Spycraft 2.0 is awesome!

[Psion]

How much of the class books/supplements from SC1 will remain useable when I finally convince my group to play it?

Most mechanical material is either replicated, not-applicable (NPC classes), or made obsolete. The impact this has varies by supplement, but I shelved all my 1e supplements other than Agency and Mastermind.

 

[Bobitron]

Any other feedback from those who have played a session or two, now that the book has been floating around for a while?

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Well, I can tell you that Spycraft combat is a blast! It is the most fun that I have had running an RPG combat since 7th Sea. The first combat seemed complicated until about halfway through, then *BAM!* suddenly folks stopped reading the book and started playing (and role playing!) Even I had fun, which does not happen all that often with combat. There are enough options, with decent advantages, that folks were willing to try some oddball stuff. And getting Action dice for the attempt (not succeeding, just for making the attempt) of really cool actions was a real boost. After the first three rounds it left the realm of I shoot, you shoot and entered that of James Bond.

Gear is the only part that I am having trouble with, and that is as much because I am running an historical game in the 1880s as the rules themselves.

Thank you Mr. Reed for talking me into this purchase!

The Auld Grump

 

[Bobitron]

Thanks, Grump. I value your opinion around here. Have you already described your campaign elsewhere?

 

[Denaes]

I'd also like to thank Phil Reed and whomever posted about Spycraft 2.0 prior to him.

I honestly don't know why I picked it up. I never even picked up (in my hands) the Spycraft 1.0 book. I'm not terribly interested in spy/action movies/RPGs.

But I got it anyways... maybe the value of 39.99 (-10% at my game store) for such a huge colour book... I figured I could at least take away something from it.

Now I'm working with a friend on a fantasy version. There are aspects I'm not thrilled about. Some work great in a spy genre and not terribly hot in other genres. But between the feats, the combat refinements, skills, classes, origins, NPCs, Campaign Qualities & Dramatic Conflicts (which all work very well in the Spy genre) I can find huge portions I'd like to see in other genres.

 

[Kanegrundar]

This just in from Bagpuss on another site: http://www.alderac.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31198

We've been holding off a bit on making this announcement until we had a signed contract, but we are closing on a licensing agreement that will turn future Spycraft development over to an business entity headed by Patrick Kapera.

Patrick has always been the heart and soul of Spycraft, supported by members of his development team, so we don't feel the brand could be in better hands.

We know that new RPG material for the very successfully launched Spycraft RPG 2.0 will continue to churn out with regularity, and there is active discussion regarding the continuation of the Spycraft CCG.

We don't suggest that you hunt Patrick down and talk his ear off at this exact moment, since he won't be in a position to answer most of your questions until the contract is signed and the dust settles, but you should know that the future of Spycraft is very bright, indeed.

Thank you all for your past and continuing support!!

Ken Carpenter

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Thanks, Grump. I value your opinion around here. Have you already described your campaign elsewhere?

Only in bits and dribbles. Some here (I think) and some on the World Works Games forums.

The campaign was originally run using OGL Steampunk, but since it was an espionage campaign anyway... and Spycraft looked so very good. Still fitting things in, and trying to get the flavor that I want. In particular I want magic to be something recently rediscovered, and am trying to think of ways to 'power' it using Action Dice. I am considering a Feat/Ritual Skills combo, you need to have the feat in order to get the skills. Perhaps a class that gains the feat as a bonus and several of the ritual skills as class skills. With a lack of available time things are going so slowly on hammering this out. (Overtime at work.)

The characters belong to an agency that is working for the British Crown. During the 1800s epionage and intelligence was an amateur's game, not the professional agencies that we are now familiar with. Typically a group is run by a Control belonging to the aristocracy, and the person actually commanding the group is also likely to be of the ton.

The Russians (then under the Csars) on the other hand are creating an actual secret service, and vying for control of the 'Jewel in the Crown of Empire' - India and the Middle East (what was called 'The Great Game'). In the long run both sides lose. Also of note - the Germanies, united under Kaiser Wilhelm II is also eyeing Great Britain for signs of weakness, since Victoria's grandson has imperial ambitions. (One of my least favorite people in this period, Wlhelm II was a man who asked Otto 'The Iron Chancellor' von Bismark to resign because he was too soft... there was a reason that they named a battleship after Bismark.)

The underpinnings of the Great War are being created, and have been since the Franco-Prussian war. Wilhelm will push it all over the edge. (I may accelerate his ambitions as well.) To my eye the fellow was a warmongering, imperialist idiot.

I am also looking at an XCom inspired campaign, with different seasons focussing on different groups - Season 1: Enemy Unknown deals with an independent agency with ties to certain factions in the U.S. government. At this stage the Enemy is infiltrating the works to prepare for an invasion. The season ends with the discovery of what is going on, and the fact that the Enemy is not human. (And that they are not the only aliens present among us.) Conspiracy.

Season 2: Enemy Revealed deals withan official U.N. task force, tentatively called X-Command XCom for short. The nascent taskforce is charged with discovering how deeply entrenched the Enemy (and the other alien group) has become. The season ends with the discovery that the Enemy invasion force is landing. All the high orbitals are destroyed as SDI satellites target friendly communications and intelligence satellites.

Season 3: Enemy Engaged switches to the military theater. The Enemy has a technological edge, but not a numeric one. They were set up to invade an Earth armed with swords rather than high powered rifles. At this stage the Enemy is improvising, their original plan having been scattered to the four winds. The espionage theater also continues, as the Enemy tries to gain an industrial foothold.

I really wish that someone would make a decent update of XCom...

The Auld Grump

 

[Bobitron]

Thanks! I have a friend considering running a 'Great Game'... errr... game. Seems like a great era, even though I know little about the happenings in the East in that time period.

 

[Jim Hague]

Grump - have you been out to the 2.0 conversion thread on the Alderac boards? I believe they've converted the casting classes from Dark Inheritance, which'll slot nicely into the GG campaign.