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Thread: ICON system - how does it play?

  1. #1

    ICON system - how does it play?

    I have all three of the LUGtrek corebooks, but have (unfortunately) never played that version. I'm wondering if anyone out there has tried it. What's it like? Is there any frustrating parts? Are skills for starting characters as under-powered as they look?
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

  2. #2
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    I own the LUG game too and I have just started a D.S.9 inspired Campaign in a post-Dominion War setting.
    My experience is that it works quiet well. It seems to be an easy system where the rules don't get in the way of the scenarios.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by ILikeLefler
    I own the LUG game too and I have just started a D.S.9 inspired Campaign in a post-Dominion War setting.
    My experience is that it works quiet well. It seems to be an easy system where the rules don't get in the way of the scenarios.
    Do you mean that they don't, or it's easy in the cases where there is no interference? Have you tried the ship combat system?
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

  4. #4
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    I mean that during play, if you have to make a test (like for example using your Tricorder) you roll the dice and continue the game pretty fast and easy. You don't have to look through all kinds of rules and tables.

    However I think shipcombat includes a lot of dice-rolling, which is why I read through the rules and tested them with 2 of my players (The Captain and the Operation officer) one evening.

    The basics of ship combat is pretty easy (Tactics, Command and Flight control) but when it comes to the multiple use of flight control and power allocation it might get a little difficult.


    We haven't done any starship combat yet so I don't speak from experience.

  5. #5
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    I made the expierence with the starship combat system that it works at best with only a few ships (naturally) as power allocation can bog down gameplay tremendously. I usally compute the set amount of power usage in advance for all ships involved, Narator controlled ships don`t change their Power allocation unless combat ocurrs between only two ships.
    For every other test in gameplay I only let them roll the dice if something is at stake.

  6. #6
    Afetr a little re-reading it does become quite intuitive to play, which is great as it reduces book page flipping, a few house rules are needed IMHO, such as the reliance on base attributes, and damage of torpedoes etc, but other than that very few real qualms with the system.

  7. #7
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    Phaser/Disruptor battles are quiet deadly in my oppinion.


    Also I've noticed that a single Jem Hadar is capable of annihilating an entire group of characters.

  8. #8
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    I agree on the phaser/disruptor battles, spending about two hours to round out a character with quirks and a personality only to have him desintegrated by a faceless thug with only minor combat abilities wielding a disrupter really sucks.

    When asked about some changes about the rules concerning phaser usage i told them that phasers are dangerous and are not to be used lightly.
    After their first phaser fight, they decided to leave the phasers on stun dammge setting and switch to hand to hand combat if possible- really Kirk like brawls are good for some action and now are more common than phaser fire in our game.

  9. #9
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    Played for several years before we moved on to other systems and settings. I wish ICON had stayed around and gotten used for more settings. Very easy to learn, and easy to teach to a group.

  10. #10
    When it comes to combat ICON stinks.

    You have two options when it comes to skill tests:

    1. You succeed so well it's unbelievable.

    2. You fail so badly it ruins the game.

    The drama die thing is aweful.

    However, of all Star Trek games it has the best character creation system.

  11. #11
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    I've never had any problem with the Drama Die skewing results - it's all a matter of setting the difficulty levels, and it takes a few sessions to get the knack of that.

    The only real system complaint I have is the truly annoying skill ablation during character generation. If you total up the points of a character generated by the rules, you'll find that although the character should be 125 points worth, he'll actually only be between 90 and 105 points most of the time. I simply allow the player to allocate the difference as discretionary points.

  12. #12
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    Yeah, I agree that is the only real flaw of the system. Weil in parts other system may be better, the sum of everything makes the ICON-system the best system I know around.

    The problem with "loosing" points due to the way skills add during character creation I usually solve by not sticking to the "skill adding" rules, because they do not make much sense. When a character gets a skill, which he already has, I allow the player to take the points instead.

    Example: A character got the skill Shpboard Systems ( Sensors ) at 2 (3) through the overlay and another package gives him another 1 (2) he simply can spent the three points that this 1 ( 2 ) are worth on the skill.
    We came in peace, for all mankind - Apollo 11

  13. #13
    Sounds like my response to that issue also. Point based characters (too much Hero System).
    Phoenix...

    "I'm not saying there should be capital punishment for stupidity,
    but maybe we should just remove all the safety lables and let nature take it's course"

    "A Place For Everything & Nothing In It's Place"

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Owen E Oulton
    I've never had any problem with the Drama Die skewing results - it's all a matter of setting the difficulty levels, and it takes a few sessions to get the knack of that.

    The only real system complaint I have is the truly annoying skill ablation during character generation. If you total up the points of a character generated by the rules, you'll find that although the character should be 125 points worth, he'll actually only be between 90 and 105 points most of the time. I simply allow the player to allocate the difference as discretionary points.

    See the thing is, I've been playing the ICON system since it was released and the rules regarding the Drama Die and setting target numbers just make the game unplayable at times.

    I never noticed the skill point thing, I'll have to double check that.

    Edit****

    After checking and using the rules adding up the development points this is how it breaks down for a regular Betazoid Security Officer with 1 tour of duty:

    Betazoid - total points = 51

    Security Officer - total points = 54

    Early Life - total points = 5

    Academy Life - total points = 8

    Cadet Cruise (using optional Player's guide rules) - total points = 5

    Tour of Duty (1st one) - total points = 10

    Extra development points to alter character as per the rules - total points = 5

    Total points from all areas without any added from disadvantages = 148

    How does that add up to between 90 and 105?

    Every other template combination is within 5 or maybe 10 points of that total. So using the 125 development point rule you would have a weaker character, skill wise.
    Last edited by Silverstreak; 02-15-2006 at 05:37 PM.

  15. #15
    How did you end up 51 points on the template, oh never mind, the Betazoid is one over. Was there any eratta on that, I'm too use to some of my own house rules?

    Also by my math a character with one ToD should be at 131 total points.

    Template 50 (normally)
    Star Fleet Officer Overlay 54 (104)
    Early Life History 5 (109)
    Academy Life History 8 (117)
    Optional Cadet Cruise 4 (121)
    First Tour of Duty 10 (131)

    Lastly where did you find the "Extra development points to alter character as per the rules - total points = 5 part?
    Phoenix...

    "I'm not saying there should be capital punishment for stupidity,
    but maybe we should just remove all the safety lables and let nature take it's course"

    "A Place For Everything & Nothing In It's Place"

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