Good table-top sci-fi rpg.

[The Prince of Sarcasm]

I am looking for a table-top, sci-fi, futuristic, no magic, rpg game. I was wondering if anybody knew of any.

 

[kawaiipeach]

DUDE THATS IMPOSSIBLE

 

[Alexander Amnell]

DUDE THATS IMPOSSIBLE

Only if you have to have all of the 'official' things involved.  I remember that there was this really cool scifi tabletop strategy game my brother and I used to play after one of us got a starter set for a birthday present; we read the rulebooks and the info from the various cards online and just used marked stones to suppliment the various expensive miniatures and such. I wish I could remember what that game was called, it's been a while though.

 

[Paladin-Cleric of Awesome]

Um... you might be looking for a while. Magic tends to be a staple of all RPG's simply because people like the departure from reality and the bounds therein (and not to be insulting to your beliefs, but most people enjoy the mystical element of RPG's. I know it's one of the main reasons I play and it's why pretty must all RPG's have magic in it). Tthere was one my friends and Ii played a long time ago that was futuristic. Interesting way of working, you used technology to move from body to body depending on where you wanted to go, like an implant chip so you could travel the universe. I'll see if anyone remembers what it was called an get back to you.

I don't think there was magic in it, just techvology based. maybe some pychic powers, but you could always ignore those I guess.

(out of curiosity, why do you not want magic in your games? I don't understand, personally, why it should be an issue. I'm fairly christian... err... well, I believe everyone has the right to believe what they want so long as they don't force other people to believe it... so... I'm fairly SOMETHING anyway. As most RPG's are based in fantasy realms, which are therefore nothing to do with our own and nothing that occurs in them has any real impact on us or our world as we know it. I mean, as awesome as it would be to be able to use magic as portrayed in games, I know it's not possible. I'm honestly curious.  I don't want this to devolve into a shaming of beliefs and whatnot, I'd just like to know).

 

[The Prince of Sarcasm]

(out of curiosity, why do you not want magic in your games? I don't understand, personally, why it should be an issue. I'm fairly christian... err... well, I believe everyone has the right to believe what they want so long as they don't force other people to believe it... so... I'm fairly SOMETHING anyway. As most RPG's are based in fantasy realms, which are therefore nothing to do with our own and nothing that occurs in them has any real impact on us or our world as we know it. I mean, as awesome as it would be to be able to use magic as portrayed in games, I know it's not possible. I'm honestly curious.  I don't want this to devolve into a shaming of beliefs and whatnot, I'd just like to know).

You can have your belief, but my interpretation of the bible says that magic is wrong. I'm not going to try to impose that on you, but if you can't really help me, then it would be nice not to clog up this thread with questions and stuff that deviate from the original purpose of this thread.. Thank you.

 

[Paladin-Cleric of Awesome]

I was only curious. I find peoples interpretations of things interesting is all (I wasn't implying you were forcing your beliefs on anyone, I was just clarifying my own).

Like I said, the only game I know of that might work for you is the one I mentioned above, but I'm not sure of what it's called, so I'll need to ask around if your interested in looking into it.

The only other one I can think of off hand is the Dungeons and Dragons Modern Expansion RPG pen and paper game. But I think it might have magic elements. Your best bet might be to choose one that's availabe and just stipulate to your players that magic is a no go in game.

 

[Athryl]

There may some form of GURPS that would work.  I have not used it myself but it seems very flexible, especially setting wise.  I would look into it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GURPS for a little explanation

There is another one I had a while back...I can't remember if it had no magic at all...trying to recall the name.

 

[The Prince of Sarcasm]

Yes but I don't want enemies to be able to do magic either.

I don't know how tabletop rpg's work I just thought they looked interesting.

 

[Athryl]

Gamma World was the one I was trying to remember...but I don't think it quite fits the bill.  I don't think they call anything magic (not 100% sure) but due to radioactive pollution there are mutations and such that give super power like strength, laser beams, etc. so it is still kind of magic-like.

But GURPS I think would still have the options you need to build one to your needs by only using resources that fit your beliefs.

 

[The Prince of Sarcasm]

I will check out gamma world. I have nothing against certain EFFECTS of magic. You can poison somebody using magic or poison arrows. I am more concerned about the source of something. If someone can create cool superpowers, in a game, without using magic, more power to them.

 

[Touchfuzzy]

Traveler-Space Traders/Mercenaries/Smugglers
Eclipse Phase-Transhuman Space Adventure
Interface Zero-Cyberpunk Dystopia. Has psionics, but its scientific, not magic.
Gamma World-Post apocalypse with lots of mutation.
Chris Perrin's Mecha-Generic Mecha Game
Heavy Gear/Silhoutte Core-Military Mecha
Gear Krieg-Alternate history WWII with walking battle tank mechs.
Doctor Who: Adventures in Time And Space-Doctor Who, if you don't know what that is, I can't even
Numenera-Weird post post post post apocalyptic world that has seen the rise and fall of 8 great civilizations over billions of years. It has "magic" but the magic is actually old technology that the people who use it barely understand, nanomachines in the air, a datanet flowing around the world on microwaves, that sort of thing. Basically, the people who live there believe in "magic" but its really just super advanced tech. Weird Scifi. Its an interesting setting.

<===TTRPG Nerd

 

[The Prince of Sarcasm]

thanks i will check those out.

 

[Omega Weapon]

It was mentioned before, but GURPS is probably one of the better choices if you stay with the High- or Ultratech books. You still need the Basic Set though, which has "magic" skills in it, but you can just use them with a different explanation. They just state what they do, what you should think about when using it... it is not strictly magical. Even the "magic skills" could be re-explained as the skill to use a device which just does what the "spell" would do. I use magic as the catch-all term for everything that is not possible (yet) in this case.

It can become as realistic or as fantastic/cinematic as you want. (If you reaaaaaally want to simulate a sniper shot in its most realistic, the rules are there )

 

[Touchfuzzy]

I tried to stay away from generic systems because it doesn't really match the question imo, since they are really made to cover everything. (I know I mentioned a Savage World game, but Savage Worlds + Setting book isn't the same as a generic RPG)

That being said, I would rather use M&M 3rd or HERO than GURPS. GURPS is just way way too heavy on the simulationists side and being rules rules rules rules.

 

[Uzuki]

Isn't Shadowrun a futuristic Table Top?

 

[wallacethepig]

Risus every single time.

If not that, Warhammer 40k sans Warp.

If still unhappy, I would say GURPS. GURPS is good because it's anything you need it to be.

-Wallace

 

[Omega Weapon]

@Touchfuzzy: Cinematic rules, problem solved.

 

[Touchfuzzy]

Eh, I'm just not much of a fan of generi-RPGs. They just build in so many assumptions into the mechanics that they stop really being all that generic. Actually, that was one of the reasons Savage Worlds is never actually marketed as Generic, because they are honest that it runs on a cinematic/pulp set of assumptions.

Also, GURPS is a terrible game to suggest to anyone just beginning RPGs. Its not a Game, its a toolbox. You can't use it out of the box. You have to go through and pick and choose which rules you will use and which you won't, because if you try to just use everything, the game is WAAAY too complex. And Steve Jackson Games has regularly made the idiotic mistake of not really doing any "all in one" setting books that break the rules down for that setting, to give a good solid base to understand the system from.

Its incredibly opaque, and is incredibly incredibly not newbie friendly. Especially not if everyone at the table is a newbie.

I mean, its better on newbies than say... Phoenix Command, but what isn't?

 

[Athryl]

Yeah I agree GURPS is probably terrible for a beginner.  I only mention it because it may be heard to find a game that meets his needs, and GURPS can be made into anything.  Hopefully one of the ones brought up here will work though.  I know I got a Gamma World starter box that was super easy for less than $30 in store and could definitely see using it to come up with your own adventures if you didn't want to buy more.

 

[Omega Weapon]

I looked around at the association again. Other game I suggest is indeed Gamma World. We have a lot of sci-fi RPG books there, but most of them do mix in magic.

And I once built a BIONICLE RPG in GURPS. I could send you some of the stuff I used. (And contrary to popular belief, BIONICLE IS SCI-FI. Everything they can or can't is due to sufficiently advanced technology. Greg Farshtey says so.)