Since I’m being pushed from three different directions to look at running a SF game—not so much pushed as suggested, since I gravitate in that direction anyways—I bit the bullet and bought the new Mindjammer Revised Edition. It’s more of a preorder, since the physical book doesn’t ship until April 9th (per the site), but … More Mindjammer Thoughtcast Edition – Initial Impressions
Metamorphosis Alpha has enough recurring tropes that there are several good sources for inspiration; science-fiction RPGs have less of a “seminal work” motif, so it’s hard to tie everything to a single novel/series (The Lord of the Rings) or character (Conan). Non-Stop by Aldiss is the best (at least, in my opinion) because of how … More Appendix N: Metamorphosis Alpha Redux
Way back in the day—1976!—a little company recently named TSR Hobbies published a little roleplaying game. It’s not the roleplaying game they’re most famous for—that would be Dungeons & Dragons, mom—but one important for its place as the first science-fiction roleplaying game (and predecessor to the more successful and more popular Gamma World): Metamorphosis Alpha. … More Appendix N: Non-Stop by Brian Aldiss
So, with the release of Bullodgs! there’s now three science-fiction FATE games out there. Why three games for the same genre? Don’t you think there’s too much overlap? Nope, as a matter of fact; they’re three angles of approach for multiple problems/goals. Diaspora is as different from Bulldogs! as it is Starblazer, and visa versa, … More [FATE] Science-Fiction Showdown
The latest in Paizo Publishing’s Planet Stories pulp reprint line is a trilogy of early Robert Silverberg tales, written for the digest Science Fiction Adventures, which was in turn looking back to the old Planet Stories pulp for inspiration. The first book, Hunt the Space Witch! (hereafter referred to as HtSW!), contains seven of his earliest stories; … More Planet Stories – Hunt the Space Witch!
(spoilers, if you haven’t read the two previous Skaith books) Reavers of Skaith is the conclusion of Brackett’s Skaith trilogy. When we last saw our intrepid heroes, things were looking up: Eric John Stark managed to contact one of the last ships out of Skaith as the starport was closing. While Stark decided to stay behind, … More The Reavers of Skaith
(slight spoilers, for those who didn’t finish The Ginger Star) The Hounds of Skaith picks up after the conclusion of The Ginger Star. Eric John Stark has ventured across the dying planet of Skaith in search of his foster-father Simon, destroying the citadel of the ruling Wandsmen in the process. Now, he has to venture … More Cry Havoc… and let slip the Hounds of Skaith.
It’s been a long wait since we last saw a CthulhuTech book–Unveiled Threats last fall, which contrary to what its name implies was a large book of guns and artifacts–so it’s about time we see another release from Wildfire. In this case, it’s Chthonian Stars, a Cthulhu Mythos (big surprise) game using the Traveller license. … More RPG Review: Cthonian Stars
Needing some light reading, I picked up another Planet Stories book when I saw it in the book store—you’d be surprised how quick these leave Barnes & Noble, and how few of them are stocked. This one happened to be Piers Anthony’s Steppe, a historical fiction turned space opera, which sounded fairly interesting from its … More Planet Stories – Steppe
Logic is my Virgin Sacrifice to Reality 