Post originally by flyingmice at 2004-09-13 07:12:43
Converted from Phorums BB System

I can answer some of these questions - the factual ones at least - as one of the co-author/designers. I recommend you look through the free download - StarCluster Light - which contains all the rules and an abbreviated chargen.

From Wyvern:
...The review that is, not the game. I know little more of concrete substance about this game after reading the review than I did before I read it. The important information I learned can be summed up as follows:

- It has a post-Earth frontier setting with a variety of tech levels.

True

- All the PC races are evolved humans.

Somewhat true in the core book being reviewed. Both Humans and the other races are species separately evolved from Homo Erectus, diverging about a million years ago. Other "races" are available in supplements.

- The rules are "apparently" percentile-based.

Not apparently. All rolls in game are made with percentile dice or occasionally a single d10.

- The combat rules are complicated and confusing.

In Kester's opinion.

- You can choose random or point-based character creation.

True

- There are five key attributes (Strength, Coordination, Agility, Endurance, and Charisma) and three others (IQ, Psi and Rank).

Not quite. There are 8 attributes. Six of them modify skill success. PSI is a point pool, and IQ is a real world IQ. Rank is an indication of initial resources, and depending on the society may be totally unimportant in play.

- You choose from a selection of 'schools' which represent your background training.

True.

- There are lots and lots of charts.

Most of them very small.

-That's a disappointingly small amount of detail for a review of this length. Considering that this is an obscure system, some explanation of how the rules actually work would be helpful. The setting description is also pretty vague; the background information is fine, but that doesn't tell me much about the actual current state of affairs. The review raised more questions than it answered, and not in a good way (granted, some of these might be better directed at the author than the reviewer).

-What makes the setting 'hard' sci-fi?

The setting is space opera which pays a lot of attention to physics behind the scenes. It is not "Hard SF." It is comparable in "Hardness" to Poul Anderson or Larry Niven. Not hard, but certainly not soft.

-How is space travel accomplished?

It depends on the tech level. Interplanatary travel methods range from chemical rockets through fission rockets and fusion torches to
Matter/Anti-matter annihilation drives. Interstellar travel is by psionically moderated jumps.

-Is combat supposed to be gritty or cinematic? How well does it actually meet this goal?

It is supposed to be gritty but not deadly. I can't answer the second question.

-How are skills handled?

All skills have a base chance of success of 45%, with increments of 5% for each time the skill is taken, plus modifications for high governing attributes. There are several methods of non-skill success determination available as GM's choice, depending on circumstances. For skills where degree of success matters, a second %d roll (with modifiers) can be made. THis is how damage is adjudicated, weapons being a modifier on degree of success.

-What are some of the 'schools' that characters can choose from? (The review doesnt' give any indication of what kind of characters you can actually play in this game, unless the Ex-Marine, Ex-Smuggler, Ex-Courier are examples -- in which case, why are they in the GM section?)

Schools taken influence the path the character takes through chargen, but do not determine it. They are choices. Your character does not have to take schooling at all, if you don't want to. There are high schools, technical schools, military schools, art schools, psionics schools, agricultural schools, even no schooling (living on the street) available. Then there are varous colleges - engineering, military, art, agricultural, psionics, computer, acting, seminary, music, liberal arts, and thieving. There are also medical school, law school, and other graduate schools. From there, there are many professions your character may take, switching around as you will.

-What effect does homeworld have on character creation?

It influences the 4 skills you get before age 10 when chargen begins, and the tech level of your homeworld is important for determining some skills you may have access to, and your starting IQ and PSI (due to pervasive genetic engineering.)

-If humans evolved so much on their way to the stars, why are there basically only three human variants to choose from?

There are 4 human variants, and they didn't evolve on their way to the stars. A million years ago aliens captured large chunks of earth biota and seeded several worlds in the Cluster. On three worlds, Home Erectus survived and evolved.

-Are there any sentient aliens in the setting?

Yes, several, but they aren't individually described in the core rules. They are discussed briefly as cultures.

-Why is IQ measured on a different scale from the key attributes? (Incidentally, the fact the 4 of the 5 key attributes are physical does not sit well with me.)

IQ is measured on the standard 100 point norm IQ scale. We figured people would understand it better that way.

-What's the game effect of rank, and why does it merit being a specific attribute (as opposed to wealth, or education, or fame)? Is this a neo-feudal society?

Rank is important in chargen, where it determines the initial resources your family has to finance your education. It is important on some worlds with a less mobile social structure, but isn't used much after chargen otherwise.

-What kinds of psi powers exist?

Psi is rather limited. Telekinesis, pyrokinesis, interrogation, dowsing, healing, protection, and stunning. Transfer is a psi skill only used as amplified to make interstellar jumps.

-What kind of technology is available?

Um... lots. Cloth that projects moving images which can be different to different viewers, active plasteel which can hold different programmed shapes depending on what you want it to be, antigravity, mind transfer, and lots more.

-mice