Conan: Tito's Trading Post (A Playtesters Review)

[GrimJesta]

Eh. I might get it.

I was 100% sure I was going to get it, but not having pictures of the weapons and armor is a serious strike against the system. I might as well use my Goods and Gear sourcebook from Kingdoms of Kalamar, since it has the pictures and basically everything you listed this book has... almost.

What does still sell me is the Alchemical/Herbal sections. I'd like to see someone play a scholar/alchemist type in my game eventually, and the more that type of character can do the better.

I dunno. I might wait on this one. I only have the core book, Road of Kings, and Scrolls of Skelos, so I have alot of other books I might get first. I still want the Aquilonia book and the Pict book, so I might get those first. But the equipment book might be a better buy despite my gripes about it, mainly because it can be used in any campaign I run in the Hyborian Age, whereas the other two I listed can only be used in Aquilonia/The Pictish Wilderness respectively.

Argh. Decisions...

A color book with illustrations would have been nice. They should have ditched the hardcover and used that money to make the book in color, like SoS.

Hrmmm.

-=Grim=-

 

[MadDog]

again i think your reading too much into things, im sure an errata will appear at some point and the rulemasters forum is for official game related questions and was reopened recently

Appear at some point ? How long does it take Mongoose to answer the product author if he can release the errata ? Both Greg Lynch and Vincent have indicated they have errata for products, but no one in Mongoose proper ever gives an answer.

As for the Rulesmasters, I should point out there has not been a single official response to any of the Conan questions there.

I find it troubling that while the proofing has improved, there are still too many errors or mistakes in products as recent as Heretics of Tarantia.

I like the material, but it would be nice to see some errata for those products that need it.

Mad Dog

 

[Strom]

CONAN: TITO's TRADING POST

This is a 96 page hardback, written by the very talented Vincent Darlage, indeed its nice that this relatively thin book gets a hardbound approach as many companies would have put out such a tome as a perfect bound..so kudos to mongoose on that front as I for one love the hardbacks.

Huh, post just disappeared into thin air...damn Tarantian heretics. :lol:

Well, the gist of the post was that I remember the feeling of opening Fiercest and Tale of the Black Kingdoms and realizing they were black and white and seriously missing the color with the (now) traditional borders - but they were soft-covers. I wonder why they choose to do a hardcover with the black and white interiors?

Sorry to hear there are not a lot of pics for the weapons or armor since they help me out. I will end up picking this up since I like books that expand on options for the PC's and NPC's - plus it has been awhile since new Conan. 8)

 

[Samvail1]

Well they wouldnt use it for testing as playtesting is not something everyone can do it is a skill specific job like any other and being a gamer is just the necessary component for testing, it is also having a good knowledge of rules, and concept of balance and workaable mechanics, improvements. Also an eye for the little details and ability to make correct calculations, that all to frequently get missed by the writers or the ever present copy and paste recurrence error. Simply put playtesting is not just about getting your name in a book or just getting a free book (indeed most US companies do not provide complementary copies for playtesting at all.. dont get me started on that point), but it is about ensuring the products you like are put out in the best shape and functionality they can be.

Neo is absolutely right here. Playtesting is far more involved and time consuming than you may at first assume. Don't forget that the turn-around time for a playtest can be as little as a week (my record is 3 days for hyborias Finest). It's not a task that anybody could do, even individuals with a good standard of English and rpg experience.

Also remember the sheer volume of product put out by Mongoose, often for different systems involving different or alternate rules (B5, Conan, D&D, Starship Troopers, Runequest). Sometimes you can find yourself testing using 3 different systems in a week. Time management and organization is a necessity.

That's my rant over! Just needed to get that off my chest

It isn't simply a matter of reading the book in order to get a free copy.

Cheers

Sam

 

[Vincent791]

The book looks great! I'm still not sure about it, the issue with the art it's IMO a huge miss, pics are one of the most important things of a catalogue.

 

[Valaryc]

after buying the book i have to "review" some things (relating to Neos review)

PROs:

you have all equipment handy in one book. you have some new crafting rules that are a lot better than the standard craft rules.
some rules about slaves / hirelings (but you can do without them)
it's hardcover

sorry....but these are the only PROs

CONs:

the book is black/white. there are nearly NO PICTURES of any relevant piece of equipment. what is the sense behind describing exotic clothes or weapon that everyone will imagine different but print a picture of a dead fish on a table just because there is a "fish poison" ???

nearly 90% of the book is "copy - paste"!!! nearly every weapon / armour / piece of equipment is reprinted from another book. all the pages about guildes are reprinted from aquilonia. poisons & herbs reprinted from main core book,scrolls of skelos & fiercest. alchemy items..reprint from main rulebook & scrolls.....

from the mongoose page....
Tito's Trading Post is a 96 page hardback book designed to bring you the very best of equipment, weapons and luxuries from across the Hyborian Kingdoms. With rules for crafting, merchant guilds and hiring retainers, if it is not in this book, your character won't want it!

sorry....but 25$ for something i already have ? ok...i have it in one book... but i could have scanned the lists, printed them out (WITH pictures) to make my own equipment guide...and don't have to pay 25$ for it!

i'm quite upset if i read reprinted material in a sourcebook (like aquilonia and thunder river....or the never ending reprinted rules for falling stones in "ruins")...but a whole book of it ??? with nearly nothing new ??? it would have been fair if there was a note that it's a collection of equipment from all published books....but there isn't.

before owning the book i liked neo's review....but he missed this fact and after reading it (better rereading...because it's all known) i can't understand your high rating for it. and vincent....you can do MUCH better as we all have seen in "ruins" and "stygia" !!!! (with this book you've lost 10 reputation points...mark that on your character sheet please...)

to quote NEo:
"I couldnt speak for any reproduction of material from Hyboria's fiercest etc.. as I do not have those books, nor was I part of thier playtests.. however as far as the weapons, equipment and armour from the main rulebook goes all of it is in tito's plus a substantial quantity more in each section."

that explains your "good rating". but the "substantial quantity more in each section" is nearly all old material! perhaps you should read all the books to make a more realistic review ? :?

i'm dissapointed and think this is the worst equipment guide ever (no pictures? come on!!!!) and the worst conan book published so far and i regret buying it

hint: never buy a book online where you can't look at it! ...and don't trust every (loyal) playtester :wink:
if you have some money and want a new conan sourcebook...buy "Stygia" or "Ruins" !!! Much better and much "more Vincent" than this.....book

 

[Neo]

after buying the book i have to "review" some things (relating to Neos review)

sorry....but 25$ for something i already have ? ok...i have it in one book... but i could have scanned the lists, printed them out (WITH pictures) to make my own equipment guide...and don't have to pay 25$ for it!

i'm quite upset if i read reprinted material in a sourcebook (like aquilonia and thunder river....or the never ending reprinted rules for falling stones in "ruins")...but a whole book of it ??? with nearly nothing new ??? it would have been fair if there was a note that it's a collection of equipment from all published books....but there isn't.

before owning the book i liked neo's review....but he missed this fact and after reading it (better rereading...because it's all known) i can't understand your high rating for it. and vincent....you can do MUCH better as we all have seen in "ruins" and "stygia" !!!! (with this book you've lost 10 reputation points...mark that on your character sheet please...)

to quote NEo:
"I couldnt speak for any reproduction of material from Hyboria's fiercest etc.. as I do not have those books, nor was I part of thier playtests.. however as far as the weapons, equipment and armour from the main rulebook goes all of it is in tito's plus a substantial quantity more in each section."

that explains your "good rating". but the "substantial quantity more in each section" is nearly all old material! perhaps you should read all the books to make a more realistic review ? :?

Hello Valaryc

to address a couple of points firstly my review was a realistic view, I pointed out the major flaws that have been echoed by others. I consider the lack of art in an equipment book a serious faux pas and said as much in the reveiw and even requested they ensure the art be present when we playtested it.

As to the content and relating to your "Why buy this book when I have all the content in other books" comment and your suggestion I read all the other books first.. a few words of response.

Firstly the two main reasons for someone to buy a book like this are thusly, first not everyone owns or buys or is able to buy all books for all settings. Indeed a lot fo conan players only have some of the books or indeed only the main rulebook and do quite well.. this book for them is useful as it gives them just the content without the flullf they dont necessarily need or want for thier games.

Secondly it was always stated this book was a compilation and such compilation books are common place, indeed Mongoose releases a lot of compilayion type books that collect all the crunch under one cover.

With specific note to your comment about reading all books first I think that is a little naieve a thing to say and a statement made obviously from and only taking into account your own obviously luckier point of view in being on of the few to have most or all of the other books. Which indeed may make the content to you less useful but you are not representative of the majority of gamers, most people do not own most or all books as I say. Worth bearing that in mind mate.

Finally you cannot overlook the benefit of having all material useful to players in one book on your table as opposed to need 8 or 9 others and having to flick through them to find the odd weapon or piece of clothing etc... here and there. In this book it is all in one easily locatable tome from which players can use and have handy without having access to region or fluff info the GM's may be using at the time or not wish them to be looking at.

when you way the points into consideration the useful ness of the book isnt that bad. Also the content of the book whether reproduced or not is still good useable, balanced material, making it good content.. hence the good scores. The only tplace this book failed in my opinion is with the lack of interior art and the black and white interior approach, beyond that it is a fine book containing good material produced by a very competent, proved, respected and well written author.

 

[quigs]

Hehe, wow. I'm so glad I decided not to buy this one after the whole black and white with no pictures comments.

Stygia and Ruins are on my shopping list for sure now!

 

[Valaryc]

...

Firstly the two main reasons for someone to buy a book like this are thusly, first not everyone owns or buys or is able to buy all books for all settings. Indeed a lot fo conan players only have some of the books or indeed only the main rulebook and do quite well.. this book for them is useful as it gives them just the content without the flullf they dont necessarily need or want for thier games.

Secondly it was always stated this book was a compilation and such compilation books are common place, indeed Mongoose releases a lot of compilayion type books that collect all the crunch under one cover.

With specific note to your comment about reading all books first I think that is a little naieve a thing to say and a statement made obviously from and only taking into account your own obviously luckier point of view in being on of the few to have most or all of the other books. Which indeed may make the content to you less useful but you are not representative of the majority of gamers, most people do not own most or all books as I say. Worth bearing that in mind mate.

Finally you cannot overlook the benefit of having all material useful to players in one book on your table as opposed to need 8 or 9 others and having to flick through them to find the odd weapon or piece of clothing etc... here and there. In this book it is all in one easily locatable tome from which players can use and have handy without having access to region ...

when you way the points into consideration the useful ness of the book isnt that bad. Also the content of the book whether reproduced or not is still good useable, balanced material, making it good content.. hence the good scores. The only tplace this book failed in my opinion is with the lack of interior art and the black and white interior approach, beyond that it is a fine book containing good material produced by a very competent, proved, respected and well written author.

Hi Neo!

of course this is a clash of two oppionions :wink: so there will be no "common oppinnion" between us. but some things i have to say...

of course it's nice to have a collection of equipement from different books! but i think this is like a "best of" album from your favorite star...you can do this after 8 or more albums / sourcebooks. but this is a collection of things (mostly) from four books (main, scrolls,little from aquilonia and little from fiercest). these are no "regional sourcebooks" (beside aquilonia) so most GMs will buy them and this has nothing to do with the "8 to 9 books" you mentioned above. that is, in MY oppionion, not "value for money". especially without the artwork (that is essential in a equipment guide!).

you said it was stated this book would be a complilation....where ?!?!?
not on the homepage....not in your review (after that i pre-ordered it)...or anywhere else (beside the comments here...but that was too late).

ok...you can't read ALL books....but sorry...i think this information is one of the MAJOR facts and one that will have an impact on the decision "to buy or not to buy". and in a (good) review i expect that info !!!!


don't take it personally mate :wink:

 

[René]

Thanks for the review, Valaryc!

 

[Strom]

Yes, thanks for the review Valaryc - sound reasoning IMO. Three things really concern me and that is Tito is a hardcover with a black and white interior. The first time I opened Fiercest I was really disappointed with the black and white interior. I can understand it for a scenario book like Tales from the Black Kingdom and can see the logic behind making Tito black and white but why a hardcover? Also, the lack of art to visually describe the weapons and clothing doesn't make any sense considering some of the first reviews of the RPG commented favorably on the pics of different weapons in the rulebook.

I'm trying to collect as many of the books as I can since I have been extremely impressed with the quality and material put out by Mongoose and imagine I will add Tito as well. Plus, I'm a big fan of the effort and knowledge and quality of Vincent's work and this seems to be a editorial decision on format/presentaion more than lack of information or research. So, I'll end up picking it up.

 

[Neo]

don't take it personally mate :wink:

wasnt taking it personal mate, but i think and to use your own metaphor here

Most people do not buy the 8 albums.. they tend to buy the best of..only the real diehard fans, and well to do buy the whole lot. And sadly "most" people do not fall into that category. And it is in that way, that it is how this book has appeal. It isnt a sourcebook so much as a compilation of the best equipment crunch from the other books.

For players it is perfect as most players leave the GM to buy most books and they only tend to get those that are relevant to them..and an equipment book is ALWAYs relevant to them, and saves the Gm having to scour this book or that for the odd weapon or gear they might want... and like i say they may actually be using the book for play so having to hand it out is inconvenient, or they may not want the player reading various books other info etc..etc..

As I say your obviously expressing an opinion from a fairly fortunate viewpoint of someone who has most if not all the books, but that is not representative of most players, most only have a few books..so dont have the luxury of compiling everything themselves and it is obviously those that this book is aimed at.

The book has worth and the content is fine, its only let down for me is the appearance (black and white) and lack of interior art. Having weapons and armors etc..and not showing them was an error imo. But beyond that this books contents is perfectly fine and useable and valuable to many groups.

 

[Sutek]

I looked through it and will pick up my copy come payday. B/W or not, the only real disappointing thing to me is that the illustrations are fewer than I'd have liked. I've been waiting and longing for that perfect equipment guide where everything - every single item, weapon, piece of armor and tack - was draw and labeled. That would have been nicer, but still, having every purchasable item in one volume makes for just as easy a reference as a monster manual or spell collection.