5 parsecs new supplement

[Bloggard]

haven't noticed anything about this here - but if I've missed it, apologies.

I was wondering the other day if anything further for 5 parsecs was planned (having the main rulebook and first PDF only supplement), and had the brainwave to go and check the Modiphius official page ( ).

Lo and behold another PDF only supplement is available.
I particularly like the look of the rules for providing regulated encounters etc, which don't involve miniatures - kind of obvious I guess, and I suppose in effect many people already do this 'unofficially' to some degree or other (if only 'head-cannon' stuff).
But having 'properly' integrated rules has got to be a good thing, and the freedom which it affords the development of a campaign in truly rpg(lite) terms strikes me as a brilliant addition on the author's part.

as an aside, somehow or other picking this product up led to an internet assignation with the Ironsworn range of RPGs, and I have to say, I think I may have found just what I'm after at this point in time.

[zemjw]

I just got back printed copies of the two supplements this morning (I have two printers, but neither of them really works anymore, so outsourcing it is )

IronSworn looks interesting. My main gripe with Modiphius is that they use tracked shipping. The Five Leagues book cost nearly £8.50 for p&p, so it really puts a damper on my enthusiasm when it comes to buying from them. IronSworn is also maintaining their weird book size, which my aging eyes find quite cramped (I had the supplements printed in A4, so they're much easier to read)

Having said that, IronSworn does look tempting. It's a shame I had my Birthday last month

[Bloggard]

I bought the main parsecs rulebook from Zatu - for considerably less than Modiphius (inc. postage), and they honoured the free copy of a PDF copy too.

The PDFs I've bought from Modiphius.

I've a copy of the sci-fi Ironsworn on the way from a shop - hope I don't find the size etc awkward - it weren't cheap!
I like everything about it (the overall system - and apparently the Sci-fi version sees some good refinements) I'm seeing - and the Solo / Co-op modes could well be perfect for me now.
Otherwise I got copies of most everything else for both fantasy and sci-fi iterations in digital from DTRPG.

[ichwillauch]

Besides the rule book and the two supplements there is an errata and tweaks now in version 1.06 https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/245498/game-designers-faq-and-errata

The 5 Parsecs Bug hunt is an independent rule book but compatible with the 5P from home.
there is a patron system for 5P on the nordic weasel games side but I have no idea what you can get there. (maybe some additional races were mentioned).

IronSworn sounds interesting!

[Bloggard]

thanks for the heads-up on the errata ichwillauch.

[deleted what was a bit of a rant - although not without some justification imo!]

so ... I will just say, that I hope errata and future content remains viewable and accessible on a mainstream, if not 'official', website like the Modiphius one , and that it doesn't become necessary to 'research' what's happening, and register with one or more sites (like FB or dischord) that one may not otherwise wish to ...

[boneio]

I'm on the patreon for the designer, simply because I want to support him. The hardback releases of 5P and 5L are both very new relative to how long the games (and his sales model) has existed, and as someone who was onboard long before, I'm really really pleased to see the traditionally published games gaining traction. They're just great!

That said I agree with you about the fragmentation of information! So many channels! I manage to keep up, but that's just me.

I don't think the errata are essential. Having flicked through, there are very few actual corrections and none read as major.

Also, the philosophy of the games, as solo rules, is that one can and should ignore/tweak/adjust as required. So if summat doesn't work, change it 

On another note I've been playing Ironsworn too and it's great fun. First time I've played a solo rpg (as opposed to just writing fiction), and for me it's a bit like writing but without writer's block 

The 'plan' by the way, for 5L and 5P is that there will be a set of digital supplements released, following which they will hopefully be compiled into a printed supplement from Modiphius.
As with all such small-publisher things, one probably shouldn't bet on it.

[zemjw]

On another note I've been playing Ironsworn too and it's great fun. First time I've played a solo rpg (as opposed to just writing fiction), and for me it's a bit like writing but without writer's block 

I've read a couple of reviews, and my main question is, how specific is the game?

The reviews seemed to suggest that you were always on a quest for something - much like the Mandalorian. Is that baked into the game, or is it flexible enough to allow you to play something more along the lines of Firefly, with a rag-tag crew having wacky adventures?

From the product page

In Ironsworn: Starforged, you are a spaceborne hero sworn to undertake perilous quests. You will explore uncharted space, unravel the secrets of a mysterious galaxy, and build bonds with those you meet on your travels. Most importantly, you will swear iron vows and see them fulfilled—no matter the cost.

[boneio]

Swearing vows is pretty important to the mechanics, but one could flavour that however one likes. It doesn't have to be seen as a quest as such - it's there to provide narrative motivation in my opinion.

It's designed for one main character, definitely. You can gather companions of a sort but they're 'assets' i.e. mechanically they give you little bonuses, they aren't the focus.

I believe that's deliberate since tracking a lot of detailed characters would be a mechanical burden.

Ultimately it boils down to a set of ways of resolving unknowns, I suppose much like any RPG (or even wargame to an extent). As the player/writer you could always just decide what happens - but we play games to inject randomness which in turn provides tension/stakes/fills in for imagination blanks.

If you want mechanical representations of individual crew members I can't really think of a way to do that directly, but you could have crew members as NPCs from the perspective of the main character. Or just write them into the fiction as supporting cast. I don't know if something as detailed as an RPG would work very well solo if each character had proper 'stats' etc., it'd get pretty unwieldy. Might as well just write stories 

Five Parsecs would be better IMO for Firefly-style adventures (that's explicitly one of the author's influences), but it's very much a game rather than an RPG.
I *think* the author is working on a 5P RPG....

As a tip the fantasy Ironsworn is free and very similar...

[Bloggard]

great posts Boneio - thanks so much for all that info.

I do take your point re: Ivan's products' germination and development.
I've bought any amount of his rulesets from DTRPG long before the Modiphius involvement and indeed had an email exchange with him about Dungeon Scum (!).
But I wasn't aware of the Patreon and Dischord channels.
Ironically, turns out I already had the errata - although I can't remember how or when. Probably BGG - but I wont have been out 'there' looking for such, which I guess is partly my point...

Modiphius has a 'sign up' for news about 5 parsecs on their website, which of course I've done - but I don't remember any heads-up from there about the errata, let alone this new supplement!

Anyhow, it all sounds very encouraging - re: Modiphius printing a collection of the pdf supplements.
let's hope for the best there.

received my copy of starforged today - it's one of the original 'offset' run (last one in stock at the fragrantly named 'Dungeonland' RPG store (superb packaging, with options: recommended for mail order)).

absolutely beautiful book [** edit - but not the same format as 5 parsecs - slightly smaller all 'round - about 7-8mm at the top, and 3mm at the foredge]

no idea if I will do anything with the rules / game- but glad to have it.

*Ironsworn 'fantasy' as opposed to 'sci-fi' is indeed a free pdf download- I have read however that the starforged incarnation refines the 'vows' thing to give more flexibility etc in terms of gaining experience.

[zemjw]

Yeah, many thanks for that. I'll download the free version and have a look.

It sounds like it's not quite what I'm after (even though I would struggle to define that if asked)

I really must get back to my Five Parsecs game, not keep getting distracted with new shiny

[ichwillauch]

I'm on the patreon for the designer, simply because I want to support him. The hardback releases of 5P and 5L are both very new relative to how long the games (and his sales model) has existed, and as someone who was onboard long before, I'm really really pleased to see the traditionally published games gaining traction. They're just great!

That said I agree with you about the fragmentation of information! So many channels! I manage to keep up, but that's just me.

I don't think the errata are essential. Having flicked through, there are very few actual corrections and none read as major.

Also, the philosophy of the games, as solo rules, is that one can and should ignore/tweak/adjust as required. So if summat doesn't work, change it 

On another note I've been playing Ironsworn too and it's great fun. First time I've played a solo rpg (as opposed to just writing fiction), and for me it's a bit like writing but without writer's block 

The 'plan' by the way, for 5L and 5P is that there will be a set of digital supplements released, following which they will hopefully be compiled into a printed supplement from Modiphius.
As with all such small-publisher things, one probably shouldn't bet on it.

I'm not sure, were there ever some vehicle rules mentioned for patron-only? If so I might join patron too.

[Bloggard]

yes, that would be interesting? (vehicles rules)

I asked on this forum about that (as regards the first pdf supplement for 3rd edition, before buying it).
The answer of course is 'no' as far as that goes, but it would be good to know if it's been mooted elsewhere.