"Which of these games would you be more interested in?" Topic

Feeling the air a bit. My next writing project will be a scifi game.

The aim will be at fairly small skirmish gaming where you can put wacky mini's to use.

Option 1 is a "future gang war" type of game. Space pirates, lawmen, psychos, gangsters and malfunctioning robots.

This would play similar in style (not rules) to Necromunda or Laserburn. A gang of guys that you keep from game to game, gain loot and experience etc.

Probably lots of random stuff going on here. Random encounters, pick up weirdoes from the planet to join your gang and so forth.

Playable with 5-8 guys each, but benefit from a big model collection.

Option 2 is a more character driven game in the style of Rogue Trader. Small warbands with a couple of characters and a few gangs of henchmen. Lots of unique ways to build characters (skills, weird aliens, psychic powers, gonzo alien guns).
You could do this as a "pick up" game but it's more aimed at refereed scenarios and narrative campaigns where the characters build a bit of story.
Probably very simple rules but a ton of different units and characters. Rogue Trader for the new era, if you will.

Thinking a typical game here might be 3-4 characters and a squad or two.

Either of these catch your interest?
They will be commercial games with a PDF release but pretty cheap art-wise since I can't afford a whole ton yet.

They both catch my interest. I want them both very badly.

If #2 will allow my son and I to use his Crimson Fists in small, elite squads like he reads about in the fiction, battling gangs of orcs or beasties or Bad Guys, I would definitely look at them. Based on your work with FAD I would look anyway, to be honest – but I bet there are a lot of "40k Dads" like me out there, who have kids with collections that are getting dusty because they never bought into the GW Kool-Aid.

I would prefer option #1

I use to role play quite a bit, but now find there is not enough time, so a "lighter", low time commitment game appeals to me.

Note, I am in the old man demographic so your target market may be the this to decide.

CAT – number 2 would definitely be in that "use those old figures" type of game.

I want to do both, since I think there's some niche market open but I'll have to focus on one thing first :)

Both sound good. However, playing Devil's Advocate here, hasn't this already been done in other currently popular rule sets? How would these rules be different from say the Ganesha Games rules? Not trying to be a pain, just honestly interested.

For a gang game, it'd be a pretty full featured campaign. Random events, mission generators, a long list of possible characters and misfits you can hire with a "promotion" system where characters can develop into a new class.

You'd be able to get more and better loot for your guys, pick up new skills and so forth.

The only of their games I'm familiar with is Mutants&Death Ray Guns and I'm aiming at a simpler, faster game with a more in-depth and complex campaign.

On option 2, I don't know if there's anything that quite hits it at the moment. 5150 is moving in it's own directions and most of the rules for 15mm scifi gaming are focused on "platoons of soldiers doing soldier stuff".

What I want is something aimed a bit more directly at that Rogue Trader experience of setting up a scenario with weird aliens, fairly easy to use rules and a ton of crazy stuff.

edit: And just in case it needs to be said: I don't have any dislike for either game mentioned, in fact, I'm a huge 5150 fan. Just stating my opinion on what the games cover :)

We currently mainly use combatzone over other similar rules to cover options 1and 2 . If you can achieve this with a set of rules simpler than mutants and death ray guns ,it's definitely something worth trying out.
Option 2 is more adventurous to achieve but will probably be the most appealing game system even if the combat can be done by another game mechanic already out there.

I'd love to see either one!

Both look exceptionally good I mean I really like your original idea from the last thread youbpoated.
Erm all in all I am torn but I am leaning out on number 2 as you say its unique.

I'm not entirely clear on how these two proposals differ. Couldn't a set of rules include both options?

Option 2 strikes my fancy.

Optional – the gang wars option would probably have a much heavier emphasis on campaigns, with more explicit stuff like meeting NPC's and finding loot. Option 2 would have campaign rules but a simpler, lighter fare in favour of a wider range of scifi gadgetry.

But they would have some crossover of course

1.

For 2 I would use my Xbox instead.

I have no interest in either one they just don't strike my fancy sorry.

Captain – hey, we all have our own interests. No need to be sorry :)

To be honest they sound very similar… which is good. I think you should stick with individual models as units (not squads) and a model count of anywhere from 4-12 models per side. Think Rogue Trader fluff with Necromunda scale rules. Star Mogul and AE:Bounty were nice ideas, too, but suffered from needless rules for 'squads' in such low model-count games. Be sure to include a points system, generic/build your own weapons/races/stats, and I think you have a winner. Rogue Trader/ Necromunda with more open fluff and improved rules would be a 'holy grail' for a lot of 28mm sci-fi gamers….

Of the two, #2 is more appealing – but I've got to admit, neither sounds particularly appealing to me atm.

I do have a large amount of GW 'SF' figures (even if I no longer play the game), but I've gone off "rpg" styled games.

Small scale skirmish is fine, but I don't need one with the complexity of bullet accounting rpg nor the simplicity of 4+ I win.

It's the apok-ambience you need-do your home town 50-200 years after the fall-like Fallout. Take a map of your area and change things-malls become caravansaries, reservoirs are fought over, urban farm/glasshouses, bloodsport arenas, etc.

I live in Utica, NY-when I played a Fallout/Savage Worlds campaign we named it 'Udiga-your own grave'.

Players knew the area and got into the changes.

I'd prefer the first, I have such a random collection that it'd be fun.