I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Gleichman for his honest review.

-WormSpeaker (Charles R. Capko Jr.)

(Note: This review pertains to version 1.0 of BADLANDS.)

I was going to do one of these a month. But we just had another one

announced in the newsgroup and for the moment, it seems like a good idea to

review these games as they come along.

_Badlands_ is by Charles R. Capko Jr.

It may be found at http://www.oocities.org/wormspeaker/

where it is available in badly formatted html or as a 35 page pure text

file.

Style Comments:

These are more like condensed notes than an actual presentation of a system.

What little favor there is here is lifted directly from it's source

material.

Also like many free rpgs, the system is not complete. Major sections are

presented in a short, curt style. Others are just missing.

Despite this, I had little trouble finding my way around, or getting the

main concepts of the system.

General Rules Overview:

The game is meant to be a table top version of the old C-64 game Wastelands

(at least my copy was on the C6-64). This was one of may favorite computer

games of that era. The setting is classic mutant/robotic/road warrior stuff.

The system used for this is what I would call modified D&D (the designer

speaks of the D&D heritage in the appendix). The original Hit Point concept

is still in place as is classes with their special talents unavailable to

others. We still find the D&D asymmetrical stat bonus approach across the

3-18 scale.

Characteristic follow the AD&D style modified to match the computer game

(dropping a couple that the designer felt were unneeded). Characteristics

are rolled (classic D&D, 4d6 drop lowest die) although there is one

indication that a different method was/is planned.

But it is a heavy modified version tweaked by the designer to avoid what

were no doubt seen as problem areas in the original D&D design.

There are of course the extensive changes required for using firearms in

place of magic. We have rules for skills grafted onto the system (not unlike

_Rolemaster_ or _Age of Heroes_, but in a much simpler method not unlike an

expanded AD&D proficiency subsection).

AC was split between armor and evasion, but the total is the same in effect

with minor weapon modifiers tossing some difference in the two. Hit Point

and Weapon damage are inflated over straight D&D.

There are other changes, but I think we have the flow of it now.

Rule Comments

What can I say? It's modified D&D. Not my taste by a long shot, but it is

still the most popular (has it dropped below WW yet?) system on the market.

In a way, the system choice is a natural. Most computer games default to

this system even today, let alone when Wasteland was release. A classic

system to go with a classic computer game. To really capture the crpg as it

was played, there can be no other choice.

Firearms and other tech replace magic. This can be a real problem as part of

the charm of D&D is the large number of spells and magic items. The number

of firearm types just doesn't compare.

The equipment and monster sections are far from finished. The monster

section in fact has only one listing. Given the large number of critters

was a draw in the original Wastelands as well as D&D, this area needs major

work.

Closing Comments

If you hate D&D, this isn't going to be any better. The modifications

address subsections, not core system concepts.

If however the D&D system appeals to you, consider giving _Badlands_ a look.

Here are a number of modification concepts that could help you with a

nagging problem or two.

Brian Gleichman

gleichman@mindspring.com

Age of Heroes: http://gleichman.home.mindspring.com/