[HoE] [HOE] Feedback: Junker Material

["Simon Chan" <TheBM@email.msn.com>]

Just add my apologies to the others that it took me a while to actually form
an opinion on Marshal O'Leary's Junker articile. It's the nature of
something this big to take a while to try out various possiblities.

Here's a list of points I'll like to make. Some of them are probably not
quite right because I haven't got a firm opinion, whilst others are just my
two cents.

Too complicated
---------------------------
No, it's not actually too complicated to understand, but the first thing
that struck me was the huge numbers of tables and forms and stuff. Now, I
LIKE complexity sometimes (I still play Rolemaster when I can sit enough
people down to do some characters) but what I'd always liked about Deadlands
was how I can play it fast and loose. In a mad kinda way I prefered how Mad
Scientists work in that they generate an idea and try to gather a hand of
cards for it. This is not a critic of your rules, but I wasn't happy with
what was in the HOE book either. Seemed too much like 'just another vehicle
construction system' to me. However, what you've got down seem to work ok.

However, I loved the way you seperated having to deal with different types
of Manitous depending on the power level of the device. Makes them all think
twice about building something more than slightly powerful!

Great Background Material
--------------------------------------
I've sat down and tried to write stuff like this for other games and the
like before, and know how hard it is to write something long, informative
and interested (OK, so I'm just a lousey writer). This was great stuff, and
picks up nicely where the Junker chapter leaves off about the Sons of
Sitgreaves.

I especially love the descriptions of the Junker constructing his device,
sending his mind to a 'lab in the Hunting Grounds in a similar way to a
Huckster sending his to a gaming location. The Thaumutagical (sp?) adapation
was great. I could picture a posse sitting down and watching a Junker get to
work on a huge pile of scrap and ending up with something almost but not
quite completely different (What's that egg-beater for? To make it go
'ping', you moron!).

Powers
-----------
Some though had gone into this one, as it's hard to say how much so a single
power cover and how many powers you need. I think some more work here, as a
starting Junker seems to need several powers to actually have a little
variaty, and considering the poor saps only start with two...

I disagree on miniaturisation because it seems to go against the HUGE Junker
Devices o' Doom. Here's a quick list of powers I can come up with off the
top of my head.

-Damage (Ranged and Close?)
-Sensor (Motion scanners)
-AI (Junker computers! Simulates Mental Traits.)
-Automaton (Simulates Corporeal Traits. Need AI for full automation.)
-Vehicle (perhaps covered by Automaton?)
-Augmentation (something based on Gash's stuff?)

Yeah, it's not a very good list. I think you can't have too many because it
because really hard for Junkers to build anything, but too few and there's
nowhere for a Junker to go after a few games.

I'd been thinking perhaps each 'power' might be a different skill (all part
of Occult Engineering in general), kinda like the Hucksters. Then when you
building something you use the relevant skill to generate a plan like the
Mad Scientists did by rolling and pulling a hand of cards. The device does
several different things? Use your lowest skill.

--
Overall, I liked the material but it just wasn't my cup of tea. It'll be
interesting what Pinnacle puts out, but that's one sourcebook I'll really
need to have a look at before buying.

Simon
TheBM@msn.com