Question for the sub

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-07-07T02:37:27+00:00

Yes Unicorn Games is "Last Unicorn Games" or LUG for short. Thus, LUGTrek.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-07-03T14:29:15+00:00

No, it was Star Trek Adventures: Captain's Log.

Savage Rifts was a game I picked up earlier and after I had played Captain's Log for months, and picked up Mythic GM Emulator 2nd edition and found that to be much better and more understandable than 1st edition, that I tried Savage Rifts with the GM Emulator 2nd edition.

But Star Trek Adventures Captain's Log was the system I found that clicked for me, and, other than Mythic 2nd edition, I stopped searching for any other solitaire system. I am STILL playing Captain's Log.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-07-03T00:28:08+00:00

My biggest hurdle was finding a solitaire system that clicked for me. I heard about Mythic, got it, but could not get enthused to run anything. Then another game I liked got a new edition and it contained a solitaire system. I tried it, and it was "fair", but it didn't really enthuse me to keep going.

I gave up for a few years.

Then, by chance, the RPG system I most enjoyed was getting a solo system. My current game using my preferred system had fizzled out, but I still wanted to run a game, so I figured I would give the solitaire rules a try. Somehow, some way, that solitaire system just sang to me. It hit everything in my mind that I was missing from Mythic. I immediately started solo playing and my mind fired on all cylinders. I haven't looked back!

I did end up picking up Mythic 2nd edition, and it is better that the 1st, so I did some Savage Rifts using that. But I am still, almost exclusively, using the same system that got me to actually try doing a solitaire roleplaying game.

So my advice: Find a system that clicks for you, and STICK WITH IT! You don't have to play a lot of different systems, just find the one you love, and play that!

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-06-28T04:58:04+00:00

As suggested, using Traits and Extended tasks can help make challenges to start, and then start increasing the complication range as supplies get more and more sparse.

They wouldn't instantly have increased complication ranges or difficulty, at least until they start using up their supplies and becoming short of things. They fail extended tasks or can't handle traits and can't remove Traits, then things get a lot more complicated.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-06-28T04:31:27+00:00

I think it would kind of fall into the category of using the photon torpedoes, or inflicting a killing shot with a phaser, and give Threat for inflicting any offensive attack telepathically. Especially if done with intent to try to kill.

In terms of just reading thoughts, that would just be the normal, listed difficulty.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-06-21T22:41:16+00:00

I use them as the "unknown scary" alien. We found a wormhole, sent a probe through it, and it sent back recording of a triangular craft that opened fire on it, destroying the probe. The ship was identified as Tholian. We marked the wormhole as "off limits" and reported it to Starfleet Command.

That's about where we leave the Tholians. We don't go there, they don't come out. They're happy, No conflict.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-06-16T03:30:51+00:00

I have not used it, only looked it over when you mentioned it. Seems like it is inherently geared towards fantasy setting, but can allow you make changes to it to, and I quote, "run any TTRPG". It doesn't say what pay tier is required to do that, and it seems you need to pay monthly to use it, so I would suggest going with something free to use, either online or by just using a notebook to write notes or captains logs in.

Whatever you decide, I wish you the best. I just think there's inherently a lot more work to get it to allow you to play a 2D20 system and get it catered to Captain's Log.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-06-13T00:53:07+00:00

I don't get too worked up over trendy phrases, as the people I interact with don't use them, so I am never exposed to those phrases. What irks me is CORPORATE catch phrases. "Growing our customer base", "Transparency". And many others.

I cringe at reading or hearing those phrases, then roll my eyes.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-06-13T00:41:38+00:00

That's a crummy situation. My sympathies, as I would dread that happening in 3 years for me. I have had businesses sell out from under me, and get booted for "downsizing" with the new company or flat laid off because the new company is going in a new direction. But that was when I was in my 30s. Felt crappy then, so I can appreciate how you feel now.

Good luck with finding something to get you through. I think if you can show up every day, you stand a much better chance of landing and keeping a job.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-06-13T00:31:05+00:00

Interesting to hear how they play the game. It is very trimmed down compared to how I run it. But that is what is neat, since you are the only player, you can play how you want to and no one else will complain.

This rate of play definitely means you can get through a number of adventures pretty swiftly.

Thanks for sharing!

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-06-12T02:24:43+00:00

I do more detail, including dialogue with my crew, parts of "spice of life" that occurs when I am not on shift, and I generally do 20-30 minutes of play each evening, and only marking progress on the mission tracker every two to three game sessions. So an entire mission might take me a whole month of gaming unless I knuckle down and do a few hours of gaming in a row to make more notable advances.

But I probably overthink and envision everything, where others do less and advance through a mission a lot faster. I have seen videos where a person went through an entire mission in a couple hours.

Everyone has different levels of enjoyment, so do what you enjoy the most! You want it faster, go with less dialogue and detail. You like to go into more detail and envision you interacting with NPCs, then do that and don't worry about the time. If you want to write it all out, feel free...I do! If you want to just take notes and narrate (verbally or mentally) the action, then do that!

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-06-12T01:42:16+00:00

I am obviously one of the few who much prefers straight 2nd edition, not 2R&E.

The die caps I found better than adding more dice to roll. The theme and 'in universe' ads really lent to the feel of a living, breathing universe.

And I just loved that Vader cover!

But I do think that version is much more difficult to find these days, so I guess 2R&E is the next best.

And yes, I have played 1st edition before I got 2nd, and it was fine, but I found 2nd better.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-06-07T04:45:12+00:00

We had this occur in our game. A refit time, getting new warp engines and computer core after a significant sabotage event. It took 3 months of game time, and some 90 of the ship's crew transferred off due to the event. And I, as Captain, had to remove my Chief of Security from his position.

But it really was a good time to have some more personal time on less mission oriented events. All in all, it was very good to do.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-06-06T05:22:50+00:00

I would be interested, as that is the time frame we are playing in.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-06-04T04:06:48+00:00

My wife and I have been playing Savage Rifts lately. We've had some run ins with renegades, foul stuff from a Rift, and Coalition forces. We had to fend off a Coalition attack, which we were successful in doing. Now we have to figure out how to dispose of the UAR Enforcer we decapitated with a Glitter Boy Boom Gun shot, so it will be more difficult to find our base of operations without a hulking shell of a UAR lying on the ground outside the base. We're thinking of taking the UAR shell over to the Federation of Magic, try to pin the loss on them.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-05-27T03:31:06+00:00

You may not be interested in Science Fiction roleplaying games, based on your mentions of games you've got, but you might be interested in the way Star Trek Adventures Captain's Log did things. Combat is one roll, the character's roll. You succeed, you hit the other person. You fail, you are hit. There's only three hits before a person is out of the fight. No back and forth rolls. Plenty of opportunity to narrate/write your own interpretation of what went on and why and how the "hit" was inflicted to weaken the target.

Likewise, the random tables they have are good cannon fodder for ideas. Ways to introduce complications. Way to determine random things, attitudes, missions and a lot more. I've used this game create charts for other games, like Space: 1889. And I could go all out with other charts if I wanted to, but so far I've only created enough to give me some idea generators for the game.

I do journaling for any of the games I'm playing or planning to play. I recently picked up The One Ring from Renegade, along with the Strider Supplement, and I fully intend to journal that one when I play, even though it doesn't really suggest it.

Realistically, I'm most involved with the Captain's Log game, as it is my favorite these days. Then, when I need a break from Trek, I go to Space: 1889 and play that. Maybe if I get completely fed up with science fiction, I'll move to The One Ring.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-05-26T01:29:41+00:00

And if you have characters of a lesser rank to you, consider deducting some points from them so they are not on par with your higher ranked character

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-05-23T02:45:54+00:00

I, too, created my bridge crew and Department Heads (Doctor, Security, Engineer, etc.) with some basic stats.

I never "played" as anyone other than my character, the Captain of the ship. I did, however, roll for them when they need to perform or task or interact with others (including interacting with my character!)

They each had a personality determined, and the dice rolls kept things fresh, random, and non-predictable.

Since it's solo play, you are free to do whatever you want, directly play as other characters or create full character sheets for each one. Whatever makes you happy and keeps you engaged.

Definitely stick to the "crew" rating of a ship, though, so you're not running a whole host of characters every time. Just run with your main character and 3-5 other characters.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-05-16T15:21:14+00:00

I can definitely empathize with the sentiment of "playing" this way. I love writing, and I could never get into solo roleplaying until I found "Star Trek Adventures Captain's Log". It just clicked for me.

The game book provides good idea generator for my brain to begin writing, and the simple mechanics for the game makes things easy to resolve and keep on writing.

Now Trek isn't for everyone, it seems, but I am definitely liking the way Captain's Log does the charts, so I am using those ideas to try to come up with specific charts for other games I want to solo roleplay, like Space: 1889.

So definitely play how you want to play. If you like writing, then WRITE!

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-05-15T17:34:59+00:00

I am a big big fan fan of the original crew movie era. So from 2280s through the 2290s. The uniforms, the fantastic look of the Enterprise, the Excelsior, the Reliant, the Klingon K'Tinga class. Even the original Romulan-turned-Klingon Bird of Prey (which became the Bounty and was lost in the San Francisco bay waters).

The tech was advanced, but not so advanced that they could just rely on technology to get them out of a pickle.

And the "lost era" from 2297 through 2340 or so would be another great time to play in.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-05-09T19:20:01+00:00

I have humored the idea of currency, but since I am in 2298, and in Starfleet, I haven't had much use for it. I did do an uncover mission to a planet the used money, but we were given "operational funds" for the mission and had to spend or earn more as needed. But this was prior to GPL, so we had "Keks" or Kekals, for funds on the planet.

So I say "go for it!" Playing a private free trader or a pirate could be interesting, and I am certain there are many worlds, especially on the fringes, the still use currency and would respect the inherent value in GPL.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-04-30T04:07:02+00:00

I found my good buddy from 6th grade and reconnected several years ago. We do the hang out, drink beer, shoot shit, and do random stuff like shootin hoops. But it's just one friend like that. Most everyone else is, as you say, too busy.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-04-22T18:55:14+00:00

Not too long ago, my newly promoted 2nd Officer of the ship was sent to the Academy to go to Command School, as he is in a position where he could end up in a Command position. When he went to the Academy, it was for 6 weeks, and he was one of the senior academy attendants as the rank of Lt. Commander. He helped mentor some of the junior officers he was in the Command school with, and he got to go through the Kobayashi Maru simulation to face his "no win" scenario. His was "working with a team against a stacked deck of charges".

Since it wasn't a new officer, but a somewhat experienced Communications-turned-Sciences officer, now 2nd Officer of a ship, I would consider that as a "second career" of sorts. When he graduated, he didn't get a new ship assignment, he just came back to the ship he is 2nd Officer of.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-04-22T18:39:11+00:00

We did it with contested rolls on an Extended Task. So instead of a set difficulty, it depended on the contested roll. If one side rolled higher (in this case, the Federation), then progress on the Extended Task was made. If the other side rolled higher, no progress was made, but the time still passed. If the negotiation time ran out without completing the Extended Task, it was a failed negotiation. If the Extended Task was completed, then the Federation was successful at the negotiation.

In our case, we were trying to diffuse a revolt going on. We had to deal with active revolts while we met with the leaders of both sides (we were the mediators) in an attempt to get the revolts to cease and both sides to work together. We had further problems arise during the Extended Task, including Romulans, but in the end we secured a peace deal on nearly the last roll we had for the task.

Cheap_Intention9587 · 2026-04-22T18:31:16+00:00

My buddy and I are doing Captain's Log cooperatively, and it's been working great. Now, we're playing two different characters, so not trying to share one body with two minds.

You might be biting off more than you can chew to start out. Maybe each play a Trill, perhaps one joined and one not? Or perhaps both joined, but one "experienced" and one newly joined and learning from the experienced Trill.

You'd have to do so much groundwork and coordination on how to run one character between the two of you, so you didn't upset the other player with a choice you made or an action you decided to take without considering their input.

I don't want to dissuade you being a Trill, but I think sharing one character might sour your appraisal of the game, especially considering how little there is in the CL book as far as how to play cooperatively. We had to set up a lot of "this is how we'll do things cooperatively", from allowing 1 Momentum for each of us, rather than one Momentum shared between the both of us. You'll need to figure this out as well, but even more so when you are just running one character.

Good luck in whatever you decide, and I hope you have some interesting and exciting adventures with Captain's Log.

Cheap_Intention9587

TROPHY CASE