tjc (10/06/82)
No activity on this news item lately, so here goes... Any thoughts on classes of Game Aids, such as sources for cities, villages, towns, etc.? I have used the Judges Guild City State (Imperial Overlord version), and found it to be rather sketchy...the player's map is relatively useless, so my players lay out the judge's map while they're in town. The Chasium Thieve's World package is quite attractive, especially if you've read the Sanctuary novels (now available in a single-volume compendium in hardback from the SF Book Club--there's bound to be a member nearby). It includes maps, NPC descriptions for various FRP formats, encounter tables, a background book for the players and one for the DM. (Thieve's World gets my vote for the single best buy). Then there is the Midkemia Press material...their "Cities" is an encounter book which is excellent. It in many ways is a duplicate of the Thieves' world encounter book (not surprising since the two volumes are written by the same folks), but is more general and applicable to whatever city you run. Beyond the Thieves' Guild style encounters, it offers "catchup tables" for use when your characters must spend a few weeks in the city alone while the rest of the party goes off adventuring (for whatever reason)...it gives procedures for resolving the many factors of city life (opportunities for making or losing money, gaining experience points, making or losing friends, etc., etc.) with only a few dice rolls. The other Midkemia Press cities (Carse, et al) are reasonably good, too... none as large as the City State, of course. One book which I have found very helpful is the Catalyst Series <Citybook I> from Flying Buffalo. It is extremely well produced (softback), with great detail on 25 various buisiness establishments to fit into your own city. Included are floor plans, NPC details for proprieters and other denizens, and suggestions for possible encounters/scenarios which the material may suggest...some are quite good. What are your favorite city aids (or do all of you roll your own?)? How about aids for other FRP subjects?