The Inside Scoop on Gaming

As befitting a GDW game, Space 1889 is an RPG with woeful mechanics, but a setting that is a delight, mixing the colonialism and Imperialism of the age with the science fiction of Wells, Verne and Burroughs. The game is long out of print, but is seeing a rival with Heliograph Inc. reprinting the first eight issues of Transactions Of The Royal Martian Geographical Society (TRMGS) in two volumes.

Billing itself as 'The Journal of Victorian Era Role-playing', each volume of TRMGS is an A5 perfect bound book approximately 200 pages in length on a slightly yellow paper stock. For the reprint, the material has been reformatted into a simple layout and sparsely illustrated with period 1890s art and quirky line art. Unfortunately, the maps are not all they could be.

Ostensibly, the contents of TRMGS are devoted to Space 1889, but Gaslight Keepers will find relevant CoC material throughout both issues. Volume one has several CoC scenarios and although there are none in the second volume, there is much more in the way of the historically interesting articles (it should be noted that the editors of TRMGS are history post-graduates). The CoC adventures are geared towards Cthulhu 1889 rather than straight Gaslight. As the book's title suggests, TRMGS concentrates mainly on Mars, but there are two Cthulhu adventures set in America, one Space 1889 adventure in deep space and an interesting article updating Space 1889's history to a steampunk hell of 1920. Several eminent Victorians are detailed and interesting pieces on Germany and Australia of the time, as well as corsetry and the British Honours system.

To be truthful, fanzine-sourced material is not always of the best quality, but TRMGS suffers only very slightly from this and is more quirks than detractions. Any GM looking to resurrect their old Space 1889 game or Keepers wanting to run Cthulhu By Gaslight with more fantastical elements should take a look at this book. It will be of more use to the former rather than the latter, and at a pinch might prove useful for other Victorian Era games. Though I doubt that the publication of TRMGS will arouse much new interest in the Victorian Era, it will no doubt renew the interest of old fans and for that alone, TRMGS is a welcome release.

Thus for the Space 1889 GM or Cthulhu 1889 Keeper I cannot recommend either of these volumes highly enough. Both show a strong love of their period and subject and it is this that may make them of interest to the Gaslight Keeper. Interested GMs and Keepers should check out Heliograph's web site (www.heliograph.com) for an excellent selection from these volumes.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Transactions Of The Royal Martian Geographical Society (Vols. 1 & 2)
Author: Dr. Mark Clark (Editor) Category: game Company/Publisher: Heliograph Inc. Line: Space 1889 (and Cthulhu by Gaslight) Cost: Volume One ($20.00/£12.95), Volume Two ($22.00/£14.95) Playtest Review by Pookie on 08/06/00. Genre tags: Science fiction Historical Horror Space Old West	As befitting a GDW game, Space 1889 is an RPG with woeful mechanics, but a setting that is a delight, mixing the colonialism and Imperialism of the age with the science fiction of Wells, Verne and Burroughs. The game is long out of print, but is seeing a rival with Heliograph Inc. reprinting the first eight issues of Transactions Of The Royal Martian Geographical Society (TRMGS) in two volumes. Billing itself as 'The Journal of Victorian Era Role-playing', each volume of TRMGS is an A5 perfect bound book approximately 200 pages in length on a slightly yellow paper stock. For the reprint, the material has been reformatted into a simple layout and sparsely illustrated with period 1890s art and quirky line art. Unfortunately, the maps are not all they could be. Ostensibly, the contents of TRMGS are devoted to Space 1889, but Gaslight Keepers will find relevant CoC material throughout both issues. Volume one has several CoC scenarios and although there are none in the second volume, there is much more in the way of the historically interesting articles (it should be noted that the editors of TRMGS are history post-graduates). The CoC adventures are geared towards Cthulhu 1889 rather than straight Gaslight. As the book's title suggests, TRMGS concentrates mainly on Mars, but there are two Cthulhu adventures set in America, one Space 1889 adventure in deep space and an interesting article updating Space 1889's history to a steampunk hell of 1920. Several eminent Victorians are detailed and interesting pieces on Germany and Australia of the time, as well as corsetry and the British Honours system. To be truthful, fanzine-sourced material is not always of the best quality, but TRMGS suffers only very slightly from this and is more quirks than detractions. Any GM looking to resurrect their old Space 1889 game or Keepers wanting to run Cthulhu By Gaslight with more fantastical elements should take a look at this book. It will be of more use to the former rather than the latter, and at a pinch might prove useful for other Victorian Era games. Though I doubt that the publication of TRMGS will arouse much new interest in the Victorian Era, it will no doubt renew the interest of old fans and for that alone, TRMGS is a welcome release. Thus for the Space 1889 GM or Cthulhu 1889 Keeper I cannot recommend either of these volumes highly enough. Both show a strong love of their period and subject and it is this that may make them of interest to the Gaslight Keeper. Interested GMs and Keepers should check out Heliograph's web site (www.heliograph.com) for an excellent selection from these volumes. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Transactions Of The Royal Martian Geographical Society (Vols. 1 & 2)