Older Settings that Deserve a Another Chance

[MGibster]

In another thread, someone brought up Battlelords of the 23rd Century as a game that might be suitable for use to run a Mass Effect campaign. It brought up some memories for me, in high school, my gaming group owned this book and although we tried to play it several times we never got a campaign off the ground. Reading about the game at Wikipedia, it's an intresting setting and I think it might deserve another chance. What settings do you think deserve another chance?

Let's be generous here. Battlelords is still available (I think), so the game doesn't necessarily have to be out of print to be considered for this. But let's limit this to games produced before 2000.

Edit: I should probably at least say what I find interesting about Battlelords. It's set in the future where humans are but one of many species in a grand alliance. You've got a variety of fun species to play, including the Python Lizards and Ram Pythons (both not very intelligent but brutally strong), a variety of weird psychic aliens, a cat, genetically modified humans, regualar humans, and even androids. Most characters are mercenaries, Battlelords, who work for corporations and go out there adventuring.

 

[Sanguinarious]

In another thread, someone brought up Battlelords of the 23rd Century as a game that might be suitable for use to run a Mass Effect campaign.

T'was I!
I also recommend it for traveller.

It brought up some memories for me, in high school, my gaming group owned this book and although we tried to play it several times we never got a campaign off the ground. Reading about the game at Wikipedia, it's an intresting setting and I think it might deserve another chance. What settings do you think deserve another chance?

OK, maybe 'the Morrow project''?

Given events in Ukraine and a certain russian dictator who seems to be getting more and more like You-know-who all the time I'd say that something like Twilight 2000 just might happen after all. So maybe play it as practice?

Traveller could do with a tech update as long as it keeps the travel abd communication rules as is and avoids sci fantasy.

Let's be generous here. Battlelords is still available (I think), so the game doesn't necessarily have to be out of print to be considered for this. But let's limit this to games produced before 2000.

Edit: I should probably at least say what I find interesting about Battlelords. It's set in the future where humans are but one of many species in a grand alliance. You've got a variety of fun species to play, including the Python Lizards and Ram Pythons (both not very intelligent but brutally strong), a variety of weird psychic aliens, a cat, genetically modified humans, regualar humans, and even androids. Most characters are mercenaries, Battlelords, who work for corporations and go out there adventuring.

My friend, a new edition is available , the 7th, and it's gotten a lot neater and cleaner with age. Larry Sims has retired, may he have a happy set of golden years, but BL vets have it in hand. I suggest you get the pdf from drive-thru. The game'a tone has gotten a bit more serious. I do recommend the pdf as if you highlight the 'alien' text in a pdf reader and select 'read aloud' you'll find out that a certain large headed Alien species may not be as benevelont and altruistic as they have sometimes seemed to be.

Seriously, they're up to a lot of stuff.

 

[Sanguinarious]

I was just reminded of an old setting that could use a modern reboot, it was living steel, a game legendary for quality setting but unplayabke system.

And yes i think battlelords would be  perfect for it given birth games emphasised personal tactical conbat in armor in a high tech setting.

 

[MGibster]

Given events in Ukraine and a certain russian dictator who seems to be getting more and more like You-know-who all the time I'd say that something like Twilight 2000 just might happen after all. So maybe play it as practice?

I purchased the new edition and was planning a camapign but put it on hiatus because of the current situation. Given my own memories of the Cold War, I was on the fence about the game, but the events in Urkaine kind put me on the side of not running it for now.

I was just reminded of an old setting that could use a modern reboot, it was living steel, a game legendary for quality setting but unplayabke system.

Living Steel was another one I thought of. I remember seeing it at Lone Star Comics in Dallas, but I never knew what it was about or anyone who owned it. I read about it a few years ago and thought a setting with various AI factions who hate humans but also hate one another was interesting. I'd love to see someone do something with it again.

 

[Fenris-77]

I'm going to get lynched by diehards, but I'd say Battletech. I can't stand the system but the setting is very cool.

 

[jdrakeh]

I'm going to get lynched by diehards, but I'd say Battletech. I can't stand the system but the setting is very cool.

Right there with you. As for my own contribution to this thread: Skyrealms of Jorune. A wonderful setting hampered by less than great mechanics in all of its incarnations.

 

[Gradine]

It's not an old setting at all but I would love to see a setting like Numenera in the hands of somebody who can design a good and fun system for it.

 

[MGibster]

I'm going to get lynched by diehards, but I'd say Battletech. I can't stand the system but the setting is very cool.

I was big into BattleTech back in the 1980s and 1990s, but after playing the game again in 2019, I would have to agree with you. I can't remember the rules they used for Mechwarrior, the RPG produced by FASA set in the universe, but it's a great setting with different eras that are ripe for adventuring.

 

[dragoner]

A battlelords guy came into the sfrpg group on fb and called me a "woke fascist", worst advertising campaign ever, I now have low to no desire to know anything more about it. The game from the past that I might like to see more of is Alternity, it was like there for a minute, and then gone. Which is kind of a weird thing in that one would think it would have stayed around longer.

 

[Grendel_Khan]

Both the rules and the setting would need an update, but Mayfair's Underground had some cool ideas.