Outward Bound
A downloadable TTRPG
Outward Bound is a science-fiction TTRPG, based on the Four Points RPG System.
Overview
In this game you'll play as one of the six alien species that form the Interplanetary Union, a decentralised space-faring community based on cooperation, exploration and the sharing of knowledge. As citizens of the Union, you have arrived in the Teyn Belt, an asteroid belt permeated by a strange field of unpredictable transformative energy, called 'the Tide'. Explore the belt, find and study new anomalies and maybe even establish first contact with new alien species arriving in Teyn.
Using Four Points, quickly make a character by choosing your Species and area of expertise, then you're ready to start exploring!
The Union Species
There are six playable Species to choose from in Outward Bound. These are the aquatic Avraghan, the robotic Continuants, the gelatinous Hmz, the incorporeal Photonics, the insectoid Thricix and the towering Ukeran. Each Species comes with a set of Traits and / or Abilities which have both narrative and mechanical applications.
Game includes:
- Setting lore and description
- Six playable Species
- Rules and Character creation mechanics
- Pre-Adventure discussion prompts and advice for safe play
- Guide (GM) section
- Rules for spacecraft
- Roll tables for anomalies and special items (includes techno-babble name generator)
- List of Traits and Abilities for creating your own alien Species.
- Form-fillable character sheet
Files Overview
- Outward Bound PDF.
All illustrations are traditionally hand-drawn, and digitally coloured.
- The Outward Bound (Text Only) PDF, Rules Reference (Text Only) PDF, and Character Sheet (Word Document), are all formatted and tagged for screen-readers.
The Four Points RPG System
Four Points is an RPG System that focuses on Characters, Narrative, Player Agency and Customisation. This game includes all the necessary rules for playing it, and the unabridged Four Points SRD is now available on my itchio store!
Community Copies
I've made a number of Community Copies available. For every copy of Outward Bound that is purchased, another Community Copy will be added.
Disclaimer
Please note that while the setting for Outward Bound features the creation of settlements and research outposts on asteroids, the Interplanetary Union is not motivated by a colonialist mind-set.
Furthermore, the setting does not include any discrimination based on colour, species, appearance, disability, faith (or lack thereof), sex or gender.
This game does not in any way encourage or attempt to legitimise bringing bigotry and hatred to the table. The game includes a section covering safe play, with a link to a curated collection of various safety tools.
I have done my best to set everything up correctly, also with regards to accessibility. If there are any issues with the documents, please let me know in the comments. Thanks and have fun!
I have created a music playlist inspired by Outward Bound, which you can listen to here.
Purchase
In order to download this TTRPG you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $5 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Community copies
Support this TTRPG at or above a special price point to receive something exclusive.
Community Copy of Outward Bound
A free copy of Outward Bound!
For every copy of Outward Bound that is purchased, another Community Copy will be added.
Comments
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By color blind friendly, do you mean black and white, or a CB color palette was used?
Hello! The text only version is just black and white, and I ran the illustrated version through an online colour-blindness simulator/filter to check they were still clear/intelligible. That said the majority of the illustrations are decorative and the text in the illustrated document is also black on white.
Ah, alrighty! Thank you! ^-^
Hello, can you add some more community copies, please? Thank you!
Got it! Looking forward to play it! A lot of thanks!
Hello, its possibile to have a community copies?
Just added some 👍🏻
Thank you
We can easily feel the Star Trek vibe and that's awesome!!
Yay, thank you!
I have a lore question! If the Union was only formed three years ago, "many light-years" from the Teyn Belt, and the ships travel slower than light, how did they get to the Teyn Belt? My first idea is that it's a time dilation thing, it was only 3 years from the perspective of the people who traveled to the Teyn Belt, but I could also just change it as the Union being a little older than that, more like 10-20 years. I feel like the Teyn Belt being far from the home systems is a more important setting detail to preserve than the Union being very new, but I'm not sure.
(I know it isn't supposed to be "hard" sci-fi and I'm being pedantic, but I figured I'd ask anyway)
Well gosh, I missed that detail 😅 well spotted! Honestly I think both of your solutions would work fine (my personal preference being the first one involving time dilation). I personally was more interested in the “early days” aspect of the Union (I’m an unironic fan of Star Trek Enterprise 😁), but if you want to focus more on the distances involved that sounds like it could have some great RP potential too!
I've just started reading through this, and I bumped into something that seems weird in the "Turns" section. It says (This is me typing, because apparently you can't copy-paste from the PDF?):
Each Character can do 2 things during their turn: Move and Perform an Action.
On their turn, they can Move Twice, perform two Actions, or Move and Perform an Action.
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These two statements appear to be contradictory?
Hi! Sorry about the PDF, if you're using the illustrated one then it might be because I made that one in photoshop and not a proper publishing / layout design program.
As for the turns: on each turn you can do two things, the options being Moving and Action.
That means you have the following combinations possible on a turn:
1. Move, Move.
2. Move, Action.
3. Action, Action.
In all three cases, you are doing two things on a turn. Hopefully that's cleared it up?
Oh, I see. I was confused because the first 'two things you can do on your turn' are two TYPES of things, while the second is what permutations of two of those things can you do...
No worries! Not the best phrasing on my part. Hope you enjoy the game nonetheless!
Thanks. I'll report in if/when I get it on the table!
How many players does this game support (or recommended)? Can it be played solo? Game time?
Hi! I would recommend a maximum of six players, including a GM (not a solo game). I would say the average session would be 2 to 3 hours, but that really depends on the adventure 😊 hope that helps!