Paizo Sci-Fi It Is Then

RPGPundit · July 13, 2016, 02:20:45 AM

Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;905929I have a feeling that Starfinder will win the sci-fi RPG war (if there is one going on) when it is released. Games like Eclipse Phase, Rogue Trader, Mindjammer, Numenera, and FFG Star Wars will be brushed aside once Pathfinder players are shown Starfinder. And players that still love Pathfinder rules, but haven't played it in awhile because they've wanted sci-fi, will also be making Starfinder their new go-to sci-fi RPG.

I think you're probably fooling yourself here.

Shawn Driscoll · July 13, 2016, 09:27:24 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit;907985I think you're probably fooling yourself here.

Do you think, in general, Pathfinder players (past and current) may have found their sci-fi RPG by now? Or that they are more interested in fantasy (always have been, always will be), and so sci-fi RPGs (even Starfinder) will always be a non-interest of theirs?

estar · July 13, 2016, 10:33:42 AM

Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;906881I've been looking at a lot of OGL RPGs. Most of them seem to have SRD text copy/pasted all over them, with references/trademarks either renamed or stripped to prevent being sued by their original game publishers. The writers of these RPGs then fail to add where they have removed stuff. I call these ASYLUM RPGs. Because they are just like films made by The Asylum. Worse than just knock-offs. They are soul-less in their writing.

Back that with specifics.

Some Retro-clones, like OSRIC, are designed as references first and foremost. So they are going to be "souless" right out of the gate. OSRIC is a good example of this type of Retro-clone. Other retro-clones are a more of a particular author's vision of the original RPG or genre. An example of this is Lamentations of the Flame Princess.

Today in 2016, there is a huge variety of OGL RPGs address all type of settings, genres, sub genres, and rules design. It may that the selection of OGL RPGs you chose to read you found "soulless" but my experience that today's range of OGL RPGs is no better or worse than the range of traditionally published RPGs.

Shawn Driscoll · July 13, 2016, 01:55:49 PM

Quote from: estar;908029Back that with specifics.

Some Retro-clones, like OSRIC, are designed as references first and foremost. So they are going to be "souless" right out of the gate. OSRIC is a good example of this type of Retro-clone. Other retro-clones are a more of a particular author's vision of the original RPG or genre. An example of this is Lamentations of the Flame Princess.

Today in 2016, there is a huge variety of OGL RPGs address all type of settings, genres, sub genres, and rules design. It may that the selection of OGL RPGs you chose to read you found "soulless" but my experience that today's range of OGL RPGs is no better or worse than the range of traditionally published RPGs.

I don't recall saying all OGL RPGs. A lot of them have their own settings. My favorite of the bunch being Dark Albion.

estar · July 13, 2016, 02:50:28 PM

Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;908059I don't recall saying all OGL RPGs. A lot of them have their own settings. My favorite of the bunch being Dark Albion.

You said most, I disagree that it is most or even a significant number of OGL RPGs that consist mostly of text cut and pasted from an SRD.

Shawn Driscoll · July 13, 2016, 04:24:57 PM

Quote from: estar;908076You said most, I disagree that it is most or even a significant number of OGL RPGs that consist mostly of text cut and pasted from an SRD.

Yes. Most of the ones I was looking at. Not all. And not most of all of the ones in existence.

fellowhoodlum · July 14, 2016, 01:15:56 AM

Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;908020Do you think, in general, Pathfinder players (past and current) may have found their sci-fi RPG by now? Or that they are more interested in fantasy (always have been, always will be), and so sci-fi RPGs (even Starfinder) will always be a non-interest of theirs?

I hope you (and I) are wrong about Starfinder winning the Sci-FI RPG popularity contest. But the local gaming community does little to diminish my pessimism on this topic.

Xavier Onassiss · July 14, 2016, 03:25:24 AM

Quote from: Shawn Driscoll;908020Do you think, in general, Pathfinder players (past and current) may have found their sci-fi RPG by now? Or that they are more interested in fantasy (always have been, always will be), and so sci-fi RPGs (even Starfinder) will always be a non-interest of theirs?

I think most PF players don't give a damn about SF. Also, most players of various SF RPGs don't really give a flying fuck about Pathfinder.

I'm not saying that they'll all actively avoid playing Starfinder, but it looks to me like a solution in search of a problem that nobody really has.

Shawn Driscoll · July 14, 2016, 08:58:10 AM

Quote from: Xavier Onassiss;908154I think most PF players don't give a damn about SF. Also, most players of various SF RPGs don't really give a flying fuck about Pathfinder.

I'm not saying that they'll all actively avoid playing Starfinder, but it looks to me like a solution in search of a problem that nobody really has.

I'm guessing that current sci-fi RPGers, that don't care about Pathfinder, will also not care about Starfinder. So Starfinder could end up being a game targeted just at current Pathfinder customers. The Pathfinder GMs will probably have some influence whether or not their group's players buy into the Starfinder product line or not. Some RPGs basically come down to GMs willing to run games of them for copies to even be sold. I often see only GMs buying RPGs. They have to have the games, of course. A player has to make a bigger leap, when buying an RPG, if they want to GM a game, and they've never GMed before.

crkrueger · July 14, 2016, 09:20:25 AM

Who cares about Starfinder, it's all about Starjammer!

JesterRaiin · July 14, 2016, 09:23:50 AM

Quote from: CRKrueger;908188Who cares about Starfinder, it's all about Starjammer!

Plebeians, plebeians everywhere.

crkrueger · July 14, 2016, 01:10:15 PM

Quote from: JesterRaiin;908190Plebeians, plebeians everywhere.

That's FATE. I like Roleplaying Games.

JesterRaiin · July 14, 2016, 01:24:43 PM

Quote from: CRKrueger;908230That's FATE. I like Roleplaying Games.

HA! HA! HA!

You fell into my trap, Lemmy, allowed your vision to be clouded by your anger and didn't dig deeper, where true treasure was buried!
Now your soul is mine!

HA HA HA!

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/94493/Bulldogs-d20-Edition

camazotz · July 14, 2016, 04:20:37 PM

Given that Starfinder is basically not actually SF but Space Fantasy I am inclined to disagree. People who love Eclipse Phase are totally not going to grokk whatever Starfinder is offering.

But I think it is safe to say that the percentage of Pathfinder fans who want SciFi Golarion with elves and orcs in Space will be happy.....but people into Traveller, Eclipse Phase, and other "real" SF systems? Only if Starfinder also lets you back out the fantasy trappings.

jeff37923 · July 14, 2016, 11:19:29 PM

Quote from: camazotz;908257Given that Starfinder is basically not actually SF but Space Fantasy I am inclined to disagree. People who love Eclipse Phase are totally not going to grokk whatever Starfinder is offering.

But I think it is safe to say that the percentage of Pathfinder fans who want SciFi Golarion with elves and orcs in Space will be happy.....but people into Traveller, Eclipse Phase, and other "real" SF systems? Only if Starfinder also lets you back out the fantasy trappings.

Hard Science for Starfinder will be a hardcover full color glossy tome from Paizo that sells for $75.

Or they can just buy the Traveller d20 CD-ROM from Far Future Enterprises.