Super Fun Pop
Scribe
After a few months of world building, concepting, and designing a Hard Sci-Fi universe, I've ran into a few technical problems while attempting to turn it into a Pen & Paper RPG. I didn't think about it at the time, but I'm quickly realizing, that many tropes and mechanics in the average Tabletop RPG rely on more fantastical elements; magic & the arcane, monsters, and other impossibilities in a hard sci-fi universe.
This realization has forced me to choose between making a great game and changing my universe to incorporate these fantastic elements.. or trying and most likely failing to force my current build to work. So, I'll be choosing option one; bridging the gap between genres, tearing down some of my Hard Sci-Fi laws, incorporating magic as well as many other High Fantasy & Tabletop Tropes. So.. a Space Opera.
My problem is that, though I have a good bit of knowledge about the fantasy genre, I've never worked in it. My current aim is to add the fantasy element, while still really keeping a science fiction feel. Now I'm not talking about explaining away the force with midichlorians... *gag*
More using technology, science, and the like to bring these elements into existence, but my troubles start right here. Using manipulating technology, telekinesis, implants, and genetic training, you can explain away many forms of kenetic magic, but things like Necromancy, Alchemy, & Bloodmagic, I'm having a hard time with... these different types of magic play a big part in the core gameplay of tabletop RPGs. It allows players to have a wide verity of choices for their characters as well as a wide verity of enemies to fight.
I don't mind just saying "it's magic", but for me, it can't be as simple as this, as well as I can't explain it away as the force, as the force exists already, and I'd rather not have a comparison to Star Wars. So I need something and I can't pinpoint it.
There's quite a few other hurdles with merging Science-Fiction and Fantasy, so any help you can provide would be great. I could explain my world, but this already took a while to write, and I don't need help with the actual creation... just with incorporating the mechanics. Thanks for your time, I hope I can get through this and back to writing soon.
This realization has forced me to choose between making a great game and changing my universe to incorporate these fantastic elements.. or trying and most likely failing to force my current build to work. So, I'll be choosing option one; bridging the gap between genres, tearing down some of my Hard Sci-Fi laws, incorporating magic as well as many other High Fantasy & Tabletop Tropes. So.. a Space Opera.
My problem is that, though I have a good bit of knowledge about the fantasy genre, I've never worked in it. My current aim is to add the fantasy element, while still really keeping a science fiction feel. Now I'm not talking about explaining away the force with midichlorians... *gag*
More using technology, science, and the like to bring these elements into existence, but my troubles start right here. Using manipulating technology, telekinesis, implants, and genetic training, you can explain away many forms of kenetic magic, but things like Necromancy, Alchemy, & Bloodmagic, I'm having a hard time with... these different types of magic play a big part in the core gameplay of tabletop RPGs. It allows players to have a wide verity of choices for their characters as well as a wide verity of enemies to fight.
I don't mind just saying "it's magic", but for me, it can't be as simple as this, as well as I can't explain it away as the force, as the force exists already, and I'd rather not have a comparison to Star Wars. So I need something and I can't pinpoint it.
There's quite a few other hurdles with merging Science-Fiction and Fantasy, so any help you can provide would be great. I could explain my world, but this already took a while to write, and I don't need help with the actual creation... just with incorporating the mechanics. Thanks for your time, I hope I can get through this and back to writing soon.