cons: absence of TMP uniforms; Deltans; Tiburonese; location of Regulans too far from Patriarchy; change in cause of Bolian blue skin; no mention of name Velestus for AC; new design of Ranger; absence of Norway; too many pages for character sheet; complexity of character sheet; dark blue spaces on character sheet that we are supposed to write on; items incompatible with Star Charts; smearable ink
pros: expansion of professional ability tiers; advancement packages associated with specific ships and fleets; description of fleets and starbases; space to invent one's own fleets; inclusion of Daedalus, Ranger; specification of size of fleet; continuation of species heraldry which I hope will continue in Aliens book; Bolians; Centaurans; Grazerites; Regulans; Tellarites; Zaldans; fact that Regulans are colonizers; mention of 15 Lyncis as a Regulan world; items compatible with Star Charts
I think SOM is a good expansion on the Star Fleet character options. Gives us a bit more flexibility in the area that most players will want to explore. And even if you are not playing a Star Fleet Campaign, this info is going to be handy to the NPC's.
I had no problem with the price of the book. Considering all of WOTC paper backs run you about $20.00 bucks, this was a deal. The biggest problem WOTC had with paperback over hardcover was not that people prefer hardcovers, but that the team was saving all their good work for the hard covers and skimping on the paper backs- at least in the Star Wars game.
My problem with Decipher has been their lack of quality in page layout and illustration. SOM was an improvement in this area, with the exception the continued over use of the okudogram motif on the character sheet resulting in cramp entry boxes.
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