Duelmasters vs Guilds of Honor

From: blassi@ub.d.umn.edu (brent lassi)

Date: Fri, 16 Dec 1994 16:56:00 +0000

I was reading the various articles concerning the merits of Duelmasters as an
Arena style game.  The general consensus seems to be that it is one of the
best combat simulators on the market.  I would have to agree with the
statement and have 5 years of Dm experience to back it up.
				BUT.....

Now I know that DM is not the best combat simulator out there, and also that
it is poor as a comprehensive gaming system.  It is sort of close-ended
despite what the rules would say because they never say, "Well eventually
you'll get bored because there is a limit to what your character can
accomplish."  The combat system never showed any updating (noticably) is the
five years I played.  There is little atmosphere (role-playing opportunities)
in the game outside of team spotlights and stories that really have no
bearing what-so-ever on the route of the game.
	This becaming frustrating to me as a DM player, and though I loved
the game I quit playing because it got boring and pointless.
	And so I solved this problem.  Another Duelmasters player, Erik
Hyrkas, and I decided to create a game in the same playing field as
Duelmasters that would do all the things RSI has been to lazy to do to
improve Duelmasters.  Sounds mean, but its true.  They have been talking
about Duelmasters extensions for years and years and the players come and go
without seeing any of it.
	Guilds of Honor came into being.
GOH (as its come to be called) has the depth of combat simulation that
Duelmasters have but takes into account that other things that happen in the
world around gladiators.  They aren't just gladiators.  That is only part of
what they do.  They are heroes, they are meceneries, they are protectors.
They are criminals, law-givers, politicians, and killers.  No character is
strapped into the gladitorial arena in GOH.  You choose the route.
	Characters are way more advanced in GOH.  Instead of 10 fighting
styles (styles I always liked I might add) GOH has over 100,000
fighting styles.  Characters don't hit brick walls in developement the way
they do in Duelmasters.  And since the new version of Guilds has just become
active it is easy to get a start without being lost in a complex quagmire of
Megamanagers who squish new players because they can.  In fact even with a
multitude of players it is easy to find a niche in GOH.
One of the most enticing things that GOH has over DM is the mass combat
options.  Over 200 characters may fight on the same playing field at the same
time.  Obviously this opens possiblities only dreamed of by RSI.  The
numerous storylines that RSI produces to hold the interest of players could
become a real part of the game in GUILDS OF HONOR.  Large scale campaigns or
small parties of explorers can be realized.  Also in GOH your characters have
a life off the combat field.  They have money, items, treasure, and belonging
to a team is only an option, but in Guilds of Honor it means more than just
contributing to the same team record.  It means team work, agreement, and
dispute.

These are just a few of the things GUILDS has that in my opinion beat the
competition.  FInd out for yourself...post questions to me, please.

Brent Lassi, Game Designer