Modular RPGs

[Kesvirit]

I know of three modular Star Trek RPG systems: FASA, The Last Unicorn, and StarFleet Battles. Are their others? How do they compare in their portrayal of Klingons in the background/instructional materials ?

-=- Kesvirit

[Abbot Nej vIt]

I Can Not Speak for Last Unicorn, But FASA's RPG Material For The Klingons is Fairly Extensive, If You Can Find it... The FASA Material deeply Influenced and was Influenced By Some ST Novelization Such as "The Final Reflection"... (And Likely a lot more But I Can Not Confirm Those so I will Stick to the One I Know)... And I Believe that John Ford Wrote at least One Module For the FASA Game...

Star Fleet Battles From My Reccolection Really did not Have any RPG Elements to it...

Is there Specific Info that you are Looking For?

[qoSagh]

The FASA material is quite extensive. A lot of what there was has been contradicted, but some (like the fusions) has been canonized. Most of my characters have been based mostly on FASA with the shows and movies as secondary sources. There are also various Klingon tidbits in the individual game suppliments, that one stumbles across every now and then.

Starfleet Battles was I believe just a combat game, that did not deal at all with who populated the ships in question. The reference material at hand was extensive about ships, and I believe the term D-7 came from that game.

I have never heard of Last Unicorn, but would be interested in seeing what else is out there.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Last Unicorn is an Up and Comer From what I have sussed out... They Seem to Be the Contemporary Version of FASA or PALADIUM... In that they Have their Fingers in Several RPG Pies right Now...

[Kesvirit]

Abbot Nej vIt: Is there Specific Info that you are Looking For?

Nothing specific. I began to think about the subject after reading of StarFeet Battles in wingcommanderkram's Star Fleet Klingon ship name list inquiry. I have FASA's two main Klingon manuals (2002 and 2002A) and a handful of their game scenario books.

However, I have never played any of their games. A few sessions of D&D during adolescence have soured me on modular RPG pursuits.... I obtained the books that I did in the course of researching my Klingon heritage.  Just days before making the initial post, I captured two chapters from what appears to be Last Unicorn's Neotrek equivalent Klingon Empire. I seek more.

I suspect that FASA lost the Trek franchise's RPG system to Last Unicorn during the coup of the late 1980's. PALADIUM I have never heard of.

-=- Kesvirit

[Klythe]

    Star Fleet Battles did release an RPG module named "Prime Directives".  Although I was tempted to, I did not buy this book.   It was at a point where I did not have anyone willing to RP Star Trek...  I don't remember much about their system at all...   The SFB universe is one that you might have trouble getting used to. They took TOS an entirely different direction.  They have the Federation, Klingons, Romulans, Gorn, Orions and Tholians.  But they also have Kzinti(now redesigned as the Mirak, to avoid legal issues with Larry Niven), the Hydrans, Lyrans, and Wyn and from Andromeda the Andromedans(Kelvans?), Neotholians and ISC.    No Ferengi, no Bajorans or Cardassians.  No Dominon races or Borg.


   Same thing with Last Unicorn.. I messed all of their stuff.   Their system was entirely unrelated to FASA's, though I know that.   They have since gone out of business, but they sold their Trek RPG licence and the rights to their game System to Decipher, maker of the Star Trek Collectable card game.  Decipher has reworked the system and has re-released it.   I actually have their Players Guide...   It's not as much about the skills which have only a handfull of levels unlike FASA's hundred point system.    And more choosing of advantages and disadvantages for your character...

[qoSagh]

I also was soured to modular RP by some early D&D. I gave Vampire the Masquerade a chance, but not for long. I do think that the supplements give much useful backround information, however. I read one where a Klingon colonial governor invited allthe player ships to dinner, to show off the local foods. He put on a banquet with Klingon as well as local favorites. I used that extensively in my last character, beragha, who was a larger than life, well traveled warrior. He approached food as yet another thing to be passionate about.

I read just about anything Klingon I get my hands on, so handbooks from games I don't play are just another resource to me. I even bought several back issues of a fanzine from some ship across the country from me, because often the fan produced work is better than the commercial stuff. Having many varied sources, also helps make a character unique when doing live action role playing.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Kesvirit,

It Saddens Me that Early Adolesent D&D Issues Have Turned You Off to RPGs... I Say this Because Like Anything it is The People that we Interact with that Ultimatley Form many Of Our Opinions... For My Self RPGs are a lot of Fun, (Way more than LARP or Online Stuff to me), and I Have Both Positive and Negative Experiences with Early Gaming, But I Have Carried the Good Stuff With me Since, and Continue to Game When I Can...

qoSagh,

I Have Really only read the FASA materials as far as Klingon RPG stuff Goes... Have You Found any FASA Influences in any of the Other Systems You've Read?

Klythe,

I Guess the Same Question I asked qoSagh would apply to you as well... I Did not realize that Unicorn was Gone already... Weird... And When I Just Checked my FOLGS I See that the Latest Version of ST Game Seems to be From Decipher Inc, Which I Had Never Even Heard Of Before...