Hmmm..... Traveller inspired?

[Maladominus]

I caught this tidbit from the News section of Inside Mac Games magazine... (June 11)

http://imgmagazine.com/news/story.php?ArticleID=16638

In a recent discussion on the official forums a Basilisk Games representative revealed the company is considering releasing a sci-fi based role playing game sometime after completion of Eschalon: Book II. The "old school" game will not feature any magical or mystical elements and will not be post-apocalyptic.

We have another engine (it's true 3D, but mechanically it functions like an advanced Dungeon Master / Eye of the Beholder first-person engine) that we've been working with for quite some time. We have a storyline, some game mechanics in place, and even a title logo. It will be hard-line sci-fi (meaning no magic or voodoo like "the force", although it will feature fringe science). It will not be post-apocalyptic. We are drawing inspiration from an existing "old-school" sci-fi RPG from way back.

I wonder which "old school" sci-fi RPG from way back they are talking about.

 

[robject]

I wonder which "old school" sci-fi RPG from way back they are talking about.

Must be Alternity. No wait, Gamma World...

 

[Tysis]

You know the only old-school hard science fiction would be Traveller or something like Aftermath (if you tossed out the mutants and vampires and such). Traveller is older around 10 years or so.

I am assuming that "old-schools" means 70s and 80s.

From what I remember: Traveller, Aftermath, Gamma World, Star Frontiers, Space Opera, Metamorphesis Alpha, Star Trek

Never played Star Frontiers or Space Opera. Only Traveller and maybe Aftermath would qualify for hard sci-fi.

 

[robject]

Only Traveller and maybe Aftermath would qualify for hard sci-fi.

OOC: Dallas? Whereabouts?

 

[Tysis]

OOC: Dallas? Whereabouts?

Actually Irving. Valley Ranch Area.

 

[robject]

Actually Irving. Valley Ranch Area.

Ah ok. I'm on the East side, out in Allen.

 

[Maladominus]

It will not be based on Gamma World, Aftermath, or Shadowrun or any old school game that is post-apocalyptic in nature. They stated that specifically. Gamma World is ruled out.

Also, we know it won't have some kookie "force magic" in it. So scratch Star Wars RPG and similar games off the list.

Which leaves Traveller as a viable candidate.

 

[sabredog]

Or, God forbid, Space Quest maybe? It's almost as old as Traveller.

 

[Supplement Four]

From what I remember: Traveller, Aftermath, Gamma World, Star Frontiers, Space Opera, Metamorphesis Alpha, Star Trek

There are a bunch of sci-fi related rpgs that are all but forgotten today.

Anybod remember SPI's Universe? It was supposed to compete with Traveller. I've never read it, but I understand it was a pretty good game system that was lost in the shuffle when TSR bought SPI.

And, there are the games that had less support, like High Colonies that never got beyond the main rulebook.

The article is probably talking about Traveller. But, if not, there are several other choices.

 

[G K Zhukov]

Anybod remember SPI's Universe? It was supposed to compete with Traveller.

And FGU's Space Opera? It is still in print IIRC...

 

[mike wightman]

I have Universe sitting on the shelf behind me - some very good ideas in that game and a star chart to rival T2300.

I always liked FGU's Space Opera - take out some of the silly stuff and it's not bad, and the equipment book is very comprehensive.

 

[aramis]

Let's see: 1980 cutoff...

Starfaring (Ken St. Andre) (1976)
Traveller (Miller, GDW) (1977)
Metamorphosis Alpha (TSR) (1977)
Starships & Spacemen (Kanterman, FGU) (1978)
Space Patrol (Kurtic, Zocchi) ('79 IIRC)
John Carter, Warlord of Mars (Heritage Models) (1978)
Star Trek: Adventure Gaming in the Final Frontier aka Heritage Trek (Heritage Models) (1978)
GammaWorld (TSR) (1978)


By 1985, we can add:
Aftermath (FGU) (81)
Star Trek (FASA) (82)
Space Opera (FGU) (1982)
Mechanoids (Simbieda, Palladium) (1981)
Star Frontiers (TSR)(1982)
Morrow Project (Timeline) (1983)
Car Wars (SJG) 1984 (Well, it's right on the border of RGP and board game)
Judge Dredd (GW) (1984)
Paranoia (Costikyan, WEG) (1984)
Twilight 2000 (GDW) (1984)
TMNT (Wujic, Palladium) 1985
Space Master (ICE) (1985)

So it really could be a throwback to any of them... or all of them... except trek.

 

[BlackBat242]

AGAIN... It will not be post-apocalyptic.*
Thus,

Let's see: 1980 cutoff...

Starfaring (Ken St. Andre) (1976)
Traveller (Miller, GDW) (1977)
Metamorphosis Alpha (TSR) (1977)
Starships & Spacemen (Kanterman, FGU) (1978)
Space Patrol (Kurtic, Zocchi) ('79 IIRC)
John Carter, Warlord of Mars (Heritage Models) (1978)
Star Trek: Adventure Gaming in the Final Frontier aka Heritage Trek (Heritage Models) (1978)
GammaWorld (TSR) (1978)


By 1985, we can add:
Aftermath (FGU) (81)
Star Trek (FASA) (82)
Space Opera (FGU) (1982)
Mechanoids (Simbieda, Palladium) (1981)
Star Frontiers (TSR)(1982)
Morrow Project (Timeline) (1983)
Car Wars (SJG) 1984 (Well, it's right on the border of RGP and board game)
Judge Dredd (GW) (1984)
Paranoia (Costikyan, WEG) (1984)
Twilight 2000 (GDW) (1984)
TMNT (Wujic, Palladium) 1985
Space Master (ICE) (1985)

So it really could be a throwback to any of them... or all of them... except trek.

Red is out of the question, as they are clearly "post-apocalyptic".
Yellow is questionable as it is "semi-apocalyptic".
Green is comic-book animal-mutant, not hard-line sci-fi.*

* the words of the game-designer as quoted in the thread-opening post.

 

[Chaos]

And I suppose neither John Carter nor Star Trek really count as Hard SF, either.

 

[Maladominus]

And I suppose neither John Carter nor Star Trek really count as Hard SF, either.

Even assuming that Star Trek can pass for hard SF (i.e. the quasi scientific babble-talk in TNG is notorious).... uhhh..... does anyone really think that a small indie software games company will pay the $600 bazillion dollars that GREEDY-ARSE PARAMOUNT will demand for a Star Trek license?

Right. A Star Trek game is unlikely. Traditionally, Paramount has been very zealous and very paranoid and very greedy and over-demanding about who they license their ST franchise to.

Marc Miller.... on the other hand... I bet Marc could easily be bribed for a six-pack of Miller Light and a C-note. /kidding


By the way, I rarely play games on the Mac (that's what my PC is for), but the few games that are "worth playing" on the Mac tend to come from the smaller innovative indie games companies (e.g. Bungie Software of Halo fame used to be a legendary Macintosh-only game company back in the 1990s). Basilisk Games has really gorgeous games, like their upcoming Eschalon 2. One look at the screenshots and you realize that this company makes beautiful games with high-production values, but still doing so under a small budget. And yes, their games tend to be of the "old school role-playing" trend.

http://basiliskgames.com/book2_screen1.html

http://basiliskgames.com/book2_screen3.html

Eschalon 2? Looks to me like harkening back to the good old days of Old School Ultima. Except upon looking at the screenshots, you realize that this game is 3 times more graphically crisp and the graphics are a bit more updated, yet still retains the old school rpg look.