lazarus Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Should I buy it? How good is the forensics chapter? Really, that's the main thing I'd use from the book, so is it good enough to warrant 36 CAN$ or not? I'd still end up reading it cover-to-cover... Laz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Storm Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC The Forensics chapter is extremely well done! But the rest of the book is fantastic as well. The Super Skills are cool and the equipment section is superb. If you like street-level hero games this book is a must-have. In my opinion, Steve has outdone himself with this book. The writing is tight and interesting and the layout is great as well. If it sounds like I'm gushing I'm sorry. I just really like this book! Cpt. Storm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourtFool Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC Have you checked out Arcady's review? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarus Posted September 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC I have read Arcady's review. And in terms of the book, I know the scope. Really, all I want to know is how well done is the forensics section - how well researched, what it covers, etc. I'm sure a whole review could be done on that chapter, as it's probably longer than some books Laz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storn Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC an okay cover? That's it. Thats all I have to offer to the discussion, because i haven't seen it yet. I'll be getting my comp copies soon, I'm sure... but the only thing I know is the cover and a few interior illos. Okay, maybe that ain't a good selling point. Next? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eosin Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC an okay cover? I think it is a pretty sweet looking cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Storm Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC an okay cover? That's it. Thats all I have to offer to the discussion, because i haven't seen it yet. I'll be getting my comp copies soon, I'm sure... but the only thing I know is the cover and a few interior illos. Okay, maybe that ain't a good selling point. Next? Storn, You undersell yourself! That cover kicks major booty! I have always loved Harbinger and you personified the character perfectly if you ask me. Thanks for the great picture! Cpt. Storm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Storm Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC I have read Arcady's review. And in terms of the book, I know the scope. Really, all I want to know is how well done is the forensics section - how well researched, what it covers, etc. I'm sure a whole review could be done on that chapter, as it's probably longer than some books Laz Though I haven't read the entire chapter, it looks like it covers most of the the stuff I see on CSI or CSI:Miami. Does that help? Cpt. Storm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarus Posted September 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC Though I haven't read the entire chapter, it looks like it covers most of the the stuff I see on CSI or CSI:Miami. Does that help? Cpt. Storm It does, mightily. I think it might be worth buying for that chapter alone... Laz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Long Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC Really, all I want to know is how well done is the forensics section - how well researched, what it covers, etc. Well, I don't know if this helps or not, but it condenses information from, by my quick estimate, something like $600 US or more of books on forensics and criminology. Some of these are not even books or papers generally available to the public; they're things I've gotten through my contacts as an attorney, and so on. Here's the relevant section of the Bibliography: FORENSICS, CRIMINALISTICS, AND CRIMINOLOGY Babits, L. E. “The Frustration Of Jane Bones.†Abstract, Symposium on Forensic Archaeology, 1995 Society for Historical Archaeology Meeting Baden, Michael. Dead Reckoning —Unnatural Death Bailey, William, ed. The Encyclopedia Of Police Science Cameron, Ellen. Understanding Graphology Cohen, Bruce, ed. Crime In America DiMaio, Dominick and Vincent DiMaio. Forensic Pathology Erzinçlioglu, Zakaria. Forensics FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Fisher, David. Hard Evidence Goff, Lee. A Fly For The Prosecution: How Insect Evidence Helps Solve Crimes James, Stuart and Jon Nordby, eds. Forensic Science Kerr, Douglas, M.D. Forensic Medicine, 6th Ed. Kurian, George. The World Encyclopedia Of Police Forces And Penal Systems Kurland, Michael. How To Solve A Murder Lee, Henry and Timothy Palmbach and Marilyn Miller. Henry Lee’s Crime Scene Handbook Maples, William, M.D. and Michael Browning. Dead Men Do Tell Tales Marriner, Brian. On Death’s Bloody Trail Micheels, Peter. Heat Miller, Hugh. Proclaimed In Blood: True Crimes Solved By Forensic Scientists —Traces Of Guilt North Carolina Bar Foundation. Computer Forensics: An Evolution Page, David, M.D. Body Trauma: A Writer’s Guide to Wounds and Injuries Ragle, Larry. Crime Scene Roth, Martin. The Writer’s Complete Crime Reference Book Saferstein, Richard. Criminalistics: An Introduction To Forensic Science, 5th Ed. Siegel, Larry. Criminology, 2nd Ed. Smyth, Frank. Cause Of Death Spitz, Werner, M.D., and Russell Fisher, M.D., eds. Medico-Legal Investigation Of Death Ubelaker, Douglas, and Henry Scammell. Bones: A Forensic Detective’s Casebook Wilson, Keith, M.D. Cause Of Death: A Writer’s Guide To Death, Murder, And Forensic Medicine Wingate, Anne. Scene Of The Crime: A Writer’s Guide To Crime-Scene Investigations Zonderman, Jon. Beyond The Crime Lab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Storm Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC Yikes!! Well, like I said, just like CSI but more... hehe Cpt. Storm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC Storn, You undersell yourself! That cover kicks major booty! I have always loved Harbinger and you personified the character perfectly if you ask me. Thanks for the great picture! Cpt. Storm I'll Second that... Storn this Cover is Fantastic I really think it's the perfect cover to show the 5th Ed version of DC is not just street level Supers like in 4th... Harbinger now looks less Superpowered and more of a Heroic levle of a character... GREAT job!! OH yeah - and as for DC... it is the Best book I've seen since FREd came out Steve you ROCK (I think I said this before, but when it comes to DC... it's worth Repeating) WC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarus Posted September 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC I think this may be one of my purchases, then. Laz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KA. Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC Lazarus, Just a question, why would the Forensics chapter be the only part you would use? I don't want to sway your decision, especially not in the wrong direction, (whatever that is) so I would like to know more about your expectations. The coverage of Forensics is a bit more detailed than what was presented in the 4th Ed. of Dark Champions, and it covers about everything you would need to be able to intelligently refer to forensics in an RPG, but if you are looking for an in-depth forensics textbook, you need to look elsewhere. In other words, if you want to be able to know the names of the tests that characters could perform, and what those tests would be likely to reveal, DC covers that just fine. If you are planning a "Forensics" campaign, where 80% of your players' time is spent at either a Crime Scene or in a Lab, you are going to want way more detail than this. The Forensics chapter is almost 20 pages long, and the topic is mentioned here and there in the rest of the text, but the book itself is 372 including index, so obviously Forensics is only one component. If you are expecting a massive tome of Forensics goodness, you are going to be disappointed. Not to say that the book is anything less than excellent, I would just hate to see anyone buy it, and then "bash" it, because they thought it was something it isn't. Hope this helps, and if you need more detail (that in no way impinges on DOJ's intellectual property ) feel free to ask. KA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarus Posted September 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC Thanks, KA, that's what I wanted to know about the Forensics chapter - how long it was, really. I know that it'll go fairly in depth, because that's what Steve does. I don't remember saying that it would be the only chapter I'd use, but it's the one that would be the selling point for me - I tend to like forensic stuff. So long as it's got enough covered that I can "fake it" - have it cinematically appropriate - then it's all good. But you're right - based on what they were saying, I was getting a bit of a wrong impression; I figured that it would be more like 40-50 pages. I'll take a look at it, but I'm heavily weighed in favour of it now. Laz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Storm Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC Thanks, KA, that's what I wanted to know about the Forensics chapter - how long it was, really. I know that it'll go fairly in depth, because that's what Steve does. I don't remember saying that it would be the only chapter I'd use, but it's the one that would be the selling point for me - I tend to like forensic stuff. So long as it's got enough covered that I can "fake it" - have it cinematically appropriate - then it's all good. But you're right - based on what they were saying, I was getting a bit of a wrong impression; I figured that it would be more like 40-50 pages. I'll take a look at it, but I'm heavily weighed in favour of it now. Laz Sorry Laz, I didn't mean to mislead. Twenty pages seemed like a lot of content for that subject. As I said, I haven't read it all but what I did read was well done and very detailed. Though I wouldn't want to take an exam in Forensic Science based on the book it seems plenty for gaming. Again, sorry if I mislead. Cpt. Storm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazarus Posted September 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Re: Sell me on DC no, wasn't really misleading - I just got the impression that there was more 20 pages is still plenty. Laz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KA. Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 Re: Sell me on DC I know, I am summoning this thread from the dead, but I do have a useful comment to make. Anyone who wants a basic coverage of Forensics might want to check out Forensics for Dummies http://www.amazon.com/Forensics-Dummies-Douglas-P-Lyle/dp/0764555804 It follows the format of all Dummies books, and if you just want a decent overview, it is well worth the money. KA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourtFool Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 Consider yourself sold...or holey. Thread necromancy! Buy it or Harbinger will come to your house and fill you full of holes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 Re: Consider yourself sold...or holey. Thread necromancy! Buy it or Harbinger will come to your house and fill you full of holes! "I am the SWISS-CHEESEINATOR!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 Re: Sell me on DC I have the rules for Resistant Piercing and I'm not afraid to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vondy Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 Re: Sell me on DC an okay cover? That's it. Thats all I have to offer to the discussion, because i haven't seen it yet. I'll be getting my comp copies soon, I'm sure... but the only thing I know is the cover and a few interior illos. Okay, maybe that ain't a good selling point. Next? Its enough for the average impulse buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vondy Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 Re: Sell me on DC Also, IMO DC is one of the best supplements DoJ has produced and is well worth the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 Re: Sell me on DC Man, the guy who started this thread has the right username. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KA. Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 Re: Sell me on DC Man' date=' the guy who started this thread has the right username. [/quote'] You are correct because this is the thread THAT WILL NOT DIE! Well, unless someone kills it just out of spite, or people forget about it, or something like that. But otherwise, it WILL NOT DIE! Muwahahaha! KA. Actually, on a somewhat relevant topic, why do people get all upset when someone revives a thread? I mean if they were just doing it to be silly (like me in this case) and they did it with hundreds of threads (totally unlike me) I can see how it would add to static on the boards, but otherwise, it seems to be an overall positive thing. There is a lot of great information buried around here. Lots of good threads get lost in the clutter of rants and fads and teapot tempests, and it is great when one of those threads gets the chance to live it deserved in the first place. Also, I seem to notice a fair amount of 'opinion dilution' going on. Someone will make a really good post on a topic the first time it comes around. They make make a decent effort the second or third time. But eventually they seem to lose the 'fire' of the original post. Which means that every time we start a new thread on an old topic, the replies, overall, tend to be of lesser quality. So, what is wrong with bringing back the old thread, with the best posts, and allowing people, especially newcomers, to go on from there? Just wondering. It is not as big a taboo here, but on one of the Sims boards I occasionally post to, it is a major no-no. They chastise you and then close the thread. Which seems really silly to me considering the topics they cover there. If someone wants to know how to create a new Sims object, or how to make their own wallpaper, or something like that, and there is a very good thread that explains it in detail, what is wrong with bringing that back up to the top of the queue instead of someone having to post it all over again? KA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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