From: Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca (Nick Janow)
Newsgroups: rec.games.design
Subject: Re: Genres
Date: 23 Jul 92 01:17:47 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada

wildstar@moeng2.minc.umd.edu (Derek Wildstar) writes:

> OK, can you tell us more about Legacy?

Certainly.  Legacy's target market is the SF gamer who values believability,
consistency, and playability.  Most SF rpg's emphasize combat; Legacy is
intended to allow exciting campaigns dealing with exploration, trading,
intrigue, etc.  As the designer put it: "Legacy tries to fill the gaping "hole"
found in SF RPGs by emphasizing the other side of science fiction, where
wonder, discoveries and intelligent thought are more important than the rate of
fire of a projectile weapon."

I find the task resolution system to be quite elegant.  It uses percentile
dice, skill ratings (%) and difficulty factors (double, triple, half, etc) to
resolve most situations.  The game is skill-based, with roughly 200 skills
(Acting -> Zoology).  Characters develop as people do today, choosing education
and career paths, gaining skills along the way.

I'm not an expert on rpg combat systems, but Legacy's combat resolution system
seems to work well, being fast, yet detailed.  There's a wide range of forms of
hand combat (Brawling, Judo, etc) and melee weapons, with the same basic system
handling them all; no special rules to look up.  An upcoming annex covers rules
for firearm design, and a few common weapons are offered with the manual.

Legacy takes place about 150 years ahead, but only fifty years technologically
(there was a "dark age").  This allows interesting technology without making
the future universe totally incomprehensible.  There is an FTL drive, though
it's not directly available to most PC's.  Mankind has spread out to several
other star systems, with only one world (and it's not Earth) being livable
without a pressure suit.  The spirit in 2150 is one of exploration and growth;
a bright, optimistic era to live in.

> I haven't seen it around, so is it available to the game distributors?  Who
> wrote it, and who publishes it?

Legacy is just finishing up the beta test period, and the last few changes are
being added to the manual.  The finished manual should be available in August.

The publisher is Discordian Games, of Richmond BC.  The designer was originally
planning to offer it through mail order only, but is now considering offering
it through distributors.  I haven't heard of any final decisions regarding
that.

> Are there any suppliments, background data, or modules available?

There are several in various stages of completion.  There are modules detailing
several colonies, such as Luna and Io.  There are handbooks for spaceship
design and weapons design.  There will be annexes with additional information
about computers, vehicles and other equipment.  There will also be a module or
handbook detailing politics, economics, legal issues and other aspects of
everyday life in the Regency in 2150.  There will as well be one or more
modules detailing the other major political entity: the Asian Coalition.

The modules will be something like encyclopedias, with maps and graphics,
rather than "adventure modules".

I have an 8 Kb overview of Legacy.  If you'd like it, just send me a request.

--

Nick_Janow@mindlink.bc.ca
Newsgroups: rec.games.design