BESM (Big Eyes, Small Mouth) (2002)

Edited foreword from the Revised Book:

When I first published Big Eyes, Small Mouth (first edition) in time for GenCon (August) 1997, the term Tri-Stat System did not exist. The game simply became known as BESM and was a modest hit at the show: I sold out of the 125 copies I brought with me. Soon, the buzz about this new anime game made its way around the industry, and I started to see some decent penetration into the gaming distribution market. "Cool," thought I, "This is fun."

Fast forward to the GAMA Trade Show in March 1998. Marcelo Figueroa of Shadis Magazine told me that BESM was nominated for the 1998 Origins Awards in the Best Role-Playing Game category. I was stunned, naturally, but I also became much more confident in the company's ability to survive at least for a little while. BESM didn't win, but that didn't matter. The industry took note of the little 96-page book with hardly any rules.

Fast forward again to December 1998. The Sailor Moon RPG and Resource Book was released with a red, triangular logo on the back cover that read, Tri-Stat System. The game mechanics had a name, and a fan-following soon developed. "This is awesome," thought I, "Much better than chemistry."

Now it's July 2000. Guardians of Order, Inc. is a 7-person company with both Canadian and US offices. The game that started it all has been revised and expanded. It may seem odd that this 288-page, 100,000-word book is actually a second edition of the first tiny one, but we are giving fans what they want.

Magic has been greatly revised and explained in detail, but the original version is still there. Options for mecha creation have been increased dramatically, but the original material remains. Character creation has been retooled and reorganized, but it is not really that different from what I first published three years ago. BESM second edition is not about making the game better than the first book; it's about giving players more options. In the two mammoth chapters on character creation, I think you'll agree that you now have all the options you could want.

The second edition of BESM is very special to me because it represents the origin of the company and how it has changed and grown over the past three years. At times, it is unsettling that David now knows more about Tri-Stat, the game that I created, than I do. I certainly wouldn't change this, however, since he has taken my original vision and transformed it into something much bigger. David has been the creative driving force behind Tri-Stat's progression, and I think that he has done a wonderful job. Tri-Stat is no longer my child alone; it belongs to the company.

Thank you all for supporting us over the years. Guardians of Order has received assistance from countless people, and the enthusiasm of our fans has driven us to be the best we can be. We hope that you enjoy Big Eyes, Small Mouth second edition, and continue enjoying it for many years to come.

Mark C. MacKinnon
July 2000

Note concerning Revised Edition: This version of BESM is not substantially different than the standard second edition, but instead repackages the entire book in a more compact format. Some minor errors have been corrected, and a little material has been added, but the two books are identical at the core.

Related Microbadges
Big Eyes, Small Mouth Fan - 2nd Edition