What Non-D&D TSR RPGs Needs to be Revived?

[Jer]

Definitely Gamma World for me, even though it's the one game that has been perpetually updated over the years. I still enjoy breaking out and running the version based on 4e mechanics and the version based on 2e still has a prized place on my shelf (the version based on Alternity wasn't as much fun IMO).

From there probably Star Frontiers would be my next ask, but it would be a monkey's paw wish because they'd update it with 5e mechanics. I'll just be content with my hardcover reprints I got on DriveThru I think.

If it's a game/setting that I wouldn't mind seeing updated to 5e-style mechanics, probably Dark*Matter. It's an INCREDIBLY 1990s setting so it's possible it wouldn't update well to current day, but I still enjoy it.

 

[Juxtapozbliss]

Another vote for Top Secret.

 

[DammitVictor]

The original Buck Rogers materials are entering the public domain soon, in 2026. Unless the license deal gave the Flint Dille Trust some sort of license to the Buck Rogers in the 25th Century property-- and why would it?-- when the Buck Rogers name and character become public domain, Wizards of the Coast will become the sole proprietor of the game TSR published.

Standard nominations, of course: a revision of the original Alternity rules and settings, an updated (but not transformed) version of Star Frontiers, a version of Gamma World based on the 4th edition setting and the D&D 5e rules. Fundamentally, though, I don't trust Hasbro to deliver on these promises; I would rather see Alternity and Buck Rogers in PDF/POD on DMs Guild than any kind of WotC-led revival.

 

[Reynard]

The original Buck Rogers materials are entering the public domain soon, in 2026. Unless the license deal gave the Flint Dille Trust some sort of license to the Buck Rogers in the 25th Century property-- and why would it?-- when the Buck Rogers name and character become public domain, Wizards of the Coast will become the sole proprietor of the game TSR published.

That is not how public domain works. That singular copyright ends. It has no impact on trademarks or other copyrighted works. ANYONE can make derivative work of a thing in public domain, but they have to take care with works not in the public domain.

 

[DammitVictor]

That is not how public domain works. That singular copyright ends. It has no impact on trademarks or other copyrighted works. ANYONE can make derivative work of a thing in public domain, but they have to take care with works not in the public domain.

2026 marks the date that all copyrights that were established by Philip Nowlan expire, regardless of their current ownership. Anything that was created by Philip Nowlan for the Buck Rogers franchise becomes fair game. That is certainly the character and name of Buck Rogers himself, and at a guess I would suspect it includes Wilma Deering and Dr. Huer. The setting of TSR's Buck Rogers roleplaying game was original by TSR staff themselves... so, I don't know what they might have drawn from later, non-Nowlan Buck Rogers materials, but the mere existence of later adaptations doesn't limit WotC's publication rights unless TSR drew from them specifically.

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

Marvel FASERIP published as a generic superhero game.

There's at least one and I think two or three generic clones already on the market, and I think I saw another one starting development on another forum recently. Kind of been done already.

If it's a game/setting that I wouldn't mind seeing updated to 5e-style mechanics, probably Dark*Matter. It's an INCREDIBLY 1990s setting so it's possible it wouldn't update well to current day, but I still enjoy it.

The FLGS owner around here is the publisher of Conspiracy X (which is, if anything, even more 90s X-Files than DarkMatter) and he says they're still getting the occasional question about new editions/material. And X-Files is old enough it's starting to reach become real nostalgia-bait, so - maybe more of a market than you think?

 

[MNblockhead]

This should be a poll.

Another vote for Gamma World.

I would also like Star Frontiers for nostalgia's sake, but I don't know if it is something I would play. There are many other sci fi options. I don't know what experience it would give that would be much different than Star Finder.

I'd be interested in seeing what someone could do with Boot Hill, but even in the 80s, it didn't have much replayability. I think I ran maybe one session as pure boot hit and we also ran some D&D PCs through a Boot Hill scenario using some conversion rules. But if I want time and dimension, characters out of time and place, style shenanigans, I would run Index Card RPG.

I'd be very interested in a new version of Tékumel, but the original creator is problematic. I don't think WotC would want to touch that IP.

But Gamma World? I would be all over that.

 

[Reynard]

2026 marks the date that all copyrights that were established by Philip Nowlan expire, regardless of their current ownership. Anything that was created by Philip Nowlan for the Buck Rogers franchise becomes fair game. That is certainly the character and name of Buck Rogers himself, and at a guess I would suspect it includes Wilma Deering and Dr. Huer. The setting of TSR's Buck Rogers roleplaying game was original by TSR staff themselves... so, I don't know what they might have drawn from later, non-Nowlan Buck Rogers materials, but the mere existence of later adaptations doesn't limit WotC's publication rights unless TSR drew from them specifically.

The TSR produced Buck Rogers stuff is absolutely NOT entering the public domain.

 

[DammitVictor]

The TSR produced Buck Rogers stuff is absolutely NOT entering the public domain.

It is, however, owned entirely by Wizards of the Coast who would not need a license from themselves to publish it once the material it was based on enters the public domain.

 

[dbolack]

TSR made a number of RPGs over the years, and none of them besides D&D have a currently published version. So, which TSR RPG would you like to see revived? How? In what form?

I want to answer "Gamma World" because I love Gamma World, and miss it, but my real answer is definitely Alternity -- and not the bland one that is currently out, the actual Alternity, including the phenomenal Star*Drive setting. Clean it up just a touch but leave the system mostly alone, please.

What do you want to see revived?

Several of the Amazing Engine settings were solid. The engine, as I recall, was a bit meh.
I agree Alternity was way more interesting than came across.
D20 Modern is probably my choice.

Narrator But it was not a valid choice for the inquiry...


*edit - wrong timeline.