|
I've got plans for a hard sci-fi horror-adventure campaign I was going to run to cool off after I finish my 4-5 year old Pathfinder game (when I finish it).
I've therefore been shopping around a bit trying to find a good system. I originally built the campaign to use the Alternity rules (which tells you hold old I am...) but that system is kind of not available anymore, and the gild is off the lily regarding how great it was (Alternity was great when we were leaving 2e, now its a little janky).
I've looked into Eclipse Phase but found it way too setting specific.
I even picked up the Serenity RPG, but its more of a storytelling system, and I want a little crunch for people to play with.
So I turn to you folks for suggestions..
The requirements I've got are..
1.) The system has to be easily available, legally.
2.) Its not overly crunchy (no GURPS).
3.) The setting needs to have a reasonable, but not overly complex ship to ship combat system.
4.) I want something more heroic and less one splinter in your toe kills you (So no Dark Heresy, Crusade, etc).
I'd lean towards d20 modern but the players (and I) think if we were going to use d20 modern, we might as well use Alternity.
I've had some people suggest using Bounty Head or Mutants and Masterminds (and setting the PL at around 3).
What suggestions do you folks have? Thanks in advance.
Eclipse Phase is an excellent ruleset for Sci-Fi, which has a survivor horror aspect built in - however, its pretty crunchy and fiddly; its seems kind of daunting.
I plan to run a Pathfinder based sci-fi game using the Tech Guide, but not the "time worn" aspect, since magic won't be represented in the game at all. Tech guide equipment and spells as technical procedures (as in EN Publishing Santiago setting for PF) where magic is technology, and all spellcasting classes become some kind of scientist, computer programmer or engineer. Being Pathfinder its exactly the crunch I want, and know already. I've even created a starship pilot class for the game.
I'm adapting the flight rules from Companions of the Firmament for my 3D space combat.
If you take out (or reskin) the Force and the Jedi, Star Wars Saga Edition can do scifi horror quite well. Not currently in print AFAIK, but there are copies available on Amazon and such.
I would suggest taking a second look at Alternity. I'm just getting back into it myself, and really enjoying it. The books are available for very little money on eBay or through Amazon (I just picked up the GM Guide for $1.47 + $3.99 shipping). Between Dark Matter and Star Drive you get everything you could need, and there is a reprint of an excellent article on Horror in Alternity available (legally) on www.alternityrpg.net.
Don't be afraid to go back to the classics. I'm loving my 2nd edition game that I just started up.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Dread. Never seen game mechanics and mood mesh so well together.
I don't know about ship to ship combat, but I would look at Savage Worlds with the Sci-fi Companion. Both of those are fairly inexpensive. I am also a huge fan of FATE Core.
I don't know what is out these days and I was going to suggest Gurps...
What about Big Eyes Small Mouth? Is it around still?
I once played Star Trek crossed with Cthulu. That was back in the 90's.
Another game I think of is Traveller, but I always think of it as rules heavy compared to Gurps.
What about something to do with Star Wars? I can almost imagine Star Wars Horror.
World of Darkness with the Bleeding Edge setting would do for cyberpunk horror, but won't help with ship to ship combat.
I'd second the suggestion to look at Savage Worlds. Grab the Sci-Fi and Horror companions, should work for you.
Pick something that is deadly and where the rules encourage avoiding conflict. D20 modern will just create a constant suggestion that you're playing a game of DnD, where players are supposed to win violent conflict basically unharmed.
Pick something that is deadly and where the rules encourage avoiding conflict. D20 modern will just create a constant suggestion that you're playing a game of DnD, where players are supposed to win violent conflict basically unharmed.
OP's 4th requirement is that it should be "more heroic and less one splinter in your toe kills you (So no Dark Heresy, Crusade, etc)."
Unlikely that a truly deadly game is going to suit.
I reccomend GURPS. Then again, I'd reccomend it for a lot of things. That system needs more love.