Sci Fi, Survival game, Seeking System

[Moon_Goddess]

EDIT:
If there is anyone who subscribed to this thread I set up a Recruitment thread http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthr...r-World-Within


Appologize about the necromancy.






I've had this idea for a Sci Fi game for a while and I think I want to run it play by post.

The problem is, I don't know what system to run it in.

I'm open to any suggestions for system both from people interested in playing and those not.

Since the game is going to be sandbox, I can't make true guarantees for what it will entail, I expect that the choice of system will influence the direction the game goes so I'd like to choose a system that will encourage combat to not always be the best answer, interpersonal relationships between the party member and between the party and NPCs, (ESPECIALLY NPCs the may not share a language.), survival, dwindling supplies, investigation of alien cultures, first contact kind of thing.

The closest kind of mass media thing I can think of for an example is Stargate Universe. Survival, attrition, scavenging, intra party dynamics, things similar to a post-apoc game.

 

[Shayuri]

I've always been partial to GURPS for games not focusing on combat, but I think I'm in a minority there. It's definitely not a system that holds the hands of either players or GMs, and would probably cause some instability in PBP...

Mutants and Masterminds is surprisingly robust though, I find, and could work fine in a sci fi setting with some tweaking, and perhaps using the grittier optional rules to remove the 4-color feel.

A lot of sci fi systems come with a setting attached, unfortunately, so it's not always easy to rip them apart again. Might take a look at Cortex, or FATE...I am not personally very familiar with them myself, but I've seen those names attached to some sci fi games before...

Anything else you can tell us about this game?

 

[Moon_Goddess]

I've thought about GURPs for it... might be a good fit... but has the problems you mentioned.

I love me some mutants and masterminds and would make some of the non-player stuff easy for me, but I've always had a problem with using it for normal humans.

I'm also a fan of Tri-Stat dX but I believe I'm the only person who ever liked it.

I'll take a look at Cortex or FATE, haven't looked at them at all ever.


Tell you about the game, still want to keep some mystery, lets see what I want to say.

Game starts with players as part of a privateer ship, working for GE basically making trouble for ExxonMobil ships coming from Titan to Mars colony. ~2100, Fusion but Petroleum is still need for plastics and all. Slower than light, just a little bit future.
Humans have never met anything non human but we do have a probe out there going for a planet we think has life. It should be there in another 250 years.

players meet a wormhole. Lost in space, absolute proof that humans are not alone, and have to try to survive, maybe figure out how to go back to Sol. Hard Science to start, not so hard on the other side of wormhole.

 

[Shayuri]

Hm!

Depending on the scale of technology, you might give Eclipse Phase a look too. I haven't had a chance to play it yet, but it's era is not far from what you have there. It has a lot of 'transhumanism' themes though, and the setting is miles from what you're doing, so you'd have some work to do.

I should also mention that while GURPS isn't perfect, I'd love to give it a shot and see what happens.

4rth Edition rules aren't as complex...and if you kept some of the fiddly bits on your end, like calculating modifiers to weapon rolls (based on range, target size, aim, etc...) then the friendliness rating starts to rise pretty dramatically on the player side.

Course that does make it less friendly to you, so that's a potentially huge downside.

 

[Jemal]

M&M would work and is fairly common and easy to access/learn.
On the other hand, if you want that sci-fi survival feeling, the Dark Heresy system is fantastic. It's set in the warhammer 40k universe, but you could just ignore that and replace the fluff with your own.

 

[doghead]

PI Games has a couple of SciFi settings. Hard Nova II is the their space opera setting and should provide most of the tech stuff you need. Earth AD is a more near future post-cataclysm setting. I don't know what it provides tech wise, but the rules for 'cyborgs, mutants, sentient animals' etc could provide good alien race material.

Both games use PI's GenreDiversion system, which is fairly simple and flexible. Its not particularly process driven, which is either a strength or weakness depending on your preferences. There are a number of setting using this system, ranging from the supernatural to film noir which may be useful for mixing things up for the characters. The GenreDiversion system itself is also available as a setting free system.

Another option is Dispora. Its a FATE based system, although its more of a system for designing your own setting rather than a setting itself. Again, this may be either a strength or a weakness, depending on what you are looking for. I haven't played it, but it looks interesting.

Iron Sky has written a really good Story Hour for his Eclipse Phase game: This Mortal Coil. It should give you a fairly good sense of the game. It is also well worth a read.

thotd

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

I'm into the d100 BRP of Chaosium. They are using it in Call of Cthulhu game.

 

[Vertexx69]

If combat isn't your cup of tea, you might want to consider Amber the diceless roleplaying system. Your imaginations are the only boundary. Its advancement is also run on a per/session basis so it wouldn't take as long to start seeing the characters advance as a system like D&D does in PBP.

For near future/post apoc, my personal favorite is still 3rd edition Shaowrun though. All the whackiness of alien races without the clumsy mucking about in space! And Shadowrun without the magic is of course cyberpunk!

Paladium does a mean near future/post apoc as well.

I've done some future GURPS stuff as well, but it doesn't get really interesting until around tech lvl 13 or so.

 

[Moon_Goddess]

Lots of options there a few possibles a few no ways and several I need to research. So I will and I'll turn this into a recruitment next week

 

[Jemal]

*Fingers crossed for a system I have access to.*
I've been wanting this type of game for a long time, it keeps getting talked about but never happens.