Bozimus

Re: Turakian Age: Drakine Population Dynamics

I have nipples. They don't function, but I got 'em. Not everything on our bodies is practical...what the hell do tonsils and the appendix do anyway?

Does a Fantasy game really need stringent logic?

Re: New news from the Post-Apocalypse RPG front

I had the same impression with Gadgets and Gear, I ahve bought a few of the Champions line such as USPD becaues they seem useful for other genres but after flipping through G&G it didn't look very useful outside of supers.

 

As for the GURPS comment, I have quite a large number of GURPS books so you won't see any torches or pitchforks coming from my direction. In fact I'm rather looking forward to seeing what SJG does with GURPS 4th edition.

True, most of Gadgets and Gear is super-oriented, but what about that honkin' big section on powered armor? The sensory gadgets are useful too! Not to mention the communication gadgets.

Re: New news from the Post-Apocalypse RPG front

A word of warning before you go prowling around in the Supply Bunker web-

site, Bozimus: while a lot of the stuff is downloadable (HTML, TXT, and even

.pdf files), some of it is in .zip files that you'll need WinZip to open (I found

that out the hard way a couple of years ago when I downloaded some of

those particular files and tried to open them; needless to say, I was some-

what annoyed when I tried to open them up only to discover that I didn't

have the necessary utility to do so).

 

As far as Gadgets And Gear goes, I had thought of adding that to my research

list, but since a lot of the stuff seemed to be in the superheroic category, I

had decided not to include it at the time; I may give it another look to see

if there's anything in it that I can use after all. Two books that are going

on the list are Ultra-Tech (Revised) and Ultra-Tech 2 from the

GURPS system (oh yeah, I'm definitely going to be branded as a heretic for

this one... oh, well). I figure that there'll be some of the TL8 and TL9 stuff

that could be adapted to use in a PA HERO campaign with a little bit of work;

as a matter of fact, I think there's something on the Surbrook's Stuff web-

site that deals with that subject.

 

Major Tom

I will steer clear of the zip files! Thanks!

Ultra-Tech was a cool GURPS book. I lent it to some rascal that never returned it and have now lost contact with the fellow... You won't ever hear me call you a heretic for using GURPS sourcebooks!

Re: New news from the Post-Apocalypse RPG front

Hey Boz,

 

Please include me in the list of possible invites if (and when), you ever get a PBeM of your own going.

 

Thanks,

 

Sav

It wouldn't be a proper game without the legendary player of Riccoco the Raccoon!

Of the many PCs it has been my honor with which to game, Riccoco is one of my all-time favorites!

Jason, if I ever run that game, you WILL play in it or suffer a Bozimithian wrath like no other!

Re: New news from the Post-Apocalypse RPG front

Prime Base is a good buy, even if you don't use it for MP adventures.

the maps of Prime Base alone are worth it, as you could use them for

floorplans for supervillain bases in a Champions game (or even a Super-

Agent style campaign).

 

A word of warning, though: there's an adventure setting mentioned at the

very end of Prime Base called The Amerind Empire. When I ask-

ed about this setting a few months ago, though, one of the folks at Time-

line said that the writer who was originally going to do the project had other

projects to deal with, and that they didn't know when or if it would ever see

publication.

 

As for the idea of a Morrow HERO campaign, I've been thinking about that

myself. My research material right now consists of the following: TMP 3rd

Edition Rulebook (for right now, until I get a hold of 4th Ed.), FREd (also

until I get the revised rules), The Ultimate Bestiary, The Ultimate Martial

Artist, The Ultimate Vehicle, The Hero System Vehicle

Sourcebook and Star Hero. I may add to this list later, once Ive

had a chance to go through my non-HERO supplements.

 

One last thing before I finish this post: If you do look around the Supply

Bunker website, be sure to check out the section where the adventures

and articles submitted to the site are kept. There's one in particular that's

well worth taking a look at called "An Alternate End Of The World Scenario".

 

Major Tom

Tom, Dark Champions (when it comes out), and the Gadgets/Gear books would be useful for a Morrow Project game, IMO. Dark Champs should have a lot of those esoteric military weapons and the gadget book has a lot of high tech goodies no Morrow Team should be without!

I will check into that Supply Bunker! Thanks!

Re: New news from the Post-Apocalypse RPG front

I'd be up for that!

If I ever launch it, I will be sure to give you a yell!

Re: New news from the Post-Apocalypse RPG front

You can also mail-order direct from Timeline. I don't have their new address

handy at the moment, but if you go to the Supply Bunker website (http://

thesupplybunker.net), and click on where it says "The Morrow Project",

you'll be taken right to the page where the contact info is.

 

Major Tom

http://www.timelineltd.com/

I need to pick up Prime Base, The Ruins of Chicago, and 1 other I can't recall....

I have long wanted to do a Morrow/Fallout/Hero PBeM!

Re: Deathstalker novels for Pulp Sci-Fi

I just bought "Twilight of the Empire" a collection of three novellas set in the Deathstalker universe that takes place before the Deathstalker books.

As "Alltheeights" mentioned previously, the above book has Mistworld, Ghostworld, and Hellworld collected in one volume.

Re: So I'm thinking of running a Western HERO scenario...

Wow! Great thread! I have longed to run a Deadland/Hero PBeM game and you guys have provided tons of cool ideas!

Muchas Gracias!

I suggest the use of Luck Chips, as detailed in the following thread...

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15893&highlight=rdu+neil

I would modify the above system to allow the reduction in body damage taken. Since the GM gets far fewer chips, the bad guys outta drop like flies, but the PCs can mitigate the damage somewhat, resulting in fewer deaths and less down time for healing. This also provides a mechanism that allows the GM to really hammer on them without actually killing them very frequently. The "Fate Chip" system works very well in Deadlands' PBeM which I participate.

I would also double or triple the body recovered per month (house rule).

Re: New news from the Post-Apocalypse RPG front

Sweet Googly-Moogly!

Thanks for the heads up! I recently bought 3rd edition MP + tons of adventures from Ebay. Morrow Project was the game with the most potential that we never could keep going for more than a few sessions (problem with players, not the game itself)!

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

Actually the refernces to Teresa and the love story had been from a drift to Donaldson in general. Those are reference to Mordant's Need. The Gap doesn't really have a love story. There is a lot of umm... shall I say sweaty people' date=' but not much love- lots of hate and anger tied up in the previously mentioned act, but no love. Be warned the first book - The Real Story - is one of the most brutal books I have ever read, and is actually just an expanded novella that leads into the rest of the series. Things pick up after that, and get very intense and really really cool.[/quote']

 

Doh! My mistake for assuming. I think I will start this series in the near future! Thanks!

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

Soulcatcher and Lord Mhoram,

I have the Gap into Conflict, but have yet to start. Your conversation has me considering reading this book. One question, I hate love stories. In your opinion, if one were to magically delete the love story, would enough remain to be interesting to one who is less romantic than your average rock?

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

As many people have pointed out' date=' "A Song of Fire and Ice" Series by George R R Martin is a superb fantasy series, the best I have ever read. The characterizations, plotting twists and turns, different perspectives and his excellant writing skills make the books a page turner and sometimes even a chapter turner because you want to find out what happens next. You get a good feel for all the characters whether good or bad. These weren't a recent read and waiting for the next book in the series has been frustrating because it is taking him a long time to write.[/quote']

 

The suffering caused by my resistance to start reading "A Storm of Swords" is much akin (I assume) to a very thirsty man stopping himself from drinking a cool glass of water. I hunger for that third book! The precious calls me! But I must wait for "A Feast For Crows" to be published lest I end up waiting years for book 5!

 

Agony! My willpower is not infinite! Write, George, write like the wind!

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

I read "Officer Cadet" some time back' date=' and it didn't hold my attention very well. I will admit that I had just finished reading one of the "StarFist" novels (Sherman and Craig, also mil/sci-fi) so my opinion may have been biased. May have to go back and try again and give Shelley a fair shot.[/quote']

 

Thanks for helping me put "Officer Cadet" on the back burner by confirming my suspicions! I think the next Space Opera I read will be either the "Revelation" series by A. Reynolds or the second book in the Deathstalker series by S. Green. Shelley kinda dropped the ball in the fantasy series "Varayan Memoirs" IMO. My time is so limited, I am not going to chance reading another of his books unless I am desperate...

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

Just finished Hyperion by Dan Simmons' date=' although the book itself doesn't actually "finish" -- it stops at a cliffhanger and continues in [i']Fall of Hyperion[/i]. Which wasn't really indicated on the cover copy.

 

It was good enough that I picked up the next book. It is an interesting Sci-Fi future setting, with FTL travel and communication, AND stellar teleportation, AIs, and some other background bits. The story and background is told in Canterbury Tales fashion, with seven pilgrims telling their stories about the strange alien being they're going to see.

One of my all-time favorites from the early 90's! The Endymion books are not as good, IMO.

Dan Simmons is very chaotic. He can write a horror that will bring tears to your eyes "Song of Kali" and "Carrion Comfort" and first rate science fiction like "Hyperion" then put out pure crap like that stupid book "Fires of Eden", the lame "The Hollow Man", and the boring "Phases of Gravity". I was disappointed in "Children of the Night" as well.

Very hit or miss.

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

Bump

Close to finishing "Hero King" by Rick Shelley (book 3 of the Varayan Memoirs) and Aaron Allston's sequel to "Doc Sidhe" entitled "Sidhe Devil".

Aaron's book is the better of the two, IMO.

I have a question. The same Rick Shelley has a Sci-fi space opera series that starts with "Officer Cadet". Any opinions as to whether the series is worth reading?

Re: what non-fiction books have you read? please rate it ...

Has anyone read here "A Pirate of Exquisite Mind"? This is one book I have considered buying of late and wondered if any had read it.

Re: Bloodstone by David Gemmell

I definitely agree with you on this series. The first couple are a very interesting take on Arthurian fantasy, but I could not get past the radical shift to Shannow. I've found his other fiction to be hit and miss... "Legend" is probably my favorite of the lot, dealing with a fortress under siege and a legendary Hero coming out of retirement for what could be his last stand

 

Currently, I'm tearing through Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series for the umpteenth time, since I've just picked up the latest in the series (am I the only one who re-reads an entire series when the new chapter comes out??)

"Legend" is a great book! I must read the "Dark Tower" series, several have suggested it.

I am amazed that you re-read entire series each time a new book is published in a series! I have a hard time just reading the latest sequels...

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

Just finished the final two parts of the Windsinger Quartet by Megan Lindholm. Very low power action focussing on a gypsy trader and her friend.

The third book looks at a trap weaved by a Windsinger against Ki (the gypsy trader) which sends her into another realm. Here she becomes entranced and tries to create a new marvel which is what the thing in the realm wants until she is rescued by her friend.

The fourth book deals with transporting human cargo, an empath which they don't discover until later. A rebellion and a villainous Duke complicate matters.

 

I would give this 7 to 7.5 out of 10.

Did you know that Megan Lindholm and Robin Hobb are one and the same person?

Re: Deathstalker novels for Pulp Sci-Fi

I recently read the first Deathstalker book. I would like to call attention to the extensive use of combat drugs (AID to speed, dex, str, body, etc.) used in the first book. The Valentine character seemed to have a drug-based VPP...

Re: Thanks to Keith Curtis...

Keith Curtis' artwork rocks!

Bloodstone by David Gemmell

Book 5 in a strange series that started as fantasy and ended as Post Apoc. This book lost focus midway through but redeemed itself somewhat with a healthy dose of action. It ended very abruptly and was somewhat of a letdown at the end.

I enjoyed the first two books, much less well known IMO, in the series more than the last three in congregate. I think this had something to do with expectations that were not quite met by the Jon Shannow books (last three).

I have NEVER read a series that started as Fantasy and ended with gunfire. Truly, these would have been better as two separate series IMO.

I give "Bloodstone" a 6 out of 10.

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

Celestial Matters by Richard Garfinkle

 

Oh, it's pretty good. It drags in spots but the weird take on "hard science" is very well done, and the story is compelling. It's not in my top five, but it is one of the few novels I will re-read. Recommended.

Saw it on Half.com for $1.98, Like New, hardback. A little over $5 with shipping! Now it is mine, all mine!

Re: Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan

The 4th book is pretty interesting. Fearful Symmetry' date=' iirc.[/quote']

 

I forgot about that one. Like the third one with the rabbit, it wasn't bad, just not as good as the first two...imo.

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

Just remembered. I recently read "Something from the Night Side" I think it was by Simon R. Green (?)

 

interesting. Kind of like Neverwhere. Darker. I intend to read more.

I am looking forward to reading the next book in that series from Simon R. Green titled "Agents of Light and Darkness". A friend says that it takes only 4 pages to get going then hauls buttocks until the very end.