Every time I check out my blog’s New Years posts, I noticed that I keep mentioning that I ought to run a sci-fi game but never get around to doing so. With my L5R campaign winding down, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to consider checking out what other games I could be running this year that might scratch that itch.
I’m aware of both Shadowrun 5th and Eclipse Phase, but at this point I’m not sure I can run either of these just yet. Something tells me that I might have better luck looking at Space Opera games first, as they’re a little closer to the fiction I’m used to running as opposed to Cyberpunk and Hard Science Fiction.
That said I don’t have an idea of what to go for first. I suppose I should explore my options. I’ve been watching a lot of Gundam Build Fighters lately, so I’ve a bit of a mecha trip right now, but I’m also waxing nostalgic for Star Frontiers as well.
Here’s hoping that I won’t be looking back at this in a year and laughing at my inability to follow through again.
Anyone have any suggestions for games I ought to run or any other games I should be looking forward to this year?
Life and Times of a Philippine Gamer 
Traveller and the old gem Star Frontiers are very nice. The latter is available for free in PDF, and has an ongoing PDF magazine that supports it.
Zap!, of course
If you have an itch for mechas I’d recommend Jovian Chronicles. The spanish RPG EXO is a good option, also, if you don’t have a problem with the language.
if you have an itch for mechas I’d recommend Jovian Chronicles. The spanish RPG EXO is a good option also, if you don’t have a problem with the language.
There’s Apotheosis Drive X for FATE-based mecha on mecha action. I think it’s just five bucks right now on RPGNow. 🙂
I have always wanted to run a gritty psychological space opera using New World of Darkness (there are even a few sci-fi supplements to the game out there, but rare.)
That said, Yozzarian the Yazarian is one of my all time favorite charaters so it looks like Star Frontiers is getting a huge amount of favor in the comments! Can’t comment on any of the other games mentioned so far besides Traveller, but I never made it past character creation in that game 😦
🙂
Star Frontiers charms its way into anyone’s heart, Jason.
I remember when I only had a vague idea of how rpgs worked, so when I ran it for my brother, I had him build an entire party for him to control :p
Well, on the expectation side… Ryuutama. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, and I’m not sure when it’s coming out, but it is in the process of being translated. Check it here. Or get the free Japanese version online.
Game systems for Sci-Fi… My Sci-Fi is mostly 40k, focused on Rogue Trader, but well… it’s 40k. FATE Core could be used, since it’s very flexible, but you need to create your own setting. The same could be said for Savage Worlds and nWoD. Not sure if Tenra Bansho ZERO counts since I haven’t read it, but I’ve heard good things about it.
Dungeons the Dragoning 40k 7th Edition… Well, you could use it. It caters to a lot of things, being a mash-up of a lot of things, but the problem is that it is a mash-up of a lot of things. There are times when it is clunky, but it depends on the preferences of the players.
Mecha-wise… well, Adeptus Evangelion is the only mecha game I play, but yeah… it’s Evangelion.
You want to run A Time of War~ House politics, mechs, secession, betrayal, the rise and fall of tech and human decency, more mechs, jump ships, mercs, Solaris VII, and mechs…!