It’s been a blast these past few years developing Under a Hostile Sun and playtesting with my friends at the Martian Society. I have learned to appreciate all the depth that goes into game design, learn new skills (like Photoshop) and had the honor of playing my game at GenCon.

And now . . . Under a Hostile Sun is LIVE ON ETSY!!!

The “Game” in “Roleplaying Game” usually refers to gamified combat, in Under a Hostile Sun it is exploration that is given the mechanical focus

This RPG of planetary exploration is great for players and GMs that like a “middle way” between simulationist mechanics and the “rule of cool.” The system offers room for creativity (including a custom alchemy system!) whilst ensuring players always feel the pressure of limited resources and dwindling opportunity. The game is also great for players that enjoy tactile game components like resource beads, dice, meeples and maps.

Thank you to all my friends who helped playtest and my long suffering parents who allowed me to take over the dining room to construct the boxed sets.

Boxed set includes
– 92 page rulebook
– Pre-generated characters
– 4 Blank Character Sheets
– 50 resource tracking beads (in 5 different resource colors)
– astronaut meeples and creature meeples
– one set of math polyhedrons (d4, d6, d8, d10, d%, d12, d20, seven dice total)
– 4 laminated maps
– Pre-Written Adventure (and an exercise to get you ready to design your own maps)

I will be uploading Under a Hostile Sun scenarios here on Martian Muckraker!

About Under a Hostile Sun

A rules-lite exploration-focused RPG. The settlement’s life support is at the brink. A solution to this world’s dangerous conditions must be devised & corruption amongst the station leaders must be investigated. But the Void of Space was not meant for Man. These planets are not “Mother” like Earth – you are Under a Hostile Sun.

Most roleplaying games focus on gamifying combat. Under a Hostile Sun focuses on gamifying exploration. Each day your explorers will have an opportunity to negotiate with the people of the colony and an opportunity to visit one of the planet’s Hostile Environments. While in a Hostile Environment, at the end of each round, every explorer will role an Opportunity Die. Each round the Opportunity Die gets smaller and smaller. On a “1” the life support suit of the explorer begins to fail. Explorers will have to determine what to prioritize and weigh risk vs reward decisions.

On these brutal worlds all human technology fails given enough time. But with teamwork, and faith in the Immutable, maybe you will be able to greet the rising Alien Sun, not as an existential threat, but as a friend.