System Shock 2

[adamb0nd]

I want to run the system shock 2 world as a pen and paper game. I was looking for a bit of advice. I dont know weither to use d20 modern and future, or Call of Cthuhlu and D20 future. I also was thinking of using the Grim n Gritty rules. For those of you unformiliar with them, it uses your Con Score (not mod) as your base HP. Your hp goes up each level pretty much with your BaB. Its for a more realistic, deadly feel. Theres alot more to it, but ill save it for another thread.

I also wanted to know if any one had a program , or knows of a good free one for making PDFs.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

I'd suggest, for simplicity, Modern and Future together. I think they'll serve you fine.

I think using the Grim'n'Gritty ruleset adds unneeded changes to the game balance, but that's just me. I'm much much more fond of small tweaks in MDT methods, that'll add as much danger and stress as you'll need.

Beyond that, I think Future has pretty much everything you'd really need to make it happen as far as rules to mimic what goes in in SS2. The rest is gravy.

SS2's one of my favorite games ... I used to own it, but I can't find my disks. Managed to DL a copy when it was (maybe, possibly, we're not sure) available but it didn't work very well on my old laptop and is too hard to find again.

--fje

 

[adamb0nd]

http://www.the-underdogs.org/game.php?id=3924

 

[Plane Sailing]

Did you know that old System Shock designers post here on ENworld?

 

[Roudi]

I played System Shock 2 almost all the way to it's conclusion, and loved it (except at the end, where I got stuck in a slimey place with no ammo and big baddies everywhere). That kind of sci-fi horror would make a great game, and I say d20 Modern / Future would be the way to go.

However...

If you really want to capture the System Shock experience, you're going to have to eliminate the concept of levels and level advancement. In both SS games, you upgraded each of your skills individually, as well as your base stats. I know in System Shock 2, you used blank nanos at upgrade centers to "buy" upgrades for your stats and skills. Essentially, you as a GM could hand out Nanos (or allow your players to find them), then assign appropriate prices for buying an ability score boost or skill ranks. You would also have to have prices for feats and psionic powers. In the whole, using the d20 system would take a little work. But, I think it would be rewarding.

 

[AmorphousBlob]

I recommend checking out the Big Eyes, Small Mouth D20 system. They have a point based system that could be changed from the typical experience advancement to just giving out points per session or something similar. It's not the best idea, but it's an idea. I only played a demo of System Shock 2 a long time ago, so I really only have a small amount of knowledge about it, but from what I remember of it, it was fun.