Re-reading the first edition

[Dan Stack]

So with Dave Tepool's passing I got flipping through the 1st edition of the FASA game... I've never actually played it - when I began the 2nd edition was already out.

The first comment is the binding makes me weep. I like well-bound books. Sadly, this book is not one. I have two copies, both acquired through ebay auctions. One has the front pages all loose. The other is begging for an excuse to come apart.

Anyways, reading through it in many ways I prefer it to the 2nd edition and there are some aspects that I find superior to other incarnations of the game (i.e. LUG and Decipher).

Unlike the 2nd edition of FASA there is no variable time for various branches, everyone graduates the academy in 4 years. Each cadet cruise is a year. Department head and command school are bundled into one tour lasting two years. (I always felt that something like command school worked well for folks like Saavik). I also noticed that it seems that from your skill rolls you can use them for anything, as opposed to only skills you already have. I much prefer this (and is how I did it) as it makes it easier to make characters who change branches over their career like Lt. Riley. The skill list is also a tad smaller.

There also seems to be a touch more humor in the rules - they are less polished, but they seem to be chatting with you, an effect I really like.

I think as far as an RPG goes the 1st edition may also have the best starship combat rules. It is very similar to later versions from FASA with a few differences that I rather like:

• NPC ships have an abridged set of options. Instead of configuring every power point power allocation is abstracted to a menu of choices - i.e. lots of movement no shields or weapons, all weapons armed/minimal movemement/shields, etc.
• No phases after which shields recharge. Ships take turns spenidng each movement point. Once a ship runs it no longer takes turns with other ships. But all ships can fire at any time.
• This is true of the 2nd edition variants, but I wanted to reiterate it. I'd forgotten how clever it was to divide roles in the way they did. Captain gives the orders, engineer decides how to allocate power, various officers use that power to best follow captain's orders and make various rolls.

[LtCdr Kagan]

Dan,

I was like you. The 2nd edition was already out when I began playing in 1985. I went back and purchased the 1st edition but never played it. Then about five years ago, I regained interest in RPGs and began reviewing early adventure modules like The Vanished. At first, I was irritated with the difference from what I remembered about the 2nd. However, after I just sat down one Saturday and read through the 1st, I became convinced that I would use those rules rather than the 2nd in my new RPGing.

I like the simplicity on the one hand; such as, personal combat use of APs is much simplier than the 2nd edition. Besides, Star Trek isn't about getting into HtH and firing phasers all the time...is it? Skills are better organized and more comprehensive in the 1st edition; whereas, the 2nd relied far too much on letting the character creation form the character rather than the PC owner determining the character. 2nd was too specialized.

You're right about 1st's starship combat being simplier. FASA's starship combat systems after the STIII module became increasingly number driven. RPGs are supposed to be interactive and FUN...not complicated and DULL.

[mechascorpio]

Totally agreed. Have you guys checked out UFC465537 (Might Joe's) 1st Edition "Revised 1.1" version? Check out http://www.geocities.com/ufc465537/resources/

I think he did a great job at keeping what was best about 1E and its format, and has some additional resources that are nice as well (check out "Boarding Actions").

[Dan Stack]

Well back in the day my brother and I used to sometimes just have these big battles using the full starship combat rules from the later products. And as a board game it was incredibly fun.

But the simplified starship combat rules from the 1st edition are absolutely perfect for a roleplaying game. I really like the way of treating NPC ships differently. In general, I much prefer it when games make GMs' lives easier.

[JackPhoton]

Love the sentiment of the first post. I started 1e July '83 and was not happy with 2e's changes. It lost flavor and that charm 1e had.