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Thread: Your Planet Welcome

  1. #1

    Your Planet Welcome

    Hello Trek RPGers,

    I am new to this board.

    I have been on a real Star Trek kick lately. I have always been a Trek fan, but I haven't had that much experience gaming in the Trek setting.

    Recently, I went on a mad spending spree on e-bay and a couple of online stores.

    I managed to pick up a FASA 2nd Edition Deluxe Boxed Set (in the original shrinkwrap), the full line of LUG Trek (even Academy in the shrinkwrap!) and all of the CODA books to boot.

    So yeah, I went nuts and have no gaming money for a month or two.

    Now what? I haven't run FASA in forever (it was a nostalgia buy) and I haven't read the rules to ICON or CODA. I have the advantage of starting fresh, but the disadvantage of chosing from two different rules sets. What would your recommendations be as I contemplate running games in the Star Trek universe?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    What're your system preferences otherwise? If you're pitching to a group, what're theirs?
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

  3. #3
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    The newer Systems (ICON and Coda) have both their advantages (though I prefer ICON) and the ICON books provide a lot more background information and a more storytelling approach (although this IMHO only because Coda made a more general approach to the subject).
    So i only can second what The Tatterdemalion King said.

    It's your game and your personal preferances should guide you.
    As all styles of play are positively possible with all three systems.
    "Space may be the Final Frontier, but it's made in a Hollywood basement"

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  4. #4
    I tend to favor rules lighter these days. I am a long time veteran of d20 in all of its forms. I had considered using True20 but I don't want to do too much conversion work right now. I just don't have the time. I barely have enough time to squeeze in a game day once a month at the moment.

    I started reading DS9 main book and I enjoyed the writing style very much. I never got to the rules though. I only had time to read the Klingon entry in the Aliens book and I liked what I read, even if I didn't really understand the stat blocks yet.

    I'm actually thinking of running a TOS game set on one of the other Constitution-class starships. Perhaps a five year mission is just beginning under a new captain and the ship and crew are mostly unproven or green.

    One of my players would like to play a game set on a Federation Outpost near the Cardassian border. Another player would like to play as private traders/smugglers aiding the Machkee (spelling?).

    I've heard good things about both CODA and LUG. I've heard CODA starship combat is better, yet LUG tends to provide more depth in their supplements. Although Star Trek is easily researched by non-gaming sources, I find the supplements of LUG to be quite attractive as a whole.

    My players don't have a preference. Most of them are tired of d20 games though.

    Thanks!

  5. #5
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    Both systems are good.

    Personally I prefer ICON still.

    I did like the way starships were done in CODA better than the basic ICON books, but with SPACEDOCK advanced construction system for ICON and it's 5 Ship Recognition Manuals (Starfleet, TOS, Klingon, Cardassian & Romulan) that advantage I found CODA to have was undone.
    Spacedock & it's manuals by the way are free downloads of the work done by one of the ICON system designers Steve Long that he has graciously kept working on and released to the fans for these past few years ... they can be downloaded at Memory Icon website.
    If you & your group are well used to D20 and really like that system then CODA would be better suited for you, it has a lot of similarities in some ways ... Professional Abilities & Elite Professions as you gain experience etc etc ...

  6. #6
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    Well firstly welcome to the boards, and I hope you have fun here, we're generally a friendly bunch!

    As for systems, well I can't speak for the Fasa system, I much prefer Coda over Icon, especially when it comes to starship combat. Like most people I agree Icon was far more prolific in terms of content, but most of that content is just source material, which almost completely seamlessly to Coda (it was even designed by some of the same designers haha).

    If you're looking for rules light, I think both systems are fairly 'light', but you may wan to avoid Spacedock, the Icon expansion.. it's a beautiful thing, but my god it's complicated !
    Ta Muchly

  7. #7
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    Between those three systems I prefer ICON, FASA, then CODA in order.

    Spacedock does get into the details but if you use it a few times it becomes an absolute jewel to have. The nice thing is if Spacedock is not your cup of tea, then the basic rules for space combat work as well in ICON.

    It all comes down to preference and each person has their own opinion. Lately I've had an urge to crack open the old FASA books and play it again but having spent the time switching at the time a 15 year campaign over from FASA to ICON, I would likely use ICON if it became a serious enough urge.

    I would use the CODA material for fluff.

    That being said, I would mess around with both ICON and CODA character generation to see which you prefer.

    Welcome to the boards!!!
    "It is our mission to push back the darkness from the light and expand the boundaries of knowledge and understanding. That doesn't mean exploring every pleasure planet between here and Andromeda XO."

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Capt. K. Vaughn
    That being said, I would mess around with both ICON and CODA character generation to see which you prefer.

    Welcome to the boards!!!
    That is an excellent idea. I already know I liked the old FASA creation. I should generate a few characters for ICON and CODA and see how I feel about them.

    THANKS!

  9. #9
    The CODA books are notoriously bad at explaining the chargen process. Cleaned up and refined instructions can be found here and in Beyond the Final Frontier #6.
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

  10. #10
    ICON FTW!!!!

    I have run both CODA and ICON.

    I must say that I like ICON more because it feels more like Trek.

    You really need to read the ICON rules, but once ya got em, ahhhhh Heaven.

    CODA may be a bit simpler but the Starship rules were a bit general for me.

    ICON starship combat (And Steve's Spacedock if ya wanna get really technical) just feels like a Starship Battle you would see on the screen.

    Anyway, just my 2 cents.

  11. #11
    Star Trek: The Next Generation corebook came out first for LUG right?

    Which of the two other core books came out last?

    I want to read ICON and CODA but I figure I will just read one of the LUG corebooks to start with, not all three of them.

  12. #12
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    PaladinCA;

    TNG came out first, followed by DS9, then TOS.

    If you're only going to get one of the LUG CRBs, go with the Deep Space Nine book - It has the civilian character generation rules, as well as the Starfleet character generation rules from the Next Generation CRB in an appendix.

  13. #13
    DS9 came out last, actually... But it's got most of what you'd want for a TNG series.
    Portfolio | Blog Currently Running: Call of Cthulhu, Star Trek GUMSHOE Currently Playing: DramaSystem, Swords & Wizardry

  14. #14
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    Also there are nice additions in the Players Guide. Also, since it's free, pick up the Dominion War Net Sourcebook . . . a great complement if you are looking at the TNG/DS9/VOY Era.

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  15. #15
    Cool. I was able to get all the LUG books over a two week period. I was just trying to figure out where to start. Since DS9 is my favorite Trek that isn't TOS, I might as well start there. I have a lot of ideas for a DS9 style game, especially one where players are not active Starfleet.

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