Author: Ralph Mazza (---.2.27)
Date: 12-19-2003 08:17
As a general rule I don't care for game fiction. Good fiction tells a complete story, game fiction generally just provides snippets.
That said, I have a huge soft spot for age of sail naval color. I could gleefully read an exchange between Morrow and Weatherby for another 2 pages just because that tone, that method of expression, that attitude of supreme discipline, confidence, and disdain really trips my trigger.
So, in this case the fiction worked. Truth be told, nothing I've heard about Spacebuckler really held much interest for me...until that piece of fiction. Now I'm interested, now I want to see the rest. Hornblower in space. Treasure Planet without the cheesy jokes...ok, I could get down with that.
But here's the kicker, and its a big one.
I think your fiction is writing checks that your system can't cash.
I read the fiction...I say..."ohhh cool, I wanna play that. I REALLY wanna play that".
Then I remember, the core of this game is d20.
"Crap" I think "ain't no way actual play will ever look like that"
What fiction promises, d20 takes away.
Classes, levels, hitpoints, armor class...nope Forester and O'Brien never wrote anything about those.
"Crap. The d20 siren causes another ship to crash upon the rocks of suck"
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