Central Casting: Is It Really That Good?

Pierce Inverarity · August 13, 2007, 01:37:09 PM

Coz it better be, given what it's going for.

What does it deliver? I want to generate S&S characters. Are the lifepaths of the fantasy CC book genre-blending or not? Will I end up with a character who was taught by Halflings how to grow pipeweed before he turned to killing giant frogs?

Caesar Slaad · August 13, 2007, 02:04:33 PM

Quote from: Pierce InverarityCoz it better be, given what it's going for.

What does it deliver? I want to generate S&S characters. Are the lifepaths of the fantasy CC book genre-blending or not? Will I end up with a character who was taught by Halflings how to grow pipeweed before he turned to killing giant frogs?

I've seen some stuff just about that bizarre. While I've used it as a muse of sorts from time to time, I think it's fair to say that the results take some tweaking and a reroll here or there.

Settembrini · August 13, 2007, 02:12:14 PM

I got mine for DM 5. Sci Fi version included. It´s nothing extra-awesome. It´s just good to have.

jrients · August 13, 2007, 02:17:34 PM

Central Casting is a big pile of stupid charts. Do you like using big stupid dice charts? Answer that question and you'll know whether CC is right for you. Personally, I like the sci-fi version better than the other two installments. I've never read the CC: Dungeons volume.

Lord Hobie · August 13, 2007, 02:25:05 PM

As a character concept aid, it's OK. You'll want to pick and choose as much as you randomize, in all probability.

As a book of random event tables for ginning up a quickie NPC motivation or tic, or an instant response to pesky player inquiries ('what military rank did my dad hold, and how did he get it?'), it's worth its weight in gold.

Lord Hobie

Pierce Inverarity · August 13, 2007, 02:31:15 PM

Quote from: jrientsCentral Casting is a big pile of stupid charts. Do you like using big stupid dice charts?

Basically, yes! But not when the output is garbage, which I have no problem generating myself.

From what y'all are saying it does sound more useful than not, though. Just not like something you could depend on using "cold" during the game except for minor on-the-fly details.

Hm.

DM 5? I hate you, Settembrini.

Wil · August 13, 2007, 05:33:44 PM

Quote from: Pierce InverarityCoz it better be, given what it's going for.

What does it deliver? I want to generate S&S characters. Are the lifepaths of the fantasy CC book genre-blending or not? Will I end up with a character who was taught by Halflings how to grow pipeweed before he turned to killing giant frogs?

In short: yes, and weirder. You'll get a halfling that was abandoned by his parents on the night of a meteor storm, to be raised by Ogres to become a general in the human army and then lost an eye.

I think if they are auctioning for a high amount it's partly limited supply and partly nostalgia by people remembering them to be better than they were.

I've used all three books, and even when I first started using them in the late 80s it was only to mine for ideas. I'd adjust rolls to results that were more interesting or made sense.

One book I did get a lot of mileage out of was Central Casting: Dungeons. For a while I ran a RC D&D game solely using maps generating from that book.

Silverlion · August 13, 2007, 06:48:02 PM

I always ended up with a glowing sword tattoo on about 2/3rds of my characters from the Heroes Now book. (Often at very different points of time in the process/their "lives".)

In general the books are, interesting if you like quirky random results and/or are looking for a starting point and inspirational source. It's (like a lot of gaming books) isn't as useful if you don't have a discerning mind behind it to help shape things towards your preferences.

Dr Rotwang! · August 13, 2007, 10:22:38 PM

Central Casting: Heroes NOW gave me Lark Mason*, a pulp character who was kidnapped by cultists as a child, was raised in the cult, and then escaped -- and now fights them with his armored roadster.

So you tell me.

*FUN FACT: Lark Mason is the name of an appraiser I saw on Antiques Roadshow. I steal the best!

Caesar Slaad · August 14, 2007, 11:27:06 AM

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!Central Casting: Heroes NOW gave me Lark Mason*, a pulp character who was kidnapped by cultists as a child, was raised in the cult, and then escaped -- and now fights them with his armored roadster.

So you tell me.[/SIZE]

You know... I was struggling to come up with backgrounds for my Spycraft pregens for GenCon. I totally forgot I had Heroes Now. :eek:

jgants · August 14, 2007, 02:31:51 PM

My favorite part about the fantasy book was being able to quickly generate all those wacky titles (e.g., "Lord of the East Marshes") for nobility.