Review of Super Console
What is Super Console?
Super Console is a small-press roleplaying game designed by Colin Fredericks. Available as a PDF weighing in at 141 pages (including the cover and title page), Super Console is the commercial evolution of the much vaunted free-press RPG entitled, appropriately enough, Console. So, what are these Console games all about? Well, they're about . . . er . . . console games. Specifically, they're about emulating the conventions of console roleplaying games (e.g., Squaresoft's Final Fantasy series) on the tabletop.
A console game, for those of you unfamiliar with the term, is a video game played on a console system (e.g., the Sony Playstation, the Nintendo Game Cube, etc). As a game systems both Super Console and its predecessor focus specifically on emulating the conventions of console roleplaying games (such as the previously mentioned Final Fantasy series). If you're looking at Super Console with an eye toward emulating other kinds of console games (e.g., first-person shooters), I can save you some frustration – it's simply not designed for that.
So, how well does Super Console stack up to its design goal of emulating console RPGs? More importantly, does its ‘one size fits all’ approach tow the line? Read on to find out.
The Initial Impressions
The following features of Super Console are those that immediately jumped off the page when my fellows and I initially poured over the game. With that in mind, realize that these impressions may or may not stand up to closer scrutiny (see the section of this review entitled "Upon Further Inspection" for more details).
The Bad
Artwork makes a big impression on consumers. Logically speaking, the quality of a game's artwork shouldn't trump the quality of a game's rules, but consumers aren't often logical creatures. Bad artwork can (and does) really scare some potential customers off in droves. And Super Console has some really bad artwork. Indeed, while I'd like to be one of those logical consumers for whom art quality doesn't affect purchasing decisions, I'm not. I thought that I was, but Super Console has proven me wrong. The poor quality of the cover art was, unfortunately, the first thing that struck me about the game.
The artwork in Super Console is rendered in full-color, but it is also rendered in extremely low resolution. I've often decried the consumer creed of "Better no art than bad art," but to be honest, I would have preferred either no art (or, at the very least, some clip-art) in Super Console to what it currently contains. Super Console's artwork is, simply, of a very poor quality. If you buy games specifically for the artwork (as I know some people do), you should really consider skipping Super Console.
Aside from the artwork, the only other thing overtly working against Super Console is the layout. In particular, the headings used throughout the document don't conform to one system of differentiation, rather, they incorporate alternating font size, different fonts, underlined text, italicized text and boxed text in various configurations. For me, this use of multiple heading styles made the document, not only a bit confusing, but also less than aesthetically appealing. Your mileage may vary, of course.
Finally, it's worth noting that there is a potentially complicating clause in the Copyright notice that might cause some problems for well-meaning fans. This line reads "You may make reference to this product in your own writings (e.g. to create a supplement or add-on), but you cannot legally create derivative works (e.g. "Console III – do you remember love?")." The problem with this is, of course, that supplements and add-ons are derivative works.
Now, I know that it seems I'm picking on Super Console, but the truth is that the artwork and heading issues simply stuck out like a sore thumb on my first glance at the game (the issue with the legalize was actually pointed out by a friend of mine who earns a living as an attorney). Just to be clear, Super Console isn't all bad – in fact, it's not even mostly bad. Super Console simply has a few bits of bad that really jump off the page, which is unfortunate, but not damning.
The Good
Super Console is written in a very light, personable, way that makes reading it fun. I applaud the author for this. Sprinkled with clever, light-hearted, humor, reading Super Console manages to be entertaining, rather than laborious. On a personal note, I really wish that more publishers wrote their rule books in this vein – I'll take a game that reads like Super Console over a bad facsimile of a collegiate study text any day of the week.
The next most notable thing that Super Console seems to have working for it is the quality and quantity of Game Master advice. Obviously, Super Console is a labor of love, and Mr. Fredericks loves his console roleplaying games -- he seems to have meticulously dissected them, pulling them apart one cliche at a time, and explaining those cliches in terms of tabletop roleplaying games. This looks like good stuff.
Upon Further Inspection
After giving Super Console a cursory examination and noting my initial impressions (as well as those of my associates), it was time to get down to business and give the game a spin on the tabletop. This section of the review sums up those things uncovered during the obligatory play testing, as well as those things that became apparent upon further reading of the game.
[Note: :Play testing, in this case, refers not to running an adventure of my own design using the game system (a technique that is just next to useless where maintaining an impartial outlook is concerned), but to individually examining and testing the mechanics present in the game.]
Styles and Genres
Before the game gets into actual mechanics, the author briefly discusses modes of play, categorizing them by way of "styles" and "genres". The classification of "style" specifically pertains to the default level of unreality in a given game (e.g., a "Silly" game has little, if any, ties to reality as we know it), while the classification of "genre" is used (erroneously) to refer to the default technology level of a given game per its analogue in Earth's history (e.g., Medieval Europe) or imagined future.
This brief breakdown comes in handy for explaining the game to newcomers, but the erroneous use of the word "genre" may throw old hands for a bit of a loop. The actual genre classification of Super Console would be, by default, Fantasy. That said, genre has little (if any) mechanical impact on games of Super Console, so this isn't a big deal – styles are another story.
Styles, as previously mentioned, speak directly to the level of unreality (or, if you prefer, lack of attention to real world physics) in a given Super Console game. This being the case, styles do have a mechanical impact, acting as rough guidelines for what kind of action is possible within game settings and, by extension, what rules options make sense within the context of said game settings. There are, by default, four styles of console game:
As you can see, the chosen style of a given game will impact it immeasurably, setting the tone for players and characters alike. Obviously, it is important to carefully consider what style of game you want to play before you sit down to play it.
Super Console Characters
The approach taken to defining characters is, with the exception of some appropriately named traits, not terribly evocative of console RPGs, unfortunately. This is especially true when it comes to the number and nature of the traits used to define characters. The system is serviceable, mind you, it's just not particularly evocative of console roleplaying games (most characters in such games tend to have only a tiny handful of traits).
First, characters in Super Console have seven primary attributes (Strength, Speed, Vitality, Intelligence, Spirit, Magic and Luck). Each of these attributes represents vastly different things, not all of which I expected. For instance, defending against attacks is governed, not by Speed, but by Luck; while resisting the effects of poison has more to do with Spirit (which also doubles as the primary attribute governing social interaction) than Vitality. Frankly, some of the choices here struck me as rather bizarre, even in the context of a console RPG.
In addition to these seven primary attributes, characters are further defined by "secondary attributes" that are determined by averaging the ratings of primary attributes (with the exception of Critical Percentage, which starts with a default rating of %05). There are ten secondary attributes utilized in Super Console – Initiative, Attack Skill, Damage, Defense, Toughness, Evasion, Critical Percentage, Magical Defense, Status Resistence, and Magic Skill.
Finally, all characters have a Health bar, a Mana bar, an XP Bar, and a Level. These traits measure a character's overall health, magical energy, experience, and power respectively.
For those of you not keeping a tally, that's a total 21 traits so far – you can probably see where I'm going with the "not terribly evocative" statement that I made earlier. Super Console seems to be less concerned with emulating the mechanical conventions of console roleplaying games where character definition is concerned, than it is with re-tooling those conventions to conform to the expectations of a standard tabletop roleplaying game.
Now, all of that having been said, this isn't a bad design decision or a wrong one, but it can be a deal-breaker for some consumers – some consumers want to see the opposite design approach taken (i.e., they want to see the standard conventions of a tabletop roleplaying game re-tooled to more accurately model console RPGs). The good news is that Super Console contains a bit of both, but where character definition is concerned, the emphasis is squarely on making console RPGs behave like tabletop RPGs.
Okay. . . so how do you rate all of these traits? Well, that depends on a few things. First, there are two basic types of characters in Super Console – Classed Characters and Tasked Characters, and each is created in a completely different manner. Each of these creation methods tells you how to determine the ratings of the seven primary attributes and (by extension) the ten secondary attributes, but nowehere in the document could I locate a standardized method for determining a character's initial Health and Mana bar ratings.
To be absolutely clear on this point, there is a single reference that states "All characters have a Health Bar, which is at 100% when they're undamaged and goes down as they get hit," (Other Factors, Page 7) but this is seemingly contradicted by the later declaration that "Your Mana and Health bars are based on your Magic and Vitality scores, as well as your level" (Character Creation, page 26). Nowhere could I find an actual explanation of how these things are linked to Health and Mana bars mechanically. Just to be certain I wasn't missing something, I conducted a number of word searches (using Acrobat Reader), but to no avail.
The good news is that this is the only major mechanical gaffe that my fellows and I stumbled across in Super Console. The bad news is, of course, that the lack of this information completely breaks the game, barring the implementation of some house rules. That said, I mentioned earlier that my cohorts and I play tested the various sub-systems of Super Console individually and, this pitfall aside, everything else worked like a charm for us.
Classed Characters are extremely easy to create – in fact, there's really only one step required to create a Classed Character (well, two if you count averaging their secondary attributes). Pick a class and. . . well, that's it. There is a list of 21 classes common to console RPGs, each of which provides a static list of starting primary attribute ratings, typical genres (i.e., time periods per the rule set's definition of the term) in which the class tends to appear, typical jobs that the class performs in society, typical equipment that members of the class carry, and level0dependent special abilities.
The sole mechanical pitfall of Classed Characters is clearly identified by Mr. Fredericks – all 1st Level Classed Characters are mechanically identical. Such characters can mechanically diverge as they gain levels, but ultimately, aside from personalities, they'll always a have a great deal in common mechanically – which is where Tasked Characters come in. Tasked Characters are specifically presented as an option for those players who like a bit more diversity in their adventuring parties (mechanically speaking).
Creating a Tasked Character also consists of one step – all of a Tasked Character's primary attributes begin with a rating of four, after which a player receives 20 points to allocate amongst them however they see fit (I personally would have preferred to see some suggested point caps here, but the system is functional without them, so long as the Game Master keeps an eye on the other players). After determining attribute ratings in this manner, play begins. The difference between a Tasked Character and Classed Character becomes apparent when it comes to character growth.
Both Classed Characters and Tasked Characters gain levels as play progresses (by virtue of gaining XP), allowing each type of character to add to their attribute scores – but only Tasked Characters gain dynamic special abilities as they progress in level. As mentioned earlier, Classed Characters have a static progression outlined for them, right down to level-dependent special abilities. Tasked Characters, on the other hand, are awarded special abilities by the Game Master as they see fit. The good news is that this allows for much more dynamic characters – the bad new is that this system gives the GM total control over how your character develops (if your GM is a total bastard, the flaw in this system will quickly become obvious – trust me).
Overall, character creation in Super Console is a mixed bag of good and bad.
Personally, I would have preferred to see the character traits molded to console RPGs, rather than seeing the tenets of console RPGs re-tooled to resemble standard tabletop fare. That said, as I mentioned earlier, this is a personal preference, not a foul-up on the part of the designer. The game will simply appeal more to some folks more than it will to others in this regard. The missing information about Heath bars and Mana bars, on the other hand. . . .
No matter who you are or how you like the subject of console RPG emulation to be tackled in the context of a tabletop game, the confusion surrounding Health bars and Mana bars will be an issue. Granted, you can house rule a fix for this omission if you like, but the fact that you have to house rule it is a cause for concern. When the game sees a revision, this is probably the very first thing that needs to be addressed.
Once you get the explanations of how traits actually function out of the way, creating your character is extremely easy, literally taking five minutes or less. If you want to jump right into the action, both character creation options offered by Super Console definitely let you do just that. The relative ease with which characters can be created in Super Console is a huge selling point for those gamers who prefer "light" systems.
Finally, character growth is a simple affair, regardless of the type of character being played. The only thing to keep an eye on, when it comes to Tasked Character growth, is the Game Master. The method of rewarding special abilities to characters under the tasked Character progression system can be a brutal instrument of unfun in the hands of the wrong GM. I would go so far as to say that, because of how this system works, a campaign built around Tasked Characters will only work well with a Game Master who puts his players' satisfaction before his own.
Super Console Basic Mechanics
Action resolution in Super Console is a multi-tiered process (i.e., there is no unified resolution mechanic), which makes use of table consultation. Again, like some other aspects of the Super Console system, there are consumers for whom this design decision will not appeal – but it does work and, for me anyhow, function is much more important than form.
There are, by default, four recognized types of action in Super Console – Mundane, Resisted, Contested, and Skilled. While that might seem a bit confusing at first, it's really rather simple – Mundane actions are those that anybody can perform, Resisted actions are those initiated by a given character and actively opposed by another, Contested actions are like Resisted Actions but lack a clear aggressor, and Skilled actions are those tied directly to the specific special ability or talent of a given character.
As the rules read, we gathered that you don't roll for Mundane actions – they're simply possible or not possible (which, in fairness, is perfectly in line with the tenets of console games). Skilled actions, meanwhile, are resolved according to the description of a given special ability or talent (usually by treating them as a Resisted action). Resisted actions and Contested actions, on the other hand, are resolved by way of rolling percentile dice and consulting the Skill Chart.
To resolve a Resisted action, the player of the resisting character rolls some percentile dice (if a character doesn't resist such an action, the aggressor is assumed to automatically succeed). After this player rolls their dice, the result of that dice roll is cross-indexed on the Skill Chart with the remainder of the resisting character's most relevant attribute rating, minus the aggressing character's most relevant attribute rating. This gives you a percentile value that you must roll equal to or less than in order to successfully resist an action.
To resolve a Contested action, all players of characters participating in the context roll some percentile dice and add the rating of their character's single most relevant attribute rating to the die result scored on their behalf. The player who generates the highest modified roll total on behalf of their character wins the contest for said character.
Modifying bar ratings (e.g., Health bars, Mana bars, XP, bars, etc) during actual play is handled via a variation of the Resisted action resolution system, implementing the "Bar Chart" (i.e., another chart that cross-indexes the remainder of a simple calculation with percentile values). The main difference here is that you don't roll any dice to determine how much damage a character is dealt during combat, how much casting a certain spell reduces your Mana bar, or how much experience you gain when defeating an enemy. Here's how it works. . . .
When determining damage dealt in combat, you subtract the Defense rating of the resisting character from the Damage rating of the aggressing character. Locating this value on the Bar Chart will tell you by what percentage to reduce the successfully hit target's current Heath bar rating.
When determining how much Mana a character burns by casting a spell, you subtract the casting character's Magic Skill rating from the Spell Power of the spell being cast. Locating this value on the Bar Chart will tell you by what percentage to reduce the caster's current Mana bar rating.
To determine how much damage a character heals, you subtract the injured character's Toughness rating from the Healing Power of the spell or potion that is being applied to them. Finding this result on the Bar Table will tell you by what percentage to increase the injured character's Health bar.
Finally, in order to determine how much XP a character earns when defeating a group of monsters, you'll need to subtract the character's current level from the average level of all monsters defeated in the combat. Finding this result on the Bar Chart will tell you by what percentage to increase the current value of the character's XP bar.
Granted, you'll be referencing tables quite often, as many of these things crop up during actual play – but again, the rules work. If you aren't adverse to the idea of checking charts frequently, these rules shouldn't impede your enjoyment of Super Console (and, indeed, may even add to it). And this brings us to Patience.
Patience is, perhaps, the most ingenious mechanic of Super Console and, even if I don't play a lot of Super Console itself, I'll be sure to incorporate this concept in other games. While I'd like to stop short of calling the Patience mechanic genius, I can't – because it is genius (although, considering how it works, it would more appropriately be called Impatience). So, what is Patience? Well. . . .
Each game session, the players (all of them) begin with a common pool of six Patience points. During actual play these points can be used by players to "skip ahead" during the game session, much like pounding buttons on a joypad allows a player of a console RPG to skip a full-motion video sequence and get on with the actual game play. For each point of Patience that a player chooses to spend, they may:
In exchange for spending additional points of Patience (i.e., more than one point of Patience), a player may choose to:
Allowing players to "fast-forward" through all of the BS and get on with actual game play is very appealing to me, both as a player (I hate silly riddles and puzzles) and as a Game Master (it lets the players tell me, during actual play, what they really want out of the game). This idea is, simply put, great.
The basic mechanics of Super Console are a step up from the many of the character rules, both in terms of emulating actual console game mechanics, and where cohesiveness is concerned. My cohorts and I didn't find any obvious gaps in the resolution rules, enjoyed the simple and consistent system for altering bar ratings, and (obviously) were thrilled by the Patience rules.
There is a lot to like at Super Console's core, provided that you're not hung up on having a unified resolution mechanic and that you aren't adverse to referencing charts during actual play. The basic mechanics of Super Console are functional and evocative, perhaps going further toward realizing the designer's goals of creating a tabletop "one size fits all" console RPG emulator than any other part of the game.
Super Console Combat Mechanics
The combat mechanics of Super Console are, for the most part, a logical extension of the several basic mechanics discussed above – actions are resolved per the Skill Chart, damage is determined using the Bar Chart, and so on. The primary difference between combat and other action in Super Console isn’t in how combat is resolved or how its effects are applied to characters, but in how it is structured.
First, by default, there are two sides in a given combat (PCs and opponents), each of which is further divided into rows (i.e., rows of characters) , as is typical of combat in a great many traditional console RPGs. Prior to combat beginning, players may state what row (e.g., front, back, etc) that their characters are standing in on their side of a conflict. Moving from one row to another during actual combat requires a player to expend an action, thus some thought should be given to starting positions when entering into a given battle.
After character positions have been determined, there’s a matter of time. Combats in Super Console are divided into “Ticks,” abstract measures of time counted off during a battle, beginning with Tick #0, during which all characters “get ready to fight, “ and continually counting upward until the combat ends. A character’s Initiative score is located on the Ticks Table to determine both on what Tick number they can take their first action (following Tick #0, of course) and how many Ticks they must wait before they can take subsequent actions. Naturally, the higher a character’s Initiative rating, the sooner they will be able to take their initial action and the less time they must wait before executing another, subsequent, action.
Now, that said, there are a few optional rules for combat that outline maneuvers more in line with traditional roleplaying games than console RPGs (e.g., called shots, disarms, etc), but they are presented specifically as options with Mixed and Brutal games in mind. I’m not particularly sold on any of these options, but that has more to do with the kind of console RPGs I enjoy (I’m a big Shining Force nut) than with any objective critique that I have to offer. If you’re a fan of more detailed console RPGs that allow you to choose special attack maneuvers, these options will likely be right up your alley.
Finally, combat in Super Console introduces the concept of varied and specific status effects. Now, granted, this idea was arguably pioneered in D&D, but prior to that it was largely the realm of electronic roleplaying games (both of the console and PC variety). Super Console presents a list of 19 unique status effects that range from Berserk (a player loses control of their character as he goes nuts and attacks the nearest foes until he or they are dead) to Tiny (a character shrinks to a diminutive height of 12 inches). And, of course, Frog (you guessed it – your character turns into a little green frog).
Whether the combat mechanics of Super Console are examined individually or as a complete system, they are extremely evocative of the game’s source material and undeniably on point. In particular, my fellows and I found the “Tick” system and quirky status effects to be the high points of Super Console combat, bringing the illusion of playing a console RPG to life – nothing screams “console RPG” quite like having your character poisoned, silenced, and turned into a frog in rapid succession ;)
As a structural extension of Super Console’s basic mechanics and as a homage to turn-based combat in console roleplaying games, the game’s combat system strikes gold. Specifically, it strikes a good balance between medium emulation and open-ended structure; that is, it is evocative of many console RPGs without being shackled to any one game in particular. This does, of course, go a long way toward helping Super Console realize its goal of facilitating the emulation of as many console roleplaying games as possible.
Overall, I’m impressed with the Super Console combat systems – they do exactly what they set out to do, further pushing the game toward its ultimate goal of serving as a one size fits all system and, more importantly, they work.
Super Console Magic
This section of the review is brief as, for the most part, I’ve already covered how magic works in the game (see the section of this review entitled “Super Console Basic Mechanics” for more details). The short version is that, if your character is capable of casting spells, doing so requires that they expend Mana, thus reducing their Mana bar rating by a given percentile rating (determined by reading the Bar Chart, as previously discussed).
Spells themselves are presented in lists, each of which is sorted by class, with the availability of individual spells being limited by character level. While it is true that console RPGs often default to a similar system for categorizing spells, the system is typically obfuscated, rather than laid bare. This is arguably one of those instances in which Super Console behaves more like a traditional tabletop roleplaying game, rather than a console RPG (though I honestly can’t see how this could have been avoided).
Magic is, aside from the large array of character attributes, the only other true low point of Super Console when it comes to cultivating the illusion that one is playing a console RPG. This isn’t to say that the system governing magic is non-functional (it works quite well, in truth), only that it lacks the evocative flair that the rest of the game exudes, due largely to the fact that it peels back the slick 8-bit veneer to expose the game’s internal circuitry.
Super Console Equipment
Like the preceding section of this review, this chapter in the dissection of Super Console is brief as well. Equipment, as you likely suspect, is just what is in every roleplaying game – gear, weapons, armor, clothes, and the like. Accordingly, this section of the Super Console document is packed tight with lists of equipment, all of which is priced in unites referred to ISBs (Intergame Standard Bucks) that represent the common unit of currency in your chose game setting.
All of Super Console’s play styles receive special attention here with custom-tailored equipment lists, and the traditional shopping experience of console RPGs (i.e., shops that sell only level- appropriate equipment) receives a full-on treatment. That said, one thing is notably missing – the number of ISBs that a character begins play with is never discussed. I assume that it’s up to the Game Master to hand out (or withhold) such starting cash, but this is only an assumption.
For the most part, the section of Super Console that deals with equipment is exactly what you’d expect it to be – a very large shopping list. The two things that stick out as being different are the very detailed treatment of implementing shops in the vein of those found in console roleplaying games, and the failure to address the issue of generating an initial amount of spending cash. So, like much of Super Console, you get a bit of both good and bad.
Super Console Conventions
When my friends and I were first pouring over the Super Console rules, we were itching to get to this section of the document, as it was easily one of the most promising in the game. Who wouldn’t want some rules for implementing save points, mini-games, and cheat codes in a tabletop game? That sounds like a load of fun, right? Well. . . .
Some of the most promising concepts in Super Console wound up being some of the most useless, as my fellows and I soon discovered. Take, for example, the aforementioned save points, mini-games, and cheat codes.
Implementing save points in Super Console requires that you photocopy all of the party’s character sheets. Obviously, this means that you’ll need to have a photocopier handy during all of your game sessions and, for most gamers that I know, dropping off at Staples to pick up a photocopier isn’t quite like dropping by the game shop to pick up a few extra dice. Implementing save points, as laid out in Super Console, is simply going to be completely impractical for most folks.
Likewise, to implement mini-games in your tabletop game, the author suggests that you go sit in front of the television, power up an actual game console, and take turns playing an actual console game. I hate to be the one to point out that this is not implementing a mini-game in an existing tabletop campaign (as Mr. Fredericks suggest), but walking away from a tabletop campaign already in progress to go play a very real console game for a bit. Again, my fellows and I had a hard time believing that most gamers would find this practical.
Finally, cheat codes are given only two paragraphs of coverage and, ultimately, we were left with “Exactly how one would enter said code in a tabletop RPG is a bit beyond us.” – which is unfortunate, because this is exactly the kind of advice I think most people expect to find in a tabletop RPG that discusses such subjects (i.e., I think that most readers seeing such a subject heading would expect some advice on how to implement cheat codes in their game).
The good news is that the discussion of concepts such as cut scenes and side quests in the context of console roleplaying games is excellent. These subjects rarely get much mention in tabletop roleplaying games, so seeing them receive a thorough treatment in Super Console was uplifting. In fact, out of the 21 console conventions discussed, only those three mentioned earlier were truly fumbled – the rest are covered with short, concise, and very informative explanations.
The three fumbled conventions are almost excusable given the strength of the other topical discussion offered in this section of Super Console, but my players and I couldn’t help feeling disappointed that we’d have to wait for another game to address those aspects of emulating console games on the tabletop in a practical manner. Personally, I’m still torn over this issue, as the promise of rules for save points, mini-games, and cheat codes was one of the reasons that Super Console initially piqued my interest.
Super Console Styles & Genres Revisited
I’ll keep this brief, as I’ve already discussed Super Console’s take on genre and style. This section of the document revisits the basic concepts of genre and style outlined earlier in the document, expanding upon them by providing examples of common themes and further explanation. The only possible low point of this expanded look at genres and styles is the explanation of Brutal games, which clearly tries to paint verisimilitude or pursuit of realism in fantasy as being bad and wrong (an attitude and viewpoint not immediately conveyed by the earlier, basic, explanation of Brutal games).
Super Console Monsters
What console RPG experience would be complete without monsters? That’s right – no console RPG experience would be complete without monsters and neither would a tabletop game called Super Console. Mr. Fredericks seems keenly aware of this, having provided a simple yet dynamic system of creating monsters in the vein of console RPGs. This system works remarkably well, providing the GM tools to create truly unique monsters without taxing their patience.
Monsters in Super Console are represented using the same attributes used to represent other characters, although the manner used to determine the ratings of these attributes differs and, as was the case with characters, two methods for creating monsters are made available to the Game Master.
The basic method of creating monsters provides the Game Master with a kind of ‘core monster’ to which collections of attribute bonuses and special qualities in the form of “Monster Types” (e.g., demon, dragon, plant, etc) can be bolted, allowing for various degrees of customization (especially where monster types can be combined to create new and terrifying creatures).
The advanced method of creating monsters builds upon the basic method, providing several sub- types of monsters, each defined by a list of level-dependent special abilities reminiscent of those possessed by player characters. Each such advanced monster is roughly 50% more powerful than a monster created using the basic method only.
Of the two monster creation methods, the former was definitely less taxing for me as a Game Master as I didn’t have to worry about keeping track of special abilities, although the latter made for more dynamic encounters. Ultimately, what method I used depended upon what kind of actual play experience I was looking to convey (I wholeheartedly recommend using the advanced method for creating ‘boss’ monsters).
Finally, rounding out this section of Super Console is some basic advice on implementing monsters in your games and a selection of sample monsters that give you an idea of what you can do with the monster creation rules (as well as providing a ready-made bestiary for you to tinker with).
As a Game Master (the role that I seem to default to), I found Super Console’s methods of defining monsters to be remarkably versatile while embracing the often wacky spirit of console roleplaying games where actual output was concerned (can you say Dreaded Undead Fairie?). Honestly, I’m impressed with the monster creation rules and can’t say anything bad about them.
Everything Else
Rounding out the Super Console document is a short section of advice for the Game Master, a utilitarian character sheet, and a handy reference page that reproduces the Bar Chart, the Skill Chart, the Ticks Table, and the Status Chart in one convenient place. Of these things, only the Game Master advice section truly bears any mention (the rest is self-explanatory).
While not truly remarkable (for better or worse), the section of Super Console dedicated to Game Master advice can be helpful when it comes to assisting the GM in matters of structuring his Super Console campaigns, especially when it comes to balancing encounters for PCs to overcome. Indeed, there are two tables provided that lay out rough estimates of damage dealt by classed characters of a given level (unfortunately, not all possible character levels are given the treatment).
These tables allow a Game Master to better gauge whether or not a particular creature will pose an appropriate challenge for a given party of classed characters. Ultimately, balancing encounters still requires judicious use of Game Master fiat, but most games either go with fiat all the way or provide a kind of ball and chain when it comes to balancing encounters – Super Console splits the difference, providing some guidelines for balance in actual play without stepping on the GM’s toes.
The other two stand out bits of advice in this section of Super Console detail the typical ‘story cycle’ of console RPGs and offer advice on implementing the Main Villain (the guy you fight at the end of such a game). Of these two particular topics, the former is far better executed, but the latter still deserves a mention as it isn’t the typical kind of advice that one tends to find in a tabletop roleplaying game.
Super Console is a small-press roleplaying game designed by Colin Fredericks. Available as a PDF weighing in at 141 pages (including the cover and title page), Super Console is the commercial evolution of the much vaunted free-press RPG entitled, appropriately enough, Console. So, what are these Console games all about? Well, they're about . . . er . . . console games. Specifically, they're about emulating the conventions of console roleplaying games (e.g., Squaresoft's Final Fantasy series) on the tabletop.
A console game, for those of you unfamiliar with the term, is a video game played on a console system (e.g., the Sony Playstation, the Nintendo Game Cube, etc). As a game systems both Super Console and its predecessor focus specifically on emulating the conventions of console roleplaying games (such as the previously mentioned Final Fantasy series). If you're looking at Super Console with an eye toward emulating other kinds of console games (e.g., first-person shooters), I can save you some frustration – it's simply not designed for that.
So, how well does Super Console stack up to its design goal of emulating console RPGs? More importantly, does its ‘one size fits all’ approach tow the line? Read on to find out.
The Initial Impressions
The following features of Super Console are those that immediately jumped off the page when my fellows and I initially poured over the game. With that in mind, realize that these impressions may or may not stand up to closer scrutiny (see the section of this review entitled "Upon Further Inspection" for more details).
The Bad
Artwork makes a big impression on consumers. Logically speaking, the quality of a game's artwork shouldn't trump the quality of a game's rules, but consumers aren't often logical creatures. Bad artwork can (and does) really scare some potential customers off in droves. And Super Console has some really bad artwork. Indeed, while I'd like to be one of those logical consumers for whom art quality doesn't affect purchasing decisions, I'm not. I thought that I was, but Super Console has proven me wrong. The poor quality of the cover art was, unfortunately, the first thing that struck me about the game.
The artwork in Super Console is rendered in full-color, but it is also rendered in extremely low resolution. I've often decried the consumer creed of "Better no art than bad art," but to be honest, I would have preferred either no art (or, at the very least, some clip-art) in Super Console to what it currently contains. Super Console's artwork is, simply, of a very poor quality. If you buy games specifically for the artwork (as I know some people do), you should really consider skipping Super Console.
Aside from the artwork, the only other thing overtly working against Super Console is the layout. In particular, the headings used throughout the document don't conform to one system of differentiation, rather, they incorporate alternating font size, different fonts, underlined text, italicized text and boxed text in various configurations. For me, this use of multiple heading styles made the document, not only a bit confusing, but also less than aesthetically appealing. Your mileage may vary, of course.
Finally, it's worth noting that there is a potentially complicating clause in the Copyright notice that might cause some problems for well-meaning fans. This line reads "You may make reference to this product in your own writings (e.g. to create a supplement or add-on), but you cannot legally create derivative works (e.g. "Console III – do you remember love?")." The problem with this is, of course, that supplements and add-ons are derivative works.
Now, I know that it seems I'm picking on Super Console, but the truth is that the artwork and heading issues simply stuck out like a sore thumb on my first glance at the game (the issue with the legalize was actually pointed out by a friend of mine who earns a living as an attorney). Just to be clear, Super Console isn't all bad – in fact, it's not even mostly bad. Super Console simply has a few bits of bad that really jump off the page, which is unfortunate, but not damning.
The Good
Super Console is written in a very light, personable, way that makes reading it fun. I applaud the author for this. Sprinkled with clever, light-hearted, humor, reading Super Console manages to be entertaining, rather than laborious. On a personal note, I really wish that more publishers wrote their rule books in this vein – I'll take a game that reads like Super Console over a bad facsimile of a collegiate study text any day of the week.
The next most notable thing that Super Console seems to have working for it is the quality and quantity of Game Master advice. Obviously, Super Console is a labor of love, and Mr. Fredericks loves his console roleplaying games -- he seems to have meticulously dissected them, pulling them apart one cliche at a time, and explaining those cliches in terms of tabletop roleplaying games. This looks like good stuff.
Upon Further Inspection
After giving Super Console a cursory examination and noting my initial impressions (as well as those of my associates), it was time to get down to business and give the game a spin on the tabletop. This section of the review sums up those things uncovered during the obligatory play testing, as well as those things that became apparent upon further reading of the game.
[Note: :Play testing, in this case, refers not to running an adventure of my own design using the game system (a technique that is just next to useless where maintaining an impartial outlook is concerned), but to individually examining and testing the mechanics present in the game.]
Styles and Genres
Before the game gets into actual mechanics, the author briefly discusses modes of play, categorizing them by way of "styles" and "genres". The classification of "style" specifically pertains to the default level of unreality in a given game (e.g., a "Silly" game has little, if any, ties to reality as we know it), while the classification of "genre" is used (erroneously) to refer to the default technology level of a given game per its analogue in Earth's history (e.g., Medieval Europe) or imagined future.
This brief breakdown comes in handy for explaining the game to newcomers, but the erroneous use of the word "genre" may throw old hands for a bit of a loop. The actual genre classification of Super Console would be, by default, Fantasy. That said, genre has little (if any) mechanical impact on games of Super Console, so this isn't a big deal – styles are another story.
Styles, as previously mentioned, speak directly to the level of unreality (or, if you prefer, lack of attention to real world physics) in a given Super Console game. This being the case, styles do have a mechanical impact, acting as rough guidelines for what kind of action is possible within game settings and, by extension, what rules options make sense within the context of said game settings. There are, by default, four styles of console game:
•Silly – Silly games in Super Console are best described as "anything goes" games. They focus on emulating the most far-fetched conventions of a given console roleplaying game (e.g., a thief being able to steal clothing that an opponent is currently wearing) in the context of a tabletop RPG.
•Console – Console style games in Super Console retain the aesthetic trappings of a given console roleplaying game, but don't highlight the more absurd mechanical conventions of the game being emulated (e.g., such as the aforementioned thievery).
•Mixed – Mixed games in Super Console lean toward the realistic end of the spectrum, combing the classic tropes of console roleplaying games with an emphasis on verisimilitude (i.e., implementing realistic social systems, paying attention to real world physics, etc).
•Brutal – Brutal games in Super Console are, not what I first thought they might be – they're a form of parody, having taken real life physics to such an absurd extreme that stabbing yourself to death with a weapon when you trip is not only possible, but likely. As Mr. Fredericks says, Brutal games "are death-fests".
As you can see, the chosen style of a given game will impact it immeasurably, setting the tone for players and characters alike. Obviously, it is important to carefully consider what style of game you want to play before you sit down to play it.
Super Console Characters
The approach taken to defining characters is, with the exception of some appropriately named traits, not terribly evocative of console RPGs, unfortunately. This is especially true when it comes to the number and nature of the traits used to define characters. The system is serviceable, mind you, it's just not particularly evocative of console roleplaying games (most characters in such games tend to have only a tiny handful of traits).
First, characters in Super Console have seven primary attributes (Strength, Speed, Vitality, Intelligence, Spirit, Magic and Luck). Each of these attributes represents vastly different things, not all of which I expected. For instance, defending against attacks is governed, not by Speed, but by Luck; while resisting the effects of poison has more to do with Spirit (which also doubles as the primary attribute governing social interaction) than Vitality. Frankly, some of the choices here struck me as rather bizarre, even in the context of a console RPG.
In addition to these seven primary attributes, characters are further defined by "secondary attributes" that are determined by averaging the ratings of primary attributes (with the exception of Critical Percentage, which starts with a default rating of %05). There are ten secondary attributes utilized in Super Console – Initiative, Attack Skill, Damage, Defense, Toughness, Evasion, Critical Percentage, Magical Defense, Status Resistence, and Magic Skill.
Finally, all characters have a Health bar, a Mana bar, an XP Bar, and a Level. These traits measure a character's overall health, magical energy, experience, and power respectively.
For those of you not keeping a tally, that's a total 21 traits so far – you can probably see where I'm going with the "not terribly evocative" statement that I made earlier. Super Console seems to be less concerned with emulating the mechanical conventions of console roleplaying games where character definition is concerned, than it is with re-tooling those conventions to conform to the expectations of a standard tabletop roleplaying game.
Now, all of that having been said, this isn't a bad design decision or a wrong one, but it can be a deal-breaker for some consumers – some consumers want to see the opposite design approach taken (i.e., they want to see the standard conventions of a tabletop roleplaying game re-tooled to more accurately model console RPGs). The good news is that Super Console contains a bit of both, but where character definition is concerned, the emphasis is squarely on making console RPGs behave like tabletop RPGs.
Okay. . . so how do you rate all of these traits? Well, that depends on a few things. First, there are two basic types of characters in Super Console – Classed Characters and Tasked Characters, and each is created in a completely different manner. Each of these creation methods tells you how to determine the ratings of the seven primary attributes and (by extension) the ten secondary attributes, but nowehere in the document could I locate a standardized method for determining a character's initial Health and Mana bar ratings.
To be absolutely clear on this point, there is a single reference that states "All characters have a Health Bar, which is at 100% when they're undamaged and goes down as they get hit," (Other Factors, Page 7) but this is seemingly contradicted by the later declaration that "Your Mana and Health bars are based on your Magic and Vitality scores, as well as your level" (Character Creation, page 26). Nowhere could I find an actual explanation of how these things are linked to Health and Mana bars mechanically. Just to be certain I wasn't missing something, I conducted a number of word searches (using Acrobat Reader), but to no avail.
The good news is that this is the only major mechanical gaffe that my fellows and I stumbled across in Super Console. The bad news is, of course, that the lack of this information completely breaks the game, barring the implementation of some house rules. That said, I mentioned earlier that my cohorts and I play tested the various sub-systems of Super Console individually and, this pitfall aside, everything else worked like a charm for us.
Classed Characters are extremely easy to create – in fact, there's really only one step required to create a Classed Character (well, two if you count averaging their secondary attributes). Pick a class and. . . well, that's it. There is a list of 21 classes common to console RPGs, each of which provides a static list of starting primary attribute ratings, typical genres (i.e., time periods per the rule set's definition of the term) in which the class tends to appear, typical jobs that the class performs in society, typical equipment that members of the class carry, and level0dependent special abilities.
The sole mechanical pitfall of Classed Characters is clearly identified by Mr. Fredericks – all 1st Level Classed Characters are mechanically identical. Such characters can mechanically diverge as they gain levels, but ultimately, aside from personalities, they'll always a have a great deal in common mechanically – which is where Tasked Characters come in. Tasked Characters are specifically presented as an option for those players who like a bit more diversity in their adventuring parties (mechanically speaking).
Creating a Tasked Character also consists of one step – all of a Tasked Character's primary attributes begin with a rating of four, after which a player receives 20 points to allocate amongst them however they see fit (I personally would have preferred to see some suggested point caps here, but the system is functional without them, so long as the Game Master keeps an eye on the other players). After determining attribute ratings in this manner, play begins. The difference between a Tasked Character and Classed Character becomes apparent when it comes to character growth.
Both Classed Characters and Tasked Characters gain levels as play progresses (by virtue of gaining XP), allowing each type of character to add to their attribute scores – but only Tasked Characters gain dynamic special abilities as they progress in level. As mentioned earlier, Classed Characters have a static progression outlined for them, right down to level-dependent special abilities. Tasked Characters, on the other hand, are awarded special abilities by the Game Master as they see fit. The good news is that this allows for much more dynamic characters – the bad new is that this system gives the GM total control over how your character develops (if your GM is a total bastard, the flaw in this system will quickly become obvious – trust me).
Overall, character creation in Super Console is a mixed bag of good and bad.
Personally, I would have preferred to see the character traits molded to console RPGs, rather than seeing the tenets of console RPGs re-tooled to resemble standard tabletop fare. That said, as I mentioned earlier, this is a personal preference, not a foul-up on the part of the designer. The game will simply appeal more to some folks more than it will to others in this regard. The missing information about Heath bars and Mana bars, on the other hand. . . .
No matter who you are or how you like the subject of console RPG emulation to be tackled in the context of a tabletop game, the confusion surrounding Health bars and Mana bars will be an issue. Granted, you can house rule a fix for this omission if you like, but the fact that you have to house rule it is a cause for concern. When the game sees a revision, this is probably the very first thing that needs to be addressed.
Once you get the explanations of how traits actually function out of the way, creating your character is extremely easy, literally taking five minutes or less. If you want to jump right into the action, both character creation options offered by Super Console definitely let you do just that. The relative ease with which characters can be created in Super Console is a huge selling point for those gamers who prefer "light" systems.
Finally, character growth is a simple affair, regardless of the type of character being played. The only thing to keep an eye on, when it comes to Tasked Character growth, is the Game Master. The method of rewarding special abilities to characters under the tasked Character progression system can be a brutal instrument of unfun in the hands of the wrong GM. I would go so far as to say that, because of how this system works, a campaign built around Tasked Characters will only work well with a Game Master who puts his players' satisfaction before his own.
Super Console Basic Mechanics
Action resolution in Super Console is a multi-tiered process (i.e., there is no unified resolution mechanic), which makes use of table consultation. Again, like some other aspects of the Super Console system, there are consumers for whom this design decision will not appeal – but it does work and, for me anyhow, function is much more important than form.
There are, by default, four recognized types of action in Super Console – Mundane, Resisted, Contested, and Skilled. While that might seem a bit confusing at first, it's really rather simple – Mundane actions are those that anybody can perform, Resisted actions are those initiated by a given character and actively opposed by another, Contested actions are like Resisted Actions but lack a clear aggressor, and Skilled actions are those tied directly to the specific special ability or talent of a given character.
As the rules read, we gathered that you don't roll for Mundane actions – they're simply possible or not possible (which, in fairness, is perfectly in line with the tenets of console games). Skilled actions, meanwhile, are resolved according to the description of a given special ability or talent (usually by treating them as a Resisted action). Resisted actions and Contested actions, on the other hand, are resolved by way of rolling percentile dice and consulting the Skill Chart.
To resolve a Resisted action, the player of the resisting character rolls some percentile dice (if a character doesn't resist such an action, the aggressor is assumed to automatically succeed). After this player rolls their dice, the result of that dice roll is cross-indexed on the Skill Chart with the remainder of the resisting character's most relevant attribute rating, minus the aggressing character's most relevant attribute rating. This gives you a percentile value that you must roll equal to or less than in order to successfully resist an action.
To resolve a Contested action, all players of characters participating in the context roll some percentile dice and add the rating of their character's single most relevant attribute rating to the die result scored on their behalf. The player who generates the highest modified roll total on behalf of their character wins the contest for said character.
Modifying bar ratings (e.g., Health bars, Mana bars, XP, bars, etc) during actual play is handled via a variation of the Resisted action resolution system, implementing the "Bar Chart" (i.e., another chart that cross-indexes the remainder of a simple calculation with percentile values). The main difference here is that you don't roll any dice to determine how much damage a character is dealt during combat, how much casting a certain spell reduces your Mana bar, or how much experience you gain when defeating an enemy. Here's how it works. . . .
When determining damage dealt in combat, you subtract the Defense rating of the resisting character from the Damage rating of the aggressing character. Locating this value on the Bar Chart will tell you by what percentage to reduce the successfully hit target's current Heath bar rating.
When determining how much Mana a character burns by casting a spell, you subtract the casting character's Magic Skill rating from the Spell Power of the spell being cast. Locating this value on the Bar Chart will tell you by what percentage to reduce the caster's current Mana bar rating.
To determine how much damage a character heals, you subtract the injured character's Toughness rating from the Healing Power of the spell or potion that is being applied to them. Finding this result on the Bar Table will tell you by what percentage to increase the injured character's Health bar.
Finally, in order to determine how much XP a character earns when defeating a group of monsters, you'll need to subtract the character's current level from the average level of all monsters defeated in the combat. Finding this result on the Bar Chart will tell you by what percentage to increase the current value of the character's XP bar.
Granted, you'll be referencing tables quite often, as many of these things crop up during actual play – but again, the rules work. If you aren't adverse to the idea of checking charts frequently, these rules shouldn't impede your enjoyment of Super Console (and, indeed, may even add to it). And this brings us to Patience.
Patience is, perhaps, the most ingenious mechanic of Super Console and, even if I don't play a lot of Super Console itself, I'll be sure to incorporate this concept in other games. While I'd like to stop short of calling the Patience mechanic genius, I can't – because it is genius (although, considering how it works, it would more appropriately be called Impatience). So, what is Patience? Well. . . .
Each game session, the players (all of them) begin with a common pool of six Patience points. During actual play these points can be used by players to "skip ahead" during the game session, much like pounding buttons on a joypad allows a player of a console RPG to skip a full-motion video sequence and get on with the actual game play. For each point of Patience that a player chooses to spend, they may:
•Instantly solve an annoying puzzle that the Game Master has set in your path (you know what I'm talking about).
•Win a non-Boss battle without any of the player characters losing Health or Mana.
•Restore backed up party characters from a save point (discussed later in this review) and immediately pick up the game where you were right before the party was gacked.
•Thoroughly and completely loot the surrounding area without having to check each nook and cranny individually.
In exchange for spending additional points of Patience (i.e., more than one point of Patience), a player may choose to:
•Instantly gain some levels without having to run through a series of seemingly endless wandering monster encounters.
•Return the party's Health and Mana bars to their full value without spending any money or without using a save point.
Allowing players to "fast-forward" through all of the BS and get on with actual game play is very appealing to me, both as a player (I hate silly riddles and puzzles) and as a Game Master (it lets the players tell me, during actual play, what they really want out of the game). This idea is, simply put, great.
The basic mechanics of Super Console are a step up from the many of the character rules, both in terms of emulating actual console game mechanics, and where cohesiveness is concerned. My cohorts and I didn't find any obvious gaps in the resolution rules, enjoyed the simple and consistent system for altering bar ratings, and (obviously) were thrilled by the Patience rules.
There is a lot to like at Super Console's core, provided that you're not hung up on having a unified resolution mechanic and that you aren't adverse to referencing charts during actual play. The basic mechanics of Super Console are functional and evocative, perhaps going further toward realizing the designer's goals of creating a tabletop "one size fits all" console RPG emulator than any other part of the game.
Super Console Combat Mechanics
The combat mechanics of Super Console are, for the most part, a logical extension of the several basic mechanics discussed above – actions are resolved per the Skill Chart, damage is determined using the Bar Chart, and so on. The primary difference between combat and other action in Super Console isn’t in how combat is resolved or how its effects are applied to characters, but in how it is structured.
First, by default, there are two sides in a given combat (PCs and opponents), each of which is further divided into rows (i.e., rows of characters) , as is typical of combat in a great many traditional console RPGs. Prior to combat beginning, players may state what row (e.g., front, back, etc) that their characters are standing in on their side of a conflict. Moving from one row to another during actual combat requires a player to expend an action, thus some thought should be given to starting positions when entering into a given battle.
After character positions have been determined, there’s a matter of time. Combats in Super Console are divided into “Ticks,” abstract measures of time counted off during a battle, beginning with Tick #0, during which all characters “get ready to fight, “ and continually counting upward until the combat ends. A character’s Initiative score is located on the Ticks Table to determine both on what Tick number they can take their first action (following Tick #0, of course) and how many Ticks they must wait before they can take subsequent actions. Naturally, the higher a character’s Initiative rating, the sooner they will be able to take their initial action and the less time they must wait before executing another, subsequent, action.
Now, that said, there are a few optional rules for combat that outline maneuvers more in line with traditional roleplaying games than console RPGs (e.g., called shots, disarms, etc), but they are presented specifically as options with Mixed and Brutal games in mind. I’m not particularly sold on any of these options, but that has more to do with the kind of console RPGs I enjoy (I’m a big Shining Force nut) than with any objective critique that I have to offer. If you’re a fan of more detailed console RPGs that allow you to choose special attack maneuvers, these options will likely be right up your alley.
Finally, combat in Super Console introduces the concept of varied and specific status effects. Now, granted, this idea was arguably pioneered in D&D, but prior to that it was largely the realm of electronic roleplaying games (both of the console and PC variety). Super Console presents a list of 19 unique status effects that range from Berserk (a player loses control of their character as he goes nuts and attacks the nearest foes until he or they are dead) to Tiny (a character shrinks to a diminutive height of 12 inches). And, of course, Frog (you guessed it – your character turns into a little green frog).
Whether the combat mechanics of Super Console are examined individually or as a complete system, they are extremely evocative of the game’s source material and undeniably on point. In particular, my fellows and I found the “Tick” system and quirky status effects to be the high points of Super Console combat, bringing the illusion of playing a console RPG to life – nothing screams “console RPG” quite like having your character poisoned, silenced, and turned into a frog in rapid succession ;)
As a structural extension of Super Console’s basic mechanics and as a homage to turn-based combat in console roleplaying games, the game’s combat system strikes gold. Specifically, it strikes a good balance between medium emulation and open-ended structure; that is, it is evocative of many console RPGs without being shackled to any one game in particular. This does, of course, go a long way toward helping Super Console realize its goal of facilitating the emulation of as many console roleplaying games as possible.
Overall, I’m impressed with the Super Console combat systems – they do exactly what they set out to do, further pushing the game toward its ultimate goal of serving as a one size fits all system and, more importantly, they work.
Super Console Magic
This section of the review is brief as, for the most part, I’ve already covered how magic works in the game (see the section of this review entitled “Super Console Basic Mechanics” for more details). The short version is that, if your character is capable of casting spells, doing so requires that they expend Mana, thus reducing their Mana bar rating by a given percentile rating (determined by reading the Bar Chart, as previously discussed).
Spells themselves are presented in lists, each of which is sorted by class, with the availability of individual spells being limited by character level. While it is true that console RPGs often default to a similar system for categorizing spells, the system is typically obfuscated, rather than laid bare. This is arguably one of those instances in which Super Console behaves more like a traditional tabletop roleplaying game, rather than a console RPG (though I honestly can’t see how this could have been avoided).
Magic is, aside from the large array of character attributes, the only other true low point of Super Console when it comes to cultivating the illusion that one is playing a console RPG. This isn’t to say that the system governing magic is non-functional (it works quite well, in truth), only that it lacks the evocative flair that the rest of the game exudes, due largely to the fact that it peels back the slick 8-bit veneer to expose the game’s internal circuitry.
Super Console Equipment
Like the preceding section of this review, this chapter in the dissection of Super Console is brief as well. Equipment, as you likely suspect, is just what is in every roleplaying game – gear, weapons, armor, clothes, and the like. Accordingly, this section of the Super Console document is packed tight with lists of equipment, all of which is priced in unites referred to ISBs (Intergame Standard Bucks) that represent the common unit of currency in your chose game setting.
All of Super Console’s play styles receive special attention here with custom-tailored equipment lists, and the traditional shopping experience of console RPGs (i.e., shops that sell only level- appropriate equipment) receives a full-on treatment. That said, one thing is notably missing – the number of ISBs that a character begins play with is never discussed. I assume that it’s up to the Game Master to hand out (or withhold) such starting cash, but this is only an assumption.
For the most part, the section of Super Console that deals with equipment is exactly what you’d expect it to be – a very large shopping list. The two things that stick out as being different are the very detailed treatment of implementing shops in the vein of those found in console roleplaying games, and the failure to address the issue of generating an initial amount of spending cash. So, like much of Super Console, you get a bit of both good and bad.
Super Console Conventions
When my friends and I were first pouring over the Super Console rules, we were itching to get to this section of the document, as it was easily one of the most promising in the game. Who wouldn’t want some rules for implementing save points, mini-games, and cheat codes in a tabletop game? That sounds like a load of fun, right? Well. . . .
Some of the most promising concepts in Super Console wound up being some of the most useless, as my fellows and I soon discovered. Take, for example, the aforementioned save points, mini-games, and cheat codes.
Implementing save points in Super Console requires that you photocopy all of the party’s character sheets. Obviously, this means that you’ll need to have a photocopier handy during all of your game sessions and, for most gamers that I know, dropping off at Staples to pick up a photocopier isn’t quite like dropping by the game shop to pick up a few extra dice. Implementing save points, as laid out in Super Console, is simply going to be completely impractical for most folks.
Likewise, to implement mini-games in your tabletop game, the author suggests that you go sit in front of the television, power up an actual game console, and take turns playing an actual console game. I hate to be the one to point out that this is not implementing a mini-game in an existing tabletop campaign (as Mr. Fredericks suggest), but walking away from a tabletop campaign already in progress to go play a very real console game for a bit. Again, my fellows and I had a hard time believing that most gamers would find this practical.
Finally, cheat codes are given only two paragraphs of coverage and, ultimately, we were left with “Exactly how one would enter said code in a tabletop RPG is a bit beyond us.” – which is unfortunate, because this is exactly the kind of advice I think most people expect to find in a tabletop RPG that discusses such subjects (i.e., I think that most readers seeing such a subject heading would expect some advice on how to implement cheat codes in their game).
The good news is that the discussion of concepts such as cut scenes and side quests in the context of console roleplaying games is excellent. These subjects rarely get much mention in tabletop roleplaying games, so seeing them receive a thorough treatment in Super Console was uplifting. In fact, out of the 21 console conventions discussed, only those three mentioned earlier were truly fumbled – the rest are covered with short, concise, and very informative explanations.
The three fumbled conventions are almost excusable given the strength of the other topical discussion offered in this section of Super Console, but my players and I couldn’t help feeling disappointed that we’d have to wait for another game to address those aspects of emulating console games on the tabletop in a practical manner. Personally, I’m still torn over this issue, as the promise of rules for save points, mini-games, and cheat codes was one of the reasons that Super Console initially piqued my interest.
Super Console Styles & Genres Revisited
I’ll keep this brief, as I’ve already discussed Super Console’s take on genre and style. This section of the document revisits the basic concepts of genre and style outlined earlier in the document, expanding upon them by providing examples of common themes and further explanation. The only possible low point of this expanded look at genres and styles is the explanation of Brutal games, which clearly tries to paint verisimilitude or pursuit of realism in fantasy as being bad and wrong (an attitude and viewpoint not immediately conveyed by the earlier, basic, explanation of Brutal games).
Super Console Monsters
What console RPG experience would be complete without monsters? That’s right – no console RPG experience would be complete without monsters and neither would a tabletop game called Super Console. Mr. Fredericks seems keenly aware of this, having provided a simple yet dynamic system of creating monsters in the vein of console RPGs. This system works remarkably well, providing the GM tools to create truly unique monsters without taxing their patience.
Monsters in Super Console are represented using the same attributes used to represent other characters, although the manner used to determine the ratings of these attributes differs and, as was the case with characters, two methods for creating monsters are made available to the Game Master.
The basic method of creating monsters provides the Game Master with a kind of ‘core monster’ to which collections of attribute bonuses and special qualities in the form of “Monster Types” (e.g., demon, dragon, plant, etc) can be bolted, allowing for various degrees of customization (especially where monster types can be combined to create new and terrifying creatures).
The advanced method of creating monsters builds upon the basic method, providing several sub- types of monsters, each defined by a list of level-dependent special abilities reminiscent of those possessed by player characters. Each such advanced monster is roughly 50% more powerful than a monster created using the basic method only.
Of the two monster creation methods, the former was definitely less taxing for me as a Game Master as I didn’t have to worry about keeping track of special abilities, although the latter made for more dynamic encounters. Ultimately, what method I used depended upon what kind of actual play experience I was looking to convey (I wholeheartedly recommend using the advanced method for creating ‘boss’ monsters).
Finally, rounding out this section of Super Console is some basic advice on implementing monsters in your games and a selection of sample monsters that give you an idea of what you can do with the monster creation rules (as well as providing a ready-made bestiary for you to tinker with).
As a Game Master (the role that I seem to default to), I found Super Console’s methods of defining monsters to be remarkably versatile while embracing the often wacky spirit of console roleplaying games where actual output was concerned (can you say Dreaded Undead Fairie?). Honestly, I’m impressed with the monster creation rules and can’t say anything bad about them.
Everything Else
Rounding out the Super Console document is a short section of advice for the Game Master, a utilitarian character sheet, and a handy reference page that reproduces the Bar Chart, the Skill Chart, the Ticks Table, and the Status Chart in one convenient place. Of these things, only the Game Master advice section truly bears any mention (the rest is self-explanatory).
While not truly remarkable (for better or worse), the section of Super Console dedicated to Game Master advice can be helpful when it comes to assisting the GM in matters of structuring his Super Console campaigns, especially when it comes to balancing encounters for PCs to overcome. Indeed, there are two tables provided that lay out rough estimates of damage dealt by classed characters of a given level (unfortunately, not all possible character levels are given the treatment).
These tables allow a Game Master to better gauge whether or not a particular creature will pose an appropriate challenge for a given party of classed characters. Ultimately, balancing encounters still requires judicious use of Game Master fiat, but most games either go with fiat all the way or provide a kind of ball and chain when it comes to balancing encounters – Super Console splits the difference, providing some guidelines for balance in actual play without stepping on the GM’s toes.
The other two stand out bits of advice in this section of Super Console detail the typical ‘story cycle’ of console RPGs and offer advice on implementing the Main Villain (the guy you fight at the end of such a game). Of these two particular topics, the former is far better executed, but the latter still deserves a mention as it isn’t the typical kind of advice that one tends to find in a tabletop roleplaying game.
The examination of story cycle in RPGs is interesting, assuming a default model that places combat
and travel above plot (which, arguably, is the default model for most of the source material). A
simple flowchart is provided, showing how primary elements of this story cycle (Travel, Towns,
Plot, and Boss Fights) are related, while advice is offered as to how a Game Master can make the
most of such elements in their own campaigns. So what happens if you want to emphasize
plot?
Just in case the default story cycle model doesn’t float your boat, several variations are covered.
That having been said, one important (and fairly common) variation is not discussed – the
plot-driven console RPG. All of Sega’s Shining Force series (with one exception), for
example, were focused primarily on plot, with all combats being tied directly to the
progressing storyline. While the inclusion of such a model variation is buy no means mandatory, I
found its omission unusual, as the Shining Force games (when they were still being offered)
were second in popularity only to Square’s Final Fantasy games.
Finally, a Main Villain in Super Console is the ultimate Big Bad – and he isn’t built like other
monsters. No, the Main Villain of a Super Console campaign has his own base creation template
(presented here to hide it from the prying eyes of other players, I assume), a suitably juiced-up affair
that will make low level characters run for cover. He (or she) is a straight-up pillar of badassitude in
true console RPG tradition. Fear the Main Villain of Super Console.
Aside from the bits of advice touched on above, the rest of the Game Master advice in Super
Console is what you’d expect to find in a tabletop roleplaying game. While most of this information
is not particularly useful for veteran Game Masters, newcomers may find the short discussion on
how to deal with problem players helpful, as well as the dissertation on why using a game system
not designed specifically to handle time travel to run a time travel campaign is probably not a good
idea unless you’re willing to do some heavy hand waving.
The Final Verdict
As a tabletop game that sets out to emulate the conventions of console games, Super Console
alternates between degrees of brilliance and confusion, sometimes titillating and other times poised
to disappoint. Ultimately, my friends and I found that whether or not a given individual enjoys Super
Console will have a lot to do with what they expect out of the game, as well as what they expect out
of roleplaying games in general.
That said, while Super Console may be a bit of a mixed bag, it's also the only
tabletop roleplaying game available that is designed to accommodate the emulation of many
console RPGs (as opposed to one console RPG in particular). This being the case, I urge you to look
past Super Console’s relatively minor flaws and consider its strong points carefully before you
decide that it’s not the game for you. You may end up being pleasantly surprised with it.
So, what do I personally think about Super Console?
In the end, the biggest issue that I personally had with Super Console was its layout and editing,
especially where clarity and presentation of content was concerned. The game would definitely
benefit from a few more editing passes and some restraint where use of header styles is concerned.
Other than that, the only truly low point of Super Console for me was the ball-dropping where
providing practical rules for certain console RPG conventions was concerned. The rules for save
points and mini-games in particular were terribly disappointing.
Those few gripes aside, I found Super Console to be an excellent idea mine and a decent attempt at
providing an open framework for emulating console RPGs on the tabletop. While I don’t see myself
playing Super Console often, I feel confident that when I do play the game, I will have fun.
[Note #1 The Super Console rules refer to the Game Master as the "CPU" and player
characters as “Main Characters” – I avoided using this jargon here in order to ensure that the
review remain as accessible as possible.]
[Note #2: While writing this review, I exchanged email with the publisher regarding my
concern about the confusion surrounding Health and Mana bars, and was told that both Health and
Mana bars start with a value of 100% by default. Again, this isn’t clear in the document itself, but
Mr. Fredericks assured me that he will address the issue in future revisions of the game.]
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