Bride of the Portable Hole Full of Beer"
character class 'Self-aware PC'? funny stuff!)

Also the article
The Space Gamer No. 29, July 1980
with Mr. Jacksons eratta mentions that he was frustrated with D&D and...
"So I did something about it."

I mention this last to establish a thought. While something like this bazar blend of art, science and
pop culture can never be "reverse enginered" I feel that any effort to maintain the spirit of the game
when advocating the addition of materal can't be hurt by going back to the source as much as
possable. So after saying that bombastic bull let me say this.

I've come to the opinion (not dearly held) that the Exp tables are reminisent of "Levels" in D&D.
an example.
Joe Average becomes a PC
ST16 DX8 IQ8 = 32pts
"Where doya keep da RATS!?"
500exp (Rats) later {won't this piss off the ambush farmers?}
ST20 DX8 IQ8 = 36pts
"Roight! Where's da children? I MEAN SLIMES? Where's dem slimes?"
1000exp (50 ST15 red slimes, better buy a club)
ST24 DX8 IQ8 = 40pts

so forth and so on. hack, bleed, hack, bleed

ST29 DX8 IQ8 = 45pts and 6500exp to get there
+3000exp and we max Joe for 500rats shy of ten-thousand as a 46pt figure. 2 wishes left to spend
thankyouSJ.

I'll get back to this in a moment but here's where I dis on the revised table

METAGAMING

March 31, 1980

Andy Windes

Dear Andy,

I usually don't have time to answer many letters now. However, your
views are similar enough to mine on several points and it seems good to
say 'I agree' sometimes as well as the 'I disagree' letters I often
write instead.

TFT is too complicated as completed by Steve Jackson. He completed the
project as he wished, not as I'd hoped or even laid down constraints.
But, when we'd stuck out our necks so far on TFT and were so committed
we had no choice but to go with what we got. I think the system is
better than D&D, but not by a huge margin. All the material in Advanced
Melee and Advanced Wizard didn't need to be added at all. More spells
and weapons fine, more detail of combat, no.

My feeling is that in the extra two years of work TFT got longer
instead of better. I'm having work started no (sic) on a new FRP system
that can be introduced in 3-4 years and is closer to what I think the
market wants and what I'll feel comfortable in publishing.

That's the reality of publishing. Sometimes you have to publish what
you've got when it's good but not perfect. Without new products we go
out of business.

On the micros I feel our error was in having too many micros of the
same type come out one right after the other. If we'd sprinkled in some
history, fantasy and some odd-ball themes it wouldn't have looked so
dull. At least I hope that's the case.

I hope we can avoid publishing real clinkers. (sic) I know we will
put out games some don't like at times. But, the effort in doing
quality pays off in dollars. Our stuff sells good years after
introduction. Some of the other firms see their stuff die after six
months. Quality and effort does pay, it just isn't always possible.

Good Gaming,
<signed>
Howard Thompson

BOX 15346, AUSTIN, TX 78761

From the Microgame HQ Archives
http://www.brainiac.com/micro/archives.html (also where the errata came from I believe
Thanks Mr. Slocum and secertary! sorry for lack of proper credit)

Also from the errata
"All of these would be booklets only; those components which could not be printed in the books would be omitted. No counters or REF SHIELD..."
"May 1980: I concluded an agreement with Howard Thompson, whereby Metagaming gained all my remaining copyrights to the TFT material."

'MY' TFT FMS has a copyright of 1981
I know, I know... that settles nothing. But it sure makes me wonder about who had their fingers in the Revised
Table pie after Mr. Jacksons departure?