First Look: Star Trek Adventures

I spent some time last night reading through the starter set for this game and I had a couple thoughts.

They call this the 2d20 system, but pushing your roll allows you to roll up to 5d20. It seems odd, especially since the game only comes with 2d20. Now, if you play tabletop games, you have extra d20s lying around, but I thought this felt a little strange. Now I am trying to build a decent 5d20 set to play the game with.

The game has six primary ability scores. Six secondary scores act as skills and can be combined with any ability score given the type of roll. Granted, some will be more common than others, like Control + Security for ranged combat, or Daring + Security for melee combat. It leads to some strange combinations, such as Security + Fitness for climbing or swimming, which feels like an easy one to forget.

The rules are simple, and the combining of primary + secondary is the heart of the system.

Two pools are tracked, one for momentum and another for threat. Momentum is a beneficial pool that caps at six points, is reduced by one point per scene, and is refilled by excess successes at skill rolls. Immediately I thought "do not try to game this pool" and would enforce a "meaningful skill rolls only" rule at my table, as the natural incentive is to game the pool by making lots of easy rolls and banking momentum. Threat starts at two per player, and is increased by critical failures, hazardous situations, or if the players push their rolls and opt to increase the threat pool instead. Momentum is used to add dice to rolls, remove complications, create advantages, create problems for enemies, and obtain information about the scene. Threat works sort of in reverse as a hinderance pool doing roughly the same things, but penalizing the characters.

The momentum and threat pools are the mechanical guts of the system and the storytelling engine. I can see how some B/X fans would be like, "You don't need all this fiddly mechanical stuff! Make it up and just tell a good story!" This was my first reaction to this part of the 2d20 system, and it made me wonder if a B/X system that relied more on just making it up as the situation called for would be a better call. I will hold off a final judgment on this part of the game until I try it, and I can see how it creates that "TV reality" of overcoming a huge threat pool and building up a bonus pool to fight through an impossible situation.

Yes, while in B/X you are solving a situation presented in an adventure, the momentum-threat system starts your "TV episode" off at a disadvantage and lets you pare that down and build up successes to push the tide in your favor. And all specialties can contribute, such as a science officer analyzing a poisonous flower, so the system is not just combat-focused in contribution and usefulness. It also feels appropriate to the "many coming together to solve problems" theme of the show and movies.

The small font on the black pages is hard to read. The PDF version has a printer friendly version without the black background.

Where are the cover rules? I can't find them.

The starter set covers a lot of ground, and even includes ship combat rules. It comes with dice (but not 5d20) and is a good deal.

I am looking forward to having fun with this, and those are my first impressions.

First Look: Amazing Adventures

Here is a fun one I am looking at, the Siege Engine (Castles & Crusades) pulp 1920s-1950s game Amazing Adventures. I like Castles & Crusades so this interested me as a sort of "also" game that went along with those rules.

I also like the pulp genre a lot, from the original TSR Gangbusters, B/X Gangbusters, Mercenaries Spies & Private Eyes, and other games that do the era justice. This one was interesting as a B/X style of gangster game but using the C&C rules, so I picked it up to read.

A Fading Era?

I always get this feeling that interest in the pulp era is fading year after year. We get farther and farther away from the time, and the relevance of this era seems to wane to a modern audience. I hope not, since there is a lot of great and amazing stories to tell in the pulp era, and a lot of our adventure fiction is based on this genre as the genesis of the heroes and action for what we even see in movies today.

As time goes by this era becomes more and more fantasy-like, with the strange level of technology seeming far removed from the present day. No cell phones or computers? No direct dial long distance? No television (towards the end of the era but still, mostly radio)? No jet aircraft? Ocean liners for cross sea travel? No interstate highways? Strange rules for law enforcement where a county or state line could stop pursuit? A world that was still mostly distant and unknown?

This was a different world.

Strangely Rules Heavy

From my first read through I found more rules and a larger book that I would have expected. A lot of these are classes, options, and magic - but the game still felt substantial and complete compared to other games in the genre. I wanted a few more weapons and vehicles, regardless, for a book this size and this much depth in the rules. There seems to be more weight here around characters, powers, and builds than lots of "stuff" but it does not feel like an issue that is a deal breaker. I have a lot of reference material, so I don't see the lack of gear and vehicles as a drawback, just a "want more" thing that could easily be fixed by myself or "gear and gadgets" book.

Gangsters, Serials, Sci-Fi, or Cthulhu

The game has the tools needed to do a lot of genres from horror, gangsters, crime fighting, action serials, treasure hunting, to campy sci-fi action. I like the options here and the game feels like a complete playset to do a lot with. One one hand, it isn't as focused as other games are. On another, this game is a sandbox playset with many uses.

Looks Like Fun

I want to get my Castles & Crusades game running pretty soon here, but I like options like this to explore and have fun with. More soon as I read through this and get more of this read.

First Look: Castles & Crusades

Castles and Crusades started in 2004, back in the D&D 3.0 days. This is one of the first OSR games, though the mechanics are a more modernized system called the Siege Engine (similar to the D&D 3.x DC system, but this basically fixes DCs at 12 or 18, and gives the referee leeway on additional difficulty and which DRMs apply), and it retains the traditional AC combat system. It dispenses with the OSR saving throws, and the 3.x fort/ref/will saves, and uses ability-based saves instead. D&D 5 borrowed the concept of ability-based saves, so if you are coming from 5E you will recognize that right away.

It is funny how D&D 4 borrowed a lot from Iron Heroes and went in a different direction, and then the designers at Wizards course-corrected and made a game more like this. You can't and shouldn't really say "stole from" since that is a negative and encourages flaming and system wars, which are lame. All games are cool. Lots of games share mechanics. We don't flame Sorry because Monopoly also uses dice for movement. It is what it is. D&D 5 does things in a cool and different way. C&C did some things earlier.

The game sticks close to the AD&D core. It is kept very rules-light with lots of optional extras in the Castle Keepers Guide, including higher-level play and heroic characters. The classes are mechanically different, some play more OSR, while others play more modernized. All rolls are still handled by the game's core mechanics, so there are no "1-2 on a d6 skill rolls" or large percentage tables of thief abilities.

It features some legendary designers and is named after the legendary Castles and Crusades Society, the gaming society founded by Gary Gygax. The game definitely has pedigree and also some serious design credentials behind it.

What is This?

It is a unique and cool game that sits on the crossroads between OSR and D&D5. It can be played as a compromise game between OSR and 5E players, and everyone will find something they like. The game is deadly, but there is no "death at zero hp." The game has that AD&D old-school feel without all the complexity. There is no THAC0 or support for alternate AC systems, or compatibility notations such as AC 5 [14]. This is a roll-high system with unified mechanics.

This is not D&D 3.5 or Pathfinder 1e. The fiddly and complicated feat and interrupt-based mechanics, complex character builds, and weight of the system have been completely torn out. Though to be fair, if you want feats, they are reworked and presented as an optional advantage system in the referee's book. So now the game plays more like Pathfinder, and those players can come in and feel at home.

There is a little Tunnels and Trolls in here with those ability based skill rolls and saves. In T&T you make a 2nd level STR save, and in C&C you make a STR check at a DC of 12/18 with your ability score mod, optional level mod if your class helps, and a difficulty set by the referee. Every score matters and can be checked, saved against, or used in the game. The ability scores and classes replace skills, though there is an optional background skill system in the referee's book. This core-concept I love.

The art is gorgeous. The printing is great quality. The core books are full color pieces of art.

This game feels like the coolest thing to come out of the D&D 3.0 era, it cut its own path, stayed true to itself and fans, and has been doing its own thing ever since.

B/X Compatibility?

This isn't B/X, but you can play B/X with it. A lot of B/X material is very compatible. If you had a module designed for another system, such as Barrowmaze, simply keep 90% of the content the same but use C&C monster statistics - or convert on the fly if need be. You can do the same with AD&D modules, or even 5E adventures if you want to.

If B/X is like the Linux/Unix of the OSR world, C&C is sort of like the Wine emulation layer that lets you play Windows games on Linux (if Wine existed in a perfect world, but to be fair it is getting really good). If there is something in another system you really like (D&D 5, Pathfinder 1/2, B/X, T&T, AD&D) you will find something similar here either as a core rule or option.

I have not seen a game that hits the middle-ground so solidly with a unified mechanic such as this one.

Old School Flavor

The game keeps the classic alignment system, and maintains the law-chaos and good-evil paradigms. It feels like a natural evolution of AD&D to me into the modern day, more so than D&D 3.5 or Labyrinth Lord (which feels like a B/X AD&D emulator). If you do not care for OSR mechanics but want the OSR feel and flavor, this works very well.

Also I feel like I could run an evil campaign like we used to do from time to time in AD&D and not have the game tell us we are playing it the wrong way. Those typically ended in Shakespearian tragedy as evil was finally punished, and the evil PCs fell one by one as the forces of good rallied (or bigger evil betrayed them). That is also cool. Those were fun games, sort of a puritanical lesson in "crime does not pay" like a gangster movie. You gotta have that tragic ending for an evil game because it is so satisfying and classic Hollywood.

If you want demons and devils, they are done very nicely in a separate book called "Tome of the Unclean." This keeps them out of the main game for people who don't want them, and devotes and entire book to them so they are done right. Again, this checks one of my boxes and does it in a very cool and flavor-filled sourcebook that adds to the fun.

...vs. Basic Fantasy?

The game is actually similar in spirit to Basic Fantasy. It is a rework and reengineering of AD&D to be more along that rule-light framework, where Basic Fantasy rewords B/X. If you play Basic Fantasy you will probably feel right at home once you realize the Siege Engine replaces the "leveled saves" of that game and a lot stays the same. Very highly compatible in terms of feeling and design.

...vs. Dungeon Crawl Classics?

Okay, this I feel is a Street Fighter moment. And this one is going to be a good fight where I root for both sides. The truth is they don't have to fight and these two games are both winners on my shelf and table.

The games are similar in that they take an OSR base and take it in a new direction without care for numerical compatibility and one-for-one rules replacement. Where DCC has more of a gonzo Heavy Metal feeling of wild and deadly fantasy, C&C has that classic AD&D feeling. I could see myself playing both at the same time and both qualify as top-shelf games currently.

DCC unifies the DC mechanic around a floating DC and variable dice sizes based on difficulty. Since there are two variables to manage (DC and die size) creating task difficulty can be a little difficult since both sides float. DCC also uses fort/ref/will saves. 

C&C fixes the DC at two values, puts a little yes/no variability into the allowed bonus in regards to class, adds the ability score modifier, and floats only one side - the challenge level (which raises the target number). One side floats so this is a faster and easier system to adjudicate. Also there are no additional recorded saves.

DCC allows for rolls that you can put a lot of "English" on with rules like spellburn, so wildly high rolls can happen even at low levels. C&C follows the more traditional feeling and balance to classes.

Where DCC replaced my complete Pathfinder 1e collection, I can see C&C becoming my OSR game of choice. It would replace many of my B/X games because it hits the same AD&D feeling while unifying the mechanics. Since I am not tied to the B/X mechanics, if a game hits the feeling with a simpler system and unified mechanics, I am there.

Both are incredible games and they share that "common starting point, but different direction" feeling. Honestly I love games that do this since I have enough B/X games as it is, and at this point I am looking for new and different things. Where C&C has the traditional feeling, DCC has that anything goes feeling. Both are very cool.

...vs. B/X?

If you care more about B/X compatibility, there are too many games out there to choose from. Old School Essentials, Labyrinth Lord, Swords & Wizardry, and many others. If you absolutely need B/X mechanics, play a B/X set of rules.

It is funny, I see a lot of people playing the original print on demand AD&D and B/X games that are officially released and foregoing the more modern alternatives. I love the old games, I own them and grew up with them, but at this point I want to support the indie creators who are innovating and reinventing the genre.

Also, with my current collection of B/X I have everything I need. The only thing I am looking forward to is the forthcoming Old School Essentials demons book they promised.

Also, most all of my B/X adventures and sourcebooks are usable with C&C, so I don't really lose anything and I can keep buying and investing in the indies that make non-rules B/X adventures and settings.

So really, the feelings of both B/X and C&C are the same, they just get there in different ways.

The In the Middle Everything Replacement

D&D 4's Nerrath? The original gray-box Forgotten Realms? Mystara? Your own world? Classic Greyhawk? Pathfinder's Golarion? I can see playing all of them in C&C with a few tweaks here and there. The game feels like what came before but modernizes and streamlines the mechanics.

They even have their own setting of Aihrde with looks like a fun and deep world to explore.

I rarely find games I instantly fall in love with and feel they are a classic, and this one has slipped under my radar for far too long. I ask myself, why did I dismiss this for so long? Maybe it was because I thought once I had B/X I had it all, or that newer games such as Pathfinder 2 were better because of the new and shiny factor. I simply didn't "need" a game that did things a different way than what I was used to, and I feared it would end up in a box.

This game does not feel that way.

It is one I wished me and my brother would have checked out sooner, because this is what we would have chose to settle down on and play for our main campaign. I really can't tell you how good that feels. This would have been the one.

More soon.

First Look: Traveller Core Rulebook Update 2022

Okay, I am happy I took the leap of faith on this one. Above left is the 2016 book's table of contents. On the right is the 2022 book's ToC. Here is a short list of the first things that jumped out at me with this version of the main rulebook:

• 23 pages added
• Lots of flowcharts and how-to diagrams were added
• Better artwork throughout
• All of the bad pieces and eye-cringe are gone
• Much better presentation
• Use of facing pages where they can!
• Cleaner layout overall
• Bullet points!
• The all-black pages that ate toner are gone
• Much more printer friendly
• Style does not jump around between sections
• Less confusing
• More color in the artwork
• Looks "happier"
• Less of a dreary, dark "Alien RPG" look
• Getting a Star Frontiers vibe overall
• Better equipment and starship images
• The weapons, suits, and tech look "cool" now
• Spacecraft construction is back in the main book!

Overall, it feels like a team of graphic designers went over the 2016 book and made a lot of hard choices on presentation, and the work they did looks great. The bulleted rules and facing pages layouts help a great deal, and the cleaner and consistent presentation overall helps the organization of the book tremendously.

And the universe, ships, gear, and guns look cool too. Not overly high-tech and clean, but rugged, functional, dirty, and functional designs that do not look too "concept art." Great job on the art revamp.

It feels like someone took a long, hard look at Old School Essentials and ask themselves, "What did they do right?"

Granted, they would need to rewrite a lot of the book and rules to get this to an OSE-level of cleanness, but with the  game they have and keeping it compatible, they did a pretty good job here.

I can't wait for my hardcopy coming in January 2022, this is one I am looking forward to. I am pleasantly surprised by this one.

Mail Room: Traveller RPG Box Set

This one I bought out of nostalgia, and I am glad I did. It has been a while since I wrote here, but I keep seeing clicks and hits, so I know there are people that miss me. First off, why I have been away.

My brother passed away. We played pen-and-paper games together for over 40 years.

Traveller was one of those.

So the last year I have been getting my life in order, boxing up 40 years of history and putting those in the garage, and wondering if I would ever return to these worlds. So here I am. Prime Day and a random purchase later an I am part of the way back.

I am not playing, but reading these days, and dreaming. I suppose dreaming is still important, thinking about the what-ifs, and the places never went to and never explored. Pieces of our imaginations which shall live on for as long as we are here, and forever if we choose to share. So share I shall.

First Glance: Basic Game, Basic Gear, no Ship Design

The boxed set focuses on the basic game, with a collection of classic ships, gear, and parts to get you started. No ship design is included, as that is in the High Guard book. Note the original Traveller little black books had a version of ship design that was different than the old-school High Guard's, so that is a difference here. Do I mind?

At first I did, and after a while of thinking about it I didn't. Some of the reviews I seen said their groups got along well without ship design, and stuck with the generous collection of classic designs shown here. I like the sort of "these are standard production designs and what were made" sort of game universe because it starts you out small. The designs are known and become familiar, like the iconic X-Wing or TIE Fighters of Star Wars. You get to know the ships inside and out, even the map layouts provided for each (nice job).

Besides, why waste the space on a cut-down ship design rules set? When if that is what you want, buy the expansion book and avoid repeating the cut-down rules here. I agree with this decision, and for a basic starting game it feels right for me.

Similarly, the gear is pretty generous, but sticks to the standards of what you would expect and gives a good collection to play with without going on for hundreds of pages. You get a good selection here to start with and I feel it gives you plenty of room to come up with your own additions. Some games I feel give you too much and your creativity feels restricted by choice paralysis.

Also, what you get in this box set is equivalent to the basic rule book, so you lose nothing by buying either - except (as I hear in some reviews) information on the default Traveller Imperium setting.

No Imperium and a Starter Sector

The default Third Imeprium setting is mentioned but not included. What you get instead is a scenario book and a sector map with only one subsector filled in - the rest is up for you to create and explore. Wow. Bold move here, and I actually love this. I love this so much I feel I have been waiting for this version for most of the time I have known Traveller. This setting is technically in the Imperium, but there is nothing stopping you from saying "no it's not" and picking one world as the stereotypical Human homeworld and saying "go explore!"

You could create a new map with "future Earth" as the center system and say "go explore!"

No Imperium needed. I love the lore and history of the original setting, but for new players and a new edition this feels right. For a player coming back and my imagination needing a jump start this feels right.

The Imperium is there if you want it, or feel free to ignore it. I like this a lot, and this is close to my feeling of the original Traveller in the first place, it is a hard sci-fi game where you go out and shoot lasers, explore planets, run cargo, meet new civilizations, and generally fly around and do whatever.

You could say Earth or "starting world X" is the only human planet and if we meet a planet with a population code, make up an alien race and go. First contact, trade, war, diplomatic intrigue, galactic rebellion, star federation, evil empire, or whatever makes you happy. You were one of the first to bump into them now play!

This really is an exciting and fresh and also faithful if you want it setup, and I like it a great deal. Nothing is overwhelming and the starting space is small enough you can wrap your head around it, fly around, and get into all sorts of trouble before you head off into uncharted space.

Cyberpunk Bug-Eyed Aliens

The themes of a cyberpunk-style feel plus the inclusion of bug-eyed aliens in the scenario book surprised me. This feels different, the technology is updated from the classic 1950's style bubble-helmet style of old, the 1970's evolution, and the "computers weigh tons" editions of the past. This game feels thoroughly modern, sort of like an Interstellar meets Aliens meets Blade Runner 2049 level of technology for me, if you are familiar with those movies. It is a harder-edged sci-fi than a Star Wars and not as technology magic as Star Trek, so it really fits my idea of a more grounded type of sci-fi where science and engineering are needed to save the day.

Bug eyed aliens? Yes, the scenario book has them, and this feels like it opens the door for them in the game, which is different than my expectations for classic Traveller. I could see throwing in blob monsters, bug monsters, floating amoebas, psionic starfish, brain creatures, space zombies, silicate rock monsters, fish men, space vampires, or any other sort of classic sci-fi race or monster in the game and call it good. The game's lore seems more relaxed, and I would definitely pick up a "monster book" with ideas if they had one. I would also include many more monsters in this game if I were to run it. The door is open.

Cyberpunk? Oddly enough I get that sort of vibe from this game. They have implants and other gear and even A-I intelligences. I am like, if bug-eyed aliens are in, then adding cyberpunk elements to the game feels like a unique and fun combination for a fresh take like this game. Plus augments give power gamers a way to work on their characters with new powers and abilities, so it adds to the tactical and character-building aspect to the game.

I would even add foam-rubber faced aliens with strange skin colors (or talking anthro-animal races) to the mix if it were up to me. This would be the trifecta of "modern sci-fi B movie" goodness for me without wandering into the big sci-fi tent pole universes' territory.

I do find the combination of cyberpunk versus bug-eyed aliens (with an explore as you go universe) to be a fun game to run with this and one I wished I had the chance to run back in the day.

Boxed Set Notes

It is worth noting the boxed set comes at a price premium over the basic rule book. You get maps, dice, and the scenario book, which add to the value considering you get all of the material in the core book plus all this. I like the focused nature of this product though and that made it worth the price of a AAA game (typically the standard edition) for me.

Also, the books are full color - which is a huge plus. The art isn't always eye-popping, which is a minus. The supporting material, like the starship maps and gear pictures, are very welcome and help set the visuals for the game nicely. Good presentation overall, mixed levels of art quality, and nice full color printing.

Overall, Worthy

In my feeling this is a worthy update to the system, more colorful, visual, and updated for the times while still keeping the original game's feeling of hard sci-fi. I like the modern twists and additions, the nods to classic sci-fi, and they feel at home here. I like what Mongoose has done, how this game has evolved, and how it is keeping up with the times instead of standing against the old editions (which are still out there and playable just as well). If you like those, play those!

This game, this edition, feels like is speaks to me, and the movies and experiences I see in sci-fi movies and TV shows. It does so without needing a licenced universe, and you are free to do and pull in whatever you want and play. You could use this as a sort of generic "D&D for space" sort of universe where the classic Traveller elements (tech, ships, rules, gear and feel) hold together stories and space maps that go off in a million unexplored directions. Your universe can be as big or as small as you want, even down to just playing in the Earth's collection of planets without FTL travel. You can use the Imperium, or not.

It feels like a perfect blank-slate open-ended sci-fi game, and that excites my imagination.

More hopefully soon as I dive in and enjoy this updated take on a classic. My summer reading and dreams of a thousand stars are finally here.

FATE Accelerated vs. FATE Core, part 1

In this corner we have FATE Accelerated, the stripped down, lean and mean light version of the FATE rules, which we will call FAE. In that corner, we have FATE Core, the little rules book that weighs in at over 300 pages which is way longer than I ever imagined a rules-light game could be, and a book we will call Core. I got both books and I wanted to do a first impressions sort of review as I read both and check them out, so I will be going over what I learn and how things work in this comparison.

Both PDFs are pay-what-you want and free and unrestricted for the initial download, an incredible distribution model and very progressive and thoughtful. I am feeling I will pay something here, this is just too kind and they deserve something for a great game and all this hard work. Honestly, I am not cheap, and we want companies this generous to stick around and put out great stuff in the future.

Dice!

I bought a special set of FATE Dice and I love these things. They are fun and very collectible, high-impact (I dropped one on a stone floor from 4 feet with no damage or marks after 2 three-foot bounces), and very pretty. I can see myself collecting these just to play around with, and they are a fun part of the game. More are coming in the mail, and I love the ones made by Evil Hat. Something makes me want to invent a game to play these with, or maybe use them for Monopoly or a WW2 wargame like Squad Leader. More dice? Let's do another picture of dice:

You only need four of them as a player or referee. Only four, so a 12-pack will be enough for three people. You roll them all together, plus means +1, minus means -1, and you total the result and add to an Approach (in FAE) or a Skill (in Core), what this game uses as an ability score. 4d3 is a unique mechanic, and it feels novel and unique.

Core Skills vs. FAE Approaches

FAE gets rid of a skill list for a more generic "action based" set of approaches to problems - it doesn't matter how skilled you are at an action, your approach to how you solve a problem is what matters. Core uses a list of 18 task-specific skills, where FAE sticks to 6 non-skill 'problem solving' approaches which any. I can see how those wanting a crunchy, more character-design driven game would be drawn to core, while those wanting a rules-light and more 'let's play a movie or TV show right now' would gravitate towards FAE. Core seems more like the long-term campaign choice, but I want to check out Accelerated to get my feet wet before diving in.

OGL and SRD FTW

And these are OGL games with a Creative Commons license, and an SRD as well. Wow, they are trying really hard to win me over. Really hard. I feel my defenses breaking already. A sensible, modern, open, and SRD-driven game with the normal OGL/SRD licensing guidelines and rules? Yes, D&D 5 went OGL, but they leave things out, so there is that forking thing going on over there. Here? It's all on the table, start creating your game. Or making a module. Or whatever. Just play by the OGL/SRD rules and you are good to go.

Okay, I am won over now, let's get back into the game.

But see what this does? Being open and flexible about your rules system wins fans. Legend is like this as well, along with a couple other games Mongoose makes. Evil Hat follows suite, and we have another game that will live forever and spawn countless forms, and there are no parts left out. This is the way to publish a game. Worrying about selling physical copies rule books is so year 2000. Make a great game, let people have it without restrictions, and then sell the rulebooks and other add-on items. Rules are cheap and should be free.

And yes, I will keep buying dice, and paying-what-I-want because generous people deserve to stay around and be rewarded for the cool stuff they make.

And I want other companies to follow this model, so I will support it.

Aspects are Where It's At

Aspects are really the core of this game, and while the game seems almost rules-light, don't let this fool you. There is a very deep and meaningful aspect game going on here underneath, and it supports the entire role-playing and task resolution system in the game. This really shouldn't be understated, where in most other RPGs, you get this dry "number vs. number" thing going on, what's your skill and what's the DR of the lock? Roll. Fine. Done, pass or fail.

An aspect is a simple statement of truth about any fact about a character, situation, or scene that can give you a bonus or penalty when invoked or compelled by a fate point. The statement can be anything, but ideally it can be something positive or negative that could apply in multiple ways.

In FATE, it's all about the aspects, baby. I want to stick to FAE for this, since that is how I want to learn the game, so here goes. Character aspects can come into play, like, "I am a master thief of the city of Cairo." Situational aspects can come into play, like, "the room is really noisy and it is hard to concentrate." Consequences (injuries or other temporary conditions) can come into play, such as, "I sprained my wrist" or "my confidence is shaken."

Before we get into the mechanical workings of aspects, the action system of the game turn plays into aspects as well and completely supports them. There is another layer here that is really critical to understand so you won't be playing this as a novice. Action during a turn can be taken to "create an advantage" or create a new, temporary situational aspect. I could plug cotton in my ears to cancel out the noisy room, or take extra time picking the lock. I could also try to use an "overcome" action against the noisy room aspect by trying to quiet everyone down, and if I roll good enough, get a one-time boost that I can use for a limited time (the room quiets down and circles around so they can watch me pick the lock with anticipation).

You can invoke positive aspects (or negative ones against fores) by spending a fate point. You can earn fate points by compelling negative aspects on yourself. The game's entire fate point system revolves around the invoking and compelling of aspects, and fate points are your "story points" which you use to gain benefits and make interesting stuff happen.

In this game, you are constantly creating aspects, invoking them, compelling them on others (and yourself), having the referee invoke them or compel them as NPCs, and keeping the "fate point economy" spending and earning points like poker chips being tossed around the table without abandon. This is not just for dry RPG combat, this is for social scenes, technical scenes, tasks, and any challenge or interaction in the game. You could have a whole social combat scene play out with situational aspects being created by the "create an advantage" action, such as a diplomat questioning the integrity of another diplomat, creating a "suspicion of personal gain" aspect on that person. That aspect could be compelled against that diplomat, or it could be invoked by a character saying "my integrity has not been challenged!" That "suspicion of personal gain" aspect could be dispelled by the "overcome" action with irrefutable proof of honesty and integrity, and if you roll good enough, earn a boost in which to turn the tables on your accuser with a boost, which you could use to inflict a "dishonest accusations and dealings" aspect back on your accuser.

This is not a cut-and-dried "by the numbers" RPG, this is a social experience simulator that can be used in a remarkable number of ways. You could use aspects to perform auto repair, negotiations, cloak and dagger sneaking around a enemy base, roleplaying, exploration of new lands, cutting down a tree, mining a mine, searching ruins, and any other normal and exceptional situation - should you choose to. The aspect and fate point system, combined with the create advantage and overcome actions, create an interactive and social experience out of anything you throw at it.

Aspects can be Special Equipment

Another interesting part of the game is that there are no equipment lists. You are a swordfighter, so you have a sword, often as a part of a character aspect. If you are a sniper, you could create an aspect "my specialized rifle is good at hitting targets at long range" and get a +2 when you invoke this piece of special gear with a fate point when that condition is true. At short ranges, it is like any other gun and can be used normally, but with a fate point and the right situation, that special equipment comes into play.

Again, in many "by the numbers" RPGs, you are forced to sort through long lists of equipment, match a weapon to a style of fighting, and weight positives and negatives of giant spreadsheets of modifiers, damage outputs, and numbers. Here, that isn't how this game is played, and specialized gear is more of a "TV or movie plot device used during a special scene" than something you would geek out about ranges, fps, muzzle energy, and all sorts of other arcane numbers that would bore the audience to tears.

Accelerated vs. Core

This is a tough one, since I want to see Core as AD&D versus FAE's simpler D&D. I don't really see that analogy holding up, since they are both the same game - but different. I want to learn and play Accelerated first and save Core for later. I may stick with Accelerated after I read Core, or incorporate the parts I like from Core. I don't know. I need to read and play some more before I make that decision, and no rush, because I am liking the interactive and social nature of this game.

It is not like Savage Worlds at all, nor Legend, d20, or any other game. Savage Worlds is taking our top spot as our group's "polyhedral game", while Legend is our "percentile realism" game, and our own Second Edition of SBRPG as our favorite "d6 game" (still in development, more soon). All of these are crunchy, by-the-numbers games, with SBRPG 2nd Edition sitting somewhere between storytelling and crunchy.

I can see FATE working its way into our playlist as our "fast and fun" story light game of choice. Why? It is anti-crunch and social. It is interactive and verbal. It is built around storytelling and a shared experience. It has a unique and fun mechanic. The dice are interesting and make us want to play.

A very strong system overall, and I am pleasantly surprised by this one. I had expected something rules-light and not as compelling, something you buy, collect, and never play. I got something which once dug into compels me to play, is full of interesting and social-play ideas, and is tailored to create a unique and fun experience.

A winner? Too early to tell, we need to run through our first session and see.