D&D 5E The Call is Out: D&D SciFi Should Be The Next Campaign Setting / Expansion

[Snarf Zagyg]

I was perusing the threads about boxed sets and the next book releases, and the same thought kept returning-

D&D (5e) should release a major campaign setting for SciFi.

That's it. Now, I want to be more specific with this- this is not a "Spelljammer Confirmed!!11!!!!" thread. Spelljammer is great. I enjoy Spelljammer. I love all varieties of it, whether jammin', jellin', or mere preserves. But Spelljammer is, essentially, D&D Victorian Naval Steampunk (but phlogiston instead of water, etc.). It's a cool setting, but it's not a science fiction setting.

I'm not trying to make any kind of extreme statement here; I think that Hasbro can pump out almost infinite varieties of regurgitated Magic settings and recycled TSR-era settings that would probably last them until 2030. Heck, they would probably make a decent portion of gamers happy if they stop forgetting about the Realms and burying Greyhawk and publish a few campaign books for them.

But I'm advocating for something a little more radical. It's been seven years now since the release of 5e. We all love us some fantasy- high fantasy, low fantasy, Swords & Sorcery, Tolkien-esque, anime-flavored, or GOT--humanocentric & gritty ... but we have all the tools to do fantasy already.

It's time to boldly go where no official rules have gone before .... to a D&D setting. Man, I love to noticeably split infinitives.


Why SciFi? Why Now?

Building on what I just said, I think the question as to why now should be obvious. At a certain point, while there can be infinite variations of the fantasy setting, they don't provide much in the way of a general expansion of the 5e rules system to a new genre; something that would open up vast new frontiers. A more interesting question is- why SciFi?

I would provide a few simple reasons for it- first, SciFi is a "traditional" genre for RPGs. Yes, CoC has been a major contender for a while that does not neatly fit into the other categories, but various types of SciFi rpgs have always been a strong part of the market.

Second, just as 5e is a game that provides a bridge from the past to the future (the link between the history and the future of D&D editions), a nod to past of TSR-era games is long overdue. Sure, sure, we could all preen on about Gangbusters, or Boot Hill, or Top Secret, but three of the early games that should resonate are Metamorphosis Alpha, Gamma World, and Star Frontiers- "classic" SciFi of the TSR era.

So by producing a campaign setting that was SciFi, Hasbro could both expand the core rules, allow for a whole new universe of play, and also continue the 5e concept of building to the future while nodding to the past.


So Which Setting? Why Gamma World Makes Sense, Even Though My Heart Calls for Star Frontiers

So a quick explanation- for those unfamiliar with it, Metamorphosis Alpha was the precursor to both Gamma World and S3 (Expedition to the Barrier Peaks). This was back in a time when systems were less compatible, but the barriers between worlds were more permeable (leading to, inter alia, the DMG having conversion rules). While MA is a seminal event in TSR and RPG history, we will assume it was subsumed by Gamma World.

Briefly, Gamma World is post-apocalyptic (think mutants and collapse of civilization, the exact nature of the lore around the collapse etc. changing of the years and editions) while Star Frontiers is far-future (think FTL space travel and aliens). My hope would be a release of a 5e-based system for Star Frontiers that incorporates Alpha Dawn (original), Knight Hawk (space battles), and aspects of Zebulon's (um ... think of it as Tasha's Guide to Outer Space).

I would love to see a resurrection of Star Frontiers, if for no other reason than the IP has lain dormant since the '80s, and it would have the most chance for people to homebrew and expand (you would have an entire universe, and rules for space ships, battles, robots, etc.). Moreover, the basic concepts of Star Frontiers would seem to be tailor-made to the zeitgeist of 5e- it was a system that was always designed more (given the time) for action-adventure than other, more "hard core" SciFi rpgs.

That said, Gamma World has the most common currency with people today- it has been updated continuously since being first published, with versions of it going up to d20 (and I believe there are some excellent fan conversions for 5e).

So my heart says Star Frontiers, but my head say, "You'll be lucky to get an official Gamma World."


Conclusion

That's it! As much as I want Hasbro to keep on pumping out fantasy settings, I think it's time we start calling out for something really new. It's time for SciFi!

STAR FRONTIERS 5e CONFIRMED!!!!111!!!!!

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Recycled IN SPACE! - TV Tropes

 

[Hatmatter]

I was perusing the threads about boxed sets and the next book releases, and the same thought kept returning-

D&D (5e) should release a major campaign setting for SciFi.

That's it. Now, I want to be more specific with this- this is not a "Spelljammer Confirmed!!11!!!!" thread. Spelljammer is great. I enjoy Spelljammer. I love all varieties of it, whether jammin', jellin', or mere preserves. But Spelljammer is, essentially, D&D Victorian Naval Steampunk (but phlogiston instead of water, etc.). It's a cool setting, but it's not a science fiction setting.

I'm not trying to make any kind of extreme statement here; I think that Hasbro can pump out almost infinite varieties of regurgitated Magic settings and recycled TSR-era settings that would probably last them until 2030. Heck, they would probably make a decent portion of gamers happy if they stop forgetting about the Realms and burying Greyhawk and publish a few campaign books for them.

But I'm advocating for something a little more radical. It's been seven years now since the release of 5e. We all love us some fantasy- high fantasy, low fantasy, Swords & Sorcery, Tolkien-esque, anime-flavored, or GOT--humanocentric & gritty ... but we have all the tools to do fantasy already.

It's time to boldly go where no official rules have gone before .... to a D&D setting. Man, I love to noticeably split infinitives.


Why SciFi? Why Now?

Building on what I just said, I think the question as to why now should be obvious. At a certain point, while there can be infinite variations of the fantasy setting, they don't provide much in the way of a general expansion of the 5e rules system to a new genre; something that would open up vast new frontiers. A more interesting question is- why SciFi?

I would provide a few simple reasons for it- first, SciFi is a "traditional" genre for RPGs. Yes, CoC has been a major contender for a while that does not neatly fit into the other categories, but various types of SciFi rpgs have always been a strong part of the market.

Second, just as 5e is a game that provides a bridge from the past to the future (the link between the history and the future of D&D editions), a nod to past of TSR-era games is long overdue. Sure, sure, we could all preen on about Gangbusters, or Boot Hill, or Top Secret, but three of the early games that should resonate are Metamorphosis Alpha, Gamma World, and Star Frontiers- "classic" SciFi of the TSR era.

So by producing a campaign setting that was SciFi, Hasbro could both expand the core rules, allow for a whole new universe of play, and also continue the 5e concept of building to the future while nodding to the past.


So Which Setting? Why Gamma World Makes Sense, Even Though My Heart Calls for Star Frontiers

So a quick explanation- for those unfamiliar with it, Metamorphosis Alpha was the precursor to both Gamma World and S3 (Expedition to the Barrier Peaks). This was back in a time when systems were less compatible, but the barriers between worlds were more permeable (leading to, inter alia, the DMG having conversion rules). While MA is a seminal event in TSR and RPG history, we will assume it was subsumed by Gamma World.

Briefly, Gamma World is post-apocalyptic (think mutants and collapse of civilization, the exact nature of the lore around the collapse etc. changing of the years and editions) while Star Frontiers is far-future (think FTL space travel and aliens). My hope would be a release of a 5e-based system for Star Frontiers that incorporates Alpha Dawn (original), Knight Hawk (space battles), and aspects of Zebulon's (um ... think of it as Tasha's Guide to Outer Space).

I would love to see a resurrection of Star Frontiers, if for no other reason than the IP has lain dormant since the '80s, and it would have the most chance for people to homebrew and expand (you would have an entire universe, and rules for space ships, battles, robots, etc.). Moreover, the basic concepts of Star Frontiers would seem to be tailor-made to the zeitgeist of 5e- it was a system that was always designed more (given the time) for action-adventure than other, more "hard core" SciFi rpgs.

That said, Gamma World has the most common currency with people today- it has been updated continuously since being first published, with versions of it going up to d20 (and I believe there are some excellent fan conversions for 5e).

So my heart says Star Frontiers, but my head say, "You'll be lucky to get an official Gamma World."


Conclusion

That's it! As much as I want Hasbro to keep on pumping out fantasy settings, I think it's time we start calling out for something really new. It's time for SciFi!

STAR FRONTIERS 5e CONFIRMED!!!!111!!!!!

I would so very much like to see Wizards publish a RPG in a different genre! I would love to see Wizards use what it has learned through the last ten years making D&D so successful and leverage that success and also its relationships among streamers and what have you to expand the hobby by making a different "stellar" game. And, if it was built so that there could be some genre hopping without too much difficulty for D&D characters, that would be cool as well.

I mentioned this a bit in this thread: WotC - James Wyatt is on the Dungeons & Dragons Team Again

I loved the first edition of Gamma World, but it has been decades since I played it. Also, put me down as someone who played Spelljammer quite a bit in the early 1990s and really enjoyed it...I would love to see that in 5th edition as well!

 

[jmartkdr2]

Tangent: my litmus test for whether a science fantasy (because DnD ain't doing hard sci-fi) is broad enough to really capture a market is: can I make any hero form Overwatch in this system?

With Overwatch, I think Blizzard went out of their way to make sure they covered as many shooty tropes as possible aside form aliens, while making each character work within the game. It's a broad enough spectrum that if you can do all of them, you can do dang near anything else you'd want to do (well, you'd need to add aliens, but the gorilla/hamster rules should be expandable to cover them.)

Also, you'd need to make rules for firefights that somehow work in DnD's melee-rooted grid system.

 

[embee]

On the other hand, Hasbro can keep printing money just fine using the proven 5e formula with a far lower risk of failure.

 

[Umbran]

I'd consider using the 5e core to do sci-fi wouldn't be a new setting, or an expansion. It would be an entirely new game.

That may seem quibbling, but the development effort behind it is significantly greater than "expansion" implies.

 

[TwoSix]

As long as the setting has katanas, I'm cool.

Realistically, I think that if they did go in a sci-fi direction, it would be with new IP. Not one of the old games that don't really have a ton of cachet outside of older nerd circles.

And, as @Umbran said, it would really need to be a new game, even if it used the 5e engine. Races would need to be redone. Classes would need to be all-new. Equipment would need to be all new. The spell system would be removed or replaced with something different. That's like 90% of the PHB!

 

[Xeviat]

I'd be down with a sci-fi game using the 5e base system. New races/lineages, New classes, new equipment, new supernatural powers.

I'd more want a new d20 Modern.

But I think they're leaving the experimental stuff to the 3rd Party now.

 

[not-so-newguy]

I demand space goggles!

 

[Marc_C]

Esper Genesis by Alligator Alley is a 5e Sci-Fi game with setting:

Esper Genesis - Heroic Sci-fi Roleplaying for 5E

Esper Genesis 5E is a heroic sci-fi tabletop roleplaying game powered by DnD 5th Edition. Published by Alligator Alley Entertainment.

espergenesis.alligatoralleyentertainment.com

 

[CleverNickName]

We've run Esper Genesis on Roll20 a couple of times, and it's excellent. It's essentially what you have described above: a 5th Edition D&D campaign setting, reskinned with sci-fi elements in place of fantasy. You should definitely check it out if you are craving a sci-fi/sci-fantasy style of game.

 

[LordEntrails]

Gamma World would be "safe". It's really not much more than adding psionics and an post apocalyptical setting. Easy, low risk. It would be an evolutionary choice. This could enable something like the settings and worlds from Shanara or even Mad Max.

Star Frontiers would be revolutionary (relatively). I too have a strong emotional attachment to this one, and still play it bi-weekly. The setting is very strong and compelling. The original rules are weak, and the Zeb rules are arguably not an improvement. But, that could/would be solved with a good conversion to 5E. I will note their are a couple of fan 5E conversions as well as the RPG Frontier Space which is very siumilar in feel and can be used to run a game in the SF setting.

SF would also put a good damper on SFRPG from Paizo, though Star Frontiers would sort of share the same acronym and could be undesirable. But they games would be drastically different.

Well done, I would enjoy either. And, as for the printing press that is D&D, I don't see a new 5E ruleset impacting that. Unlike Greyhawk etc, there would really not be any splitting of the fan base, but rather widening and capturing a broader market that already exists and they don't compete in.

 

[payn]

No thanks, I'll stick to Traveller for Sci-Fi.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

I just wanted to let you know (@Snarf Zagyg ) that gamma world was official updated for 4e. I never played it, but I heard it worked with the 4e rules really well.

 

[Monayuris]

Stars Without Number does what I need for a sci-fi game.
But I would support a Star Frontiers ported to 5E.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

I think a sci-fi game that used the d20 a/d engine is feasible, but I'm not sure it'd be worth the return on investment for WotC.

Outside a gonzo science fantasy setting, something that uses the PHB rules set would be pretty trash.

 

[meltdownpass]

The problem I have with this is that I don't really want, "Dungeons & Dragons ... IN SPACE!" which I believe is inevitably what would happen. I don't see it as realistic for WOTC to commit to creating a product that doesn't draw upon established D&D tropes and the IP-specific elements. Simultaneously, if the setting is just Space Humans, Space Elves, Space Dwarves, Space Dragons, etc. it's retreading the same old ground and won't really provide any of the actual elements of science fiction that I find appealing.

 

[dave2008]

I just wanted to let you know (@Snarf Zagyg ) that gamma world was official updated for 4e. I never played it, but I heard it worked with the 4e rules really well.

Yes, you can still get the rules from DriveThruRPG: Gamma World (4e)

And you can PoD (soft cover)

 

[dave2008]

I demand space goggles!

View attachment 134304

I always wanted to play onE of those flying monkey things

 

[MarkB]

There's also Dark Matter, which goes for a magitech / science fantasy setting and is fully compatible with 5e. I'm getting ready to run their starter set adventure next month.

One good thing about the new Tasha's options for character races is that it's relatively easy to whip up new alien species by using the customisation options for existing species or the option to create a custom lineage from scratch, and I'm encouraging my players to use that option if none of the existing species options in the setting appeal to them.