Topic: Decisions for a new game

[Taurren]

My players recently surprised me by saying that they would like to start a new sci-fi game and would like it use RM as the base system.  Needless to say my s**t eating grin was hard to hide.     So over the last few weeks I've been gathering information about the type of game they're interested in playing, and dusting off my little used sci-fi library of games and settings.

So here is the first decision ... which game to use.  All my experience playing SM is with SM 2 rather than SM:P.  I have the entire SM 2 set including Armored Assault and Star-Strike. The players are very familiar and happy with RMFRP and I think SM:P would be an easy transition for them, but more of a challenge for me.  Can I use my RM2 vs RMFRP experience to map out what I would be facing in moving from SM2 to SM:P?

Next is ship combat.  The players have also indicated that a detailed starship combat system would be fun.  So how is SM:P's ship to ship combat?  As robust as Star Strike?

On a separate note, are the SM 2 pdf's scans or full-featured pdf's? I assume the SM:P pdf's are not simple scans.  Right?

The setting I'm creating is a hybrid (the cornerstone of all good sci-fi) that is influenced by Resnicks' Santiago, Walter Jon Williams' Dread Empire Fall series, Peter Hamilton's Reality Dysfunction series and Dark Space by Monte Cook.  Yeah I know its a strange mix but so is my group.  And besides, I think I can make this work.  Going this route with my setting is SM:P Space Law and Races & Cultures worth getting or are they more setting specific?

I guess that's it for now.

[Dark Mistress]

yes I would say the difference between RM2 and RMFRP is about the same as SM2 and SM:P. SM2 has the better ship to ship combat rules cause it has a full book devoted just to it IMHO.

I do agree they would likely adapt to SM:P better because it is a lot closer to RMFRP than RM2 is.

As for the PDF's I am not sure on the answer. Other than to say the SM:P stuff is real PDF's not scans. Least i don't think they are.

[markc]

 The bigest difference is the skill system and a little bit of the combat system but most of it is the same. In fact there are conversions for the SM2 races to SM:P format in the Vault or on R Defindi's site if you want to use the races from SM2.

 As for ship combat to me it sounds like I would stick with the SM2 Star Strike [SS] and Armored Assault [AA] from SM2. You are going to have to do a little jurry rigging with the skill crossover but IMO it is not tough to do. Also SS and AA are IMO very very good tactical ship and vehicle rules and the only change I might look into is usinf the differnt mass and MK#'s from SM:P VM ship weapons to add to your universe. In other words the SM2 stuff in SS and AA is all in one tech level and does not have rules for adjusting for tech advancements besides a little section that say as a GM you can play with the numbers on ship or vehicle parts and equipment. So 1/2 the weight x50 cost. IMO that is not a lot to go on but you could use your own chart for tech advancements instead of the chart in SM:P VM.
 Other than that you can use the equipment in SM2 books but if you want to design new energy weapons you can use SM:P BL. Also I tend to use a lot of firearms in my space game so I use AL:Firearms instead of the charts in SM:P or SM2.

 PDF vs physical: I like PDF's so I can print the pages for my players that they need. Profession, maneuver chart, weapon charts and psi skills right from the book. In general this is a nice neat package for players to have at thier disposal during the game and at home. So I am a PDF guy but I also have the physical books to so char gen is easier as well as players looking stuff up if the need to.

 I think that is everything but if you have more Q's post them or send me a PM and I will try and help the best I can.

MDC 

[Dax]

All said, but ...

...
and psi skills right from the book.
...

In SM:P Psy isn't organized in spell lists but as skills !
Perhaps a better way to do it.

[Defendi]

You should be able to use star strike with SM:P without too much difficulty.  Especially if you use the SS ships.