And the same twenty people would be watching it each time
Firefly would have found its audience, if people hadn't have assumed that it was going to be cancelled (self fulfilling prophecy).
If Firefly were Traveller...
- Thread starter castiglione
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Firefly would have found its audience, if people hadn't have assumed that it was going to be cancelled (self fulfilling prophecy).
It was on FOX; it was predestined.
I've been thinking about the worlds noted in Serenity RPG in Traveller terms.
High TL, High Gov
Ariel Ri
Bernadette Ni Ri
Londinium Ga Ni Ri
Osiris Ri
Sihnon Ga Ni Ri
Average TL
Beaumonde Hi In
Bellerophon Ni Na Ri
Boros Ag
Hera Ag
Newhall Wa
Paquin Ni Na
Persephone Ni Na
Santo Ga Ag
Verbena
Low TL
Athens Na Ni
- Whitefall Fa
Beylix
Ezra Na Ni A
Greenleaf Ag?
Haven Mi Na Lo?
Higgins' Moon Mi
Jiangyjin Ag Gov-0
Lilac He (hellworld)
Regina Hi In De?
Shadow ATM 5, HYD 2? Pop 0, Ba Di
Triumph Fa TL3
St. Albans Tu (tundric) Mi Lo
I was also thinking about characters, and indirectly the task system. They're not like Traveller at all, since the mechanics in Serenity feel strongly narrative. But as I read up on it I felt I could take a stab at relating one to 'tother.
In particular, where everything is skills in Traveller, Serenity has obstacles and assets which are more or less DMs to certain actions. I would model them like skills or certifications in some cases, talents in others, and in yet other cases they'd be background information, or perhaps metadata - for example a character's rank is a DM in Traveller, and an asset in Serenity.
In particular, where everything is skills in Traveller, Serenity has obstacles and assets which are more or less DMs to certain actions. I would model them like skills or certifications in some cases, talents in others, and in yet other cases they'd be background information, or perhaps metadata - for example a character's rank is a DM in Traveller, and an asset in Serenity.
I never really cared for the task system, and figured I would just drop in straight proto-Trav BT/CT if anyone ever cajoled me into running a game in that setting.
ShawnDriscoll
SOC-14 1K
I've run Mongoose Traveller using Serenity (Big Damn Heroes Handbook), and run Serenity using Mongoose Traveller. Just depends on what players are interested in trying out.
Here you are with a partial conversion... taken from "The Verse in Numbers" I've gone through physicals and pop. (I can provide it in pages via email.)
The below attached is a PDF. The locations are based upon system/orbit/suborbit/subsuborbit notation.
sources noted inside. Shared with permission of the TVIN author.
You're conflating the two games.
Serenity is a trad game, where it's always 1 att + 1 skill, beat a TN, boolean success.
Firefly is the newer game, and you always roll a pool, the count the highest two. The pool is a distinction, a relevant Attribute, a relevant Skill, one specialization of that skill, Your signature Asset if Relevant, one relevant asset, and possibly one condition die from the opponent; if relevant, a reputation die may be added, too (from one of the supplements); spend a plot point to add another relevant asset or opponent condition. If you have a BDH die, spend a plot point to add it (after rolling), and add it to the total of the dice kept.
Distinctions: you have 3, each used either as a D4 to earn a Plot Point or a d8 and no PP.
Attributes: Physical/Mental/Social each rated between d6 and d10
Skills: 19 of them rated from d4 (unskilled) to d12 (peak skill)
Specializations: either none, or a d6.
Signature asset: d8 asset, 1 per character at start. (d6 if used by someone else)
Asset: any tool or membership or other visible help. always a d6 unless situations have gone strange.
Conditions: Damage; rated from d4 to d12
The system always uses an opposed roll. If it's an NPC or PC, they generate the pool the same way.
If its an asset or a complication, it rolls with a difficulty die. if it's just a difficulty, 2 difficulty dice. Then add one complication if the target has one.
It is pretty narrativist, but it works surprisingly well.
If you beat the opposition by a 5+, the highest unread die is converted to a Big Damned Hero die.
Any 1 rolled is a potential for a complication; the GM offers, and if taken, gives a Plot Point. It's either a number of steps equal to the 1's rolled, skipping the d4, or stepping up an existing one by 1 step per 1. Each complication altered is a plot point, but not each step.
Oh, and if an action targets multiples?
Sort the dice, highest is 1st die, next highest 2nd die, etc
1st target: 1st + 2nd
2nd target: 1st + 3rd
3rd target: 1st + 4th
One could use the system for traveller characters as well...
Attributes
1-2 = d2 (coin flip: heads = 2, tails = 1)
3-4 = d4
5-6 = d6
7-8 = d8
9-10 = d10
11-12 = d12
13-16 = d16*
17+ d20
Skills:
0: d6, no specialty
1: d6 & specialty —or— d8
2: d8 & specialty —or— d10 —or— d6 and two specialties
3: d10 & specialty —or— d12 —or— d8 & 2 specialties
4: d12 & Specialty —or— d10 & 2 specialties —or— d8 & 3 specialties
Assets: any significant tool is an asset. One is a d8 signature asset. any routine gear you have is either an asset, or can be made an assset at need by spending a plot point.
* you can fake it with a d20, rerolling on 17+, and could also split it into 13-14=d14, 15-16=d16, 17-18=d18, 19-20=d20, but that's clumsy, and only relevant for non-humans; I have Gamescience d16's from my TNE days, for aging rolls, which used 1d20 reroll 17-20.
Borrowed, thank you.
Re Serenity vs. Firefly. I'm not actually conflating: I'm only going from Serenity.
On that note, I've generated a character in Serenity -- actually ported my engineer from Traveller. It looks to me as though characteristics are mappable between Serenity and Traveller, either straight or with a curve.
First, and easiest, stab:
D4 => 4.
D6 => 6.
D8 => 8.
D10 => 10.
D12 => 12.
Beyond that, I suppose a curve is in order.
Of course, Willpower and Alertness are add-ons, while EDu and SOC would be taken from the character's background and homeworld and/or inferred from Assets/Complications: Slow Learner, Friends in High/Low Places, Good Name, Branded, Highly Educated, Moneyed Individual.
And, first stab again, skills flatten out and map to something like dice/2. So a d2 is level 1, d8 is level 4. Or something...
P.S. Credits.
Hypothesis: 1 Serenity credit = 8 Traveller credits.
1 Serenity credit = $25 in 2005 dollars.
Assume: 1 Imperial credit is $1 in 1977, or $3 and a bit in 2005 dollars.
Thus 1 Serenity credit = 25/3.x = 8.
It's close. A pistol would be Cr150, a laser pistol Cr2500. Not unreasonable.
Cr 400 for a Shotgun, pricey. Cr250 for an SMG.
Even easier is just to make SCr1 = Cr10.
Not that we really convert our cash; both games have adequate equipment and rules for getting spending money.
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ShawnDriscoll
SOC-14 1K
I keep the currency that comes with the setting.
I like Ranger's blog on fireflyfans.net. He helps me think about chargen and how to fit it into a Firefly-like setting.
I would probably insert one or two mods into chargen:
1. The Reenlist roll. This is actually a trigger for a System Civil War. After mustering out, the character then enlists in his wartime career, which lasts 1.5 terms. A Military enlistee predeclares if he's on the winning or losing side, with losers taking -2 SOC and forfeiting benefits, except weapon receipts. Non-military may choose to not muster out yet and remain in the current career.
2. Prodigies. INT 10+ may begin at age 14.
The name of the game is RULES MODS more than creating rules. For example, I like modding the jump drive rules to be more stutterwarpy, or NAFAL-like, or what have you.
I would probably insert one or two mods into chargen:
1. The Reenlist roll. This is actually a trigger for a System Civil War. After mustering out, the character then enlists in his wartime career, which lasts 1.5 terms. A Military enlistee predeclares if he's on the winning or losing side, with losers taking -2 SOC and forfeiting benefits, except weapon receipts. Non-military may choose to not muster out yet and remain in the current career.
2. Prodigies. INT 10+ may begin at age 14.
The name of the game is RULES MODS more than creating rules. For example, I like modding the jump drive rules to be more stutterwarpy, or NAFAL-like, or what have you.
ShawnDriscoll
SOC-14 1K
That gives me an idea for the chargen app I wrote the does start some characters at 14 - 15 years old.
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