''D6 Space'' is a generic
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imagination, imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, Paral ...
role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...
(RPG) based on the ''
D6 System
The ''D6 System'' is a role-playing game system published by West End Games (WEG) and licensees. While the system is primarily intended for pen-and-paper role-playing games, variations of the system have also been used in live action role-playin ...
''. Although derived, in part, from material originally presented in ''The Star Wars Roleplaying Game'', ''D6 Space'' is published as a stand-alone rulebook (not dependent upon or requiring other D6 System or Star Wars rulebooks) and is supported by its own line of supplements.
Setting
Being a generic system, the ''D6 Space Rulebook'' contains no setting information, and provides rules material for playing in a wide variety of cinematic
space opera
Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes space warfare, with use of melodramatic, risk-taking space adventures, relationships, and chivalric romance. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, it features technological and soc ...
and
cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian Futurism, futuristic setting that tends to focus on a "combination of low-life, lowlife and high tech", featuring futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial in ...
settings. One setting, ''
Fires of Amatsumara'' is currently available from West End Games. Another, ''Dead Night of Space'', by licensee Final Sword Productions is compatible with these rules.
System
''D6 Space'' uses the D6 Classic System ruleset, and is thus compatible with other games using those rules. Some differences do exist between ''D6 Space'' and other related games. ''D6 Space'' uses Agility, Mechanical, Strength, Knowledge, Perception and Technical as its attributes. Apart from Agility replacing Dexterity, this is the same attribute set previously used by ''The Star Wars Roleplaying Game''. A seventh optional attribute, Metaphysics, is also possible.
The Metaphysics attribute is used by a new free-form power system. This is based on the Special Effects system from ''
Masterbook
''Masterbook'' is a generic role-playing game that was published by West End Games (WEG) in 1994.
Description
The generic rules of ''Masterbook'', which do not have a specific campaign setting, use rules from both WEG's multi-genre role-playing ...
'' (which was derived from the magic system from ''
Torg
''Torg'' is a cinematic cross-genre tabletop role-playing game created by Greg Gorden and Bill Slavicsek, with art by Daniel Horne. It was first published by West End Games (WEG) in 1990. Game resolution uses a single twenty-sided die, ''d ...
''). This replaces the system for using The Force from ''The Star Wars RPG'', and the Psionics system used in the earlier ''D6 Space Opera'' PDF.
Scaling (a method of determining how combat is handled between combatants and objects of starkly different sizes) uses a numeric modifier in ''D6 Space'', and does not conform to the ship class names used in ''The Star Wars RPG''. This new scaling system is also present in ''
D6 Fantasy
D6 Fantasy is a generic fantasy role-playing game (RPG) based on the D6 System. D6 Fantasy is published as a stand-alone rulebook (not dependent upon or requiring any other D6 System rulebook) and is supported by its own line of supplements.
Set ...
'' and ''
D6 Adventure
''D6 Adventure'' is a generic role-playing game system based on the D6 System. ''D6 Adventure'' is published as a stand-alone rulebook (not dependent upon or requiring any other D6 System rulebooks) and is supported by its own line of supplement ...
'', though the benchmark names for the values listed differ between the three games.
A disadvantages, advantages and special abilities system not present in ''The Star Wars RPG'', is included, as is a system for using special abilities as Cybernetic implants.
A basic star ship construction system is presented (which is expanded upon in the ''Space Ships'' supplement). This system differs from the systems presented throughout ''The Star Wars RPG'' line.
History
Eric J. Gibson
Eric J. Gibson is a game designer who has worked primarily on role-playing games.
Career
Eric J. Gibson through his company Purgatory Publishing purchased West End Games, and the deal was announced by previous owner Humanoids Publishing on Novem ...
reworked the
D6 System
The ''D6 System'' is a role-playing game system published by West End Games (WEG) and licensees. While the system is primarily intended for pen-and-paper role-playing games, variations of the system have also been used in live action role-playin ...
into a more generic rules system, as the third iteration of West End Games published a series of three core hardcover books, ''
D6 Adventure
''D6 Adventure'' is a generic role-playing game system based on the D6 System. ''D6 Adventure'' is published as a stand-alone rulebook (not dependent upon or requiring any other D6 System rulebooks) and is supported by its own line of supplement ...
'' (2004), ''
D6 Fantasy
D6 Fantasy is a generic fantasy role-playing game (RPG) based on the D6 System. D6 Fantasy is published as a stand-alone rulebook (not dependent upon or requiring any other D6 System rulebook) and is supported by its own line of supplements.
Set ...
'' (2004) and ''D6 Space'' (2004), and supplements to these genre books focusing on creatures and locations were published in 2004 and 2005.
''D6 Space'' was originally released in 2003 as a PDF format ebook under the name ''D6 Space Opera'' by Humanoids Publishing. It was sold as a core rulebook for their line of ''Shatterzone'' PDF re-releases. This was greatly expanded and revised by author Nikola Vrtis into the current ''D6 Space Rulebook'' (), released in 2004 by Purgatory Publishing imprint West End Games.
When the cover art was first announced for ''D6 Space'', there was some negative reaction to the original version of the art. The original had the female principal nude (although genitalia and nipples were not visible), in a cyberpunk motif. In response to the reaction, West End Games revised the cover to its current form.
New Cover For ''D6 Space''
/ref>
At present, ''D6 Space'' is supported by three source books.
*''D6 Space Ships'' by various authors ()
*''D6 Space Aliens Volume 1'' by various authors ()
*''Fires of Amatsumara'' concept by Fred Jandt, by various authors ()
The ''Ships'' supplement contains expanded rules for star ship creation, and new rules for planet generation. The ''Aliens'' supplement demonstrates species templates for a variety of alien races and creatures, and methods for creating more. ''Fires of Amatsumara'' is a setting book, mixing elements of space opera and frontier westerns, comparable to ''Firefly
The Lampyridae are a family of elateroid beetles with more than 2,000 described species, many of which are light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms for their conspicuous production ...
''.
See also
*''D6 Adventure
''D6 Adventure'' is a generic role-playing game system based on the D6 System. ''D6 Adventure'' is published as a stand-alone rulebook (not dependent upon or requiring any other D6 System rulebooks) and is supported by its own line of supplement ...
''
*''D6 Fantasy
D6 Fantasy is a generic fantasy role-playing game (RPG) based on the D6 System. D6 Fantasy is published as a stand-alone rulebook (not dependent upon or requiring any other D6 System rulebook) and is supported by its own line of supplements.
Set ...
''
Notes
References
A review of the ''D6 Space'' Rulebook
(from RPG.net)
Another review of the ''D6 Space'' Rulebook
(from Gaming Report)
{{refend
D6 System
Space opera role-playing games
Role-playing games introduced in 2004