so I have a new group of players.  none of whom have any Roleplaying experience.
All adults.

They're keen on Scifi and I want to run something pretty simple. so going with either "Stars without Number"  or "Other Dust"


Stars without number is hard scfi, so flying about planets exploring and stuff (actually using the "Hard light" mini campaign)...

OR

Other dust, using the same system as SWN, but based on one planet (at first anyway) and is post apocalyptic.

Can't decide which one to run.   The players seem easy on what I run, so I decide really.

Opinions?

Use Mongoose Traveller, the lack of classes and levels will make more sense to people who have never gamed before.

Maybe get them involved to some degree by pitching the campaigns to them? Ask them whether they want to play a gritty, post-apoc game or a Scifi campaign about adventurous explorers. They may be newbs, but you might be able to spark their imagination with a little description. And, it might give them some ideas of what they want their characters to be like before you even start chargen.

If you don't want to involve them, then figure it out for yourself. The systems may be near-identical, but the genres are different enough to make the decision rather clear-cut.

For complete RPG newbies who enjoy sci-fi, I'd stick with Stars Without Number. You can customize the setting to whatever flavor of sci-fi the group prefers, and if you use enough cliches they'll understand how the game world works before they need to make characters. This will speed up the generation process and give everybody a clue as to how things are supposed to work for PCs. You'll want to warn them explicitly beforehand that combat is deadly, however, and possibly start them out with a kicker of 6-10 bonus hit points and a ready supply of lazarus patches so they've got a little slack for learning lessons. Also, they can download the rulebook for free if they take an interest.

Other Dust could be a good choice if they like post-apoc sci-fi, but the additional mutation rules and emphasis on gritty survival might be a little too uncinematic to appeal to players who are expecting a bit more swashbucklery play.

As for Mongoose Traveller, it's a great game, but I prefer to introduce newbies to gaming with a class-based system. The breadth of decisions involved in a classless skill-based system tacitly encourages the new player to understand all their options before they create a character, and that complicates things. It's much simpler to say "Pick one of these backgrounds, pick one of these three classes, and then pick one of these eight training packages. You're done." And in truth, there are a whole lot more class-based sci-fi RPGs on the computer game market than there are classless ones, so their concept of play is more likely to be informed by KOTOR or Mass Effect than EVE Online.

N.B. If you use Hard Light for an intro module for complete newbies-to-gaming, make a point of dropping them directly into a conflict situation of some kind, preferably one where combat is not too unavoidable an outcome. Sometimes green players pick up on sandboxing instantly, but a lot of them have been taught by existing media to play along with the story, and it can take them a while to learn how to initiate things. If you just drop them off at Brightside with a set of hooks in front of them, they might not know to nibble unless you push them.

Quote from: SineNomine;635986As for Mongoose Traveller, it's a great game, but I prefer to introduce newbies to gaming with a class-based system. The breadth of decisions involved in a classless skill-based system tacitly encourages the new player to understand all their options before they create a character, and that complicates things. It's much simpler to say "Pick one of these backgrounds, pick one of these three classes, and then pick one of these eight training packages. You're done." And in truth, there are a whole lot more class-based sci-fi RPGs on the computer game market than there are classless ones, so their concept of play is more likely to be informed by KOTOR or Mass Effect than EVE Online.

Really? I have not had nearly the amount of trouble that you suggest here in over thirty years of using Traveller to introduce people to RPGs.

Of course, if you think that using a class-based system is much better than a classless one why not a game simpler than one published through SineNomine, like Hulks & Horrors? Or do you just want to use this as an opportunity to advertise your own products?

For the record, I'll be using SWN and Other dust as I already have these and like it.
I have seen Traveller, I'm sure it's a great system, but it's not my cup of tea.

The original question is whether I should do pure Scifi or Post Apocalyptic.

I'd prefer to keep it at that than a comparison between SWN and Traveller.

Anyway, thanks for the comments.
 
The players don't really have much of an understanding of RPGs at all really.

I did run some Gammaworld for them for a couple of sessions, which I originally run as it has cards and pre-generated maps. So it gives it a very boardgamey feel.
But for my preferences, I prefer Gammaworld as a one off game type system, not for a campaign.
They seemed to have a fun enough time with Gammaworld though, although had trouble visualising their characters and working with them, as you can end up with some really wacky characters.

As already mentioned about Other dust you can end up with some weird characters in that too.
So yeah starting with SWN is probably preferable.
I think I'll go with that.

Point taken about Hard light as well.
I have already generated my own sandbox system for SWN and I run SWN for my kids using a particular planet for some adventures (a failed colony).
I might throw the new players on another planet in the same system.

I just ran a session out here in Singapore for 3 players 2 with no RPG experience.
I decided to start with pre-gen characters and a tight plot and then run different sections with a different feel.
Anyway I decided that I would use Pregens for this intro game as it got them into the action fast and i was able to write outthe character sheets to include all of the rules they would be using.
My plan is to finish this game in another session and then get feedback on pacing, combat vs exploration vs problem solving vs social.
Then they will know what style they like, which bits of the game they enjoyed etc etc so when they go to build their own characters they have more idea and I have more idea what type of game they are looking for so I can adjust my style etc.

Quote from: jibbajibba;636023I just ran a session out here in Singapore for 3 players 2 with no RPG experience.
I decided to start with pre-gen characters and a tight plot and then run different sections with a different feel.
Anyway I decided that I would use Pregens for this intro game as it got them into the action fast and i was able to write outthe character sheets to include all of the rules they would be using.
My plan is to finish this game in another session and then get feedback on pacing, combat vs exploration vs problem solving vs social.
Then they will know what style they like, which bits of the game they enjoyed etc etc so when they go to build their own characters they have more idea and I have more idea what type of game they are looking for so I can adjust my style etc.

I'll probably get them to generate their own characters as SWN character gen is VERY easy.
However the gaming sessions at first will be pretty linear until they get used to how the rules work and RPGs in general work.

But yeah your point is taken I'll need to watch out what they enjoy and what they don't and discuss with them how it goes after each session.

It should be fun I think, I'm used to running RPGs for experienced players.

Quote from: danskmacabre;635976so I have a new group of players.  none of whom have any Roleplaying experience.
All adults.

They're keen on Scifi and I want to run something pretty simple. so going with either "Stars without Number"  or "Other Dust"


Stars without number is hard scfi, so flying about planets exploring and stuff (actually using the "Hard light" mini campaign)...

OR

Other dust, using the same system as SWN, but based on one planet (at first anyway) and is post apocalyptic.

Can't decide which one to run.   The players seem easy on what I run, so I decide really.

Opinions?

I would imagine SWN would give you more range to operate; but that's kind of a matter of preference on the GM's part.

Star Frontiers is free and easy to play.

Starship and Spacemen is fine for Star Trek (original series) play, dunno what 2e is like, will have to read it some time.

In fact Goblinoid games are building up a nice little portfolio of stuff, ranging from fantasy, horror, time travel, post apocalypse and star trek, all cheap and cheaper for the next day or so with GM day sale.

A copy of Star Wars D6 with the license chucked in the bin/replaced by your own take on sci fi (Alien/Aliens?) is easy to play.

Tunnels and trolls for amusing spell names and very fast battles (that resemble a cloud with fists and feet poking out) plus its fast to create characters.