Future Tales - Welcome to the future!

Future Tales is an upcoming tabletop role-playing game from Two Hour Wargames.  It is a game of Sci Fi pulps, allowing you to take part in your favorite sci fi stories, or create your own.  Like other THW titles, Future Tales does not require a Game Master to run things.  You can play the game solo, with everyone on the same side, or even head-to-head.

Here is a sample of play.  In Future Tales, you move from scene to scene as if you're in a movie, TV show, or book, travelling to different locations and meeting exotic beings as you seek to complete your objectives.

Let's get started with our Star.

Meet Bart Blast and his trusty (but hapless) robot friend, YM-3.  

Now in this game, you can use any map or miniatures that you want.  As there is no need to determine distance or range, you can use any size map or miniatures that you wish.  All you need to do is divide the map into 9 sections, to determine where opponents appear and where you goal is.  I'm using a map and some sci fi figures that I found on Amazon.

The map may seem a little empty at first, but that's because PEF's, or Possible Enemy Forces, appear as you encounter them.  What kind and how many depend on the location and time of day.  In this case, Bart and YM-3 are exploring a city at night.  If I were to place and resolve all PEF's, the map might look like this:

But on to the story . . .

Bart Blast, a retired soldier, is searching for a mysterious artifact that is said to bestow infinite wisdom to those who find it.  He starts his search in the city looking for a pilot who has information on the artifact.

But first, let's hit the bar!

Bart and his robotic sidekick enter the bar (The dice represent PEF's that they haven't met yet) and I resolve them as 2 reporters and 2 soldiers.  The soldiers aren't too friendly and turn away to enjoy their spoils in peace.  The reporters on the other hand, are a little more friendly.

Why hello there . . . 

Although the chat is fun, neither of us are able to help the other.  So after a chat and some drinks, the women head off in search of a scoop while Bart and YM-3 leave to continue their quest.

The two leave the bar and continue their search.  Knowing their pilot spends his time working in a garage, they set off in that direction.

But first they have a slight problem.

This is a mechanic in the game for determining terrain obstacles and hazards.  Normally you don't need a map for them as they appear at random.  Obstacles are simply objects you need to move past, such as a locked door or low wall.  Hazards are more dangerous and can cause harm if you fail them. In this case, the two have to cross a busy street.

Bart succeeds!

YM-3 isn't so lucky!

Bart races across the road as the craft speeds by.  Reaching the other side, he hears a crash and turns to see his friend lying on the ground, with smoke appearing from some new dents.  Luckily, Bart is able to repair his friend enough that the two can continue.

Now that they're across the street, I have 2 more PEF's to resolve.  The first is nothing.

The second is trouble!

Rolling on both the Alien and NPC generators, I get 3 rather violent non-human thugs who decide to shake down our heroes.  Whipping out his repeater, Bart fires on his foes.  Unfortunately, he's still recovering from either the encounter with the reporters or whatever he drank because he misses all 3.

YM-3, still miffed at the crazy driver who ran him down, is looking for revenge.  Out of a side socket appears a laser, which he uses on the thugs.

Not bad for what almost became an electronic hood ornament!

The third flees down a nearby alley.

"They'll never find me here!"

Bart, not wanting to be shown up by a box of bolts, Bart takes off after him.  The two meet in the alley face-to-face, both draw their pistols, and Bart proves to be slightly faster.

And this time he hits!

The above encounter, including how the thugs reacted, was resolved by just a few dice rolls and lasted a couple of minutes.  In most RPG's a game master would tell you,

"As you repair your robotic friend, you are approached by 3 thugs who point their weapons, demanding the contents of your pockets . . . You shoot two of the thugs and the third runs for it."

Instead, a few dice rolls and glaces at the tables decided the events for you.  While the game does use a variety of tables, they are quick and simple to memorize so you can focus on game play.

And speaking of game play, our heroes have found the pilot.

Meet Zev.

Rolling again on the Alien Generator, I get a humanoid whose race tends to be shy overall.  Bart questions Zev on the artifact, but the pilot has never seen it.  He has, however, heard stories about a scholar who researched it.  While the scholar died long ago, his research still exists at his apartment.

Not a huge help, but at least it points the two in the direction for their next search which will take place in the next scene.

Next, Bart Blast and YM-3 explore a seedy town and attempt to figure out an ancient piece of technology.

Future Tales

Coming soon from Two Hour Wargames!