The Inside Scoop on Gaming

After reading this product I had two feelings. They hadn't finished writing it yet and rather then miss the release date the just published what they had and I had been almost deliberately ripped off. This is supposed to be a 32 page adventure for the d20 system. After reading through it I was so amazed at its lack of content I did a page count. This is what I found:
3.5 pages (cover, credits, content)
5.5 pages (stat blocks for 15 creatures of which only 1/2 possibly play a role. These could have been easily condensed into 1 page.)
3.5 pages misc maps (these are just maps for areas NOT in the adventure or completely unnecessary town maps.)
2.5 pages misc artwork.
.5 page player map (this is literally a straight line drawn between the town they start and the adventure site.)
5 pages backdrop
For the actual adventure
2 pages town atmosphere - distanly related to adventure
3 pages getting hired & shopping - covers far too many options
3.5 pages actual adventure
1 page aftermath misc/future adventures

Yes the actual adventure to an "adventure module" is less than 10% of it. Even that I could have lived with (well perhaps not completely happily) if it had been that there was so much to say that parts had been left out. Instead the margins are very wide, there are no sidebars, the backdrop presents non-essential information, and as mentioned in the page counts over 1/3 of it was completely wasted space. I mean great I have a beautiful full page map of a temple that the PCs will be killing 3 of their acolytes later on. Of course the tmeple structure plays no role in the adventure. If this was supposed to be a setting type product fine but as an adventure useless. And don't get me started on the 1/2 page write ups of PCs that contain no more information than a 4 line stat block and will never be meet during the adventure.

Onto the adventure itself. This is an attempt at an special ops adventure using magic items to stimulate high-tech equipment. It's strength lies in forcing new players to plan an assualt. Unfortunatly the details are lacking. You have a map with a list of room contents. Starting positions for the villians, and reaction notes consisting of 1) the outside guards stay in position until trouble starts, 2) everyone stays inside, and 3) the acolytes go do this. While the Gm should have no problem making up the missing info (ex. how aware the guards are, how hard are the doors to break down, DC of climbing to a 2nd story window etc.) this is supposed to be the "heart of the scenario" and should be fully detailed. In addition there are some unexpected twists, unfortunately these are probably enough to slaughter a 1st level party. Finally it leaves HUGE plot threads hanging. Unless you want to design a campaign around the backdrop, or are willing to just say "someone else takes care of it" then the ending is very unsatisfactory. It really does appear to be the start of a decent module that never got written.

Other side issues 1) Treasure is completly left to the GM to decide. Not a problem for an experiened GM but inappropriate for an intrductory type module. 2) Magic Item Distribution - For the whole thing, including the unnecessary character blocks, there are 2 very powerful magic items in NPCs hands and the stash of "special ops" items given to the PCs again one of which is far to powerful to allow the PCs to keep). It just reads as silly. The people giving the PCs the magic stash don't have anything except the stash.

All in all a complete waste of money.

Style: 2 (Needs Work)
Substance: 1 (I Wasted My Money)

Three Days to Kill
Author: John Tynes Category: game Company/Publisher: Atlas Games Line: Penumbra Cost: $8.95 Page count: 32 SKU: AG3200 Capsule Review by Michael Rowe on 11/04/00. Genre tags: Fantasy	After reading this product I had two feelings. They hadn't finished writing it yet and rather then miss the release date the just published what they had and I had been almost deliberately ripped off. This is supposed to be a 32 page adventure for the d20 system. After reading through it I was so amazed at its lack of content I did a page count. This is what I found: 3.5 pages (cover, credits, content) 5.5 pages (stat blocks for 15 creatures of which only 1/2 possibly play a role. These could have been easily condensed into 1 page.) 3.5 pages misc maps (these are just maps for areas NOT in the adventure or completely unnecessary town maps.) 2.5 pages misc artwork. .5 page player map (this is literally a straight line drawn between the town they start and the adventure site.) 5 pages backdrop For the actual adventure 2 pages town atmosphere - distanly related to adventure 3 pages getting hired & shopping - covers far too many options 3.5 pages actual adventure 1 page aftermath misc/future adventures Yes the actual adventure to an "adventure module" is less than 10% of it. Even that I could have lived with (well perhaps not completely happily) if it had been that there was so much to say that parts had been left out. Instead the margins are very wide, there are no sidebars, the backdrop presents non-essential information, and as mentioned in the page counts over 1/3 of it was completely wasted space. I mean great I have a beautiful full page map of a temple that the PCs will be killing 3 of their acolytes later on. Of course the tmeple structure plays no role in the adventure. If this was supposed to be a setting type product fine but as an adventure useless. And don't get me started on the 1/2 page write ups of PCs that contain no more information than a 4 line stat block and will never be meet during the adventure. Onto the adventure itself. This is an attempt at an special ops adventure using magic items to stimulate high-tech equipment. It's strength lies in forcing new players to plan an assualt. Unfortunatly the details are lacking. You have a map with a list of room contents. Starting positions for the villians, and reaction notes consisting of 1) the outside guards stay in position until trouble starts, 2) everyone stays inside, and 3) the acolytes go do this. While the Gm should have no problem making up the missing info (ex. how aware the guards are, how hard are the doors to break down, DC of climbing to a 2nd story window etc.) this is supposed to be the "heart of the scenario" and should be fully detailed. In addition there are some unexpected twists, unfortunately these are probably enough to slaughter a 1st level party. Finally it leaves HUGE plot threads hanging. Unless you want to design a campaign around the backdrop, or are willing to just say "someone else takes care of it" then the ending is very unsatisfactory. It really does appear to be the start of a decent module that never got written. Other side issues 1) Treasure is completly left to the GM to decide. Not a problem for an experiened GM but inappropriate for an intrductory type module. 2) Magic Item Distribution - For the whole thing, including the unnecessary character blocks, there are 2 very powerful magic items in NPCs hands and the stash of "special ops" items given to the PCs again one of which is far to powerful to allow the PCs to keep). It just reads as silly. The people giving the PCs the magic stash don't have anything except the stash. All in all a complete waste of money. Style: 2 (Needs Work) Substance: 1 (I Wasted My Money)

Three Days to Kill