D20 Space Options

[Malbur]

Hey, I just recently saw the Firefly series (finally) and am now thinking that a Space Opera would be awesome to start up. After doing some research, I came across a few names (Serenity RPG, Reign of Discordia, Traveller) and am wondering if there are any recent/new (aka still supported and reasonably popular so it has resources available) game systems that have this element.

I'm looking for something with a mechanic system similar to D&D or Shadowrun. Anyone know of anything out there? I liked the western feel of Firefly so that's something I would be interested in retaining as well.

[nezumi]

Umm... Eclipse Phase? d100 system, so very straightforward mechanics, written by Rob Boyle, Brian Cross and Adam Jury, the Big Names of SR3, all set in a hard sci-fi space setting? It's pretty fantastic.

[Malbur]

Cool, I'll take a look at it. I should have also specified that this post was also about finding out if any system is particularly good. Serenity RPG seems to have a decent following but has its drawbacks as well, the other systems I'm trying to learn about.

[CanRay]

A group of mine tried the Serenity RPG, and, well, we just couldn't grok it.

Might I suggest West End Games' D6 Space system, descended from the old Star Wars D6 system. It's good stuff, and free, I think.

[PBTHHHHT]

Plus, the D6 rules system are now free to download. try d6 space, or even better look up mini six, it's a d6 system derivative that's also free to download, the rules are even more streamlined.

[Yerameyahu]

I wouldn't recommend Eclipse Phase for classic Space Opera. At all. It's post-singularity transhumanism with no aliens (sorta) and no FTL (well, for some reason, there's super-rare stargates). How about Alternity? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I'd still recommend Eclipse Phase for a post-singularity transhumanism with no aliens sorta and no FTL except super-rare stargates game, though!

[Squiddy Attack]

M&M might work. It's intended for superheroes, but a very versatile system -- you'll see.

[Malbur]

Alternity did come up in my searches as well... how is it as a system?

[hobgoblin]

http://www.amazon.com/Serenity-Role-Playin...8536&sr=8-1

[Belvidere]

Depending on your game style I would either recommend Star Wars: Saga Edition, and just cut out Jedi and make your own races, which they have rules for. But that's if you prefer grid combat and tactical gameplay over heavy roleplay. It's basically a hybrid of D&D 3.5 and 4.0. Easy to abuse, but truthfully... what system isn't?

D6 Space would probably be the best system I could think of for a preferred Space Opera game. If you want a darker game Eclipse Phase would be perfect.

[CanRay]

*Kicks someone thought the air intake of the space ship* Dark enough for you?

[Yerameyahu]

Alternity is sort of the last thing TSR did before they ceased to exist and D20 showed up. I describe it as proto-D20. It's got a d20 control die, but test difficulty is modded by adding or subtracting other dice (d4, d6, etc.). Like Shadowrun, you have skills for all your actions (shooting, first aid, so on). Unlike D20, you can score a normal, good, or amazing success, depending on how low you roll on the d20 (modified by the 'situation dice').

It's got a really loose class system, cyber, decking, optionally psionics/etc., aliens, robots, and spaceships.

[Grinder]

Are the books easy to come by? Otherwise it wouldn't be a good idea to suggest him that setting.

[Yerameyahu]

*shrug* They could be on Amazon. There's a still-active community at AlternityRPG.net.

[KarmaInferno]

I liked Alternity.

I played two characters in TSR's "official" Alternity campaign, a giant beast-man stockbroker in an expensive suit with glasses and a PDA (cos at that time PDAs were the hotness for tech geeks), and a mega-psion that had all the body-weakness flaws so he'd die if he ever left his armored spacesuit.



-k

[CanRay]

Tali?

[the_dunner]

Note that MWP recently gave up the license to the Serenity RPG. So, there won't be any new materials, and the existing materials are heading out of print.

In terms of a general space opera, I'd echo the suggestion for D6 Space as a first choice. Free PDF from the Open D6 project is here. Note that, WEG is dead, so D6 Space support may be a bit unpredictable, until/unless another company produces a setting or rules variant that you like.

My choice for something that remains in print would start with Savage Worlds. The Slipstream setting probably has all the rules variants you'd want for Space Opera. Note that this was designed for 20s pulp space opera, ala Buck Rodgers. If you wanted to get the Serenity feel, you could probably mix and match a few elements from the Savage Worlds version of Deadlands.

Alternatively, also from PEG, is Lost Colony. This was their far future flavor of Deadlands, and it came out in a D20 version. It's not perfect, but it might do what you're looking for.

[KarmaInferno]

Tali?

Well, Tali if she could crumple spaceships and set them on fire with her mind. And if she was a guy.

Really, the character was born when I was depressed about the exorbitant prices of combat armor in the books, and suddenly noticed this innocuous civilian survival suit in the back of the equipment section - which upon careful examination had better armor than the combat armors, integrated strength boost, and so much environmental resistance in all categories that the wearer could almost swim in a star's corona with no problem. So immediately I concieved of this sickly, spindly invalid with massive psyker abilities but doomed to live his life in sterile bubbles. Of course, then, why not get the best bubble possible?



-k

[PBTHHHHT]

In terms of a general space opera, I'd echo the suggestion for D6 Space as a first choice. Free PDF from the Open D6 project is here. Note that, WEG is dead, so D6 Space support may be a bit unpredictable, until/unless another company produces a setting or rules variant that you like.

As a very close second choice or alternative to d6 space, then you'd want to check out this recent thing one company produced. A set of alternative rules on a free pdf, Mini Six by Antipaladin games, take a look, it's shorter and more streamlined than d6 space. The folks on the WEG fan forums (alternate forums started when the WEG site went down) seemed to really like this rules set.

[The Shuhite]

Another option is Gurps Transhuman Space. A lot of the books focus on what would be the core in FireFly but its still very possible to make a firefly-ish game out of it.

[Warlordtheft]

Theres also babylon 5 and the Star Trek RPG.

I have the old WEG version of Starwars. I'd strongly recommmend it for a heroic type game.

[Malbur]

I'm checking out Mini Six right now... gotta say, I love free stuff! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Tanegar]

Well, Tali if she could crumple spaceships and set them on fire with her mind. And if she was a guy.

Really, the character was born when I was depressed about the exorbitant prices of combat armor in the books, and suddenly noticed this innocuous civilian survival suit in the back of the equipment section - which upon careful examination had better armor than the combat armors, integrated strength boost, and so much environmental resistance in all categories that the wearer could almost swim in a star's corona with no problem. So immediately I concieved of this sickly, spindly invalid with massive psyker abilities but doomed to live his life in sterile bubbles. Of course, then, why not get the best bubble possible?

I suddenly have a burning urge to blatantly plagiarize this character by creating an insanely powerful magician who is confined to an (extensively modded) Evo Orderly medical drone.

[X-Kalibur]

I'm going to mimic using the WEG D6 system or Alternity. They work great for a setting like Mass Effect or Firefly.

[Redjack]

I highly recommend Alternity. We tried the system with the Firefly book... not impressed. Currently, we are playing a Stargate campaign using the Savage Worlds system.