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Hello, everyone.
Let’s dig into a #BoltShowcase of SATURN’S GATE, by @Acetronomer.
It’s not just an inspired hard-sci-fi setting.
It’s a sci-fi setting with space combat so sharp that you should use it in YOUR space game.
https://acetronomer.itch.io/saturns-gate
Let’s dig into a #BoltShowcase of SATURN’S GATE, by @Acetronomer.
It’s not just an inspired hard-sci-fi setting.
It’s a sci-fi setting with space combat so sharp that you should use it in YOUR space game.
https://acetronomer.itch.io/saturns-gate
Welcome to 2063. It’s been forty years since a wormhole connected Earth to the rings of Saturn.
You play in the buildup to what may be the SECOND corp war around Saturn, as the new generation of Ringborn start to strike against the cruel corporations running the show here.
You play in the buildup to what may be the SECOND corp war around Saturn, as the new generation of Ringborn start to strike against the cruel corporations running the show here.
I’m frankly loving that a lot of Bolt hacks are now starting with a set of assumptions and thematic goals.
I especially like how Acetronomer details just how HARD space travel is around Saturn.
The politics and speculative tech is well-thought-out, and I appreciate it.
I especially like how Acetronomer details just how HARD space travel is around Saturn.
The politics and speculative tech is well-thought-out, and I appreciate it.
I also want to give a shoutout to the Maneuver Skill.
It works like the Language Skill in Bolt, but it tracks navigating environments like Zero-G, Low-Gravity (most of the Saturn space stations are at 0.2 G), Extreme Heat...
It’s clever, and it fits this setting.
It works like the Language Skill in Bolt, but it tracks navigating environments like Zero-G, Low-Gravity (most of the Saturn space stations are at 0.2 G), Extreme Heat...
It’s clever, and it fits this setting.
Another nice mechanic in this game?
Debt.
Debt can go between 1 and 3 for each person, corp, or syndicate you owe, and you may need to go into Debt to get what you want.
It’s nice and simple, and I like it, and you should consider it for your intrigue-heavy games.
Debt.
Debt can go between 1 and 3 for each person, corp, or syndicate you owe, and you may need to go into Debt to get what you want.
It’s nice and simple, and I like it, and you should consider it for your intrigue-heavy games.
And then we get to the spaceships.
This is the spicy shit.
This is why I, Ajey, am throwing out my rules for starship combat.
I don’t need them anymore, because this ruleset is better than I could have POSSIBLY imagined.
This is the spicy shit.
This is why I, Ajey, am throwing out my rules for starship combat.
I don’t need them anymore, because this ruleset is better than I could have POSSIBLY imagined.
Spaceship operation has five roles:
- Communications
- Guidance (Piloting)
- Payload (Gunnery)
- Life Support (Engineering/Medical)
- Internal Systems (Computers/Engineering)
And importantly, EACH role always has SEVERAL things to do!
I’ve been WAITING for an RPG to do this!
- Communications
- Guidance (Piloting)
- Payload (Gunnery)
- Life Support (Engineering/Medical)
- Internal Systems (Computers/Engineering)
And importantly, EACH role always has SEVERAL things to do!
I’ve been WAITING for an RPG to do this!
Additionally, ships have a fairly long list of attributes, which is good for a vessel that needs control from multiple players.
Smartly, Scale is also the “Wounds” equivalent for ships.
Higher Scale means you can take more punishment before getting wrecked.
Smartly, Scale is also the “Wounds” equivalent for ships.
Higher Scale means you can take more punishment before getting wrecked.
And this system is flexible!
There are rules for guidance missiles that slowly advance, giving time for targets to dodge, as well as laser weapons that strike instantly.
You can also hack systems, lock onto targets, boost engine Thrust or system Power...
There’s SO MUCH!
There are rules for guidance missiles that slowly advance, giving time for targets to dodge, as well as laser weapons that strike instantly.
You can also hack systems, lock onto targets, boost engine Thrust or system Power...
There’s SO MUCH!
Saturn’s Gate gives players a dual-Role system during character creation, where one of their two Roles needs to be a ship role, but they’re just Skill packages.
You don’t need to invest in the Comms Expert role to handle comms.
(I imagine the extra languages help, though...)
You don’t need to invest in the Comms Expert role to handle comms.
(I imagine the extra languages help, though...)
I can’t gush enough about this space combat system.
It gives players OPTIONS! With trade-offs!
The engineer doesn’t need to wait until a damage threshold is reached to be useful!
Designated ship roles can be split between crew, or be doubled-up on!
It’s freaking BRILLIANT.
It gives players OPTIONS! With trade-offs!
The engineer doesn’t need to wait until a damage threshold is reached to be useful!
Designated ship roles can be split between crew, or be doubled-up on!
It’s freaking BRILLIANT.
The only thing that needs assembly are the ships themselves.
There are two examples in Saturn’s Gate v0.1, and they’re both vessels specific to this setting.
But this core system is good enough to kitbash, so I’ll put together example ships for a certain OTHER space setting...
There are two examples in Saturn’s Gate v0.1, and they’re both vessels specific to this setting.
But this core system is good enough to kitbash, so I’ll put together example ships for a certain OTHER space setting...
YF-1303 “Bootlegger”
Scale: 3
Thrust: 3
Evasion: 6
Armor: 1
Redundancy: 8
Power: 7
Weaponry:
Proton Torpedo x3: Time 2, AV 8, Damage 10
Forward Energy Cannons: Time -, AV equal to roll, Damage 4
Dorsal Twin Energy Cannons: Time -, AV equal to roll, Damage 8
Scale: 3
Thrust: 3
Evasion: 6
Armor: 1
Redundancy: 8
Power: 7
Weaponry:
Proton Torpedo x3: Time 2, AV 8, Damage 10
Forward Energy Cannons: Time -, AV equal to roll, Damage 4
Dorsal Twin Energy Cannons: Time -, AV equal to roll, Damage 8
LN-TE “Imperial Eye” Starfighter
Scale: 1
Thrust: 4
Evasion: 6
Armor: 0
Redundancy: 5
Power: 14
Weaponry:
Twin Forward Energy Cannons: Time -, AV equal to roll, Damage 6
Scale: 1
Thrust: 4
Evasion: 6
Armor: 0
Redundancy: 5
Power: 14
Weaponry:
Twin Forward Energy Cannons: Time -, AV equal to roll, Damage 6
This is an absolutely incredible piece of content.
Not only does Saturn’s Gate continue the trend of Bolt settings being about sci-fi socialists kicking capitalists in the ass, it’s also a must-buy if you want spaceship combat in your Bolt game.
It’s that good.
Not only does Saturn’s Gate continue the trend of Bolt settings being about sci-fi socialists kicking capitalists in the ass, it’s also a must-buy if you want spaceship combat in your Bolt game.
It’s that good.
Saturn’s Gate, by @Acetronomer, is on Itch for 5 USD.
That’s a severe undercharge for what you’re getting here. It’s worth AT LEAST 10 bucks.
Go. Behold the rings. Fight for a better world—for a better Saturn. https://acetronomer.itch.io/saturns-gate
That’s a severe undercharge for what you’re getting here. It’s worth AT LEAST 10 bucks.
Go. Behold the rings. Fight for a better world—for a better Saturn. https://acetronomer.itch.io/saturns-gate
