this post was submitted on 18 Jan 2024
46 points (97.9% liked)
rpg
3208 readers
29 users here now
This community is for meaningful discussions of tabletop/pen & paper RPGs
Rules (wip):
- Do not distribute pirate content
- Do not incite arguments/flamewars/gatekeeping.
- Do not submit video game content unless the game is based on a tabletop RPG property and is newsworthy.
- Image and video links MUST be TTRPG related and should be shared as self posts/text with context or discussion unless they fall under our specific case rules.
- Do not submit posts looking for players, groups or games.
- Do not advertise for livestreams
- Limit Self-promotions. Active members may promote their own content once per week. Crowdfunding posts are limited to one announcement and one reminder across all users.
- Comment respectfully. Refrain from personal attacks and discriminatory (racist, homophobic, transphobic, etc.) comments. Comments deemed abusive may be removed by moderators.
- No Zak S content.
- Off-Topic: Book trade, Boardgames, wargames, video games are generally off-topic.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I did something like this with Fate because I had specific ideas about my setting and the aliens, corporations, and organizations I wanted in it. I added some of my own mechanics for ships and stuff, giving them their own attribute tracks and letting players make rolls during space battles based on their position in the crew. It worked well enough for what I wanted, which was more of an action, space opera feel, like Outlaw Star. It won't have a lot rules for all the hard sci-fi stuff you may be looking for if you prefer crunch.
Although recommending a generic system like Fate makes me feel like the kind of guy who suggests GURPs every time a question on a recommended system pops up lol.
So, have you tried using GURPS? Hey at least no one has recommended d20 Future yet ;)
I appreciate the recommendation nevertheless. Sometimes it does feel better to roll your own with a basic framework. In so many RPGs, the system and setting are inextricably linked, and disentangling them becomes far to tiresome. (Try playing D&D5e in a non-forgotten realms setting -- as much as you try to avoid references...) Rolling your own lets you start entangled, but in a way that fits your universe.
What're the odds you have some favourite details on what you did that made it feel right for you?
I am that guy that recommends GURPS, which I'm actually using right now to run a sci-fi campaign. 3d6 is a great system, there are tons of sci-fi skills baked right in, Ultra Tech is a great resource for laser guns and robots and all sorts of fun tech, and there are like half a dozen supplements full of ship stat blocks. Yeah the crunch can be a lot, if you want it to. You can also ignore most of it if you want, or slow-drip it to your players.
I think the broad nature of sci-fi means that, when it comes to systems, your choices are to either find a system that fits the exact universe you're running, or build it piece by piece.
If you like The Expanse because of the hard sci-fi and you don't know about GURPS Transhuman Space, you absolutely need to check it out. It will blow your mind. Even if since then, the transhuman sci-fi movement has evolved, it's still choke-full of inspiration, imho.
I dream of combining that setting with Stars Without Number...
Interesting. I'll check it out. Google is getting worse for finding things, so discussions like this become more important. Appreciate the rec. :)
I was thinking of Fate but decided I'd better not recommend such a generic system, but you beat me to it!
Fate is great with the right players, but it's not crunchy.
We did have a fun little game that was sort of "Shadowrun in space" where we statted up the ships. The players' ship was a stolen evil-fedex-in-space shuttle. It had a stunt "just doing my job" for a bonus to deceive, and "built for bad drivers" to reduce stress from impacts. Fun stuff, but real life ended the group before we got too far.
We got close to the end, but then everyone ended up moving away. I still have people ask me when we'll finish that because it was so fun, so I really need to go ahead and cut 75% of my planned end game content and then arrange one final online game day to wrap it up. Only issue now is real life, jobs, kids, and time zones...