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Post by Alex on Jan 17, 2011 23:21:55 GMT -5
So I was recently looking through my PDFs and read Where No Man again. It inspired me to finally get to it and finish the MinTrek version 2 that I had envisioned. I have some space and I really want input, but I don't want to waste space replicating what everyone else has done just because everyone does it, or what can be found with ease elsewhere (like Where No Man created all those great random tables...love it but don't want to waste space trying to do it because he already did it for me). So the specific topic is "GM notes" which so far includes comments on the improved dice mechanic and a section with quick mechanics-oriented write-ups of signature/common Star Trek aliens/creatures. What else should no respectable Star Trek RPG include only for GMs? It should not be something that would be appropriate for a player's section. It should not waste space describing the Star Trek since anyone playing the game will know the shows and have access to the internet to learn more. It should not try to reinvent the wheel (my random tables example). Besides that, I'm ready to hear what you think should be in a ST RPG's GM section.
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Post by Falconer on Jan 18, 2011 15:07:50 GMT -5
Original material that has the right feel. More aliens, more magic items (I mean, scientific items), more interesting concepts for planets. Star Trek should never feel tied to a canonical list of “signature” ideas that were explored in the series, but rather should continue in the same vein. Not that it isn’t great to see a Romulan or Klingon from time to time.
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Post by Alex on Jan 19, 2011 0:58:52 GMT -5
Of course those things are true, but they should be left to the GM to create, not the game itself. Otherwise you end up with problems like Prime Directive has with their nonstandard aliens and history, and FASA with their Klingons and some other little details. They are good, but traditionalists and die-hards see the additions as married to the product/system and if they don't like the additions, they won't play the game. I'm more interested in a different mechanical representation for GMs to use, and any of the already available resources (other than stats) can be re-used: random tables, essays on the races or starfleet organization. Even additions like the PD races/history and the LUG all-about-xxx expansion books are meaningful and useful, aside from the stats (of which I think the LUG books have a low %, kind of like the MERP books). What I really need is an idea of what are the top 5 things a ST RPG needs to have to be something an experienced GM of other systems can just pick up and run. Said GM is expected to have other gaming resources and knowledge of Trek. Most published RPGs fills space with teaching a newcomer to RPGs and even basics about the licensed property (in this case ST). Cut all that out and what do you have? Mechanics, stats, and possibly some good advice that isn't novice level, obvious stuff for GMs. I've got mechanics and stats...I feel I need some of that advice stuff. Or possibly more stats that I'm not thinking of. Probably should mention equipment, but that doesn't seem like GM section stuff.
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Post by aramis on Jan 19, 2011 4:19:36 GMT -5
Essentials for a TOS/TAS/TOS-Movie RPG: - Character generation in total
- The iconic Fed races (Human, Vulcan, Andorian, Tellerite)
- Starfleet character generation
- Task resolution
- basic ship operations rules
- Combat system for personal combat.
- Iconic ship classes (Constitution, Grissom, and Miranda, d6/d7, warbird/wareagle, Rom d6 conversion)
- NPC stats for Klingons, Romulans, Orions
- Core federation gear:
- Phasers I/II/Rifle
- Communicators
- Medical Kit
- Tricorders - Science, Engineering, and Medical
- Data pads
- Earpiece units like Uhura's
Also really nice to have: - Other well known fed races as PC's: Deltans, Caitians and Edoans, maybe Bolians and Orions.
- SFTM ship classes (DN, DD, SC, Tug)
- Freighter class
- Merchant Spacer CGen
- NPC stats for: Gorn, Kzin, Tholian
- Alien CGen:Klingon, Romulan, maybe also Gorn, Orion
- ship combat.
I'm no longer much of a fan of random tables from hell. |
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Post by michaeltaylor on Jul 1, 2016 18:42:55 GMT -5
Besides that, I'm ready to hear what you think should be in a ST RPG's GM section. (I know this is very old) In my experience, the hardest thing about running Star Trek as an RPG is defining the way technology can be used. What can a tricorder do, how many settings does a phaser have, what can you reprogram a communicator to do. These are the simple questions - once you get on the ship with the computer, transporters and weapons it gets even more dicey. A chapter called "How do I keep technology from ruining the episode" would be very helpful. |
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Post by aramis on Jul 10, 2016 19:29:11 GMT -5
Besides that, I'm ready to hear what you think should be in a ST RPG's GM section. (I know this is very old) In my experience, the hardest thing about running Star Trek as an RPG is defining the way technology can be used. What can a tricorder do, how many settings does a phaser have, what can you reprogram a communicator to do. These are the simple questions - once you get on the ship with the computer, transporters and weapons it gets even more dicey. A chapter called "How do I keep technology from ruining the episode" would be very helpful. S&S 1E has one of the better methods... You only get so many answers per day using a given tool. |
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Post by michaeltaylor on Jul 14, 2016 17:25:20 GMT -5
S&S 1E has one of the better methods... You only get so many answers per day using a given tool. Interesting! I'll have to look into that! What is "S&S 1E"? |
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Post by blackbat242 on Jul 15, 2016 2:42:28 GMT -5
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Post by michaeltaylor on Jul 21, 2016 12:11:34 GMT -5
Ah! Okay. I think I actually have it, but I've never read it. I traded for the 2nd edition just to get hold of the tables. But what's so bad about the 2nd edition? |
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Post by aramis on Jul 31, 2016 23:27:50 GMT -5
Ah! Okay. I think I actually have it, but I've never read it. I traded for the 2nd edition just to get hold of the tables. But what's so bad about the 2nd edition? It's not the same game at all. It's Mutant Future -mutants + spaceships and ranks. Some like that. I don't. I like the original. At least they didn't pull the PDF of the original. |
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Post by michaeltaylor on Aug 2, 2016 14:40:54 GMT -5
I'll have to dig up the original and take a look at it then...
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Post by aramis on Aug 6, 2016 19:51:41 GMT -5
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Post by michaeltaylor on Aug 9, 2016 16:45:18 GMT -5
LOL! Thanks, but I mean dig it out of my garage! I know it's buried in there somewhere...  |
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