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Wider Wargaming => Genre/Period Discussion => Fantasy & Sci-Fi => Topic started by: nikharwood on 27 August 2012, 10:47:52 PM

Title: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: nikharwood on 27 August 2012, 10:47:52 PM
While I'm on a bit of a futuristic RPG buzz, thought I'd share this with anyone that's interested - the game has gained some good following & it's definitely worth a look-through if you ask me. The printed books are *top* quality - but you can get the majority of the books for free from the author's own website - along the lines of, "have a good look at these - and if you like 'em, buy them & support further development of this system" - a very modern (& I think effective) approach to marketing...

Eclipse Phase website: http://eclipsephase.com/

PDF material: http://robboyle.wordpress.com/eclipse-phase-pdfs/

Lovely stuff - most easily described (by the authors) as: "Eclipse Phase is a pen & paper roleplaying game of post-apocalyptic transhuman conspiracy and horror."

8)
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: kustenjaeger on 28 August 2012, 08:23:34 AM
Greetings

I must admit to being impressed by the approach, checking out the pdf free and then buying the hardback core rulebook.

Regards

Edward
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: ronan on 28 August 2012, 09:31:27 AM
hello
I'm waiting for the french translation ( I'm lazy !) of the printed book.
I read the Quick Start, but didn't play it.
What about the rules ? I found them a bit too complex.. but may be I'm wrong.
(I think i will love this universe)

Thanks for sharing nik !
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: nikharwood on 28 August 2012, 08:59:03 PM
I know what you mean ronan - it does, on first look, seem very dense and complex. I think it will prove fluid enough to cut through some of the detail though and be playable quite simply...

You've seen this French translation of the core rules, right?: https://ep.okhin.fr/wiki/eclipsephase/ and the thread here: http://www.eclipsephase.com/ep-translation-projects

Those links from here: http://eclipsephase.com/resources

I do like the 'feel' of this...brings me very close to The Player of Games by Iain M.Banks which I love.
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: ronan on 29 August 2012, 08:44:18 AM
Thank you Nik !
I will read this, it'll help me wait for the printed book in french (beautilful, and I want it  ;)   )

Have a nice day !
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: nikharwood on 29 August 2012, 11:25:50 PM
 :) I've been reading some more of the EP material to relax (?!) the last couple of days - in places it is almost overwhelmingly complex (rather than complicated) and devastatingly detailed - which I can see being a distraction to some of the beautiful concepts in this game. The mechanics of gameplay though are really streamlined which should make for fluid gaming  8)

I'm getting more & more immersed in this - some of the fan-produced stuff is great too - the scenario stuff from Anders Sandberg [again, from the resources page] is great - really evocative & with some great plot hooks...

Yep - this is definitely helping pass the time between now & the release of Numenera in July 2013  ;)

I also found a narrative Play By Post campaign using EP on the Paizo forum which is worth a read - it looks like it fizzled out (kind of before it 'properly' got going - as these things do sometimes; I think the players got frustrated in the narrative which was working towards bringing them together for their target task and it fell apart just at the wrong point!) - gives a good insight into some of the narrative potential though: http://paizo.com/campaigns/EllipsisEclipsePhaseIC/gameplay#0

This thread is useful too: http://paizo.com/forums/dmtz2032?Eclipse-Phase-RPG#0  :)
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: dicehead on 31 August 2012, 09:29:01 AM
The only thing I really dislike about it is the way different speed characters work. You're speed 3 and I'm speed 1 so I act on round 1 of turn 1 and you act on round 1, 2 and 3 of turn 1...ok now roll for initiative. It's a cool concept to have fast characters get extra actions but really, for practical purposes, those actions should happen all at once not spread over several sub-rounds.

Not rubbishing the game or anything, it does look interesting but I just don't think that will work very well. Get half a dozen eager players together all asking you questions and talking and try tracking that initiative system, nightmare.
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: ronan on 31 August 2012, 10:18:21 AM
I used to play like this with the good old traveller rpg (and house rules, many years ago.). Sometimes I eventually asked the player to describe all  his actions first. Sometimes.
I didn't play EP yet, but I'm not sure you'll be ok with "half a dozen players".  May be only 4 players ? You already know you're the GM and can do what you want with the rules !  ;)

By the way, I may be using the light rules "projet moonlight" for EP.  :-\

Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: dicehead on 31 August 2012, 12:21:13 PM
That's true! Oh was it traveller that was like that? I knew I'd played something that was like that but I couldn't remember what. I think the judge dredd rpg had it too. Might have to get a copy, its a great setting.
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: ronan on 01 September 2012, 08:08:24 AM
Quote from: dicehead on 31 August 2012, 12:21:13 PM
(...)Oh was it traveller that was like that? I knew I'd played something that was like that but I couldn't remember what. I think the judge dredd rpg had it too.(...)

This was a house rule we used to play with "enhanced" characters. (Traveller 1st edition, my campaign last for 6 years  :)  Players had to deal with Hari Seldon's Foundation ! )
I only played once Judge Dredd rpg. I can recall there was something like that.

( "6 years"... while we also played a Chivalry & Sorcery campaign. Then we played one of my game for several years..   How could we find time to play all these games ?  :-< )
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: nikharwood on 09 September 2012, 09:17:49 PM
Watching Aeon Flux tonight (Charlize Theron) and now likely to dig out my MTV animated series on DVD too to watch afterwards...can't help thinking how this 'fits' really well into the EP framework....

I've also just downloaded the (freebie) 4th Edition quickstart rules for Shadowrun - that looks good too...

Bizarre really, this continued sci-fi buzz I'm on: when I'm painting 18th century French  ;) ;D
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: Luddite on 13 September 2012, 03:31:19 PM
Aeon Flux (animated and live action) were both excellent.

Very interesting RP setting too.  Self contained.  Limited.  Strong protagonisms etc. 

Wierd as anything too... ;D
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: ronan on 13 September 2012, 06:08:54 PM
Quote from: Luddite on 13 September 2012, 03:31:19 PM
Aeon Flux

Is it a good movie ?
I've been told it was... poor.. ?  :-\

Thanks
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: fred. on 13 September 2012, 07:45:28 PM
I enjoyed the film. Then read the reviews which said it was supposed to be poor...
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: ronan on 13 September 2012, 07:51:20 PM
Quote from: fred  12df on 13 September 2012, 07:45:28 PM
I enjoyed the film. Then read the reviews which said it was supposed to be poor...

Thank you. I'll give it a try. ( I don't have enough free time to watch bad movies. Or, VERY bad movies !... I'll have to watch Zombie Ass in a few days...   @-)   :-& )
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: nikharwood on 13 September 2012, 10:18:35 PM
I'm with Luddite here - the MTV animated series is excellent and the film is great: great action, beautiful sets and fast-paced storyline; if anything, a little too fast as it's only about 1hr 20mins or so...
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: ronan on 14 September 2012, 06:13:10 AM
Nik, may I suspect you to watch only  Charlize ?   ;)

Thank you guys !
Title: Re: Eclipse Phase RPG
Post by: nikharwood on 14 September 2012, 08:42:57 PM
Quote from: ronan on 14 September 2012, 06:13:10 AM
Nik, may I suspect you to watch only  Charlize ?   ;)

Well, that's true enough as well...she is very easy-on-the-eye  :d