Overview
For those who are curious, here is some background information. The makers of the popular Pathfinder role-playing game, Paizo, Inc., also produce the scientific fantasy role-playing game Starfinder. The new game is entirely distinct from Pathfinder in terms of its setting, races, and general character, even if it shares many of the same rules and minor details. When Starfinder was published in 2017, it got mediocre press and reviews.
Although the Starfinder starter set was fascinating and thrilling, I didn’t have time to organize a group when I got it for Christmas last year. However, a few weeks ago, I gathered my sister and a few close friends and suggested that we play a game. were split between Starfinder and World of Darkness, a fantastic modern fantasy game that I may have to discuss later. We opted to attempt Starfinder after some voting, and the fact that three of the five players are major fans of science fiction helped.
Art
Almost every other page of the book has a full-color, quarter-page, or half-page artwork that depicts the setting’s history, people, ships, weaponry, and environments. Each chapter opens with a big two-page spread. An image of the Solar System of the Pact Worlds is painted on the interior of the front and rear. I’m glad there isn’t any overt computer-generated imagery. A large portion of the artwork appears “dark,” not in a metaphorical sense but rather literally as if each layer of color were constructed on top of a black foundation.
To be honest, this book uses a lot of black for page borders. I assume the purpose of this stylistic decision might be contrast. The majority of the characters are shown to possess luminous items of some kind, such as gadgets with lights that glow, magical effects, tattoos, or weapons. Against a dark background, these effects pop more. The artwork occasionally appears a little “muddy,” which is a small complaint but not a frequent one.
Construction in Physical Form
This book is large and weighty. Strangely enough, there was a nearly-mint copy of the well-known Champions Fourth Edition Big Blue Book which I almost grabbed, but I already own one on the shelf next to it. This book is well-known for its loose pages. Since the pages seem to be well sewn into place inside the spine and there is a beautiful, thick piece of cloth inside, I don’t think that will be an issue for Starfinder. Since I haven’t dropped my book off any tables yet, its corners are beautiful and sharp.
All-purpose Use
When we open the book, we see a Table of Contents that arranges the text according to Chapter and significant subsections. A small quibble: the page number is not printed on the page since each Chapter features a full two-page art spread. For instance, when I open the Starships chapter on page 288, I see a large image of a space battle with the words Chapter 9 located in the top right corner of the page.
The Index, located on page 518, is the next item to be assessed. Until you are in the middle of a game and are desperately attempting to identify a certain rule, it might be a little challenging to determine the true value of an index. But even at four pages of tiny text in three columns, I’m going to remark that I feel the index may be a little scant based on certain encounters I had while simply perusing the text.
I wish to draw attention to one particularly good aspect of the page layout. Some well-written core rulebooks from the past Ray Winninger’s Underground, Chaosium’s “Big Gold Book” for BRPS, and Almost Anything for GURPS—have set a pretty high bar, and Paizo rises to the occasion with Starfinder. The text is formatted as normal in two columns, with bold titles for subsections that are easy to read and bolding for sub-subsections that are a little less strong but still noticeable. To aid the reader in getting around and perusing samples, there are headings, text blocks, and helpful illustrations.
There’s a kind of chapter banner in the upper right corner of the odd-numbered pages. This indicates where the next chapter starts and highlights the one you are currently in. The section header appears twice at the bottom of the right-hand page, while the chapter title appears twice at the bottom of the left-hand page. I am currently reading the book till page 389, for instance. I can tell just by looking at the page that I am in Chapter 11, Game Mastering, specifically in the “Adventures and Campaigns” section. It facilitates very simple navigation.
Paizo
The makers of the well-known Pathfinder world, Paizo Publishing, were present at this year’s Gen Con to commemorate the launch of Starfinder, a space-faring role-playing game and only their second significant tabletop role-playing game. More Starfinder Core Rulebook copies were brought than for any previous product launch in the team’s history. All of them were sold out in a single day.
Jason Keeley, one of the game’s developers, graciously invited me to a private meeting. What I found was an astonishingly adaptable system that could handle nearly everything that players might throw at it. It was heavy on lore and strong on character.
Characters from six different races, each fully developed and given a name, were seated around the table.
The so-called Iconics are Paizo’s early attempt to provide players with direction and structure. They make appearances in the Starfinder Society’s scheduled play sessions as well as throughout the Core Rulebook. All of them are very amazing experiences.