Lloyd Dupont

I might be missing something.. but APP doesn't seem very useful...

One way it could shine, in theory, with some mechanic is using general conflict rule. Where APP could be used, effectively, as your social HP, and Persuade would be your weapon skills...

But, I tried a few times, it didn't feel like it was working well... The only time it worked well, I think, was during a trial, to be convincing enough.

I have an idea... But I think it might be gamey... (other idea welcome, in fact requested! ) 

Fast Talk could work like spell casting. Failure does nothing. Success would enable an APP vs INT save on the resistance table.
Same Intimidate could led to a STR vs STR save (or could be APP vs INT in a social context)

What do you think? any other idea?

Sure...

In fact I had a creative block for the last 2 months.. but just unblocked it and back to preparing!  

I kind of refused to see it before.. maybe because I got years of experimentation and perspective.. but maybe BRB can seem complicated, at first sight...
I am going to continue my simplification effort!

I am just asking little question here and there...

I might share the (not play tested yet) base document I am working on one day... but it's not nearly interesting enough yet!

It will be based on Master of Orion 2..
Already have character creation rule, race list...
but still working on power list, bio-augment list, vehicle list, environmental effect list... (that will be word document one, available to players)
(maybe equipment list.. not sure... might just make on the spot and not that many gadget apart from weapon already in the BRP book)

and the galaxy quarter document (so far only in my head, as I was wondering about the stapple kind of activity that would please me, and make the game intereting...). that would be word document two!

48 minutes ago, Vile said:

Or, as you say, you can go with MW (though I assume you'll have to tailor it to your SF setting?).

It's definitely scifi...

But for profession description MW is like:
Each profession has 10 skill, pick a profession.
In that profession skill list:
- pick one, add + 60%
- pick 3, add +40%
- pick 4, add + 20%

much easier...

I might get away from skill modifier by category too.. it's too much thinking and for like -8 to +8% variation, in the most extreme case?
Plus player want to add extra percent if base characteristic changes.. which is not quite the same at base percentage and at 90+%....

I think I might go with simple flat, race based, starting value of 40%, 20%, 10%, 01%.... per category...

for magic no worries.. there will be a bit of psionic and that's it. Though there will be transhumanism though!  
(augmentation a bit like River of heaven)

We have a D&D goup going on (I was GMing 2 of them before with various D100 rules and setting.. I am kind of rule hopper, I admit)

Anyway now another player is GMing a D&D published campaign, and we got 3 new players. I loaned them one of my BRP hardcopy... (we are planning to do my work-in-progress scifi campaign after that) And next week the players came back to me and said "wow this looks so complicated" (I think he was referencing character creation)..

Which made me sad..

Anyway, I am preparing a scifi settings, with a 6 lines long character creation procedure, inspired from Magic World (which has nice and simple character creation)...

Any tip for easy character creation?
Just trying to make a good first impression!
Though, I think Magic World quite nailed it!

That sounds like a mythical place! 😄

Do you think there is another planet for Scarlett Johansson?!    

Well.. in fact the "empire" will be but a speck in the galaxy... a speck can easily contains thousands of inhabited stellar system, way too much already for a single GM!

But it's just I wanted to get away from those "mysterious locations" kind of adventures... I mean there might be many way to introduce and approach such adventures. In my mind, however, it often evoke things like challenging the best future tech with surprisingly powerful monster or magical thing or even better tech only know by this few people, all of which feels wrong to me...

Now if I make an effort.. and it's just a normal place.. but maybe they pay much less tax than it should, or it just turn out this inhabited planet has a rebel base (as opposed to a mysterious alien base), or some crazy warlord run a live outdoor bioweapon experiment, I guess that's fine by me!

Just wanted to point out where the "mysterious location" kind of adventure, evoke to me things  that don't quite fit my vision of an advanced tech future kind of settings...

As aside note.. I am a little unsatisfied with the colonised world's border so far.. let say the empire is a cube 100 lightyears across. That's easily more than 10,000 stellar system. I have 11 sentient advanced races. It would be quite a stroke of strange luck that there is a big chunk of intelligent life in it.. and none around...
But anyway.. that will just make occasional news in the background for now.. adventure will be right in the middle of that empire...

Yes, maybe there are room for borderlerlands mysterious location over there indeed!  But my focus will be on the inside for now!  

You make a good point for a most likely realistic space civilisation (if there is ever such a thing, who knows how it will be, really?)

However, in my case,  after much thinking, and unlike my original plan, but more totally friendly to Master of Orion lore after all (where one get map of the galaxy with detect ship in hyperspace with sufficient tech), there will be ansible and instant interstellar communication!
So... one more reason far away planet are not so isolated and different...

However, to share some extra lore (which goes away from the topic of staple adventure hooks). Ansibles will be point to point finite communication, so.. sometimes a planet get offline (with the civil war and all, but not really before that).....
Also many solar system are "known" to be unviable, with no maintenance base, no ansible... but some do have secret base!  

I haven't written much setting in my mind yet, mostly toying it in my mind so far.. but yeah, each solar system will have its own unique cultural identity as much as I could make it...

But I don't quite see how I could make the simple exploration of it the main drive of the adventures...

Usually I like to have place that need be raided (stealthy or not), various people that need be interrogated for clues and, hopefully, facilities in weird and dangerous locations with some combat encounter... and If I can have some hoverbike chase as well (which I am bad at chase, but I find thematically so good that I have to try it some more)

But I am not quite sure how to make the simple exploration the main event...

5 minutes ago, seneschal said:

"I was thinking to have players be independent.. which, admittedly, makes my work harder... I dunno I am not big on player being part of an organisation...  maybe I should study some one shot were this is strongly implied and see how does that plays out..."

In a lot of real world cases, spies have been freelance contractors or subcontractors of sorts -- passing info on to a handler who has previously determined that they are sympathetic to the enemy cause or greedy for money or sex.  So while they are agents for a foreign power, they aren't necessarily officers of a military or government organization.

Yes.. in fact, the way Questbird write about bounty hunting above, he made me realise of an approach to that problem where interesting mission can be progressively given to outsiders.... So I think this is a big story blocker unblocked then!

4 hours ago, Questbird said:

If you're PCs are mostly space-bound there are options too.

I was trying to avoid that.. space seems a difficult place to be, spaceships are expensive to buy and repair, you spend weeks scooped up in your own unreachable spacetime bubble... But i can see where there is more room for adventuring as a spaceship owner... Will probably try to give them one and having them doing contraband / trading run as I mention...

But looking for other activities as well....

4 hours ago, Questbird said:

2. mercenary/bounty hunting

- Faction A is warring with Faction B in system Z. Kill a bunch of Faction A/B's ships for us! You'll be a hero (for our movement)

- Take out this particular pirate or space monster who has been hassling traders in system Y. You'll need to track him down first (try the dodgiest bar planetside)

- Destroy a target on planet X belonging to Faction B. But watch out for Faction A!

- Rob the cargo holds of traders from this lucrative system (hey that's piracy!) Well do it in the name of Moff Tarkin then (OK, that's just privateering, no problem)

The way you present it.. I can see it doesn't really requires to be close to an organisation to start building a partnership with them...
It sounds silly but... I think you just helped me unblock a whole avenue of adventure! 😮

4 hours ago, Questbird said:

3. Exploring

- sell data about distant planet P to local planet X

- take a scientist or explorer to a distant alien ruin

I don't think I will run any exploration adventure (except the hidden and destroyed planet of the Elerian, one day...) the galaxy is a known place with little wilderness challenge left, if any... And I like it that way.. I am not big on mysterious alien artefact or mysterious alien creature... in a scifi setting....

4 hours ago, Questbird said:

4. mining

- look for the motherlode, an unexploited system with rich deposits. Watch out for other prospectors and pirates

Certainly.. not sure how to turn that into a regular type of adventure though...

9 hours ago, g33k said:

Virtually all of the fantasy tropes move straight over to sci-fi.

A group of bandits?  Yeah, sure -- organized crime; gangbangers from "the rough part of town;" cops on the take' military deserters with milspec gear; rich&privileged youth just doing it for the thrill; etc.

A forgotten ruin?  An ancient-race spaceship, base, etc.

Corrupt official?  Uhhh... "corrupt official."  Or maybe that one's too much of a stretch..

I did put some roadblock on myself... like

- player not be part of any organisation (like the police, army, spy).. However my main reason for that is so they could chose any profession... I might revisit that

- I don't have any outsider designated punchbag (like the Klingon or Orcs) and that doesn't really fit my master of Orion vision..
I can foresee they will come to hate the Bulrathi though (the lower class clone), but the ruling class is also Bulrathi (natural, not clone), so it's going to be tricky...

- yeah, yeah, I got many races, they are all merged together in one empire though.. and yes I got foreign empire but i don't plan on "mysterious alien psychology" nor on "weak but undesirable neighbouring civilisation", I am not sure how one would benefit on the fringe on the enemy or alien empire... They might send the military if some foreign interloper is messing around, which would be.. lethal... I guess being a corsair is a valid career choice.. but probably not where I will position my stories... me think....

- crime gang... it's where I got trouble... even today, with car registration, instant credit card cancellation, camera everywhere... I thought organised crime would have an even tougher time that it has today... maybe capitalism would help create some super addictive recreation drugs? mm... I am not really appealed by that...

- an ancient spaceship relic, sure those exists, but most would either be completely stripped already or totally unknown... Although, in that time of civil war.. there might be many *new* space battle remnant to clear around... and probably some competition for that... interesting!  
 

5 hours ago, seneschal said:

The PCs could be spies,

I was thinking to have players be independent.. which, admittedly, makes my work harder... I dunno I am not big on player being part of an organisation...  maybe I should study some one shot were this is strongly implied and see how does that plays out...

3 hours ago, Vile said:

Although I've used most of the standard hooks and occupations, in my experience all players eventually (or immediately) gravitated to the rebel/mercenary campaign. Rebel because they rarely played nice with authority.

yes, I suspect player will be.. most sensible, 2 candidate dictator claim the shattered empire.. and other will popup to claim their independence.. pretty sure the player will side with the independent! 
Though, in the grand scheme of things, doesn't make much of a difference....

ha well.. no worries.. and no hurries as well!

Thanks for this in depth explanation...

Right now and forever I have been using Homebrew vaguely prepared games.. but as I struggle to come up with a well prepared original new genre (for me) I am thinking to myself... maybe I should have another go at pre made adventures, so much easier.. and you sold me the RingWorld quite well!

Speaking of which.. what is ElfQuest and RingWorld about?! 😮

Right now I am struggling with the kind of staple activity / mission I can use in a scifi setting I am working on.

To illustrate, in a fantasy settings, there is always a group of bandits, a forgotten ruin, a corrupt official around to spice up the day.
But I find it harder in a scifi setting... 

I realise I needed some kind of conflict to help and decided the story will be in a time of civil war. There will be at least 4 important "players" in that civil war (I mean 4 powerful entity drive the war effort forward) but I plan them all to be part of the larger story that slowly unfold, I can't have the player take on military camp every game it's too dangerous and unrealistic..

I am thinking contraband can be one such staple activity. Supply chains are broken for multiple reasons, including unlawful confiscation by various military group, and contraband can be both rewarding and interesting. There is money, chases, dogfights, and even stealth and recovery mission. I will have to work out on how to prepare and run contraband runs.

I am thinking bounty hunting perhaps? But that can't much of a staple activity because, by definition, bounty are are to find, ain't they?
Though I have to think some more on this one. It can't be too much the type "find that wanted criminal", because law and order in a (formerly orderly) scifi society like I envision will have more muscle and reach than the players, leaving only very elusive case to be cracked. But there might other type.. mmmm....

Anyway
1. What other staple activity could I use?, any suggestions?!
2. For the case of contraband, player will need a spaceship. I have yet to come up with some good ways of giving up spaceships. You know when they lose the first, second and third one! Though I am thinking I might just allow them to by a spaceship on credits and perhaps have creditors mercenary run after them every now and then if they cant repay, what do you think?

The more I mull over it, the more I like it.... it does reward higher skills neatly... and one could easily imaging that skill higher than 100% provide damage bonus the way it works...

Good luck mate!  

I found local player using Facebook here.
Often people playing fortnightly.... And anyway you can explain your schedule there when you advertise you are looking for players!

The movement and attack thing is difficult, it penalise faster character. You move first to engage, but you can't strike, while your opponent can...

What I do... when you move, your initiative is halved. Not because of a "penalty" for moving, but simply because time has elapsed... You can then engage at half your DEX. Further you enemy doesn't strike you first, time has elapsed for it too. So if it wants to fight you immediately (with melee weapon), its initiative against you is also halved.

My approach was not really in Glorantha and / or RQ.
More like D&D inspired, and also inspired by ancient Greek (and "Isu") imagery in Assassin Creed Odyssey (Atlantis DLC) where you can still a lot of hybrid creature (starting with Cerberus and his 3 heads).

And I though that such creature concept was cool and totaly mad if you explore it a bit further. And also in D&D,, soulless Zombie do not seem inherently evil...

that's interesting. and perhaps a bit high if it added to weapon damage?

Anyway an idea I am toying with.. is to "democratise" magic..

Add a lot of "cantrip" which work like an intensity 1 sorcery spell.. many of them known culturally or racially or professionally and perhaps mesh with other skill..
Many will be ripped off folk magic spell from Mythras

But for combat I created some original one which I am still undecided for the mechanic, do they last 10 round, or do they are cast as a free action before each combat roll?!
- power strike: increase damage bonus by 1 step
- empower strike: damage is magic, for the purpose of overcoming resistance
- stunning strike: if target takes at lest 1 damage, make a POW vs CON roll or be stunned for next round

Just a guess here, but the shotgun mechanic might be here to represent the multiple pellets
And the semi automatic mechanic are here for automatic gun, when multiple bullet are fire continuously

I imagine the pistol trigger can also be triggered fast.. but somehow, it need to aim everytime (getting increasingly harder) where the semi automatic can swipe the room and is bound to hit something?

I guess they try to emulate the feeling of each machine, much like they do in video game!

In fact.. (I am not playing CoC), those rules are interesting! ^^

It occurs to me that CoC has built in official rule for fudging role!

You have luck point, you can modify your skill roll with them! 😛 

The GM have the extra power that he/she sometimes use bad luck points! to make roll fails!