Star Probe (game)
Encyclopedia
Star Probe is a space game written by John Snider and published by TSR, Inc.
in 1975
. It consists of a 36 page rulebook with a map and counters. Prepublication play-testing was done by members of the MMSA
. Artwork is by Paul Snider.
The object of the game is to discover new worlds with potential for colonization. Each player has a ship which he or she must equip with personnel, weapons, fuel, and rations. These are lost or consumed during the course of play. The star systems on the map have numbers indicating how far above or below the plane of the map they are; hence the ships are free to move in three dimensions. It is telling that later and more popular space games such as Imperium
used a two dimensional representation of space.
The generic type (amoeboid, insect, feline, avian, and so on) of inhabitants on a planet can be determined by a roll of percentile dice—a similar system appears in Traveller
. The rules can handle battles with hostile inhabitants, as well as spaceship battles between the players.
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
in 1975
1975 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1975. For video and console games, see 1975 in video gaming.-Significant games-related events of 1975:*Chaosium Inc...
. It consists of a 36 page rulebook with a map and counters. Prepublication play-testing was done by members of the MMSA
Midwest Military Simulation Association
The Midwest Military Simulation Association was a group of wargamers and military figurine collectors active during the late 1960s and 1970s when wargaming was in its heyday and role-playing games were first developed. The group lived in the Minneapolis-St Paul area...
. Artwork is by Paul Snider.
The object of the game is to discover new worlds with potential for colonization. Each player has a ship which he or she must equip with personnel, weapons, fuel, and rations. These are lost or consumed during the course of play. The star systems on the map have numbers indicating how far above or below the plane of the map they are; hence the ships are free to move in three dimensions. It is telling that later and more popular space games such as Imperium
Imperium (board game)
Imperium is a science fiction board wargame that was published in 1977 by the Conflict Game Company and GDW. It was designed by Marc W. Miller and developed by Frank Chadwick and John Harshman. The game came in a cardboard box illustrated with a space battle on the exterior...
used a two dimensional representation of space.
The generic type (amoeboid, insect, feline, avian, and so on) of inhabitants on a planet can be determined by a roll of percentile dice—a similar system appears in Traveller
Traveller (role-playing game)
Traveller is a series of related science fiction role-playing games, the first published in 1977 by Game Designers' Workshop and subsequent editions by various companies remaining in print to this day. The game was inspired from such classic science fiction stories as the Dumarest saga series by...
. The rules can handle battles with hostile inhabitants, as well as spaceship battles between the players.