Eclipse Phase is a science fiction horror role-playing game with transhumanist themes. It was originally published by Catalyst Game Labs, and is now published by the game's creators, Posthuman Studios,[1]: 388 and is released under a Creative Commons license.
| The Roleplaying Game of Transhuman Conspiracy and Horror | |
|---|---|
 2nd Edition cover 2019 | |
| Designers | Rob Boyle |
| Publishers | |
| Publication | August 23, 2009 |
| Genres | Science fiction |
| Systems | d100/percentile |
| Website | www |
| ISBN | 978-0984583508 |
Setting
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (March 2021) |
Eclipse Phase is a science fiction horror[2] role-playing game with transhumanist, post-apocalyptic, and conspiracy themes.[3][4]
The game is set after a World War III project to create artificial intelligence known as TITANs has gone rogue, resulting in the deaths of over 90% of the inhabitants of Earth. Earth is subsequently abandoned, and existing colonies throughout the Solar System are expanded to accommodate the refugees. The setting explores a spectrum of socioeconomic systems in each of these colonies:
- A capitalist / republican system exists in the Inner System (Mars, the Moon, and Mercury), under the Planetary Consortium, a corporate body which allows the election of representatives but whose shareholders are nominally most powerful.
- An Extropian/Propertarian system is established in the Asteroid Belt. The Extropians are split into two subfactions, an anarcho-capitalist group, more closely related to the Hypercapitalists and a mutualist group, related closely to the Anarchists.
- A military oligarchy rules the moons around Jupiter.
- An alliance of Scandinavia-style social democracy and Collectivist anarchism are dominant in the Outer System.
From there, the setting explores various scientific advances, extrapolated far into the future. Nanotechnology, terraforming, Zero-G living, upgrading animal sapience, and reputation systems are all used as plot points and background.
With all of this, the game encourages players to confront existential threats like aliens, weapons of mass destruction, Exsurgent Virus outbreaks, and political unrest.
Mechanics
editEclipse Phase uses a simple roll-under percentile die system for task resolution.[1]: 395 Unlike most percentile systems, a roll of 00 does not count as a 100. In addition, any roll of a double (11, 22, 33 etc.) is a critical. If the double is under the target number it is a critical success, while being over the target number constitutes a critical failure.
For damage resolution (whether physical damage caused by injury or mental stress caused by traumatic events), players roll a designated number of ten-sided dice and add the values together, along with any modifiers.[5]
Books
edit
Publications
edit- Eclipse Phase (Core Rulebook) (2009) ISBN 978-0-9845835-0-8
- GM Screen (2010)[1]: 397
- Sunward, Boyle, Rob; Knevitt, James (2010). Sunward : the inner system, a location sourcebook for Eclipse Phase. UK: Cubicle 7. ISBN 978-0984583522.[1]: 399
- Gatecrashing Boyle, Rob; Graham, Jack; Rosenberg, Aaron (2011). Gatecrashing. UK: Cubicle 7. ISBN 978-0984583539.[1]: 399
- Panopticon Volume 1: Habitats, Surveillance, Uplifts (2011) (2011)[1]: 400
- Rimward (2012)[1]: 400
- Transhuman: The Eclipse Phase Player’s Guide (2013)[1]: 401
- Firewall (2015)
- X-Risks (2016)
- Eclipse Phase (Core Rulebook, Second Edition) (2019)
Nano Ops
editCreative Commons License
editThe Eclipse Phase roleplaying game was released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 license, and newer printings have updated to the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 license; the text found on the Eclipse Phase website is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. As stated on their website, the publishers encourage players and gamemasters to recreate, alter, and "remix" the material for non-commercial purposes as long as Posthuman Studios is attributed, and any derivatives are licensed under the same Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. Further, copying and sharing the game's electronic versions non-commercially is legal.[11][12][13][1]: 395
Reception
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2019) |
In 2010, it won the 36th Annual Origins award for Best Roleplaying Game of 2009.[1]: 396 It also won three 2010 ENnie awards: Gold for Best Writing, Silver for Best Cover Art, and Silver for Product of the Year.[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Appelcline, Shannon (2014). Designers & Dragons. '00-'09 : A history of the roleplaying game industry (2nd ed.). Silver Springs, MD, USA: Evil Hat Productions. ISBN 978-1-61317-081-6.
- ^ Randol Hooper, Jaime Pittenger and William Stull (2009-08-09). "Gencon 2008 - Defining the Future: Eclipse Phase Part I". BlueAlien.org. Archived from the original on 2008-12-24. Retrieved 2009-09-01.
- ^ Huling, Ray (26 August 2009). "Eclipse Phase - Posthuman Studios Has a Game for You". h+ magazine. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
- ^ Lafayette, Lev (June 2012). "Eclipse Phase Review and Character". RPG Review (16). Retrieved 18 March 2021.
- ^ Eclipse Phase Core Rulebook, Posthuman Studios, 11 June 2010, p. 192, ISBN 978-0-9845835-0-8
- ^ "Eclipse Phase Nano Op: Grinder - Posthuman Studios LLC | Eclipse Phase Adventures | Eclipse Phase Second Edition | Nano Ops & Nano Drops | DriveThruRPG.com". www.drivethrurpg.com.
- ^ "Eclipse Phase Nano Op: All That Glitters - Posthuman Studios LLC | Eclipse Phase Adventures | Eclipse Phase Second Edition | Nano Ops & Nano Drops | DriveThruRPG.com". www.drivethrurpg.com.
- ^ "Eclipse Phase Nano Op: Better on the Inside - Posthuman Studios LLC | Eclipse Phase Adventures | Eclipse Phase Second Edition | Nano Ops & Nano Drops | DriveThruRPG.com". www.drivethrurpg.com.
- ^ "Eclipse Phase Nano Op: Binge - Posthuman Studios LLC | Eclipse Phase Adventures | Eclipse Phase Gamemaster Resources | Eclipse Phase Second Edition | Nano Ops & Nano Drops | DriveThruRPG.com". www.drivethrurpg.com.
- ^ "Eclipse Phase Nano Op: Body Count - Posthuman Studios LLC | Eclipse Phase Adventures | Eclipse Phase Second Edition | Nano Ops & Nano Drops | DriveThruRPG.com". www.drivethrurpg.com.
- ^ Ken, White (2009-09-01). "Hoosier Daddy? GenCon 2009 Indianapolis Con Report". Indie Press Revolution. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2009-09-01.
- ^ Stidham, Neal (2009-08-25). "PDF, Hard Copy Preorder for Eclipse Phase – and Creative Commons License". Game Journal. Retrieved 2010-10-01.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Doctorow, Cory (2009-08-12). "Eclipse Phase: CC-licensed tabletop singularity RPG". BoingBoing. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
- ^ "2010 ENnie Winners". ENnie Awards. 2010-08-12. Retrieved 2010-08-12.