Sci-Fi Campaign Idea (Artemis + Gamma World)

[Ason]

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, the spaceship bridge simulator video game [here are some examples, as this one needs more explaining]

Spoiler

Show

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 [the 4e version]

Spoiler

Show

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).

Step 3: Profit

Spoiler

Show

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?

[MonochromeTiger]

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, the spaceship bridge simulator video game [here are some examples, as this one needs more explaining]

Spoiler

Show

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 [the 4e version]

Spoiler

Show

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).

Step 3: Profit

Spoiler

Show

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?

you aren't crazy, playing an "away team" by RPG is actually something done occasionally at conventions or parties and was mentioned to the creator of artemis last year. from what I remember hearing the RPG systems used were a bit more mundane but there's nothing wrong with expanding.

[Fabletop]

I think of 'Star Trek' and wonder how you reward PCs for RP.

What about the Medical officer like 'Bones'? How does roleplaying your PC enrich a scene and confer bonuses? How am I rewarded for character devlopment? And how do I impact a scene in my own unique way that the 'GM' pivots on?

Dialogue needs its own mechanic.

Maybe you addressed that, and if so, my mistake.

[Ason]

you aren't crazy, playing an "away team" by RPG is actually something done occasionally at conventions or parties and was mentioned to the creator of artemis last year. from what I remember hearing the RPG systems used were a bit more mundane but there's nothing wrong with expanding.

Oh really? Righteous! I assumed I wasn't the only one with this idea, but I hadn't realized it had made its way to conventions. Exciting news.

As for why Gamma World, my Artemis games get really frantic and crazy, and from what I know of Gamma World, its tempo and style would match that well. My thought would be using this combo for one-shot games between campaigns while my gaming group needs time to refresh from deeper story lines.

I think of 'Star Trek' and wonder how you reward PCs for RP.

What about the Medical officer like 'Bones'? How does roleplaying your PC enrich a scene and confer bonuses? How am I rewarded for character devlopment? And how do I impact a scene in my own unique way that the 'GM' pivots on?

Dialogue needs its own mechanic.

Maybe you addressed that, and if so, my mistake.

I didn't address that, so no worries. Regarding rewarding roleplaying dialogue, I suppose there's the standbys of RP xp and good-old-fun (my current gaming group gets together because everyone wants to actually roleplay- I'm quite fortunate in that regard). As for my specific vision of this particular Gamma World/Artemis mash-up, it would be a zanier campaign for a more light-hearted feel, so roleplaying would primarily occur (in my mind) because it can lead to hilarity. I suppose we would use the Gamma World mechanics for dialogue during away missions, and during space flight, Communications already handles ship-to-ship talk, while fast-pace dialogue is the central mechanic of playing together as a bridge team.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I love this idea. I want to marry this idea. I want to have its thought-babies.

[Blind_Prophet]

I was thinking of using Artemis to replace Star Wars Saga edition's (or any star rp really) terrible space battle system but this idea is fantastic not only does it give you various alien species on your crew (a staple of any sci-fi imo...Star Trek always failed here with mostly humans on crew) but every "planet" you visit will be wholly unique and "character generation" is literally a single button press (my group is terrible at building characters)

How in-depth is Artemis though like does the gunner have a variety of weapons how many systems can engineering f-with...how varied are the AI ships...are they pretty weak or is that adjustable by the "DM"