DUNE

[PK Games]

Originally Posted by Shaira

I'm still looking for my all-time perfect SF setting: Dune doesn't quite cut it for me cos I love space-fighter dogfights and trade-based tramp-freighter campaigns. Star Wars... well, maybe. A bit toonish of late with weirdo rubber monsters popping up too often losing some what little hard edge it had left. Traveller - well, space isn't flat. Nuff said. Something Stainless Steel Rattish, maybe...

I would recommend the Warhammer 40K universe. Not too much space fighter dogfights, but you can squeeze them in. The current rules are close to % base, but the careers are heavily flawed and they forgot to get an editor and left some basic stuff out of the game. (fluff, charts and such refer to orks and eldar, but just try finding stats for them, and vehicles as a separate PDF?)

It has the intrigue and imperial structure similar to Dune, some Star Wars concepts (not too many) and some cool back ground. I am just not a big fan of Space Marines.

[Mithras]

Originally Posted by Pete Nash

I wish I could find a cheap copy of the Dune Encyclopedia...

You're not having mine!

Skills. I would have 'Bene Gesserit special powers' be normal skills ramped over 100. The Voice is Fast Talk 100+, Truthsense is Psychology 100+, etc.

Only the BG or the Mentats get to push skills this way ...

[AikiGhost]

Well I've been running a Fading Suns game with BRP on and off for several years now and the only things I had to do was a life path for character generation (Noble Houses, Guilds, alien races, etc) and some rules for energy shields

[Mithras]

Jason, excellent summary there.

I would go for an Arrakis setting. There would be options for PC groups: Fremen, Smugglers, the new House (not the Atriedes), or perhaps the Harkonnens.

That's 3 types of games with different emphasis on adventures. But I'd want to get into the desert alot.

The House game, would consist of the GM setting out what the roles are to select from; the PCs would all be the leaders of the House. Bodyguard, Mentat, Assassin, Duke/Baron/noble son etc., Bene Gesserit advisor, Planetologist, Pilot-Bodyguard etc. Let players choose the characters they want to play, the rest are NPCs.

Your starting group would determine Base Chances, different character sheet for Fremen, Smugglers and Great House.Each House might have different Base Chances also. Perhaps work up 3 or 4 and let the PCs choose, before the Emperor sends that House in to replace the Harkonnens.

Or something like that ... !

Shield combat has always perplexed me, I could never come up with suitable rules for that.

[PK Games]

Is fading suns available as a PDF somewhere?

[Dredj]

You can get it right here:
RPGNow.com - Holistic Design - Fading Suns (Second Edition)

[PK Games]

Originally Posted by AikiGhost

Well I've been running a Fading Suns game with BRP on and off for several years now and the only things I had to do was a life path for character generation (Noble Houses, Guilds, alien races, etc) and some rules for energy shields

Can we see your house rules and conversion notes?

[Shaira]

Originally Posted by PK Games

I would recommend the Warhammer 40K universe. Not too much space fighter dogfights, but you can squeeze them in.
[...]
It has the intrigue and imperial structure similar to Dune, some Star Wars concepts (not too many) and some cool back ground. I am just not a big fan of Space Marines.

Thanks for the recommendation! To be honest, I've always found the "Orks in Spaaaaaaaaace!" part of WH40K to bring me out in a rash - that plus the "Rather Heavy Gothic Darknesse" bit. Having said that, that was all back in the olden days of Space Marine and Space Hulk and the 1st edition WH40K rules (I'm assuming there have been other editions since then... ), plus having one of our group members who was completely obsessed with the Whole Shebang when it first came out. I'm willing to be reconvinced

I'm still toying with the idea of something Cordwainer Smith-ish - it's the best science-fiction I've come across, though you'd probably have to dilute it somewhat to make it accessible!

I'd be very interested to see any BRP SF stuff, though - Fading Suns, Dune, whichever. A good BRP-derived space combat system would be cool.

Cheers,

Sarah

[Jason Durall]

Originally Posted by Shaira

I'd be very interested to see any BRP SF stuff, though - Fading Suns, Dune, whichever. A good BRP-derived space combat system would be cool.

I'd definitely recommend picking up Worlds Beyond from Chaosium's store.

The system is essentially BRP, and it does have a pretty solid (appearing) starship construction and combat system.

[Enpeze]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

I'd definitely recommend picking up Worlds Beyond from Chaosium's store.

The system is essentially BRP, and it does have a pretty solid (appearing) starship construction and combat system.

Worlds beyond? I looked at this at the chaosium site but didnt find it. Maybe I should improve my searchgle-fu.