a reposting of sorts from below (because im somwhat bored and termninally insecure). dont take the writing style too seriously ;)

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Space Patrol: Galactic History

Then:

The Mentors and the Darklings existed before the birth of our galaxy. In fact their conflict – like their civilisations – was by that time already old. Both were diametrically opposed and highly advanced cultures whose differences could not be recognised and whose conflict characterised their evolution to the point where neither race could remember a time when they were not at war.
The event that triggered the birth of our galaxy was the crescendo of this great conflict. While safely ensconced within their homebase, the planet Agartha, the Darklings brought about the destruction of the Mentor homeworld with such force that the destroyed the entire cosmos. This they knew would be the result and this they believed was the only way to bring an end to the war.
Using their own highly advanced science they had fortified the planet core and sealed their civilisation safely within. The cataclysm caused a chain reaction that resulted in the birth of an entire galaxy – our galaxy. Agartha safely weathered the storm while the Mentor homeworld was destroyed. Agartha itself was the only thing to survive – the outer core of the planet was reduced to a toxic and corrosive atmosphere. The Darklings cared not for the devastation they had caused, nor for the scale upon which it was wrought; they only cared that their hated enemies were no more.
Or so they believed.
The Darklings emerged from their base countless ages later when the worlds of our galaxy had formed and life was promising. As the clear dominant species of the cosmos, they travelled far and wide investigating the new realm and in doing so they left their vile seed on many worlds. They knew (great indeed was their science) that one world, in time (for time in the measure of beings such as the Darklings was measured on a greater scale), would rise to rival even their power. This planet was earth and thus the influence they left on the burgeoning and evolving life there was greatest of all.
Meanwhile in another dimension of space and time the enemies of the Darklings mustered themselves having survived the apocalypse by transcending into Thoughtspace. The Mentors had reached the pinnacle of physical evolution by the time of the Darkling attack and their incredible mental powers had allowed them to discern their enemies’ plan unseen. At the moment of destruction the Mentors abandoned their homeworld by transcending to that plane of pure thought energy they call Thoughtspace.
Realising they must act (and yet repulsed by thought of visiting destruction – even on their enemies) the Mentors migrated temporarily into normal space arriving near the vile planet of Agartha. Their combined thought power was enough to banish Agartha from normal space into another dimension, a dark dimension - ‘X’ – where they would remain until the end of time when both races would have their final reckoning (as foreseen by the inscrutable Mentors).
Once their task was complete, the Mentors saw that they had one final mission to accomplish before returning to Thoughtspace; they sought to do what they could to remove the blemish of Darkling influence on the young, innocent, planets of the cosmos. They felt something of a responsibility toward the civilisations that would emerge on these worlds, especially the race that would one day call itself humanity.
Unfortunately while they were able to all but remove traces of Darkling evil from all worlds, their influence had grown too deep and too ingrained on the planet earth. To counter this, the Mentors introduced their own influence, of equal strength, into the evolutionary mix. When the time came, humanity would be ready to combat the evil influence of the Darklings. The Mentors could see that the Darklings sought to ‘breed’ evil into humans causing them to sow the seeds of their own downfall before they could become a threat to them. In return, the Mentors own influence would cause the evolution of humans with strength and courage to fight that influence and grow beyond it.
In time the Mentors left our galaxy, satisfied they had done all they could to prevent the spread of evil from infecting the newborn cultures. They retired to Thoughtspace. Humanity and his interstellar cousins grew up to look at the stars and one day to reach them; that day is now.

Now:

Earth has survived three near catastrophic world wars. Each conflict a tiny microcosm of the great conflict that gave birth to the galaxy; each time humanity returned, stronger than before.
At the end of the third world war humanity had two choices: live or die. The war was devastating changing much of the world on every level. In some places the land would be scarred for centuries. One world government was introduced as military technology was propelled into the only direction left to humanity to travel in – the journey into space. Whereas the steps taken in that direction before had been bay steps, mankind was now ready to claim the stars.
As a result of the technological advances made during the war, the prominent scientist Dr Rupert Adair and his business associate, Argo Darklite, were able to construct the first faster than light engine. This was the catalyst for man’s decision to move into space for real, and this signified the turning of the page for humanity solidifying the one world ethic.
In time humanity would colonise places within the solar system on worlds that were once as mythical as their namesakes. He would also make friends with many alien races who were also finding their feet in the vastness of the heavens. Together they would forget the Interstellar Accord, an alliance of prosperity friendship and power that would be the foundation for the stand against the Darklings who would not remain hidden forever. It would also be Dr Adair’s on, Sam, who would form the Space Patrol to combat the return of the Darklings and the treachery of Argo Darklite that would lead to the formation of the Patrol’s greatest enemies: the Black Acolytes.
It was Rupert Adair who first made contact with the Mentors, while his son was still a cadet in the Earth Space Force. While testing a prototype for his FTL engine, he was able to travel further than any human had ever travelled before, to the edge of the galaxy. Piloting the small ship alone Adair felt overwhelmed by the vastness of space and the distance he had travelled as he sat facing a great field of energy. This was the Frontier, an energy nexus between normal space and Thoughtspace. While his instruments told him he had travelled to the recorded edge of the galaxy, they could not make neither head nor tail of the energy field his own eyes told him was present. They registered something, but that something was apparently inscrutable. It was then that he heard a message, accompanied by light pulsing in time to a calm, deep and disarmingly human voice.
This voice spoke clearly in English enabling him to understand everything he was being told. He was instructed to relax as forced unseen brought his ship slowly into the Frontier.
Dr Adair was subsequently brought into the unearthly realm of the Mentors. They informed him that his journey had been preordained and that he was the result of an ancient heritage they had created long ago. They also explained that his son who would go on to be the most important and powerful human being who ever lived would finally complete this progeny – and the most just.
Adair’s mind could barely comprehend the experience as it translated the presence of the Mentors into something more coherent: beings – men, dressed in white robes standing within great white halls. Yet at the same time something within his very core knew this was the truth and that the very fate of the galaxy depended upon it being true.
The experience seemed to last an eternity and yet be concluded almost as soon as it had begun. Adair found himself back aboard the ship staring at the energy nexus (glowing with less intensity now), the words ‘we will help you’ rang in his ears. He checked his instruments; they had recorded no passage of time or movement. Oddly they did record a vast input of data that filled the files almost to bursting: the Mentors had equipped Adair with a wealth of incredible scientific knowledge to help him against an ancient evil called the Darklings. They had also instructed him never to go to a planet called Agartha and to beware his friend, Darklite.
This advice was heeded, fortunately. Darklite, who was already seeking to exploit the brave new world of the galaxy, proved treacherous indeed financing a mercenary expedition to uncharted regions of space and listening to alien tales of a fabled lost world; mention was made of the name Agartha. The Darklings had returned, their world had phased back into reality, now all they required was willing servants to make their power complete. Accompanying them, much to the dismay of Adair who secretly hoped the warnings about Darklite would prove groundless, was Darklite himself who had grown greedy and ambitious after the success of the FTL drive. He craved the opportunities for riches and profit that the stars offered.
The mercenary expedition found Agartha, a world that made no sense; its deadly atmosphere played havoc with the sensors of all approaching craft while deep within the eyes of the Darklings watched all intruders. Pleased were the minds behind those eyes for while the mercenaries themselves were worthless humanoids, Darklite was the true prize, for he was the true culmination of their own ancient breeding program. He alone survived the journey into Agartha itself, a city sealed within the iron core of the most inhospitable and dismal world in the universe. He alone survived the hideous genetic and biological experiments of the Darklings that increased his mental capacity (at the cost of his humanity). He was the first and the leader under the yoke of the Darklings of Agartha, of the Black Acolytes whom he was ordained to form, just as Samuel Adair was destined to form the Mentor-influenced Space Patrol.
As Darklite completed the plans of the Darklings, the clarion call of darkness was heralded and others were brought into the dark fold of the Black Acolytes. It was the desire of the Darklings that the Acolytes make use of their advanced technology and go into the galaxy to work in secret and shadow, undermining the works of the Interstellar Accord and other agencies for good – especially and ultimately the Space Patrol. Chaos and terror were the goals of the Darklings who sought to eventually claim a galaxy they had broken as their first stepping stone towards assaulting their hated enemies whom they could not reach, safe in Thoughtspace – a realm beyond the perception of even the Darklings who are too evil and tainted to breach it.

The Space Patrol:

Dr Rupert Adair died before the Space Patrol was formed; he lived a long and productive life making much use of the scientific knowledge he learned from the Mentors in order to benefit earth in its dealings with other cultures. These relationships strengthened over time leading to the Interstellar Accord between Earth, Pollux Primus, Alpha Centauri, Izar and Mare Pacifica. Other worlds had been contacted and other races encountered, but not all accepted or wanted any part of the Accord. It quickly became clear that the Accord was necessary; there were corners of the galaxy that were dark in more ways than one. Dr Adair was buried on the farthest friendly world that man had encountered in a modest wilderness grave, but not before he had passed the secret of the Mentors on to his own son.
Sam learned of his true heritage from the vast databases of the Mentors and the words of his father who related his experience to him. Sam was the only other person who knew of Rupert’s experience at the edge of the galaxy. These revelations proved timely as the Black Acolytes made their presence felt in the solar system, revealing themselves as a force to be reckoned with – unknown and deadly marauders striking at archaeological sites on Mars where Sam Adair had discovered the remains of an ancient starship buried beneath the surface.
Acolyte vessels arrived out of nowhere and struck at the camps destroying as much of the site as they could. They knew what was there, even if the scientists from earth didn’t: the remains of an ancient Mentor craft that had survived the destruction of the big bang and had become fossilised within Mars.
The attack came as Adair was within the bowels of the ship itself; it seemed only he could gain access into the ships innards where he discovered a strange looking belt stored within a beam of white light, right at the core of the vessel. As he took it he heard the voices of the Mentors, jst as hie father described. They explained that he would be safe aboard the ship, but that this was just the beginning. While the ground shook around him, and the vessl itself threatened to cave in he learned of the struggle between the Mentors and the Darklings and how the Darklings had returned. He learned of his part to play in their great struggle.
He emerged after the attack had ceased to find total destruction around him – only he had survived. In his had, the strange belt the Mentors had given him, which he learned was a source of great power. The time had come, the Darklings had returned and their forces had made the first move.
Thus was born the Space Patrol, an agency of the finest intergalactic recruits from amongst the worlds of the Interstellar Accord, armed with the Science Belts and technology of the Mentors. Their secret mission was to combat the forces of evil in the galaxy and frustrate the Darklings at every turn while bringing peace and order to the galaxy. The technology and the science of the Mentors was stored within Asimov Station, a vast orbital construct built from the ruins of the Martian dig. The technology included the secret of the incredible Science Belt replicated and worn by each Patrolman to aid in his work and fuelled by the pure thought energy of the Mentors that they themselves had long ago stored like a battery within the sun.
The Space Patrol has become the shinign beaecon and symbol of the Interstellar Accord. A weapon of incredible power tempered by the wisdom of the Mentors. Sam Adair’s time has passed, he is in his latter years and now serves as President of the Accord itself and remains stationed on the space station HQ of the Accord where he now continues to serve the galaxy. Brave new Patrolman join the service every day, just in time to meet the continued and insidious threat of the Black Acolytes – not to mention the other perils of the stars. Their job is as vast as the galaxy, and even youngsters have a chance to join – as Junior Patrolmen in the galaxy-wide Space Kids club (membership of which includes a free Space Patrol game).
The time for adventure is now.

Hey SotSerpent:

Posts like that might not get you too many responses unless there's a somewhat specific question attached, like, "I want a history that provides some powerful story ideas without limiting player creativity. Are there any areas where this text seems too restricting?"

That sort of thing will give you good odds of multiple replies.

Personally, I wouldn't worry so much about history details yet. Ask yourself, if you were playing this game, what would the most kickass moments be. A fistfight against Doctor Attitude over control of the lever that destroys the universe? The moment where Space Patrolman Ed has to choose between saving the best-in-show swamp poodle from being crushed by a transport or filling out his tax return on time? How important is it for characters to have a big chance of failing tasks? That sort of thing will lead you to some other good questions, and then the real system monkey stuff will really get FUN. Do you need attributes at all? What for? And so on.

And good luck. I want more space opera games. I'm working on two at the same time.

-Matt

these details were posted from another thread below (pulp sf). the history presented is really meant to be a vague(ish) backdrop as opposed to an authoritive timeline. its essentially a context for people to understand the game, and to be able to play the game.

i have many images for what gameplay will be like, however posting them is not much help for anyone else as yet (since i havent printed any other background details). however i find working with such images is helpful for the creative process.

the nature of the bakcground is really supposed to set up the basics of the universe. itsd vague in many ways because the individual gm shoudl have the same kind of freedom to run games and campaigns in the same way one does with Adventure. that is to say, Adventure provides a simple overarching background and rationale for anything that can happen in just such a world. it doesnt go into huge amounts of specific details but instead provides tidbits and hooks here and there. too specific a setting is inappropriate for a game of this nature.

admittedly its difficult to expect comments (especially when i dont provide a context!) when i havent provided much else (however more is provided in the other thread). i have many other ideas, alien races, etc, hopwever this is the essential backdrop for the game. players will be taking on the role of the Space Patrol as it patrols (duh) the spaceways in order to protect the good (ie the Interstellar Accord - an alliance of goodie planets and races, from the machinations of the Darklings (personified by the Black Acolytes). The Acolytes work behind the scenes, they are also a direct mirror for the SP and the pc's; this allows gm's to come up with all kinds of individual approaches and styles while still keeping to the 'traditions' of the game.

if that makes any sense.

SoS:

I think you're getting to the meat at the end of that last post. The history and other details are like dozens of jars of paint. As a player I need to know what I'm supposed to paint, how big the canvas is, and exactly what kind of methods I should be using.

So I'm a space patrol guy. What kinds of things do I do? Is it black and white morally? Are the villains always heartless scum? Are the odds stacked in my favor? Is it possible for my guy to fall and then redeem himself, and are there rules to track it? Can my guy kick the butts of dozens of hench-lings without breaking a sweat? What kinds of rewards are there in-game? Do my guy's scores improve over time? Does he gain prestige points that I can brag to the other players about? What do the rules focus on in detail, and what do they leave a little vague? Are there rules for cooking? For space dogfights?

well, most of those questions are answered in the other thread below (somewhere).

its essentially a superhero/pulp (more the former) universe. Reason: such universes are open to all kinds of dramatic possibility. having Merlin reappear on an alien planet while conjuring an army of destructo-class cybots isnt so out of place as a resuit. this sort of thing happens all the time in comics and no one bats an eyelid becauses its in-genre. thats why i like them, and thats why i like that kind of gaming world.