RE: Wild West

["Eric Benson" <ebenson@xxxxxxxx>]

> Have anyone used the M-End system in a Wild West setting?
>
Not yet.

It will probably depend on three things:
1) How much work do you want to do?
2) What sort of feel do you want?
3) How realistic do you want the game to be?  (True to history or true to
"For a few dollars more")

If you're looking for KISS ("Keep It Simple Stupid"), it's probably easier
to go to a different game more suited to the Wild West genre (I'd suggest
Deadlands, which has a sort of campy feel to it).

As far as the changes that are required, you're probably going to need:
a) Revised skill list (skills like piloting or computer science just aren't
the same)
b) Revised packages (things like cowboy, Union soldier, etc.)
c) Revised equipment list (you'll need to make a choice whether to have the
stats relative to the time period or relative to today's stats.  I suspect
that you would have much lower WA to fit the difference in ballistics.  You
might try using some of the Deadlands web sites and material for background)

The core game engine should be fine, though.

Initially, I was going to suggest playing Deadlands instead.  As I thought
about it, it would be rather interesting to see how a good group that was
familiar with a modern ME setting would react to a scenario like "the
shootout at the OK corral".  Changing from H&K USP's and Colt M4's to
Remington New Model Army's and Winchester M1873's would require a change in
tactics.  It would be interesting to see how well the group did it.  Would
they try to "declare it a black ops" or would they revert to the tactics of
the day?

Something to consider - there weren't as many shootouts in the Wild West as
TV would lead you to believe.  One of the top 'killers' was a man by the
name of Jim Miller, who had 31 kills (source N/A).

> If so, can I get some advice about what to do with the system and
> not do with the systems?

Anything is possible ;-)

If you do decide to come up with a conversion or background material, I'm
sure that other people on the list would be interested in seeing it.

-Eric