From: Rick Jones <albert@crick.ssctr.bcm.tmc.edu>
Subject: Re:  What are people "top 18 list" for source/supplements...
X-Gated-By: The Black Marble Wombat@morticia.cnns.unt.edu
X-Gated-From: torg mailing list
Organization: University of North Texas
X-Gatemail-Version: 1.0b
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 18:08:25 GMT

> So please, lets get some responses from the GMs out there!  And think
> about the modules too, since new GMs usually ask about them as well.

[goes to get his milk crate of doom]

...
oh-kay.  Instead of picking favorites, I, Sidekid-Lad, will give MHO
of all the Torg-Stuff I have.

Destiny Map/GM Screen:  A good introduction to the Infiniverse.  Has The 
	Insidious Wu Han, and you can't go wrong with him.  The GM Screen
	is also invaluable.
	Grade:A
The Possibility Chalice: Necessary as a bridge between D-Map and Forever City,
	but I didn't like it that much.  The "dungeon crawl" can really 
	bog down.  There were also a couple of nits I had with it.
	Grade:C
The Forever City: My favorite Torg module.  Has time for good roleplaying,
	fun combat, and an Orrorsh Horror.  It'd be even more fun with the 
	Orrorsh Sourcebook.  
	Grade: A+
High Lord of Earth: Another good module.  There's a pointless battle at the end
	of the second act that should be cut out, and some players may miss
	the obvious clues to solve the climax.  Still, it's a good run.
	Grade: A-
Operation:Hard Sell: Eewwwww.  WEG modules often have the 2x4 problem.  Meaning
	that there is a single plot line and they will beat it into you with
	a 2x4.  There are some interesting pieces though.  I've never run it.
	Grade:D+
Crucible of Pain: The short story that comes with the module is very good, and
	gives a great example of how the changes in reality appeared to people
	it was happening to.  However, the adventure is lame, splits the party,
	and they don't even bother to give stats to the heroine of the story.
	Grade: Story A,  Module:D - Average:B-/C+
City of Demons: Well, I liked it, but it needed some work.  This game can give
	GM's headaches if the players pick up all the ordinance that is 
	just begging to get lifted.  It should have been rewritten to better
	enforce the "eerie/techno-horror" mood as opposed to the "big gun" 
	mood.
	Grade:C+ (after my changes, B)
Central Valley Gate: Suffers from too many interesting NPC's in one place.
	Also, has another "rescue the hostages from the lizards" plot.
	If the interesting NPCs were better spaced, it would have helped alot.
	Grade:B-
When Axioms Collide: Well, I had been over-using Orrorsh, so I rewrote it with
	Tharkhold as the main villians.  However, it's strengths are in the 
	fact that it's a good Orrorsh/Cyberp. cross.  There are some weaknesses,
	but none too bad.
	Grade: B
Cassandra Files: There's a lot of good ideas in there for adventures, and a lot
	of duds as well.  It gave me the ideas for 4-5 adventures, so it can't
	be all bad.  It is heavily biased towards Living Land adventures, 
	however.
	Grade: B
Queenswrath: All Aysle adventures.  Some good, some bad.  My campaign spends
	a lot of time in Aysle, so there are some useful ideas there. 
	Grade: B
Full Moon Draw:  6 mini modules.  I liked 5 out of 6.  The Nile adventure is
	excellent, as is the Orrorsh one.
	Grade: A-
Cylent Scream: The hit/miss ratio isn't as good here (4/6), but the hits are
	better.  The Orrorsh adventure is great, as is Aysle.
	Grade: A
Creatures of Aysle:  Excellent, if you're going to use Aysle heavily.  
	Highly reccomened.
	Grade:A+
Creatures of Orrorsh: Also excellent, though there are too many 'scare the
	kids' creatures, which make excellent stories, but awful foes
	for Storm Knights.  There are some good critters in there, however.
	Grade: A
GODnet: If you're going to use the GODnet, get it.  However, my party 
	has no deckers, or even people with datajacks.  Glad I got it as 
	a present.
	Grade: C
Infiniverse Update: Not only tells what happened to non-Iverse subscribers,
	but has some new stuff as well.  The adventures are a bit of a waste,
	however.
	Grade: B+
Pixaud's Practical Grim: Useful for an Aysle campaign, or if there's a spell
	caster in the party.  Keep an eye on letting players as some of the
	spells, however.  There aren't a lot of good beginner spells in it,
	either.
	Grade:B
Storm Knight's Guide to the Possibility Wars: Moderately useful for people
	who have no idea what Torg is, and need help making characters. 
	Other than that pbpbpbpbpt.
	Grade: D

WorldBooks: (Now, obviously, if you want to use the cosm to a great extent,
	then you should buy it.) I'll let you know my HO about 'em tho,
	and make other snide remarks.

Aysle: the spell design rules a cryptic to me, but others claim they work,
	and, in principle, I like them, if only I groked them.  The realm
	is interesting, but I am curious about the Cosm, and it wasn't 
	covered too extensively.
	Grade:B
Cyberpapacy: I don't like the Cyp., but if you do, I highly reccomend it.
	Grade:B
Delphi Council:  Well, the two places I was really curious about (Houston and
	the USSR) were not covered very well, and the map of Hosuton has 
	some problems with where they placed stuff.
	Grade:B-
Land Below: I like the LB, and don't understand why the players don't.  It's
	what they should have done instead of the Living Land.
	Grade:B+
Living Land: Well, I don't like the LL, but they did a good job in parts. I
	really liked the mini-stories that were in there, but not in the 
	other books.  It was the first book, so there are some problems with
	it.
	Grade:C+
Nile Empire: As much of a fan of the NE I am, I wasn't too impressed with the
	book.  It's useful, but doesn't set da mooooood, like it should.
	Also, the gizmo rules are awful.
	Grade:B-
Nippon Tech:  Oooh, if the PC's would go here.  It's a sneaky realm, and 
	has me convinced that if the Gaunt Man were to stay in the storm
	for a while longer, we'd all be buying Japanese.  It's a great
	mood setter, and carries the genre well.
	Grade: A
Orrorsh: Well, what can I say.  I love it. BWAH-HAH-HAH.  It does the best
	job of carrying the genre, and is chock full of ways to scare (or
	in the case of my party, intimidate them, as they aren't scared, just
	very wary) the party to death.  The Occuly rules are good, and the 
	monsters are great.
	Grade:A++++
Ravagons: It's a good aside, and gives some insight into the Ravagons.  
	They finally have personality, something they've lacked forever.
	Grade:B
Spaaaaaace Gods: Well, the psi rules are good, but I am totally unimpressed
	with the Space Gods as a realm.  The "sci-fi" genre isn't carried well.
	The Comaghaz is too nasty, as well.  I had some fun with the landing,
	but once they were there, I didn't know what to do with them.
	Grade: C (woulda been D+, but the psi rules are useful)
Tharkhold: Sigh.  If they had included everything that the writers wanted,
	I'm sure it would have been better.  The hints of "techno-horror"
	are pretty much lost in the "big gun syndrome." 
	Grade:C+
Infiniverse, the Newsletter: Get it, love it, be it.  It's the best thing
	in RPG's.  The idea that _we_ influence the outcome of the "main"
	campaign thread is wonderful.  There's always at least one useful
	thing in each issue.
	Grade: A+

(now I have to soak my fingers, whew)
-- 
Rick Jones				Systems Support Center
albert@bcm.tmc.edu			Baylor College of Medicine
Voice: 713-798-7352			standard disclaimers apply
Superman's not just dead, he's wrapped in plastic.-Houston Chronicle (11/19/92)
Newsgroups: alt.games.torg