Fires of Amatsumara in ShatterZone

[Havard]

Has anyone thought of using Fires of Amatsumara in the ShatterZone Universe? I always thought it was a mistake by WEG not to write Fires in such a way that it could more easily have been incorporated into the SZ Universe.

Not that it would take all that much to convert it though. The background story would just have to be rewritten somewhat. Amatsumara should probably still be a fairly isolated system.

Thoughts?

Havard

[jasonga]

I suspect the big problem would be that an important element of the setting is Amatsumara is totally cut off from the outside universe (which is just Earth really), and has to deal with it's own problems by itself. You could take elements from Fires and use them to create a system in Shatterzone, but I'm not sure you'd end up with the same setting really.

Still, its your game - do what you want ;)

Cheers,
Jason

[Havard]

I suspect the big problem would be that an important element of the setting is Amatsumara is totally cut off from the outside universe (which is just Earth really), and has to deal with it's own problems by itself. You could take elements from Fires and use them to create a system in Shatterzone, but I'm not sure you'd end up with the same setting really.

I still think the Amatsumara setting should be cut off from outside influence. However, setting it in the ShatterZone universe (perhaps forgotten, quarantined or for some other reason left alone), would open up to new possibilities should the PCs decide they wanted to move on once they felt their job was done.


Still, its your game - do what you want ;)

Ofcourse :)

I would also like to put Septimus in the ShatterZone Universe actually. It also has the same situation of being somewhat removed from the rest of the galaxy, but again it would give the DM some idea of what is out there.

Havard

[Kansas Jim]

If Amatsumara is cut off, maybe it's in whatever is on the far side of the Shatterzone?

[Havard]

If Amatsumara is cut off, maybe it's in whatever is on the far side of the Shatterzone?

It is a possibility, but it seems a bit anti-climatic to have a fairly normal world on that side of the Zone. I'd expect it to be more like Hell, on the other side actually.

I think it is more likely that it is simply a distant colony that was forgotten. Perhaps piracy or other factors cut off the trade routes and there was no economical incentive to restore the routes. Space is big :)

Havard

[SDF_II]

KS Jim is right about one thing, if they were cut off, you could place them in a "nowhere" zone. Space is big....place a star in an unknown sector and POOFTA there is your planet. I agree that it shouldn't be on the far side of the zone, that should be undefined IMHO.

Of course I don't know much about the Fires of Amatsumara, but in SZ everything is Tech with a touch of Psionics. So depending on what kind of realm it is, things might need to be explained.

SDF II

[The Game Guy]

If Amatsumara is cut off, maybe it's in whatever is on the far side of the Shatterzone?

I think that would work. From what I have read of Amatsumara, it looks like an interesting setting and I think it would be cool if it were added into Shatterzone.

I am just not sure how possiable it is.

[Stormchild]

How about that: Amatsu-whatsoever (I hate the name, it doesn't conjure up the image of cowboys in space but rather samurai in space) is a left-over from the war fleet had with the first colonies. It is some time since I read it, so I don't remember exactly how it was. Forgotten by fleet and the Consortium, left for its own but in a system that functions, without hyperdrive space ships, the Colony is content to be left alone and hopes never to be found.

[The Game Guy]

How about that: Amatsu-whatsoever (I hate the name, it doesn't conjure up the image of cowboys in space but rather samurai in space) is a left-over from the war fleet had with the first colonies. It is some time since I read it, so I don't remember exactly how it was. Forgotten by fleet and the Consortium, left for its own but in a system that functions, without hyperdrive space ships, the Colony is content to be left alone and hopes never to be found.

I will admit the name doesnt really make sense to me.

I think your idea is good and I can see doing it this way how you can integrate the setting into Shatterzone.

I flipped through it (I think its the newer version) at my FLGS and it seems to have some really good material in it.

[Stormchild]

To be frank I love FoA, as it is cowboys in space. It covers everything that is in all different kind of cowboy movies. Each planet highlighting a different approach on the theme as seen in the cowboys movies.

Barren: high sierra, inhospitable desert with dust flying around and some meager villages trying to survive complete with gold, ahm psiron rush, mining barons and some ranchers.

Languid: The south complete with rich farmer aristocracy and slaves. But with its own twist as the slaves and landowners are split geographically by the dark and light side of the planet.

Luminous: Basically the big cities on the northern east coast. But in the form of high-tech-floating cities. In the cowboy movies, though New York and Boston are pretty much like european cities, they are seldom visited, nothing more than stories for the people in the movies, basically another world. In FoA they are expensive to visit, expensive to live on and basically a different world with really wild tech and its own social structure.

Saurian: A world of Ranchers and Cowboys, pardon Raptorboys. Complete with the feuds between Ranchers about water and pastureground.

Scintilla: Alaska in the gold rush. But here it is gems and crystals but also a penal colony, high gravity and lots of environmental dangers. Maybe also Inuit territory or Nova Scotia (seldom visited by cowboy movies but interesting nonetheless).

Tenebrous: I am not sure how to fit this in the cowboy theme. Maybe it is meant to be South America. An exotic place, but this one differs. This is more than Mexico where every bandit dreams to escape to from the posse. With its darkness and mushrooms it can't be placed clearly anywhere. Maybe a twisted version of the bayous.

Verdant: Only one word, jungle. This is brazil or Guatemala or something like that. Not seen often in cowboy movies, but interesting nonetheless.

So the options for adventure here are far more than cowboy movies deliver. And we all know how many stories where placed in this classic setting. Combine this with SF and you get much more than just a Firefly-clone.

[The Game Guy]

To be frank I love FoA, as it is cowboys in space. It covers everything that is in all different kind of cowboy movies. Each planet highlighting a different approach on the theme as seen in the cowboys movies.

There is a copy of the new book (I belive the one that is multi-stated) at my FLGS.

Is it worth picking up if you are a si-fi fan?

[Stormchild]

I didn't know there was a new book out there. But FoA is certainly worth its price. Though it is hard reading as it is edited quite sloppy. You get lost there without the help of the index.

[The Game Guy]

I didn't know there was a new book out there. But FoA is certainly worth its price. Though it is hard reading as it is edited quite sloppy. You get lost there without the help of the index.

It looked like a new book and looked like it used the new WEG design, I could be wrong.

Next time I am at my FLGS I will look.

[Whill]

There's more than one version of FoA? I never heard about that! How do you tell which version you have? And what are the differences? Anyone?

[The Game Guy]

There's more than one version of FoA? I never heard about that! How do you tell which version you have? And what are the differences? Anyone?

Well I am going to go to my FLGS and probably pick up a metric butload of WEG stuff so I will be able tell you when it came out, etc.

I dont know, this may be the only version and I just think there is multiple versions.

[Whill]

A metric buttload? That's a lot of books! I'm looking forward to hearing what all you pick up, and what you think of them all. Awesome.

[The Game Guy]

A metric buttload? That's a lot of books! I'm looking forward to hearing what all you pick up, and what you think of them all. Awesome.

What I am hoping to pick up (I will let you know what I actully pick up) are the D6 Adventure and D6 Space Core Books (I have D6 Space in .pdf and I prefer print books) as well as Fires of Amatsumara and Bloodshadows.

I will be sure to report what I actually end up picking up.

[Havard]

Has anyone tried to adapt Fires of Amatsumara to the Shatterzone universe? I guess one would have to change some fundamental elements like how psi works as well as some of the backstory, but could FoA still be viable as a backwater system in the SZ universe?

Havard

[The Game Guy]

Has anyone tried to adapt Fires of Amatsumara to the Shatterzone universe? I guess one would have to change some fundamental elements like how psi works as well as some of the backstory, but could FoA still be viable as a backwater system in the SZ universe?

Havard

I have been thinking about picking up FOA but I really am not sure if it would be money that would be well spent.

It seems (from what little exposure I have had to it) that it seems kind of like Firefly (somewhat) with the serial numbers filed off.

[Stormchild]

It is and is not. Firefly is but an amalgam of generic SF setting with generic western. FOA is this too. But it has nothing to do with Firefly's background story (though there is not much to speak of).

In Firefly there was a war but not much background about it - no war in FOA but integrated in Shatterzone a number of different wars could be chosen from.

In Firefly there are the Reevers - in FOA there is no such thing but integrated in Shatterzone we have the Reevers too.

In Firefly there is a strong government - in FOA there is no such thing as a centralized government but integrated in Shatterzone we have Fleet.

[The Game Guy]

It is and is not. Firefly is but an amalgam of generic SF setting with generic western. FOA is this too. But it has nothing to do with Firefly's background story (though there is not much to speak of).

In Firefly there was a war but not much background about it - no war in FOA but integrated in Shatterzone a number of different wars could be chosen from.

In Firefly there are the Reevers - in FOA there is no such thing but integrated in Shatterzone we have the Reevers too.

In Firefly there is a strong government - in FOA there is no such thing as a centralized government but integrated in Shatterzone we have Fleet.

Well I understand its not "Firefly", I guess what I was saying was what you said a bit better, that it has Firefly elements in it.

I have looked FOA over but I am not sure if it would be something that would get use, so I hesitate to pick it up