[Mongoose] Ultimate Game Designer's Hanbook: Worth it?

[Psion]

I don't have this yet was considering picking it up. But these days, and with expensive purchases around the corner, 30+ dollars is a big hit for me. So is this a good collection of rules, or is it just a hastily thrown together and shoddily editied work?

 

[JoeGKushner]

I'll be following this poll to see what the masses say.

D20 Magazine Rack gave it a good rating but I'd rather see some more reviews creep in.

 

[hong]

With any luck, Psion will post a review.

 

[Psion]

D20 Magazine Rack gave it a good rating but I'd rather see some more reviews creep in.

Well, thanks for pointing out that d20 MR has a review. Actually, it was pretty helpful and after reading about it, I am sort of leaning away from buying it. Of the mechanics listed, for the most part I either own the source product or there is a reason I don't...

Does anyone know where there is a list of what mechanics/products were used as resources (or even just a list of what is in the section 15?). I'd be interested to know, for example, where they got which mechanics.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Does anyone know where there is a list of what mechanics/products were used as resources (or even just a list of what is in the section 15?). I'd be interested to know, for example, where they got which mechanics.

Matthew did provide a list of publishers in the Section 15, and he's provided a list of contents, but to my knowledge he hasn't posted a list that combines both publisher and contribution. I sort of had to figure out on my own what they'd used from Bad Axe (dwarven and savage craftsmanship, I think...)

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?threadid=45408&highlight=savage

Of course it would have been simpler if I'd been notified in advance that they were planning to reuse our OGC... (cough*courtesy*cough)

I am definitely planning to pick up the GDC, it does seem to be a pretty good collection of stuff. Course, I can write it off as a business expense.

Wulf

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

One of the downsides of the product is it doesn't attribute specific mechanics to specific sources. The source list is in Section 15, but unless you know what the source is, it's hard to figrue out the mechanics. I think it would be better to provide attribution in each section. Sources cited include:

Heores of High Favor: Dwarves
HOHF: Half-Orcs
Gladiator: Sands of Death
Spycraft
Seas of Blood
Drqagonstar
Babylon 5
Experts
Quintessential ROgue
Judge Dread
T20
Nyambe
Quintessential Witch
Quintessential Dwarf
Q. Monk
Q. Paladin
Villains
Monster
Dragons
Tournaments, Fairs, & Taverns
Beyond Monks
Swashbuckling Adventures
Q. Elf
Q. Wizard
Q. Fighter
Grim & Gritty HP & Combat System
Black FLags
Rookie's Guide to Criminal Organizations
Q. Samurai
Slaine
Path of the Sword
Wild Spellcraft
Traps & Treachery
Deadlands d20
The Tide of Years
Seafarers's Handbook

 

[JoeGKushner]

Anyone else look this puppy over or have any comments about it? The bi-weekly paycheck is rolling around and this is one of those books I've been thinking about.

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

*twitch* But...if the reviewers don't know what to buy, how are the rest of us to cope? It's like Roger Ebert asking us for movie reccomendations.

 

[JoeGKushner]

My gaming budget, like everyone else's I'm sure, is limited unfortunately.

If I thought that the previous Ultimate books were top notch, I wouldn't hesitate to pick this one up but the formating and reused art has left me a little weary.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Joe, I would start by looking at the list of contents. In the case of my own Open Content, at least, it is essentially a word for word transcription.

I can't comment on the artwork-- I don't own most of the original Mongoose material, and presumably that's the only artwork they would own the rights to reuse.

If you already own the source material, the primary benefit of the UGDC is portability.

I bought my copy mostly to see if they had given me the correct copyright attribution in the OGL-- they didn't... [sigh]

Wulf