Re: Topic of the Tenday
I don't know too many rulesets, so I'm not really good at judging and comparing them. But now that I've gotten into some great DWAITAS games (willvr knows ;) ) I've become quite enamoured of the DWAITAS/Vortex system. Cubicle 7 use it for their Primeval and Rocket Age settings, but it's so flexible I think it could patched it onto a lot of other settings. I think it would be great for Star Trek, as they suit similar ethics and stories, and many settings and campaigns that rely on investigation and RP more than combat.
It's quite rules-light, everything comes down to the same sort of check and difficulties. You roll 2d6 + Attribute + Skill plus any bonuses from Traits and such. Unlike D&D, attributes (ingenuity, awareness, presence, strength, resolve, coordination) are not specific to skills. If you want to find out what's wrong with a machine, roll Awareness + Technology, if you want to fix it, roll Ingenuity + Technology, that sort of thing. It's flexible, so can find always find a combination to suit what you want do. (Microlite d20 and those based on it do something similar.)
Checks are either opposed or against a set difficulty like in D&D, but have a varied scale of results. Roll really high, you get a "Yes, And..." result, meaning you succeed in the task and get a bonus. Just pass or just fail, you get a "Yes, But..." or a "No, But..." meaning you either succeed, but it isn't as good, or you fail, but it isn't as bad. A total failure in a "No, And" means things get much worse. The GM or even players can pick outcomes. So the story can be quite surprising with ups and downs and swings of fortune. A high roll or a high score isn't wasted but gives extra benefit to the PCs, though a GM would have to run a lot on the fly.
Another key part is Story Points. Players and special NPCs can use them to gain bonuses to rolls, reduce the severity of a failure or make it a success, reduce injury, gain clues or nudge the story in certain directions, or do something the rules or common sense don't ordinarily allow. When you really need it, you can be awesome. :D On the other hand, players can gain back story points by accepting negative events like getting captured, doing something heroic, taking an injury, or playing up a character trait at a key point. Or a GM can just reward/bribe the PCs. Players can let themselves be defeated and captured, gain some points, be taken to the enemy's lair, learn their schemes, then use those points to help defeat them. So, SPs can keep the story interesting and dramatic, allows both players and GMs to influence the story. It's all very flexible and story-based.
Traits are like feats and flaws, giving bonuses or penalties, or extra abilities. You can buy psychic powers, alien abilities, all the same way. Some are plot-hooks you can use or the GM can use against you. Some are just personality based and have no direct effect, but if you play them up, you get Story Points or find they have a subtler influence. Play up Impulsive or Insatiable Curiosity, and just find trouble. :)
Combat is underdeveloped, being Doctor Who. Two opposed rolls, flat damage is done. Talkers always go first, before Movers, who go before Doers, and Fighters act last in round. It seems to fall in a heap in an extended, complex conflict, with all the actions and reactions in each phase and penalties for how many times you act, which I think would be difficult to keep track of.
On the other hand, you can weaponise screaming and can defeat your enemies by running away with the well-developed chase rules and stunts. I've found it allows for some amazing parkour scenes. :D
I tried to organise my first tabletop game as a GM last week, running DWAITAS and module oneshots. Sadly, I didn't get a peep of interest.