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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: The Deb Decker <RJR96326@****.UTULSA.EDU>
Subject: Earthdawn (My Comments)
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 11:25:05 -0500
I wasn't too impressed with the Earthdawn system from the flyer I got. That
review Todd posted just makes me even more certain that I will not be getting
it.

You see, I was hoping that FASA would introduce continuity with Shadowrun, not
only in the 4th/5th/6th world bit, but the game mechanics. To me, the simplifiedgame
mechanics of Shadowrun, where only one die is used, is beautiful. In
fact, a friend of mine is expanding the melee combat rules to run a campaign
based in his highly-devloped (12 years and a degree in Euro History) world
that he used for AD&D.

One of the reasons I prefer GDW games and Shadowrun is the consistency of
dice and resolution. It makes things a lot easier to improv, and makes
the technical parts (identifying dice) easier on new players.

J Roberson
"You got 'im, Jim! You get his phaser and I'll get his wallet!"
Message no. 2
From: Richard Pieri <ratinox@***.NEU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Earthdawn (My Comments)
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 12:53:19 EDT
>>>>> "R" == RJR96326 <RJR96326@****.UTULSA.EDU> writes:

R> You see, I was hoping that FASA would introduce continuity with
R> Shadowrun, not only in the 4th/5th/6th world bit, but the game
R> mechanics.

From the background, Shadowrun mechanics wouldn't quite work very
well, pretty much because every PC is some kind of Adept, either
physical, spellcasting, or several others (including the Beastmaster!
:-). The other thing is that the target market for Earthdawn is a less
experienced gamer.

R> To me, the simplifiedgame mechanics of Shadowrun, where only one
R> die is used, is beautiful.

Actually, there are many instances where more than one die is rolled.
First, if your "step" rating is high enough, you may roll two or more
dice and add their totals. Second, if you roll the highest value you
can on a die (ie, a "10" on a d10) you re-roll that die and add that
to the total (this is a bonus die, much like rolling a 10 or 20 in
TORG). Speaking of TORG, Earthdawn's primary authors also were the
primary authors of TORG.

There is, so far, one definite continuity, that being the reference to
oricalcum, the magical alloy. I haven't finished reading the book yet,
so I can't say much more about that. Also, 5 of the 8 PC races are the
same as Shadowrun: Human, Elf, Ork, Troll, Dwarf; the new races are
Obsidiman, T'skrang, and Windling.

More later.

Rat <ratinox@***.neu.edu> Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat
PGP Public Key Block available upon request Ask about rat-pgp.el v1.61
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History shows again and again/How nature points up the folly of men
--Blue Oyster Cult, Godzilla
Message no. 3
From: "Dark Thought Publications." <JEK5313@*****.TAMU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Earthdawn (My Comments)
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 14:01:25 -0500
]There is, so far, one definite continuity, that being the reference to
]oricalcum, the magical alloy.
^^^^^^^^^

We (our group) hashed this out a long time ago. Seems FASA had a misprint
once, said "oricalum" instead of "orichalcum" and one of the players
decided
that was going to be the right answer, ignoring all logic.

So. . . we looked this one up in our handy-dandy Latin-English dictionary,
where, much to our surprise (not) we found this:

orichalcum (or-ih-cal-coom) n. Bright, shiny, gold-colored metal.

--Flare <NULLSIG COURTESY OF DOOM>

Dark Thought Publications & Doom Technologies, Inc.
>>> Working on solutions best left in the dark.


** I don't flame. I nitpick. **
Message no. 4
From: Richard Pieri <ratinox@***.NEU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Earthdawn (My Comments)
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 15:04:18 EDT
>>>>> "DTP" == Dark Thought Publications
<JEK5313@*****.TAMU.EDU>
>>>>> writes:

DTP> ]There is, so far, one definite continuity, that being the reference to
DTP> ]oricalcum, the magical alloy.
DTP> ^^^^^^^^^

DTP> We (our group) hashed this out a long time ago. Seems FASA had a
DTP> misprint once, said "oricalum" instead of "orichalcum" and one
of
DTP> the players decided that was going to be the right answer,
DTP> ignoring all logic.

That's--I say--that's a *typo* son.

Rat <ratinox@***.neu.edu> Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat
PGP Public Key Block available upon request Ask about rat-pgp.el v1.61
||||| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |||||
I am created Shiva, the Destroyer, Death, the Shatterer of Worlds.
The dead Night Tiger made whole by the Master or Sinanju! --The Destroyer

Further Reading

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Thwap!