New options for scoundrel characters from the Star Wars Roleplaying Game.
Learn what it takes to be a smuggler, or how to build up a criminal empire that can rival the Hutt clans. Take your ship on the dangerous Kessel run, or chase down a bounty and claim your reward. Watch out for the long arm of Imperial law, though, or you may find yourself on a one-way trip to the spice mines.
This book provides extensive information on life on the fringe in the Star Wars universe. More than just information for players, this book gives Gamemasters a wide variety of information on bounty hunters, crime syndicates, smugglers, pirates, and criminals of all stripes throughout the Star Wars setting. Covering everything from vile Hutt gangsters to smooth-talking con artists, Scum and Villainy gives both players and Gamemasters everything they need to fit right in at Mos Eisley spaceport.
Scum and Villainy brings the Saga Edition rules to the fringes of society, introducing new rules and information on smugglers, bounty hunters, crime lords, and anyone else that walks outside the law.
REVIEW
You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. The Star Wars RPG team is really on a roll here. Another great book though it's far more focused than recent supplements. This is the perfect book if you're running a campaign with a smuggler, pirate, crime lord, bounty hunter, or any type of unsavory character we've seen in the Star Wars Universe.
That having been said there's almost nothing for Jedi here (they receive only one talent) so if you're playing a Jedi campaign and pressed for money, get the Knights of The Old Republic guide which came out in August. A breakdown of the book:
Chapter I: Character Options:
Here we get stats for the new species Blood Carver, Clawdite, Falleen, Gand, Jawa, Ryn, Toydarian, and Ubese. Honestly, these races are wonderful and really thought out. I wasn't the biggest fan of the KoTOR races, which i felt were too powerful, but these are just great.
All the classes get new talents. There's a whole new Noble talent tree called Disgrace, and previous trees receive major additions; most notably the Scoundrel's Fortune, Misfortune and Spacer trees, the Scout's Fringer tree, and the Soldier's Brawler tree. There's also new high tier talents that promote staying in a base class for an extended time.
New feats include Burst of Speed, Close Combat Escape, Collateral Damage, Cornered, Deadly Sniper, Deceptive Drop, Desperate Gambit, Duck and Cover, Fleet-footed, Friends in Low Places, Hasty Modifications, Hideous Visage, Impersonate, Impetuous Move, Impulsive Fight, Knife Trick, Lightning Draw, Metamorph, Opportunistic Retreat, Resurgence, Signature Device, Slippery Maneuver, Staggering Attack, Stay Up, Superior Tech, Tactical Advantage, and Wicked Strike.
Prestige classes receive lots of love. Ace Pilot gets the very Han Solo-ish Blockade Runner tree, Bounty Hunter gets some new talents and a new tree (Gand Findsman), Crime Lord is HUGELY expanded on (14 new talents!). Gunslinger gets a new talent and a new Pistoleer tree, based around dual wielding pistols. New prestige classes include Assassin, Charlatan (think Lando Calrissian), and Outlaw. Also, The Force Unleashed's Master Privateer class is updated here, with a new write-up and a new Piracy tree.
Chapter II: Outlaw Tech
This is a huge chapter on upgrading weapons and armor using a new slot based system. There's also a nice section on installing illegal upgrades to ships as well as some brand new starships (some with deckplans).
Chapter III: Fringe Campaigns
This chapter has some really great information on running a campaign set in the seedy parts of the galaxy. It also has an awesome table that helps build jobs for characters and calculates appropriate XP and Credit rewards. There's information on bounty hunting and running famous smuggling runs (The Kessel Run!) as well as information on the justice system and penalties for breaking the law.
Chapter IV: Fringe Elements
This part lists some famous fringe characters (Tyber Zann, Xizor, Zam Wessell, Zuckuss, etc.) as well as many archetypes. It also goes on to list some famous criminal organizations (lots of fluff here)and relevant starships.
Chapter V: Port Nadir
This entire chapter is dedicated to fleshing out Point Nadir, which is a fully realized shadowport that can be inserted into any campaign. I haven't gotten much into it, but it seems extraordinarily detailed.
Chapter VI: Mini-Adventures
Pretty self-explanatory. Rodney Thompson (the game's designer) said that in many campaigns a character will start off as a bounty hunter or a smuggler but will soon start working for a larger organization as the main focus of the story comes into play. So characters that call themselves "smugglers" don't very often do smuggling by a certain point in the game. He put these adventures in here to keep characters doing what they want to do in between the main story arc. 8 mini-adventures are here, all of varying CLs and themes.
Chapter VII: The Fell Star
An entire fringe adventure. I haven't played it yet but as soon as I do, I'll update it here.
That just about wraps us up. So like I said, if you're not a Jedi you should definitely consider purchasing this book. It has tons of invaluable information.
Cozzi on everything RPG! What more could you want?
In this fourth edition of The Modern RPG IV Language, internationally recognized RPG expert Bob Cozzi takes his classic best seller to a whole new level. At close to 700 pages, this edition covers all of the new functions and facilities available in V5R4 RPG IV while keeping the straightforward, no-nonsense style that has kept this book on the best-seller list for almost 20 years. This new edition is guaranteed to keep Bob Cozzi as the leading expert on RPG, and his book the one turned to by countless developers worldwide.
This new edition of The Modern RPG IV Language is packed with new information including new, never-before published information on coding free-format RPG IV. Chapter 12 delves into free-format in detail as he discusses MOVE alternatives, date and time conversions, data structures, and more. And to giveyou even more exposure to free-format, he has converted many of the examples throughout the book to free-format code. Add to that XML, CGI, and subprocedure information, and you have a book that no "modern" RPG programmer can be without.
Even with all the new material, the basic concept of the book remains the same. As with previous editions, The Modern RPG IV Language, 4th Edition takes you through RPG IV, from its foundation to its most advanced techniques. At the core of this book are its chapters on built-in functions and op codes. In these chapters, Cozzi details each built-in function and op code with syntax tables that give you all the information you need at a glance plus examples to help you as you code.
This is much more than just a book on rules, however. Bob includes more than 400 charts and tables to show how those rules apply and provides more than 500 real-life code examples of functions and operations. You’ll turn to this book again and again as you program in RPG IV. It is the quintessential reference for every RPG programmer.
What's New in This Edition?
> Free-format syntax, including an entire chapter focused on this highly popular subject
> Free-format examples throughout the book
> Expanded information on subprocedures XML support, including new BIFs and op codes
> Web programming with RPG, including CGI APIs and URL encoding > Updated and revised content throughout the book to cover i5/OS V5R4
Within the pages of this book, you will find:
• The basics of RPG IV, including data types, indicators, constants, and directives
• Detail on all of the specification types
• A complete discussion of expressions and how they should be used
• Every built-in function
• Every op code
• Options for organizing your program with source files, modules, and storage
• A discussion on modern operation code optimization
• An explanation of structured programming and how to apply it effectively in RPG
• Instructions on how to code inter-module communications
• Everything you need to know about procedures
• An entire chapter on the alternate syntax options now available—most notably Free-Format
REVIEW
Must have. If you have been writing RPG for years or are now finding that you need to learnit for a new job this book will be your best friend.
What could be more important than upgrading your RPG skills? Traditional fixed-format style RPG IV programmers everywhere are embracing the increased productivity, better readability, and easier program maintenance that comes with the free-format style of programming in RPG IV. This book, a "how-to" guide and the first of its kind, will provide you with concise and thorough information on this powerful new way of coding RPG IV.
Though free-format information is available in IBM manuals, it is not separated from everything else, thereby requiring hours of tedious research to track down the information you need. With this book, your search is over. Free-Format RPG IV is the "one-stop" resource that will save you time and frustration. In it, you'll find everything you need to know to write RPG IV in the free-format style.
Author Jim Martin not only teaches rules and syntax, but also explains how this new style of coding has the potential to improve overall programmer productivity—from initial development through maintenance. He methodically covers the "how to" involved in free-format RPG IV, including many style issues, such as named indicators and built-in functions. He also addresses input and output, program flow, data manipulation, and math operations. There is even a chapter on prototyping and APIs.
Free-Format RPG IV is the definitive guide on the topic and just what you need to get started with this exciting, powerful style of programming.
With Free-Format RPG IV you will:
- Learn not only the "how-to," but also the "why" of free-format RPG IV
- Acquire essential, free-format style tips to help you write good, maintainable code
- Find complete-program solutions for specific problems, including associated display and printer files
- Discover how upgrading your RPG skills to free-format can take your programming career to the next level.
REVIEW
Everything I expected This book is one of those examples of "all good things come in small packages". It is a very pleasant read and excellent for reference. Besides the free format syntax, the book also explains other things such as the use and syntax of Built In Functions and some aspects of ILE. Highly recommend this book to anybody thinking of using RPG Free.
Bob Cozzi's resume is truly impressive: nearly 20 years of AS/400, iSeries, and System i5 experience; more than a decade of RPG IV development; and nearly 30 years of RPG programming. He has confronted, evaluated, and circumvented nearly every roadblock RPG programmers can experience. He not only blasts through RPG IV's shortcomings, but he also creates extensions that provide features that are simply not available in standard RPG. With 101 Dynamite Tips 'n' Techniques, Cozzi provides the solutions to dozens of techincal dilemmas, insights into resources formerly available only to a select few, and exposes RPG IV extensions that use his vast knowledge of System i5 MI instructions -- all with easy-to-use wrappers that even the most inexperienced RPG IV programmer can implement. Lift the code right out of the book and into your applications!
REVIEW
Good source of useful information This is not a book for learning RPG but it is a good source of information how made RPG programmes better. If you are a beginner or intermediate RPG programmer I am sure that you find a lot of usefull information here.
You are an Acolyte in the service of the Emperors' Inquisition. You stand in the front line of a great and secret war where your duty is to huntout the foul stench of heresy, the vile alien, and the twisted influence of Chaos. You will tread where others fear, venturing to distant planets, ancient space hulks, and the unsavory depths of the under-hive. You will never know fame nor reward, yet if you stand resolute your deeds will be whispered to the God-Emperor of Mankind and your name will be revered for millennia! The Dark Heresy core rulebook contains everything you need to start your roleplaying adventure in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
REVIEW
Made me believe Good RPG systems and settings are still possible It was so nice to see this game and setting come out finally. A great alternative to the overflooded D20 market and much better then 4E for D&D. The system is relatively smooth, familiar (if you ever played WHFRP) and easy to learn. Character generation is a bit choppy here and there and the career rank system is a bit annoying, but easily navigated around as long as you treat the career names and rank titles as examples and not set in stone rules.
The only flaw in the system/setting is it is a vast universe that exists in the 40K fluff and without a steady supply of new material the setting will most likely die out. But with 3 books and a GM screen already out, tons of fan material already available and two books on the horizon with more promised, Dark Heresy will be the Game of 2008. I rate it up there with Basic Role Playing and Mongoose Runequest for ease of play and readability and the setting already has hundreds of fluff novels and other game sources to steal from.
The latest edition of this best-selling textbook has been fully revamped to cover the RPG IV language in Version 5. Plenty of coding examples illustrate the new free-format Calculation Specifications, as well as the latest built-in functions and other features of today's RPG IV. "Programming in RPG IV" represents all the facets of RPG IV needed by today's professional programmers in a comprehensive, readable guide appropriate for both professionals and students.
REVIEW
Excellent RPG Reference I've used this book as my main reference at work and around 9 times out of 10, it has answered my questions. If I did not find it in the book, certainly IBM's website came to the rescue. However, the book paid for itself after I got the answer to my third question:-)
I would have rated it 4.5 stars because there is a slight room for improvement, but it paid for itself already! While most of the code samples are quite clear, some topics would have been better explained in the context of a small but complete program. The addition of a few COMPLETE program samples e.g. maintenance/subfile/table handling etc. (not code snippets) with annotations would bring the book closer to perfection.
Since its original publication, Programming in RPG IV has given thousands of students and professionals a strong foundation in the essentials of business programming using RPG IV. Now Bryan Meyers has teamed up with Jim Buck to produce the most significant update to the book since that first edition. The all-new Fourth Edition is completely reorganized and rewritten to reflect the RPG IV style and techniques used by todays most capable RPG technicians.
RPG IV is evolving and gaining capabilities at a more rapid rate than any of today s other computer languages, and this text is up-to-the-moment in its coverage of the specifications,operations, and functions of the language. The coverage uses V5R4 as its base release and is also compatible with later releases.
Free-format specifications, modular procedures, the latest built-in functions, and more are all covered in this fully updated text, complete with numerous programming examples and support material. The topics have been reorganized to follow a more logical approach to teaching the language than did previous editions. The new order also reflects the importance of the language components in real-world usage.
The scope of the book includes comprehensive coverage of the program development process, RPG IV specifications and operations, top down structured design, database definition and processing, interactive applications, and modular programming. This edition explains and emphasizes important concepts of the Integrated Language Environment, including the use of modular procedures and service programs in a modern System i application.
A series of appendices will prove useful not only while you are learning RPG IV but also as everyday references. The appendices include a comprehensive summary of RPG IV syntax elements (specifications, operations, functions, and so on); an RPG IV style guide; introductions to program development tools 9including WebSphere Development Studio Client and Programming Development Manager); a guide to debugging programs; and a summary of legacy syntax and techniques for use when maintaining older applications.
Using the techniques in this book, you will be well equipped to create highly effective and maintainable RPG IV programs using the latest techniques.
If you've taught with previous editions of Programming in RPG IV, you ll appreciate how the new flow of the book, along with all new instructor materials, makes it easy to build a solid, modern RPG IV foundation for your students. By focusing on real-world problems, down-to-earth solutions, and the latest style techniques, this book will make them stand out in the RPG marketplace.
REVIEW
Teaching the real power of RPG I have been in the IT industry about 10 years working with RPG and have lost touch with what it is like to learn RPG from the ground up. I had a business need to get three individuals up to speed fast with RPG and one of my main concerns is that they learn the latest techniques vs. old coding styles. This book was exactly what I was looking for because in the 4th edition it was gone through from start to finish and implemented things like free format, the newest BIFs/OPCodes, and even introduced WDSC!
Another scenario I think this book would be great for is teaching programmers of other languages about RPG. It is nothing new to anybody that RPG programmers are getting hard to find, so an approach that can save your investment in you iSeries is train individuals who already know other languages to learn to use RPG - this book would be a perfect fit for that.
I would definitely recommend this book be used for the purposes I described above!
This book is dedicated RPG IV Programming language and the AS/400 environment. The book includes over 60 compiled RPG IV listings documented with a line by line explanation of the instructions and or annotated comments. The author has included over 500 figures and he addresses other important AS/400 software with separate appendices for SEU, PDM, DFU, SDA and interactive debugging. Every chapter includes a summary, review questions, and programming assignments.
REVIEW
Fairly a good book This is a good book for beginner, but the index needed a lot more work
Traveller is back, and it is better than ever! Based on the Classic Traveller rules set, this book has been streamlined for modern roleplaying, and yet still retains that unmistakable Traveller aura. With complete rules for character and world creation, spaceships, encounters and trading, it is your gateway into new universes. The Traveller Main Rulebook is the cornerstone of all your Traveller games, to be expanded upon with core supplements such as Mercenary and High Guard, or used with different settings like Starship Troopers, Judge Dredd and, of course, the Original Traveller Universe. Written by Gareth Hanrahan, the Traveller Main Rulebook contains many things fans of the classic game will find familiar, but always with a new twist Traveller has come back. Discover what is out there.
REVIEW
Great Update on a Classic Sci-Fi RPG This new edition of Traveller is, quite frankly, much better than I expected. It manages to evoke the style and mechanics of the original edition while consolidating information and updating content to feel slightly less dated. The whole game seems designed first and foremost with the goal of being playable.
The book is well-bound and sturdy. The layout isn't fancy or flashy, just black and white with grayscale tables. The art is mainly black and white line illustrations. I might have hesitated to pick this up at the $40 it retails for at most game stores; that price is the result of the brutal pounds sterling to U.S. dollar exchange rate (Mongoose is a British publisher). Incidentally, the Amazon price is the best one that I have found for this game, and brings the price point very much into line with other rpg core books.
As for the contents, they are well-written, nicely organized, and easy to read. The game starts with a very brief introduction to the Traveller setting and the dice conventions. Basically, you roll 2d6, add the level of any appropriate Skill and any positive or negative modifiers for a relevant attribute (Dexterity if shooting at someone, Intellect if trying to crack a computer code, for example) and try to roll an 8 or higher to succeed.
The next 43 pages cover character creation. Just as in the original Traveller, players roll their character's six core attributes (Str, Dex, End, Int, Education, and Social Status) and then choose from a widevariety of career paths (Agent, Army, Citizen, Drifter, Entertainer, Marines, Merchants, Navy, Nobility, Rogue, Scholar, or Scout). Each career path has three specialized sub-paths that players must choose from. For example, an Agent could be a law enforcement officer, an intelligence agent, or a corporate espionage person. You don't get to just choose your skills in the standard character creation system--you roll to gain entry to a career and must make survival and advancement rolls to continue in it. Fail and you get kicked out of that career, collecting benefits based on how many four-year terms you've served. Then it's off to try another career path. Once you've served 4 terms overall, you start making aging rolls, which start off pretty kind and get harsher the longer you serve. Most players will probably start with 4-6 terms, which generate either a decent range of average skills or a few excellent skills and some basic knowledge, depending on how well you roll.
The process is really a lot of fun--there are lots of events on the tables designed to spark creativity and help create both a backstory and ties to other characters. There's also a simple point-buy system if you prefer that approach.
The next twelve pages deal with skills, with examples of tasks for each skill at varying degrees of difficulty. Then you get nine pages on Combat, seventeen pages on Encounters and Dangers (lots more tables here in the old Traveller tradition), nineteen pages of Equipment (which covers a very good range of armor, weapons, vehicles, and other gear), and about 47 pages on designing and operating spacecraft, including game statistics and deck plans for 18 spacecraft common to the Traveller setting. This is followed by rulesfor Psionics, Trade, and basic World Creation.
It's a very complete package, with pretty much everything you need to play a game in the vein of Firefly or classic Imperial science fiction in one book. The rules for creating aliens aren't very sophisticated as presented in this volume, but you can do most of the humanoid style aliens you see on television shows. The random roll tables are actually quite thorough and often creative in the types of events they produce. Career events are nicely tailored to each general career path, for example. It's all clearly done withthe goal of producing usable results/inspiration for gamemasters without requiring lots of planning or lengthy writeups for NPCs (spaceships may require a bit more, but there are plenty of premade designs to choose from).
There isn't a whole lot of background fluff on the Traveller setting, but the mechanics/equipment provided reflect the assumptions of the Traveller backdrop quite well. Being more generic actually makes it easier to adapt these rules to other settings. I particularly like how the descriptions of the technologies feel less dated than the original Traveller material (based in 1970s science fiction) but stay grounded and easily accessible to most consumers of contemporary cinematic science fiction, much less readers of more sophisticated written s.f.
Overall, this is a very nice set of core rules that pleasantly surprised me with its accessibility, clarity, and quality.
