A new campaign launch

I'm out of my gaming funk. One player from my previous campaigns joined me this evening and we talked about what we want out of a game. Here's the recruitment posting I've sent out (if you happen to be in the Portland Oregon area and this sounds interesting, let me know, I also welcome any general thoughts on this):

I will be starting a new Arcana Evolved (alternate D&D/D20) campaign using Monte Cook's Ptolus city setting as a base of operations. I am looking for three additional players for a total of four.

My campaign style is old school (70s and 80s), episodic, mostly modules, lots of combat, no long involved story lines. With the city setting, I expect there will be some wheeling and dealing within the city, but the focus will be on what D&D does best - dungeon adventuring and combat. Since I like some variety, some adventures will occur outside the city.

Plan is to start with 3rd or 4th level characters with a standard 25 point build. I expect most characters to be Arcana Evolved races and classes, however, there is room for a few things (especially dwarves and rogues, as well as Monte's alternate bard from Complete Eldritch Wizardry). I am hoping to keep the number of supplements to a minimum and will ask players to provide a short summary of any additional books (even AE supplements) they wish to use and how the book will benefit the campaign beyond just your PC.
I will consider the appropriateness of prestige classes to the setting. In general, I don't like level adjusted races, by LA +1 or +2 may be acceptable (optionally, if you can present a nice set of racial and evolved levels that allow the race to be LA +0 that would be awesomely cool).

In order to keep my sanity, here are some additional expectations of the
campaign:

- I would prefer not to have Magisters due to the tendency they have of overwhelming combats.

- The campaign will probably end around 10th level or so (unless it ends for other reasons sooner). This is due to a combination of the effects of high level casters, and the increased prep time.

- I will be working on slowing the XP rate somewhat, I would like to see PCs gain a level every four sessions, three as the fastest. I will be doing some things to tone down treasure appropriately.

Games will run every Tuesday evening (6:00ish to 10:30ish) at my smoke free home in Beaverton. There is some flexibility for Monday or Wednesday, but Tuesday is ideal, there is also some flexibility with start and end time, but I prefer to get in four solid hours of gaming. Please be honest with your schedule, we will break for the Christmas holidays (for two or three weeks), otherwise I hope to run every week with players making most of the sessions. My target for the first session is October 2nd. We will talk about group expectations and create PCs the first session.

The player I already have and I are available September 26 for a meet and greet. In general, I prefer to meet with players before they join the campaign. At a minimum, I would like to exchange a few e-mails or chat on the phone.

I will be happy to share additional thoughts about the campaign.

Frank

Burned out on gaming

I never quite thought I'd get here... I'm realizing I'm just plain burned out on gaming. Over the past few years there have been some glimmers of worthwhile gaming, and lots of teeth gnashing. This past weekend, other than sort of lame forum and blog following, I've been divorced from gaming. I've been really looking forward to the time I spend in the LEGO room.

One problem is finding enough variety. After a stint of relatively successefull gamist Arcana Evolved (Monte Cook's alternate D&D), we stumbled around. Cold Iron didn't quite cut it (the players never got into what I see as one of the strengths of the game - the strategic choices of magic items, and maximizing their effect in play). Burning Wheel crashed and burned. RuneQuest seemed a possibility, but ultimately died because the majority of the players were looking for gamism not simulationism. Dogs in the Vinyard seemed like the first real possibility of really reaching the young wife, but gamism seems to be rearing its head again (not to mention my first attempt at town creation seems to have been a disaster).

So I'm looking at a game session tomorrow, where we will theoretically finish the Dogs town and talk about what next, with absolutely no enthusiasm.

Frank