I Got The Aliens Guide

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05-20-2003, 06:36 AM
JonA

I Got The Aliens Guide

Released the 30th May huh?

Don't ask me how but my local games store called me three minutes before my lunch to tell me that they got the Aliens book in.

Lets just say I've never walked so fast in my life to get to that shop.

Oh and by the way. Just to rub more salt in the wound I'm in England.

It looks good. Had a flick through. It has new rules on Trills and the multiple hosts etc which look good and the Trill Helmsman in my campaign will appreciate it.

Its the usual high quality Decipher product we've now come to love and expect.

I'll give you a full report tomorrow.

I also got a leaflet with pictures of the Creatures (has a picture of Ferengi on the front for some reason) and World's (stock photo of Spacedock in orbit of Earth with a a gas giant matted in over where the moon is normally) covers on too.
05-20-2003, 09:52 AM
CorpBoy

The book is out in the UK, but not the US? Sorry, but that doesn't make any sense. Perhaps we have another good example of Decipher Stealth Marketing at work here :) ?
05-20-2003, 10:00 AM
T'lara

I so am jealous I have waited for that book way too long. This is the last book holding back my campeign....*grumbles* And the Brits have it!

I hope we get a report soon maybe it will curb my jealous rage :D
05-20-2003, 11:31 AM
Ineti

Quote:

Originally posted by CorpBoy
The book is out in the UK, but not the US? Sorry, but that doesn't make any sense. Perhaps we have another good example of Decipher Stealth Marketing at work here :) ?

Must be some sort of wonky thing with the printer/distributor, I guess. Seems like the UK has been getting the books just ahead of the US.
05-20-2003, 11:52 AM
T'lara

Quote:

Originally posted by Ineti
Must be some sort of wonky thing with the printer/distributor, I guess. Seems like the UK has been getting the books just ahead of the US.

It might be cheaper for Decipher to print over seas their books than in the US or Canada.

One of my instructors had to do a 4 color book job for a client and he found it cheaper to have it printed in Hong Kong saving the client (who is in the US) over $7000 American Dollars! Yes, this is not an uncommon practice.

So if they printed overseas it might allow Britian to get it before the US.
05-20-2003, 12:16 PM
Cochrane

What is a Chelerian?
05-20-2003, 12:20 PM
Ineti

Quote:

Originally posted by T'lara
It might be cheaper for Decipher to print over seas their books than in the US or Canada.

Both the LOTR RPG core book and the FOTR Sourcebook were printed in Canada. I don't have my Trek books handy, but I assume they were printed in the same place.

Cochrane: Whaaa??? :confused:
05-20-2003, 12:25 PM
Cochrane

Chelerians are listed as one of the races in the book, and I want to know who they are.
05-20-2003, 01:18 PM
qerlin

Quote:

Originally posted by T'lara
It might be cheaper for Decipher to print over seas their books than in the US or Canada.

Unlikely. I'm wokring for a UK games company right now. They have to print in Canada -- it's cheaper & the distribution into the US is pre-existing. It's almost impossible to print in the UK and distribute to the US for a profit.

The Decipher stuff seems to be done in Canada.
05-20-2003, 01:23 PM
Lowly Uhlan

Rapid response teams are on the way to take the book and being it to home soil (my house).
05-20-2003, 10:18 PM
Doug Burke

Quote:

Originally posted by Cochrane
Chelerians are listed as one of the races in the book, and I want to know who they are.

As noted in the original posting of the list, however, "the contents of the book are subject to change without notice." Apparently, this is one of those changes. :)
05-21-2003, 12:47 AM
JonA

Right ho.

Read through the book last night and I can honestly say I'm impressed. Very impressed.

The rules are there for you to play any of the races available although it does recommend that some are reserved as NPCs only (Founders, Jem'Hadar, Vorta, Q, Horta, Suliban, Borg, Hirogen etc).

Basically each entry details:

Culture, Homeworld, Appearance and Psychology, Preferred Careers, Attribute Mods, Species Traits (some new for existing aliens) and History and Culture. For each entry there is a sample NPC.

Some of the more important races (Humans, Betazoids, Klingons, Cardassians, Romulans etc) have a bit more information to help flesh them out a bit. There are new rules and edgies/flaws for some exisiting aliens (I quite like the new Betazoid flaw which prevents them from intruding on somebody's mental privacy, plus i like the new rules for creating the trill symbiont seperately).

The best bit is many entries have details of the state of each race for each of the star trek eras. For example it tells you roughly what the Dominion were up to at the Enterprise, TOS and TNG eras. These little descriptions are brief but to the point.

On the whole i'm impressed and Decipher should be congratulated on providing yet another high quality and totally essential addition for the game.

PS: I like Decipher's description on what the Breen really look like. Very original!

PPS: I'm thinking of taking the first Lurian in Starfleet history!!!
05-21-2003, 12:07 PM
Cochrane

JonA: Thanks for the info. What other changes are there from the list?
05-21-2003, 12:28 PM
Lowly Uhlan

JonA: You mentioned an npc write up that went along with each race.Are these characters from the shows/movies or Decipher creations?
05-21-2003, 01:24 PM
Capt Daniel Hunter

I ordered mine yesterday, and it was shipped today. So with any luck, I should get it tomorrow morning. And it just so happens, I'm on a late shift tomorrow, so I;ll be home when the mail arrives. Eeeeeeeeeexcellent. :D
05-21-2003, 09:47 PM
Doug Burke

Quote:

Originally posted by Lowly Uhlan
JonA: You mentioned an npc write up that went along with each race.Are these characters from the shows/movies or Decipher creations?

The NPCs given for each species are generic ones that can be inserted as needed into a campaign.
05-22-2003, 02:47 AM
Lowly Uhlan

Thanks, Doug.
05-22-2003, 03:54 AM
Capt Daniel Hunter

OK, as expected, mine arrived this morning, and it's pretty sweet. This was pretty much the last thing I needed to recreate all my old ICON cast.

Nice work, Decipher guys :)
05-22-2003, 03:41 PM
Dan Gurden

Mine also arrived today. Sweet looking book, I am looking forward to reading this.

I was a little surprised to note that while many species that had already been presented in the Core Book were there, only the Ferengi were missing? Contract problems with their agents to blame? ;)

It would have been nice to see the Remans too, oh well, something for the Romulan sourcebook...
05-22-2003, 09:33 PM
Weyoun12

CODA books printed "in Canada"???

It's a tragic irony for me personally if the Star Trek CODA books have been and/or are still "printing" the books here in my home country if that indeed be the case. After visiting three reputable game stores in the Greater Toronto Area I have yet to see products beyond the Narrator's Guide. Products from WOTC are easily available by comparison. I ended up ordering from Amazon but it says the order which consists of Starfleet Operations Manual, Starships, and Aliens Guide will not be ready until the end of June til early July.
05-23-2003, 12:40 AM
JonA

Quote:

Originally posted by Cochrane
JonA: Thanks for the info. What other changes are there from the list?

Some expansion on the major races with a bit more development on the history of the race (for example the code of sentience rules for Betazoids, details of the major Klingon houses etc). They've made a few modifications to the species abilities and traits for a few races as well.

Thats about it really.
05-23-2003, 12:41 AM
JonA

Quote:

Originally posted by Lowly Uhlan
JonA: You mentioned an npc write up that went along with each race.Are these characters from the shows/movies or Decipher creations?

They're Decipher creations.
05-23-2003, 12:52 PM
First of Two

Re: CODA books printed "in Canada"???

Quote:

Originally posted by Weyoun12
I ended up ordering from Amazon but it says the order which consists of Starfleet Operations Manual, Starships, and Aliens Guide will not be ready until the end of June til early July.

Odd, I ordered Aliens and Creatures only yesterday, and Amazon says Creatures should ship the 27th and Aliens about a week later.

Could the older books already be out of stock? It seems unlikely.
05-23-2003, 05:08 PM
arndog1975

Weyoun12, I suggest FRPGames.com. They have a good selection of Decipher products and good discounts. I've ordered from them before and have been well pleased. I also suggest eBay searches for Star Trek in the RPG section. They usually have some good deals if you search around and compare. Hope that helps.
05-24-2003, 02:39 AM
Thierry CHAUVIN

Hello,
Got Aliens yesterday :)
Impresive work !
05-24-2003, 06:52 AM
Rayaru

FYI...

Stiggybaby's has Aliens in stock now, for $28.

http://www.stiggybaby.com/2checkout/star_trek_2c.shtml

I just put my order in :)
05-24-2003, 07:19 AM
otaku mike

Well, Stiggybaby doesn't deliver in Bangkok, Thailand... I was very disapointed :(
05-24-2003, 09:25 PM
buck rogers

I picked mine up today, but it came in yesterday to my local store, where I get all my rpg stuff. I also got Fell Beast and Wondrous Magic for LOTR. They are great sourcebooks. The guys at Decipher have done it again:)