Actually real question is what do people prefer in terms of content?

i usually like big thick hardcover Folios and am willing ot pay more for them, these skinny 72 page things I do not comprehend well, but still good stuff in there.

I'm looking forward to getting a copy of FotD soon. So, what's in the supplement? Give us an idea.

1.ALOT OF SCHTICKS

you can never have too many schticks, and I mean not only the group schtick but a few type schticks as well as Sync (as in Syndicate or organization) schticks.

2. ALOT OF CONCEPTS

Alot of extra ideas for groups to work with or against. Everythign fro mthe Cops, to the "Scooby" gang.

3. ONE NEW ARCHETYPE

I really was expecting more archetypes, but hey there is one thats intrigueing.

I don't mind the smaller paperbacks, like the faction source books, as supplemental material. I prefer hardcover for my main rules compendiums though. (I think a good game book should hold up under serious yearly use.)

>> "Personally, I prefer the small ones, particularly for players."

In our group, my players don't use books. Naturally, anything I want them to know from the published material, I tell them, but they don't need to have an entire sourcebook full of info literally at their fingertips. Obviously this approach wouldn't work for every group, but my guys/gals are happy keeping the vast majority of the Secret War secret, and they don't even bother reading supplements. It's all GM stuff, as far as we see it.

As far as book content, I like generic information, such as descriptions for weapons, fight rules, archetypes, schticks, technology, vehicles, feng shui site powers, that sort of thing. I hate myriad NPC write-ups, especially with a lot of background material. The main guys are fine; sure, lemme know what Bonengal, Kar Fai, and The Prof look like stat-wise, but it's way too easy to design NPCs in the Feng Shui system to take up my valuable rule book pages with extensive descriptions of nobodies.

Huh. I didn't even realize FotD was out yet. Mmmm... as with the Iron & Silk supplement, I'm hesitant to buy this because it doesn't sound like the sort of thing I was interested in. (Group schticks?... naaah. I'll pass.) And only one archetype?? Oh, well. Guess there's not too many more of them you can come up with at this point.

But if there's more to it, like some useful personal schticks, maybe I'll check it out.

Is there any new equipment, or new game rules of any sort?

For an independent view of the book, there's a review this week on RPG.net that you might check out: http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10280.phtml -- it provides a pretty good overview of the content. I think there may be a review up on Pyramid already as well (but I don't have the link, sorry).

First of all, the concept for the book is a pretty good one. I can't help but see this as a GM book. Granted, it's one that players _could_ buy because it speaks so little about the Secret War itself. And it has some brilliant new schticks for certain Archetypes. However, I saw nothing in it but sweet, sweet mines of new ideas to stick into my on-going campaign.

The Sentai Show premise is insane, and one that I think one of my players in my group who's been itching to do a one-shot will probably use. Who's the Battle of the Planets fiend, Will or Keith?

I like the idea of the on-going 'show' FotD brings up rather than the action film, as it fits a bit more closely what's happening in my long-running game. The talk on themes to be used throughout is really pretty helpful, as I tend to want more than 'This group is good; that group is bad. Now go fight.' in my games.

As soon as my players get the gist of the group schticks, they are going to be tossing _massive_ amounts of XP into the group pot. They've got an HQ, a Van, and a Secret Hideout in all but name, and they will surely want the mechanics benefits of these places. I think they'll like the "Don't You Die On Me", "Johnny, NO!", and "Like a Well-Oiled Machine" schticks as well. All of these ideas have already been used in some way by the group in any case, and canonizing the rules for these situations will fill some of my players with glee.

I can completely seeing my group's martial artists and magic-wielders going nuts for the combined schtick stuff. Quick question on the 'two-fighters/one martial arts attack' rule; do they combine their AV by simple addition for this attack? How was it play-tested?

We already have an NPC Action Family (the venerable Ai family, which holds the long-standing trans-Temporal Dragon site in Texas, the House on the Hill). The book's going to help a bit running that group quite a bit.

The one disappointment thus far is on the question of mooks. I was sort of hoping that the new NPC Mook Ally rules might have some suggestions along with it on streamlining combat in major combat zones where you have a massive faction vs faction fight. C'est la vie.

And thanks for adding the random crunchy bit for the Spy and the Cop. We've one of each in the group, and the 'Impossible' schtick and 'Cuff-Fu' will be snapped up quickly by these two.

I do have concerns about a party with a Neural Stimulator and Like a Well Oiled Machine. Arcanowave character burns all 8 magic points and a fortune point on his Arcanowave roll, average result 24, all party members start on shot 24... Ick.

Some of the group schticks look rather similar to ones I brewed when I was working on a high fantasy conversion of Feng.

As I was reading I wished I'd had it at the start of my current campaign, and that has to be a good sign.

Much of material can be transferred to other cinematic systems, too.

Whoops. Sorry I missed this question earlier; I've been wrapped up in Blowing Up Hong Kong and lots of other things.

Keith is the Battle of the Planets fan. I'm the Johnny Quest fan. To my knowledge, neither of us is a Scooby Doo fan, but that is the rosetta stone for action family antics, isn't it?

word,
Will
Feng Shui
Atlas

Dan

The Group Sheet is now available for download on the Feng Shui downloads page (www.atlas-games.com/fengshui/fsdloads.html) and on the Friends of the Dragon product page (www.atlas-games.com/product_tables/AG4012.html). For a limited time, the link will be on the Dispatches, too.

I have another web enhancement coming, yet, for Friends of the Dragon. Hopefully I'll get that onto the site next week, between other projects. :-)

word,
Will
Atlas

A sincere 'thank you' to you.

Well done to you. One question tho, what's next?

I'd like to see a book that had weapon feats in it.  Not just gun schticks ported over but weapon fu-paths...there are a few.  Like path of the flying steel and the few sword fu schticks in the main book.  But after watching movies like Hero and the duel, there is definitely stuff lacking in this area.

Also the CCG has a new faction...how about them.  Perhaps opening some new junctures.  20s? WWII?  70s?

Just thoughts,

I also liked the idea of new junctures (maybe only one). I have played around with an idea in my head for a possible juncture for a while - 1969 but with friendly aliens having landed at Roswell in the 50's and decided to stay and colonise.
The ideas are rife to steal - Men in Black, blaxploitation flicks like shaft and superfly, Veitnam films. Its really all motivated by a desire to create an alien afro-wearing pimp.
Sad boy that i am.

Dan

As usual, John is correct. I'll get the "Friends of the Dragon" bonus chapter online after I get "Blowing Up Hong Kong" laid out and off to the printer. That book's complex layout is going to require all of my Feng Shui manpower for a while, which is both good (for the book) and bad (for the web enhancement). Sorry for the delay.

Cheers,
Will
Atlas