I've got a Space Opera game, set around the idea that players are rebels fighting vampires who have conquered much of known space around the Earth/Terran Sphere, now as it stands its space opera (I wanted Star Wars with a tough of fear/monsrousness, plus guilt free slaughtering of storm troopers)

However, playtesting and feedback from NON-sci fi fans suggests it might be interesting to make it darker, and ditch the two alien races I have (both helpful to humans in current draft)



So what do you think, Vampires and Aliens? Vampires no aliens? Zombie Stormtroopers instead of vampires but vampires as elite?

There's a cheesy movie out (straight to DVD) called, I think, Vampire Wars, or something the other...I'll see if I can look it up.

It's the same them as what you described....interstellar vampires encroaching on humankind, etc.

I thought it was a terrible movie, but would make a cool game.

Quote from: SilverlionSo what do you think, Vampires and Aliens? Vampires no aliens? Zombie Stormtroopers instead of vampires but vampires as elite?

I'd just go with zombies and not vampires, but I've sick of vampires.  YMMV.

If you went with zombies create by some sort of parasitic life form that replaces the brains of a human host, you could make the nasty leaders parasites that merge with the brains of the human host, creating a sort of hybrid.

Quote from: John MorrowI'd just go with zombies and not vampires, but I've sick of vampires.  YMMV.

If you went with zombies create by some sort of parasitic life form that replaces the brains of a human host, you could make the nasty leaders parasites that merge with the brains of the human host, creating a sort of hybrid.

Yeah well vampires are a given, they aren't used in many SF games, but lots of SF books and stories that are silly and or fun/dark. Zombies don't work as "sentient" enough to manage starships.

Vamps and a few strange aliens for me. Maybe the vamps stole some strange tech from their Alien Overlords and are using it against the humans? (Maybe vampirism is the strange tech )

Regards,
David R

I can't say that vampires or zomibes in space do anything for me, but it could be that every time that I've come across it it's been horribly cheese to the point that I can't accept it as a potentially entertaining option.  Just saying Vampires in Space puts up an immediate flag.

But if you have a strong stomach for bad movies the I suggest you check out Dracula 3000  It's bad.  So bad, and not even so bad that it's good.

You might also check out the British movie "Lifeforce" (its also bad, but unlike the former its so bad its good- kinda like the "Species" of the 80s).

Quote from: alexandroYou might also check out the British movie "Lifeforce" (its also bad, but unlike the former its so bad its good- kinda like the "Species" of the 80s).

I'm familiar with it and the book it was based on.

In general my image of Vampires are powerful, ageless, monsters who infight a lot, depending on where a vampire's ancestry originated from (and beliefs behind its creation) they vary from just strong, fast, ageless beings (Common Vampires), to very powerful able to change shape, control minds, and beasts--but with more limitations. The rank and file vampires are inspired mostly by things like Anne Rice (so called "Common" or American vampires), they have fewer supernatural powers but fewer weaknesses (can cross running water), since there are so many more of this kind of vampire they fill the Black Legions, and rely on technology a bit more than their more powered and strange kindred.

They have Necrotic Sciences (a whole division) who try and break down and understand their nature and improve upon it. These Fleshsculptors as they are nicknamed work to overcome the common vampires limits. Using the normal dead, and vampires super regenerative abilities, they stretch limbs out and add finger bone supports until they give a common vampire batlike wings instead of arms.

They fashion Z-troopers  (zombies) from blood fed to the completely dead, take human brains (still living) and torture them until mad and enslave them to computer systems to drive their GARM class tanks.

They torture and maul, and basically utilize their extended lifespans, but limited ability to innovate as much as they can.

The reason why the Vampires vehicles have thematic ties to vampires: Spider Class fighters, Bat Class Corvettes, Locust SkyCycles, Scorpion Combat trikes is because it "feels right".


In general I see that the Empire of Night (E.O.N) follows a very Fascist structure (Nazi primarily) about the greatness of their own race and the use of lesser beings as food, sport, and play things.

As it was initially, my concept for vampires being based on their origin homeland is murky--because they have to allow those beliefs maintained somewhere to keep creating new members (thus colonizing planets with primitive mind-wiped humans to establish say Feudal Japan, or Victorian England like societies/settings, controlled at the top by them, but seemingly a part of our world during that era) this allows missions to places that seem out of time--and works for Space opera, but less so for Space Horror.

I've this image of undead armies that look like something out of Warhammer 40K, mixed with something out of a good horrific zombie/vampire movie. Black cities with charnel houses and abbatoirs for vampires play and "science", human slaves eking out desperate living on barely farm-able land, harvested by Leechcollars that create blisterfruit--sealed orbs of blood taken and spread amongst the Legions who watch over them.

That write up immediately reminded me of the description of how the bad guys operate in the Mutant Chronicles setting.  Experimenting on the dead, torturing the living until they become tormented undead warriors etc...

Personally I think it sounds a lot more dark and menacing if you leave vampires out of the equation and just have it some nameless force doing this.  Not aliens, not vampires just something that is sheer oppressive evil that comes and comes and no one yet knows how to stop.

Quote from: kryystThat write up immediately reminded me of the description of how the bad guys operate in the Mutant Chronicles setting.  Experimenting on the dead, torturing the living until they become tormented undead warriors etc...

Personally I think it sounds a lot more dark and menacing if you leave vampires out of the equation and just have it some nameless force doing this.  Not aliens, not vampires just something that is sheer oppressive evil that comes and comes and no one yet knows how to stop.

That doesn't quite work for a game universe for me. Unlike some people, I don't like hiding things from GM's, because I GM a lot myself, and it makes it hard to do a setting right if I don't know "what" something is. Sure I can make it up--but if I'm making it up, I'm not really using someones else's setting anymore, per se.  (and if I'm going to make it up, I might as well start from scratch. )

Quote from: SilverlionI've this image of undead armies that look like something out of Warhammer 40K, mixed with something out of a good horrific zombie/vampire movie. Black cities with charnel houses and abbatoirs for vampires play and "science", human slaves eking out desperate living on barely farm-able land, harvested by Leechcollars that create blisterfruit--sealed orbs of blood taken and spread amongst the Legions who watch over them.

This reminds me of Lynch's version of the Harkonens from Dune.

Regards,
David R

Quote from: SilverlionThat doesn't quite work for a game universe for me. Unlike some people, I don't like hiding things from GM's, because I GM a lot myself, and it makes it hard to do a setting right if I don't know "what" something is. Sure I can make it up--but if I'm making it up, I'm not really using someones else's setting anymore, per se.  (and if I'm going to make it up, I might as well start from scratch. )

Fair enough.  I'm also not suggesting that you just put up a sign saying 'this way lies evil' and leave the rest up to the GM.  But more akin to WH40k's simple approach that evil is the a facet of the unyielding force of Chaos.  It comes in many forms and has it's own various embodiments that can be stopped, but the force of Chaos itself is ever present.

I think there is a way to use vampires as inspiration without being cliched or over the top.  I liked the Mutant Chronicle setting and I have recently read the E.E. Knight Vampire Earth Series.  It doesn't fit exactly but human rebels fighting vampire aliens..

Quote from: ancientgamerI think there is a way to use vampires as inspiration without being cliched or over the top.  I liked the Mutant Chronicle setting and I have recently read the E.E. Knight Vampire Earth Series.  It doesn't fit exactly but human rebels fighting vampire aliens..

Yeah, I wonder if the new Mutant Chronicles RPG will be cool.

I've been talking to friends and others, and trying to see where things go for my game. Right now, I like the idea of maybe doing a horror-space RPG seperate and with different themes than this one at some point. But still keeping this one semi space opera/horror.

There's a new Mutant Chronicles RPG coming out?   I know there is a new Mutant Chronicles CCG out but never heard of an RPG.