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Old 09-16-2017, 04:36 PM   #5
awarnock
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Default Re: Spitballing a Space Opera Boxed Set

Well, If I was doing it, I'd use broad strokes with enough detail to make things unique. I'd also keep the mechanics as simple as I could to let things flow as freely as I could get them.

For example, say we have a galaxy far, far away, I'd break it down into regions and what can typically be found there. A spiral galaxy could have the core and then a region for each arm. If you wanted, you could even subdivide the regions into subregions for spurs and clouds. For each region, I'd have one or two systems detailed. I'd also have a few different powers that influence the galaxy at large, again, using broad strokes. Give the powers some mooks that the party can encounter and that should be enough to get something gameable that easy to pick up and has a lot of potential for expansion.

As I said, the idea is to be broad, but shallow with hints of depth.

Ship combat and vehicular combat should probably be extensions of the combat lite rules in the Basic Set. Use pilot/driving rolls for fancy tricks and stunts and gunner for shooting and run things on "Rule of Cool." I'd do my best to get things simple enough to fit on a sheet of paper.

I'd also use Action 2 as a model for the GM's side of things. I'd have to closely read through it to be sure, but I think you could pare things down to fit in 24-32 pages or less even if you wanted.

Where things get sticky is aliens and ships. There needs to be enough so that players and GMs don't feel restricted, but not so many as to overwhelm them. I think 6 different alien races would be good. Ships are a little more difficult. If you have fighters, you need at least one for each major power, the same with small transports, like the Millennium Falcon, and small and large capital ships.

The good news is that both aliens and ships make for good expansion material. You can do the same with locations and galactic powers.

As for other miscellania, I'd have a simple system for generating star systems, that can be expanded in a supplement. I'd also have a stripped down version of the Spaceship rules that apply specifically to that setting for making starships and starfighters. Since they can also be used to make vehicles, I'd try to include that as well, though that may be better in supplements that expand the set.
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