Star Trek RPG

[waylandson]

Guys,

There is a debate going on the Trek-RPG Forums about whether or not Decipher License for Star Trek has expired http://forum.trek-rpg.net/showthread.php?t=14287, can anyone confirm that this is true?

Also, one of the members has expressed a wish that Mongoose acquire the license, is this on the cards?

If so, which of the systems that Mongoose produces could be adapted to support the genre? Runequest, D20 Babylon 5/Starship Trooper or Traveller?

Wayland

 

[Mage]

I think there was an article in Signs and Portents about Mongoose having an interest on doing something with star trek, sort of a top ten wish list of what they would like to do, and what the problems with that are.

If they were to do it, originally, space quest would have been the system, based on runequest, which is now abandoned (but hopefully may appear in signs and portents form, this is just speculation). All new sci-fi systems would now be done using the Traveller rulesset.

I hope this helps in some way.

 

[Cut]

If they were to do it, originally, space quest would have been the system, based on runequest, which is now abandoned (but hopefully may appear in signs and portents form, this is just speculation). All new sci-fi systems would now be done using the Traveller rulesset.

I'm not here some weeks and the site is full of (bad) news. When did they say they would scrub SpaceQuest?

A new Star Trek game would great, but please no d20 version. Can't say anything about Traveller though.

 

[Mage]

Here we go, fourth comment on the thread, from the Sprange man himself.

I think the news sucks too, tbh. I hope they get the license they speak of.

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=29414&start=0

 

[Cut]

RuneQuest Star Trek?

Honestly I have to say I'm a bit sceptical about that...but I'm more Trekkie than doubtful, I'd give it a go...

 

[pasuuli]

If they were to do it, originally, space quest would have been the system, based on runequest, which is now abandoned (but hopefully may appear in signs and portents form, this is just speculation). All new sci-fi systems would now be done using the Traveller rulesset.

I'm not here some weeks and the site is full of (bad) news. When did they say they would scrub SpaceQuest?

A new Star Trek game would great, but please no d20 version. Can't say anything about Traveller though.

Traveller Trek? It's a bizarre and jarring concept, at first glance at least.

 

[Mage]

Could happen, but doubtful. Mongose has enough licenses as it is. Besides, once they publish starship troopers with traveller rules, you need only make slight modificatoins. Ships are just about on par with each other technology wise, there would be enough races in a traveller core book, i hope, that could have minimal work converting over to klingons and romulans, and all you need to do is make it a fleet campaign and bam, you got star trek.

 

[Cut]

There are more than enough systems out there to "do your very own Trek". But I'm quite sure, that as with Star Wars the fans are eager for a well done, well supported oficial game that is alive and nicely lay-outed. It's not so much about the system at all. It is a bit, but actually I'm convinced that if you were to get the license and would manage to produce quite some material that captures the spirit of the Trek genre, shows it by layout and include workable and easily usuable rules you would have a big seller with a huuuuge fanbase at your hands.

So far aside from FASA Trek there have been no long term Star Trek RPGs on the market. ICON Trek by Last Unicorn Games and CODA Trek by Decipher both had potential, but LUG was bought by WotC and Decipher couldn't handle RPGs...

A company like Mongoose with it's track record of Babylon 5 stuff and quality, could be exactly what Star Trek RPG would need.

Just don't make it a class based d20 book and publish as one of the first books a KLingon Sourcebook (the 'cursed' title) and a complete (and I mean complete) Starships book with lots of colour and a pic for every ship. Throw in some really good adventures (that was a complete loss with Decipher and LUG) and you have a dream come true...
For me personally a good long lived Trek RPG would be my holy grail over and over again...

 

[Mage]

It probably would make a lot of money, and you have a lot of points, but I don;t see it happening. If it did I woudl buy it, and it would be a soudn business venture, and the line could last for years before another edition should be done, I mean all the spin offs, novels, movies, races, ships, nations. etc. Gold mine. But the franchise has become a bit stagnant lately.

 

[Cut]

But that is the beauty of the thing, that Trek right now is a bit stagnant.

Look at it this way: There are five series to compile stuff from. All finished, so you know exactly what to put into sourcebooks and stuff. No surprises along the way. The fans are eager for a game. The license shouldn't be too expensive right now and you could use the break right now to bring out good and lots of stuff for the Trekkies sitting on their money not nowing where Trek to put it.

And the genre will get a boost (hopefully) with the new Trek movie that is supposed to hit the cinemas in late 2008.

Star Trek isn't dead, it's merely resting.
And if you could buy a license now, it would be way cheaper than after the movie promotion has started.

I'm sure, that if the license is indeed on the market, Mongoose will make an offer for it. It would bring so many new people to the company and it's products- It's in my oppinion an opportunity you can't afford to waste...

 

[Mage]

I agree with most of what you say, but I am not certain about the status of the license or its availability. True, it is resting, I like star trek, and the movie will hopefully, if it is good (shrugs thinking about nemesis), rejuvinate the interest and pouplarity. Getting the license now I hope it would be cheaper, but develpoment and release would need to coincide with the movie. I know little of traveller but heard good things from old school gamers about it.

i disagree with the fact that mongoose would go for it if it was available. Matt expressed in a Signs and Portents article he was never a huge fan of star trek, but the races and whatnot were interesting. I do not think Mongoose Star Trek would happen for a few years, as there are so many licenses at the moment and the company is only so big. Maybe if they expanded they could handle it, but as it stands there is active material being published for:Conan 2E, Babylon 5, Elric, Hawkmoon, Runequest/Glorantha, slaine, acta 2ed, the evolution gaming line, and lone wolf, not to mention the upcoming traveller.

Now I do agree with you, it would be excellent, and the potential for some sort of mini game would be good (Dominion War Evolution?), but I would hate to see it be a d20 game, whre it would be more or less the Lesbian sister of the Babylon 5 rpg.

 

[Renny]

Star Trek isn't dead, it's merely resting.

Hey, that's my line.

Seriously though, I agree with you on every point. Now is the time to grab the Trek license and run with it.

Renny

 

[LimeyDragon]

Star Trek isn't dead, it's merely resting.

Hey, that's my line.

Seriously though, I agree with you on every point. Now is the time to grab the Trek license and run with it.

Renny

With deep regreat Decipher still holds the license for the Trek RPG..

 

[Renny]

Can I ask where you came by this information? I don't have any definitive information either way but would like to know for sure.

Renny

 

[LimeyDragon]

Can I ask where you came by this information? I don't have any definitive information either way but would like to know for sure.

Renny

GAMA trade show.. there was a Q/A session.. decipher has no idea what to do with the license for the rpg. It was part of the licence for the CCG. I do not know when the licnece expires, and if they would care if someone else would do the rpg for them or not..

 

[Greg Smith]

There was a rumour Decipher were shopping around for third-party publishers back when their RPG releases dried up (both ST and LotR), but nothing ever came of it.

 

[LimeyDragon]

There was a rumour Decipher were shopping around for third-party publishers back when their RPG releases dried up (both ST and LotR), but nothing ever came of it.

as far as i know of it is till open to negotiantion..sp?

 

[Renny]

GAMA trade show.. there was a Q/A session.. decipher has no idea what to do with the license for the rpg

Ah, ok. That's interesting. I wonder why Decipher are still hanging onto it? I can't imagine they'd publish anything now after so long.

Renny

 

[yojimbo]

RuneQuest Star Trek?

Honestly I have to say I'm a bit sceptical about that...but I'm more Trekkie than doubtful, I'd give it a go...

The FASA version of Star Trek was a percentile system like RuneQuest so it doesn't seem that off the wall.

Similarly, Decipher's CODA system was very much inspired by d20 so a d20 version of Star Trek wouldn't be so odd either.

I don't even think Traveller would be that bad a choice as every version of STRPG since FASA's has included some form of lifepath character generation.

Jim.

 

[Cut]

The FASA version of Star Trek was a percentile system like RuneQuest so it doesn't seem that off the wall.

As I said, I don't know about a RuneQuest Trek system, but I'd go and check it out.

Similarly, Decipher's CODA system was very much inspired by d20 so a d20 version of Star Trek wouldn't be so odd either.

But Decipher's CODA rules were much more streamlined (and I don't mean Saga Edition streamlined) and actually did work rather well. I'm still no big fan of anything feat like, but I think that a classical D20 system game engine wouldn't fit Star Trek all to well.

But my main point is that all the loyal Star Trek fans out there deserve a vivid and living Star Trek RPG, that is close to the on-screen canon material, that is well done and well supported. This is something I could see Mongoose do, but if the license still rests with Decipher for now, that's obviously off the table...

Anyway, I most likely would check out any new Star Trek game, being a huge fan of the setting, but the first books would have to be decent, in order to convince me to sink more cash into a new system.