I've been playing these RPG's since 1975 so I feel pretty comfortable creating a new RPG game. I have two criteria: 1. fast play ability for short games and
2. long-term play for missions (dungeon treks).
I like this mix because everyone can play, it's based around basic rules anyone that has played RPGs are familiar with and is exciting and fun.
If you've played X Wing miniatures, this is similar but hopefully not as expensive. I plan to create the ships and molds to mass produce them saving a lot of time. Players will have to paint their own ships and characters. I always thought that was more fun than a silk screened painted image that looks too perfect.
What I'm looking for here is feedback about the whole game as presented above. Thoughts, ideas, preferences, the lot.
Here is the summary of the game: Set in 2450, Earth has finally moved to the stars. Cities, military bases, mining colonies, outposts and trade depots are scattered along the galaxy. There is no FTL. There are "Jump Holes" that allow fast travel. Most of galactic travel is performed by space traders (our version of brokers) and haulers (our truckers), There are businessmen, engineers, scientists, workers and miners along with what you'd typically find in places like Las Vegas or small western towns- wild to mild. Unfortunately, there are Jacks and Raiders. Jacks are pirates, take for profit. Raiders take and build wealth for themselves (think Mafia or clans or tow truck drivers). Space travel is inherently dangerous so there's always a chance your ship can be hit by meteorites or have mechanical issues.
As like AD&D, the goal is to gain wealth and levels but there's no magic (except mediums and psychics). Instead of leveling up to the 1000's, you level your ship(s) and crew up with weapons and skills. No super beings here, just regular people getting better at their jobs, wealth and happiness. There are creatures on other planets so on away missions, you will have to deal with those and of course, really bad people - NO ALIEN RACES. Everyone is human.
You can be a hauler, trader, pilot, engineer, miner, mercenary, soldier, marine, pirate, medical tech et. al. Building a ship and joining or creating a crew is what the goal is. The first intro game allows you to do this and purchase a ship (a very basic used ship). You get to choose what you want to do with it.
So that's it in a nutshell. Opinions, thoughts queries, comments, and the like are welcome. No idea is too strange but keep it civil and respectful. Thanks for your input.
The truth is I wanted it all human so the playing field would be fair. I have many memories of playing D&D then AD&D when the odds were so stacked against the team that it was a no win scenario. While it was fun, it got real tedious trying to remember what each monster did, how many points of damage they could do, their weapons etc. Pretty soon, the game became so complicated people stopped playing. You had to carry around a literal library of books for monsters, different races, ships, armor, and more just to play the game. And then, you had to have the miniatures and those were quite expensive.
So, I wanted to simplify things. Starships are the magic of the game. The goal is to build a ship and then each person playing has a certain duty aboard the ship. Weapons techs handle fire control, med techs do the healing, pilots drive and evade, science techs discover what's on the worlds they visit and marines or mercenaries (depending on your choice of factions) handle space and terran combat. Robots are permitted but cannot do harm. And believe me, humans can be as diverse as any alien race imaginable. They can have pets from different worlds that are exotic. Away missions are similar to AD&D type dungeons - space stations can be broke into and ship parts can be stolen, bought or bartered. Smuggling missions increase your wealth to build your ship and can include upgrades for all systems.
Pirates and military cruisers are always threats. Meteor showers can damage a ship and kill everyone. Ships don't stop on a dime in space, they keep drifting like a ship in water making docking real fun. FTL hasn't been created yet so we Earthlings haven't made it to other worlds in different galaxies. We can be put in a deep sleep and the robot controls life support (you hope).
If players want to add additional alien worlds, we can always add them. Me, as a story teller, doesn't need super weapons or aliens to create a living story, all I need is a good dramatic story that is well written and developed for players to enjoy what it's like really living and working in space. Imagine fighting a pirate in Zero G atmosphere... talk about exciting. He shoots and then flies into a bulkhead. the bullet ricochets around hitting systems. What a mess! Now you have to solve those issues too. Ultimate survival and everyone in the party is a key part to that survival.
Hope I answered your questions. Ask more if you want. I'm good with that.