Pyramid Pick
Simply Roleplaying!
Produced by MicroTactix Games
Written by Bob Portnell and Guy McLimore
132 pages*, $9.00
I've begun this review four times; this is attempt number five.
The problem is not: Is this a good product; it is.
The problem is, for whom is this a good product?
Simply Roleplaying! is the core RPG book of the PlainLabel Game System system, and is in the Adobe PDF electronic format. This book comprises the character creation rules, as well as GM information for creating and running adventures.
I must confess; at first, I was skeptical as to how worthwhile this product would be. I mean, with FUDGE, GURPS, MasterBook, and Hero System (among others), how many other generic systems do we really need? What hole does this product fill?
I'll get back to this is a bit.
Simply Roleplaying! is probably the most well-designed electronic-only game I've ever encountered. It comes with an on-screen version, which is 238 pages and optimized for reading on monitor, and a print version, which is 132 pages and seems designed for folks who can print it out from work. It also comes with an 18-page "pull out" section, which consists of the charts and graphs the game uses, and four pages of "weapon cards" from various genres, which is what Simply Roleplaying! uses for keeping track of weapon abilities and damage. It also comes with a file consisting of a high-quality color version of the cover used in the book. In my mind, if nothing else, Simply Roleplaying! has raised the bar . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: April 28, 2000
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