Re: [HOE] Re: Urban Renewal

[The Baron Samedi <baron11@netmcr.com>]

>
>
>Ya' know people are funny,

Yes they are.


>Everyone is talking about the cover of UR running back and forth about a 
>matter of OPINION.  Everyone is so focused on the cover.

I think you find many of those "opinions" round here.

I think that unless we just start spouting facts, most of any discussion of 
the contents will be opinion too.  Such seems to be the way.  I have found 
a significant number of posts, esp. those about new products, center around 
opinions a great deal.


>Did anyone bother to point out that all the section titles have the titles 
>of horror flicks written into them?

I think we all caught that.  If not, you have my sincere apologies and 
encouragement to find yourself a little background material before going 
further. ;-)
(just kidding)

>Did anyone notice that all the NPC's are named after characters from Aliens?

See the above.

>Did anyone concentrate on the fact that the adventure seems (im about half 
>though it) very cool, and would have made a good horror book all by itself?

or at least a decent horror book.  I had to suspend my disbelief a couple 
times (see below).  That and any book where the NPCs are named after 
characters from Aliens would flop when people realized it.

But yes it is fairly cool.

>These are all cool things, but did anyone notice the,, NOOOOO, YOU WERE 
>ALL TOO BUSY OBSESSING ABOUT THE BUTTTOCKS ON THE FRONT COVER!!!  Freud 
>would have a happy day with ya'lls perceptions about this book.

The butttocks, huh?

I think it would be more appropriate to say, we were discussing if the 
book's cover was thematically appropriate or not.  Some people felt that 
given that book's cover means PEG has chosen to defy it's original standard 
as far as taste and class with regard to cover art, even going so far as to 
go straight against the words Shane put on this newsgroup two years 
ago.  Some people felt that this was a welcome change, and that PEG was 
finally "catching up" ascetically with other gaming companies and what is 
popular with comic books, given comic books and their art is an inspiration 
for the art of PEG products, it is, to them, appropriate and welcome that 
PEG is branching out a bit.  I think I covered the opinions to a degree, or 
at least the extreme ones.

I don't recall obsessing about Buttocks.  I recall clothing overall and the 
lack thereof, but not buttocks.


Friend,

There were statements made regarding the cover.  I agreed with some and 
disagreed with others.  I did not talk about the adventure because I did 
not care to at that point.  If that thread had not started, I still would 
not have mentioned it, in all likelihood.  I did not feel the need to point 
out "hey, did anyone notice the movie titles?"  if a thread had started, I 
would have discussed them, perhaps.

My point:  a discussion about Ascetics started because some felt that it 
merited discussion.  if the contents have not been discussed, either no one 
has cared to yet or they simply did not warrant discussion.  I personally 
feel that it was the former.  However, that is my opinion.

I am sorry you feel that a discussion of what is and isn't tasteful and 
appropriate to the Deadlands setting is not valid.  However, I think the 
majority either has an interest or throws it into the wastebasket.   If 
someone really wanted to start an UR thread about content, they 
would.  Why, Allen did, awhile back, which got 0 responses (at least, on 
topic responses, I responded. ;-)).  Admittedly, most folks (me included) 
did not have the book yet.  Now you have, but for some reason you felt the 
need to discredit the other thread, and everyone in it, in the process.

Oh, and Freud would probably still be too busy coming up with his new 
theories given his old ones became less valid with the passing of the 
Victorian age.


>Sometimes you have to look past the outer beauty to see the inner beauty.

I think everyone saw the inner beauty.  I don't recall anyone saying I 
haven't/won't read this book cuz the cover was too offensive/yummy.  If I 
missed it, I'm sorry, and will take that statement back.


>Doc Out


This is not intended to be a flame.  I did not see yours as one.  You 
snapped, I snapped back.  :-)

You want my opinions?

**spoilers**













It is not bad.  I can tell this guy has Written for Wraith.  it has Wraith 
written all over it.  I thought the Aliens names were something of a 
detractor, given the content.  Normally, I really like Easter Eggs, esp. in 
HoE, but I can see it cutting into the mood like a knife when the Posse 
gets the joke.  I intend to change the names.  The section titles bothered 
me much less.  Only the Marshal sees those.  Worst case scenario, a Marshal 
who has not seen those movies works to build up a serious mood, only to 
wonder why his snickering posse can't seem to keep with it.

I felt the author did a good job but did not fully understand all the 
mechanics for Syker Powers, esp. resisted rolls.  The description of Mind 
over Matter indicates that (says the attacker uses Spirit, Target 
Vigor).  Also, while Vrais Knowledge was not super, those stats which, were 
resisted rolls with the same stat, they are high (his Spirit is an 
incredible d12+4, his knowledge d10).  Places in the text also implies that 
Vrai rolls Spirit to oppose (tho the pg. # I cannot recall right 
now).   also,  I thought that part of the premise was a bit odd (namely the 
program for renovations)but that was my vaunted opinion.  There were a few 
other inconsistencies (like how much he can influence things in a 
Nightmare.  It mentions him doing so in two cases, while saying he can't in 
others)

Overall, it was good. One of the creepiest yet.  However, the Easter Eggs 
were a detractor, and that and some other parts will require re-writing.  I 
felt his other contribution, Ghost Busters, was better, but I would 
certainly buy more of Mr. Soulban's work.

TBS