Aliens Roleplay?

[Gligarman2]

So, GITPers. I just saw the first two Alien movies. I was wondering if there was a system existing, or one that could be adapted, to let my gaming group play as Colonial Marines, fighting off drones, facehuggers, and even dealing with chestbursters. Loaders, duct-tape weapons, pulse rifles, smartguns, you name it, I want to play it. What system should I use? Rules-light, please.

[TheThan]

any sort of "modern", "ultra modern" or "sci-fi" system should let you do it. here's a few examples:

D20 modern-future
Star wars saga edition
Gurps
BESM 3rd edition

These systems can let you do it, although some do it better than others. So really its just a matter of how you go about planning it out. One thing you will NEED, is a labyrinthine building complex for your players to get lost in, complete with access shafts, ventilation ports, secret passages and anything else you can think of to get the aliens to the marines.

[Grail]

Steer clear of anything that is d20 with the exception of True20.

Other than that, try GURPS, GDW's Traveller the New Era or Dark Conspiracy 2e (discontinued but you should be able to find a copy), Alternity, SpaceMaster, I believe that there was an Aliens RPG in the 80s, and a ripoff of Aliens called BugHunter.

You really want to avoid any truly "Heroic" system for this kind of game, as it doesn't make sense for the characters to be larger than life heroes capable of taking a pounding and still moving. Ripley survived because of her ingenuity and grit, not because she had more HP and a higher AC. You really need to avoid combats that are a grind, but move into combats that are brutal and quick.

[Fatebreaker]

If everyone is on board with the idea (that is, willing to take skills and gear which are appropriate for the scenario), then Shadowrun or Eclipse Phase can also be options. The first session of our Eclipse Phase game was basically an Aliens scenario, and it went off amazingly well.

Edit: Oh, yeah, Dark Heresy! That's a good 'un, too!

[jaybird]

Dark Heresy. Just start them up a few levels higher. They even have stats for Tyranids (giant killer bugs, sound familiar) in one of the books...I think Inquisitor's Handbook? Take out whatever parts you don't like (Psychic and other Warp-related stuff, probably) and you're good to go. Also, eight pages of rather graphic critical charts

[TheThan]

Steer clear of anything that is d20 with the exception of True20.

Other than that, try GURPS, GDW's Traveller the New Era or Dark Conspiracy 2e (discontinued but you should be able to find a copy), Alternity, SpaceMaster, I believe that there was an Aliens RPG in the 80s, and a ripoff of Aliens called BugHunter.

You really want to avoid any truly "Heroic" system for this kind of game, as it doesn't make sense for the characters to be larger than life heroes capable of taking a pounding and still moving. Ripley survived because of her ingenuity and grit, not because she had more HP and a higher AC. You really need to avoid combats that are a grind, but move into combats that are brutal and quick.

I honestly think some D20 games work well for this sort of game (not all of them mind you). But really a lot of it does hing on the DM. You may be geared out with lots of HP (like the space marines), but getting into melee with an alien is still going to kill you.

You also need to have players with the right mindset. Anyone who's seen the movies will know what to expect, and will over prepare and plan for every conceivable contingency. whereas in the movies, the space marines planed for the contingencies they knew about. They didn't expect the aliens to crawl through the air ducts in the ceiling.

[eggs]

I'd use Unisystem (the system behind Witchcraft and All Flesh Must Be Eaten). It's made for action-horror, and does the job well.

AFMBE already has scifi support and monster rules; the monsters just need to be reined in to the Alien concept.

[king.com]

Dark Heresy. Just start them up a few levels higher. They even have stats for Tyranids (giant killer bugs, sound familiar) in one of the books...I think Inquisitor's Handbook? Take out whatever parts you don't like (Psychic and other Warp-related stuff, probably) and you're good to go. Also, eight pages of rather graphic critical charts

If you want the 40K rpg route, take Deathwatch for this kind of game. You can then throw swarms upon swarms of tyranids at the players and Bolters are fairly close to Pulse Rifles (except they only shoot grenades) and the base book comes with all the fancy marine gear. Not to mention the massive set of Tyranids from your hormagaunts/termagaunts, your genesteelers, warriors, lictors. Seems fairly easy to slip in a facehugger archetype in there.

[jaybird]

If you want the 40K rpg route, take Deathwatch for this kind of game. You can then throw swarms upon swarms of tyranids at the players and Bolters are fairly close to Pulse Rifles (except they only shoot grenades) and the base book comes with all the fancy marine gear. Not to mention the massive set of Tyranids from your hormagaunts/termagaunts, your genesteelers, warriors, lictors. Seems fairly easy to slip in a facehugger archetype in there.

Yeah, but Astartes are significantly less squishy then Colonial Marines seem to be.

[TheThan]

Yeah, but Astartes are significantly less squishy then Colonial Marines seem to be.

Just swap out Astartes for guardsmen, and your good to go.

[hamlet]

Alternity can do it.

Yeah, I know that's my standard response to people asking about a sci-fi game, but really, it can do the Alien universe very very well. The only thing you'd need to do is to design the creatures in advance and rename some of the technology a bit. Otherwise, it's perfect for it.

[The Glyphstone]

If you want the 40K rpg route, take Deathwatch for this kind of game. You can then throw swarms upon swarms of tyranids at the players and Bolters are fairly close to Pulse Rifles (except they only shoot grenades) and the base book comes with all the fancy marine gear. Not to mention the massive set of Tyranids from your hormagaunts/termagaunts, your genesteelers, warriors, lictors. Seems fairly easy to slip in a facehugger archetype in there.

Yeah, but Astartes are significantly less squishy then Colonial Marines seem to be.

Just swap out Astartes for guardsmen, and your good to go.

On the other hand, Tyranids are significantly more deadly than Xenomorphs seem to be - if you use the non-wussified Genestealers, they can maul an Astartes Marine even in power armor.

[king.com]

On the other hand, Tyranids are significantly more deadly than Xenomorphs seem to be - if you use the non-wussified Genestealers, they can maul an Astartes Marine even in power armor.

Yea thats what I was thinking, Space Marines give you good odds of hitting and killing your enemy with a couple of rounds each just like the movies but if you get caught a genestealers ar goign to rip you to shreds.

Dark Heresy means your missing a lot and you might not be getting kills even when you do hit.

[jaybird]

On the other hand, Tyranids are significantly more deadly than Xenomorphs seem to be - if you use the non-wussified Genestealers, they can maul an Astartes Marine even in power armor.

I'm almost certain there's toned-down Tyranids in one of the Dark Heresy books.

Yea thats what I was thinking, Space Marines give you good odds of hitting and killing your enemy with a couple of rounds each just like the movies but if you get caught a genestealers ar goign to rip you to shreds.

Dark Heresy means your missing a lot and you might not be getting kills even when you do hit.

Which is why I suggested they start at a higher level, around 5-6.

[Hemnon]

I found this some time ago.

Aliens: Game Over.

this is a d20 supplement.

[some guy]

I'm a big fan of Basic RolePlaying. It's pretty rules light (everything is roll under a percentage) The quickstart rules are free to download, all you needed to add would be the monsters and weapons.
Great thing is; Call of Cthulhu uses the Basic RolePlaying system, Call of Cthulhu has a sanity score. Alien(s) is about fear in unknown situations, about encountering the horrible. See where I'm going here?

[Saintheart]

For historical interest, there is -- or was -- a specific RPG for Aliens. Made by Leading Edge games, I owned the book back in the late eighties, early nineties:



Basically, it was the Phoenix Command system. And a truly horrible complex piece of ordure.

[hamlet]

For historical interest, there is -- or was -- a specific RPG for Aliens. Made by Leading Edge games, I owned the book back in the late eighties, early nineties:



Basically, it was the Phoenix Command system. And a truly horrible complex piece of ordure.

Yeah. I tried that back in the day. Which is why I didn't recommend it outright.

Horrible bit of trash, really. D20 Modern with Future added in would do better than that.

[king.com]

I'm almost certain there's toned-down Tyranids in one of the Dark Heresy books.




Which is why I suggested they start at a higher level, around 5-6.

I still dont think thats enough for what your doing unless you just throw a massive amount of money at the players, make everyone play a guardsman. At that point why even use those rules.

[Gligarman2]

I found this some time ago.

Aliens: Game Over.

this is a d20 supplement.

Wait, is that for d20 modern or d20 future? And, I've only seen the first two movies. How much modification does this system require to suit Colonial Marines, as opposed to the other, later, marines described?

[Hemnon]

Wait, is that for d20 modern or d20 future? And, I've only seen the first two movies. How much modification does this system require to suit Colonial Marines, as opposed to the other, later, marines described?

that's a homebrewed supplement... so im not really sure, but the later meantioned one looks much better to my opinion.

oh and if you make a game here on Gitp, i'd really like to play a Colonial Marine. (the Aliens: Adventure Game system)

[Partysan]

There is an Alien vs. Predator rpg somewhere on the web which might even be free, however it only exists in Portugese, so I can't really tell you if it's good or not, because I never made the effort to try and decypher it (I do not speak Portugese, Spanish or even French, I'd have to make to with English and Latin). I do have the pdf though.

[truemane]

Yeah. I tried that back in the day. Which is why I didn't recommend it outright.

Horrible bit of trash, really. D20 Modern with Future added in would do better than that.

Heh. I still have that. Talk about good times. Absolutely unplayable, but all those awesome TABLES! 80,000 damage on a hit to the head! Roll poorly and you're in a coma for 486 years! Woooooot!

I think we tried that four or five times before shaking our heads in disbelief and trying something more manageable. Like Particle Physics.

[Hemnon]

Heh. I still have that. Talk about good times. Absolutely unplayable, but all those awesome TABLES! 80,000 damage on a hit to the head! Roll poorly and you're in a coma for 486 years! Woooooot!

I think we tried that four or five times before shaking our heads in disbelief and trying something more manageable. Like Particle Physics.

hey i've looked it over, the system could be fun to try out.

[hamlet]

hey i've looked it over, the system could be fun to try out.

That's like saying that FATAL can't possibly be as bad as the negative press it gets.

[Hemnon]

That's like saying that FATAL can't possibly be as bad as the negative press it gets.

I'm just saying that I'm willing to try something new... the system DOES look very complex, but still... that's like listening to movie-critics (who's got no idea of what they are doing, if you ask me).

[hamlet]

I'm just saying that I'm willing to try something new... the system DOES look very complex, but still... that's like listening to movie-critics (who's got no idea of what they are doing, if you ask me).

Hey, I'm always willing to try new things.

However, I do recognize objectively bad systems (like this one, and FATAL and World of Synnabar) and will not shy away from saying so.

And as to movie critics, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[hamlet]

I'm just saying that I'm willing to try something new... the system DOES look very complex, but still... that's like listening to movie-critics (who's got no idea of what they are doing, if you ask me).

Hey, I'm always willing to try new things.

However, I do recognize objectively bad systems (like this one, and FATAL and World of Synnabar) and will not shy away from saying so.

And as to movie critics, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[Hemnon]

Hey, I'm always willing to try new things.

However, I do recognize objectively bad systems (like this one, and FATAL and World of Synnabar) and will not shy away from saying so.

And as to movie critics, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

still wanna try it out. it sounds very lethal and pretty damn hazardous for the characters (with aliens running around and **** like that).

[Saintheart]

still wanna try it out. it sounds very lethal and pretty damn hazardous for the characters (with aliens running around and **** like that).

No. Just no. I am using all the meaningless power of the Internet now to reach through my monitor, grab you by the shirt, and shake you back and forth, saying "DO NOT PLAY THIS RPG, I TELL YOU!"