[net.games.frp] GAME AIDS

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?