Thank you for crafting this nice overview of one of the forgotten game systems out there. FGU really had a lot of very cool stuff as I am currently working my way through their product portfolio.
Thank you for covering this! I hope you explore more in the series! The creator of this TTRPG was also the creator of the original FGU "Chivalry & Sorcery" titled "Chevalier".
Yes, that's true. I was doing some reading the other day about the creators; Edward E. Simbalist, A. Mark Ratner, and Phil McGregor along with Scott Bizar from FGU. Edward E. Simbalist and Wilf K. Backhaus designed Chevalier.
Thanks for the walk-through. This game was born out of another. Ratner designed & self-published Space Marines. There were 2 printings & the 1st had conversion rules for D&D. Ratner had played the legendary character Aylerach in Gygax's Greyhawk campaign in Lake Geneva. FGU bought Space Marines from Ratner to use it as the backbone for their own sci-fi RPG. They used the setting & alien races from Space Marines for Space Opera, but snubbed Ratner by ignoring all his rules input so he fell-out with them.
Interesting, I wasn't aware of all the history. I have Space Marines (1980) filed away somewhere. There is also Starships & Spacemen from FGU (~1978) what was updated/reprinted by Goblinoid Games (2010). Both of which I have kicking around somewhere as well.
I prefered star frontiers or Gamma World. But we played a ton of stuff. Boot Hill, Gangbusters, Villians and Vigilantes, Commando, top secret, Star Trek, James Bond 007, Conan the role playing game, DC heroes, Marvel Super Heroes, and of course D&D/AD&D.
I lost the fight against Traveller! I'm still salty. But at least I still have my Star Sector Atlas's, Source books and Adventures. Damn, I loved Casino Galactica and NCG 8436! But I'm easily pleased.
Nice overview of a system that I have seen around, but never knew much about. The fact that it is still in print speaks well for its appeal and following. I am wondering, will there be a play series for SO? Cheers!
OMG I played this as a kid! (Yes, I'm really old) 😮 Worth noting: The space combat system is coincidentally *identical* to what is seen in David Gerrold's "Star Wolf" sci-fi novels.
The leaf through these books was a bit hectic in the beginning. Understandable by the amount of books, but in that case i´d prefer some chosen highlights instead of this fast back and forth, without seeing much. But it got calmer in the second half of the video. Interesting old-school-stuff, did´nt heard about it before (Traveller did it for me, always!).
I agree, I wanted to get through all the books without the video getting too long. I'm planning to go back and do a deeper dive into the core books and maybe a few others along with a character creation walkthrough.
I had this! I played this! WoW!
Thank you for crafting this nice overview of one of the forgotten game systems out there. FGU really had a lot of very cool stuff as I am currently working my way through their product portfolio.
Thank you for covering this! I hope you explore more in the series! The creator of this TTRPG was also the creator of the original FGU "Chivalry & Sorcery" titled "Chevalier".
Yes, that's true. I was doing some reading the other day about the creators; Edward E. Simbalist, A. Mark Ratner, and Phil McGregor along with Scott Bizar from FGU. Edward E. Simbalist and Wilf K. Backhaus designed Chevalier.
Thanks for the walk-through. This game was born out of another. Ratner designed & self-published Space Marines. There were 2 printings & the 1st had conversion rules for D&D. Ratner had played the legendary character Aylerach in Gygax's Greyhawk campaign in Lake Geneva. FGU bought Space Marines from Ratner to use it as the backbone for their own sci-fi RPG. They used the setting & alien races from Space Marines for Space Opera, but snubbed Ratner by ignoring all his rules input so he fell-out with them.
Interesting, I wasn't aware of all the history. I have Space Marines (1980) filed away somewhere.
There is also Starships & Spacemen from FGU (~1978) what was updated/reprinted by Goblinoid Games (2010). Both of which I have kicking around somewhere as well.
Stumbled into this. I'm awestruck. I love every single minute of it
This is treasure and no one can tell me otherwise
subbed
Thank you. I plan to do more with Space Opera soon as well as continuing with my Powers & Perils run.
I had Aftermath! as a teen. It used the same engine, and while I loved the setting, the engine itself I thought was unplayable.
I prefered star frontiers or Gamma World. But we played a ton of stuff. Boot Hill, Gangbusters, Villians and Vigilantes, Commando, top secret, Star Trek, James Bond 007, Conan the role playing game, DC heroes, Marvel Super Heroes, and of course D&D/AD&D.
Nice, sounds like a lot of the same stuff I played back in the day.
I lost the fight against Traveller! I'm still salty. But at least I still have my Star Sector Atlas's, Source books and Adventures. Damn, I loved Casino Galactica and NCG 8436! But I'm easily pleased.
Casino Galactica is a favorite of mine as well and one I used a lot in the past.
Nice overview of a system that I have seen around, but never knew much about. The fact that it is still in print speaks well for its appeal and following.
I am wondering, will there be a play series for SO?
Cheers!
I do plan to do a few more videos on SO with the next one being character creation.
Thanks for the info, I had wondered in a separate comment if it was still in print.
OMG I played this as a kid! (Yes, I'm really old) 😮
Worth noting: The space combat system is coincidentally *identical* to what is seen in David Gerrold's "Star Wolf" sci-fi novels.
Lol, hopefully fond memories.
When iu saw the title of the video, I initially thought of the old Alternity system.
Wow, I never heard of this one.
The algorithm sent me here.
The leaf through these books was a bit hectic in the beginning. Understandable by the amount of books, but in that case i´d prefer some chosen highlights instead of this fast back and forth, without seeing much. But it got calmer in the second half of the video. Interesting old-school-stuff, did´nt heard about it before (Traveller did it for me, always!).
I agree, I wanted to get through all the books without the video getting too long. I'm planning to go back and do a deeper dive into the core books and maybe a few others along with a character creation walkthrough.
I remember playing this, waaay back in the day. I liked it, but the GM was too passive, and players just stopping being interested.