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OSIAdept · Heroic Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 1524

So a quick question when writing space based sci-fi do you use aliens in your settings or humans with gene-mods.

Currently i am leaning towards the gene-mod concept with fading traces of alien civilization
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jpk · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:29 pm Post subject:

I'd say that decision is one of the few that will fundamentally shape your world. You can go either way (or both), but it will flavor things.

If aliens, are they really alien or are they people with nose bridge prosthetics? How (and why) do they interact with humanity?

If gene-mods, do they breed true? Can they still breed with "stock" humans? How far do they go? (I tend to think gills or maybe close-to-spaceworthy humans are the limit before it goes from "sci-fi" to "sci-fantasy," but that's just me.)

I think the three big questions for any sci-fi game are how (and if) you handle aliens, interstellar travel, and government. All options are valid, but different mixes get you a different color of game.

Virgobrown72 · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 7:39 pm Post subject:

I do aliens mostly. In my Sci Fi home brew, there are mutations though, (super powers AB), which requires the character take and additional Hindrance to show the negative effects of mutation, whether they be mental or physical problems...
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Xavier Onassiss · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 9:15 pm Post subject:

I'm running/writing hard science fiction, so my aliens are of the really alien variety, too weird to be suitable as PCs. I've got several types of genetically engineered types of humans playable as PCs. They all breed true, but none of them are inter-fertile with the other types, or with baseline humans.
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samuraicrab · Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:32 pm Post subject:

YOU NEED ALIENS! Sci-fi games without aliens tend to be lame. Seriously.

Cryonic · Veteran Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 814

Really? I enjoyed Isaac Asimov's Foundation series and they don't have any aliens in any of the books and that is about a galaxy spanning Empire.

SciFi RPGs don't need aliens to be SciFi. Near humans (genetically modified, or evolutionarily divergent) work fine since their thought processes and actions would be fine for player characters.
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jpk · Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 2:23 pm Post subject:

Honestly, regular ol' humanity is currently creepy enough as a foe. Provide them with future weapons and technology, and nobody's safe. Seriously, if I got a transporter and a good owner's manual, it'd be a dark day.

That does provide a very different feel to the game, though. For many, no aliens or gen-splicers makes it "not sci-fi," though opinions vary wildly and I really don't want to accidentally restart that discussion. Forget I said anything. Wink

OSIAdept · Heroic Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 1524

I am going to have to disagree with you on that point SamuraiCrab. Look at Firefly, and cowboy bebop to excellent scifi series with no aliens what so ever.

I enjoy humanoid aliens greatly i mean Mass effect is one of my favorite series of all time, but all it is reskinned humans.

And humans by them selves are alien to one another just look at american culture v. say arabic culture.

To me "Alien" means something that is so directly opposed to the norm, or to our current level of understanding that it inspires wonder/fear/disgust.

I mean if i honestly met a true alien lifeform i am not going to try to comunicate with it, i will try to either flee from it or kill it if i have the means
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Sitting Duck · Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:43 am Post subject:

A fairly extensive list of SF settings without aliens (or where they aren't terribly prominent).
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Chaosmeister · Seasoned Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Posts: 179 Location: Germany

For a possible Savage Space setting I am working with only gene manipulated Humans. That makes them aliens with nosepieces in end. Aliens should be "ALIEN" to the players.
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