Ason
2014-02-26, 08:07 PM
I believe that with a few simple tweaks, the combination of two game systems (Artemis & Gamma World) can give gamers a one-of-a-kind spacefaring experience. I offer my idea here for critique, suggestions and discussion.
Step 1: Artemis (http://www.artemis.eochu.com), the spaceship bridge simulator video game [here are (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKIIasfxuhA) some examples (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w4JOu44zbQ), as this one needs more explaining]
Artemis is a 3-6 player game where each PC/tablet/smartphone becomes a computer on the bridge of a spaceship. Your bridge team consists of a Captain (whose device becomes the bridge's “main screen”), Helmsperson, Weapons Officer, Science Officer, Communications Officer and Chief Engineer, and the game also has abilities for a mid-mission DM window and user-designed missions. A DM who wants to run a spacefaring game could, with some practice, plan sessions where the players will *actually* pilot a ship using the ship's computers instead of just rolling dice for it. As an added bonus, the game can host up to 8 ships of 3-6 players each in co-op or pvp modes. What if your 6 players actually are just running 2 allied ships of 3 officers who must coordinate their operations? Options abound.
There would be some issues with missions that are not 100% combat-focused (e.g. running simulations where the goal is simply to escape an armada of enemies, smuggling operations, boarding parties) and adjusting the game to fit specific sci-fi settings (it’s a fairly generic Star Trek knock-off at present), but perhaps those are surmountable with custom-built missions, a homebrew setting incorporating the game’s lore and some DM hand waving.
The benefits of using Artemis for a campaign's space missions are: 1) Immersion- when you play Artemis, you feel like you’re actually flying a spaceship (e.g. every Chief Engineer eventually yells in full seriousness, "*och* I'm giving 'er all she's got captain!"), 2) Communication- players must interact with each other to succeed, which leads to more ample RP opportunities if the DM can keep players in-character, 3) Control- unlike other spaceship video games, this one allows for mission customization, which should facilitate deeper storytelling, and 4) Learning Curve- the first two missions are difficult as players learn gameplay, but after that people can explain roles to each other and more quickly pick up new stations.
Step 2: Gamma World (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_World#Seventh_Edition_.282010.29) [the 4e version (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndacc/254600000)]
There are lots of systems that can run sci-fi adventures. I suggest adapting Gamma World 4e in particular because it’s touted as having fast character generation rules, can match Artemis' frenzy, has sci-fi elements and is a d20 system (so fairly familiar to most gamers). All you need to say is that humanity has evolved and mutated across the solar systems into a variety of races (which fits well enough with Artemis’ existing lore), and you can re-fluff most of the mechanics to move from post-apocalyptic to space exploration. The best part is that faster char-gen can lead players to treating away mission teams like red shirts, where it doesn’t matter if people die because the benevolent federation will easily and uncaringly replace them.
Also, Space Yetis wielding advanced-polymer batons (aka. telephone poles (http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/10/13)).
Step 3: Profit
You now can have Sci-Fi adventures at the D&D table where the players fly an ‘actual’ spaceship via Artemis and do away missions via Gamma World dice rolling. As an added bonus, both systems are very flexible: if a player can’t make it, the DM can simply say "Captain Anders is sick. Helmsman Biggs, as first mate you are now acting captain." Since the spaceship itself acts as a quest hub, you have much more flexibility session-to-session as long as your PCs make it back to the ship before each session ends. With moderate re-fluffing abilities, the DM can also adapt these systems to most any sci-fi setting she desires as well, and if she gets bored DM-ing, the DM can step into a bridge officer role as a redshirt’s “temporary promotion” for a session or two. Most importantly, the players feel like they’re piloting an actual freakin’ spaceship of redshirt stone yetis, psychic cockroaches and cyborg hawk-people.
Thoughts? Am I just crazy, or would this mash-up of gaming systems be simply amazing for a sci-fi tabletop campaign?
Step 1: Artemis (http://www.artemis.eochu.com), the spaceship bridge simulator video game [here are (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKIIasfxuhA) some examples (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w4JOu44zbQ), as this one needs more explaining]
Artemis is a 3-6 player game where each PC/tablet/smartphone becomes a computer on the bridge of a spaceship. Your bridge team consists of a Captain (whose device becomes the bridge's “main screen”), Helmsperson, Weapons Officer, Science Officer, Communications Officer and Chief Engineer, and the game also has abilities for a mid-mission DM window and user-designed missions. A DM who wants to run a spacefaring game could, with some practice, plan sessions where the players will *actually* pilot a ship using the ship's computers instead of just rolling dice for it. As an added bonus, the game can host up to 8 ships of 3-6 players each in co-op or pvp modes. What if your 6 players actually are just running 2 allied ships of 3 officers who must coordinate their operations? Options abound.
There would be some issues with missions that are not 100% combat-focused (e.g. running simulations where the goal is simply to escape an armada of enemies, smuggling operations, boarding parties) and adjusting the game to fit specific sci-fi settings (it’s a fairly generic Star Trek knock-off at present), but perhaps those are surmountable with custom-built missions, a homebrew setting incorporating the game’s lore and some DM hand waving.
The benefits of using Artemis for a campaign's space missions are: 1) Immersion- when you play Artemis, you feel like you’re actually flying a spaceship (e.g. every Chief Engineer eventually yells in full seriousness, "*och* I'm giving 'er all she's got captain!"), 2) Communication- players must interact with each other to succeed, which leads to more ample RP opportunities if the DM can keep players in-character, 3) Control- unlike other spaceship video games, this one allows for mission customization, which should facilitate deeper storytelling, and 4) Learning Curve- the first two missions are difficult as players learn gameplay, but after that people can explain roles to each other and more quickly pick up new stations.
Step 2: Gamma World (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_World#Seventh_Edition_.282010.29) [the 4e version (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd/products/dndacc/254600000)]
There are lots of systems that can run sci-fi adventures. I suggest adapting Gamma World 4e in particular because it’s touted as having fast character generation rules, can match Artemis' frenzy, has sci-fi elements and is a d20 system (so fairly familiar to most gamers). All you need to say is that humanity has evolved and mutated across the solar systems into a variety of races (which fits well enough with Artemis’ existing lore), and you can re-fluff most of the mechanics to move from post-apocalyptic to space exploration. The best part is that faster char-gen can lead players to treating away mission teams like red shirts, where it doesn’t matter if people die because the benevolent federation will easily and uncaringly replace them.
Also, Space Yetis wielding advanced-polymer batons (aka. telephone poles (http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2010/10/13)).
Step 3: Profit
You now can have Sci-Fi adventures at the D&D table where the players fly an ‘actual’ spaceship via Artemis and do away missions via Gamma World dice rolling. As an added bonus, both systems are very flexible: if a player can’t make it, the DM can simply say "Captain Anders is sick. Helmsman Biggs, as first mate you are now acting captain." Since the spaceship itself acts as a quest hub, you have much more flexibility session-to-session as long as your PCs make it back to the ship before each session ends. With moderate re-fluffing abilities, the DM can also adapt these systems to most any sci-fi setting she desires as well, and if she gets bored DM-ing, the DM can step into a bridge officer role as a redshirt’s “temporary promotion” for a session or two. Most importantly, the players feel like they’re piloting an actual freakin’ spaceship of redshirt stone yetis, psychic cockroaches and cyborg hawk-people.
Thoughts? Am I just crazy, or would this mash-up of gaming systems be simply amazing for a sci-fi tabletop campaign?