RPG Crawler Reviews - Original Adventures Reincarnated - Castle Amber
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ม.ค. 2021
- A look at Goodman Games' 5th edition conversion of Castle Amber, for their Original Adventures Reincarnated series.
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I'm a bit amazed at how improper the implementation of the fold-out pages are. The entire purpose of such foldouts, is so that you can have a reference available while reading a particular section, always visible at the side of the normal pages, always a glance away while reading the section the foldout belongs to. This is why the fantasy books which include a fold-out page often place it at the very end of the book, so that you always have the map available while reading. I've also seen implementations where the foldout features a secret map, placed in the book where the protagonists discover that very map, letting the reader have a look as well. :)
Say you implement a fold-out page-map of the Hobbiton-Bree area in Lord of the Rings. You would prefer to place that either before and unfolding to the left, or after and unfolding to the right, of the parts of the book wherein Frodo ventures through Hobbiton, the Old Forest, the Barrow-Downs and Bree. This would let you view the map while reading those chapters.
Thusly, in an adventure module like this, it should be a map or reference of some sort to the layout of the dungeon, or at least one floor of it, placed at the beginning or tail end of those pages. Then you could read through the pages detailing say, Floor 1: Area 1 - 25, while having a map conveniently unfolded beside the book. Another possible use might be a list of NPCs with motivations, in campaign books where this makes sense, or other things belonging to the adventure which the DM will to want to reference often.
The foldouts in this book allow you to view the black and white cover while reading page 1-19; see a drawn image of a choked dwarf (?) while reading page 22+; Read about the latter half of area 7 - the beginning of Area 9 while reading page 1-67; and view the 'Flip Open for Gatefold Map' drawing while reading page 70+.
It's a bit sad, but they missed that Opportunity Attack by quite a lot.
Yeah, it was one of the most disappointing things about the book. That having said, when >that< sort of thing is the most disappointing thing, that speaks for the quality of the rest.
I've noticed that there's always like just one little thing that sticks out as a failed design choice in these OAR books. It's like someone's over there rolling a 1 on their design check for one inane and obvious task every single time.
In my head, I like to think it's the same person every time. Like, the rest of the team puts together this great product, and then one person shows up at the last minute and is like 'HAY GUYS! FINISHED MY THING!' and it just goes down hill from there.
i too was a bit put off, very amateur of goodman games in my eye, the way they do it it made it useless.
Just got my copy today - barely gotten into it, but seems really great thus far!
Nice! And yeah, they really do well for certain groups. Still can't wait to get the ToEE one.
X2 best game ever. Prove me wrong. I have played this game to death with 30+ different company's and every time - EVERY time - the players have an absolute blast - funhouse indeed. It's a must-play game...
That map decision is odd, even if the map was shifted to the right so the first half was on the right hand page and the second half on the gatefold page. At least then you can photo copy it without the binding seam. Strange choice.
Oooh this look sgreat!
The original module, as with most back then, had the blue anti-xerox map on the inside of the slip-off cover IIRC. I don't recall whether it had three panels, or just the two with the map, but at least you could lay the map out flat on the removable cardstock cover. You're right, they should've put the map on the two parts of the fold-out so the binding seam didn't cut through the middle of the map.
The original module had the main map on the inside of the dust cover. Typically you use the module as a DM screen so that would be where they'd put most of the relevant quick reference stuff.
Goodman games excellent
I've been a fan of their stuff since the 3rd edition DCC days, and I'm glad to see they've been able to keep the quality improving constantly.
@@rpgcrawler yeah I have loads of Dungeon Crawl and Mutant Crawl Classics. I also bought some of their Under A Broken Moon / Umerican post apocalyptic stuff. Some of that even got translated into Spanish on the shelves here in Spain.
I think this domain was put in the Domain's of Dread, but if not, if that is really the case then there must be a good reason and a story behind why that is the case. You love the Lore of TSR and that seems like a worthy topic of research. Do a video on that topic perhaps, or a side note you can extend this video with.
The Dining Hall can quickly lead to the end of the campaign. So easy to start gambling with your lives for the killer buffs.
Was Castle Amber added as an official domain of dread to the Ravenloft setting where Barovia and many other lands are combined into one greater land 'domains of dread' as Castle Amber seems a natural fit?
I do not see it in any of my Ravenloft material, although it does seem a natural fit.
It wasn't added to Ravenloft, but thematically, it fits very well
it'd be nice if they gave a version of the maps for the players without secret doors and stuff labeled.... kinda gives away the secrets...
Yeah I kind of have that problem with a lot of stuff nowadays. In some releases some companies remember, but in others I end up scouring the internet for maps already edited.
Good video
The original book is one chapter and the others are the conversion for the 5E? The original adventure remains equal, or they made a new adventure for 5E? Thank you in advanced.
I go into this in the review. There's one chapter that has the original printing in B/X edition, then the later is a 5e conversion of the original + additional new material added.
@@rpgcrawler i've the first edition. I'm in a dilema right now...to buy this or not!
what level should the party be at for this game?
My apologies for not answering earlier, it's been one of those weeks. It's listed as level 3-6, so mid to high tier 1, although if your players are skilled with solid characters they could go in at much lower level and be fine.
Once my bank releases my stimulus check (dunno why they locked it) I'm buying this XD
Definitely a solid entry. Still can't wait for the ToEE one.
@@rpgcrawler Absolutely! That one is gonna be amazing I bet!
Did they ever unlock your stimulus check?
Did they ever explain why they locked it?
Always found X2 to be a bit overrated. I think you need the right group to really enjoy it. As for conversions, the surest way to ruin any classic module is to convert it to 5e. Amazing how awful and clunky all their mechanical changes are. They really destroy how these modules run with all their DCs, perception rolls, nerfed saving throws, short and long rests and the like.
Yeah, 5e definitely plays very different and can make some of the classic moduels feel kind of lame. They relied more on player thought and skill than just rolls for a lot of stuff. When I run 5e, I make my players state how they're looking for things or searching even before a roll is made (usually). It really stumps them some times.
Sadly, however, it's still the easiest way to get relatively new players to play some of the more classic modules.
I have pleasant - albeit vague (was over 20yrs ago) - memories of the original module. I just got my copy of this today and look forward to being reminded of the past fun, and seeing how the 5E version pans out.
(Our group is still mostly Pathfinder(1), and some Fate - but 5E is creeping in :) )
X2 was one of my groups favorite module to play. I think I DM'd this more than another module back in the 80's, still got my original copy. Always found X1 a bit of a grind and this to be way more fun. Players loved the loot in this. More magic items in one room that a whole module in some cases.