Silhouette Star Trek?

[Doctor Guilty]

Konnichi wa, campers.

I've gotten the itch to return to ST gaming after a long hiatus. I'm interested in using Dream Pod 9's Silhouette rules for this, though, and I was wondering if anyone else had tried this. (I don't have the money to invest in the CODA line, and my head just won't absorb any more urles sets anyway. )

I can adapt a bunch of material from the CORE Command for this (and maybe some Jovian Chronicles), but I'd be interested in any suggestions for sources, conversion ideas and so forth.

Thanks very much.

[Don Mappin]

This is going to seem like a really heavily biased comment, considering I run this site, partly designed the Coda version, and have written for Decipher. With that said…

…I've recently begun using SilCore for a Stargate game I'm running as d20 just doesn't do it for me. SilCore came highly recommended to me by a friend whom I respect greatly but the system, in a nutshell, is really poorly designed IMO (speaking as a designer). It's counter-intuitive in a lot of places, the 15 attributes are really overkill, plus the rules are sparse and poorly thought out. Don't get me started on the editing and layout. The distribution curve is too granular for my tastes, the Perk and Flaw system a last-minute tack on (and feels like it) while the skill system and Complexities would need a complete overhaul for Trek.

Could you make a Star Trek SilCore conversion? Sure. Would it be worth the time and effort? Honestly, not even close.

My honest recommendation is to go with Coda. The system is easy to learn (easier than SilCore by far) and captures the show much better than a Sil conversion ever would. Sil is too gritty and deadly, plus it doesn't capture the "can do" pulp feel of Star Trek. Coda does.

SilCore is a fine system for certain things, mostly gritty sci-fi or fantasy (Tribe 8) but inappropriate, I feel, for Star Trek. Your mileage may vary, of course.

[Doctor Guilty]

Originally posted by Don Mappin
This is going to seem like a really heavily biased comment, considering I run this site, partly designed the Coda version, and have written for Decipher. With that said…

Well, considering I've likewise written or contributed to several Silhouette/SilCORE products, I suspect our perspectives will cancel each other out.

My honest recommendation is to go with Coda.

Maybe for a Christmas present.

[Cmdr Powers]

Interesting that you tried to adapt SilCore to SG1. I've been playing the d20 SG1 game for some time now and I also have the original GURPS fan-written Stargate SG13 gamebook. Well, I've been butting heads with d20's idiosyncracies until I just about want to throw every d20 book I have (about 15 or so) in the trashcan. I hate the way the Feat and Skill system works with the levels. I guess I've been spoiled by GURPS.

Now, that being said, you've got me to start thinking about CODA in regards to SG1 (or any other Modern period game, for that matter). It seems to me that CODA is d20 with all the bad stuff taken out- all the stuff that's making me crazy. CODA lets me create a character the way I want and doesn't still try to relate back to roots from the 1970's.

Now the problem is to create the CODA rules for present day... Now there's a project!

As an edited follow-on- I just found the thread on other CODA so I'll go there and read that stuff.

[knarf]

Originally posted by Cmdr Powers
Interesting that you tried to adapt SilCore to SG1. I've been playing the d20 SG1 game for some time now and I also have the original GURPS fan-written Stargate SG13 gamebook. Well, I've been butting heads with d20's idiosyncracies until I just about want to throw every d20 book I have (about 15 or so) in the trashcan. I hate the way the Feat and Skill system works with the levels. I guess I've been spoiled by GURPS.

Now, that being said, you've got me to start thinking about CODA in regards to SG1 (or any other Modern period game, for that matter). It seems to me that CODA is d20 with all the bad stuff taken out- all the stuff that's making me crazy. CODA lets me create a character the way I want and doesn't still try to relate back to roots from the 1970's.

Now the problem is to create the CODA rules for present day... Now there's a project!

As an edited follow-on- I just found the thread on other CODA so I'll go there and read that stuff.

Coda definitely does look like a d20 wannabe, with classes and levels and such. But it is very well done and much more flexible. Instead of thinking, "What class do I want my next level to be in?" and weighing out class abilities granted at that level in each class I'm considering, I can improve my character how I want. Do I want a class ability? Do I want more skills? Do I want an Edge? So many more options.

[AslanC]

CODa answered all my issues with d20 quite nicely, to the point where aside from Supers games it is my default system (used to be d6, still is for Star Wars).

that said I do not like the Silouette system. It seemed to me to be a lumbersome thing where the thought process was at every turn if we can go simple or complicated, let's go complicated.

That said I imagine there are a great many people who like it and certainly they are not wrong to, it is just not to my tastes.

Honestly do whatever it takes to get a copy of the CODA core books (Player's and Narrator's, the latter being one of the best RPG supplements I have ever had the pleasure of reading, hands down). You won't be disapointed at all and will find the investment well worth the enjoyment you will get from it.

One caveat though, the Player's Guide can be one morass of confusion the first couple of times (though I am sure people will now post that they had no problem with it at all and that is fair), but once you get the hamg of it, it really is an elegant system.

My two Fed Credits on it.

[Garet]

silouette for heavy gear worked well (1st edition). Haven't tried any of the others, though i have Jovian Chronicles 1st edition as well.

Now, D20 for playing DnD i have no problems with. I've had alot of fun since it came out.

Now D20 stars wars is not very good regular or revised version. We played around 10 games before two characters derailed the game.

I haven't played ST coda yet. Everybody makes a poo sound when ever i bring it up( with buffy rpg also). Finally talked some into playing right after christmas. Hope it goes well


my 2 coke bottle caps

[Owen E Oulton]

"Now D20 stars wars is not very good regular or revised version. We played around 10 games before two characters derailed the game."

I'm not a big D20 fan (as a game system, D&D is woefully osbolete), but this sounds like a player problem, not a system problem.

I haven't played ST coda yet. Everybody makes a poo sound when ever i bring it up( with buffy rpg also).

Is it CODA or simply playing Trek they object to?

[Garet]

In the D20 star wars nobody was really happy with the classes, just didn't fit the concept we had of the SW universe. couldn't really do what we wanted, things just seemed akward. So when the 2 characters did derail the game and we stopped playing nobody complained. We had a jedi that went to the stupid side of the force

They didn't like the star trek universe. so finally last week i talked 5 of our group to give it test drive. We all work at a university and its closed between christmas and new years. Hopefully it will go well. I also own several of the Icon books so got a good library to reap from.

[König-Wolf]

Hello all,

My recommendations on using SilCore to power Star Trek would be the following:

First, turn the RDL up to Cinematic. Star Trek, with its technology, alien races, and unique flavor would really languish at the lower RDLs.

Second, make sure you explain the usage of Genre Points, and list the following as available Genre Effects (examples of which have been seen in all the Trek series):

• Accessorize
• Blessed Unconsciousness
• Creative Stunt
• Dramatic Editing
• Get A Clue
• Inner Well of Strength
• Insight
• Opportunity Seized

Third, when helping the PCs put their characters together, setup some skill packages that their professions would require. For example, someone who wanted to play a Security Officer would need the following skills:

Basic Security Officer Package

• Athletics
• Combat Sense
• Defense
• Etiquette (Federation)
• Hand to Hand
• Investigation
• Notice
• Small Arms
• Stealth
• Survival
• Zero-G

Then, they can add skills as needed to flavor their character to taste...for example, someone working the Tactical Station on the Bridge would want to have the Gunnery (Space), Information Warfare, and Technical Sciences skills. Whereas someone whom was serving as a Special Tactics officer would want Demolitions, Heavy Weapons, and Leadership skills added to their character.

Also, don't forget that you can use Complexity to help represent broader training and additional knowledge. For example, if someone skilled in Natural Sciences (Biology) has a CPX of 1 in their skill, it probably means they know about Biology specific to their race or culture of origin. Someone with a CPX of 3 would not only be knowledgeable of their own race, but be schooled in multiple forms of Xenobiology, and so on and so forth. Complexity can be used to help form the well rounded characters of Star Trek without having to buy the same skill over and over again.

Finally, when it comes to all the Treknology and whatnot, I recommend for most items you use Core Command equivalents. For things that are radically different, such as phasers, just look up the technical info (easily found on the web) and assign appropriate stats. (I've seen your website, so I don't think you'll have any problems dealing with Treknology)

That's all I can think of off the top of my head...good to luck to you and your conversion...I look forward to seeing the results! ^_^