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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 4767349" data-attributes="member: 27780">Dragon Issue 114: October 1986part 3/4It's a hit, but where?: A second hit location system in quick succession? What is this? Alternatives month? At least this one only adds one roll to your attacks, and even then, only sometimes. But is still pretty unsatisfying in other respects, (it really isn't that hard to hit someone in the eye. I could do it as a kid, and I definitely didn't have any class levels) not giving enough detail on what effects losing a limb has. It does get kudos for including hit location tables for flail snails and wolf in sheep's clothings. These humorous touches make it more interesting reading but don't change the fact that this is yet more rehash I have no desire to include in my game.  How very tiresome. A recipe for espionage: Once again we are confronted with the problem that far too many GM's, presented with Top Secret, just throw the characters into the same old dungeon crawls, reskinned as warehouses and secret bases, where the characters engage in the same old killing and taking of stuff, only with firearms instead of fireballs. And as ever, it's up to the magazine to show them that this is badwrongfun, and they ought to be constructing their adventures more like a James Bond movie, with witty banter, spectacular locations, and actual information gathering being important. The writer weaves visuals that strongly evoke the feel of an 80's tv show, with the camera panning over a beautiful landscape full of shiny houses with expensive cars parked in front of them while a saxophone plays. They attend expensive parties, get picked up by their spymasters to receive assignments in private jets, and use mobile phones the size of bricks and laptops the size of suitcases with pride. They can play it episodic or go for extensive undercover missions. They get assigned bizarre tasks with awkward conditions as part of their training and testing. They can get captured and forced to deal with their enemies maniacal whims, fighting against leopards in nothing but a loincloth. This is entertaining, and often rather silly stuff, that definitely shows the influence of the TV shows and movies of the era. I have no objection to this, although I would urge caution. Don't want to overdo the gonzo, do we. Robotech coming soon! Another palladium licence. Can this outshine TMNT? We shall see. Dungeon once again offers you a bargain starting subscription price. And does so with another rather funny advert. They seem to know what they're doing here. Guilty as charged: Top secret gets a second article this month. Sometimes, you get caught by the enemy, and have to be tried for the crimes you commit in the course of your job. Sometimes, you capture the enemy, and will have to serve as witnesses in their trial. And sometimes, you rebel, or get turned into a scapegoat and wind up imprisoned by your own side. And if you mess up, then the agency may well deny your membership, and even it's own existence, and hang you out to dry with the mundane police. Anyway, there's plenty of drama to be had in this scenario, so lets introduce a few optional rules, spin it out a bit longer and allow for a bit more nuance, shall we? Another one I quite approve of. Courtroom drama is a rich ground for roleplaying that doesn't get nearly enough attention, when it's perfectly designed for it, especially LARPing. I'd love to get a chance to play around in that genre for a bit. This would of course involve having players who don't slaughter everything and refuse to negotiate at all, forcing you to kill them instead of surrendering if it looks like they're going to lose. Eh, that's not that rare these days, is it? The marvel-phile: Rather a long, and slightly nostalgic marvel-phile this month, as we head up to the moon, to see the Inhumans and their stats. Black Bolt, Medusa, Maximus, Crystal, Gorgon, Karnak, and Triton. While they have tremendous powers that have interesting parallels to their mythical namesakes, they are also curiously vulnerable  to disease, pollution, and the other mundane unpleasantness of the earth, which prevents them from living down here long term. They are rather morally ambiguous as a whole, having been both good and bad, and riven by internal conflict. Plenty of interesting plots can be hatched involving them. Jeff also gives us some more info about the differences between the old game, and the new Advanced version. Like OD&D to AD&D, this is really just expansion and clarification rather than a major change. You won't have to do tons of relearning. You do get to define your place in the world better, with more info on contacts and base building. Even editorial screwage can't get Jeff down. He'll just chatter about everything, including his personal life. His star is still very much in the ascendant. Once again I've enjoyed reading his contribution to the magazine.</blockquote>

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