XCOM d20

[Fugue]

Hello everyone,

I'm Robert, director of Fugue a small pen and paper d20 enterprise, with bases in Maryland USA and Kanagawa Japan. In the past our members have made free materials and articles for magazines and freelance work for other d20 publishers. Now we are working hard on releasing an XCOM based RPG for d20 system. We have many very skilled people, but if you honestly are interested in joining this project, and have time, we would be happy to have more help. Our current releae date is estimated to be end of November with a hardcover book of 250pages. We are planning on including a macromanagement system, which so far hasn't been included in d20 games, mostly because we believe that it is a fundamental part to keep the flavor of the game.

 

-Robert Jay Gould, Yokohama, JP.

[Ion Mage]

First of all, thats great! I'd buy it!

 

Second of all, this should be news on the front page.

 

 

Oh, when will the game take place? Alien War 1 i assume? Or will we be able to choose when, and have seperate equipment sets for each era? Also, will you be keeping the time unit system intact?

 

I have a place where people meet for games like this (and card games, and other collectible figures games like mechwarrior:dark age etc), and i would most likely buy the game and start up a group based on it. Might also get interest in the games itself up, but thats another story.

 

Also, will character development work close to the game, or going for a traditional experience system? Basically, how close to the games are we aiming for?

 

I dont have much to contribute though, sorry.

 

Edit: Do you guys have a website yet?

[Fugue]

Well let's see... first we are trying to make it similar to XCOM as posible, which means we are tweaking many rules, but we do want to keep the system d20. So far we have had some ideas that would work like a time unit system, but we are not sure if we keep it or drop it, We'll let you know as it progresses. We will include the macromanagement and research, so the players have to decide where to allocate their resources in order to get better and better technology. Character will gain XP, but they will be highly customizable so it works fairly similar to XCOM. Our current idea is a single XCOM operative class with many choosing and picking. Players will be the top agents and they will be able to hire other operatives just like the game. Basically we are doing everything as close as posible to the game. So far we are working on the First game, but I would like to incorportate the TFTD and Apocalypsis. You should also be able to play all three wars as you raise levels. Our only problem is the Ufopeadia is starting to look really big. We might have to make expansion books in order to keep the game within the 250page limit. But don't worry you will be able to play any setting. The rule system would be the same for all three campaigns, just choose a diferent setting. For those wondering yes the game will be highly militarized, you wont be running around with rogues and fighters. The game takes place in XCOM, you are not a group of civilians or an xfiles thing. But of course you can still use the weapons, and equipment aliens in any setting you like, so if Dragons and Mutons is your cup of tea go ahead.

 

EDIT: The web site is being revamped, and you should be able to visit in in 12 days. I'll post the link ASAP

[Tiefling]

That is so cool. I'd buy the books just to have my own print version of the UFOpedia.

[DragonHawk]

I believe someone had a wargames/tabletop version of X-Com running... Off the top of my head, I can't remember the website... The member was Fire-something, I think.

[Fugue]

We have been working really hard these last few weeks. We have done tons of progress and will have our first betatesting of the rules this weekend. We have got the Xcom agents and Aliens ready plus the psionics system ready. Now we are working on adapting all the equipment and a few extras too. Next week we work on the Aircraft combat (which will be fairly simple I think, since it wasn't an important part of XCOM, but that may change...) and the Research system. by the end of March we will have our first functional campaign with the rules so far and begin the serious playtesting. We also have began working on the art for the book, and our web designer is working on the web site. ( www.sectoidx.com ) right now you can see the splash page with a bit of the art we are working on. And yes you can expect a nice Ufopaedia too!

 

-Fugue

[Wormfist]

Are the rules anything like D&D 3rd-edition? I have some experience with that system...

[Fugue]

The rules are d20, thus as you say similar to DnD 3rd edition. It is not the same but compatible in many ways. You can grab a Wizard and make him fight ethereals if you want. But the book will be contered on playing XCOM games not as an Add-on to DnD 3rd ediion

[Fugue]

Last weekend we had our first trials with the XCOM system, and it seems to be working nicely. Basically the game is ready to be played except for the aircraft and research part, which we shall be working on this week. There is still some tweaking to be done with weapons and aliens and some of the class special abilties, but we are confident to deliver a solid product.

As for the UFOpaedia, we are planning on incorporating a UFOpaedia in color with quality art, just for all the hard core fans out there. We want to give you an UFOpaedia you can show to your friends and get them excited about playing even if they don't believe in Aliens.

There will be a few new additions to the setting based on XCom fan works and recognized UFOlogy, like some famous aliens recognized by any one who knows there stuff like Lemurians, Cethians and Mothmen.

If anyone has any sugestions, of any kind they are more than welcomed.

After all the game is made for you guys and other like you who loved the same game we loved!

 

-Fugue

[Slaughter]

NEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! But how about the legal issues? Have this been cleared with the current brandholder?

[gobyfly]

And , what date will it be out on the market?

Will it be sold in norway too?

[Ki-tat Chung]

sounds great. are you going to make a website for it?

[Fugue]

Well the tentative publication date is within this year, but as any big project we might have a small delay at the end. So far we have most of the mechanics done, and are waiting for the d20 3.5 version to update the mechanics. The book will include everything to play a campaign and or skirmishes. It will also include an UFOpaedia.

The bones of the project are quite well set in, and after play testing balance seems to be working fine.

Well a release in Norway... even though I have some friends over there, I don't think we can release over in europe unless sales go really well. But of course you will be able to order books. If you want you can also tell your local gamming shop to stock up few.

[Slaughter]

I'll talk with Avalon and Outlands when it's time. With a little luck they'll agree to take it into Norway.

 

And regarding the site, in case anyone missed it in the post farther back, it's called SectoidX. There's also a forum.

[Bastiaan]

For the simple people under us....like.....Tammy no, me, what is D20 besides it's a callsign in military radio procedures, like B20.

[Slaughter]

I will not try to explain P&P RPG if you're not familiar with it, but D20 means it uses a 20 sided dice. Simple as that

[STIM]

If you need help, I have Exp. in DMing for X-Com RP sessions, as I have already a system using only D6 dice, as most people don't have D20 dice, but I was planning later on to add a D20 type system.

 

My sessions are very fun, the players I have are great, they said they love the way my system, that I have created, is run.

 

It's not 100% workable I have found out, but more then enough to have fun and to keep the game going.

 

If you want to take alook at what I have drawn up, send me an e-mail to

Dschultz26@hotmail.com

 

With the subject heading of

"X-Com"

[Bastiaan]

So it's a game with a book and dice, and the numbers you throw will take you to different pages with different events, right?

[Cutedge]

So has this actually been cleared with Infogrames/Codo/Firaxis?

[STIM]

Bastiaan

*BEEP* wrong!

 

I'm taking a wild guess you've never heard of, or played AD&D?

Don't feel too bad about it.

Before I can answer your question, I guess I have to give you a quick run-down on what everbody is talking about.

 

Basicly, a group of people get together, one person in this group is the "Game Master" OR in most cases, the "Dungeon Master"

The rest of the people are the "Players" or "Characters" who live in the world the Game Master has created, though the help of a few Text books.

 

Some of the Text books DO have pre-layed out campain's, which for the most part are boring unless you have a great GM.

It is MORE fun (FUN FUN FUN) if the GM makes up his "Own" world with his own NPC's (Non-Player Characters) and story, rather then barrowing another story.

 

But for the most part, most Textbooks GM's carry around with them are what are referred to as "Core Books" or books they need to play the game the want.

I.E. AD&D, StarWars, StarTerk, X-Com, etc.

 

For the gameplay, almost all games require a set of 7 dice.

I can't remember all of the dice in the set, but I'll name a few.

D4, This is a Four-sided die.

D6, Standard Six-sided die.

D10, Ten-sided die.

D20, Twenty-sided die.

 

The GM and the players use their set of dice (Or share) to roll up characters, do combat I.E. Attacking/dodging, or some other random things.

 

 

So now that you know some history, I can answer your question.

Yes this is a game that involves books and a set of 7 die.

But this is not a "Choose your own Adventure" book where you pick a page number.

 

Everything that happens is though the GM "Telling" you want is happening.

And trust me, that is not as easy as it sounds. I should know, I'm the GM of my X-com RP group.

(But I'm not a member of the group who is talking on this fourm.)

 

If your a good GM, you can capture your players in a world where they are the heros and were they like to kill big bad aliens, and you get to have alot of fun on the way.

 

 

I hope this helped!

[Fox]

Heh, don't worry Bastiaan, I'm about the same as you. But thank you STIM, you cleared up a lot of questions. Unfortunately I'm not much of a D&Der, but nevertheless I would still definitely buy this. It's X-COM, man! Ya gotta get it!

 

But yes, I still haven't seen any response to the copyright issues, with Firaxis. Any news on that? Looks nice and pretty on the website, but is it for real?

[Slaughter]

I sent Arthur Gould a mail the other day about this. They are in negotiations with the license owner, and they think it will go well. I sure hope so!

[Bastiaan]

Thanks STIMMIE, now I have a bit of a picture what it's about, I have no experience with these kind of games, but as it is X-COM I will off course buy it, if it's legal, only is it possible to order it when you live in Europe, through Amazon or ebay?

Me and my girl are looking for a while for a good boardgame so this should be it, but with how many people do you have to play, can you play it with 2?

[STIM]

*STIM's head hits his computer monitor*

Argg.

 

Bastiaan

*BEEP* Wrong again.

 

Not to get you down or anything, And don't take this the wrong way, but none of the things we have been talking about is a boardgame.

Think of it instead as a book, a book that gets bigger and bigger the more time you spend playing it.

 

You "can" take the combat part of the game and put it on a board to help Reference yourself and other players.

Just to let you know, these type of games D&D and this new X-Com D20 game, are VERY hard to learn everything all in one day, one week even. It takes a long time to learn what you can and cannot do.

 

But the basic's of the game are easy to learn, even easyer if you have someone there who already knows how to play.

 

And you can play this role-playing Pen&Paper game byyourself or with as many people as you want!

 

I hope this helps once again.

And Please ask more quesions, This is the only topic I've been able to be interested enough to actully post in after being a member for awhile.

[Fugue]

Hello again everyone,

 

I'm glad to see that there is such interest in the project, and we will redouble our efforts to deliver the book as soon as posible (That still means months unfortunately). I have also noted the interest in the European population, and be sure that if we cannot get another publisher to help us in Europe, you will be able to order the book and supplies directly from us, a distributor or amazon.

 

I would also like to announce two small contests. The first is an Art Work contest, and the second a creative writting contest.

 

The artwork contest is fairly straightfoward. Produce a good piece of artwork and send it to us by May 1st. We will select the best pieces and publish them in the book. The first 3 places will recieve prizes, besides the honor of becoming part of the XCOM legacy and getting exposure (And maybe becomming part of our Art Team) you will recieve a free copy of the Book as a prize, and maybe some other trinkets. All artwork used in the book will recieve proper credit and exposure

 

The creative writting is to give flavor to the book. This is fairly open. You can write anything you would like such as quotes, descriptions of aliens or equipment, cool XCOM feel text ,like codes or anything you like. Once again if your work is among the top 3 you will recieve a copy of the book (and maybe a position in our staff). Even if you don't make the top 3, if your work appears in ur book you will recieve due credit and exposure.

 

You can check our website next week for the official rules of the contest, but I though it would be good to give you all a head start.

 

-Fugue