DwD Studios

Glad to see some interest! It's a more ambitious project and the art costs were killing us (being an unknown game company like we are). So we opted to divert our efforts/attention to the BareBones project, whose completion was more within reach at the time. Now that BareBones is out, we'll be refocusing more and more efforts to FrontierSpace. Keep in mind the evolution of FS may not fully resemble everything we've shared incrementally during the design and initial testing process; what you see in the downloads might not fully resemble the final product.

Apologies if I missed this information elsewhere, but is FrontierSpace another d00 Lite game (like barebones fantasy) or is it a completely different system?
Cheers
D.

From what little I've seen of it, I think it's supposed be a crunchier version of d00Lite.

d00lite is the lite version of what FrontierSpace is. We built the BBFRPG rules from what we built for FS. Sci fi needs a LITTLE more crunch, in my opinion. Can't rely on everyone's collective understanding of the fantasy tropes for sci fi.

Not so sure, I've been working on a Star Trek (TOS/2009 movie version) hack of BBFRPG for a con game I want to run next year.

sirkerry,
Origins, Gencon or GaryCon?
:-)

Can I play a Redshirt that lives?

Nah, I generally just do the local Houston area conventions these days, so Comicpalooza and Space City Con for sure and maybe a couple of the smaller ones.

Sure, as long as it's an Engineering officer.

Bill is referring to hard sci-fi, which requires some restrictions and considerations of realism. Not the fast and loose kind. Though I agree that a d00Lite Sci-fi game would be very enjoyable.

Okay. I could see a hard sci-fi setting being difficult to handle using a d00Lite system, but I tend to personally view hard sci-fi settings as not that fun to GM or play in (but they're get settings for stories).

I'd personally really love to see a BareBones Modern RPG game.

Barebones Modern would be awesome-but fitting the complexities of the Modern World into less than a dozen broad skills could be...challenging. The main issue being that Modern Skills are essentially Tropes or Archetypes, and those change based on the definition of 'Modern Setting'-the Genre of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Tom Clancy technothriller would likely need a different set of Skills, though there would be overlap-on the other hand, Doc Savage, The Rocketeer and Batman would fit in just fine...because the Buffy Universe is essentially Pulp Horror Soap Opera.The Barebones Fantasy Heroes wouldn't be a perfect fit, but the Buffy Genre is broad enough to welcome them in-turn them loose in a John Le Carre espionage setting however, and you've just broken the Tropes of that world...

Now if the designers ever wanted to release, say. a BareBones Multiversal Compendium-

-I just felt a disturbance, as of two Game Designers crying out in horror, and falling to the floor in a dead faint-

-the Compendium would likely be arranged something like this:

Introduction to Barebones
Creating the PC, complete with walk-through of sample PC from one Genre
An explanation of Ability and Skill checks
An explanation of Combat, death, Status effects and healing
Sample equipment list with a handful from multiple genres
An explanation of Genre and the Genre Toolkit.
The Barebones Master List of Skills(perhaps 40 to 50 at most) and descriptions of same
The Genre Toolkit-A list of common Genres and how they are created,each Genre taking up one mini-chapter apiece. Sidebars for each titled "How(X) do you want it?" to indicate High vs Low Fantasy, Semi-gritty Pulp vs Planetary Romance and Lensmen, Gritty Cop Drama vs Action Hero etc. A few sample races(or Archetypes that may as well be a 'Race') for each Genre,and standard Equipment List specific to the Genre
Epilogue and Credits

Now once the GM has the BareBones Compendium in hand a campaign could be tossed together in minutes-

Firefly Universe? Pure Western with a sci-fi skin. Toss in an Engineer Skill and go.
Harry Dresden Universe? Pure Fantasy with a Modern Equipment list.
Urban Fantasy a la Charles DeLint or Tim Powers? Modern Technothriller Skills and equipment list-add an Occult Skill for the weirdness, maybe allow anybody with Occult Lore to pick up a minor spell for a Skill pick, and only those with Occult as Primary can access the Major list-Change Spell loadout slightly.
The Matrix? Sci-fi on the Outside, Pulp Wire-fu on the Inside.
Etc...

Uh, whoops..sirkerry, I think you and I just hijacked this Thread and turned it towards Cuba-sorry about that.I do believe i'm going to let this thread head back into FrontierSpace orbit and grab my Purple Crayon, I think I may have just given myself a Project...

Something like that would be truly awesome if not down right awe inspiring.

I'll need time to really chew and digest the rules so I don't encounter any weird bounces in application first-after that, i'll likely try to wrap BareBones around High Action Pulp. If the system can own Pulp, then Horror, Action Hero, Technothriller, Wild West, Various hard/soft sci-fi etc etc will be comparative pieces of pie...

In fact, the only Genre i'm sure Barebones won't do is Four Color Superheroes-not without major surgery at least, powers would likely have to be bolted onto the existing framework already in place, and you'd likely have to differentiate between, say, 'Strength' and 'Super-strength', 'Dexterity' and 'Ultra-agile' the way the Mutants & Masterminds/DC Heroes RPGs do. Still with enough research and elbow grease I suppose even-hmmmm...

GAH! NO! Bad poster, NO Biscuit! One-project-at-a-time!!!! JUST! ONE!

Sigh...okay, Pulp first before anything else, or i'll lose what little focus I have-after that though...maybe a Golden Age Superheroes expansion pack, with the absolute upper power limits scaled to Golden Age Superman(outrunning trains, powerlifting roughly 20 tons, 500 ft vertical leaps)and/or Golden Age Green Lantern? I think BareBones could just about handle that with a bit of scaffolding welded to the chassis! Anything else after that would be downhill coasting design-wise...

Oh, Wicked, Evil Game Designers, why did you seduce me into buying this pretty, sparkling gem of an RPG?!?!? The last time I was this stoked about a game was back when Mercenaries Spies & Private Eyes came out in the early 1980's! MS&PE has been my faithful, versatile, houserulable RPG for nearly three decades and now i'm...cheating...on....it!!

Alright, enough cheap melodrama, let me grab those lovely Player Aids, pens and notebook and spend some Thanksgiving Day weekend time productively... Later!

No one can build just one!

We should make BBF commercials! That sounds like fun. :-)

My copy of Tunnels & Trolls is giving me nasty looks as we speak...sigh.

So, did Mr Logan and yourself ever consider posting WARNING labels on this product? Something to the effect of, say, "WARNING:this product may prove addictive upon ingestion and may result in 1)obsessive behavior 2)loss of increasing amounts of free time 3)possible domestic strife between gamers and their current RPG collection."? I mean, it would have only been fair to give me a running start! Sheesh, i'm having flashbacks to those dark days when I was mainlining my Star Frontiers/Gangbusters hybrid with the guys at my local community college-

Wait a minute! There's a Star Frontiers influence in this RPG! FOUL, FOUL I say!! No fair...can't...resist...too..late... (><)

Our evil plan is working. It's working!

BareBones Modern would be easy. Rather than list every skill, use PC defined general career skills. Police Officer, Veterinarian, Game Designer, anything that falls into these categories uses that skill. Then have Side Skills. Martial Arts, Painting, Cooking, any kind of specific skill that could be used on the side. You have 1-3 broad career skills, and 3-5 specific skills. Overlap is possible, but you only benefit from the highest skill.

That sounds pretty awesome actually. Although If you end up with both General and Side skills we might be edging into 'Barebones Advanced' territory-which is still pretty basic compared to most systems, so not a huge tweak..

My plan so far is to create specific Skill bundles to match each genre they same way Barebones Fantasy did(the Occult Master from Pulp i'm designing would overlap bits of Fantasy's Spellcaster and Enchanter for example)with Scholar already allowing use of a Career path per level.

As long as we're brainstorming, why not try tweaking the default Human Template for the same effect?

Average Joe

+10 WIL
+10 all Resistance Checks
Move 8 Spaces
Choose-one additional Descriptor OR one additional language OR one additional Career/Hobby(unskilled default +10%)
Speaks Native tongue and either one additional language OR one Career/Hobby (unskilled default+10%)

Using a slightly more flexible Human template allows me to try things like-
Jarro the Dingo Boy (+10 WIL, +10 Resistance,no additional Descriptors, Move 8, Speaks English and Canine{special permission from the GM!)'hobby' skill'Stalks the Outback like Dreamtime Made Real'(stealth subskill of Thief}+10%...+20 in Warrior, +10 in Leader, Scout Lvl 1).

Or-
Fast Eddie McGill, hotrodder and charismatic Car Thief (+10 WIL, +10 Resistance,one extra Descriptor, Speaks English but 'none o' that forrin' stuff, see?' Move 8, Career Skill 'Genius with a Wrench Mechanic'+10%, +20 Thief, +10 Warrior, Leader Lvl 1{wants to be a Big Man someday}).

Or-
Enrico'Rico'Diaz, PI and Bounty Hunter (+10 WIL, +10 Resistance, no extra descriptors, Move 8, speaks English and Spanish, 'Career' of Shadow Suspect{tracking but in Urban setting}Thief +20, Scholar +10, Warrior Lvl 1)

I can't believe the number of different approaches we can take to reach the same destination-this system is amazing!

You know, I could have SWORN this was a FrontierSpace thread before we knocked out of orbit and into the Pacific. I completely take the blame... :(

Is there a thread (BB Modern) lurking around the forum perhaps?

OOps! Almost forgot: Frontier Space - yes please!
Ssooo looking forward to it, but must be patient.

I'm sure the Moderators won't mind a 'BareBones Modern' thread-I hope they feel free to start one, and shift any derailing comments to it.

And yes, i'd love to see Frontier Space when it comes out, just to see the design refinements from BareBones-until it comes out I shall simply have to hold on to my PDF of Star Frontiers Redux. My paper copy of the original SF Alpha Dawn sits safe in its protective box in case of power failure and subsequent lamplight reading..

Star Frontiers (Redux): I've never thought of it as that, but true, it's a nice way of putting it.
Be glad you have a paper copy; mine, sadly, mine is no more :-(
But, at least I have the PDF copy - Redux, as you call it.
Sooo nice to browse through it once in a while.

As for Frontier Space, I keep checking that very often (as I'm suer many others do) to see if there's any hint of a release date (6-10 months time, maybe?). Fingers crossed.

(Googles Bare Bones Multiversal Compendium)

Oops! Could be some confusion there...If such a project gets off the ground we'd definitely have to use a different name. Hmmm..

Got it!

BareBones CosMos.

(yes, mid-word Capitals are deliberate) Simple and catchy, yes? BBCM for short, otherwise new posters would think we were speaking of British Telly... :P

You can get a soft-cover version of AD here: http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/bill-logan/star-frontiers-alpha-dawn/pape...

You are more than welcome to create a new topic and discuss. Either in the BareBones forum or General Game System (uses the main sites theme). http://dwdstudios.com/forum

So, does this mean that there will be no d00lite adaptation for Sci-Fi? That the crunchier Frontier Space will have to suffice? What if we're not interested in hard Sci-Fi, but in lighter settings, like Star Frontiers?

"Wait," you say, "why not just play Star Frontiers?" Well, I love that game's setting, but I think SF's system could use a modern-day refresh that maintains its old-school sensibilities. In the same way that BBF recreates the experience (not mechanics) of our favorite fantasy game from way back when, so a d00lite rewrite of SF would do the same. (I know that d00lite was modeled on SF's mechanics, so that would just make a rewrite that much easier, right?)

P.S. A version of d00lite for Sci-Fi would rescue me from X-Plorers, a game I thought was perfectly adequate until I saw the magic wrought in BBF.

I think you'll be surprised... FrontierSpace isn't all that crunchy. It has more numerous and specific ability scores (though no more than Star Frontiers or TOP Secret/SI had), a broader variety of skill selections (still sort of broad brushstroke, but broken down into slightly more numerous and specific skills), tons more gear/tech (vehicles, robots, computers, buildings/bases, cybernetics, spaceships, etc.), optional mentalism for those who want it in their campaigns, and a few options during character creation that make it a bit more robust and gets your imagination flowing. Additionally, it has a profession system that rewards you for advancing along a professional career path with in-game perks (not "feats"), while still being a skill-based system. Despite all this, the game still FEELS the same. It's still d00 based, still roll under a score... same initiative rules, skill scores advance and are used similarly, ability scores advance and are used similarly, you still have a "Rank" which is a reflection of your abilities and skill rather than a driver of them. All in all, it's what you're used to in BBF but more of what you like. Oh, and it's sci fi.

Having said all that, we are indeed going to make a FrontierSpace lite... a BBF-like "basic game" which takes a very lite look at FS and waters it down for people who just want the basics and nothing more. Think about it... this is how all our favorite games worked back in the 80's... a basic game and a more advanced game. Some folks will never want to leave the basic game because it's all they really need. Others will want a bit more bite and will drill down to the more numerous options provided by the full game.

Since we're wanting to build the lite version on top of the full version, our goal is to continue building the full game first, continue testing it, continue commissioning artwork for it, and trying to make it everything we always wanted in a sci fi game. Then once we're happy with that (and we're coming along nicely), we'll get that game out and in the hands of those as eager to play such a game as we are. Then shortly thereafter, we'll take a step back and go really broad brushstroke and boil it down and build a "basic" game using the lite rules.

Surprisingly, there is little difference between the d00lite and full d00 system. It's mostly about the difference between specificity versus generality. For instance, in d00lite we make a single score representing strength and endurance. In the full d00 system, those are separate scores. That's not too crunchy... right? Same with skills. Where in d00lite you might have a Technology skill that encapsulates the various technologies of computers, robotics, electro-mechanics, and starship engineering... in the full d00 system, each of those is its own skill... that's not really all that crunchy either.

I really do wish you would lose the word "mentalism". It's not only inaccurate, but it nods to a rewrite of Star Frontiers that very few people appreciate, least of all its creators. Most science fiction refers to it simply as "psychic ability". If ever you come across science fiction with the word "mentalism", you'll find that the author has role-playing experience and has played Zebulon's Guide. You also have some who are vehemently opposed to the term to the point that it could turn them off. Not me, of course, but some.

Aah, you've set my heart a-flutter!

Thank you for your comprehensive reply. You've answered all the questions I had about FrontierSpace's mechanics. I'm now very excited about what you're doing. And I'm especially digging the Basic/ Advanced model you described. From what you've said about the "Advanced," it doesn't seem overwhelming at all. I look forward to it!

BTW, your taking the time to answer my question comprehensively and quickly is one of the key reasons why I switched to BBF (and now FrontierSpace); your excellent support of and interaction with the community is noted and appreciated!

A Basic and an Advanced version? Shades of the SF Alpha Sawn set-I love it! One of the things I loved so much about that was the way I could make my own 'Intermediate set' out of SF using Basic and its skeleton, and then just import(or Mutate) prime cuts from the Advanced-if I remember correctly our players would pick one Career skill (50% + 1/10 relevant ability) one Hobby skill (30% + 1/10 Ability) and improve the Skills as if they were racial Special Abilities. My players kept throwing such freeform skills as 'Jetgliding Cat-burglar' and 'Inter-species Cassanova'...god I miss those guys...

BTW-will the d00 lite system for Frontier Space essentially be 'BareBones Future' or 90% thereof? If so, a Universal is well on its way. :D

Sir Kerry, as a lover of all things Star Trek, I'd love to see what you're working on; I'm sure many others would as well!

Lovely! Sci-fi is my favority gaming falvor!

So, what is the connection of DWD studios to StarFrontiers? Were you guys the original authors? Did you buy the license? How did that all work?

Bill was granted permission to publish Star Frontiers-related material based on the original mechanics.

But to be clear, FrontierSpace, while inspired by Star Frontiers and compatible with Star Frontiers, is not wholly Star Frontiers mechanics. It is differentiated in several ways, achieving similar results through different mechanics. It will also not be using the Star Frontiers setting. (Which, technically, is distinguished only by its races and place names. It is a generic setting involving a Frontier, Star Law and a planetary federation, originally envisioned by Isaac Asimov. See Star Frontiersman #15 for details, in the article Star Law Revisited.)

Ah! Thank you!

Bill has a letter of permission to "digitally remaster" the original material. This is exclusively for DwD Studios. Anyone can make a fan magazine. We've made several attempts to purchase the Star Frontier's IP (rejected), License (rejected) and finally offered to make WoTC a FREE game if they would distribute (rejected). Meh. We'll just make our own stuff.

The setting will be divorced from the Frontier Space rules. Right now we're calling it Astra Incognita. It will have it's now star map, systems, races, mega-corp etc. We also have a historian involved in the writing. :-)

So does WOTC own the rights, or the original creators? I'm assuming the former the way DwD is discussing the matter.

If the former, then WOTC's reactions to either DWD offer puzzle me-I mean, wouldn't an offer to sublet (via license or distribution) into a low to no investment format(PDF with or without Print options via RPGNow or LULU) pretty much a guaranteed modest income stream for WOTC? I recall a few years ago when WOTC was releasing all sorts of goodies from the Vault on RPGnet for a handful of my dollars (still have my Gangbusters PDF and lots of OOP D&D stuff from that) but then it was just-shut down. I guess we're lucky an exception of sorts was made for SF even in a limited way...

Let's be honest-how big a market IS there for Top Secret, Boot Hill, Star Frontiers, Gangbusters, the Amazing Engine line etc? If the IP is that valuable, why not market it still-or(if the bottom line is that tight)let interested third parties like DwD contribute the sweat equity while WOTC rakes in essentially free money and recognition? And if the IP isn't that valuable why not release, lease or sell the IP and let we starry-eyed niche market fans try to prove the market wrong?

It perplexes me.I at least hope that WOTC gave DwD a valid reason for the refusal other than 'Nope'... :(

WOTC did market Star Frontiers in a new form through their D20 Future line. (2002-2006) The D20 Future book had a section on Star Law and had Star Frontiers races, and both that book and the D20 Future Tech book had Star Frontiers weapons, gear and starships.

Oh yeah, must have slept through most of that 'D20 Revolution' stuff... :)

"You're not missing much. Just an oil shortage and a flock of seagulls."

Some new news for you's.
Bill and I started work on BareBones BlackOps which will cover GI Joe/SHIELD and Spy genre's.

:-)

Oh my poor, poor wallet...

Uh oh, I think my copy of Mercenaries, Spies & Private Eyes is reading over my shoulder-it's been my premier Espionage/Low Pulp game since the Eighties, and there might be a bit of...friction...around the bookshelf when this BareBones BlackOps work comes to fruition. Oh Well.

In the spy version I'm working on (i.e., Agent BareBones), all characters begin with a primary skill which was their profession before being recruited as a secret agent. They can be a police officer/detective, an athlete, or even an entertainer. Perhaps a hacker, or con-man. Each of them have specific skills which utilize one of their primary abilities; a detective has deduction (LOG) and persuasion (WIL), for example.

Once recruited into the agency as a spy, the character then assumes the secondary skill of secret agent. They will get a one time permanent bonus to add to their abilities, and then as they achieve rank they will get to choose their Modus Operandi. This list works much in the same way as the BBF Spells except it is geared towards Secret Agent-type of skills, like disguises, sex appeal, enhanced evasion, and so-forth.

I'm still in the tinkering and creating phase of the design. Please, feel free to make suggestions!

Perhaps I missed it, or will Frontier Space go through something like Kickstarter for initial funding?

I would really, REALLY love to see a boxed set. And that goes for BBF as well as Frontier Space. If a Kickstarter campaign got that done, well, sign me up. :)

FS has been funded so far by us. We'd like to do a boxed set of FS and BBF. Our current plan is to finish up Covert Ops (90% text ready, 50% commissioned artwork, 10% playtested). Once that is complete and we have a couple more BBF adventure modules we'll start up a Kickstarter for a boxed set.

Pardon me for replying so late (problems with internet, etc), I've checked the Lulu link you gave me (rather nice), and many thanks for the link.
The books range from $9.35 (rule book) to $6.60 for the Volturnus books.

Now comes the problem of saving up for them. :-(

Like many of us, I'd love to see FS available ASAP, but I know it takes time for such things.

We must all be patient.

SMAY63,
If you take the PDF's to Office Max or Kinko's they can spiral bind them, I think it's around $6. I was hanging out with Ben Gorman last week and he has everything SF in print from Office Max. Looks pretty sweet and lays flat on the gaming table.

I've given ALL my copies of SFman away. Sniff. I need to restock!

Well, I am looking forward to FS when it comes out. I am starting to write fiction about my proposed campaign setting for it. Hopefully FE will publish them....

Good to hear William.

Update: Bill and I have been talking about this project of the last week now that work on Covert Ops is winding down. I expect this will be our next big project, just a few decisions need to be hammered out.

:-)

UPDATE: It looks like my first FS-based fiction story will be published in FE. It will probably be published in Issue #5. Check for "To Live And Die In Starlight."

Just stumbled across BBF and I was blown away by how clean an implementation of an FRPG it is.

But my first love will always be Star Frontiers.

How is progress coming on this project? Are you guys looking for playtesters? Because I would do that. Like yesterday....

Jaime

Today I can't wait for FrontierSpace.

My daughter and I watched one episode of the 1979 Flash Gordon cartoon and I've been poking around with my Classic Traveller books.

Anticipation.

Good to hear all of the comments, guys. I am waiting in anticipation myself for the rules. My campaign setting is finally starting to get fleshed out and my test players like it enough (I am using another rule system for it).

Looking forward to sending more stuff....

Is there anything further on this? I really enjoy Covert Ops, I would love to see a similar sci fi game.

Yes, it's still in development :-) It's a big project, with lofty goals, and is being diligently worked on. I wish there were more hours in the day!

Good news. I have been waiting since 2005 for this game. :)

Looking forward with whatever you produce for it...

William,

This game is one of the very first things I worked with Bill on. I developed one of the races, worked with Bill on the overall map and have had numerous discussions with Bill and my three boys, all of whom have been waiting, impatiently, for its completion. Because this was in many ways Bill's first inspiration, and is such a labor of love, he wants it to be perfect and match as nearly as possible exactly what is in his imagination. In some ways it is Bill's "opus" and it grows in his imagination as his experiences as a game designer evolved and strengthen.

Mark M.

Can't wait for FS. We were talking about this at the local game shop during our Friday night game as something we're looking forward to playing.

That's what lunch breaks are for!

New to the forums, and really looking forward to FrontierSpace (also planning on buying Covert Ops soon). So, where are we at? Need any help? I'm pretty handy with the written word... :)

All jokes and hints aside, I hope this turns out to be all Bill wants it to be. :)

Good to know. Can't wait to see what you post! :)