Topic: Retooling the Bug ["Firefly d20"]
Started by: Wormwood
Started on: 10/14/2005
Board: Indie Game Design
On 10/14/2005 at 5:59pm, Wormwood wrote:
Retooling the Bug ["Firefly d20"]
About a year ago I was asked to write a d20-based game for playing in the universe of the Firefly TV series. Since d20 was part of my design constraints I elected to try something novel. The end result was a d20-ish (the technicalities of whether it is d20 or just OGL remain somewhat unclear) game which takes the idea of d20 and turns it on its head. Among its features are:
• It manages everything with only feats, saves, and skills.
• Using skills it has fully customizable classes, in essence a class is simply a skill and feat selection paired.
• It expands the social regime significantly by increasing skill options and incorporating social saves.
The current version can be found here: http://wyrmwood.srgames.org/RPGs/Fireflyd20.pdf
My dilemma comes from the fact that now I have a perfectly good system, and would like to do something more with it. While it has specific ties to Firefly, those can be removed without too much difficulty. While I have some ideas for another setting which might work well, I am looking for input and ideas as to what this system would work well with, and what, if any, significant changes might be needed.
- Mendel
On 10/14/2005 at 6:47pm, SPDuke wrote:
Re: Retooling the Bug ["Firefly d20"]
This post sort of smacks of a "D20 done right" post.
That said, it is a clever and fresh manipulation/streamlining of the system, and I'd be interested to see how well it works in practice.
That said, if I were to go into a bookstore, see that there was a d20 Firefly game, and pick up this system, I think I'd feel a little cheated. It seems as if the Firefly motifs were simply tacked on, and by your own admission, "While it has specific ties to Firefly, those can be removed without too much difficulty." But for a pickup game of Firefly with some friends, it would certainly satisfy.
But since you're asking for what other genres you can use it with, how about the 2 genres from which Firefly borrows the most:
--space operas
--horse operas
And since you've worked up some extra social skills (which need more explanation) and the Social save, how about something with a lot of intrigue but room for action? Something dealing with the Triads of Hong Kong? Or something with a mix of action and politics in Victorian India? Or England during the rule of Oliver Cromwell?
Go nuts!
Peace,
Steve