Dragonstar's "Imperial Supply" looks great for any scifi game

[Voneth]

I only got to scan the product(an equipment and arms book), but it looked like that most of the stuff could easily be used in most of the d20 scifi games. The art for most of the tech and vehicles was decent as well.

 

[Tetsubo]

I agree that Imperial Supply will be useful in any SF D20 game. But I was underwhelmed by the book overall. Nothing really popped out for me as being uber cool. The Dragonstar Player's handbook just floored me it was so good. In comparison Imperial Supply just didn't live up to what I hoped it would be. And I found the art to be passable at best. Just rather dull and unfinished looking. I would have prefer a more technical look. Much of the art remonded me of bad 60's comic art.

I'm really hoping the book Arsenal does better.

 

[Sam]

But I was underwhelmed by the book overall.

I agree. The book, while good, is not of the same caliber as Starfarer's Handbook or Guide to the Galaxy. It's a good equipment book, end of story. The art is ok; there's even one panel that's printed in the book twice (I thought I was rereading the same section when I came across it again). Furthermore, it was priced a bit high for a softcover supplement at $19.95. Would have gone down a bit better at $15 or so.

--Sam

 

[Steve Conan Trustrum]

I'll have to chime in and agree with the feeling of being let down by this book, overall. It went in some nice directions but just never seemed to get to the intended destination correctly. Some of the weapon stats just didn't seem to jive with their intended purpose and the art was really just ... blah.

I liked the "sketch" art done for many of the vehicles (even though some of the sketches didn't match up with the actual description and stats of the vehicles), but the equipment and weapons were, largely, horrendous. The worst were the guns, all of which looked cartoonish and not at all functional. It's always nice to try for a new look with your tech, but if people end up looking at it and wondering why a designer would possibly make something so odd and obviously disfunctional, then the attempt has failed.

 

[Tetsubo]

As a side note, the new Star Wars tech manual isn't bad. It's more focused than IS and the art quality is much higher. And I got it on sale.

 

[Psion]

I think the book stands to be very useful... perhaps not as "oooh ahh" as it could me, but for me, that comes second to utility.

 

[Matthias]

USCMC Dropships ... ?

I'd agree with the negative comments about the artwork if (and only if) Dragonstar was written as a hard sci-fi universe. That said, everything looks very good IMO for a science-fantasy game world.

My only raised eyebrow moment was when I noticed a vehicle remarkably like the USCMC dropships from "Aliens" on page 100. Mind you, it's very nice to see such an 'easter egg' in print, so I'm not really upset about it -- especially since we've started a mini-campaign that our GM has billed as a "bug-hunt". This is especially ironic since since none of us had the book when the campaign started.

 

[Voneth]

I am currently running a campaign loosly based n Farscape with liberal interepetations of MM critters for my challenges. (A colony of Stirges are nasty to a Leviathan, I also had Skrags try to unionize on their underwater drilling colony.)

From that view point and my quick glances, I found damage dice to be in line with Farscape's weapon damages. For my tastes, I liked the "Da Vinci half done" vehicle art work. It reminds me of my old drafting classes in Mechanical Engineering.

 

[Steve Conan Trustrum]

Re: USCMC Dropships ... ?

I'd agree with the negative comments about the artwork if (and only if) Dragonstar was written as a hard sci-fi universe. That said, everything looks very good IMO for a science-fantasy game world.

Even for a fantays / sci-fi setting those guns just look plain ol' goofy. I look at them and think "why the hell would the designer make it look like that?" For some of them, you have their bodies on angles which runs into all manner of design issues, be it an energy or projectile weapon. Sure, it is only an rpg so you don't have to stick to real-world design issues, but it begs the question "whey bother?"

 

[Tetsubo]

One thing occured to me today concerning IS. Where is the biotechnology? The Elves are suppose to grow their own ships and such. I love biotech, the flexibility and variety is great. The 2E Dark Sun setting had quite a bit and would translate into DS fairly easily I think. I'm hoping that the DS setting addresses biotech in some future supplement.

And the art is goofy.

Here's one of mine...