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Chivalry & Sorcery, 5th Edition
Publisher: Brittannia Game Designs Ltd
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 04/17/2021 11:28:02

Major revision: fact rekt and reduced to minimum stars for bologna. The author doesn't know what they're typing about, or worse. Examples follow:

"Jews were considered the property of their overlord (Bishop,... "

Source, please. I call B.S.

"... owning nothing themselves,..." not according to the Church. No? Source, please.

"... and if they converted to Christianity, forfeited all their property as recompense to their 'owner.'"

Again, source, please. Not according to the Church, at least. Private property is a human right, according to the Church. Didn't you also type that they don't have any property? How can they forfeit what they don't have?

"Jews were, however, tolerated under Canon Law..."

Now you're clearly in my area. There's no such thing as a Jew under, as in being subject to, Canon law. Only Catholics are under Canon Law. What's next, we going to type about the Inquisition burning millions of Zoroastrians?

"... only being prosecuted for heresy if, once having accepted Christianity, they rejected it."

Heresy is a rejection of a portion of the Catholic Faith. Apostasy is the rejection of all of it. None of it has anything to do with being a Jew. ANY Catholic is subject to excommunicatoin for all sorts of heresies, which still isn't apostasy, but, again, it's got nothing to do with Jews. By definition, only Catholics have the Catholic faith. Genetics has nothing to do with it.

In crayon, religiously speaking, you're a Jew, or you're Catholic. That's one of the few things on which both sides agree.

The system still looks good once you decipher the terrible writing. The rest gets a vote of no-confidence in light of things like the above.

BLUF:* This would be an incredible, five-star product that fills an ironically perishing niche, save that the writing is from Hell.

Caveat: I still haven't overcome the initial ordeal of completely grinding through the rulebook. I've yet to play or run it; that's where the rubber meets the road.

  • The Good:
    • It is a Medfan completionist's dream.
    • The system is:
      • Logical
      • Complete
      • Consistent
      • Coherent
      • Complex, only in the sense that, say, Legos can be complex. At base, it is very Lego-like. Essentially, it's simple; so is Goh, or Chess. Feel me?
      • Seemingly well-balanced, at least if you ditch the random bits; for example, gambling with character points is janky.
    • It is balanced, gamer-type-wise. It's got something for everyone. It covers the entire spectrum from your von Clausewitz types to your Munchkins, to your power-gamers, to your Noel Coward swooners.
      • No, they aren't all going to get what they want to the degree that they wish to, but one may sufficiently scratch one's gaming itches here, including wargaming.
  • The "Meh:" navigation, organization, and structure. It's tabbed, with internal linking, and has ~all the other bells and whistles, nav, org, and structure-wise. Sadly, the negative impacts from "The Ugly" downgrade what would be stellar to "Meh."
  • The Ugly: The writing. "Bad" is putting it mildly. C&S, per se, all-summed, is horrifically complex, but it's not because of the system or the content; it's because of expression/presentation, i.e., the writing. Specs:
    • Parentheses aren't commas, colons, or semicolons. Learn this.
    • Did you edit this? I can't tell. If you did, then, "Dannnng...." Bloated, disjointed paragraphs, run-on sentences, needless, grammatically ugly and, thus, ambiguous, confusing redundancies, punctuation errors that make aspirin producers sing; it's painful.
    • Did you proofread this? I can't tell...
  • The fixes:
    • Give it to at least one C&S noob to proof and critique, not a neckbeard, especially not a fanboy, then make it as simple as possible for them to understand it.
      • I'm not saying to make it pre-k. Some people aren't wired for RPGs, simple or not, so it's okay if the noob has to work at it, but "K.I.S.S." as reasonably possible. Believe your hype: the system is not complicated. Your presentation sucks.
    • Within your means, get a proper, ~professional:
      • writer
      • editor
      • Proofreader
    • At a minimum, make at least one honest, complete pass with Word or an equivalent; there's little excuse for doing any less.

P.S.,

Twenty-nine ratings, averaging to practically five? What is this, Amazon?

P.P.S.,

Yes, it does suffer somewhat from Wokeism, but I've seen far worse. It's relatively easy to overlook, making it more insinuating. However, it doesn't seem baked in, so ignore it, or have a laugh and drive on. To be fair to the publishers, they're a business, and P.R. and marketing are things. It's a fine line. C&S doesn't walk it masterfully, but it does seem to try to walk it, at least. Everyone has a worldview. It shouldn't be shocking if an author doesn't share ours and, thus necessarily, vice-versa. I doubt this review will resonate perfectly with anyone, so there. Bottom line: it's the cost and climate of business these days, like it or not.

*Bottom Line, Up Front.



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
Chivalry & Sorcery, 5th Edition
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Quickstart Rules, 5e C&S
Publisher: Brittannia Game Designs Ltd
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 04/12/2021 19:25:33

I'll be brief:

  • The quickstart rules are about as clear as mud, poorly written, (redundant, wordy) and, frankly, misrepresented or evaluated by old hats. It's claimed that C&S isn't complicated. My response? Walking isn't complicated either, unless you're learning to walk. An example quote of the sketchy grammar follows (emph. mine) "Each time Armour suffers a penetrating hit where the excess damage exceeds its armour absorption,..." p. 15
  • At the very least, it's in dire need of a flowchart or the like, esp. for the application of critical rules, like exactly IF and WHEN damage applies, esp. when block/shields are involved.
  • Example: EXACTLY, step-by-step, how does penetrating armor AND penetration apply? Does the crit damage go directly to each location, just as it does with body, or is that all wrong? Does the crit damage ONLY go to each location IF it penetrates? It. Is. Not. Clear. At. All.
  • The only reason I'm sticking to this particular ruleset, and hoping that plowing through the core book will answer some questions/be more clear, if after flirting with an aspirin OD, is that there's nothing else that quite fills this particular niche. It's like the Microsoft of medfan simulation.
  • TL;DR-it's a disordered, brain-grinding exercise in quasi-logic and frustration. I can tell there's a well thought out system here, somewhere, but somewhere between the notion and its expression, something broke down.
  • In short, if these are the "quickstart rules," then... sheesh. C&S: it's a gas.

Recommended fix? Grammar refresher course for the writer/s.



Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
Quickstart Rules, 5e C&S
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Champions Complete
Publisher: Hero Games
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/06/2020 12:01:16
  1. The game is one of the greatest. It's time tested, has a solid fan base, and only gets better with each edition.
  2. Each edition is just that. It's substantially the same game, which is good, and refreshing.

Why I cannot recommend any of your products.

Because you treat your customers like dirt, at least some of us, and you're ban happy.

Yeah, I went to your site to give you money for things that can't be obtained here, to be greeting by a ban wall, and ZERO explanation.

You ghosted me. "Thanks"

We can't continue to invest in your products with any confidence as long as this remains the case.

Now, let's watch as you make the customer the villain, again.

I'd love to be proven wrong, but I'm not holding my breath.

TL; DR - you can't trust Hero Games, DoJ, whatever.



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
Champions Complete
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Cypher System Rulebook
Publisher: Monte Cook Games
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 04/29/2020 13:51:15

Maybe I "just don't get it," but from what I've read thus far, the "any character, any setting" thing is hype, save in the sense that you could say that about most any RPG. After all, you COULD use, for example, "Bunnies and Burrows," by FGU to run a dystopian super horror game, but I wouldn't want to try it, esp. when there are games that accomodate such out of the box.

To be fair, if you want something that is rather fast and flexible, that also permits a great deal of latitude in settings and characters, then you could do worse than Cypher.

Without the hype, and the feeling of being suckered by yet another game, on those terms it would be at least a four-star game.

Again, though, from what I can tell, this isn't what was advertised.

Just tell the truth? Honesty is the best policy, MCG.



Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
Cypher System Rulebook
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Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition
Publisher: Renegade Game Studios
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 12/11/2018 11:42:54

BLUF/TL;WR- If you can stomach the "edgy Orwellian" SJW garbage, and you don't mind the metaplot being even more hard-welded to the rules/releases, then perhaps it's worth a gamble.

Would I purchase it again? No, because I don't like fueling idiotic philosophies and isms.

Will I purchase future products in this line? I'm not sure, in light of the above, but now I've got yet another digibook as a spawning ground for electronic dust-bunnies.

I'll try not to be overly redundant, but to reinforce/reiterate that already stated.

  1. Aesthetics: too cluttered. I wish they'd come out with a bare bones/no art version. It's ~uselessly ~pretty. (mixed bag. not a fan of ~post/modernism, and some of the photos scream "fanboy/larp"; in short, they don't jibe with the tone, nor with the setting. Gothic = dark AND light, not just some cartooney/comic bookish, sophomoric black to the point of comedic. Also, such as with the "fashion" illos, it looks more like Shadowrun, than WoD. These vampires may as well wear a "Hunt Me!" or, "I'm With Troile!" tee-shirts.
  2. Rules: Looks to be a pretty nice improvement, and this is where the scales of usefulness tips, as the rules actually seem to support the kind of game that it is; the hunger mechanic addresses a big gripe that I've had with the WoD at large, namely that it degenerated into a supers game of various stripes. Not so any longer.
  3. Setting. Silly, unbelievable in a bad way. One example is how they paint Francis and the Vatican as some stripe of secretly orthodox hammerers of haemovores. Another is where (shady grammar?) Harker seems to be talking about Vampires drowning. Yet another it is stated that without the blush of life, vampires look dead, but in another section, we are briefed on how vampires are wolves in sheeps' clothing, though some are saintly wolves.

The principle of non-contradiction is either not alive or, if it is, it is unwell, at least in the World of Darkness. Same as it ever was...

Still not a deal breaker though; the systems still seem solid, just either don't think too much, or redact and patch the stupid bits like sainted wolves that don't need to breathe, but can still drown.

Internal consistency and coherence was never a WoD strong suit, to be fair to the current staff; it's a sort of tradition one supposes.

No? How about that rather odd mention of vampiric/unDEAD >>BIO<< feedback?

Silly; eat the meat, and spit the bones, and you should still be fine.

TL;DR- the rules are probably a four, if not a five. The rest I'll pick through like a dumpster, hoping for some good bits that don't strain credibility to the point of snapping.

With the caveat that we keep the peas and carrots of gaming/IRL separate, I can go into more detail, but I would strongly advise that in the future someone writing about an IRL thing, do some (more?) research, or at least get some (more?) input from someone subject matter expert, or at least more familiar.

There's not much point taking from the real world, if you make it so unreal as to be laughable.

Ending on a good note: good job on the rules/integration with dramatic effect.

Add: Further observations based upon further study

  1. Conflcit is handled is a ~uniform way. What this means, for one, is that your social butterfly can be at least as literally lethal as a meat and bone combatant, if not in the same arena, or in the same way; in this version of VtM, mechanically/systemically speaking at least, the pen may match or exceed the sword/gun/stake etc.
  2. Morality: also seems more system concrete, with very systemically/mechanically significant impacts on the game, which i like. I would be a bit more persnickety about it myself, for example by applying potential stains for non-consensual telepathy (profound breach of privacy, i.e. "thought rape" but, at a minimum, the potential and principle is there; a given example is when Auspex is used to possess; have "fun" bleaching that out.

However, the above only highlights the contradictory nature of the "flavor text" and commentary on the WoD. (for example, see "Drowned virginal vampire saintly wolves" prev. There are more "WTF(udge)?" moments like these peppered throughtout, something which would have been remedied or at least pointed out by a first year Phil./Theol. student's read through, or even via someone more keen on crit-think.

Add: another bit of nonsense to further highlight the non-mechanical incoherence and inconsistency of the book; it is stated that it isn't the job of the participants to morally judge the characters in the game, even though the morality systems given in the game require just that. It isn't the ONLY job, but it is clearly A job.

Conclusion at this point? Filler text to pump up the page count, to bump the price and make you think you're getting more than you are when, in truth, what you're really doing is paying a road to tax to fund making pot-holes.

Still give it a three, I just wouldn't spend to much time reading the non-rules/mechanics stuff, at least not without a fifth and some Tylenol.

Add: "The Second Inquisition" works well enough, if you're ignorant enough of history, the Church, the "Church", the Inquisition, the "War on Terror", geopolitics etc., otherwise you'll probably have to retool or ditch the whole think; useful in concept, mediocre to crap, stereotypical, and silly exectution. It's a characature and amalgam from numerous bad movies and comic books. MIB meets Xfiles meets le Fanu; even if you are mostly careless of such, it just doesn't add up as told, and humanity, and the counter-conspiracy is just way too competent, way to cohesive, and way too Tom Clancy convenient, unified, and coherent. Okay idea, shoddy execution.

TL;DR- it's too perfect, too neat, tidy, and clean and, so, counter to suspension of disbelief, unless you're just a gushy fanboy or would rather not think about it overmuch to at all. When does Jack Ryan make an appearance?

No? Example: how do you just "take out" Vienna, Tremere Grand Central? You've got Chantry one, with a passel of leeches with AUSPEX, Dominate, and Thaumaturgy? I get that it could be done, but as presented it's just too handwaved. They're ~prescient, for crying out loud.

You can backpedal and retcon all you like, but this is the main book, and ST's are supposed to be able to use it; X-Files went from engaging, to annoying, because they kept waffling on "The Truth" that was ever more out there to the point where you just didn't care anymore.

Advice? You can read it, or you can run it; anyone who's actually done the latter for any amount of time knows that the metaplot has a way of derailing what you've already played, so you just ditch it and don't use it whole cloth in your game because you can't; you've already "written" how things are in play, and taffy stories, if they're actually stories, usually degrade into a sticky, unsavory mess.

Edit: reduced rating to two for the nigh-inevitable, appended, Orwellian, SJW, special snowflake garbage at the end. I'd like to reduce it to one, but the mechanics mitigate against that regardless; I simply can't justify that. Maybe the person/s who wrote that tripe can get a new job reruining Star Wars; they're certainly "qualified".

If you're just going to update and incorporate rules, I'd still buy it; otherwise, I'd pass.



Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition
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Deus Vult
Publisher: Mongoose
by Todd F. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 12/17/2012 02:43:27

It is put together very well. However, the core conceit of "by any means", doesn't really work through anything but modern sensibilities. If you can accept playing heretics who don't think they're heretics hunting heretics, or if you have a rather (modern 'sensibilities' again) view of the Church, perhaps in a rather Cthulhuesque caricature, then go for it. Most will probably love this product. If you are Catholic of the CCC para 915 variety i.e. a real one, then you will likely find this sadly comical.



Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
Deus Vult
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When Worlds Collide - Into The Green Inferno
Publisher: When Worlds Collide
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/30/2012 20:32:38

Looks really great. Well organized and thought out. The rules, from what I can infer from this, look like they are likewise well thought and (shock?) play-tested. Again, this is all very inferential. I hope the download of the rules gets a bit less ridiculous. 40$ for a digital download? I don't care if the game runs itself... that is CRAZY.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
When Worlds Collide - Into The Green Inferno
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Creator Reply:
Hi Todd, We have reset the princing on the product, we had a few issues initially but Chuck from RPGNOW has helped fix that hopefully you will find the product price something more agreeable. Best Regards Alistair
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Parsec
Publisher: Jolly Roger Games
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 07/18/2012 08:29:42

I don't like not getting any download for a product that I paid for.

That said, If you read around, the designers sound very savvy, and I admire the intent. It looks like a very clean product ala "Youtube" and it sounds like a very integrated game without needless and pointless redundancies or sub-systems. Hoping this get fixed. Looking forward. Don't blame the game, at least not yet.



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[1 of 5 Stars!]
Parsec
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Situations For Tabletop Roleplaying
Publisher: Amagi Games
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/24/2012 04:45:02

This is the type of product that I wish everyone would emulate. Pure function, no frills. Vastly superior to most PAID products anywhere, and this is FREE? The point is to use the imagination and creativity that one has. This product does what these products should; kick start these faculties. Kudos to you Sir. This is very concise, coherent and useful.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Situations For Tabletop Roleplaying
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T.W.E.R.P.S. Basic Rules (2nd Edition)
Publisher: Zocchi&#039;s Games
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/16/2011 18:13:23

Scanned I can live with. This is a very bare bones barely rules system with which I see no way to that which is indicated. Five bucks for the entire set which WOULD feasibly allow one to play just about anything, would be more reasonable. These are just a few pages, with a very misleading cover, and almost the entirety of the product is an adventure.

In short, rip off.



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
T.W.E.R.P.S. Basic Rules (2nd Edition)
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Capes, Cowls and Villains Foul -- Quickstart Preview
Publisher: Spectrum Games
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/31/2011 14:37:25

Intriguing and very promising. Spectrum is very personal and generally quick to respond.

That said, this is yet another example of a game that has been 'coming soon' for a loooooong time.

I hope it hasn't suffered the same fate as.... what was that supers sampler game using the Witchcraft (unisystem?) 'engine'?

I forget. Pretty much everyone else did too.

It really does look like it does what it says. Emulate comics, in a comparatively simple fashion. Looks to be a bit more complex version of another spectrum game, "Cartoon Action Hour." I'm still debating just tweaking that and being done with it. Really good, really flexible, and simple game.

Play the odds, support spectrum, invest in CAH instead.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Capes, Cowls and Villains Foul -- Quickstart Preview
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Nobilis: The Essentials, Volume 1
Publisher: Jenna Katerin Moran
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/12/2011 16:59:05

"I make meaningless random girly statements while cutesy anime people pickpocket 20$ from the margins".

WTF? Pretentious nonsense. What is this. Wait, lemme guess. "Some people just don't 'get it'."

Far left end of the spectrum from other EOS products. Wow. Clothespin.



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
Nobilis: The Essentials, Volume 1
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Cipher (Dystopia Cover)
Publisher: Broken Meme gamedesignstudio
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/30/2010 19:00:23

Sounds interesting. Too bad after the intro the text is dark grey on a black background. May revise depending on whether or not a legible copy can be had.



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
Cipher (Dystopia Cover)
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De Profundis Second Edition
Publisher: Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd.
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/30/2010 20:18:13

Uhhh. Ok. I write. Alot. Don't really see a game here. Didn't really get anything out of this at all. Perhaps a recommend to the pseudo-neveu, look down the nose at those who 'just don't get it.' crowd. Otherwise steer clear. (you know who you are, and you don't have to tell.)

The 'good'. Very attractive product overall. Would have been angry vs. irritated if I had spent more than 9$. You got me. Good one. Past performance earns a pass. The bad. Just write a book. Let us know it is a book. Let us choose to buy it or not as such. Get to the point. Reading through 100+ pages to find out this is 'pen pals and pentagrams' is 'displeasing'



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[1 of 5 Stars!]
De Profundis Second Edition
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D20PRO (Mac)
Publisher: Mesa Mundi, Inc.
by Todd M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/02/2010 20:24:26

Context: When it comes to tech, I'm like a monkey humping a football.

  1. Very intuitive. One or two attempts for all but the drawing functions and it was doing what I wanted it to do. Typical MAC/multitouch. Change the fingers, hit keys and see what happens. The main developer gave me some pointers, was about as responsive as the program itself, and about as user friendly. I suppose since he is the main dev and this is his 'offspring' this makes some sense, and is quite interesting.
  2. Even if you are not using one of the fully supported Hero Lab games, it is very easy add to the pallet of filled with your basic jpeg etc type file extensions, making this product, if nothing else, a virtual battle map on crack. Did I mention the range finder, elevation settings etc? I hate collectible crap, but I could very easily see using this for hero clix and the like. I doubt they could get the license, but some more technically evolved creature than myself I'm sure could backdoor this one without too much fuss.

  3. Support. Unsurpassed. No question. Biggest selling, and buying point, bar none.

Bullet point assessment. Some people like 'real' product, real markers, real minis, books etc. I would try the FREE TRIAL.

If you aren't that attached to mass, metal, mats, and markers, or the 3D stuff, buy it. Portable, just as functional. Done deal.

If you already play one of the HL supported games, going by the chatter, not by play, you need to have your head examined if you don't pick this up.

The main developer stated a 'by gamers, for gamers' It shows.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
D20PRO (Mac)
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