-
2021-09-15, 08:29 AM (ISO 8601)
-
Top
-
End
-
#44
Barbarian in the Playground
Re: What changes in Space Adventures?
Example of space combat or its lack:
- Star Trek and Star Wars have very little space combat.
- Dune was carefully designed to dial down technology (knife fighting, no computers) and didn't have space combat. It also ruled out nukes via extremely harsh taboo.
- Babylon 5 had more space combat, and it had some great emotional moments in space battles, but I don't see how that could translate well to an RPG.
- The Miles Vorkosigan books had some boarding battles and a hair-raising unarmed-shuttle-under-fire scene, but they basically stipulated that actual space battles were computer-controlled boredom.
Some things I think space settings suggest:
- Everybody is at least somewhat smart and careful, due to all the fragile life-essential stuff around. GruckSmashStuff barbarians or MeDoMischief kender aren't great fits.
- Social scenes can be very different from populated planet to planet.
- Exploration is almost entirely intellectual. The old D&D model of dextrous thieves who climb walls and pick locks doesn't fit well.