The Inside Scoop on Gaming

The Great Maze is a departure from the usual sourcebook setup for Pinnacle Entertainment Group. It costs 50% more - $30.00 - but in its box there is not only a full 128 page sourcebook, but two 32 page booklets (the same size as PEG's Dime Novels) and a full-color map of the Great Maze.

The sourcebook starts with the same cover as the boxed set - a colorful painting of a group of Confederate sailors washing ashore after having their ship sunk by a sampan. It's personally my favorite cover of any Deadlands product; colorful and fitting in with the atmosphere very well.

The rest of the book is setup like most of PEG's sourcebooks into two out of their three usual sections - Posse territory and the Marshal's section. As I've said in previous reviews, this is section is good because it provides the "real world" knowledge to any players who read the first section, but saves the good behind the scenes stuff for the Marshal.

The Posse territory is written from a perspective of a Pinkerton stationed in the Great Maze. This gives a distinctive Northern view to the information; however, PEG often picks one point of view or another in their products, and most seem to favor the Southern, so this is a fair counterbalance. It covers most of California - from Emporer Norton to the City of Lost Angels run by the Reverand Grmime to Shan Fan and the triads that run it.

After the descriptions of the Indians, the warring factions, cities, railroads, the Maze, and the such, the section ends with archetype characters and a description of the various boats and ships used in the Great Maze. Most of this information is less useful without a copy of Smith & Robards.

The Marshal's section gives the nitty gritty about survival in the Great Maze, including price modifications, how ch'i powers work, and a writeup of what's really happening in a number of places around the Great Maze. It ends with a section on abominations in the Great Maze.

There are two booklets included in the boxed set. The first of these is a report on kung fu powers. This is a new arcane background available to Asian characters in Deadlands, and allows them to do some very cinematic moves such as firing multiple arrows, using exotic weaponary, and plucking bullets out of midair. New edges and hindrances are introduced as well, including my all-time favorite, "My Kung Fu is Superior!"

The second booklet is an adventure that runs the posse from the mining community of Lynchburg in the Great Maze up to Shan Fan then down towards the City of Lost Angels. For a posse new to the area, it would be a serious challenge - though even a posse native to the Great Maze might find it rather difficult, though it is straight forward.

The boxed set also includes a full-color, double-sided poster-sized map of the Great Maze, with a map of the City of Lost Angels on the other side. Both are passable, though any posse should beware that the Great Maze map is *not* accurate, and is not intended to be. The Lost Angels map is nice to show the setup that Rev. Grimme requested for his city, though it is sure to be included in the future supplement that PEG is planning specifically on Lost Angels. A map of Shan Fan might have been more colorful and interesting.

Two full color pieces of cardboard with a submersible boat and a Maze Runner on them round out the package. These will probably not be too useful in role-playing use, though they are marketed as useful for The Great Rail Wars. Pinnacle has stated though that the cardboard was thrown in as a bonus for the set.

In the end, the Great Maze is definitely a worthwhile investment if you're planning on sending your posse all the way West. If you're not, then the consideration you have to give to the supplement is based mostly off of cost analysis - if the average sourcebook for PEG is $20, is it worth $10 for the two booklets, map, and the cutouts? If so, definitely pick it up.

Style: 5 (Excellent!)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

The Great Maze (#1008)
Author: Robin Laws and John Hopler Category: game Company/Publisher: Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc. Cost: $30.00 Page count: Boxed set - 128 pp. book, 2 booklets, 1 map ISBN: 1-889546-08-9 Capsule Review by SeanMike Whipkey on 03/08/99. Genre tags: Science_fiction Horror Old_West	The Great Maze is a departure from the usual sourcebook setup for Pinnacle Entertainment Group. It costs 50% more - $30.00 - but in its box there is not only a full 128 page sourcebook, but two 32 page booklets (the same size as PEG's Dime Novels) and a full-color map of the Great Maze. The sourcebook starts with the same cover as the boxed set - a colorful painting of a group of Confederate sailors washing ashore after having their ship sunk by a sampan. It's personally my favorite cover of any Deadlands product; colorful and fitting in with the atmosphere very well. The rest of the book is setup like most of PEG's sourcebooks into two out of their three usual sections - Posse territory and the Marshal's section. As I've said in previous reviews, this is section is good because it provides the "real world" knowledge to any players who read the first section, but saves the good behind the scenes stuff for the Marshal. The Posse territory is written from a perspective of a Pinkerton stationed in the Great Maze. This gives a distinctive Northern view to the information; however, PEG often picks one point of view or another in their products, and most seem to favor the Southern, so this is a fair counterbalance. It covers most of California - from Emporer Norton to the City of Lost Angels run by the Reverand Grmime to Shan Fan and the triads that run it. After the descriptions of the Indians, the warring factions, cities, railroads, the Maze, and the such, the section ends with archetype characters and a description of the various boats and ships used in the Great Maze. Most of this information is less useful without a copy of Smith & Robards. The Marshal's section gives the nitty gritty about survival in the Great Maze, including price modifications, how ch'i powers work, and a writeup of what's really happening in a number of places around the Great Maze. It ends with a section on abominations in the Great Maze. There are two booklets included in the boxed set. The first of these is a report on kung fu powers. This is a new arcane background available to Asian characters in Deadlands, and allows them to do some very cinematic moves such as firing multiple arrows, using exotic weaponary, and plucking bullets out of midair. New edges and hindrances are introduced as well, including my all-time favorite, "My Kung Fu is Superior!" The second booklet is an adventure that runs the posse from the mining community of Lynchburg in the Great Maze up to Shan Fan then down towards the City of Lost Angels. For a posse new to the area, it would be a serious challenge - though even a posse native to the Great Maze might find it rather difficult, though it is straight forward. The boxed set also includes a full-color, double-sided poster-sized map of the Great Maze, with a map of the City of Lost Angels on the other side. Both are passable, though any posse should beware that the Great Maze map is not accurate, and is not intended to be. The Lost Angels map is nice to show the setup that Rev. Grimme requested for his city, though it is sure to be included in the future supplement that PEG is planning specifically on Lost Angels. A map of Shan Fan might have been more colorful and interesting. Two full color pieces of cardboard with a submersible boat and a Maze Runner on them round out the package. These will probably not be too useful in role-playing use, though they are marketed as useful for The Great Rail Wars. Pinnacle has stated though that the cardboard was thrown in as a bonus for the set. In the end, the Great Maze is definitely a worthwhile investment if you're planning on sending your posse all the way West. If you're not, then the consideration you have to give to the supplement is based mostly off of cost analysis - if the average sourcebook for PEG is $20, is it worth $10 for the two booklets, map, and the cutouts? If so, definitely pick it up. Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

The Great Maze (#1008)