Oh, I almost forgot...the Death Probe was cool too.

By Hugh Bishop (Wildman) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 03:04 pm: Edit

I think monster ssd's will allow a much more flexible encounter system, as one can create unique variants of the classics as well as incorporate new ones. for example what about the classic dragon that can bolt it's plasma breath. Or one that is a little quicker but not as tough. Using the ssd mechanic, these variations both large and slight are easier to do.

By David Kass (Dkass) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 06:39 pm: Edit

The Gorn attempt to stop the sun snake might actually be interesting. Especially if one assumes the Gorn ships doing the job are older and don't have all the refits. Make it an extra strong snake and give the Gorn a very mixed fleet of ships.

By Scott Tenhoff (Scottt) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 06:42 pm: Edit

We need an X-Monster included in this too.

Those X-Ships need something to be tested against.

Something more then just a beefed up Space Ameoba (by BPV), something really frightening.

LOL

By David Kass (Dkass) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 06:48 pm: Edit

Should it be something challenging to X-ships, but relatively harmless (or at least less dangerous) to normal ships. Or should it be something that X-ships can barely handle and nothing else has a chance.

An example of the first is something that scales by BPV and takes advantage of the "eggshell" nature of X-ships (ie a DN facing it has a chance due to the larger nubmer of HW and more internals).

Depending on the monster design, Andros could fall on either side (they have a number of X-ship like properties, eg lots of reserve power).

By Scott Tenhoff (Scottt) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 06:54 pm: Edit

Oh I don't know specifics, (or I would write it myself, I just got X1, so it will take time to digest).

EEwww, or worst yet. It has X-ship properties (don't know specifics) to take GW-ships against. Like there are 'fighter' monsters, 'PF' monsters, etc.

Just a funny thought

By David Kass (Dkass) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 07:23 pm: Edit

Be sure to get the X-fix (X1 revisions) before reading the module. It removes several features and changes others--no need to "learn" the wrong way...

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 07:42 pm: Edit

Off the top of my head:
How about a really unusual monster. It is vurtually imune to weapons fire and fast (though weapons fire can slow it down). It attacks anything generating a warp field (does not see impulse engines).

It has a warp field dampener weapon and a warp pulse emmiter that does a base damage of 10 + 1/2 point of damage per unit of speed of the target.

It has a warp static generation exoplate that generates the equivelant of 4 ECM.

Its primary vulnerability is to tractor beams and transporters. Damage is equal to 1/2 the power you put into the tractor beam (this disturbs the energy that keeps the monster corporeal). Transporters cause some number (small) of damage points per transporter used.

In first encounters, science data must be aquired first before tractors or transporters can be used. Say, so many points before you roll a die on a chart that has three options on it:

1-2	Tractors can be used for damage
3-4	Transporters can be used for damage
5-6	No usefull results

In the case of a 5-6 roll, collect 20 more points of info and roll again.

In scenarios where the creature is known, half the Info points much still be aquired to atunuate these systems to the particular monster.

I don't have details of what the monster looks like or specifically what it is but I'm working on that. The idea is that it diverges the furthest from typical battles using weapons.

By Marc Remaley (Skawpya) on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 08:51 pm: Edit

hmmm what of the MSS, that keeps on inflicting damage that has no effect on you but is believed to be real by all your opponent's until you blow it up?

By Allen E. Herring (Aleuhe) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 01:16 am: Edit

You could easily add terrain by changing the name to "Scientific Encounters". It could include scenarios where an astroid or comet would be headed toward a populated planet. It would work as a one player though it probably wouldn't be very exciting. Maybe add a /terrain/ monster that lives in the terrain (i.e. comet monster, nebula monster.) You could add a relay type race scenario. Where you have to run to one planet pick up x-chemical, run to another to pick up y-chemical (having both produces a medicine) and then take it to a planet that is being ravished by plague...all while trying to dodge though a anstroid field. It would make a great scenario to practice manuevering.

By Loren Knight (Loren) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 01:04 pm: Edit

---

Quote:

Maybe a dragon mini-campaign, from the Dragon POV.

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By Scott Tenhoff (Scottt) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 01:11 pm: Edit

Have you looked at a vanilla Space Dragon's speed.

It's like 2-6

By Jay K Gustafson (Jay) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 08:50 pm: Edit

A monster like the doomsday meachine with a 10 point tractor and a ph4 that fires twice per turn.

By Brian Wesley Adams (Bwaomega) on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 09:54 pm: Edit

I would definitely be interested, especially if it had a few monsters for each of the venues. Some for early years, Omega, X-ships, etc. And the Space Dragon/Juggernaut campaign idea sounds interesting.

By Bill Su (Wsu) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 09:53 pm: Edit

Since SVC said that the number of people responding and type of comment would matter to this, I will definitely speak up.

1) To me, the scenario books are among the most interesting products you make. There are already more ships, races, and rules in the game than I can shake a stick at, but, while (almost) every product includes scenarios, the (to me) really interesting ones seem to be relatively infrequent. I'm hoping a scenario book would have about the same frequency, but, having lots of scenarios, would still have a greater absolute number of interesting ones.

2) A (to me) really interesting scenario changes the CONTEXT of the game without changing the RULES (much). The example I'm thinking of is the scenario where the two sides are trying to collect artifacts from a single planet being dragged into a black hole. Do you fight or collect artifacts? If you collect artifacts, the other side may shoot through your down shields. If you fight, the black hole may destroy the planet before you collect anything. Not to mention the havoc fighting near a black hole inherently involves!

3) Some kind of race-through-a-severe-obsctacle-course scenario could be fun too, although it might not fit the monster theme. (RoboRally is one of the all time great games. Almost as good as SFB, and a lot more accessible. Wizards of the Coast's greatest crime against humanity isn't creating Magic: The Gathering; it's letting RoboRally go out of print.)

4) I would love to see more solitaire scenarios, and monster and solitaire often go together.

5) I think monster scenarios also have some potential for allowing games between two different levels of player that aren't just "give the experienced player half the BPV of the new player". Here's what I mean: A monster could easily have a much simpler set of rules and systems than a standard ship, and also have enough "oddities" that standard tactics might not apply. For example, how about a monster with no transporters, tractors, etc., and firing plasma torps that can't be weaseled? The new player isn't as hampered by not knowing all the rules as in a standard battle (since he's not paying BPV for things he won't use), and the experienced player has a new challenge since he has to handle plasma without one of the standard techniques for doing so, which is also one of the more complex rules, giving the new player another thing not to worry about! (For a really new player's monster, no energy allocation, and just assume the plasma can't fire until the third turn after the last launch.)

To summarize: Scenario book is a really good idea! Monster scenario book is a great idea!

By Mike Raper (Raperm) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 10:13 pm: Edit

The big attraction for monster scenarios to me is that they make you think differently. It's not just how do I wipe out the enemy fleet or capture this or that object. You have to use labs and find out how to get 'round the monsters, and how to win the game. The Star Sheep scenarios were great for this, and I loved playing them out. A monster campaign would be fun, as would a dual set of campaigns, where you could play the ship one time, and the monster the next.

By Nick G. Blank (Nickgb) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 10:14 pm: Edit

I too would love to see the Juggernaut back in print (never having seen that scenario).

It was to be my Origin's wish this year...

Anything else is extra, but it would be nice if there was more variety than straight monster scenarios.

Could have some more weird scenarios put on by the Masters... Like an obstacle course mentioned above (another robo rally fan.)

By Kenneth Jones (Kludge) on Saturday, April 19, 2003 - 10:37 pm: Edit

Nick,

The Juggernaught scenario IS awesome. And a great deal of fun to play as well.

By Mike Ryan (Mikeryan) on Sunday, April 20, 2003 - 07:01 pm: Edit

So, my voice is counted: I'd be interested.

Also, to echo Bill S. a bit, one of SFB's strong points has always been the scenarios. They add character to the setting of the game, and provide ideas for situations that you might not necessarily thought of on your own.