HQ Opinions

From: Viktor Haag <vhaag_at_...>
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 11:50:30 -0400

Mark Galeotti writes:
> 1. What do people think of the Homelands approach? Is there
> enough of a basis there to start you off?

I like it a lot. However, the word "homelands" is a teensy bit confusing, since some of the words used do describe homelands (Dara Happa, Tarsh, Teshnos, Seshnela) whilst some don't: rather they describe cultures (Heortling, Grazers, Bison People, Puma People). I can understand that the homeland-as-culture entries might be culturally homogenous enough to present them that way, but I still might have preferred to see 'Dara Happan' and 'Seshnegan'.

Still the *concept itself* is very useful indeed, and is much better presented than in HW. (Also, see below.)

> 4. Treat the current book size as a constant: who else would
> you have wanted to have seen included, and what would ou have
> sacrificed to make way for it? The answer 'nothing, it's great
> as is' is an acceptable one, BTW!

> These are, of course, just a few questions to start you off -- *any*
> constructive commentary is always appreciated.

Some other comments (based on my read so far, detail up to page 82, skim whole book):

• see my previous post about font style for URLs
• having the blank character sheet on page 256 in a 288 page book is not useful for those who are forced to photocopy it. I would have preferred to see the ordering:

    Game Aids
    Index
    Character sheet

  or maybe

    Game Aids
    Character sheet
    Index

  Or, better yet, why not print the blank character sheet on the   inside front cover (very easy to copy)? Then you get another   page inside to play with...

• Game Aids section not quite complete enough: I would have liked to see the tables for Lending AP and Viarable Augmentation, as well as the Improvisation, Circumstances, and Weapons/Armou/Tools modifier lists included in the Game Aids section. This would probably have added two pages.

  I would have removed the Runes Appendix and placed that on the   website in favour of these two added pages of rules reference,   myself.

• I understand the motivation to include Teshni and Seshnegi in the basic book, but looking at that diagram on page 36, I think the four pages they take could have been better spent on other cultures/homelands. I like that the focus has widened a bit, but I think Teshnos and Seshnela widen it too much.

  Candidates to replace them? Balazari?, Black Horse Troop?,   Another Lunar people, perhaps from southern areas of the Empire   (I understand you don't want to double up on Lunar Handbook   material)? More representatives from Prax?

• I see we're back to 'daffy' ducks (p210): oh well; I prefer the HW duck myself, but I can understand this is a matter of taste.

-- 
Viktor Haag : Software & Information Design : Research In Motion
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