What traits would your Ultimate Space Opera setting have?

[The Shaman]

Sabers and ray guns.

Big six-legged creatures as mounts.

Three moons and two suns.

Ornithopters.

White-furred intelligent apes.

Cavorite. (Or a similar plot-device element.)

 

[GMSkarka]

The more that reading the setting makes me think of illustrations by Alex Raymond or Al Williamson, the better.

 

[delericho]

History. Lots and lots of history.

I want ancient feuds between rival peoples. I want unexplored ruins on a thousand worlds. I want an interstellar empire that has long since gone to ruin.

I want space combats that are fast and exciting. I want just enough realism to allow suspension of disbelief, and very little more.

I want alien races that are unique and, well, alien. Not just elves in space, not just humans in funny suits, and not differentiated by how the bumps on their noses look. Or, failing that, let's not have alien races at all.

I want technology that feels like it could almost exist. I want a world where AI, cloning and genetic modification are as common as cosmetic surgery is today. I want a world where people live forever, if they have the funds.

And I want it gritty. Let's have a setting where we can explore the struggle of class against class. Let's have a setting where we look at the ethics of cloning, in all their nasty glory. Let's have a world where the very rich are very corrupt, where the very poor must struggle to survive, and where those who are willing to take risks, or compromise their morals, can prosper.

And let's have no cute kids, and no cute robots. Ever.

 

[NewLifeForm]

Space Opera is my Specialty

My favorite type of RPG is one set in an epic, galaxy spanning space opera universe. So far, I haven't found a game that let's me pull it off better then the original Traveller (simplified and with a few adjustments from later additions and a few house rules). While Traveller is often viewed as "Hard SF", it still contains everything you need for planet hopping adventures.

Traveller has dozens of aliens (But not Humans-In-Suits or Bug-Eyed Slavering Types), A lost, ancient species of super-scientists, FLT Travel with character, a HUGE interstellar empire, robots of every conceivable type, psionic powers and so much more.

While I also love Star Trek and Star Wars, Traveller is the perfect fit for me. While I loved B5 the show, I've really never had the desire to run or play it as a game. It's universe seems to lack enough room to move around for me. Farscape would be cool, and I've designed a campaign based on it, but never really got a chance to play it. Maybe some day...

I'm also partial to mixing comedy into my Space Opera, but it isn't a necessity.

NewLifeForm

 

[GMSkarka]

And I want it gritty. Let's have a setting where we can explore the struggle of class against class. Let's have a setting where we look at the ethics of cloning, in all their nasty glory. Let's have a world where the very rich are very corrupt, where the very poor must struggle to survive, and where those who are willing to take risks, or compromise their morals, can prosper.

So in other words, your Ultimate Space Opera setting wouldn't be space opera at all.

Space opera has a fairly specific genre definition, and "gritty" is about as far from it as possible....

 

[S'mon]

Hard to say because I like my SF a little firmer, but if I want a larger-than-life space romp, it's gonna have to have a touch of Lensman in it and a touch of old Buck Rogers. Psychic powers, cool gadgets, fighters, fisticuffs, big slavering aliens, steamy jungle planets, and the like.

Sounds right. Hot chicks in skin-tight spacesuits. Blasters. Bug-eyed slavering monsters. Steely-jawed heroes. Star fighters that explode when hit.

 

[Anson Caralya]

Cavorite. (Or a similar plot-device element.)

I'll bite. What's cavorite?

 

[Cabe Zeree]

All that with a touch of soul...

Throw everything possible in the bag, but I like mostly

History. Lots and lots of history.

I want ancient feuds between rival peoples. I want unexplored ruins on a thousand worlds. I want an interstellar empire that has long since gone to ruin.

I want space combats that are fast and exciting. I want just enough realism to allow suspension of disbelief, and very little more.

I want alien races that are unique and, well, alien. Not just elves in space, not just humans in funny suits, and not differentiated by how the bumps on their noses look. Or, failing that, let's not have alien races at all.

I want technology that feels like it could almost exist. I want a world where AI, cloning and genetic modification are as common as cosmetic surgery is today. I want a world where people live forever, if they have the funds.

...

A vast interstellar canvas of ancient empire(s), powerful religion(s), and lots and lots of feudalism.

It would most definitely have a heavy layer of politics over everything. Politics is fun...inside the imagination. Real world...meh.

Lots of alien races. Many different FTL mechanisms. Stellar Engineering (a la Dyson Spheres and Ringworld). Ancient artifacts.

But for me, make all of it planes related like Planescape; so instead of world hopping we have world hopping plus plane hopping. Change all technology to advanced magic, much like Eberron has its magic technology but continue with logical progression (like the mannapunk thread: http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?p=2362514#post2362514). Of course you could have planes that have varying levels of tech and magic too (down right super tech, or technomancy, steam punk, etc).

Can't do without giant ships , but make them Astral ships in the form of the new Speljammer envisioned ships: http://spelljammer.org/worlds/Pyrespace/ships/Dreadnaught.html (If they were as big as the pictures make them out to be, they would match pound for pound anything B5 has). I love zipping space fighters, but don't know what they'd be like...

Plus add in a touch of soul. It would be mandatory considering the possibilities of the Planescape setting, but of a different vein. Gods are just creations of the gestalt consciousness of the Primes. What really happens to the true souls is unknown. Perhaps something like Peter Hamilton Reality Dysfunction series could unfold.

Basically I want everything and a bag of chips, plus some cake and ice cream. I doubt I'll ever see it, so I'll keep playing Planescape and tweaking my One Off Planescape setting till I get what I want.


Enjoy the eve!

 

[Gynsala]

My Ultimate Space Opera would be...

Very exploration themed.

Many different planets, mostly rural, but which somehow have the knowhow and strength that a poor boy running away from home can stow away on a spaceship to a seedy port somewhere and hire himself off as a mercenary/ship's cook/cabin boy. Politics and rivalries, but most planets and races little to do with each other (until a large foreign force takes over planet after planet, forcing an alliance).

Grudging respect between the captains of starships, from large cargo ships and destroyers to skimmers for exploration or speed transport. Universal hatred of space pirates, yet an unhealthy fascination with the romance in the legends of the great pirates.

Oh yeah, and all the good Buck Rogers stuff mentioned earlier.

 

[Ultrazen]

I'll bite. What's cavorite?

A fictional element impervious to gravity and capable of shielding other objects from gravitational forces. It's been used by several SF authors.

Also think along the lines of spice (Dune) or dilithium (Star Trek).

My ideal space opera is right here.