Space RPGs compared

[aramis]

A couple more I've run:

The Babylon Project Excellent setting material, limited tho it is,faithful to the source. CG and Character Advancement both tied to the "Epic Story Arc" ideals of B5. But a warrior caste minbari can kill with but one punch a human... combat was TOO deadly for my players.

Alternity Excellent system overall, aside from the tasks. The "Classes" can easily be done away with (thus making everyone Non-Professionals, the only class in the Ref's book), heavily traveller inspired (Starfall takes 121 hours regaurdles of distance, to a maximum distance of our drive's rating), visually appealing, multiple official settings (3 major ones now, including Gamma World). You alwways have a chance to fail and always have a chance to succeed on any task within the (+ or -)1d20 range. Results of rolls a tad TOO random, but fun and easy to play. Can be easily made to do traveller by creating new "Professions" tied to the traveller careers, and adopting an expanded skill list. Effectively, all characters have a limited form of JoaT skill.

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-aramis
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Smith & Wesson: The Original Point and Click interface!

[This message has been edited by aramis (edited 28 May 2001).]

 

[BigLEE]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by T. Foster:

Metamorphosis Alpha: The first SFRPG? D&D-on-a-spaceship interesting for a couple-three sessions, but not a lot of room for expansion.[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Possibly, however that same year (1976) Flying Buffalo released the Starfaring RPG. I coundln't tell you which came out first.

 

[aramis]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Emperor Cleon:
Star Wars (WEG version) I guess I'm in the minority here when I say I liked it. I was 12 when Star Wars came out in '77, and it heavily influenced me. True, the system isn't realistic, but then neither is the Star Wars universe. George Lucas never claimed it was science fiction. He used the term "Space Fantasy". The SW system by WEG was revolutionary in its time and accurately portrayed the SW cinematic style.

Here's one you likely don't remember...
Star Patrol, by Gamescience (1980). It was an obvious knock-off of Traveller, but with a more Space Opera feel. I've had alot of fun with this game, and still use it occasionally today.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I LIKE star wars by WEG. It was simple, fun, really epic space fantasy. It does, however, lack world design, ship design, vehicle design, and decent trade and commer rules.

And I have Star Patrol. It's more obviously Trek inspired, IMHO.

And here's are a few more for consideration:
Battle Born & Guardians of Sol BB & G/Sol are Man in Battlesuit, inspired (according to the author, see http://www.spacegamer.com/spacegamer/ ) BB is the Jump&Die humorous Battledress Drop Troops in Low-bid TL 20 suits; GSol is the same setting, but the Cops, in better quality suits. Fun, slick and simple. Even less "SciFi" than WEG-SW.

And, for the mecha anime fans: Heavy Gear & Jovian Chronicles. This pair is fully inter-compatable (along wtih Tribe 8 & Gearkrieg), and both are "Near Realistic Mecha Anime". Both have wonderful settings, and lots of support. And, here's the real treat: Both are combined Minis/RPG rulebooks.
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-aramis
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Smith & Wesson: The Original Point and Click interface!

[This message has been edited by aramis (edited 28 May 2001).]

 

[PVernon]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tanuki:
I remember that one. Anyone know what Scotty is doing these days?
.]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Last I heard he was in Beloxi Miss. But that was 15 yrs ago.

Peter V.

 

[PVernon]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Murph:

I wonder if you can still get a copy somewhere? Is Zocchi still in business?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

As of last Gencon he was doing fine, And he is on the schedule for this year.

Peter V.

 

[PVernon]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gaming Glen:


Star Trek, Adventure Gaming in the Final Frontier. Copyright 1978. Published by Heritage Models, Inc. Written by Michael J. Scott.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

IIRC, and it's a long way back, Rocky Russo and Scotty were contracted to do the ST game by Paramount for Publication by Heritage to go with a line of ST figures that Heritage was doing for Paramount. Something happened and the figs were not released, Paramount then never talked to Rocky and Scotty again. Rocky and Scotty then took the parts from the ST game that they liked mixed it with ideas from Scotty's "Star Guard" game and other stuff and out came "Star Patrol".
Rocky still uses it as a generic SciFi scermish game. "You only have 40K figs and you have Star Wars figs, not a problem.
Peter V.

 

[randlbarn]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Uncle Bob:
Twilighy 2000[/b] with the original rules. That system, was a Wargamer's RPG system, and I liked it. We had to tweak it to allow firing single shots to conserve ammo, but that was all. By the late 1980s the setting was obviously dated. Murph then ran an excellent "Twighlight 1989" game, a contemporary action/espionage/crime fighting game.
]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Twilight 2000 was a GREAT game, pardon my enthusiasm. I had the first version and the "updated" one that they came out with post-Soviet collapse. I still can't understand why someone doesn't rehash it for say 2010 or 2015. It had a great combat system and a really good storyline to start out the campaign with. Does ANYONE play it anymore? It wouldn't be too hard to update it on the fly.

 

[Darium]

I just picked up a old SF game boxed set;
Other Suns by Fantasy Games Unlimited. (Y.A.P.S.) But it does have an interesting world creation system. It had a shipyard book with it and the ships could be converted easily. Has anyone played it before?

 

[PVernon]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by PVernon:
Last I heard he was in Beloxi Miss. But that was 15 yrs ago.

Peter V.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

An update - I talked with Rocky on Tuesday and he talked to Scotty 2 or 3 months ago. He is still in Beloxi.

Peter V.

 

[Emperor Cleon]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by aramis:
I LIKE star wars by WEG. It was simple, fun, really epic space fantasy. It does, however, lack world design, ship design, vehicle design, and decent trade and commer rules.

And I have Star Patrol. It's more obviously Trek inspired, IMHO.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

With regard to WEG's Star Wars, There was a world creation system in "Planets of the Galaxy; Volume One", and a trade and commerce system in "Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters". The latter also included some simple rules for modifying ships (not a ship creation system).
As to Star Patrol... I was refering to the game mechanics when I said it was based on Traveller. True, there was alot of Star Trek references in it, but since there was no Star Trek rpg out there in 1980, the game system could hardly be based on one. The oprional background universe of Star Patrol did resemble Star Trek somewhat.

 

[Gallowglass]

RE Other Suns.

Cracking game as I recall. Some bizarrely intricate maths in character creation but otherwise I loved the system (at the time my great love was Chaosium's BRP games) and had great fun running it with the gamers at my school. IIRC Niall Shapiro has made the text available on the Net somewhere, including more infor regarding the background; which I remember little of, save the distinctive feel it had compared to CT and others because it was NOT a human centred universe - the Earth was a smoking conder and mankind definetly the poor relation in the L'Doran Hegemony...

 

[aramis]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Emperor Cleon:
With regard to WEG's Star Wars, There was a world creation system in "Planets of the Galaxy; Volume One", and a trade and commerce system in "Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters". The latter also included some simple rules for modifying ships (not a ship creation system).
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Having run it, the trade and commerce rules are NOT "Decent", and barely playable. The ship modification rules merely added costs to what were, mechanically, esentially extensions of the characters (1st ed SW had you paying XP's to improve ship systems; this continnued in the 2nd Ed, but added cash costs). Not having posession of, nor even having seen PotG v1 (I've GOT v2), no comment there. But the GG Scouts didn't do much either. It was a guide to turning a concept into an adventure. If the GG system was simmilar, it would require you to already HAVE THE CONCEPT.

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-aramis
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Smith & Wesson: The Original Point and Click interface!

 

[Christopher Jennings]

Looking back I can only remember trying one other Sci-fi RPG, not counting Morrow Project as it's time-line is so close, and that was Space Opera. We all took the time to draw up characters, which was an interesting experiance in itself, and was looking forward to giving it a try. Things were going smoothly UNTIL someone had to go and pull a trigger. It took 45 minutes to figure out what happened after that point-no kidding. Needless to say from that point on we were "gun-shy"(sorry) about any system that employed more than one table to figure out hits and damage. Interesting setting and some unique ideas on weaponry-loved the "Continental Siege Units", big enough to make an Ogre Mk-5 nervious. But as a playable RPG - don't think so.

 

[Murph]

HA! Space Opera had so many abbreviations such as LBA/CBU/HUD, etc. that we had one of our group develop an acronym himself: IBSAR (Isolated Bands of Stragglers Along the Road). The players later designated themselves the 1701st IBSAR Squadron.


<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Christopher Jennings:
Looking back I can only remember trying one other Sci-fi RPG, not counting Morrow Project as it's time-line is so close, and that was Space Opera. We all took the time to draw up characters, which was an interesting experiance in itself, and was looking forward to giving it a try. Things were going smoothly UNTIL someone had to go and pull a trigger. It took 45 minutes to figure out what happened after that point-no kidding. Needless to say from that point on we were "gun-shy"(sorry) about any system that employed more than one table to figure out hits and damage. Interesting setting and some unique ideas on weaponry-loved the "Continental Siege Units", big enough to make an Ogre Mk-5 nervious. But as a playable RPG - don't think so.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

[BigLEE]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gallowglass:
RE Other Suns.

Cracking game as I recall. Some bizarrely intricate maths in character creation but otherwise I loved the system (at the time my great love was Chaosium's BRP games) and had great fun running it with the gamers at my school. IIRC Niall Shapiro has made the text available on the Net somewhere, including more infor regarding the background; which I remember little of, save the distinctive feel it had compared to CT and others because it was NOT a human centred universe - the Earth was a smoking conder and mankind definetly the poor relation in the L'Doran Hegemony...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The text is at http://www.hoboes.com/pub/Role-Playing/Future/Other%20Suns/

L.E.E.

 

[Emperor Cleon]

Okay, forget I mentioned WEG's Star Wars.

Yeah, I remember Other Suns. I've still got the books but haven't played it in many years.

Back in the mid-80's there was a small game company called Pacesetter Ltd. They produced three games; A time-travel one that I can't remember the name of, in which the PC's were members of the Time Corps, sent back into Earth's history to fight the evil Demorans (I think that was their name) who were meddling with Earth history. Most scenarios revolved around historcal battles. I really enjoyed this one.
They also had Chill, a horror game that was lots of fun. The PC's were members of a secret society that hunted down classic monsters like vampires, ghosts, werewolves and mummies. It was more light-hearted than the current, dark horrr games on the market today. Another company later bought the rights and re-released it in a much crappier form.
Then there was Star Ace, which was alot like Star Wars with the PC's fighting against an evil empire.

 

[Murph]

Wasn't it TIME AND TIME AGAIN? I have almost the complete run of Different Worlds Magazines and this game is mentioned in one.

On Space Opera, the Character generation was hopelessly Byzantine.

 

[DrSkull]

Space Opera was a nightmare, I seem to recall running one campaign of 4-5 sessions back in 85 or 86. The weaponry and vehicles were neat and there was a nice broad range of them, vibroblades, monofilament weapons, laser swords, lasers, blasters, neural whips, coagulators. You could really pick a choose to mimic Trek or Star Wars or any other sci-fi setting. It had a simple useable 3-D star map system, but it was the only simple and useable thing about the game. Character generation was just murderous.

Thinking back about those days, does anyone remember a game called "Behind Enemy Lines"? It was a WWII RPG, I'm memntioning it because I seem to remember that the mechanics were very very close to Classic Traveller mechanics. Am I just remembering a cloer connection than was there or were they actually very similar?

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Dave "Dr. Skull" Nelson

 

[BigLEE]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DrSkull:
Space Opera was a nightmare, I seem to recall running one campaign of 4-5 sessions back in 85 or 86. The weaponry and vehicles were neat and there was a nice broad range of them, vibroblades, monofilament weapons, laser swords, lasers, blasters, neural whips, coagulators. You could really pick a choose to mimic Trek or Star Wars or any other sci-fi setting. It had a simple useable 3-D star map system, but it was the only simple and useable thing about the game. Character generation was just murderous.

Thinking back about those days, does anyone remember a game called "Behind Enemy Lines"? It was a WWII RPG, I'm memntioning it because I seem to remember that the mechanics were very very close to Classic Traveller mechanics. Am I just remembering a cloer connection than was there or were they actually very similar?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

There were two versions of Behind Enemy Lines. The first by FASA (1982), the second by the Companions (1985). Both used 2d6 to resolve tasks and combat.

William J Keith wrote the FASA version, and given his work on FASA's Traveller supplements, it's no surprise similarities exist.

L.E.E.

 

[aramis]

Going through spring clean-up, I noticed several other good sci-fi games I've collected over the years:
Albedo: This is a hard-sci-fi fuzzies setting. No humans; not even as a baseline for comparison. No real ship-to-ship combat rules, as the Manuverable Independant Combat Vehicles suicide into opposing ships at high velocities; hits are fatal to ship and crew. Lots of ground action, and a decent prior service based (but not term based) CGen for skill driven system. Drawbacks: Small audience (If you've heard of Erma Felna, EDF, or of Albedo or the New Albedo, you've proably never seen the game, and vice versa) with limited penetration. Uses a 2d6 throw for all skill resolutions. But a "Serious Fuzzies" setting has problems... most people I've tried to introduce it to can't get past fuzzies and drop into looney toons mode... And the setting is anything BUT looney toons in feel.
Justifiers: Another Fuzzies game, this one is set in a human dominated universe, with the fuzzies starting off as property of the megacorps. Your goal: to buy yourself back from the corp. The method? By doing "Justification" assignments: the team transmatts to a world, finds reasons why the corp should exploit it, and builds the transmatt station for getting home. C&L, YAPS. Lots of good ideas. Small audience. 5x8 inch perfect-bound series. Full color covers, decent B&W insides. The mechanics turn off many, and the fuzzies another (and barely overlappinng) many. Also, it is still fairly hard sci-fi, and tech is obviously traveller inspired (ARIES Marines are equivalent to Battle Dress Marines in both skills and purpose). I'm tepted to try and find the authors, and do it over into d20, just to get the great ideas into play.
Shatterzone: The masterbook engine (Shared with TORG, Indiana Jones, Tank Girl, Necroscope) is slick, and while it uses cards, it also uses dice. Shatterzone presents a wonderful setting, with the same themes as traveller: Big Gov't vs Little Guy, Trade, Exploration, and Nail missions. Where it fails... No trade and commerce rules, no world building rules (nor even concept expansion rules), and a combat system tailored to dramatic needs far beyond most players' comfort zones.

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-aramis
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Smith & Wesson: The Original Point and Click interface!