EarthAD: Post-Holocaust Adventures
Review by C. Demetrius Morgan
Synopsis
EarthAD is a 34-page rules-lite micro game designed primarily as a generic GM resource for creating quick and easy on the fly one-shot scenarios within the post-holocaust slash post-apocalyptic science fantasy role-playing game genre. Published by Politically Incorrect Games and written by the trenchant trio of Mark Bruno, Bret Bernstein, and Matt Drake with a singularly sanguine cover image contributed by Chris Martinez. For a 34-page supplement EarthAD deals with a wide range of material covering the essentials, like rules for creating mutants with gonzo kitsch mutations, and outlining varied stock end of the world scenarios intended for Game Masters to light the dread fuse of the apocalypse past and jumpstart a campaign. Alas much of the detail is spent on character building and establishing genre tropes, thus leaving information about artifacts, vehicles, and what sort of skulking horrors might stalk radioactive wastelands rather sparse. This may mark EarthAD as best suitable for one-shot play or used strictly in conjunction with established post-apocalyptic game systems. However, considering EarthAD is currently available through RPGNow for the amazingly reasonable price of $4.00, what it does have is quite the value. What’s more when asked about related products that could be used in conjunction with EarthAD Mark Bruno had the following to say: “Every genreDiversion [mini-game] uses the same 2d6 system, you can, theoretically, use every one of them interchangeably.”
Summary top
A quick word: I first became aware of the imminent approaching EarthAD comet while looking over and writing a review of JAGS: Have-Not. Within that review is a brief overview synopsis that tantalizingly hints at what the as-then-yet-unreleased supplement might portent for post-apocalyptic gaming. The reality is not only stark and grim; it’s potentially every bit as gonzo mad road warrior intense as any “beer and pretzels” game ever was; perhaps a mutation or two over the limit.
The Setting: For a game “designed to facilitate quick gaming for a single night’s play” EarthAD offers a surprising amount of foundational background detail spread throughout the character descriptions that can be easily expanded and built upon, or used as a guide to integrating the material into any existing post-apocalyptic milieu. However the real meaty bits are found in the section Catastrophes, which provides 7-pages of better than bare bones outlines detailing interesting tidbits of scaled background that serve to both quickly establish basic genre and setting tropes while providing a variety of vague yet informative stock possible end of the world histories in the process. In other words if you are a newbie Game Master who is not very familiar with the exigencies of the post-apocalyptic genre this section is a crash course. Personally I found the Jurassic Park gone mad scenario quite entertaining. (Sort of takes the premise in the American Godzilla movie and runs it to the brink, then takes a madcap dash over the edge.) This section is immediately followed by Scenarios and Other Ideas; two sections that provide simple yet flexible adventurer starters suitable for old school GMs and those learning the ropes. top
The Game: EarthAD has the potential to be either a gonzo fun “beer and pretzels” game or a very good set of supplemental rules for any existing post-apocalyptic science fantasy role-playing game. As an on-again off-again game designer myself I can say this: EarthAD maintains a level of simplicity and straightforwardness of design that puts many so-called “rules lite” systems to shame. (Mine included.) It is a self-contained game yet it also has the potential to be more than a game. Simply put EarthAD is how all supplements should be written. top
System Mechanics: The core game mechanics occupy 5 pages. Task resolution is essentially a roll under system comparing the sum total rolled against a TN. Combat is presented as being a relatively simple and straightforward Stat + Attack Type (Personal Combat Tasks) tempered by Action Checks (Composure Rolls). top
Character Creation: Pretty simple and straightforward players have a choice of three root Strains, or “character stocks”, as follows: First that rarest of the rare being, those genetically untouched by the radiation plagues; Pure Strain Humans. Second those reservoirs of resentment and poster children for Darwin’s theory of evolution, the tainted: Mutated Humans. And last, but not least, those enigmatic ROM: Radio Operated Mutants. Character creation is a simple point based system with 4 primary Traits- Fitness, Empathy, Reasoning, and Willpower; with numerous secondary Traits based off them- utilizing two six-sided dice for task resolution. Choose character stock, divide X points between the primary Traits (or determine randomly by rolling 1d6 for each Trait; 6s counting as 0), generate secondary traits, distribute Y points to skills, determine mutations (where applicable), equip character in accordance with the chosen character concept. top
Omissions: Ok, ok this may be considered trivial nitpicking but there was one potential post-apocalyptic source adventure starter that isn’t really touched upon directly. Granted there are plenty of starter scenarios and potential catastrophes provided to create a good background on the fly, but what about alternative set-ups? Not that the stock catastrophes aren’t well written, but a paragraph or two for how to adapt them beyond their initial presentation might have been helpful. For instance what about the Rip-van-Winkle “sleepers” from the past who wake up in the irradiated post-apocalyptic nightmare future world that is suddenly their all too real present? Gene Roddenberry got good mileage out of this with television classics like Genesis II and Planet Earth. It may be a campy story trope, but it is one that has been recycled numerous times in SF, most recently for use by the series Andromeda. And let’s not forget the classic eighties CRPG of the genre, Wasteland, with its all-important “Sleeper Base”. There was even an entire RPG built around this underlying premise: The Morrow Project! 1, 2 Maybe not a glaring omission but definitely a minor one. Then again there might be another genreDiversions mini game begging to be writ in there somewhere. top
Initial Impressions top
Well laid out, nice cover art, and bookmarks jump to virtually any page you want; all in all a very nicely done PDF. I really like the adherence to KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) design principles displayed by this product. At a glance the lack of charts, sample bestiaries, charts of artifact to discover, and all the other mundana from my other post-apocalyptic games make EarthAD seem lacking. Even for a minimalist system I can’t help but feel it could use more, but keeping in mind that the stated goal is not to present a fully fledged game here it does what it sets out to do. Which is give gamers a bare bones, as little learning curve as possible, easy to set-up quickie mini game. Too, EarthAD could easily be integrated into any existing post-apocalyptic FRP, from JAGS: Have-Not to Gamma World. Major plus. top
PDF Issues: None I could discern. All bookmarks appear to go where they need to. Pages printed at random are crisp and clean. Printing is fully functional though (understandably) exporting the document to text is not, then neither is modifying the PDF or block copying, which may annoy some. However, document security aside, the PDF is very well presented. top
Negatives: There could have been more scenarios. At a glance the last 6 pages appear to be nothing more than sample pre-generated character sheets, which would be total overkill. Technically these are Archetypes, but they are presented as pre-gen characters with no instructions given as to how to use or implement a structured Archetype system. Thus, in a way, it would have been better if they had just been actually fully fleshed out sample characters. Too, I’d have liked a page or two detailing thumbnail overviews of other PIG products, especially those in the genreDiversions line. But mostly I feel those last 6-pages could have been reduced to index sized reference forms, or just stat blocks, but I suppose they could work as individual archetype sheets. top
Positives: For the page count there is a megaton of mutations, which makes EarthAD great as supplemental material for any extant post-apocalyptic Fantasy role-playing game. The designer’s allow for plenty of breathing room for inventive Game Masters to tweak, which some may view more as a negative, but as that is one of the stated design goals of this product (and it seems to have been well implemented) I rank that as a positive. And as Mr. Bruno himself informed me via e-mail: “There are currently three other genreDiversion titles: HardNova (space opera), Ghost Stories (Horror) and Vice Squad (Police Action-Adventure).” Which means Game Masters who like to tweak, mod, change, adjust, and otherwise build upon existing FRP systems will not be doing so in a vacuum. Granted not all of the genreDiversion line may be suitable for a post-apocalyptic setting, but then that depends on what type of post-apocalyptic setting a GM has a mind to run. For instance Mr. Bruno made a good point for the versatility of the infant genreDivision line by pointing out: “You can add psionics and advanced weaponry from HardNova, horror elements from Ghost Stories (such as creatures of the night, esoteric cults, mysticism and ritual sorcery) and the vehicle rules for car chases from Vice Squad. All of this with little to no tweaking on the GM's part.” top
Rumors: And what about the future, will there be more genreDiversions mini-games on the horizon for intrepid Game Masters to mine ideas from? When asked about future genreDiversion titles Mr. Bruno had the following to say: “The sixth title - Spies, Lies and Kneehighs - will cover '60s spy action adventure. But since that a way's off, I have no idea what elements will be considered.” top
Happy gaming!
Copyright © 2004 C. Demetrius Morgan
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