Looking for a great sci-fi RPG

[Ferret]

I'm trying to find an RPG rules system to run a home-brew space opera campaign. What rules set do you consider to be the best for sci-fi RPG and why?

Do you want to specify? Do you want Grim? Funny? Like star wars without Jedis? Time-Travel??

 

[D'karr]

I'd give another vote for Star Frontiers for space opera. It's simplicity is brilliant.

 

[timtao]

Thanks for the link to "Star Wars without Jedis", Ferret! That cleaves pretty close to what I'm looking for. I definitely want "grim" over funny. I don't want any Ewoks or Jar-Jar freakin' Binks. Also, I need to gut the Empire from Star Wars. But, that's a setting issue I will be handling myself. What I want from the Star Wars setting is the wide variety of weapons, vehicles, aliens, worlds. That will support the high-flying derring-do I want my players to experience.

 

[timtao]

I'm seeing a lot of love for Savage Worlds, Starblazer and Star Frontiers. I'll have to check those out - also, WEG's d6 space (which I am reading right now in the form of the 2nd Edition Star Wars rules). I was glad to find out the d6 space is available as a download, b/c otherwise I only have 1 copy of the rules and none to give to my players.

A this point, it looks like I might be doing a bit of a mash-up of two or more rules systems. We'll see.

Thanks again for all your input. You guys rock.

 

[timtao]

Thanks for the StarFrontiers links, Greylord!

 

[Vicente]

I would go with Alternity. The system is skill based and they matter a lot, the rules are pretty simple, and I like a lot how the Ordinary/Good/Amazing mechanic works to resolve actions and their outcomes.

And Star*Drive is a very nice setting. It's also pretty easy and cheap to get the core books.

 

[Hussar]

Just to narrow things down a bit more, when you say "Space Opera", exactly what do you mean? Are we talking Star Wars, Babylon 5 and Golden Age SF, or do you mean newer space opera like Charles Stross and Alastair Reynolds? How do you feel about post-humanism and that sort of thing?

If it's the latter, then something like Sufficiently Advanced - 1KM1KT fits the bill very nicely. It does post-humanist space opera very, very well.

Additionally, Three Sixteen - BoxNinja | DriveThruRPG.com 3:16 Carnage Among the Stars is a very nice rules light approach to a more Starship Troopers kind of SF.

 

[3catcircus]

Thanks for the StarFrontiers links, Greylord!

Yup - and for those that like a little more crunch, the Zebulon's Guide supplement makes the game a full-on skill-based system with task resolution being a quick look-up using a table similar to the one used by Marvel Superheroes.

I'll second the recommendation to go look at starfrontiersman - especially since they also have a "Gamma Dawn" rules supplement so you can add mutants a la Gamma World to your standard Star Frontiers game.

Not to mention the Star Frontiersman magazine is top-notch.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

My "first pass" list for sci-fi:

• Classic (or Mongoose) Traveller
• Stars Without Number
• Chaosium's Basic Roleplaying
• FGU's Space Opera
• I.C.E. Space Master

 

[tylerthehobo]

Traveler, GURPS Space, D20 Future