[Space] Of Freefall and Vacuum: adventures set away from planets?

[vicky_molokh]

Greetings, all!

Despite spending two years in a campaign that was largely space-based (THS), I'm still not all that clear on all the specifics for running regular adventures set in space. And by that I mean adventures set in space (with freefall and vacuum always around), not ground adventures with a nominal space flavour.

Specifically, things that I consider either dodges, ThemeParkVersions, or otherwise off-topic:

• Gravity generators of the form that makes freefall a non-issue. This usually means TL^ ones, as rotary ones tend to be only a partial solution, neither always available nor fully Terra-equivalent.
• Adventures largely set with virtual reality, diplomatic halls and financial boardrooms: these things mostly stay the same as on the ground, so don't require any special treatment. In short, while I've found cerebral campaigns to be interesting, this isn't about the cerebral part of GMing.
• Cases where all races have Vacuum Support and Doesn't Breath - settings like that generally remove the mindfulness of decompression dangers.
• Likewise, settings with perfect selective air-only force fields that never ever fail are not what I'm looking at, as they largely remove one of the major aspects of space from the plot.

So, what I'm looking for is answers about how (action-containing, but not necessarily action-only) adventures are best done in space like that? I think so far I've seen only partial examples: Dead Space has areas with no gravity generators, and tends to play up exposure to vacuum from time to time; THS has no TL^ gravity generators, has vacuum as a serious concern, but is so information-oriented that 95% of the adventure is about tracing packets and making backroom deals, while the matters of cold weightless void are left in the real world; I don't remember if Eclipse Phase has ubiquitous artificial gravity, but either way I haven't played it; Space Engineers gets the feel 100% right, but is not a roleplaying setting in the slightest (you basically can't turn it into a tabletop RPG, as it is a totally incompatible genre).

Note that I'm not saying the campaign needs to be 100% Hard-Sci. In fact, I started thinking about these issues in the context of a largely magical/TL^ setting idea I have.

So, what is your experience and opinions about playing up these two aspects of space, or making them the default assumption and premise in a campaign?

Thanks in advance!

[Phantasm]

Boarding operations - in both mil-sci and space pirate games - have plenty of room for zero-g fun. Not only is turning off the artigrav once the opposing team is on board fun (for the PCs as well as the NPCs), but cutting through the hull from the outside often means slipping in freefall from the assault shuttle to the ship you're trying to board. Bonus points if you space a security crewman or marine doing it - not everyone uses the airlock for boarding. Too obvious.

I've had one Not-A-Jedi-Really! PC accidentally space himself with no spacesuit out the airlock, but that was a player's misunderstanding turning into a PC suicide. :(

[Humabout]

As harsh as vaccuum is to human survival, I see the threat of decompression and such as a terror hanging over the head of pcs in space, but not as much of an obstacle to overcome. I'm looking to use it to enhance the sense of isolation and living by a hairs width in a gothic space opera setting im working on. Free fall for me is more a flavor thing, though ive written extensive rules for playing in free fall. It definitely feels different and more alien. Again, it adds to the "we dont belong here" vibe, or can if played up.

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

I've had one Not-A-Jedi-Really! PC accidentally space himself with no spacesuit out the airlock, but that was a player's misunderstanding turning into a PC suicide. :(

Aww, nobody able to rescue him in under 3 minutes? Bad call on his part y.y

[tshiggins]

I think the movie, Gravity, had a fun scenario -- albeit rather simplified, for the purposes of making it an action flick and not a lesson in orbital mechanics.

Basically, the PCs are stuck in a habitat that has a problem, and they have to use what's available to get to a second habitat that has what they need. Unfortunately, the means they have are limited, and while it will get them close to their final destination, it can't make it all the way. That means they have to leave the vessel and cross some distance in just space-suits.

Essentially, that's what happened in Gravity. The addition of a Kessler Cascade made for a fine initial event, awesome SFX and dramatic intensity throughout. However, the key thing was watching Dr. Stone use her intellect and the resources available to move through free-fall from the wrecked shuttle to the ISS to the Chinese station.

Now, in an RPG setting, you could add in the need to deal with different orbital altitudes and angles of inclination for the habitats, which the movie couldn't do without killing the dramatic pace.

[trechriron]

The movie Sunshine has some great 0-g space walks and shenanigans. I love the way they use plants as oxygen generators/CO2 filters.

See also;

Gravity

Interstellar

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The challenge here IMHO is going to be "how to make this fun" without it being a "science lesson disguised as an adventure game".

I could see a vessel that utilizes a combination of spin gravity (stationary and orbit configuration) and propulsion gravity (in transit configuration). On the voyage to a destination various "troubles" impact the ship forcing PCs to space walk outside to fix them and deal with 0g situations inside when gravity fails. Saving the last crew member who specializes in a critical area could be stressful and adventurous.

It could be fun if this crew discovers derelict spacecraft or stations. They would have to space-walk over to them, gain entry and explore. If there is no TL^ artificial gravity, then they have to deal with the 0g environment on those derelict craft. Some of these derelict craft could contain spin gravity set to standards for a lighter or heavier gravity world, which adds a whole new dimension to the environment to explore.

When things go really bad and you run out of oxygen in your suit, you could be forced to take refuge in an escape pod. Then it's a race against time to locate the pod and rescue the survivors.

First contact with an ET that uses similar technology could be interesting as well. Especially if that initial contact involves misunderstanding or hostility. If the ET species is exploring like we are, both spacecraft my have no real weaponry or defenses to speak of. Any aggression would likely involve "invading" the opponents ship. This could setup a premise for 0g boarding operations or 0g man-to-man fighting outside the ships (in an attempt to prevent a boarding and the subsequent fighting around sensitive ship systems).

There are my stream-of-conscious suggestions. :-)

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by tshiggins

I think the movie, Gravity, had a fun scenario -- albeit rather simplified, for the purposes of making it an action flick and not a lesson in orbital mechanics.

Basically, the PCs are stuck in a habitat that has a problem, and they have to use what's available to get to a second habitat that has what they need. Unfortunately, the means they have are limited, and while it will get them close to their final destination, it can't make it all the way. That means they have to leave the vessel and cross some distance in just space-suits.
...

Reminds me of an extra credit question in my high school physics class. You're an astronaut that became untethered from the ship. Your only source of propulsion is your oxygen tank. The question involved the math needed to find the amount to jet out to get back while still breathing what you had left.

Too little, and you move slowly running out by breathing it all. Too much, and you still run out of oxygen despite moving much faster.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

THS has no TL^ gravity generators, has vacuum as a serious concern, but is so information-oriented that 95% of the adventure is about tracing packets and making backroom deals, while the matters of cold weightless void are left in the real world

Doesn't have to be that way. The first THS campaign I played was set among the Vacuum Cleaners of cislunar space. There was a lot of orbital operations, spacewalking and some actual combat. I was always very aware of the vacuum out there, and that we were apes in a can, outside our natural environment. All the players were old enough to remember Apollo, Skylab, and so on, and that shaped our ideas of how things worked.