View Single Post
 
Old 02-07-2007, 05:03 PM
Lev Lafayette's Avatar
Lev Lafayette Lev Lafayette is offline
Lawful Good Anarchist
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 1,212
Substance value

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ante View Post
I must frankly disagree about the value of the world profile! It is not that hard to memorize, and contains an amazing amount of information in a small space. You can print one line and give information enough for adventures on a whole planet!
Well, I would tend to think if it was that easy other SF games would have adopted something similar, verdade?

Quote:
While I respect the reviewer might have valued things differently than me I'd have given it highter marks for Substance, since it's a very meaty book. Sure, the many errors and problems with layout makes it less than useful, but what's there is quite a bunch.
I seriously was about to give it a 4 for substance and then I held back and gave it a second look.

The refereeing section (p5-15) is probably below average. The star systems and worlds generation (p16-30) is mainly a key to the numerous tables and doesn't provide much detail on what it's like to be on such worlds. The animals (and environment) pages (p30-36) and encounters tables (p37-43) is certainly underdeveloped. The interpersonal and trade and commerce chapters are good to very good (p44-p55) and the starcraft and starship combat chapters certainly fulfil their goals (p55+).

So overall I could only give it a '3'. I found the star and world design pretty undeveloped and likewise for the encounters, societal types, climates and flora and fauna. This are matters which I consider very important to SF gaming.
__________________
+1 Pithy from riprock +1 Laugh Point from rpg_dad
My Livejournal
Currently playing: RuneQuest 3e Classic Prax, GURPS Krononauts, Rolemaster Cyradon, Lords of Creation Horn of Roland, Pathfinder Fantasy Australia, Powers & Perils Perilous Lands, HeroQuest Mystara, HeroQuest Glorantha, New World of Darkness BrisVegas, Dragon Warriors Clyster
Free, quarterly, RPG magazine: RPG Review. Fifth issue out now! Dan 'Smif' Smith Interview & Art, New World of Darkness Review and Scenario, GURPS Krononauts, GURPS Languages, Swordbearer and Heroes of Olympus Retrospective plus Odyssey Scenario, Travel and Transport in Paranoia, Reliance on NPCs, Via Negativia II, Fallout 3 Review, District 9 Review, Mingshi's Industry News, Lord Orcus's Advice Column
Reply With Quote