ZeroSpace 4e EN:Introduction

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zerospace
noun
the gravitational center of a Lorentzian manifold.

What Is This?

ZeroSpace is a science fiction game which takes place in a vast patchwork of interstellar empires populated by thousands of strange and wonderful aliens.

What Is A Roleplaying Game?

Every roleplaying game has a section at the beginning that attempts to explain what a roleplaying game is, and ZeroSpace is no exception. So let's get started! As trivial as it sounds, two distinct elements set "roleplaying games" apart from other things which are not roleplaying games: roleplaying and game play.

First, a roleplaying game involves roleplaying. Generally speaking, roleplaying involves taking on a persona or character and making decisions based on what that character would do in a given situation. Does having a character in a game, by itself, make that a roleplaying game? No. The little dog token in a Monopoly game and a Blood Elf in World Of Warcraft are both characters, but Monopoly and World Of Warcraft are not roleplaying games. Can you roleplay as a dog while playing Monopoly? Yes, and you can roleplay as an elf while playing World Of Warcraft. What keeps these from being roleplaying games is that the roleplaying is not part of the game -- you can't get your Monopoly dog out of jail through unscripted conversation with the jailer, nor can you use roleplaying to convince an ogre in World Of Warcraft to let you pass by without a fight. If the rules of the game do not allow for the possibility that a conflict could be resolved through unscripted conversation (however unlikely that might be), then it isn't a roleplaying game.

Second, a roleplaying game is a game. Roleplaying games are sometimes compared to improvisational theatre, and there are similarities, but improv theatre isn't a game. How can you tell if something is a game? Games have rules that govern things like conflicts between players and whether something a player attempts is successful. Improv theatre is fun, but there aren't any rules like this. It's fun, but it's not a game, and therefore it's not a roleplaying game.

ZeroSpace has more rules than some games, but less than others, and an essential part of conflict resolution involves making decisions that your character would make under the circumstances. Maybe those decisions aren't the most tactically advantageous, but if they are true to what your character would do, and if you are having fun playing, then you are playing correctly, because that's what ZeroSpace is all about.

If you would like to read more about who plays roleplaying games, and why and where they play them, check out The Escapist -- The Five Ws of RPGs.

The Players

In a roleplaying game, each player adopts a persona called a player character, or "PC". The player characters are imaginary people who inhabit the fictional world of ZeroSpace.

In many ways, the player is like an actor who chooses their own part and writes their own lines as the play progresses. The game moderator sets the stage and introduces the characters to their world, but the story is driven by the player characters.

The Game Moderator

The game moderator, or "GM", creates the story and portrays everyone that the player characters encounter during their adventures. These are called non-player characters, or "NPCs". The players help create the adventure by responding to the challenges the GM presents and by pursuing the PCs' own goals. This dynamic creative process creates a story which neither the game moderator nor the players could have created alone.

Ground Rules

Be Cooperative

A roleplaying game is fundamentally a cooperative activity. The players (one of whom is the Game Moderator) are not in competition. The goal is not to be the most powerful character, or to win every fight. The goal of a role-playing game is to experience fun stories and to entertain everyone at the table.

Making the game fun is everyone's responsibility.

We hope that you are the kind of player that creates interesting characters and enjoys creating stories with your friends. With that in mind, here are some suggestions.

  • Encourage each other: If someone does something cool, or has a great idea, let them know. It will make them feel good, and it will let people know what kind of game you find fun.
  • Embrace setbacks: Don't get frustrated if things are going badly. Recovering from a setback makes the eventual victory all the sweeter.
  • Be considerate: Don't hog the spotlight. Take turns being the center of attention.
  • Don't play a jerk: Playing a flawed character can be fun, but don't go so far with it that you make the other players miserable. Being "true to your character" is not an excuse for ruining the game.
  • Respect everyone's boundaries: Roleplaying games can be silly and light, dark and gritty, or anywhere in between. If a topic or a certain plot element makes any of the players uncomfortable, respect that and avoid it. Consider using John Stavropoulos' X-Card, particularly if the players are new to each other.

Use Common Sense

If something in the rules violates the way you think your game should work, then override it. If the rules permit something ridiculous, or would prevent something completely ordinary, then override them. Do not be one of those players who adheres to the letter of the rules in defiance of common sense.

Don't use the rules unless you need to.

In fact, if you can play a fun game session without referring to the written rules, you should. Saying "it works like this" is often a better solution than flipping through a rulebook for an answer.

Avoid Rule Arguments

It is in the nature of any human activity that differences of opinion will arise. We've tried to make the rules for ZeroSpace as simple and clear as possible, but there's only so much we can do. Sooner or later, there will be a difference of opinion among the players regarding what a rule means, or how a rule should be implemented. There is nothing wrong with this: discussion and consensus are healthy. However, the time for rule discussions is between games, not during games. If a rule discussion takes longer than 60 seconds, the game moderator should make an executive decision and table additional discussion for later. If players balk, the GM should be civil but firm, and move on.

Respect Genre Conventions

ZeroSpace is a space fantasy game, and being a space fantasy game, it has certain genre conventions. Robert McKee defines genre conventions as the "specific settings, roles, events, and values that define individual genres and their subgenres."

For example, there are no rules for running out of fuel, or for recharging a blaster. It's not that starships do not run out of fuel, or that blasters never need recharging. Of course they do, and if a character intentionally empties their blaster, then the gun runs out of juice just as you'd expect. It's just assumed that they don't normally run out of power unless there is a dramatic reason for it. The rest of the time, the character is refueling the starship or recharging the blaster when it's convenient to do so.

Another genre convention in ZeroSpace is that main characters almost never die, and only when it is for a dramatic reason, while nameless characters go down after a single hit (maybe they die, maybe they don't -- no one cares, because they are nameless characters).

Core Mechanics

Attributes

Each character has six attributes which describe their basic physical and mental abilities.

  • Agility: coordination, ranged combat fighting ability, and general flexibility
  • Brawn: physical might, hand-to-hand fighting ability, and general hardiness
  • Presence: determination, mental combat fighting ability, and understanding of the motivations of others
  • Reason: ability to analyze data, draw conclusions from the facts at hand, and solve problems
  • Power Level: supernatural might, magical potency, psychic potential
  • Endurance: a character's ability to physically and mentally exert themselves
  • Health: a character's ability to withstand physical hardship and injury

See the Attributes chapter for more information.

Rolling Dice

When a character attempts a task, and the outcome is either contested or there is some random element involved, the player must roll dice to see if the character succeeds. The player rolls two six-sided dice and counts the dots. The player adds the result to the character's relevant skill and attribute, denoted in the rules as "Skill (Attribute)". They then add their equipment modifier, if any. This total is compared to the difficulty value (DV) assigned by the GM. If the player's total meets or beats the difficulty, the character's attempt succeeds. There is no need to roll for routine tasks: characters automatically succeed at routine tasks.

A character may attempt a task in which they have no skill, if the GM says it is possible. For example, anyone can tell a lie, but it takes a skilled woodworker to make a mortise and tenon joint. If a character attempts a task in which they have no skill, they roll 1d6 rather than 2d6. The player adds the result to the character's relevant attribute and their equipment modifier, if any.

Skill rolls are covered in more detail in the Actions chapter.


2d6 + Skill (Attribute) + Equipment vs
Table: Unopposed rolls Table: Opposed rolls
Difficulty Value (DV) Difficulty Value (DV)
12 Moderately difficult 8 + Skill (Attribute) + Equipment
15 Remarkably difficult Examples:
Hand-to-hand Combat (Brawn)
Ranged Combat (Agility)
Mental Combat (Presence)
etc.
18 Extremely difficult
21 Inconceivable!


See the Actions chapter for more information.

Plot Points

Each player begins each game session with one Plot Point. A player gains a Plot Point when they do something clever, heroic, or surprising, or when the GM overrides a roll of the dice to make things more difficult for the characters. Plot Points are spent to alter the game world or to gain an advantage. See the Actions chapter for more information.

Rounding

When a number is divided, round in the player's favour, even if the fraction is less than or more than one-half. If both sides of a conflict are players, round in favour of the character who initiated the conflict.

Glossary

Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce
hundreds of interstellar corporations; governed by the Directorate
Agility
coordination, ranged combat fighting ability, and general flexibility
all-out move
base move x 6; requires a move action
attack bonus
add 3 when attempting an attack
attack penalty
subtract 3 when attempting an attack
attack roll
2d6 + attribute; the total is compared to a difficulty to determine success; typically requires a standard action
attribute
the six basic character traits: Agility, Brawn, Endurance, Presence, Reason, and Power Level
base move
normal ground movement based on the character's attributes or powers; requires a move action
base value
the numerical value of an attribute when the character is fully healed and not impaired in any way
bonus
add 3 when attempting a task or in combat
Brawn
physical might, hand-to-hand fighting ability, and general hardiness
character point
spent to buy attributes, skills, and special abilities for a character
combat roll
2d6 + attribute; the total is compared to a difficulty to determine success (another name for "attack roll"); typically requires a standard action
Commonwealth
a former trans-galactic civilization of millions of populated worlds
defense bonus
add 3 when attacked
defense penalty
subtract 3 when attacked
difficulty value (DV)
the number the player must match or exceed on a roll
Directorate
the ruling body of the Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce
Dominion
the Infinite Dominion Of His Divine Shadow
double move
base move x 2; requires a move action
Endurance
ability to physically and mentally exert oneself (Brawn + Presence)
expertise
extraordinary competence with a skill, granting the character a +3 bonus
game moderator (GM)
the player who sets the story in motion, plays everyone and everything in the game other than the PCs, and arbitrates any disputes
gift
an exceptional ability that a normal person can have, but that most people do not have
Health
ability to withstand physical hardship and injury (Agility + Brawn)
His Divine Shadow
immortal deity and ruler of the Infinite Dominion Of His Divine Shadow
Infinite Dominion Of His Divine Shadow
a theocratic totalitarian empire ruled by the bureaucratic priesthood of His Divine Shadow
InterSec
Interstellar Security Command
Interstellar Security Command
an independent police organization funded by the members of the Planetary Union
ISC
Interstellar Security Command
League Of Non-aligned Worlds
a loose association of independent star systems seeking to maintain the sovereignty of its members states
move action
move the distance permitted by Agility, Brawn, or a movement power; may be a base move, double move, or all-out move
New Commonwealth
a coalition of tens of thousands of populated worlds
non-player character (NPC)
a fictional character belonging to and controlled by the game moderator
penalty
subtract 3 when attempting a task or in combat
Planetary Union
a loose alliance of several thousand populated worlds on the fringes of Imperial space
player
a living, breathing person playing the game
player character (PC)
a fictional character belonging to and controlled by a player
Plot Point
spent to alter the game world or to gain an advantage
power
an ability beyond what is possible for ordinary mortals
Power Level
technological might, alien potency, psychic potential, and so on
Presence
determination, mental combat fighting ability, and understanding of the motivations of others
Reason
ability to analyze data, draw conclusions from the facts at hand, and solve problems
run
base move x 2 (another name for "double move"); requires a move action
sentient
capable of perception, problem solving, self-awareness, and anticipation of future events; a creature which is sentient; a person
skill
allows a character to apply their attributes to solve a specific problem or accomplish a specific task
sprint
base move x 6 (another name for "all-out move"); requires a move action
success
a roll that equals or exceeds the difficulty
Union
the Planetary Union
walk
normal ground movement based on Agility (another name for "base move"); requires a move action
zerospace
the gravitational center of a Lorentzian manifold (or "warp bubble")