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Spycraft: I just ran my first game


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Re: Re: Re: Spycraft: I just ran my first game

Mistwell said:


Have you? I think d20M it is a better system for this.

Yes, multiple times.

It seems to me that the vehicle rules in D20Modern (which I totally dig, by the way) are still bastardized tactical melee rules.

Say I want to do a running gun battle between two vehicles through the streets of London as it's bombed during the Blitz.

IN D20Modern, I need to know exactly what's in my way, because I'm spending movement and turn points to dodge things, make turns, jumps, etc., that is, what's on the Battlemat is RELEVANT, because resolving the conflict depends on knowing these things. That's why the maneuver checks are so picayune, down to the 45 degree turn values.

But say my PC goes "I want to barrel through some burning wreckage and throw these guys off." Reasonable.

In D20Modern, I have to figure out where the burning wreckage is, whether he can turn to get their with his vehicle's movement, and then know exactly what it consists of so he can make his turn and avoidance rolls ... heads down on our dice and maps, not eyes up and in our imaginations.

In Spycraft, the guy says "I'm barnstorming through some burning wreckage", and we roll to see what happens.

The "lead-based" distance tracking is simplicity itself. Also, the modifiers from damage to driver performance just seem to make more sense to me in Spycraft. IMHO.

On the other hand, in a non-linear setting (non-chase) and multiple vehicle combat, Spycraft hits a wall. D20Modern is plainly the system for this, but it's not explained well, there are no examples, no streamlining --

The solution, of course, is a smooth-over adaptation, or preferably just a better written, more clear examination of the vehicle combat rules in D20Modern. (and yes, I know they're simple. But they're not CLEAR. They're certainly not intuitive.) I'm halfway convinced that the reason there's no example of vehicle combat in the D20Modern book was because even those guys couldn't make it interesting or understandable.

Hmmm, maybe I'll submit a proposal to BadAxe games, "Redline: A Guide to D20Modern Vehicle Combat, with Graphic, Violent Examples."
 


Re: Re: Re: Re: Spycraft: I just ran my first game

jonrog1 said:

The solution, of course, is a smooth-over adaptation, or preferably just a better written, more clear examination of the vehicle combat rules in D20Modern. (and yes, I know they're simple. But they're not CLEAR. They're certainly not intuitive.) I'm halfway convinced that the reason there's no example of vehicle combat in the D20Modern book was because even those guys couldn't make it interesting or understandable.

Hmmm, maybe I'll submit a proposal to BadAxe games, "Redline: A Guide to D20Modern Vehicle Combat, with Graphic, Violent Examples."

I agree the clarity was lacking a bit. However, I believe the reason there is no example is the same reason most of the examples are not in the book - they edited the hell out of that game to make room for an extra 64 pages. It's really a shame, since I would have preferred they cut the settings and just expanded the rules themselves (settings could have been fine with their own book(s), as is planned anyway for Urban Arcana).
 


transcript of email

Well, here it is. I've included three files:

1) Chase Cards - Virtually all the maneuvers from both the core book and the Wheelman guide. I printed them out on card stock, used a paper cutter to seperate them out, ran it through a laminator. It's beautiful. Oh, I also used different color stock for Predator and Prey so you can visually tell them apart. The Chase and Circling cards are included as well, of course. In Word format for ease of modification.

2) Chases Step By Step - Everything you need to know about chases, summarized. I printed this on a single page, both sides. Put it in a transparent protector for everyone. Helps IMMENSELY. In Word format for ease of modification.

3) Feats - Ahem. I've typed up all the feats, in every book. Included a brief summary of each feat, requirements, and what page it's located on. In Excel format.

Hope these help!

Tim Craft
Ascending Crane
 





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