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Alternity Science Fiction RPG Demo Pack

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Average Rating:3.6 / 5
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Alternity Science Fiction RPG Demo Pack
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Alternity Science Fiction RPG Demo Pack
Publisher: Sasquatch Game Studio
by Blakesworth H. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/28/2018 19:19:58

I see some reviewers are fairly upset that this alternity beta test isn't the same as the old system. I think expecting this to be the same as the old game is only setting you up for dissapointment. If things didn't change, then it wouldn't be a new addition.

My group really liked alternity and we were excited to try out the short adventures included with this, and it was wonderful! It plays somewhat differently, but I really enjoyed it. The roll over change didn't bother me, it plays very similar, the math just heads a different direction. We also didn't have the slipups I've seen before of switching between low roll and high roll systems. Otherwise, the wound functionality and weapons were a blast. Unfortunately, our group didn't survive the mad-maxesque adventure, but we had a ton of fun doing it.

The biggest change would be the impulse system. I really enjoyed this. It does make enemies harder to maneuver as the GM, because each creature will start to do it's own actions and you'll have to have their initiatives be seperate. I had little slips of paper and used the initiative wheel and it went okay. Next time I will use initiative cards and have a paper with 8 slots.

Players were confused about impulses, but once we got the hang of it, we really enjoyed it. It really makes you think about how you're going to time out everything. It made the gunplay much more engaging.

Looking forward to the full beta rules. Just don't get blown to pieces on the highway!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Alternity Science Fiction RPG Demo Pack
Publisher: Sasquatch Game Studio
by Eduardo S. C. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/03/2017 08:36:31

I love old Alternity over most of the other games because the mecanics where so awsome to be true, but I still find problems, most of them where kind a easy to fix withy some house rules others where a real pain.

When I first saw the Alternity 2017 I almost cry of joy, but some time in this buiseness tell me to be carefull. And this is what I found.

1) Old timers hate that is no longer roll-low mechanic, not me, you can pretty much try anything , you may do it or not, but you wont get a critical, at least not at the beta, I like that. 2) Combat system, simple, easy to handle, quick to play, I like that action escence are better and more quicker, all you need is the track time on the table. 3) System of wounds and armor, a little more friendly to characters, but you can really deal hard damage with the proper rank on the skill or a lucky roll. 4) Versatility on the skills, great, you no longer need to be good on a specific stat to get that skill, veary cleaver, you may be smart or cunning, strong or agile, nice.

For now it looks like a very nice step forward, i give it 4 stars with the beta, lest see the finel product



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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Alternity Science Fiction RPG Demo Pack
Publisher: Sasquatch Game Studio
by Jeff J. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/22/2017 02:24:40

I just wanted to say, I backed the Kickstarter campaign (Expedition level) because I loved the original Alternity so much, and on paper the new rules looked great. However, after finally getting around to a play test, I am worried I may have made the wrong decision.

With myself in the GM spot, my group and I just completed the "Escape From The Institute" adventure. Even thought the adventure itself was slickly designed, we came away with a number of issues that left us somewhat disappointed.

Our group found the new combat system to be very slow. The new initiative system sounds like a fantastic idea, but is a pain to keep track of. Furthermore, weapons either have minimal effect or are overpoweringly powerful. In comparison to the original system, the new damage track is functional, but my whole group found it terribly clunky and unrefined. Another issue was with attack rolls, it is just as easy to hit a fast dodge character than it is a slow moving tank, where's the resistance modifier's?

If your going to keep the Alternity name, then I don't feel this level of change in the terminology and mechanics are appropriate... Even the little things annoyed me. I found Average, Excellent and Stellar to be way harder to remember than Ordinary, Good or Amazing.

The best part of the old system was the roll low mechanic, seeing what you need to roll right there on your sheet and then getting assigned step penalties was elegant and brilliant; also much easier to figure out a skill on the fly. It was brilliant; the new system seems like everything was inelegantly shoehorned to fit the high-roll mechanic. This change was unnecessary.

I want to love it, I really do, I even tried, but overall the combat just wasn't fun. Almost nothing I loved about the old game has been carried over and I'm left feeling a bit disappointed. The new mechanics looked great on paper, but failed in execution for our whole group. It seems they were altered just to call it a new edition, not in any way that make an actual improvement to them. Isn't this the point of making a new Alternity, improvements?

I understand the need to try and update things, but I think the wrong things have been changed. I think it would be far better to keep the core mechanics the same as the old system, they weren't perfect but most things were better, at least, in comparison to these beta rules.

Just my two cents, I'll reserve complete judgment until I see how the final books turn out. These are just my (and my groups) opinions on the beta. I hope they keep working on it, I think they could do a lot better before it releases.

We will tackle the other two adventures down the road and see how they play, maybe the some of the issues will smooth out once we get the rules down.

I love the new Protostar setting, it seems set up for grand adventure. Can't wait for that, even if I end up running it in old Alternity.



Rating:
[2 of 5 Stars!]
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Alternity Science Fiction RPG Demo Pack
Publisher: Sasquatch Game Studio
by Leonardo N. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 04/04/2017 20:16:32

This is crap. The up die system with the same old mechanic is what killed this game for me in the first place. It sucks. I think you should instead just re-make the Stardrive campaign and change the system to a generic d20 system or a more storytelling focused system like7th Sea. But this crap again? No thanks.



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
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Alternity Science Fiction RPG Demo Pack
Publisher: Sasquatch Game Studio
by Jason O. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 04/03/2017 17:53:44

I've done a pretty lengthy playtest of this, both in the initial adventure and the new one. I have to say, having been a long time Alternity fan, that this new system is looking extremely promising. I really like the way initiative and damage work. Both are far superior to the old system imo.

I am cautious as to how expanded systems like magic, psionics, etc will work but am hopeful from what I have seen so far.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Alternity Science Fiction RPG Demo Pack
Publisher: Sasquatch Game Studio
by Joe M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/10/2017 14:17:46

i had the frist one this look like a winner to updade this great game form the 90s i hope it will a big hit thank you fore frading this reviem



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Alternity Science Fiction RPG Demo Pack
Publisher: Sasquatch Game Studio
by A customer [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/09/2017 18:44:43

First some caveats about my review. First this is based on an initial read-through and not a detailed playtest as yet. When that changes I will probably come back to modify the review. Second, I am a huge fan of the original Alternity RPG. I fell in love with it when I got a preview quick start packet (similar to this one in fact) bundled with a copy of Dragon magazine about a year before the system was released. It is the one RPG I have a complete collection of and every one of my longest campaigns was run using the alternity rules... at least initially.

With that background out of the way, I have to say this version of Alternity is... very different. It seems to get as much of it's game DNA from Strands of Fate as from the game it is named after. The new durability system, armor and talents all seem to be pulled almost completely from the crunchier of the fate variants available. The initiative system is very interesting, I like the idea of what you decide to actually do in a turn influencing how quickly you get to do it, but I'm afraid it might wind up being a little clunky to keep track of in practice, though the using the provided initiative tracker may help with that in actual play. The skill system also feels a little clunkier than I would like after being switched from a roll under to a roll over system...

Ultimately this isn't the old Alternity, but then that isn't really what the intent was... this is the child of Alternity and the many systems that have been developed since its release. Is it close enough to the originial Alternity to really scratch the itch that many of us have for that fondly remembered system? No, but taken on it's own merits and ignoring the name it definitely holds some promise. Unfortunately I am afraid that Using the name Alternity is likely to cause a bit of backlash similar to what D&D 4th edition experienced, because it just changes far more than some will be comfortable with while using the same name. Admittedly I am disappointed to see that "my" alternity isn't really here any more, but this new system seems like a strong one and one I will definitely take out for a spin soon.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
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Alternity Science Fiction RPG Demo Pack
Publisher: Sasquatch Game Studio
by Christopher W. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 03/09/2017 12:23:58

Ah yes. Alternity 2.0 is here and the beta for it is a piece of crap. This is disappointing from somebody who enjoys Alternity a lot and was looking forward to seeing a new edition.

Unfortunately, in its current form, this beta basically says to Alternity, "Nope. We're going to use your mechanic, adjust things a bit and screw the rest."

I don't usually write reviews for RPG products but I had to here. I would like the designers to answer something: Why in the world did you decide that a roll over mechanic using the Alternity system would work? IT DOESN'T. This is a convulated attempt of taking the Alternity name and make a 'new and improved' system.

I REALLY hope that the designers go back to the drawing board because as it stands now, when this new system comes out officially, I will not even look to buy it.

Yes, I know this is a beta but still... no way would I want to play this.



Rating:
[1 of 5 Stars!]
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