Empathic Sourcebook: The DC Companion

Any and all discussion about Dark Conspiracy, the RPG of modern conspiracy horror
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manodogs
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Empathic Sourcebook: The DC Companion

Post by manodogs »

Why didn't anyone tell me the Empathic Sourcebook was the Companion to the 1st-Ed.? Did everyone else know this?

This renders about half the stuff I've been doing moot, but that's a good thing for so many reasons, not least of which being that I can get back to focusing solely on developing a campaign setting, instead of worrying about rules changes and addenda!

Further, the flawed system is one of the biggest gripes. I think a whole lot of people would reconsider Dark Conspiracy if they knew the Empathic Sourcebook literally rewrites the system. That being said, I haven't actually tried any of it. I wasn't even aware a d20-based system was out there until very recently. The ES notes it is the end-all, be-all, superseding even the d20 rules provided in the PC Booster Kit - another item I was not aware of - and a very important sidenote.

If y'all will be so kind as to either tell me all of the line, or point me in the right direction, I'd like to list it and give brief synopses of each - or link to somewhere which does (and I'm unaware of any). Again, I had absolutely 0 idea the ES covered anything outside its namesake and it mentions how Minion Nation contains a glossary - yet another tidbit people should know that I didn't.
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ReHerakhte
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Post by ReHerakhte »

A listing can be found here http://demonground.org/game+systems/dar ... fault.aspx
However, you have to register with the site to view the contents of the book lists and forums and I don't know if it is still being administered (i.e I'm not certain if they are still allowing people to register although I 'assume' they are). You'll also find that the Demonground e-zine was exclusively Dark Conspiracy material until later (when it started to support other horror games) and it's worth downloading all the issues just to see what other fans of the game came up with.

That being said, try here (even if you can get access to Demonground) because the listing includes a more comprehensive rundown of each book etc. etc. http://www.waynesbooks.com/DarkConspiracy.html

I wouldn't bother too much about the D20 system as listed in the PC Booster Kit, it was pretty poor and just an experiment for GDW while they were on their way to the D20 system as used in Twilight: 2000 version 2.2 (which became their 'house' rules system).
The Empathic Sourcebook basically brought the Twilight 2.2 D20 system into Dark Conspiracy.

Cheers,
Kevin
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manodogs
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Thanks!

Post by manodogs »

Thanks Kevin,

I knew about those two, so maybe I just missed it.

For those (like myself) who don't know, the Empathic Sourcebook is literally like finding the missing middle section of the core book - it's as if you suddenly realized whole chapters had been stuck together all these years. It is the DMG to the core book's PHB, to use D&D terms.

I've been very forthright across the Web as to my experience with the game, which has not really made me any friends, but... whatever. The truth is, Dark Conspiracy always held my fascination for some reason, and though I keep coming back to it throughout the years, I always felt like I was completely missing something - I just never could get comfortable with it.

Regardless of what some may think, having read others' opinions of the game, I know that most people share my feelings when I say the game - as originally presented in the core book, alone - is severely lacking. The system is cumbersome and inaccurate, and the background information is scant, contradictory, and flat-out confusing. There was simply too much to cover in a single tome, but way too much room was given to transportation rules and the whole introductory adventure could have been cropped. You really shouldn't need more than one book to provide a system but that's an editorial opinion and notwithstanding. ES provides basically everything the main rulesbook left out.

Mind you, I'm not raving as to the quality, as I'm barely 40 pages in and I skipped several large chunks of the systematics at the front; right now, I'm simply saying that the Empathic Sourcebook is the second half to the Dark Conspiracy game. Whether or not it's any good is always debatable, but this single book answers the two biggest and most oft-repeated complaints as to system and background.

This is nothing like the Chill book to the Chill Companion. There, the Companion really expands the game, but technically isn't necessary. I would say the Empathic Sourcebook is absolutely crucial to Dark Conspiracy. I'm sure some will disagree, but I'd have to hear their reasons why. The more I read of it, the more things literally make sense! ES contains vital information for the game that no troupe should be without and I absolutely view all of the sessions I've played prior to be lacking.

Again, while books like DarkTek and so forth expand the game (give you more options and help cement the overall tone, atmosphere, etc.), the Empathic Sourcebook completes the game and no one who has played without it has truly experienced Dark Conspiracy.
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ReHerakhte
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Post by ReHerakhte »

I think the biggest problem is not a fault of the game or designers as such but due simply to the end of GDW. Any other books that might have been planned, were obviously cancelled (like the Armor 21 expansion for the Twilight: 2000 game). Lester Smith once stated (I'm paraphrasing here) that Dark Conspiracy was not meant to be one single horror style or genre, but a vehicle that could happily be any and as many as you wanted.

For that to work, GDW supplied the broadest background for the game rather than the more specific type of background that we see in say Call of Cthulhu. I get the feeling that they always intended more books and scenarios to flesh things out but as mentioned, with the end of GDW we suffer the end of Dark Conspiracy material... except for what we fans produce of course!
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manodogs
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GDW's Demise

Post by manodogs »

Yes, this was literally at the end of GDW. I'm sure I'm only about half-right, but I know Dangerous Journeys came just months afterward - right at the same, general time is what I'm saying - and DJ is what ended GDW (TSR sued them). A lot of people, myself included, have pointed to this as the major downfall of the game and system; it really is a major factor, but the Empathic Sourcebook covers almost every major sticking-point I, and many others, have had as to missing system components.

What you are saying as to it being a "general" horror concept is very interesting. I did not know that before reading what you wrote, but it makes a lot of sense - it kind of changes the way you think of it, at least for me.

But (and I appreciate that you understand what I am saying, so this is just for edification and anyone else) what I mean about the Empathic Sourcebook being the second part of the game, and what I'm talking about when I say a better resource detailing what information is available in each book in the line is needed, is that ES contains far more information about the game, in general, than you can find in any description online.

(BTW, I'm not 100%, but I think I have a login to DG, however I couldn't get into it, so I might not - I don't know what they have there; Wayne's Books has the back cover blurb, which is insufficient; I got my copy from Amazon, and the info they have there doesn't tell you all this, either.)

ES does exactly what the blurb says, re: expanding EMP and Empathic Skills, detailing the Empathic Underground (which some of us renamed the Resistance - at least I did and I've seen others since then. I don't know if others were taking after me or we all just kind of did it similarly at the same time [which happens more often than you'd think], and I bring that up because the reason I did it is because I was never comfortable calling it the "Empathic Underground" because I had no real idea where to go with that; if anyone followed my lead, that's the only reason I did it, but I think "Resistance" fits better anyway), and so on along those lines.

However, the entire second chapter is The D20 System Introduction, which includes Char. Generation Changes, Combat Notes, Difficulty Levels, NPC notes, WPR Effects on EMP Power Levels, and more - e.g., specific system changes having nothing to do with EMP. Oh, and that niggling problem with FEAR? Covered (p. 8). It also includes notes on roleplaying ETs, Renegade ET Careers...

I mean, none of this is mentioned anywhere! Had I known the Empathic Sourcebook provided this much information above and beyond EMP - specifically information so many of us complained was missing to begin with, stuff we have been designing because the core system lacked it - I would have bought ES back when it came out!

Also, for anyone wondering, I'm very pleased that the expansions and rules addenda I've offered (and still do) are very congruent with the system; the FEAR mechanic is almost exactly the same as I'd written it prior to seeing it here. Just to cover my butt also, I had no idea that was here and absolutely no one has ever mentioned it, so I wasn't trying to reprint information (rights holders); the fact that my system is so close to this one is a testament to how well I understand the mechanics and nothing more. While I haven't playtested the UMC Expansion, for instance, you can be sure it works well; I understand what I knew of the system at least as well as I thought I did, so the material works. I don't know how well, but it's not going to disrupt your game or anything.

Sorry for rambling, but it's a lengthy subject. To recap:

The Empathic Sourcebook is a necessary "companion" to the core book, which covers most all of the "missing" information I, and many others, have complained was missing and have introduced House Rules to compensate for. From what I understand, though cannot confirm as I have neither of them, the 2nd-Ed. books contain the information as part of one of the two, core tomes; if you have the 2nd-Ed., you shouldn't have to buy ES.

I have no idea why no one ever bothered to mention that this info is here, if they knew it.
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