Space RPGs?

[Ranger REG]

Hey everyone. I've been reading some sci-fi space operas as of late, and it's really whet my appetite to run a space RPG. Only problem is, I don't know of any great space RPGs. I own the Star Wars books, but that's definitely not what I'm looking for. The Battlestar Galactica and Firefly RPGs aren't very interesting to me, either. I even own the Star Trek RPG books, but to be honest, I haven't checked them out too much - the theme seems to be heavily integrated with the system, and I'm not going for a Star Trek theme. I just got GURPS Space and HERO Space, and I'm checking those out.

Thus, I pose the question to the powerful minds on these forums: what Space RPG do you recommend?

What I recommend is suited to MY OWN [group's] flavor and game-playing style. Some of those you rejected above are the ones I have played and liked.

 

[S'mon]

All I'm saying is that 2300 is still the official future of the Twilight 2000 universe, whereas TNE is not. I realize that TNE seems like a better fit for Twlight 2000, but canon is firm about 2300 being linked to the Twilight 2000 setting and TNE being linked to the Traveller setting, rather than vice-versa.

I think it's fair to say that TNE is a lot like T2K in space, but saying that it is T2K in space breaks with the reality and potentially confuses Traveller newcomers by distorting facts. I know that people misrepresenting TNE as a continuation of (or link to) Twilight 2000 confused the heck out of me at one time

OK, clearly your use of & understanding of language is different to mine, when it comes to discussing fictional universes and game settings. I don't give nearly as much credence to fictional timelines as you seem to. It'd be like calling a game based on the real 1969 Moon Landings "World War 2 in Space!" because it was set in the same (real) universe as WW2.

 

[Urizen]

RDP is actually going to be doing a Conversion of Darrin Drader's Reign of Discordia for the Traveller system.

We'll still be doing True20 material for the setting, but I'm really liking Traveller and I think Reign will work very well with it.

 

[danbuter1]

I'd recommend Traveller from Mongoose Publishing. Very nice system and setting.

I strongly agree with this. MonTrav is one of the best space games out there.

 

[Silverblade The Ench]

SPELLJAMMER!
it owns all, except maybe Dark Sun

 

[rgard]

Traveller: The New Era is Twilight: 2000 in space.

BTW I like the d20 rules but have always hated, hated d20 Modern/Future's base classes - "Strong Hero" "Fast Hero" etc - which both sound silly and, being generic, completely miss the point of a using a class-based system. They've completely ruined for me the games I've bought that use them (eg Grim Tales, Mars). I think a good source for 'real' d20 sf classes like Marine and Academic is Traveller20, if you can get hold of it. I thought it was a pretty good combo of Traveller and d20 rules; if you replace its Stamina/Lifeblood rules with regular Hit Points you go from Traveller-esque gritty to D&D style high-powered heroes. It's still towards the low-sf side though but would be ideal for something like Space: Above & Beyond or the new Galactica (leaving aside spacehip combat rules. I cannot make sense of spaceship combat in any iteration of Traveller I've seen.

I agree on all counts. And 'high-powered' will equal 'space opera.'

 

[duke_Qa]

Why has nobody mentioned wh40k: dark Heresy? Although maybe not 100% space oriented, I bet I could have made a long campaign based inside one of the imperial ships/fleets. you can't have a space opera before you are floating through space in a ship that looks like a cathedral.

The game mechanics aren't too bad, and the universe opens up for alot of disturbing situations. I just love the "everyone is evil and nothing is going to work out for anyone in the long run"-mood in 40k.

For anyone who doesn't know much about 40k(or just want to have a laugh because it's fun), here's a tvtropes link that fills you in

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Amazing Engine had Magitech. While not entirely a space exploration game, Venus and Mars are partially colonized and allows for exploration on three (this includes Earth) different planets (and more if you or the GM allows it).

Actually, Amazing Engine had several science fiction settings, but I'll go through all of them:

Magitech: D&D in the 20th Century where magic replaces technology
Faerie, Queen, & Country: 19th Century England where the Faeries exist and have social rights and status.
Galactos Barrier: Space Opera where people channel the force celestial harmonies.
Bughunters: Aliens-esque travel to new and interesting worlds, find fascinating new life forms, and kill them.
Tabloid!: The truth is out there and its your job to get it into the magazines on the grocery store racks.
Once and Future King: Interplanetary Pendragon where technology replaces magic.
Metamorphosis Alpha to Omega: The classic spaceship Warden with mutants and robots.

I think all but Galactos Barrier and Metamorphosis Alpha to Omega are available on DTRPG: DriveThruRPG.com - Wizards of the Coast - AM1: Amazing Engine System Guide

And I'm surprised no one has mentioned Star Frontiers or Buck Rogers XXVc.

 

[The Green Adam]

Space...The Final Frontier

I am a HUGE SciFi/Space RPG fan and gamer with the vast majority of my campaigns over the last 30+ years being set in the genre. While I am an avid fan of Star Trek (prefer Last Unicorn's ICON system version) and was a big Star Wars fan (there is only WEG's D6 for me - one of my all time favorite games), most of my 'generic' space games have utilized the original Traveller rules.

I am currently seeking a system for my newest campaign idea, a somewhat-over-the-top space opera with a possibly comedic bend. A reworked D6 System might be in order but I was hoping to juxtapose the comedy elements with a solid, SF mechanics game. Not quite sure how to do this or what I'm looking for but if it were too easy there'd be no challenge.

Hmmm...in the realm of complex yet goofy, Space Opera by Fantasy Games Unlimited and Star Frontiers both come to mind. I'll have to keep working at this one...

AD

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Hey everyone. I've been reading some sci-fi space operas as of late, and it's really whet my appetite to run a space RPG. Only problem is, I don't know of any great space RPGs. I own the Star Wars books, but that's definitely not what I'm looking for. The Battlestar Galactica and Firefly RPGs aren't very interesting to me, either. I even own the Star Trek RPG books, but to be honest, I haven't checked them out too much - the theme seems to be heavily integrated with the system, and I'm not going for a Star Trek theme. I just got GURPS Space and HERO Space, and I'm checking those out.

Thus, I pose the question to the powerful minds on these forums: what Space RPG do you recommend?

Thanks for this topic. I am traditionally more a sci-fi then a fantasy guy, but still ended up playing D&D, not any Startrek, Star Wars or other Sci-Fi games.

Unfortunately I can't say I have found a game so far that fully hit what I wanted. Maybe I am playing D&D too long now and the particular play style I enjoy in D&D just doesn't fit into a Sci-Fi setting? (Killing People and take their Stuff?)