Alternity Gamemaster Guide By Richard Baker and Bill Slavicsek; 1998, TSR, Inc.; ISBN 0786907290; $29.95 A core rulebook for TSR's new science fiction roleplaying game, the Alternity Gamemaster Guide provides ideas and essential rules for running your Alternity campaign. Alternity brings flexibility to the sci-fi gaming universe, allowing the gamemaster to create any sort of campaign, from friendly exploration and alien contacts to gritty, grim wars of vast planetary destruction. Use of this book assumes ownership and working knowledge of the Alternity Player's Handbook. The book covers basics of running a roleplaying game for novices, Alternity's special quirks for the experienced gamemaster, adventure and campaign design, and fast-play rules for the impatient. Sections deal with details of handling character creation, personal statistics and their effects, hero careers, and non-player characters. Tips are given for designing new hero careers, alien races beyond the five provided in the Player's Handbook, and a variety of vehicles, star systems, individual planets, spacecraft, and alien artifacts. The Guidecontains many short tables for effects and characteristics, and for determining species lifespans (as determined by technology level). Brief optional rules for mutants, psionics, cyborgs, artificial intelligence, and "special effects" (any magic, miracle, or superpower beyond the other rules provided) are also presented. For your players' displeasure there are statistics for 15 dangerous animals from good old Terra and 20 generic alien creature types to modify for your every alien need. TSR fantasy fans will find an appendix of conversion rules for bringing AD&D characters, races, equipment, and spells into your Alternity game. For ease in using published adventures and accessories, a sample nonplayer character statistics form with explanatory notes is provided. Also included are forms for ship design, ship status, and solar system design/record. There is an index of both this book and the Player's Handbook. Alternity Gamemaster's Guide is an essential element in what promises to be an exciting new game in the science fiction game genre. --Sharon Daugherty