- Hardcover: 159 pages
- Publisher: Wizards of the Coast (12 Sep 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0786943491
- ISBN-13: 978-0786943494
- Product Dimensions: 27.7 x 20.6 x 1.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,108,943 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Fresh update to a favorite campaign setting.
d20 Dark•Matter is a 160-page d20 Modern® supplement that updates the original Dark•Matter Campaign Setting (created for the Alternity® Science Fiction Roleplaying Game), making it fully compatible with the d20 Modern rules. It also includes some new content.
d20 Dark•Matter presents a world where devious organizations scheme for world domination, otherworldly forces infiltrate our power structures, and creatures from our nightmares lurk in the shadows. Working for a clandestine organization called the Hoffmann Institute, heroes explore hidden mysteries while eluding forces — both human and alien — that scheme to control the truth.
AUTHOR INFORMATION
WOLFGANG BAUR began his gaming career writing articles for Dungeon® and Dragon® magazines and eventually joined the magazine staff as an editor. He later worked as a game designer for TSR, Inc. and Wizards of the Coast, Inc. In 1998, he left Wizards to work at Microsoft. He currently freelances for Wizards and other RPG publishing companies.
MONTE COOK worked at TSR, Inc. and Wizards of the Coast, Inc. as a game designer before leaving to found his own game company, Malhavoc Press. He co-designed the 3rd-Edition Dungeons & Dragons® game and wrote the Dungeon Master’s Guide™. He also writes a regular Dungeon Master advice column in Dungeon magazine.
d20 Dark•Matter is a 160-page d20 Modern® supplement that updates the original Dark•Matter Campaign Setting (created for the Alternity® Science Fiction Roleplaying Game), making it fully compatible with the d20 Modern rules. It also includes some new content.
d20 Dark•Matter presents a world where devious organizations scheme for world domination, otherworldly forces infiltrate our power structures, and creatures from our nightmares lurk in the shadows. Working for a clandestine organization called the Hoffmann Institute, heroes explore hidden mysteries while eluding forces — both human and alien — that scheme to control the truth.
AUTHOR INFORMATION
WOLFGANG BAUR began his gaming career writing articles for Dungeon® and Dragon® magazines and eventually joined the magazine staff as an editor. He later worked as a game designer for TSR, Inc. and Wizards of the Coast, Inc. In 1998, he left Wizards to work at Microsoft. He currently freelances for Wizards and other RPG publishing companies.
MONTE COOK worked at TSR, Inc. and Wizards of the Coast, Inc. as a game designer before leaving to found his own game company, Malhavoc Press. He co-designed the 3rd-Edition Dungeons & Dragons® game and wrote the Dungeon Master’s Guide™. He also writes a regular Dungeon Master advice column in Dungeon magazine.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
To start I'd like to say, I don't actually run or even play D20, I just purchase the books to feed my imagination. Strange? Yes, but it's the only reason I've stumbled across this beauty. Anyway, I'm going to lay this review out in sections to make it a tad more accessable.
1 ) (Ironically) Accessibility - As I said before I don't actually use the books, however I must admit that from reading them I do gain a want to, and Dark Matter has pushed that to new levels. I actually feel like I could grab a few people and just start it off after one read-through. The entire D20Modern system is extremely accessable and Dark Matter is not an exception to that.
2) Adherance to the system - Dark Matter slips around D20Modern like a fresh layer of skin, enhancing and revitalising it. There is absolutely no conversion alterations and thus no complaints. Pretty simple.
3) New material - Dark Matter completely revolutionises any D20Modern game via not only new materials but a deeper backing story, a load of legwork has been done by the writers and the large sections on the past and conspiracies allow you to litterally drop your characters into a pre-made environment. It's a lot easier to steer the players along a path when there is a lot of flashy scenery.
There's new material for equipment, classes, starting occupation and FX. To boot there is, as I mentioned, a load of stuff deepening the campaign, details on the evolution of Masons lodges, alien presence on earth et cetera.
4) Presentation/Artwork - The artwork and presentation is - as ever - excellent. The artwork now takes on a much darker tone, better suiting, and in my opinion enhancing, the mood of the book.
In conclusion, it's a great read and - I hope - useful in practise. The book has certainly given me a lot of great ideas that I'd put to use when running a game, I only hope in practise it does the same. (And that somebody who has actually used it writes a review on it's practicality.)
1 ) (Ironically) Accessibility - As I said before I don't actually use the books, however I must admit that from reading them I do gain a want to, and Dark Matter has pushed that to new levels. I actually feel like I could grab a few people and just start it off after one read-through. The entire D20Modern system is extremely accessable and Dark Matter is not an exception to that.
2) Adherance to the system - Dark Matter slips around D20Modern like a fresh layer of skin, enhancing and revitalising it. There is absolutely no conversion alterations and thus no complaints. Pretty simple.
3) New material - Dark Matter completely revolutionises any D20Modern game via not only new materials but a deeper backing story, a load of legwork has been done by the writers and the large sections on the past and conspiracies allow you to litterally drop your characters into a pre-made environment. It's a lot easier to steer the players along a path when there is a lot of flashy scenery.
There's new material for equipment, classes, starting occupation and FX. To boot there is, as I mentioned, a load of stuff deepening the campaign, details on the evolution of Masons lodges, alien presence on earth et cetera.
4) Presentation/Artwork - The artwork and presentation is - as ever - excellent. The artwork now takes on a much darker tone, better suiting, and in my opinion enhancing, the mood of the book.
In conclusion, it's a great read and - I hope - useful in practise. The book has certainly given me a lot of great ideas that I'd put to use when running a game, I only hope in practise it does the same. (And that somebody who has actually used it writes a review on it's practicality.)
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Top Notch Game Setting!
25 Dec 2006
Format:Hardcover
This is a remake of the Dark Matter book for Alternity, and it is still a fantastic gaming setting. If you like X-files or any sort of conspiracy theory alien invasion book, this is the one for you. This book incorperates magic, psi, high tech, alien species, even extra dimensional creatures all seamlessly.
Reasons to buy this book:
1) Fantastic new rules, feats, classes, etc. This book doesn't dissapoint there.
2) Brilliant art. I know, I know, gaming isn't about the art, but this book has art second only to some high end WOD books.
3) It's very true to the original Dark Matter from Alternity. I played D20 modern for years using the old Dark Matter book and transfering evertying to the D20 system. The original book is more thorough, but this one has every major thing you'll need in it, and you won't need to juggle between gaming systmes to do so.
4) The timeline of the "true history of the earth" is really brilliant. All you need to do is pick a date on there, and you've got yourself an adventure. (A few years ago, we ran what we called Dark Matter 1942 and set the entire campaign in WWII at the birth of the OSS and the downfall of the Nazis who really weren't quite human...)
5) The Hoffman Institute (the group your characters are supposed to work for) is well thought out, and it's founder Dr. Nakami ends up being a very interesting character when you put him in the game. Normally, I hate this type of thing and come up with my own hooks, organizations, and NPCs, but this stuff is so well done, I used it all.
6) This is VERY well researched and thorough. If there is a strange place (there's a whole atlass of strange places and their histories in this book--very cool!), and odd event, or a mythological creature anywhere in the world, this book somehow manages to weave it in to it's all encompasing conspiracy. Vampires? Sure. Big foot? No problem. Gray aliens? It's got you covered. Everything to Tesla and Tanguska to the Masons and a moon base are tied in here!
Weaknesses:
1) The only one I can think of is a lack of enemies in a creature section. Having said that, however, most of the key creatures and aliens you'll encouter are already published in other D20 modern creature suppliments, so they're out there! Go buy the menace manual, and you'll be covered.
2) The original was a real no-holds-barred gaming experience. The PCs were never safe, and even minor creatures could kill the most advanced of characters. This led to some real spooky and intense gaming moments as players were genuinely worried about their characters. The D20 translation isn't quite as nice here. Your 15th level tough character is simply NOT going to be threatened by a gun or even a Weren. Even in a fantastic setting, realism lends a lot. I'd suggest playing it in the D20 Cthulu system for some more brutal rules and less powerful characters.
All in all, this is a book like no other. If you like aliens and modern day conspiracies, this book will change your games forever. I've run two full Dark Matter campaigns now, each lasting a few years, and I'm bearing up to do my third. This is, quite simply, as good as gaming gets!
Reasons to buy this book:
1) Fantastic new rules, feats, classes, etc. This book doesn't dissapoint there.
2) Brilliant art. I know, I know, gaming isn't about the art, but this book has art second only to some high end WOD books.
3) It's very true to the original Dark Matter from Alternity. I played D20 modern for years using the old Dark Matter book and transfering evertying to the D20 system. The original book is more thorough, but this one has every major thing you'll need in it, and you won't need to juggle between gaming systmes to do so.
4) The timeline of the "true history of the earth" is really brilliant. All you need to do is pick a date on there, and you've got yourself an adventure. (A few years ago, we ran what we called Dark Matter 1942 and set the entire campaign in WWII at the birth of the OSS and the downfall of the Nazis who really weren't quite human...)
5) The Hoffman Institute (the group your characters are supposed to work for) is well thought out, and it's founder Dr. Nakami ends up being a very interesting character when you put him in the game. Normally, I hate this type of thing and come up with my own hooks, organizations, and NPCs, but this stuff is so well done, I used it all.
6) This is VERY well researched and thorough. If there is a strange place (there's a whole atlass of strange places and their histories in this book--very cool!), and odd event, or a mythological creature anywhere in the world, this book somehow manages to weave it in to it's all encompasing conspiracy. Vampires? Sure. Big foot? No problem. Gray aliens? It's got you covered. Everything to Tesla and Tanguska to the Masons and a moon base are tied in here!
Weaknesses:
1) The only one I can think of is a lack of enemies in a creature section. Having said that, however, most of the key creatures and aliens you'll encouter are already published in other D20 modern creature suppliments, so they're out there! Go buy the menace manual, and you'll be covered.
2) The original was a real no-holds-barred gaming experience. The PCs were never safe, and even minor creatures could kill the most advanced of characters. This led to some real spooky and intense gaming moments as players were genuinely worried about their characters. The D20 translation isn't quite as nice here. Your 15th level tough character is simply NOT going to be threatened by a gun or even a Weren. Even in a fantastic setting, realism lends a lot. I'd suggest playing it in the D20 Cthulu system for some more brutal rules and less powerful characters.
All in all, this is a book like no other. If you like aliens and modern day conspiracies, this book will change your games forever. I've run two full Dark Matter campaigns now, each lasting a few years, and I'm bearing up to do my third. This is, quite simply, as good as gaming gets!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Did you own Alternity Dark Matter?
31 Oct 2006
Format:Hardcover
Did you own Alternity Dark Matter? If so, you may not need this book. It's largely a straight-forward conversion of the original Alternity Dark Matter book-- it even has the same sample scenario, "Exit 23!" I'd say about half the art was lifted from the original book.
That said, the Dark Matter setting has always been really nice, and if you never bought the Alternity book, or are looking for a supported conversion, this is the book for you. In the vein of the X-Files, you and your party are working for the mysterious Hoffman Institute, investigating paranormal phenomenon and defending the ignorant humanity from supernatural threat. The "real" history of the Earth is presented, as well as the various cults and conspiracies that thrive today, hidden in the shadows. You can investigate mysteries involving traditional unknown such as Greys (Fraal), the Men in Black and the Sasquatch, or Dark Matter-specific entities such as the Kinori, the Sandmen or the many secret societies.
There are three new starting occupations, rules for four non-human character species, twenty new Feats, two Advanced Classes, three Prestige Classes, a few pages of specialized equipment and...85 pages of setting, twenty or so pages of GM advice and plot hooks, and the Exit 23 adventure. They don't even give any, repeat, ANY stats for creatures, referring you to the d20 Menace Manual.
All in all, it's a GOOD PRODUCT, but be aware of what it is and decide for yourself whether or not you should buy.
P.S. The front and rear covers glow in the dark, and are pretty cool.
That said, the Dark Matter setting has always been really nice, and if you never bought the Alternity book, or are looking for a supported conversion, this is the book for you. In the vein of the X-Files, you and your party are working for the mysterious Hoffman Institute, investigating paranormal phenomenon and defending the ignorant humanity from supernatural threat. The "real" history of the Earth is presented, as well as the various cults and conspiracies that thrive today, hidden in the shadows. You can investigate mysteries involving traditional unknown such as Greys (Fraal), the Men in Black and the Sasquatch, or Dark Matter-specific entities such as the Kinori, the Sandmen or the many secret societies.
There are three new starting occupations, rules for four non-human character species, twenty new Feats, two Advanced Classes, three Prestige Classes, a few pages of specialized equipment and...85 pages of setting, twenty or so pages of GM advice and plot hooks, and the Exit 23 adventure. They don't even give any, repeat, ANY stats for creatures, referring you to the d20 Menace Manual.
All in all, it's a GOOD PRODUCT, but be aware of what it is and decide for yourself whether or not you should buy.
P.S. The front and rear covers glow in the dark, and are pretty cool.
pretty good
15 Oct 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The product is pretty good. however, it could have had more guidance on how to run the world. I felt a little annoyed that there is so much dependence on the Menace Manual for using the product. I feel a supplement should be mostly self sufficient but expandable. expecially since it was based on previously published material.
quality of art and material was good.
quality of art and material was good.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
