Lasers & Feelings vs Mothership
Compare Lasers & Feelings and Mothership side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Lasers & Feelings | Mothership | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi | Scifi, Horror |
| Play Style | Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Beginner-Friendly, Low-Prep, Comedy, Collaborative, Fiction-First, Open Source, Tag-Based | Rules-Light, Deadly, One-Shot Friendly, Survival, Atmospheric, Low-Prep, Cinematic, Fast-Paced |
| Core Mechanic | Pick a number from 2–5. Roll 1–3d6 depending on preparation and expertise. Rolls under your number succeed at Lasers (science, tech, reason); rolls over succeed at Feelings (intuition, diplomacy, passion). Rolling exactly your number triggers Laser Feelings — a special insight where you can ask the GM one question. | Roll d100 under stat/skill. Stress and panic mechanics escalate tension. |
| Dice | d6 dice pool | d100 |
| Complexity | Very Low | Low |
| Accessibility | Very High | High |
| Community | Low | Medium |
| License | CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 | 3rd Party License |
| Cost | Free | $ |
| Publisher | One Seven Design (John Harper) | Tuesday Knight Games |
| Year | 2013 | 2022 |
| Best For | Quick one-shots with zero prep — the crew of the interstellar scout ship Raptor must save the day while the captain is out of commission. | Terrifying sci-fi horror one-shots and short campaigns. Panic table creates unforgettable moments. |
| Highlights | Entire game fits on one page, zero prep needed, character creation takes seconds, hundreds of community hacks adapt the framework to other genres, free and Creative Commons licensed | Rules-light, well-regarded module library, panic system creates mechanical tension |
| Considerations | GM carries most of the creative and structural load, single stat means characters can feel mechanically identical, no structured scenario framework beyond the initial hook, limited replay variety without community hacks | Panic table can cascade and end sessions abruptly, limited long-campaign support in core rules, stress mechanics can feel repetitive over extended play |