These are the voyages...(What I'd like to play pt3)

Classy Classic

Star Trek. Depending on your age and pedigree of geek-dom that one phrase may conjure up all different kinds of images. While I have viewed all and enjoyed most of the iterations of Trek, classic will always be "Star Trek" to me. The name conjures up that opening narration by Shatner, the legendary theme, the Enterprise *woosh*-ing by at warp speed and so on.

When I caught the bug to do a solo Trek campaign, the original RPG by FASA seemed like a no-brainer. I own it, have played it quite a bit, and love it. It does classic Trek fine (and to be honest, you could probably do TNG on with a little creativity. My longest running RPG campaign ever was set 20 years after STNG using FASA rules).

The only thing that really "bugged" me was that I had an idea I wanted to explore of starting of an Ensign at the beginning of their career and progressing them through play up through the ranks. While FASA does have rules for skill progression (via Skill Checks) there are no rules for promotion and so on. 

This was important to the type of game I had in mind, to basically have "XP" and "Levels" (ie a very mechanical, non-fiat based way to progress in rank). Which led me to THIS:

Totally not Star Trek with the serial numbers filed off. Seriously...

"Starships & Spacemen" is Goblinoid Games "Trek-like" RPG built on the retroclone ruleset that powers "Labyrinth Lord" (their B/X D&D simulacrum). While it isn't 100% Trek, it is VERY close. Close enough to house rule and hand wave the rest of the way.

It has XP based advancement though levels/ranks. Plus it has a few other features of its own that I really like (such as a "resource management" style "mini-game" based on your starship's power).

While shopping around there was another game I had my eye on...

Is totally Star Trek, with the serial numbers left on...

"WNMHGB" is a free, Microlite-20 RPG that captures classic Trek perfectly, with just a dash of humor. I could totally play it on its own and have a blast, but it didn't have some of the features I wanted (like the full range of stats), but DID have others, like the nice d20 system task resolution system and a lot of cool Talents.

"Since both "S&S" and :WNMHGB" are d20 derived though, it should be no problem to mix-n-match from them" I told myself.

That's when my troubles started.

Next thing I knew I was fiendishly planning on adding bits from "White Star", "Hulks and Horrors", "Stars Without Number", as well as "Labyrinth Lord" and "Mutant Future". I'd caught OSR DIY fever (thanks "White Star"!). I told myself this is my chance to be WAY more gonzo than I normally am.

On paper it sounds great, but the idea quickly grew into a monster that I felt like I had no control over and couldn't get a handle on.

Also, it was starting to feel decidedly "un-Trek" to me. While I was excited by the gonzo mashup possibilities, in my heart, I think I'd rather just let Trek be Trek, & save the gonzo for something less "established".

SO...back to square one? In a twist of irony, after I started working on "the project with no end" I ended up finding a good set of "rules" (or guidelines) on  Character Advancement in Rank. Which makes me think, maybe FASA after all...

FASA STAR TREK PROS

• Captures Classic Trek perfectly, as it was designed to do
• Easy and familiar system
• No "conversion" required, all Trek material already built in

FASA STAR TREK CONS

• ONLY does Trek
• No official rank promotion. Above house rules a bit open ended.

S&S/WNMHGB PROS

• Easily to modify and houserule
• Very "mechanical" advancement/promotion system
• Lots of cross-compatible material and resources

S&S/WNMHGB CONS

• Needs lots of "tweaking"
• Almost TOO open ended. A bit overwhelming.
• Not "really" Star Trek

***

NEXT TIME: A "frightfully cheerful" RPG...

All mixed up

S&S, meet WNMHGB...

As mentioned previously, these are the two I'm planning on using for a "Star Trek" game, for reasons also mentioned previously. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that you can get "Starships & Spacemen" from Goblinoid Games, and "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (for FREE) from Internet Archive (main site currently down).

Now, here is the mix I'm planning on using of each:

• Stats: S&S. I like a lot of in the  Microlite d20 system that powers WNMHGB, but the reduction of stats is one thing I din't like. I want my CON & WIS (PSI in S&S) blast it!
• Character Creation: WNMHGB. I'm torn. I like the old school 3d6 in order of S&S, but really, 4d6, drop lowest, arrange to taste really allows more of the "Starfleet" level of Heroic characters that one would expect, so that's what I'm going with.
• Stat Bonuses: S&S. I love B/X D&D's spread from +1 to +3, which S&S is based on. So that's that.
• Races: WNMHGB. S&S is "Star Trek" with the serial numbers filed off. WNMHGB wears its heritage proudly.
• Classes: WNMHGB. There is a charm in it's 3 Classes: Yellow Shirt, Blue Shirt, Red Shirt. However...
• Subclasses: S&S (Modified) ...I also like the B/X slash S&S style subclasses applied here (Command, Helm, Navigation, Science, Communications, Medical, Engineering).
• Skills: WNMHGB. S&S only has four (Combat, Contact, Science, Technical). I like the spread of six in WNMHGB better (Communication, Engineering, Knowledge, Medicine, Physical, Subterfuge). Also under consideration is the Skills system added onto White Star in Hyperspace Messenger #4.
• Talents: Has to be WNMHGB. S&S doesn't have them. They were one of the main motivators for the mash-up, as the original intention was just to strip races and other bits out.
• Saving Throws: S&S. I like having different ones for different things (though I'm REALLY tempted to go "one size fits all"...thanks "White Star"!)
• Psi Powers: I like S&S's take on them. WNMHGB really doesn't have one beyond the Vulcans more or less. There is a great White Star Supplement, Psionics, that I'll likely use as well.
• Task Resolution: Tie. I really do like the "new school" d20 "unified system" mechanic in WNMHGB, but I'm also cool with a simple "roll under stat on d20" as well, so could go either way.
• Hit Dice: S&S. All hail the d8.
• XP/Level Progression: S&S. WNMHGB's is too "nu-skool" loosey-goosey for me.
• Starship Combat: WNMHGB. It's the most "Trek-y" of the two, though I do like S&S's "mini game" of resource management via Energy Units & Power Points for travel, arming weapons, raising shields, and damage taken, & thus will be using it.
• Travel/Map/Energy Usage: S&S. WNMHGB hand waves such stuff. I want it as part of my game.
• Equipment: S&S (for the most part) with my own rules for Phasers. 

So, that's it. Since they're both descended from D&D, they're pretty cross compatible with little to no alteration. Same with all the other games I'm planning on looting for monsters and such.

Long live the OSR and the rise of the Retroclones. ;)

What I'm getting ready to play

...getting ready to 'seek out new life and new civilizations'

Just to get anyone reading up to speed, my first foray into Solo RPG'ing was a B/X D&D hexcrawl that lasted quite a while. Lots of fun, and I plan on getting back to it, but was in the mood to branch out after a while.

I took the jones for a "Monster-of-the-Week" style game, and successfully ran a several session long adventure using the MiniSix version of the d6 system.

Also great fun, also want to continue, but gamer ADD got me to thinking about Star Trek.

I've shared my ideas on what I'd like to do on the G+ Lone Wolf Solo Roleplaying group before, but here is a quick (?) recap for context of my G+ posts of what I'm getting ready to play. Session recaps are to follow here, so I thought this would be useful.

So I'm still slowly putting together what I want to do regarding a "Star Trek" solo campaign. I would have been ok with the old FASA game (which I have), but character creation & starship combat for it is a little too slow, & no rules for RANK advancement (though I'm still REALLY tempted). 

I decided to give a look at "Starships & Spacemen", the D&D derived retroclone, if for nothing else all the random tables. 

This one has really grown on me, as I'm enjoying class/level based right now. Plus I LOVE its whole "space hexcrawl" approach, & Energy Unit resource management "mini-game" 

Still, it isn't "exactly" Star Trek, so I'd been looking over what will need tweaking to bring it more in line with the source material. And I REALLY need a different starship combat system than the one provided. Then it hit me:

www2.abillionmonkeys.com:3389/trek/ 

"Where No Man Has Gone Before" is based off of Microlite d20. Its starship combat system is close to perfect for what I need. Then I get to looking over all the cool Talents it has. I grok the d20 task resolution system (never really looked it over before). 

Now I'm planning on full on mash-up I think. ;) 

Oh, and "Starships & Spacemen" + its sister boardgame "Star Explorer", + "Where No Man Has Gone Before" + ITS sister game "Far Trek" = possibly all the Star Trek themed old school random tables that one could want. :D 

I am planning on putting together a list of what subsystems I'm using from each. Eyeballing the list I jotted down, it's about 50/50, & all of it character/task resolution etc related, with the starship combat from WNMHGB + the Energy Unit management & all the rules for hexcrawling in space from S&S. 

Another idea I had for what I think I want to use for supplemental material is : "Starships & Spacemen"/"Where No Man Has Gone Before" mash-up as the core + "Labyrinth Lord" (for monsters reskinned as alien flora & fauna) + "Mutant Future" (for PC's & NPC's reskinned as Alien Races) + "White Star" & "X-Plorers" & any/all material being released for them (especially stuff of a "Rockets & Rayguns" / retro sci-fi bent). 

Basically, the idea is "what if TOS was never cancelled?" (but with my own cast & crew). 

I'm looking at doing "my own" Star Trek, starting with the end of TOS (thus set in the midst of the "5 year mission", & disregarding all material that followed TOS, thus not feeling constrained to slavishly follow cannon of "what is to come". 

Set at the "southern" edge of Federation (between the Tholians & The Gorn) it will be mostly pure "seek out new life & new civilizations", with occasional guest shots by the Klingons, Romulans, Gorn, Tholains, & Orions. 

Been looking up tons of images of Aliens, Uniforms, Ships, Robots, Tech, etc. from old sci-fi shows & movies of the 60's - 80's to use as inspiration & to reskin right into Trek & preserve that "look" of TOS. So much cool looking "retro future"!

So, that's where all of this is going...more or less... :)