Darkmatter for d20 - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Darkmatter for d20

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Jan 17, 2004 23:03:50 im curious. I am looking to put together a petition for wizards of the coast to either offer the Darkmatter campaign setting up for d20 use to another company, or for wizards to do it themselves. the basic idea of the petition is that if I get enough signatures and send it to them (and of course, the authors, we love you monty and Wolfgang) wizards will realize that there is still a market for this awesome campaign setting... im not really expecting many responses anymore as noone comes to this forum really, but how many of you would sign it?
#2
zombiegleemax
Jan 18, 2004 1:12:42 You might try checking out www.alternity.net to see if there is any interest but I must warn you that some people might not look favorably on the d20 ruleset being used for Dark Matter. Of course everyone would like to see new material for the setting so they could always convert over to the Alternity mechanics. Personally I would like to see more "canon" books on Dark Matter, d20 or otherwise but I would definately be one of those people that would bring it back over to Alternity. Good luck.

Daryl

www.alternity.net
#3
zombiegleemax
Jan 18, 2004 1:16:20 oh, I am fine with running it in alternity, my problem is the problem of most people. alot of gamers refuse to play any ruleset but their own. I am more interested due to the fact that this is my all time favorite setting, and it is a serious shame that such a well built campaign world got the axe just because of technicalities. thanks for the info though.
#4
zombiegleemax
Jan 18, 2004 5:26:41 Check out Dungeon #108 (coming next month) it includes Dark*Matter d20 Mini-game (64 pages max). Written by Andy Collins and with art by Ashely Wood.
#5
zombiegleemax
Jan 26, 2004 11:22:41 More Info:

From Andy Collins (www.andycollins.net) message boards

The campaign setting aims to introduce (or re-introduce) the concepts of modern conspiracy role-playing to the d20 audience. It revisits the core elements of the original product (published about five years ago as part of the short-lived Alternity line of sci-fi role-playing), discussing how to apply those to your d20 Modern game. The Hoffmann Institute, the greys, diabolists, the Freemasons--they're all in there.

It also provides a GM information on how to use appropriate d20 Modern material he already has (from the core rulebook, the Menace Manual, and even Urban Arcana) in his Dark Matter game. (Any Dark Matter fan who's even flipped through the Menace Manual has already met a few old friends, and this setting takes advantage of that.)

It's not a rules-intensive article--most of the classes, feats, skills, monsters, etc., that you need for Dark Matter are already out there. It adds a bit of crucial rules material here and there, but I tried to make this more a campaign setting--that is, a world in which you can play d20 Modern--and less a rules sourcebook to loot for ideas.

Nor is it an exhaustive re-presentation of the original campaign setting.
Not only is that a hopeless cause--Polyhedron wasn't going to add 200+ pages to accomplish that--it's a waste of time. The words that Monte and Wolf chose in writing the original book were good ones--changing them for change's sake would be a pointless exercise. I highly recommend that anyone who wants to read about the "true and secret history of Earth" pick up a copy of the original product (I'm sure it's available on any number of used-game and used-book websites). Failing that, just go to the source material itself--there are a million books, movies, tv shows, magazines, and
websites out there to inspire you.

I hope that people get a kick out of "Dark Matter: Shades of Grey," whether those be old fans of the setting or new converts to the world of conspiracy gaming. I certainly had fun writing it, and feel honored that Erik Mona allowed me to revisit such an acclaimed setting.

From this thread (http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=75380) on ENWorld by some luckly F...F...F... Freemason who has already received a copy:
Chapter 1 - Characters
A lot of background and new Advanced Classes, Antiquarian, Field Guide
Prestige Classes: Diablolist, Hermetic Adept, Visionary, Xenoengineer
Chapter 2 - Campaigns
Mission types and Conspiracies
Chapter 3 - Xenoforms
A list of creatures from the d20 Modern and Menace Manual and how they fit in a Dark Matter world

No new xenoforms, just a listing of appropriate ones from then Menace Manual with a plot hook for each one. It doesn't use the D&D magic system and recommends not using it because it makes magic too common place. Instead the Diabolist, Visionary, and the Hermetic Adept gain spell like abilities each level. Some of the abililities are usable at will, with the better ones needing an action point to activate.

There are no conversion notes for standard spells. The game is written assuming only human PCs. While it mentions using psionics for the Grays, there is no conversion.

... I will say the best parts of the mini game are the new prestige classes, which are very much in the D*M style, and the adventure hooks for the xenoforms.
Some of the adventure hooks are repeats from other sources, but most are pretty good. I'll also say that the mini game relies heavily on the Menace Manual.
#6
zombiegleemax
Feb 23, 2004 14:35:56 dark matter is a great setting. You can introduce it to so many campaigns. It's already in D20 Modern. You could bring it into d20 Gamma world and even my updated D20 Star Frontiers.

The hoffman institute is alive and well.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Jan 17, 2004 23:03:50	im curious. I am looking to put together a petition for wizards of the coast to either offer the Darkmatter campaign setting up for d20 use to another company, or for wizards to do it themselves. the basic idea of the petition is that if I get enough signatures and send it to them (and of course, the authors, we love you monty and Wolfgang) wizards will realize that there is still a market for this awesome campaign setting... im not really expecting many responses anymore as noone comes to this forum really, but how many of you would sign it?
#2 zombiegleemax Jan 18, 2004 1:12:42	You might try checking out www.alternity.net to see if there is any interest but I must warn you that some people might not look favorably on the d20 ruleset being used for Dark Matter. Of course everyone would like to see new material for the setting so they could always convert over to the Alternity mechanics. Personally I would like to see more "canon" books on Dark Matter, d20 or otherwise but I would definately be one of those people that would bring it back over to Alternity. Good luck. Daryl www.alternity.net
#3 zombiegleemax Jan 18, 2004 1:16:20	oh, I am fine with running it in alternity, my problem is the problem of most people. alot of gamers refuse to play any ruleset but their own. I am more interested due to the fact that this is my all time favorite setting, and it is a serious shame that such a well built campaign world got the axe just because of technicalities. thanks for the info though.
#4 zombiegleemax Jan 18, 2004 5:26:41	Check out Dungeon #108 (coming next month) it includes Dark*Matter d20 Mini-game (64 pages max). Written by Andy Collins and with art by Ashely Wood.
#5 zombiegleemax Jan 26, 2004 11:22:41	More Info: From Andy Collins (www.andycollins.net) message boards The campaign setting aims to introduce (or re-introduce) the concepts of modern conspiracy role-playing to the d20 audience. It revisits the core elements of the original product (published about five years ago as part of the short-lived Alternity line of sci-fi role-playing), discussing how to apply those to your d20 Modern game. The Hoffmann Institute, the greys, diabolists, the Freemasons--they're all in there. It also provides a GM information on how to use appropriate d20 Modern material he already has (from the core rulebook, the Menace Manual, and even Urban Arcana) in his Dark Matter game. (Any Dark Matter fan who's even flipped through the Menace Manual has already met a few old friends, and this setting takes advantage of that.) It's not a rules-intensive article--most of the classes, feats, skills, monsters, etc., that you need for Dark Matter are already out there. It adds a bit of crucial rules material here and there, but I tried to make this more a campaign setting--that is, a world in which you can play d20 Modern--and less a rules sourcebook to loot for ideas. Nor is it an exhaustive re-presentation of the original campaign setting. Not only is that a hopeless cause--Polyhedron wasn't going to add 200+ pages to accomplish that--it's a waste of time. The words that Monte and Wolf chose in writing the original book were good ones--changing them for change's sake would be a pointless exercise. I highly recommend that anyone who wants to read about the "true and secret history of Earth" pick up a copy of the original product (I'm sure it's available on any number of used-game and used-book websites). Failing that, just go to the source material itself--there are a million books, movies, tv shows, magazines, and websites out there to inspire you. I hope that people get a kick out of "Dark Matter: Shades of Grey," whether those be old fans of the setting or new converts to the world of conspiracy gaming. I certainly had fun writing it, and feel honored that Erik Mona allowed me to revisit such an acclaimed setting. From this thread (http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=75380) on ENWorld by some luckly F...F...F... Freemason who has already received a copy: Chapter 1 - Characters A lot of background and new Advanced Classes, Antiquarian, Field Guide Prestige Classes: Diablolist, Hermetic Adept, Visionary, Xenoengineer Chapter 2 - Campaigns Mission types and Conspiracies Chapter 3 - Xenoforms A list of creatures from the d20 Modern and Menace Manual and how they fit in a Dark Matter world No new xenoforms, just a listing of appropriate ones from then Menace Manual with a plot hook for each one. It doesn't use the D&D magic system and recommends not using it because it makes magic too common place. Instead the Diabolist, Visionary, and the Hermetic Adept gain spell like abilities each level. Some of the abililities are usable at will, with the better ones needing an action point to activate. There are no conversion notes for standard spells. The game is written assuming only human PCs. While it mentions using psionics for the Grays, there is no conversion. ... I will say the best parts of the mini game are the new prestige classes, which are very much in the D*M style, and the adventure hooks for the xenoforms. Some of the adventure hooks are repeats from other sources, but most are pretty good. I'll also say that the mini game relies heavily on the Menace Manual.
#6 zombiegleemax Feb 23, 2004 14:35:56	dark matter is a great setting. You can introduce it to so many campaigns. It's already in D20 Modern. You could bring it into d20 Gamma world and even my updated D20 Star Frontiers. The hoffman institute is alive and well.