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Old 03-25-2020, 07:45 PM   #1531
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

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Originally Posted by jason taylor View Post
System X was the site of a series of battles in the recent war. The cease-fire left it disputed territory (cosmotory?). People are just moving in to rebuild but violence has not ceased. Most of the settlements are small towns. There are a few starports but many urban centers are wrecked by bombardment. Numerous political factions are struggling to get to power but no one is really in charge and many are happy that way. Scavengers are preying on the wrecks and each other. Oh yes and some wrecked starships have automatic security programs that automatically fire on anyone who gets near.

This is kind of like Mad Max in space.
A good idea, you could also do a more golden age sci fi treatment of a war torn colony world in the system. It also blends well with my Greyspace setting up a few pages.
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Old 03-26-2020, 11:56 AM   #1532
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

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Dawn?

"They say that the technology of the cities used to be everywhere. It was normal for country folk to go to school and some went to universities and the like. But that was before the Great Death when the cities let people in freely.

My grandfather told me that his great grandma just left her home in someplace called Alabama and without any money or people trying to stop her went and lived by the Western Ocean for ten years. After that she married my great grandpa and came to live here just before the Great Death. Imagine that. One lone girl doing that and living. And she called it a fun adventure!

Now, you go everywhere armed and you aren't allowed to stay without good reason. The city folk buy children. They have plenty of their own kids. Ours they use as servants, though their kids can be citizens, though that isn't everywhere. Many farmers just want slaves. So being in a trade caravan isn't an easy or safe job, but it's the only one that lets you see America.


Basically a post-apocalyptic blend between Connan and Sinbad. But you're in a wagon train the cities are impoverished TL nine enclaves powered by fusion generators or other stable safe renewables. They are slowly rebuilding America. The large numbers of hostile barbarian descendents of the rest of the population don't make this easy. Mainly because the cities want either egalitarian democracies (generally socialist) or republics (generally market capitalist) and most of the powers in the countryside want their local oligrachies left intact and/or made rich and more powerful. As there is no unified view of the goal, little progress is being made towards it. Most other nations are worse off or fanatically isolationist.

The PCs are young post-apocalyptic rural people looking for a better less restrictive life.
Further details. Although the USA still describes itself as a single nation it's really less unified than the Holy Roman Empire. Individual communities have adapted to the world they live in sometimes strange ways, in other times brutal ways. Read TV Tropes Adventure Towns for ideas.

The federal government is slowly but surely rebuilding the rail system, but it's not all that systematic. Still they are working to connect seaports to inland trade centers. So after traveling in what would seem like Mad Max/Conan world for a couple of weeks the caravans suddenly can find themselves in what seems like small town America of the late 19th/ early 20th century.

The Caravans are a cross between traveling Trade Fairs (they create a marketplace wherever they go) and circuses. They also have government services, like medical tents where the people can get medical and dental care, eyeglasses, etc.., and civil service exams. Groups of people who always travel with the caravan have taken to calling themselves "gypsies," some of them are even related to the Romani People.

The main economic life blood of the Caravans is the simple fact that they buy cattle from country people and sell them to city people. Although between Vertical Farming and Aquaculture conducted in tandem, the cities are self sufficient in food, and they have good dairy and poultry farms, they lack red meat. The country people supply cattle, hogs, lambs, sheep, and goats (and some Bison and Elk) to the cities. In return the cities produce quality manufactured goods and supply services.

Poverty is the norm. Any wealth level above Struggling requires a thirty point Unusual Background. There are clear signs that in a generation or two thing could be much better, but the long tern side effects of Global warming are still around, so it might not get better soon. Plus the society is radically divided and hostile towards it's different parts even though they need each other.
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Old 03-27-2020, 01:21 PM   #1533
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

Try this one...

Time travel is outside of the Infinite Worlds frame. The rule is that world's go one of three ways. FTL interstellar travel, crosstime travel, or time travel. Doctor Who does all three since the sixties as did Star Trek but I'll stick to mainly the last one.

There is a time war going on. It's fairly straightforward. Democracies versus Oligrachies, although some oligarchies wouldn't mind seeming like democracies.

The main venue is the decades between 1960 and 2090. Each side is backed by extrasolar political powers. PCs know that the Aliens are out there, but details are "need to know" and no one traveling to the past is cleared to know.

Time can be molded, if you are careful. Those lacking care and tact can get fired back to their own time and found they've made part of history frozen. They can freeze history in its original form or a disastrous new one.

The time agents have certain advantages. All time times of either side have a telepathy based Empathy and an Empathy Talent at IQ +3 . All time agents have a form of Telepathic Suggestion also boosted to the same level by the same talent, but narrowly focused to serve as a aid to disguise. Time agents can with little or no prep disguise themselves very convincingly. Time Agents call these "Bugs Bunny Disguises" because they work like his disguises. Other psi powers beyond some ESP or high levels of Luck are vanishingly rare.

Most interventions focus on social minipulations that alter people's chances of success. Creating a minor scandal in someone's family that reduces their chances of getting a break. Causing people to meet people who bring their attention to other possibilities they hadn't considered maybe changing their goals. Switching who people meet and become friends or lovers with, thus giving or denying support.

Basically, a game of social manipulation of bright intelligent people who often have higher social skills than the PCs.
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Old 03-29-2020, 10:33 AM   #1534
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

Try this one...

Very simply, a cheaper way to get into orbit is found. By 2025 there's a new Space Race to build moonbases and develop asteroid mining. Basically the same powers internationally. The USA is in the lead, Russia is in the game, China had to get over some growing pains, but is coming up fast. The EU is debating still, but the people want space achievements, so in spite of the fashionable saying no, they're going to get in the game. The Islamic nations are trying to build a team effort. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and several Caribbean nations have clubed in with the USA. The UK, Scotland, Mexico, and Brazil, are likely to join the American club soon. Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia, are a club and doing well, but they are looking at clubbing in with the American group. India is going alone for now but is distracted by Pakistan which is getting ready to collapse.

Russia and China both want to break up clubs and prevent new entries. They're also pushing lots of rules. Nations with no hope of getting in on the new Space Race then to say they support these rules, at least until they get something they want.

Basically, it's anything you want twenty minutes into the future. The politics of opening up new areas of vast resources like solar power satellites or minerals from asteroids instead of third world nations will rewrite international relations. Those that get in on the game will be far ahead.

Note: When I say cheap Earth to Orbit flight, I mean getting to low Earth orbit is as cheap as flying 200 miles in a commercial jet, cargo or airliner.
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Old 03-29-2020, 11:44 AM   #1535
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

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Originally Posted by Astromancer View Post
Note: When I say cheap Earth to Orbit flight, I mean getting to low Earth orbit is as cheap as flying 200 miles in a commercial jet, cargo or airliner.
Whatever energy source does that will also revolutionise other kinds of transport and energy supply in general.
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Old 03-29-2020, 12:34 PM   #1536
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

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Note: When I say cheap Earth to Orbit flight, I mean getting to low Earth orbit is as cheap as flying 200 miles in a commercial jet, cargo or airliner.
That makes me think of an orbital ring that delivers on all of its promises. The statement about revolutionizing transport is correct. The energy statement is less true than expected, but you can still do big things with solar in space if its that cheap to stick the panels up there.

look up Issac Arthur if you want the idea fleshed out more.

The physical properties of the space ring make the politics and jostling and so forth even more pronounced I think. Its a good way to get conflict and gaming out of the concept.
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Old 03-29-2020, 01:01 PM   #1537
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

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That makes me think of an orbital ring that delivers on all of its promises. The statement about revolutionizing transport is correct. The energy statement is less true than expected, but you can still do big things with solar in space if its that cheap to stick the panels up there.

look up Issac Arthur if you want the idea fleshed out more.

The physical properties of the space ring make the politics and jostling and so forth even more pronounced I think. Its a good way to get conflict and gaming out of the concept.
More and more convoluted politics make good gaming. It also let's players outside of the usual suspects into the game.
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Old 03-29-2020, 01:57 PM   #1538
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

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Originally Posted by Astromancer View Post
The federal government is slowly but surely rebuilding the rail system, but it's not all that systematic. Still they are working to connect seaports to inland trade centers. So after traveling in what would seem like Mad Max/Conan world for a couple of weeks the caravans suddenly can find themselves in what seems like small town America of the late 19th/ early 20th century.
This one would be pulling a Mark Twain, steamboats barging freight up and down the Mississippi River system dodging river pirates all the way.
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Old 03-29-2020, 05:07 PM   #1539
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This one would be pulling a Mark Twain, steamboats barging freight up and down the Mississippi River system dodging river pirates all the way.
You are clearly right. And that has its own romantic flavor.

Just picture the fleet of steamboats, traveling together for protection. Showboats and carnival ride boats would be good ones for young people to work on. There could be restaurant boats. Most small towns couldn't support good restaurants. The chance to try exotic food ( well exotic by their lights) would be appealing.
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Old 03-30-2020, 02:59 PM   #1540
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Default Re: New Sci Fi Setting Seeds

Try these two...

While posting on the Scion broads I suggested this idea.

The idea is a game of politics and manipulation in a Sci Fi setting. A Titan or Primordial of endings and finality has fatally wounded the sun. Lucky for humanity it's at the start of the 22nd century and humanity has space travel ( steal any tech ideas needed from Aeon) as a routine thing. Catch, escape to extrasolar colonies can only work for a limited number of people. Most people are going to be left behind because there isn't anyplace for them to go, it's that simple and brutal. The colonies have grown very well but only so many people can be supported until the colonies grow. And there is no time left.

Pantheons are struggling for the survival of their people and ideals.

If your people aren't part of the exodus to the stars, then your as dead as continental Celtic pantheon. If your people and those they influence aren't in large enough groups to maintain their cultures, it's just as bad.

How is your pantheon standing up for its people and/or itself?


To clarify, in Scion you play the children of the gods (biological or adopted) so a political game involving the gods is logical.

Kyman201 posted this as part of her answer to me...


Thus we expand from a Trolley Problem to a full on Space Opera Shard, where Netjer Heroes sail the cosmos in elaborate golden barges, the Teotl use massive temple-ships that use a ritual diaz in the heart of the ship to revitalize a dying star with one offered heart, and Theoi Scions leap from the hulls of massive ships to do battle with the monsters that lurk among the stars.


Which sounds massively cool.

Note: As this is GURPS, steal your tech ideas from Transhuman Space.
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