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Thread: Aspects and Foci in SF Academy

  1. #1
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    Question Aspects and Foci in SF Academy

    I just read through my academy boxed set and stumbled upon the rules for creating Cadets with Aspects (Personality Archetype) and Foci (Complementing the Archetype with a motivation). all achieved for a few DP's (5 in total)
    Has anyone ever used these rules? If so what were your experiences. Did it enhance your game?
    "Space may be the Final Frontier, but it's made in a Hollywood basement"

    Red Hot Chili Peppers "Californication"

    "per aspera ad astra"

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  2. #2
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    I tend to use the Aspect and Foci for my normal DS9-era game since the addition of the rules doesn't over-balance the rules at all.

    IMHO it's a win-win situation (the players get more points to play with and I tend to get characters with a little more depth).
    He's an underprivileged skateboarding cowboy with nothing left to lose. She's a sharp-shooting goth bounty hunter who believes she is the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian queen. They fight crime!

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by silverthorn
    I tend to use the Aspect and Foci for my normal DS9-era game since the addition of the rules doesn't over-balance the rules at all.

    IMHO it's a win-win situation (the players get more points to play with and I tend to get characters with a little more depth).

    I agree, its a nice little addition, and works really well with characters in a standard RPG face to face. And REALLY helps differentiate PC's if you start them in Cadet/Ensign territory and build them from the ground up. The ICON system however allows you to build characters with long old careers behind them, and in that it is possible to loose balance if you are not strict on the number of advancement packages that you allow.

    The difficulty lies in other formats and when gamers move about (which is not that common), basicaly it only over-balances when not all characters have a copy of the same rules then it tilts ever so slightly.

    However, you should also remember to make sure that they roleplay the character traits and penalise bad roleplay.
    DanG/Darth Gurden
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  4. #4
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    Thanks for the input.

    I have been considering to implement aspects and foci in my current game, but i'am still not sure if it is a wise move to bring this in after 2 years of play.

    Wished i had found this earlyer, but it seems to be a curse of icon that many rules additions are hidden in supplements a player seldom gets to read. If one of mine had taken a look he would have pointed it to me from the beginning.
    "Space may be the Final Frontier, but it's made in a Hollywood basement"

    Red Hot Chili Peppers "Californication"

    "per aspera ad astra"

    Seneca

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Captain Otto
    Thanks for the input.

    I have been considering to implement aspects and foci in my current game, but i'am still not sure if it is a wise move to bring this in after 2 years of play.

    Wished i had found this earlyer, but it seems to be a curse of icon that many rules additions are hidden in supplements a player seldom gets to read. If one of mine had taken a look he would have pointed it to me from the beginning.

    If you have been playing 2 years, then no, it would not be a good retrofit.

    However character replacement might be a good time to re-introduce.
    DanG/Darth Gurden
    The Voice of Reason and Sith Lord

    “Putting the FUNK! back into Dysfunctional!”

    Coming soon. The USS Ganymede NCC-80107
    "Ad astrae per scientia" (To the stars through knowledge)

  6. #6
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    If you have been playing 2 years, then no, it would not be a good retrofit.

    However character replacement might be a good time to re-introduce.

    Unless may players try something really stupid. To kill there current characters off chances are slim that there will be much chance for a fresh beginning in the near future. (My game is very low on physical danger, as i prefer to put the characters in more diplomatic situations).

    I'll see if there is a possibilty to introduce a new charcter as someone of the main cast gets reassigned to another ship. Probably Aspects and Foci will catch on without unbalancing the game as there are enough "old characters" that have already evolved beyond beginning characters.
    "Space may be the Final Frontier, but it's made in a Hollywood basement"

    Red Hot Chili Peppers "Californication"

    "per aspera ad astra"

    Seneca

  7. #7
    We always used it, I have had academy since I've had my LUG books.

    We use it, it ads a lot of depth, and flavor.

    It actually helped win over some old FASA hands when i first introduced LUG to them.
    - LUGTrekGM

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