FASER...or PHASER?

 
Some of the feedback I've had on Rogue Space, since its launch, is a request for a bit more granularity in the attributes.  There are a couple different ways of achieving that, but the key for me is KISS: Keep It Simple Spacemonkey. Currently the attributes for Rogue Space are FASER:

Fighting
Acquiring
Scientific
Empathy
Repairing

Here is what I have play tested with, and while not earth shattering, it's made for better game play and a bit more interesting character definition. Be hold...PHASER

Physique-Physical strength, melee combat, running, swimming and climbing
Hustle-Getting, finding, hiding, or losing someone or something
Agility-Hand eye coordination, nimbleness, piloting, shooting and throwing
Scientific-Figuring out puzzles, problems, logical deduction, and analysis
Empathy-Interacting and influencing people, psychic ability: both resistance and usage
Repairing -fixing, upgrading, repairing, or jury-rigging mechanical objects.

Nothing earth shattering nor revolutionary, just a little tweaked and I think a nice evolution.

Your thoughts?

Behind the scenes...

In addition to my lovely wife's illustrations, I have commissioned some illustrations from Luigi "Artkid" Castellani!

Luigi's illustrations are fantastic and I have been lucky enough to commission many for Heroes & Other Worlds (my fantasy RPG.)  Fortunately Luigi was also able to do some illustrative work for the upcoming new edition of Rogue Space and I am really excited!

Now let's talk creatures.  As I said in an earlier post, this section/area was the one that felt out of step with the rest of Rogue Space.  While everything else was pretty clean and simple, this one was clunky. So taking a page from the past I maintained the TSARZ nomenclature for size and just tied a basic die roll modifier tied to creature size. 

So a Tiny creature is -4, Small -2, Average-0, Really Big+2, ZOMG! +4.

This is just a baseline guideline assuming the creature in question is a basic attacker or combat fodder. I suggest a range of plus or minus 1 from each size modifier.  So Average space pirates may be +1, while Tiny vicious biters may be a -3. Simple, clean and easy to adjudicate or whip up on the fly.

For a specialized NPC's or Creatures, one with important meaning to an adventure, you stat it out per normal FASER attributes.  In addition I am working up some "creature features" to help spur ideas on making alien creatures unique beyond just die roll modifier and description. In play its met more of my original Rogue Space ideal (quick, simple, flexible) and aids a free flowing experience for the referee, which of course translates into more seamless play.

The work continues...

Returning

I have finished (and worked ahead a bit) in my plans for my fantasy game Heroes & Other Worlds.  Now I feel comfortable with committing fully to the revision to Rogue Space!

The key to the rework is refitting and expanding things a bit as I am pretty happy with how things came out originally. Plus the wealth of great stuff in Rogue Transmissions and great stuff others have created for Rogue Space supports my idea that the core works.  Even so there is really only ONE major change and that is creatures.

I've never been happy with how critters ended up, instead I am going to take a page from the past and streamline it even further.  It's a work in progress so I won't give you the half baked idea here, and I want to play it out in some "pocket adventures" to see how it plays out. Suffice to say, I think it's going to work just fine and it will be the only real major change to the rules.

I am looking at adding in the following:
+Some alien races
+Additional information/options on non-combat ship sections
+Thumbnail adventure ideas
+Trading/Merchants

Might add the following
? Sample Space Station
? Sample Setting
? My own thoughts on playing Rogue Space and how they are reflected in the Setting

As to the physical design, I am stripping out the retro-vibe and using my wife's illustrations in addition I am making the game into a 6x9 digest sized rule book.

...and for those who wonder, sorry the revised edition will be a for profit item.  Clearly gaming stuff is not a get rich quick scheme, but yes we'd like to enjoy a small profit so that the time and energy my wife and I have put into this might merit a dinner out. We are both very thankful for your support of Rogue Space and look forward to seeing you in the Dark Frontier soon!

Timeline

I just finished one of two projects for my fantasy game Heroes & Other Worlds.  It took 2 months longer than I anticipated. Good news is, I plan on finishing the second project in June.  Then its on to completing the Rogue Space re-write!  My wife has all the art complete so it is a matter of my completing the play testing, re-write: deciding where to edit and what to add.

At this point the core mechanics and rules remain unchanged. Additional content includes fleshing out more of the ship construction, more alien race examples and adding in cybernetics.  One change I am wrestling with is whether to make armor a fixed protection amount or not.  I am leaning towards fixed as it is "cleaner" to adjudicate mechanically (less die rolling). The big issue I am wrestling with is how creatures are defined.  As simple as the rest of the system is, they are just too clunky in my opinion as originally written.

In any event, I am working towards an August timeline for release. Thanks for your patience and support!

And so...

Long time since the last transmission!  Rest assured Rogue Space is not dead!  I have all my wife's great art work to use so it will come out.  Currently I am hard at work on bits and pieces for my fantasy game Heroes & Other Worlds. Once the next two projects are out the door for that, then Rogue Space gets revamped and relaunched with the Dark Frontier edition!

I also intend to make an Other Worlds edition using the system from my fantasy game Heroes & Other Worlds mashed up with Rogue Space!

So rest assured, while Rogue Space is vast its far from empty or unihabitated.

Image Source

Expanded space

I'd like you to point your mouse over to M.J.'s site and see two extremely interesting options for expanding your Rogue Space game.

Cybernetics and a new Psionic Archetype with new Psionics!  Both are offshoots of his ongoing Star*Drive conversion to Rogue Space, and all combined create a fantastic setting/resource for your own Rogue Space game.

Give yourself a holiday treat and check out MJ's outstanding work!

Considerations

As I work on the Dark edition of Rogue Space I am considering a substantial change.  The overall game remains the same, but I am considering changing NPC/creature building rules.  I think it will make the game even better.  But I hear you ask, "Is such a thing even possible? YES IT IS!"  :)

When I created the full edition of Zombies Attack (my zombie survival game, you have downloaded and played it right? I mean its an off shoot of Rogue Space game design so don't fear the dead) I came up with a simple mechanic for NPC's.  Instead of being fully created with all attributes, only certain critical attributes were listed with a bonus.

This gives the referee an idea of focus for the foe in question and in play where/how the npc will act. The more attributes listed, the more dynamic, and potentially deadly, the foe. If an attribute is not listed? You can still use it, but there is no bonus for the creature/NPC using that attribute. Simple clean and it does not require a wonky sub-system to make them work. Notes on damage, size, etc are still used/useful but the base game mechanics are more streamlined and fluid.

Before I go mucking about and potentially "fixing" something you do not believe is broken, please let me know what you think.  Time is short as all the art work is complete and the text is being redone.  I think rather than adding an adventure I may add a section on bionics and mutations. Those might be fun and more inspiring.  As always your feedback (even the meh for my other efforts) is welcome.

So Quiet

...because I finally completed work on my fantasy game Heroes & Other Worlds.  I thought I could do two games and a full time job...and let me tell you how WRONG I was!

Now I can focus in on finishing the Black Edition of Rogue Space.  Thank for your support and patience! 

If you are curious about Heroes & Other Worlds, or like the idea of a Melee/Wizard/Moldvay inspired RPG...then please by all means have a look! It is a simple and sensible system...and I think its great, but everyone thinks their kid is genius so YMMV.