Sure enough, I forgot one thing that I think is important in the commercial
environment and that is books. Much of the success of several RPG systems rest
on the books. When they are sold through the normal bookstores they create new
interest and when they are sold in game shops they promote conversion.
Just as importat is of course that they are good, if the book sucks 99%
of those who read it first and look at the game later will become convinced that
the game sucks too.
This goes for all the other eight things I listed too and it cannot be said
too often:
"Do it ONCE and do it RIGHT!"
On to T2k: When it comes to the combat system I am split in my opinion of it.
I like the 1ed damage system (personal and vehicles) so much that I have used
it for Traveller. While I havent done it yet, I suspect that 2ed will be harder
to use this way, since the personal armors are much less diverse.
The hit procedure on the other hand leaves things to be desired. I must
confess to be the culprit Farstar mentioned that had dared to compare reality
with game mechanics. What I did was ask a relative who worked for several years
with turning yokels into soldiers which system best represent reality. The one
where the hit chance goes up linearly from 0 to some percentage or the one
where anyone has some chance to hit an esy target if they find the trigger,
the first instruction gives a big jump in ability and later instruction gives
small adds to abilities.
He answered that the second looked more like reality to him. And that was
one of the reasons I kept the MegaT hit procedure even though I used the T2k
damage system.
I like the recoil and autofire rules though and would probably use them if
I'd repeat it today. The autofire rules are by the way IMHO the best I've seen
in any system.
The one really bad point (but easy to correct, as opposed to the lacking
skill/task system) I can see about T2k in general is that people tend to
absorbe incredible amounts of damage and keep going. The damage points for all
locations should at least be be halved, since 'juggernautism' rewards gung-ho
munchkinism.
- -bertil-
- --
"It can be shown that for any nutty theory, beyond-the-fringe political view or
strange religion there exists a proponent on the Net. The proof is left as an
exercise for your kill-file."