Re: OT: Hard Sci-Fi Role Playing Games...

Allan Goodall wrote:

> Trinity: This is White Wolf's SF game. Heavily into psionics. The
other games
> using the system, "Vampire: The Masquerade", "Werewolf: The
Apocalypse",
> "Mage: The Ascension" etc., are hugely popular. And there's a (so-so,
from
> what I've heard) miniatures game that goes along with it. Not very
generic,
> but a lot of good support for the system. As for the game itself...
well, it's
> still up in the air. It's not as popular as it was expected to be.
>

Trinity Battleground isn't bad for people who are used to RPGs.  You
know, the
"more power than mere mortals" player characters.  Definitely focuses on
the the
"special"-type characters.  Fans of Stargrunt II will probably hate it. 
Not
traditional hard-sf but incorporates a bio-techology element that is
fun.

> Feng Shui: Okay, not it's not VERY generic! *L* It's a Hong Kong
action movie
> game. It has fantasy and SF settings tied into a multi-setting
universe. The
> support isn't that extensive. But the system is wonderful. VERY fast
paced
> (incredibly so!). Some don't like it as it's very, VERY cinematic, but
I love
> it. I've done Superheroes, fantasy, SF, and a "True Lies" scenario in
the
> system. The system is out of print (and the company has gone under)
but the
> system is SO beautiful, you only need the game book as a start. I have
"Nexus:
> The Infinite City" which was the system's precursor, with lots of
stuff like
> advantages and disads, that sort of thing. I like this so much, which
is why I
> mention it.
>

Atlas Games recently announced it was going to re-release Feng Shui. 
All new
artwork (and presumably layout), which can only improve the book in my
opinion.
Apparently Robin Laws only owns the rights to the actual text of the
game.
Supposedly there's a whole slew of games in the works.	Definitely not
hard-sf,
probably not hard anything.

> Heavy Gear: in spite of being a Canadian game, I'm loathe to mention
it based
> on the fact I'm peeved at what they did with their miniatures.
However, it's a
> popular game. Heavy on big robots (though they are smaller than
Battletech)
> I've heard a number of people run successful campaigns without Gear.
The game
> system does look simple and clean, and should transfer to almost any
> background. It's well supported.
>

I'd recommend Heavy Gear for military science-fiction around the same
tech level
as the Star Grunt II and Dirtside II.  With the 2nd Ed technology book
you could
probably reproduce most of the Dirtside vehicles.  Hard sf if you
overlook the
robots (which are close).

The Heavy Gear system (Silhouette) is also used in the Jovian
Chronicles, which
has been mentioned elsewhere in this list.  Sort of hard SF,
solar-system based,
if you get rid of the Giant Robots.  Mechanical system allows modeling
of most
other conceivable vehicles.

> Mutant Chronicles: I don't know much about it, except that it's the
same
> universe as Warzone. I'm not impressed with the author (who once
argued with
> me that a table of contents is as good as an index) and the game isn't
as
> popular as it's miniatures rules, but it will allow a transfer between
RPG and
> minis game. It's definitely in the realm of space fantasy, though...

The Mutant Chronicles RPG has it's high points and low points. 
Background is
pretty decent.	Technology has an industrial age look to it.  Detailed
character
background generation tied heavily into character creation.  Rules for
integrating
with tabletop game were available in Warzone first edition, not sure if
they were
also included in the MC RPG second edition or Warzone second edition. 
Not hard
sf, techology has declined significantly.

> Battlelords: I don't know much about it, but it's a favourite of space
combat
> fans. Lots of heavy duty combat rules, which some have used for
wargames I
> believe. One of the less popular games, but the core group of fans is
rabid!
>

Not even sure if this is supported anymore.  Definitely a lot of
book-keeping.

Other sci-fi games worth a second look (most are discontinued but are
worth a look
if found cheap.)

Star Frontiers:  TSR, definitely out of print.	Heavy on the cheap and
cheerful
factor.  I've heard it described as Golden Age sci-fi but I wouldn't go
that far.
Zebulon's Guide supplement goes a long way towards improving and adding
toward the
game.  Check on-line for some pretty darn good resources, including much
of the
original material.  Knight Hawks starship combat game was excellent for
beginners.  Not hard sf.

Cyberpunk 2020:  R Talsorian Games, available.	Currently on hiatus
pending the
third edition which will use the new Fuzion rules.  Lots of books
available.
Appeals to the gun types.  Hard sf tendencies, near future, almost
contemporary.

Bubblegum Crisis and Armored Trooper Votoms:  R Talsorian Games,
available.  Both
games use the Fuzion system with individual tweaks.  Closely follows
their
respective source Anime.  BGC is more "cinematic urban drama" and ATV
more "gritty
war story".  Not hard sf.

Mekton Zeta:  R Talsorian, available.  Also on hiatus pending new,
Fuzion-compatible system.  Good for the more flamboyant anime-sf. 
Simple game
mechanics.  Zeta Plus includes full construction rules for just about
any vehicle.

Waste World:  Manticore, out of print?	Post apocalypic SF.  Primary
attraction
appears to be quick combat system and colorful background.  Sort of a
mish-mash of
various sub-genres.  High-tech, bio-tech, martial arts, mutant powers,
psionics,
everything.  Some resources on the internet.  Not hard sf.

SLA Industries:  Wizards of the Coast, now Nightshift Games.  Darker
urban SF, a
UK import.  Not a bad game setting if you can wade through the
depressing
background material.  Relatively simple mechanics.  Hope to see more
stuff
released now that the original authors are attempting to self-publish. 
Some
interent resources.  Not hard sf.

Space Master:  ICE, out of print.  Sci-fi for Rolemaster fans.	This
means very
chart-heavy to the rest of us.	Two editions published, second was more
comprehensive.	Two wargames, Star Strike (space) and Tactical Strike
(ground)
were also published.  Original Silent Death game was nominally based on
this
setting but has since diverged.  Been a while but I don't remember it
being hard
sf.

Fading Suns:  Holistic Design, currently available.  Imagine the Dark
Ages in
space.	I'm not too familiar with this one.  There's a space combat game
(Noble
Armada) available.  Books are still being slowly but steadily being
published.
Not hard sf.

Shadowrun:  FASA, available.  Currently in 3rd edition with increasingly
streamlined rules.  Cyberpunk meets fantasy.  I thought this one had
peaked but it
continues to be supported well.  Long out of print urban combat game
called DMZ.
Hmm... hard fantasy?

Renegade Legion:  FASA, out of print.  Legionnaire was the RPG.  Pretty
good but
suffered when generating a non-military character.  Integrated well with
Interceptor (fighters) and Centurion (grav armor).  Leviathan (starship)
and
Prefect (system wide invasion) also were available.  I really liked this
one but
not hard sf.  Maybe military sf?

Mechwarrior:  FASA.  Currently undergoing revision (I think). 
Battletech's
companion RPG.	Afraid I know nothing about its mechanics.  Rich
background thanks
to many years of novels and supplements.  Semi-hard sf (soft-boiled?)

Dark Conspiracy:  formerly GDW, somebody else now that I can't recall. 
Near
future urban horror.  Not exactly sf since the it was only set a few
years into
the future.  Ran on GDW's Twilight 2000 rules.	Hard sf with horror
elements.

Space 1889:  GDW, way out of print.  Had to include this one.  :-) 
Bunch of
wargames included Sky Galleons of Mars, Soldiers Companion
(colonial-style ground
battles), and Iron Clads and Ether Flyers (naval and aerospace rules). 
Due to
popular demand the Soldier's Companion is to be re-released, this time
without the
sf elements (forgot who's publishing it now that GDW went under).  Hard
Victorian-era sf. ;-)

Summary of some other sf games I'm not to familar with:
Ravenstar -- Ravenstar Designs, heroic sf, out of print?
FTL 2884 (I think that's the year) -- TriTacGames, hard sf, in print?
Cooperation -- hard sf, out of print.
Albedo -- Chessex, hard sf (with furries), out of print?
High Colonies -- hard sf, recently reprinted, out of print again?
Shatterzone -- West End Games, heroic sf, out of print

Well, good luck finding the sf game you want.  I can think of a few more
but I've
spent too much time on this message.  I can answer questions if you like
at the
address below.

John Fu
jfu@neoucom.edu