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Old 10-20-2017, 11:51 PM   #1
Qoltar
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Default "Orville" the role playing game - which rules system?

"The Orville" is a new science fiction adventure show on the Fox network in America.

If you were going to adapt as a role playing game setting for friends - would you use GURPS, Savage Worlds, or the TRAVELLER system?

In the show their faster than light drive is called a 'Quantum Drive' and its set in the early 25th century - mostly in 2419.
Wikipedia link through: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Orville


- Ed C.
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Old 10-21-2017, 12:03 AM   #2
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Default Re: "Orville" the role playing game - which rules system?

For my tastes, and only reading synopses of the show (it's not on streaming services that I'm aware of yet), I'd go with either GURPS or Cortex (classic or plus, either works).
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Old 10-21-2017, 01:29 AM   #3
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Default Re: "Orville" the role playing game - which rules system?

GURPS.

If I were to run it, I'm certain I'd pillage the heck out of Traveller, Prime Directive, and Farscape which are the space games I own.


Also, I really like the show. I've called it "Low Protocol Star Trek" more than once. No real reason why you couldn't use any Star Trek RPG system to run it. The only real changes are story based, not mechanics based.

But yeah, GURPS.
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Old 10-21-2017, 09:16 AM   #4
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Default Re: "Orville" the role playing game - which rules system?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Qoltar View Post
"The Orville" is a new science fiction adventure show on the Fox network in America.

If you were going to adapt as a role playing game setting for friends - would you use GURPS, Savage Worlds, or the TRAVELLER system?

.
That's an easy choice. I find Savage Worlds to use complex mechanics to yield low resolution results. I borrowed a friend's copy of Savage Rifts and found that I like the original better. I also believe none of the systems used by the Traveler game to be very good in their own right.

As for Gurps it's easier than straight Star Trek because of several technical choices. Their hand weapons seem to be what Gurps calls "Omni-blasters" with no overpowered "disintegrate" setting. No problematic transporters either. Call it TL11^ with replicators for at least some things.
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Old 10-21-2017, 09:18 AM   #5
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Default Re: "Orville" the role playing game - which rules system?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Qoltar View Post
"The Orville" is a new science fiction adventure show on the Fox network in America.

If you were going to adapt as a role playing game setting for friends - would you use GURPS, Savage Worlds, or the TRAVELLER system?

In the show their faster than light drive is called a 'Quantum Drive' and its set in the early 25th century - mostly in 2419.
Wikipedia link through: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Orville


- Ed C.
I certainly wouldn't use Traveller. Too many different tech assumptions baked into the mix.
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Old 10-21-2017, 12:48 PM   #6
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Default Re: "Orville" the role playing game - which rules system?

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Old 10-22-2017, 01:40 AM   #7
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Default Re: "Orville" the role playing game - which rules system?

As the question is about The Orville instead of any other particular sci-fi show, you might have to consider whether to use some kind of "humour mechanic."

Not sure how that'd work exactly, but perhaps progress in your mission depends on how many puns, one-liners, quips and jokey banter you can pull off along the way.
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Old 10-22-2017, 08:55 AM   #8
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Default Re: "Orville" the role playing game - which rules system?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Daigoro View Post
As the question is about The Orville instead of any other particular sci-fi show, you might have to consider whether to use some kind of "humour mechanic."

Not sure how that'd work exactly, but perhaps progress in your mission depends on how many puns, one-liners, quips and jokey banter you can pull off along the way.
In GURPS, perhaps a house-rules version of Rapier Wit that gives bonuses to non-combat skills instead of doing damage?
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Old 10-22-2017, 09:04 AM   #9
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Default Re: "Orville" the role playing game - which rules system?

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In GURPS, perhaps a house-rules version of Rapier Wit that gives bonuses to non-combat skills instead of doing damage?
I was thinking perhaps to adapt Action's BAD rating, and have it go up or down with the humour level, and reset each scene.

Whatever the mechanic, I'm imagining it being used to play out the infiltration plot from last episode.
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Old 10-22-2017, 04:01 PM   #10
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Default Re: "Orville" the role playing game - which rules system?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Daigoro View Post
As the question is about The Orville instead of any other particular sci-fi show, you might have to consider whether to use some kind of "humour mechanic."

Not sure how that'd work exactly, but perhaps progress in your mission depends on how many puns, one-liners, quips and jokey banter you can pull off along the way.
There is no need for a 'humor mechanic' - that facet was just over-hyped in the ads for the show. Now in 6th or 7th episode the humor is actually about the level you might find on "NCIS", "Castle", or even an old 'TOS' episode.

The last three or four episodes were straight up science fiction adventures - except the characters were acting like regular people not Utopian 'perfect people' of TNG (you know, your average group of gamers around the table...)

- Ed C.
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