Post originally by Ryan "The Plague Doctor" at 2005-06-22 11:32:11
Converted from Phorums BB System

Ok first things first,

Cursed Empire is not the first RPG.

Yes Ghost there is a genetic similarity with CoC or Elric, D&D, and CE. The blood test has come back and Chris Loizou is from the Gygaxien family tree of RPG creators.

I look at game systems in a few categories.

1. Gygax
2. Storyteller
3. Chaosium / Call of Cthulhu
4. Kult / Swedish systems
5. Eden
6. Cyberpunk / Tech systems
7. GURPS
8. D20*

*This is the modern D&D offshoot caused by Wizards of the Coast in the late nineteen 90s.

Just about every modern RPG that has come out in the last twenty years has implored some of these systems dynamics. Some more than others, CE certainly has its similar dynamics. However, the system does have something that a number of others don’t. And, that one extremely important thing is flexibility. Chris gives us options. How far do we want to lean towards D&D or CoC? Well it’s up to you. I’ve eliminated levels from Chris’s game in one afternoon. That’s how flexible it is.

However, this product is more than its roots in D&D or Chaosium. CE has an amazing magic system! One of the best I’ve seen once you add a roll to execute spell casting and remove redundant ruins (in my opinion).

The CE system is geared for gritty fights with large pieces of metal. D&D is geared for killing impossible foes and getting out clean as a whistle.

What would set Thargos apart from your High School Fantasy Campaign, well I don’t know. No one hear can read about it unless you have a website somewhere in the ether. There in and of itself is some difference. Read through the full setting and Darkun source book there’s a lot more meat on the bone than you think.

Chris is obviously passionate about his product and after play testing it with my own, independent game group; I can say its superior to a number of other games and will get even better with time. I have a few gut feelings from trolling the CE forums and RPG.net one of them is that CE will stick it out to see a few more incarnations.

I have a thread on CE’s sight called Ash & Ivy where I post my comments about Chris’s system and my house rules and game plots. Please join the discussion.