ZebulonCrispi
2007-04-02, 10:38 PM
My current and first homebrew project: To create a set of d20 rules for combat in the Gunbuster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunbuster)/Diebuster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diebuster) universe.
My initial reaction to this idea when it sprang into my head was that it was completely impossible, and I was criminally insane for having even thought of it. The second thought was that no, it could probably be done, but it would take some HEAVY fiddling, and it was probably a bad idea to take something so complex as a first project. My third thought was that life is too short to spend not doing insane things, so here I am.
Scale
The biggest hurdle to overcome in creating a d20 Diebuster (I'll be focusing on Diebuster alot more than Gunbuster, as it is more awesome) system is the scale. 100+ foot robots fighting tens of thousands of space monsters. Enemies the size of entire planets. Can d20 handle something like this? I think it can, but it requires a bit if re-interpreting of the system.
I will be using a two-layer system: One layer for on-foot PC interactions, and one layer for Buster Machine combat. In each layer, things like HP and Strength scores will have completely different meanings.
The Normal layer will function in a way very similar to d20 Modern or Future, haven't thought about that too hard yet. Besides, most PCs wouldn't be fighting much other than other humans outside of their Buster Machines.
The Space layer barely notices humans and the like - HP, physical stats, and size categories are completely reworked to reflect the epic scale of Diebuster battles. A large conventional spacecraft might have about 30 HP, with planets sporting a couple thousand.
When the two layers try to overlap, a pair of simple rules can be used for interactions between them:
1: Any Normal scale being attacking any Space scale being inflicts no damage.
2: Any Space scale being attacking any Normal scale being kills in instantly.
This is my current tenative re-working of the size categories for the Space layer:
{table=head]Category|Range|Examples
Diminuitive|<1m|Cat, Dog
Tiny|1m-4m|Humans
Small|4m-16m|Combat suits, Express space monsters
Normal|16m-64m|Buster Machines, Smallest STMC
Large|64m-256m|Conventional Spacecraft, Space Monsters
Huge|256m-4km|Massive Spacecraft, Cruiser-class STMC
Gargantuan|4km-256km|Battleship Exelio, Massive STMC
Colossal|>256km|Planets[/table]
Buster Machines
Building a Buster Machine is an important part of any Diebuster character, as all characters are assumed to be Toplesses (Buster Machine Pilots). However, I won't be using Mecha rules for this. The Buster Machine is less of a conventional robot and more of a quasi-magical force of personality in the shape of a robot. To accomodate this, Buster Machines will have their own character sheet, and level up along with the pilot.
A Buster Machine has its own hit die, Armor, abilities, movement, and physical stats. Its mental stats, skills, saves, and BAB are taken from the pilot. When rolling stats, roll one set of 9 stats, and distribute them among the 6 stats of the pilot and the 3 stats of the Buster Machine.
I haven't gotten far into the actual construction method for Buster Machines, but they'll most likely be going on something similar to Behold the Void's Bleach d20 classes - a Melee Buster class, a Projectile Buster class, and an Energy Buster class. Each will have its own AC progression, hit die, and abilities. I'll work more on that after studying the series a bit.
Bad guys
There are three main groups of enemies in the Diebuster universe:
Humans
People can never get along very well, and it's very likely that the players will have to fight other people. On foot, this'll be like any d20 Modern/Future battle. In space, combats between Buster Machines are highly rare, but can happen, and should generally be reserved for major plot-based confrontations.
Space Monsters
The most prevalent of mankind's enemies are the Space Monsters. Uncountable in number, they form a blockade around the entire solar system, traveling in swarms numbering in the tens of thousands and occasionally attacking planets or space stations. It is almost impossible for anything but a Buster Machine to fight off the Space Monsters. They range in size from about the size of a one-man combat suit to the size of a large Buster Machine.
Space Monsters will probably be either statted out individually by a few types, or made as some sort of ridiculous template, I'm not sure. As for the Space Monster Expresses, they would be groups of multiple Swarms, each one representing 1,000 Space Monsters.
(Also, due to the nature of Buster Machine weaponry, I will probably allow normally single-target weapons to damage Space Monster swarms at a reduced rate, rather than not at all.)
The STMC
These massive alien beings originated from the center of the galaxy, with the sole purpose of erradicating humanity. They are the 'white blood cells' of the galaxy, seeking out dangerous infestations (like us) and destroying them. Also called Space Monsters (one species was long confused with the other) or Variable Gravity Wells, the smallest of these are the size of Buster Machines. The biggest rival the size of planets. These would be handled more like conventional D&D monsters, just on the Space scale.
STMC, by the way, stands for something so stupid that I'm not even going to repeat it here. It's a good way of differentiating them from the Space Monsters, though, so I'm using it anyway.
This is a project that I just got the idea for recently, and have barely started thinking out at this point. My next step is probably going to be to start statting out the various Buster Machine abilities, followed by a harder look at Space Monsters. Wish me luck!
My initial reaction to this idea when it sprang into my head was that it was completely impossible, and I was criminally insane for having even thought of it. The second thought was that no, it could probably be done, but it would take some HEAVY fiddling, and it was probably a bad idea to take something so complex as a first project. My third thought was that life is too short to spend not doing insane things, so here I am.
Scale
The biggest hurdle to overcome in creating a d20 Diebuster (I'll be focusing on Diebuster alot more than Gunbuster, as it is more awesome) system is the scale. 100+ foot robots fighting tens of thousands of space monsters. Enemies the size of entire planets. Can d20 handle something like this? I think it can, but it requires a bit if re-interpreting of the system.
I will be using a two-layer system: One layer for on-foot PC interactions, and one layer for Buster Machine combat. In each layer, things like HP and Strength scores will have completely different meanings.
The Normal layer will function in a way very similar to d20 Modern or Future, haven't thought about that too hard yet. Besides, most PCs wouldn't be fighting much other than other humans outside of their Buster Machines.
The Space layer barely notices humans and the like - HP, physical stats, and size categories are completely reworked to reflect the epic scale of Diebuster battles. A large conventional spacecraft might have about 30 HP, with planets sporting a couple thousand.
When the two layers try to overlap, a pair of simple rules can be used for interactions between them:
1: Any Normal scale being attacking any Space scale being inflicts no damage.
2: Any Space scale being attacking any Normal scale being kills in instantly.
This is my current tenative re-working of the size categories for the Space layer:
{table=head]Category|Range|Examples
Diminuitive|<1m|Cat, Dog
Tiny|1m-4m|Humans
Small|4m-16m|Combat suits, Express space monsters
Normal|16m-64m|Buster Machines, Smallest STMC
Large|64m-256m|Conventional Spacecraft, Space Monsters
Huge|256m-4km|Massive Spacecraft, Cruiser-class STMC
Gargantuan|4km-256km|Battleship Exelio, Massive STMC
Colossal|>256km|Planets[/table]
Buster Machines
Building a Buster Machine is an important part of any Diebuster character, as all characters are assumed to be Toplesses (Buster Machine Pilots). However, I won't be using Mecha rules for this. The Buster Machine is less of a conventional robot and more of a quasi-magical force of personality in the shape of a robot. To accomodate this, Buster Machines will have their own character sheet, and level up along with the pilot.
A Buster Machine has its own hit die, Armor, abilities, movement, and physical stats. Its mental stats, skills, saves, and BAB are taken from the pilot. When rolling stats, roll one set of 9 stats, and distribute them among the 6 stats of the pilot and the 3 stats of the Buster Machine.
I haven't gotten far into the actual construction method for Buster Machines, but they'll most likely be going on something similar to Behold the Void's Bleach d20 classes - a Melee Buster class, a Projectile Buster class, and an Energy Buster class. Each will have its own AC progression, hit die, and abilities. I'll work more on that after studying the series a bit.
Bad guys
There are three main groups of enemies in the Diebuster universe:
Humans
People can never get along very well, and it's very likely that the players will have to fight other people. On foot, this'll be like any d20 Modern/Future battle. In space, combats between Buster Machines are highly rare, but can happen, and should generally be reserved for major plot-based confrontations.
Space Monsters
The most prevalent of mankind's enemies are the Space Monsters. Uncountable in number, they form a blockade around the entire solar system, traveling in swarms numbering in the tens of thousands and occasionally attacking planets or space stations. It is almost impossible for anything but a Buster Machine to fight off the Space Monsters. They range in size from about the size of a one-man combat suit to the size of a large Buster Machine.
Space Monsters will probably be either statted out individually by a few types, or made as some sort of ridiculous template, I'm not sure. As for the Space Monster Expresses, they would be groups of multiple Swarms, each one representing 1,000 Space Monsters.
(Also, due to the nature of Buster Machine weaponry, I will probably allow normally single-target weapons to damage Space Monster swarms at a reduced rate, rather than not at all.)
The STMC
These massive alien beings originated from the center of the galaxy, with the sole purpose of erradicating humanity. They are the 'white blood cells' of the galaxy, seeking out dangerous infestations (like us) and destroying them. Also called Space Monsters (one species was long confused with the other) or Variable Gravity Wells, the smallest of these are the size of Buster Machines. The biggest rival the size of planets. These would be handled more like conventional D&D monsters, just on the Space scale.
STMC, by the way, stands for something so stupid that I'm not even going to repeat it here. It's a good way of differentiating them from the Space Monsters, though, so I'm using it anyway.
This is a project that I just got the idea for recently, and have barely started thinking out at this point. My next step is probably going to be to start statting out the various Buster Machine abilities, followed by a harder look at Space Monsters. Wish me luck!