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It seems difficult, really, to determine what EXACTLY was running through the minds of the TSR developers when they decided to produce an RPG module based on 2001: a Space Odyssey. I mean, it's a lauded film, but what were they THINKING? "After this, it's Gamma World: A Boy and his Dog"?

Man. The module is a bizzare melange of wargaming & roleplaying that depends pretty much entirely on the players not having seen the movie or read the book. Because, really, while there is such a thing as too much metagaming (Take the example of Andrew K, whose vampire character wandered outside of a new years party because the player was a twink, and had read the adventure. He therefore knew that the stats for Sullivan Dane were included, and that the GM was advised to use him if it were fun. He therefore wasted 15 minutes looking in all the cars parked along the street, searching for 'a priest looking guy'), asking playes to ignore the fact that THE AI IS GOING TO KILL THEM is a bit much.

It's like saying "you're in Japan, in the industrial city of Hiroshima. It's a warm August morning in 1945." If any of them get the idea that "leave town" is a good answer, it can hardly be helped.

The module begins with a wargame simulation of the openning of the film. It may have been intended as a 'roleplaying' sim, but really. You're playing pre-humanoid apes. You use counters. It's a wargame. The goal is to be evolved by the monolith.

Gameplay consists of drinking water, scavenging for grass, and not getting eaten by carnivoires. The Rock appears, you learn to hit things with thighbones. You conquer the waterhole. End of story.

Then, we get... Another wargaming adventure. In this one, you get to dig on the moon for a monolith. There seem to be some concessions to the fact it's supposed to be a roleplaying game (Chinese espionage!), but it seems to consist of digging in craters, looking for a rock. Damn. Did anyone out there miss the fact that geologists tend to be dull people (sorry, Tom, but it's a fact)? So we get to RP them?

You generate PCs for this segment (and discard them for the next, but I'll get to that later). You can choose their nationality, which must be American, Chinese, Russian, or Other. This will generate 'tension'. Once again, players who have seen the film will wonder "wasn't it found in the Tycho crater?" This is correct. Of course, since this is an adaptation, the crater is now randomly decided, with 20 'masscons' scattered in various locales. The players will wander across the moon, aware there is a murderous traitor among them, even if there's only TWO PLAYERS ("Hmmm... I'm not the killer. Frank has a laser pistol." Zot).

Since this adventure is designed for two people, this is a problem.

Of course, once the monolith is found (with the perfect dimensions of 1x4x9!), it sends a transmission, and you fly to Jupiter (no matter who found it, it's an American ship that goes). You play the characters from the movie (and, should you happen to have more than two players, you can give them the character sheets for the 3 'lost' members. "You die in hypersleep". Sounds like a traveller game), and the aforementioned computer incident happens.

The module is, I guess, very much like the movie. Dry, confusing, and oddly editted (oh, hell; Kubrick was obviously so high on El Cid it's a miracle the characters speak English!). It's a nice effort, and seems kinda outre & daring, I guess, like the movie.

On the down side, to say it's a railroad trip is an understatement. It's structured like a CYOA book with more metaphysics.

Ah, well. It can go on the shelf next to the Nazi Champions supplement and Wooden Ships & Iron Men.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 2 (Sparse)

2001: A space Odyssey
Author: Frank Mentzer Category: game Company/Publisher: TSR Line: Star Frontiers Page count: 32 ISBN: 0-88038-083-7 Capsule Review by Justin Mohareb on 06/14/99. Genre tags: Science_fiction Historical Space Espionage Conspiracy	It seems difficult, really, to determine what EXACTLY was running through the minds of the TSR developers when they decided to produce an RPG module based on 2001: a Space Odyssey. I mean, it's a lauded film, but what were they THINKING? "After this, it's Gamma World: A Boy and his Dog"? Man. The module is a bizzare melange of wargaming & roleplaying that depends pretty much entirely on the players not having seen the movie or read the book. Because, really, while there is such a thing as too much metagaming (Take the example of Andrew K, whose vampire character wandered outside of a new years party because the player was a twink, and had read the adventure. He therefore knew that the stats for Sullivan Dane were included, and that the GM was advised to use him if it were fun. He therefore wasted 15 minutes looking in all the cars parked along the street, searching for 'a priest looking guy'), asking playes to ignore the fact that THE AI IS GOING TO KILL THEM is a bit much. It's like saying "you're in Japan, in the industrial city of Hiroshima. It's a warm August morning in 1945." If any of them get the idea that "leave town" is a good answer, it can hardly be helped. The module begins with a wargame simulation of the openning of the film. It may have been intended as a 'roleplaying' sim, but really. You're playing pre-humanoid apes. You use counters. It's a wargame. The goal is to be evolved by the monolith. Gameplay consists of drinking water, scavenging for grass, and not getting eaten by carnivoires. The Rock appears, you learn to hit things with thighbones. You conquer the waterhole. End of story. Then, we get... Another wargaming adventure. In this one, you get to dig on the moon for a monolith. There seem to be some concessions to the fact it's supposed to be a roleplaying game (Chinese espionage!), but it seems to consist of digging in craters, looking for a rock. Damn. Did anyone out there miss the fact that geologists tend to be dull people (sorry, Tom, but it's a fact)? So we get to RP them? You generate PCs for this segment (and discard them for the next, but I'll get to that later). You can choose their nationality, which must be American, Chinese, Russian, or Other. This will generate 'tension'. Once again, players who have seen the film will wonder "wasn't it found in the Tycho crater?" This is correct. Of course, since this is an adaptation, the crater is now randomly decided, with 20 'masscons' scattered in various locales. The players will wander across the moon, aware there is a murderous traitor among them, even if there's only TWO PLAYERS ("Hmmm... I'm not the killer. Frank has a laser pistol." Zot). Since this adventure is designed for two people, this is a problem. Of course, once the monolith is found (with the perfect dimensions of 1x4x9!), it sends a transmission, and you fly to Jupiter (no matter who found it, it's an American ship that goes). You play the characters from the movie (and, should you happen to have more than two players, you can give them the character sheets for the 3 'lost' members. "You die in hypersleep". Sounds like a traveller game), and the aforementioned computer incident happens. The module is, I guess, very much like the movie. Dry, confusing, and oddly editted (oh, hell; Kubrick was obviously so high on El Cid it's a miracle the characters speak English!). It's a nice effort, and seems kinda outre & daring, I guess, like the movie. On the down side, to say it's a railroad trip is an understatement. It's structured like a CYOA book with more metaphysics. Ah, well. It can go on the shelf next to the Nazi Champions supplement and Wooden Ships & Iron Men. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 2 (Sparse)

2001: A space Odyssey