Ross Watson's d-IIGA Picks & Notes
Following are d-Infinity Independent Game Awards judge Ross Watson's selections for 2016, including his picks for the overall awards and category awards, followed by his comments on several of the specific games he assessed for the program.
Following are d-Infinity Independent Game Awards judge Ross Watson's selections for 2016, including his picks for the overall awards and category awards, followed by his comments on several of the specific games he assessed for the program.
Overall Best Picks
Platinum Winner: Baker Street RPG
Gold Winner: Winter Eternal
Electrum Winner: Tephra: Narrator’s Accomplice
Silver Winner: Blood Rage Box Organizer
Copper Winner: Colonial Gothic: Roanoke Island
Best in Category Picks
Best in RPGs Category: Baker Street RPG
Best in Supplements Category: Shadow, Sword, and Spell: Magic
Best in Miniatures Rules Category: Outbreak
Best in Card Games Category: Bad Medicine
Best in Accessories Category: Blood Rage Box Organizer
Best in Board Games Category: Epic Roll (Orphans & Ashes ALMOST made this top spot … )
Individual Product Notes
Mechanics: Some of the mechanics commit cardinal sins of game design. For example, spikes add +1 terror and let you fight, but huge teeth just let you fight. Obviously, one is superior to the other. The mechanics are also often unclear; the rules say to use the three highest dice, but the example shows us using only one. In the case of a tie, both players “make a scary face.” And then what? The scariest player wins? Who decides which is scarier?
Theme, Feel, and Essence: The premise is unclear. Is this meant to be a game about scaring kids in the Monsters, Inc. style? Or is it about scaring adults? The opening fiction muddies the waters of the game’s intended tone and use.
Writing and Editing: The writing is a bit inconsistent: is it fearstones, or scarestones? Why is a nosering scary? Editing is generally poor throughout.
Overall Thoughts: This is a curious product. It definitely fits the “indy game” niche, as it is clear this is a product created by a single creator. However, it is also clear that this is an amateur product. The idea of a goofy and fun game about scaring people in a Monsters, Inc. style could be very cool. There are some entertaining ideas and concepts here, but they need to be expressed better. This is a product that had a fun idea with subpar implementation. I think refocusing the game more tightly on a stronger identity and a more clear idea of the core activity would vastly improve it.
Mechanics: Everything seems very serviceable for a d20 system.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: Not much here to comment on, except that it all feels fairly cohesive.
Writing and Editing: The content is very serviceable, almost exactly what I would expect to see in a GM’s screen product. It is very well-written. I could almost run adventures in the setting with just what I am given here in this product! I’m assuming the duplicated map key, FTL info, and other material is meant for the players as well as the GM to look at the same info while the screen is set up.
Overall Thoughts: Very nice indeed. It makes me want to know more about the setting.
Mechanics: This is a setting, not an entire RPG, but it does contain a good restatement of the Savage Worlds rules, especially for character creation.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: This is a fascinating campaign world with an unusual, almost sci-fi twist. I don’t think you can look at this book and not compare it with Hellfrost (which has a very similar theme). The setting is lacking in some focus on the core activity.
Writing and Editing: I would grade the editing about a C, it could use another pass or two through proofreading at least. The writing is overall pretty good.
Overall Thoughts: Going into this competition, Winter Eternal was clearly the product to beat. It set the standard for production values, writing, and content. This is an excellent book and the creators should definitely be proud. It has some flaws, but you can tell there was a ton of effort and passion poured into it.
Mechanics: I am not familiar with the game system! However, it seems like everything works together cohesively.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: This adventure had a very strong Cthulhu vibe; I enjoyed it immensely.
Writing and Editing: This adventure is very well-written, with plenty of clear directions for the GM. Lots of great content regarding pacing the adventure. The editing could use some more attention, especially the back cover (this is one of the more embarrassing places to find a typo).
Mechanics: I’m not very familiar with the mechanics, so I have little to say here.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: Incredibly atmospheric, this setting material draws you in right from the start. In terms of essence, it is a bit confusing as to whether this is meant as an adventure or setting supplement, as it is kind of both.
Writing and Editing: The writing on this supplement is superb. This book is my choice for best writing amongst all the entries in this year’s competition. One caveat: the back cover text is a bit unclear as to the intended use/role of the book.
Overall Thoughts: Definitely a strong entry in this year’s competition, Roanoke Island is a fascinating look at a true American mystery. I think it is a perfect fit for the Colonial Gothic milieu and an excellent product for any kind of horror or Cthulhu RPG enthusiast.
Mechanics: I’m not familiar with the mechanics of this RPG, but everything seemed to be cohesive and clear.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: The theme and feel is pretty strong here, although I don’t fully understand the relationship of sanity to the game engine nor how it is meant to relate to magic. Nevertheless, this is a great themed supplement.
Writing and Editing: There are some excellent adaptations of recognizable magic systems, such as the domain spells from Birthright and rune magic from Warhammer. The serial numbers are filed off, but there is a clear homage to some old favorites!
Overall Thoughts: There is a large amount of good, useful content in this book. It is exactly what a sourcebook for an RPG about magic should be; chock-full of new ways to use magic. One of my top picks for this competition.
Mechanics: I am not familiar with the mechanics of this game, but the creatures feel competently designed and seem consistent.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: Definitely atmospheric, without quite reaching the heights of say, Roanoke Island.
Writing and Editing: The writing is excellent throughout.
Overall Thoughts: The back cover says that this book is a resource for making my Colonial Gothic game feel more like the works of Lovecraft; an admirable goal. However, I must point out that 82 of the 130 pages within are dedicated to a bestiary of Lovecraftian creatures, with only a small portion of the book being actual content devoted to echoing the feel and atmosphere of Lovecraft. The core Colonial Gothic book may actually contain this information, though. Overall, I liked the product, but I felt it is certainly far more of a bestiary with some additional material than anything else.
Mechanics: The mechanics look pretty decent for a generic fantasy RPG. There are competently designed rules to make a character, fight, and cast spells. However, see below.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: There’s zero hook here to draw me in. This book is just another ruleset to use for a generic fantasy RPG—what do I do with it? Why should I use Netherstorm over any other similar product? There’s no real answer to the question “What do I do in this game?” No information on the core activity. No actual information on the setting, no compelling conflicts, no interesting characters to get involved in, and no twists to make this game stand out from the pack.
Writing and Editing: The writing is good overall, as is the editing. I just wish there was some attention—ANY attention—towards telling the reader what to do with the game. “You can do anything you want” is paraphrased from the back cover, but that is not useful for new players nor established gamers looking for something unique.
Overall Thoughts: This is a product lavished with attention to layout, artwork, rules design, and production. But it fails a very basic test: “What is this game ABOUT?” There’s no answer to that in the book. It is, unfortunately, a missed opportunity of a game. Perhaps another edition could explain what a “Netherstorm” is, why the characters should care about it, and what the players are intended to do with the game.
Mechanics: The mechanics are very solid for the Pathfinder RPG. I think the content, mechanically speaking, is quite good.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: The theme and feel of the product is strong; I can get a good idea of what Ponyfinder is about from reading through this product.
Writing and Editing: The writing ranges from decent to good. However, the editing on this product is simply atrocious. Despite the presence of an editor listed in the credits, I question whether there was ever any actual edit of the material; it’s so bad that it actually makes it painful to read through several sections. An entire paragraph about hippogryphs is repeated under griffons in the racial section, for example. The typographical errors are awful and regretfully common throughout—it is rare to go more than one or two pages without spotting another one. A simple proofreading pass would have improved this book a great deal. Unfortunately, the editing is so bad it actually detracts from the rest of the content.
Overall Thoughts: Overall, this is a book that could’ve been great. It’s definitely still good, but the editing issues are very disappointing and significantly impact both quality and perception of value.
Mechanics: This is an interesting asymmetrical miniatures game. It is not for beginners, as it is a bit too complex for my tastes. There is quite a bit of division by 2, for example, that keeps the rules from feeling elegant. Also, there is a risk of analysis paralysis given all the options available to both players. The survivor creation rules are excellent, and I like how the zombies prioritize action points. The use of loud and very loud markers is also innovative. Several useful quick reference sheets are present. However, there are lots of little fiddly bonuses and penalties to track. The scenarios in the back of the book are some of the best I’ve seen, and the campaign rules are good.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: A strong focus on what the game is about really helps this product.
Writing and Editing: The writing is solid, and the editing is as well.
Overall Thoughts: A good miniatures game; I would like to see this game evolve a bit to simplify some of the mechanics. The scenarios are by far the best part of the book and make me want to play the game right away. This is a very strong entry in the competition for this year.
Mechanics: I’ve only played Tephra once, but the mechanics in this book seem very serviceable and consistent.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: This book sets out to be a sourcebook for a Tephra GM, and it definitely succeeds in that attempt! More than half the book is a bestiary, which is somewhat surprising, but the bestiary is filled with very interesting and creative monsters. I’m quite impressed!
Writing and Editing: The writing is exceptional and the editing is solid. The content in this book is fantastic for any GM of any game, with lots of interesting and useful material covering a wide variety of subjects. NPCs, pacing, themes, player expectations, all of these and more are covered within.
Overall Thoughts: This is definitely a top pick for any RPG enthusiast, and any gamer who enjoys steampunk is going to be delighted by the ideas and concepts within. This is what a product looks like when you pour a ton of effort, attention to detail, and excitement into it. This is one of my top picks for the entire competition this year. With better artwork and layout, this could’ve taken the top spot easily.
Mechanics: I generally like the dice pool mechanic. However, the resolution is a bit clumsy; the way that social rolls are made in addition to other rolls, and there are too many rolls to resolve a single action in combat. The social status rules are clever, and I like the focus that takes this game away from traditional combat and centers it more on investigations. There are uses of characteristics that are similar to FATE’s Aspects. However, there’s negative reinforcement for the GM using one of these characteristics in play, which is not optimal. The Sherlock die is a very interesting idea. I find that it makes many rolls too easy to succeed. Plus, the die’s interaction with target numbers for success makes it fiddly to keep track of things. Also, the die can steal the excitement of rolling extra dice because of Moriarty’s result. Finding clues is critical to a game about investigation, which is why I am surprised that investigators can fail to find clues at all. Why isn’t there some kind of “fail forward” mechanic? Finding the clue isn’t nearly as fun as interpreting it, after all. As it stands, it is possible, though unlikely for an entire group to fail to find clues or stall out in an investigation. However, the “threat meter” mechanic that tries to address this is excellent. I love the concept of the threat meter and I would like to see more examples of how it works. Moving around target numbers (You don’t count 4’s when injured, you don’t count 5’s when charmed) is very fiddly. Easy to forget this stuff while also keeping track of the Sherlock die’s results. Despite the criticism, these mechanics are all interesting and innovative ideas. I would love to see them with more development and a slightly simpler or more elegant implementation.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: This RPG aims at a very specific target; Sherlock Holmes roleplay. I’m pleased to say that the book’s focus and dedication to its subject matter NAILS IT in every way. Good job! There is no question at all what this game is about, and the essence of a Holmes-ian adventure is write large throughout.
Writing and Editing: The editing is good, the writing is better. Very true to the theme of what it is trying to present.
Overall Thoughts: This game is very much in the spirit of the independent game awards. I admire the innovative approach to the system and presenting something that we really haven’t seen before quite to this level. There’s passion, quality, attention to detail, and creativity galore in this product. I believe Baker Street exemplifies the independent game spirit and I highly regard this product as one of the best of this year’s competitors.
Mechanics: I am not familiar with the game system! However, it seems like everything works together cohesively. I particularly liked the bits about various gambling games you might encounter out in space. I imagine I could have quite a bit of fun using these mechanics, although I tend to find percentile systems rather fiddly for my own taste.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: This is where the game lost me. I’m incredibly disappointed to discover that there’s zero guidance on the core activity of this game. Where’s the compelling conflict? What happens if my character sits at home and does nothing? There’s no interesting hook for me to get invested in—no reason to go adventuring. This game is like a meticulously-designed robot with no power core—it badly needs CONTEXT so that I know what I’m meant to do in this universe. What’s curious is that he lists Star Wars, Babylon 5, and Aliens as influences. In each of those named influences (if they were an RPG), I know who I am, what I’m doing, and why. Yet there’s the distinct lack of such here. It is a crying shame, since the author clearly put years of work into this product.
Writing and Editing: The writing is decent, overall, and the editing is excellent. I wish the writing had been able to more clearly communicate the flavor, main themes, and intended tropes of the game.
Overall Thoughts: Like Netherstorm, this is the chassis of a good game; like a sports car with nowhere to go. “You can do anything” seems to be the basis of the design, but that only leaves me as a reader and a GM struggling with “What do I do with this game?” It is possible that the game is meant to exist as a sort of Traveller or Star Trek game, where the players take on the roles of space explorers working for some faction or guild, but I didn’t find any guidance saying this is so beyond a vague feeling from some of the writing.
Mechanics: The gameplay here does what it sets out to do; encourage a fun, social interaction. I wouldn’t say it is a very deep or complex game; quite the opposite! It’s just a fun, casual game you can play with your friends.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: There’s a very strong theme of being a scheming drug company trying to figure out how to market the new drug!
Writing and Editing: The writing and editing was sufficient; you really don’t need more than that with a party game!
Overall Thoughts: This is a great party game! I must admit I don’t play very many card games myself, but I enjoyed this one, and I think it has a lot to offer in the field of party games.
Mechanics: Very clear mechanics, there’s a ton of fun in the simple premise. However, I think Cale has a tougher time trying to win than Richard or the fire. That being said, the game is very fun and I’d enjoy playing it again.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: This game has a very strong theme that it cleaves to in the rules, the miniatures, the tokens, everything! It’s wonderful to see such a fully realized vision.
Writing and Editing: The rulebook is written very amusingly! I love the writing on the rulebook and the editing looks solid.
Overall Thoughts: Caveat: I am a big fan of the webcomic this game is based on, so I am familiar with the characters, theme, and tropes. Also, I’m a bit biased because I enjoy the webcomic. I laughed just reading the rulebook!
Mechanics: The mechanics are very good! It’s a bit sparse, really, but again that is to be expected with the game’s small footprint. The game sets out with a small target and nails it with the gameplay.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: The theme here is a bit generic, but that’s to be expected with as tight as this game actually is—short and sweet. It’s about adventurers adventuring and fighting monsters plus a lich. It does that.
Writing and Editing: The writing is clear and concise. There’s also a bit of humor to it, which I enjoy. Editing is good.
Overall Thoughts: Fantastic game! This is a top contender for the board game category and excels in just about every area. I think it lacks a bit of depth, but that is understandable since it is so tightly focused.
Mechanics: This game’s mechanics are serviceable. Everything seems to work, though I don’t see anything that really stands out to me as innovative or interesting.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: This is as basic a zombie game as you can get—there’s not really anything special about it. The writing is a bit confusing; how many players is this game meant to accommodate? The back of the box says 2-6, the side says 2-4, and I found five characters shown in the rulebook. There’s six character tokens, and rules for how 4 characters fight. The rules for how the 2 additional characters work are on the last page of the rulebook. The characters themselves are generally uninteresting.
Writing and Editing: Editing is bad. There’s a glaring typo on the back of the box, which is a terrible place to find an error like this. The “time needed to play” says 30-60 minutes on the side of the box and 45-60 minutes on the back. Which is correct?
Overall Thoughts: This game would be fine if you’re just looking to play “a zombie board game.” It doesn’t really excel at anything or stand out from the crowd in any way. However, it is very respectable for a “first try” at a boardgame, the map cards are nice, and there’s a pretty decent ruleset there. I would like to see more from this publisher, and I believe there’s some untapped potential in the designers. Ultimately all of the issues raised here would be something I could overlook if this wasn’t “just another zombie game.” There are lots and lots of zombie board games out there, I was really looking for a good reason to play this one. Something more interesting, innovative, or with a unique hook would be a good way to proceed for these designers in the future.
Mechanics: This is not the type of board game/card game that I enjoy. I found the mechanics to be very dense and difficult to grasp.
Theme, Feel, and Essence: One thing that is really missing is some sense of the world and story in the actual game. I appreciate the inclusion of the graphic novel (although, again, the artwork does not elevate it), but there are no flavor quotes on the cards at all. Comparing this game to something like Sentinels of the Multiverse, AFL leaves me knowing next to nothing about the narrative or feel.
Writing and Editing: Writing is decent, editing is good.
Overall Thoughts: This is not at all the kind of game I would typically enjoy. The production values are high, with the exception of the artwork, and someone who likes the kind of game that AFL represents will probably be very into it. The designers have a strong grasp of how to get my attention (the box cover and the graphic novel), but the gameplay is not to my taste. I think this game is deserving of notice and I look forward to see more games from the creator—although I would prefer something easier to grasp!
