From:	Matthew M. Teixeira mteixei1@*****.rr.com
Subject:	Earthdawn
Date:	Sat, 31 Jul 1999 12:23:32 -0700

>What ED *should* have been was the mysterious, dark, elegant, dangerous
time
>of high magic that you believed it to be from the links in SR. Instead of
>the explorers trekking from remote village to remote village fearing
slavers
>and hunting for lost artifacts that it turned out to be.

Hoi chummers,

I'm new to Earthdawn and just getting a new game started. Been following
this thread as I am looking forward to playing Earthdawn.

I will not argue with Twist's views (he has some valid points) but I would
like to offer another opinion: from what I can tell the Earthdawn system
seems geared more towards character development and skills (like Shadowrun
and unlike AD&D). The game will then yield more interesting and
well-developed characters (and maybe more realistic game play). This should
be considered a plus for Earthdawn.

On the world being the same as all fantasy worlds, that is up to the GM. If
the Earthdawn rules are good, then place them somewhere other than Barsaive.
Use Barsaive but don't follow any of the resource supplements to it. Expand
upon the magic system. Create more powerful or different horrors. Create
items of more twisted and dark origin and power. Have an world-shattering
event change the land forever. The statement I clipped above could be true
of the world but doesn't have to be.

I think a gaming system should be judged more on it's rule set (the
backbone) and less on the supplemental materials (as the GM can create these
himself). Let's use Shadowrun as an example. The INIT system and combat
system in Shadowrun I find to be excellent and much more realistic than the
system in AD&D of you-hit-then-I-hit. Earthdawn seems a bit complex in some
areas, but seems very strong in character development, traits, skills, etc.
(much more so than AD&D). The step dice idea also seems a good one (although
I am still getting adjusted to it).

In the end, the GM makes the world for his players. I have very limited
exposure so far but I have enjoyed what I have read of Earthdawn so far. I
like the system of play.

Just offering another opinion and my 2 cents...

Matthew M. Teixeira
mteixei1@*****.rr.com