I really hope the new adventure path is Mass Effect

By the by - Mass Effect plays pretty well with Star Wars Saga Edition rules. We play a Mass Effect campaign on alternate Thursdays with SWSE.

Please expound. I once tried to develop a Mass Effect game for GURPS. I ran into problems when some races, specifically asari and krogan, ended up with massive point costs.
 

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I sincerely apologize for the slightly off-topic post, but I am totally going to shamelessly plug my work here. :angel:

For those interested in the Mass Effect setting, it does work very well with Saga Edition (as billd91 said). Just change The Force to Biotics, make some minor tweaks here and there to how they're used, and it completely works.

On the WotC boards, I consolidated and authored a "campaign setting" PDF (with the help/work of some very creative contributors) for the Mass Effect setting in the Star Wars Saga Edition rules. It was downloaded some 2,429 times (as of this post) and has gotten a lot of praise. It was based on the first game, included a bestiary and stats for the main characters, and even included stats for every single weapon/armor/ammo/grenade upgrade from the video game.

I am almost done working on a sweet version 2.0 of that PDF that incorporates changes to all of that gear based on the manufacturer (including Spectre gear), and streamlines/cleans up the document to make it appear more professional. I've also added a lot of content to the document and clarified a couple of things that were worded weirdly.

For those that are interested, you can PM me and I will add you to a list of people I'll send a mediafire link to containing the finished product. Heck, I might even make a post here for it if there's enough interest. Meanwhile, if you want the older one, I can still PM you a link to it if you want.

I also have a Farscape setting PDF for SWSE, and some character stat-blocks for Firefly (in PDF too). PM me for those and I'll send 'em your way.

If you want to run Firefly as a setting, just eliminate the Force altogether, and limit weaponry to slug-throwers (SWSE's name for "projectile weaponry") and daggers/swords (Vibro-weaponry isn't common). Remember that for that setting, technology is more abundant and high-tech closer to the core worlds and less available (and even extremely rare) on outlying planets.

Hope that helps!
 

Space Opera and based on a novel. Too many to speculate, really. I'd like The Stainless Steel Rat myself. There are settings that would 'Wow' me more, but I'm not sure many are Space Opera.

Chanurverse, Chanurverse. Not going to happen, but I can dream.
 

Thinking about it more, it would be most easily based on the planetary romance books -- flashing blades, strange races, etc.

Barsoom would be the ultimate choice for this, but there are others like maybe the Ginger Star or Green Star series?
 

Please expound. I once tried to develop a Mass Effect game for GURPS. I ran into problems when some races, specifically asari and krogan, ended up with massive point costs.

GURPS ... overrates the value of some things. In specific, physical attributes in space opera settings. Regeneration for a Krogan is what? 50 points. And in a gritty swords and sorcery game that would be worth it. But when you can easily heal up between fights with medigel and armour mods, and weapons are leathal enough to make in combat healing with the regeneration trivial, it's a lot less useful. Likewise strength. If I'm wielding a sword then strength is almost essential. If I'm wielding a gun it's less useful. If I can rent an exoskeleton it's almost incidental.

If I were designing Krogan in 4e, they'd be strength +2, con +2 shifter's regenerate-when-bloodied, and +1 to fort defence. Skill bonusses: Intimidate and Endurance. The rest would be down to the class.
 

Please expound. I once tried to develop a Mass Effect game for GURPS. I ran into problems when some races, specifically asari and krogan, ended up with massive point costs.

We started with GURPS too but bogged down on the damage rules so we switched.
Biotic powers are basically reskinned Force powers, run off the Use the Force skill. As all weapons are mass throwers, we cut out stun damage. And we based most races on an adaptation of existing SWSE races. For example, we based the Turians off the Zabrak. I'm not sure what we used as the basis for other character races like the Krogan since I'm not currently playing one.

Beyond that, things are playing out pretty straight out of the SWSE books.
 

If I were designing Krogan in 4e...
Here's a Krogan for SWSE from the aforementioned PDF:

KROGAN

Krogan are powerfully built and hardy, but aren't agile, tend to be impulsive, and have little patience for diplomacy.
All Krogan are infected with a genetic disease called the Genophage, a bioweapon developed by the Salarians and used by the Turians to end the Krogan Rebellions. The Genophage makes only 1 in a 1,000 Krogan births viable and the Krogan species is slowly being wiped from the galaxy.
Personality: The harsh Krogan homeworld conditioned the krogan psychology for toughness just as it did the body. Krogan have always had a tendency to be selfish, unsympathetic, and blunt. They respect strength and self-reliance and are neither surprised nor offended by treachery. The weak and selfless do not live long. In their culture, "looking out for number one" is a matter of course.
Physical Description: Large and massive, Krogan have a humanoid lizard shape.
Homeworld: Tuchanka
Example Names: Urdnot Wrex.
Adventurers: Krogan adventure to find battle and credits. The rare Krogan might be looking for a cure for the Genophage as well.


KROGAN SPECIES TRAITS
Krogan share the following traits:
Ability Modifiers: +4 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma.
Medium Size: As Medium creatures, Krogan have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Speed: Krogan base speed is 6 squares.
Extraordinary Recuperation: A Krogan regains hit points at double the normal rate while resting.
Heightened Awareness: A Krogan may choose to reroll any Perception check, but the result of the reroll must be accepted even if it is worse.
Rage: A Krogan can enter a rage once per day as a swift action. While raging the Krogan gains a +2 bonus to melee attack rolls and melee damage rolls but cannot perform a skill that requires patience and concentration such as Mechanics, Stealth, or Use the Force. A fit of rage lasts a number of rounds equal to 5 + the Krogan's Constitution modifier. At the end of the rage the Krogan moves -1 persistent step along the condition track. The penalties imposed by this condition persist until the Krogan takes at least 10 minutes to recuperate, during which time the Krogan can't engage in any strenuous activity.
Immunity: Krogan are immune to poison.
Bonus Feat: Improved Damage Threshold. Automatic Languages: Krogan speak, read, and write Krogan and Basic.
 

Space Opera and based on a novel. Too many to speculate, really. I'd like The Stainless Steel Rat myself. There are settings that would 'Wow' me more, but I'm not sure many are Space Opera.

SSR would be a cool choice, but there really isn't that much flavor to pull from, if I remember the books at all well.

If you are a Space Opera fan, have you read Harrison's "Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers"? That is one funny book.
 

Do Peter F. Hamilton's books count as space opera? Truthfully, I don't see what people like so much about them, but they seem to be popular.

Would Kevin J. Anderson's Saga of the Seven Stars be a candidate?
 

*in light of the "it's a book" psuedo-announcement, is hoping in vain that it's based on Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space universe*

Conjoiners and Inhibitors! Nevil Clavain!
 
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