Is hard sci-fi really appropriate as a rpg genre?

[Turanil]

In 2005 I will be still preparing a setting that I have been working on for ages, and never seems to be finished anytime soon...

It is a science-fiction setting. In fact I do prefer hard science fiction, because taking into account physics IMO permits a more interesting game. When you cross the galaxy in minutes, then land on an unknown planet (with same climate and conditions as southern California) inhabited by English-speaking humans with funny ears, I really don't see the point. For me, different gravity, different tmosphere, totally alien races, hazards of deep space, etc. is what makes the sci-fi genre interesting. However...

I got Alien in DVD, and looking it saw how improbable and implausible such a story would be. Okay, it all the way looks like a cool hard sci-fi story. However, realistically speaking, it is a nonsense. I mean: the Nostromo gets radio signals of an alien intelligence on a planet. What do they do? They just go there to see by themselves. But the truth is, that in the 23rd century or so, they would have scanners, probes, computers and other equipment so they could locate, analyze, and know what's there from orbit. Also, who would be fool enough to go there seeking something alien without taking precautions? As such, the alien creature would remain on its planet and that's all.

So, the point is: a hard sci-fi setting would normally be a world where everything is monitored, controlled, analyzed, backed-up, etc. This wouldn't be in any way a society of adventurers, but a society of persons who remain behind their computer screens, and let robots do the dirty jobs, after every precautions have been taken. IMO: this is what would be a realistic future. Hence, not something appropriate for the kind of role-playing adventures we are used to.

So it happens now, that I want to find a way to create a sci-fi campaign setting that would have the typical hard sci-fi trappings (as far as equipment and ambiance goes), but at the same time would be a sort of pulp world. How to merge 1930 pulp action ala Indiana Jones with hard sci-fi without being ridiculous? That's my new challenge for 2005...

My ideas so far: Something inspired both from Matrix and Call of Cthulhu. World appears contemporary or 1935, but is not. We are in the 24th century, and world is controlled by some dark factions and incomprehensible aliens, who hold the true technology. Then, magic does also exist, enabling travel across the vast expanses of space, but is totally dark and corrupting. Aaah... needs so much more thinking... Any ideas???

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Interesting...though the one thing that's always bothered me about 'hard sci-fi' is that its no more 'real' than Star Trek/Star Wars/Alien/etc. Since we just plain don't KNOW what is out there, its hard to say what's more realisitic. For all we know, Star Trek was right and the humanoid form was so perfect that the universe if filled with things that look like humans in bad makeup

But then again, maybe not. While I'm a huge Star Wars fan, sometimes its fun to get involved in another kind of Sci-Fi setting. I especially enjoy thinking about a Cthulhu esque setting(like d20 Future had), with the universe being completely alien in every definition of the word.

As for merging that with puply fun...um...good luck. I really don't know how you could do that. You'd need to keep the mystery and horrible alien-ness while making the heroes simply better than everything else.

 

[Torm]

Seems to me that the primary problem in what you're talking about is the underlying bureaucracy of modern military and space-travel procedures - everything must be safe and double-safe, and then checked again, before being launched. We'll send a probe first, then maybe another probe to verify the first probe's info. And so on.

The solution might be to take it out of the hands of government - have your sci-fi future be one in which the technology for raw space travel (engine and hull) dropped in price and increased in availability so quickly that the governments kinda lost control of the whole thing. This would allow for tons and tons of little mining consortiums, colonial ships, freelance explorers, etc, who may or may not operate under such stringent procedures, and who almost definitely wouldn't have money for the more expensive sensors and communications equipment that the Sol system governments (and maybe some closer colonial world governments) would. The governments can't police everyone in space - space is BIG - and so they just made some laws limiting legal liability for the companies that manufactured the equipment all these people are using, and let 'em be. Maybe they even hire the freelance explorers (and possibly privateers?) from time to time.

And as far as robots go - complicate the issue. Give them either outright sentience, or (even more interesting in my opinion) give them a level of AI that makes them seem sentient, and have people and governments still arguing the issue. Maybe they've been granted limited rights. And make 'em player characters, so they aren't as disposable.

I think I'd ditch magic in favor of Biotech and bioengineering, and maybe Psionics, if you really want to keep it hard sci-fi, but that's me.

I highly recommend looking at the old Alternity rules - might be helpful.

 

[MarkAHart]

If I recall, the Nostromo set down on the planetoid on specific company orders, with orders to physically investigate the site. Ash (aka the Killer Android) was under orders to protect and help the alien survive so it could be returned to Earth. Thus, even with scans and probes of the planetoid and the alien vessel, the crew of the Nostromo still had to land on the planet, go out in spacesuits, and investigate in person...Of course, had the Nostromo had the proper sensor equipment (I guess one must assume in the movie they didn't), they would have been aware of a potential biohazard and taken proper precautions. The movie leaves unclear (if I recall) if other alien life forms have been discovered. I'm not sure how much experience or skill a deep-space freighter crew would or wouldn't have with handling biothreats or taking proper precautions against organisms...that's outside of my fund of knowledge...

Of course, ALIEN being a horror movie first and S-F second, certain events must happen to make the story work, whether they make much sense or not. Some horror movies don't bother trying to make sense, and just assume the audience can suspend their disbelief.

One of the best overall S-F gaming settings out there, IMO, is the Warhammer 40k universe. One of the elements of that setting is that life is cheap and harsh, while tech is expensive and valued. Adventurers in this sort of setting can still make a difference and still do the grunt work, because robots and machines are considered too valuable or too expensive, whereas people are not.

 

[Torm]

Interesting...though the one thing that's always bothered me about 'hard sci-fi' is that its no more 'real' than Star Trek/Star Wars/Alien/etc. Since we just plain don't KNOW what is out there, its hard to say what's more realisitic. For all we know, Star Trek was right and the humanoid form was so perfect that the universe if filled with things that look like humans in bad makeup

Loathe though I am to come rushing to defend Star Trek after what they did with Voyager (spit) and the first few seasons of Enterprise (finally starting to look up a little), I have to point out that this is a tiny bit unfair to it - there are plenty of non-humanoid races in Trek, its just that they almost always come from and enjoy different types of planets and resources from us, so there's less reason for contact and conflict.

Take the Tholian Assembly, for example - practically inside the Federation, bordering on Romulan space, and the only thing they want from either is to be left alone, and to have their new territorial claims recognised. Which isn't a problem since they prefer Venus-like planets we have little use for.

I do wish they'd do a little more with First Contacts with those sorts of races, but its easy to see the reasons why most storylines involve humanoids - even setting aside cynical reasons such as show budget and limited writer imagination.

 

[beeber]

hard sf is still a great rpg setting. look at traveller, any version. you have plenty of bureaucracy in the imperium and local governments. you have prospectors, merchants, scientists, etc. plenty of material for adventure. and as posted before, space is *big*. you could have plenty of adventuring fun even if you limited it to our solar system.

 

[Von Ether]

The writers agree.

Or you could apply hard physics ... FTL drive doesn't neccesarly mean FTL communication. If you use a jump gate model, perhaps communication is done pony express style from jump point to jump point, which means PCs are on their own to make decisions and deal with low supplies. Perhaps they don't have probes because colony is failing (a whole campaign right there) and it's cheaper to send out "excess" colonists to find new resources than have the extra mouths to feed.

Take up the other tradition of hard SF, think out of the box on who the PC really are. If you take out FTL, then perhaps your PC aren't even originals, they are clones with programed personalities that have been created whole cloth by a probe to deal with a problem that is "outside mission parameters" and there is no "home" to go to because Earth is millions of years older now. The real question is why will the probe keep them alive after the problem is solved. You could also make your PCs the A.I.s or geneengiered creatures (aka the Expendables rpg) that are the probes and first contact teams.

On a side note, a lot of people forget that the hard SF of the past, even 20 years ago, is considered pulpy by today's standards. A lot less was known, so more stuff was considered "plausable." Take a look on the shelf at most bookstores, you'll find that most writers agree. As we get a better idea of what the future looks like and our audience get access to the Internet, writing hard SF gets harder and harder. A lot of authors have gone more into fantasy, steampunk and alternate histories because this. .

 

[robberbaron]

The main problem I can see with a "Hard" Sci-Fi game is ensuring that the players understand the way things work.

Make sure that they know they will not be able to talk to any aliens they encounter, without learning their languages (or lucking on to an alien that speaks "Human"), or travel anywhere without taking plenty of time.
Ensure that they understand the rules and restrictions laid down by the "Powers That Be", whoever they are.

If they are the sort of mature, "Method RPGers" that this game requires you will have a fantastic time (and I am jealous that I can't take part in it). If not, then you could bash your head against a wall and not get the sort of game you want.

Good luck.

 

[jmucchiello]

So, the point is: a hard sci-fi setting would normally be a world where everything is monitored, controlled, analyzed, backed-up, etc. This wouldn't be in any way a society of adventurers, but a society of persons who remain behind their computer screens, and let robots do the dirty jobs, after every precautions have been taken. IMO: this is what would be a realistic future. Hence, not something appropriate for the kind of role-playing adventures we are used to.

So why can't the players play both the remote controller and the robot. At some point in the mission they jack-in and for all intents and purposes become the robot they are in charge of. Death becomes less permanent since they can always get a new robot but they cost money and there's always the threat of mental trauma when the jack is ripped out suddenly like that....

 

[Turanil]

Cool. I can see ideas coming from all your comments.

-- Bureaucracy: people want to escape a world where everything is known, monitored, controlled, and planned? Go out into space, and look by yourself just for its own sake.

-- Technology is expensive: Producing it on Earth where are big industrial consortiums is easy. But on distant planets and small colonies, it suddenly become very difficult to find spare parts, buy the latest ion gun, and what not.

-- Space is really big: When you are far away, you are on your own, and only on your own.

-- Futuristic Possibilities: Cloning, artificial intelligence, etc. should give many ideas of weird possibilities. However, much thought must be put there...

-- Remote Robot Control: Great opportunities for Mecha adventures. Could probably be mixed with something Matrix-like too...


Well, lets come more comments and ideas! thanks.