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Gebohq
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Further Building Better Worlds PDF Feedback

Tue 10 Oct 2023, 17:15

The official feedback thread has been locked, but I'm hoping to get this (and perhaps any others from folks) noticed. Also, since it's unofficial, this thread could be used for general commentary as well.

ERRORS:
  • Page 8 - "Each campaign module will focus on one main career in the ALIEN universe." -- This is not true for BBW, and should either be amended to be true (extremely unlikely) or this statement should be modified/removed.

    Note that my previous errors in the official thread regarding the tables were wrong, though to my defense, Alien RPG has rarely deviated from the d6/d66 format in the past, and there were multiple deviations in this one, with notes as to how they're changed not being very apparent.
OTHER CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM:
  • Given the focus on the explorer/colonist framework here for the first time, I'm very surprised there wasn't a creature generator akin to something like what's in Forbidden Lands, especially since the Lost Worlds campaign references at least some livestock that's relevant.
  • Somewhat related to the above, pets were referenced multiple times, specifically dogs, with a new talent that would make them relevant, but no guidance was given as to their mechanics. Given that Heart of Darkness statted out a cat, it was very surprising not to see such in BBW.
  • The Lost Worlds campaigns, unlike the Frontier War in CMOM, didn't seem to make as much use of the new things in BBW as I'd have expected. To my knowledge, no NPCs were called out as wildcatters or entertainers, and only so much in the way of the gear, vehicles, and special rules such as suit decompression came up.
  • As for existing things, both the Kid and the Survival skill continue to get ignored. While I actually have no love for the former, it's surprising that no kid NPCs seemed to have spotlight moments, especially when the lore lists things like the Little Explorers. Survival, however, seems a more surprising omission in official use, even going so far as to use Observation in places where Survival makes sense. I *was* glad to at least see it useful for the Husbandry talent, but without official animal stats (aside from the Harvester), it seems the GM would have to do some leg work. In a campaign framework all about exploring and living in alien worlds, seeing the Survival skjll continue to seem useless is sad.
  • Ever since the CRB, there's been quite a highlight made about dangerous space obstacles such as black holes and such. It would have been nice to see a table of space hazards for something like BBW, where that seems particularly relevant.
Despite all the negative things mentioned, it's clear BBW is ambitious and a lot of effort and passion went into it, and I look forward to when the physical copy is released! Admittedly, I had also hoped there'd be gear stats for a sawed-off shotgun (which is a thing in the ALIEN universe) and a chainsaw (not officially a thing) -- just looking for that Texas Chainsaw Massacre/Evil Dead/Doom/etc. opportunity, and figured BBW was going to be the best chance either of those things would come up in official capacity.
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Chrisshipton
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Re: Further Building Better Worlds PDF Feedback

Tue 10 Oct 2023, 20:57

Re: The Lost Worlds campaign the thing that is driving me most nuts is - if the Children of the Two Divines stole a load of ships then beat the flotilla to the sector I will accept the FTL's a knackered but surely those ships are loaded with FTL nav data as standard, and the Perfected would only need parts etc. to make their move to the middle heavens. Undermining a core plot point.

I think it's more plausible that the sector developed its own death cult that undermined the sector, and Gorham's raiders have more or less defeated them when the campaign begins. It still means a proselytising spore ship might escape the net, or maraud the system looking for humans to shovel into the Lychgate.

Does all seem a little underdone to me.

I'm certainly going to run the campaign, and it is sand boxy. But it does seem to have a really quite post apocalyptic 'Star Trek' meets Mad Max meets Aliens (but mainly Prometheus) feel to it - which is cool.And quite unique actually. But doesn't leap out from the campaign immediately. It feels like it's going to take a lot of GM homework to pull together. I'm fine with that - just seems like some missed opportunities to make it really good.
 
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Fragpuss
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Re: Further Building Better Worlds PDF Feedback

Wed 11 Oct 2023, 12:20

Work has kep me from spending as much time reading this as I would have liked, but a few things I spotted:

p110 - KOI0610.01 is described as having a reported population of almost a billion people (900,000,000) ???!!!???
p112 - KOI-1938.01 even 6 million feels high, but (slightly) more plausible
p137 - The empress has an observation rating of 18 - a ham-fisted attempt to boost dice sales? ;)

Overall impression though - looks great, very thorough, can't wait to really get my teeth into it.

Would love to know when the material from this and other books will make it into the Roll20 compendium...
 
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Fragpuss
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Re: Further Building Better Worlds PDF Feedback

Wed 11 Oct 2023, 12:25

Oh, and the last 3 or 4 bookmarks (colony sheet onwards) all seem to point to the 'Stories of Colonoy Life' page...

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