Good sci-fi/space opera settings?

[jdrakeh]

I'm looking for good sci-fi/space opera settings that I may be able to use with Mongoose Traveller but that aren't as readily recognizeable as the Spinward Marches. Right now, I'm contemplating the use of the old Space Opera star system guides by Fantasy Games Unlimited. Are there any other largely system-neutral setting guides like this out there?

 

[Darrin Drader]

http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=56479

Just ignore the chapter on starship combat rules. The rules neutral material, which is 3/4 of the book, works good with any game system.

 

[MarkChevallier]

I was always interested in running a Space Opera game based (more-or-less) on the Star Control universe (from the game series of the same name, specifically SC1 and SC2). It's a great setting, with distinctive alien races and a good mixture of humourous and dark, dramatic and whimsical.

I'm pretty sure you can probably find tons of information on the setting on this here world-wide-web.

 

[Darrin Drader]

My apologies, but in my haste for product pimpage, I neglected to point you to a review: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showpost.php?p=4327413&postcount=1

 

[Mercurius]

It isn't out until August, but the Pilot's Guide to the Core Worlds for Thousands Suns might be up your alley: http://www.rogue-games.net/pioltguide.html

 

[jdrakeh]

It isn't out until August, but the Pilot's Guide to the Core Worlds for Thousands Suns might be up your alley: http://www.rogue-games.net/pioltguide.html

I very nearly picked up Thousand Suns instead of Traveller, oddly. I ended up going with Traveller, only because I knew exactly what I was getting with Traveller, having played nearly every incarnation of it the since 2300 AD days. When the Pilot's Guide comes out, however, I'll be sure to give it a look!

 

[Scurvy_Platypus]

I really desperately wish I could buy this, but I won't be able to until next year. *sigh*

Rocketship Empires:
http://www.rocketshipempires.com/

It's a system neutral setting, which basically has WW2 happening out in space. They use a sort of internal "system" to rate things, and leave it up to the GM to worry about the specifics of how that's going to look in their pet game system. So a bit of up front work on the part of the GM, but I think it'd be worth it.

As I understand it, thousands of years ago there was a hyper-agressive race that was trashing the galaxy. They were all rounded up and shipped off to a planet (yeah, you know what's coming...) and kind of forgotten. Fast forward a few thousands of years, and the martians (and others?) are getting their butts stomped by some other aliens. And the martians think, "Say, maybe we can fight fire with fire..." so they wander back to Earth and make an offer that can't be refused. Not clear what that "offer" was exactly.

Humans said, "Boy howdy, we'd love a chance to go out into space!" and so we got some tech to get us there.

I really don't know anything beyond that, but I do plan on picking up the mainbook when I can. It seems like it's got a lot of potential.

 

[Boarstorm]

I'm not sure how easy it would be to rip the rules out of the setting, nor if you could even find a readily available copy, but I've always been partial to Star*Drive, originally for the Alternity system.

A little bit Star Wars, a little bit Aliens.

Not sure how it would mesh with Traveller, though.

 

[Teflon Billy]

I'm not sure how easy it would be to rip the rules out of the setting, nor if you could even find a readily available copy, but I've always been partial to Star*Drive, originally for the Alternity system.

A little bit Star Wars, a little bit Aliens.

Not sure how it would mesh with Traveller, though.

Seriously. I loved Star*Drive. It's a huge, huge setting with pretty much anything you could want in there.

I recall a whole other Society developed by fans that I used to have a PCF of and it was also great.

 

[jdrakeh]

Well, I ended up with the Spinward Marches book after all. Although it's a little pricey for its size and paperback format, it's also 100% system-free, which makes it a great investment as I'm guaranteed that I can use absolutely all of the content.