How difficult would it be to make a ripoff of Star Frontiers? Given the preponderance of scifi tropes, it shouldn’t be too difficult to make something that provides a similar experience with the serial numbers filed off.
For example, this artist redesigned some of the races: https://androidarts.com/RPG/StarFrontiers.htm
Also, Star*Drive and Galactos Barrier had some interesting ideas that could be recycled too.
Aside from being one of the first westerns in space, or whatever it is, what's unique about it now given that we have so many other games available in this genre? Is there anything more than nostalgia here?
Nostalgia is probably the reason. Tabletop gamers are very nostalgia-driven and will stay with properties solely out of that feeling even if it becomes unrecognizable. They're very selective in their nostalgia too and will have nostalgia for versions of their favorite game that only existed in their heads. They'll ignore genuine absurdities in their fav games that they wouldn't tolerate elsewhere.
I speak from experience. It's a toxic mindset that poisons you. I broke out of it and now I'm critical of nostalgia and these old properties. IMO, we should make new games with the benefit of hindsight and all the technical innovation that has happened since. We should embrace a diversity of settings rather than let monopolies hold sway.
How difficult would it be to make a ripoff of Star Frontiers? Given the preponderance of scifi tropes, it shouldn’t be too difficult to make something that provides a similar experience with the serial numbers filed off.
For example, this artist redesigned some of the races: https://androidarts.com/RPG/StarFrontiers.htm
Also, Star*Drive and Galactos Barrier had some interesting ideas that could be recycled too.
IIRC Strange Stars does this, not sure how well it does it if I'm correct.
The hardest part is filling the numbers off. Assuming you want a clone so close to it as possible.
Ok, I'll have to check that out. Thanks.
Anyway, I think it's very easy to do that for scifi. e.g.
http://jbr.me.uk/exo/ Most of the aliens are just based on terrestrial species or combinations thereof turned into alien species.
And to be entirely honest, since WotC isn't using these properties they're probably not going to pursue ripoffs. For example, they didn't go after that random guy who took the Alternity trademark from under their nose.