Let's Read the ALIEN RPG

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I do! I just started a monthly face to face game with my group and there were three games we considered: Mothership, The Between, and Spire.

We ultimately decided to go with Spire, and everyone seems to dig that so we’ll probably be doing that for a while, but I expect we’ll do Mothership next. I got some cool stuff for it from this year’s Zinequest, and I’d like to run those.

I think that even though the games do similar things, I think they do go about them in different ways. And I think Alien comes with much more specific expectations compared to Mothership. So you can do a bit more with Mothership…you can get weird without worrying about sticking to lore. Of course, you can do that with Alien, too….but I think a big part of the appeal of Alien is using the lore.
Looking forward to hearing how the Spire goes!
 
So, here's a question - now that the Aliens RPG is out, do you (meaning anyone in this thread) have any plans to continue playing Mothership?
It's a neat game, but the design style and layout (of the core book and the adventures released so far) gives me anxiety and headaches.

Mine for ideas, but not likely to run it, no.

edit: the graphic design and layout for Mothership aren't of bad quality; it is the visual style that actually bothers me. I find it hideously ugly, cramped and stressful. I actually flipped through my copy of Vaesen as a mental/emotional palette cleanser.
 
Aliens vs Predator is already a thing, and they are pulling from the video games as canon so that doesn't seem a huge leap, although video game license budgets are probably much bigger than table top RPGs.

The fact its a thing in other media doesn't mean it automatically ports over, license-wise, to the game. And without that, it can complicate the licensing rather strongly.

Predator would be harder because any mention of aliens that hunt and use high tech cloaking devices is pretty obvious to the source, but Blade Runner and Outland wouldn't be hard to give a knowing wink to the fans without crossing legal boundaries. A couple of law enforcement scenarios would do it, one with a special unit tracking down rogue androids, and a group of space marshals combatting a (secretly company sponsored) drug syndicate on a mining colony would go a long way to branch out from aliens everywhere.

Sure, doing something similar is a different story.
 
It's a neat game, but the design style and layout (of the core book and the adventures released so far) gives me anxiety and headaches.

Mine for ideas, but not likely to run it, no.

edit: the graphic design and layout for Mothership aren't of bad quality; it is the visual style that actually bothers me. I find it hideously ugly, cramped and stressful. I actually flipped through my copy of Vaesen as a mental/emotional palette cleanser.

I don't think it presents very well as a good read.....but I think it's use at the table is excellent. Not in all ways, and I get why it might not be for everyone, but I find the layout and design choices to be very functional in play.
 
So, here's a question - now that the Aliens RPG is out, do you (meaning anyone in this thread) have any plans to continue playing Mothership?

I'll have to play to find out but I've never been that impressed by Mothership as a rulset.

Alien has the edge there for me although it would be fun to run some Mothership modules with Alien.
 
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It's a neat game, but the design style and layout (of the core book and the adventures released so far) gives me anxiety and headaches.

Mine for ideas, but not likely to run it, no.

edit: the graphic design and layout for Mothership aren't of bad quality; it is the visual style that actually bothers me. I find it hideously ugly, cramped and stressful. I actually flipped through my copy of Vaesen as a mental/emotional palette cleanser.

Yeah the Questing Beast reviewer claimed on Twitter that Mothership is some kind of model for how to do info layout whereas I think that completely misses the importance of white space for readability and ease of use.

I consider its layout more of a punky aethestic choice rather than practical.
 
I've really come around on the MYZ mechanics after doing a read through a couple times via The Forbidden Lands and Twilight 2000. I need to purchase the Alien rpg material in the next couple months and maybe the Coriolis rpg as well for comparison and ideas.

Edit: Reading through Charlie D Charlie D 's thread on the Coriolis rpg also helped my comprehension of the mechanics better.
 
BTW, a bit off topic but it shares the mechanics(Mutant Year Zero) base so I'll mention it in regard to my post above. I'm starting to think that The Forbidden Lands rpg would be well suited for say a Conan setting.
 
I'll have to play to find out but I've never been that impressed by Mothership as a rulset.

Alien has the edge there for me although it would be fun to run some Mothership modules with Alien.

I've GMed both, and while they have a lot in common (mostly because Mothership clearly draws inspiration from the Alien films) they do feel a bit different in play.

I felt Alien was more cinematic. It was more specific in its approach and the world that it's trying to convey. I think it's strongly suited for short campaigns or one shots more than longer games....but I can't say for sure as we only played a short campaign. I had an idea for one that was more ongoing in nature, but I don't know how long it could be maintained.

Mothership actually reminded me quite a bit of my earliest days of D&D. Characters are pretty simple and they aren't "special" and all kinds of weird things are likely going to happen to them. It was looser and more gonzo.

It's very possible these differences just boil down to how my group and I played the games, but the two do seem distinct enough for me to serve different purposes.
 
I've GMed both, and while they have a lot in common (mostly because Mothership clearly draws inspiration from the Alien films) they do feel a bit different in play.

I felt Alien was more cinematic. It was more specific in its approach and the world that it's trying to convey. I think it's strongly suited for short campaigns or one shots more than longer games....but I can't say for sure as we only played a short campaign. I had an idea for one that was more ongoing in nature, but I don't know how long it could be maintained.

Mothership actually reminded me quite a bit of my earliest days of D&D. Characters are pretty simple and they aren't "special" and all kinds of weird things are likely going to happen to them. It was looser and more gonzo.

It's very possible these differences just boil down to how my group and I played the games, but the two do seem distinct enough for me to serve different purposes.

I remember someone on the Pub remarking they found Mothership was rather whiffy, did you find that?
 
I remember someone on the Pub remarking they found Mothership was rather whiffy, did you find that?

I think it can be, yes. It’s been a while and my experience is a handful of sessions as GM and a couple as a player, but I think skill percentages tend to be on the low side.

I think this is because the game kind of expects fewer rolls. Each roll is meant to be significant and you should only call for a roll when there are potentially meaningful consequences.

When I played, the GM was calling for checks frequently at first, and our group failed a few rolls and you could see that he hadn’t really thought it out…he would struggle to come up with some kind of consequence.

So a lot depends on how it’s GMed. Fewer rolls called for only when there are clear and meaningful stakes, and you should be good.
 
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Sorry, this is a bit of a thread hijack, but I didn't find a better subforum for it: What's the state of long-range FTL communications in the Alien universe?

I don't think the setup of Alien (1979) would work without Weyland-Yutani sending FTL orders to Thedus before the Nostromo departs (replacement of science officer, MU/TH/UR firmware update for that Special Order 66 thing). OTOH, the crew can't scream for help, and the Nostromo doesn't receive any instructions in flight (I'm not sure about the derelict's signal, it could be STL since it's been there a long time).

Sevastopol station must have received WY's buy order by FTL and they have an impressive array of antenna dishes, but they need unimpressively tight focussing to even contact the Torrens at a measly few dozen miles distance.

Does that mean FTL comms exists only at big stations and few ships, if any, have it? It could be handwaved using installation size and excessive power needed. Or does news just travel at the pace of plot?
 
Sorry, this is a bit of a thread hijack, but I didn't find a better subforum for it: What's the state of long-range FTL communications in the Alien universe?

I don't think the setup of Alien (1979) would work without Weyland-Yutani sending FTL orders to Thedus before the Nostromo departs (replacement of science officer, MU/TH/UR firmware update for that Special Order 66 thing). OTOH, the crew can't scream for help, and the Nostromo doesn't receive any instructions in flight (I'm not sure about the derelict's signal, it could be STL since it's been there a long time).

Sevastopol station must have received WY's buy order by FTL and they have an impressive array of antenna dishes, but they need unimpressively tight focussing to even contact the Torrens at a measly few dozen miles distance.

Does that mean FTL comms exists only at big stations and few ships, if any, have it? It could be handwaved using installation size and excessive power needed. Or does news just travel at the pace of plot?
just picked up all the books, though I won't start reading them for awhile. I did a Google search and found this blog musings.

 
It seems like they have a communications system called the Network. Someone posted a cool side job of where the characters are sent on a contract to do the routine maintenance on them. I had it in my campaign as an additional contract the players had in addition to surveying planets that had anomalies from their first cursory surveys +70 years prior.

Suiting up and going out into space to do the maintenance and swap out fusion pack battery cells was unnerving to the players. I finally had one that had been scavenged by someone and was foreshadowing to pirates in the area who later attacked them.
 
Sorry, this is a bit of a thread hijack, but I didn't find a better subforum for it: What's the state of long-range FTL communications in the Alien universe?

I don't think the setup of Alien (1979) would work without Weyland-Yutani sending FTL orders to Thedus before the Nostromo departs (replacement of science officer, MU/TH/UR firmware update for that Special Order 66 thing). OTOH, the crew can't scream for help, and the Nostromo doesn't receive any instructions in flight (I'm not sure about the derelict's signal, it could be STL since it's been there a long time).

Sevastopol station must have received WY's buy order by FTL and they have an impressive array of antenna dishes, but they need unimpressively tight focussing to even contact the Torrens at a measly few dozen miles distance.

Does that mean FTL comms exists only at big stations and few ships, if any, have it? It could be handwaved using installation size and excessive power needed. Or does news just travel at the pace of plot?

The Aliens: Colonial Marines comic had a plot point of the Marines traveling to a planet so they could use the transmitter there to contact a communications hub. Unfortunately, the planet had a Xenomorph infestation, and when they did make contact with the hub it turned out Royal Jelly users controlled it.





In retrospect, it made for a great example to point to when players feel communication devices should always work perfectly to call reinforcements, as well as an “Oh, shit!” moment when the com screen comes on and a mutant answers.
 
It seems like they have a communications system called the Network. Someone posted a cool side job of where the characters are sent on a contract to do the routine maintenance on them. I had it in my campaign as an additional contract the players had in addition to surveying planets that had anomalies from their first cursory surveys +70 years prior.

Suiting up and going out into space to do the maintenance and swap out fusion pack battery cells was unnerving to the players. I finally had one that had been scavenged by someone and was foreshadowing to pirates in the area who later attacked them.
Very cool. It's a great adventure idea jump off point for sure. I assume that there is "some" delay for back and forth communications even with the large communication arrays. Keeping them maintained and running you'd think would be a high priority.

With the ships, I'm speculating that there is even more delay/lag due to the ships needing to bounce off of the planet arrays. After that you have response lag due to those at the other end debating what to do and how to respond. After all, all this costs money. Basically sending the Colonial Marines takes time if those in charge do think they need to do so.
 
Two weeks for transmission between Earth and LV426. Whether that’s one way or round trip is up to interpretation.

”Some honch in a cushy office on Earth says go look at a grid reference. We look. They don't say why, and I don't ask. I don't ask because it takes two weeks to get an answer out here, and the answer is always "Don't ask."
 
Two weeks for transmission between Earth and LV426. Whether that’s one way or round trip is up to interpretation.

”Some honch in a cushy office on Earth says go look at a grid reference. We look. They don't say why, and I don't ask. I don't ask because it takes two weeks to get an answer out here, and the answer is always "Don't ask."
From the way he says, I suppose it's a week to send the message and another to get the reply. Though perhaps it takes less time, just no-one cares to reply promptly.

ALIEN3 sees Fury, a zero-importance prison in the ass end of space, able to send and receive transmissions fairly quickly (for the first time ever). I guess if Weyland-Yutani give a shit, they can speed it up.
 
Hydrofluoric Acid doesn’t do a good enough number on flesh to be Alien blood. Maybe Fluoroantimonic Acid, which dissolves nearly everything (except Teflon).
That's a good point. Most of the setting material still says Hydrofluoric borrowing from the Colonial Marines Tech Manual, even though as you say it doesn't really match what we see on screen. The comics and games tend to paper over this by saying it's hydrofluoric but with "something else" that they don't understand scientifically yet.
 
That's a good point. Most of the setting material still says Hydrofluoric borrowing from the Colonial Marines Tech Manual, even though as you say it doesn't really match what we see on screen. The comics and games tend to paper over this by saying it's hydrofluoric but with "something else" that they don't understand scientifically yet.
This is an interesting one, organic, about the third strongest superacid and the strongest acid that doesn't involve Fluorine.


You can also add catalysts into the mix for the reaction, or add an oxidising agent as in the fabulously named Piranha Solution (Sulphuric acid + 30% Hydrogen Peroxide). Bombardier beetles secrete Hydrogen Peroxide to use in the reaction that shoots stuff out their arse.
 
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This is an interesting one, organic, about the third strongest superacid and the strongest acid that doesn't involve Fluorine.


You can also add catalysts into the mix for the reaction, or add an oxidising agent as in the fabulously named Piranha Solution (Sulphuric acid + 30% Hydrogen Peroxide). Bombardier beetles secrete Hydrogen Peroxide to use in the reaction that shoots stuff out their arse.
Looks like if you replace the Chlorine with Fluorine in Carborane Acid, it gets much worse and may be the strongest acid.
 
dmnhis2ykpt71.jpg

Hans! Get ze Fluorine!
 
Just a little lore note most people might not know. Alien, Aliens, Alien: Isolation and Prometheus all occur in the same star system.

Zeta Reticuli is a binary system, both stars being Yellow Dwarfs like our sun, lying 39 light years from Earth in United American space.

The smaller star Zeta Reticuli 1 has a single gas giant orbiting it. The game Alien Isolation occurs on a station, Sevastapol, that mines the gas giant for rare metallic gases.

Sevastopol.jpg

The second star Zeta Reticuli 2 has three barren rock worlds and a single ringed gas giant, Calpamos*. Calpamos has three moons. The first moon is LV-426 or Archeron, where the Nostromo finds the Alien in the first film and is the location of the colony from the second. The second moon LV-223 is where the Engineer facility from the Prometheus film is located. Nothing has been written about the third moon**.

Calpamos.jpg

The system used to be an important one as it lay halfway between Earth and Thedus, the main mining colony within American space. However the Thedus-Earth trading route got rerouted causing Zeta Reticuli to decline in importance.

The Nostromo was rerouted to the old trading route while in dock at Thedus when Weyland-Yutani picked up an Engineer warning beacon from LV-426. Ash, a Weyland-Yutani synthetic stationed on Thedus, was reassigned to the Nostromo replacing the original science officer two days before the ship left Thedus.

*Calpamos is called Epsilon in some older Promotheus scripts.
**But it's the source of endless fan speculation on forums.
 
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I think Zeta Reticuli is the star system that the aliens in the supposed abduction of Betty and Barney Hill came from. They lived in Portsmouth, NH at the time it happened, which is about fifteen minutes from where I live.
 
I think Zeta Reticuli is the star system that the aliens in the supposed abduction of Betty and Barney Hill came from. They lived in Portsmouth, NH at the time it happened, which is about fifteen minutes from where I live.
Yeah that's right and because of that case being famous it's in a ton of fictional works.

In real life the Zeta Reticuli binary seems to have no planets.
 
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