Universalis Review

[deinol]

Just posted my Universalis Review: http://www.apathyblogs.com/2008/11/22/universalis/

[Valamir]

Hey thanks!

Its been a while since I've seen a review of the game.

I'm curious how you managed to get through two games without using the resolution system, however.  Do you mean the Challenge mechanics or the actual dice rolling in a Complication. 

If the former, I suspect you actually were those rules all the time, specifically the Negotation portion.

If the latter, I wonder if you were using the rules correctly, as all it takes to get into a Complication is having one players Component do something to another player's Component.  WIth all the fighting going on in your 80s cartoon mashup, I suspect there were lots of opportunities for that.

If you weren't using the dice rules, I would consider that a contributing factor to the difficulty in finding direction in your second game.  Complications are ESSENTIAL for establishing a solid direction to play.  They are so much more than who wins.  Collecting dice involves narrating the use of traits.  Justifying those traits is narrative gold in terms of establishing action.  Coming up with reasons for new Traits for dice is even more so.  And how those free dice get spent will really drive future play. 

Thanks again,

Ralph