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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Psion" data-source="post: 2009598" data-attributes="member: 172">Gaming Fronties Volume 3Gaming Frontiers is a periodical publication that contains a variety of d20 system related articles, contributed from a variety of publisher. Gaming Frontiers is published by United Playtest, Inc.A First LookGaming Fronties Volume 3 is a 144 page perfect-bound softcover book priced at $19.95. This is relatively inexpensive for a product of this size.The cover has a digital image of a man in futuristic garb imprisoned in some sort of church while an official examines his futuristic weapon. The picture is by Luis Corte Real, who you may recognize from some early Malhavoc and Mongoose works.The interior is black and white with a variety of artists; presumably the various contributing publishers put their own artists to work on their contributions. In addition, Tony Mosely, RPG comic-strip artist that you may recognize from the pages of Dragon, has several strips in this volume.The interior layout is nice and the interior text is dense. Sidebars are nicely offset.Though Gaming Frontiers makes itself out as being more than just a magazine -- and in many ways it does resemble a typical print product -- it does have a few advertisements by the contributing publishers.A Deeper LookGaming Frontiers Volume 3 contains a number of contributed articles from a variety of d20 system publishers, including product promotions, excerpts, and additional material. There are six adventures in the issue, including one adventure for Deadlands and one for the Sovereign Stone setting, as well as four generic d20 fantasy adventures. In Pursuit of Magic (by Guildhouse Games) is a typical rescue scenario in which the players investigate a missing caravan. The Lost Crypt of Shizaraht (by FFG's Will Upchurch) has the players investigating strange happenings that stem from the unearthed evil in an ancient crypt. Darkspyre (by Hammerdog Games) is a short mission that can be added to that company's adventure Assault on Darkspyre. The Burning Tiger (by 0one Games) is a short adventure set in 0one Game's Seven Avengers setting.There are a number of excerpts and additional material from a variety of products. The introductory encounter from Malhavoc Press' Banewarrens is included, in which the players face a drow that causes havoc by awakening magical abilities in unsuspecting citizens. There are some new creatures for the Broncosaurus Rex game, as well as other "cutting room floor" material. There are as new troll variants that were dropped from Mongoose's Slayer's Guide to Trolls (which sadly seemed more interesting than much of the material that was included in that product). Green Ronin brings us Asian-fantasy inspired creatures including a possessed boar that will seem familiar to fans of Princess Mononoke.There are a few all-new articles and products. As a fan of Asian fantasy, I found Andrew Hind's article on the warring states period in China rather interesting. Other interesting article include one on adding your own spin to the description-free entries in the SRD and one on burial rites in a fantasy setting. GMs looking for a small quick setting may find the Isle of Ormenos to their liking.ConclusionGaming Frontiers claims to be more than a magazine, and in some ways it is. You will find a larger variety of articles from a variety of publishers than you are likely to see in the pages of Dragon. If you only have limited exposure to a few d20 system publishers, it might be worth picking up a volume of Gaming Frontiers just to get a taste of what is out there.That said, Gaming Frontiers suffers from the "grab bag" syndrome. I found some very good articles herein that I am likely to use. But I also found many articles that are so specific to the game worlds with which they are associated, you are likely to only get use out of them if you are already following those lines -- the Deadlands and Sovereign Stone adventures come to mind here. Further, some of the material is simple excerpts of dubious value or material you can get free online, such as Monte Cook's magic item creation FAQ.-Alan D. Kohler</blockquote>

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