What Science Fiction Games are being played these days?

[jdrakeh]

Forgotten as it didn't leave an impression, or forgotten you hadn't had a chance to read through 400+ pages?

The latter. The PDFs are absolutely gorgeous and the very first PDFs I've read that sell me on landscape format (I think most PDFs formatted for landscape viewing look very amateurish). I've just been very focused on OSRIC/AD&D this year, meaning that things like Alpha Omega and Traveller haven't been receiving my full attention.

 

[Garnfellow]

I've been having crazy fun with Mongoose Traveller. I haven't bought many of the Mongoose supplements, though I can say their Spinward Marches book is excellent.

The beauty of MGT, though, is that it plays very well with classic Traveller and MegaTraveller material. I bought some of Marc Miller's CD-ROM compilations and have gotten enough gaming goodness to last me several years.

 

[Votan]

I've been having crazy fun with Mongoose Traveller. I haven't bought many of the Mongoose supplements, though I can say their Spinward Marches book is excellent.

The beauty of MGT, though, is that it plays very well with classic Traveller and MegaTraveller material. I bought some of Marc Miller's CD-ROM compilations and have gotten enough gaming goodness to last me several years.

Yeah, I really like the Traveller character generation system. It's better than I remembered due to the zero level skills that have been added in. Sadly, I am having trouble convincing modern players that random = good in this case as people are too focused on hyper-optimization.

 

[Aryoche]

Well after reading the "quick start", and the sample from both the main rules and the encounter book, I pulled the trigger and ordered the dead-tree versions from the publisher. (Nice bundle deals they have!) Even if it turns out I don't care for the system, there is a plethora of material there to steal for other game systems.

I just hope it ships out fairly quickly. I see they are in the process of upgrading their forums and website.

The latter. The PDFs are absolutely gorgeous and the very first PDFs I've read that sell me on landscape format (I think most PDFs formatted for landscape viewing look very amateurish). I've just been very focused on OSRIC/AD&D this year, meaning that things like Alpha Omega and Traveller haven't been receiving my full attention.

 

[The Green Adam]

Yeah, I really like the Traveller character generation system. It's better than I remembered due to the zero level skills that have been added in. Sadly, I am having trouble convincing modern players that random = good in this case as people are too focused on hyper-optimization.

I've been confronted with this situation as well, although I have enough old schoolers in the group to help me sell it.

AD
Barking Alien

 

[Votan]

I've been confronted with this situation as well, although I have enough old schoolers in the group to help me sell it.

AD
Barking Alien

Ironically, I see the lack of optimization as a major plus of the system. I am not sure that the current focus on character power leads to the most interesting games. I see this as doubly true in Science Fiction where exploring or trading might be a much more interesting focus than who can take out a company of marines with a pen-knife.

 

[Khairn]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader by FFG. If you are a fan of Warhammer 40K, or like your sci-fi dark 'n gritty, these 2 games might very well scratch that itch. The price for the books is high, but their production values are even higher.

For those who like D20, Operation Dawningstar was one of the very best sci-fi games I've had the joy to read and GM. Simply outstanding.

 

[Hussar]

Khairn - while I haven't played those games, the art for them is AWESOME. I'm loving the artwork in Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader.

I also have a pdf copy of Future Nexus. I read through about half of it. Not a bad system, although a bit too setting happy and a bit dated now.

 

[Votan]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader by FFG. If you are a fan of Warhammer 40K, or like your sci-fi dark 'n gritty, these 2 games might very well scratch that itch. The price for the books is high, but their production values are even higher.

I have stared at Rogue Trader a bit. My first instinct was "Dune" but I have not reviewed the rules in detail. Still, the art was pretty nice and there seemed to be a lot of promise in what I did see browsing. It might make it onto my systems to explore list.

 

[Aryoche]

Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader are both fine pieces of work, with amazing production values, which carries through on practically all the supplements. It really takes a bit of work to get past the "large army" mentality of 40K to bring it, at least with the groups Ive ran it for. Everyone wants to be a unstoppable "Space Marine".

It's a shame Dawningstar and Helios are OOP now, I managed to get the core rules, but the prices for Helios Rising now are crazy! (at least in hardcopy).

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader by FFG. If you are a fan of Warhammer 40K, or like your sci-fi dark 'n gritty, these 2 games might very well scratch that itch. The price for the books is high, but their production values are even higher.

For those who like D20, Operation Dawningstar was one of the very best sci-fi games I've had the joy to read and GM. Simply outstanding.