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Lighthouse System
Publisher: Lightspress Media
by Daniel P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/18/2017 22:42:04

I picked up Lighthouse because I have found that my tastes in roleplaying game systems have drifted more towards the simple and narrative, rather than the complex and rules-laden. Everything I read about Lighthouse told me it would be along the same conceptual lines as other games with those qualities I already liked, so I went for it.

I like a lot what Kinsman has done in Lighthouse, a lot. This is a narrative-focused system that highlights descriptive devices, using dice mechanics sparingly and meaningfully to drive the story forward with an eye towards drama.

In Lighthouse, characters are built using descriptions with varying levels of importance/complexity--Big, Medium, and Small Things--each with its own numeric bonus. Rather than get bogged down in extensive skill lists and abilities, what a character can do is derived organically from each Thing description in conversation between the player and the Guide (Game Master).

The resolution mechanic is simple, using a d20 + modifiers to achieve either a low (1-10) or high (11-20), odd or even result. You then put forth a die bid, a die which determines how much you're investing into that particular roll, ranging from d4 (barely invested) to d12 (you're all in). A low result is a failure, high is a success, odd means Guide narrates, even means rolling player narrates, with the bid die determining the level of success/failure.

Threats to the characters are handled using narrative devices called Consequences, which are tied to the bid die. Characters have five slots of increasing degree of seriousness with which to absorb "damage" received during conflicts, from d4 (a very light consequence) to d12 (a potentially-permanent consequence). Consequences are dictated by the narrative, and are meant to evoke drama, not bad luck with the dice, so that no one bites the dust unless everyone playing agrees it is the proper, dramatic consequence.

The Lighthouse book includes a number of character examples drawn from easily-identifiable pop-culture stories, showcasing the versatility of the system, while the example of play helps the reader see how the pieces all fit together when in use. To this add that the book is only $3.00, and you have an easy-to-use, new-player friendly, storytelling-driven, affordable game that can power pretty much any story you and your friends want to play through at the table.

Dancing Lights Press has already published a couple of games powered by Lighthouse, and I can't wait to see how the system moves for each of those settings, as well as in what ways it can be hacked at home.

If you like Fate Accelerated Edition, or value dramatic storytelling over task simulation in your roleplaying games, pick up Lighthouse and give it a spin. Personally, I can't wait to do so.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Lighthouse System
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Races of Fantasy: The Demigod
Publisher: LPJ Design
by Daniel P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/28/2008 23:04:12

The Demigod is, as you can imagine, the child of a mortal and a god, your typical Hercules or whatnot. The race has a "Divine" origin (see the post above, though), radiant resistance and mainly express their parentage by having a Divinity feat as a racial feature. The story fluff accompanying the crunch is adequate, presenting the idea of demigods as outsiders with varying degrees of acceptance according to where they live. There's 5 new feats, and a full entry for demigod monsters (4 varieties, lore and encounter groups) rounding it all out.

Where I was a bit disappointed was in the feats section, not because the ones presented aren't good (they're fine), but because this would have been a great place to add feats that customize each demigod to be a better representation of the parent deity, a place to make the race truly unique. An obvious example: even though the image used in the product has wings, there's no way for your PC demigod to have wings and hover/fly.

The product comes bundled with a number of helpful forms, including sheets of empty power cards (though the encounter feat power presented in the product does not come pre-filled into one of them) and a character sheet, and token sheets featuring the cover art in Medium and Large size. They are a fine addition, if unrelated to the actual product (save for the tokens).

Overall, it's a pretty good value. Lee did a fine job here of presenting this race (though I'd like to suggest that Lee Hammock's name be added somewhere in the product), and it certainly fits the 4e ethos of non-Tolkienesque fantasy.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Races of Fantasy: The Demigod
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Venture 4th: The Linotaur
Publisher: Adamant Entertainment
by Daniel P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/17/2008 10:29:47

This product continues 4e's trend of presenting playable character races that are fantastic yet different from the Tolkien-esque staples. The Linotaur is cool, and that alone is a draw. The mechanical design is on-par with the core races, giving you something that will stand out but should not unbalance things. I like the fact that the Linotaur occupies non-standard space on the grid; along with its high mobility it opens up a lot of interesting tactical options. The racial abilities presented are expected for this type of creature, enhancing the race's natural abilities and weapons. It also includes information on Linotaurs as monsters, making this product twice as useful.

The only thing I would have liked to see included is a bit more information on the ancestral spirit cult of the Linotaurs. We get a glimpse of it via a sample adventurer's description and a Heroic feat, but that's it. Which is a shame because it provides a very interesting story hook, alongside the Linotaurs' tradition of gathering tales of life experiences to recount at pride meetings. Perhaps that can be included in a future expanded version, one that also includes one or two paragon paths and an epic destiny.

This is a solid product, at a good price, presenting an interesting new race for 4e gameplay. I'm very pleased with it.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Venture 4th: The Linotaur
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New Gods of Mankind New God's Handbook 1st Edition
Publisher: Dark Skull Studios
by The D. F. P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/07/2008 11:16:57

We got this product for review on The Digital Front some time back, but unfortunately Mark's time has been taken up by real life stuff, so it ended up lingering in the electronic closet of gaming books. I had taken a look at it a couple of times since getting the download, and when Richard Leon (of Dark Skull Studios, the publisher) emailed me if I had had a chance to look it over, I took the opportunity to give it one more look and write up some feedback for him, which I now share with you.

Overall I think they have a very intriguing game in New Gods of Mankind. The premise is that you play a new deity as it begins to make its mark on the world and gather followers to create a cult, and thus power. At first I thought that this was along the lines of Godsend Agenda or Scion, but the fact that you actually get to play an actual deity at a period of time when such a paradigm makes sense (the game is set in this world's early bronze age, when the elder races are still strong, but humanity is starting to become a major force in the world's dynamics - in short, the perfect time for the titutlar new gods of manking to be making their power plays in order to raise their protected race, and themselves, up in influence and power) is a lot more compeling. I have a soft spot for ancient/bronze age settings, so they hooked me here, and the world they have described seems very appealing, very Hyborea-like, with all the cool pulp fantasy elements that entails. I think, actually, it's one of the books strongest points.

Playing a deity is not something that calls too me as a gamer, I do have to admit, but I must say that the character creation chapter could very well stand alone as the centerpiece of a great supplement on the creation of deities for a homebrewed campaign. It covers all the right elements to leave you with a well-rounded, complex deity to drop into your world; no cookie-cutter gods here, I assure you. Dark Skull would do well to grab this chapter out and make the supplement I suggest, because it would be of great use to a wide variety of gamers, and would help expose others to their game.

To up the cool factor once more, the book includes a chapter on playing New Gods of Mankind as a board game, effectively giving you two games in one. At $9.95 for the PDF, I think this is a great buy, even if only for the setting and deity creation material in case you're not looking for another game.

Fans of Scion and Godsend Agenda would do well to take a look at New Gods of Mankind. You're already familiar with playing a character at this level of power, and hey, why not play an actual deity instead of an avatar?



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
New Gods of Mankind New God's Handbook 1st Edition
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Kobold Quarterly #2
Publisher: Kobold Press
by The D. F. P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/18/2007 12:06:37

This review originally appeared in The Digital Front Podcast - Episode 05 and Purple Duck Productions. http://thedigitalfront.com/2007/10/18/tdf_05/ http://purpleduckcreations.blogspot.com/2007/10/digital-front-review-corner-kobold.html

Review - Kobold Quarterly #2 by Mark Gedak

Kobold Quarterly #2 is the fall issue of Wolfgang Baur's OGL magazine of kobolds and dragons. It is available in PDF from Paizo's website (www.paizo.com) on an issue by issue basis or by susbscription through Wolfgang's Free City site (http://wolfgangbaur.com/). This issue is 45 pages and is full-bookmarked. Contributers to this issue include but are not limited to Wolfgang Baur, Tim and Eileen Connors, Ed Greenwood, Robert Schwalb, Sigfried Trent, Nicholas Logue, Jeff Grubb, John Ling, and Skip Williams. There are 6 new game articles, two previews from upcoming products, an industry interview, letters column, Bolt & Quiver and Ask a Kobold. As Kobold Quarterly is being developed as a magazine, there are a few ads in the product.

There is a good mix of DM and player articles in this issue. For players, there is a 20 level non-magic using assassin class by Robert Schwalb. This section is a preview of material from Green Ronin's d20 Freeport Companion. The class is packed with abilities new and old. It certainly doesn't suffer from the loss of assassin spells, as it has a backstab (weakened sneak attack), combat bonus to flanking, poison use, a customization option called tools of the trade, death attack, sniper and hiding abilities spread across the 20 levels. If a player looking for something a little less crunchy, Sigfried Trent provides readers with an article focused on creating vibrant characters. He uses a five point approach focus on the theme, appearance, motivation, speech, and quirks of the character to help a person define their characters. John Ling provides players with alternate class abilities for the paladin to that replace the paladin's mount with a bonded weapon, a guardian archon or elemental resistance.

For DMs, there is a wealth of new material. Tim and Eileen Connors present the 2nd article in the Archduke series – this one focusing on Belphegor, the prince of laziness. I don't know if it's right to laugh out loud when reading about the corruption of humanity but way that Belphegor rose through the ranks of the devils is absolutely hilarious in this article. Ed Greenwood brings a three page article on how to bring a community to life. It covers city basics, interesting locals, subplots, information gathering and the law. Nicolas Logue reminds us of what a good ecology article looks like when he examines the origin, physiology, society and history of the Barghest. This article has four Barghest-specific feats, though I think one could easily be adapted to werewolfs, worgs or similar beasties; there is also stats for a greater barghest that lives within the sewers of Zobeck. Jeff Grub expands on an idea that Wolfgang presented in issue #1 of Kobold Quarterly and discuss how aristocratic levels could be given by rulers as rewards, how they interact with class levels and what happens if the character falls out favour. I found this article particularly helpful because in my PbEM campaign, the PCs started with a single level of a npc class and have risen to a heroic class – it was nice to see that a designer would approach the interaction in the same way as we did. Wolfgang Baur closes the magazine with an article on the origin the ghoul empire that is the focus of Open Design 3: Empire of the Ghouls (set for release this month) and an article on the Griffin Towers that surround the Free City of Zobeck.

For DMs and Players alike, Kobold Quarterly had the opportunity to talk to Wayne Reynolds about his work as an illustrator and the new Kobold Sage (Skip Williams) answers questions on the concealment mechanic and charisma modifiers.

One of the nicest features of Kobold Quarterly is the inclusion of materials into a shared open design world. The assassin article references the Free City of Zobeck (Steam and Brass) and the ecology of the Barghest references the Stross family (from Castle Shadowcrag). There is a nice mix of fluff and crunch as well. The product is not without flaws, there are a handful of obvious editing mistakes and the three statistic blocks seemed to have a couple errors or lacked uniform structure between them. Overall, I would recommend this issue of Kobold Quarterly to anyone who is looking for a general d20 fantasy magazine.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Kobold Quarterly #2
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Wizards and Wiseguys
Publisher: RPG Objects
by The D. F. P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/18/2007 09:24:40

This review originally appeared in The Digital Front Podcast - Episode 05 and Purple Duck Productions. http://thedigitalfront.com/2007/10/18/tdf_05/ http://purpleduckcreations.blogspot.com/2007/10/digital-front-review-corner-wizards-and.html

Review - Wizards and Wiseguys by Mark Gedak

Wizards and Wiseguys is a 23 page PDF from Rpgobjects written by Mike Lafferty. It is an alternate history setting based on the modern and fantasy SRDs. It is available from rpgobjects.com, rpgnow.com and drivethrurpg.com for $3.95. The download has both a print-friendly (portrait) and screen version (in landscape with colour elements) and both are extensively bookmarked.

This product is divided into two main section; the first 17 or so pages look at the changes to the world's history as well as providing a number of adventure hooks, and the last 6 or so pages of mechanics suggestions and non-player characters. The main premise of the product is that the 1908 Tunguska event/explosion was actually the result a magical explosion that exposed the real world to the world of Shadow (as similar in Urban Arcana). Magic is reborn into the modern world and the product looks at how it effects events during 1908-1912 (pre-WWI), 1912-1928 (WWI), 1918-1920 (the Dragon war), 1920's (roaring 20's and prohibition). The influence of magic across these times is gradual so that major events still occur but they are flavoured by the magic that now exists. Each section of time has a couple pages of history, GM notes on running that section and three or four adventure hooks.

During the emergence of magic has profound effects on the political climate of the world with China collapsing into anarchy, Britain repelled form some of its colonies and several areas that have long sought independence achieve it with magic. The use of magic is criminalized in several areas as magic is seen as the work of devils or used by criminals. During the great war, German mystics manipulate Mexican officials into invading America to keep them out of the European theatre. Allies and Axis powers are divided on the sorts of magic they wield. Griffins and wyvern are employed as mounts in the war and clay golems are used to assist the allied ground troops. As the Kaiser's army began to fall, he negotiated with 4 red dragons to lend combat support. During the dragon war era, warfare focus on man versus the creatures of shadow. With the dragons defeated, society enters the 20s and America enters prohibition. Overall the history is imaginative yet plausible so that all of history veers of the tracks.

The rule section is kind of a mixed bag. This campaign is in someways similar to Urban Arcana but instead of using the Modern SRD for magic and monsters it uses the Fantasy SRD. Much of the rules information is done in the form of a suggested list of changes. It lists classes and skills to exclude from the modern ruleset and suggests changes to some of the modern spells. I like the inclusion of rune charms (to resist magical attacks) and rune slugs (to harm creatures of magic). I really dislike that the fantasy spell list is being used instead of the modern one. I really liked the concept that all high magic could only be accomplished through ritual in modern. As this is written, a 12th level character (3rd/9th mage) has access to 9th level DnD spells; this significantly ramps up the power available in a d20 modern campaign (this also would be 5 levels before a wizard in a magic-rich fantasy world would achieve such skill). There are a number of caveats about spell level and campaign year and school availability. The product closes with npc stats for main characters from the history.

There are a couple of issues of consistency in the text such as where both the allies and axis have the upper hand when it comes to transmutation magic. The setting is really interesting but I'm not comfortable with how the mechanics are developed. By providing a short list of changes, not providing advanced classes for the many organizations listed in the history and trying to integrate the fantasy SRD it just seems like the product leaves all the heavy lifting to the GM. I think if I choose to run a Wizards and Wiseguys campaign I would drop all reference to the fantasy SRD and still with the rules for magic and magic items in the Modern Arcana book or SRD.



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
Wizards and Wiseguys
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Behind the Spells: Dispel Magic
Publisher: Fat Goblin Games
by The D. F. P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/30/2007 13:29:00

This review first appeared on The Digital Front Podcast #4 and at Purple Duck Creations. http://thedigitalfront.com/2007/09/26/episode-04-eric-wiener-interview/ http://purpleduckcreations.blogspot.com/2007/09/digital-front-podcast-review-corner-1.html

Behind the Spells: Dispel Magic – Review Reviewed by Mark Gedak mark AT thedigitalfront DOT com

This tightly-focused product is 9-pages and retails for $2.00. This product is the 36th release in the "Behind the Spells" line of supplements that provides unofficial history, secrets and variants for the most well known spells from the Dungeon and Dragons roleplaying games. This particular release is focused on the Dispel Magic spell.

Three of the pages of this product deal with Maxolt, an ancient gold dragon, and his research into the history of the dispel magic spell. This particular story involves a magical plague, hordes of diseased puppets, an ancient ritual used to steal the souls of the diseased and the attempted ascension of a wizard named Orcus, through demonic ranks toward godhood. This thereby links one of the greatest D&D villains with the creation of dispel magic without retconning [sic] Orcus's origin in any way. It also provides Orcus with a new enemy known as the "gloam elves" who work to tear his power away by returning the souls of the plague-victims. The gloam elves hide within a pocket realm known as Twilight Circle. From this location, the gloam elves work to disrupt the work of Orcus and his minions. There are no actual statistics for the gloam elves provided in this product.

The remainder of the product deals with spell secrets which provide alterations or variant mechanics for the spells that we typically know and related research which provides information that relates to the creation of the spell or spells and items created as a result of further research. In this release there are three spell secrets. They focus on ways to enhance the duration of suppressing a magical item, a way to disrupt an ongoing spell-effect in a way that it lowers the creature's spell resistance and a way for specialist to become more skilled at dispelling spells of their schools. The related research provides mechanics on the shards of the glass sphere Orcus used as a soul collector and magical tokens used to override a caster's spells but providing a bonus to dispel checks directed against him.

I enjoyed this Behind the Spells release, even though I don't often use dispel magic in my campaigns. I think I will get the most use out of this product by using the origin of Orcus presented as a campaign arc in my own campaign. I definitely find the Behind the Spells series more of an idea book series (something to steal ideas from) instead of a content book (something to steal mechanics from). The product is not bookmarked but as it is only 9 pages and tightly focused it gets by without them fine. There is a nice balance of flavour and crunch and the open game content declaration leaves the magic items and spell secrets available to other publishers.

(Please note that this product was originally published by Ronin Arts, but it is now published by Tricky Owlbear Publishing, author Bret Boyd's own publishing company.)



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Behind the Spells: Dispel Magic
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The 6th Seal
Publisher: Adamant Entertainment
by The D. F. P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/26/2007 10:59:53

This review first appeared on The Digital Front Podcast #4 and at Purple Duck Creations. http://thedigitalfront.com/2007/09/26/episode-04-eric-wiener-interview/ http://purpleduckcreations.blogspot.com/2007/09/digital-front-podcast-review-corner-1.html

The Sixth Seal – Review Reviewed by Mark Gedak mark AT thedigitalfront DOT com

The Sixth Seal is a supplement that is published under Green Ronin's Mutant's and Masterminds Superlink System. The product is 55 pages long, fully-booked marked and available for $7.95 at both Rpgnow and DTRPG. The author of this supplement is Mike Lafferty and presents a campaign model or arc that is focused the aftermath of a terrible natural disaster that isolates and disables much of the country's cities. The product is divided into four sections and two appendices.

The first section of this product is called "The Earthquake Hits" and provides two adventures focused on what problems arises when a major earthquake strikes the heroes hometown. Often the adventures are broken into multiple scenes and each scene has mini-challenges. A mini-challenge is sort of a complication, an additional task that the heroes must deal with while trying to deal with the primary task. One such mini-challenge is the rescue of children from an apartment that has been set on fire by the arsonist villain. The first two adventures in this section deal with the actions of the arsonist named Brimstone and the breakdown of security at the meta-human prison after an aftershock knockdown its power grid. All major villains are listed at the end of this section, while minor characters who are best emulated by existing statblocks are simply listed with the appropriate location to find them in the core Mutant and Mastermind rules.

The second section of the product called, "Life After The Quake" focuses on the power structures that are function within the city in the weeks and months after the massive quake has destroyed much of the country's infrastructure. In the wake of the disaster, power groups begin to grab territories throughout the city. This breaks the city into eleven factions. Each faction is detailed with it typical membership, key personalities and primary motivation. These groups and locations play major roles in the adventures present in the third section of this product. There are a number of super-powered characters in this section with heroes like the Red Specter, ambiguious characters like the Silver Lynx, deranged cultists like Nektrotic (who sports a sign in yellow on his forehead), and criminals like the Midnight Bombardier.

"Post-Quake Adventures" is the third section of this product deals with life weeks and months after the initial quake and its aftershocks. There are three adventures in this section, the first deals with the heroes attempt to stop the arms race that is building between the various streetgangs, the second deals with preventing hordes of undead from over the cities refugees and final adventure focuses on the gang's stand against the police forces that have slowly taken back the city. Although many of these adventures have elaborate combat scenes there are many roleplaying opportunities as well such as the negotiation with mercenaries, political games and deal-making with the gangs.

The fourth section of the book is just a short paragraph that explains how the city eventual returns to its pre-quake state. The first appendix provides seven short scenes that and be interspersed into the longer campaign arc. The second appendix provides the GM with an alternate plotline that could be used to isolate just the heroes' home town and not the entire eastern seaboard of North America. This plot also includes a mystery and a villain that is ultimately behind the quake – instead of it being a natural disaster as originally plotted.

As it is written "The 6th Seal" is not really an adventure so much as a toolkit for an apocalyptic event. It seems the ideal sort of toolkit you would want to use if you wanted to run a campaign similar to the No Man's Land storyline from Batman or a campaign set in a devastated metropolis such as New York currently is in the World War Hulk event. There are lots of good ideas, adventures and advice for handling adventures in a environment where social and governmental support networks have failed. There are also about a dozen fully stated NPCs to be used in this adventure or ported out to your own campaign.

I had trouble accepting one of the roleplaying situations with the character called Atomiknight, who is a mercerary that is trading advanced weaponry to the gangs for medical supplies, food and other trade goods. Although I can see that it fits thematically with the campaign, I'm not sure why he would demand cash and other valuables and then use his powers to escape this devastation and live off his arms dealing in a nicer country.

Overall, I found this product packed with information and ideas that would be very useful for a disaster campaign in Mutants and Masterminds games or even adapted by other heroic roleplaying games with conversion of the npcs. For publishers looking for reusable open game content, the designation of open game content is very clear and generous.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
The 6th Seal
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OtherWorldly Art Portfolio Volume Six
Publisher: Super Genius Games
by Daniel P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/24/2006 00:00:00

I purchased this product at a reduced price ($1.99) and that colors my review greatly. The selection of images is not as good as in the previous OtherWorldly Art Portfolios, though for this one we go back to Fantasy in the selection of artwork pieces. The 25 pieces are hit and miss in terms of quality, with quite a few featuring the cat people of this company's Diomin setting, which means they have limited use in most campaigns (though I have to say that the pic of the lion warrior riding an armored chuul was very cool). For the sale price I paid I feel great about my purchase, though I wouldn't necessarily be of the same opinion had I paid full price. My advice, get it while it's on sale and get a very good value for your money.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Good mix of images returning to the Fantasy theme (the last few OtherWorldly Art Portfolios have had a lot of Pulp and modern images). Great buy at a reduced price.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Lots of catfolk images of very limited use in most campaigns and products, though if that's what you are looking for, then this is a definite plus.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[3 of 5 Stars!]
OtherWorldly Art Portfolio Volume Six
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OtherWorldly Art Portfolio Volume Five
Publisher: Super Genius Games
by Daniel P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/24/2006 00:00:00

The pieces of artwork in this product were of very good quality, especially for the reduced price I paid for them ($1.99), though I would have, more than likely, purchased it eventually at its regular price. The images are overwhemlingly Pulp in genre, though they can be (creatively) used for other eras of Modern gaming.<br><br> <b>LIKED</b>: Good quality images at a price that couldn't be beat. Even at their regular price, if you are in the market for Pulp images, it is a good buy.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Nothing.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
OtherWorldly Art Portfolio Volume Five
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ePublishing 101 (#1) - Branding
Publisher: Adamant Entertainment
by Daniel P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/11/2006 00:00:00

This was a good start to the ePublishing series. Gareth's tone is conversational, and though the information is rather general in scope, it is nonetheless useful. I wasn't expecting detailed branding strategies, nor specific examples based on the author's own company, since that would be a lot more valuable than the $5 tag and giving away company strategies, so there was no dissapointment there. What we do get is a short and sweet intro to the topic of branding, and what are the elements necessary to build a brand, as well as some examples of the ideas being discussed, both from the publishing industry and from the commercial world at large (a couple more examples from within the RPG publishing industry would be welcomed, though).

Through trial and error, scouring industry forums and mailing list, and plain old asking for help, I've managed to learn a few of the elements Gareth outlines here, yet even having partial previous knowledge of the subject, having the concise theory and info in one handy reference file is of great help. Be advised, this is not a comprehensive look at branding, not by a longshot, but it wasn't intended to be. It does, however, provide enough information to either get you started on the subject, confirm what you may already know from trial-and-error experience, and give you enough leads for you to continue your search in other sources (actually, if anything, that's the one thing I would have also liked to see, a small list of sources for further reading).

I look forward to further releases in the series.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
ePublishing 101 (#1) - Branding
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Future Player's Companion: Tomorrows' Foundation
Publisher: The Game Mechanics
by Daniel P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/08/2005 00:00:00

Great start to the Future Players Companion series. The information was excellent, well developed, balanced and innovative. At first I didn't like the inclusion of alien races, but after reading through them I found them to be imaginative and interesting enough that ideas immediately came to mind for their use in games and products. The section on character archetypes using basic classes, though the section I most could have done without, was interesting for its ideas on exploiting core rules to the maximum. The feats were the true highlight of the product, and the new talents truly bring home the Future flavor right from a hero's start. I am glad to have purchased this product, both as a player and publisher, and eagerly look forward to the next two installments in the series.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: The new feats and talents are my absolute favorite, really capturing the essence of sci-fi gaming.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: There was nothing I didn't like. The parts I perhaps could have done without still turned out to be very useful if only for the ideas and concepts they highlighted.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Future Player's Companion: Tomorrows' Foundation
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Image Portfolio 013 Fantasy
Publisher: LPJ Design
by Daniel P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 06/17/2005 00:00:00

While not very generic, the art in this pack is certainly stunning. I enjoy the action poses, and though the art style is more anime-ish than I personally like, it nonetheless is evocative and original. I would like to see more from this artist.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Animated poses, variety of characters, original ideas. Artwork is not exactly generic, which is (ironically) both a pro and a con.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Low image count in comparison with similar products in the same series and by other companies. Artwork is not exactly generic, which is (ironically) both a pro and a con.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Image Portfolio 013 Fantasy
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All Fall Down by Philip Reed
Publisher: Ronin Arts
by Daniel P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/26/2005 00:00:00

This is a great, simple, elegant, and morbid little game perfect for when the power's out, Halloween, a night out in the woods, or similar situations. The potential for storytelling is endless, and the theme and tone assure that the stories are entertaining (unless you play with some lame players). Everyone should own this.<br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Simple and elegant mechanics nicely wrap a Tim Burton-esque morbid theme.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Nothing. I'd like to see further expansion to the game, actually.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
All Fall Down by Philip Reed
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ePublisher D20/OGL Guide
Publisher: Roll20
by Daniel P. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/06/2004 00:00:00

Excellent release. As a starting publisher, it was invaluable in getting a lot of information about the various open gaming licenses in one convenient place. <br><br><b>LIKED</b>: Everything. The information relevant, up-to-date, and the included extras (the various licenses, the SRDs, etc), even though I had many of them already, help make it a complete package.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Nothing. If anything, the only drawback is that it is a niche product for d20/OGL publishers, especially those just joining the fold, but it's not really a bad thing.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
ePublisher D20/OGL Guide
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