General Discussions

Firelfy RPG

POSTED BY: Seshat
UPDATED: Thursday, August 28, 2003 12:03
VIEWED: 22688
PAGE 4 of 6

RADIOJOE

Wednesday, March 26, 2003 4:22 PM

Well, I couldn't get permission, but I've posted another system my friends and I have been using for quite a while. It is 3d6, point based, Stat + Skill and a minimalist approach. The players, the action, the story and the fun -- not the mechanics. Heritage through HERO and FUZION type things, weapons reduced to small, medium, bigger and way big. Keep it simple.

It's at http://members.ispwest.com/radiojoe/firefly

I've also collected two other documents - the general Firefly references people have contributed, and the Chinese references, with a few additions.

I have been working on a low-tech, no aliens, relatively near future sci-fi setting and also posted a link to the beginning of the atlas.

It's basically a kit - the system has worked for a variety of settings, including a very Firefly like game we have played for a few years. Take what you need, leave the rest.

And comments are invited.

While the Bible is very specific on the subject of killing, it's a might hazy on the topic of kneecaps...

ZEKE023

Thursday, March 27, 2003 3:50 PM

d20 I would recommend against. It's too hack and slash oriented.

Have you played GURPS? Since Traveller is now a GURPS system... and GURPS is so adaptable... it may be the best way to go.

WERESPAZ

Thursday, March 27, 2003 4:10 PM

Quote:

Games not rules. What a concept!

Better yet: Story not rules.

My only two cents about RPGs and systems is this: As a storyteller, I like a system that gives you degrees of success, as it adds more to the story than just "You hit him for four points of damage".

-The SpAz

RIVERSIDE

Thursday, March 27, 2003 8:09 PM

Actually it was partially the kinda Deadlands-y feel to Firefly that made me want to watch. I miss the old rules though, no matter what my bro' says. Poker hands for combat is just too cool.

Quote:
Originally posted by Allronix:
Aspects of Deadlands could be adapted to the Firefly Verse, too, especially the "Hell on Earth" scenario - it has the right mix of tech, psionics (which you'll need if you convert River), and Western.

Only problem is that the whole Deadlands scenario reads like the 26th century equivilant of Giles shows up on Serenity and starts passing out wooden stakes.

Co-founder of the Evil Writing Crew - causing hell, one hero at a time!

RADIOJOE

Friday, March 28, 2003 4:08 PM

A couple good comments and the files have been reduced to a single PDF which contains ...

Generic Firefly refs (locations, factions, planets, moons, ships, tech and a complet (fuctional) gaming system to get a group together, roll some dice, hoot and holler.

For them as what need's 'em.

And free.

http://members.ispwest.com/radiojoe/firefly

Email would be nice.

While the Bible is very specific on the subject of killing, it's a might hazy on the topic of kneecaps...

RADIOJOE

Saturday, March 29, 2003 3:56 PM

Okay - I'm done for a while. A new group is organizing here to buy a refurbed firefly and traipse off into the 'verse for whatever we can get.

Revised character sheet.

Also, I can't find deck plans for the Firefly, so I did a quick and dirty job on a Firefly-01 (Serenity is a Firefly-03 to explain discrepancies). Good enough for the game.

http://members.ispwest.com/radiojoe/firefly

Email would be nice.

------

While the Bible is very specific on the subject of killing, it's a might hazy on the topic of kneecaps...

RADIOJOE

Sunday, April 13, 2003 5:09 AM

Thanks to great feedback the RPG page is coming together. Notes have een added for the FUDGE system, which is a word-based RPG available free on the net or through Grey Ghost Games in bookstores.

If you have Firefly RPG materials up on a web page, let me know and I'll provide a link to it.

http://members.ispwest.com/radiojoe/firefly

While the Bible is very specific on the subject of killing, it's a might hazy on the topic of kneecaps...

CAPTAINZEE

Wednesday, April 16, 2003 3:04 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by zeke023:
d20 I would recommend against. It's too hack and slash oriented.

A game is only as hack-and-slash as its players and referee want it to be.

We've played a D&D 3E campaign consistenly for almost three years now and I've found d20 to be intuitive, flexbile and adaptable.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME

KENWOOD

Wednesday, April 16, 2003 6:16 PM

>We've played a D&D 3E campaign consistenly for almost three years now and I've found d20 to be intuitive, flexbile >and adaptable.

It's got some problems 'out of the box', most notably the skill system. But with some mod's it really is a good system. Wouldn't be my choice for Firefly though. I'm lookin at either Deadlands or Millenium's End.

Don't look back, som'thin' might be gainin' on ya.
Who let the pigs play poker?
Evo Shander was right!

ZEKE023

Thursday, April 17, 2003 9:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by zeke023:
d20 I would recommend against. It's too hack and slash oriented.

A game is only as hack-and-slash as its players and referee want it to be.

All I meant was... d20 games are not oriented toward story telling. You can tell a story with them, like you can with any game.

However, the system works against you. Players have 3/4 of a character sheet to represent how combat efficient they are... and only a few spaces for any kind of character personlity or social skills. Not only this, but players are not rewarded whatsoever for taking any kind of flaw that would give their character depth. I know that good role-players will play good characters regardless of system... but the fact is the d20 system doesn't encourage this like White Wolf or GURPS.

You can adapt your own methods to encourage good role-playing... but it isn't inherent within the system. Hence, it is a system oriented toward combat.

I once ran a whole campaign that only had a single combat in it. That type of campaign was BEAUTIFUL for role-playing and great for storytelling - but if I had run it in d20 - 3/4 of the character sheet would have been worthless (all that would have mattered would have been alignment and the diplomacy skill).

But this is just my opinion. There are many different types of gamers - you gotta go with what you like.

-Zeke