d20 Prime Directive

[MoogleEmpMog]

TOS-based d20 Star Trek!

D&D-based d20 Star Trek!

At least it may spare us from d20 Future's space combat system. On the other hand, I've seen Starfleet Battles in play. I certainly don't want that system in an RPG, either.

 

[scourger]

Thanks for the scoop, red freak. I should have said that before, but here it is now.

I've looked around that web site quite a bit. PD20 looks like it has real potential. The first incarnation of the game had a couple of modules. If those get converted to Gurps Prime Directive, then maybe they'll be retooled for Prime Directive d20. It's an interesting publishing strategy to treat the RPG system itself as the crunchy part which enables the setting as the important fluff. I guess the setting for this game is all derived from the original Star Trek series. Amazing that a TV show over 30 years old has this kind of continuing development.

Here's hoping PD20 gets good reviews and has some adventures published!

 

[Ranger REG]

At least it may spare us from d20 Future's space combat system. On the other hand, I've seen Starfleet Battles in play. I certainly don't want that system in an RPG, either.

Hehehe. It would be interesting if it does have rules to integrate SFB with PD d20. I played it, it's not biggie. I have played complex wargames before. It separates the men from the boys.

Hehehe.

 

[Ranger REG]

Thanks for the scoop, red freak. I should have said that before, but here it is now.

I've looked around that web site quite a bit. PD20 looks like it has real potential. The first incarnation of the game had a couple of modules. If those get converted to Gurps Prime Directive, then maybe they'll be retooled for Prime Directive d20. It's an interesting publishing strategy to treat the RPG system itself as the crunchy part which enables the setting as the important fluff. I guess the setting for this game is all derived from the original Star Trek series. Amazing that a TV show over 30 years old has this kind of continuing development.

Here's hoping PD20 gets good reviews and has some adventures published!

Sorry, but at this point, I am skeptical. ADB have admitted they have no experience with the d20 System. So, whoever they contract has got to be that damn good.

 

[uraniumdragon]

Yeah, well, their decision to use the D&D model versus the d20 Modern model is rather sad. The classes in the d20 Modern rule set allows for more flexibility than the D&D rule set. No such thing as clerics and mages in Star Trek, but there are a wide range of smart, strong or charismatic characters.

Plus since they are using the SRD, who cares if they have a D&D 3.5 PHB. Both Fantasy and Modern SRD's are available online and in store.

Besides, with Enterprise cancelled, it's a little late to be designing yet another Star Trek rule set. There are far too many variant rule sets to pick up or generic rule set to modify to fit your own Star Trek Universe. Where are they expecting to find a market?

 

[scourger]

Sorry, but at this point, I am skeptical. ADB have admitted they have no experience with the d20 System. So, whoever they contract has got to be that damn good.

I don't know, dude. I've had some pretty bad d20 experiences--even from people who are supposedly good with the system. On the other hand, I've had great experiences with some unknown authors. The only way for me to really tell is to get the book when it comes out, but I really want adventure modules for the game. If I am wise (which I'm usually not), I'll wait to buy the modules first and then consider whether I want the game.

 

[scourger]

Yeah, well, their decision to use the D&D model versus the d20 Modern model is rather sad. The classes in the d20 Modern rule set allows for more flexibility than the D&D rule set. No such thing as clerics and mages in Star Trek, but there are a wide range of smart, strong or charismatic characters.

Plus since they are using the SRD, who cares if they have a D&D 3.5 PHB. Both Fantasy and Modern SRD's are available online and in store.

Besides, with Enterprise cancelled, it's a little late to be designing yet another Star Trek rule set. There are far too many variant rule sets to pick up or generic rule set to modify to fit your own Star Trek Universe. Where are they expecting to find a market?

I diasagree. I prefer d20 to d20 Modern. I would much rather have a game based on the 3.5 rules. I really like Judge Dredd and Omega World, and they are both sci-fi/post-apoc games that are based on 3.0. Similarly, this game will need its own character classes anyway, so d20 works fine.

The developers' point is that they want the game to be as portable as possible with the broadest appeal. D&D d20 rules are both as compared to d20M. I know my group has a lot of PHBs (and even a few DMGs & MMs) but only 1 d20M book. I am the only one who has read the d20M SRD online. I believe they will get a bigger market with d20 than d20M.

It is a shame about Enterprise. But this game is based ont eh original series. If it is still going strong enough, then I say more power to them. Maybe PD20's success will prompt devlopment of the rest of the Star Trek universe to d20, which would be great as far as I'm concerned--as long as they publish modules; if it's a series of rules books then forget it.

 

[Ranger REG]

I don't know, dude. I've had some pretty bad d20 experiences--even from people who are supposedly good with the system.

You want to elaborate on your bad d20 experience?

 

[Ranger REG]

Yeah, well, their decision to use the D&D model versus the d20 Modern model is rather sad. The classes in the d20 Modern rule set allows for more flexibility than the D&D rule set. No such thing as clerics and mages in Star Trek, but there are a wide range of smart, strong or charismatic characters.

It's a business decision, pure and simple. There are more Player's Handbook owners out there than there are d20 Modern Core Rulebook owners.

Plus since they are using the SRD, who cares if they have a D&D 3.5 PHB. Both Fantasy and Modern SRD's are available online and in store.

It's part of the d20 System Trademark License's requirement. Besides, there are some game information that WotC witheld from the SRD.

I am speculating they WANT to put the d20 System logo on their product.

Now, you might complain that this ain't right, which is about as improper as using SRDs to play game without buying either d20 Modern or PHB.

Besides, with Enterprise cancelled, it's a little late to be designing yet another Star Trek rule set. There are far too many variant rule sets to pick up or generic rule set to modify to fit your own Star Trek Universe. Where are they expecting to find a market?

Well, for someone who wanted a d20-based Trek RPG like me, one might just find such a use. It may not be official, but at least it is damn close (about as close as Shadow Chaser is to Buffy-verse).

 

[TerraDave]

I am curious, as a fan of the original source, and having played that funny little spaceship battle game a few times (and yes, what we should be getting is an expanded and more militaristic version of the original Start Trek universe).

But I don't feel a whole lot of confidence looking at the exchange at the website. Doing a D20 game is not a trivial thing...