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Locnar
Person of Quality
35 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Jun 2009 : 02:28:33
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Hello fellow GUMSHOE people.
I just wanted to voice my opinion on the The Esoterror factbook. This review is designed for people familiar with GUMSHOE but who may be on the fence about the Factbook.
I've been a enthusiastic supporter of GUMSHOE ever since it was announced and I even did a little playtesting for Fear Itself. However, I have a confession. Esoterrorists was easily the least looked at part of my GUMSHOE bookshelf. Despite being the first release, I've never run anything from it. The reason being is that I just didn't "get it." I've heard a lot of people say things similar to this. I just didn't get what Esoterror was supposed to look like. It isn't a stretch when people's reaction to The Esoterrorist is that the setting is too incomplete to be a viable game.
The Esoterror Factbook changed all that for me. Now I "get it." The first 39 pages really bring the setting into a better focus. Everything from case evaluation to the Veil-out is covered. There is a potential criticism that I should address. Yes, it's not unfair to say that his information should have been included in the main rule book. Failing that, maybe it should have been presented as free web material. Their are certainly good arguments to be made for both of those scenarios.
But I think the Esoterror Factbook is worth buying for what you get in addition to those all important 39 pages. The sections with Esoterror cells, operatives, and places where the membrane is thin give you a lot of material to work into an Esoterrorist game. It's all well done and very useful.
The part that really struck me was the section on the Special Suppression Forces. To be sure, all the crunchy combat rules you could possibly want are available here. The good news is, they stick to the theme of genre and narrative use, and do not take GUMSHOE too far down the wargame path. But here's the better part: Imbedded in this section, along with the sample adventure, is a thinking man's wargame. Mr. Laws has managed to show how the GUMSHOE paradigms of resource management and clue finding can be used in a tactical combat environment. Now, taking down the bad guys guns blazing is more about managing your pools, and using your noggin to get the best advantage. Here's a great example from the book:
"After the team discovers the enemy's jungle shanty, they can use thermal imaging equipment and Electronic Surveillance to locate their camouflaged generator. If, in battle, they lob a grenade into the generator (Athletics test) the insurgents are plunged into darkness, increasing unit members Hit Thresholds by 2. Unit members suffer no corresponding disadvantage, assuming they wear their night vision goggles."
I'm not sure if Mr. Laws was intending to create a sub-genre for GUMSHOE, but when I read it I see the possibilities. I used to run the Top Secret Commando supplement, and the above scenario sounds a whole lot more interesting than just rolling a bunch of combat dice and counting ammo.
Despite some of the above quibbles, I want to commend Pelgrane for the Estoterror Factbook. It's been my impression (forgive me if I'm wrong) that the Esoterrorists has been the least selling of the GUMSHOE line. Hopefully, the Factbook will bring it front and center and make it something you reach for to run a great horror adventure. |
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Pelgrane
Forum Admin
660 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2009 : 15:02:15
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Thanks for the review. I'm glad you liked it.
In answer to a few points -
Esoterrorists is our second best selling book ever, so far, after Trail of Cthulhu. Its length and the amount of background material in it was informed by the Game Dogma in the introduction, and I am confident that it wouldn't have done as well as it has if it had included the full contents of the Esoterror Fact Book. At 25,000 words, it is a manageable size. This was entirely my decision.
But, far be it from me to ignore the wishes of people who want more, including those who think that Esoterrorists was not entirely complete. The Fact Book is there for people who want background material, adventures and the combat crunch. If people find some of this essential - I'm certainly not complaining!
Simon Rogers
Pelgrane Press Ltd
http://www.pelgranepress.com |
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Locnar
Person of Quality
35 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2009 : 15:42:19
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Thanks for the response. You have a great company and put out great products. Thanks for being so attentive to your fans.
I agree with you that the entire contents of the Factbook would not fit into the main rule book. I do think however, that at least some of the material, especially from the first section of the book, would have helped me to wrap my brain around the "mechanics" of the setting a little more.
Anyway, no worries here. I for one can't wait to see what you guys come up with next. At first I didn't see how a superhero's game was going to work with GUMSHOE, but you guys pulled it off with ease. I don't know what's cooking in the pot, but I can't wait. |
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Esoterror Factbook Review