The Inside Scoop on Gaming

I must say that I was impressed at the look of the book. I also thought the Idea was a bit interesting, so I decided to pick it up.

First lets get into the background of the game. You play a ghost (that is right, a dead person) who can pass through walls, turn invisible at will as well as not having to worry about dieing. But there are some problems with the game background. Well you see ghosts are all around us and everyone in the government(s) know (they use them as spies), but everyone else doesn’t believe in them. The ghosts themselves don’t want anyone to know (they even kill some other ghosts who tell people). But the background makes NO sense, everyone in ALL the governments know, but as soon as those people get out of the government, they forget? And we all know how well governments can keep secrets!? Also the ghosts in this are very powerful (more on that in the playing section), it seems to me THEY would have taken over the world by now. No one else knows anything but the ghosts, and they do this because they want too? I mean they are dead, why do this and not hang around (invisible) in the local women’s locker room? And for some reason ghosts need money (I still haven’t figured that one out). The author states in the opening pages that this was a short story, it should have stayed that way. The book is filled with short stories that are meant for you to get the feel of the game. The problem is that some of the things that they do in the stories you can’t do by the rules.

Rules: NO review is complete without taking a look at the rules. Now the book is about 200 or so pages and there are about 200 charts. There seems to be a chart for everything that could possibly happen. The system is clunky and some spots makes no sense and in a few other says exactly the opposite what it said earlier.

Looks: The game looks fine (some pieces are bad but it all fits with the feel of the book) and it is written very well.

Game play: This is an example of game play. My ghost is going to go to a house to find some papers that a government official has in his house.

Me: I’m going into the house.

GM: ok

Me: I’m going to go to look for the safe.

GM: you find it.

Me: I’m going to stick my hand inside the safe and take any papers that are there.

GM: you got them.

Me: I’m getting out of the house.

GM: no problem

Me: I’m going to look and see what papers I have stolen.

GM: official government papers in regards to a secret project.

Me: I’m going to sell them to that other government contact that knows I’m a ghost and work for money even though I could easily rob banks and get all the money I would ever need. Not that I would need food, a house, a car or anything else. I’m doing this for no reason.

GM: yep this is boring you can do what ever you want and no one can stop you

GM & Me together: lets go play something else.

While it looks nice, it should have used another system (d20) at least. It is just too expensive for what you get, and makes no sense.

Spookshow
Spookshow Playtest Review by Sol Greenburg on 18/12/01 Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 1 (I Wasted My Money) A game that will let you play as a ghost. Product: Spookshow Author: Aaron Rosenberg Category: RPG Company/Publisher: Clockworks Line: Spookshow Cost: $25.00 Page count: 200 Year published: ISBN: SKU: Comp copy?: no Playtest Review by Sol Greenburg on 18/12/01 Genre tags: Modern day Horror Conspiracy	I must say that I was impressed at the look of the book. I also thought the Idea was a bit interesting, so I decided to pick it up. First lets get into the background of the game. You play a ghost (that is right, a dead person) who can pass through walls, turn invisible at will as well as not having to worry about dieing. But there are some problems with the game background. Well you see ghosts are all around us and everyone in the government(s) know (they use them as spies), but everyone else doesn’t believe in them. The ghosts themselves don’t want anyone to know (they even kill some other ghosts who tell people). But the background makes NO sense, everyone in ALL the governments know, but as soon as those people get out of the government, they forget? And we all know how well governments can keep secrets!? Also the ghosts in this are very powerful (more on that in the playing section), it seems to me THEY would have taken over the world by now. No one else knows anything but the ghosts, and they do this because they want too? I mean they are dead, why do this and not hang around (invisible) in the local women’s locker room? And for some reason ghosts need money (I still haven’t figured that one out). The author states in the opening pages that this was a short story, it should have stayed that way. The book is filled with short stories that are meant for you to get the feel of the game. The problem is that some of the things that they do in the stories you can’t do by the rules. Rules: NO review is complete without taking a look at the rules. Now the book is about 200 or so pages and there are about 200 charts. There seems to be a chart for everything that could possibly happen. The system is clunky and some spots makes no sense and in a few other says exactly the opposite what it said earlier. Looks: The game looks fine (some pieces are bad but it all fits with the feel of the book) and it is written very well. Game play: This is an example of game play. My ghost is going to go to a house to find some papers that a government official has in his house. Me: I’m going into the house. GM: ok Me: I’m going to go to look for the safe. GM: you find it. Me: I’m going to stick my hand inside the safe and take any papers that are there. GM: you got them. Me: I’m getting out of the house. GM: no problem Me: I’m going to look and see what papers I have stolen. GM: official government papers in regards to a secret project. Me: I’m going to sell them to that other government contact that knows I’m a ghost and work for money even though I could easily rob banks and get all the money I would ever need. Not that I would need food, a house, a car or anything else. I’m doing this for no reason. GM: yep this is boring you can do what ever you want and no one can stop you GM & Me together: lets go play something else. While it looks nice, it should have used another system (d20) at least. It is just too expensive for what you get, and makes no sense.

Spookshow