Can someone recommend a good sci-fi or modern based RPG?

[greymarch]

Can anyone recommend a good sci-fi based or modern based RPG?

The only criteria I have for a new game would be that the game has a good chance of being around for a while. I dont want to buy a bunch of books for a game that disappears in a year.

If you can, please provide a link to the game you mention.

(I have already seen d20 modern from WOTC.)

 

[Sammael99]

Can anyone recommend a good sci-fi based or modern based RPG?

The only criteria I have for a new game would be that the game has a good chance of being around for a while. I dont want to buy a bunch of books for a game that disappears in a year.

If you can, please provide a link to the game you mention.

(I have already seen d20 modern from WOTC.)

I would without hesitation recommend Fading Suns. It's the best SciFi roleplaying game in my book, a mix of Dune, Hyperion and Warhammer 40k in influences, but with much goodness besides and a very coherent whole.

The game has been around for nearly 10 years and still gets strong support. In fact a d20 version was released last year and although I prefer the original system, it's not half bad.

If you want to get a feel for the flavour, you can check out my Fading Suns story hour (in my sig.) and also the webiste : http://www.fadingsuns.com/

 

[Sagan Darkside]

I have heard good things about Blue Planet (scifi)- and it is done by FFG. It seems to still get new products. I have never played it, but I like reading about it. It is not a d20 game.

Spycraft(a d20 game) will be about for at least another two years.

Mongoose has a Mech rpg and a Babylon 5 rpg coming out they plan to support. They already have Judge Dredd- which apparently is getting support.

Good luck
SD

 

[Sniktch]

If you're into superhero action, might I suggest Mutants & Masterminds from Green Ronin. I've played a lot of super hero systems over the years and this might just be the best I've ever seen.

I also like the look of Dragonstar

 

[WayneLigon]

Traveller. Nothing can beat the background and the support, no matter which version of the game you use. There's a new d20 hardback for it, but since I don't own it I cannot personally recommend it. Honestly, you should be able to take d20 Modern, add in a few things from the mini games in Polyhedron and be good to go; the background and setting is what's important. Or just modify the Star Wars Revised game.

I have Fading Suns d20, and I'll probably pick up the Survey book for it soon. I haven't tried playing it yet, but I would think it will be around for awhile.

 

[Brisk-sg]

I would second the recomendation for Mutants & Masterminds from Green Ronin. It is intended as a Super Hero RPG, but can easily be used as the engine for most games.

The equipment creation system is near perfect if you are looking for high tech gadgets. Very simple and intuitive. Yesterday, one of our players requested a PDA type device to help his character with calculation for genetic experiments. We had one whipped up within a couple of minutes along with a character point cost.

 

[greymarch]

No super-hero games. Looking for sci-fi or modern only.

I have heard of Traveller. So there are two versions of traveller right now? The d20 version, and the original version? Which one is getting more support, which one is better, and which one will be around longer?

Btw, I dont want to make this discussion strictly about Traveller. Lets see some more recommendations!

 

[WayneLigon]

I have heard of Traveller. So there are two versions of traveller right now? The d20 version, and the original version? Which one is getting more support, which one is better, and which one will be around longer?

You could always wait until d20 Future is released...

It's a toss up on Traveller. If you want, you can also get the original game books, which are being reprinted. Far Future has a description of the various versions, where to get the reprints, etc. Plus, you can use probably 50% or more of those resources in a d20 Traveller game as well. Ship plans, world descriptions, sector write-ups and all that don't change. For original version support, there are several web sites that still have tons of material.

 

[Friadoc]

Ok,

Traveller d20 is a solid one. Not only is the book greatly worth the effort, it's price is high but the page-count is worth it, but the on-line support is very present. It's community is active at http://www.travellerrpg.com/ both in it's message boards and PDF releases. It's a hard science sci-fi game with only soft science thrown in as needed.

In a non-d20 vein I would recommend Blue Planet, from Fantasy Flight Games, as it's one of the best, most interesting sci-fi games I've seen in awhile. Basically most of the action takes place on an Earth colony on the planet Posidonis, which is on the opposing side of a wormhole that was found in our solar system. Regular humans to genetically modified are your choices for race.

Also, in the non-d20 vein, is Transhuman Space, an RPG powered by GURPS. If you want a gritty, realistic hard science RPG then this is the one for you. This too has the modified humans as the races, but the suppliments are, as is SJ Games standard, pretty in depth and enjoyable.

I'll put my recomendation for Spycraft as well, especially with the Shadowforce Archer campaign used to it's fullest. The rules are d20, but the differences are stellar. Personally, especially in the espionage/movie action vein, I recommend it over d20 Modern. Basically if you want James Bond you do Spycraft, but if you want X-files you do d20 Modern.

 

[greymarch]

Dragonstar and Fading Suns dont look right for my gaming group. When we play Modern or Sci-fi, we like to avoid mixing fantasy with either of those genres.

Which version of Traveller is the most recent, and which version receives the most support? Will the newest version be around for a while? My gaming group usually prefers to play the most recent version of any game, so I am not willing to hunt around for old Traveller books.

The Spycraft game interests me, but I worry about how successful it could be considering that d20 modern just came out. d20 modern will surely hurt sales of Spycraft. Anyone have some links for me to read about Spycraft?