Starmada

[Echo35 (OP)]

Yeah, I know this has to do with Starfire, but it doesn't have to do with SA, so I didn't know where else to put it. I've been playing Aurora a lot lately (Just started last week) and am really loving it. I also happen to have some local friends who are into wargaming (One of whom owns 1st and 2nd editions of Starfire), and after becoming more familiar with Aurora, I was interested in Starfire 3rd Edition. I found an unpunched set of it and all but one or two of the expansions for $80, and will probably get it simply because I'm a sucker for sci-fi, but, I do have questions about it. How does it play, on an operational level (My friend only ever did the ship combat, never a big game), and how does it compare to Aurora in terms of game mechanics?

[James Patten]

Are you asking about how Starmada plays or Starfire plays?

I cannot answer about Starmada, but friends of mine and I played Starfire quite a bit many years ago, on a campaign level.  I found it extremely labor intensive to record everything, and as your empire grew the amount of time it took to figure everything out grew.  This was before I had a computer, so I did it all on paper.  Now even with a spreadsheet it's pretty intensive.

Aurora was built because Steve used to write a computer program for Starfire (on his own), but then had disagreements with the owners of Starfire so he started on Aurora, building off of the program he'd built but going his own way with his own rules.

So think of everything Aurora does automatically (the economy, maintenance, population growth, ship/fleet movement, and so forth) and imagine doing it yourself manually.  That's what Starfire is like.

[Erik L]

I've got the Starmada rules, but haven't looked at them in ages.

[Echo35 (OP)]

Are you asking about how Starmada plays or Starfire plays?

I cannot answer about Starmada, but friends of mine and I played Starfire quite a bit many years ago, on a campaign level.  I found it extremely labor intensive to record everything, and as your empire grew the amount of time it took to figure everything out grew.  This was before I had a computer, so I did it all on paper.  Now even with a spreadsheet it's pretty intensive.

Aurora was built because Steve used to write a computer program for Starfire (on his own), but then had disagreements with the owners of Starfire so he started on Aurora, building off of the program he'd built but going his own way with his own rules.

So think of everything Aurora does automatically (the economy, maintenance, population growth, ship/fleet movement, and so forth) and imagine doing it yourself manually.  That's what Starfire is like.

Yeah, I meant to say Starfire, but a friend and I were just talking about Starmada, so I said that on accident But yes, I am interested in knowing more about Starfire.

[Charlie Beeler]

I know that your asking honest questions.  But a word to the wise, Starfire 3rdR is a touchy subject for many of the veteran players, me included. 

The short answer is that Aurora is what has evolved from a split with Starfire Design Studio(SDS) over differences on where 3rdR should go with a major rewrite. 

[Echo35 (OP)]

I know that your asking honest questions.  But a word to the wise, Starfire 3rdR is a touchy subject for many of the veteran players, me included. 

The short answer is that Aurora is what has evolved from a split with Starfire Design Studio(SDS) over differences on where 3rdR should go with a major rewrite. 

I thought that was 4th, which I refuse to buy, but I guess some stuff happened with 3rd too. You don't have to answer, just curious

[Erik L]

I thought that was 4th, which I refuse to buy, but I guess some stuff happened with 3rd too. You don't have to answer, just curious

Aurora was born out of disagreements between Steve and the owner of Starfire over 3rd.

[procyon]

I'm not to burdened by the past issues, so I'll go ahead and wander out on this limb.

Starfire 3e can be a pretty fun game, even at the operational (campaign) level.  But most of the economic rules aren't in the 'normal' 3rd Ed book.
Most of the econ rules are in Imperial Starfire (which can be hard to find and kind of pricey when you do).  There is also SM#2 with a bunch of revised econ rules.

I like the ISF rules with 3e Starfire.  Our current campaigns are 5e (Nemesis Camp in the Starfire Fiction section), but the wife and kids all cut their teeth on the old 1e baggies and worked up to 3eR.

I have never played Aurora, but like to read the fiction and other sections.  It looks WAY more in depth than Starfire.  But I suspect the computer takes up a lot of the work.
Starfire can become a monster on its own in the economics/logistics, and huge battles can take a great deal of work.  But it is also a huge amount of fun.

Just read the fiction from Steve or Kurt in the Starfire fiction section for example (awesome examples!) of what a 3e game can be.

Hope this helps a little.

[Echo35 (OP)]

I'm not to burdened by the past issues, so I'll go ahead and wander out on this limb.

Starfire 3e can be a pretty fun game, even at the operational (campaign) level.  But most of the economic rules aren't in the 'normal' 3rd Ed book.
Most of the econ rules are in Imperial Starfire (which can be hard to find and kind of pricey when you do).  There is also SM#2 with a bunch of revised econ rules.

I like the ISF rules with 3e Starfire.  Our current campaigns are 5e (Nemesis Camp in the Starfire Fiction section), but the wife and kids all cut their teeth on the old 1e baggies and worked up to 3eR.

I have never played Aurora, but like to read the fiction and other sections.  It looks WAY more in depth than Starfire.  But I suspect the computer takes up a lot of the work.
Starfire can become a monster on its own in the economics/logistics, and huge battles can take a great deal of work.  But it is also a huge amount of fun.

Just read the fiction from Steve or Kurt in the Starfire fiction section for example (awesome examples!) of what a 3e game can be.

Hope this helps a little.

It does, thanks! I expect Aurora to be a ton more complicated than Starfire, seeing as it does live on a computer after all But I do love me my table top games, as do some friends of mine, and we're always looking for ways to blow each other up.

[Shinanygnz]

You can still download Starfire Assistant from this board.
http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php/topic,730.0.html
Makes running a campaign way easier.