Author Topic: March 23 preview  (Read 8588 times)

Offline Enjorous

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #15 on: March 23, 2010, 12:44:38 AM »
*Throws produce at your feet* You're feet didn't move!!
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Offline blackheart

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #16 on: March 23, 2010, 01:30:43 PM »
And Baltimore it is.

First impressions:

1: LOVE the layout. At first I thought it was going to look a little too crowded or "busy" but the two-column format breaks the page down into easy to digest format. The snark-sniping between Harry, Bob, and Billy is both informative and vastly entertaining. Reminds me a great deal of the show-quote format in the Buffy and Angel RPG's, with a little levity to break up the rules and writing.
As are the add-on post-it notes and margin scrawls. Neat way of making side and foot notes without actually... well ya' know, using them.

1a: Stat layouts are perfect. Clean, brief, and informative. Exactly what they should be.

2: This IS the way a setting should be made. The town, the characters, the supporting characters, all in a easy-to-reference style. Easily one of the best "You can run it with just this" examples I've ever seen in a RPG.

3: My only bad point: Concerning the full game, this seems like it's gonna be a monster PDF to print out. Even at work (a local unnamed office supply store) I see a huge load and print time. (Any chance of an easy-to-print format, or too late in the process?)

More to come later, but I wanted to post my first impressions.

Kudos all around Gang! Fantastic Job!
Now to go tell all the "never gonna see the light of day" crowd to go stuff it.   ;D

(Edited for clairity and removed a somewhat silly question.)
« Last Edit: March 25, 2010, 02:42:54 PM by blackheart »
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Offline TheMouse

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #17 on: March 23, 2010, 01:38:18 PM »
I'm about halfway through the preview. Overall it's really solid.

The layout is really user friendly. Very few awkwardly placed bits.

My only problem is with the placement of Evan Montrose's stat block. I know that with a physical book it only means that you'd have to finish that paragraph on the right hand page and then look back to the left for the stats. As a PDF it means that you have to scroll down a full page and then scroll back up.

On the other hand, I'm really happy to see that the vampires have a hunger track. I was recently involved in a discussion on how to run Vampire: the Masquerade using FATE, and I'm eager to see the rules for the hunger track.

The frequent page references are very nice. Definitely going to help finding things when you want to cross reference.

Good work, guys. Looking forward to the book coming out.

Offline iago

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #18 on: March 23, 2010, 01:46:19 PM »
I will consider doing a version without the background image if it doesn't increase the overall size of the PDF package too much, for the printer friendly question.

As to the statblock with Evan -- ain't no way to get around that. I read PDFs on a wide monitor that shows two pages side by side, when I want that kind of look. I know it's not possible for everyone but book format needs trump electronic convenience for now.
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Offline breaker

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #19 on: March 23, 2010, 01:48:15 PM »
I cannot wait to get back from work to see this,  I also find it funny that this forum isn't blocked but dresdenfilesrpg is : /

Offline TheMouse

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #20 on: March 23, 2010, 02:15:15 PM »
As to the statblock with Evan -- ain't no way to get around that. I read PDFs on a wide monitor that shows two pages side by side, when I want that kind of look. I know it's not possible for everyone but book format needs trump electronic convenience for now.

I understand where you're coming from. It's just that I'm stuck with no computer beyond my netbook, so viewing the pages side by side would reduce the font size to microscopic. ):

Offline iago

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #21 on: March 23, 2010, 02:28:30 PM »
I understand where you're coming from. It's just that I'm stuck with no computer beyond my netbook, so viewing the pages side by side would reduce the font size to microscopic. ):
You gotta admit that if a netbook is your viewing platform of choice, you've baked some warts into the process. ;)

I totally get your complaint, it's just not something that's really going to guide my layout decisions when I'm putting together the print book.
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Offline TheMouse

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #22 on: March 23, 2010, 03:27:44 PM »
Just finished reading.

I really like the structure of the what's where section. Things got the amount of text needed to communicate information, and nothing feels unnecessarily padded. I especially like the themes and faces bits, because they do a lot to tell you what sorts of things happen in given places and tie locations together.

Again, the frequent page numbers linking bits of the book together looks like it will be super useful in play.

Oh, and good stat blocks. Forgot to mention that before.

Offline Tush Hog

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #23 on: March 23, 2010, 04:41:10 PM »
Awesome stuff! Everything I have seen tells me you guys are hitting this one out of the park.


Offline xiaolung

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #24 on: March 23, 2010, 06:32:02 PM »
Excellent stuff guys. Can't wait to see the rest of the book(s).

Offline srl51676

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #25 on: March 23, 2010, 10:43:45 PM »
As a GM, player and huge fan I have to say thank you thank you thank you for giving us the very meaty preview it is exactly what I need to continue my prep work on my hometown of Spokane, Wa and it is great work some of the best setting work I have seen in 20 years of RPGs Great work and Thanks a lot.

That said WORK FASTER MUST HAVE MORE SOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Offline SoulCatcher78

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #26 on: March 24, 2010, 12:43:19 AM »
Luis Mirabal...I have this picture in my head of a young Edward James Olmos as Gaff in Bladerunner (sans bow tie):



Just finished the Nevermore PDF.  If the rest of the material is nearly as entertaining as this, even non playes should buy a copy.  I think seeing how the city was developed from a game perspective will help others paint their own setting (as noted by srl51676) with the Dresden brush. 
« Last Edit: March 24, 2010, 01:19:34 AM by SoulCatcher78 »

Offline blackheart

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #27 on: March 25, 2010, 01:36:13 PM »
Second thought and impressions:

Having the Red Court Vampire, arguably one of the most dangerous one-on-one combatants in the Dresdenverse....

...as a LARP poser punchline? Priceless.

The NPC write-ups lend themselves very well to both support and story-driven mechanics. (As they should.) The trifecta of major monothesitic religions and their place in both normal and supernatural worlds was both inclusive and respectful. Good job.

Lizard comes off slightly like a "Wire" inspired Marcone, but given the city and setting, that works.

For thirty-odd pages of source material, it's both meaty and flexible enough to add and subtract to a GM's taste.

That's all for now.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2010, 02:40:10 PM by blackheart »
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Offline ClarkValentine

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #28 on: March 25, 2010, 02:25:16 PM »
Lizard comes off slightly like a "Wire" inspired Marcone, but given the city and setting, that works.

Got it in one - he's inspired, in part, by several characters from the first season of The Wire.

And I'm glad you like the True Believers. Being gameable while being respectful is a hard balance to strike, and I'm grateful for the positive feedback.
« Last Edit: March 25, 2010, 02:28:06 PM by ClarkValentine »
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Offline mrsleep

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Re: March 23 preview
« Reply #29 on: March 26, 2010, 01:28:51 AM »
Loved it. From Neutral Grounds to the glaring nun.  It was also interesting to see a ghoul with brains beyond its stomach.


That said, the trenchcoat wearing, katana packing LARP vampire was the best.