Anybody ever play any Space: 1889?

[Rel]

I've lately started having some desire to run a "High Adventure" type game that is a bit campy and larger than life. Somewhere in the neighborhood of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen or Indiana Jones. I'm kicking around using the setting from the GDW game, Space: 1889. I have owned the book for years but I've never played it (though I also have Sky Galleons of Mars and I've had a lot of fun times with that game over the years).

I'm wondering if anybody here has played the system used in Space: 1889 and what their impressions were. The alternative would be to use the setting but use d20 Modern as the rules set.

Thoughts?

 

[Turgenev]

I'm wondering if anybody here has played the system used in Space: 1889 and what their impressions were. The alternative would be to use the setting but use d20 Modern as the rules set.

Thoughts?

I have Space: 1889 and two sourcebooks - 'Tales from the Ether' (adventures on five worlds) and 'Conklin's Atlas of the Worlds'. The GDW rules for Space: 1889 are okay (d6 dice pool/single roll resolution mechanics), but I found the rules a bit bland (YMMV). After a couple of games, I ended up using the GURPS system for a bit and then my last attempt at Space: 1889 was a low-powered supers campaign with the V&V system.

I would recommend using any other rule system other than the GDW one (it would be different if I was playing Twilight 2000 ). Besides, the best parts of Space: 1889 is the flavour text... the descriptions and illustrations of the inventions, Victorian culture/history, Mars (Steppe Martians vs Canal Martians), Venus (dinosaurs and the native lizard-men), and even the moon (Selenites). I would love to see a d20 version of this game/setting.

Lately, I've been wondering if I can incorporate some of the ideas behind the invention rules to the Pulp Heroes game (an alternative invention rules for scientists?). This game has been a major source if inspiration for my pulp games.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[Rel]

Re: Re: Anybody ever play any Space: 1889?

I would recommend using any other rule system other than the GDW one (it would be different if I was playing Twilight 2000 ). Besides, the best parts of Space: 1889 is the flavour text... the descriptions and illustrations of the inventions, Victorian culture/history, Mars (Steppe Martians vs Canal Martians), Venus (dinosaurs and the native lizard-men), and even the moon (Selenites). I would love to see a d20 version of this game/setting.

This is pretty much the way I've been leaning. The GDW system seems a bit clunky. The only problem is that I would have to pick up d20 Modern whereas I already own the Space: 1889 rulebook. Oh well, it's the perfect birthday gift!

Thanks for the input, Turgenev.

 

[Joseph Elric Smith]

I have played it and enjoyed it a lot
Ken

 

[NeuroZombie]

It was one of may faves for awhile. A friedn of mine was a big history and literature buff, so he was able to work in real world events into the context of the setting. Very cool.

I do agree with everyone else, however, as far as the system goes. Not that great. But, it IS playable and its a heck of a lot easier than converting everything, so I wouldn't bother myself.

 

[Henry]

Re: Re: Re: Anybody ever play any Space: 1889?

This is pretty much the way I've been leaning. The GDW system seems a bit clunky. The only problem is that I would have to pick up d20 Modern whereas I already own the Space: 1889 rulebook. Oh well, it's the perfect birthday gift!

Not necessarily...

since you already have the setting you want, just download the SRD (or kenjib's Modern SRD in adobe acrobat form) and use that. All you would need then would be to put new stats on the Space 1889 weapons and you're set!

(if you are interested, do a search from www.enworld.org for "kenjib" and you'll still probably find the link... If that fails, I think Drawmack as the Modern SRD as PDF on his site?)

 

[Celebrim]

The flavor is excellent. So steal it.

The rules set is one of the least satisfying ever created and is suitable only for one shots.

Take Henry's suggestion and download the D20 modern SRD, or find a copy of GURPS lite, or use the Hero system, or frankly any system rather than GDW's.

 

[Agback]

G'day

We played Space 1889 for a while, and enjoyed it pretty much. After a while the clunkiness and lack of versatility of the game system got to us, and we converted our characters to Hero System. (ForeSight would have been even better, but the GM was not happy about using a combat system at which I was more expert than he was.)

Just don't play with anyone who knows much about sailing, because sail-powered aircraft just don't make sense. If one of your player's characters tries to build a perpetual motion machine of the first class using liftwood, clout the player upside the head. And bear in mind that explorers have to be interested in geology, biology, and anthropology, seeing that geography can be sketched from the porthole of a spaceship (using a telescope if necessary).

Regards,


Agback