Edge of Empire system in other settings

[Liberiton 59]

      I played alot of other systems before I came upon Edge of Empire system and fell in love with the structure of it. Nice and flexible, easy to learn for new or old players, well supported and developed. So I saw the opportunity to take the lovely simple system and put it in other settings.

 

    The first one that I saw ripe for conversion was Alternity, specifically Star*drive. For those unfarmiliar its an old game (came out just after 2nd edition D&D if I remember correctly) set in the far future of humanity. Humanity has spread to the stars with a control of gravity and the advent of "drive space" which allows FTL travel. But they are not alone, five other species have been discovered and have more or less been dominated by humanity. The humans were not without huberis and have fought two galactic wars between the corporate-nations that control whole sectorcs and billions of lives. Most of the setting revolves around the frontier sectors of the Verge, ripe with resources and mostly unclaimed.

     Players can be anything from a combat clad walking tank to a psionic wielding mind knight, or a mindless killing machine cyborg. Things play out on a galactic scale as every decision reverberates across the galaxy's corporate nations.

     The problem with the Alternity system is that it became incredibly over complex. It focused, IMO, too much on the rules and structure and sapped all the fun out of player creativity. So I took it upon myself to create a conversion between the two. I have a beta set of rules for the conversion and would like some people to play-test it. All you`d need is the EoE core book to be able to play, though the alternity books wouldn`t hurt to have for reference and flavor. Anyone interested?

 

      As another note has anyone thought of using this system for other genre? I can think of a Mass Effect conversion or even an Avatar (the animated series not the blue giants) that would lend themselves very well to the system I see in EoE.

   

Thoughts? Ideas?

[CaptainRaspberry 1,190]

Mass Effect definitely, Avatar... eh, probably not. For something like that, I'd recommend Legend of the Five Rings. It's a more complicated system, but it has all the elemental and martial art stuff in place; you just need to marry the two. You could probably build an EotE conversion, it would just take some work.

 

Honestly, this is a good system. It could probably work for anything, unless you wanted some sort of special mechanic. It would be especially good for sci-fi universes. Halo's a possibility, though right now I run a game of that through L5R as a total conversion. If I switched the system, though, I'd probably go with FATE, but only because of how my players play.

[HappyDaze 10,142]

I ran Star*Drive with D6 Space (basically a version of WEG SW without the trademark SW stuff). Converting Edge to cover it would be fun. I'd make use of subraces of humans for the various nations based on what Star*Drive gives us.

[That Blasted Samophlange 6,926]

I'm hoping that with Fantasy Flight doing a witcher board game, maybe they'll use this system for a witcher role playing game.

I'm still working (slowly) on a rifts and a superhero setting.

[progressions 2,181]

My wife and I are brainstorming a version of the EOTE rules for a game (or maybe just a series of encounters) set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

 

I've come up with a few simple rules (vampires add setback dice to attacks with non-wooden weapons) and I'm taking the basics of the Force system as the system of "Magic" that characters like Willow use.

 

Beyond that it's pretty basic. I'm using the Marauder specialty as the basis for the Vampire Slayer class, and the Scholar makes a pretty good Watcher.

 

Add in a Knowledge (Magic) skill for more complex magics that aren't part of the Force system, and that's what we've got so far...

[mouthymerc 4,484]

I'm hoping that with Fantasy Flight doing a witcher board game, maybe they'll use this system for a witcher role playing game.

I'm still working (slowly) on a rifts and a superhero setting.

Ah Rifts, the game which shall not be openly converted to any other system which can do it better (which is practically any of them). Heh heh. Love the world, hate the mechanics. I am looking at Savaging it myself.

[mouthymerc 4,484]

Someone did a western conversion.

[2P51 33,577]

How about a Broadway show tunes RPG?.............anybody?................

[Kshatriya 1,199]

Mass Effect definitely, Avatar... eh, probably not. For something like that, I'd recommend Legend of the Five Rings. It's a more complicated system, but it has all the elemental and martial art stuff in place; you just need to marry the two. You could probably build an EotE conversion, it would just take some work.

For Avatar, I would definitely use Legends of the Wulin.

[Liberiton 59]

       As far as Avatar goes, after doing a full conversion of mindwalking (psionic powers) to EotE for the I found it wouldn`t be that hard to create a class for each bender with different specializations, plus a few non-bending classes. The force dice system can work to do it. Even can use the force dice to get strain inflicted upon the character for each dark point used. I would definately have to have a more linear damage progression than the move tree, 10 damage for two pips or 20 damage for three pips seems a bit extreme pretty quick. Players would get more dice to roll than in EotE but they would take strain if the rolled a black pip, creates a great narrative of the combatants wearing themselves out using their powers.  

      Would have to create entirely new classes and skill sets but the core of the system would remain largely unchanged. I would love the narrative flare that the EotE system would give it.

 

     I shun away from the Legend of the Five Rings, played it enough to know that I would have to create a whole new system for bending powers. Can`t just use spell slots or even spontaeous castings. Plus you combine any level of martial arts with energy damage in that system and you can kiss the rest of the classes good bye. Psionic powers would be the closest I could think of for a conversion of that but it still would mean a whole lot more work than EotE.

 

     With Legend of Korra going strong I have alot more ideas for how to balance benders against non-benders. Maybe that`ll be my next project. But I`ll need more feedback on the Alternity conversion before I would dare to mess with Avatar.

[LibrariaNPC 649]

A few friends and I have discussed the concept of using EotE to do a Phantasy Star conversion. Said Phantasy Star Conversion would incorporate the classic games (Phantasy Star 1-4), Phantasy Star Online and Phantasy Star Universe.

 

So far, all we did was put races down, discussed scaling blasters and melee weapons around to differentiate solid weapons and Photon weapons, and debated how to handle the various Techniques. I had an entire writeup for attack and healing powers, then I saw what Donovan Morningfire through together for his Force users and realized they were almost identical, so it's gone on standby until we see Age of Rebellion hit the shelves to get a better sampling of Force powers.

 

I've also been considering doing an Outlaw Star/Angel Links hack for some anime conventions I tend to run games for, but sadly there isn't a whole lot of data beyond one season of each series to work with, putting this one in my "challenge" pile.

[Kshatriya 1,199]

Not to toot the horn, but Bending would be extremely easy to fit into the miracle and elemental system from Wulin. It's a narrative-heavy, rules-light system that really encourages player creativity over static "Magic Missile does X and only X" effects.

[UHF 312]

I'd spend cold hard cash for a fantasy version of this game.

I haven't gotten to the point that I'm struggling with adapting EOTE challenges to the player's experience, but that's coming soon.

I don't see my gaming getting bogged down in mechanics like so many other fantasy RPGs. So I wonder if a good compelling fantasy rule set could be produced.

EOTE has been flexible enough for me to really improvise and sand box the story with the characters. For me, that's a first.

[That Blasted Samophlange 6,926]

I'm hoping that with Fantasy Flight doing a witcher board game, maybe they'll use this system for a witcher role playing game.

I'm still working (slowly) on a rifts and a superhero setting.

Ah Rifts, the game which shall not be openly converted to any other system which can do it better (which is practically any of them). Heh heh. Love the world, hate the mechanics. I am looking at Savaging it myself.

I've tried savaging it. Didn't feel right. Also, my players don't like me running Savage Worlds. Something to do with a grenade that does 1d8 exploding to fo 63 points of damage. When I run any game but Edge of the Empire, my dice rolls ate insanely brutal. You could also ask mu players about how blinding orcs makes them crit with every attack.

Its a shame when I'm a player, I generally can't roll higher than a 7 on a d20. Its why I don't like that system. EotE I roll decent both as a player and GM. Also, if I fail something good happens. Narrative dice system (NarDS) for the win!

[Rasguy 32]

I'd spend cold hard cash for a fantasy version of this game.

EOTE has been flexible enough for me to really improvise and sand box the story with the characters. For me, that's a first.

 

I would also pay cold hard cash for a fantasy version.  The more comfortable my group becomes with the narrative dice system, the faster and more epic our sessions have become.  The narrative system minimizes the binary success/failure aspect of other games.  This freedom has allowed my players to try anything the story supports.  The systems also allows me, as the GM, to easily use the "Yes, and.. " technique to let the characters pull off crazy stunts without the game breaking down into munchkin land.  A first for me.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Rasguy

[That Blasted Samophlange 6,926]

UHF and Rasguy, you do know about the warhammer rpg that fantasy flight has right? It has dice that inspired this rpg.

Edited January 10, 2014 by That Blasted Samophlange

[Rasguy 32]

UHF and Rasguy, youbdi know about the warhammer rpg that fantasy flight has right? It has dice that inspired this rpg.

 

Yes, I'm aware of the Warhammer Fantasy RPG.  However, the reviews I've read online indicate it isn't has streamlined as EoTE.  It's an iterative process.  It would be logical that FFG took the good parts of an early system and polished the rough edges.  It would be great to take that refinement and use it to make an Warhammer Fantasy 2.0. 

[UHF 312]

 

I'd spend cold hard cash for a fantasy version of this game.

EOTE has been flexible enough for me to really improvise and sand box the story with the characters. For me, that's a first.

 

I would also pay cold hard cash for a fantasy version.  The more comfortable my group becomes with the narrative dice system, the faster and more epic our sessions have become.  The narrative system minimizes the binary success/failure aspect of other games.  This freedom has allowed my players to try anything the story supports.  The systems also allows me, as the GM, to easily use the "Yes, and.. " technique to let the characters pull off crazy stunts without the game breaking down into munchkin land.  A first for me.

I love it.. The Pit Droid chased the leader of the Yiyar down a corridor blasting away... He got the final and fatal shot in with a pile of unlucky charms.

 

"Alright.. You gun him down and his bloody mess collapses and slides down the corridor right to the feet of Station Security."

 

That was the perfect cliff hanger to end the session on.

[MosesofWar 125]

I'm actually thinking about an Elder Scrolls game, or creating my own world using this system... With slight modifications to force die, perhaps being modified for 'Magic' Damage, cost or Regen.

[Liberiton 59]

The big problem I would have with a fantasy system (and I`m thinking D&D here), is that the magic system would be the limited spell selection. Only way I can think of leveling as a spellcaster would be to have a bunch of different trees sets, one for enchantments, another for evocation, divination, abjuration, conjuration, illusion, necromancy, and transmutation. The cool bit would be casters wouldn`t have a limited spell list, you just say go, think creatively, and roll well. Wanna do a fireball? Well you would need some magnitude upgrades and strength upgrades but it could be done. 

 

I do have ideas for things like this. Trickiest part would be creating some of the classic monsters. Orcs and goblins wouldn`t be hard, but things like Dragons would be hard to balance against a group of players that doesn`t have an ever increasing bunch of hitpoints. Still wouldn`t be impossible, need to look at more references before I`d feel comfortable trying to create a magic system. 

 

Anybody with ideas or more references?

[Rasguy 32]

The big problem I would have with a fantasy system (and I`m thinking D&D here), is that the magic system would be the limited spell selection. Only way I can think of leveling as a spellcaster would be to have a bunch of different trees sets, one for enchantments, another for evocation, divination, abjuration, conjuration, illusion, necromancy, and transmutation. The cool bit would be casters wouldn`t have a limited spell list, you just say go, think creatively, and roll well. Wanna do a fireball? Well you would need some magnitude upgrades and strength upgrades but it could be done. 

 

I do have ideas for things like this. Trickiest part would be creating some of the classic monsters. Orcs and goblins wouldn`t be hard, but things like Dragons would be hard to balance against a group of players that doesn`t have an ever increasing bunch of hitpoints. Still wouldn`t be impossible, need to look at more references before I`d feel comfortable trying to create a magic system. 

 

Anybody with ideas or more references?

 

You could use tree sets or just buy spells for XP.  I could see magic working in a manner similar to ShadowRun.

[progressions 2,181]

The Force powers are basically spell sets already. 

 

In my Buffy adaptation I'm planning to make a few more of these--starting with the actual Move, Sense, etc, Force trees from the book.

 

On the show, they talk about transmutation, conjuring, glamour spells, etc, so I'll be taking those general branches and making spell trees from them.

 

Or for a spell more complex, like "cast a spell to revoke a vampire's entry into a house", or to cast love spell or something more plot-related, I'd do a Magic (Knowledge) roll and assign some difficulty to it. Then the results could be interpreted in a more narrative way, as is the nature of magic in this setting.

 

But for a more D&D type, you could just extend the Force system.

[UHF 312]

The big problem I would have with a fantasy system (and I`m thinking D&D here), is that the magic system would be the limited spell selection. Only way I can think of leveling as a spellcaster would be to have a bunch of different trees sets, one for enchantments, another for evocation, divination, abjuration, conjuration, illusion, necromancy, and transmutation. The cool bit would be casters wouldn`t have a limited spell list, you just say go, think creatively, and roll well. Wanna do a fireball? Well you would need some magnitude upgrades and strength upgrades but it could be done.

I do have ideas for things like this. Trickiest part would be creating some of the classic monsters. Orcs and goblins wouldn`t be hard, but things like Dragons would be hard to balance against a group of players that doesn`t have an ever increasing bunch of hitpoints. Still wouldn`t be impossible, need to look at more references before I`d feel comfortable trying to create a magic system.

Anybody with ideas or more references?

Actually I think spell 'group' as a specialization is perfect. I like the idea of bending... I like the idea that maybe one high talent is required to open a new group. (Work it out... That means you gotta go around the circle for your opposition schools.). That also lends the game to 'anyone can use spells'. Soooo did your character want to be good with the sword still? No? Better with your spells? Sprinkle the specializations with scholarly skills but not much else.

Force would be psionics.

Creative license would required.

[Scottyboy81 4]

I just ran my players thru a  one-off were I re-sikned EotE as "TaleSpin"  and we all had a blast. Just ignore the force and Droids and it slips right on.

[Josep Maria 685]

Hi people!

 

I use Edge to emulate worlds like Chrono Cross/Trigger and Mega Man X. Until the moment the results are just awesome!

 

I'm waitint to new Force rules to see if they can fit a bit better yet.