The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Why, may you ask, am I reviewing a defunct game from a company recently bought out by Hasbro and apparently dead in all but name? Well, I'll tell you. First, obviously, I felt like reviewing something. Second, Avalon Hill (http://www.avalonhill) is currently offering the game in a fantastic package deal with four full-size adventures for just $19.95: "Weirder Tales From The Floating Vagabond, a SpaceOpera", "HyperCad 54, Where Are You?", "The Cosmic Paternity Suit", and "Where's George?". And third, I think it's a crime that this site has yet to review a game world that was co-conceived by Our Gracious Host, Sandy Antunes.
THE SETTING
Tales from the Floating Vagabond is a comedy game about a bar called, unsurprisingly, the Floating Vagabond. A bar that just happens to be at the center of the universe. (Well, one universe, anyway.) A bar that has a W.A.R.P., Inc. Random Dimensional Portal Generator built into its revolving door, bringing in unsuspecting patrons from all across the space-time continuum who thought they were just walking into the neighborhood pub.
A word of warning: this is not a game of subtle comedy -- not unless you're comparing it to, say, Toon. The comedy of TF2V is the comedy of "wacky" comic strips, 1930's Warner Brothers cartoons, and the Three Stooges, with a bit of Mad Magazine-style parody thrown in for spice. This sensibility (if the term applies) permeates the entire game: not just the setting, but also the rules and the writing. You've been warned.
As in many multigenre games, TF2V adventures can take place in any twisted setting and deal with any unlikely plot the gamemaster - in this case referred to as the Bartender - can dream up. Unlike many such games, not even common sense need get in the way of a good story. Adversaries range from rival bar owner Solomon Crane and his humanoid rhino bartender, Crudd, to the intergalactic naughtiness of Hans Gelber, leader of the (da-da-da-dum!) Space Nazis. Then, of course, there are the Swamp Beasties and the B.E.M.s (Bug Eyed Monsters)…
CHARACTER CREATION
TF2V characters (called "Patrons") can, in theory, come from "anywhere and anywhen" -- including other game worlds -- provided that their society is advanced enough to support a bar of some sort.
Characters are created using one set of points to spend on attributes and another to spend on skills and one shtick. The former include such handy abilities as "Target Vomiting", "Hurt People Really Badly", "Chase Cars", and, of course, "Raise Children to be Adults Instead of Game Designers." The latter are special cartoonish powers that make the character stand out, such as the "Trenchcoat Effect", which allows a character to pull just about anything out of his trenchcoat, and the "Escher Effect", which basically allows you to ignore laws of physics which you're too stupid to understand.
Players can create non-humans using a clever little ad/disad system that I'm considering importing into other games. Special abilities and/or reduced attribute and skill costs for a race are paid for with other increased attribute and skill costs. In other words, you might balance a race's flight ability and reduced costs for their Strength attribute and Swing Nasty Pointy Thing skill by doubling the cost of their Nimbleness attribute and all social skills.
To streamline the process - which to my mind is A Good Thing, as extended character creation rarely puts players in a humorous frame of mind - several customizable character templates and sample races are provided. The latter range from the traditional Dwarves and Elves to the more exotic Disgustingly Cute Furry Things.
THE SYSTEM
Rolls are made against an attribute plus any applicable skill; the human attribute scale is from 1 to 6, with skills ranging from 1 to 4. The basic system involves rolling under this score for a success. Unlike many "roll under" systems, however, increasing difficulty levels are not represented by penalties to the character's score, but rather by increasing die types. Difficulties range from Pitifully Easy (d4) to Nigh Impossible (d100), including the rarely-used d30. For contested rolls, a d10 is added to each character's skill or attribute, the highest score winning. For a more serious game, the coarse, closed-ended difficulty scale and lack of success levels would be serious drawbacks… but for a blatantly goofy game such as this, such things hardly matter.
Combat is fairly straightforward, involving a standard d10 roll influenced by applicable modifiers, including any successful defensive roll by the opponent. Damage levels are assigned to general weapon types (guns ranging from Gun to Big Gun on up to Don't Point that At My Planet!) with modifiers added for specific examples of each type (such as the Wartoy brand Megazooka). Weapon ranges are amusingly vague, such as Pretty Near, Real Far, and See That Dot?
A serviceable magic system and a hilarious drunkenness mechanic are also included. I'm particularly fond of the literally mind-blowing range of effects induced the by Floating Vagabond's house specialty, the Singularity.
THE BOOK
The artwork by "furry" comic artist Vicky Wyman isn't terribly inspiring, although it is consistent and frequently amusing. Inserted in the book are a perforated sheet of business cards which, as the cover text promises, serve absolutely no useful purpose, and an amazingly bland 8" x 11" character sheet.
Each chapter is written from the point of view of the Vagabond's cast of characters, which manages to develop their personalities and maintain the humorous tone of the book without getting in the way of rules clarity.
The book does not have a full index, although this isn't a great loss considering the book's length. It does have a glossary and an index of tables.
The sample adventure, "Excedrin Headache #186,000", is, like most intro adventures, on the short side. However, it does offer some great chances for comedic character interaction and a surprising amount of problem-solving. Note: if your players are easily frustrated, beware - this adventure is apply named.
OVERALL
Tales from the Floating Vagabond squeezes a lot of comedic material into an inexpensive, if not particularly polished, package. It would be a good deal on its own; with the current package deal being offered, it's a great one.
Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Tales from the Floating Vagabond
Author: Lee Garvin, Nick Atlas, John Huff Category: game Company/Publisher: Avalon Hill Cost: $13.95 Page count: 107 ISBN: 1-56038-032-2 Capsule Review by Dan Davenport on 09/22/98. Genre tags: Fantasy Science_fiction Space Comedy	Why, may you ask, am I reviewing a defunct game from a company recently bought out by Hasbro and apparently dead in all but name? Well, I'll tell you. First, obviously, I felt like reviewing something. Second, Avalon Hill (http://www.avalonhill) is currently offering the game in a fantastic package deal with four full-size adventures for just $19.95: "Weirder Tales From The Floating Vagabond, a SpaceOpera", "HyperCad 54, Where Are You?", "The Cosmic Paternity Suit", and "Where's George?". And third, I think it's a crime that this site has yet to review a game world that was co-conceived by Our Gracious Host, Sandy Antunes. THE SETTING Tales from the Floating Vagabond is a comedy game about a bar called, unsurprisingly, the Floating Vagabond. A bar that just happens to be at the center of the universe. (Well, one universe, anyway.) A bar that has a W.A.R.P., Inc. Random Dimensional Portal Generator built into its revolving door, bringing in unsuspecting patrons from all across the space-time continuum who thought they were just walking into the neighborhood pub. A word of warning: this is not a game of subtle comedy -- not unless you're comparing it to, say, Toon. The comedy of TF2V is the comedy of "wacky" comic strips, 1930's Warner Brothers cartoons, and the Three Stooges, with a bit of Mad Magazine-style parody thrown in for spice. This sensibility (if the term applies) permeates the entire game: not just the setting, but also the rules and the writing. You've been warned. As in many multigenre games, TF2V adventures can take place in any twisted setting and deal with any unlikely plot the gamemaster - in this case referred to as the Bartender - can dream up. Unlike many such games, not even common sense need get in the way of a good story. Adversaries range from rival bar owner Solomon Crane and his humanoid rhino bartender, Crudd, to the intergalactic naughtiness of Hans Gelber, leader of the (da-da-da-dum!) Space Nazis. Then, of course, there are the Swamp Beasties and the B.E.M.s (Bug Eyed Monsters)… CHARACTER CREATION TF2V characters (called "Patrons") can, in theory, come from "anywhere and anywhen" -- including other game worlds -- provided that their society is advanced enough to support a bar of some sort. Characters are created using one set of points to spend on attributes and another to spend on skills and one shtick. The former include such handy abilities as "Target Vomiting", "Hurt People Really Badly", "Chase Cars", and, of course, "Raise Children to be Adults Instead of Game Designers." The latter are special cartoonish powers that make the character stand out, such as the "Trenchcoat Effect", which allows a character to pull just about anything out of his trenchcoat, and the "Escher Effect", which basically allows you to ignore laws of physics which you're too stupid to understand. Players can create non-humans using a clever little ad/disad system that I'm considering importing into other games. Special abilities and/or reduced attribute and skill costs for a race are paid for with other increased attribute and skill costs. In other words, you might balance a race's flight ability and reduced costs for their Strength attribute and Swing Nasty Pointy Thing skill by doubling the cost of their Nimbleness attribute and all social skills. To streamline the process - which to my mind is A Good Thing, as extended character creation rarely puts players in a humorous frame of mind - several customizable character templates and sample races are provided. The latter range from the traditional Dwarves and Elves to the more exotic Disgustingly Cute Furry Things. THE SYSTEM Rolls are made against an attribute plus any applicable skill; the human attribute scale is from 1 to 6, with skills ranging from 1 to 4. The basic system involves rolling under this score for a success. Unlike many "roll under" systems, however, increasing difficulty levels are not represented by penalties to the character's score, but rather by increasing die types. Difficulties range from Pitifully Easy (d4) to Nigh Impossible (d100), including the rarely-used d30. For contested rolls, a d10 is added to each character's skill or attribute, the highest score winning. For a more serious game, the coarse, closed-ended difficulty scale and lack of success levels would be serious drawbacks… but for a blatantly goofy game such as this, such things hardly matter. Combat is fairly straightforward, involving a standard d10 roll influenced by applicable modifiers, including any successful defensive roll by the opponent. Damage levels are assigned to general weapon types (guns ranging from Gun to Big Gun on up to Don't Point that At My Planet!) with modifiers added for specific examples of each type (such as the Wartoy brand Megazooka). Weapon ranges are amusingly vague, such as Pretty Near, Real Far, and See That Dot? A serviceable magic system and a hilarious drunkenness mechanic are also included. I'm particularly fond of the literally mind-blowing range of effects induced the by Floating Vagabond's house specialty, the Singularity. THE BOOK The artwork by "furry" comic artist Vicky Wyman isn't terribly inspiring, although it is consistent and frequently amusing. Inserted in the book are a perforated sheet of business cards which, as the cover text promises, serve absolutely no useful purpose, and an amazingly bland 8" x 11" character sheet. Each chapter is written from the point of view of the Vagabond's cast of characters, which manages to develop their personalities and maintain the humorous tone of the book without getting in the way of rules clarity. The book does not have a full index, although this isn't a great loss considering the book's length. It does have a glossary and an index of tables. The sample adventure, "Excedrin Headache #186,000", is, like most intro adventures, on the short side. However, it does offer some great chances for comedic character interaction and a surprising amount of problem-solving. Note: if your players are easily frustrated, beware - this adventure is apply named. OVERALL Tales from the Floating Vagabond squeezes a lot of comedic material into an inexpensive, if not particularly polished, package. It would be a good deal on its own; with the current package deal being offered, it's a great one. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 4 (Meaty)