What is a good non-d20 sci-fi RPG?

[GAAAHHH]

d6 Space would probably do what you want. The Ships supplement adds space combat and ship plans, so you might want to get that too.

Septimus is a sci-fi game coming out later this year. It uses the d6 system, and it is being written by Bill Coffin.

Alternity (with Star Drive) is a great game. It is a little bit difficult to teach, though. They don't do a good job of explaining the rules, but a quick play-through will let you understand fairly easily. Out of print, but not hard to get ahold of.

Star Frontiers. Easy to learn and play. Out of print also.

Fading Suns. I'm not sure if the setting will fit what you want to do, but this is a very cool game.

Harp Sci-Fi. Out in Beta release as a PDF.

Spacemaster. A little bit complicated, but lots of options.

Out of all the Traveller systems, I prefer GURPS Traveller. You said no GURPS, so I will respect that. T20 and Classic Traveller just aren't the right systems for me. I haven't tried any of the other systems for it. Comstar Games is supposed to make a HERO Traveller sometime soon.

 

[SWBaxter]

Like I said, I'd play Traveller in any system.

Despite the name of the first edition, Traveller 2300 really has nothing much to do with Traveller. The second edition was renamed 2300 AD to highlight that. It's a fine sfrpg in its own right, but it'd require quite a bit of hacking to use it for BSG - all the assumptions about space combat and FTL travel are different.

While I'm a big Traveller fan, for BSG I'd probably use the Hero system (specifically Star Hero). Partly because it's a great toolkit-type ruleset, partly because all the psych lims would get a workout, and partly because I'm sure there's already at least one website dedicated to the conversion out there somewhere - that's just the way Hero fans are.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

No love for Traveller 2300?

2300 A.D.? Trust me, there is some love out there for it. And some more for Star Cruiser into the bargain. The use of nuclear pumped detonation lasers as the primary weapon against star vessels, with the use of stealth technology led the game to be tagged as 'hide and seek with bazookas.'

I have it both in print and in PDF.

The Auld Grump

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

That Paranoia sounds cool, too. What's the tone of the game?

The original Paranoia was a comedic sci-fi RPG set in Alpha Complex (a domed city) run by a dysfunctional Computer. The game had a higher body count than Call of C'thuhu run by a killer GM, so every PC had 6 clones. Mutations are illegal (everyone is a mutant). Secret Societies are illegal (everyone is in one). Armor & Weapon safety testing? That's YOUR job, Troubleshooter!

Think of a brew of 1984, We, Brave New World, THX-1138 & Logan's Run on 'shrooms and you're halfway there.

The current incarnation from Mongoose (I know, I know, I don't care for them either, but this is actually pretty well done) is faithful to the original versions of the game, but also offers up rules for playing the game as a straight-up dystopic RPG.

As in, any one of the above mentioned books or movies, sans hallucinogenic fungus.

Since it was originally a comedic RPG, its fairly rules light, and the new dystopia ruleset could easily be adapted to a Battlestar Galactica game.

 

[Starglim]

No love for Traveller 2300?

Definitely - I very much like 2300AD for individual action. Its space combat isn't very Galactica-like, though.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

The Silhouette System is a good choice. It already has two very good SF settings - Heavy Gear and Jovian Chronicles - and it comes with a decent vehicle design system.

 

[FATDRAGONGAMES]

While I like Traveller, I think I'd go with Star Frontiers.

 

[3catcircus]

While I like Traveller, I think I'd go with Star Frontiers.

Forgot to point out that there are three parts to Star Frontiers.

1. Alpha Dawn - the basic RPG rules.
2. Knight Hawks - the ship-to-ship wargamey combat rules.
3. Zebulon's Guide to Frontier Space - some people hated it, but I love this supplement. It turns Alpha Dawn from a basic %-based system into a more skills-based system and makes it easier to determine shades of success or failure.

 

[mxyzplk]

So if you're dedicated to non-d20, I'd use either:

Alternity + Warships
Star Frontiers + Knight Hawks (NOT Zebulon's Guide)

Most of the other "sci-fi" games frankly suck space combat wise - sorry Traveller, Silhouette, etc. IMO. If you can find good space combat add-ons.

I have never played Savage Worlds but that Savage Battlestar conversion looks sweet. And the Serenity game might be a good starting point as others have mentioned; it's using the Cortex engine tht the real BSG RPG will and it's got several reviews on rpg.net that are favorable.

 

[Aeric]

Another vote for HERO/Fuzion. It's compatible with Mekton Zeta, which has extremely friendly rules for constructing your own ships/fighters/cylons.