Tarsus: World Beyond the Frontier is an adventure published by Game Designers' Workshop in 1983 for the science fiction role-playing game Traveller. It is the first of five publications in the Traveller Modules series.[1]
| World Beyond the Frontier | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Cover art by David Deitrick | |
| Designers | |
| Publishers | Game Designers' Workshop |
| Publication | 1983 |
| Genres | Science-fiction |
| Systems | Classic Traveller |
Description
editTarsus is a module that contains several adventures set on the planet Tarsus,[2] as well as a large amount of background information about the planet.[3]
Publication history
editTraveller was published in 1977, and immediately became highly popular. A large number of supplements, expansions and adventures were published for it. Tarsus, written by Marc W. Miller and Loren K. Wiseman, and published by GDW in 1983 as a boxed set with cover art by David Deitrick, was the first in a series of five "modules" published by GDW that contained larger adventures and additional materials.[2]
Reception
editAndy Slack reviewed Tarsus for White Dwarf #50, giving it an overall rating of 9 out of 10, and stated that "Tarsus is an excellent adventure for the beginning band - either of new players or of new characters - but considering the time it took me to sort it out, it may be too complex for new GMs. I refrain from giving it an overall 10 because of the lack of adequate cross-referencing and weather tables, and inconsistent hex numbering on the subsector map."[4]
Frederick Paul Kiesche III reviewed Tarsus in Space Gamer No. 68.[2] Kiesche commented that "Tarsus (and the concepts behind it) are an exciting new area to be explored in the Traveller universe. I am looking forward to more modules such as this one [...] There's nothing like injecting new blood into an already-lively universe."[2]
In his 1990 book The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games, game critic Rick Swan called this "an ambitious boxed set ... an excellent introduction for newcomers and an exciting package for veterans."[3]
In a retrospective review of Tarsus: World Beyond the Frontier in Black Gate, John ONeill said "Tarsus isn't meant to be a fully fleshed-out adventure pack in the modern sense. It's more of what we'd call a sandbox setting today — a cleverly designed setting that doesn't require players to follow a script to have fun, but rather encourages them to pursue their own interests, and has lots of rewards for players who do just that."[5]
Other reviews
edit- Different Worlds #34 (May/June, 1984)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Miller, Marc (2010). Guide to Classic Traveller (1 ed.). USA: Far Futures.
- ^ a b c d Kiesche III, Frederick Paul (March–April 1984). "Capsule Reviews". Space Gamer (68). Steve Jackson Games: 39–40.
- ^ a b Swan, Rick (1990). The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 224.
- ^ Slack, Andy (February 1984). "Open Box". White Dwarf. No. 50. Games Workshop. p. 13.
- ^ "How Much Adventure Can Fit on One Planet? Find Out in Tarsus: World Beyond the Frontier – Black Gate". 24 April 2018.