Archive through March 03, 2006
Star Fleet Universe Discussion Board: Prime Directive RPG: NEW GAME SYSTEMS:
D6 Prime Directive:
Archive through March 03, 2006
Hello! New guy here. Please forgive me if I don't follow the bouncing Horta as well as others in the Forums. 
I got outrageously excited when I saw that ADB was putting together PD:D6. I played SW:RPG D6 for almost a decade and LOVED the system. Extemely flexible and imaginative, but structured enough for the "Munchkins" in my game group.
My gaming group was actually having discussions of somehow adapting the old WEG D6 stuff to the Star Fleet Universe because of how much we liked the old system, and how much we all loved Star Fleet Games. Then I saw ADB doing D6...I almost had an M.I.! GURPS PD was too, um, "cumbersome" for my groups' tastes. ;)
Good to hear it is making progress, and please count me in on any play testing you may need.
Any news on this upcoming product??
The third guy who signed up to do it said "I don't have time." We talked him into taking another shot and he's supposed to have files to us today. We'll see. Understand, guys, that I can't write D6 stuff myself and I've hired THREE expert D6 veteran writers ALL of whom bailed out of the project (and none of them for reasons which were ADB's fault).
We have patience, Steve. Better a well-made product than a slap-together. Still looking forward to it! Thank you for the update.
Hello!
I'm an SFB veteran, but I have not played it in over 20 years. Anyways, I just wanted to say that I created a username account here JUST so I can say that I would purchase Prime Directive D6 in a heartbeat!!
I got spoiled with the "old school" D6 games... SFB being one of them. Also with the earlier D&D and d6 Traveller games. I really look forward to seeing this D6 Prime Directive see the light of day.
Oh and I now remember when I chatted with Steve Cole last.... it was that oooold old old America Online forums that was set up for SFB way back in the days of ancient past. LOL Geez that was so long ago.
cheers
Erm oops. I meant that I had not played SFB in over 10 years.
When I posted "20 years".... I was thinking about my older games like 1st Ed Dungeons and Dragons and Traveller. =)
And like the newbie dummie I am to your forums... I just now realize that I can edit my posts.
Steve,
I too cannot wait for the d6 PD. I was wondering if there would be any playtesting we (who participate in the forum--that is, if any such is needed) could get in on? Steve, I too second the fact that sometimes a GREAT product takes some time to do. Please don't feel we are rushing you, we are just showing how eager we are and how much we support you in this,
Keep us posted. With the sales of the latest d6 product (D6 powers soaring--currenlty only available pdf), this should meet with much success. Of course, we are supporters can do our part to build the game up in other forums,
ect.
The problem with D6 is that writers keep quitting due to issues not related to the product (one got sick, one got a new job, one just didn't have time). We have a new guy now and have sent him some files for an "audition". When he does them we'll see if he can do the job (and he'll see if he WANTS to do the job). Right now the D6 stuff is "off the schedule". When we have a finished book (and not before then) we will schedule the books for a staggered release 90-150 days down the road.
SVC: 
Bummer on the writer difficulties. Please let the fans know if we can help you somehow. There is a big following for D6 in my game group...so, six books get sold at a minimum!
Kehrer1701: SVC directed me to Ken Burnside to volunteer for playtesting duties. He indicated that they might need some help. I'd say write him and ask nicely.
KEN,
I would love to playtest anything D6 PD. I have a group that has been doing varying Star Trek themed game systems and all have a familiarity with SFB.
ROGUECOP: Thanks for the info here. Do you think Ken will see this message, or should I email?
Again,
Thanks,
Steve,
I noticed the release dates on PD 6 page are still Fall '05.
Old news. There are no release dates. Tell the webmaster.
I'd try e-mail for Ken. These forums are buzzing so much I don't know how the staff could keep up!
Darren - when we have a playtestable draft, you're on my list of people to send it to.
We're waiting to hear from the fifth freelancer on this one.
Wow, 5th time the charm??? Thanks for the heads up. I will be very eager to help!!! Thanks for letting me.
I've actually started converting the races over to D6 (I just got the books a few days ago). Hopefully, this new writer works out, but just in case, I might just throw my hat in the ring. (No, I don't have any experience, but if you want to get this project off the ground and I can do it...)
FDW. If nothing else, ADB will find it VERY useful to have someone who understands both D6 and the SFU as the eventual writer will likely only have the former.
Indeed, Doug.
It gives me something to check against when the current freelancer turns his things in.
I participated in the previous yahoo group devoted to kicking around ideas by the guy who was working on this project a couple back (but I believe had some illness issues). One thing the group "debated" a lot was how starship combat would work compared to the rules in d6 space/ d6 starships supplement. Shields were a common topic and how they would function in the d6 universe rules. My opinion is that shields should work like the SFU and not the way the d6 rules interprets them (meaning they absorb X number of damage until down, rather than rolling a die to see if the shield stopped the blast). Another point was in the way shields were raised. After much conversation, we came to the conclusion that you shouldn't need to role a die to raise the shields unless there are special circumstances at the time. Gary/ Ken , thoughts?
I can only speak from a D20 perspective, but I would see raising shields as a very easy task (DC 5 - roll a d20, adding the appropriate skill rank, with a 5 or more equalling success). That way, it allows for the possibility of failure when 1) unskilled people try to do it and 2) when trying to do it using unfamiliar technology (captured ship, etc.). In most cases, a roll wouldn't even be necessary.
I agree -- there are any number of things that, under normal circumstances, should not require die rolls. The GM should be the one controlling how the game progresses, not the dice.
Now if the guy on the bridge trying to raise the shields was a doctor, and has never stood any bridge watches, THEN I'd make him roll.
I've been kind of thinking on the subject of ships myself. Not too hard, though; I've got a lot of races to convert. Since SFU shields are reduced as they take damage, how would that work in D6? My thought there was that whatever dice defeat the damage get burned out. So if you have 10D in a shield that is attacked, but it only needs the totals from 4 of these dice to stop the attack, then 4D of the shield rating would be burned out, leaving 6D to stop the next attack.
Just a suggestion, of course. Nothing official until we can even start thinking about D6 Star Fleet.
Progress report: I have all of the Federation races and the Klingon subject races in the main book converted on my computer and I'm almost to the ISC in hastily scrawled notes in my notebook. The biggest challenge dead ahead is the Veltressai Quads.
Gary, Ken, Douglas?? One thought regarding d6 and shields is to give a ship a certain amount of shield points that are subtracted from a "pool." When those are gone, then you start rolling to see if the shields stopped the damage or not. Or, you just role for damage if the ships was hit depleeting from the pool of shield points. IN this case, no die roll is needed to see if shields stopped the hit, but you would need to roll for the hull. Just more thoughts.... Gary? Ken? Douglas?
The way shields work in the SFU has been defined for over 20 years. I think any change would unbalance the system, one way or the other. Even if I thought it was a good idea -- which I don't -- the Steves would NEVER approve it.
Sorry.
If the abstracted rules produce equivalent results while remaining true to the philosophy of the D6 rules, I would prefer that. It would be rather clunky switching to a different game system halfway through.