seneschal

Cylon Centurion Source: Battlestar Galactica, ABC Television, 1978-1979 Seven feet of chrome-plated menace The Cylons, originally, were an advanced reptilian spacefaring race. They created an army of robotic servants which eventually rebelled, destroyed their masters, and set about conquering every alien civilization within reach. This brought the mechanized menaces into conflict with the Twelve Tribes of Man. Centurions make up the bulk of the Cylon forces. They’re tall, burnished robots with single oscillating red eyes; they vaguely resemble ancient Roman soldiers. The silvery coating on their armor is intended to deflect laser fire. Troopers assigned to Raider attack spacecraft replace their Bayonet skill with Pilot, Navigate, or Ship’s Weapons. Because of their limited programming, it takes three Centurions to operate a Raider. Centurions aren’t very bright, are slow, and are poor shots but Cylon factories can crank them out by the thousands. It isn’t clear whether the Centurions are entirely machines or whether they are some sort of cyborg. They are, however, durable combatants and can be repaired and restored to service after taking severe damage. STR 16 CON 13 SIZ 20 INT 8 POW 7 DEX 9 APP 8 Move: 10 Hit Points: 17 Damage Bonus: +1D6 Armor: 8 (kinetic, light) Attacks: Brawl 40%, 1d3+db; Grapple 40%, 1d3+db, Bayonet 30%, 1D4+db, Laser Rifle 30%, 2D8; Short Sword 30%, 1D6+1+db Skills: Climb 40%, Spot 40% Pick One: Demolition 21%, Drive (Troop Carrier) 40%, Pilot (Cylon Raider) 21%, Navigate (Astronavigation) 20%, Ship’s Weapons 25% Notes: 125 skill points, 8 skills, 15 each plus 5 IL Series Cylon IL series Cylons are command models with much greater intelligence and personality than the Centurion series. They have pointed or cone-shaped transparent heads with two oscillating red eyes and wear crimson floor-length robes despite the fact that their robotic bodies presumably don’t require clothing. They function as military strategists and officers, as diplomats, and as liaisons with subjugated races. Unlike the mechanically obedient Centurions, IL series robots exhibit very human traits such as deceit, shameless self-promotion, and ruthless political maneuvering for favor with the Imperious Leader. They find human concepts such as integrity strange and fascinating and sometimes seek to acquire human captives for study. STR 14 CON 13 SIZ 18 INT 16 POW 12 DEX 10 APP 10 Move: 10 Hit Points: 16 Damage Bonus: +1D4 Armor: 6 (kinetic, light) Attacks: Brawl 25%, 1d3+db; Grapple 25%, 1d3+db, Laser Pistol 42%, 1D8 Skills: Bargain 37%, Command 37%, Dodge 42%, Fast Talk 37%, Language (Cylon) 80%, Language (English) 32%, Persuade 37%, Pilot (Starship) 23%, Strategy 35% Notes: 250 skill points, 11 skills, 22 each plus 8

Here's what I've got so far on the Minstrel. Having trouble deciding on his powers. Fan suggestions would be helpful. The Minstrel Source: Batman, 20th Century Fox Television, 1966 With his blond matinee idol good looks and winning smile, the Minstrel seems a medieval hero escaped from a Forties Technicolor epic. Unfortunately, his sunny exterior hides a ruthless, cruel intellect. He is never so charming as when he is describing to victims the unpleasant fate he has in store for them. Cash, not murder, is the Minstrel’s agenda, however. We don’t know his history or identity, but the strumming miscreant could have become rich legitimately with either his considerable musical talent or his amazing electronics expertise. Instead, he has chosen to devote his genius to crime. The merry malefactor first appeared on an unscheduled broadcast on Gotham City television immediately after a devastating stock exchange malfunction. Singing in rhyme, he offered to prevent future problems if the exchange members would each pay him $1,000 per month. Suspecting that the Minstrel himself had caused the crash, Batman and Robin checked the Gotham Exchange’s circuits and found evidence of well-concealed tampering. Attempts to catch up with the singing crook were thwarted by an array of electronic distractions – blinding strobes, concealed eavesdropping and broadcasting devices, stun guns. The Minstrel always made his getaway with a mocking verse or two upon his lips. He even managed to capture the Dynamic Duo and prepared to roast them with high-intensity radar waves. Despite his gaudy apparel and the obvious enjoyment he gets from taunting the authorities in song, the Minstrel is less of a theme villain than he first appears. He isn’t obsessed with either music or the Middle Ages; his targets and methods are chosen based on what will generate the most loot with the least risk. He could just as easily perform his sophisticated heists dressed in a turtleneck sweater and slacks. Although he laughs merrily when he outwits the police, the technological troubadour is cool and calculating – not at all an insane, giggling madman like many of Gotham City’s other crooks. It is almost as if he adopted his public persona merely because that’s the thing to do in this town. He has the obligatory henchmen, Bass and Treble, and a girlfriend, Amanda, who uses the nom de guerre Octavia (as in octave). Although he has no paranormal abilities, the Minstrel is an electronics wizard with an understanding of circuits, relays, and their possible uses decades ahead of his time. His inventions are practical innovations, usually hidden and unobtrusive; gimmick weaponry isn’t his style. Why melt your way into a bank vault with a “lightning gun” when undetectable electronic funds transfer is so much easier? Of course, the Minstrel likes to take credit for a clever scheme as much as the next villain, but he’ll make sure he’s well out of reach before he releases that pre-recorded gloating broadcast. The Minstrel is a tall, fit, handsome man in his late 40s. He wears a blue, silver, and white costume modeled on the garb of a medieval strolling musician. He is never without his lute and doesn’t seem to carry any weapons. His offensive devices tend to be installed on-site at locations where he expects to encounter opposition. Since he is an expert at building and installing bugging and surveillance gadgets, the Minstrel is rarely surprised by his adversaries’ movements or actions. Bass and Treble will be the ones to tussle with adventurers. The Minstrel fears that throwing punches could damage his hands, impairing his ability to do fine electrical work or to play stringed instruments. He isn’t a casual killer, but sentimental appeals by player-characters urging him to reform or to show them mercy will offend him, causing him to do his worst. He hates sloppy emotion unconnected with music. STR 12 CON 12 SIZ 14 INT 21 POW 8 DEX 12 APP 18 Move: 10 Hit Points: 13 Damage Bonus: +1D4 Armor: None Attacks: Brawl 48%, 1d3+db; Grapple 49%, 1d3+db Skills: Art (Lyricist) 52%, Craft (Electronic Device) 76%, Disguise 48%, Hide 57%, Language (English) 105%, Language (Computer Programming Language) 47%, Language (Computer Programming Language) 47%, Perform (Sing) 52%, Perform (Play Lute) 52%, Repair (Electrical) 62%, Research 72%, Science (Electronics) 48%, Stealth 57%, Technical Skill (Computer Use) 75% Powers: Super Characteristics -- + 5 INT, +7 APP (22 power points) Super Skills – Electronics +40%, MORE Failings: Notes: The Minstrel had 85 power points based on unmodified characteristics plus ? for Failings, total ?. He had 500 skill points plus 210 personal skill points, total 710. His low POW represents his general lack of empathy. His Hide, Disguise and Stealth skills apply to his computer hacking abilities as well as his aptitude for sneaking around in person. Van Johnson was 6’1”.

I'll see what I can do. Unfortunately the Minstrel didn't appeal to '60s TV viewers. He appeared in a single two-part storyline then vanished and was never adapted into the comics or animated shows. Veteran movie star Van Johnson's portrayal wasn't a problem. Maybe it was just that there were already so many gadget-wielding miscreants running around that a realistic high-tech thief didn't stand out from the crowd. Maybe he wasn't goofy enough, or creepy enough. Note that the Minstrel's stock exchange tampering scheme was echoed decades later in The Dark Knight Rises. Unlike Bane, he wasn't a casual killer (it is hard to extort money from dead people), although he certainly wanted to do away with Batman and Robin. I love the Slayers. But Lina Inverse, Naga, and Company are so overpowered I don't know how you'd write them up. They toss around devastating spells so easily that it almost seems as if the incantations and magic circles are mere window dressing. They never run out of POW or energy points, never suffer serious injury, and have reputations that would make Cthulhu and Azathoth blanch. They certainly have a shopping list of Failings, though, especially psychological quirks. Naga should suffer DEX penalties for that thong she wears (as well as being vulnerable to extreme temperatures).

OK, we've talked about all kinds of species, but I just gotta see a write-up of one of these: http://www.starshipmodeler.co/gallery15/ap_022414_rapp.html

Because one good (?) Batman villain deserves another. Egghead Source: Batman, 20th Century Fox Television, 1966-1969 “For once, Batman, I have you eggs-actly where I want you. If you will eggs-amine the deathtrap into which I have placed you, you will realize that any attempt to eggs-tricate yourself will eggs-acerbate your situation. I’ve never had such an eggs-cellent opportunity to eggs-tinguish you.” No origin or secret identity is known for the criminal mastermind Egghead, one of the world’s smartest men and one of the few villains to deduce Bruce Wayne’s dual identity of Batman. Despite his egg shtick, derided by those unable to appreciate the pun as an art form, he is a clever and determined foe. Egghead’s schemes have included real estate swindles, museum burglaries of priceless historical artifacts, and the resurrection of prehistoric life forms. He has no obvious superhuman abilities, but Egghead really is the genius he claims to be. His crimes often involve fraud or extortion on a grand scale, or complicated plots to seize other people’s property legally. He resorts to mere theft and robbery only when in desperate need of ready cash. Egghead is a skilled inventor and ordinance engineer. His signature weapons are various types of miniaturized grenades, fashioned to resemble large Grade A eggs. He also, on occasion, has employed egg-shaped dirigibles and vans or trucks resembling egg cartons. His hideouts typically are on farms or in food-processing plants. Egghead is reasonably physically fit and able to defend himself, but he has lost his taste for fisticuffs after several encounters with the Caped Crusader. He prefers to let his henchmen do his bloodletting and will surrender meekly if cornered rather than take a beating, figuring he can always crack out of jail later. Comic book appearances have sometimes placed Egghead alongside other Bat-foes in Arkham Asylum. However, in his television capers he isn’t insane, just crazy-smart. In any case, he’s lucid enough to manage a profitable gang of criminals and to invest his profits in new gear. Egghead is a tall, lithe man with a high domed bald head, a suave manner, and a pencil-thin mustache. Unless his plans are badly askew he presents a cheery good humor and a smirking smile. He favors white suits with matching cravat, yellow shirts, and terrible egg puns. He is aided by a pair of brawny goons, Benedict and Foo Yung, and a nubile secretary; Miss Bacon. Egghead and Bacon are romantically involved, although he was engaged for a time with the fierce Olga, Queen of the Cossacks, another Batman villain. He apparently rejected the hard shell approach, avoided other feminine poachers, and returned to his true love before the relationship was permanently scrambled. Egghead will tend to underestimate the player-characters until they prove they are smart enough to thwart him. His favorite method of dealing with annoying opponents is to lure them into deathtraps loaded with his explosive gadgets. STR 11 CON 12 SIZ 15 INT 30 POW 15 DEX 11 APP 13 Move: 10 Hit Points: 14 (27 CON+SIZ) Damage Bonus: +1D4 Armor: None Attacks: Brawl 78%, 1d3+db; Grapple 78%, 1d3+db; Concussion Grenade 78%, 2d6 stun/2 meters; Explosive Grenade 78%, 4d6/4 meters; Gas Grenade (laughing gas, tear gas) 78%, variable effects/3 meters; Holdout Pistol 73%, 1D6 Skills: Command 58%, Craft (Explosive Device) 98%, Demolition 94%, Dodge 75%, Drive 73%, Language (English) 150%, Perform (Outrageous Egg Puns) 58%, Persuade 68%, Pilot (Airship) 54%, Projection 62%, Repair (Electronic) 68%, Repair (Mechanical) 68%, Research 65%, Science (Chemistry) 55%, Throw 78% Powers: Super Characteristic – +12 INT (36 power points) Super Skills – Craft +40%, Demolition +40%, Projection +40%, Research +40% (16 power points) Egg-Themed Gadget of the Week – Usually some sort of Energy Projection device (40 power points) Extra Energy – +100 energy, total 115 (10 power points) Failings: Hunted by Police (+2), Unlucky in Love (+1), Egg Obsession (+3) Notes: Egghead’s stats were randomly rolled at the “Fantastic” level on the online Call of Cthulhu Creature Generator. He had 96 power points based on unmodified characteristics plus 6 more for Failings, total 102. He had 500 skill points plus 300 personal skill points based in INTx10, total 800. I didn't have Egghead pay for his usual stock of grenades since they are "off the shelf" military surplus items (see Big Gold Book, page 267) with cosmetic changes only.

While I love Batman, I hate grim 'n' gritty. The Dark Knight movies depressed me. The 1960s television show was another matter ... The Siren (1967) Source: Batman, 20th Century Fox Television, 1967 Lorelei Circe was a popular Gotham City singer and harpist with a seven-octave vocal range. When she discovered that her highest tones could induce men to eagerly obey her slightest whim, Circe donned a faux ancient Greek silver lame gown, called herself the Siren, and attempted to use her powers to maker herself fabulously wealthy. She began her life of crime as a protégé of The Riddler, scheming to help him expose Batman and Robin’s secret identities. At her mentor’s arrest, however, she continued the plot on her own, enthralling Commissioner Gordon and commanding him to hide in the trunk of the Batmobile. She also controlled Bruce Wayne, ordering him to sign all his wealth over to her, not realizing that she had Batman himself under her power. The Siren is able to manipulate the minds of men (but not of women) by bombarding them with high-pitched sonic vibrations, two octaves above high C. The effect works over the telephone or radio as well as in person and lasts as long as Circe desires. Victims cheerfully comply with her every request, although not necessarily in the most clever or expedient manner possible, and remember nothing afterward. Since the Siren is a petite stage performer rather than a pugilist, she keeps a pair of hefty henchmen – Mr. Andante and Mr. Allegro – in her employ. They wear special earphones to protect themselves from the casual influence of her voice. She weaves her schemes in a hideout she calls the Grotto, location undisclosed. Circe is a slim brunette beauty with elegant manners and an aristocratic air. As the Siren she wears her dark tresses up in a Grecian cone and covers herself in a short silver gown that displays her shapely limbs and shoulders to good effect. Despite the fact that she doesn’t wear a mask (or conceal her curves with much of anything) no one seems to be able to connect the villain with the professional musician. She’s not overly brave and is useless in physical confrontation, but she is quick to use her sonic spell on masculine opponents. STR 8 CON 11 SIZ 11 INT 13 POW 25 DEX 14 APP 21 Move: 10 Hit Points: 11 Damage Bonus: +0 Armor: None Attacks: Brawl 25%, 1d3+db; Grapple 25%, 1d3+db Skills: Art (Lyricist) 44%, Command 44%, Disguise 40%, Dodge 63%, Etiquette 44%, Fast Talk 84%, Fine Manipulation 44%, Hide 49%, Insight 44%, Language (English) 65%, Language (Italian) 39%, Listen 64%, Perform (Sing) 87%, Perform (Play Harp) 47%, Persuade 94%, Status 54%, Stealth 49% Powers/Psychic Abilities: Defense – -40% to be hit in combat (8 power points) Mind Control 85% Mind Shield 65% Super Characteristic – +8 POW (24 power points), +4 APP (4 power points) Super Skills – Fast Talk +40%, Mind Control +60%, Mind Shield +40%, Persuade +40%, Sing +40% (total 22 power points) Extra Energy – +300 energy, total 325 (30 points) Notes: The Siren had 88 power points based on unmodified characteristics. Being a perfect lady in every way, she had no Failings. She had 500 skill points plus 130 personal skill points based on INT, total 630.

Bah! For true grit, you need John Wayne in worn leather, soundtrack by Elmer Bernstein.

Here's what I have so far for the Bionic Man. He could almost be a player-character, EXCEPT for his signature running speed. It is an essential part of his shtick and is, as we found out with my Superman 1938 write-up, an absolute budget buster both in terms of build points and energy use. Speedsters in BRP are few and far between. Power points spent so far, 107 (he has 103). The Six Million Dollar Man Source: The Six Million Dollar Man, ABC television, 1973-1978 “Steve Austin, astronaut: a man barely alive. We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him faster, stronger, better.” Barely conscious after a disastrous crash, dying test pilot Colonel Steve Austin groggily gave permission for experimental surgery to save his life. However, the tall man at his bedside wasn’t one of his doctors but the director of the mysterious Office of Scientific Intelligence. Austin awoke to discover that he was a triplegic whose severed legs and right arm and destroyed left eye had been replaced by atomic-powered bionic implants at a cost to the U.S. government of six million dollars. In return, he was expected to serve the OSI as a special operative with the unusual abilities his artificial body parts granted him. Complaining that he was “nobody’s robot,” Austin at first angrily refused but relented and became a reluctant secret agent. His adventures took him around the world and even back into space. In addition to battling mundane spies, crooks and terrorists, Colonel Austin found himself facing space aliens, a nearly indestructible mobile probe intended for Venus, sinister androids, Bigfoot, and the Seven Million Dollar Man – a rogue bionics recipient with improved hardware. He encountered heartbreak when his love interest survived horrible injuries with the aid of implants similar to his own but suffered amnesia as a result. The Bionic Woman briefly accompanied him as a co-worker if not as a lover. Following in the footsteps of Superman and Batman family comics, a bionic boy and a bionic dog also turned up somewhere, but fortunately there was never a bionic baby. Suffering and servitude could have made the Six Million Dollar Man bitter, but he accepted his fate with a wry sense of humor and willingness to endure danger in order to serve others. Electromechanical limbs – protected by tough waterproof plastic “skin” – give Austin bulldozer-like strength, the ability to leap 30 feet, and a top running speed of 67 mph (108 km/h). His bionic arm contains a Geiger counter. The reduced demand on his heart and lungs grants him enhanced stamina. His artificial eye can see the infrared spectrum, has 20:1 telescopic zoom capability, and enhances his chances of hitting a target with a thrown object. He isn’t bulletproof, however, is as susceptible to exposure as anyone else, and extreme conditions (cold, microgravity) can disable his replacement limbs. Ultrasonic tones interfere with his artificial eye and disorient him. And his implants require regular maintenance by the OSI’s Dr. Rudy Wells since Austin’s extremely active lifestyle tends to damage them. Although he’s able to break through vault doors and tear his way out of titanium cages, Austin’s “bulldozer-like” strength is limited by the fact that most of his body is still frail human flesh. The Six Million Dollar Man can lift stone idols and automobile engine bocks and catch large plummeting movie lights. He wrestles monsters and robots and sends heavy rolling tool cases careening like runaway shopping carts. But he can’t burst through walls or heft vehicles overhead like Superman. The effort would shred his skin and snap his spine. And he can’t stop an oncoming car or tank cold like Wonder Woman. His bionic limbs would survive the collision but the rest of him would crumple and be sent flying into the gutter. He compensates with patience and creative use of his powers. Colonel Steve Austin, United States Air Force, retired, is a ruggedly handsome man in his early to mid-30s. He has a crooked smile and a folksy down-to-earth manner. Although reconstructive surgery has left no visible scars, his left eye has a slight squint that becomes more pronounced during physical exertion. Despite his undercover status, Austin isn’t a particularly good actor. Villains routinely figure out who he is even when he hasn’t done anything egregious to blow his cover. Brilliant leaps of deduction aren’t his forte. Austin’s method of investigation is to poke around until criminals react to him. He tries to keep his unusual abilities a secret and never explains how he does what he does. The Six Million Dollar Man remains an excellent pilot, whatever his limitations as a detective. He can fly anything from a NASA spacecraft to a vintage biplane, and do it with style. STR 14/60 CON 18 SIZ 14 INT 12 POW 11 DEX 17 APP 15 Move: 10/? with Super Speed Hit Points: 16 Damage Bonus: +1D4 (+4D6 with super strength) Armor: 6 (bionic limbs only) Attacks: Brawl 57%, 1d3+db; Grapple 57%, 1d3+db Skills: Always Gets the Girl 75%, Dodge 66%, Heavy Machine 33%, Hide 32%, Jump 57%, Listen 57%, Navigate 42%, Parry (bionic arm) 57%, Persuade 47%, Pilot (NASA spacecraft) 52%, Pilot (fixed wing aircraft) 51%, Pilot (rotary wing aircraft) 51%, Repair (Electronic) 47%, Repair (Mechanical) 47%, Spot 57%, Stealth 42%, Swim 57%, Throw 65% Powers: Armor – 6 (Kinetic), 6 power points, bionic limbs only Leaping, 9 levels, 9 power points, can leap 10 meters (about 33 feet) vertically and 20 meters (about 65 feet) horizontally Super Characteristics – +46 STR; +5 CON, 51 power points Super Skill – Throwing +40%, 2 levels, 4 power points Super Speed – 67 mph Super Vision – Telescopic, 4 levels; Infrared, 4 levels; Night, 4 levels, total 36 power points Failings: Responsible to OSI, fulltime, +3 power points; Triplegic, frequent, +3 power points; Sucker for a Pretty Face, +1 Notes: The Six Million Dollar Man had 96 build points based on unmodified characteristics plus 7 more for Failings, total 103. He had 500 skill points plus 120 personal skill points based on INT, total 620. His stats were randomly rolled at the “Awesome” level on the online Call of Cthulhu Creature Generator. For SIZ purposes, Lee Majors is 6 feet tall.

Don't ignore the Old Testament when researching your game world. Much of it is primary source material for the cultures involved. Also, consider this supplement for Mazes and Minotaurs: http://mazesandminotaurs.free.fr/MQ8.pdf The gazetteer is mostly cultural info, with few game mechanics, detailing a fictionalized Persian Empire.

Sigh, so many systems, so little actual play time.

Coincidentally, I'm about 3/4 of the way through a Six Million Dollar Man write-up after watching the Season 5 DVD with my kids.

The Id Monster is a toughie. He's big, strong, has nasty teeth and claws, and is invisible. All this BRP can do easily. The difficult part is the moment-to-moment regeneration shtick. The creature heals so fast that it essentially can't be destroyed no matter what you throw at it. The only way to stop it is to identify and clobber the person whose mind is unconsciously generating it -- and if they remain alive even that may not work. Initially, the monster materialized when the generator was asleep and in a dreaming state. Eventually it grew strong enough to exist even when that person was awake and pleading for it to desist. The Id Monster isn't a mere ravening beast, either, but capable of pulling subtle, clever moves to fulfill the generator's hidden desires. It is a smart monster that knows everything the mind creating it knows -- even if the generator doesn't know that he knows it.

Don't forget Labyrinth Lord http://www.goblinoidgames.com/labyrinthlord.html or Dungeonslayers http://www.dungeonslayers.com/ or Swords and Wizardry (there's also S&W White Box) http://www.swordsandwizardry.com/ebookfinal9.pdf http://www.swordsandwizardry.com/whiteboxpdf.pdf or Mazes and Minotaurs http://mazesandminotaurs.free.fr/ or OSRIC http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=124:osric http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/stewart-marshall/osric-a5-pdf/ebook/product-20697767.html Many of them are free downloads.

When I downloaded it, it was all one document.

I agree. A creative GM and enthusiastic players trump game system every time. You can have a lot of fun despite a clunky rules set, and award-winning rules don't guarantee a good game.

I've been watching what is apparently the third season of Wonder Woman on MeTV, and I'm surprised at how much the Carter version came to resemble the Crosby version once the setting was updated from the Forties to the Seventies. Linda Carter's Wonder Woman is an agent for a government intelligence agency; her boss is Steve Trevor (and he isn't her lover); and she can put the smackdown on goons even as Diana Prince, although she usually switches to super form to interrogate the bad guys. Since her secret identity doesn't always wear glasses and lets her hair down when dressing casually, it is a wonder nobody ever notices the resemblance between the two. At least Superman is consistent about it as Clark Kent.

Narnia Middle Earth Fifties sci-fi Fritz Lang's Metropolis Gotham CIty 1966 Radio Ranch (Phantom Empire) The pulp Mid-East of Chandu the Magician, Rocky Jordan and the Ghost Corps. Undersea Kingdom Seleucid Empire/Hasmonean dynasty in Judea Barsoom (John Carter of Mars) Third Earth (ThunderCats -- yeah, they're loose again!) Pellucidar Among others ...

I downloaded and printed out the basic 5th edition rules. They are maybe a bit too streamlined; I couldn't see how the instructions for making a character lined up with what was on the character sheet -- and I was attempting to make a plain vanilla human Fighter. I've never played D&D on a regular basis, but I have done characters for retro-clones and near clones such as Mazes and Minotaurs and Mutant Future.

No, it is a full professional product from Alephtar Games. http://www.chaosium.com/brp-mecha/ http://www.alephtargames.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76%3Abrp-mecha&lang=en

As games progress from edition to edition they tend to lose their elegant simplicity. The nifty new additions of each version eventually snowball into an intimidating pile of options capable of baffling prospective GMs and scaring off new players. I can't speak about early RuneQuest, but Champions began as a thin staple-bound paperback pamphlet accompanied by a similarly thin campaign book. By 5th edition, Hero System was a tome capable of literally stopping small-caliber bullets. Sixth edition consisted of two massive encyclopedia-like volumes. Classic Traveller began as the "three little black books" and wound up a library of expansions, maps, board games, and deck plans. The appeal of the "old-school renaissance" for D&D enthusiasts was a switch from a game that required a stack of hardbacks to a set of rules that weighed in at 100 pages or less. For those players, all the accumulated bells and whistles weren't worth it anymore. Basic Roleplaying used to be a 16-page booklet. It is now 400 pages.

But if the last applicable post was four year ago, is GlyphMaster still a going deal? Especially since RQ 6 is out?