What are the best rules set(s) you've come across for sci-fi RPGs?

Traveller d20 had the best rules I've come across so far, but they were far from perfect.  The skill system was good, as was the class-based feats.  And I loved a lot of what they did with the prior careers system -- though it had the inherent Traveller wonkiness (one guy has 1000 CR and a gun; another has 400kCr and a spaceship).

The thing I think I liked the most, though, was the lack of game balance.  While I think it would be better if the material rewards (money, stuff) was a little more evenly distributed, I really like how characters can have different levels of skill and ability.  Hell, if you want to have a character as an absolute n00b (1st level), you can do that.  Or you can have a grizzled veteran.  It really opens up the story possibilities, 'cause not everyone is going to have the same abilities.

I have to say old school Traveller was the scifi ruleset that I liked best. Star Wars d6 was nice.

One that I've seen harshly criticized, and I don't think it entirely deserves it, is the old Buck Rogers XXVc game. It was based on AD&D. I never thought it was all that bad. Not perfect, but not bad. Too often I feel people get it into their heads that they dislike something or feel it isn't appropriate for a certain genre, and just won't give the actual game a chance. Much of the setting info was stupid, but I did like the concept of Gennies quite a bit. No Humans Allowed is a book I still look at fondly for ideas.

I never even looked at Buck Rogers -- no interest in the setting.

I never played the oldest Traveller, but I played Megatraveller which, I believe, was pretty similar.  It was okay, but not stellar.

Cyberpunk's Interlock wasn't bad. Fuzion got a bit too points based.

new shadowrun dicepool....its stat plus skill in dice, remove dice for penalties and roll what you got left. of course im a pool fan myself, though some people cant stand pools.

Much love for original Traveller here.

Adventure!

Interlock/Fuzion are pretty nice systems which could do with a little polish. They're pretty universal systems though - they could just as well be used for a fantasy campaign I imagine.

Silhouette and Shadowrun (4.0) are two of my favorites.  I'm still a big fan of Spycraft too.  Dark Conspiracy had some great concepts behind it and really let you make all tiers of characters, but the combat was bleh.

It has been years hell a decade since I have used them but I also enjoyed the old Traveler system.

I like Alternity, and it's still my system of choice for sci-fi/modern games. I have been considering stealing the chargen system from Traveller The New Era and adapting it to Alternity, but never got around to doing it.

The ship combat system rules in the original Star Trek FASA game was everything that a sci-fi ship combat system should be, and more. Yeah, I can see the geeky need have rules for ships "sliding" and all other kinds of rules that make sense in the real world but are boring.as.hell. to implement.

In Star Trek you had the engineer who doled out power points to each of the systems. Putting "all power to the shields" actually meant something! Damn, I wish someone would invent a Star Wars ship combat system that that captivates the feel of the game as well while being fun and simple.

Quote from: King_StannisIn Star Trek you had the engineer who doled out power points to each of the systems. Putting "all power to the shields" actually meant something!

Have you ever played Starfleet Battles?

Quote from: King_StannisDamn, I wish someone would invent a Star Wars ship combat system that that captivates the feel of the game as well while being fun and simple.

I've been running a Star Wars game lately using an on-going home-made conversion to the Spycraft 2.0 rules.

Spycraft's chase rules are absolutely perfect for modelling the sort of dog-fighting starship combat your see in Start Wars...  fairly simple and exciting.

Quote from: CyclotronHave you ever played Starfleet Battles?

SFB is a great game.  But it's rather complex for an rpg and doesn't give much for characters other than the captain to do, other than be the occasional die modifier.
 
From what I remember of FASA's rules, they were simple but captured most of the flavor.

Quote from: NicephorusSFB is a great game. But it's rather complex for an rpg and doesn't give much for characters other than the captain to do, other than be the occasional die modifier.

Oh, I know, I was just mulling over the "Yeah, I can see the geeky need have rules for ships "sliding" and all other kinds of rules that make sense in the real world but are boring.as.hell. to implement." comment.