jpierre@utai.UUCP (Pierre Corriveau) (10/24/85)
Would anyone out there have comments on Avalon Hills's MAGIC REALM (about 5 years old). Have there been published reviews? Are there better games that are resonably similar? Thanks in advance.
jagardner@watmath.UUCP (Jim Gardner) (10/25/85)
In article <826@utai.UUCP> jpierre@utai.UUCP (Pierre Corriveau) writes: >Would anyone out there have comments on Avalon Hills's >MAGIC REALM (about 5 years old). Have there been published >reviews? Are there better games that are resonably similar? First, Magic Realm is not really a role-playing game, though it is certainly fantasy. Magic Realm is Avalon Hill's attempt to incorporate ALL the elements of fantasy into a format that is reminiscent of war games. Unfortunately, Avalon Hill ran into a dilemma that has faced game designers time and time again: the more faithful a game is to history or a genre, the less playable it is. I own Magic Realm, and have tried the game several times with our local gaming group; but it's just too convoluted and the rules are too abysmally written for us to enjoy it. Basic summary: every player plays a stock fantasy character (Amazon, Berserker, Cleric, Druid, White Knight, Black Knight, etc.). The playing board is built out of 20 separate cardboard hexes about three inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. Because you build the playing surface every time, things are different every game (nice idea). Play is broken up into "days". At the start of each day, players write down their set of actions for the day; then, one by one they attempt to perform those actions. Sometimes there is no problem in doing what you want to do; sometimes you have to roll dice to see if you succeed in an action; sometimes you may get blocked in the middle of the day for some reason, and not get to complete all the actions you wrote down. Combat takes place at the end of the day. You may fight with anyone who is in the same "clearing" as you (there are as many as six clearings per hex section). Monsters automatically fight. Combat is virtually unexplainable. I've tried to explain it to people, I've tried to show them how it works, and I've never figured out how to make it clear...not to mention that every time I look at the rules, I find something that screws up my conception of what should happen. The following points are true: some characters are so puny and unprotected that they will be killed by the first blow that lands; some character combinations make it impossible for player A to kill B, but B can carve A to ribbons...or conversely, neither can dent the other; some monster/character combinations mean that the character dies, period -- the character can't dent the monster and can't run away. All these things suggest alliances between characters. Wandering around on their own is a good way for some characters to become Butcher's Blend; other characters (the ones with spells that incinerate everything else in the clearing) pretty well have to travel alone because they don't make friends easily. Speaking of spells, the magic system is just too bizarre for words. It can change the map, for example; all the map hexes are two sided, and the spell of the appropriate type can flip the hex, rearranging roads and suddenly making it impossible to go from point A to point B. The spells can be grossly powerful in some situations, but you are severely restricted in how many spells you can start with...and if you make the wrong spell choices, you may be dead at the first clearing. Death is nasty in this game. Most combat ends in death, unless you have two heavily armoured characters who can withstand a bit of bashing. There is little accommodation for hurting someone just a bit (e.g. hit points in standard D&D): most blows kill or miss, and that's it. Game sessions can be very long. Don't play with more than six people. Reduce the victory conditions a bit if you want to avoid six hours of play. In summary, I'm afraid I can't recommend the game. Our gaming group has experimented with many many games, and Magic Realm is the only one they refuse to ever play again. Learning the rules is SO complicated and confusing that the investment of time doesn't seem worth it. If you already own the game, I strongly recommend that you hunt up the issue of the General (Avalon Hill's house organ) that discusses Magic Realm. I don't know the issue number, but the issue's cover is the same as the cover of the Magic Realm box. The General article clarifies many points and gives a lot of examples of how things work. Reading the article will let you figure out enough of the game to play it a few times. Good luck! Jim Gardner, University of Waterloo
ccrrick@ucdavis.UUCP (Rick Heli) (10/29/85)
Magic Realm? Careers with magic. -- --rick heli (... ucbvax!ucdavis!ccrrick)
fox@daemen.UUCP (Merlin) (11/11/85)
> >........ Are there better games that are resonably similar? > A playable game which is similiar (Somewhat) to Magic Realm is WIZARDS In this game you have a large hexagon map which is all water. Onto this map you place "islands" which are similiar to playing board for Magic Realm. There are 3 different types 1). Magic Lands, 2). Elven Lands 3). Common Lands You as a player can be either a Druid, Wizard, or Sorcerer and are given a mentor. The mentor then gives you a task to do. It could be something like: Steal a Dragons egg and deliver it to Ulfin of Mingabol. (You wont find this one in the game but will find something close) Anyways as you finish tasks you might go up in levels. The object of the game is to reach 4th level and recover all the gems and deliver them to the High Druid. The game is enjoyable, and long. I've never played with 6 people but I have with 3 and we play for 8 hrs. Merlin I'm sorry I know it's not FRP but I was only answering the question !!!!!!!! Merlin alias Dave Fox Kirk> Bones, you're suffering from a Vulcan mind-meld. McCoy> That green-blooded son-of-bitch. It's his revenge for all those arguments he lost