Xaltotun

Just listened to it tonight. I was in Cimmerian bliss (if such a thing exists) for about 2 hours listening to the first two disks (the third is a re-release of the old '82 ST which we are all familiar with) as I was working out.  It really transported me to the immeasurably ancient Hyborian Age when Conan stalked the world, pitting his sinews and steel against nameless abominations and scheming villainy.

 

Aside from the main theme (heard at the beginning, in the orgy scene when Conan fights Rexor and Thorgrimm, and at the end), my favorite of all time is the beautiful choral piece with accompaniment ("Las Cantigas de Santa Maria", track 21 on the 2nd disk) heard as the three thieves mount the Tower of the Serpent and steal the Jewel as a maiden readies herself to be the giant snake's next snack. To me that scene is the epitome of the Sword and Sorcery genre: dark, mysterious, unsettling, erotic, complete with unnatural fauna and unspeakably evil cults. I have waited 31 years to hear that with high-end stereo speakers. Thank you, Basil, and thank you, Intrada!

 

So many impressions, and so many comments I've jotted down. I'll have to organise them all and produce them later, time allowing.

 

If you love the movie like I do, and regard this as one of the best soundtracks ever made, you will not be disappointed.

Could someone give me a precis of the above clip, as I cannot stand the sound of Leno's voice which makes dogs bark four or five states away. BTW, why would you post a clip of a show headed by a guy to took a job away from Conan?

Welp, I've been busy with life and other things. Been away from this forum for a while too, and wouldn't ya know, while I was away, something big was in the works!

 

I was idly nosing around on IMDb's CtB threads and saw a mention of a 3-CD set of what I understand to be the full OST of the movie. Now, I hope it is indeed the OST and not some contemporary orchestra redoing the score (which, in most cases, blows chunks). I hopped over to Amazon, and lo! there it was. As the Forest Spirit said: instabuy. Lol. No hesitation whatsoever. The reviews on Amazon were universally favourable, which is encouraging. Has anyone had a chance to listen fully to it and determine that it is the OST? What's the sound quality like? Hopefully, I'll get mine in the next 1-2 weeks. Can't wait!

 

BTW, good to be back again in ancient Hyboria!

 

 

Of all the things I've heard people call GURPS, bland hasn't been one.  It has the most detailed character building system and potentially the most intricate combat system.

I've had a tough time getting other table top gamers to even discuss it around where I live, let alone play it :/

M.

Hm. Well, "most detailed character building system" is rarely a good thing, nor is an "intricate combat system". Many people weaned on d20 and other obsessively-complex RPG rules have the mistaken impression that "more crunch" = "better rules". My grognardy philosophy of "simpler is better" usually also applied to wargaming, but I DO enjoy the occasional rules-heavy wargame (e.g. WRG 6th ed. Ancients as opposed to TSR's much simpler Chainmail, 3rd ed.). As always, YMMV, etc. etc. etc.....

I've heard many comments about GURPS, but they almost always feature the adjective "bland". Not at all a shining endorsement, by any means.

With the recent reprinting of D&D's 1st edition rulebooks by Wizards of the Coast/Hasbro, hopefully people will come back to the smoother, faster, simpler rules of that earlier stage in the hobby. They've been selling briskly, which is good to hear from brick-n-mortar stores.