[RPG]: Sweet Chariot, reviewed by Kester Pelagius (4/5)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10199.phtml

C. Demetrius Morgan's Summary:

Looking for passage aboard a spaceliner ready to return to the glory days of space opera classics where supplements were full of rich and vibrant detail and strange new worlds orbited lazily around their stars waiting brave explorers to find them? If you answered no then this is probably not the game for you.

Go to the full review for more information.

Post originally by Dan Davenport at 2004-03-26 06:41:50
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Great review!

One observation, though: I don't think Coordination and Agility are necessarily redundant, if Coordination refers to manual dexterity. Someone who's a naturally good shot isn't necessarily a natural acrobat as well. Granted, combining the two has a long tradition in RPGs, and I don't think it's always vital to distinguish between them, but I do tend to like systems that split them up. Just as an example, the split allows stereotypical fantasy Dwarves to be ungraceful yet master craftsmen.

--
Dan Davenport

Post originally by clash bowley at 2004-03-26 07:32:58
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Hi, Dan:

Yes, that is exactly why we split it up. Coordination is hand-to-eye and fine motor skills, while Agility is whole body movement.

Post originally by Sergio Mascarenhas at 2004-03-26 09:12:02
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There is a further advantage if the system uses the same set of standards for humanoids and creatures. The latter can have agility without coordination if they don't manipulate objects. Thus you can have a cat with high agility - better than an human - and devoid of coordination, for instance.

Sergio

Post originally by clash bowley at 2004-03-26 09:57:08
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Sergio Mascarenhas wrote:
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There is a further advantage if the system uses the same set of standards for humanoids and creatures. The latter can have agility without coordination if they don't manipulate objects. Thus you can have a cat with high agility - better than an human - and devoid of coordination, for instance.

Sergio

This is indeed the case. Animals are statted exactly the same way as humans.

Post originally by clash bowley at 2004-03-26 12:15:12
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Hi Kester:

You said: "In other words it almost sounds like [the] designers approach to random character generation comes off the ropes with nothing but disdain for the process right out of the box."

Just wanted to let you know that the sentence you were referring to was only a bit of less than optimal phrasing. If anything, we (the designers) all prefer random to directed generation. In fact, Sweet Chariot was the first StarCluster product to have directed character generation and the process as presented in the book still has a few bumps in it. We added directed chargen as an option after being rightfully scolded by reviewers for using only random chargen in previous versions of the rules. Many people have very strong opinions one way or the other on this question, and including both is the only way to keep everybody happy.

In the StarCluster 2E version of chargen, the process is seamless - allowing you to switch from directed to random generation (or vice-versa) in mid character if you wish. We will be updating Sweet Chariot to StarCluster 2E after the core rulebook is completed.

Post originally by Kester Pelagius at 2004-03-26 12:49:27
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>>Just wanted to let you know that the sentence you were referring to was only a bit of less than optimal phrasing. <<

Exactly.

And that's all I meant by my comment.

Overall Sweet Chariot rated high marks, despite the fact the font size made my eyes feel like they were going to squint right outta my skull.

It's every bit a quality product.


>>In the StarCluster 2E version of chargen, the process is seamless - allowing you to switch from directed to random generation (or vice-versa) in mid character if you wish. We will be updating Sweet Chariot to StarCluster 2E after the core rulebook is completed.<<

Excellent!

Do you need a reviewer for 2E?

Post originally by Kester Pelagius at 2004-03-26 13:00:51
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I would like to thank Dan and Sergio for their insightful comments.

>>I don't think Coordination and Agility are necessarily redundant<<

Dan: Which is why I added the caveat that my statement was laregly a matter of opinion.

In fairness to Sweet Chariot, I would add, the semblance of redundancy may disappear in actual play. For instance, as Sergio stated:

>>There is a further advantage if the system uses the same set of standards for humanoids and creatures. The latter can have agility without coordination if they don't manipulate objects. Thus you can have a cat with high agility - better than an human - and devoid of coordination, for instance.<<

That is a very good consideration. Clash indicates this was, indeed, the case. From a design perspective this depth of thought is only to be commended.

My suggestion: Make it clear that this, indeed, is the point.

I know that probably sounds silly, a request to state the obvious in print. It should be obvious, certainly it was to Sergio, but as a Game Master I'd like all the help to diffuse stupid questions before they get asked that I can get!

Kester, looking forward to 2e!

Post originally by clash bowley at 2004-03-26 13:02:07
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Kester Pelagius wrote:
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>>Just wanted to let you know that the sentence you were referring to was only a bit of less than optimal phrasing. <<

Exactly.

And that's all I meant by my comment.

Overall Sweet Chariot rated high marks, despite the fact the font size made my eyes feel like they were going to squint right outta my skull.

It's every bit a quality product.
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Thank you very much! Sorry about the eyes!

Kester Pelagius wrote:
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>>In the StarCluster 2E version of chargen, the process is seamless - allowing you to switch from directed to random generation (or vice-versa) in mid character if you wish. We will be updating Sweet Chariot to StarCluster 2E after the core rulebook is completed.<<

Excellent!

Do you need a reviewer for 2E?
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Indeed we do! We'll send it along as soon as it's finished.

Post originally by clash bowley at 2004-03-28 00:07:07
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It has been mentioned that you would like to see what the setting is like. Sweet Chariot details 19 different cultures on the planet Chariot. The tech level is advanced steam, but 3 of the Charioteer cultures have trade agreements with off planet cultures.

The planet is well populated with almost one billion inhabitants, but they are crowded together on mountain tops and high plateaus because the lowlands - aclled the Deathlands - are blanketed in a thick atmosphere consisting mostly of Argon, which is toxic and narcotic at these pressures. The 19 larger nations are linked by steam powered airships which float over the Deathlands. Virtually all machinery runs on alcohol, because fossil fuels never formed.

The colony ship containing the settlers of Chariot was hijacked on it's flight from the doomed earth, and the subsequent damage to the landers and equipment forced the switch to Chariot, where improvised glider landers could use the thick atmosphere for braking.

Here is one of the main cultures - and artificial one based on Classic Mayan culture:

http://jalan.flyingmice.com/Kukulkan.pdf