Fiction: Cool Running Cell p5
Section 1: Classifi ed Documents p8
For Agent Eyes Only................................................p8
Pay Attention Kid....................................................p9
Welcome to the Real World....................................p12
Fiction: Th e Hot Hour p16
Section 2: Th eatre of Operations p20
Th ose in Control......................................................p20
Bad Neighbors..........................................................p24
Crime & Punishment..............................................p26
We Happy Few.........................................................p29
Fiction: Get Your Mad On p34
Section 3: Agent Training p37
Making the Cut.........................................................p37
Character Creation Example...................................p52
Fiction: Claws of the Gryphon p55
Section 4: Operations Manual p60
Childs Play................................................................p60
Operations Handbook............................................p61
Representatives Handbook.....................................p73
Fiction: Ghosts of Xmas Past p80
Section 5: Mission Briefi ngs p83
Tactical Intelligence..................................................p83
Mission Briefi ngs......................................................p88
Fiction: Techsystems Trouble p96
Section 6: Debriefi ng p99
Dancing on the Edge..................................................p99
From Agent Zero.......................................................p101
Recruitment Poster p104
Villain Sheets p105
Connections & Gear Sheets p106
Character Tables p107
Agent Dossier p108
A promising first effort from game designer Caz Granberg, Covert Generation allows players to take the roles of tweens and teenagers waging a desperate, secret battle against the forces of Generation X (“The X”): former slackers-cum-secret masters of the Earth.
The X, essentially young adults between the ages of 20 and 40, long usurped the dominance of the Baby Boomers and now impose their power through corrupt business practices, mind-altering pharmaceuticals and worse.
The young people of the covert generation are all that stands between The X and complete world domination, yet the youthful protagonists must balance their secret operations with other complicated aspects of adolescent life, such as dating and homework.
Following a modus operandi that places them somewhere between Che Guevara and Kim Possible, Covert Generation agents depend on a novel collection of heavily modified gadgets and non-lethal weaponry to accomplish their missions. In the hands of these young agents, portable gaming systems become high-tech communications devices and Super Soakers become powerful means of personal protection.
A narration-heavy game, Covert Generation uses a competitive dice pool mechanic which rather than directly dictating the results of a specified action enables the player with the highest result to momentarily take the reigns and narrate how exactly a particular conflict scene proceeds.
For players and gamemasters with fertile imaginations, this system can be ideal because it places story in the center stage and allows everyone to take a strong role in the evolution and direction of the ongoing narrative.
As a consequence of this system, combat becomes more or less abstracted, which could make Covert Generation a less appealing game for those who desire a “crunchier” style of combat. Still, this observation is not exclusive to Covert Generation, for the same could be said for many other narrative role-playing systems.
As a book, Covert Generation is visually quite appealing. It is full of handsomely illustrated, highly evocative gray scale drawings from a stable of competent artists. These, along with the selected quotes from real-world revolutionaries that pepper the text do well in communicating the feel of Covert Generation.
Covert Generation comes “ready to play” with a full selection of starting scenarios and sample antagonists, guaranteeing a minimal amount of preparation and start time for groups eager to start play.
A heady mix of hard line Leftist politics and whiz-bang, caffeinated adolescent adventure, Covert Generation will appeal to both politically-minded adult gamers and their children. This is no small feat, and as the gaming industry continues to “gray,” it may fall to games like Covert Generation to save the hobby.
Covert Generation is available through Indie Press Revolution. More information about the game is available at the publisher’s website, www.HeftyWrenches.com.
Considering how utterly unknown this game is, and how the "reviewer" has just one post and its the review (appearing like the ONLY reason they joined was to post this review); AND given that the "review" itself reads more like an ultra-positive infomercial than a critical analysis of the game, I'm highly suspicious about the lack of bias of this review.
I wouldn't be surprised if "mattormeg" wasn't "Caz Granberg" or someone else associated with Hefty Wrenches. Which is pretty sad.
RPGPundit
I don't know. I'm not convinced by the premise, but then I guess the flower generation did become the current shower so anything's possible.
I sent an email to the poster requesting that he clarify whether or not he is conected to th publisher.
It seems to much like an ad, mostly because there is little or no opinion in it.
I right my reviews light on opinion, but you can tell what I think of a game.
If this is in fact is purely a plug, I wouldn't mind seeing it removed.
IMHO, reviewers should make it clear if they're linked to a company or not. Conflicts of interests and all that, you know...
Quote from: JongWKIMHO, reviewers should make it clear if they're linked to a company or not. Conflicts of interests and all that, you know...
yup.
I think that if publisher wants to promote their games on this site they can post blog/news entries. I don't want these sort of things posted in the reviews section since it supposed to be for fair and unbiased reveiws.
Yes. I have absolutely no problem with any publisher plugging their games on the site; so long as they don't spam and so long as they make it clear that they are affiliated with the product they're promoting!
RPGPundit
I really can't say I appreciate the accusation, either.
I actually registered for an account last week, but didn't get around to verifying it until quite recently.
I'm a frequent poster at Animalball, and read about //www.TheRPGsite.com there, as well as at the RPG Pundit's homepage, where I'm a fairly frequent lurker. I'm not a fan of RPG.NET because of their heavy handed moderators, and thought that I would come try to make a virtual home here with you guys. MCrow's email really surprised me.
For the record, I'm a professional PR flak and copywriter, and know my way around that world well enough to not try something stupid like passing an advertisement off as a review. Why would I do that, when I could just talk to one of your guys about doing a review of the product? The simple truth is that I was contacted by Caz, who I have never, ever met and asked to review his game. I've posted this review in exactly two places: RPGNEWS (the author's request) and here: it was my idea.
If you want to attack my review on its own merits, that's fine, but why do you have to attack my integrity, too?
I just got an email back from Matt (the poster of the review) and he is most defintely not associated with the publisher.
I think I may have offended him, and if I did, I'm sorry. That was not my intention.
Ok, Matt. I'm sorry, but it was just that your review was pretty overwhelmingly positive, and you came out of nowhere. Perhaps you can understand how it would have been misinterpreted as a "hidden ad", given that this sort of thing HAS happened before with smaller publishers on gaming sites.
If you state that you're not associated with the company that made this game, then that's fine; we'll take you at your word. I hope you'll continue to post here and post more reviews for other games that strike your fancy.
RPGPundit
I just got a very gracious reply from MCrow regarding my post.
I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me.
If you've got space for some of my other reviews, I'd love to share them with you, as well as some interviews I've done that may be of interest with other gamers.
So far, I've done an interview with Antony Johnston, who is the author behind "WASTELAND," a sci-fi post apocalypse comic, Jeff VanderMeer, the award-winning author of "City of Saints and Madmen," and several capsule reviews of novels and movies.
Again, I regret this misunderstanding, and I ask that you forgive my own reaction to it.
After talking to MCrow, it is obvious that you guys run a classy site, and I want to do my part to contribute to it.
Pals?
Matt
Quote from: mattormegI just got a very gracious reply from MCrow regarding my post.
I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me.
If you've got space for some of my other reviews, I'd love to share them with you, as well as some interviews I've done that may be of interest with other gamers.
So far, I've done an interview with Antony Johnston, who is the author behind "WASTELAND," a sci-fi post apocalypse comic, Jeff VanderMeer, the award-winning author of "City of Saints and Madmen," and several capsule reviews of novels and movies.
Again, I regret this misunderstanding, and I ask that you forgive my own reaction to it.
After talking to MCrow, it is obvious that you guys run a classy site, and I want to do my part to contribute to it.
Pals?
Matt
Pals!
Anyway I would say YES we would love to have you post your material here. That would be great, and stick around and chat a bit as well.
Quote from: mattormegI just got a very gracious reply from MCrow regarding my post.
I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me.
If you've got space for some of my other reviews, I'd love to share them with you, as well as some interviews I've done that may be of interest with other gamers.
So far, I've done an interview with Antony Johnston, who is the author behind "WASTELAND," a sci-fi post apocalypse comic, Jeff VanderMeer, the award-winning author of "City of Saints and Madmen," and several capsule reviews of novels and movies.
Again, I regret this misunderstanding, and I ask that you forgive my own reaction to it.
After talking to MCrow, it is obvious that you guys run a classy site, and I want to do my part to contribute to it.
Pals?
Matt
That sounds great Matt, and thank you for your understanding!
RPGPundit
I appreciate your gracious attitude.
Like I mentioned to Crow, I am a big fan of RPGPUNDIT, so I think that the questions just probably "stung" me a little more than it normally would, especially after my experiences at RPG.NET.
Also, I mentioned that I usually don't review things - or interview people - that i dislike. You can see the same thing at my blog. So, usually, when I review something, it's because I can stand behind it. I learned this when I worked at a magazine a few years ago.
Finally, I am a public relations guy in real life (for a state agency), so I guess that kind of style just creeps into my work.
;)
Again, thanks folks!
Hey Pundit - It's Caz from Animalball - remember?
I am not Matt and Matt is not me. If you've got any questions, let me know.
BTW, Matt, welcome to the site! :)
Thanks very much!
Ok, well, welcome to both of you! Trust me, I'm convinced at this point. The fact that Matt is a PR dude explains a lot actually, he should probably charge you for that review!
Matt, you're welcome to review stuff you love, and give it glowing reviews, I don't want anyone to think that reviews here need to be negative. They just have to be thurough.
RPGPundit