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I would like to thank the powers that be at RPG.Net for providing me with a review copy. You took a chance and I appreciate that. Now I will follow the same format as my first review and add minor abridgments of what the book contains by chapter.

PHYSICAL BOOK

The Guide to the Technocracy is a very well put together book. It is a hard cover about the same basic size as Mage: The Ascension 2nd Ed. The page count on this book is a massive 246 pages (this includes the four page character sheet and the index). Paper quality and binding in this hard cover are standard White Wolf, that is to say above average. Art in the book is contributed from a short list of names, familiar if you have other White Wolf products, the styles range from line art to computer generated but all the art in the book is black and white. The standard argument with White Wolf art is the same in this book as with many others, some of the art is sub-standard and looks like it was used only to fill out a chapter. The chapter division flows well, giving an almost incremental lesson quality. This is hopefully what the author was going for as a great deal of the book is written "in character". The layout is similar to Mage: The Ascension 2nd Ed, very crisp and clean. It should also be noted that this book was a part of the "Year of the Reckoning" line, for those completest out there.

SETTING

The setting for The Guide to the Technocracy is very much the setting of all the World of Darkness books. The main idea that the writer tries to instill in you however is that the Technocracy are the good guys. Throughout the book the in character writing style flips everything the other White Wolf main rulebooks tell you. The supernatural, the unknown, the magick users are all the enemies of reality. It is your job to protect the sleepers from these harms.

CONTENT

Prologue - The book starts off with a short fiction about a small Technocratic groups mission. This isn't award winning fiction but it does try to set the theme of the book.

Introduction - Here the author gives a quick briefing for "new recruits". This is the first instance where the book tries to instill the "good guys" side of the coin. There is also a very descriptive piece on the themes of the Technocracy.

Chapter 1: Indoctrination - This chapter begins to cover the internal workings and strife the Technocracy is working with. The reader also gets glimpses at secret internal factions and a bafflingly large list of jargon and slang.

Chapter 2: Enlightened Science - This is a very important chapter in the book. This is the main difference between the Technocracy and the Traditions. The Technocracy sees themselves as enlightened scientists. Working with futuristic tools and labs they perform scientific procedures to derive a predetermined outcome. This is more limiting than reality hacking with magic, but is often discounted as very advanced science.

Chapter 3: History Lesson - In a typical White Wolf style the author weaves fact and fiction together making the technocracy an integral part of the history of humankind.

Chapter 4: Protocols - Here the reader is given the framework of the Technocracy's laws and rules of operation. The reader is also given the basic ranking system for members of the technocracy as well as how agents can be socially conditioned and how the levels of the technocracy influence the masses.

Chapter 5: The Conventions - This is not basic templates of how to make characters. That has all ready been done. In this chapter more information is given on each Convention, such as organization background and how they mesh with the rest of the Technocracy.

Chapter 6: Character Recruitment - This is the section for basic character creation. You need the Mage main book for this as none of the Spheres and skills are reprinted in this book. Technocratic specific things like new skills, new backgrounds, new merits/flaws and new natures and demeanors are included in this section. Minor changes from the Tradition templates are also listed ( I.E. Avatar becomes Genius etc.).

Chapter 7: Story Telling - Unlike most sections about "GMing" for players, this one gives very good advice. Since it is Specific to the Technocracy the author gives ideas for starting a group, plot devices and a section on themes and moods that could be appropriately used on their own or together. The chapter finishes with a discussion on how to pace and use Technocratic agendas for your campaigns.

Chapter 8: The Arsenal - This Chapter lists all the tools that a technocrat has access to. It starts by listing some common sphere procedures. Next it moves on to devices of inspired science. This is followed by a section on biotech (cyberware and such) and finally vehicles.

SYSTEM

Technically, this is a supplement for Mage, so it uses the White Wolf Storytellers system contained in it. The only mechanic based items to see print in this book are refitted and additional rules in the character creation section (chapter 6). Minor game mechanics are also provided in the final chapter dealing with all of the Technocratic goodies (chapter 8).

SPRINGER-ESQUE FINAL THOUGHTS

I like this book. I like this book a lot. The reason, there is very little game mechanics in it. The supplement provides loads of setting and background material. This book could easily be used with other game systems as it provides a multi-faceted villain or hero depending on how you wish to interpret the data. I wish other games would take a note of how in depth White Wolf was willing to explore both sides of the Mage game. Players can explore both sides of the coin and still develop meaningful characters.

Now there were two small things that bothered me. Throughout the book some explanations were cut short and left a bold reference to Storyteller book X or supplement Y or Novel Z. I enjoy White Wolf products but I don't plan on owning them all, so don't assume I do. Secondly in the Story Telling chapter, the author makes reference to or examples of the X-Files in nearly ever subsection of the chapter. Great, you run a Technocratic game like the X-Files stop beating a dead horse.

These were minor complaints however and my general impression of the book overall was very good.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Guide to the Technocracy
Author: P. Brucato, B. Campbell, S. Long, T. deMayo, S. Taylor Category: game Company/Publisher: White Wolf Game Studio Line: Mage: The Ascension Cost: 25.95 US Page count: 246 ISBN: 1-56504-417-7 SKU: WW4014 Playtest Review by Malcontent on 12/20/99. Genre tags: Science_fiction Modern_day Conspiracy	I would like to thank the powers that be at RPG.Net for providing me with a review copy. You took a chance and I appreciate that. Now I will follow the same format as my first review and add minor abridgments of what the book contains by chapter. PHYSICAL BOOK The Guide to the Technocracy is a very well put together book. It is a hard cover about the same basic size as Mage: The Ascension 2nd Ed. The page count on this book is a massive 246 pages (this includes the four page character sheet and the index). Paper quality and binding in this hard cover are standard White Wolf, that is to say above average. Art in the book is contributed from a short list of names, familiar if you have other White Wolf products, the styles range from line art to computer generated but all the art in the book is black and white. The standard argument with White Wolf art is the same in this book as with many others, some of the art is sub-standard and looks like it was used only to fill out a chapter. The chapter division flows well, giving an almost incremental lesson quality. This is hopefully what the author was going for as a great deal of the book is written "in character". The layout is similar to Mage: The Ascension 2nd Ed, very crisp and clean. It should also be noted that this book was a part of the "Year of the Reckoning" line, for those completest out there. SETTING The setting for The Guide to the Technocracy is very much the setting of all the World of Darkness books. The main idea that the writer tries to instill in you however is that the Technocracy are the good guys. Throughout the book the in character writing style flips everything the other White Wolf main rulebooks tell you. The supernatural, the unknown, the magick users are all the enemies of reality. It is your job to protect the sleepers from these harms. CONTENT Prologue - The book starts off with a short fiction about a small Technocratic groups mission. This isn't award winning fiction but it does try to set the theme of the book. Introduction - Here the author gives a quick briefing for "new recruits". This is the first instance where the book tries to instill the "good guys" side of the coin. There is also a very descriptive piece on the themes of the Technocracy. Chapter 1: Indoctrination - This chapter begins to cover the internal workings and strife the Technocracy is working with. The reader also gets glimpses at secret internal factions and a bafflingly large list of jargon and slang. Chapter 2: Enlightened Science - This is a very important chapter in the book. This is the main difference between the Technocracy and the Traditions. The Technocracy sees themselves as enlightened scientists. Working with futuristic tools and labs they perform scientific procedures to derive a predetermined outcome. This is more limiting than reality hacking with magic, but is often discounted as very advanced science. Chapter 3: History Lesson - In a typical White Wolf style the author weaves fact and fiction together making the technocracy an integral part of the history of humankind. Chapter 4: Protocols - Here the reader is given the framework of the Technocracy's laws and rules of operation. The reader is also given the basic ranking system for members of the technocracy as well as how agents can be socially conditioned and how the levels of the technocracy influence the masses. Chapter 5: The Conventions - This is not basic templates of how to make characters. That has all ready been done. In this chapter more information is given on each Convention, such as organization background and how they mesh with the rest of the Technocracy. Chapter 6: Character Recruitment - This is the section for basic character creation. You need the Mage main book for this as none of the Spheres and skills are reprinted in this book. Technocratic specific things like new skills, new backgrounds, new merits/flaws and new natures and demeanors are included in this section. Minor changes from the Tradition templates are also listed ( I.E. Avatar becomes Genius etc.). Chapter 7: Story Telling - Unlike most sections about "GMing" for players, this one gives very good advice. Since it is Specific to the Technocracy the author gives ideas for starting a group, plot devices and a section on themes and moods that could be appropriately used on their own or together. The chapter finishes with a discussion on how to pace and use Technocratic agendas for your campaigns. Chapter 8: The Arsenal - This Chapter lists all the tools that a technocrat has access to. It starts by listing some common sphere procedures. Next it moves on to devices of inspired science. This is followed by a section on biotech (cyberware and such) and finally vehicles. SYSTEM Technically, this is a supplement for Mage, so it uses the White Wolf Storytellers system contained in it. The only mechanic based items to see print in this book are refitted and additional rules in the character creation section (chapter 6). Minor game mechanics are also provided in the final chapter dealing with all of the Technocratic goodies (chapter 8). SPRINGER-ESQUE FINAL THOUGHTS I like this book. I like this book a lot. The reason, there is very little game mechanics in it. The supplement provides loads of setting and background material. This book could easily be used with other game systems as it provides a multi-faceted villain or hero depending on how you wish to interpret the data. I wish other games would take a note of how in depth White Wolf was willing to explore both sides of the Mage game. Players can explore both sides of the coin and still develop meaningful characters. Now there were two small things that bothered me. Throughout the book some explanations were cut short and left a bold reference to Storyteller book X or supplement Y or Novel Z. I enjoy White Wolf products but I don't plan on owning them all, so don't assume I do. Secondly in the Story Telling chapter, the author makes reference to or examples of the X-Files in nearly ever subsection of the chapter. Great, you run a Technocratic game like the X-Files stop beating a dead horse. These were minor complaints however and my general impression of the book overall was very good. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 4 (Meaty)