tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post8777856381238254336..comments2024-03-28T08:50:57.015+01:00Comments on Beyond Fomalhaut: [REVIEW] Roman Silver, Saxon GreedMelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-14737963417424161712021-07-24T20:51:59.146+02:002021-07-24T20:51:59.146+02:00Thank you for weighing in! In the meantime, I have...Thank you for weighing in! In the meantime, I have bought and studied Barons of Braunstein. While I stand by my review, I will agree that the Luck mechanic may change the dynamics of an otherwise very lethal system in ways I have not anticipated.Melanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-39135551216622899092021-07-24T19:09:33.145+02:002021-07-24T19:09:33.145+02:00Publisher here. The problem is real; but I’m not ...Publisher here. The problem is real; but I’m not sure it’s the module’s responsibility. The judge must accurately describe the setting, which the players need to navigate carefully. The fact that its so-called dungeon is small and relatively confined isn’t a failure. It’s a feature. And a challenge. Once the players realize they can’t just storm the place, they’ll have to try something else. Moreover, Barons of Braunstein isn’t OD&D. Its combat and (especially) damage are very different. Add the LUCK mechanic, and things play out differently. Judging a module against a system it wasn’t designed for has its limits, and it’s fair to say that, although we appreciate the kind words and thoughtful discussion of what is undeniably the product’s central challenge… Olde House Ruleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06672388784118015345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-50640196793908172462021-07-24T01:03:58.226+02:002021-07-24T01:03:58.226+02:00The show Last Kingdom is a lot of fun, but I'm...The show Last Kingdom is a lot of fun, but I'm going to be the stereotype claim that the books by Bernard Cornwell were better. <br /><br />And if you want pagan Saxons on the cusp of converting to Christianity, the novel Hild is utterly fantastic. After reading it I wanted to design an RPG called "Oaths and Omens".redbeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600098550347299095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-51155502774797589562021-07-20T23:43:23.188+02:002021-07-20T23:43:23.188+02:00Really odd windmill to tilt at here. This isn'...Really odd windmill to tilt at here. This isn't a hostile or even particularly negative review, and it's a helpful examination of a reasonably creative work that nonetheless seems to have some problems.Commodorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12721421512524513327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-86938477620914101412021-07-20T15:02:40.178+02:002021-07-20T15:02:40.178+02:00This is a REVIEW, not a co-operation for a new edi...This is a REVIEW, not a co-operation for a new edition of the product. A reviewer's job does not involve contacting the authors of the work under review for clarifications. The reviewer's job is to examine the work as it is and describe its strengths and weaknesses.Headless Horse Archer (Premier)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07295139979427782123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-74518353615523440682021-07-20T00:55:38.670+02:002021-07-20T00:55:38.670+02:00Have you seen the series, The Last Kingdom?
--If s...Have you seen the series, The Last Kingdom?<br />--If so, does it capture what you are seeking?Timeshadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09952601433965644275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-44657838211140439362021-07-20T00:54:36.307+02:002021-07-20T00:54:36.307+02:00Have you contacted the authors, or they, you regar...Have you contacted the authors, or they, you regarding these points?Timeshadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09952601433965644275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-34502594188702944022021-07-19T18:40:27.974+02:002021-07-19T18:40:27.974+02:00Indeed, I was saying what Jiří has said more clear...Indeed, I was saying what Jiří has said more clearly. I do not think the module would realistically work the way its authors intended, and a lot of its good elements would be never actually discovered by the players.Melanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-39482010978435660822021-07-19T16:44:09.720+02:002021-07-19T16:44:09.720+02:00The only thing I don't understand is how he ke...The only thing I don't understand is how he kept his cool while interacting with you.Lance of Countersonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17572628311538950632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-9050568867316245412021-07-19T09:15:27.110+02:002021-07-19T09:15:27.110+02:00If I may...
He's saying that the way the scen...If I may...<br /><br />He's saying that the way the scenario is setup, it will almost inevitably collapse into a single massive set-piece combat that will draw the inhabitants from all the rooms. And then the game is over.<br /><br />The fault with this is... well it's not very interesting, is it?Jiří "Markus" Petrůhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17888038430387964093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-50416309706815142072021-07-19T09:15:11.452+02:002021-07-19T09:15:11.452+02:00This comment has been removed by the author.Jiří "Markus" Petrůhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17888038430387964093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-2944180173155181972021-07-19T05:35:07.966+02:002021-07-19T05:35:07.966+02:00I have long attempted to run a post-Roman Britain ...I have long attempted to run a post-Roman Britain game of D&D with my home group. It should work perfectly, but somehow I could never get the tone quite right. I wonder.HDAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13506175636615989219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-63819567581510300452021-07-19T01:12:28.571+02:002021-07-19T01:12:28.571+02:00Now I am even more confused. What exactly is it t...Now I am even more confused. What exactly is it that you find fault with?Timeshadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09952601433965644275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-82245126406730829082021-07-18T23:43:14.007+02:002021-07-18T23:43:14.007+02:00I did assume the game was OD&D-like in most re...I did assume the game was OD&D-like in most respect: that is, very rules-light and reasonably deadly, rewarding player ingenuity instead of rules mastery. As I understand it, the original Braunstein games were pseudo-realistic environmental simulations built on a sense of what would be logical in a certain situation. My review took this assumption into account.<br /><br />My criticism, however, stems from issues which, I believe, are not D&D-specific; rather, they pertain to general scenario design, or are taken in the context of any simulation-oriented game.<br />1) The background parts are lackluster no matter how you slice them. They say very little in the space they have available to them (in fact, even less when we consider anyone who might reasonably be interested in the module would have at least a passing familiarity with post-Roman Britain). In contrast, one of the authors' previous adventures, <b>Lair of the Shorlee Wyrm</b>, has a very strongly realised, imaginative background.<br />2) My analysis of the scenario is based on simulation-oriented logic. The authors themselves stress the realism of the setup, and this is the yardstick I applied to it. Cramped spaces, sound propagation, light sources - these are things I do have some knowledge of (my other hobby is designing levels for a stealth game, where these aspects of simulation are core to the game experience). An idea of how a bunch of brigands may behave if they discovered they were attacked - here, I have a rough idea, too, although I am obviously not a brigand (I am, however, a Saxon). Together, this leads me to the conclusion that the brigands would probably discover even a careful partly, converge on them, and eliminate the threat as effectively as they could.<br /><br />I did mention OD&D-style dungeon doors - heavy, large gate stuff - as something that <i>does</i> divide up dungeon space and compartmentalise action. This adventure is, to borrow another analogy, is a little bit like assaulting a cubicle office. You can be good, you can be silent, but sooner or later, Bob by the water cooler shall hear that gurgle as you stab his project manager.Melanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-9625006956822933302021-07-18T19:43:23.280+02:002021-07-18T19:43:23.280+02:00I'm not intimately familiar with BoB, but, I a...I'm not intimately familiar with BoB, but, I am familiar with tactical operations and how the scenario as described in the review would be a nightmare for most going into that sort of situation. OD&D's procedures can't be expected to be used for all scenarios, especially when created to 'buck' those assumptions; even moreso if created for another rules system.<br /><br />So, I think what is happening, based upon my reading of the review, is that the (explicit or even implicit) expectation that this scenario was being judged upon how well it would work with OD&D (or any of its other flavours) was not met.<br /><br />Am I correct in my understanding, that the review is aimed at the scenario's utility for xD&D? Or, is the reviewer actually condemning the scenario on its own merits although the reviewer is applying D&Disms as the metric?<br /><br />If the former, then the reviewer may want to make their expectation explicit in future evaluations.<br />-- If the latter, it is a cockeyed/unfair evaluation.Timeshadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09952601433965644275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-25541604477612035882021-07-18T15:16:38.635+02:002021-07-18T15:16:38.635+02:00I am open to insight on this issue. What would be ...I am open to insight on this issue. What would be different?Melanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07165894144553629675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-26441485975967364932021-07-18T14:46:19.645+02:002021-07-18T14:46:19.645+02:00...or, instead, that the review assumes too much a......or, instead, that the review assumes too much about how the scenario should be played as per every other dungeon via D&D rules instead as the reality of the scenario demands (and perhaps even the intended BoB rules operate).Timeshadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09952601433965644275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6188119851730922397.post-16337237666418134212021-07-18T11:47:38.197+02:002021-07-18T11:47:38.197+02:00That title is awesome! Too bad the module doesn...That title is awesome! Too bad the module doesn't deliver as much.Ynas Midgardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14972628887096890642noreply@blogger.com