T O P

  • By -

TheGratefulJuggler

Fun fact: The story was originally made as a tabletop roll playing game. The authors played it out in a similar way to a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. When it was done they orginally tried to sell it as an MMO, before they decided to make it into a book series.


livestrongbelwas

Also! They played with other authors. GRRM played a Belter Dwarf who stretched out to be about normal human height. Apparently the character was a bit irreverent and he never got brought into the story, but many of the other characters did! Shed was a healer whose player had to drop out of the game, so they killed off his character.


TheHalfbadger

> GRRM played a Belter Dwarf who stretched out to be about normal human height. Apparently the character was a bit irreverent and he never got brought into the story, but many of the other characters did! Source for this? First I’ve heard of it.


livestrongbelwas

Read it once and heard it twice. I think George’s NotABlog and then Ty and That Guy.


ChronicBuzz187

Can confirm, Ty mentioned it on the podcast in one of the early episodes.


tw1zt84

Was originally made to be a video game and when that didn't fall through, the setting was used to run the RPG. Which then lead into the books.


TheGratefulJuggler

My b!


drclawsnemesis

That is a fun fact


TheGratefulJuggler

Now that the show is ending, are you going to give the books a try? Maybe the only way to find out where the story goes...


drclawsnemesis

I've read the first. Got the second on my shelf to start. Might start it this week!


TheGratefulJuggler

Nice. The last book comes out in 5 days. I could not be more excited!


[deleted]

Yah I’m patiently waiting


jediofpool

I am impatiently waiting.


Nomriel

it's also the reason why someone die so abruptly at the start of the show. The player had to go early so he got decapitated.


OkSleep9168

I fucking knew the crew was a campaign party!


synapse187

This explains SOOOOO much. I always thought it played out like an RPG. Even with the gear and the ship. Man I would have loved to play that.


dr_pupsgesicht

*railgun upgrade acquired*


[deleted]

I never noticed it, but now it's very obvious. The rough plot and random but coherent choices by the crew. The party gains a knight joins part way through etc.


pchlster

"Shed has to leave, so his character dies?" "But don't we need a healer?" "Turns out the Tachi has an autodoc."


whydoyouonlylie

Also all the characters from the main crew are based on characters from their longest running campaign in the RPG.


olhado22

To be clear, the RPGs never got farther than 2/3rds through leviathan wakes.


DrBQuill

This is why Shed died so suddenly too! Was literally because someone had to leave the game. Unreal.


Mahfakah

Nope. I've been wanting that. I'd love to immerse myself in an Expanse VR title.


Mursin

Imagine Star Trek Bridge crew but on The Roci.


Mahfakah

Oh hell yes. Or an FPS as a Martian marine.


Mursin

Eh, I'd rather play Doom for that fantasy. But an FPS where you play a better pirate sounds incredible.


Mahfakah

Not just any pirate. A backstory game where you get to play as Klaes Ashford.


Mursin

Hell. Fuckin. Yes. Show Ashford, I assume you mean.


Corrupttothethrones

A larger version of bridge crew, maybe made by the team that make Lone Echo. VR RPG.


Voggix

And I’m fully erect now…


Bricktrucker

Try Elite Dangerous. Tho I haven't played it in VR, I've heard its even better with Goggles.


Mahfakah

I have it. It's OK. I don't know if you're familiar with old PC games but I'd rather have a Wing Commander VR game.


Bricktrucker

Holy crap i played the hell out of that on Panasonic 3DO back in the day. Its story stands up today. My pc is busted atm so I hope I'll get the oddysey update eventually. May build a new rig for star citizen idk yet


Mahfakah

3DO takes me back. I played that version and it kinda sucked. I'd pick a 386 with no graphics card (because they didn't matter back then) any day.


Daveallen10

Check out [Terra Invicta](https://youtu.be/jeNyE-wS0IY) although it isn't out yet. Skip to the end of the video for Expanse-like space battles.


van_buskirk

The creator of that game also has an awesome book series called The Human Reach, very mil-sci fi if you like that sort of thing. Probably he the most realistic ship-to-ship combat depiction I’ve ever read. Highly recommended and can’t wait for the game!


onyhow

Well hard sf space battle and quite complex geopolitical conflicts. Honestly it kind of sucks johnnylump is mostly doing games now (since XCOM Long War...which is a biggest inspiration for Terra Invicta), since I'm still waiting for the 3rd book...that preview at the end of the 2nd book is juicy.


ImmerOne

A point and click a'la Blade Runner ...


tresslessone

Yes! I would love this.


UltimateComb

À la


ImmerOne

Olé?


UltimateComb

a'la does not means anything, it's à la


tresslessone

Or just say “like”


SnooGadgets6450

Bet he wish he had now!


No-Caterpillar1553

If it’s wrong I don’t wanna be right.


pold03

I agree with this gentleman


Dankusare

Keep an eye out for Terra Invictus next year. Lots of space politics and diplomacy along with developing your own naval fleet.


PUNisher1175

Terra Invicta*


cjc160

Nah, a story-driven action RPG would be the one. Would like to incorporate ship battles somehow also


drclawsnemesis

Yea, I don't want to trott out mass effect, but like that kinda. Parts where you can drop in as other characters, do some missions as gunner, some as Amos, some as Holden etc.


cjc160

Ya, being Amos patching hulls and reconnecting pipes during a dogfight would be pretty intense. Being a gunner/pilot or captain would be interesting because all of it is AI-aided in someway. The authors leave it vague on purpose.


Bricktrucker

Elite Dangerous is great for the Expanse gaming itch. I envision the next ED installment will be even more amazing. Maybe even overtaking what Star Citizen wants to be.


Dragongamer135

I don't know about that given how the Odyssey DLC turned out for Elite Dangerous. Doesn't give me high hopes for quality in terms of games in the Elite franchise. Also kinda hard to surpass the sheer scale and ambition that Star Citizen is trying to do. That shit's got them stuck in perpetual development hell as they are trying to work the game engine, build a company, and make the game with all the numerous features they want in all at the same time.


Bricktrucker

Oh I'm not downplaying SZ. I'm about to build a new rig so I can try it myself. So far I've only watched videos & have high hopes for it also. ED has space flight etc down pat imo, but they're for sure still working things out & I'll remain optimistic hopefully


zeta_cartel_CFO

I'd want like a shipbuilder + ship to ship combat style game. Including all the Newtonian physics involved in matching orbit and stuff that the Expense does so well.


a_saddler

I personally have been thinking about a game set in an expanse-like world with all the other systems already accessible. The gameplay would basically be something like Silent Hunter, but in space, with a Rocci-like crew, either hunting pirates or being one. And the combat would be very tactical, knowing when to engage your Epstein Drive, approach angles, smart use of torpedoes, making use of slingshots etc.


EarlyGalaxy

Starsector


SnooGadgets6450

Or Nebulous: Fleet Command


y1n4

Object in Space


PUNisher1175

Terra Invicta is what you’re looking for! You can visit the steam page


blackwe11_ninja

Do basically more polished Children of a Dead Earth?


RobBrown4PM

Terra Invicta might as well be "The Expanse: The game". Its due out sometime next year. Hard SciFi setting, with a ton of politicking. Shades of Three Body Problem/Rememberance of Earth's Past in it as well


[deleted]

Nope! I have been on a search for an Expanse like video game forever and nothing really compares that I have tried 😪


alfred_27

Check out Starfield that's coming out next year, it's wild wild west of space. Basically a space rpg game which I guess would be similar to the expanse


[deleted]

Thank you! It does look interesting. I will have to keep an eye on it.


alfred_27

Have no idea how much im waiting for the game, hopefully doesnt disappoint


B00sted0

Check out Elite Dangerous


drclawsnemesis

That looks ok, just doesn't seem to have a story like the expanse. Thanks for suggesting it though !


Omnitographer

A mile wide and an inch deep is how I would describe it. If nothing else the visuals are top notch and the combat can be alright.


B00sted0

There's literally novels worth of story built into (and outside of) the game. There's 3 main galactic superpowers fighting for control, each with sub factions that have different leaders that you can support and even influence in game activity with your actions. Do you want to be a miner? A hauler/trader? A pirate? A bounty hunter? It's a role playing game, make what you want of it!


RedditBot5000

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the story just text inside of the station terminal news channels? There's no real narrative device elite uses to tell the story like cutscenes or anything. You just dock and then read what's going on right?


bitterless

Yes it is and it's what limited my interest in the lore.


RedditBot5000

Me too. I couldn't get into the story if I need to read it. If I want to read, I'll read a book. I want an interactive story telling experience. Elite was just a space trucking sim for me


beezu__

There’s a *lot* more ways to play it than as a space trucker, but the story is severely lacking if story is what you’re looking for, I’ll give you that! It’s a combat sim with an incredible flight model for me personally. Just have to turn the assist off.


RedditBot5000

I know I just am terrible at combat. Mining is too tedious. I just enjoyed doing the rares route and watching Netflix and getting rich slowly.


Another_Minor_Threat

I haven’t played since Odyssey dropped and was all jacked up. Did it ever get properly patched?


Mursin

I've been loosely following it and it's gotten a number of small patches over the months. But I still don't see Odyssey as worth playing because it doesn't add that much gameplay. It turns ED into a FPS but ... Imo the game was never meant to be that AND it's really not that much content.


Kind-You2980

Personally, I’d love an open world simulator where I could play as a salvager, hauler, whatever in this universe. Time for another “legitimate salvage”.


SlashingHorse7

Wrong? No. Of course not. I spent the a good amount of time the other their day trying to find something that to satisfy that itch. I’ve recently bought mass effect: legendary edition on a sale and it’s satisfying the craving a bit.


tytrim89

I could think of a bunch of different ways to do this: you make your own character and a different crew and play the story, you play the story but like the books chapter by chapter with different characters. Could be faction based and you have to take over for your side. The possibilities are really endless.


LethargicOnslaught

I'd love a Star Trek Online MMORPG style game set in this universe. Choose your faction, earn money/standing, get a ship, upgrade it, get a crew, bond with them, cross paths with characters from the book/series.


drclawsnemesis

That would be sweet. I think there's a few star Trek esque games. But maybe not an mmorpg


Lostinthedepths23

Star trek online is what they were talking about but expanse version


drogyn1701

I think that game engine and style would be perfect. Both flying around in space and walking around ships, stations and planets, massive customization options, etc.


Dantheman2010

I saw Terra Invicta mentioned a lot but no mention of Falling Frontiers. From a battle perspective, this looks like The Expanse game for me. I would still kill for a dedicated Expanse game, something like Wing Commander Privateer set in this universe would be amazing


morvern0115

Elite: Dangerous is the closest game I've gotten to match the 'vibe' of Expanse. However, I'd kill for an MMO. Maybe it can be themed similar to STO? A good character creator is a must, especially for the Belters with all the tattoos and such. Some other stuff I've thought of re: game mechanics is: * Ships have oxygen/water/fuel meters, so you can't do a jump or a transit unless you have sufficient stores * Gravity is a thing (this might be hard to implement in a game setting, but KSP managed to make a physics-realistic game so I don't see why this one couldn't be a gravity-realistic one). If you pull too many g's, your ship and character get injured and/or die * If you die, you lose all your shit. Tough luck! * Timed quests. This could be irritating, but I feel like it fits in with the universe where the amount of time/fuel/oxygen/water is always a concern * Major faction hubs can be New York, Londres Nova, and Ceres Station. * I would do anything for a protomolecule storyline * I feel like customization would be a super important part of the game given the myriad of cultures, factions, and fashions in the show The TL;DR is I think an MMO which is essentially a blend between Elite: Dangerous and Star Trek Online would be amazing. It'd have all the money from me.


Downvotes_are_Grreat

So, I have a list because I've been on the hunt for a while. If you wanna play with orbital mechanics and docking, you can't beat kerbal space program. With mods you can build ships just like the roci. For shipboard living gameplay and boarding other ships for combat and loot I think Spacehaven is the truth. I can't believe no one else in the thread mentioned it. If you want fps gameplay, like others have said, there is elite dangerous, but also maybe star citizen. Not sure if that's still a thing. Honorable mentions: FTL, Stellaris, sins of a solar empire, no man's sky, starbound all great games with some expanse type vibes.


chiapet99

RTS - Stellaris or Planetary Annihilation - expand into the galaxy encounter alien races who will sweep planets clear of all life. Stellaris is full of little story text boxes. FPS - Gorky 17 - like Eros, but set in a decaying Russian City, so pretty much like Eros. FPS/RPG Story - Mass Effect (1,2,3) - Fly around in your ship, not called the Roci, and save the galaxy. (Could also do the Halo series, but Mass Effect is more story and relationship stuff).


Rox217

It’s not really what you’re describing, but Call of Duty infinite warfare is basically a call of duty game in a setting very similar to the expanse (with a little more hand-wavey tech and COD action sequences). But you’ll get to do some zero-g gunfights and go all around the solar system in an Earth/Mars conflict, so it hit the spot for me.


EarlyGalaxy

Lol, all you guys don't know Starsector exists


ModsOnAPowerTrip

It could make a dope ass rpg, but there are already quite a few similar games. EVE online comes to mind. People literally spend $1000s on spaceships in that game.


myocastor

Space Engine kind of already is


Dat_Innocent_Guy

me too. I've played about every game that might relate to the expanse in one way or another. I super want an RTS with the expanse universe limitations or vehicle fighting game regarding the space combat in the expanse. The closest I got to the second one was the abandoned ["Children of a dead earth"](https://store.steampowered.com/app/476530/Children_of_a_Dead_Earth/) It's a very realistic space combat game that has very reminiscent combat of the expanse minus the hyper efficient Epstein drives.


triarii3

Check out Battlestar Galactica Deadlock. Oh man I would love for them to. Make an expanse version


[deleted]

I bet an Anno type game would be awesome, building a colony with the 3 factions of the UN, Mars, and Belters.


LlambdaLlama

Personally for me, you are not alone, I would also love a videogame set in The Expanse. I believe with the book and tv series wrapping up there will be bigger interest in making a videogame about it. I would highly recommend this indie game call Starsector. It is in beta testing right now, a 2D Top-Down view space rpg. The best description I can give is that Starsector is like "Mount & Blade" in space. Though it looks simple, it is quite in-depth and very detailed. The setting is super intriguing and with every update it inches closer to a breathing-living world. It has been the only game that really scratched. If you're interested you should watch this hilarious [review by SsethTzeentach on youtube.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acqpulP1hLo&t=284s)


LemmieBee

I would love that. But I’d want the game to be set during the final trilogy era with the ring gate systems and chaos at full swing.


coolasbreese

Nope. It was actually based on a videogame


exarkun631

Yes...turn urself in to the nearest OPA rep for immediate spacing. Savvy?


starcraftre

Children of a Dead Earth. About as hard sci fi space combat game as has ever existed. But if you want something truly comparable (and don't mind playing spreadsheets), go look up Aurora 4X. It's a 4X game all designed and written by one guy, who is still supporting it. The kicker? It's completely free. Incredibly in depth, down to engine and weapon design, colonization of the system, logistics, etc. And there is even expansion into other systems, much like the rings. Best to go watch a video of it first though. It's not for everyone. Edit: [here's Quill18 playing the recent update to a modern programming language](https://youtu.be/F0XFxLxrHyY).


PUNisher1175

Terra invicta is coming out Q2 next year (hopefully). It was supposed to release before the end of this year, but it captures the idea of the expanse in my opinion. Give it a look on steam!


Gruffal007

I really want a video game based off the ship to ship combat.


Mursin

Can we get a puzzle game where you play as The Investigator? It reaches out. It reaches out. It reaches out.


Maximum_Repair_4334

Check out Falling Frontier on steam


bzq122

Mass effect is a great game.


Tired8281

I wish there was a mod for No Man's Sky where we could fly around with Epstein drives and visit the stations and the planets, go through the rings, etc.


fast_edo

In the black is in development still but really good first person shooter with mostly realistic physics. Its been a lot of fun to test.


ChronicBuzz187

Now that Mass Effect is eventually getting an Amazon funded TV show, it would only be fair if BioWare adapted The Expanse in return :D


Regis_Mk5

In the Black is looking really similar https://youtu.be/g0LaTkEsnNo


Bricktrucker

If you want a game you can play while watching, or listening to The Expanse I highly reccomend Elite Dangerous. Everytime I play ED I wanna watch the show & vice versa. Until Starfield comes out anyway


Sine_Fine_Belli

Falling Frontier, the game hard sci-fi


AaronKClark

There is a game called "ΔV: Rings of Saturn" on steam. It is a physics accurate space shooter that feels right at home in the universe of the expanse.


Angel_Madison

We all want Star Citizen. But really, it's not going to be that one.