Which Game?

[Megamanfan]

Simple question:

Which Star Trek RPG does Star Trek the best?

...

Simple, huh?

[Ineti]

The LUG version of Trek is pretty solid, but I think CODA is a better system. It's a shame Decipher's likely to can it. They had something good here. I suspect it'll be up to the fans to support it in the long run.

I've only played the FASA version a couple times, and didn't care for it. You should still be able to find some LUG books in stores, but the Decipher version is probably your best option.

MHO, anyhow.

[D.S.McBride]

Kind of reminds me of Kent Brockman on Smartline: "Join us tomorrow when we look at religion: Which is the one true faith?"

Said it before, saying it again: I'll be sayin' it until me dyin' day. Icon is the system for my group and I, because of:

a) Its flexibility: Characters can change from one position, or job description, to another with no need to invest in "Professions", or "Professional Skills";

b) Its adaptability: The game system itself is very open to mutation - indeed, this was one of the advantages that the authors refer to in the Player's Guide Icon link. We've successfully transferred several of the Professional Abilities from Coda over to Icon as high-level skill "perks";

c) The fact that it actually is considerably different from d20 - the feeling of capturing Star Trek (regardless of the incarnation) is just better (for us);

d) Its score in the eveningwear section of the competition. Whoever pulled off that Brazilian wax job knew what they were doing.

[Don Mappin]

I cut my teeth on FASA and had a lot of fun what seems like eons ago.

Icon was great; had a wonderful time and enjoyed tweaking the system. (BTW, I wrote that Icon Link piece, D.S.)

Coda, IMO, is the best. It's more elegant, has a better skill system, task resolution system, damage, probability bell curve, cooler "stuff" for characters to do ("I can seduce her from three rooms away!"), and a starship combat system that is freaking awesome!

However, I am the most biased person you're likely to meet on the subject so I won't be offended if you ignore me on the matter.

[AslanC]

Funnily enough I was recently torn on this very issue for my Ultimate Star Trek game. I was leaning towards ICON for a bit, but the species abilites, streamlined skills and professional abilities won me over to CODA.

That said I am using tons of FASA source material

[Don Mappin]

Originally posted by AslanC
That said I am using tons of FASA source material

I lovvvvvvvvvvvve the FASA maps! (And "A Doomsday Like Any Other.")

[Dan Stack]

I've enjoyed them all. I'd probably put LUG and Decipher's versions ahead of FASA's - I think they simulate Trek a little better. (in FASA you tended to get locked into professions, at least in character generation - tough to start off as a security and transfer to navigation using the FASA chargen - though I did really enjoy making characters in FASA - gave your character a lot of history right off the bat).

I probably prefer the Decipher version a little better (I felt the LUG drama die was a little too important and specialization was unclear). That said, I wish the Decipher player's guide was better organized - tough to generate a character using it. I really like you don't keep track of power or need counters for starship combat in Decipher-Trek.

[Sea Tyger]

I love FASA, 'cause that's what I grew up with. It will always have a special place in my heart, despite its shortcomings.

Star Fleet Battles and the Prime Directive RPG are not really Trek.

Icon is okay, but I didn't like the way the skills were presented (too much forced specialization) or the lack of a good bell curve (that Don mentioned as a benefit of Coda).

Coda, for me, took many of the good parts of Icon, mixed in some ideas from the designers' association with WotC, and blended with a nice, cinematic feel to task resolution and (especially) Starship combat.

Right now, Coda has the best Trek "feel" for me.

[AslanC]

Originally posted by Don Mappin
I lovvvvvvvvvvvve the FASA maps! (And "A Doomsday Like Any Other.")

Did you look at my map for my game?

Yeah doomsday found its way into every Prime Directive game I ran as a joint romulan/UFP mission Always a big hit with the players.

[AslanC]

Originally posted by Sea Tyger
I love FASA, 'cause that's what I grew up with. It will always have a special place in my heart, despite its shortcomings.

Amen brother! Go and tell it on the mountain! Considering FASA ends (if you don't count the two TNG books) at the end of Trek IV, it ends right where my love of Trek starts to fade. So FASA is almost the prefect Star Trek setting to me

Originally posted by Sea Tyger
Star Fleet Battles and the Prime Directive RPG are not really Trek.

I loved the first PD, even the weird system. The universe was ass, but the concept of the Prime Teams was sound. Got more players with that than any attempt at a bridge crew, ever. Still it does make for a slightly too military game IMHO

[Don Mappin]

Originally posted by AslanC
Did you look at my map for my game?

Yeah doomsday found its way into every Prime Directive game I ran as a joint romulan/UFP mission Always a big hit with the players.

Me too! I even play the soundtrack from the episode! (Thinks about trying to type out the notes and gives up immediately.)

[Phantom]

I will always keep FASA Trek on a pedestal, like so many it was my first crack at Trek RPing.

ICON was the breath of fresh air, the system lent more to role playing, at least in my old group we seldom rolled dice in our games. It is a very flexible system. Semper Gumby!

CODA, though very close to D20 (though very few admit to the fact) which means it is very roll oriented. It is still a strong system, and as Don said ( I think it was him anyway) it has a kick a$$ ship combat system.

[Evan van Eyk]

I tend to disagree concering CODA. I think it is a step backwards from ICON, cause all the good things I liked form that former system are gone now. I especially liked the DEV Point system and the packages idea, which very well simulated training without being too restrictive. CODA speaking of character rules is too near to D20 for my taste - which I strongly dislike. The whole "level" idea does not suit Star Trek too well.

However were I completely agree is on the way better Starship system of CODA. It is to speak humbel BRILLIANT! It simulates battle exactly like it is depicted in the shows, e.g. you can get damage although your shields are still up, etc. That is the reason why we now use the CODA starship system and ICON for character rules - the perfect combination if you ask me.

[Doug Burke]

I prefer CODA myself. It has the felxibiloity I need to do anything I want with it. I've converted ICON and FASA adventures, I've written my own, and in general we've all had a great time.

As to the "levels" thing, that's a non-issue. My PCs have 16, 12, 8, 7, and 36 advancements. Each has things they are better at than the others and the highest-advancement character doesn't steal the show in any way. In fact, the 36 advancement character has the lowest rank out of all of them...

[Karg]

I too prefer CODA. From a Gamemasters point of View, the system flows much more smoothly. Under Icon, My players always had the instinct to add all the dice up instead of taking the highest roll. Plus Coda Starships Rock!