The _Diaspora_ RPG is very good. The basis in 3rd-edition FATE (which is not the most current version of Fate, called Fate Core) helps to dispel "gamer-speak". They don't talk about "rolling a skill" but focus on the story, describing what the character is doing. Then Skills and Aspects and other assets are brought into it, and you figure out dice-rolls second. Instead of just failing a roll (boring), your character may be able to succeed, but at a cost (it takes longer or they lose something.) The scope of the game starts at 8 or 10 planets, smaller than a Traveller subsector map. These are not newly-settled "frontier" worlds. Civilization is assumed to have risen and fallen several times on worlds. An "archeologist" can in fact be a sophisticated scientist piecing together technology of the past to benefit their culture. The "mini-games" structure of Diaspora is strong. You have mini-games for regular combat, platoon-scale combat (* cough * Aliens! * cough *), starship combat and social combat (persuading people or groups to your point of view, face-offs, dominance games...these can be "charted" and the back-and-forth struggle can be given tangible form and create a narrative. In most games social dealings are just role-played but this can give some structure to it. You literally "move" people to your point of view, but first you have to "move" into theirs to build trust or rapport.) The platoon and social combat help you step outside the conventional scale of role-playing with player-characters.
@MaxxTheMerciless I don't find the idea laughable myself. I mean, one is bound to program some self-protective measures into the software, no matter how complicated these systems would be from today's engineering perspective. For example, I loved the ending of Robocop... he is unable to shoot the bad guy until the CEO held in hostage tells the baddy "You're fired!" and thus enabling Robocop to bypass the "don't harm our employees" law and take the villain out with a headshot.
I just picked up Diaspora and Bulldogs! (Fate Core version) this weekend. I've got to admit that Diaspora is not like other games of its ilk. It's got an uncommon way of looking at the subject matter. Bulldogs! is really nicely put together - very visually appealing and lots of humor. It strikes me as the kind of system that will make for some fun sessions.
@knwiegel I see your point. It's just that when I watched Farscape I remember thinking "this is Traveller" all the time. Even the whole situation with the Peacekeepers reminded me of the first contact with the Vilani. But maybe it's just me. Also, I generally prefer deadly/more realistic systems, even for light-hearted campaigns. Must be all that Ravenloft I ate as a kid.
Hey Kurt will review the new edition of Starblazer adventures? Not sure how new it is except that it will not be as massive a book as 1E was. You have both a player and Gms guide.
Just type "διασπορα" on Google Translate and press the "listen" button on the greek side to hear how it's pronounced, Kurt! (at least in greek) Also, Thanks for the review! I could be crazy, but I believe Diaspora was released before Starblazer Adventures.
Kurt, how about reviewing The One Ring, the brand new Tolkien RPG from Cubicle 7? And also, the Mouse Guard RPG has just been re-released in a nice box set; a good time to review it as ever!
@knwiegel In my upcoming Savage Worlds space opera setting, where it's a very cops and robbers oriented thing, it's standard procedure to board any ship with spacesuits just in case something like that occurs. But you're right. It's one of those things that I had concerns about. One player I know who really knows his computers found ways to easily get around Asimov's Three Laws by simply not running operations that prevented him from flooding the ship with lethal radiation from the reactor.
Interesting I jam thinking I may have to look into Bulldogs and see if I can adapt it and Starblazer for Savage Worlds. I take it StarBlazers is Space Battleship Yamato?
@MaxxTheMerciless That's a valid standpoint of course, but how do you handle the robots in gaming as characters. All systems I've seen handle them completely unfair compared to the organic characters. They have inherent armour and I was in a StarWars game where all other characters were stuck with the rolled stats, but the droid kept constantly upgrading to better processors (higher int), other gadgets and new skills and language simply by data transfer. I guess FATE could handle them fairly...
Dispora: I am Not in to HARD Sci-fi games, becus im not that in to sciens. But I do like the Ide that your character gets can make hes own star system, or "homeworld". Im looking for a good planet generator, is this good to use in other games?
@hathiphnath What I meant was computer operations within itself, meaning that the 3 Laws routines that are supposed to operate he simple shuts off. He explained he's running Windows 7500 as his operating system, which allows him to do that at will, and given he has no emotions it has no more significance to his operation than doing a reboot.
@hathiphnath One thought was to take a cue from Shadowrun and have one PC run one or multiple robots like a rigger does. Or, do what you mentioned and have the PC play robot with preset stats and abilities that can be upgraded, but put limits on those upgrades, and then make it a point to the player that their character is not sentient but operates to a purpose (unless it's been corrupted in some way). That means an Alignment (makes me shudder to think about it).
@DeepEndOfTheDicePool go to our web site gamegeeksrpgand check out the episode guide. Otherwise just type game geeks classics in the youtube search box
Just one small quiz: Whay is it called BULLDOGS! Is it class, or general expression in the game (Like Wildcards in Savage worlds)? You use to be good telling us this things Kurt, but Im affraid you misst it in this episode. Indeed Very GOOD Episode by the way..
@hathiphnath It was explained to me that computer systems do not necessarily connect one event or action to another unless they're told to in some fashion. It's called Cognitive Disassociation. In people this would be considered psychopathic or sociopathic, but computers are always like this because they don't really see the moral or ethical significance of one action or another. I'd argue that the mere motive by the player to circumvent the 3 laws in this way is a violation, though.
@MaxxTheMerciless Engineering limitations aside, you realise that Asimov created the laws for a thematic change, right? He wanted to write stories that were NOT about machines ending up destroying their masters. It's like in Vampire the Requiem -- there's no medical reason why guns are less effective vs the undead compared to the arhaic weapons, but it's a thematic change that makes modern tech less potent. If Asimov's laws cannot be enforced in a setting, there's no point in having them at all.
@hathiphnath I don't disagree. It's one of the reasons why I'm ditching the whole idea of Asimov's Robotic Laws anyway. They're too impractical. For military and law enforcement applications you're going to need a robot that can engage living targets in a manner that befits it's role, and then you have criminals and terrorists who have their own needs, so the whole idea of having them is rather laughable to begin with.
@MaxxTheMerciless In short, in games and fiction that operate by Asimov's laws, a robot is MUCH more likely to fail identifying itself as a robot and then deliberately ignoring the laws as it thinks he's a human being. If someone has robots harming people explained by the engineering limitations or a lacking moral compass, that person has missed the point of Asimov's works completely.
@hathiphnath The way I see it, robots are tools. Nothing more or less. I do not see people deliberately making SkyNets and HAL 9000s without some means of effectively and easily controlling them if they have to. I think Asimov assumed some level of cognitive sentience to the robots he wrote about. I'm assuming they don't, because we don't really know what sentience is. Part of the themes I write about is the nature of the soul itself.
@pachouliknowledge Not really in my view: Traveller is too deadly, I can't see making a race 'immune' to vacuum (Luxans) for very long, and I just can't see anyone in Traveller sasy "Blah, blah, blah: Pilot I'm free. Blow the hatch and suck this BITCH OUT!" I need something light and fun for that one.
I freakin' love Farscape but for the life of me I can't get my group to play. I hear a lot of "Its not Firefly" or "I prefer Star Wars" Philistines!!!!!!
Thanks. I have played Bulldogs.
The _Diaspora_ RPG is very good. The basis in 3rd-edition FATE (which is not the most current version of Fate, called Fate Core) helps to dispel "gamer-speak". They don't talk about "rolling a skill" but focus on the story, describing what the character is doing. Then Skills and Aspects and other assets are brought into it, and you figure out dice-rolls second. Instead of just failing a roll (boring), your character may be able to succeed, but at a cost (it takes longer or they lose something.) The scope of the game starts at 8 or 10 planets, smaller than a Traveller subsector map. These are not newly-settled "frontier" worlds. Civilization is assumed to have risen and fallen several times on worlds. An "archeologist" can in fact be a sophisticated scientist piecing together technology of the past to benefit their culture.
The "mini-games" structure of Diaspora is strong. You have mini-games for regular combat, platoon-scale combat (* cough * Aliens! * cough *), starship combat and social combat (persuading people or groups to your point of view, face-offs, dominance games...these can be "charted" and the back-and-forth struggle can be given tangible form and create a narrative. In most games social dealings are just role-played but this can give some structure to it. You literally "move" people to your point of view, but first you have to "move" into theirs to build trust or rapport.) The platoon and social combat help you step outside the conventional scale of role-playing with player-characters.
I really like these reviews where Kurt compares and contrasts two or more similiar games.
@MaxxTheMerciless I don't find the idea laughable myself. I mean, one is bound to program some self-protective measures into the software, no matter how complicated these systems would be from today's engineering perspective. For example, I loved the ending of Robocop... he is unable to shoot the bad guy until the CEO held in hostage tells the baddy "You're fired!" and thus enabling Robocop to bypass the "don't harm our employees" law and take the villain out with a headshot.
Yay for more frequent episodes!!!
I just picked up Diaspora and Bulldogs! (Fate Core version) this weekend. I've got to admit that Diaspora is not like other games of its ilk. It's got an uncommon way of looking at the subject matter.
Bulldogs! is really nicely put together - very visually appealing and lots of humor. It strikes me as the kind of system that will make for some fun sessions.
This was good stuff. I've been on the lookout for new sci-fi setting game options.
I bet Kurt is a really fun and cool teacher as well
Good stuffs. I've been wondering about Bulldogs! for a few years.
@knwiegel I see your point. It's just that when I watched Farscape I remember thinking "this is Traveller" all the time. Even the whole situation with the Peacekeepers reminded me of the first contact with the Vilani. But maybe it's just me. Also, I generally prefer deadly/more realistic systems, even for light-hearted campaigns. Must be all that Ravenloft I ate as a kid.
Hey Kurt will review the new edition of Starblazer adventures? Not sure how new it is except that it will not be as massive a book as 1E was. You have both a player and Gms guide.
Really good episode this one Kurt:)
Just type "διασπορα" on Google Translate and press the "listen" button on the greek side to hear how it's pronounced, Kurt! (at least in greek)
Also, Thanks for the review! I could be crazy, but I believe Diaspora was released before Starblazer Adventures.
Game Geek episodes makes me happy. :D
Kurt, how about reviewing The One Ring, the brand new Tolkien RPG from Cubicle 7? And also, the Mouse Guard RPG has just been re-released in a nice box set; a good time to review it as ever!
@knwiegel In my upcoming Savage Worlds space opera setting, where it's a very cops and robbers oriented thing, it's standard procedure to board any ship with spacesuits just in case something like that occurs. But you're right. It's one of those things that I had concerns about. One player I know who really knows his computers found ways to easily get around Asimov's Three Laws by simply not running operations that prevented him from flooding the ship with lethal radiation from the reactor.
Interesting I jam thinking I may have to look into Bulldogs and see if I can adapt it and Starblazer for Savage Worlds. I take it StarBlazers is Space Battleship Yamato?
Kurt, that was great!
Hi Kurt,
Please review the Untamed Lands books, by Gun Metal Games! I'm curious about that setting. I love sword & sorcery!
@MaxxTheMerciless That's a valid standpoint of course, but how do you handle the robots in gaming as characters. All systems I've seen handle them completely unfair compared to the organic characters. They have inherent armour and I was in a StarWars game where all other characters were stuck with the rolled stats, but the droid kept constantly upgrading to better processors (higher int), other gadgets and new skills and language simply by data transfer. I guess FATE could handle them fairly...
One of the best games I have ever played.
Could that bulldogs! be used as tool to play LEXX type of game?
Dispora: I am Not in to HARD Sci-fi games, becus im not that in to sciens. But I do like the Ide that your character gets can make hes own star system, or "homeworld". Im looking for a good planet generator, is this good to use in other games?
actually, diaspora kinda reminds me of the reboot of battlestar galatica, and all those feature could make a really intersting riff off that take
@hathiphnath What I meant was computer operations within itself, meaning that the 3 Laws routines that are supposed to operate he simple shuts off. He explained he's running Windows 7500 as his operating system, which allows him to do that at will, and given he has no emotions it has no more significance to his operation than doing a reboot.
@DirtyBriefcase Thanks. I was in a really good mood.
@MaxxTheMerciless So, his excuse was that bugs in his software allow him to sidestep the laws?
@hathiphnath One thought was to take a cue from Shadowrun and have one PC run one or multiple robots like a rigger does. Or, do what you mentioned and have the PC play robot with preset stats and abilities that can be upgraded, but put limits on those upgrades, and then make it a point to the player that their character is not sentient but operates to a purpose (unless it's been corrupted in some way). That means an Alignment (makes me shudder to think about it).
@knwiegel Interesting, I may have to get it and then track down trade paperbacks of the comic that spawned it.
Any connections to Greg Egan's "Diaspora" SF-novel, dont you know?
Not in the least, which is probably good. That novel is not a very game-able thing.
@KodyaxZavaj Not really. Its based on a British Comic line- it also spawned Legends of Anglerre.
@tarboy69 Its coming- it just takes longer to digest. It will also be as an Ennies Judge.
Kurt... Good Job
@DeepEndOfTheDicePool go to our web site gamegeeksrpgand check out the episode guide. Otherwise just type game geeks classics in the youtube search box
isn't Traveller ideal for Farscape?
5:25 That is a VERY angry ewok XD.
Just one small quiz: Whay is it called BULLDOGS! Is it class, or general expression in the game (Like Wildcards in Savage worlds)? You use to be good telling us this things Kurt, but Im affraid you misst it in this episode. Indeed Very GOOD Episode by the way..
Robert East
The spacers are known as Bulldogs because thats the class D mascot a tough meat headed bull dog.
@MaxxTheMerciless How is that possible? Inaction is covered by the first law.
@hathiphnath It was explained to me that computer systems do not necessarily connect one event or action to another unless they're told to in some fashion. It's called Cognitive Disassociation. In people this would be considered psychopathic or sociopathic, but computers are always like this because they don't really see the moral or ethical significance of one action or another. I'd argue that the mere motive by the player to circumvent the 3 laws in this way is a violation, though.
@MaxxTheMerciless Engineering limitations aside, you realise that Asimov created the laws for a thematic change, right? He wanted to write stories that were NOT about machines ending up destroying their masters. It's like in Vampire the Requiem -- there's no medical reason why guns are less effective vs the undead compared to the arhaic weapons, but it's a thematic change that makes modern tech less potent. If Asimov's laws cannot be enforced in a setting, there's no point in having them at all.
I have the D20 version of Bulldogs!, it has some nice racial creation rules.
Is Bulldogs 4dF or d6-d6?
4dF.
Farscape is the best: Jim heson please do more shos like that!!!! Zhaan's my favorite
He hasn't been doing any shows since 1990, for very good reason.
@Ocannae give it a go
@hathiphnath I don't disagree. It's one of the reasons why I'm ditching the whole idea of Asimov's Robotic Laws anyway. They're too impractical. For military and law enforcement applications you're going to need a robot that can engage living targets in a manner that befits it's role, and then you have criminals and terrorists who have their own needs, so the whole idea of having them is rather laughable to begin with.
@MrJamespj Not according to Ratemyprofessor. And No chilli peppers?!
I kid, I kid.
@MaxxTheMerciless In short, in games and fiction that operate by Asimov's laws, a robot is MUCH more likely to fail identifying itself as a robot and then deliberately ignoring the laws as it thinks he's a human being. If someone has robots harming people explained by the engineering limitations or a lacking moral compass, that person has missed the point of Asimov's works completely.
@hathiphnath The way I see it, robots are tools. Nothing more or less. I do not see people deliberately making SkyNets and HAL 9000s without some means of effectively and easily controlling them if they have to. I think Asimov assumed some level of cognitive sentience to the robots he wrote about. I'm assuming they don't, because we don't really know what sentience is. Part of the themes I write about is the nature of the soul itself.
@pachouliknowledge Not really in my view: Traveller is too deadly, I can't see making a race 'immune' to vacuum (Luxans) for very long, and I just can't see anyone in Traveller sasy "Blah, blah, blah: Pilot I'm free. Blow the hatch and suck this BITCH OUT!"
I need something light and fun for that one.
I freakin' love Farscape but for the life of me I can't get my group to play. I hear a lot of "Its not Firefly" or "I prefer Star Wars" Philistines!!!!!!
farscape = best show ever
diaspirin