The Rancor Pit Forum Index
Welcome to The Rancor Pit forums!

The Rancor Pit Forum Index
FAQ   ::   Search   ::   Memberlist   ::   Usergroups   ::   Register   ::   Profile   ::   Log in to check your private messages   ::   Log in

Aliens/predators/stargate crossover campaigns
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The Rancor Pit Forum Index -> Gamemasters -> Aliens/predators/stargate crossover campaigns Goto page 1, 2  Next
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
mastereji
Cadet
Cadet


Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 20
Location: Fort Collins, CO

PostPosted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:47 am    Post subject: Aliens/predators/stargate crossover campaigns Reply with quote

I was just wondering if anyone else has run a crossover campaign that included aliens/predators/stargates and if so some comments on how they ran? Did the Empire control all the stargates? Use the aliens as nasty pawns? Or hire the predators as bounty hunters? Twisted Evil
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Grimace
Captain
Captain


Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Posts: 729
Location: Montana; Big Sky Country

PostPosted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 11:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The most I ever did was use an Alien in my Star Wars game, but I called it a different racial name rather than "Alien". For it's brief back story, I said the group that had it was a group that had gone out to the farthest reaches of the Fringe and had found it on a planet there...the only one they could find. They helped it, so it stays with them and helps them.

But that's been about the extent of crossover than I've done in my games
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
TrueGrit
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant


Joined: 02 Jun 2008
Posts: 54
Location: Leamington, Ont, CAN

PostPosted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grimace wrote:
They helped it, so it stays with them and helps them.

That has got to be one of the...... I dunno, I guess I would have gone a different way if I had a scenario that had a Giger alien in it. The whole, "Its a stray so we gave it some food and now it likes us" routine doesn't ring true.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Grimace
Captain
Captain


Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Posts: 729
Location: Montana; Big Sky Country

PostPosted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, don't get me wrong....it didn't ACT like an "Alien". It had the look, the attributes, the blood, all of that of an "Alien", but it wasn't a xenophobic killing machine. It was mean, but not towards those that helped it. It was intelligent enough to recognize its name, and to do some communication with the small group it was with, so it wasn't quite the monster that was the beasts in the movies.

So while I borrowed the body and the attributes of the Alien monster, I didn't borrow everything from it. My players (who were in a different group than the one that had the "Alien" in it) were more scared of an intelligent Alien than a simple killing machine. And, again, it was a sort of created alien for Star Wars rather than a direct crossover with the typical "Alien" of movie fame.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
TrueGrit
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant


Joined: 02 Jun 2008
Posts: 54
Location: Leamington, Ont, CAN

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah, I understand now.

I never really considered them more then very cunning animals (insects even?). Perhaps the Queens have real intelligence but the aliens themselves always seemed more instinctual to me, rather then smart. Watch a cat hunt and you'll know what I mean - tigers are cunning but certainly aren't intelligent in a sentient sense.

How did it communicate with them? Hand signals? Hissing? Sign?
Did you make consideration for reproduction? Normally it takes a facehugger (awesome little pests) and a "host" to make an alien. Or was it not necessary to have that detail for your scenario? I'm curious now...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mastereji
Cadet
Cadet


Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 20
Location: Fort Collins, CO

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:44 pm    Post subject: things ive done with aliens, etc Reply with quote

I have some old d20 data on the aliens as a species and thier natures, abilitities, etc and they seem to very intelligent because they have a hive mind with the queen. Anyways, in one of my campaigns i used them as elite agents of a powerful sith sorcerer who happened upon a nest of eggs with facehuggers who use his dark arts and command of the force to manipulate them and their "new hosts" that he provided for them. I had most of them tainted with dark side energies but several of them became independent of the hive and he then trained them in the sith arts, thus making them sith acolytes that wielded lightsabers on top of all their other nasty attacks, the one thing i changed was their size, in that they remained medium size.

Basically, my players really really didnt like them especially the first time they came across them. Imagine being surrounded by multiple xenomorphs in red sith robes who then ignite their lightsabers. The look on all their faces was priceless. Needless to say they are nasty and I don't go that route too often.

Also, i can see your point on having a friendly one, especially a "red" one. My data states that there is an offshoot of aliens that are red in color and oppose the other ones and seek out and kill the opposing queens.

My group even sought out a "hive" of the red ones to aid them and they eventually were successful and the red ones helped them eliminate the dark side aliens and their master.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Grimace
Captain
Captain


Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Posts: 729
Location: Montana; Big Sky Country

PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TrueGrit wrote:


How did it communicate with them? Hand signals? Hissing? Sign?
Did you make consideration for reproduction? Normally it takes a facehugger (awesome little pests) and a "host" to make an alien. Or was it not necessary to have that detail for your scenario? I'm curious now...


It communicated with hisses, growls and other types of sounds that the group learned to understand, just as it learned to understand Basic.

And no, I didn't make consideration for reproduction. The scenario it appeared in didn't go to the extent of more than a day or two of interaction with the PCs, so it wasn't necessary to deal with things like "what it ate, how it reproduced, and how they dealt with injuries to it". Basically, in the game, the PCs worked with the other group for a day, then realized the group had a bit more selfish plans, and ditched them. The group with the "Alien" in it, of course, wasn't happy about the ditching and tried to get back at the PCs, but the PCs were more than cautious with the Alien and cleverly locked it in a place, along with a couple of other members of its team, that they couldn't get out of.

In the end, the PCs got away, blew up the installation, and it was never known if the other group managed to get away in time. Needless to say, if that particular group had stayed together (player-wise) they would have had an enemy of another group...one with an Alien in it. Twisted Evil

Alas, I never got to use it again.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
ironwolf56
Cadet
Cadet


Joined: 13 Feb 2004
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TrueGrit wrote:
aren't intelligent in a sentient sense.


Argh this is a pet peeve of mine, the word you're looking for is not sentient it's sapient. Anything that can perceive individuality (meaning can tell the difference between itself and things not itself) is sentient. Sapient means capable of problem solving and more advanced thought. It's not an all or nothing thing either, it's more a scale. So a cat is somewhat sapient too but nowhere near a human. Interesting side fact, modern humans are not Homo Sapiens, that can refer to many types of hominids like Neanderthals (Homo Sapiens Neanderthalis), we're actually Homo Sapiens Sapiens. But uhh anthropology rant over..back on topic.

Aliens from the aliens movie (called Xenomorphs by the way if you wanted to know, with the quasi-official scientific name of Linguafoeda Acheronsis) are kinda like space ants. So yes, they're a more instinctual, hierarchal species. The "common" type much less sapient than praetorian subtype (the kind with the longer skulls that guard the Queen) and Queens.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Ankhanu
Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral


Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 3089
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ironwolf56 wrote:
... Interesting side fact, modern humans are not Homo Sapiens, that can refer to many types of hominids like Neanderthals (Homo Sapiens Neanderthalis), we're actually Homo Sapiens Sapiens. But uhh anthropology rant over..back on topic.

Aliens from the aliens movie (called Xenomorphs by the way if you wanted to know, with the quasi-official scientific name of Linguafoeda Acheronsis) are kinda like space ants. So yes, they're a more instinctual, hierarchal species. The "common" type much less sapient than praetorian subtype (the kind with the longer skulls that guard the Queen) and Queens.


Only the genus name is capitalized.
Taxonomist rant over Wink
_________________
Hotaru no Hishou; a messageboard about games, friends and nothing at all.

Donate to Ankhanu Press
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger
masque
Captain
Captain


Joined: 16 Mar 2006
Posts: 626
Location: Houston, TX

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ironwolf56 wrote:
Interesting side fact, modern humans are not Homo Sapiens, that can refer to many types of hominids like Neanderthals (Homo Sapiens Neanderthalis), we're actually Homo Sapiens Sapiens.

As long as we're being taxonomical, Razz it's actually Homo sapiens sapiens. The genus (Homo) gets capitalized, the species (sapiens) does not.

EDIT: Dammit, I had that typed, but then I had to go lock out a valve, so you beat me to it.
_________________
Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address Yahoo Messenger
Esoomian
High Admiral
High Admiral


Joined: 29 Oct 2003
Posts: 6207
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ironwolf56 wrote:
TrueGrit wrote:
aren't intelligent in a sentient sense.


Argh this is a pet peeve of mine, the word you're looking for is not sentient it's sapient. Anything that can perceive individuality (meaning can tell the difference between itself and things not itself) is sentient. Sapient means capable of problem solving and more advanced thought. It's not an all or nothing thing either, it's more a scale. So a cat is somewhat sapient too but nowhere near a human. Interesting side fact, modern humans are not Homo Sapiens, that can refer to many types of hominids like Neanderthals (Homo Sapiens Neanderthalis), we're actually Homo Sapiens Sapiens. But uhh anthropology rant over..back on topic.

Aliens from the aliens movie (called Xenomorphs by the way if you wanted to know, with the quasi-official scientific name of Linguafoeda Acheronsis) are kinda like space ants. So yes, they're a more instinctual, hierarchal species. The "common" type much less sapient than praetorian subtype (the kind with the longer skulls that guard the Queen) and Queens.


It's a pet peeve of mine too.

And even the 'common' xenomorphs display reasoning and problem solving skills, especially in Aliens 4 when several xenomorphs killed another xenomorph in order to release enough acidic blood to escape.

Anyway back on topic if you search older threads here on the pit you'll find quite a few crossover threads. I recall one had a Jedi needing to borrow a blaster pistol because a lightsaber is the wrong weapon to use on something that bleeds acid (which always had me wondering how acid clots or why xenomorphs don't bleed to death)
_________________
Don't waste money on expensive binoculars.

Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
obidancer
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander


Joined: 20 Mar 2004
Posts: 230
Location: New York, NY

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

that's the prime example why it's so great to be a member of this forum... I just love you, guys. No joke.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger
hisham
Commander
Commander


Joined: 06 Oct 2004
Posts: 432
Location: Malaysia

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 9:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Esoomian wrote:
(which always had me wondering how acid clots or why xenomorphs don't bleed to death)


This was addressed by the Alien novelization. "Bleeding acid" is nothing more than hyperbole. The acid is supposed to be just part of the skin structure, sandwiched and pressurized between two layers of polysaccharides IIRC, which causes it to spurt when breached. It's more like a defense mechanism.
_________________
The Enteague Sector | Cracken's Collection of Crackpots
In D6, of course.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Esoomian
High Admiral
High Admiral


Joined: 29 Oct 2003
Posts: 6207
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow thanks for that! I'd been idly wondering about that for ages!
_________________
Don't waste money on expensive binoculars.

Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
hisham
Commander
Commander


Joined: 06 Oct 2004
Posts: 432
Location: Malaysia

PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 10:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Esoomian wrote:
Wow thanks for that! I'd been idly wondering about that for ages!
However much the explanation actually makes sense there, I think it's been overriden by the rest of the movie franchise which has everyone saying "ZOMG! ACID FOR BLOOD!" and no one corrected them by saying otherwise.

Especially in Alien Resurrection, where 1) They had the aliens on hand for study 2) Those aliens can also spit acid, thus negating the skin defense mechanism argument.

Sigh.
_________________
The Enteague Sector | Cracken's Collection of Crackpots
In D6, of course.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The Rancor Pit Forum Index -> Gamemasters All times are GMT - 4 Hours
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group


v2.0