D20 Future Q&A With Rodney "Moridin" Thompson and JD Wiker!!

[d4]

we might be needing errata already...

on page 99 on the Meteoroid Encounters Table, the damage for the larger sizes of meteors is 1d65, 3d65, 6d65, and 12d65.

now, i think i've misplaced my d65, but even so, i'm assuming these should be 1d6 x 5, 3d6 x 5, etc.

 

[Krieg]

I'm working on a d20 Future campaign setting, it's true. It's a space Western setting heavily inspired by Joss Whedon's Firefly but also memorable anime series like Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, and Trigun. Additionally, it really emphasizes the themes and ideas presented by classical Westerns, and I drew heavily on everything from The Magnificent Seven and The Outlaw Josey Wales to High Noon and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Currently it's "in development" and looking for a publisher, but the project is both a campaign setting an a dumping ground for a lot of the stuff I wanted to include in this book but couldn't due to space reasons. Hopefully, if/when it is published both space Western fans and people who bought this book will find some use for it.

No question, just a note to any potential publishers.

Print it and we will buy!

I'd send Rodney a check today if I thought it would help...

 

[RodneyThompson]

Have you thought about talking with The Game Mechanics for your additional stuff. I know I bought all their d20M stuff.

Oh, we've talked. But the secret inner workings of the publishing business are not for public consumption. The first rule of Professional Club is do not talk about Professional Club.

Also, what is your single favorite Feat, Advanced/Prestige Class, and AdC/PcC special ability?

I like the Plus feats because they give me a chance to pick up abilities I would be missing out on thanks to jumping into advanced classes. For Advanced Classes, I like the Helix Warrior because she is essentially the "super soldier" of so much science fiction, like the recent series Dark Angel. As for special abilities...I like the Field Officer's Leadership ability, since it lets you do more than just "aiding another" when things go south. The ability to help out other comrades is sorely underused in this system...

 

[RodneyThompson]

we might be needing errata already...

on page 99 on the Meteoroid Encounters Table, the damage for the larger sizes of meteors is 1d65, 3d65, 6d65, and 12d65.

now, i think i've misplaced my d65, but even so, i'm assuming these should be 1d6 x 5, 3d6 x 5, etc.

Yeah, it's supposed to be d6 x 5. The way we have to format the multiplication sign is different from simply typing the letter x, so sometimes there are problems when converting to whatever software they use to lay these things out.

On the other hand, Chessex could make a mint making "starship damage dice." And you thought the d30 is bad, wait on the d65!

 

[dekrass]

I have two questions.
How much space was spent on mutations?
How much was taken from Alternity for D20 Future? I loved that game!

 

[Teflon Billy]

Hey rodney,

I actually had another thread opened for this,but then saw that you were answering questions here...so I decided I'd go to the horses mouth.

My question regards using D20 Future to mock up a Firefly game system. so without further ado...

Q: How well do you think D20 future would mesh with Sidewinder: Recoiled?

Keep in mind, it's not necessary to gush "yes! it would be perfect!"...I'm buying d20 future no matter what, you are in no dnger of losing a sale

 

[RodneyThompson]

How much space was spent on mutations?

The Mutations chapter is 10 pages long, but that won't tell you much. I tried to present a couple of different systems for generating mutations (random rolling, point buy, GM fiat, etc.) and then put in what I saw as the "essential" mutations. I also threw in a couple that just sounded fun and new.

How much was taken from Alternity for D20 Future? I loved that game!

I personally don't own any of the Alternity books except for the Dark*Matter campaign setting so I really can't say. I know some of the aliens were from Alternity, and the concept of PLs, but beyond that you're better off asking JD or checking it out for yourself. Sorry!

 

[RodneyThompson]

Hey rodney,

I actually had another thread opened for this,but then saw that you were answering questions here...so I decided I'd go to the horses mouth.

My question regards using D20 Future to mock up a Firefly game system. so without further ado...

Q: How well do you think D20 future would mesh with Sidewinder: Recoiled?

Keep in mind, it's not necessary to gush "yes! it would be perfect!"...I'm buying d20 future no matter what, you are in no dnger of losing a sale

Well, I wouldn't gush about it if I didn't think it would work, cuz then you'd find out what a jerk I really am. As for d20F+SW:R, it sounds like a good combination. Keeping in mind that I don't own the SW:R PDF (waiting on Green Ronin's print version), I'd say that you could take any character creation stuff from SW:R and the tech from d20 Future and be pretty much set up. You'd probably want to cook up some starship templates for the Firefly universe (a pretty simple task, actually) and you'd need to generate NPC stats, but...it could be done. Really, though, all you'd need from d20F is the starships, some of the weapons (and you'll definitely want to check out some of the weapon gadgets), some gear, and then some of the gene therapy/scientific engineering stuff when you get into the whole thing with River and the Blue Sun corporation stuff.

Now, obviously this is a topic near and dear to my heart. I've been working on the space western campaign setting I mentioned before and have dedicated a lot of attention to capturing its feel in a roleplaying game. But as I said, if you don't mind getting a little creative that sounds like the perfect combination for a Firefly game...at least until my book comes out.

 

[Teflon Billy]

...Now, obviously this is a topic near and dear to my heart. I've been working on the space western campaign setting I mentioned before and have dedicated a lot of attention to capturing its feel in a roleplaying game. But as I said, if you don't mind getting a little creative that sounds like the perfect combination for a Firefly game...at least until my book comes out.

RELEASE IT

 

[d4]

the mutation rules currently are based on Mutation Points -- pick a certain number of positive mutations, and then drawbacks of equal value and you've got a balanced character.

what if i don't want it to be balanced? how many Mutation Points would you estimate would be equal to a +1 Level Adjustment? 5? 10?