SPYCRAFT: GC Screen??

[lp]

Does anybody have any information about the usefulness of this? At $20 US it seems pretty pricy to me, so unless someone has some strong opinions about it kicking serious ass, I might pass on it.

Any thoughts?

 

[MythandLore]

I donno, this is what the site says:

Spycraft RPG Control Screen
Release Date: March, 2002
The way GC screens were meant to be done.

The Spycraft Control Screen includes a 3-panel screen with vital charts and tables on the back and a gorgeous piece of art on the front. Also included are customized character sheets and worksheets to help the GC do his job.

We Use Every Part of the Screen: Nothing wasted here. You’ll use everything in this package a hundred times or more. Besides the screen itself, there are character sheets customized for each of the base Spycraft classes, and worksheets designed to help the GC easily create campaigns.

I think I'd have to take a good look at it first.
If the sheets were well designed it could be pretty useful because of the way you make a "mastermind" and his orginazation in the game.
I'd like to know if anyone has seen it yet?

 

[dpmcalister]

I bought it yesterday and think it's worth the money. However, I'm probably the only one

On the Spycraft Mailing List, the majority think that it's too expensive for what it is (basically a 3 panel screen - artwork on PC side, plenty of charts on GC side) and a booklet of character sheets (for all classes - including those from Shadowforce Archer, so a good preview there). Also included are sheets (or more properly aids) for vehicle chases and Mastermind creation.

All in all, I think it's worthwhile, but no doubt someone (could be me...) will eventually come up with stuff like this (excluding the shield that is) as free downloads on the net. There are already character sheets out there (visit my site if you want... ) and it would be pretty easy to create an Excel spreadsheet that helps with Mastermind creation (or even a stand-alone VB program for that matter).

Basically, what I'm saying is I like it and by buying it you support AEG (more sales equals more Spycraft product after all).

 

[Pigeon]

As I've posted elsewhere, I think it's a bit pricey for what it is (although it's a tiny little bit cheaper here in England - I think I payed £12.95 which is about $18), but it's going to be reasonably useful.

The charts on the GM's screen are titled as follows:
Combat Sequence
Combat actions (which are free, half and full)
Attack modifiers
Cover and concealment
Sample critical miss effects
Face and reach
Base Breaking DC's
Sample objects
Difficulty class examples
Substance hardness and wound points
Chase maneuvers
Spotting distance
Spotting difficulty
Disposition effects
Influencing disposition

I can see some of these tables being invaluable in play, and others being prett useless - but it all depends on how much dice rolling or how much fudging you do really.

On another note - how do you sign up for the spycraft mailing list? and how heavy is the traffic on it?

 

[dpmcalister]

You can subscribe to the Spycraft Mailing List at http://www.alderac.com/mailing_lists.html. Traffic can be a little heavy but most of it is informative (and the Spycraft Design Team are members of the list and frequently post - keep an eye out for B.D. Flory and Patrick Kapera to name just two).

Hope that helps.

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

Just saw this today, and the Spycraft GC Screen seems flimsy as hell, not up to date with new progress in screen design (like Hackmaster), and insanely overpriced. Most of the included forms and information you can get for free online or print out yourself.

Most of you know what a huge fan of Spycraft I am from my previous posts, so it is with heavy heart that I must give the Spycraft GC Screen a big "thumbs down."

I did score a free promo of Spycraft "Lite" print version with bonus lab map insert, so at least I got some juicy Spycraft goodnes today, after all!

 

[jaerdaph]

I picked this up last week and I must say I like it.

Initially I bawked at the $19.95 US retail price, until I realized that calling it the GC Screen is a bit of a misnomer. Inside you'll also find a nice booklet of character sheets:

1. Generic Spycraft agent record sheet
2. Faceman, Fixer, Pointman, Snoop, Soldier, Wheelman Spycraft agent record sheets
3. Shadowforce Archer generic record sheet
4. Shadowforce Archer Mentalist, Physical Adept, Telepath, and Mystic record sheets
5. Spycraft Mastermind record sheet
6. Spycraft Minion record sheet
7. Spycraft Chase record sheet
8. Spycraft Season Design worksheet

Buying this product would be akin to buying both the WotC D&D DM's Screen and Character Record Sheets.

It also left me wanting to get my hands on Shadowforce Archer!

 

[lp]

I'm still a bit sketchy about it, I guess we'll see what funds are like in a few weeks.. I want to buy it just to support Spycraft because I think it's a killer system..

PS: Kaptain Kantrip: Where was the lab insert in the lite rules? My storeowner guy gave me the lite rules a couple days ago, as it came with the second shipment of books, not the first.

 

[Voneth]

... a booklet of character sheets (for all classes - including those from Shadowforce Archer, so a good preview there).

Don't tease, tell! tell!

 

[Game Control]

The new paranormal core class included in Shadowforce Archer are going to be...


Mentalist
Telepath
Shadespeaker
Physical Adept

And I think I'm forgetting one because I don't have my sheets with me.

Of course there is going to be a lot of Pr Class that deal with the paranormal too.

My opinion; if you don't want character sheets, it's overpriced. Otherwise it's an average product.