As the title points out, I am looking for the perfect rules system to use in making a Saber Rider rpg.I might tone down some of the more Japanese elements(like the spaceship turning into a robot.I'll make it an AI instead etc) And obviously it will have 'proper' violence in it(like in the original Japanese version)
Think of it as something of a mix between Mass Effect and Firefly while still retaining the essence of what we loved in the original show.
So I need a system that can handle power armour, zero g battles, and some vehicular action(the spaceship battles could be narrative as the main action in the show was either EVA or Planetside)
I was thinking it has to be non d20 and rules lite btw(that's why I wont be using gurps I think)
You could look at;
Big Eyes, Small Mouth which is anime set of rules with three stats. They have a companion book that goes into Big Robots and Spaceships.
Another option is Starblazer Adventures which I think would be a better cinematic fit for storyline and game play.
You could also look at the d6 system rules that were originally for Star Wars. The vehicle rules give you the scalability to represent humans and big robots.
Those would be my current top three choices with Starblazer Adventures being my current favourite.
I'm a huge proponent of Mekton Zeta, myself (and not just because I've written for it). It's flexible, it's powerful, and it's specifically built for exactly that kind of type of game. I've run games with Macross, Gundam, Crusher Joe, and Cowboy Bebop themes in it, all of which were well received by the players.
I'm a huge proponent of Mekton Zeta, myself (and not just because I've written for it). It's flexible, it's powerful, and it's specifically built for exactly that kind of type of game. I've run games with Macross, Gundam, Crusher Joe, and Cowboy Bebop themes in it, all of which were well received by the players.
Cartoon Action Hour (either the first or CAH2) might also be worth looking into.
I'm a huge proponent of Mekton Zeta, myself (and not just because I've written for it). It's flexible, it's powerful, and it's specifically built for exactly that kind of type of game. I've run games with Macross, Gundam, Crusher Joe, and Cowboy Bebop themes in it, all of which were well received by the players.Cartoon Action Hour (either the first or CAH2) might also be worth looking into.
Man, how did I ever forget CAH. Stamp a "forgetful" on my forehead, please.
Wow I didn't expect so many replies :) thank you all.
They are all interesting choices.What I think so far is:
Mekton zeta seems a better match for Gundam but I could be wrong.
BESM is a bit too Manga I think.
CAH seemed the proper choice but my dilemma is- and here I would like your suggestions- that it seems too cartoony? (Originally I thought I'd go for something more mature)
On that front Starblazzers seems like a very good choice.
I would also like to learn more about Fudge..
I also found this one:
Wow I didn't expect so many replies :) thank you all.
They are all interesting choices.What I think so far is:Mekton zeta seems a better match for Gundam but I could be wrong.
BESM is a bit too Manga I think.CAH seemed the proper choice but my dilemma is- and here I would like your suggestions- that it seems too cartoony? (Originally I thought I'd go for something more mature)
On that front Starblazzers seems like a very good choice.
I would also like to learn more about Fudge..
Starblazers Adventures is Fudge/Fate.
I was surprised by your like Jovian Chronicles and rejecting Mekton Zeta since Jovian Chronicles was built using the Mekton Zeta rules. I looked at the Wiki and found that the current version of Jovian Chronicles uses the Shiloutte system by Dream Pod 9 that they use for their Heavy Gear game.
Jovian Chronicles is a setting which you can use with different sets of rules.
Wow I didn't expect so many replies :) thank you all.
They are all interesting choices.What I think so far is:Mekton zeta seems a better match for Gundam but I could be wrong.
BESM is a bit too Manga I think.CAH seemed the proper choice but my dilemma is- and here I would like your suggestions- that it seems too cartoony? (Originally I thought I'd go for something more mature)
I humbly submit that you're wrong about Mekton.
Personally, I've run all the game types that I've mentioned above. I've also written supplemental materials for the game including H. G. Wells' "War Of The Worlds" and a Genesis Climber MOSPEADA based adventure primer. Neither of those are Gundam (both are about as far from Gundam as you can get, really).
If it's not for you it's not for you, but, to echo Smerg, below...
I was surprised by your like Jovian Chronicles and rejecting Mekton Zeta since Jovian Chronicles was built using the Mekton Zeta rules. I looked at the Wiki and found that the current version of Jovian Chronicles uses the Shiloutte system by Dream Pod 9 that they use for their Heavy Gear game.
I'm surprised by this as well, since stroVal's made a the Mekton/Gundam connection, and JC is essentially a redux of the Gundam Storyline, down to the factions...
I'm sure I'll catch a lot of flack for saying this, but the current incarnation of the JC tech manual is a nearly point-for-point rehash of the Mekton Technical System with the math method changed (logarithmic math instead of straight up addition/subtraction, multiplication/division). The similarities are so close that a few of my friends went through both books and counted off the identical systems. Both, however, are effects based systems, where you decide what you want to do with your mecha (if you have mecha at all) before you build it. I personally prefer Mekton for the simplicity of the system and the slant toward cinematic game play, but I know people who prefer JC for its crunchy-number type of play.
Jovian Chronicles is a setting which you can use with different sets of rules.
The current JC, much like Heavy Gear, is built around a "need to play" with Silhouette rules at the core, but the setting could be re-structured for any type of rules, yeah.
Oh I didn't actually chose anything yet.I am just looking at systems at this point.
So the Fate system is the fudge system?
How does Mekton handle zero g battles without mechas?
In an article I read regarding the system, they kept going on about how it was made for mechas etc.But maybe the author preferred it for this specific kind of game(Jemstone mentions many genres)
I read about Jovian spinning off Mekton but as you mentioned they wrote that it now uses another system.
So I am now between Mekton and Starblazzers:
But I'll have to play-test them to be sure.
Oh I didn't actually chose anything yet.I am just looking at systems at this point.
So the Fate system is the fudge system?How does Mekton handle zero g battles without mechas?
In an article I read regarding the system, they kept going on about how it was made for mechas etc.But maybe the author preferred it for this specific kind of game(Jemstone mentions many genres)
I read about Jovian spinning off Mekton but as you mentioned they wrote that it now uses another system.So I am now between Mekton and Starblazzers:
But I'll have to play-test them to be sure.
Assuming you mean "Zero G Battles without Humanoid Mecha" - As any vehicle (be it made of wood, metal, or magical force fields) is considered a "Mecha" in Anime.
The answer is "just dandy."
The rules on ACTUAL Zero-G combat are light, because of how the many and varied shows MZ is modeled off of handle it. However, the system is flexible enough to allow for any character or vehicle that is trained or designed for zero g maneuvering to work just fine within it.
Yes I mean EVA.
The Star Sheriffs used mainly jet-packs in those scenes and Saber rode the Steed off course
Yes I mean EVA.
The Star Sheriffs used mainly jet-packs in those scenes and Saber rode the Steed off course
If it were me doing it, I'd write the jet packs up as MA 12 single servo units at 1/10 scale, making them wearable, and the horse as a 1/5th scale beastmecha with a saddle cockpit. At that point, everything folds into the movement rules nicely.
Thanks for the tip :)
It will make more sense when I'll be reading the rules
Actually another question before I check my friendly local game store:
Can it handle shoot-outs? Saber rider had a Space-Western element to it I'd like to imitate
Starblazers as gun, weapon, and fist stunts along with a variety of other stunts.
You can literally have a stunt that allows a player to at some point point out a minor NPC in an encounter and say, that was them in disguise (like Londo in Return of the Jedi).
Zero-G has two stunts (one for guns and one for weapons) that fighting without impose a minor penalty. People with the stunts also get a minor bump in their defense.
There are also items like gravbelts and gravpacks for floating around.
Animal companions are part of the game and have design rules which come under the stunt rules.
Oops. I did not realize you had ruled out G.U.R.P.S. when I suggested it in the other thread.
I'm a bit stuck with work at the time so I haven't made any progress.I will post when I figure something out.
D6 looks cool btw
they recently released this one book/rules variant called mini6, there's some good stuff in there you might want to take a look. makes the game fun and relatively fast.I'm a bit stuck with work at the time so I haven't made any progress.I will post when I figure something out.
D6 looks cool btw
Niceee any links?
I am looking for the perfect rules system to use in making a Saber Rider rpg.Look at savage Worlds. It might do the trick for you.
-Skeld
Could you tell me more about Savage Worlds Scifi?
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they recently released this one book/rules variant called mini6, there's some good stuff in there you might want to take a look. makes the game fun and relatively fast.I'm a bit stuck with work at the time so I haven't made any progress.I will post when I figure something out.
D6 looks cool btwNiceee any links?
why... yes. http://www.antipaladingames.com/minisix.html
you can buy the physical book and/or download the free pdf.
they recently released this one book/rules variant called mini6, there's some good stuff in there you might want to take a look. makes the game fun and relatively fast.I'm a bit stuck with work at the time so I haven't made any progress.I will post when I figure something out.
D6 looks cool btwNiceee any links?
why... yes. http://www.antipaladingames.com/minisix.html
you can buy the physical book and/or download the free pdf.
Nice compact ruleset.Is it popular btw?
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Nice compact ruleset.Is it popular btw?they recently released this one book/rules variant called mini6, there's some good stuff in there you might want to take a look. makes the game fun and relatively fast.I'm a bit stuck with work at the time so I haven't made any progress.I will post when I figure something out.
D6 looks cool btwNiceee any links?
why... yes. http://www.antipaladingames.com/minisix.html
you can buy the physical book and/or download the free pdf.
eh, that I don't know. It's been mentioned around though on the open d6 forums, etc and people seemed to like it. I haven't had a chance to play with the rules. Main thing, it's not too bad of a rules set variation and it's... free.
Its good to have this option :)
have you looked at the old palladium mospeda/robotech rules?
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have you looked at the old palladium mospeda/robotech rules?
The OP wants something rules lite, is the robotech palladium rules considered rules lite? Only other issue is that the books are out of print.
edit: huh, interesting, so Palladium has a made a deal with Harmony Gold in '08 concerning new Robotech stuff... I didn't know that.
have you looked at the old palladium mospeda/robotech rules?The OP wants something rules lite, is the robotech palladium rules considered rules lite? Only other issue is that the books are out of print.
edit: huh, interesting, so Palladium has a made a deal with Harmony Gold in '08 concerning new Robotech stuff... I didn't know that.
No I didn't even know it existed,but *useless info alert* I grew up with Harmony Gold's Lensman(oh that soundtrack rocked)
Is it rules lite?|
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have you looked at the old palladium mospeda/robotech rules?The OP wants something rules lite, is the robotech palladium rules considered rules lite? Only other issue is that the books are out of print.
edit: huh, interesting, so Palladium has a made a deal with Harmony Gold in '08 concerning new Robotech stuff... I didn't know that.
No I didn't even know it existed,but *useless info alert* I grew up with Harmony Gold's Lensman(oh that soundtrack rocked)
Is it rules lite?
it's basically the stuff from the Rifts in terms of the megaverse rules setting. Rules lite... uhm... I'm gonna direct you back towards mini6 or savage worlds for rules lite.
Can you tell me a bit about the Savage worlds scifi?
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Can you tell me a bit about the Savage worlds scifi?
no experience with savage worlds scifi itself
here's some reviews of the variousSavage Worlds products.
I've played mainly the Necessary Evil variant (superhero genre)
here's some folks who have reviewed the mini 6 product.
Game Geeks has reviews of many games including quite a few Savage World products.
There lately has been some sort of trouble so new episodes haven't been really happening but there are plenty of reviews of products that are a year or more older on the 174 episodes of game reviews. Look for ones that interest you.
Game Geeks has reviews of many games including quite a few Savage World products.
There lately has been some sort of trouble so new episodes haven't been really happening but there are plenty of reviews of products that are a year or more older on the 174 episodes of game reviews. Look for ones that interest you.
I ve been following Mr Wiegel's reviews for a few years now,he's really good(though I haven't seen all of the ones in question)
Just read/watched a few savage worlds reviews.It seems pretty original and interesting as a system,but not one I see me GMing in the immediate future(though I would be more than happy to play it)
But I do like the idea of disposing non major npcs quickly(something that is present in FantasyCraft as well)among other features.
I only found a scifi toolkit for Savage Worlds,is there another setting or generic book?
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they have lots of different settings books
http://www.peginc.com/games.html
and that's by the main publishers themselves, there's a bunch of others from third party publisher since they kinda have an OGL thing going too.
I really do recommend for you to take a look at the mini six system, its a free pdf, its based off of the d6 system which is tried system. They have readily understandable scaling between characters and vehicles, etc... and the system is relatively lite and easy to understand, oh and I'll again emphasize the free to take a look and try.
they have lots of different settings books
http://www.peginc.com/games.html
and that's by the main publishers themselves, there's a bunch of others from third party publisher since they kinda have an OGL thing going too.I really do recommend for you to take a look at the mini six system, its a free pdf, its based off of the d6 system which is tried system. They have readily understandable scaling between characters and vehicles, etc... and the system is relatively lite and easy to understand, oh and I'll again emphasize the free to take a look and try.
I downloaded it the first time you posted the link ;)
I had a look and its interesting.In some aspects its close to the star wars I remember and to V6(from Atomic Highway) that we are using now.Its a keeper definitely