I've been interested in running a hard sci-fi game for some time, but I've never been able to figure out how to get around this problem: the players don't know any science. That makes it difficult to base adventures and campaigns on specific scientific and technical issues, and makes technical problem solving on their part all but impossible. Does anyone have any experience getting around this problem?
Problems running a hard sci-fi game
- Thread starter BigCat
- Start date
Roger
First Post
BigCat said:
That's alright; I run fantasy games all the time, and my players don't know anything about swinging swords, shooting arrows, or casting spells.
The PCs have skills. If they want to solve a technical problem, tell the player to make a roll.
In particular, the Techie has Jury-Rig, and the Field Scientist has Scientific Improvisation -- both of which are likely to turn out to be handy.
Cheers,
Roger
Roudi
First Post
Hard sci-fi is more a matter of flavour than a requirement that all parties involved had PhDs.
And really, sci-fi RPGs are about what the characters know, not what the players know. If a character has mad skill ranks in the sciences, you don't need to educate the player in those fields: that's why most RPGs satisfy knowledge checks with die rolls. In the d20 system or similar ones, a simple skill check determines if a PC knows enough about the current situation to be useful, regardless if the player has any such knowledge.
And really, sci-fi RPGs are about what the characters know, not what the players know. If a character has mad skill ranks in the sciences, you don't need to educate the player in those fields: that's why most RPGs satisfy knowledge checks with die rolls. In the d20 system or similar ones, a simple skill check determines if a PC knows enough about the current situation to be useful, regardless if the player has any such knowledge.
Thanks for your thoughts. I anticipate two problems with just abstracting the knowledge into dice rolls, though:
1) We lose the flavor of scifi - if the roll is just changed from "spellcraft" to "nuclear engineering", the game doesn't feel very distinctive.
2) We'll have physics arguments anyway. In fantasy games (or star wars), you just say the laws of physics work differently. In hard sf, you can't.
1) We lose the flavor of scifi - if the roll is just changed from "spellcraft" to "nuclear engineering", the game doesn't feel very distinctive.
2) We'll have physics arguments anyway. In fantasy games (or star wars), you just say the laws of physics work differently. In hard sf, you can't.
Stormborn
Explorer
One way that you might want to deal with this is find a Hard Sci-Fi setting and you and your players get to know that setting very well, either from an RPG or a novel or TV show. The feel will come in playing to that setting, rather than the science behind the setting.
Another possibility is play a game that emphasizes the difference between users and creators of technology. If, for example, the PCs are all a special forces unit during a hard sci-fi space war they as players do not have to have any more understanding of the science than the PCs would, which might be no more than "If I point this and push this the thing that I pointed it at dies." To make a fantasy analogy consider the barbarian and the magic sword. The barbarian doesn't have to know how to make a magic sword or any magical theory behind it, he only has to know how to use it. In modern terms consider all the people who use computers but have no idea how to program, or even how to install a program. All they have to know is what it takes for them to use it. At time the PCs are still going to have to figure out clever uses for the gear they have,it doing clever and heroic stuff is what makes them PCs, but they can do that with the info you have given them and a basic understanding of science in general rather than the knowledge of a disciplined proffesional.
If there is something that they really need to know, focus in on it in the setting introduction. If its nanotechnology, for example, can you find a popular science magazine's article about it for them to read that would give them enough info to play with?
Also, don't dismiss that you can say "physics doesn't work that way". In 1906 the most brilliant scientific minds were debating things we take as fact today. So what might be mere theory in 2006 might be firm fact in 2106. As long as you have a rational explination that functions within the confines of what is known and what might be known you can play the game.
I always seem to have to ask this question: you say you want to run a hard sci-fi game, but do you have players who want to play it? Even if the answer is yes, do you have players who care if they just roll a Kn(physics) check to solve the problem? They may not.
Another possibility is play a game that emphasizes the difference between users and creators of technology. If, for example, the PCs are all a special forces unit during a hard sci-fi space war they as players do not have to have any more understanding of the science than the PCs would, which might be no more than "If I point this and push this the thing that I pointed it at dies." To make a fantasy analogy consider the barbarian and the magic sword. The barbarian doesn't have to know how to make a magic sword or any magical theory behind it, he only has to know how to use it. In modern terms consider all the people who use computers but have no idea how to program, or even how to install a program. All they have to know is what it takes for them to use it. At time the PCs are still going to have to figure out clever uses for the gear they have,it doing clever and heroic stuff is what makes them PCs, but they can do that with the info you have given them and a basic understanding of science in general rather than the knowledge of a disciplined proffesional.
If there is something that they really need to know, focus in on it in the setting introduction. If its nanotechnology, for example, can you find a popular science magazine's article about it for them to read that would give them enough info to play with?
Also, don't dismiss that you can say "physics doesn't work that way". In 1906 the most brilliant scientific minds were debating things we take as fact today. So what might be mere theory in 2006 might be firm fact in 2106. As long as you have a rational explination that functions within the confines of what is known and what might be known you can play the game.
I always seem to have to ask this question: you say you want to run a hard sci-fi game, but do you have players who want to play it? Even if the answer is yes, do you have players who care if they just roll a Kn(physics) check to solve the problem? They may not.
Pbartender
First Post
buzz said:The biggest problem I've had with running a hard SF campaign is that I have yet to meet anyone even the slightest bit interested in playing one.
You're wrong...
Pbartender
First Post
buzz said:Amend that to: "Nobody in any of my groups..."
You need a new group.
![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
(Psi)SeveredHead
Adventurer
Roger said:
I disagree. We all know what a sword is or what an arrow is. Spells I can agree with.
Medieval games are, IMO, the easiest to run. They're different enough that there's a sense of escapism, but at the same time we're all somewhat familiar with it - the GM doesn't have to describe every unfamiliar thing in exhausting detail. Sci-fi is hard; sure you've got your sense of escapism, but you can't see the future.
No, that makes the uses of skills reactive, nothing more. It's worse if they're just rolling a Repair check and don't even know anything but the technobabble the GM is telling them. Heroes should be able to come up with interesting plans to solve a problem, not just roll dice.
Most sci-fi novels have that "problem" in plotlines; suddenly the protagonist pulls a solution out of his -- you know -- that totally surprises the reader because they don't live in the same universe. Even if the author mentioned the device on page three, the same unfamiliar device shows up on page 250 and the reader has already forgotten about it.
My only suggestion is to use a really detailed setting like Dune ... and even then, that only works if all your players are really big Dune fans.
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