I didn't see anyone mentioning Fading Suns, yet. It's a very enjoyable (very) far-future space-opera setting that gives a nice Dune-esque feeling.
Sci-Fi System Recommendations
Deuce Traveler
Adventurer
I'm quite biased towards Space Operas and Pulp Science Fiction, so I would suggest either classic Traveller if you want a simple, but flexible system, or Spaceship Zero if you like a more modern RPG.
Spaceship Zero is based on the old radio serials like Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon of the 30s, with a little Lost in Space thrown in, and has its own website here: Spaceship Zero
The website has a media section that you can pass out to your players to get them into the mood of the game.
I own the game, and can tell you that characters are based upon modifiable character templates, so one player can play the action-oriented space captain, or the robot struggling to understand human emotion, the crew scientist, the war-like alien from a barbaric-but-honorable society, and so on. Someone even did a Story Hour on it here on ENWorld that was pretty entertaining:
http:/http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/61544-spaceship-zero-q-ship-actually-updated-19-may-2007-a.html
If you need a more fleshed out ship construction and ship combat system than Traveller or Spaceship Zero provides, I'd suggest adopting Star Frontiers: Knight Hawks system, which I still find excellent.
The SF: Knight Hawks system with fan additions can be found here: http://www.starfrontiersman.com/PDF/Star Frontiers Knight Hawks.pdf
Spaceship Zero is based on the old radio serials like Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon of the 30s, with a little Lost in Space thrown in, and has its own website here: Spaceship Zero
The website has a media section that you can pass out to your players to get them into the mood of the game.
I own the game, and can tell you that characters are based upon modifiable character templates, so one player can play the action-oriented space captain, or the robot struggling to understand human emotion, the crew scientist, the war-like alien from a barbaric-but-honorable society, and so on. Someone even did a Story Hour on it here on ENWorld that was pretty entertaining:
http:/http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-hour/61544-spaceship-zero-q-ship-actually-updated-19-may-2007-a.html
If you need a more fleshed out ship construction and ship combat system than Traveller or Spaceship Zero provides, I'd suggest adopting Star Frontiers: Knight Hawks system, which I still find excellent.
The SF: Knight Hawks system with fan additions can be found here: http://www.starfrontiersman.com/PDF/Star Frontiers Knight Hawks.pdf
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Weregrognard
First Post
You're welcome!
The D6 System: The Customizable Roleplaying Game (1996) - This one's more of an RPG "cookbook" than a full game. You can use it to make your own D6-based RPGs.
D6 Space - Pretty much what you need as a base for a D6 sci-fi campaign
D6 Space: Aliens I - This one's hit or miss. There's some good species in there, but too many human-with-an-animal-head aliens for my tastes. Good examples for building species templates, though. As an aside, I think that all RPG sourcebooks with a "I" in the title are doomed to never have a Vol. II (See GURPS Middle Ages 1)
D6 Space: Ships - This one revises the ship-building system in D6 Space. that alone makes it a must, IMHO.
Check out Stars Without Number, an OSR influenced light game. It's superb, with great sandbox ideas. There's a free edition! There are many free supplements for it. Also Other Dust is a post-apocalyptic game based on the same rules.
Would make for a super fast game IMHO.
Would make for a super fast game IMHO.
Mishihari Lord
First Post
I think it mainly comes down to setting preference. In your shoes, I'd go with LBB Traveller, combat resolution is fast and simple, and it's setting is very reminiscent of Anderson's Poleseotechnic League books or Norton's Zero Stone and Uncharted Stars, which is my preferred setting for SF games.
Alarian
First Post
Thanks for all the suggestions. There is more out there to choose from than I realized. One question for TreChriron. I couldn't find anything on Dust. Anyone have a link to that?
Still haven't made a decision yet. Haven't even had a chance to get through all the suggestions. Really appreciate all the advice though.
Still haven't made a decision yet. Haven't even had a chance to get through all the suggestions. Really appreciate all the advice though.
Eric Tolle
First Post
I would recommend either Alternity or Diaspora, with an edge being given to Diaspora, since the pdf is included, and that can make working with online players easier. Also, the cooperative system creation rules are really neat.
Deuce Traveler
Adventurer
You have me curious, so I feel compelled to ask how the research is coming along?
Traveller I would vote for! But since this is over email and you want quick resolve; Apocalypse World would be a good fit I think! Not a ton of asking if you succeeded and the way it handles actions means not tons of rolling either. It is however skill less; relying on moves instead and attributes as your primary means of acting.
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