Agreed!!! Keep up the fantastic, high quality work!

It's one of those IPs where people want to deal with the xenomorphes but will get tired of it if every challenge is a xenomorph... But then again will get upset if a xenomorph is not involved. I actually got a boardgame called Nemesis which 99% copies the aliens IP. But they couldn't get the license so thankfully now they are able to design and implement an unimaginable amount of cosmic horrors and suspense into the game and it's upcoming expansions. So not being limited to the IP actually worked in it's favor

@@crushingit5128 Yeah, you can't really have an Alien universe, without using the element that made it the Alien universe in the first place. Without xenos related elements, it's just another generic Sci-Fi universe.

@@thrrax Yeah nothing outside of them is really all that interesting. It might make forr a better one shot or shorter campgains. Or you could just put the characters through an extended one with the Xenos that just goes from bad to worse as time goes on. IE Alien on your ship, ship is brought to earth or whatever human planet, it escapes and becomes queen and now the planet begins to become overrun.

@@Chaogod1233 I heavily disagree with this and thrrax's sentiment. The setting has immense potential aside from the xenomorph, and it is this nearsightedness that has reduced the previously formidable perfect killer into cannon fodder in most modern media that depict the monster. Having a single alien terrorise humans is exciting the first time around, but after a while the excitement wears off and at some point the human inevitably picks up the gun. No one is brave enough to explore or develop the "generic sci-fi setting" because if there is one thing alien fans seem to hate it is developing lore. Prometheus and Covenant are good examples of this. They tried to expand the universe, but they knew whiny fans would hate it if everything wasn't about the alien, so they made it about the alien and fans hated it for ruining the mystery. Most alien fans seem content getting the first alien movie over and over instead, where every noun is just a word without any meaning, every object exists to not be explained and to be at best nothing more than a plot device and every set is either a dark iron corridor or a dark iron room, because god forbid there is anything interesting in a room besides the alien. The rule book does what should theoretically be great for fans: it expands the world around the aliens, without ruining revered "the mystery" behind the alien. "Nah, it's just a generic sci-fi universe, who gives a shit." After all this ranting, I concede by saying that I do get it. I love the xenomorph, it is one of my favourite monsters of all time and if I go see a movie titled as such I expect to see the alien in it. However, if I am given a movie or tv-series that doesn't have "alien" in the title, and the only ties to them are the megacorps, visual and sound design, ruling factions, technology and general atmosphere, I would definitely give that a shot over something that tries to be the first alien movie but fails horribly because ultimately no one wants the same movie twice but different. At that point these people might as well just keep watching the first one that got everything right everytime a new movie comes out. And before anyone tries to get me with the epic "gotcha": *"But it's literally called the ALIEN RPG, the monster should be the focus then!"* If you can come up with an alternative name for the RPG, that isn't a mouthful and clearly explains what IP it is based on, go ahead and email Fria Ligan.

Nice!

Thank you, my mistake!

Hey, do you think this works well as a oneshot?

I would think so, but a long session

Hey I agree, but what did you mean by "a generic alien creator book"

@@BuggSmasher another third party alien creature creator. Maybe GURPS space etc. a way to create aliens other than the ones in the Alien universe.

If you're in need of more creatures/threats, I think you should use other movies, and use whatever is going on there! Example: - Moontrap - Lifeforce - Prince of Darkness - Screamers - Virus - Species - Event Horizon - Necrons (from "Chronicles of Riddick") - Infini Maybe something with Terminators, a rogue faction on a far away colony, living in peace, even with humans, but if humans find out, they have to kill everyone to make sure nobody else finds out about them. Because their technology. And "you" found out about them. And they still like to use their Phased Plasma Rifle with a 40-Watt Range...

Thanks, glad I could help!

Personally, my ideal canon is Alien, Alien: Isolation, and Aliens, and honestly I could likely make due without Aliens. Not that it isn't an amazing film, but tbh it was the first nail in the xenomorph's coffin. Aside from Alien 3, which is a decent film (director's cut), everything following Aliens makes them basically keepaway target practice, and I much prefer the horror of a single perfect killer to being outnumbered by a bunch of moderately decent killers.

I would like something akin to Aliens: Stronghold. It was my first Alien Comic, yet still my favourite story. Whilst it does reduce the Xenos to being a bit more like mindless hive swarms, it still has enough world-building outside of that which could work well for a RPG Scenario (especially if the players haven't read the comic). Maybe for a smaller group though, such as a GM and 2 players being the Phil and Joy Strunk.

A man of class I see!

Haha! Thanks. Yeah I don’t know. lol

Dee Muffi thank you!

Awesome! Glad I could help.

Thanks! Glad the video was helpful!

Whoa, thanks!

Agreed.

NefariousKoel oh wow, that didn't occur to me but you're right! Thanks!

Yeah, I agree that this book is not perfect but the underlying game is well-designed. It's Year Zero Engine, so it's inherently a bit simplistic and abstract, but the alternative is crunchiness, which can slow down gameplay and turn away new players.

@@DaveThaumavore I am always for more story and less simulation in roleplaying games, especially with games that come with a certain atmosphere, like KULT for example, which now runs on Apocalypse which is a much better fit in my opinion. Just sometimes I like a little more precision when it comes to basic abilities of characters. Being smart doesn't mean you're also perceptive and so on. Buuut anyway: read more and am still thrilled. When I'm reading a rulebook and I'm already planning the first steps of a campaign or scenario, I'm pretty sure it's done right. :) I might even consider watching Covenant without bailing after half of the movie, for strictly investigative and scientific purposes of course...

Fred Daniel That’s a pretty fun proposition: run Traveller but then pop in some xenos. Surprise! We’ve been playing in the Alien universe!

Yeah I’m really happy that FL has started supporting their games on VTTs. Good luck on your sessions!

nkane81 Thanks! Yeah, QC on more complex videos take a hit. At least until I can hire some staff! j/k

Dave Thaumavore - no worries, I can tell how many layers you put in there during the edit. But really superb breakdown, especially on the stress mechanic.

Yes, yes and yes.

If i remember right. Predators are not canon in the Alien universe.

@@magnuswendin7924 I know. Aliens vs Predator 2 is my favorite game and I love the story and characters from it.

Yeah it does bear similarities to Traveller. It also reminded me of ship combat in Star Trek Adventures. It’s just so odd to see it in this game. I haven’t heard of anyone actually using it in their Alien sessions.

@@DaveThaumavore Thanks for the reply!! If I were to to a guess as to why we haven't heard of it being used it would be bc, we have never seen ship combat in any of the movies. Sure Hudson, goes on a long spiel about what the colonial marines are packing, but we never actually see space combat. I do want to try this game (that's in no small part, thanks to your review 👍) especially for Halloween. I'm just wondering what to kinda of use as inspiration to keep ship combat tense and scary, if that can even be done.

I think that would be money well-spent.

Yes, you’re right. I got the labels screwed up there.

Yeah, it’s pretty easy to find xeno artwork for one’s table that fits anyone’s personal preference.

Still plenty of milky spewage from Ash :)

I added that to the errata in the pinned comment. Thanks.

Mysteries should reveal more mysteries. The prequels actually did that which is why I think they're underrated (wonky editing/structure in them excluded).

It leaves you enough room to remove them if you want to. I have reworked them with little effort (the black goo is derived from the alien in my game, the prequels don't exist).

Yeah it’s a really interesting question. You’re right that the universe is not presented in the movies, comics and novels as a space opera. But this game, as written, seems to try and push it as one. I think the game actually provides the support for a wide-ranging space opera type of game, but it’s confusing in the sense that the Alien universe has never been presented in such a way. If you have players who want to really Dig In to the Alien universe and not just fight xenos every session, then you’re in luck. Otherwise the game still works as a xeno-fighting one-shot machine.

Damn, you are absolutely correct. I mistyped it and then produced it incorrectly. Arrrgh. Thanks for the fix.

Nah, you’re totally correct. I’ve added your find to the Errata in the pinned comment. Thanks for the note.

@@DaveThaumavore Don't feel bad! Heck, I was worried my mind was slipping after all this time! ;) I thought your video was great! It actually helped me desire to get the game! :)

If I recall correctly, the 6 supersedes.

From what I've read in the book, they eat metal.

The same company made both games, so calling this a "ripoff" is unfair. Why create a completely new mechanic for space combat if they already have one that's perfectly fine?

@@MrAttentionHorse then why would I buy this new game if I already have something that works the same?

@@alexfiettaCause an RPG game isnt just the mechanics, its mainly the setting, tone and feel. Also, the system is different than Coriolis in ground combat. Its also way deadlier.

@@MrAttentionHorse Is the system actually more deadly? Looks like you would have to lose ALL hit points, and then there is a 11% chance of death. That might be less deadly than DnD or several other systems. I guess if you throw them into a meat-grinder with a bunch of xenomorphs, then yeah, but you can do that with any game I think. I don't know much about this system though so maybe there are some things I'm not considering?