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Released at Christmas 2002, I picked up a copy of GURPS:Alpha Centauri as well as the GURPS basic rules. Here is my take on this new game!
Based on the Firaxis Alpha Centauri Computer Game Published by Sid Meier and Brian Reynolds, GURPS: Alpha Centauri is the tabletop roleplaying version of this awesome computer game. It was my first gaming buy of the new year, and a good one at that!
It is difficult to imagine a more comprehensive and dynamic science fiction adventure than one where interstellar colonization, the rebuilding of human civilization, multiple alien species from diverse backgrounds, and the transcendence of humanity are bundled into one grand epic.
That background and the GURPS supporting material is excellent, I was pleased all the factions from Alien Crossfire were included as well in the reference material. Some explanations in the book actually helped me clear up some misconceptions I had about the computer game.
Alpha Centauri is pretty much the sole reason I chose to add GURPS into my RPG Library of games to GM. That being said, GURPS is incredibly easy to learn, for example; It took me about an hour to generate my first character, 45 minutes for the second, 30 minutes for the third, and after that about 20-25 minutes for each subsequent character. Many thanks for the good organization and thorough table of contents, and detailed indexes in both books. It is a refreshing change from the veiled and far ranging books of D20.
I didn't choose to use the scenario editor in the computer game to build an RPG campaign, instead, I picked a faction (University), and began to play taking a few screenshots (maps & faction data) every few turns to build a story line. Planetfall began in the Garland crater, and things got real interesting around 2160 or so... up until this time University built five colonies and had made contact with the Ursurpers(Aliens), the Nautilus Pirates, The Data Jack Faction, and the Cybernetic Consciousness.
The sixth colony, with a rover unit was outbound on a transport foil to locate a Unity supply pod on an island about 1,000 clicks to the west of Garland Crater, when an incident developed on the mainland involving a compromised probe team and the Usurpers. With the result being that the Usurpers declared a Vendetta and launched a pre-emptive attack with numerous speeder companies, and Usurper infantry against the University who had colony garrisons, a few scouts, and a couple speeder units, but was more or less unprepared for a full scale war.
The first round of RPG gaming will begin with the players taking on roles with the Rover unit and the sixth Colony on the transport foil that is westbound. Their mission: To recover the Unity Supply Pod. I would say more, however, in addition to playing this here at home, this looks like a fine addition for an event at Origins 2003, and I don't want to spoil it for those of you that may be in on the gaming round this summer.
Tschaikovsky Colony - A Double Session at Origins 2003 Saturday the 28th at 9:00 pm and Sunday the 29th at 8:00 am
If you are looking to adapt AC material to your sci-fi game it's a pretty good choice as well. Here's a page breakdown of content by subject:
Subject - percentage of content
Factions - 25%
Tech & Secret Projects - ~ 25%
Hardware - 12%
Planet - 10%
Characters - 8%
Appendix - Tech & Conversions ~8%
Campaigns - 5%
Index & Misc - 5%
Backstory - ~2%
The focus is on the AC setting, but is applicable to most spacefaring colonization games.
My opinion is that the hardware and character development section deserved more treatment (and pages), however, you can only fit so much into 128 pages, and in my opinion they did a fine job with that, and it is easily expandible with just a bit of additional work.