Firefly Gaming Survey

POSTED BY: SergeantX
UPDATED: Thursday, April 1, 2004 21:49
VIEWED: 6975
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SERGEANTX

Wednesday, July 9, 2003 6:04 PM

There have been numerous threads discussing various ways to represent the Firefly experience in some kind of interactive "game" format. Early on someone on the official site was doing an Unreal Tournament mod, several people on the new Star Wars MMORPG are doing Firefly type stuff, Jubilee is working on a Neverwinter Nights mod, and there've been numerous threads discussing playing old style pencil and paper RPG's set in the Firefly universe. We've even been discussing an online chat-style RPG on the IRC channel.

I'd like this thread to be something of a survey of everyone's opinions and priorities when it comes to gaming and Firefly. A few important questions come to mind:

1. What element of Firefly would you most like to see represented in a game? Anything you can think of that made Firefly fun that you'd really like to see in a game.

2. What kinds of games have you played that might be well suited to representing the above? These don't have to be computer related, or even science fiction games.

3. If you don't play games much, (or even if you do) is there any other kind of interactive format that you think would be worth a Firefly treatment? Choose-your-own adventure stories, Firefly action figures... anything you can think of.

4. Without any regard for what you think is possible, what would the perfect Firefly game be like? (I'll be in my bunk?)

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

SERGEANTX

Wednesday, July 9, 2003 6:26 PM

I'll go first

1. What element of Firefly would you most like to see represented in a game?

For me the most powerful fantasy concerning Firefly, and one of the things I like most about the show, is the idea of a home doubling as a vehicle to freedom. I've had this idea in my head ever since the late seventies, after seeing Star Wars. I remember designing ships for the old Traveller game and imagining how cool it would be to look out your bedroom window at a vast star field. To be able to pick up at a moments notice and head for greener pastures. "We'll just get ourselves all a little further..." "Take me out to the Black, tell them I ain't coming back..." You get the idea.

2. What kinds of games have you played that might be well suited to representing the above?

I'm not sure I've played any games well suited to really 'get' Firefly. One of the reasons I started this thread. The old pnp role-playing games come closest I suppose.

3. If you don't play games much, (or even if you do) is there any other kind of interactive format that you think would be worth a Firefly treatment?

hmm.. theme park type stuff? Firefly vacation cruise?

4. Without any regard for what you think is possible, what would the perfect Firefly game be like?

The perfect Firefly game would consist of being able to spend my days and nights travelling through space with my 'family'. It would still be a fantasy and a game... I have no desire to really get shot or brush up against death and torture every time I "play". It would include meeting interesting characters and solving tough problems and challenges. It would also include down time where I could just talk with my friends and admire the beauty of open space, travelling to distant planets and moons.

Those are some of my thoughts.

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

JOHNNYREB

Thursday, July 10, 2003 1:02 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by SergeantX:
I'll go first

1. What element of Firefly would you most like to see represented in a game?

2. What kinds of games have you played that might be well suited to representing the above?

3. If you don't play games much, (or even if you do) is there any other kind of interactive format that you think would be worth a Firefly treatment?

4. Without any regard for what you think is possible, what would the perfect Firefly game be like?

SergeantX

O.k. Now that I have a little time to write...

1. There was a game for Sega that I can't remember the name of. It was based on the book Neuromancer. You could play a warrior, a shaman, or a juicer(?). You basically ran around Seattle looking for work. You brought packages from point a to point b and went up in levels. The higher you went in levels, the more you could negotiate your price and pick more dangerous missions. You could decline missions too. The more you got paid, the more you had to spend on better weapons. This is the aspect of Firefly that would be a good gaming experience. Focus on the jobs. The legal ones pay crap. The illegal ones pay better. The dangerous ones pay best. And of course what you were paid was based on your negotiation skills, regardless of the job. It is basically an RPG. But the whole point was to find work so that you could find your brother's killer.

2. Both dice and paper RPG's and Computer RPG's could work well to capture the essence of Firefly.

3. A theme park adventure like the ones they have at Universal studios? A friend of mine also bought Scourge of Worlds. It's a DVD that is played like a "which-way" book. They show you some storyline, then the scene ends, and you have to choose whether you want to take the left path or the right. Then the story continues from the choice you made to the next choice. Attack or Fall back? Kiss her or Don't do it? Join forces, or Go your seperate ways? That would be real cool if they got the actors we all know and love to do something like that.

4. See answer one.

I hope that helps you out. (And I hope you are a computer game programmer

)

Viva Firefly!

STOCKTHEMICK

Thursday, July 10, 2003 1:09 AM

Johhny Reb. The game you're thinking of is Shadowrun. It was based on a pencil and paper game with similar rules to Dungeons and Dragons also called Shadowrun.

Ha ha ha. Mine is an evil laugh.

NEVERFEARSTEVEISHERE

Thursday, July 10, 2003 1:42 AM

a game somewhat like elite II would fit well.

In this old game you flew around visiting planets taking up contracts, cargo including livestock, people and mining rigs.

There was the ever present threat of piracy and opposition to any ilegal activity by the police - which could include anything from piracy to simply being in the star system without a permit.

It was a good game. a game like this, firefly themed would be nice i think.

This is actually something I'd like to have a go at.

the harrier hovers, it will be nice to have a hovering firefly object instead. having just recently started watching this series in the UK on sci-fi channel, I find myself eager to write a game. but can never afford a proper licence. oh yeah, as a note: the screenies are from a game I've been working on with some guys on the net.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Thursday, July 10, 2003 2:28 AM

The way Firefly was presented it was almost like a home. The characters your family, the ship was a place you could picture yourself. That would be it, if it could be done, which I don’t think it can. A game where the environment was so immersive that you cared about what happened to the fictional character next to you, and you would feel sad if you had to leave Serenity.

How about a hotel made to fit the blueprints of the serenity set where you just stay and enjoy yourself for a week or two? Forget the game, eat in the kitchen (cut you’re apples before you eat them), touch the Christmas lights around Kaylee’s door.

JOHNNYREB

Thursday, July 10, 2003 3:32 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by StockTheMick:
Johhny Reb. The game you're thinking of is Shadowrun. It was based on a pencil and paper game with similar rules to Dungeons and Dragons also called Shadowrun.

Ha ha ha. Mine is an evil laugh.

SHADOWRUN! You're right! Wouldn't that make an awesome Firefly RPG game? One would have to tweek it a little, trade in the taxi's for spacecraft, can the Ogres, make the setting space instead of the burroughs of Seattle, and other things. Shadowrun. I can't believe I forgot. Thanks, StockTheMick!

Viva Firefly!

SIRENKAIN

Thursday, July 10, 2003 3:36 AM

[

1. What element of Firefly would you most like to see represented in a game? Anything you can think of that made Firefly fun that you'd really like to see in a game.

2. What kinds of games have you played that might be well suited to representing the above? These don't have to be computer related, or even science fiction games.

3. If you don't play games much, (or even if you do) is there any other kind of interactive format that you think would be worth a Firefly treatment? Choose-your-own adventure stories, Firefly action figures... anything you can think of.

4. Without any regard for what you think is possible, what would the perfect Firefly game be like? (I'll be in my bunk?)

1. I like the element of the team effort also the constant motion in looking for a job.

2. Any role playing game would work. The idea of a Neverinter Nights computer style would work out well. I would also be my new crack.
The best board game style would fit on an old Avalon Hill game called Merchant of Venus. The game is simple but you could add plenty to it. The game works like this: You get a ship, you trade your goods, you find more work, you outfit your ship and when you have money you upgrade things so you get more work faster.

3 and 4 online multi-player is the easy answer. Everyone could have thier own agenda and you could team up with like minded people.

Morbid and creep-ifying I got no problem with.

SERGEANTX

Thursday, July 10, 2003 7:41 AM

Quote:
The way Firefly was presented it was almost like a home. The characters your family, the ship was a place you could picture yourself. That would be it, if it could be done, which I don’t think it can. A game where the environment was so immersive that you cared about what happened to the fictional character next to you, and you would feel sad if you had to leave Serenity.

Quote:
1. I like the element of the team effort also the constant motion in looking for a job.

These ideas seem to get at the heart of the matter from my point of view. I was thinking as I read, what about a MMORPG where you actually had to recruit player characters to crew your ship? You'd take jobs as they come, look for salvage, fend off other 'crews' that might take to preying on others. It might be best to keep armed ships our of reach for player characters, at least if you want to preserve the flavor of Firefly.

You could certainly allow for some player absentee-ism with PC's playing basically neutral roles when the players weren't online, but it should be advantageous to have all players online at the same time. Perhaps starting cash could be such that four or five players could pool their cash and get a broken down old ship, but otherwise individual players would have to sign on with another crew. Players would choose their skills with an eye toward filling needed positions on a ship, so if all you pick are captainy skills you may have a tough time finding a place on a ship.

There seem to be a lot of possibilities in this. It wouldn't be too hard to take a typical first person shooter and come up with the environments. Then come up with some means of piloting ships. It wouldn't need to be terribly involved given that ship to ship combat is not really something we'd be trying to simulate. Most of the game would be social, negotiating deals and completing deliveries etc, but complications do tend to crop up....

The really cool thing is this does afford ample opportunity to form friendships and roleplay Firefly like character development aboard the ship and elsewhere. Hmm all the technologies are there. Anybody out there done levels or mods for other games?

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

CYRIDEL

Thursday, July 10, 2003 11:43 AM

In response to question number 2:

As far as a standard pen and paper role playing game goes, there are systems already available to make a great Firefly game. It would mainly be getting a GM (game master, or DM for the old-timers) who knew their stuff about Firefly. Admittedly, I don't think it would be that difficult for an experienced roleplayer because in my opinion a true-to-life Firefly game would be about 80-90% roleplaying rather than action.

That being said, there are two game systems that I would recommend for a Firefly game. The first, D20 Star Wars. Get rid of the Force and all the aliens. Hell, you've already got the Alliance in the form of the Empire. They've got spaceships and rules for space travel. It would pretty much be a no brainer. Hell, you could even throw in a lighsaber and call it "The Lassiter". 'Course the only real downside I can think of that system is that it is heavily dependent on laser weapons with very few "Firefly" type weapons. So some tweaking would have to be done there.

The other one was a great system that was basically abandoned by Wizards called "Alternity". Again, spaceships and spacetravel are well thoughtout. Most of the story would have to be chunked although there was a conglomeration that would make a very good Alliance. If memory serves correctly it was based on Microsoft.

And finally, for computer gamers, in about a year one could hopefully see a possibility with the current online Star Wars game when they release the space expansion. The only problem with that really is that it's consensual Player vs. Player so you wouldn't even have to fear the Alliance...or Empire (whichever you choose). But theoretically it would give the sense of living on a ship and trying to live by what you can scrape by.

Ok, I've typed enough.

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