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Pen & Paper Roleplaying Central => Pen and Paper Roleplaying Games (RPGs) Discussion => Topic started by: Dominus Nox on August 30, 2006, 05:28:46 PM

Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: Dominus Nox on August 30, 2006, 05:28:46 PM
Some people hare are into traveller, so I wondered if they liked other hard SF games.

I was thinking transhuman space or blue planet. Anyone like these? I have THS but never got BP.
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: Mcrow on August 30, 2006, 05:32:05 PM
I would say:

Start Cluster 2
Cold Space
FTL Now

for some HardNova and Nebuleon would fit but they lean a little more like in between hard and space-opera IMO.

all of the above are good games.
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: JongWK on August 30, 2006, 05:34:53 PM
What defines hard-sf for you?
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: Mcrow on August 30, 2006, 05:41:56 PM
Quote from: JongWKWhat defines hard-sf for you?

Well for me its about science and how plausable it is. Like maybe a technology in a game might not be totally realistic, but it is based on real science.

Also the more fantasy elements a sci-fi game has the more soft it is. So while I love Star Wars and Star Trek they both are pretty much fantasy in space.
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: ColonelHardisson on August 30, 2006, 06:17:23 PM
I like Blue Planet's setting.

I also think 2300 shades toward the hard side of the scifi spectrum. One of the very coolest scifi settings for an RPG.
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: JongWK on August 30, 2006, 06:26:11 PM
Quote from: McrowWell for me its about science and how plausable it is. Like maybe a technology in a game might not be totally realistic, but it is based on real science.

Also the more fantasy elements a sci-fi game has the more soft it is. So while I love Star Wars and Star Trek they both are pretty much fantasy in space.

Would you consider Shadowrun's tech "hard", but the game "soft" overall then?
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: Mcrow on August 30, 2006, 06:30:46 PM
Quote from: JongWKWould you consider Shadowrun's tech "hard", but the game "soft" overall then?

Well the game as a whole would be soft since it is basically cyberfantasy. I'm not real up on what the tech is like in SR. Tech isn't the only thing that can determine if it is hard or Space Opera.
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: flyingmice on August 31, 2006, 12:10:36 AM
Albedo

-mice
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: arminius on August 31, 2006, 02:23:23 AM
I've long wanted to run a game using SPI's Universe, which was basically their answer to Traveller.

Would like to hear more about Albedo.
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: Settembrini on August 31, 2006, 04:31:56 AM
Battletech. Don't moan. Take away the mechs, what remains is hard-sf. It's a TL-10 traveller setting, w/o grav plating and with FTL-Communication owned and operated by a secret mystical organization.
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: Marcus on August 31, 2006, 08:17:23 AM
Cyberpunk 2020 with the space supplement (can't seem to remeber the name)
Maybe "Dawning Star (http://www.dawningstar.com/)"?
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: flyingmice on August 31, 2006, 08:22:13 AM
Quote from: Elliot WilenI've long wanted to run a game using SPI's Universe, which was basically their answer to Traveller.

Would like to hear more about Albedo.

Here. (http://www.sanguine.com/Albedo/)

That's the current Sanguine game. The original was from Chessex in 1989. It features anthropomorphic animals - there are no humans - who were created then left entirely on their own - no explainations were given. The tech is quite hard, but the game suffered from furry phobia. I haven't played the Sanguine game, but I did play the old Chessex game back in the day, and it was quite good. I'm not a big furry fan, but I don't have furry phobia either - TMNT is one of my favorite all time games - so YMMV.

-mice
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: Zachary The First on August 31, 2006, 11:25:54 AM
Quote from: flyingmiceHere. (http://www.sanguine.com/Albedo/)

That's the current Sanguine game. The original was from Chessex in 1989. It features anthropomorphic animals - there are no humans - who were created then left entirely on their own - no explainations were given. The tech is quite hard, but the game suffered from furry phobia. I haven't played the Sanguine game, but I did play the old Chessex game back in the day, and it was quite good. I'm not a big furry fan, but I don't have furry phobia either - TMNT is one of my favorite all time games - so YMMV.

-mice

You know, I never really considered TMNT a "furry" game, likely because I played it back before all this furry stuff really gained so much notoriety in pop culture.
Title: Bring in the Swine. Where are the Swine?
Post by: Paka on August 31, 2006, 12:18:23 PM
Burning Empires (http://www.burningempires.com)

Actual Play Post (http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=280580)

Shock: Social Science Fiction (http://www.glyphpress.com/shock/)

Actual Play Post (http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=21002.0)
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: Settembrini on August 31, 2006, 12:25:01 PM
I`m very undecided on buying Burning Empires, i love the stuff it promises but loathe the character centered stuff about issues and shmissues, well the thematic element.
Judd, would you care to "sell me on Burning Empires". Another thread maybe?
I think this game could be totally for me, but the actual play threads are mostly centered on character stuff. I don't grok it. Is there stellar empires or not? May I rule planets and civilizations and large fleets or not?
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: Paka on August 31, 2006, 12:26:08 PM
Start a BE thread, PM me with a link and we'll go.

Start the thread with the post above so we don't hijack this'un.
Title: Other hard SF games.
Post by: flyingmice on August 31, 2006, 12:40:42 PM
Quote from: Zachary The FirstYou know, I never really considered TMNT a "furry" game, likely because I played it back before all this furry stuff really gained so much notoriety in pop culture.

Well, it is, by definition. Personally, I figure the "furriness" of a game is in the mind of the players. I don't care one way or the other. Most SF games - including StarCluster - can be played as furry games, what with the prevalence of uplifts and/or animal-like aliens. That's up to the players. Since it's none of my business what people use my games for, I don't think about it. :D

-mice