Originally posted by Aldaron
But there's something about it...maybe it's the layout of the book, I guess. The thing is, I've been role-playing for nearly 20 years, and I've gotten my head around more game systems than I care to remember, but I can't for the life of me figure out even how to create a character in CODA.
I don't think I'm entirely stupid, but I literally spent two days, for about 5 - 6 hours each day with sheets of paper and a calculator, trying to create a Starfleet captain. I got the basics down - race, profession, etc. I even didn't do too badly on the basic skills...then I hit the advancements.
After spending hours flicking back and forth between about 4 different chapters, I gave up.
You know, I ran a Coda Trek game for four months or so before going on hiatus recently and we had little to no problem making characters. I would suggest taking a look at Patrick Goodman's Character Creation Example (cna't remember the URL right off the top of my head, but it ewas posted here as well). And, if you're interested, i could ven do a post explaining a pre-advanced character and how he was made.
I disagree with Siroth on the d20 thing - I don't think CODA is much like d20 (though I admit I really don't understand CODA!), but I do think Decipher is pulling a "WotC": "Here, buy a game for $70 Au. Oh, and here...have the other half of it for another $70."
Actually, such a practice goes back to the very begining of RPGs, Aldaron. Just look at 1st Edition AD&D. There was no way you could run a game properly without at least the three main core books...
ICON had everything in the one book - all of it. You could run an entire campaign from the core rules, without purchasing anything else, and I'm extremely disappointed Decipher is making me buy another book just so I can run starship combat - and that's all it will be. I've been refereeing for 20 years, and I don't need advice on how to referee...I just need starship combat rules!!
Hmm. I guess Starship design, Creature design, Alien creation, Information on hazards from radiation to falling and nebulae to subspace phenomena, Sector/Star System/Planet creation, and other stuff just wouldn't be of use...
And I won't be buying the Narrator's Guide...I'll be pulling out my ICON/LUG books, dusting them off and resurrecting the series.
That's kind of a shame, really. I've heard people who have been gaming for as long, if not longer than you or I who have said the NG is the best referee tool they have ever seen, bar none.
Now, I'm not trying to scam you into spending more money or saying you have to buy the book. I just think you're giving the NG a short shrift it doesn't deserve.
Former Decipher RPG Net Rep
"Doug, at the keyboard, his fingers bleeding" (with thanks to Moriarti)
In D&D3E, Abyssal is not the language of evil vacuum cleaners.