swestrup's review
4.0
Most of my review is going to list what's wrong with this product, so I want to state right at the start that its WONDERFUL and I STRONGLY recommend anyone interested in running a FATE campaign in the SF genre to check this out. My complaints are of the nit-picky variety and should not be allowed to detract from the fact that its one of the best treatments of modern post-singularity SF for role playing that I have ever read or used. In particular the systems to handle aliens, alien worlds, alien cultures and the various styles of conflict are very well done indeed. But on to my complaints:
1) While I mostly like the setting, one of its conceits is that minds are somehow locked to their substrates. You can't upload a mind without killing the owner, and the result is a pale shadow of the original. You can't even build an AI that can have its brain transferred from one body to another, not even by physically moving the brain from one housing to another. While this was a deliberate decision on the part of the author, I find it illogical in the extreme, and is a rule I've relaxed (and plan to relax) in every version of the game I run.
2) The weapons tables are somewhat confusing, as its not clear what are supposed to be weapon stunts, and what are aspects. Many, if not most, Fate games seems to have a confusion with respect to what are Aspects and Stunts, but this game *seems* to keep them straight, when you manage to figure out what is being done. Some more clarity in how the weapons and other tech devices were made would help greatly when players want to make their own. (most of my players were baffled about how to use Extras to buy technology).
3) Although I like the design of how characters are put together, I find it very confusing in its layout and explanation. It took me three read-throughs to make my first character, and when I sat down with the players it took two full sessions to manage the task.
1) While I mostly like the setting, one of its conceits is that minds are somehow locked to their substrates. You can't upload a mind without killing the owner, and the result is a pale shadow of the original. You can't even build an AI that can have its brain transferred from one body to another, not even by physically moving the brain from one housing to another. While this was a deliberate decision on the part of the author, I find it illogical in the extreme, and is a rule I've relaxed (and plan to relax) in every version of the game I run.
2) The weapons tables are somewhat confusing, as its not clear what are supposed to be weapon stunts, and what are aspects. Many, if not most, Fate games seems to have a confusion with respect to what are Aspects and Stunts, but this game *seems* to keep them straight, when you manage to figure out what is being done. Some more clarity in how the weapons and other tech devices were made would help greatly when players want to make their own. (most of my players were baffled about how to use Extras to buy technology).
3) Although I like the design of how characters are put together, I find it very confusing in its layout and explanation. It took me three read-throughs to make my first character, and when I sat down with the players it took two full sessions to manage the task.
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