Science Fiction RPGs in 2018

Cryptic brainstorming for 2018 blogging.

Under Fandom:

• Star Trek Adventures (and related RPG / Wargame material)
• Star Wars d6 (and related RPG material)
• Doctor Who 

Under Kitchen Sink Settings:

• Hero System's Terran Empire
• Fading Suns
• Stars Without Number
• Traveller
• Eclipse Phase
• Mindjammer

Under Systems:

• FATE
• PBTA
• Hero System
• Stars Without Number
• Starfinder

Star Trek Adventures: Online Resources

STAR TREK ADVENTURES (Online Resources)

With the release of Star Trek Adventures, it's a good time to pause and reflect on what a good time it is to be a Star Trek gamer. As good as the Star Trek Adventures RPG book is, there's a tendency to make reference after reference to episodes of Star Trek from various series and seasons -- which can be very frustrating when trying to get a grasp of what past or future significance in the timeline those references are, er, referring to.

Fortunately, there are Wikis to help you with that.

Wikis
1. Memory Alpha (repository of much Star Trek canon information)
2. Memory Beta (repository of much Star Trek non-canon information)

Furthermore, you have the option of going to Netflix to check out the exact episode that's being referred to, once the reference has been made. In my account, I have access to:

• TOS (even the animated series!)
• TNG
• DS9
• Voyager
• Enterprise
• TOS Movies; TNG Movies

For those who might be looking for online material concerning ships and stations, there are two YouTube channels that I recommend:

Star Trek Ships
1. TrekYards (which covers many ships from Star Trek's past, present, and fandom, along with reviews of the current series Star Trek: Discovery, and related shows like The Orville.)
2. SpaceDock (which also covers many ships from Science Fiction, including Star Trek)

All this and more are online to help your prep for campaign and adventure creation in Star Trek!

Star Trek Adventures -- The New Star Trek RPG

On the Radar: Star Trek Adventures

Star Trek Adventures is the latest Star Trek RPG to come out, and it's full of promise. I've written some things on Star Trek RPG gaming in the past (Roleplaying in the Worlds of Star Trek 1 and 2), but it's always good to get a copy of the latest one!

With Star Trek: Discovery coming out soon (at the time of this writing), the various Star Trek TV series available online via various streaming services, and no mean amount of nice online references, it's a good time for Star Trek gaming.

I'd even throw in the Star Trek Timelines mobile app as a great reference and resource. You get great pics of the various characters from the shows (some even from alternate timelines), a great tool that allows you to screencap your ship from various angles against various planets and space backgrounds, and even some great adventure ideas complete with plot progression maps that aren't solely advanced by combat.

Not sure about it? Well, before I get started on my evaluation of resources for this RPG, let me share with you the links of a Philippine Gamer's study and review of the book:

Star Trek Adventures: Part 1 -- Introduction
Star Trek Adventures: Part 2 -- United Federation of Planets
Star Trek Adventures: Part 3 -- Your Continuing Mission
Star Trek Adventures: Part 4 -- Operations
Star Trek Adventures: Part 5 -- Reporting for Duty
Star Trek Adventures: Part 6 -- The Final Frontier
Star Trek Adventures: Part 7a -- Social Conflict
Star Trek Adventures: Part 7b -- Combat
Star Trek Adventures: Part 8 -- Technology and Equipment
Star Trek Adventures: Part 9a -- A Home In The Stars
Star Trek Adventures: Part 9b -- Starship Combat
Star Trek Adventures: Part 9c -- Starship Creation and Alien Vessels
Star Trek Adventures: Part 10 -- GMing, NPCs, and Review

Fandom Gaming: a quick rundown.

It's been a really good time for fandom gamers. A plethora of games out there that allow for gaming in your favorite fictional universes, whether authorized or not.

There are the obvious ones: the Doctor Who RPG, the new Star Trek RPG, the current Star Wars RPG, the latest Conan RPG, the last available DC Universe RPG, and the current Lord of the Rings RPG.

I'll stick to these for now, but there are some others that are just as delicious (because they have been genericized just enough to play in the universe or universes that they've taken from) that I'll get to later.

For now, I think I'll be writing about how this batch of RPGs are doing with their properties.

Two for Fantasy, Two for Science Fiction

It's been a long time, and I been busy, ya dig? Also, I wrote original entries for each of these, but my connection died and Blogger lost it early on so -- I'm not rewriting it. Just grabbing the descriptions for now.

But they are of note!

So -- two RPG releases for Fantasy, and another two releases for Science Fiction:

Fantasy RPG Releases

Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of

Robert E. Howard’s Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of takes you into the world of Conan the Barbarian, where heroes raise blood-spattered swords against dire sorcery, exotic lands beckon to the daring, danger and treasure lurks in forgotten ruins, and where loathsome creatures haunt the spaces beneath the earth… as well as in the throne-rooms of mighty kingdoms!

Seek your fortune in forbidden tombs or upon blood-soaked battlefields. Cast dark and terrible spells of unimaginable power, at the price of your soul. Sail upon untamed seas to lands where no human in living memory has walked. Fight for the fate of civilization — or barbarism — on a savage frontier!

Adventures in Middle-earth Loremaster's Guide

In Adventures in Middle-earth™ the greatest fantasy setting of all time comes to the world's favourite roleplaying game rules! Take your gaming group to Middle-earth with this thematic and atmospheric, OGL-compatible setting guide.

Science Fiction RPG Releases

Doctor Who Roleplaying Game: The Black Archive

The Tower of London: home to ravens, Beefeaters and one of the most extensive collections of esoteric alien artefacts on Earth.

Under the stewardship of UNIT, The Black Archive is charged with finding, storing and understanding the weirdest and most powerful alien Gadgets that come to our planet. Just as this unbelievably valuable and dangerous collection has expanded, so has UNIT itself evolved. No longer solely a military organisation, in the 21st Century UNIT agents are as likely to be diplomats and investigators as they are soldiers.

The Black Archive details the 21st Century organisation that collects, catalogues and protects some of the most incredible artefacts the Earth has ever known, and the collection itself.

Coriolis - The Third Horizon

Coriolis – The Third Horizon is a science fiction role-playing game from the makers of critically acclaimed Mutant: Year Zero (six-time nominee and winner of a Silver Ennie for Best Rules 2015).

Features:

• Create your unique player character – including skills, talents, gear and relationships – in mere minutes.
• Fight fast and furious battles, praying to the Icons to overcome your enemies.
• Build and crew your own spaceship, to explore the many star systems of the Third Horizon.
• Experience thrilling spaceship duels, using a game system that puts all player characters at the heart of the action.
• Take part in the intrigue between powerful factions on the majestic space station Coriolis.
• Uncover the mysteries of the Third Horizon, a rich tapestry of cultures that have settled the stars.

Check any of these out, if they tickle your fancy.