Big Eyes, Small Mouth
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Overview
Big Eyes Small Mouth (BESM) is a pen and paper role-playing game inspired by the dynamic settings and stories found in a wide range of anime shows and manga comics. It features a point-based, effect driven character creation system and a simple resolution mechanic that revolves entirely around the use of two common six-sided dice (2d6).
History
First Edition
The first edition of BESM was designed by Mark C. MacKinnon and debuted in 1997 as the flagship franchise of Guardians of Order, a Canadian publishing company. Supplemental material was soon written by David L. Pulver, including a system for designing mecha (or robots) in "Big Robots, Cool Starships" and a genre book "Hot Rods & Gun Bunnies". The system was soon given the more generic title, "Tri-stat system" and further supplements by Mark C. MacKinnon went into depth about the universes of specific anime series.
Second Edition
The previous supplements were combined and distilled with the first edition of BESM to form the second edition. BESM 2nd Edition was released in 2000, earning Origins Award nominations for Best RPG and Best Graphic Design. It featured a largely expanded character creation section with many more customization options than previously offered, it also featured a note-able glossary of pop-culture references and culturally significant influences on the anime and manga industry.
Third Edition
The third edition of BESM was originally announced in 2004 by Guardians of Order's Mark C. MacKinnon. Originally scheduled for release in late 2005, financial trouble continued to push the release date back until Guardians of Order finally announced it was going out of business in August of 2006 after a prolonged period of silence from the company. Soon afterwards in September of 2006, ArtHaus Games announced that it had recieved the rights to the BESM franchise and would be publishing the 3rd edition in mid January of 2007.
Guardians of Order originally planned to release BESM 3rd edition in 3 forms, a deluxe (full color) edition, a standard (black and white) edition, and a simplified "Vanilla" (soft cover-digest sized) edition. ArtHaus Games has only released a full color edition that is presumably the "deluxe" version Guardians of Order designed.
Major changes to the BESM system in 3rd edition include:
- A change from an internal, roll-under resolution system to an external, roll-over resolution system that uses either contested rolls or game master (GM) determined target numbers.
- A revised point system that unifies the previously separate Statistic, Attribute, and Skill systems into a more unified and balanced single point system.
- A standard game environment entitled the Multiverse which features a number of different dimension-esque parallel worlds that each embody a particular set of genre and/or sub-genre conventions.
- A heavier focus on pre-generated attribute "templates" to speed character creation by setting standards for characters of certain occupations, races, and/or dimensions.
- A more elegant method of customizing attributes using "variables" rather than unusual combinations of linked attributes and defects
- A changed damage calculation system that uses a damage multiplier and a slightly more complex formula than the previous edition.
Reviews:
RPG.net review by Christopher W. Richeson
Reference Material
Fan Based Resources
GoO Fansite / Resource - Welcome to the Guardians of Order Fansite. This site was created to allow a place for people who enjoy GoO games to gather. Our goal is to make a site where we can share and distribute our worlds and adventures with one another.
If you are a fan we hope you are able to find this site of use. If you are new to it all then welcome!
Original Material
- Traits - new and improved Stats, Attributes, Defects, Skills, etc.
- Templates - new and improved races, occupations, etc.
- Items - equipment and mecha
- Game Mechanics
