From: apm272v@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: Rolemaster
Date: 27 Jan 93 10:06:55 +1100
Distribution: world
Organization: Computer Centre, Monash University, Australia

In article <2703@cix.cict.fr>, maillet@tls-cs.cert.fr (Luc Maillet) writes:  
 
>   About Shadow World, well, I have the distinct opinion that the supplements
> quality is decreasing.
	I would have agreed with you a year ago, but I really like the Eidolon
book ... I suppose I've felt that since the line jumped from the tiny
Loremaster series to the ShadowWorld stuff we've got both good and bad
material, as some of the new stuff _is_ good, but there's also lot's of
mediocre supplements being carried along (they seem to have cut the number of
new supplements though, so perhaps that's a good sign.)

> To be honest, the best supplement ICE ever made for
> the World of the Loremasters is Cloudlords of Tarana. There is plenty of what's
> more or less lacking in the latests products : information. On the land, the
> plants, the animals, the people. How they live, what they believe in, what are
> their supposed origins, and their legends. The latests supplements focused on
> detailed adventure ideas, some of them filling half a book with it.
	I agree entirely, though my personal favourite is the Iron Wind, the
new stuff has never gotten that good, but it's okay, and I think it's 
improving from a low during the mad rush to publish lots of supplements at
the start of the ShadowWorld series.  I didn't like Nomads, it wasn't awful,
it just wasn't as good as it should have been.

> That's not
> what I look for in campaign modules like Star Crown Empire, Nomads of the Nine
> Nations, Quellbourne, or the others. The Adventure Modules, like Tales of the
> Loremasters, are perfect for that purpose.

>   Also about Shadow World, I'm wondering where the whole world is going. The
> whole timetable draws the image of a darker and darker world, something between
> Twilight 2000, Cyberpunk and Aftermath, only in a fantasy setting. I personally
> don't like it.
	I know what you mean, though I guess I'm not so opposed to that mood
 ... I think I'm most concerned that all this building terror in the world
is too directed, it doesn't leave much room for GM's own concepts of history.
I suppose I think it's an inherently bad idea (IBD tm) to start mapping out
future events in supplements ... just stick to background.

> As a side note, we have departed from the given timeline since
> 6050 TA. Our Kulthea is more quiet, more concerned with subtle plots than with
> full-scale wars, especially since both Ondoval and Andraax left the world ( one
> of them dead ).
	Must be quite a serious crater somewhere :-)
  
> 
>   About Rolemaster in general, the various compagnons are of inequal quality.
> One of my friends said about the RC6 : 20% that can be used, 80% useless. I
> think there are some good ideas ( rules for weapons lengths, unified skill sys-
> -tem - even if this one is not quite to my taste ), but not enough IMHO to fill
> a book that size.
	I'm surprised you didn't like it ... it's my favourite since RMC2 ...
What in particular would you have like to have seen more of ... I'll grant
that the book was more about concepts than rules, but that's part of why I
liked it (I really _don't_ need more spells) ... the alternative views on
ShadowWorld were a big step forward, interesting in their own right, and
setting a powerful precedent for ICE publishing variant background.

hunter
 
-- 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"... and i'm
begging to drag you down with me to kick the
last nail in yeah i like you in that like i like you
to scream but if you open your mouth then i
cant be responsible for quite what goes in or
to care what comes out ... "

	Fascination Street, the Cure

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

	j.paul hunter 

	email: hunter@euler.maths.monash.edu.au

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

	
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