I
have recently taken the plunge and bought the 7th edition rules for “Call of Cthulhu” and I am ploughing my
way through them. Some things have definitely changed, but on the whole these
are changes for the better and not to the game’s detriment. I am not unhappy to
see the old “Resistance Table” as a thing of the past, for instance. The presentation
is a bit wordy but there is a concerted effort to talk to newcomers while
leaving old-timers to do their own thing – the presentation and organisation
reflects all the other iterations, so returning readers won’t easily get lost.
Some things have been retained – Harvey Walters is back as the Example Character
and – in the Quick-Start version of the rules – the introductory scenario, “The Haunting”, has been dusted off for
another run around the block.
This
isn’t a bad thing, because it’s a good introduction to the game for new players
and Keepers alike. I’ll admit that I have never run this story for my players,
or played it myself, but I can see the quality of the design. One thing that
always bothered me about it was the rudimentary presentation of the player
handouts: rather than being anything of note, they comprise a simple set of
boxed statements telling the results of inquiries at various locales. Of
course, Keepers are allowed to flesh these out as they like, but I’ve always
felt that, if you’re going to try and lead by example, you should demonstrate
to the newbs what is possible, not the minimum effort.
To
this end, to celebrate the return of this tried-and-true tale under a new and
streamlined system, I’ve thrown together some more elaborate handouts which can
be given to players, and which will help generate a little more atmosphere than just bald lines of text. Essentially, there is no difference between the original
handouts and these ones – the essential information provided is identical; these
ones are just a bit more picturesque. Enjoy!
“The
Haunting” Handout #1:
“The
Haunting” Handout #2:
“The
Haunting” Handout #3:
“The
Haunting” Handout #4:
“The
Haunting” Handout #5:
“The
Haunting” Handout #6:
“The
Haunting” Handout #7:
“The
Haunting” Handout #8:
“The
Haunting” Handout #9:
You're welcome!
ReplyDeleteThese are super awesome, I'll be using them tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteFantastic!!!!
ReplyDelete