Post originally by Colin Fredericks at 2005-03-18 13:30:03
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Thank you very much for this great (and, IMHO, well-written) review. It's always fun to hear someone else's take on my game, especially when they like it.
Post originally by Ernest Mueller at 2005-03-18 19:50:24
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It seems like there's a lot of "operatic sci fi with a little bit of everything in it" games out there. Besides the specific races detailed in the review, I'm not really clear what makes it distinct from the rest. What makes it different enough from Traveller/Fading Suns/Stardrive/etc to merit someone getting into it?
Post originally by Colin Fredericks at 2005-03-19 12:42:26
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Hi, Ernest. My name's Colin. I'm the writer for Valence, and I'll try to answer your question.
Valence has a lot less mysticism than Fading Suns. There's the Lording, which is a very magic-like power, but there's none of the feudal-europe-in-space feel. Whereas Fading Suns is set in a dark age, Valence is set *after* one, in a period of rebuilding and hope. The feel is very different.
As for Traveller, I'm mostly familiar with the GURPS edition. I like it a lot. I was never a huge fan of the aliens in that game (cat-men and insects and such), but since Valence aliens used to be based on fantasy races, I can't really complain. Also, the tech level in Valence is higher and somewhat more ubiquitous than that in Traveller.
I don't know anything about Stardrive, unfortunately, except that it was a setting for Alternity. The few reviews I've found were somewhat uninformative. If you can tell me a little about it or point me somewhere with lots of info. I'd be glad to talk about it.
I can compare Valence to various other games I own, though. You don't have to deal with the knowledge of obsessed fans like you do with Star Trek, Star Wars, or Dune, and the universe is much larger and more varied than in Trinity or Jovian Chronicles.
As far as general distinguishing characteristics, I think the "social combat" system in Valence is pretty unique; I've rarely seen a game with anything close to it. It gives social characters something just as interesting and detailed as regular combat. I also think that the Lording is a very nice magic-like power for GMs to deal with; you never have to worry about shapeshifting, scrying, or telepathy because the basic rules of magic make them impossible. In addition, the character creation process really does give you a detailed character with a backstory, even if you're not trying for one.
Post originally by William A. Peterson at 2005-03-21 19:16:36
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Hello, Colin...
I haven't seen anything about your game, other than this review, but I can tell you a little bit about 'Star Drive'...
which I consider to be one of the best dang 'toyboxes' to play in since Mr. Lucas thought up the 'Star Wars' universe!
Sadly, the rules to Alternity were horrid, so I never got to play in it...
but they did release a large number of Novels set in the Star Drive setting, most of which were quite good!
It, too, is a game about a 'rebuilding', though there are differences...
They have more different cultures, but fewer races, than in your game. Humans in Star Drive are still Top Dog, but they are broken up into a lot more cultures, some corporate, some theocratic, and some political...
Tech is a little more uniform, though a tad higher than in 'Star Wars'.
'Mindwalkers', and mutants exist, but they're a small part of the action.
There is an overarching enemy to all the races presented, that is quite scary, but you can almost completely ignore them, if you'd like...
The races they do provide are, in my opinion, wonderfully well detailed. If you're at all familiar with TSR's old 'Star Frontiers', these have that much inventiveness and detail, without duplicating them in the slightest!
The technology behind the 'Star Drive' itself, was quite interesting, as each 'jump' lasts a fixed amount of time, whether you go to the maximum range your drive will permit, or just stay in place!
The map really, really has to go, though, as it doesn't support the game world, at all!
I really like the notion that it took both the Humans, and the Fraal, working together, to build the first Star Drives, and I've never been much on ages-old Galactic Empires...
Your game DOES sound like it's got a different take on that angle, but most games just bungle it horribly!
Like your game, there was an effort, in the setting material, to give Diplomats and Rogues their place to play, and not to make it just another 'Gunbunnies in Space' game...
Now, if only they had given it a decent set of rules, and not printed the text on fields ot tan, aqua, and other shades that made reading impossible... {Sigh!}
Also, the tech level in Valence is higher and somewhat more ubiquitous than that in Traveller.
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