|
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
The Setting
The Game
System Mechanics
Character Creation
Omissions
Initial Impressions
Appraisal
PDF Issues
Negatives
Positives
Rumors
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
Appraisal
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
|
