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Cool! Thanks Errin...

My own "Adapt a Computer Game to Tabletop RPG" submission is finally here...



Let me know what you think!!

I just downloaded that, Jeff. The outlay looks terrific, and I look forward to getting a chance to read it. I have the original Phantasy Star games on emulator, and have never seen the online version. Looks cool from my initial glance.

Let me know what you think Errin... in the meantime I posted a link to it on the PSO World forums in the hopes that I might actually attract the attentions of some PSO fans to the site... bring in some new blood... that would be cool!!

Well, Jeff, I have had the opportunity to read your Phantasy Star game, and I'm afraid I'm going to have to give it a slightly negative review, which I hope you'll take with a grain of salt. Most of my constructive criticism is in the spirit of making your PSRC RPG more accessible to the two types of people it seems to be targetting: tabletop RPGers not familiar with Phantasy Star Online, and online RPG game players that are not familiar with tabletop RPGs.
Though the layout and the art are great, what I mainly had trouble with was the cumbersome order in which you 'plotted' out the rules. Basically, the 'From the PSOBB Official Community Site' and 'Welcome to the Tabletop' sections were appendices better suited for the end/tail of the rules. One or two page summary at the front of the game with a mention of the greater detailed appendices at the end would have been better, as it would allow greater accessibility to the actual rules of gameplay. As it were, a reader has to wade through a lot of Ragol backstory and discussion of tabletop RPGs before actually getting to the game. It'd be a much more engaging RPG if the player/reader got straight to the gameplay rules, then could look up more detailed explanations of Phantasy Star Ragol and tabletop RPGs afterwards.
As for the actual game system you've made for Ragol's Curse, you definitely get an A+, which is all the more reason it should be first and foremost in the rules. The character creation rules are the simple, concise, yet slightly complex kind of game systems of yours I've always admired. Combat and out-of-combat rules are very easy to grasp and well-rounded. Techniques are great, as are the equipment and improvement sections, including drops, MAGs, and respawning. All in all, your game system for this one creates a simple yet rich set of dynamics within a very interesting game world. What I don't understand, though, is why you left out any sort of monsters in the rules. Seems to me it would give the players of the game a better picture of the world of Ragol if you included some monsters from the Phantasy Star Online universe. As is, you don't even include guidelines for monster creation, which is strange, as I was under the assumption that the Phantasy Star series was one about fighting strange technological monsters.
Overall, Phantasy Star Ragol's Curse RPG is a worthy effort and a welcome addition to my pdf game collection. Still, I couldn't help but notice that it could have been organized better so as to be more accessible and engaging to those readers old and new to the tabletop RPG and/or Phantasy Star Online.

Thanks for the review Errin I really appreciate it!

I put the introduction to RPG stuff up front because that's just usually where you find it... habit really... I put all the backstory stuff up front because it isn't mine, it was cut word for word from the PSO community web-site and I wanted to keep it isolated from the main rules so that I could easily acknowlege and observe Team-Sega's copyright. Both could certainly be moved around. I must say I am very pleased that your primary criticisms of this product were structural in nature. Layout is something easy enough to modify and if reorganization will help the readability of the rules, then I am all for it.

As for the omission... you are so correct. I need a monsters of Ragul section badly. I intended to add one but I am really bad about publishing prematurely. As a project comes together I become so anxious and excited about it that I just HAVE TO share it with others. With the 24 Hour RPG challenge this isn't an issue... but when working on other projects I need to learn a little more patience. As it is... if it seems like people are interested in the game, then I would be happy to go back and revise it adding the monsters section that it truely needs.

Errin, your review was helpful and well considered... I am really glad you liked the game system and I will have to get to work on a monsters section straight away!

Thanks for the feedback, Errin!!

Regards.

I'm glad you found my constructive criticism helpful, Jeff. I had a little apprehension going into it knowing you were looking forward to my review and that I had negative things to say about the game. All in the spirit of better gaming, and I'm glad you caught the gist of what my main criticism was: better structuring/ordering of rules is necessary for more accessibility.
Everything the game needs is there (that is, after you put in the monster section); The sections just need to be put in better order to make it more playable and engaging. Namely, those two appendice-like sections I mentioned in my critique should be moved to the back, in my opinion. A Phantasy Star Online player trying to get into a tabletop RPG doesn't need to be given all the Ragol backstory, and a tabletop RPG player trying to get into the world of Phantasy Star Online doesn't need to be explained in detail what a tabletop RPG is.
It's also a question of engaging the players/readers of the RPG. If the rules of gameplay were put first and foremost, players can start creating characters from the getgo and will be quickly engaged with the game. Otherwise, they have to wade through atmospherics before they get to the game system that's really going to hook them in. I would imagine players used to online RPGs need a somewhat instant hook to get them involved with a tabletop RPG. As they are part of your target audience for this game, I would suggest adapting the RPG's current incarnation into something more instantly accessible to them.
I look forward to seeing how your Phantasy Star RPG progresses from here out.

Well, I got my 1km1kt t-shirt in the mail today. A proud addition to my collection! Thanks to 1km1kt and Keeton for the shirt. It's a lot of fun having a shirt won from a contest! Even better having a shirt from one of my favorite websites. Thanks again! : )

Congratulations!

Thanks, Jeff. Much appreciated. : )