Xiryc
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Help: I need advice on a new RPG to try.
- Thread starter dkoz
- Start date
firstborne
First Post
I definitely second Blue Planet. The system is stupid-easy, and it's one of the best and most realistically extrapolated settings around, period. One of the caveats of the game is that life isn't fair, and all men are not created equally, so it requires mature players and a strong GM's guiding hand, especially during character creation. Otherwise you could end up with a bunch of ex-shocktrooper mercenaries with nothing to lose and bigger guns than everyone else. If you read the book, you'll know what I mean.
If you're looking for something generic, I'd recommend Alternity. It's out of print (and has been for quite a while now) but it's well worth it if you can find a copy. Both of the published campain settings are worth a look, as well. The DarkMatter setting is about weird conspiracies and aliens and what-have-you. It really raised the bar with regards to what's expected of a gaming resource (at least, it did for me). The other, StarDrive, is far-future space opera, so you have star-spanning nations, alien invaders, and space fleets. The stuff dreams are made of.
If you don't mind waving your geek around in public, there's always Decipher's Star Trek RPG. It's the same engine as their Lord of the Rings RPG, but toned down and cleaned up. Plus, phasers can do "kill" for damage. No dice rolling. Rather neat, that. Speeds up gameplay quite a bit.
And finally, if you're not afraid of the big bad (White) Wolf, there's Trinity. Now, the main book is a little dull, but the expansions really flesh it out. Very similar to Blue Planet in that it's a very plausible (given the assumptions of the setting), well reasoned-out setting. It almost qualifies as "real" sci-fi in my book, but the super-powered monsters and the weird mind powers leave me a bit cold. However, I hear it's going to be d20, so it may get a good polishing.
If you're looking for something generic, I'd recommend Alternity. It's out of print (and has been for quite a while now) but it's well worth it if you can find a copy. Both of the published campain settings are worth a look, as well. The DarkMatter setting is about weird conspiracies and aliens and what-have-you. It really raised the bar with regards to what's expected of a gaming resource (at least, it did for me). The other, StarDrive, is far-future space opera, so you have star-spanning nations, alien invaders, and space fleets. The stuff dreams are made of.
If you don't mind waving your geek around in public, there's always Decipher's Star Trek RPG. It's the same engine as their Lord of the Rings RPG, but toned down and cleaned up. Plus, phasers can do "kill" for damage. No dice rolling. Rather neat, that. Speeds up gameplay quite a bit.
And finally, if you're not afraid of the big bad (White) Wolf, there's Trinity. Now, the main book is a little dull, but the expansions really flesh it out. Very similar to Blue Planet in that it's a very plausible (given the assumptions of the setting), well reasoned-out setting. It almost qualifies as "real" sci-fi in my book, but the super-powered monsters and the weird mind powers leave me a bit cold. However, I hear it's going to be d20, so it may get a good polishing.
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Desdichado
Hero
Yeah, Star Wars has pretty good ship to ship rules. I don't know which you'll like, though -- revised or non-revised. I prefer the first one as much more cinematic and fun, it seems in general the gaming population preferred the revised rules which feel like a tactical wargame.
Wombat
First Post
I love Blue Planet as well, for the flexibility of its setting, as well as the rules. OTOH, you will not find ship-to-ship combat there, so it will probably not fit your needs.
There is always Fading Suns, in either the original or D20 flavours; it has a very "ornate" feel to it, sort of science fiction meets The Three Musketeers. There are some ship combat rules, but not the greatest.
Of course I am always willing to talk up Ars Magica, but as that is a fantasy setting it might not be what you are looking for. It is a truly unusual style of fantasy, however, and well worth a look, especially as you can download the rules for free (.pdf form) over at RPGNow
(same, I believe, is true for Deadlands and Witchcraft -- I think all three games are prepping up for new editions, so they are trying to build a larger fan base with a giveaway).
There is always Fading Suns, in either the original or D20 flavours; it has a very "ornate" feel to it, sort of science fiction meets The Three Musketeers. There are some ship combat rules, but not the greatest.
Of course I am always willing to talk up Ars Magica, but as that is a fantasy setting it might not be what you are looking for. It is a truly unusual style of fantasy, however, and well worth a look, especially as you can download the rules for free (.pdf form) over at RPGNow
(same, I believe, is true for Deadlands and Witchcraft -- I think all three games are prepping up for new editions, so they are trying to build a larger fan base with a giveaway).Shadowdancer
First Post
I highly recommend Traveller d20, or T20. Traveller was originally made to be just what you are asking for -- a group of adventurers traveling around in space in their own spaceship. Except in the game, these people are called travellers rather than adventurers.
It has really good rules for ship to ship combat, and the best thing is that there are various levels of detail and complexity, so you can find the style that best meshes with your gaming group's playing style. And it's all just modifications to d20 rules, so it will be very easy to pick up.
Here is a link to the website: Traveller RPG
Here is a link to an article covering the different sci-fi genres Traveller can be used to run games in: Using T20 in Different Sci-Fi Genres
It has really good rules for ship to ship combat, and the best thing is that there are various levels of detail and complexity, so you can find the style that best meshes with your gaming group's playing style. And it's all just modifications to d20 rules, so it will be very easy to pick up.
Here is a link to the website: Traveller RPG
Here is a link to an article covering the different sci-fi genres Traveller can be used to run games in: Using T20 in Different Sci-Fi Genres
Gothmog
First Post
If you want something kinda quirky and really fun, go for Deadlands. Its a good system, INCREDIBLE world, lots of flavor, and the best RPG read you'll ever see. Not to mention prep time for the game is about 1/3 that for any D20 game, esp with the online generators.
Deadlands: Hell on Earth is a post-apocalyptic version of Deadlands sent in the late 2070's- imagine Max Max meets Evil Dead, and you get a decent idea of it. It has psychics, mutants, road warriors, religious crusaders, and the four horsemen. Again, very low on prep time.
Finally, for any genre game, you can't go wrong with Savage Worlds, also by Pinnacle. Extremely simple system that fuses the best of D20 and Deadlands, and the focus is on action and play, not stats. Even less prep time than the Deadlands games above, and a very fluid and versatile ruleset. Inventing new material and stats is a breeze, and I read and understood the whole book in under 2 hours.
Deadlands: Hell on Earth is a post-apocalyptic version of Deadlands sent in the late 2070's- imagine Max Max meets Evil Dead, and you get a decent idea of it. It has psychics, mutants, road warriors, religious crusaders, and the four horsemen. Again, very low on prep time.
Finally, for any genre game, you can't go wrong with Savage Worlds, also by Pinnacle. Extremely simple system that fuses the best of D20 and Deadlands, and the focus is on action and play, not stats. Even less prep time than the Deadlands games above, and a very fluid and versatile ruleset. Inventing new material and stats is a breeze, and I read and understood the whole book in under 2 hours.
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