Fragged Empire has quietly been carving out a niche for itself on the fringes of the roleplay scene. The straight forward mechanics and interesting sci-fi setting has made it popular amongst players looking for a unique experience.
The original Fragged Empire hit Kickstarter in 2014, with additional books and miniatures being crowdfunded mid-2016. This month saw a new breed of Fragged being revealed, with a combined Kickstarter campaign for the titles Fragged Aeternum, Fragged Kingdom and Fragged Seas.
What are these games, and how do they fit into the greater Fragged universe? I put these questions, and others, to the games designer Wade Dyer.
Matthew: How does Fragged Aeternum , Fragged Kingdom and Fragged Seas fit into the series? Are these expansions to Fragged Empire, or their own systems and settings?
Wade: Each of these new sourcebooks have their own setting (though Kingdom is technically set in the same universe as Fragged Empire). Each one makes use of my core Fragged Empire rule system, but adapts and changes it to fit the new setting.
While Fragged Empire was set in a science fiction setting, Aeternum is a Soulsborne-esk Gothic Horror setting, Kingdom is set in a ‘nature vs civilisation’ fantasy kingdom building setting, and Seas is set in a pirates and eldritch gods themed setting. Each book has a very different tone, but holds to the core Fragged rule system feel (classless, 3d6 resolution system, abstract resources, tactical miniature combat, etc…).
Matthew: How do the three titles differ from Fragged Empire? What experience do they each provide that Fragged Empire doesn’t? Why would these titles be interesting to someone who already has Fragged Empire?
Wade: This is a big question, especially as I’ve created 3 entirely new worlds.
I, like most RPGers, like to play games in new settings and with new tones. My hope is that these new books will give game variety to existing Fragged players, and possibly appeal to new players who would feel more comfortable in a non-science fiction setting.
Aeternum makes use of a lighter rule system, and has a larger focus on dramatic and powerful characters. The PCs play as kind of old-timey gothic horror super heroes… but with magic, gun-powder and claws.
Kingdom has a slightly more classic fantasy feel, where the PCs play as explorers who must go out and tame the wilds to allow settlers to make a new home for themselves. The primary antagonist in this setting is the druids, which helps to encourage the ‘nature vs civilisation’ tone of the setting.
Seas is a mixture of Lovecraftian horror and Pirates of the Caribbean, where the dark gods are currently roaming the world, forcing everyone onto the sea. In this game PCs will have a ship and a crew to travel the seas, getting into (and out of) trouble as they search for more and more treasure.
Matthew: How do Fragged Aeternum, Fragged Kingdom and Fragged Seas differ from each other? Why run them together and not as separate Kickstarters?
Wade: While each book has a very different tone, they’re all of similar production value (size, etc…). So from a business stand point its ideal for me to print and ship all three books at once. Working like this will allow me to improve my development time, and keep my costs low.
But ultimately it’s just an experiment. If this new system works well I hope to continue to develop new books in a similar fashion in the future.
Matthew: What about each of the titles excites you? How do they add to your overall vision of the Fragged franchise?
Wade: I think these new books will really show the potential of the Fragged rule system, they’re also a great opportunity for me to flex my creativity in new ways while improving my business and development techniques.
In my heart I’m a world creator, I like to make new things, and these projects are a natural extension of these desires. I’m really excited for all 3 new books.
Fragged Empire RPG: Expanded is on Kickstarter right now, and finishes 5 July. You can learn more about the development of Fragged Empire in Issue 15 of The Campaigner.