The Inside Scoop on Gaming

A common topic that I have been hearing in my local game stores is the question "is the sci-fi RPG genre dead?" On the one hand we have seen the demise of West End Games' "Star Wars" and the "completion" of WoTC's "Alternity." Other games have a controversial political message that some RPGers find to be a turn-off (i.e. "Blue Planet"). On the other hand, there are three flavors of "Star Trek," an upcoming sci-fi campaign book from Hero Games ("Fires of Heaven") and the resurrection of "Star Wars" by WoTC using a new game mechanic.

Enter into the fray Iron Crown Enterprises' (ICE) Spacemaster system in the form of Spacemaster: Privateers (SMP).

SMP is to sci-fi what ICE's Rolemaster Fantasy (RMF) is to the fantasy genre. While ICE told me that differences exist between the two game engines, I couldn't find any major difference.

Other reviews of SMP have discussed the universe setting in less than favorable light. Yes, SMP uses several common conventions to the sci-fi genre, but it also ties them together differently.

Convention one is the evidence of a former "all-powerful" culture that used to live in the same space that the setting occupies. These beings were highly advanced who left relics behind that current science can'' fully explain. Then, for some unknown reason, they all simply went away. No bodies, no note on the kitchen table, nothing. In the SMP universe these beings are known as the "Ancients."

Convention two is the seemingly unimaginative selection of alien creatures. You have aliens evolved from felines, bears, wolves, insects, monkeys (humans), insects and dinosaurs. Plus you have a furry ball with arms and legs alien.

Both of these two conventions can be called over-used and rather unimaginative. SMP, however, does a little twist with the two and interlock them. The Ancients seeded known space with the predecessors of these races in a plan to develop these seven races. Except for the Oorts, the furry ball aliens, some kind of version of each race is found in most inhabited planets. That's why earth has bears, wolves, cats, etc. The Ancients had one type of species become dominant in their local areas of space. So, the Felar planets, the cat race, also have animals that look like lizards, bears and dogs.

Convention three is the seemingly obligatory interstellar war. You have on one side the Jeronian Empire, a nasty totalitarian regime typifying all that is evil and on the other you have the Inter-Species Commission (ISC), a happy, peace loving, capitalist democracy. During the last few years the Empire has invaded the ICS and pushed them to the brink. In an act of desperation the ISC legalized privateering and issued letters of Marque allowing ISC authorized ships to seize Empire ships. Hence the name of the setting.

About the only thing distinguishing this war with every other interstellar war is that it doesn't pit one race against the other. The seven main races have intermingled socially over the years and you basically have a battle of ideologies. You can easily end up with members of the same race in battle with each other. Certain races tend towards one side or the other, but the war is essentially brother race against brother race.

Adding a slight complexity to the whole thing are the Kagoths, the bear race, who seem to be going insane collectively. Most of the Kagoths are pacifists, yet the leader of the Empire and his chief cronies are a bloodthirsty lot. What's more, this deviant behavior seems to be contagious as more and more Kagoths give up their peaceful ways and simply become rabid bears.

Finally come the psychic abilities. Sadly, these abilities are not integrated into the setting than they should be and feel as an add-on. It's almost as if they simply replace the magic abilities in RMF. Psychic talents do crop up in sci-fi fiction (i.e. Babylon 5), but are they part of the hard sci-fi genre? I dunno, and I leave that to the preference of the consumer.

Given the common conventions with a twist, I give the setting an average value.

The mechanics are pretty much the Rolemaster system modified for sci-fi. There are charts, charts and even more charts. While the book goes out of it's way to explain character creation, the whole process is still a chore. It took me the better part of an hour to stumble my way past character creation. This is not a user-friendly system or one that will draw in hordes of new players. Under an experienced GM the Rolemaster system is wonderful and moves along nicely. To those learning the mechanics it is daunting.

The price tag on SMP may be a turn-off for many gamers; at $30 for a paperback this book is not exactly a bargain. So let's compare the cost of SMP to RMF (also $30). RMF gives you 256 pages, a hard cover, all the rules you needed to get going and no campaign world. SMP gives you 272 pages, all the rules you need and a campaign setting. The question becomes one of preference - would you rather have a more durable rulebook or a campaign setting? Personally I prefer durability because of the abuse my books take, all too often a paperback simply won't last. Those in search of a ready-to-play setting, on the other hand, may be willing to lose durability.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 3 (Average)

Spacemaster: Privateers
Author: Robert J Defendi Category: game Company/Publisher: Iron Crown Enterprises Line: Spacemaster Cost: 30.00 Page count: 272 ISBN: 1-55806-562-8 Capsule Review by Tomas J Skucas on 05/26/00. Genre tags: Science_fiction Far_Future Space	A common topic that I have been hearing in my local game stores is the question "is the sci-fi RPG genre dead?" On the one hand we have seen the demise of West End Games' "Star Wars" and the "completion" of WoTC's "Alternity." Other games have a controversial political message that some RPGers find to be a turn-off (i.e. "Blue Planet"). On the other hand, there are three flavors of "Star Trek," an upcoming sci-fi campaign book from Hero Games ("Fires of Heaven") and the resurrection of "Star Wars" by WoTC using a new game mechanic. Enter into the fray Iron Crown Enterprises' (ICE) Spacemaster system in the form of Spacemaster: Privateers (SMP). SMP is to sci-fi what ICE's Rolemaster Fantasy (RMF) is to the fantasy genre. While ICE told me that differences exist between the two game engines, I couldn't find any major difference. Other reviews of SMP have discussed the universe setting in less than favorable light. Yes, SMP uses several common conventions to the sci-fi genre, but it also ties them together differently. Convention one is the evidence of a former "all-powerful" culture that used to live in the same space that the setting occupies. These beings were highly advanced who left relics behind that current science can'' fully explain. Then, for some unknown reason, they all simply went away. No bodies, no note on the kitchen table, nothing. In the SMP universe these beings are known as the "Ancients." Convention two is the seemingly unimaginative selection of alien creatures. You have aliens evolved from felines, bears, wolves, insects, monkeys (humans), insects and dinosaurs. Plus you have a furry ball with arms and legs alien. Both of these two conventions can be called over-used and rather unimaginative. SMP, however, does a little twist with the two and interlock them. The Ancients seeded known space with the predecessors of these races in a plan to develop these seven races. Except for the Oorts, the furry ball aliens, some kind of version of each race is found in most inhabited planets. That's why earth has bears, wolves, cats, etc. The Ancients had one type of species become dominant in their local areas of space. So, the Felar planets, the cat race, also have animals that look like lizards, bears and dogs. Convention three is the seemingly obligatory interstellar war. You have on one side the Jeronian Empire, a nasty totalitarian regime typifying all that is evil and on the other you have the Inter-Species Commission (ISC), a happy, peace loving, capitalist democracy. During the last few years the Empire has invaded the ICS and pushed them to the brink. In an act of desperation the ISC legalized privateering and issued letters of Marque allowing ISC authorized ships to seize Empire ships. Hence the name of the setting. About the only thing distinguishing this war with every other interstellar war is that it doesn't pit one race against the other. The seven main races have intermingled socially over the years and you basically have a battle of ideologies. You can easily end up with members of the same race in battle with each other. Certain races tend towards one side or the other, but the war is essentially brother race against brother race. Adding a slight complexity to the whole thing are the Kagoths, the bear race, who seem to be going insane collectively. Most of the Kagoths are pacifists, yet the leader of the Empire and his chief cronies are a bloodthirsty lot. What's more, this deviant behavior seems to be contagious as more and more Kagoths give up their peaceful ways and simply become rabid bears. Finally come the psychic abilities. Sadly, these abilities are not integrated into the setting than they should be and feel as an add-on. It's almost as if they simply replace the magic abilities in RMF. Psychic talents do crop up in sci-fi fiction (i.e. Babylon 5), but are they part of the hard sci-fi genre? I dunno, and I leave that to the preference of the consumer. Given the common conventions with a twist, I give the setting an average value. The mechanics are pretty much the Rolemaster system modified for sci-fi. There are charts, charts and even more charts. While the book goes out of it's way to explain character creation, the whole process is still a chore. It took me the better part of an hour to stumble my way past character creation. This is not a user-friendly system or one that will draw in hordes of new players. Under an experienced GM the Rolemaster system is wonderful and moves along nicely. To those learning the mechanics it is daunting. The price tag on SMP may be a turn-off for many gamers; at $30 for a paperback this book is not exactly a bargain. So let's compare the cost of SMP to RMF (also $30). RMF gives you 256 pages, a hard cover, all the rules you needed to get going and no campaign world. SMP gives you 272 pages, all the rules you need and a campaign setting. The question becomes one of preference - would you rather have a more durable rulebook or a campaign setting? Personally I prefer durability because of the abuse my books take, all too often a paperback simply won't last. Those in search of a ready-to-play setting, on the other hand, may be willing to lose durability. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 3 (Average)