The Inside Scoop on Gaming

"It is the dawn of the sixth millenium and the skies are darkening, for the suns themselves are fading. Humans reached the stars long ago, building a Republic of high technology and universal emancipation . . . and then squandered it, fought over it and finally lost it. A new Dark Age has descended on humanity, for the greatest of civilizations has fallen and even the stars die. Now, feudal lords rule the Known Worlds, vying for power with fanatic priests and scheming guilds." -- (back cover text)

$34.95 is a lot to shell out for any book, at least from my wallet. Does Fading Suns merit that lofty price tag? Let's see . . .

A five page Prologue, ostensibly from a junior and nigh-heretical cleric to his uncle the Archbishop, introduces the basic premises of the setting (and lays the groundwork for one possible campaign framework.

A three page Introduction follows up, repeating the premises in slightly more objective terms, and including the obligatory "How To Roleplay" section.

Chapter 1, The Universe. And they're not kidding. Over fifty pages, we are told of the prehistory of mankind, the little that is known of the ancient race that left behind the Jumpgates (the portals which make interstellar travel possible), the rise and fall of the Republic, and some fairly detailed information on the current political and social factions of Known Space.

Chapter 2, Rules, is a refreshingly brief nine pages (and one of those Optional, at that). The core mechanic is uncomplicated. Determine your Goal Number by adding the pertinent Characteristic to the relevant Skill; modify for the difficulty of the Goal; roll that number or less on a twenty-sided die. There are a few elaborations, of course, but remarkably few.

Chapter 3, Character Creation, gives two options for assembling your adventurer: a quicker but more limited "Character History" method using template modules to show the evolution of the character through the three key defining periods in his life; or the "Custom" method, a relatively easy point-build system. Characters are loosely grouped into four large categories (notice I didn't say "classes?"): the Nobility, the Church, the Merchants, and the Aliens. Many variations exist within categories, however, and the character might move across several of them during his lifetime.

Chapter 4, Traits, elaborates on the numerically rated character features, Characteristics and Skills, and provides descriptions and alternate uses for such. This chapter also explores the unquantifiable aspects of the character, Blessings and Curses, and shows how they fit into the character's personality and his environment.

Chapter 5, Occult, discusses the mysterious new magical powers which humanity has discovered. The core rules describe two of the existing occult structures in Known Space, Psychic Powers and Theurgy rituals. The latter more or less resembles traditional fantasy roleplay spellcasting. List of psychic talents and spells are included, along with detailed information on their effects. (The third Occult mode, the Antimonists, resemble the Dark Sorcerors calling on Powers Man Was Not Meant To Know. It is treated with in one of the supplemental books.)

Chapter 6, Combat, narrowly edges out The Universe for longest chapter. Thorough rules are given for Martial Arts styles and actions, plus plenty of charts provide weapons appropriate to the varied levels of technology available in Known Space. The chapter closes with an example of play.

Technology is the focus of Chapter 7 and detailed descriptions of the weapons and equipment of Known Space is found here. Other information on the economy (Jobs Table, anyone?) is found here as well, plus the rules for vehicles, cybernetics, starships, and alien artifacts.

Chapter 8 brings along advice on how to gamemaster, with tips on how to structure plots over the short and long term and how to make supporting characters important and memorable. An assortment of demonstration characters closes this chapter, not to mention an array of useful non-player types for the gamemaster.

Chapter 9 briefly reviews many of the worlds of Known Space (though by no means all) and gives directions on how to create new Lost Worlds of one's own.

The Appendix includes detailed information on the world Pandemonium, with an eye toward being a useful place for starting players and campaigns; and a brief sample adventure (or 'drama') set on that world.

So, we've got starships, alien races, swords, zap-guns, martial arts, cybernetics, magic, psionics, monsters, knights, monks, crafty traders, sly sneaks, noble rulers, dark conspiracies, sinister menaces on the borders . . . is there anything that we've left out? Given the wide diversity of features in Fading Suns, you'd expect it to blow apart from the sheer size of it all. That this doesn't happen is a tribute to the careful thought that the designers have put into the setting. Fading Suns isn't just "put that in, it's cool;" it's "yes, it's cool, but how do we make it fit smoothly into this fiction?"

Mind you, if I thought it were possible I could happily have dispensed with a good hundred pages of this. But seriously rich and detailed backgrounds are the norm these days, with rules sometimes an afterthought . . . not my cup of tea. I daresay the Universe chapter could be pruned a bit . . . and maybe Combat . . . funny how thick the Combat chapter is, given the authors' oft-stated desire for Fading Suns to be used in a "Passion Play" style. And then there's the little matter of many players coming to this as a diversion, a game . . . people who will have no real desire to pursue the "passion" that was a way of life for the medieval artists who brought us the original passion plays. Still. The emphasis on drama is a welcome counterbalance to the sheer weight of the setting and the mighty volume of features there-in.

For those who are interested in art . . . I have to report first that I am art-blind. It could be illustrated by a ground vole using soggy broken crayons and I'd be unlikely to notice. However, the cover of a fleet emerging through a Jumpgate is impressive enough, and the interior art is seldom distracting (though I wonder how Rambo got onto page 68).

I do have to comment on the basic mechanics for just a minute. I read the rules fully prepared for a roll-low, lower-is-better traditional kind of thing . . . and the "automatic success on a 1" seemed to be bearing that out. Then I hit the rules for scaling Successes and hurt myself badly. Yes, you want to roll under the target number. Yes, a 1 is an automatic success. But after that, the higher you roll the better. It took me a few minutes to get my head around this, but once I did I came to admire the method very much. It simplifies the matter of judging 'success and SUCCESS!!' without introducing strange math. If you describe it to your players with "The Price Is Right" approach . . . roll closer to your Goal Number, without going over . . . they'll probably pick it up in a flash.

I also need to point out the unfortunate number of typos and misprints in the book. Granted, over 300 pages some are to be expected. But there are three on page 5 alone, the very first page one is intended to read. The proofreading credits cite the authors and another person (from the first edition). I daresay the work would have been better served by putting one more pair of eyes on it, just once or twice through, to pick up those things that author fatigue can cause one to miss. (And I'm not just a game writer, I'm an editor, too! I've been there. Oh, boy, have I been there.)

Summing Up: The Fading Suns Universe has been around for a while, now, with translations into four languages and over twenty supplements and accessories, including a complete starship combat board game. This Second Edition seems to bring the best of an expanding universe back into a single binding and into focus in a way that serves both the hardcore Fading Suns fan and the casual player who may not be interested in pursuing the expansions.

Is it worth $34.95? If a richly detailed science fiction setting where almost anything is possible appeals to you, absolutely. If you like your sci-fi with more sci and less romance, perhaps not. And if you're just a casual gamer, you'll probably be better served by a more casual game. Fading Suns requests passion from its players for best performance. If that's your thing, you won't be sorry.

Bob Portnell is a freelance writer/editor living in Sparks, Nevada USA.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Fading Suns (second edition)
Author: Bill Bridges and Andrew Greenberg Category: game Company/Publisher: Holistic Designs Line: Fading Suns Universe Cost: $34.95 Page count: 312 ISBN: 888906-18-9 SKU: FS 202 Capsule Review by Bob Portnell on 06/02/00. Genre tags: Science fiction Far Future	"It is the dawn of the sixth millenium and the skies are darkening, for the suns themselves are fading. Humans reached the stars long ago, building a Republic of high technology and universal emancipation . . . and then squandered it, fought over it and finally lost it. A new Dark Age has descended on humanity, for the greatest of civilizations has fallen and even the stars die. Now, feudal lords rule the Known Worlds, vying for power with fanatic priests and scheming guilds." -- (back cover text) $34.95 is a lot to shell out for any book, at least from my wallet. Does Fading Suns merit that lofty price tag? Let's see . . . A five page Prologue, ostensibly from a junior and nigh-heretical cleric to his uncle the Archbishop, introduces the basic premises of the setting (and lays the groundwork for one possible campaign framework. A three page Introduction follows up, repeating the premises in slightly more objective terms, and including the obligatory "How To Roleplay" section. Chapter 1, The Universe. And they're not kidding. Over fifty pages, we are told of the prehistory of mankind, the little that is known of the ancient race that left behind the Jumpgates (the portals which make interstellar travel possible), the rise and fall of the Republic, and some fairly detailed information on the current political and social factions of Known Space. Chapter 2, Rules, is a refreshingly brief nine pages (and one of those Optional, at that). The core mechanic is uncomplicated. Determine your Goal Number by adding the pertinent Characteristic to the relevant Skill; modify for the difficulty of the Goal; roll that number or less on a twenty-sided die. There are a few elaborations, of course, but remarkably few. Chapter 3, Character Creation, gives two options for assembling your adventurer: a quicker but more limited "Character History" method using template modules to show the evolution of the character through the three key defining periods in his life; or the "Custom" method, a relatively easy point-build system. Characters are loosely grouped into four large categories (notice I didn't say "classes?"): the Nobility, the Church, the Merchants, and the Aliens. Many variations exist within categories, however, and the character might move across several of them during his lifetime. Chapter 4, Traits, elaborates on the numerically rated character features, Characteristics and Skills, and provides descriptions and alternate uses for such. This chapter also explores the unquantifiable aspects of the character, Blessings and Curses, and shows how they fit into the character's personality and his environment. Chapter 5, Occult, discusses the mysterious new magical powers which humanity has discovered. The core rules describe two of the existing occult structures in Known Space, Psychic Powers and Theurgy rituals. The latter more or less resembles traditional fantasy roleplay spellcasting. List of psychic talents and spells are included, along with detailed information on their effects. (The third Occult mode, the Antimonists, resemble the Dark Sorcerors calling on Powers Man Was Not Meant To Know. It is treated with in one of the supplemental books.) Chapter 6, Combat, narrowly edges out The Universe for longest chapter. Thorough rules are given for Martial Arts styles and actions, plus plenty of charts provide weapons appropriate to the varied levels of technology available in Known Space. The chapter closes with an example of play. Technology is the focus of Chapter 7 and detailed descriptions of the weapons and equipment of Known Space is found here. Other information on the economy (Jobs Table, anyone?) is found here as well, plus the rules for vehicles, cybernetics, starships, and alien artifacts. Chapter 8 brings along advice on how to gamemaster, with tips on how to structure plots over the short and long term and how to make supporting characters important and memorable. An assortment of demonstration characters closes this chapter, not to mention an array of useful non-player types for the gamemaster. Chapter 9 briefly reviews many of the worlds of Known Space (though by no means all) and gives directions on how to create new Lost Worlds of one's own. The Appendix includes detailed information on the world Pandemonium, with an eye toward being a useful place for starting players and campaigns; and a brief sample adventure (or 'drama') set on that world. So, we've got starships, alien races, swords, zap-guns, martial arts, cybernetics, magic, psionics, monsters, knights, monks, crafty traders, sly sneaks, noble rulers, dark conspiracies, sinister menaces on the borders . . . is there anything that we've left out? Given the wide diversity of features in Fading Suns, you'd expect it to blow apart from the sheer size of it all. That this doesn't happen is a tribute to the careful thought that the designers have put into the setting. Fading Suns isn't just "put that in, it's cool;" it's "yes, it's cool, but how do we make it fit smoothly into this fiction?" Mind you, if I thought it were possible I could happily have dispensed with a good hundred pages of this. But seriously rich and detailed backgrounds are the norm these days, with rules sometimes an afterthought . . . not my cup of tea. I daresay the Universe chapter could be pruned a bit . . . and maybe Combat . . . funny how thick the Combat chapter is, given the authors' oft-stated desire for Fading Suns to be used in a "Passion Play" style. And then there's the little matter of many players coming to this as a diversion, a game . . . people who will have no real desire to pursue the "passion" that was a way of life for the medieval artists who brought us the original passion plays. Still. The emphasis on drama is a welcome counterbalance to the sheer weight of the setting and the mighty volume of features there-in. For those who are interested in art . . . I have to report first that I am art-blind. It could be illustrated by a ground vole using soggy broken crayons and I'd be unlikely to notice. However, the cover of a fleet emerging through a Jumpgate is impressive enough, and the interior art is seldom distracting (though I wonder how Rambo got onto page 68). I do have to comment on the basic mechanics for just a minute. I read the rules fully prepared for a roll-low, lower-is-better traditional kind of thing . . . and the "automatic success on a 1" seemed to be bearing that out. Then I hit the rules for scaling Successes and hurt myself badly. Yes, you want to roll under the target number. Yes, a 1 is an automatic success. But after that, the higher you roll the better. It took me a few minutes to get my head around this, but once I did I came to admire the method very much. It simplifies the matter of judging 'success and SUCCESS!!' without introducing strange math. If you describe it to your players with "The Price Is Right" approach . . . roll closer to your Goal Number, without going over . . . they'll probably pick it up in a flash. I also need to point out the unfortunate number of typos and misprints in the book. Granted, over 300 pages some are to be expected. But there are three on page 5 alone, the very first page one is intended to read. The proofreading credits cite the authors and another person (from the first edition). I daresay the work would have been better served by putting one more pair of eyes on it, just once or twice through, to pick up those things that author fatigue can cause one to miss. (And I'm not just a game writer, I'm an editor, too! I've been there. Oh, boy, have I been there.) Summing Up: The Fading Suns Universe has been around for a while, now, with translations into four languages and over twenty supplements and accessories, including a complete starship combat board game. This Second Edition seems to bring the best of an expanding universe back into a single binding and into focus in a way that serves both the hardcore Fading Suns fan and the casual player who may not be interested in pursuing the expansions. Is it worth $34.95? If a richly detailed science fiction setting where almost anything is possible appeals to you, absolutely. If you like your sci-fi with more sci and less romance, perhaps not. And if you're just a casual gamer, you'll probably be better served by a more casual game. Fading Suns requests passion from its players for best performance. If that's your thing, you won't be sorry. Bob Portnell is a freelance writer/editor living in Sparks, Nevada USA. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Fading Suns (second edition)