Re: [GZG]FMARPG [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

On 4/21/06, gzg-l-request@lists.csua.berkeley.edu
<gzg-l-request@lists.csua.berkeley.edu> wrote:

> Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2006 09:29:59 -0400
> From: "Roger Books" <roger.books@gmail.com>

> I think I may work from it.  Last night I was looking through an RPG I
had
> written several years ago and realized why this has a problem, the
same
> problem my RPG has.  It's a set of mechanics that are slightly more
> detailed wargaming rules.  It doesn't have anything to encourage
> roleplaying.

Unless you want to retain the feel of GZG miniature games (i.e. a
variant of the FMA system), your best bet is to take an "off the
shelf" RPG and graft the Tuffleyverse background onto it.

This approach has several advantages. One is that you don't have to
invent the game mechanics. Another is that it allows you to
concentrate on the Tuffleyverse and see if it's "deep" enough to
support a roleplaying game. I suspect it is, but I also suspect you'll
end up having to invent a lot of stuff as you go along since an RPG is
played at a different level of detail. For instance, what does the
Tuffleyverse use for currency? How does health care work (i.e. can a
NAC citizen just walk into an NSL hospital and expect to be treated
for burns?)? What level of crime is there? Is there gun control? Is
there poverty? Does a NAC colony feel pretty much the same as an ESU
colony, except with different languages? Is the food on passenger
starships delicious or barely edible? You get the picture...

A proper Tuffleyverse roleplaying game could have dozens of
supplements. It might be fun to set up a wiki to handle this, allowing
people to contribute and play with the universe. It would probably be
a lot easier to do as a wiki than to think of everything yourself.

As for game systems, there are tons of them out there that could be
adapted for a Tuffleyverse RPG. Some suggestions:

- GURPS: The obvious choice for many, but a bit too crunchy for others.
- Chaosium's BRP: Currently a little bit of a pain, as only the
Ringworld books fit the time frame, but later this year they are
releasing "Deluxe BRP" which will make it a completely generic game
system.
- genreDiversion: a "rules light" game, from Politically Incorrect
Games. Very inexpensive. I picked up EarthAD (post apocalypse), Hunger
(you play a zombie) and Coyote Trail (Westerns). Usually around $5 for
an entire game system. Nice, clean system. Hard Nova II (their sci-fi
game) is $4.95 for the basic game as a PDF, and $7.50 for the full
set.
- Eden Studio's Unisystem: mostly used for horror games, but All Flesh
Must Be Eaten hits near future and does a reasonable job. Probably
need extra rules for weapons, etc.
- D20 Future (or Spycraft 2.0): Not your daddy's D&D, but it's still
fairly crunchy, and a lot of people detest character levels and
classes.
- RISUS: a free, generic "rules light" game. It keeps the mechanics
simple while concentrating on roleplaying.
- Savage Worlds: too "heroic" for what I think of the Tuffleyverse,
but generic enough and quite popular.

If I had to choose, I'd probably use Hard Nova II, or Unisystem
(Unisystem is the better system, but would require more work).

--
Allan Goodall		 http://www.hyperbear.com
agoodall@hyperbear.com
awgoodall@gmail.com

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