I noticed a synchronicity very similar to what arwink mentions.
Deadlands does have a number of elements - magic and wierd science, and horror and the Wild West - but that's really not so much more than a great many games. Shadowrun has Magic and high tech and horror and punk-urban, for example. In Deadland's case, with a little forethought the elements mesh well, thematically.
Similarly for mechanics - it seemed a little odd at first working with dice and cards and chips, but I found that after some practice the system ran smoothly and quickly without much confusion.
It is perhaps important to note that the chips are not realy a randomizing agent. The chips (which are effectively a form of "hero point") give the PC a bonus. Making the PC more likely to succeed decreases randomness. The chips are another factor/resource the player and GM must take into consideration, but when used they make things less random.
Deadlands does have a number of elements - magic and wierd science, and horror and the Wild West - but that's really not so much more than a great many games. Shadowrun has Magic and high tech and horror and punk-urban, for example. In Deadland's case, with a little forethought the elements mesh well, thematically.
Similarly for mechanics - it seemed a little odd at first working with dice and cards and chips, but I found that after some practice the system ran smoothly and quickly without much confusion.
It is perhaps important to note that the chips are not realy a randomizing agent. The chips (which are effectively a form of "hero point") give the PC a bonus. Making the PC more likely to succeed decreases randomness. The chips are another factor/resource the player and GM must take into consideration, but when used they make things less random.
