Story suggestions for a sci-fi RPG

[Zachech]

So I've had this fantasy RPG running for a few years and now the "Sequel" I'm working on is a sci-fi epic (it's my own design, not a game system like d20 or anything). Basically, after so many years of dishing out stories, I seem to be fresh out of ideas for an overall storyline. Anyone have any basic ideas for a major storyline or even for some side quests?

[Darque]

Aliens (as in the movie)

[Jorian Drake]

A mercenary finds out that he/she is the sole survivor to the last legitimate royal family of Terra (or you insert here some other planet)

 

 

Mostly sci-fi RPG, but maybe with psionics and/or magic...

 

 

 

 

Good with your project

Edited February 4, 2006 by jorian

[Walsingham]

Mankind during the Fall from the Age of Technology as Slaanesh stirs in the Warp. from the Warhammer 40K universe. *shiver* :ph34r:

[Zachech]

it's more along the lines of stark trek, but there is "magic" too. there are psions, and clerics who are given a little bit of power from their deities. All the deities in this setting are aliens, though. plus there's so many aliens with special adaptations that it still has sort of a fantasy feel, just pushed into the future. I'm thinking of making it CE 2700ish in the milky way.

 

thanks for the ideas, keep them coming!

[Dark_Raven]

Aliens (as in the movie)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A good choice and so is Bladerunner.

[Zachech]

it's not really magic, just extra abilities. like clerics of certain gods have certain attribute bonuses or skill bonuses or whatever.

[Jorian Drake]

it's not really magic, just extra abilities.  like clerics of certain gods have certain attribute bonuses or skill bonuses or whatever.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

blessings you mean

[metadigital]

it's more along the lines of stark trek, but there is "magic" too.  there are psions, and clerics who are given a little bit of power from their deities.  All the deities in this setting are aliens, though.  plus there's so many aliens with special adaptations that it still has sort of a fantasy feel, just pushed into the future.  I'm thinking of making it CE 2700ish in the milky way. 

 

thanks for the ideas, keep them coming!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't think it's possible to set any credible science fiction many hundreds of years in the future, specifically because the advent of the technological singularity is perhaps withinn fifty years of the present day.

 

Barring this, of course, there is always space opera (Star Trek / Star Wars / Buck Rodgers / Flash Gordon / etc).

 

Stories that are interesting to play are about the interactions of people (i.e. different characters): loves, hates, different allegiances working together for a common goal, despite their mutual enmity, etc, etc. Just pick a good character (screen-) play and change the setting to the future. Typically it will involve some sort of moral dilemma; i.e. where there is no "correct" choice, just different consequences for each chosen solution: both bad and good. Is it better to commit genocide to prevent a murderous (must be amoral) species from destroying the galaxy? Is it better for many people to suffer in the long term, or for few to suffer greatly for a short term? What if the choice is not made by either group? Et cetra.

 

Under no circumstances should you resort to lazy "chosen one" plots. If you do, you will suddenly hear a noise that sounds like several thousand people saying "Wop!", just before you die, horribly ...

[Darque]

I don't think it's possible to set any credible science fiction many hundreds of years in the future, specifically because the advent of the technological singularity is perhaps withinn fifty years of the present day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

We'll see, say it again after the Winter Solstice in 2012

[metadigital]

Is that when Cthulu is due to appear?

[Darque]

The Sixth World. :ph34r:

[CoM_Solaufein]

Interesting. :ph34r:

[metadigital]

So it didn't matter so much who won the 2012 Olympic bid, then? :D

 

Pity London won it then ... ... still, Britain was only interested in winning when they found out Paris was the favourite ...

[Vashanti]

We're playing something like that now -- the "Starship Troopers" d20 rules book (complete with psionic-type brain powers), set in the "Aliens" universe (only using the first 2 movies, set about 20 years after the 2nd flick). It's good fun.

 

Personally, if doing a Sci-Fi game, I'd always suggest some sort of genetic engineering subplot or element, as well as corporate greed or double-cross. Sounds a bit like Cypberpunk 2020, hmm...

[metadigital]

Cyberpunk 2020 ... mmmmm

[moreKOTORplz]

Aliens (as in the movie)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A good choice and so is Bladerunner.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

(w00t) oh bladerunner

[CoM_Solaufein]

Bladerunner would be good. Dark moody future world environment.

[Jorian Drake]

Bladerunner would be good. Dark moody future world environment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep , but its hard to find that 'moody future' style...I prefer unique settings, no clones

[Zachech]

I actually hate that dark setting of the future that everything portrays. The universe is set with more of a Star Trek feel: when after all of the terrible, dark things happen and Earth is ravaged by war and all that, everything works out in the end. "The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives." That sort of thing. I'm not talking like everything is good and no conflict and hippy, I just mean that the feeling of the universe isn't one of perpetual ignorance, strife, oppression, etc.

 

 

And thanks again for all the comments

[Jorian Drake]

I actually hate that dark setting of the future that everything portrays.  The universe is set with more of a Star Trek feel: when after all of the terrible, dark things happen and Earth is ravaged by war and all that, everything works out in the end.  "The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives."  That sort of thing.  I'm not talking like everything is good and no conflict and hippy, I just mean that the feeling of the universe isn't one of perpetual ignorance, strife, oppression, etc. 

 

 

And thanks again for all the comments

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I hoped you say something like that. There are already many movies and games in that kind of setting, but what i suggested could work with all stories,

from cyberpunk style to 'modern magical-scientific fantasy future of the Earth'

 

..do what you want, this will be your game after all...and if you use my suggestions then just add my name on the end of it in small to the thanks list

[metadigital]

I actually hate that dark setting of the future that everything portrays.  The universe is set with more of a Star Trek feel: when after all of the terrible, dark things happen and Earth is ravaged by war and all that, everything works out in the end.  "The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives."  That sort of thing.  I'm not talking like everything is good and no conflict and hippy, I just mean that the feeling of the universe isn't one of perpetual ignorance, strife, oppression, etc. 

 

 

And thanks again for all the comments

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The two primary reasons for the preponderance of dystopian universes are:

• it is a lot easier to relate to it, as modern society and the entire history of civilization has been a fight of good and its compromises against evils;
  
• it is a lot easier to create plots, an utopian universe doesn't have nearly as many opportunities for bad guys to try to rain on the chocolate-covered Star Trek parade ... it ends up being a continual battle against ignorance, rather than evil, as the revelation of the truth of the utopian universe is sufficient to quash any attempted coup. Which might become tedious ...
  

[Zachech]

I don't meen utopian, I just mean that the setting is grim and the overall theme isn't tragedy. Like, Star Trek says that war, disease, poverty, all of that disappears within 50 years of making first contact. There's still strife and battle out in the galaxy with the klingons, romulans, cardassians, borg, what have you, and the villains can be completely nefarious, but in the end the overall theme is an enlightened, wise, and happy in the face of sadness kind of thing.

 

where as star wars is a complete tragedy full of corruption, poverty, war, and men who believe they are invicible and end up killing themselves and everyone around them. it's not until episode 6 that there's any peace and tranquility and brightness, and even then, anakin is dead, yoda is dead, obi-wan is dead, the imperial remnant is still around, etc, etc.

[metadigital]

But the "poverty and disease are solved" vision is a complete fantasy.

 

Also (taking the debate a little deeper into theological / philosophical waters) without suffering and evil there can be no good.

 

In a universe without evil, there is no change: stagnation: perfection.

 

It is a sad fact that good requires evil to exist: yin and yang.

[Archmonarch]

I cant exactly tell you what to create, but I can tell you what Im working on at the moment.

 

Story Idea #1: A schizophrenic who fights demons (dimensional travelers). Is it all in his head?

 

Story Idea #2: Approx. 50-75 years in future. A child goes blind due to experimental vaccine for global pandemic caused by escaped lab stock, and his father invents a neural interface for the boy so as to allow him to see through an external prosthesis. The prosthesis development is cut short due to government science projects, but the interface is completed. Boy grows up to be journalist, specializing in government/military coverups. While skulking around a military base, he is captured and his interface discovered through interrogation and medical screenings. The leaders decide to commandeer him for use in a bipedal exoskeleton project. The exoskeleton (for which I have as yet been unable to come up with a fitting acronym) is controlled by a new phase AI called an AS (Artificial Sentience), able to reprogram its operating systems and processes at will to increase performance and respond to new stimuli. To summarize the rest (as this is too long already), the exoskeleton and the pilot form an intelligence loop, allowing the robotic armor access to his genetic information. Thus endowed, the exoskeleton overhauls its systems based upon biological evolution/example. Eventually, it decides it can advance no further and that any remaining deficiencies lie in the pilot. So it begins to rewrite his code...