Showing posts with label Sorcery and Super Science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sorcery and Super Science. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Sorcery & Super Science! Bundle of Holding

Heya folks, we've got a quick-deal Bundle of Holding going on right now that includes *ALL* (yes, you heard right) *ALL* of our Sorcery & Super Science! publications, including the 7 novels (in EPUB format) that Suzi and I have written in that world for only $12.95 USD.


If you're interested in post-apocalyptic gonzo fun at the gaming table and in fiction, you've got to check it out!

https://bundleofholding.com/presents/SuperScience




Sunday, December 24, 2017

The Bee Gees and the Post-Apocalypse

I wrote much of Sorcery & Super Science! to the dulcet tunes of the Bee Gees, so now when I hear them I think of crazy post-apoc madness. Which, come to think of it, isn't really that different than the late 70's. :-)






Wednesday, April 19, 2017

60 Expeditious Retreat Products for sale as Softbacks at rpgnow.com

I finally made the plunge into rpgnow.com's print on demand service. There are now 60 different titles up for sale in softcover form at their website. I've also set all the softcover orders to get the PDF version for free.

All of the Magical Society books, all of the 1e OSRIC Advanced Adventures, all of the Classified material, all of the 1st Edition Sorcery & Super Science! material, and all of the long-out-of-print 3.5 Monster Geographica books.

And of course, our 1e OSRIC monster book, Malevolent and Benign, our One on One Compendium Volume One and the newly released One on One Compendium Volume Two.



Monday, January 2, 2017

K-Wagen "Kolossal-Wagen" Super Heavy Breakthrough Tank

Another fairly ridiculous WWI tank that would loo perfectly in place in a post-apoc world, this one reminds me of the M577 Armored Personnel Carrier from Aliens. The K-Wagen lived up to it's name: 9 ft tall, 9 feet wide, and 15 feet long, and a crew of 22. It had 4 77mm guns and 7 machine guns and traveled at a blazing speed of 4.5 mph. Only two were produced. (The image below has the front on the right, rear on the left.)

Sunday, January 1, 2017

The Daimler MarienWagen - A WWI-era "tank" for your Post-Apoc Worlds.

This tank looks like a primitive Jawa sandcrawler to me. It was to be equipped with two machine guns, two 20mm cannon, and a flamethrower, but by the time it was ready to be tested the Germans had already realized it wasn't up to AFV status (it was more of an APC), and then they had a terrible test trial in which the vehicle tipped over (as it was obviously top heavy). None entered production.




Friday, December 30, 2016

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Help Me Blogger Readers, You're My Only Hope!

I seek the wisdom of my Blogger readers regarding the resolution table colors for Sorcery & Super Science!

I want to use Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black as the table colors because those are the colors that are used to print (CMYK). They're the 4C's in the name.

However, I see the utility of using simpler names such as Blue, Red, Yellow, and Black.

Question: Should I go CMYK or BRYB, and if I go with BRYB, should I use *real* blue and red or should I use CM anyway. For reverence, I've included a strip of the colors so everyone can see (top CMYK, bottom BRYB).

Thanks!

 

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

The Big Book of Graph Paper at Lulu

I finally realized that if I ever wanted a thick hard-backed book filled with graph paper for a reasonable cost I'd have to make it myself, so I just did. I've called it (oh so creatively) The Big Book of Graph Paper and I've just put it up for sale at Lulu for only $25. Couple that with the 26DEC coupon going on right now for 40% off and you've got a pretty good bargain. It's 181 pages of .25 inch graph paper with 11 extra pages of isometric graph paper for 3D doodlings.

I kept the cover very neutral as I expect people to want to use this for their gaming, but I think it's distictive enough to allow the eye to quickly find it on a bookshelf or such. Hopefully, the graph paper spine will stick out on the shelf.

Friday, November 30, 2012

Massive $5 Advanced Adventures Sale! All December 2012.

I've decided to do our first $5 module sale at the Expeditious Retreat website. Every Advanced Adventure Module is now on sale for only $5 for the printed adventure. I've done 50% off sales before, so this is the lowest price on any of the AA's since we started making them in 2006. As a special bonus, Advanced Adventures #2: The Red Mausoleum, and Advanced Adventures #3: The Curse of the Witch Head are being sold for only $2! Two bucks for an adventure simply cannot be beat.

Also on the OSR front, I now have the Advanced Adventures Compendium One and Compendium Two hardcovers available through our website as well as the hardcover version of Malevolent & Benign (our OSR monster book - you should pick it up, it's cool). These three books are also on sale for 50% off.

Additionally, all the remaining Sorcery & Super Science printed books are on sale for 75% off! I don't have any of the core-rulebooks anymore, but at $3 a pop, the supplements are quite the deal for those interested in the game. For those who like general post-apoc craziness, the ZZZ Quick Guide to North America is pretty-much systemless and could easily serve as a good setting for any post-apoc game, IMO.

On the Pathfinder front, our 1 on 1 Adventures #12-#15 are also on sale for only $5. Malevolent & Benign (Pathfinder version) is on sale for 50% off and even though we've only got one copy of the 1 on 1 Compendium left it's also at half-off.

Finally, the first book we ever published (back in March, 2003) A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe is also on sale for 50% off. It's the second edition of the text and, in my not so humble opinion, a great resource for running a pseudo or quasi-medieval campaign.

So that's quite a long commerical-oriented post. I've been publishing now for almost 10 years, and my birthday is in December, so help me fund some goodies for myself.... :-)

Merry Ho-Ho and have a happy version of whatever you choose to celebrate!

EDIT: ON SHIPPING: Shipping may become expensive for non-US customers who order many products as our system doesn't calculate shipping very well on such orders, unfortunately. If shipping comes out more than a few bucks different than the actual shipping price, I'll refund the excess to you. I'll treat you right.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Sorcery & Super Science Pathfinder Version

The Pathfinder conversion of Sorcery & Super Science! should pick up here shortly once we get in a signed contract from a freelancer. I'm a bit overwhelmed right now (I tend to jump from thing to thing) and I think hiring-out should help make sure this one sees the light of day. It's a big project and I've got a lot of irons in the fire. Just wanted to let everyone know that it's still an ongoing work - one which should hopefully speed up.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

To Many Irons In The Fire

So, like I mentioned in the last post, I've started working on something new that's consuming all my time right now. Which is not the best decision, actually, since I've got about 5 Advanced Adventures to edit and product, a new game (Worlds Apart) that I should be producing supplements for, an older game (Sorcery & Super Science) that I should be producing another supplement for (The Bean Lords of Bad Axe), and quick-and-dirty game (One Shot) that I should be producing a new adventure for because they're short and fun to write, and a new book in our original series A Magical Society: India.

But what am I doing? Following my muse instead of my brain. I do that a lot unfortunately, because you don't make a lot of money in the game industry and doing what you really want to do is one of the big perks. Were any of the things I was putting off serious money-makers, I'd bite the bullet and get them done first. But seeing as how most things are relatively comparable in terms of income production, might as well do the thing that you're most interested in doing right now.

Eventually I'll tire of the the new thing, and get a bug up my butt for Advanced Adventures and then knock out all 5 ASAP, or start jonesing to work on a few more Worlds Apart Island Gazetteers, or even keep reading and jotting notes for A Magical Society: India. India's the big one. It will probably make the most money out of all of them, but it's also far-and-away the hardest to write. Magical Society books are supposed to kick all sorts of ass, and making that occur takes a lot of effort and actual scholarship rather than just creativity.

All in all, not a bad job to have. :-)

...and just because I can....


Thursday, March 29, 2012

Lion Men

Since you can't have a post-apoc game without lion men...

Lion Men
Mutated Lion (Intermediate)
C8 A5 S8 F6 R2 I5 W4: Ego 34: Health 54: Fortune 38
Movement 8/70

Description & Information: Lion men are found upon the plains throughout the world below the shattered moon. These bipedal lion/human hybrids are about 6 feet tall and weight around 200 lbs. They are quick, fast, and strong - consummate predators. They favor wide open spaces and live in small prides of 6-15 individuals. These prides form clans (5-10 prides) and then tribes (10-20 prides). Occasionally, an entire tribe will band together for some great endeavor.

Intrinsic Powers
• Lion men have great vision and possess a +2 to sense checks involving sight. In addition, they have good olfactory senses and can make +1 extraordinary sense checks involving such.
• Lion men may attack with a fierce bite, dealing +4 slashing damage and +4/ rank 4 combat condition, but they tend to favor weapons and are especially prone to carry missile weapons except when honor dueling, when they exclusively use melee weapons.

Limited Use Powers
• Lion men have three randomly determined powers at the Intermediate threshold that they may use 3 times per day if the power is not one that constantly functions.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Pathfinder Sorcery & Super Science! Catalyst Class


Here's another sneak peak into Sorcery & Super Science! for Pathfinder: the catalyst class.

Catalyst
Every mutie knows that Lady Luck is fickle and some muties are favored by her beyond all reason. These are the lucky muties, the brave explorers under the shattered moon who rely upon luck to see them through tough spots. They use their good fortune and quickness to survive below the shattered moon and they often find themselves the only survivor of situations that claim the lives of their companions. When only a single shadow walks away from a backdrop of carnage, the smart mutie knows who it is.

Role: Catalysts are capable, stealthy, warriors whose abilities with Fortune Points make them dangerous foes and boon friends. They are cunning risk-takers, with the wisest among them judiciously using their abilities and pressing their luck as little as possible.

Hit Die: d8

Starting Wealth: 4d6 × 10 gp (average 140 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.


Class Skills
The catalyst's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int),  Knowledge (nature), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis) and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Table: Catalyst
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+1
+0
+2
+0
Charmed, lucky, fortunate 2
2nd
+2
+0
+3
+0
Catalyst talent
3rd
+3
+1
+3
+1
Evasion, sneak attack +1d6
4th
+4
+1
+4
+1
Catalyst talent, fortune point
5th
+5
+1
+4
+1
Fortunate 3, power point
6th
+6/+1
+2
+5
+2
Catalyst talent, sneak attack +2d6
7th
+7/+2
+2
+5
+2
Smooth Talker
8th
+8/+3
+2
+6
+2
Catalyst talent, fortune point
9th
+9/+4
+3
+6
+3
Serendipity, sneak attack +3d6
10th
+10/+5
+3
+7
+3
Catalyst talent , fortunate 4, power point
11th
+11/+6/+1
+3
+7
+3
Bold-faced lie
12th
+12/+7/+2
+4
+8
+4
Catalyst talent, fortune point , sneak attack +4d6
13th
+13/+8/+3
+4
+8
+4
Hand of fate
14th
+14/+9/+4
+4
+9
+4
Catalyst talent
15th
+15/+10/+5
+5
+9
+5
Fortunate 5, power point, sneak attack +5d6
16th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+5
+10
+5
Catalyst talent, fortune point
17th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5
Directed serendipity
18th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+6
Catalyst talent, sneak attack +6d6
19th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+6
Unmitigated disaster
20th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+6
+12
+6
Catalyst talent, fortunate 6, fortune point, power point

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the catalyst.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency (Ex): A catalyst is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, and shields (except tower shields).

Charmed (Ex): Catalysts are luckier than the average mutie and roll better dice when using Fortune Points. Additionally, at 6th level and higher catalysts roll more than one die when spending a Fortune Point. The catalyst uses the most beneficial of the results.

Catalyst Level        Fortune Point Dice Rolled
1st-5th            1d8
6th-10th        2d8
11th-15th        3d8
16th-20th        4d8

Lucky (Ex): Catalysts recover 2 Fortune Points when resting.

Fortunate (Ex): Bending fortune to their favor, catalysts learn to increasingly alter fate as they progress in power. A catalyst can spend 2 Fortune Points per round, but cannot spend more than one point on any single roll. At 5th level, and at every five levels thereafter, a catalyst can spend one more Fortune Point per round.

Catalyst Talents: As a catalyst gains experience, he learns a number of talents that aid him and confound his foes. Starting at 2nd level, a catalyst gains one catalyst talent. He gains an additional catalyst talent for every 2 levels of catalyst attained after 2nd level. A catalyst cannot select an individual talent more than once unless indicated.

Ace in the Hole: The catalyst gains 2 Fortune Points. This talent can be taken multiple times.

Bounce Back: A catalyst that selects this talent recovers 3 Fortune Points when resting if he succeeds on a DC 14 Charisma check. If he fails this check, he recovers 2 Fortune Points.

Combat Trick: A catalyst that selects this talent gains a bonus combat feat (see Feats).

Fast Stealth (Ex): This talent allows a catalyst to move at full speed using the Stealth skill without penalty.

Hard as Iron (Ex): This ability has Bounce Back as a prerequisite. A catalyst that selects this talent recovers 4 Fortune Points when resting if he succeeds on a DC 14 Charisma check. If he fails this check, he recovers 3 Fortune Points.

Inner Drive (Ex): This talent allows a catalyst to gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the total of his ability score bonuses. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute. Afterwards, the catalyst suffers ability damage to a randomly determined ability equal to the greatest of his ability bonuses.

Ledge Walker (Ex): This talent allows a catalyst to move along narrow surfaces at full speed using the Acrobatics skill without penalty. In addition, a catalyst with this talent is not flat-footed when using Acrobatics to move along narrow surfaces.

Luck Pool (Ex): This talent allows a catalyst to increase his total number of available Fortune Points. Whenever at maximum Fortune points, the catalyst may “put away” the Fortune he would normally recover into a luck pool. The pool size is equal to the catalyst’s level.

Resiliency (Ex): Once per day, a catalyst with this talent can gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the catalyst’s level. Activating this ability is an immediate action that can only be performed when he is brought to below 0 hit points. This ability can be used to prevent him from dying. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute. If the catalyst’s hit points drop below 0 due to the loss of these temporary hit points, he falls unconscious and is dying as normal.

Trap Spotter (Ex): Whenever a catalyst with this talent comes within 10 feet of a trap, he receives an immediate Perception skill check to notice the trap. This check should be made in secret by the GM.

Evasion (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a catalyst can avoid attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the catalyst is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless catalyst does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Fortune Point: At 4th level, and at every four catalyst levels thereafter (8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level), a catalyst gains an additional Fortune Point.

Power Point: At 5th level, and at every five catalyst levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), a catalyst gains an additional power point.

Smooth Talker (Ex): At 7th level the catalyst can spend a Fortune Point to improve or worsen a creature’s disposition towards himself or his allies. A catalyst (and his allies) can only alter a creature’s disposition through the use of this ability a single time.

Serendipity (Su): At 9th level, the fates conspire for the catalyst making the beneficial happen. Once per week and only during a time of crisis, the GM may introduce something to help the catalyst or the catalyst’s allies if the catalyst spends a Fortune Point. This boon may take the form of a helpful NPC, an automatic success at a skill check, an automatic hit and critical with an attack, or a consumable one-time benefit advantageous to the current situation.

Bold-faced Lie (Ex): At 11th level the catalyst can spend a Fortune Point and tell 1 lie to any NPC and the NPC believes it is true for a number of minutes equal to the catalyst’s level. A catalyst can use this ability once per day. A NPC with more HD than the catalyst’s level may make a Will save (DC 10+ catalyst’s level) to resist. Any lie that is immediately provable as false (e.g. “the sky is green”) will not be believed.

Hand of Fate (Su): At 13th level a catalyst may gift any amount of his Fortune Points to another creature and any creature can gift its Fortune Points to the catalyst. The receiver of Fortune Points cannot gain more Fortune Points than its normal maximum.

Directed Serendipity (Su): As serendipity above, but subject to GM approval the catalyst can choose when something serendipitous occurs and what form it takes. If the GM does not approve, the Catalyst instantly regains 6 Fortune Points.

Unmitigated Disaster (Su): At 19th level, a catalyst can spend all of his Fortune Points to create some sort of unmitigated disaster for an opponent. The type of disaster should be determined by the catalyst and altered to approval by the GM. Using unmitigated disaster requires a number of Fortune Points equal to the maximum the catalyst possesses. If a catalyst is not at full Fortune, he can still use this power, but suffers ability drain to three randomly determined abilities equal to the number of points he is “short” of full Fortune. The drain is divided as equally as possible among the three abilities.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Sorcery & Super Science for Pathfinder!

I figure it's about time to let everyone know that I'm working on a Pathfinder version of Sorcery & Super Science! I've been plugging away for a few months now (and have many k's of words) and have many more months to go before a finished product will be available. I'd like to hit Christmas of 2012, but we'll see how that works out.

This conversion is going to be a system-modified conversion, rather than a system faithful one. This means that I'll be following Pathfinder at all possible points, but when the concept of the S&SS world varies with Pathfinder assumptions, the Pathfinder assumptions are modified to fit the setting. I'm hoping this doesn't irk to many Pathfinder players, but I suspect that the coherent vision of the changes should easily be acceptable.

We'll see. Gamers are nothing if not an opinionated bunch.

Below's a sneak peak of the Mutated Animal race for the Pathfinder version of S&SS.


Mutated Animals
The second most-common of the mutated races, mutated animals come in a bewildering array of shapes, sizes and genetic backgrounds. Mutated animals vary greatly in temperament, but typically express traits associated with their animalistic background.

General Relations: Mutated animals that more fully show their animal heritage tend to be viewed with more suspicion than those that appear more human-like, but most communities are less concerned with genetic makeup than with behavior.

Mutated Animal Racial Traits

+2 to Two Ability Scores, -2 to One Ability Score: Mutated animals have various strengths and weaknesses depending upon their heritage.

Small, Medium, or Large: Mutated animals can be one of three sizes. Small mutated animals gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks. Medium mutated animals have no bonuses or penalties to their size. Large mutated animals gain a -1 size penalty to their AC, a -1 size penalty on attack rolls, a +1 bonus to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a -4 penalty to Stealth checks. All mutated animals have a 5ft. reach.

Normal Speed: Mutated animals have a base speed of 30 feet.

Bonuses: Mutated animals possess various bonuses based upon their animal background. A mutated animal receives 9 points for purchasing of any of the following bonuses. A GM should work with a player who desires other bonuses to suit the character’s background. A bonus can only be purchased once.

1 point bonuses
Brave: You gain a +1 racial bonus on saving throws against fear and despair effects.
Climber: You gain a +4 racial bonus to Climb checks and can use accelerated climbing without penalty.
Disease Resistance: You gain a racial bonus on saving throws against disease, nausea, and sickened equal to your Hit Dice.
Empathetic: You gain a +4 bonus on Handle Animal checks.
Low-Light Vision: You can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Poison Resistance: You gain a racial bonus on saving throws against poison equal to your Hit Dice.
Stable: You gain a +2 racial bonus to your Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bull rush or trip attempt while on the ground.
Stubborn: You gain a +1 racial bonus on Will saving throws. Additionally, if you fail a Will save, you receive another save 1 round later to prematurely end the effect triggering the save.
Swimmer: You gain a +4 racial bonus to Swim checks, and you can hold your breath for four times your Constitution score instead of the normal twice.

2 point bonuses
Cat’s Luck: Prerequisites: +2 racial bonus to Dexterity; Benefit: Once per day, when you make a Reflex saving throw, you can roll the  saving throw twice and take the better result. You must decide to use this ability before the saving throw is attempted.
Exceptional Low-Light Vision: You can see four times as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Natural Climber: You gain a 10 ft. climb speed and a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks.
Natural Foe: +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 on grappling combat maneuver checks against creatures of a single type or single humanoid subtype
Natural Weapon: You gain a bite, claw, gore, hoof, talon, or other appropriate natural attack based upon your heritage, dealing 1d3 damage. The natural weapon is a primary attack or a secondary attack if you are wielding a manufactured weapon.
Thick Skin: You gain +1 natural armor.

4 point bonuses
Darkvison 60 ft.: You can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Dense Hide: You gain +2 natural armor.
Ferocious: When your hit points fall below 0, but you are not yet dead, you can continue to fight. If you do, you are staggered, and you lose 1 hit point each round. You still die when your hit points reach a negative amount equal to your Constitution score.
Hard to Hurt: You gain 2/— damage reduction. This damage reduction does not stack with any others.
Superior Specimen: You gain +2 to One Ability Score
Wall Crawler: Prerequisites: Natural Climber; Benefit: You gain an additional 10 ft. to your climbing speed (resulting in a 20 ft. climb speed) and can cling to cave walls and even ceilings as long as the surface has hand-and footholds. In effect, you are treated as constantly being under the effect of a nonmagical version of the spider climb spell, save that you cannot cling to smooth surfaces. You also gain an additional +8 racial bonus on Climb checks normally granted creatures with a climb speed (resulting in a total of +16).

Penalties: Some of the technologies and medicines of the ancients don’t work very well for mutated animals. Mutated animals suffer a -6 on all Technology Compatibility checks.

Languages: Mutated animals begin play speaking a local language. Mutated animals with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages appropriate to the character origin and GM approval.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Still Sick and Still Seeking Manuscripts

Hard to believe, but I'm still ill. I've spent the last few days laying in bed reading, sleeping, and watching TV. Today I'm going to get some work done as I can't really hold off any longer. One of the nice things about being your own boss is that you can call in sick whenever you want, but the more you do it the less money you make. *sigh*

So I'm back at work (even though it probably won't be for that many hours today) and I'd love to see some manuscripts come my way.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Squirrel Spiders

This would be a cool critter to stat up in Sorcery & Super Science! I should do so, I think. Thanks for all the well wishes on the big 40, all, and hope you enjoyed the presents!


Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Filth Rat

Another critter below the shattered moon...

Filth Rat
Mutated Rat (Basic)
C0 A4 S1 F4 R0 I3 W1: Ego 16: Health 18: Fortune 13
Movement 7/62

Description & Information: Filth rats are most commonly found in the ruins of the ancients. They live in small packs of less than a dozen and are very territorial. They are around 4 feet in length (including tail) and weigh up to 50 pounds. Although they are capable of delivering a rather nasty bite, they prefer to attack from a distance, earning their name by throwing their excrement with their tail to a range of 50 feet. A filth rat colony is lead by the elder matriarch and composed mainly of male rats vying for her attention. Other females are ostracized from the colony once breeding age is achieved.

Intrinsic Powers
• Filth rats are wiry and tough creatures and reduce all physical damage received by 1 point per hit.
• Filth rats may attack with a bite, dealing +3 piercing damage and a +4/ rank 4 combat condition, but they rarely do so unless cornered.

Limited Use Powers
• Filth rats can throw their newly excreted feces at targets up to 50 feet away. This deals no damage, but forces hit targets to succeed on a rank 10 Fortitude conflict or spend the next two turns retching, capable only of self-defense. Additionally, if the conflict fails by more than 4 points, the target is diseased.

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