briansommers
Explorer
GURPS vs Mongoose Traveller v2
or should I be looking elsewhere?
even Marc Miller's massive T5?
or should I be looking elsewhere?
even Marc Miller's massive T5?
looking for detailed spaceship building rules/mechanics in a TTRPG
briansommers
Explorer
If I understand it correctly that GURPS spaceships is mass based and I think Traveller v2 is as well
I'm wanting something where you can physically build a ship as far as shape goes so that at the end of it I want to see how it looks.
Maybe I should go play Kerbal space program or whatever that game is.
I'm not sure there is a pen/paper game that offers something like this
I'm wanting something where you can physically build a ship as far as shape goes so that at the end of it I want to see how it looks.
Maybe I should go play Kerbal space program or whatever that game is.
I'm not sure there is a pen/paper game that offers something like this
briansommers
Explorer
I'm leaning towards Traveller High Guard v2
dragoner
KosmicRPG.com
I prefer classic over mongoose, they make more sense with less crunch, plus you get 40 years of official and user made designs. However, I think with ordering the T5 disk from Marc Miller at FFE http://www.farfuture.net/ you get the Classic, MegaTraveller, and The New Era rules.
I have heard good things about GURPS too, though.
Another choice is Cepheus Engine, which also just released a design guide for spacecraft.
I have heard good things about GURPS too, though.
Another choice is Cepheus Engine, which also just released a design guide for spacecraft.
By High Guard v2 do you mean the revised version of the Classic Book 5? It won't give you much in the way of shape, and personally I'm not a big fan (its rules for building weapon systems have various not-always-obvious break points).
Classic Book 2 has (what I think) is a fun system that can produce a pretty wide variety of ships (not as big as Star Wars ones, but by Traveller rules they're a bit unplayable). It doesn't produce shapes, though. It may be less complex than what you're looking for.
The Traders ankd Gunboats supplement for Classic Traveller is available on DriveThru RPG has advice on drawing deck plans that fits within Traveller conventions.
SpaceMaster Star Strike is a mid-80s set of rules for Space Master 2nd ed. It has ship building rules which I have never used - too complex - but might be closer to GURPS in that respect. The subsequent edition of SpMa ("Privateers") had a Vehicle Manual supplement (review here) that probably fits what you're looking for.
For what it's worth, I've got an active Classic Traveller game and recommend it as a highly playable system.
Eltab
Lord of the Hidden Layer
I don't know what size ship you want or what the PCs' roles will be, so your needs are still vague.
Consider that Han Solo and Chewie take care of Millennium Falcon all by themselves, but Captain Kirk's Enterprise has a crew of about 500.
If the PCs are to be the whole crew (or all the officers) then I can second Traders and Gunboats. The ships are designed with that sort of scale in mind. Most of the architecture is more inventive than "brick shape".
Consider that Han Solo and Chewie take care of Millennium Falcon all by themselves, but Captain Kirk's Enterprise has a crew of about 500.
If the PCs are to be the whole crew (or all the officers) then I can second Traders and Gunboats. The ships are designed with that sort of scale in mind. Most of the architecture is more inventive than "brick shape".
aramis erak
Legend
Mongoose Traveller is FAR below GURPS Vehicles or Traveller: The New Era's Fire Fusion and Steel, or the T4 version of it (with even more details).
CORPS VDS is simpler that TNE/T4 FF&S, but has the same general level of detail, just not tied to material names.
T5 is similar in approach to CORPS VDS, and similar in detail.
Sword of Spirit
Legend
You could take a look at d6 Space. They have a supplement specifically about ships (including design rules). They don't have the sort of visual design you mentioned, but it doesn't seem like others do either, so you might want to give it a try.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/20447/D6-Space?it=1
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/20449/D6-Space-Ships?it=1
The pdfs aren't free anymore (they were for a certain time period) but at $3 each, it might be worth your time to take a look at them.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/20447/D6-Space?it=1
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/20449/D6-Space-Ships?it=1
The pdfs aren't free anymore (they were for a certain time period) but at $3 each, it might be worth your time to take a look at them.
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