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From:	Erik Jameson <erikj@****.COM>
Subject:	Smuggler's Havens
Date:	Wed, 3 Jun 1998 13:23:53 -0400

Message no. 1 Well, I finally got my copy. Hadn't even been placed on the display yet;
they were busy entering everything into the computer.

Early review:

Well, for once I like the art. I've been critical of SR artwork,
especially Baxa's, for a long time. But at first glance, I really like the
artwork. If this is an indication of the new artwork for SR3, I am
seriously stoked.

Haven't read too much yet, mostly about Vladivostok and Russia.
Interesting assesment of thier SR history Jon. While the history is
relatively clear (and actually seems to make sense; it doesn't read like
someone looking at recent events and then just writing based on that), the
current situation in Russia is very unclear. The new powers that be, are
they nationalists ala Zhirinovsky? New communists? (Soviet is in the party
name...) THAT'S something very important to me.

But most of what I've seen seems to make sense and read relatively well.

My only complaint so far is that my least favorite SR writers wrote stuff
for the book. I really dislike most of what Naughton and Hussey have done;
I hated Naughton's skill improvement stuff back when they were just a file
available on AOL, before it made it's way into the SR Companion. Nothing
personal mind you, I just don't like their stuff.

But Steve K. writes about the Big Easy, and he's always good to read. He's
just got a good, relatively simply writing style ideal for SR I think.

Jon Szeto writes about Vladivostok. Wasn't sure about what you could do
based on Rigger 2, since it was more complicated than I wanted, but the
early returns on this are good. Seems like an excellent alternate place to
run other than Seattle. I'm already trying to figure out ways to get the
PCs to Vladivostok.

That's it for now.

Erik J.

"Forgive me FASA for I have sinned. It has been 6 days since I last played
Shadowrun and 15 days since I last bought a SRTCG booster pack."

From:	"Ojaste,James [NCR]" <James.Ojaste@**.GC.CA>
Subject:	Re: Smuggler's Havens
Date:	Wed, 3 Jun 1998 13:42:06 -0400

Message no. 2 Erik Jameson:
>Well, I finally got my copy. Hadn't even been placed on the display yet;
>they were busy entering everything into the computer.

And a bright shaft of hope arrows through my heart...

>Early review:
>
>Well, for once I like the art. I've been critical of SR artwork,
>especially Baxa's, for a long time. But at first glance, I really like the
>artwork. If this is an indication of the new artwork for SR3, I am
>seriously stoked.

What style is it in? The older-style line drawings, the newer
watercolours, post-cubist fingerpaintings? ;-)

>Haven't read too much yet, mostly about Vladivostok and Russia.
[snip]
>But most of what I've seen seems to make sense and read relatively well.

That's a bit of a change - you're sure this is *FASA's* T:SH? :-)

*sigh* Maybe tonight I'll get my grubby little mitts on the damn thing.
At any rate, I should be releasing a new version of The Shop sometime
next week to accomodate the underwater stuff.

James Ojaste
>

From:	Erik Jameson <erikj@****.COM>
Subject:	Re: Smuggler's Havens
Date:	Wed, 3 Jun 1998 14:43:18 -0400

Message no. 3 At 01:42 PM 6/3/98 -0400, you wrote:

>>Well, I finally got my copy. Hadn't even been placed on the display yet;
>>they were busy entering everything into the computer.
>
>And a bright shaft of hope arrows through my heart...

That's what I'm here for. Just hope it didn't hurt when it pierced...

>>Early review:
>>
>>Well, for once I like the art. I've been critical of SR artwork,
>>especially Baxa's, for a long time. But at first glance, I really like the
>>artwork. If this is an indication of the new artwork for SR3, I am
>>seriously stoked.
>
>What style is it in? The older-style line drawings, the newer
>watercolours, post-cubist fingerpaintings? ;-)

A lot of those newer B&W watercolor stuff by Larry M...damn, can't remember
his last name. He's got a somewhat abstract style, but I really like it.
It's great stuff, very moody.

>>Haven't read too much yet, mostly about Vladivostok and Russia.
>[snip]
>>But most of what I've seen seems to make sense and read relatively well.
>
>That's a bit of a change - you're sure this is *FASA's* T:SH? :-)

Well, since we're not talking about rules, yes, they do seem to make sense.
And I haven't read the whole thing yet...

About the best thing so far, from my POV, is that we finally get a much
broader picture of the rest of the world. We now know that Korea is no
longer divided. We know that Awakened Siberia (Yakut) is it's own nation.
We can see Mongolia and Manchuria are both independent states. And it
seems that the former Soviet states have continued to be independent, at
least to some degree.

Doesn't look like there a pile of new rules. Some new critters, some GM
info on various things. Didn't see any new toys or any major new rules,
though underwater stuff does have some work on it, allowing GMs to throw
their players into Davey Jones' locker and not have to wing it and make up
rules as they go along.

Looks pretty good so far though. I just really like the art though, this
time around.

A while back, maybe a year or so ago, a bit of a heated discussion occured
on FASA's discussion board on AOL, regarding the art. Most of the people
thought that a lot of the SR art, especially Baxa's, sucked. I was one of
those people. Interesting to see how FASA responded (Baxa does interesting
things, we try to get good art, but it's expensive, artists leave to do
other things, it's all a matter of style). But I and others just didn't
like the majority of SR's art.

Which is why I'm so impressed with the art of Smuggler's Havens. Not all
of it is good. But the majority of it is, a very pleasant suprise for me.

Of course, your taste in art may differ and you may think the entire book
of art bites. But I like it.

Erik J.

"Forgive me FASA for I have sinned. It has been 6 days since I last played
Shadowrun and 15 days since I last bought a SRTCG booster pack."

From:	Matb <mbreton@**.NETCOM.COM>
Subject:	Re: Smuggler's Havens
Date:	Wed, 3 Jun 1998 13:23:36 -0700

Message no. 4 Erik Jameson wrote:

> Well, for once I like the art. I've been critical of SR artwork,
> especially Baxa's, for a long time. But at first glance, I really like the
> artwork. If this is an indication of the new artwork for SR3, I am
> seriously stoked.

> A lot of those newer B&W watercolor stuff by Larry M...damn, can't remember
> his last name

Larry MacDougall.

I kinda liked T:SH. It expanded on the Cyberpirates theme pretty well,
and it definitely inched FASA nearer to the Japan sourcebook everyone
seems to want. Having finally gotten around to reading the New Orleans
article in Challenge everyone also seems to mention whenever voodoo is
mentioned, I definitely prefer the official version better. (Kenson's
got a good writing style but some specific elements struck me as
not-quite-SR-and-thus-just-maybe-a-set-up-for-Grim-3?)

Wasn't too impressed with the Critter section; moreso because Predator
and Prey wasn't that long ago. Not too many of the 'new' creatures
thrilled me. Same goes for the 'new' rules on Voudoun (which were often
just pointers to another sourcebook).

My favorite parts were probably Off the Deep End (all sorts of
underwater adventure stuff) and the 'trade lanes' smugglers' routes.
It'll definitely take work shaping this into an adventure, though.

- Matt

------------------------------------
In a dark time, the eye begins to see. - T. Roethke

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