Has anyone else checked out Colonial Troopers (http://www.rpgnow.com/product/173040/Colonial-Troopers?manufacturers_id=6385) and/or Guardians (http://www.rpgnow.com/product/172576/Guardians?manufacturers_id=6385) from Night Owl Workshop? I just got my print copies, and plan on skimming them over tonight. They both look interesting, especially given who co-authored them with Thomas (Steve Perrin for CT, and David Pulver for Guardians)
I haven't seen either game mentioned in detail here yet, so figured I'd make a thread and see who else may have checked out either game
Quote from: urbwar;880523Has anyone else checked out Colonial Troopers (http://www.rpgnow.com/product/173040/Colonial-Troopers?manufacturers_id=6385) and/or Guardians (http://www.rpgnow.com/product/172576/Guardians?manufacturers_id=6385) from Night Owl Workshop? I just got my print copies, and plan on skimming them over tonight. They both look interesting, especially given who co-authored them with Thomas (Steve Perrin for CT, and David Pulver for Guardians)
I haven't seen either game mentioned in detail here yet, so figured I'd make a thread and see who else may have checked out either game
Colonial Troopers looked pretty good. Sure hope Steve has a few extra softcover copies for sale when I run into him.
I haven't read them, but they did come across my radar and I forwarded links to the guy in my gaming group who is major into OD&D.
This looks fantastic. I've been researching some books to pick up at the used book store in the town I work. Pournelle, Niven, and Cherryh are on the list and I think this would go very well with them.
Looks intriguing, but I've never heard of either game or its writer.
Quote from: RPGPundit;881131Looks intriguing, but I've never heard of either game or its writer.
Steve Perrin - Runequest.
David Pulver - lots of the better Gurps books.
Pulver was also responsible for the second edition of BESM.
Link (http://www3.telus.net/dlpulver/published.htm) to Pulver's Published works.
I've only got Colonial Troopers.
IMHO, it's not very good, a big step back from the truly excellent Warriors of the Red Planet (from the same publisher, though different author).
Then again, I'm not a fan of the single saving throw (which this uses). It just doesn't make sense to me that a class is simply better at avoiding everything, as opposed to classes being better at certain types of save.
Especially as it seems so arbitrary. Why should an Agent have a saving throw of 16, while a Hunter has one of 14 (better)
Similarly, the attack progression bonuses are nonsensical, following no mathmatical pattern, but just arbitrary.
Again, to use the Agent and Hunter, the Agent starts out at +1 to hit at 1st level and tops out at +6 at 10th level. The Hunter starts out at +1 to hit at 1st level and tops out at +7 at 10th level. But then the Agent is +2 at 3rd level while the Hunter is still +1 at 3rd level.
It also messes up ascending armor class, which it defaults to. I really don't know why S&W (and others) thought starting at AC9 (as opposed to AC10) was so integral to the "old school" experience.
But basically they figured the AC wrong for all their monsters, because they used AC9 as the worst class, but did the math as it was AC10.
Like a monster with a descending AC of 2 is 7 steps better than the worst, AC9. So it should be AC17. However in the book, they list the AC as 18. (Not that there are a lot of statted creatures, mind you)
I'd say if you just want Swords & Wizardry in space like this, stick to White Star (which also isn't very good, but better than this)
I got Guardians. I like it as being one of the better level-based supers implementations.
The system is similar to S&W White Box / White Star / White Lies (10 levels, single saving throw with possible bonuses to type) with some modifications (multiple size damage and hit dice).
Quote from: Tod13;881333I got Guardians. I like it as being one of the better level-based supers implementations.
The system is similar to S&W White Box / White Star / White Lies (10 levels, single saving throw with possible bonuses to type) with some modifications (multiple size damage and hit dice).
How does it work superpowers? Please tell me they're not reskinned D&D spells.
Quote from: D-503;881371How does it work superpowers? Please tell me they're not reskinned D&D spells.
Different. Here you are: http://swordsandstitchery.blogspot.com/2016/02/review-commentary-on-guardians.html
Someone else did 'reskinned D&D spells', and that was godawful.
Quote from: RPGPundit;882131Someone else did 'reskinned D&D spells', and that was godawful.
Was that the first time someone tried Superheroes using D&D/D20? The Foundation?
Quote from: urbwar;882135Was that the first time someone tried Superheroes using D&D/D20? The Foundation?
That was the one!
Quote from: RPGPundit;882612That was the one!
I thought so. A friend of mine worked on that (or at least did some of the art). I've never seen it myself, but yeah, I've read how bad it was
I have Guardians, and while it really isn't what I had hoped* it does seem like the kind of game a lot of others would like, especially those who enjoy some of the crunchier OSR games or are nostalgic for old-school superhero games with huge lists of powers.
If anyone has more specific questions, just let me know.
*I myself was hoping for something much faster and simpler; like a version of White Box with a smaller number of effect-based powers.
Quote from: Cult Classic;884850*I myself was hoping for something much faster and simpler; like a version of White Box with a smaller number of effect-based powers.
Any examples of such games?