Additional Skills
Additional skills for James Bond 007.
James Bond 007
James Bond 007 to Top Secret/S.I. Conversion
An easy guide to converting James Bond 007 characters to the Top Secret/S.I. system.
The Design of Octopussy
A movie is a combination of plot, character, and setting. A role-playing adventure is also a combination of plot, character, and setting. But there is a major difference between the two: the movie is fixed, while the adventure changes according to the whims of the players and the Gamesmaster.
The History of the Game
The idea for designing a role-playing game based on the world of James Bond came to me while I was discussing the available role-playing games one bright and sunny day with a friend of mine. Bob Kern. We had been discussing the way most role-playing games were written by wargame designers who were accustomed to having their rules pored over by individuals who had nothing better to do than examine in minute detail every last clause. Indeed, the art of reading a set of rules was part and parcel of the enjoyment of playing a wargame. It seemed to be part of the mental exercise one had to undergo. I certainly enjoy it when I tackle a new wargame.
The Source
Something of a poor relation in the roleplaying games field, the espionage RPG has had only a handful of titles to fill out the genre; Steve Jackson Games’ GURPS Espionage, with its supplemental scenario book, GURPS Espionage Adventures, TSR’s editions of Top Secret/S.I. with several scenarios and sourcebooks, Palladium’s Ninjas & Superspies and to an extent, Chameleon Eclectic’s Millennium’s End. But by far the game with the best name cachet is Victory Games’ late, but well-supported James Bond 007 system. Now long since consigned to the category of ‘rare and out of print’, the James Bond RPG still provides a steady base from which to launch spy adventures; but without new releases to keep the game fresh, gamesmasters must look elsewhere for inspiration and ideas.
