SpaceMaster has become something of a Holy Grail for me. It is one of my favourite roleplaying systems - imagine, RoleMaster and a science fiction background! - but I've never actually played in it. Well, once, but that doesn't count when I knew the system better than the GM, and was in danger of taking over the entire story just so that the evening didn't go to waste. So, like the Champions system, I've always liked SpaceMaster, but never actually played a campaign in it.

Hopefully, I'll be able to correct that in a few weeks. I have been pondering this SpaceMaster campaign with a rather unique world, and perhaps I'll finally get to play - or, at least GM - something in SpaceMaster.

The major flaw of SpaceMaster - it uses the d100 +modifier -modifier refer-a-chart roll-a-critical system of Rolemaster - is actually twofold. First and foremost, the concept of cybernetics is just sort of deferred to another supplement or book or whatever. It just says "the GM must determine what is plausible when it comes to cybernetics". Probably a decision based on the fact that ICE did have the Cyberpunk setting that would just slide rules-wise into SpaceMaster, and they probably wanted sales on that as well. Darn annoying nevertheless. The other flaw is the same flaw that all ICE games that uses the RoleMaster/SpaceMaster game mechanic has - you want access to a Xerox machine to be able to play the system fast, since everyone needs their most common tables for easy reference. It's either that, or tear your books apart looking for the various tables. Me, I prefer the Xeroxing to the tearing, thank you very much.