Starhunt: Void Slavers (Issue 12 adventure)

[The Editor (Alex B)]

Discuss the adventure here.

[champskees]

Corrections to the magazine adventure Void Slavers:

Para 141 should link to 84 instead of 89.

Para 69 should link to 157 instead of 159.

Para 7 should link to 40 instead of 201.

Step 6 of Para 206 is flawed.

[champskees]

Wow. The nerve of the writer…

Basically this ‘adventure’ is a short story posing as a gamebook. Seriously, the path is so linear and the mechanics so basic I actually got angry reading through it. I think there is only two sections that offers more than 2 choices, and I would say over half of the paragraphs have no choice at all – think on that for a second. Basically the lazy author has written a story, cut it into paragraphs and then leads the reader on a tedious, unimaginative journey through a largely empty universe. Worst of all, it is technically impossible to complete due to errors (mentioned above).

I recommend a Skill of 12 and a high luck score due to the ridiculous amount of Test Attribute rolls (failing the majority of these rolls will end in death). Seriously, look at the end of the solution and count the tests you have to make. I also love the final nemesis’ stats: Skill 11, Stamina 26. Superhuman stamina? Ridiculous.

You will also require a Ship Sk…you know what, forget it. My only recommendation is to avoid this garbage. Seriously, read it and you will regret it. Worst mini adventure in the fantazine magazine thus far.

You start with:

- 2 Food Packs (restore 4 Stamina when used).
- Medi Kit (restores 8 Stamina when used).

- Head immediately to the closest monorail station.
- Fight Sk 7 St 7 Crazed Me Robot.
- Add note: ‘79’.
- You have learnt all that you want to know.
- Arthur said 79. Turn to Para 79.
- Fight Sk 10 St 7 Male Street Junkie & Sk 8 St 5 Female Street Junkie.
- Do not search their clothing.
- Head to the hangar through the sewer.
- Take Fish Hook and Rebreather.
- Continue through the sewer.
- You brought a rebreather.
- Fight Sk 10 St 14 Sump Monster.
- You have not spoken to Officer Cassidy.
- Again, nothing to do with Cassidy.
- Head to the Mardavian Asteroid Field.
- Run a scan of the surrounding asteroids.
- Test Manoeuvrability. Fail = 3 Hull Damage.
- Ship Combat vs The Siren’s Fury W 9 D 15 H 18.
- Test Manoeuvrability. Fail = 3 Hull Damage.
- Ignore it.
- Make up a story.
- Test Skill. Success = 2 Damage. Fail = 4 Damage & -1 Skill.
- Fight Sk 9 St 21 Painmaster.
- Fight ends if enemy’s St is reduced to 15.
- If combat lasts 6+ rounds: death.
- Fight Sk 8 St 15 Painmaster.
- Strike him over the head with a heavy object.
- Look at the items on the desk.
- Add note: Passcode ‘153’.
- Head back into the living quarters.
- Do not let him go free.
- Take 50,000 Credits (+1 Luck).
- Restore 10 Hull Points.
- Ship Combat vs Inferno Fighter W 9 D 14 H 12, Inferno Fighter W 7 D 13 H 10 & Inferno Fighter W 8 D 13 H 11 together.
- Test Skill. Fail = 4 Damage & try again until successful.
- Fight I-Bot Defensive Sentry Sk 4 St 10 Bs 9.
- Test Luck. Fail = 4 Damage & -1 Skill.
- Fight Sk 10 St 12 Bionic Dog.
- Restore 6 Hull Points.
- Ship Combat vs Mark IIIB Stellar Tug W 10 D 13 H 14.
- Ship Combat vs The Mighty Tarak W 7 D 16 H 20.
- Test Manoeuvrability. Fail = 3 Hull Damage.
- Test Luck. Fail = 4 Hull Damage.
- Add 1 Luck.
- Tell the Destoyer captain the truth.
- Enter Passcode. Turn to Para 153.
- Send a message to Captain Means.
- Add note: ‘112’.
- Test Skill. Success = 2 Damage. Fail = 4 Damage & -1 Skill & -1 Blaster.
- Go right.
- Test Skill. Fail = Death.
- Fight Sk 6 St 9 Wormwood Miner.
- Suit up.
- Test Skill. Fail = Death.
- Test Luck. Fail = Death.
- Add 2 Luck.
- Fight Security Guard Sk 7 St 9 Bs 8.
- Turn to Para 112.
- Test Skill. Fail = Death.
- Test Skill of 8. Fail = Lose your sister.
- Test Luck. Fail = Death.
- Fight Sk 11 St 26 Sovereigness.
- Test Skill. Fail = Death.
- I assume you turn to Para 40 here?

[The Editor (Alex B)]

Probably a by-product of writing an on-going work of fiction for the magazine ("Aelous Raven").

BTW Jake, I know you're already writing a solutions column for the magazine, but given you insightful direction of these adventures would you be willing to sign up an play-test them *before* they appeared in the magazine?

[champskees]

I don't really want to commit to anything per se, but I would definitely be interested in going through them if given enough time.

[a moderator]

There's a pretty damning review of the adventure here. Nothing to do with me - I'm still working my way through the issue 7 mini-adventure for the blog - but I'm curious about any editorial response to the questions raised about how S:VS wound up published in the form in which it exists. 

[The Editor (Alex B)]

Aug 30, 2020 12:33:32 GMT a moderator said:

There's a pretty damning review of the adventure here. Nothing to do with me - I'm still working my way through the issue 7 mini-adventure for the blog - but I'm curious about any editorial response to the questions raised about how S:VS wound up published in the form in which it exists. 

All I can say was it was probably my fault for not paying enough attention at the time.

[vastariner]

Just tried it, got nowhere, but, f**k me...

- Test Skill. Fail = Death.
- Test Skill of 8. Fail = Lose your sister.
- Test Luck. Fail = Death.
- Fight Sk 11 St 26 Sovereigness.
- Test Skill. Fail = Death.

...that is just INSANE as an ending and betrays that nobody playtested it. 

I wonder when it was written.  We're nearly two millennia in the future and the world is still like today's world.  I.e. you're using a bloody knife and you're having to rely on maps on the street.  By this time shouldn't everything be cybered into you?  And an economy that can power interstellar ships DOES NOT NEED SLAVES.  Literally anything can be manufactured.

[a moderator]

This isn't the most buggy of the Fantazine mini-adventures, but it's almost certainly the least popular.

Sept 25, 2022 17:03:09 GMT vastariner said:

And an economy that can power interstellar ships DOES NOT NEED SLAVES.  Literally anything can be manufactured.

There are probably wealthy sadists willing to pay extra to have real humans suffering for their amusement.

[a moderator]

Quick review - Starhunt: Void Slavers.

A more detailed critique may be found at my blog.