09-16-2017, 07:39 PM | #11 |
Join Date: Oct 2014
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Re: Spitballing a Space Opera Boxed Set
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09-16-2017, 08:30 PM | #12 |
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
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Re: Spitballing a Space Opera Boxed Set
We had a similar thread a while back.
If I built a GURPS Space Opera Set, It would be called "Spaceships and Aliens". It would emphasize exploring, playing up exotic environment and societies. While the characters might have a secondary reason to be waltzing around the galaxy, from a game perspective the primary reason is to experience the different places and customs, and to exploit those terrains and customs to solve problems. This isn't to say that exploration drives the plot: it usually won't. But some unique terrain feature should always complicate the plot. Of course, you can add other things to the mix. But I think Space Opera will do best when its base is "Solving problems in exotic circumstances" is its theme. It will provide focus and help squeeze the core of the genre to a manageable size.
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09-16-2017, 08:39 PM | #13 | |
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Re: Spitballing a Space Opera Boxed Set
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Note that I say this as someone who has put a lot of time over the years into both and is very fond of both. They're two great tastes that won't even share a kitchen.
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Fred Brackin |
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09-16-2017, 09:51 PM | #14 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Buffalo, New York
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Re: Spitballing a Space Opera Boxed Set
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Then we have something like GURPS MARS. Ignoring the "over the top" cybernetics, over the top biotech - and we can have a simple Mars colonization story. Or, we can have a Terradyne like story - man's advancement into space as he dreams of heading out to the stars. But wait, do I hear the Car Wars fans complaining about not having their future represented? It could be dropped in with some minor shoe horn antics perhaps. See, for me, creating the timeline and the technology that becomes available is where the fun begins. Having changeable ink (Ultratech) that can start out flesh colored, but change color in response to stimuli, or can be actively controlled has some serious implications outside of simple "Body Tats". Looking at the rules for guns, bullet weights, etc - and although we've not seen caseless ammunition yet, having dual stage propellants might do away with the need for cartridges entirely. What makes it even more interesting is that if dual propellants are used to handle projectile firing from a gun, people can manufacture their own projectiles and use the liquid propellants. No more "brass" to clean up, but more importantly, no more brass required to manufacture the bullets in the first place. It would be nice to have the bare bone frame in place, and then let the GM decide what to emphasize or not, to make his or her game either of Transhuman space, Cyberpunk, Normal near future games that are action/adventure, etc. So, no - it isn't that Transhuman Space and Cyberpunk can't share the kitchen, it is up to the Cook (The GM) to add ingredients, withhold ingredients, shake the whole thing up, and cook what he wants from his space game. The only "common ingredients" might be the "frame" of time or history itself. All other elements are as unique to the main story line as the GM decides to make them. |
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09-17-2017, 05:04 AM | #15 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: Spitballing a Space Opera Boxed Set
To my mind there are broadly speaking two distinct versions of a sci-fi space opera rpg.
There is the setting specific type - Terradyne, THS, T2300, Star*Drive etc. these are characterised by having technological assumptions baked into the settings and usually have only a one or two TL range at the top end of their setting technology. Then there is the sandbox which offers a range of TLs from the near future right up to technology as magic. CT, GURPS Space 3e, Alternity etc. |
09-17-2017, 09:07 AM | #16 | |
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Re: Spitballing a Space Opera Boxed Set
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Space Opera means more than "SF game". Cyberpunk elements were included in the original Gurps Space but that _was_ a broad-based SF game resource. "Space Opera" is a narrower term and putting everything you need to run a Space Opera campaign into a single box means having a somewhat restricted focus. Wandering off into TS-like "But what is Human" is a distraction.
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Fred Brackin |
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09-17-2017, 10:27 AM | #17 | |
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: On the road again...
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Re: Spitballing a Space Opera Boxed Set
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This is one reason why I vote to fund Mailanka in putting Psi-Wars as a boxed set. Also, the name. "Psi-Wars". It evokes Star Wars nicely, yet is distinct enough that people won't buy it thinking it's a Star Wars product. (I'm sure we wouldn't use the Star Wars font for the logo, either, which while fun would be misleading....)
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"Life ... is an Oreo cookie." - J'onn J'onzz, 1991 "But mom, I don't wanna go back in the dungeon!" The GURPS Marvel Universe Reboot Project A-G, H-R, and S-Z, and its not-a-wiki-really web adaptation. Ranoc, a Muskets-and-Magery Renaissance Fantasy Setting |
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09-17-2017, 11:20 AM | #18 |
Untitled
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: between keyboard and chair
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Re: Spitballing a Space Opera Boxed Set
Similarly, "going on a bug hunt" was included in GURPS Space, but bug-hunting isn't space opera, either. At least, not to me - YMMV.
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Rob Kelk “Every man has a right to his own opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts.” – Bernard Baruch, Deming (New Mexico) Headlight, 6 January 1950 No longer reading these forums regularly. |
09-17-2017, 11:23 AM | #19 |
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Meifumado
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Re: Spitballing a Space Opera Boxed Set
As a general setting element, sure. But I think they're the kinds of thing that showed up as a "problem of the week" in Star Trek- Next Gen, for example. Whether you want a fully consistent setting or one that allows such random challenges is another question to consider, then.
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09-17-2017, 12:08 PM | #20 |
Join Date: Oct 2014
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Re: Spitballing a Space Opera Boxed Set
Just thinking out loud, but maybe we should consider tone first, then work from there.
Star Trek and Star Wars are very different in tone. Trek is like jazz that plays in a lounge. It's not very loud and it tends to focus on complexities and things that may never affect more than the ship. Star Wars, on the other hand, is like big band swing. It's loud and tends to focus on simpler conflicts of good vs. evil and has events affecting the entire galaxy. Those are far from the only two, I know, but it does illustrate that, perhaps, before we decide what goes in, we should decide what the tone is. |
Tags |
boxed sets, sci fi, space opera |
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