Archive through October 15, 2005
Star Fleet Universe Discussion Board: Prime Directive RPG: NEW GAME SYSTEMS:
Prime Directive: Other Systems:
Archive through October 15, 2005
I get asked, a lot, what systems we're going to do PD for. The answer is, every one of them that has a big enough following to make the effort worthwhile.
It must be noted that licensing a system is a two-way street. We may very much want to license CobbleSystem RPG but if the owners don't want to license us, it isn't going to happen. Likeways, Anotherdeetwentyclone RPG may very much want us to do PD for their system but if it doesn't do us some good then there is no point.
Generally speaking, for us to license a system, we need to be convinced that the system has a strong following, that is, thousands of gamers who are actively buying the products of that system. Just because NextCoolRPG has a really cool way of handling character classes doesn't mean that it's a good system for us to get into. You gotta show us that it has an "installed fan base". Lots of good systems have no following but if it has a following it's certainly a good system.
Anybody want to suggest a system? We're considering HERO and Unisystem but haven't made deals yet.
It should also be noted that for us to do a deal with any system requires a WRITER for that system who can do the conversions. Somebody with a proven track record, not some GM who thinks he can do it but has never tried. We might do a deal involving such a writer, but we wouldn't pay a dime or schedule any releases without having finished and approved products.
For a license, what we're looking for is something with a reasonable royalty fee, no minimum royalties (if it sells, it sells), no expiration dates (if it keeps selling, we keep selling it), and an approval system based on the new conversion data, not on the published background.
Well I really enjoyed HERO system...it has many similarites to GURPS, but where GURPS tends to be more 'realistic'...HERO allows like the name says the player to be more heroic...without having to worry about the gory possiblities of a quick death, or any other form of pain that might be possible in GURPS...I would say these are my two all time favorite systems for RPGs...as for genres...well thats another thing...
In summary...HERO would be a very good system for Prime Directive. Of anything else out there this is the one...
Sean B.
I've been playing HERO system since 1982, and it remains my favorite RPG engine out there. Would LOVE to see Prime Directive HERO...
We do want to do HERO but the problem is that there are very few HERO writers and all of them are busy. Steve Long (who runs HERO) has had very bad experiences using inexperienced writers (having to do most of the work over again). I have three "non-experienced hero writers" preparing sample chapters. If any of them produce work up to Steve Long's standards (and he's not at all wrong to have such standards) then he is willing to do a deal.
SVC: I may have a line on a previously-published HERO writer. Let me drop him a line and see if he's interested.
Well, I've suggested looking into this on the Iron Crown Ent forums (www.ironcrown.com)...but have no idea if the possibility was given any real consideration. ICE has two RPG systems currently, HARP and Rolemaster/Spacemaster. Both are skill based systems that I think would fit in well with the SFU.
HARP is a quicker, fast, fun and loose system that will be releasing a SciFi supplement sometime in the next few months.
Rolemaster/Spacemaster is the delightfully crunchy older brother of HARP. A very detailed system that produces some very real world-like results while still being relatively simple at its core.
Bruce, the ICE CEO, has played SFB in the past (I don't know if he still does). Nicholas, the author of many of the HARP & RM titles, as well as a couple GURPS titles, is also familiar with SFB iirc.
Not to mention the true advantage in that you wouldn't be dealing with yet another Steve 
.
I would like to see my two favorite gaming companies have a cross over like this...but that and a quarter won't get you a cup of joe.
Jason
I welcome any contacts, help, or suggestions. Just understand that an amusing phone call with someone interested in a project may translate into producti on the shelf in 6-12 months, not 6-12 days.
RoleMaster (at least the latest version I got suckered into playing) isn't skill-based. It pretends to be, but it's a class/level system so sticky it doesn't even let you multi-class!
If you want a real skill-based RP system, look no further than Shadowrun. Actually, I think SR has a 4th edition coming out soon...
The new version of RoleMaster doesn't let you multi-class at 1st level. When you get to second level you can pick whatever class want and be that as well.
It is very possible to be a Fighter 5, Rouge 2, Cleric 3. It is clearly in the rules.
There is also a class-less, level-less option available for downloading on the website (for free).
I picked up a used copy of MERP from ICE some years ago. I took an hour to build a character, and that's the point at which I gave up!
Ah RoleMaster, where it takes an hour or two to roll up a fresh character and only minutes (once in 'play') to kill it off (or if its very lucky, kill a 50th level NPC off). Of course, Spacemaster is more for SFB play but it's the same engine...
The only good things I can say about Shadowrun, are the genre...I love cyberpunk, and the dnd flavor can't hurt for variety...As for rules, the only one I really thought was unique and useful, was in the character creation. You get 5 tiered choices for your attibutes, skills, wealth, race, and magic. Basically you could choose to be very skillful (rank 1), but have now magic (rank 5). This forces you to make a descision to what kind of character type you really want to play...
Sean B.
BTRC's EABA is "Open Supplement Licensed"; EABA is download only. www.btrc.net is the company homepage. It's very simmilar to D6 in a number of ways, but very different in a few. Moderately realistic, and growing fanbase. About as "crunchy" as PD1, better dicing.
BTRC's CORPS could easily be licensed, Greg's licensed out before and doesn't mind. It has a strong sci-fi fan base, being about as popular before the release of GT as GURPS for doing traveller. (Greg has worked on Traveller, as well, but could not afford the License.) CORPS is both paper and e-released, and my FLGS keeps it in stock... and since it never hits the discount, they are selling some steadily. VERY gritty, reduced dice generic engine. Has a vehicle design system.
To be honest, Greg might even be willing to write it himself.
Troy...RM/SM (all versions) are very much skill based. Classes (professions) only determine the natural proclivity of learning a particular skill (all skills are available for all PCs to learn). Levels are pretty transparent, and outside of resistance rolls and development points, completely disposable.
Yes, character generation takes more time than most other RPGs...however, RM/SM PCs also tend to be much better defined and varied than in other RPGs. RM/SM doesn't, and hopefully never will, have multiclassing as part of the core ruleset (though many house rules exist if you want them) as it is contrary to the design philosophy and unnecessary in a skill based system. Kerry is referring to HARP, which does allow for multiclassing as it operates under a different design philosophy (somewhere between RM and d20).
RM/SM, and to a lesser extent HARP, is also gritty...stupid decisions get you killed. To those who like gritty systems, this provides a more real-world sense of believability.
The point of this thread, however, wasn't to critique other systems...it was to point out other RPG systems that may be approached as alternatives engines for PD. Iron Crown Enterprises was one of the major competitors vs. TSR 'back in the day'. It isn't the major player it was (due to bankruptcy as well as a changing market base that prefers simplicity over detail...you know, the same thing that plagues SFB), but still has a sizeable international pool of fans that are continually calling for more setting material for their system of choice (be that RM, RMSS/FRP, SM, SMP, or HARP).
Jason
Has Amarillo looked at or spoken with Palladium Books (http://www.palladiumbooks.com) about getting Prime Directive done for their system? They've certainly got a large following and a lengthy track record of success in the market, with new and exciting stuff always on the horizon (a video game and movie deal, for example). Seeing the kinds of things Prime Directive includes done up in their system has always been a dream of mine.
Palladium has had very limited contracts with a couple other game companies in the past (Dream Pod 9 did some work on their Macross II line and Myrmidon Press did a Rifts product, though something went wrong there and Palladium ended up with a bad taste in their mouth over it). They can be pretty picky about who they do business with and what they want showing up that's compatible with their products, but I can see them getting behind Prime Directive. Even if the owner doesn't want to tackle the writing for it, I'll bet Carl Gleba would be up for it; Carl's a fan-turned-author and a real cool guy.
A Palladium-compatible Prime Directive would be good for you guys, Palladium, and players. At least that's my opinion.
I don't disagree, but Palladium has shown extremely little interest in working with anyone. If they're interested they can drop me a line, but until I get D6 and Hero in the hands of capable writers I don't need to look for any more projects.
If I might offer a suggestion: Savage Worlds by Great White Games (http://www.greatwhitegames.com). It's a great, fast RPG system that can double as a miniature skirmish game. (Just the thing for those PD miniatures you're planning.)
Here is a set of "Test Drive" rules: http://www.greatwhitegames.com/Games/Savage%20Worlds/Downloads/SW%20Rev/TestDrive4.pdf
Information of licensing Savage Worlds can be found here: http://www.greatwhitegames.com/Licensors/Licensors.htm
Ken Burnside should check that out since he's in charge of roleplaying. Trick is, nothing happens without a qualified WRITER in the loop, not a GM who thinks he can rise to the challenge, but a proven writer who signs onto the deal.
I can see needing different versions (D20, d6, etc) for books with the character generation rules but would it not be possible for adventure books to have iterations of the monster/npc stats for each system? They could possibly be marketed to players of other d20 space opera games.
I plan on getting PDd6. I recall WEG SW being quite playable. I can understand wanting to market PDd20, but class/level systems with SF rpgs just seem wrong to me....
Once I get my hands on PD d6 I'll look into the possiblity of a Basic RolePlaying (Chaosium house system) conversion. If for no other reason, my own use.
Jack: If adventures are produced for PD, they will very likely be designed for use with any system that PD supports.
I myself am looking forward to PD6.
If/when we do adventure books, I am certain that we will have data for all of the game systems we are doing; GURPS, D20, D6, others TBA.
And I strongly suspect that all of the gamesystem-specific data will be appendices in the back of the book, or on a pullout page, or something similar. Data like NPC specs, equipment info, and so forth -- a page for GURPS, another page for D20, etc.
It's good for the GM because he/she only need reference the pages needed; it's good for ADB because in the cases where we need outside approval, we only need to send them one or two pages, and they don't review the entire book.
Gary: Squeezing all the system specific information down to just a page per game system seems slightly unlikely. The typical 32 page adventure has about 3 pages of specific sytem material; thus adding the extra pair of game systems can be expected to increase the length by 20%.
I like the adventure writing style which embeds resolution specific information in the section where it is used. For example, reading an inscription in an ancient building would list the success chance for the PCs based on languages known. Adding resolution details like this for each game system in sequence can disrupt reading the adventure.
Given how highly skills based PD adventuring is, it would be extremely cumbersome and difficult to write a cross-system adventure. Fantasy is easier because most data will be NPC/moster based and can be "charted" in the back.