Dune

[Mithras]

Has anyone tried a Traveller conversion for Dune? I'm primarily interested in Arrakis itself, and not on roleplaying anything beyond it. The period would be pre-Atreides.

I don't know where to start ...

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

Do you read French? There is a lot if you do.

There is a new Hollywood film in the works, apparently.

 

[Mithras]

Why French?
Has there been a Dune/ Traveller conversion in French?

 

[AndrewW]

This thread might interest you:

Why not Dune?

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=28741&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=75

 

[Marchand]

There is a free homebrew Dune conversion for d20 at Scribd:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/9663350/Dune-RPG-d20

I've only skimmed it, but it looks high-quality. I don't speak d20, so no idea if it stacks up as a game, but tons of material in there.

This guy mentions a GURPS conversion and another fan web effort:

http://www.stargazersworld.com/2009/11/23/roleplaying-in-the-dune-universe/

This could be your holy grail. I've never seen a copy myself.

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/11/11518.phtml

On sale for only one hundred and sixty UK pounds on Amazon...

 

[TrippyHippy]

It's patently clear that Dune would work as a game setting, and could be done mechanically, quite easily in a variety of systems.

It is a high profile license, that should certainly be targeted if at all possible, IMO.

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

As always, it's going to boil down to the cost.

 

[Mithras]

Thanks for the links, will investigate further! I did read the linked thread, but I'm not so much interested in a licensed version, just something I can use myself.

But reading through that thread, someone mentioned RuneQuest, and I have an inkling that it could be done that way too, with the emphasis on swordmasters and melee combat.

Hardest to work out will be matching up careers with Traveller career tables, particularly those with established hierarchies of training such as the Mentats and Bene Gesserit. The effects of drugs and mind techniques on aging and skill retention, etc...

I have the Dune Encyclopedia, and note also the myth/folk tale of MuaDib as a myth/fantasy story with aspects of magic in it. ie. stories from the Fremen's viewpoint, and I think a game from that perspective certainly should use RuneQuest.

I'll mull a little more on this.

 

[GreyKat]

I have seen the official Dune game and it is pre-atreides.
It's a really cool book. It really focuses on the politics.

 

[Vile]

I have seen the official Dune game and it is pre-Atreides.

I think most settings based on books or films are best when set before the stories as told - those stories normally end up destroying the best bits of the setting from a roleplaying perspective! I would definitely prefer Dune as it is at the beginning of the first book.

Mithras, I agree that RQ might be a more suitable system than Traveller. Much of the setting tech would have to be redesigned anyway, as it doesn't really have Traveller equivalents.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

I think Traveller could work as a game system.

Many of the careers would be OK, you would just have to redo/tweek the Events tables.

Spice is an Anagathic drug that also works as a Psi Amplifier.

Shields are probably best treated as Armour (say cloth) that completely blocks gun fire and explodes with laser fire. The armour rating would be a representation of having to slow the weapon down to get through the shield (doing less damage).

Make the Highliners Multi-Megaton ships that don't really get statted. Just give them a capacity rating (in Kilo or Mega-tons and assume they carry spaceships). All of your ships other than the Highliners will be spacecraft (non Jump Capable) and if you needed to stat out the Jump Drive, I suggest you use the Teleport Drive alternative in the TMB.

Dune actually might make a good setting to explain the large clunky computers too. No AI allowed per the Butlerian Jihad.

Mentats might need a new Skill or you could use the Computer Skill to mean the ability to simulate a computer up to a certain size (each skill level represents a Model of computer that can be simulated), combining Mentats is how you get very large model computers as needed.

Other than that, it is Houses (Greater and Lesser) and CHOAM and the Emperor and off you go!

 

[Mithras]

I thought this was especially neat:

Mentats might need a new Skill or you could use the Computer Skill to mean the ability to simulate a computer up to a certain size (each skill level represents a Model of computer that can be simulated), combining Mentats is how you get very large model computers as needed.

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Thanks, on thinking about it though, that might be too much. How about each level of Computer skill represents one Rating Point (on the Ship Scale or a Personal Computer Model Number)? So spaceships have these groups of Mentats that sit in little rooms doing all the calculations that are needed to keep a spaceship flying and a Computer hit on the damage table represents killing/wounding some of these Mentats?

 

[Arasmo]

Do you read French? There is a lot if you do.

Yes, there's the wonderful Imperium by the "créateur extraordinaire" Olivier Legrand, who you probably know from Mazes&Minotaurs (you gave him the idea after all!). It 's a free rpg with a very good background synthesis and great rules ; the game puts the PCs at the head of a Noble House and is brilliant for political intrigues !

Here is the link

http://storygame.free.fr/imperium/index.php?id=2

 

[Mithras]

Arasmo - well, thank you so much for noticing my contribution there! I am greatly flattered (also by M&M's great success!)

Now, how did I miss Olivier's Dune homage????

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

I really liked 'Hawkmoon NE'.

 

[rust]

And if anyone ever starts erroneously waffling about 18th century Tibetan Art History...

Slightly off topic, but did I ever mention my newest theory about the influ-
ences of alien astronauts on the Tibetan art of the 18th century ? 8)

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

It's a topic I know a lot about professionally, so it's a good job you live far away... or I'd be visiting with Mr. Hot Stick!