The Inside Scoop on Gaming

I'm casting my vote for the evil empire!

After the bungled attempt at reviving Marvel, I expected the worst from future WOTC products. I took a look at Dark Matter, because I wanted to decry the state of WOTC and their horrible, expensive, approach to gaming.

After two minutes, I bought the book.

I've been waiting for X-Files the RPG for years. This is it, but with all the stuff gamers love also.

APPEARANCE: This book is sturdy, colorful, easy to read, and on high quality paper. Production value is extremely high. The computer generated maps, though, are still bogus. I hated them when I saw themin the Marvel Guide to Earth, and I hate them here. The quality of the production of the book justified it's $30 price tag. Strangely, the book looks MUCH, MUCH better than the main Alternity books.

CONTENTS (Praises): MIND-BLOWING! The book includes information on at least 20 conspiracies, numerous "weird" locations, a surprising amount of aliens and "xenoforms" (i.e., sasquatch), and a great take on the "secret" history of earth. The section on how to run a conspiracy campaign is absolutely great! It serves to make great atmosphere, and makes campaign design easy and true to the genre. I also like the fact that players get to do gaming stuff (spell casting, blow stuff up, gadgeteering) but there is a definite sense of vulnerability, like in call of culthulu. The book also doesn't contain the "answers" of grey plots, the secret agenda of the freemasons, etc. This is good, since options are provided and the GM picks the one she likes best, and reading the book keeps the players off gaurd, protecting the most important treasure in a conspiracy game: information. Page 240 offers tons of adventure seeds that a trip to the internet can turn into a weird, wonderful experience. Almost no gaming product I have ever bought has created more adventure ideas in my head then I could ever use!!!!!

GRIPES: You have to buy the Alternity players book to create characters, so the game isn't self contained. But $60 is a small price to pay, since this book has so much substance. There is also a lack of equipment. I'll fork over the money for the supplement, though.....I felt like I got a lot for my money here.

Vs. Conspiracy X: I've bought every book ever put out by Eden, and will continue to do so. However, a comparasin for gamers is in order.

The rules here are MUCH easier to understand. I've always felt that Con X's rules were too complex. Game play is faster with Alternity rules. However, Con X is more lethal, which I think is more appropriate for the genre. Also, magic is much harder for PC's to use in Con X, also more true to the genre. Con X explains all the conspiracies, and integrates aliens, magic, bigfoot, and area 51 into a seamless tapesty. I like this, but if players read the supplements, they know too much for the game to be fun. However, Con X's conspiracies are way more off the wall than many explanations in Dark Matter, making them more difficult to decipher if the player's haven't read the books. There are strengths and weaknesses to both games. I'll buy both's supplements, since I love the genre and both have lots of neat ideas.

Big money can produce incredible games. I hope WOTC puts out more quality products like this in the future!

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

What do you think?

Visit the above forum to let us know!

Dark Matter Campaign Setting
Author: Wolfgang Bauer and Monte Cook Category: game Company/Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Line: Alternity Cost: 30 Page count: 283 Capsule Review by Trent Kenamez on 02/11/00. Genre tags: Conspiracy	I'm casting my vote for the evil empire! After the bungled attempt at reviving Marvel, I expected the worst from future WOTC products. I took a look at Dark Matter, because I wanted to decry the state of WOTC and their horrible, expensive, approach to gaming. After two minutes, I bought the book. I've been waiting for X-Files the RPG for years. This is it, but with all the stuff gamers love also. APPEARANCE: This book is sturdy, colorful, easy to read, and on high quality paper. Production value is extremely high. The computer generated maps, though, are still bogus. I hated them when I saw themin the Marvel Guide to Earth, and I hate them here. The quality of the production of the book justified it's $30 price tag. Strangely, the book looks MUCH, MUCH better than the main Alternity books. CONTENTS (Praises): MIND-BLOWING! The book includes information on at least 20 conspiracies, numerous "weird" locations, a surprising amount of aliens and "xenoforms" (i.e., sasquatch), and a great take on the "secret" history of earth. The section on how to run a conspiracy campaign is absolutely great! It serves to make great atmosphere, and makes campaign design easy and true to the genre. I also like the fact that players get to do gaming stuff (spell casting, blow stuff up, gadgeteering) but there is a definite sense of vulnerability, like in call of culthulu. The book also doesn't contain the "answers" of grey plots, the secret agenda of the freemasons, etc. This is good, since options are provided and the GM picks the one she likes best, and reading the book keeps the players off gaurd, protecting the most important treasure in a conspiracy game: information. Page 240 offers tons of adventure seeds that a trip to the internet can turn into a weird, wonderful experience. Almost no gaming product I have ever bought has created more adventure ideas in my head then I could ever use!!!!! GRIPES: You have to buy the Alternity players book to create characters, so the game isn't self contained. But $60 is a small price to pay, since this book has so much substance. There is also a lack of equipment. I'll fork over the money for the supplement, though.....I felt like I got a lot for my money here. Vs. Conspiracy X: I've bought every book ever put out by Eden, and will continue to do so. However, a comparasin for gamers is in order. The rules here are MUCH easier to understand. I've always felt that Con X's rules were too complex. Game play is faster with Alternity rules. However, Con X is more lethal, which I think is more appropriate for the genre. Also, magic is much harder for PC's to use in Con X, also more true to the genre. Con X explains all the conspiracies, and integrates aliens, magic, bigfoot, and area 51 into a seamless tapesty. I like this, but if players read the supplements, they know too much for the game to be fun. However, Con X's conspiracies are way more off the wall than many explanations in Dark Matter, making them more difficult to decipher if the player's haven't read the books. There are strengths and weaknesses to both games. I'll buy both's supplements, since I love the genre and both have lots of neat ideas. Big money can produce incredible games. I hope WOTC puts out more quality products like this in the future! Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 5 (Excellent!) What do you think? Visit the above forum to let us know!

Dark Matter Campaign Setting

What do you think?