For example in chapters four and five of the book there are stat blocks for a total of 15 vampires. Of those 15, 9 are missing their Attribute, Ability, Defense, Initiative, Health, and Speed scores!
This may actually have been deliberate; not all of the NPCs in setting books get full traits due to space constraints. This is true in Hunting Ground: Rockies as well; some of the characters have full traits, while the others just get Merits, Gifts, Renown and that sort of thing.
Re: [RPG]: City of the Damned: New Orleans, reviewed by Ralph Dula (1/2)
Is this book still of use to gamers since the disaster in New Orleans? The character and population of the city have been radically altered since City of the Damned: New Orleans was published. That would seem to limit the use of this book for roleplaying purposes.
__________________
You wanna talk it over? You go right ahead. But you do it in Trouble Tickets, and you do it in a respectful manner, 'cause I am not in a fucking good mood right now. You wanna check in with anybody else on this board about what happens when I'm not in a fucking good mood, 'cause it doesn't much look like an explosion of bunnies at the Happy Time Snuggle Ranch. - Darren MacLennan discussing the movement of a thread from the d20 section to the general section.
Re: [RPG]: City of the Damned: New Orleans, reviewed by Ralph Dula (1/2)
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackHat_Matt
For example in chapters four and five of the book there are stat blocks for a total of 15 vampires. Of those 15, 9 are missing their Attribute, Ability, Defense, Initiative, Health, and Speed scores!
This may actually have been deliberate; not all of the NPCs in setting books get full traits due to space constraints. This is true in Hunting Ground: Rockies as well; some of the characters have full traits, while the others just get Merits, Gifts, Renown and that sort of thing.
Indeed.
Also thankfully Ralph you mention that you have fond memories of New Orleans by Night more due to a good game set there than the book itself, since it was pretty much: pure badness (people seem to remember "fondly" Berlin by Night and never the as-bad New Orleans by Night & Dark Colony, i.e. New England by Night...)
__________________
----
"I'm from Greece so i can say 'Tzimisce' with ease."
Re: [RPG]: City of the Damned: New Orleans, reviewed by Ralph Dula (1/2)
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackHat_Matt
For example in chapters four and five of the book there are stat blocks for a total of 15 vampires. Of those 15, 9 are missing their Attribute, Ability, Defense, Initiative, Health, and Speed scores!
This may actually have been deliberate; not all of the NPCs in setting books get full traits due to space constraints. This is true in Hunting Ground: Rockies as well; some of the characters have full traits, while the others just get Merits, Gifts, Renown and that sort of thing.
This is correct. There are three types of stat blocks: full, abbreviated, and non-combatant. The abbreviated ones are for those characters who can "scale" with the needs of the characters they oppose, or those who fulfill only certain roles in a story. If you're not going to ever be in a gunfight with Vampire X, we don't waste space on telling you his paltry Firearms score.
Re: [RPG]: City of the Damned: New Orleans, reviewed by Ralph Dula (1/2)
Quote:
Originally Posted by doppelganger
Is this book still of use to gamers since the disaster in New Orleans? The character and population of the city have been radically altered since City of the Damned: New Orleans was published. That would seem to limit the use of this book for roleplaying purposes.
The answer to this is, obviously:
If you're playing a game set before Katrina or in which Katrina never happened, of course it is still of use. If you're playing a game after Katrina hits, it will be of less use, but the ST could always just say, "Things went back to the way they were," and it'll be just as useful again.
__________________
Spit-Take Point: A2K(1)
Laugh Points: Graeywolf (1), Valfader (1), Gizmit (1), The Ent (1), Cossak (1), joeman (1), Mac Logo (1), Sethra007(1), Balbinus (1), GregPogorzelski (1), litlfrog (1), Nate X (1)
Nearly Drowned CLAVDIVS Point: CLAVDIVS (1)
"Total Eclipse of the" Point: RPG_Wombat (1)
Gecko Phantom Seal of Patriotism My Blog
Re: [RPG]: City of the Damned: New Orleans, reviewed by Ralph Dula (1/2)
I'm finding it difficult to take this review seriously. But I can't find any other reviews of this book. I've been meaning to pick this book up for sometime. Any alternate opinions out there?
As a resident who evacuated in September 2005 and returned in January 2006, I can say that the book is still as useful as ever (see "In the Wake of the Storm" p. 124 for a nigh-prophetic suggestion for playing in a post-storm New Orleans).
While the city most certainly has been hurt all around, total devastation was confined to certain neighborhoods such as the Lower 9th Ward, etc. Reconstruction was fast, considering the obstacles involved, and now in many parts of the city you can hardly tell that the place was a disaster area only a few months ago. Uptown, for example, is looking fine, except that the St. Charles streetcar won't be running for a while yet. The Lake district has been slower to recover, but I hear that it's making steady progress. The French Quarter and all the stereotypical, touristy sites were scarcely damaged in the first place.
For those running CotD:NO post-Katrina, the power bases of the three major factions are pretty much intact, but each side will have suffered some as a result of the storm. Vidal's already tenuous grip should be slipping even faster in the wake of such a logistical nightmare. Savoy's domain is structurally intact but is suffering financially from the woeful lack of tourism these days. Baron Cimitiere would be hurt by the fact that the demographic that makes up the majority of his mortal followers was hit the hardest, and many would have died or found themselves unable to return.
In short, it wouldn't necessarily change the fragile balance of power presented in the book, except for perhaps kicking the tension up a notch. On the other hand, the period of lawlessness (both mortal and vampiric) would mean that a number of unsanctioned Embraces, murders, Diablieries, etc., could have happened without anyone being the wiser. Not a bad way to introduce new characters into the mix. Then they get to choose sides as the various factions pick up the pieces and resume their nightly battles.
Re: [RPG]: City of the Damned: New Orleans, reviewed by Ralph Dula (1/2)
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackHat_Matt
For example in chapters four and five of the book there are stat blocks for a total of 15 vampires. Of those 15, 9 are missing their Attribute, Ability, Defense, Initiative, Health, and Speed scores!
This may actually have been deliberate; not all of the NPCs in setting books get full traits due to space constraints. This is true in Hunting Ground: Rockies as well; some of the characters have full traits, while the others just get Merits, Gifts, Renown and that sort of thing.
I think this came up before and, yes, the stat blocks were deliberately abbreviated.
Location: West Monroe, LA, USA (by way of Glasgow, Scotland, and Oshawa, Ontario)
Posts: 1,956
Re: Use in post-hurricane New Orleans
Quote:
Originally Posted by Black Flag
As a resident who evacuated in September 2005 and returned in January 2006, I can say that the book is still as useful as ever (see "In the Wake of the Storm" p. 124 for a nigh-prophetic suggestion for playing in a post-storm New Orleans).
Here I am, commenting almost 3 years after the fact. I just wanted to thank you for the post. I'm about to start a Vampire game set in present day New Orleans, and your post will help me bring the book up to date.
Linear Mode
