Talk:Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game)

primary author of the Call of Cthulhu RPG

The primary author of the Call of Cthulhu RPG is Sandy Peterson, the same person who worked on saveral levels for the video game "Doom" and "Quake" from iD Software. (And although you might not care, Sandy is a Mormon and quite devout it is said.)

Since the title of the page is CoC, and not CoC (RPG), wouldn't it be more appropriate to say something about the book first, since the game is a derivative work?

OK, I see what you did, the book is under The CoC. I found that really confusing, and changed it round a little so that people entering CoC, at least can see that there is another article right away. Hope you don't mind.

Fairness

I fiddled a bit with wording, as Call of Cthulhu doesn't need to be as lethal as everybody seems to think it is.

d20 ease of play

I'm putting this under the "fairness" heading because it seems to fit.

I created a new section, because that is where it fits even better :-) 213.112.249.111 08:34, 9 September 2006 (UTC)

In the d20 section, there's a statement "Intended to preserve the feeling of the original game, the conversion of the game rules were supposed to make the game easier to play." Easier than what? d20 is rules-heavy, requiring much study and time to master. The d100 Chaosium version is rules-light, easy to understand and play. In fact, players of the d100 version can learn "on the fly" without studying the book, which is near impossible with d20.

Intending to make an already-easy-to-play game "easier to play" by converting to d20 just doesn't make sense. I suspect the real intent behind WoTC's conversion to d20 was to enhance revenue by offering a popular non-d20 RPG title to an already-large d20 market. Amatulic 01:20, 11 July 2006 (UTC)

I clarified the probable intent behind the wording - it does make the game easier for those that already know the D&D rules (hard to argue with this). I agree D&D isn't generally easier than CoC. 213.112.249.111 08:34, 9 September 2006 (UTC)

New Material

I fleshed out the history of CoC a bit more, as no good account of this seems to exist. Much work still needs to be done here.

I broke out an Editions section, adding a shortlist of the history of the game rules. This needs expansion (what rules has changed between editions?) 213.112.249.111 19:43, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

I reworded the phrase about (no) d20 support. I would like to add this link as a note/comment, but do not know how to do so myself: http://www.yog-sothoth.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=82 213.112.249.111 08:50, 9 September 2006 (UTC)

Removed Quotation

No reason for that here. This is an encyclopedia, not a novel. Acewolf359 01:38, 24 December 2006 (UTC)

Game mechanics

There is nearly nothing in the article about the game mechanics. The only thing we learn is that it has no levels and is skill-based. What sort of character creation does it have? Stats?—Graf Bobby 10:50, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

Linked to the BRP article. CapnZapp (talk) 16:08, 18 September 2008 (UTC)

Other Games

There is another Cthulhu based Roleplaying game: "Cthulhu Now" Made by Pegasus Press. Its a German Company and I can't navigate their webpage too well. -Deskjockey

Cthulhu Now is a set of sourcebooks put out by Chaosium for Cthulhu set in the modern day (or at least 90s when it was released). Pegasus Press are the official German translators and publishers for Call of Cthulhu. It's not another Cthulhu game, it's still Call of Cthulhu. Ben W Bell talk 20:22, 12 December 2007 (UTC)

Also, The Laundry RPG based on The Laundry Files by Charles Stross. rik (talk) 21:12, 26 September 2013 (UTC)

I just added it. 62.22.53.101 (talk) 10:11, 21 October 2014 (UTC)

Sources

Quite a large review in White Dwarf #32. Web Warlock (talk) 15:03, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

Geiger illustrations

Do they still have these in the latest editions of the game?Ticklemygrits (talk) 04:08, 26 January 2008 (UTC)

To my knowledge there has never been illustrations by Geiger in any edition of Call of Cthulhu. At least not in the English ones, but I suppose it's possible in the German ones. Ben W Bell talk 14:08, 26 January 2008 (UTC)

Really? they were in the edition I had, packed in a box at my father's place. I'll have to see if I can find it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ticklemygrits (talk • contribs) 05:10, 27 January 2008 (UTC)

There have been illustrations by an artist called Geier in many of the later editions of the game (from fifth edition onwards), could it be that you've mistaken his name for Giger? I don't own the really early editions but I've never heard of Giger art having been in it as I'd have thought it would be too expensive and not necessarily in keeping with the Cthulhu ethos. Ben W Bell talk 13:10, 27 January 2008 (UTC)

To my knowledge, neither in the original English edition nor in any German edition were there any illustrations by H.R. Giger. I suppose for the reason that Ben W Bell stated already: much too expensive and not really one of Giger's areas of artistic activity. (Although I have to say that I believe his style would fit the Mythos well...) Vargher (talk) 15:01, 19 May 2009 (UTC)

Trail of Cthulhu

It's a new game using the gumshoe system. I'm not sure what the criteria are for a RPG to be mentionable it's made by Robin D. Laws, a famous RPG author and it's one of the best sellers on Indie Press Revolution. since the D20 System gets a mention, I figure it might be worth bringing up. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.111.159.74 (talk) 20:34, 12 May 2008 (UTC)

Shadows of Cthulhu is a True20 adaptation by Reality Deviant Publications. While we await that somebody creates pages for these games, yes, they should get a mention. CapnZapp (talk) 21:22, 16 September 2008 (UTC)

And Trails of Cthulhu is by Ken Hite. Mr Laws originated the game system used. CapnZapp (talk) 21:24, 16 September 2008 (UTC)

Pic

It's gone? We need a new one... CapnZapp (talk) 21:23, 16 September 2008 (UTC)

Removed Dark Corners of the Earth from this article

I removed the mention of Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth from this article because it's unrelated to the RPG. It was originally intended to be somewhat based on the RPG; the IGN interview this article was linking to noted as much. But that interview was four years before the game was released, and it changed significantly and lost its connection to the RPG along the way. Zeldafanjtl (talk) 23:36, 16 May 2016 (UTC)

I just re-added it. You may not think it's related to the RPG, but it's an officially licensed Chaosium product and carries the Chaosium branding in the credits and box art. Canterbury Tail talk 12:21, 17 May 2016 (UTC)

Starter set is not an edition

Please note that a starter set is not an edition of a game and shouldn't be listed under the editions section, it's just a cut down version of the same rules, not a different ruleset. Canterbury Tail talk 15:10, 18 November 2020 (UTC)

Agreed. Whether CoC or D&D, starter sets are a subset sample to get people familiar with the general principles of the game, not a separate edition. oknazevad (talk) 15:14, 18 November 2020 (UTC)

Request edit - Paul Fricker

Could Paul Fricker be unlinked from Paul Fricker the a Canadian retired ice hockey player and replaced with [[Paul Fricker (game designer)|Paul Fricker]] or something similar. Reference for the correct Paul Fricker https://www.chaosium.com/blogchaosium-interviews-creating-the-frickerverse-for-call-of-cthulhu/ Sciencefish (talk) 12:42, 1 November 2021 (UTC)

I've just unlinked it. Not sure Paul Fricker will ever meet the notability requirements to get an article that would stay in honesty, though could be wrong. So delinking seemed the right thing to do for now. No prejudice to someone taking an alternative solution. Canterbury Tail talk 12:58, 1 November 2021 (UTC)