Why no one plays sci-fi RPGs

[MrFilthyIke]

They don't? Someone seems to have forgotten to tell all of the Traveller fans new and old. You might want to stop by the Citizens of the Imperium forums and let them know.

BTW, great work on T20 Hunter and crew.

 

[RPGRealms]

BTW, great work on T20 Hunter and crew.

Thanks!

 

[Psion]

Other than Star Wars and Star Trek, neither of which is truly science-fiction, the numbers of sci-fi gamers are scant indeed.

Um, can we talk?

This line of thinking has spread like the plague. It seems to have started with SW hatahs, and spread from there.

But it is really specious. You look at publishing categories, guess where you are going to find SW and ST books? You guessed it.

I am a huge fan of hard SF, but it is not the totality of SF.


ANYWAYS...

I don't think Traveller is as dated as you imply. Why do I say that. Two popular recent series, Anrdomeda and Firefly, are seething with Travelleresque elements. A few nips and tucks, and an updating of the technobabble, and I think it's a fine game setting.

 

[Shadowdancer]

Many people who play fantasy RPGs also play sci-fi RPGs -- there's a lot of overlap. Many groups switch off, for variety. In our group, for example, we rotate between D&D, Traveller and Cyberpunk.

 

[el-remmen]

Asimov is laughable? This is the wrong forum for this part of the conversation, I guess.

But then again my favorite sci-fi writer is Ursula K. LeGuin - it is the anthropological/sociological side of sci-fi that has any lasting meaning anyway. . .

 

[el-remmen]

Oh, and I can tell you why *I* don't play Sci-Fi RPGs: Space Travel.

Either the whole "party" has to risk a TPK every time they get into a spaceship and the pilot/navigator fails the roll or a Star Destroyer gets a lucky hit on your ship. . . or there is no chance of that ever happening, and if so, what's the point?

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Oh, and I can tell you why *I* don't play Sci-Fi RPGs: Space Travel.

My group plays SWd20 as a non-sword-and-magic alternative to D&D. We're trying to decide what's happening afterwards, and are leaning towards something with mecha, though I keep campaigning for Shadowrun.

Either the whole "party" has to risk a TPK every time they get into a spaceship and the pilot/navigator fails the roll or a Star Destroyer gets a lucky hit on your ship. . . or there is no chance of that ever happening, and if so, what's the point?

Well, if you're getting attacked by a capitol ship and can't outfight it or can't outrun it, it's best to surrender and try and escape later. And, in SWd20, most ships can take a hit or two from an SD and live through it.

Now, as for navigational hazards...well, if none of the party are hot navigators/pilots in such a setting, and regularly put themselves into a position where they have to make hard skill rolls...that's their problem.

Brad

 

[Gothmog]

I think the reason sci-fi gaming hasn't caught on as much as fantasy is for one very important reason: in order to run a really good compelling sci-fi game, you have to know about real life science. I would love to play in a really good hard sci-fi game, but every time I have tried it, the GM simply lacks the knowledge to pull it off. Heck, I have a PhD in Neuroscience, know lots of neurological and biological info, have had a lot of psychological training, and am competent at chemistry, physics and mathematics- and I wouldn't trust myself to run a hard sci-fi game and not get boggled after a time (very likely sooner than later).

That brings me to another point I just thought of: hard sci-fi is hard to run since the GM has to be VERY familiar with the tech and possibilities in that universe. I've had some cool ideas for hard sci-fi universes, but the sheer detail needed to describe all the tech keeps holding me back and killing my enthusiasm for trying it. The GM in a sci-fi game HAS to have a deep understanding of the tech and what is possible, or else the game will lack any sort of believable or realistic quality, and the players lose interest fast (personal experience on this one, 3 times).

I'm a Star Trek geek, I have watched pretty much all the shows (except Voyager after the 2nd season- blah), and the Star Trek world is the only one I'd be comfortable running due to the development they have put into detailing the tech and what is possible. Unfortunately, Star Trek games don't usually play so well (having some people being superior officers to others is inviting trouble). Star Wars is VERY soft sci-fi, more resembling the Odyssey in space than sci-fi, and it usually feels incredibly railroaded and moralistic when I have played it before. Between the two you've got Fading Suns, which is a brilliant universe, and I'd love to run it. Only problem is that HDI brings new stuff out at a snail's pace, and it seems to be hard to get people willing to try playing it. Traveller and Transhuman Space both look like good hard sci-fi settings (I have the books), but the sheer amount of material the DM needs to be very familiar with seems prohibitive.

 

[Desdichado]

Other than Star Wars and Star Trek, neither of which is truly science-fiction, the numbers of sci-fi gamers are scant indeed.

You got anything to back that up? From where I'm sitting Traveller is still going strong, with new(ish) GURPS and d20 incarnations. Shadowrun, while arguably sci-fi, has not really slowed down too much. Blue Planet, Trans-human Space and lots and lots of GURPS books get used all the time.

Seems more like you simply want to rag on the concept of sci-fi as sustainable and you've already made up your mind. My experience doesn't match it. And when I walk into a game store, I see plenty of sci-fi stuff on the shelves.

 

[Ovinomancer]

You got anything to back that up? From where I'm sitting Traveller is still going strong, with new(ish) GURPS and d20 incarnations. Shadowrun, while arguably sci-fi, has not really slowed down too much. Blue Planet, Trans-human Space and lots and lots of GURPS books get used all the time.

Seems more like you simply want to rag on the concept of sci-fi as sustainable and you've already made up your mind. My experience doesn't match it. And when I walk into a game store, I see plenty of sci-fi stuff on the shelves.

I work in such a store. I do not wish to disagree with you, but I sell about 15-20 Med-fanasty books to each Sci-fi. I would very much like to play/run a scifi game, but can't seem to find players that are interested. I've tried two games, but they seem to meltdown within 3-4 sessions, as players get frustrated by the system being different from med-fantasy. Could be me, but I don't think so. I've managed to keep a fantasy game going for more than a year before having kid paused it.