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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MNblockhead" data-source="post: 7598566" data-attributes="member: 6796661">I backed the Kickstarter campaign for The Expanse RPG and have the PDF version of the materials and will have the physical books within a few months. Two things worry me about running games in this setting:1. Players who are far more familiar with the story and settingand 2. Players who are far more knowledgeable about the science and technology depicted in the settingThe first issue is one that can challenge a DM running a game in any setting based on popular books, movies, or a TV series. At least The Expanse is science fiction, set in a possible future. So at least I'm not arguing "facts."  On the other hand, I've only watch the TV series and read the RPG materials. I have not yet read the original books. While I can certainly just state that my adventures are based on the setting but that the events in the book may not have taken place in the campaign setting. Yet, I worry that uber-fan players would be disappointed. Much of the reason folks would join a game in this setting is because they are fans of the novels and/or TV series. The second issue is even trickier. I can just hand-waive physics and say "its magic."  One of the main draws of the setting is that is based on a hard-science fiction setting. Not as hard-science as, say, The Martian, but much more so than Star Trek, Star Wars, Starfinder, Doctor Who, etc. I think that there are only two good options for dealing with issue 2.  One, which I think many would recommend, is to simply state that we are making assumptions and hand-waving a lot so that we can just play the game. GM-rule trumps physics.  Option two is to work arguing the science into the game. Being the geek that I am, I like number two. The idea is that if someone can convince me of the scientific possibility or impossibility of something happening in the game, within a brief window of time, they can change the outcome. The Expanse game already has fortune points built into the system so I would like work with that, buy awarding temporary fortune points. Or, I would would allow them to rule the drama die and get that many stunt point that they have to use for their action related to the test for which they are making a scientific argument about. In another system, say a D&D 5e game ran in a historical setting, you could give someone inspiration if they make a successful history challenge. Some of you reading this are thinking, "that sounds interesting", most of you are probably thinking this sounds like an invitation for arm-chair scholars to derail a game.  And this is the real challenge. Getting together 4-6 people who have the same expectations related to the setting. I think it is easier in games like D&D with settings that are complete fantasy. As soon as you start claiming a setting is historical or is based on real science, you are creating a significant challenge to the non-scholar DM. Anyone else have experiences with this?  How did you handle it and what are your lessons learned?</blockquote>

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