Next FFG RPG: Warhammer 40,000 - Hive Fleet

[jackedup]

We have a RPG for the Imperial Guard, Chaos Marines, Inquisition. Now we need one for Tyranids.

In Hive Fleet, every player starts out as a lowly termagant, ripper swarm collective, or spore mine. They are dropped from planet to planet in an endless star trek, confronting strange aliens and cultures. The Hive Mind sends them on missions like reconnaissance, sabotage, rescue, and diplomacy.

As the characters accumulate biomass (XP), they can either use it to build up their swarm (NPC support options), Biomorphs (equipment), or level up - Spore mines become biovores, termagants become Tyranid warriors, rippers sprout wings and become harpies, etc. They can also use it to update their spaceship, which varies in points cost between krakens and space hulks.

They can battle heresy within their ranks (the chaos worshipping Ymgarl genestealers), negotiate with rival hive fleets, and fight a desperate struggle for survival (against starvation). In the meantime, the story can explore the bonds of comradeship that happen in the bitterness of war - are they truly brothers and sisters, or are their emotions merely a shackle crafted by the hive mind? What does it mean to be a Hive Tyrant, entrusted with the lives of millions? Are the masters of the Swarm truly as cold and emotionless as they seem, or is it merely a front, with the deaths of their comrades plaguing them in dark nightmares as they hibernate?

[mantisstalker]

I feel like I've seen this before, a long, long, time ago o.o

But, I think there are two major problems that I should point out.
Firstly most of the RP people have left for another forum, and so not many players would be here to play.
Other wise playing a mindless Tyranid is a little hard for character development. You'd have to add a plot line that made the players characters unique in some way.

[jackedup]

There are plenty of ways a Tyranid can have background. Perhaps its past in a biomass starved minor hive fleet has made it calculative and rugged. Perhaps its relationships with its brother termagants have always been strained, because its too individual and doesn't kowtow to the local Tyrant enough.

[mantisstalker]

Well, that might be true but you still face issues like the fact Tyranids can't talk.

In short I think what you're facing here is Tyranid's were built to be mindless killing machines, and you want to turn them playable characters, which will be hard if you don't give them a special reason like a new strain made by the Hivemind to try and out think humanity or something.

But I'm not the best to be talking about this stuff to. I'm just sorta what's left of the actual RP corner.

[baconslice]

I think it's an interesting idea.
I don't think it would ever work as a true RP, as tyranids don't have the correct kind of fluff IMO.
However if you want to make it more combat based, almost like a CCG it would work good.
You could even each take control of a diff hive fleet, and your development would depend on the problems you encounter and biomass you consume? Lol

[robomummy]

The problem with an RP based on Non-Humans (especially with the tyranids) is that they are supposed to be so utterly Alien as to be incomprehensible to humanity. There is a reason that all the playable races you see in RPGs everywhere are humanoid, playing anything else is extremely difficult (and even playing humanoid non-human races can be difficult).

Go for it if you think it is a good Idea but don't be surprised if it doesn't work out the way you want it to.

[Yuno]

oh stalker, ye have little faith. I am not gone, I simply spread more time at other places. But I still lurk around here, waiting for the inevitable return of Carni and Jward (mostly so I can beat them into next week when they do).

But as for Tyranid rp, we have had them in the past. Usually some players were guards and others were tyranids. I happened to play on the tyranid side and while we did inscribe them with some human characteristics that were *coughs* added based upon the assumption they'd been separated from the hive mind or *cough* engineered by the hive mind to be able to understand and act human in some particular ways, the rps in question weren't failures. They just were scripted a lot more towards battle than down time.

[jinx]

mantis,are you truly sure all the RPers are gone,most of us might just be lurking....*lictor glance*


anyway,i'll keep my eyes on this,it seems hard to pull off but i could see myself playing a mindless ripper biting dem ankles

[Yuno]

*acknowledges Jinx's lictor glance with own*

I'm always looking for more rps. But this place seemed dead, so I went back to the shadows that are my home. If someone wants to revive this place, I'm always here. I wasted way too much time at fifteen to not be here to hold the fort down. Now I'm just here out of being bitter.

[mantisstalker]

Jan 17, 2014 22:26:59 GMT jinx said:

mantis,are you truly sure all the RPers are gone,most of us might just be lurking....*lictor glance*

Well I was sure most of you had buggered off, and was only kinda thinking some of you might have retreated to other parts of the board.

However like most things, people seem to be popping up to prove how wrong I usually am x3

I also think you can't Lictor glance when the entire reason behind my user name was Lictors x3

[jinx]

Jan 18, 2014 11:04:40 GMT mantisstalker said:

Jan 17, 2014 22:26:59 GMT jinx said:

mantis,are you truly sure all the RPers are gone,most of us might just be lurking....*lictor glance*

Well I was sure most of you had buggered off, and was only kinda thinking some of you might have retreated to other parts of the board.

However like most things, people seem to be popping up to prove how wrong I usually am x3

I also think you can't Lictor glance when the entire reason behind my user name was Lictors x3

tch,fine *deathleaper glance*

[mantisstalker]

That's fine. Wasn't in the codex I got the name from x3

But back to the matter at hand, where has our host gone?

[jinx]

Anyway,brainstorm time(note that the EXP i've used is random and just to give you an idea of what i would think of numbers):

Starter Tyranids: Termagant,Hormagaunt (The others will be added later)
Quick Note 1: once an evolution is chosen,the other evolution from that stage is shut off aswell as any evolutions that come forth from the other evolution.

Starter 1: Termagant.

First stage Evolutions: Gargoyle [30 exp] Shooting Tyranid Warrior (Scything Talons and Devourer) [100 exp]

Second Stage Evolutions:

If Gargoyle has been chosen: Shooting Tyranid Shrike (Scything talons and Devourer) [80 exp] or Harpy [220 exp]

If Shooting Tyranid Warrior has been chosen: Shooting Hive Tyrant (Scytalons and TL devourers) [300 exp] or Hive Guard (Impaler Cannon) [100 exp]


Starter 2: Hormagaunt.

First stage Evolutions: Melee Tyranid Warrior (Scytalons and Rending Claws) [100 exp] or Genestealer [50 exp]

Second Stage Evolutions:

If Melee Tyranid Warrior is chosen: Melee Hive Tyrant (Lashwhip/Bonesword and Scytalons) [300 exp] or Carnifex (double Scytalons) [250 exp]

If Genestealer is chosen: Broodlord [50 exp] or Lictor [100 exp]


TO BE CONTINUED

Should jackedup find the concept somewhat good i'll include Ripper Swarm and Spore mine as starters (including evolution lines),Biomorphs and Bioweapons as well as a Legendary Stage 3 Evolution (for some trees)

[jinx]

Jan 18, 2014 14:51:13 GMT mantisstalker said:

That's fine. Wasn't in the codex I got the name from x3

But back to the matter at hand, where has our host gone?

i know it's a wild theory but could it be that he has.................a life outside of the internet O.O

[mantisstalker]

Jan 18, 2014 15:08:47 GMT jinx said:

i know it's a wild theory but could it be that he has.................a life outside of the internet O.O

That sounds like heresy of the highest degree, my friend.

There is no such thing as a 'life' off the Internet (unless it's an offline RPG) :b