VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

DCC has inspired many folks to produce their own supplements and adventures for the game. This is the place for discussion of all 3PP products for DCC RPG.

Moderators: DJ LaBoss, finarvyn, michaelcurtis, Harley Stroh

Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

PLEASE NOTE: This thread is solely for the discussion of rules, adventures and setting materials for Void Hunters. Please read the entire post before commenting and please keep it on topic (although hearty attaboys for other, off-topic, products by any creator are allowed.... nay, encouraged)... Cheers!

After discussions with JG and sending in my Licensing agreement, I'm pleased to announce that Jabberwocky Media LLC [ http://jabberwocky-media.com/ ] is going to start work on Void Hunters, the DCC game of Seventies Science Fiction in November, with a Kickstarter to follow in the Spring of 14.

The default setting is focused on the horrors of space exploration, including isolation, alien terrors, and weird quirks of science and nature that defy man's understanding of the universe. The rules will follow closely in the gritty mold of DCC and reinforce the notion that space is a cold, lonely, uncaring thing that will kill the unprepared, and, when faced with an infinite variety of things that can kill you, it's practically impossible to be totally prepared.

Adventures would largely be based around sandbox style exploration of the universe, discovering the remains of other civilizations that died out long before man took his first steps into the universe, fighting against alien super-predators that are bred in the darkest and harshest environments, and salvaging the remains of lost expeditions that fell prey to unknown forces or the predations of their fellow men. Basically, DCC In Spaaace! But there will information for setting up Feudal Dark Sci-Fi settings (like Dune or 40k) and War Amongst the Stars settings (like Ender's Game or Starship Troopers)

In accordance with the 3PP licensing agreement with GG, it will, like my Barbarians of the Aftermath supplement for BoL, be a supplemental book that requires the main DCC rulebook to use, and it will focus on converting those rules to fit a Dark Sci-Fi setting. Here is the working Table of Contents (subject to change, of course):

Chapter 1: Introduction
● How to Use This Book
● Setting Assumptions - What is Seventies Science Fiction?
● New Rules (the Resource Attribute, firearms, technology rolls, etc.)

Chapter 2: Characters
● Defining Setting Assumptions about PC Classes
● Redshirts - Level 0 Characters
● Soldier
● Scientist
● Scout
● Officer
● Psychic
● Synthetic

Chapter 3: Psionics
● Rules
● Psionic Disciplines
● Power Listings

Chapter 4: Gear
● Defining Tech Level in your Setting
● Acquiring Gear - Resource Checks
● Standard Gear
● Combat Gear
● Servitors
● Psychic Gear

Chapter 5: Starships
● Defining Space Travel in your Campaign
● Acquiring a Starship
● Running a Starship
● Fighting a Starship
● Starship Construction
● Starship Modules

Chapter 6: New Worlds
● Sector Generation
● Star System Generation
● World Generation

Chapter 7: Alien Menaces
● Defining Setting Assumptions about Aliens
● Random Species Generation
● Sample Alien Flora
● Sample Alien Fauna
● Sentient Civilization Generation
● Alien PCs

Chapter 8: Exploring the Darkness
● The Interstellar Sandbox
● Hazards of the Void
● The Planetary Sandbox
● Planetary Environments
● Lost Civilizations
● Hulks

Chapter 9: Missions & Campaigns
● Player Unit Organization (Expeditionary Forces, Survey Teams, Traders, etc.)
● Mission Generator
● Dungeons In Spaaaace (Creating and stocking adventure sites)
● The Wider Universe (Level 6+ Campaigns)
● Mission 1: The Lost and the Damned (Level 0 Hulk Recovery Mission)
● Mission 2: The Pyramids of Pyxis (level 1 Planetary Exploration Mission)

What is Seventies Sci-Fi? Well, outside of the elements I've mentioned above, here is my personal 'Appendix N' that is currently inspiring the design of the book:

BOOKS

All the Stars a Stage (James Blish, 1971) - The imminent destruction of the sun forces humanity (now a matriarchal society in which men are considered largely useless) to flee for the stars in untested starships. Over 50 years of dangerous exploration to find a suitable homeworld ensue.

Dune (Frank Herbert, 1965) - The prime example of the Feudal Sci-Fi setting, the universal order has regressed into a series of interstellar Dukedoms ruled over by an Emperor; space travel and psionic disciplines along with human computer/assassins are controlled by guilds; and Machiavellian schemes, political assassination and interstellar war are the primary past-times of the noble houses.

Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card, 1985) - Although the full novel came out in 1985, the basis for it appeared as a novella in Analog magazine in 1977. Mankind, still recovering after a narrowly won war against an implacably alien insect race known as 'the buggers,' starts training the next generation of children to become generals and launch a pre-emptive strike against the aliens before they can regroup and return to finish humanity off.

Gateway (Fredrick Pohl, 1977) - The core premise of this story, an ancient and long dead alien race leave behind a stargate and several hundred ships for humanity to discover and experiment with, would make an excellent setup for a Void Hunter's campaign. The fact that the poor humans have little control over where they are going (Habitable world? Dead world? Edge of a black hole?) and when they might get there (Do we have enough supplies to last the trip or will we starve in space?) just makes it all the more fun. Throw in a 1849 era gold-rush mentality as people risk it all for a chance to get rich off the unknown, and a greedy corporation looking to exploit them when/if they return, and you've got the perfect recipe for adventure.

Little Fuzzy (H. Beam Piper, 1962) - One of my favorite books from my youth (along with the two follow up sequels), the character of Jack Holloway is the main source of inspiration for the Scout class in the game. It also features an alien world, with unique flora and fauna, resources being exploited by an inter-stellar corporation and private prospectors (like the players in VH) and a primitive alien species that turns out to be sentient, and the problem that causes for said corporation and the prospectors. A must read for anyone planning a VH game. And I'll be using Fuzzy Fuzzy Sapiens as my example of creating an optional Alien PC class.

Rendezvous with Rama (Arthur C. Clarke, 1972) - The subject of this novel is another space born artifact from a long lost alien civilization, which would qualify as an extremely unusual hulk: part space craft, part world. The 'biots' also make for highly interesting alien fauna.

Ringworld (Larry Niven, 1970) - Louis Wu and company crash land on the mother of ancient archeological artifacts, a Ringworld, and are forced to explore it's massive, bizarre structure in order to find a way to escape. While not all that dark, and featuring a number of different alien races, Ringworld does provide a perfect example of exploring the remains of a lost alien civilization while interacting with the retro-grade descendents and strange creatures that make up the flora a fauna around it. It is a massive, campaign worthy, sci-fi sandbox.

Starship Troopers (Robert Heinlein, 1959) - For more military based campaigns, there isn't a great deal of combat in the book, but there is a great deal on the no holds barred, anything to survive mentality humanity may adopt in order to cope with the extreme circumstances surrounding interstellar war. Brutal training for a brutal people to fight a brutal enemy in a variety of brutal environments..

Solaris (Stanisław Lem, 1970) - The perfect example of what happens when man inadvertently discovers that life doesn't neatly fit in the pigeonhole that he places it in, and the consequences that emerge from that arrogant assumption. I won't give away the core story element that makes this novel unique, but suffice to say, sometimes the observer doesn't realize that they're the one under the microscope.

Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader (Rick Preistley, 1987) - Although a game book, not strictly straight fiction, the first edition of the world-popular WH40k game set forth a dark interstellar empire in its decline, its teaming subjects living a feudal existence underneath a brutal regime venerating a corpse Emperor and beset by external enemies and internal corruption. The original is still the best and presents humanity and space as terrifyingly uncaring and full of black humor. It also provides a ton of story seeds revolving around the exploration of new worlds, the rediscovery of lost worlds and salvaging of massive 'space hulks,' essentially mega-dungeons in space.

MOVIES

Alien (1979) - A crew of space miners, ordered by the Company to investigate a signal coming from a mysterious moon, end up exploring a dangerous world, encountering the crashed hulk of an alien spaceship and bring aboard a parasitic alien life form that stalks the crew in the 'dungeon' of their own spacecraft. This is the quintessential Void Hunter adventure in the Dark Sci-Fi paradigm.

The Black Hole (1979) - No aliens, space demons or lost civilizations, just a mad scientist in a massive 'lost' space ship (the sci-fi equivalent of an evil wizard's dungeon complete with the robot equivalent of orcs and an ogre) perched on the edge of the most destructive force in the universe with all the danger that entails.

Dark Star (1974) -Somewhat less serious than some might expect from the title, the comedy is still black as the void of space, the end result of the film is fairly fatalistic and the clear insanity of the crew after a long space voyage (not to mention the dark nature of their ongoing mission) is likely to remind players and GMs of the black humor and absurdity that even the most well meaning and serious RPG adventure devolves into after a long night's play. It's like somebody took an actual sci-fi RPG session, wrote it into a screenplay and then filmed the results.

Event Horizon (1997) -This movie came out well after the seventies, but it encapsulates the horrors of space exploration and turns them up to 11. A search and rescue team finds a spacecraft with a prototype interstellar drive that went missing 7 years earlier. As they explore the 'hulk' they find that, on its maiden voyage, the Event Horizon uncovered horrors beyond human comprehension. It's 'The Shining' in space with a little bit of 'Hellraiser' thrown in for good measure.

Outland (1981) - Again, shortly outside of the seventies, but still deep in the ethos of many of the stories from that time. No aliens, just man's inhumanity to man in the pursuit of interstellar resources and profit. Often described as 'High Noon in Space,' nothing better captures the frontier nature of space, where help is not around the corner and running away is not always an option when you're surrounded by an environment that is totally antithetical to human life.

Prometheus (2012) - Waaay outside the seventies, but the spiritual successor to Alien in tone. I also think the Android in this movie is a much better representation of the synthetic in VH than Ash from the previous movie. Best of all, an alien 'base' that the characters must explore which is horrendously dangerous and contains secrets that will blow the explorer's minds.

Silent Running (1972) - While this film is set within the solar system, it has many elements that define seventies sci-fi. Man's inhumanity and self-destructive nature, the delicate nature of life and maintaining it in the cold dark of space, and a perfect example of how some last remnant of a lost civilization could end up floating in space (becoming a Hulk, in VH vernacular).

MAGAZINES

A lot of the science fiction I read that really defined the themes of seventies science fiction came from a selection of magazines that were popular during that decade and into the eighties as well. I can't necessarily remember the specific stories or the particular authors, but the influence of these periodicals, whose stories reflected the time they were written in, will impress the feel of the era on you like nothing else can.

Omni - A magizine of technology, science and science fiction, it boasted articles featuring some of the most influential writers, scientists and artists of the time, including Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov, and H.R.Giger. The stories were a bit on the weird side. One story that sticks in my brain to this day involved an alien shape changer that absorbed people to feed itself and then took on their form and memories. It had escaped from a government black site and became the lover of a woman who took it in after she found out it had eaten and taken the form of her ex-husband. She basically kept it as a lover until she started to think it might leave her, at which point she turned it over to the government, stoned out of its mind on oregano, which acted as a powerful and addictive drug for it. Yeah, that's the kind of weird stuff the seventies was known for...

Analog - The premier science fiction magazine of the time, it collected the works of authors known and unknown and many of its stories really reflected the zeitgeist of the time, one of uncertainty and fear of the unknown. Find yourself a dozen or so back copies form this period and you'll probably have enough material for an equal number of adventures.

Heavy Metal - Now, as a whole, this comic magazine was all over the place, with fantasy and science fiction of bewildering variety and wildly varying quality decorating its pages. A lot of it was just cartoon porn. But occasionally, once every other issue or so, they'd have story that really grabbed the Dark Sci-Fi vibe of the era and ran with it. And let's not forget they published the comic version of Alien, one of the best movie to comic adaptions ever.

***

As for me, I'm the author and designer of Barbarians of the Aftermath and was a designer on the Doctor Who RPG line (writing, game design, graphic design and layout) so I've got a far bit of experience in this area and should have a manuscript ready for folks to peruse by January. In the meantime, while I'm gathering my material together, does anyone have any questions or requests?
Last edited by Maxwell Luther on Sat Oct 26, 2013 7:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

For those who are looking for more information, you can find regularly updated design diaries for this game on my personal blog. This post will serve as an index for quick referencing:

Introduction and Chapter Outline: http://jabberwocky-media.com/?p=154

Description of Void Hunters and Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming Concepts: http://jabberwocky-media.com/?p=159

Overview of New Rules for DCC: http://jabberwocky-media.com/?p=185

Overview of the Character Classes: http://jabberwocky-media.com/?p=200

The Synthetic Class: http://jabberwocky-media.com/?p=222

The Commanding Officer Class: http://jabberwocky-media.com/?p=240

Redshirt Occupations - Military: http://jabberwocky-media.com/?p=273

VOID Update July 10th, 2014: http://jabberwocky-media.com/?p=328
Last edited by Maxwell Luther on Thu Jul 10, 2014 11:38 am, edited 4 times in total.
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

Another Blog Post on the game, this time dealing with Character Classes...

http://jabberwocky-media.com/?p=200

Enjoy!
User avatar
finarvyn
Cold-Hearted Immortal
Posts: 2599
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2009 3:42 am
FLGS: Fair Game, Downers Grove IL
Location: Chicago suburbs
Contact:

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by finarvyn »

This sounds quite interesting. I like the notion of applying the base DCC rules system to other genres. 8)
Marv / Finarvyn
DCC Minister of Propaganda; Deputized 6/8/11 (over 11 years of SPAM bustin'!)
DCC RPG playtester 2011, DCC Lankhmar trivia contest winner 2015; OD&D player since 1975

"The worthy GM never purposely kills players' PCs, He presents opportunities for the rash and unthinking players to do that all on their own."
-- Gary Gygax
"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
-- Dave Arneson
"Misinterpreting the rules is a shared memory for many of us"
-- Joseph Goodman
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

finarvyn wrote:This sounds quite interesting. I like the notion of applying the base DCC rules system to other genres. 8)

Thanks Finarvyn! Wish I could say I was the first but Smathis beat me to it with his Transylvanian Adventures & The Transylvanian Grimoire, which sounds intriguing as well.

Another update: this time I've added a bit to the Void Hunters Appendix N in the first post. I added Prometheus to the movie section because, really, it is totally in the spirit of a VH adventure and the android in that movie informs the Synthetic of VH. Yes, the story is full of holes, but the setting, tone and alien dangers that make it perfect for a VH game.

And then there's Little Fuzzy, added to the book section, which I can't believe I forgot to include, as it was a favorite of mine when I was younger. As I say, a must read for sci-fi fans.
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

Update: Void Hunters Status as of November 5th

I'm going to start writing this week, filling out all the mechanics and getting it into a play-testing state. A friend of mine has volunteered to do a piece of cover art for me and Raven Crowking and Ragboy are going to write some introductory adventures to get across the weird science feel I'm aiming at for the game.

My goal is to finish the text only version of the book and put it up for $1-3 dollars and then possibly do some sort of rolling pre-order (I'm not certain that crowd-sourcing is right for this small project) for the main book to generate funds for proper art. After that, you will be able to buy both the PDF and the POD version of the full book on RPGNow (which will be discounted for those who bought the text version).

After that, I'm all about the adventures, getting as many out there as possible to support the game in the proper manner for levels 1-5. Future expansions of the main game include two pre-made settings to give folks some variations on the themes in the book. I'm going to try and get permission to do Reichstar for the game (because Space Nazis, that's why) and may well turn Barbarians of Heavy Metal into a setting as well. Time and interest in the game will tell...
User avatar
reverenddak
Moderator
Posts: 768
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:04 am
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by reverenddak »

Awesome. I'm stoked for this. You got some excellent talent lined up for adventures. I'll also open for submissions for this (and TA) in Crawl!
Reverend Dakota Jesus Ultimak, S.S.M.o.t.S.M.S., D.M.

(Dungeon) Master In Chief of Crawl! fanzine. - http://www.crawlfanzine.com/

"[...] there is no doubt that Dungeons and Dragons and its imitators are right out of the pit of hell." - William Schnoebelen, Straight talk on Dungeons & Dragons
aesdana
Far-Sighted Wanderer
Posts: 33
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 10:48 pm

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by aesdana »

Maxwell Luther wrote:Update: Void Hunters Status as of November 5th
Great news, especially the playtest one which will give you the necessary insights into what seems to be a good idea before actual play and what is a really good idea in the real game.

I also read your new posts on your blog and found they fuel my interest further ! :wink:
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

Thanks for your support, guys!

I play-test everything before release. My last book, The Time Traveller's Companion went through 3 months of play-testing with hardened Whovians before I thought it was ready for layout. And For Glory! was play-tested over the entire summer and into fall of this year and only now is it to the state where I think it is close to ready.

I have a play-testing thread on my website forum and when it's ready, I'll be posting the play-test docs there and giving folks a chance to sign up and try it out.
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

UPDATE: Classes near Completion...

Just about finished with the classes. Many of them have been revised this week and only the Synthetic remains in an unfinished state, mostly because I'm still not sure how I'm going to handle it. The current list of available base classes, now called Careers, includes:

Commanding Officer
Soldier
Sci-Tech
Scout
Psion
Synthetic

I'll be whipping up a list of Redshirt Occupations for 0-Level Character creation as soon as I've finalized the Synthetic. After that, I'll do up a single Psychic Discipline with associated powers and that should be enough to run a character funnel converted from a DCC module. How long that takes depends on how much work I get done on my Thesis before Thursday, but maybe I can have something ready by next Monday. We shall see...
User avatar
Karaptis
Cold-Blooded Diabolist
Posts: 411
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 6:24 pm
Location: The end of time.

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Karaptis »

Lol redshirt occupations! Ensign Ramirez go check out that corridor! 8)
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

Finished the leveled classes, including the Synthetic, which I've posted a preview of, up on my blog. Let me know what you folks think of it:

http://jabberwocky-media.com/?p=222

Next up: The Redshirt Occupation chart...
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

Another sneak peek at the classes of Void Hunters: The Commanding Officer

http://jabberwocky-media.com/?p=240

I'm currently working on the Redshirt Occupations list and have 60+ entries at this point. The Random Occupation Chart will be a little different form DCC as parties in this game will tend to be more focused. One group might be a military expedition, one might be civilian, another might be corporate. There will even be a chance on each table for you to roll on the Table of Strange, which includes extremely rare but interesting variations on the standard characters, like a team member who is actually an alien spy who looks, for all intents and purposes, like a human (or is a human possessed by an alien), or a rogue synthetic whose Neural Inhibitors have been blanked or no longer function, making them free agents. I'll post the list up when it's complete and you lot can help me to fill in any gaping voids in it...
ragboy
Cold-Blooded Diabolist
Posts: 546
Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2003 4:19 pm
Contact:

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by ragboy »

These two classes, and your tease of the Occupation chart, look really good. You. Must. Write. Faster. :)
AKA Paul Wolfe
The Mystic Bull: Check out our two FREE prehistoric adventures: The Steading of the Nergalites AND The Tribe of Ogg and the Gift of Suss
In the Prison of the Squid Sorcerer (PDF) and softcover: 12 Short Adventures for DCC!
The God-Seed Awakens: 3rd Level Adventure for DCC. New patron, new spells, lots of new monsters and the living weapons of the Empire of Thal!
My Gamer Profile
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

ragboy wrote:These two classes, and your tease of the Occupation chart, look really good. You. Must. Write. Faster. :)
I sympathize and wish I could spend more time on it right now, but my final Thesis presentation for my MFA is two weeks from now and I have to focus all my energies on that and the two massive papers I have to write. After the 6th, however, I'll be free. Free! FREEEEEE! :lol:
User avatar
Ogrepuppy
Tight-Lipped Warlock
Posts: 921
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 11:26 pm
Location: the Towers of Carcosa

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Ogrepuppy »

Maxwell Luther wrote:
ragboy wrote:...my final Thesis presentation for my MFA is two weeks from now and I have to focus all my energies on that and the two massive papers I have to write.
I seriously question your priorities. :evil:



:mrgreen:
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

Ogrepuppy wrote:
Maxwell Luther wrote:
ragboy wrote:...my final Thesis presentation for my MFA is two weeks from now and I have to focus all my energies on that and the two massive papers I have to write.
I seriously question your priorities. :evil:

:mrgreen:
Lol! Yeah, screwed up, I know. Gaming is life, right? :lol:

Tell you what, I have a demo presentation on Thursday (showing off the current build of my QB Blitz miniature game project to my professor) but on Friday, if I can find the time, I'll finish up the occupation list for folks to see.
SavageRobby
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 100
Joined: Wed May 16, 2007 5:31 pm
Location: Austin, TX

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by SavageRobby »

I like what I've been reading so far, although for some reason (and I can't put my finger on it), the Synthetic didn't resonate with me.

Would love to see a Diplomat character class (Troy, Inara, Carter Burke) to go in there. And does the SciTech double as the Medic?
User avatar
Raven_Crowking
Cold-Hearted Immortal
Posts: 3159
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2012 9:41 am
FLGS: The Sword & Board
Contact:

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Raven_Crowking »

SavageRobby wrote:I like what I've been reading so far, although for some reason (and I can't put my finger on it), the Synthetic didn't resonate with me.
Did the synthetic strike you as a little false? :lol:
SoBH pbp:

Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

SavageRobby wrote:I like what I've been reading so far, although for some reason (and I can't put my finger on it), the Synthetic didn't resonate with me.

Would love to see a Diplomat character class (Troy, Inara, Carter Burke) to go in there. And does the SciTech double as the Medic?
There are 0-Level Occupations that cover that in the sense that you would get the full use of skills pertaining to that occupation as with DCC, but the general role of diplomat tends to fall to the Commanding Officer when necessary and, indeed, they may specifically be trained and sent on a mission as CO precisely because they have previous experience as a Politician or Corporate Executive.

As for a Deanna Troi sort of character, that would be a Psion who specializes in the Empath Discipline.

Raven_Crowking wrote:
SavageRobby wrote:I like what I've been reading so far, although for some reason (and I can't put my finger on it), the Synthetic didn't resonate with me.
Did the synthetic strike you as a little false? :lol:
8)
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

It is with great pleasure (and much relief) that I can announce my graduation. I'm FREEEEEE!

That means that I can now get back to work on Void Hunters. There is a new post up on my blog to that effect, covering Redshirt Occupation charts.

http://jabberwocky-media.com/?p=273

While I'm on the subject, I thought I'd take suggestions for the Weird Chart (I changed it from Table of Strange, because I was getting inappropriate sniggers when people read the name). So far I have the following:

1. Stranded Time Traveler
2. Alien Infiltrator
3. Rogue Synthetic
4. Latent Psion

Who'd like to add to that?
User avatar
Raven_Crowking
Cold-Hearted Immortal
Posts: 3159
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2012 9:41 am
FLGS: The Sword & Board
Contact:

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Raven_Crowking »

5. Sentient weapon
6. Alien explorer
7. Neurotropic disease
8. Micro wormhole
9. Meteor/asteroid/comet strike
10. Alien ruins (possibly still inhabited)
11. Viral intelligence
12. Solar flares disrupt communications
SoBH pbp:

Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
User avatar
GnomeBoy
Tyrant Master (Administrator)
Posts: 4126
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2006 1:46 pm
FLGS: Bizarro World
Location: Left Coast, USA
Contact:

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by GnomeBoy »

13. Parallel Universe Incursion
14. Giant Robot
15. Herald of Cosmic Entity
...
Gnome Boy • DCC playtester @ DDC 35 Feb '11. • Beta DL 2111, 7AM PT, 8 June 11.
Playing RPGs since '77 • Quasi-occasional member of the Legion of 8th-Level Fighters.

Link: Here Be 100+ DCC Monsters

bygrinstow.com - The Home of Inner Ham
User avatar
Rick
Cold-Blooded Diabolist
Posts: 481
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:36 am
FLGS: Gateway Games & More
Location: N KY / Greater Cincinnati area
Contact:

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Rick »

16. Transporter accident
Maxwell Luther
Wild-Eyed Zealot
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:38 am

Re: VOID HUNTERS: Seventies Sci-Fi Gaming...

Post by Maxwell Luther »

Just to clarify, the Weird table is for Weird Occupations. Basically, bizarre secret occupations that the character has underlying their main occupation. It is rolled randomly be the GM so that the player may, or may not know the result, which may be revealed later.

Still, I've upgraded the list to include some of the out of place ones in the most logical manner possible (combining some of them into a single category):

1. Stranded Time Traveler
2. Alien Infiltrator
3. Rogue Synthetic
4. Latent Psion
5. Sentient Weapon
6. Alien - Last of it's Kind
7. Carrier for an Intelligent Alien Disease
8. Connected to Twin by Personal Wormhole
9. Parallel Universe Version of Dead Person
10. Evil Version of PC switched from a Mirror Universe
11. Unknowingly an Avatar of a extra-dimensional being
12. Herald of Cosmic Entity

Room for 20 more...
Post Reply

Return to “DCC RPG Third Party Publishers”