Customer Reviews

Alternity Player's Handbook (Alternity Sci-Fi Roleplaying, Core Book, 2800)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

While the cover price of the Alternity Player's Handbook is a bit steep ($29.95), one finds very quickly that it's worth every penny. The last product line to be released with the TSR logo -- though the company had, by this time, been purchased by Wizards of the Coast -- Alternity is a marked evolution from the cluttered, slipshod rules set of Dungeons & Dragons, the granddaddy roleplaying system of them all. The physical quality of the products is high and the material itself is more than solid.

Designed to be the science fiction counterpart to venerable old D&D, Alternity has been given a two-book treatment very similar to that game's, splitting out the rules into a Player's Handbook and a Gamemaster's Guide. All the rules necessary for play are located in this, the Player's Handbook, while all the little fillips, extras and tidbits a GM might need are conveniently gathered in the other volume. The end result of this is a coherent, tightly-packed book filled with good stuff and nothing but the good stuff, from character generation to combat resolution.

As the division of rules is elegant, so are the rules, themselves. Alternity was intended to be a "generic" system, capable of application in a wide variety of subgenres, from Clancy-esque technothrillers to the broad-scope space operatics of Star Wars. A system with a great deal of consistency and flexibility was called for, and Alternity delivers. Using a single mechanic that is incredibly utilitarian -- rarely calling for reference to a table or a chart, and usually involving no more than two dice at any given time -- the game shreds the conventional wisdom that TSR is incapable of putting together a game that can compete in today's marketplace. Learning the basics of Alternity takes no more than a few minutes. Potential players could start a game the same day they buy the book, and that's good design.

Alternity is so flexible, in fact, that any setting from any other science fiction source (game, book, television show, or movie) can be adapted with a minimum of effort. No more need to jam one's head with conflicting rules sets! Take the material and bend to fit. Alternity can take the hands-on with no problem, whatsoever.

For those that don't want to do the legwork themselves, the system "defaults" to TSR's own Star*Drive campaign setting, selections of which are available in the Player's Handbook in the form of alien race archetypes. If nothing else, Alternity simply reeks of possibilities, the kind that get wheels turning in whatever way it can. What more could someone ask of a game of imagination?

When it comes to science fiction roleplaying, there are many options to choose from. Alternity, a fine game from the old masters of the roleplaying world, is the solid choice to make, no matter your inclinations. Easy to learn, easier to use, Alternity deserves your attention.

Once every few years, somebody creates an RPG so close to perfect that it redefines how RPGs think, work, and play. Alternity, kudos to Bill Slavicsek, is one of those games. Alternity's one of the games which is so well-designed that even a cynic like me has to apply effort to complain about it. In a single well-written [and illustrated and proofread!] volume, Alternity's Player Handbook acquires the sheer creativiy and diversity that it took AD&D decades to match. The rules are the simplest TSR's concocted to date; PC creation is almost totally freeform, with a system that almost has more skills than uses for them all; and a balanced, equalizing system to prevent "bad" PCs from being rolled up. Even technology up to 2625 is created, leaving few stones unturned. My only complaints? A little more leeway in the dates Progress Levels change would be useful, and another table or two in the back might be nice. The real problem, however, seems to be with the gadgets and guns: it's too easy to accept charge rifles or whatever as the be-all and end-all instead of templates to default off of. In the grand scheme of things, these trivial flaws are irrelevant. The Alternity Player's Handbook merges the style of TSR with the quality of Wizards of the Coast, creating something to set the standards for years to come.

I have never played a better roleplaying game. The dice rolling system is incredibly simple, and creativity is heavily encouraged. My only complaint is that TSR or WotC or whichever decided to stop printing accessories for the game. While they are allowing independent freelance items through, they themselves have greatly impeded upon the progress of a great game.

This game has got to be about the most complete and concise rulesets I have seen in a while. It is to bad more people couldn't be torn away from their D&D fantasy games to try something new (and better.) I suggest grabbing this while you can and there is a backstock of the book. The line is discontinued and slowly disappearing.

First off, I'd like to say that I read this book a year and a half ago and I really loved the system then. I had bought it for my gaming friend as a annual gift of brithday celebration, however, unfortunately, he has long-since moved and we never really got to play an Alternity campaign. Truth be told, I think he was more of an AD&D gamer overall so I don't really know if he's playing it now.

I recently bought the book for another gaming frined of mine (hmm...do I detect a small pattern?). He is a more broad-minded gamer and is beginning to GM an Alternity campaign (which I am proudly a part of) in between his numerous Rifts and Call of Cthulu campaigns.

You might be thinking "Aha! This book is probably just the AD&D rules with a few changes for modern weapons and a few names changed."

Think again.

The Alternity system is very different from the AD&D rules in that it really immerses you into the science fiction universe and doesn't try to copy off anything. It really does allow the GM to create any type of sci-fi atmosphere he/she wants without cluttering anything up and leaving space for the imagination. It is easy to assimilate rules for a universe like, say, Heinlein's "Starship Troopers" or Niven's "Ringworld". I imagine that in the GM's guide (which I am about to buy for myself) there will additional methods of customization.

If you are just starting to play RPGs you should really get the "Player's Handbook" for "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons" (such a newbie shouldn't be startled by the "advanced", it doesn't mean anything), unless you are a die-hard sci-fi fan and don't want to mess with fantasy.

Oh yeah and I'd like to mention that anyone who thinks that AD&D (or Alternity) is "a bad game" should actually pay attention to the game itself and not the paranoid media hype.

If you are a player then get your GM to give this game a go. The rules run smoothly and the adaptability of the setting makes the possibilities endless. My only criticism are the aliens as player characters, why? because they may not be relevant to the setting. In a cyber-punk world then these alien races may not exist and in a far future world it may not be applicable to the story. IMO it may have been better to only introduce the aliens into the StarDrive setting for Alternity. Though if their only crime is trying to do too much in one volume then they can be forgiven as the game itself is first rate.

Alternity is the still the best Role-playing system for 'realistic' role-playing, or 'gritty' campaign settings. This is due to two main reasons... It's skill-based system, and it's adaptability.

Skill based systems mean that your character gets better at skills as he advances, but doesn't become super strong, or better at everything he does. This means that in Alternity, no longer can a player simply walk over and take the gun/sword/+5 earspoon away from the minor villain, because he'll only receive 6 points of damage, and he has 45 total for his character.

What this means for players is that no longer do they have to await the eventual point where they are un-defeatable, except by demi-gods, demons and all that foolishness. They can remain the space-ship captain/FBI agent/whatever-the-campaign-is for the entire time they play. The challenge remains present, the setting remains beleivable, the suspense is retained. The story becomes the driving force of the adventure, not "leveling-up".

The other part of the game that is superior to many other systems is just that adaptability. The system focuses on helping the Game-master to fit the rules to the setting... If you want to play an X-files FBI-agent, a dungeon-crawling adventurer, a Star Trek starship captain, a cop drama, Alternity rules can be adapted to the system with relatively little work. No extra feats or skills to invent, or weapons to design unless you want to. You are not limited to a particular medieval or future setting, as you are with most RPG products.

Alternity was the last release made by TSR before it was acquired by Wizards of the Coast (WOTC). The acquisition of TSR was intended mostly to capitalize on the already established AD&D titles, and WOTC was un-interested in continuing the launch of a new product. Instead, they re-focused their brand onto D&D, resulting in a third release of that product and the design of the d20 system. d20 is not a bad system for heroic and action settings, but this one is better for retaining drama, grit, and suspense.

And as for the comment that this system was not intended for public release... That person was probably in diapers in the early nineties, when TSR advertised it nationwide in their magazines and at conventions. I still have some TSR 'Dragon' Magazines with articles written for Alternity.

As a veteran gamer who probably has more gaming material than should be healthy, I'm pleased to see TSR introduce the very promising Alternity game. This book is for players and is the companion volume to the Alternity Gamemasters Guide.

The rules are explained simply and concisely with all the tables and charts well organized and easy to find. More importantly, unlike much of the game products out there, this book is vividly written with inspiration and flair, bringing alive the technology, citizens, and cultures of the setting. All this is finished off by quality art as well. This terrific book prompted me to add the Alternity game to my gaming cabinet. If I can find any fault at all, it is that some sections like equipment and starships are a little brief - I suppose the publishers wanted to leave room for future supplements (what else is new?). A fine effort, nonetheless.

In my opinion this is the finest product TSR has ever released. The rules are simple and easy to learn, plus the game is more open to new ideas and additions from players then past TSR products. The most promising freature is the ability to play in so many different time setting ranging from stone age to infinity! This game system is a definite must have for anybody who has tried other Sci-fi games and was disappointed.

Alternity has an excellent system for handling skills (which allows you superior specialization than D&D 4e) and a realistic hit points system (constitution related).

It may be discontinued, but nobody has made a better RPG since. Modern D20 and D&D 4e, for example, are still inferior (less realistic, flexible, fun, and intuitive).