Topic: Possible new buyer having a few questions about HARP Sci-Fi

[MrHemlocks]

I just discovered this site a few days ago and so glad i did! For I thought ICE was no longer making rpgs. But glad they are

I am looking for a Sci-Fi rpg for my group of players. I was going to buy Eclipse Phase or Traveller (Mongoose) untill I found out about HARP Sci-fi.

There is not much information given about HARP Sci-fi...unless I missed it somehow. Looking at Eclipse Phase, http://eclipsephase.com/ , and Harp Sci-Fi there seems to be a lot of similarities. One of the major ones is transhumanity. But what makes HARP Sc-Fi stand out? What are its selling points?

Unlike Traveller, HARP Sci-Fi and Eclipse Phase seem real close with rules. Traveller looks like a great game and does not have the transhumanity 'stuff'.

Just need help picking the 'right' Sci-Fi rpg for my group. We are looking for a Sci-Fi rpg with a  mix of Space 1999, Aliens movies, Dune, Martian Chronicals and Dead Space video games. 

[RandalThor]

First, Traveller is, well, Traveller, if you know one, then you likely know all. Also, just so you know, there is a new version out now, Traveller 5.

HARP Scifi will encorporate more of a Space Opera feel than Eclipse Phase, as EP takes place almost entirely within the Sol System. EP is really all about transhumanity and those types of stories, whereas HARP Scifi is more about the "classic" scifi stuff.

Rules-wise they both use percentile, but that is where the similarity ends. HARP Scifi uses tables similarly to Rolemaster* only not as expansive or complicated (like an attack roll does not have a seperate critical roll, it is all in one roll - the attack roll, which I like). EP is a roll-under system, basically.

Personally, I would go with HARP Scifi, but that is my preference and EP would likely draw more players. Though, you have an already existing group, so you don't have to worry about that. 

[pastaav]

I think you should check out Harp SF Xtreme as this is a rather essential part of the picture. I wrote an review on RPGNow that you might find interesting
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_reviews_info.php?&reviews_id=78377&products_id=96082

[NicholasHMCaldwell]

HARP SF is the sf equivalent of HARP Fantasy. It targets space opera rather than really hard sf. When writing it, I allowed influences from the classic masters of sf - Anderson, Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein, Niven, Smith, Stableford, Vance, etc., to mix with modern authors such as Charles Stross, Peter F Hamilton, Richard Morgan, David Weber, etc. To get the cyberpunk & transhumanity, you'll need HARP SF Xtreme as well as HARP SF (there's a whole history of why the book is in two volumes but it was written as one).

It is a percentile-based skill-based system with lightweight professions, levels for accounting purposes, a whole bundle of talents, one-roll combat (hits & crits on the same roll, not two tables as per Rolemaster/Spacemaster), psionics for those who want them, rules for AIs, robots, etc., etc.

Best wishes,
Nicholas

[markc]

One thing I would like to point out that it is fairly easy to adapt any HARP or Rolemaster product to any setting as both are very modular.
MDC