I don't know if I understand exactly what you're asking. Have you actually played a game or are you looking to start playing? I can't recommend d20 as a good starting point. Its a crunchy system with a lot to remember for a newbie. If you can tell us what experience you have up to now we can probably help you out more; even find a more beginner friendly system.

Well, WWG products are great for any system of gaming, not just d20.

As for how to use them, that kind of depends. In most RPGs, when you get into combat, things can get a little tricky to try to just keep in mind where everything is. It helps a LOT to have some kind of drawing or whatever to represent where things are, and where your characters are. Many systems, in fact, have combat rules that use measurements in inches--they're intended to be used with miniatures or counters and a battle-mat (dry-erase hex or square grid).

WWG stuff just makes it a lot more interesting, since you can now have full 3d representations of what the area is like. It also really helps for doing things like determining line of sight for shooting.

Then, of course, is the use with "regular" miniature games, both Clix-Based and others.

As far as RPG, I am fairly new...

I have been familar with GamesWorkshop ( I buy White Dwarf Magazine each month - like the minatures and the painting aspects ). I also have bought "Dragon" and "Dungeon" Magazine for a number of months ( mostly to learn more about that part of gaming - RPG ).

Growing up, in Canada there was a strong ANTI D&D crusade as many felt that RPG games like D&D got people hooked on the Devil and Devil worship. It was seen as a bad thing. I was always a strong Dune / LOTR fan so it didn't bother me.

I have always enjoyed Myst style adventure computer games and played a few games like Dungeon Seige, and some games like Morrowwind and a few others. I have to admit ( call me an idiot ) but I don't fully understand the D20 system or other ways in which people play the games. I am very new to RPG. The games that I did play a bit with confused me as they required so much reading and understanding of backstory, spells and character development. At least with games like Myst, Riven and M3Exile, I could wander worlds and spend time in the environments. Thats what got me hooked on Myst...you were always discovering new places. URU was cool but I found it hard with the slow technology and bugs. The concept of wandering around virtual worlds is neat.

So I am interested in some beginner games that I can learn and utilize the models I am contructing with the WWG products. ALso, if there are some links to beginner info or tutorials, those are helpful.

I feel funny in that I have been involved in gaming for years but that with so many genre's and hundreds of games available, I simply haven't been that exposed to RPG. But they fascinate me as I am creative and also like the tie ins with the models, building, miniature painting and more.

Lastly, I am building the Castle Ultimate using the 1.5 inch bases.

Thanks for any help

Eldoren

*looks up at Grump's post* D&D for dummies? Oh, that's awesome! Curses, though, because I know my store won't be able to carry it!!

KHAAAAN!!

The is a great intro edition, it has a simplified set of rules to help you get up and running quickly, 16 minis, a full set of dice, an adventure, sample characters, and an advanced rule book for when you want to start delving into the more complex games. It doesn't replace the three core books (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide, and Monster Manual), but it will let you start playing within an hour or so of opening the box, and it should give you everything you need for your first several sessions. It is worth the price just for the minis, dice, and adventure.

Wizards of the Coast also has a to introduce the basic game concepts, and a page with several dozen that you can download.

Hi

Thanks to all who are providing feedback to my questions, its awesome to see such a strong community.

I stopped by and check out the WOC Falsh tutorial. It certainly makes sense. I appreciate that. Also reviewed the D&D Basic Game. I think I will pick that up. Very cool.

As far as local gaming stores...I think I have to travel quite a ways to find one. I am about 6 hours from Edmonton, Alberta and about 15 hrs drive from Vancouver, BC. I grew up in Victoria,BC and ran into a GamesWorkshop store there last summer. Pretty friendly people and lots of great products.

Again, many thanks for the kind help. Brings back my memories of running RivenGuild.com (a Myst/Riven fansite that I developed years ago).

Cheers

Eldoren

Games Workshop doesn't currently offer any RPGs in store, FYI, although I understand WHFR will be made available again later this year, it'll probably be in the specialist range with all the other "not the big three" games.

WHFRP is coming out from and rather than GW, Green Ronin licensed the game in much the way Hogshead did previously. Do not expect support from GW, at least using Hogshead as an example.

That said, Green Ronin is a good, solid company with an excellent track record for supporting their settings.

I loved WHFRP, at least setting wise, characters started of so very underpowered that it was a real effort to keep them alive. You choose a general class, then roll for what your actual profession is, which can range from Noble to Rat Catcher (this last comes with a ratters pole with d6 dead rats and a small but vicious dog.)

The system, aside from a really wonderful character generation, needed work, especially in regards to ballance and the way combat worked. I rather ecpect GR to do a good job of fixing it up.

The Auld Grump

EDIT* The Small but Vicious Dog preview on the BI website sounded promising... Rat Catcher is still there! And now he gets 1d10 dead rats! Yeah! It looks like stats have been intergrated, most of them are now percentile. And if you need a miniature for your rat catcher has one, he's the handsome fellow on the extreme left.

*EDIT 2* Just in case anyone is wondering 'what's up with the rat catchers already?' One of the few times I have gotten to play a game rather than run one I played a rat catcher, he ended up being the sole survivor, taking down the agent of Chaos at the very end, standing over the corpse of his loyal terrier Buboe. The high point in his career was hanging up the corpse of a skaven with a sign reading
'The One What Didn't Get Away!'

Heh. Well, none of the other Savage Worlders mentioned it, so I will.

I played D20 for the last 4-5 years or so (since it was released), and I played D&D for 20 years before that (I played a lot of other games here and there, too, but always came back to D&D). I've recently switched over to a game called Savage Worlds, and I'm in the process of switching my gaming group over as well.

D20 is a good system, but very rules heavy, and require a lot of bookkeeping. It tries to emulate real world in a very methodical manner. Sounds like you've played wargames, so maybe thats not an issue for you. For me, I'd rather spend my time (both prep and in-game) focusing on the story and its elements, and not on rules, stat prep and such.

Savage Worlds is also a good system, and not so much rules-lite, but cinematic. It tries to emulate real life is a far more dramatic, pulp movie style. Its a quicker moving game, with far less bookkeeping. D20 was designed for fantasy, and has expanded (sometimes painfully) into other genres - but Savage Worlds is the best cross-genre game I've seen yet.

Both are good games, like I mentioned. Ultimately, its all about the story, and who you play with, not so much the system, and I would recommend you dive into the RPG world with whatever system that the people you are starting your gaming with use.

One of the easiest games to get into is Call of Cthulhu. It is very rules light and there are quite a few beautiful adventures/campaigns available. Unfortunately until denny gets more of his modern stuff out I don't use much WWG stuff for Cthulhu.

--Chris