RPG

Average customer rating:

A book that is worth the price.
Helpfull for relearning RPG
Must have.
Great RPG IV book
RPG IV

The Modern RPG IV Language
Robert Cozzi
Manufacturer: Mc Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Free-Format RPG IV: How to Bring Your RPG Programs Into the 21st Century
Subfiles in RPG IV : Rules, Examples, Techniques, and Other Cool Stuff
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ASIN: 1583470646

Book Description

Cozzi on everything RPG! What more could you want?

In this fourth edition of The Modern RPG IV Language, internationally recognized RPG expert Bob Cozzi takes his classic best seller to a whole new level. At close to 700 pages, this edition covers all of the new functions and facilities available in V5R4 RPG IV while keeping the straightforward, no-nonsense style that has kept this book on the best-seller list for almost 20 years. This new edition is guaranteed to keep Bob Cozzi as the leading expert on RPG, and his book the one turned to by countless developers worldwide.

This new edition of The Modern RPG IV Language is packed with new information including new, never-before published information on coding free-format RPG IV. Chapter 12 delves into free-format in detail as he discusses MOVE alternatives, date and time conversions, data structures, and more. And to give you even more exposure to free-format, he has converted many of the examples throughout the book to free-format code. Add to that XML, CGI, and subprocedure information, and you have a book that no "modern" RPG programmer can be without.

Even with all the new material, the basic concept of the book remains the same. As with previous editions, The Modern RPG IV Language, 4th Edition takes you through RPG IV, from its foundation to its most advanced techniques. At the core of this book are its chapters on built-in functions and op codes. In these chapters, Cozzi details each built-in function and op code with syntax tables that give you all the information you need at a glance plus examples to help you as you code.

This is much more than just a book on rules, however. Bob includes more than 400 charts and tables to show how those rules apply and provides more than 500 real-life code examples of functions and operations. You’ll turn to this book again and again as you program in RPG IV. It is the quintessential reference for every RPG programmer.

What's New in This Edition?

> Free-format syntax, including an entire chapter focused on this highly popular subject

> Free-format examples throughout the book

> Expanded information on subprocedures XML support, including new BIFs and op codes

> Web programming with RPG, including CGI APIs and URL encoding
> Updated and revised content throughout the book to cover i5/OS V5R4

Within the pages of this book, you will find:

• The basics of RPG IV, including data types, indicators, constants, and directives

• Detail on all of the specification types

• A complete discussion of expressions and how they should be used

• Every built-in function

• Every op code

• Options for organizing your program with source files, modules, and storage

• A discussion on modern operation code optimization

• An explanation of structured programming and how to apply it effectively in RPG

• Instructions on how to code inter-module communications

• Everything you need to know about procedures

• An entire chapter on the alternate syntax options now available—most notably Free-Format

Customer Reviews:

A book that is worth the price........2007-02-06

This book is very easy to read as the layout is very structured. It is a good reference book for RPG programmers.

Helpfull for relearning RPG.......2006-03-27

I just started working in RPG again after not having practized RPG so much for about 7 years and decided to buy this book to refresh me.

The book is of a great help and covers all the things I wanted in it and adding to that is very well organized and it's easy to find what you are looking for.

Must have........2005-11-14

If you have been writing RPG for years or are now finding that you need to learn it for a new job this book will be your best friend.

Great RPG IV book.......2001-06-29

Robert Cozzi always writes great RPG books. This is another one of them. Excellent quick reference for programmers. Must have book.

RPG IV.......2000-09-12

This is the one Will! Great examples. Great explanations. OpCodes in alpha order for quick reference. Buy it.

Average customer rating:

Never Received
CRAP!!!
Not for beginners
Where I learned RPG
Excellent RPG Reference

Programming in RPG IV, Third Edition
Bryan Meyers , and Judy Yaeger
Manufacturer: 29th Street Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Control Language Programming for the AS/400 (2nd Edition)
Subfiles in RPG IV : Rules, Examples, Techniques, and Other Cool Stuff
The Modern RPG IV Language
Complete CL: The Definitive Control language Programming Guide
SQL/400 Developer's Guide

ASIN: 1583040943

Book Description

The latest edition of this best-selling textbook has been fully revamped to cover the RPG IV language in Version 5. Plenty of coding examples illustrate the new free-format Calculation Specifications, as well as the latest built-in functions and other features of today's RPG IV. "Programming in RPG IV" represents all the facets of RPG IV needed by today's professional programmers in a comprehensive, readable guide appropriate for both professionals and students.

Customer Reviews:

Never Received.......2005-10-05

Book was out of stock, i found out a week after I ordered it.

CRAP!!!.......2005-07-14

I'm learning RPG in AS/400 right now. I have a good working knowledge of C++, VB, and PHP, but I can tell you now that learning RPG has been the hardest because my class uses this god forsaken book. It's like trying to learn Aramaic, it's very old and it has a lot of different quirks about it that prevent you from doing anything other than sifting through your code, trying to figure out what went wrong. Usually though, it's a problem with the AS/400 and not your code at all. This book has crappy examples and reads like an instruction manual from Tiawan. I'm down to my last day of college, and I have three programs to do or I don't graduate, in other words, I'm screwed, and this book is no help whatsoever. If you are a teacher looking into a new book for teaching this stuff, don't get this one. If, for some reason, you are actually trying to learn this crap on your own, DO NOT GET THIS BOOK!!! Paleolithic language, with a book about it written by robots. It would be easier to learn Japanese...

Not for beginners.......2004-03-04

I purchased this book while in College and attempted to use it several times to program in RPG, however, the lack of extensive examples and the lack of explaination towards older RPG code has caused me to look for something more useful. I had a lot of trouble trying to learn from this book, althought it may be ok as a reference.

Where I learned RPG.......2001-11-20

I was brought into the IT world through RPG. I was stolen from the business side and thrown into RPG with no schooling or experience. This book got me through the darkest hours of frustration. It is like an old friend. Examples are easy to follow. And, it isn't for people who need a little knowledge in AS/400-speak. It is for people who want to write programs.

Excellent RPG Reference.......2001-07-05

I've used this book as my main reference at work and around 9 times out of 10, it has answered my questions. If I did not find it in the book, certainly IBM's website came to the rescue. However, the book paid for itself after I got the answer to my third question:-)

I would have rated it 4.5 stars because there is a slight room for improvement, but it paid for itself already! While most of the code samples are quite clear, some topics would have been better explained in the context of a small but complete program. The addition of a few COMPLETE program samples e.g. maintenance/subfile/table handling etc. (not code snippets) with annotations would bring the book closer to perfection.

Free-Format RPG IV: How to Bring Your RPG Programs Into the 21st Century
Average customer rating:

Free-Format RPG IV - How to bring your RPG programs into the 21st Century

a procedural and somewhat restricted language

Everything I expected

Free-Format RPG IV

Great RPG IV book

Free-Format RPG IV: How to Bring Your RPG Programs Into the 21st Century
Jim Martin
Manufacturer: Mc Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

RPG | Languages & Tools | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
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The Modern RPG IV Language

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Subfiles in RPG IV : Rules, Examples, Techniques, and Other Cool Stuff

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Complete CL: The Definitive Control language Programming Guide

ASIN: 1583470557

Book Description

What could be more important than upgrading your RPG skills? Traditional fixed-format style RPG IV programmers everywhere are embracing the increased productivity, better readability, and easier program maintenance that comes with the free-format style of programming in RPG IV. This book, a "how-to" guide and the first of its kind, will provide you with concise and thorough information on this powerful new way of coding RPG IV.

Though free-format information is available in IBM manuals, it is not separated from everything else, thereby requiring hours of tedious research to track down the information you need. With this book, your search is over. Free-Format RPG IV is the "one-stop" resource that will save you time and frustration. In it, you'll find everything you need to know to write RPG IV in the free-format style.

Author Jim Martin not only teaches rules and syntax, but also explains how this new style of coding has the potential to improve overall programmer productivity—from initial development through maintenance. He methodically covers the "how to" involved in free-format RPG IV, including many style issues, such as named indicators and built-in functions. He also addresses input and output, program flow, data manipulation, and math operations. There is even a chapter on prototyping and APIs.

Free-Format RPG IV is the definitive guide on the topic and just what you need to get started with this exciting, powerful style of programming.

With Free-Format RPG IV you will:

- Learn not only the "how-to," but also the "why" of free-format RPG IV

- Acquire essential, free-format style tips to help you write good, maintainable code

- Find complete-program solutions for specific problems, including associated display and printer files

- Discover how upgrading your RPG skills to free-format can take your programming career to the next level.

Customer Reviews:

Free-Format RPG IV - How to bring your RPG programs into the 21st Century.......2007-01-10

This book is good for the developer that just needs to know the new syntax for the opcodes and new %BIF's. The examples are clear, but not every situation. I think overall it was good. It took me from standard RPG IV to free format and it was pretty painless.

a procedural and somewhat restricted language.......2006-11-05

Not being an RPG programmer, this book did not thrill me much. I guess it may be different if you are already an RPG programmer or want to be one. But coming from a background of C, C++ and Java, I found RPG 4 to be somewhat restricted. It has the feel of a scripting language, or perhaps of Basic. It is nicely optimised for some file operations, granted.

But there seems to be little object oriented ability in the language. Mostly procedural. Given this, it is unclear how easy it can be to write long RPG programs. Or to integrate programs with routines written by many programmers.

The book's subtitle refers to bringing your code into the 21st century. But RPG 4 is still very much behind C++, Java or C#. Look, if you are indeed an RPG programmer, instead of getting irate about these comments, you should perhaps check out the other languages. They are far more versatile.

Everything I expected.......2006-08-14

This book is one of those examples of "all good things come in small packages". It is a very pleasant read and excellent for reference. Besides the free format syntax, the book also explains other things such as the use and syntax of Built In Functions and some aspects of ILE. Highly recommend this book to anybody thinking of using RPG Free.

Free-Format RPG IV.......2006-03-22

A very clear and concise book. Author knows his topic well and explains everything is very clear language. Strongly recommend for any programmer working with this new and exciting version of RPG.

Great RPG IV book.......2005-08-01

This book has been a great help in switching our new development to free format. It is filled with coding examples that clearly illustrate the free format syntax. It also provides insight into good coding techniques. All in all, a great book for the modern RPG programmer.

Deluxe Dungeon Master's Screens (Dungeon & Dragons Roleplaying Game: RPG Accessories)

Average customer rating:

Not bad if you can find it under 10 bucks w/ shipping
Cool, but not necessary
Never shipped
Nice, but pricey
It ain't that bad -- it's actually pretty good

Deluxe Dungeon Master's Screens (Dungeon & Dragons Roleplaying Game: RPG Accessories)
Wizards of the Coast
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Misc. Supplies

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Dungeons & Dragons Core Rulebook Set (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Three Book Slipcased Set)
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Monster Manual: Core Rulebook III (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Spell Compendium (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

ASIN: 0786934220
Release Date: 2004-01-01

Book Description

A Dungeon Master 2-pack that includes both a new D&D screen and a bonus d20 Modern screen -- in landscape format with new art.

Useful to anyone running any type of roleplaying campaign, this Deluxe Dungeon Master Screens 2-pack contains both a Dungeons & Dragons screen and a bonus screen for the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game.

The tables on the back of the Dungeon Master's Screen have been revised and updated to comply with the changes made in the new version 3.5 core rulebooks released in 2003.

Every table includes a page number reference you can use to look up more detailed information. You’ll also find some tables modified specifically for this screen that will help you get the information you need as quickly as possible during play.

Also included is a bonus four-panel screen geared toward the action-packed world of your d20 Modern campaign. Because both screens fully support the d20 System, they can be used separately or together by an experienced Dungeon Master or Gamemaster.

Customer Reviews:

Not bad if you can find it under 10 bucks w/ shipping.......2007-05-09

The tables include:

-Equipment hardness/hitpoints
-Substance hardness/hitpoints
-Break/Burst DCs
-Items affected by magical attacks
-Size and AC of objects
-Object hardness/hitpoints
-Wall stats
-Door stats
-Turning undead
-Increase/Decrease weapon damage by size
-Attack roll modifiers
-AC modifiers
-Influencing NPC attitudes
-Missing w/ a thrown weapon figure
-Climb check DCs
-Listen check DCs
-Combat Actions (AoO)
-Concentration Check DCs
-Skills list (Armor check, AoO)
-Ability modifiers
-Movement and Distance
-Hampered movement
-Armored/Encumbered speeds
-Max distance for spot checks
-Detect Magic stats
-Detect Evil stats
-Light sources and illumination

While the list is comprehensive, I was looking for some random encounter tables, oh well. The screen is short and while I didn't think that would be an issue, it is. I'm now paperclipping the D20 Modern screen (which has a few D&D relevant things on it, but not many) on top of the D&D one (they're the same size exactly).

Cool, but not necessary.......2007-04-03

Cool looking, but you could do without them. Nice quick info on inside, but again could do without.

Never shipped.......2007-02-08

We ordered this a month ago. We kept waiting and checking.. not shipped yet. Wait some more, not shipped yet. The item said "usually ships in 1 to 2 weeks" however, in 4 weeks, still "not shipped yet". Recomend if you want this, to buy it somewhere else. We ended up canceling this order and getting it somewhere else. Amazon doesn't know how to ship this particualr item.

Nice, but pricey.......2007-01-12

The charts selected for the inside of the screen are surprisingly useful; basically, they selected a lot of the things that most frequently come into play during a dungeon crawl, but that most people wouldn't bother to learn or remember. Things like various item and material hardnesses, common modifiers to AC, various types of actions and whether they provoke Attacks of Opportunity, skills, movement penaltes, light, and auras for both magic and evil/good. The creators were thoughtful enough to include the book and page number for various charts in case you need to get more info. On the downside, as other reviews mentioned it is surprisingly short for a screen, and pretty high-priced considering what you get. Yeah, yeah; you get a bonus D20 modern screen. Wow. I'd say that seven bucks would be a more reasonable price; five if it didn't come with a D20 modern screen.

It ain't that bad -- it's actually pretty good.......2006-09-22

Generally my opinion is that a screen is a screen is a screen. However, this screen is actually better than most. I like the landscape, 4-panel format because it means I can see and be seen over the screen, while it still hides my map, my notepad and my dice rolls. It also has a better center of gravity since it is lower and wider, which means it almost never falls over, even when struck by a handful of dice or my marauding 18-month old. That is not a claim that most portrait-oriented screens can make.

Is the screen a black-out room and cone of silence rolled into one? Of course not. If you need the full height of the older-styled 11" screens, this one won't work for you. But really, if you are playing with people who can't keep their eyes off the occasional flash of paper behind the DM's screen, don't blame the screen; get new friends.

For my part, the most important part is that WoTC (a company I don't think much of normally) actually gave some thought to what was on the screen. The inside is well thought out, with useful charts and tables easy to hand. Easily the best part is the full listing of all actions, and whether they are free, standard, or movement equivalent, and whether they provoke an Attack of Opportunity or not. The table with hardness ratings for standard items is also useful for those spur-of-the-moment actions when the PCs want to break down a random door, chop that chest open, or split a table in two.

Normally I wouldn't bother to review a screen, but this one has such an unfairly low rating that I almost feel sorry for it. It's a good product; I use it in every session, it keeps the players' eyes off the important stuff, and it's durable enough that even after 2 years of use it's in quite good shape. If for some reason you don't have a screen already, you could do a lot worse than this one.

Mutants & Masterminds: RPG - 2nd Edition

Average customer rating:

Me like !!
Mutants and Masterminds- 2nd edition
THE Supers RPG, Period.
Better everytime
"90% of what HERO can do, 10% of the work"

Mutants & Masterminds: RPG - 2nd Edition
Steve Kenson , and Ramon Perez
Manufacturer: Green Ronin Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Mutants & Masterminds: Freedom City - 2nd Edition (Mutants & Masterminds)
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Player's Handbook II (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

ASIN: 1932442529

Book Description

Mutants & Masterminds has been called "the best, most exciting superhero RPG in years." It sets "new standards in design and presentation." It has won multiple ENnie and Pen & Paper Awards and it appeared on every critic's "best of" list for 2002. Now the World's Greatest Super-hero Roleplaying Game is even better! Mutants & Masterminds, Second Edition, takes the best of the original edition and supercharges it to make it the most complete, detailed, and fun super-hero game yet! In this 256-page hardcover with a stunning new cover by Ramon Perez, you'll find a complete roleplaying game that's a perfect starting point for your own comic book adventures. Mutants & Masterminds, Second Edition, has everything you need to create your own super-heroes and villains. It also offers more than a dozen ready-made super-hero archetypes and even more ready-to-use super-villain archetypes, plus two introductory adventures so you can start playing right away. Don't let your super-powers fall behind! Mutants & Masterminds, Second Edition, will take your game (and your heroes) to the next level!

Customer Reviews:

Me like !!.......2007-05-13

Very good superheros rpg, rules aren't too complicated, art is beautifull.I prefer it at Aberrant or Champions. Good buy.

Mutants and Masterminds- 2nd edition.......2007-03-24

The product arrived quickly and in excellent condiditon. I will deffinetly look into buying fromt this seller in the future

THE Supers RPG, Period........2006-12-31

Ok, first, I want to say I've been in RPGs for over 25 years. Starting with AD&D. I've GMed Champions, Godlike, BESM and other RPGs. Played WAY too many over the years, too.
This is the game that "gets" Super Hero action. Fast combat, easy mechanics, well written rules.... I love it. The detail for character creation is just right, IMHO. The book itself, is well laid out, lots of terrific artwork supporting the "feel" of the genre.
The game is based on the "d20" system, but instead of using a bunch (d4, d8, etc) of different dice, you use ONLY the twenty sided die. Characters are created thru a point-buy system and not thru random rolls (something I perfer, but it's not everyone's cup-o-tea). The book itself is well laid out, starting with Hero Creation. Sample characters are provided.
The rest of the book breaks down/ explains skills, lists all the powers, combat, equipment...it's all here. A vast improvement over the 1st edition.

Better everytime.......2006-08-09

The system is perfect. Flexible be simple. Great book too. Arts a little lite, so buy for the game not for collection.

"90% of what HERO can do, 10% of the work".......2006-07-10

When I heard this little phrase, I couldn't believe my ears. But it's true.

My background is thus: I've been playing superhero RPGs for around 10 years, including MEGS (DC Heroes and Blood of Heroes), Champions 3rd-5th (AKA HERO), Truth & Justice, Marvel FASERIP, Marvel Universe RPG, and Marvel SAGA. Maybe a couple others, but these are the ones that spring to mind first. Oh, I also played Mutants & Masterminds 1st Edition.

Save a few minor nitpicks, Mutants and Masterminds leaves them all in the dust.

Mutants and Masterminds 2nd Edition (from now on called M&M2E) is an OGL game based on the most popular game system on the market, d20. Those not familiar with d20 may have some trouble navigating this review, but any Dungeons & Dragons knowledge will (hopefully) suffice.

M&M uses the same Ability Scores and much of the same systems as core d20 - Stats, Skills, Feats, Saves, Base Attack, and Defense. The method with which the characters acquire them is different though, as all have a price tag. All the elements of a character are bought with Power Points (PP)

M&M2E is remarkable on it's ability to balance out superheroes, as it uses a Power Level (PL) system which indicates how high a character's bonuses can go. A PL 10 character can't have an Attack, Defense, Damage, Toughness, or have those effects raised by Powers higher than +10. This doesn't limit the characters to be statistically identical, it's possible to trade off (having a maximum Toughness of +8 and Defense of +12, for example).

All sorts of Superheroes can be built, including Batman or Punisher, all still balanced with the Hulk or Superman clone.

While based on d20, it looks much different from core d20. How different? Well, let's just say I don't like core d20 and I like M&M2E. Not enough? Well:

Point buy character creation: Instead of rolling dice to determine ability scores, characters are built with a pool of PP (usually 150).

No Classes: Fighter, Mage, Thief, Cleric. None of these or superheroic variations of these are in M&M2E. All sorts of characters can be built with the ruleset, but there is no "classes" scheme.

One Die: the d20. It's friends (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d100) never make an appearance. The whole game is built around using a d20.

No Attacks of Opportunity: That's right, none at all. For those of you who don't know what AoO are, consider yourself lucky.

No Minis: meaning that there aren't any rules for playing with miniatures. There are plenty of combat tactics and maneuvers, just no support for minis.

No Hit Points: Characters in M&M have a Toughness Save mechanic that works much like the other Saving Throws. There are no hit points.

Hero Points: Are a resource mechanic that allows characters to perform "heroic" deeds and tip the balance in their favor.

Here is a quick summation of what was updated from 1st to 2nd, to help out those who might be considering upgrading:

*Ability Scores: now scale from 1 to infinity, without any mechanical split between abilities and superabilities.

*Attack/Defense: Now are bought independent of ability scores (Str and Dex don't modify attack or defense)

*Skill cost: Skill cost has went from 1PP/1 skill point to 1PP/4 skill points.

*Feat cost: Feats now cost 1PP/feat rather than 2PPs/feat

*Powers: Powers have been simplified, and now are less buildy and more pick and play.

*Weaknesses: Weaknesses are replaced with Drawbacks and Complications. Drawbacks give extra PPs at character creation, Complications give a way for characters to gain more Hero Points through playing to negative aspects of their character.

*Hero Points: Heroes acquire Hero Points dependant on adventure rather than level as in 1E

Now that I've gotten through the meat of the review, I'll go on to state my slight issues with the system (and the reason I gave the game 4 stars instead of 5).

The d20: Without the d20, the game would be much less OGL, but I feel the system suffers for having a large linear resolution system. I'm happier if my character's outcomes are more predictable. I'd have been much happier with some sort of bell curve (3d6 would be awesome). If you don't see this as a problem, by all means disregard it. I hear the Mastermind's Manual has support for changing the die type to 3d6, so I'll most likely get that and implement it's suggestions.

My second issue is pretty selfish: The deluxe edition I bought has foil lettering on the cover which is falling apart. I handled the book very well for the time I've had it, so I believe it was some sort of printing error. Still, I don't like spending an extra $20 for a cover that ended up falling apart. I emailed Green Ronin to no avail (they didn't even respond). For this reason, I think people should buy the original edition rather than the deluxe, so others don't have to share in my anguish.

That being said, if deciding which game to play Superheroes, you can pick many worse places to start than M&M2E. I heartily recommend it to all my comic-book-fan friends looking into RPGs for the first time.

RPG IV Jump Start, Fourth Edition: Your Guide to the New RPG

Average customer rating:

small pages, but soothfast contents
A Small Dynamo of RPG IV ILE information

RPG IV Jump Start, Fourth Edition: Your Guide to the New RPG
Bryan Meyers
Manufacturer: 29th Street Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Free-Format RPG IV: How to Bring Your RPG Programs Into the 21st Century
The Modern RPG IV Language
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Programming in RPG IV, Third Edition

ASIN: 1583040927

Book Description

Get the scoop on free-format RPG in the latest edition of this popular book, now updated for V5! This indispensable guide to RPG IV has been updated to include free-format C-specs, new built-in functions, and all the V5 features. A new appendix provides a complete, integrated reference to RPG IV's opcodes and BIFs -- a resource ven veteran programmers will appreciate.

Customer Reviews:

small pages, but soothfast contents.......2006-07-01

This book is a good book for rpg programmer to learn RPG IV.
There are many examples that are easy to understand.

A Small Dynamo of RPG IV ILE information.......2002-10-18

This is a 15 chapter, 3 appendixes book that is only 270 pages, yet it gets you into RPG ILE in a short span of time. The author does a great job of specifying the changes from RPG III to RPG IV. I like the way a chapter was devoted to each specification change from Header, File, D-spec, Input , to the Calc spec. There are chapters devoted to Free form expressions using the EVAL opcode and the book does a good job of covering the many variations of the EVAL expressions. The new RPG Built-in Functions are covered, where there is a conscious move to change from RPG III's use of conditioning and result indicators to RPG IV's appropriate Built-in Function, eg., use of %FOUND bif with the CHAIN opcode to return a true value when a record is found, whereas, in the RPG III way the resulting indicator was turned off when the record was successfully found. There is a chapter devoted to Procedures, Subprocedures, and Prototypes, and the author takes you through the process of declaring and defining the procedures in actual coding examples. There is a chapter devoted to the new date/time operations and date bif's. These go a long way to simplifying date handling operations that used to take several lines of code. All in all, a good jump start into RPG IV for the person with knowledge of RPG III.

Legend Of The Five Rings: Roleplaying Game (Legend of the Five Rings)

Average customer rating:

The Best of them yet!
I leave the boys alone...
in my humble opinion,
Great!!!!
Mythic Samurai Roleplaying at it's Best (Pete Melbournian)

Legend Of The Five Rings: Roleplaying Game (Legend of the Five Rings)
Rich Wulf , Shawn Carman , Seth Mason , Brian Yoon , Fred Wan , and L5R RPG
Manufacturer: AEG
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Secrets of the Dragon (Legend of the Five Rings)

ASIN: 1594720355

Book Description

Return to Rokugan, where honor is a force more powerful than steel.
For one thousand years, the Empire of Rokugan has stood as a bastion of nobility, honor, and virtue. These lands are ruled by the samurai, powerful heroes who carry the katana and wakizashi as their badge of rank. Eight Great Clans vie with one another for supremacy over these lands, all under the eye of the mighty Emperor. And to the south, the Shadowlands, the eternal enemy of Rokugan, waits for the next opportunity to disrupt all that these foolish mortals have built. It is a land of intrigue, wonder, and adventure.

Welcome to the third iteration of the Legend of the Five Rings Role-Playing Game. This player's guide will provide players and GM's with all of the setting, culture, and rules needed to create characters in the Legend of the Five Rings world and stage ongoing campaigns in Rokugan. While this book contains an updated version of the familiar rules, conversion rules will be included so that none of the many previous volumes set in this world will ever be obsolete.

The best Asian style fantasy setting roleplaying game of this generation returns to its roots with its release this summer. Legend of the Five Rings 3rd Edition returns focus to the Roll and Keep(R&K) system originally released in 1996. Conveying a deeper sense of realism, the R&K system best simulates the tension, reality, and lethality of Samurai drama. Look for it more information in the coming weeks here at L5R.com.

* Thrilling fantasy setting based on the myths and culture of Japan, China, and other Asian nations

* A new generation of the beloved Legend of the Five Rings roll and keep system.

* Streamlines existing rules without making previous products obsolete.

* Excellent sourcebook for Rokugani culture and history

Customer Reviews:

The Best of them yet!.......2007-02-05

I have to say, this is possibly the best L5R game to date that I have GMed. The game is fun and I love the roll & keep system. BTW the layout is not a problem, after reading all the negative reviews, i almost did not buy this game, but I took a chance and ordered it and am not disappointed for sure.... IT ROCKS! Compared to 1st edition L5R it is the best, fun and most enjoyable game to date, my only complaint is the NPC's section of the book is kinda slim and the GM gaming advice section is also slighted, but being a veteran GM for over 25+ years, its not a problem....You must also have the Creatures of Rokugan as well, this adds a whole lot more to the baddies, which the main book is slighted with....well you dont have to have it but its worth getting anyhow.
The Rokugan history is deep and keeps on getting bigger all the time, so get this game, its a great one.

I leave the boys alone..........2006-02-01

I think the best critique I can give is to say that this is the first game product I've purchased since I last saw my AEG buddies... GenCon of 2002. Probably 1/3 of the folks named on the front page of the book are known to me personally, though I dropped out of "the gaming scene" about 3 years ago. (OK, I'm a game junkie, and the itch finally came back.)

That being said, the book is beautiful. And I am THRILLED with the return to the original "roll & keep" system. (I hate d20 in all it's incarnations.) I have only 2 comments on the "con" side.

Like other reviewers, I have to say that this book suffers from an incredible lack of editing and proofing. Whole sections are missing, and I found places where proofing notes were made, and ADDED to the printed text. Additionally, you have to read the whole book... the book has 5 sections and 5 writers, and at times, it does read like they didn't talk to each other.

The other issue is the inclusion of "kata". At a glance, it's painfully unbalanced. I cringe at the thought of the actual play experience. I do not mean that kata are unbalancing, but rather, that they are not balanced amongst themselves. IE, no Crane player that wants to live should ever waste the points to purchase a Crane kata, and no Lion player should ever be without the kata available to the Lion.

Basic combat remains the same as it was in 1st edition, and the game adds a fair amount of complexity to character skills in this version. The most significant changes are in dueling and magic. The changes in dueling mean that the Kakita school is no longer the dueling juggernaut that they were previously, but this is probably a good thing. The only down side I see to it is that the Kakita bushi were not given a corresponding improvement in their skirmish combat, leaving the school diminished overall.

In the magic system, there's a notable shift. A lot of spells have changed, mostly to be reduced in power. This is off-set by the increase of 3 additional ranks in all shugenja schools. What this means is that shugenja are much weaker in the early levels than they were previously, but around 4th Rank, it balanaces out and shifts the other way. The only sad part is the loss of versatility, as most spells are now VERY restricted on the number of raises (a game mechanic for bettering your outcome) they may apply to a spell. Gone are the days of The Cresting Wave (one of the greatest feats of magic in the game world, which is now impossible to duplicate).

It is neither good nor bad, but there are a great deal of interesting choices for included information, vs. excluded information. In many cases, I hear that excluded info is scheduled for later releases; but quite often, the choices make me go "hmmm."

One of the things that I'm truly estatic about, however, is the information on Shadowlands Taint and Maho. These topics are vastly improved since 1st Edition, and are mostly laided out in an organized manner. And in the long-run, I think the history overviews will be a godsend. I've certainly gotten enough game ideas to torment my local players for years to come.

in my humble opinion,.......2005-11-23

Playing and loving L5R for almost a year now, I did have some expectations from the 3rd edition. The new version of the game is a mixed package so the review will be 2 sections: the good and the bad (no ugly =).

good: the book is gorgeous!! The art is classy and well done. The production value for this book is very high and at about 30 bucks it should be. Moving on, the content is dense and every page is filled with some sort of more or less useful or colorfull information about Rokugan(setting, the Empire) and its inhabitants. One of the highs (later a low) of this book is just how much of jam-packed info this tome contains, since you technically do not need any other book to start the adventures. Also a good index is definetely a plus as well as all the extra info on Rokugani life which make the game seem very colorful and deep.

bad: Actually some of the goods of this edition are also its own spoils (at least for me.) For example the art is indeed very good, however it feels exaggerated by showing the L5R world in a D&D-esque "super-fantasy" style. What makes L5R so captivating and engrossing is its vivid sence of realism, its griddy and very human life. The earlier edition had superb art in that respect which although being black and white showed very human samurai, and many times even delivered a mild culture shock as it had a very distinct oriental feel. That was the 1992's 1st edition though, and the 3rd version seems to have taken the fantasy, exaggerated pose, comic book feel approach to its art. Same goes for the rules however. After a careful study the book shows signs of catering to the bored-powergamer community. That is to say that gone is the focus on roleplaying and welcome is the emphasis on all those nifty, different, annoying and basicly the same ways to achieve some extraordinary combat result or "super-succeeding" in another way, instead of getting into your character or the story. The combat is somewhat prolonged as a result with more little tricks and quirks you can do which in my opinion just bog down the action and put your mind into the paper instead of the action. Also just as the amount of text is a plus it is also a minus as the player or the GM must weed through all the text just to find what they need (the poor organization of the chapters do not help either.)

So should one buy this book? Well, hard to say. If you like fantasy flare to your oriental RPG's and enjoy a combat and character system with loads of extras and peripherals, colorful art and somewhat spacy design, then by all mean the 3rd ed. is for you! If you are focused on a more realistic and story engrossing oriental RPG, with a simple combat and magic system, which puts the flexibility into your lap intead of into longer rules, the try the 1st edition L5R, "Legend of the Five Rings, Roleplaying in the Emerald Empire" (1992.) Its only 3-6 bucks right here on Amazon!!

Either way, L5R is a great rpg no matter what though so 1st or 3rd should just be a matter of preference. Too bad d20 has got the market on lockdown, there are a lot of whilting great rpgs out there...

Great!!!!.......2005-11-11

This is a great book. The L5R system is back, improved, and with no D20 present. The history is all here, although the summary is a bit brief (You'll probably want to get a more details from the 3 stroyline books, Time of the Void, Hidden Emperor, and Four Winds).
I would have given the book a 5, if not for the numerous typos. Mispellings and bad sentences are present throughout, and although they are not hard to figure out, they are annoying. What is a problem is the accidental retention (from an ealier phase of editing) of an entire section which not only was not supposed to be included, but outright contradicts info found elsewhere in the book. Shame on Alderac for skimping on quality control and copy checking.
Nevertheless, if you like RPGs, you should get this.

Mythic Samurai Roleplaying at it's Best (Pete Melbournian).......2005-10-31

This game is simply stupendous. The way it captures the magic of Samurai Cinema and anime action is uncanny (swordfighting, Duels of honour, bandit cheiftains, my Fu is better than your Fu battles in the streets, ghost-hunting, demon-hunting, evil-sorcerers, backstabbing politicians vieing for power, greedy and ambitious, and every truth is hidden behind a veil of lies).

The game mechanics are simple, easy to learn and fast flowing, using only a handful of ten sided dice. A characters skills and attributes are the basis for self improvement, increasing with use and experience. Additionally each Bushi (Samurai) school has techniques that are slowly learned to give the players characters an edge in combat, or in court. Shugenja (Priest-Wizards) pray to spirits, gods and ancestors to grain their magic, their magic can be as subtle as the breeze or as harsh as lightning, equally elemnental energies on their foes.

The Land of Rokugan is one steeped in tradtion. Their are strict rules of behaviour, honour is all important, and appearances are everything. The seven great clans are descended from gods. Thier childrens children vie for power and dominance across the land. There are ways of doing war, on the batlefiled, or in the halls of power withing the Imperial court. The courtiers are as feared and respected as teh generals of the great clans. Ninja are know to be a fable to scare children, yet black clad assassins stalk the night. Combat is swift and deadly.

To the south is the Shadowlands, a great blighted land ruled by a falled god Fu-Leng. Samurai remain ever vigilant for his legions of zombies, ogres, goblins and cthuloid horrors invading from the south. Shugenja remain ever prayerful, ever mindul of those of their number turning to corrupt, unspeakable magic in the quest for power.

Accross the Easter Seas, the Northern Mountains and Western Deserts are the land of the gaijin(foreigners). After a few missunderstandings, all foreigners are distrusted, feared and reviled as uncivlizied, traitorous and corrupt. The borders of Rokugan are closed to outsiders, by Imperial decree foreign cannon and muskets are outlawed, violations punichable by death.

All in all, this game, this world is one that can provide may years of satisfying roleplaying for any group. A understanding and passion for samurai fiction is a bonus, but not neccisary to enjoy this game.

THREE THUMBS UP.

Oh, and if you like this game, a must have additions is the "City of Lies" boxed campaign set.

Subfiles in RPG IV : Rules, Examples, Techniques, and Other Cool Stuff

Average customer rating:

The book which makes subfiles very clear
Great book
Decent book
Excellent learning tool...
THE subfile book for AS/400 RPG programmers

Subfiles in RPG IV : Rules, Examples, Techniques, and Other Cool Stuff
Kevin Vandever
Manufacturer: Mc Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1583470034

Book Description

This book begins with easy-to-understand explanations of subfile concepts then goes on to offer a bounty of practical examples, advanced techniques, and other cool stuff never before seen in subfile books. It is a comprehensive resource you will use over and over as you advance from basic subfile usage to gurulike mastery of subfile programming. For each topic, the book offers concepts, explanations, and practical examples you can use as templates for further development. These templates are fully functioning programs that include both DDS and RPG IV code from basic single-page display subfiles to powerful techniques like recursion, data queues, and embedded SQL. As an added bonus, each example is included on an accompanying CD-ROM, ready to copy to your AS/400. Mastering subfiles is often the defining moment in an RPG programmer's career. This book provides you with the concepts, styles, and advanced techniques using RPG IV and ILE that will enable you to become a subfile master in your own right. Upon completion of this book, you will be able to: Understand and use subfiles, manipulate database files using subfiles, display multiple subfiles on a screen, use a window subfile for selection lists, manage cursor placement within a subfile, use CL to send messages to a message subfile, use data queues with subfiles, sort a subfile dynamically using embedded SQL, use subprocedures with subfiles, and use recursive programming techniques to build subfiles.

Customer Reviews:

The book which makes subfiles very clear.......2007-02-06

This book is excellent. It is very thorough and easy to understand. There is sample code in every chapter so the concepts are very clear.

Great book.......2005-08-17

I have been using subfiles in RPGIV for many years - this book taught me some new tricks I wasn't aware of!

Decent book.......2002-03-01

As a programmer new to RPG 4 and programming for the AS/400, I needed help with subfiles. This book proved easy to read (I can't say I've read it through, but enough to get what I needed) and there are lots of helpful code examples. I used the sample program for a page-at-time subfile application almost verbatim to get started on one of my programs, which saved a considerable amount of time and effort. Overall this book has been quite useful for me.

Excellent learning tool..........2002-01-12

Book really explains subfiles in terms anyone can understand. The CD/ROM has sample code that you can use immediately as "models" to develop your own programs. Author does an excellent job of explaining how subfiles work. But if you are like me, you will develop several subfile "skeleton" programs for your own future use. That's where the examples can really help...

THE subfile book for AS/400 RPG programmers.......2000-07-27

This is THE subfile book for AS/400 RPG programmers.

Mr. Vandever approaches the subject with a sense of humor, lots of examples, and excellent technique. The examples are written in ILE RPG IV (RPG III programmers will find the book useful, as well), and do a nice job of showing off recent RPG IV enhancements by incorporating them in the examples.

Customer Reviews:

An organized, Strait forward approach to teaching RPG.......1999-09-13

This book was written in a well organized, strait forward fashion. There are no incomplete explanations like so many programming books out there contain. Also, the authors of this book do a great job of using real wold examples to illustrate how and when to use certain RPG 4 operations in business applications. Some examples I have run accross in other books are not appropriate , because they are not representative examples of how certain RPG operations are used in businesses.

Babylon 5: The Galactic Guide (Babylon 5 RPG)

Average customer rating:

Not what I expected

Babylon 5: The Galactic Guide (Babylon 5 RPG)
S. Kalvar
Manufacturer: Mongoose Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Babylon 5 | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1904577997

Book Description

The Galactic Guide to Babylon 5 is a huge resource for any Games Master or Player wishing to know more of the galaxy they operate in. Containing studies on ancient planets and races as well as detailing the varying political influences on the galaxy, this book will prove invaluable to all fans of the Babylon 5 universe. In addition, the Galactic Guide has rules for a variety of situations, circumstances and occurrences, collated into a readily accessible source. In short, there's something for just about everyone in the Babylon 5 Galactic Guide.

Customer Reviews:

Not what I expected.......2006-07-02

I ordered this, thinking it was a guide to the series in the same vein as guides for Star Trek or Star Wars. I discovered that it is a guide to a Babylon 5 role-playing game in which I have no interest. It's still informative and entertaining, but not as much so as I was expecting.

Programming Book:

Programming Book

Programming Book