Author Topic: Space Opera  (Read 2314 times)

Offline Thomas Grey

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Space Opera
« on: February 22, 2004, 07:07 PM »
Did anyone ever play Space Opera back in the day? It was an RPG that tied in all realms of the space genre (Star Trek, Star Wars...). It was released in 1980 by Paladin Press and didn't make it too far despite it being a damn good game.

I was in a really cool used bookstore/collectibles shop recently and found it in the box in mint condition (all books and gaming sheets included). Bought it for $10. The memories are good enough for me. The biggest hurdle of the game was character generation. So many rolls and facets to complete before you could even start up a good game. The math involved could be a bit trying at times too. It was definitely not mainstreamed. Very complex, but once you got to the actual roleplaying, it was a total kick in the butt.

Hope I can find a few old buddies to revive some Space Opera gaming.

I had an Ursoid Battle Starship Commander named Ruse Caliban. I couldn't roll bad with this character. My stat rolls were uncanny and I had a high Psionics to begin. I played a game where Ruse went out in search of an alien species that was threatening innocent planetary settlers. I came upon one and managed to take it out. They had a poisen that fetched a high price, so I decided to find out why. I cut out the poisen sac and chugged it to try and rally some cowardly soldiers.

The GM said in order to survive, I needed to roll a 1, then a 2 & then a 3 in that order on a 10 sided die. I freaking made the saving throws (the odds are pretty insane) and everybody was stunned. Then a buddy playing with me went and did the same and he freaking made the saves! The GM was in shock.

What the poisen did was basically take us into the realm of Superior species. It got to be that we had to retire them due to the extreme nature of their power. Nothing was a challenge. We'd walk in a room and any battle that was to take place was over before it started.

Don't ask why the GM would've made such an elixir or reward, but to make the saving throws we did deserved that kind of payoff.

Anyway, sorry to reminisce so. I just thought I'd share and see if anyone else ever dabbled in it.
"There's no mystical energy field that controls my destiny."