Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: fourcolorfigs on April 20, 2021, 09:31:57 PM
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Believe me, I am just as excited about Stargrave and Five Parsecs From Home as a lot of other people on this board I am sure. I am in big on the Nickstarter, and I already own and love Five Parsecs (I am waiting for my hard copy in May).
But I am also an incurable tinkerer and 18 months of solo and co-op gaming have left me looking at my previous sci-fi games (Blasters & Bulkheads and Void Pirates) and wanting to do more.
I am working on something new that will incorporate PvP and Solo / Co-op action in one book. It will be Goalsystem. It will have some refinements gleaned from Super Mission Force 2nd ed. I've almost knocked enough together to playtest and to ask folks if they want to play-test as well.
If anyone's interested, let me know. Thanks as always!
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Well, of course. Can't guarantee I'll be gaming face-to-face for a while yet, but it wouldn't be the first time I've done solo testing or resorted to playing online.
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I wouldn't be able to playtest but I just wanted to chime in, as someone who has bought hard copies of SMF2 and Slugfest!, that I'm very excited for your take on Sci-fi!
While I've decided to focus on Horizon Wars: Zero Dark and Five Parsecs 3rd edition for now, I will gladly support this upcoming project and add it to the gaming library. And who knows, maybe it can supplant those other games for me too!
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I have admittedly looked at both Blasters & Bulkheads and Void Pirates before. Not sure why I didn't buy them. Maybe because I didn't really get enough feel for what they were and how they differed from something like 5 Parsecs (which I did buy) and Stargrave (which I also bought).
So, since you are the expert, what are the unique selling points, and what do they accomplish that others do not?
For instance, I actually really like the 5P Salvage Crew Rules and prefer them to the normal 5P rules. Mostly because I liked the interesting mechanics around contacts. It reminded me of the old Aliens movie scanner scenes where there is a blip on the scanner but you don't know if it is a xenomorph or a stupid cat... sorry, "kid" for Aliens. It created some interesting tension in a solo game.
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Good luck with the idea, but, sorry to say, I think Void Pirates is fantastic and I love it so won't be looking any further.
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Good luck with the idea, but, sorry to say, I think Void Pirates is fantastic and I love it so won't be looking any further.
That's actually really great! Thank you!!!
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I have admittedly looked at both Blasters & Bulkheads and Void Pirates before. Not sure why I didn't buy them. Maybe because I didn't really get enough feel for what they were and how they differed from something like 5 Parsecs (which I did buy) and Stargrave (which I also bought).
So, since you are the expert, what are the unique selling points, and what do they accomplish that others do not?
Good questions.
If you like Goalsystem games and dice pool mechanics you will like these rules. It will include scenarios with both PvP and Solo / Co-op options. It will have a nice bestiary of foes.
In terms of the campaign system, all of your characters will advance vs. just two in Stargrave. Your crew's model will be a little lower than Stargrave, 2 - 7 vs. 10 for Stargrave. 5 Parsecs features crews around 6 in size, I think.
Characters in Farthest Star will be a bit more survivable than 5 Parsecs' one hit and done system. But there is still the potential to be taken out in one shot.
Comparing the campaign systems, FS sits somewhere in between Stargrave and 5 Parsecs in terms of detail and complexity. In the post-battle phase you can take your crew members and go on side-quests, try to earn money, run criminal operations, travel to new worlds, search for new patrons. There's both a story point mechanic and economic mechanic--Crew Wealth Score.
It will feature rules for humans and alien species, and rules to easily build your own species.
So there's a lot there. It will hopefully occupy its own space in beside these other great games.
I will post a link here for a play-test doc when it is closer to ready in a day or two.
Bit of a rambling answer, but I hope it helps! Thanks!
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Looking forward to this as well.
I found Void Pirates the other day under a pile of stuff, so I really should try to read it at some point ;D I'm not usually a fan of dice pools, but I did find it added a nice random element when playing solo.
Interested to see what comes out of this :)
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Ive sold everything I own at least twice.. but I've always kept a hold of my copy of Blasters and Bulkheads. Really looking forward to this.
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I appreciate the details! The post-battle sequence does intrigue me. I'll probably pick it up, if for no other reason than to read it. I hope it features the same old-school artwork as the other titles!
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I appreciate the details! The post-battle sequence does intrigue me. I'll probably pick it up, if for no other reason than to read it. I hope it features the same old-school artwork as the other titles!
I am toying with using a lot of painted miniatures in action photographs, but I will have some art too, I think.
Thanks!
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Great news, I do love your goalsystem (i have almost all of them !), I think the one I appreciate the most is the very pulpy Chaos on Cronos : how complex will be this new game, compared to Blasters & Bulkheads and Void Pirates ?
Anyway, I am interested in playtesting this game !
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Great news, I do love your goalsystem (i have almost all of them !), I think the one I appreciate the most is the very pulpy Chaos on Cronos : how complex will be this new game, compared to Blasters & Bulkheads and Void Pirates ?
Anyway, I am interested in playtesting this game !
Thanks! Great questions!
Farthest Star will feature a stat profile. Here's an example:
Galactic Council Diplomat (minor)
RA 3[1] | RD 4 | MA 3[1] | MD 3 | F 3 | I 5 | P 3 | C 5 | W 3 |
Species: Human
Primary Trait: Troubleshooter
Secondary Traits: Enhanced Senses, Lesser Psychic, Lucky, Savant, Wealthy Scion
Gear: Basic Ranged Weapon, Basic Melee Weapon, Body Shield, Scanner
Move: 6"
Fate: 3
Health: 4
You build your crew on an array of 4 standard characters. Similar to SMF, you can trade a standard down for two minors, or trade two standards up for one major. You always have to have at least one Standard or Major character in your crew. In this way your starting crew can be 2 to 7 models.
A standard character starts with 4D in all stats, 2 Fate, and 6 Health. Majors start with 5D, 4 Fate, and 8 Health. Minors start with 3D, 1 Fate, and 4 Health.
Stats in the profile are: Ranged Attack, Ranged Defense, Melee Attack, Melee Defense, Fitness, Intellect, Perception, Charisma, and Will.
Species, Primary Trait, and Secondary traits all affect your character's stat profile and grant special abilities and perks.
Fate works differently. It will be points you spend and then they're gone until the next battle.
I am building on the campaign system in Void Pirates. I am adding in story points toward campaign goals, and additional options and activities. For example, you get to pick what kind of starship you fly around in. It's general, but flavorful. This affects your chances to earn money during the post-battle campaign turn.
So far I have three scenarios written. I want to write at least three more for the initial book. I could then release small supplements with mini-campaigns in them.
Hopefully I can have this play-test document together by the end of the weekend. Let me know if you have more questions. Thanks!
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This sounds excellent. SMF and the 5PFH games are my favorites, so any sort of conceptual combination is very exciting!
I've done some mashing together of them myself, but I haven't hit on the right mix, so this sounds really great.
I would love to test it out or help in any way.
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That looks like a nice crossover between role playing and wargaming. That said, while I generally understand what stats like charisma imply, I find that a lot of wargaming almost never touches this in scenario development. As such, these stats are rarely used or have no real bearing on gameplay. Yes, your character is one hell of a charmer, but games just involve shooting and blowing stuff up. I dislike that. I mean, I like games that do not focus heavily on shooting. Some combat is to be expected, but if a stat exists, I have an expectation that it will have some value in the midst of any game and not just a one-off scenario designed to use charisma to accomplish an end goal of some kind.
Since I'm a solo gamer, I also don't care to have more than 10 figures on the table at once. I'm effectively playing all of the characters, and the more figures I pull out the more space they need. So I like the idea of 2-7 figures and a like number of enemies. I'd probably skew towards the low end and play in a smaller space.
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That looks like a nice crossover between role playing and wargaming. That said, while I generally understand what stats like charisma imply, I find that a lot of wargaming almost never touches this in scenario development. As such, these stats are rarely used or have no real bearing on gameplay. Yes, your character is one hell of a charmer, but games just involve shooting and blowing stuff up. I dislike that. I mean, I like games that do not focus heavily on shooting. Some combat is to be expected, but if a stat exists, I have an expectation that it will have some value in the midst of any game and not just a one-off scenario designed to use charisma to accomplish an end goal of some kind.
Since I'm a solo gamer, I also don't care to have more than 10 figures on the table at once. I'm effectively playing all of the characters, and the more figures I pull out the more space they need. So I like the idea of 2-7 figures and a like number of enemies. I'd probably skew towards the low end and play in a smaller space.
I think you're going to be happy with the way this is going. Charisma gets used a lot--it is not only a measure of personal magnetism, but also luck and fortune. You will have the option to use it quite a bit during the part 2 of the campaign round, the post-battle. You get to send your crew out to a number of interesting things, and Charisma is involved in a number of them.
For those familiar with Goalsystem Delves and Void Pirates, the post-battle is a game within a game where you build wealth for your crew, find new jobs, acquire new equipment, etc. I am refining and expanding it for Farthest Star.
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Sounds good so far. The way the crew selection works reminds me a bit of AE Bounty, which had a vaguely similar mechanic for trading quality for quantity. No "henchman mob" option though? I realize they're hell on figure count requirements but I always liked henchmen.
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Sounds good so far. The way the crew selection works reminds me a bit of AE Bounty, which had a vaguely similar mechanic for trading quality for quantity. No "henchman mob" option though? I realize they're hell on figure count requirements but I always liked henchmen.
They will be included in the last chapter, which is a bestiary of sorts. The rules are there, and a number of them will be pre-built for you. I will work on a rough equivalency so folks who don't want to use them at all can just swap in another standard or minor character.
I figured folks who have been with the game a while might miss them, so in they went! ;)
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They will be included in the last chapter, which is a bestiary of sorts. The rules are there, and a number of them will be pre-built for you. I will work on a rough equivalency so folks who don't want to use them at all can just swap in another standard or minor character.
I figured folks who have been with the game a while might miss them, so in they went! ;)
I'd say you figured correctly. If nothing else, henchmen are helpful for getting mileage out of "squaddie" figs from other game systems. Plus, watching them die in droves is a good way to show off how powerful "hero" figs are.
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I'm also intrigued by these. I've played a good deal of Void Pirates and have enjoyed how it plays. To hear that the new set has solo potential, scenarios (which you always do well) and a bestiary (with henchmen!) makes it all the more attractive.
Would these rules work for Star Wars/Mandalorian games? I realise you might be going for a grittier feel, but thought to ask!
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Would these rules work for Star Wars/Mandalorian games? I realise you might be going for a grittier feel, but thought to ask!
They probably will, but you know he also wrote Blasters & Bulkheads, right? IIRC it was the rule set right before Void Pirates and is, um, let's just say "Star Wars friendly" shall we? Worth a look, especially for Void Pirates fans. :)
http://www.four-colorstudios.com/blasters--bulkheads.html
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I'm also intrigued by these. I've played a good deal of Void Pirates and have enjoyed how it plays. To hear that the new set has solo potential, scenarios (which you always do well) and a bestiary (with henchmen!) makes it all the more attractive.
Would these rules work for Star Wars/Mandalorian games? I realise you might be going for a grittier feel, but thought to ask!
I think they will work for Mando-type games. The Mando is definitely a Major character. You could pair him with two Standard characters and have your standard crew.
You could also take one of those Standards and split it into two Minors (maybe one of them being the Child?). There will be enough Psychic powers and other stuff to make what you want when it comes to low level parahuman abilities.
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Hey Scott, this is fantastic news! I was lucky and got a hard-copy of GS Delves on Ebay quite recently and I'm planning to do some dungeoneering. A valid solo system would be really great. Do you think it will be compatible to older GS stuff?
Right now I'm preparing some monster cards to randomize encounters for the fantasy rules. Having something similar for Sci-Fi would be cool. I'm definetly willing to buy the new system once it is availabe. :)
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Hey Scott, this is fantastic news! I was lucky and got a hard-copy of GS Delves on Ebay quite recently and I'm planning to do some dungeoneering.
If you know anybody else who's looking for a hardcopy my FLGS was still sitting on a couple of them last I looked.
Solo Delves would be a handy expansion, although i suspect the demand for solo gaming in general is going to implode as the pandemic (hopefully) winds down.
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I think they will work for Mando-type games. The Mando is definitely a Major character. You could pair him with two Standard characters and have your standard crew.
You could also take one of those Standards and split it into two Minors (maybe one of them being the Child?). There will be enough Psychic powers and other stuff to make what you want when it comes to low level parahuman abilities.
Ah, great to know. I'll really look forward to seeing these. Also, with the mention of hard copies above, may I add a vote that this new system be available in hard copy or print on demand? So much nicer than pdfs, at least in my opinion!
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Ah, great to know. I'll really look forward to seeing these. Also, with the mention of hard copies above, may I add a vote that this new system be available in hard copy or print on demand? So much nicer than pdfs, at least in my opinion!
It definitely will be. I plan a hard cover and a spiral bound.
If someone wants to knock together a play-test roster sheet, that would be great. I was thinking of something that would be 11" x 8.5" (landscape) and accommodate 4 - 5 characters, leaving a slot or area at the bottom of each to place their initiative card.
I am hoping to have something to share tonight (Sunday) or tomorrow afternoon (Monday).
Thanks!
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Hey Scott, this is fantastic news! I was lucky and got a hard-copy of GS Delves on Ebay quite recently and I'm planning to do some dungeoneering. A valid solo system would be really great. Do you think it will be compatible to older GS stuff?
Right now I'm preparing some monster cards to randomize encounters for the fantasy rules. Having something similar for Sci-Fi would be cool. I'm definetly willing to buy the new system once it is availabe. :)
The Solo system should be easily adaptable to the past stuff I have done. It mainly keys off of an AI model's "primary" trait or class, or whatever. So it would be trivial to assign those primary traits to AI models in any Goalsystem (or other) solo game you're playing.
Thanks!
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Ok, so a few things before checking out this link.
This is early days on this project. There's a lot of stuff that still needs doing, including playing a bunch of games. :D
I also need to add a lot more characters to Chapter 5. I didn't want to build too many before getting some feedback. I need to write at least two more scenarios. I would like to do more, but we will see. I would also like to work though some more of the residual stuff from Void Pirates and exorcise it out.
I think I've done a good job of that so far, but there is more work to be done.
Ok, so here is the link:
https://app.box.com/s/l3ikbcuv1548p47f2scx22tb3vcc6nce
Let me know what you think!
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Downloaded and scanned through this morning - looks good.
I like how the goalsystem has been streamlined over the years, makes it much quicker to stat up a few figures and get into the game and the solo/co-op bolt on is a great addition.
Looking forward to trying it out in it's natural form and also transferring ideas to my favourite setting - Chaos in Cairo.
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Downloaded, but I'm swamped at work right now. Hopefully have some feedback in a day or three.
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Also, I'd like whatever names you all want me to use in the contributors section. Thanks!
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I've started a first skim through and must say I'm very impressed. Really liking the feel to things. I rather like card initiative systems and so am pleased about that. Also thrilled it will be available in print!
More later...
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I've started a first skim through and must say I'm very impressed. Really liking the feel to things. I rather like card initiative systems and so am pleased about that. Also thrilled it will be available in print!
More later...
Thanks! Card based initiative is a natural for solo / co-op. I have long had it as an option in most of Goalsystem games, but it is the default here. I am still how to better use the suits to generate effects or activate stuff. It is fine as it is, but it could get deeper.
Because of the character sheet I am envisioning, I may go 8.5 x 11 on this book. Does anybody have strong thoughts on this?
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Because of the character sheet I am envisioning, I may go 8.5 x 11 on this book. Does anybody have strong thoughts on this?
Because of the nature of the game, where we'll be focusing on a small number of characters that will grow and develop over time, I think the full page sheet would work pretty well.
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Through the course of some editing and tinkering today, I have re-set the weapon damage ads as follows:
Basic Ranged Weapon = +1 RR
Brace of Pistols = +2 RR
Rifle = +1D[1]
Really Big Gun = +1D[2]
Basic Melee Weapon = +1 RR
Standard Melee Weapon = +2 RR
Enhanced Melee Weapon = +1D[1]
I re-stepped armor in the same way:
Light = +1 RR
Med = +2 RR
Heavy +1D[1]
Power = +1D[2]
This is more systematic, tracks with the math a bit better, and cuts down on re-roll inflation. I also intend to put in a Disarm mechanic, and similarly, make it possible to wreck a weapon with a solid enough disarm check.
Thanks!
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Downloaded. I'll give it a read this week and squeeze in a game this coming weekend (I hope).
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Always up for checking out some solo rules these days. Mind you I don't have a lot of sci fi minis painted up which I suppose is an advantage with system where you only have four models a side.
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Downloaded too. Really enjoy Goalsystem games, especially Void Pirates, so keen to see this work.
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I've began to read the rules, lots of VP in them : it's a good thing.
May I suggest to add a gear "dual wielding melee weapon" +1D[2] (or dual melee w. +1D[1], enhanced melee w +1D[2]). Thus you have four gears for melee w. just as range w. and armor.
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I've began to read the rules, lots of VP in them : it's a good thing.
May I suggest to add a gear "dual wielding melee weapon" +1D[2] (or dual melee w. +1D[1], enhanced melee w +1D[2]). Thus you have four gears for melee w. just as range w. and armor.
Good idea!
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Updated!
Armor & Weapon Bonus Summary
Armor (L) = +1 RR
Armor (M) = +2 RR
Armor (H) = +1D[1]
Armor (P) = +1D[2]
Ranged Weapons
BRW = +1RR
Brace of Pistols = +2 RR
Rifle = +1D[1]
Really Big Gun = +1D[2]
Melee Weapons
BMW = +1 RR
SMW = +2 RR
PMW = +1D[1]
EMW = +1D[2]
PMW = Paired Melee Weapons
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I did a layout for an 8,5" x 11.5" landscape sheet that I am going to use to play-test some games. I have never been able to make the image feature on LAF work for me, so I will link to my Tumblr page that I use to share gaming images:
https://supermissionforce.tumblr.com/post/649621710193278976
Not sure when he'll have it done, but Todd, my layout guru, is making this into a pretty PDF for us.
Thanks!
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I think this strikes a nice balance between detail and abstraction:
Disarm
Before making a melee or ranged attack a character can declare a disarm attempt. Make an attack check as normal. Your target makes their defense check but does not add the effects of any armor they might be wearing. Body Shields still work against this maneuver. If the attack exceeds the defense check by 2+ goals (for melee) or 3+ goals (for ranged), the target loses a weapon of the attacker’s choice.
The weapon lands 2” away from the target in a random direction. The attacker then makes a Chance roll, on a 2+ the weapon is damaged and cannot be used for the remainder of the battle. If the weapon is still functional, the attacker can recover it by moving into contact with it and expending a free action. The weapon is automatically repaired during the post-battle phase.
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Todd made us a roster sheet!
https://app.box.com/s/res8o1q2g1etm0fu8sgbf3lsi3s08fc5
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Perhaps you could also add some of the combat maneuvers from B&B as optional rules: aimed shot, All-out attack, drive-back, full defense, hacking, surprise strike, trip.
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8) tis way cool !!! the roster sheet needs spaces for fate and movement speed. cant wait to try playing!!!!
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8) tis way cool !!! the roster sheet needs spaces for fate and movement speed. cant wait to try playing!!!!
Good catch! That was on my mock up , but Todd just missed them. I have let him know and he can re-work it in the next couple days. Thanks!
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:D cheers...looks great so fa...cant wait to try it!!!!
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:D cheers...looks great so fa...cant wait to try it!!!!
Thanks! I am thinking further clarifying differences between Major/Minor and standard characters:
Major: +1 Secondary trait
Minor: -1 Secondary trait
Also will add this Major Character only Secondary Trait:
Second Action
You must be a Major character to select this trait. During your turn you can spend 1 fate point to gain a second combat or special action.
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This first couple of weeks when I am hot on a new project is a whirlwind. There's a lot of changes, adds, deletions, and tweaks flying around.
I have a new version of the play-test doc ready, version 1.2. I will leave it up to you folks to decide. Do you want me to update it now, or wait the weekend and do it on Monday?
Some of the changes are things I have posted up thread, but there's a lot of other new stuff.
-- I added in some maneuvers from B&B
-- I added a Commander primary trait
-- I added some new secondary traits
-- I added Beast as a species so you can have animals or creature in your crews
-- I completed a 5th scenario
My plan this weekend is to write the 6th scenario. It should be an easy one as it will be a straight up firefight. Six seems like a good number. I would also like to add a few more secondary traits. I don't want players to have that feeling of struggling to fill out their trait selections. I want plenty of options. Especially since we're dealing with so few models.
Also, if you're editing, play-testing, or kibitzing, PM me your name so I can put you in the credits.
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I'd say put it out now and then folks will have the weekend to tinker.
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I'd say put it out now and then folks will have the weekend to tinker.
I will finish Scenario 6 by tomorrow (Friday) and update it then.
Thanks!
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I too would be interested to see what you've got. Inspired by this thread, over the past few days I've been going over Blasters and Bulkheads again, after a hiatus of a few years, and must say that's a great system as well!
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A few comments...
As we play play a few characters, some new secondary traits are welcome. Nevertheless, if I think that a model doesn't need all their 3 secondary trais, is it possible to trade a secondary trait for some stats improvement ?
About the crew roster :
- Imho, the crew roster should have a weapon/armor section where we can write the real amount of dices/re-rolls we roll when a character use each of these gears.
- Why is there so many HP boxes ? The bumps don't give that much HP bonuses...
No specific bumps for Psychic, Chosen or Techno ?
Six scenarios seems a good number.
The artifact scenario :
- the objective is at the center but there’s no interaction with it, no way to claim it : we just have to kill the other side. I feel that something is missing…(control an area around the artifact,…)
- Perhaps there could be 2 or 3 artifacts to avoid a great melee in the centrer ?
Defeat a band seems to be the victory condition to the scenarios. However in several scenarios you talk about special conditions for the end of the game but you don’t tell more about them… I think you should clearly write what they are.
I think that the victory conditions should be :
- control the artifact for the scenario 1
- take the scientists away from the battlefield for the scenario 2
- earns somemoney for killing as many enemies as possible in the scenario 3, major/standard/minor characters could have different values
- kill the general and take one of the crew members away from the table in the scenario 4
(sorry for this long post, I don't want to dictate what you should do, only report things that seem strange to me...)
I've been waiting a long time for a simplified version of B&S, but a little more complex than VP, I think FS should be that game : keep going on !
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Ok, I updated the doc! Here's the link again:
https://app.box.com/s/l3ikbcuv1548p47f2scx22tb3vcc6nce
Lots of changes mentioned. I will try not to do anything else major until you folks bring me some feedback. New traits, new scenarios, and a bunch of tweaks and fixes.
I need to stat out a bunch of characters for the scenarios, but i want to wait until things solidify to cut down on editing.
Thanks!
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A few comments...
As we play play a few characters, some new secondary traits are welcome. Nevertheless, if I think that a model doesn't need all their 3 secondary traits, is it possible to trade a secondary trait for some stats improvement ?
I cut starting traits down from four to three. So that means minors will have 2, and majors will have 4. With the added trait options, this should help.
About the crew roster :
- Imho, the crew roster should have a weapon/armor section where we can write the real amount of dices/re-rolls we roll when a character use each of these gears.
- Why is there so many HP boxes ? The bumps don't give that much HP bonuses...
I talked to Todd about cutting the Health boxes and adding lines for Total Melee and Total Ranged attack. That should help out.
No specific bumps for Psychic, Chosen or Techno ?
I can add some in. This is why player feedback is so helpful at this stage. I will work on that this weekend.
The artifact scenario :
- the objective is at the center but there’s no interaction with it, no way to claim it : we just have to kill the other side. I feel that something is missing…(control an area around the artifact,…)
- Perhaps there could be 2 or 3 artifacts to avoid a great melee in the centrer ?
Defeat a band seems to be the victory condition to the scenarios. However in several scenarios you talk about special conditions for the end of the game but you don’t tell more about them… I think you should clearly write what they are.
I think that the victory conditions should be :
- control the artifact for the scenario 1
- take the scientists away from the battlefield for the scenario 2
- earns some money for killing as many enemies as possible in the scenario 3, major/standard/minor characters could have different values
- kill the general and take one of the crew members away from the table in the scenario 4
(sorry for this long post, I don't want to dictate what you should do, only report things that seem strange to me...)
I will look at all of this and try to incorporate it into the scenarios. They're rough right now and need some polishing.
I've been waiting a long time for a simplified version of B&B, but a little more complex than VP, I think FS should be that game : keep going on !
Thanks! Now that I have gotten the initial rush of writing done, and made some fixes, it gets to be a slog. So encouragement is helpful!
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Thoughts on this proposed weapon option?
Disintegrator Gun [Rare]
While even glancing hits from this weapon pack a wallop, solid shots can kill instantly.
Effects: +1D[2] to RA. Characters who lose their last Health point due to a shot from this weapon do not get a KO check and count as taken out. Any character taken out by this weapon suffers an additional -1 on the post-battle Injury table.
This weapon is extremely volatile. Any time a wielder of this weapon ends up with an initiative card of 4 or lower something could go wrong. When their turn begins they must immediately make a 2+ Chance roll. If they fail, they suffer two points of damage and the weapon is unavailable for the rest of the game.
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The artifact scenario :
- the objective is at the center but there’s no interaction with it, no way to claim it : we just have to kill the other side. I feel that something is missing…(control an area around the artifact,…)
- Perhaps there could be 2 or 3 artifacts to avoid a great melee in the centrer ?
I noted the same in my playtesting. I feel the artifact should do something.
I was thinking something simple, fitting with the text calling it dangerous and unknown.
If any figure shoots, is shot at, or a shot passes within 4" of the Artifact roll a d6.
1 - The device hums ominously, but does nothing else.
2 - A bolt of electricity lances out at the shooter (LOS is not needed). Make a 4D ranged attack against the shooter.
3 - A beam of white light touches the shooter. Make a Chance Roll and Heal wounds equal to the result.
4 - The Shooter and their target swap places.
5 - A wave of power from the device pushes each figure 1d6" directly away from the device, if they are able to move. Roll once and use that result for each figure.
6 - The device hums ominously, but does nothing else.
We still end up with a straight fight, but the artifact now plays an important part.
A condition that you must have a figure within 4" when the game ends would give a reason to be near it. The unpredictable effects would make you question whether to get near it too early, where to put your shooters, etc.
Errata Questions;
1) I pulled a Rad Storm from the event deck. I do not see a Rad Storm in the rules.
2) If a figure is pulled from a melee combat with telekinesis, do they trigger the free attack? (I can't decide. Does the unexpected nature of it prevent it, like the hit and run situation does?)
3) Does shooting cancel a Hidden Status? (Again, I can't decide. Seems like it should. Maybe it's a bonus for Lurkers or Sneaky that it doesn't)
I'm really having a good time with it. It seems to flow well, it's interesting, and I haven't hit any unresolvable rule conditions.
I would like to see more things to buy, something to spend my CWS on. It's not too hard to rack up quite a bit on the campaign turn, so I need something to do with it.
I would suggest the Ship Run have a possible downside, right now it doesn't. No risk. Like rolling 0 Goals means your ship was damaged, so the Upkeep is +1 nets turn or something.
I was only able to play 2 games this weekend, but I aim to get another few in.
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I noted the same in my playtesting. I feel the artifact should do something.
I was thinking something simple, fitting with the text calling it dangerous and unknown.
If any figure shoots, is shot at, or a shot passes within 4" of the Artifact roll a d6.
1 - The device hums ominously, but does nothing else.
2 - A bolt of electricity lances out at the shooter (LOS is not needed). Make a 4D ranged attack against the shooter.
3 - A beam of white light touches the shooter. Make a Chance Roll and Heal wounds equal to the result.
4 - The Shooter and their target swap places.
5 - A wave of power from the device pushes each figure 1d6" directly away from the device, if they are able to move. Roll once and use that result for each figure.
6 - The device hums ominously, but does nothing else.
We still end up with a straight fight, but the artifact now plays an important part.
A condition that you must have a figure within 4" when the game ends would give a reason to be near it. The unpredictable effects would make you question whether to get near it too early, where to put your shooters, etc.
I did make it more interactive, and now there are two of them. I will take a closer look at this idea, though.
Errata Questions;
1) I pulled a Rad Storm from the event deck. I do not see a Rad Storm in the rules.
Fixed it. That was missing. Added it and re-ordered the list a bit.
2) If a figure is pulled from a melee combat with telekinesis, do they trigger the free attack? (I can't decide. Does the unexpected nature of it prevent it, like the hit and run situation does?)
No free attack and I will note this. Thanks!
3) Does shooting cancel a Hidden Status? (Again, I can't decide. Seems like it should. Maybe it's a bonus for Lurkers or Sneaky that it doesn't)
You can't shoot when you're hidden. Hiding costs you a special action. You get either a special or a combat action in addition to your move each turn. Your hidden condition lasts until the beginning of your next turn, when you can decide to hide again or do something else.
I'm really having a good time with it. It seems to flow well, it's interesting, and I haven't hit any unresolvable rule conditions.
Thanks! This is super encouraging. We will keep plugging away at it.
I would like to see more things to buy, something to spend my CWS on. It's not too hard to rack up quite a bit on the campaign turn, so I need something to do with it.
I would suggest the Ship Run have a possible downside, right now it doesn't. No risk. Like rolling 0 Goals means your ship was damaged, so the Upkeep is +1 nets turn or something.
I was only able to play 2 games this weekend, but I aim to get another few in.
100% agree here. I need more meat in that section--more options. I have a few ideas. I will def add the down side to the ship run.
I am open to other suggestions! Thanks!
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Two new post-battle actions to test out. They cost you an action, and wealth points, for some benefit:
Gene Splicing
Check: TN 4 Charisma or Intellect
You seek out advanced augmentation for you or one of your fellow non-robot crew members. Make your stat check. If you succeed, you pay 3 wealth points for the service, but if you fail, you pay 4 wealth points. The recipient you designate gains a permanent +1D stat increase to either Fitness or Perception, or a permanent +2 Health increase. If you score zero goals, you’ve found a shoddy provider. You pay the 4 wealth points, but the augmentation only lasts until the end of the next battle.
Purchase Satellite Recon
Check: TN4 Charisma
You pay 3 wealth points to gain a satellite reconnaissance of your next battlefield. If you select this action, make your Charisma check. On a success, you reduce the cost to 2 wealth points. On a failure, the cost increases to 4 wealth points. If you cannot pay it at this point, you don’t get the recon but you also don’t lose anything from your CWS.
If you successfully acquire the satellite recon, select two of your characters from your crew to be dealt two cards on the first two rounds of the next battle. They can each choose the better of the two cards and discard the other one.
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Here's a new post-battle action with some risk / reward baked in:
Athletic Contest
Check: TN5 Fitness
You train for and compete in a galactic athletic event. Whether it’s grav-ball, exo-wrestling, bog-running, or some other sport, you pay 1 wealth point for your training leading up to the event. Then make your Fitness check and consult the chart below:
0 goals = Serious Injury! -2 wealth points
1 goal = Mild injury! -1 wealth point
2 goals = 4th place! +1 wealth point
3 goals = 3rd place! +2 wealth points
4 goals = 2nd place! +3 wealth points
5 goals = 1st place! +4 wealth points
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And another one!
Upgrade Your Ship
Check: TN4 Intellect
You oversee upgrades to your crew’s starship. This costs 5 wealth points. If you succeed, you manage the project well and the cost drops to 4 wealth points. If you fail, the cost increases to 6 wealth points. If you cannot pay it at this point, you don’t get the upgrade but you also don’t lose anything from your CWS.
Once you’ve paid for your upgrade, select one of the remaining specialties your ship does not possess (Courier, Combat, Stealth, or Rescue) and add it to its capabilities. You now enjoy +1D on missions of this type.
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Just uploaded version 1.3 incorporating some feedback I got here, and stuff I added over the weekend.
https://app.box.com/s/l3ikbcuv1548p47f2scx22tb3vcc6nce
Highlights:
* Clarified solo rules a bit
* Clarified and added some stuff to scenarios
* Fixed special events list
* Added extra rules for running henchmen in your crew
* Added a number of new post-battle campaign actions (previewed here)
* Disintegrator Gun added
* Added Medic trait
There's more, but that gives you an idea!
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8) way cool!!!
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8) way cool!!!
Thanks! My goal today is to start building all of the characters for the various scenarios. A few are done, but I need to get them all done.
I also want to build a number of random characters for inclusion in Chapter 5. I am thinking various species, character types (primary trait), and power levels (minor, standard, major).
Beyond that I feel like the book is getting close to its final form.
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After writing up some characters and playing some play-test games, I made a few adjustments.
I moved the Charge rules into the maneuvers section. I also took the time to sync up charging and making melee contact in general with the Zone of Control rules.
ZoC is important when doing solo / co-op, and I also think it is generally a nice clarifying rule covering how close you can get to an enemy before they can force combat. Now with this clarification, if you move into melee or charge someone, you need only get to 1" or less and you've made it, as you've entered their ZoC and forced a melee.
That gets me to movement. There was too much of it. Or, I should clarify, movement was too cheap for my liking. Base Move for models is still 6".
Any Move increases come in 1" increments now, down from 2". I also reduced Charges to +2" and made clear that you must start at least 3" away from your target to get the +1D bonus.
With a standard 3' x 3' board, I wanted to make sure characters weren't so fast that they could be close to halfway across the board in a single turn.
Beyond that, I am building characters for the scenarios now. Things are moving along well.
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Love the post-game sequencing stuff, and the ship upgrades! That was a place where 5P could have done more. You paid for ship upkeep, but it never really did much for you, and what if you didn't use your ship in that campaign turn? All things that could easily be changed with some homebrew rules, but it is nice to get an idea of how something like a ship upgrade would impact the game.
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Version 1.4 is up!
https://app.box.com/s/l3ikbcuv1548p47f2scx22tb3vcc6nce
Some highlights include:
* Many, many small improvements! Refined the primary traits and added a new one--Beastmaster.
* Tested and refined the Rogue Diplomat special event.
* Added some cool stuff to the Tecnhno primary trait
* Further refined the AI stuff
Thanks for looking, and if you're planning to give me feedback, include the name you want me to use in the credits.
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New rough sheet:
https://app.box.com/s/res8o1q2g1etm0fu8sgbf3lsi3s08fc5
Todd needs to make it pretty. That's coming.
Some thoughts on this. I have decided to keep with our customary 6" x 9" format, so the sheet needs to reflect that. So that sheet will be 6 x 9, landscape, and the bottoms will have an outline for the top of the initiative card.
You will get two characters per sheet this way.
Let me know what you think! I will have another update of the doc later this week. My internal play-tests are going well!
Thanks!
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I am all for "more than one character per sheet."
Might I also suggest something like a quick crew sheet that boils down some simple stats for a complete team? I like the detail, but for a team of seven this will take up a good bit of table space. Having a smaller team tracker can help keep track of the order of action (without having to shuffle papers) and get a quick look at remaining hits, and other strategic level concerns. If a team was only 2-3 characters this wouldn't be all that important, but as I play solo I'm potentially looking at up to eight pieces of paper to keep straight as a turn unfolds. That could be chunky without a team dashboard of some sort.
That said, maybe an "opponent dashboard" would make more sense for solo players. Boil enemies down to a row of stats rather than a character all by themselves. Like D&D monsters get a handful of stats and some color text but not a full character sheet. Something like that, perhaps.
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I am all for "more than one character per sheet."
Might I also suggest something like a quick crew sheet that boils down some simple stats for a complete team? I like the detail, but for a team of seven this will take up a good bit of table space. Having a smaller team tracker can help keep track of the order of action (without having to shuffle papers) and get a quick look at remaining hits, and other strategic level concerns. If a team was only 2-3 characters this wouldn't be all that important, but as I play solo I'm potentially looking at up to eight pieces of paper to keep straight as a turn unfolds. That could be chunky without a team dashboard of some sort.
We can do a summary sheet that looks more like a roster as another option. I will mock one up today and see what Todd thinks.
That said, maybe an "opponent dashboard" would make more sense for solo players. Boil enemies down to a row of stats rather than a character all by themselves. Like D&D monsters get a handful of stats and some color text but not a full character sheet. Something like that, perhaps.
I think an AI model sheet would be a good idea. I will mock one up today and see what we can do with it.
Another option that comes to mind for table management is using the smaller playing cards I have seen available and placing them near each model. But I don't like cards and chits on the table with my models. But the smaller cards would cut down clutter on the side-table where your sheets live.
Thanks!
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Here's a rough mock-up:
https://supermissionforce.tumblr.com/post/650985374872748032
That's a 6" x 9" sheet with a landscape orientation. That remaining space could be used for AI behavior notes, rules, reminders, etc.
Notice, it will work as a player crew roster too. Was this what you had in mind?
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Just added a shotgun:
Shotgun
Scattergun firing deadly pellets in a widening pattern.
Effects: Add +2 Re-rolls on RA checks. Radius 2”. Maximum range is 10”.
I am going to post version 1.6 later today or tomorrow. Thanks!
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Version 1.6 is up:
https://app.box.com/s/l3ikbcuv1548p47f2scx22tb3vcc6nce
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Version 1.7 is up:
https://app.box.com/s/l3ikbcuv1548p47f2scx22tb3vcc6nce
My plan is to wrap up the writing by end of May. I am going to add a few more characters to the back and tidy up some odds and ends and call it ready for layout.
If you have some final thoughts, requests, etc., let me know.
And if you've contributed to this thread, give me your name so I can put it in the credits.
Thanks!
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I am making my final edits. If you helped out at all and you want your name in the credits, let me know ASAP.
Thanks!
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I think this was touched on early in the thread but not fully realized.. so I'll ask. What will differentiate Furthest Star from Void Pirates and Blasters and Bulkheads? What will FS do that they don't?
Thanks!
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I think this was touched on early in the thread but not fully realized.. so I'll ask. What will differentiate Furthest Star from Void Pirates and Blasters and Bulkheads? What will FS do that they don't?
Thanks!
Farthest Star combines elements from Goalsystem Delves, Blasters & Bulkheads, and Void Pirates, and also builds in solo / co-op play.
It's not a replacement for B&B or VP, but rather, another version of the Goalsystem for sci-fi. It uses the faster play options offered in VP, but combines them with the more detailed character generation of B&B. There's more stats in FS, your characters will feel more like RPG characters, I think. It's also points free if you like that sort of thing. No number crunching.
I've also made a lot of improvements to the campaign systems. You can do more in the post-battle. There are choices and moves that suggest intergalactic travel, for example.
If you have more questions, I am happy to discuss further. Thanks!
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All of that ticks boxes for me. I'm excited. Of course, I've looked at B&B but never bought it so I'm not replacing anything I already own. It will all be new to me!
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Big fan of goal system. Played first edition Super System many years ago. Also still have Chaos in Carpathia. Any new goal system game would be very welcome!
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Thanks!
Todd is starting the layout this week. I can still do some edits during this process, but nothing too major can change. Thanks!
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After some production delays, I have the first round of laid out pages for the Farthest Star rules set. I have one person on here already looking at it. I would like to get another set of eyes on it.
I have already submitted some fixes to my layout guy, but more eyes is always better.
The first person who PM's me and can commit the time to look at a 168 page rule book will get the nod. Thanks!
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It's been a while, but I now have some pages to show off!
https://supermissionforce.tumblr.com/post/659715939960487936
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Cannot wait. I have enjoyed this system since Chaos in Cairo.
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This will be a instabuy when it comes out. I haven't read the playtest rules yet but I have read SMF and most of VP and really like the goalsystem.
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:D awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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And we're a go!
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/368865/Farthest-Star
POD version coming to Lulu in a week or two once I make sure everything is set and working.
Thanks!
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Insta baught ! The gaming club opens this friday evening, I'll try to demonstrate the game soon.
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Just saw it on DTRPG.
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Insta baught ! The gaming club opens this friday evening, I'll try to demonstrate the game soon.
Thanks so much! Take some pics if you can!
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Got it! Looking forward to the hardcopy too.
P.S. I've been looking for dice with goal system odds. Any suggestions? I have blanks but my OCD has not found a solution to transfer the symbols that I liked yet.
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Bought and added to my Goalsysten collection! :-*
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I'm waiting for the printed copy (I like paper), but super excited to see this moving along!
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Thank you all!
Color coil-binding is loaded and ready on Lulu. I want the PDF to be in the wild for a week or two in case any major gaffs come up. Then I can get them corrected before people start buying printed books.
I will also load a color hardcover.
I need to get off my butt and get some more "official" dice made. It's just really expensive even if you order large lots. And I still have to charge more than $1 a dice to make even a small profit. If I do it, it will be more for the love of my longtime stalwart players than profit, that's for sure.
I do think that Heroscape dice were a good match, as I recall.
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P.S. I've been looking for dice with goal system odds. Any suggestions? I have blanks but my OCD has not found a solution to transfer the symbols that I liked yet.
Monsterpocalypse white dice.
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Monsterpocalypse white dice.
Yep. There was some 90s board game too, although which one is eluding me - Siege of the Citadel, maybe?
Monpoc's rather a lot easier to come by, though.
Scott had some custom dice made for Goalsystem Delves, but I think they were KS rewards.
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Rich, I also made custom dice for SuperSystem and Super Mission Force a few years back.
I just need to commit to making them again.
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Really excited about this purchase, more than I have been about any recent system. Can’t wait to get figures out and on the table.
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Thanks for the dice suggestions.
I can't seem to find Monsterpocalypse or Riot Quest dice anywhere unless directly from Privateer Press. However, as I was watching a video on the World of Tanks game from Gale Force 9 lo and behold they have custom dice with the exact odds! They sell dice packs separately with faction symbols so I'll have to see which i like best.
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Thanks for the dice suggestions.
I can't seem to find Monsterpocalypse or Riot Quest dice anywhere unless directly from Privateer Press. However, as I was watching a video on the World of Tanks game from Gale Force 9 lo and behold they have custom dice with the exact odds! They sell dice packs separately with faction symbols so I'll have to see which i like best.
Super tip! I have to track some down!
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Thanks for the dice suggestions.
I can't seem to find Monsterpocalypse or Riot Quest dice anywhere unless directly from Privateer Press. However, as I was watching a video on the World of Tanks game from Gale Force 9 lo and behold they have custom dice with the exact odds! They sell dice packs separately with faction symbols so I'll have to see which i like best.
There's this ebay listing, don't know if that's better or worse than the GF9 dice prices:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/304093820417?hash=item46cd677601:g:NRkAAOSwKKxhCv1w
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There's this ebay listing, don't know if that's better or worse than the GF9 dice prices:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/304093820417?hash=item46cd677601:g:NRkAAOSwKKxhCv1w
Couldn't resist. I just bought them. Thanks for the link!
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Couldn't resist. I just bought them. Thanks for the link!
FWIW, Monpoc's not a bad game in its own right. That stuff's from first edition when it was all prepaints, but AFAIK should also work for the current version if you decide to dabble in it.
So, when do we get a Goalsystem kiaju rule set? :)
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I tried to look up info about the custom dice for World of Tanks, but there was no discussion about this aspect that I could find. What is the probability distribution for those of us who don't currently have the rules. I assume it would be simple enough to simply use a d6 and know what each face represents?
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I tried to look up info about the custom dice for World of Tanks, but there was no discussion about this aspect that I could find. What is the probability distribution for those of us who don't currently have the rules. I assume it would be simple enough to simply use a d6 and know what each face represents?
All of my games are built to use simple D6s. No fancy dice are needed. You roll a handful of D6s, and any 4s and 5s count as 1 goal, while any 6s count as 2 goals.
I made some custom dice for my superhero games a while back, but those are not necessary, they're just a fun add on.
Hope this helps!
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I tried to look up info about the custom dice for World of Tanks, but there was no discussion about this aspect that I could find. What is the probability distribution for those of us who don't currently have the rules. I assume it would be simple enough to simply use a d6 and know what each face represents?
You do not need custom dice at all for the goalsystem games Scott has made. I just like to have specific components for certain games because I like the flavor and just making each game unique.
For example I usually try to create custom character cards or... buy dice specifically for each game.
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I suspected that was the mechanic. Lord knows I have plenty of d6 dice to sticker up if I need a faster reference! I even have a number of stickers that I bought just for that purpose with the Mutant Year Zero games. They have custom dice but I made my own.
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A youtube reviewer (Abraham Zetina) just published part one of a three part review of Farthest Star. It is incredibly thorough!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kuK8PddX5s
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Oh, the Talking About Games guy. I've watched that channel before. His vids are always pretty deep dives.
Cripes, I see he's given up all hope of getting hos SLA Industries overview done in 8 parts. I should catch up with that series.
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Super-stoked for the hard copy release!
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The color coil bound FS is now available on Lulu!
https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/scott-pyle/farthest-star/paperback/product-q72ejk.html?page=1&pageSize=4
Thanks for looking!
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Great news.
Most of my weekly spam from Lulu contains an offer code. Usually it just amounts to free p&p, but every little helps :D
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I took some pics of said book and posted them on the SMF tumblr site:
https://supermissionforce.tumblr.com/post/662787327452741632
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Looks great. Just placed my order with lulu.
I really love 5 parcecs, but goalsystem is my favorite rulesets.
Was wondering if you can bolt on the solo play rules to goalsystem delves.
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Looks great. Just placed my order with lulu.
I really love 5 parcecs, but goalsystem is my favorite rulesets.
Thank you!
Was wondering if you can bolt on the solo play rules to goalsystem delves.
Yes, pretty easily. You would need to assign each foe or monster a "role" based on their stats, powers, and goals, but that would not be too tricky.
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I got Farthest Star for Xmas, and finished reading it a couple of days ago. As a guy that REALLY loves Five Parsecs, I can say that FS still has all the elements that I love AND I think I'm going to like the more compact nature of the games. 5P can be hard to tackle with three figures, and it can be hard to scale up an enemy to be a "big-bad" for a battle because enemies just aren't handled that way (I used the salvage team rule set, so enemies primarily popped up in a fashion similar to the movie "Aliens" with detected motion and all of that fun).
I was just wondering if you had character sheets in electronic format. I'd rather not reinvent the wheel if I don't have to, but I also prefer to track character development and changed electronically rather than writing things down on paper.
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I got Farthest Star for Xmas, and finished reading it a couple of days ago. As a guy that REALLY loves Five Parsecs, I can say that FS still has all the elements that I love AND I think I'm going to like the more compact nature of the games. 5P can be hard to tackle with three figures, and it can be hard to scale up an enemy to be a "big-bad" for a battle because enemies just aren't handled that way (I used the salvage team rule set, so enemies primarily popped up in a fashion similar to the movie "Aliens" with detected motion and all of that fun).
I was just wondering if you had character sheets in electronic format. I'd rather not reinvent the wheel if I don't have to, but I also prefer to track character development and changed electronically rather than writing things down on paper.
I will ask Todd about making some fillable character sheets. Thanks for picking the game up!
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That would be great. I can make a character spreadsheet in Excel, but really prefer a nicer-looking character sheet if I can get one.
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Todd did the roster as a fillable PDF; you can access it here!
https://app.box.com/s/y28avswuf9sam2oa2fke9jqejbu065pb
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That is fantastic. Thanks for the quick turnaround on that!
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My pleasure!
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:D finally got mine!!!!! awesome book!!!!
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:D finally got mine!!!!! awesome book!!!!
Awesome! Thank you!