Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
TIPS Sought for Sustainable Sci-Fi (not Star Wars) Gaming
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="The Green Adam" data-source="post: 4962688" data-attributes="member: 50821"><p><strong>Beyond This Horizon...</strong></p><p></p><p>I have been playing RPGs, mostly as GM, since '77 and the vast majority of the games I've run have been Sci-Fi/Space Adventure games. While Star Trek and Star Wars are indeed favorites (especially Star Trek), we've also spent a good deal of time with 2300 AD, Metal Head (Spacefaring Cyberpunk - like 2300 AD w/ Mecha), Red Dwarf, Space Opera, Star Frontiers, Starships & Spacemen, Traveller and probably a dozen more. </p><p> </p><p>IMHO, Sci-Fi is far easier to sustain than Fantasy as in the latter I eventually run out of room, both physically and conceptually. The planet is only so big and while there is nothing to prevent you from going to other worlds (and certainly other planes are 'common' destinations), it eventually feels rehashed to me. How many times can you slay the dragon and save the princess/prince?</p><p> </p><p>Sci-Fi (especially Space Adventure Sci-Fi) can, without going 'outside the universe', transport the PCs to an infinite number of locals for an infinite number of reasons. While my fellow posters have pointed out some great ideas and suggestions I'd like to analyze one in particular that has served me well repeatedly.</p><p> </p><p>#2...</p><p> </p><p><span style="color: yellowgreen">2. Troubleshooters.</span></p><p><span style="color: yellowgreen">PCs work for corporation or are freelancers for hire.</span></p><p><span style="color: yellowgreen">Pros: Supports “Adventuring Party” style play.</span></p><p><span style="color: yellowgreen">Cons: Characters are criminals/must work outside the law. Genre setting “conceits”, i.e. cyberpunk.</span></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: white">Why are the characters criminals in this concept. I thought that they work for a corporation. Aren't they licensed to troubleshoot?</span></p><p> </p><p>In several Traveller campaigns I've run the PCs worked for a corporation set up by ex-Space Marines, Navy Officers and Scouts (you know, like the PCs are). Pulling in some favors the company's founders got the ok to imploy armed troubleshooters, vehicles and vessels to assist frontier worlds and corporations against pirates, in emergencey rescues, convoy escorts, apprehending criminals, etc.. </p><p> </p><p>You see, in certain frontier regions of the Galactic Imperium the Imperium's military forces are spread thin and can't always assist small outposts and fledgling independant colonies. That's where the corporation comes in. The drawback is that in exchange for their special privleges the corporation can be activated as military reserves in times of war (or really whenever the Imperial Government sees fit).</p><p> </p><p>This set up allows the players to play pretty much any kind of character, gives them a steady paycheck with bonuses if they do well on their missions, allows them to rotate PCs if they wish (lots of people work for the company - if we're rescuing prospectors in an asteroid belt I'll leave my Marine home today and have them send my Belter. He's much better suited for this mission) and still in the end makes them the 'good guys'.</p><p> </p><p>Its worked very well for me many times and I'm sure it can work for you. If you have any specific questions just ask.</p><p> </p><p>Good luck,</p><p>AD</p><p>Barking Alien</p><p> </p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="The Green Adam, post: 4962688, member: 50821"] [b]Beyond This Horizon...[/b] I have been playing RPGs, mostly as GM, since '77 and the vast majority of the games I've run have been Sci-Fi/Space Adventure games. While Star Trek and Star Wars are indeed favorites (especially Star Trek), we've also spent a good deal of time with 2300 AD, Metal Head (Spacefaring Cyberpunk - like 2300 AD w/ Mecha), Red Dwarf, Space Opera, Star Frontiers, Starships & Spacemen, Traveller and probably a dozen more. IMHO, Sci-Fi is far easier to sustain than Fantasy as in the latter I eventually run out of room, both physically and conceptually. The planet is only so big and while there is nothing to prevent you from going to other worlds (and certainly other planes are 'common' destinations), it eventually feels rehashed to me. How many times can you slay the dragon and save the princess/prince? Sci-Fi (especially Space Adventure Sci-Fi) can, without going 'outside the universe', transport the PCs to an infinite number of locals for an infinite number of reasons. While my fellow posters have pointed out some great ideas and suggestions I'd like to analyze one in particular that has served me well repeatedly. #2... [COLOR=yellowgreen]2. Troubleshooters. PCs work for corporation or are freelancers for hire. Pros: Supports “Adventuring Party” style play. Cons: Characters are criminals/must work outside the law. Genre setting “conceits”, i.e. cyberpunk.[/COLOR] [COLOR=#9acd32][/COLOR] [COLOR=white]Why are the characters criminals in this concept. I thought that they work for a corporation. Aren't they licensed to troubleshoot?[/COLOR] In several Traveller campaigns I've run the PCs worked for a corporation set up by ex-Space Marines, Navy Officers and Scouts (you know, like the PCs are). Pulling in some favors the company's founders got the ok to imploy armed troubleshooters, vehicles and vessels to assist frontier worlds and corporations against pirates, in emergencey rescues, convoy escorts, apprehending criminals, etc.. You see, in certain frontier regions of the Galactic Imperium the Imperium's military forces are spread thin and can't always assist small outposts and fledgling independant colonies. That's where the corporation comes in. The drawback is that in exchange for their special privleges the corporation can be activated as military reserves in times of war (or really whenever the Imperial Government sees fit). This set up allows the players to play pretty much any kind of character, gives them a steady paycheck with bonuses if they do well on their missions, allows them to rotate PCs if they wish (lots of people work for the company - if we're rescuing prospectors in an asteroid belt I'll leave my Marine home today and have them send my Belter. He's much better suited for this mission) and still in the end makes them the 'good guys'. Its worked very well for me many times and I'm sure it can work for you. If you have any specific questions just ask. Good luck, AD Barking Alien [COLOR=#9acd32][/COLOR] [COLOR=#9acd32][/COLOR] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
TIPS Sought for Sustainable Sci-Fi (not Star Wars) Gaming
Top