Alternity Modules
Revised: 5/30/2017
On the topic of modular rules designs for the new Sasquatch Game Studio Alternity game, given the information below, what additional modules would you like to see considered for development?
What other SF setting examples would you describe as (Core Module + Additional modules) that would provide GMs with the tools needed to run that type of game?
--------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
References v2:
Sasquatch Game Studio Alternity
Alternity Design Blog #7: Modular Design
SGS Facebook page
Kickstarter Comments tab
Reddit AMA
GMshoe Q&A
RPG campaign settings list
Sasquatch Game Studio
The core book would have everything you need to run a game, but there are some aspects of the original Player's Handbook that might wait until a new module to expand upon. For example, while we'll touch on things like cyberpunk style hacking, mutants, or psionics, we'll save in-depth expansion of those rules to later modules or settings where they are appropriate. And some stuff gets its own book -- like ship design, which gets the Shipyard book, and alien/adversary design, which will be in the Xenologist's Guide.
· Reply · May 3 at 4:19pm
Richard Baker Collaborator on April 5
@ Thomas -- I think we need to support some amount of psionics/mindwalking/ESP in the core game, just because so many great sci-fi stories feature characters or aliens with mental powers. (Heck, we put a psychic alien in our Quickstart Guide adventure.) Diving into an extensive treatment of all things psionic is probably something that we'd save for a supplemental sourcebook. That's one of those modular elements of the system: It's suitable for some games but not all.
Richard Baker Collaborator on April 12 @Lee -- I think that a serious transhuman focus probably demands some dedicated source material (it's a rules module, like a big esper or mindwalking focus would be). But I think we want to provide enough building blocks that people interested in that sort of setting could use the Core Rulebook to explore post-Singularity adventure. At some point we'll have to prioritize, of course -- but we hope to engage with our backers as the campaign concludes to find out what priorities you all would like us to set.
[19:49] <+xyphoid> so the tagline is ‘modular’ – how does that work
[19:52] <+xyphoid> like, SF is one of the hardest areas to do generic games in because a ruleset that works well to support your Culture game is going to be pretty rough for your Greg Egan game
[19:53] <+SasquatchRich> RE: Modular . . . we think that one of the powerful uses of the Alternity game engine is to model a wide variety of SF genres and stories . . .
[19:54] <+SasquatchRich> So we’re building a game that invites the GM to use or set aside rules sub-systems to get just the flavor of SF he’s shooting for . . .
[19:55] <+SasquatchRich> Elements like cyber-tech, psionics, starfighter dogfighting rules . . . maybe you want ’em in your game, maybe you don’t. Use the modules you want, leave others for your next campaign.
[19:55] <+xyphoid> for example, let’s say we’re doing a pure exploration and research game with no combat, is it going to support that well?
[19:55] <+xyphoid> can i ignore classes, for example, if they don’t make sense?
[19:56] <+SasquatchStephen> xyphoid – sure. you might have just survivor, expert, and leader PCs
[19:58] <+SasquatchRich> Xyphoid, we agree. The challenge is building in “sockets” so that you can “plug in” psi rules (for example), without necessarily making exhaustive psi rules something everyone has to deal with.
[20:05] <+SasquatchRich> Will: That’s where those “sockets” come into play. We want to make sure that the “stub” of systems like Psionics, Mutations, Cybertech, Alien Artifacts are covered in the Core Rules, so that you’ll see how they work together if they’re all in play.
[20:07] <+Will> So the sockets are balanced such that if you have psi and mutations in play, it balances with a game with neither in play?
[20:08] <+SasquatchRich> Will: A character who invests big in psi shouldn’t be better than a character who doesn’t; they’re spending the same amount of character-creation resources…
[20:05] <+xyphoid> you talk about campaign design covering genres – what kind of SF genres are you covering?
[20:07] <+SasquatchRich> RE: Genres . . . space opera, exploration, post-apocalypse, near-future espionage, alien horror, all that stuff should be pretty accessible with our Core Rule set…
[20:09] <+SasquatchStephen> Xyphoid – we’re launching with Protostar, a medium future, hard SF setting
[20:10] <+SasquatchStephen> and we’ve also already published Thunder Run with our Quickstart Rules, which is set in a Mad Max-style post apocalyptic world.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------
Alternity RPG Modules (Blog #7):
Core (ground combat, basic tech interactions, simple interpersonal stuff)
Starship [Capital Size; Enterprise]
Starship [Smaller Size; Serenity]
Vehicle
Addition Modules Ideas v2:
Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic
Augmentations (Biotech, Cybernetics, Nanotech, Psionic, Technomagic)
Biotech
Cyberware/Cybernetics
Economic/Trade
Espionage
Fantasy
High Tech (PL 9+)
Horror
Low Tech (PL1-5)
Magic
Martial Arts
Mass Warfare
Mecha
Mental Power/Psionics
Military/Mercenary
Mutation
Mystery/Investigation
Nanotech
Power Armor
Pulp Fiction/Noir
Robotics
Science Fantasy
Secret Societies/Conspiracies
Social Interaction
Space Opera
Special Ops/Black Ops
Steampunk
Superhuman/Superhero
Supernatural/Paranormal
Technomagic
Time Travel
Transhuman
Virtual Reality/Cyberspace
Xenobiology
SF Settings Examples v2 (Core + X):
2300 AD
9th Generation
After the Bomb
Aftermath
Albedo
Babylon 5: Starships + Social Interactions + Mystery/Investigation
Battlelords of the 23rd Century
Blackwatch
Blue Planet
Bubblegum Crisis
Buck Rogers XXVC
Centauri Knights
Conspiracy X
Continuum
Cthulhu Tech
Cybergeneration
Cyberpunk 2020
Cyberspace
Dark*Matter
Darwin’s World
Dawning Star
Deadlands
Diaspora
Doctor Who (various)
Dragonstar: Starships + Fantasy + Magic
Eclipse Phase
Engel
Etherscope
Ex Machina
Fading Suns
Faith
Fallout/Wasteland: Post-Apocalyptic + Vehicles + Mutations
Fringeworthy
FTL 2248
Gamma World
Gear Krieg
GURPS Infinite Worlds
GURPS Planet of Adventure
GURPS Terradyne
GURPS Transhuman Space
Halcyon
HALO
Heavy Gear: Starships + Mecha
Incursion
Jeremiah
Jorune
Jovian Chronicles
Judge Dreed
Kromosone: Biotech + Espionage + Transhuman + Economic/Trade
Legionnaire
Living Steel
Mach The First Colony
Macross II
Mass Effect: Starships + Mental Powers+ Social Interactions
Mechwarrior: Starships + Post-Apocalyptic + Mecha
Mekton
Metamorphosis Alpha
Multiverser
Mutant
Mutant Chronicles
Mutazoids
Neuroshima
Paranoia
Pax Draconis
Phoenix Command
Prime Directive
Reich Star
Rifts
Rifts Chaos Earth
Ringworld
Robotech
Second Dawn
Serenity: Starships + Low Tech
Shadowrun: Fantasy + Magic + Espionage + Cyberware + Virtual Reality/Cyberspace
Shatterzone
Shock Social Science Fiction
Skyrealms of Jorune
SLA Industries
Space 1889
Space Infantry
Space Master
Space Opera
Spaceship Zero
Splicers
Starfinder
Star Frontiers
Star Hero
Star Trek (various)
Star Wars (various): Starships + Mental Powers + Robotics + Military/Mercenary
Star*Drive
Stargate SG-1
Starship Troopers: Starships + Power Armor + Biotech
Starships & Spacemen
Systems Failure
Tales from the Floating Vagabond
The Confederate Rangers
The Mechanoid Invasion
The Metabarons
The Morrow Project
The Robotic Age
Time Lord
Tokyo NOVA
Transhuman Space
Traveller
Traveller 2300
Tribe 8
Trinity
Twilight 2000
Uncharted Worlds
Underground
Universe
Warhammer 40K/General: Starships + Horror + Magic
Warhammer 40K/ Black Crusade
Warhammer 40K/ Dark Heresy
Warhammer 40K/ Deathwatch
Warhammer 40K/ Only War
Warhammer 40K/ Rogue Trader
Worlds of Rage
Wraeththu
XCOM: Special Ops
Revised: 5/30/2017
On the topic of modular rules designs for the new Sasquatch Game Studio Alternity game, given the information below, what additional modules would you like to see considered for development?
What other SF setting examples would you describe as (Core Module + Additional modules) that would provide GMs with the tools needed to run that type of game?
--------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
References v2:
Sasquatch Game Studio Alternity
Alternity Design Blog #7: Modular Design
SGS Facebook page
Kickstarter Comments tab
Reddit AMA
GMshoe Q&A
RPG campaign settings list
Sasquatch Game Studio
The core book would have everything you need to run a game, but there are some aspects of the original Player's Handbook that might wait until a new module to expand upon. For example, while we'll touch on things like cyberpunk style hacking, mutants, or psionics, we'll save in-depth expansion of those rules to later modules or settings where they are appropriate. And some stuff gets its own book -- like ship design, which gets the Shipyard book, and alien/adversary design, which will be in the Xenologist's Guide.
· Reply · May 3 at 4:19pm
Richard Baker Collaborator on April 5
@ Thomas -- I think we need to support some amount of psionics/mindwalking/ESP in the core game, just because so many great sci-fi stories feature characters or aliens with mental powers. (Heck, we put a psychic alien in our Quickstart Guide adventure.) Diving into an extensive treatment of all things psionic is probably something that we'd save for a supplemental sourcebook. That's one of those modular elements of the system: It's suitable for some games but not all.
Richard Baker Collaborator on April 12 @Lee -- I think that a serious transhuman focus probably demands some dedicated source material (it's a rules module, like a big esper or mindwalking focus would be). But I think we want to provide enough building blocks that people interested in that sort of setting could use the Core Rulebook to explore post-Singularity adventure. At some point we'll have to prioritize, of course -- but we hope to engage with our backers as the campaign concludes to find out what priorities you all would like us to set.
[19:49] <+xyphoid> so the tagline is ‘modular’ – how does that work
[19:52] <+xyphoid> like, SF is one of the hardest areas to do generic games in because a ruleset that works well to support your Culture game is going to be pretty rough for your Greg Egan game
[19:53] <+SasquatchRich> RE: Modular . . . we think that one of the powerful uses of the Alternity game engine is to model a wide variety of SF genres and stories . . .
[19:54] <+SasquatchRich> So we’re building a game that invites the GM to use or set aside rules sub-systems to get just the flavor of SF he’s shooting for . . .
[19:55] <+SasquatchRich> Elements like cyber-tech, psionics, starfighter dogfighting rules . . . maybe you want ’em in your game, maybe you don’t. Use the modules you want, leave others for your next campaign.
[19:55] <+xyphoid> for example, let’s say we’re doing a pure exploration and research game with no combat, is it going to support that well?
[19:55] <+xyphoid> can i ignore classes, for example, if they don’t make sense?
[19:56] <+SasquatchStephen> xyphoid – sure. you might have just survivor, expert, and leader PCs
[19:58] <+SasquatchRich> Xyphoid, we agree. The challenge is building in “sockets” so that you can “plug in” psi rules (for example), without necessarily making exhaustive psi rules something everyone has to deal with.
[20:05] <+SasquatchRich> Will: That’s where those “sockets” come into play. We want to make sure that the “stub” of systems like Psionics, Mutations, Cybertech, Alien Artifacts are covered in the Core Rules, so that you’ll see how they work together if they’re all in play.
[20:07] <+Will> So the sockets are balanced such that if you have psi and mutations in play, it balances with a game with neither in play?
[20:08] <+SasquatchRich> Will: A character who invests big in psi shouldn’t be better than a character who doesn’t; they’re spending the same amount of character-creation resources…
[20:05] <+xyphoid> you talk about campaign design covering genres – what kind of SF genres are you covering?
[20:07] <+SasquatchRich> RE: Genres . . . space opera, exploration, post-apocalypse, near-future espionage, alien horror, all that stuff should be pretty accessible with our Core Rule set…
[20:09] <+SasquatchStephen> Xyphoid – we’re launching with Protostar, a medium future, hard SF setting
[20:10] <+SasquatchStephen> and we’ve also already published Thunder Run with our Quickstart Rules, which is set in a Mad Max-style post apocalyptic world.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------
Alternity RPG Modules (Blog #7):
Core (ground combat, basic tech interactions, simple interpersonal stuff)
Starship [Capital Size; Enterprise]
Starship [Smaller Size; Serenity]
Vehicle
Addition Modules Ideas v2:
Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic
Augmentations (Biotech, Cybernetics, Nanotech, Psionic, Technomagic)
Biotech
Cyberware/Cybernetics
Economic/Trade
Espionage
Fantasy
High Tech (PL 9+)
Horror
Low Tech (PL1-5)
Magic
Martial Arts
Mass Warfare
Mecha
Mental Power/Psionics
Military/Mercenary
Mutation
Mystery/Investigation
Nanotech
Power Armor
Pulp Fiction/Noir
Robotics
Science Fantasy
Secret Societies/Conspiracies
Social Interaction
Space Opera
Special Ops/Black Ops
Steampunk
Superhuman/Superhero
Supernatural/Paranormal
Technomagic
Time Travel
Transhuman
Virtual Reality/Cyberspace
Xenobiology
SF Settings Examples v2 (Core + X):
2300 AD
9th Generation
After the Bomb
Aftermath
Albedo
Babylon 5: Starships + Social Interactions + Mystery/Investigation
Battlelords of the 23rd Century
Blackwatch
Blue Planet
Bubblegum Crisis
Buck Rogers XXVC
Centauri Knights
Conspiracy X
Continuum
Cthulhu Tech
Cybergeneration
Cyberpunk 2020
Cyberspace
Dark*Matter
Darwin’s World
Dawning Star
Deadlands
Diaspora
Doctor Who (various)
Dragonstar: Starships + Fantasy + Magic
Eclipse Phase
Engel
Etherscope
Ex Machina
Fading Suns
Faith
Fallout/Wasteland: Post-Apocalyptic + Vehicles + Mutations
Fringeworthy
FTL 2248
Gamma World
Gear Krieg
GURPS Infinite Worlds
GURPS Planet of Adventure
GURPS Terradyne
GURPS Transhuman Space
Halcyon
HALO
Heavy Gear: Starships + Mecha
Incursion
Jeremiah
Jorune
Jovian Chronicles
Judge Dreed
Kromosone: Biotech + Espionage + Transhuman + Economic/Trade
Legionnaire
Living Steel
Mach The First Colony
Macross II
Mass Effect: Starships + Mental Powers+ Social Interactions
Mechwarrior: Starships + Post-Apocalyptic + Mecha
Mekton
Metamorphosis Alpha
Multiverser
Mutant
Mutant Chronicles
Mutazoids
Neuroshima
Paranoia
Pax Draconis
Phoenix Command
Prime Directive
Reich Star
Rifts
Rifts Chaos Earth
Ringworld
Robotech
Second Dawn
Serenity: Starships + Low Tech
Shadowrun: Fantasy + Magic + Espionage + Cyberware + Virtual Reality/Cyberspace
Shatterzone
Shock Social Science Fiction
Skyrealms of Jorune
SLA Industries
Space 1889
Space Infantry
Space Master
Space Opera
Spaceship Zero
Splicers
Starfinder
Star Frontiers
Star Hero
Star Trek (various)
Star Wars (various): Starships + Mental Powers + Robotics + Military/Mercenary
Star*Drive
Stargate SG-1
Starship Troopers: Starships + Power Armor + Biotech
Starships & Spacemen
Systems Failure
Tales from the Floating Vagabond
The Confederate Rangers
The Mechanoid Invasion
The Metabarons
The Morrow Project
The Robotic Age
Time Lord
Tokyo NOVA
Transhuman Space
Traveller
Traveller 2300
Tribe 8
Trinity
Twilight 2000
Uncharted Worlds
Underground
Universe
Warhammer 40K/General: Starships + Horror + Magic
Warhammer 40K/ Black Crusade
Warhammer 40K/ Dark Heresy
Warhammer 40K/ Deathwatch
Warhammer 40K/ Only War
Warhammer 40K/ Rogue Trader
Worlds of Rage
Wraeththu
XCOM: Special Ops
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