|
|
Post by ProfGremlin on Jul 27, 2010 19:35:52 GMT -5
Ok, folks, here's the first thread I've managed to pull out of Google's Cache. It may not be pretty but I've done what I can to save the details.
|
|
|
|
Post by ProfGremlin on Jul 27, 2010 19:38:29 GMT -5
djacknh
How Does MSPE Compare To Top Secret?
« Thread Started on Jul 3, 2010, 2:35pm »
I played Top Secret in the early '80s and enjoyed it. I have all the MSPE stuff but have not yet played. How does MSPE compare to Top Secret?
castiglione
Re: How Does MSPE Compare To Top Secret?
« Reply #1 on Jul 3, 2010, 3:17pm »
I actually played both but didn't really enjoy Top Secret; the hand-to-hand combat rules looked fun but proved ungainly when put into practice (at least back when I was a kid...things may be different now).
There was actually a pretty nifty article written by Aaron Allston published in Space Gamer wayyy back in the day where he compared MSPE, Espionage and Top Secret.
I was more biased towards MSPE given that T&T was the RPG that I had the most experience (and fun) with. Everything about Top Secret just seemed too complex to me. Hand-to-hand combat, gun combat and so forth. MSPE seemed more free flowing by comparison so that's what I ended up playing and Top Secret gathered dust.
On the other hand, I've always been fascinated by Top Secret because of the things I've criticized it for (the complex hand-to-hand and gun combat). Also, the "feel" of the rules reminds me of a Le Carre novel whereas MSPE seemed more pulpy.
toadmaster
Re: How Does MSPE Compare To Top Secret?
« Reply #2 on Jul 3, 2010, 9:50pm »
Top Secret had good potential but seemed unneccessarily complex, it also seemed incomplete. I was probably about 12 when I played, so may have misunderstood some of the rules, but it seemed like there were a lot of tables without adequate explaination of how they were supposed to be used.
MSPE definately has more of a pulp feel to it, but that is probably the writing style and supporting materials, I don't see why the rules wouldn't do spy thrillers just fine.
Vin Ahrr Vin
Re: How Does MSPE Compare To Top Secret?
« Reply #3 on Jul 3, 2010, 10:05pm »
I always thought Top Secret was a decent enough game, but at the time I hadn't discovered Mercenaries Spies & Privite Eyes. Now that I've found MS&PE I probably wouldn't go back to TS.
Hogscape
Re: How Does MSPE Compare To Top Secret?
« Reply #4 on Jul 3, 2010, 11:57pm »
The original TS was more than a touch of AD&D in a dinner jacket, the re-release of the game was a serious attempt at something new but MSPE does the same and more with far fewer rules and much better advice. When I play MSPE I adjust firearms damage slightly and do away with experience points for skills to cut down on bookkeeping but otherwise I run it as is.
1E TS had very limited support (the boxed set came with a packaged scenario written like a dungeon), 2E had piles of support but was totally incompatible with 1E.
castiglione
Re: How Does MSPE Compare To Top Secret?
« Reply #5 on Jul 4, 2010, 11:31am »
Jul 3, 2010, 9:50pm, toadmaster wrote:
Top Secret had good potential but seemed unneccessarily complex, it also seemed incomplete. I was probably about 12 when I played, so may have misunderstood some of the rules, but it seemed like there were a lot of tables without adequate explaination of how they were supposed to be used.
MSPE definately has more of a pulp feel to it, but that is probably the writing style and supporting materials, I don't see why the rules wouldn't do spy thrillers just fine.
MSPE could definitely do spy thrillers, especially since Blade/FBInc. had a cross-stats agreement with Hero Games so modules written for Espionage (which were very Le Carre'ish) were also stat'ed for MSPE. A good example is Border Crossing where the characters attempt to sneak across the border into East Germany, get the information and then attempt to make it out again.
I thought the main problem with Top Secret's combat system was the plethora of modifiers that you had to apply to your "to hit roll". You basically had to go down a table and see which ones applied. I'm sure with practice, it would've become second nature but it was much simpler to use the SR based combat system in MSPE; the only questions you had to ask yourself were whether the shooter/target were standing, running, behind cover, etc.
djacknh
Re: How Does MSPE Compare To Top Secret?
« Reply #6 on Jul 4, 2010, 11:21pm »
It's like the way I view AD&D. I own several of the books for the rich detail, but prefer T&T for the simple game system. I draw on other games for the embellishments but in gameplay all you need are a few six-sided dice and a lot of SR's.
wilowisp
Re: How Does MSPE Compare To Top Secret?
« Reply #7 on Jul 5, 2010, 11:29am »
Its funny this should come up, because my getting MSPE led me to get out my old TS stuff and look it over again. After 25 years of gaming, I can NOW proudly say I understand TS and could run it; but BITD, I was clueless. Rather than being D&D in a dinner jacket, I found my thinking in D&D terms led me to be dumbfounded at TS.
I think in the long run I'm going to like MSPE better; although, I have to admit, if I had bought it before T&T, I don't think it would have enthused me as much. I really can't say why; but side by side with T&T, it just seems lackluster..............
Hogscape
Re: How Does MSPE Compare To Top Secret?
« Reply #8 on Jul 5, 2010, 9:34pm »
The writing of MSPE is very 'text book' whereas reading 5E T&T is liking chatting with a friend,
machfront
Re: How Does MSPE Compare To Top Secret?
« Reply #9 on Jul 5, 2010, 11:03pm »
Jul 5, 2010, 11:29am, wilowisp wrote:
Jul 5, 2010, 9:34pm, Hogscape wrote:
Ok. It's not just me.
To this day, I've still yet to be able to read MS&PE straight through.
I'm not very familiar with the original TS. I bought it a year or so ago and flipped through it and thought: "Whoa. Ookaayy. I'll, uh...I'll take a look at this later."
However, I've long loved Top Secret/S.I. and it's certainly more relaxed, more enthusiastic and more flavorful in it's writing and presentation than MS&PE.
Plus, the system is cool.
wilowisp
Re: How Does MSPE Compare To Top Secret?
« Reply #10 on Jul 5, 2010, 11:23pm »
Jul 5, 2010, 11:03pm, machfront wrote:
This is all true, and over here we have played the heck out of TSs.i.; I think we did it exclusively for about 2 years. But, right now I don't want all the fiddly-bits needed to write up adventures for it.
andrew
Re: How Does MSPE Compare To Top Secret?
« Reply #11 on Jul 6, 2010, 4:05am »
Jul 3, 2010, 2:35pm, djacknh wrote:
Give MS&PE a try. I think you'll like it. Like T&T, its ease of use was its biggest edge/talent/boon or what have you.
Can't say much about TS. I considered purchasing it in the early 80s, but the first module I saw for it--Operation Rapidstrike!--looked as if it would be a dungeon crawl with Walthers and Berettas instead of swords and spells.
I did purchase James Bond 007 rpg about that time, and their system compares to MS&PE quite well and had quite a bit of support.
|
|
