HARDCASE
A downloadable solo RPG
Heliopause Heavy Industries holds the solar system in its crumbling, capitalist grip. The gears of its machine are Heliopause Contractors, those poor bastards trying to make ends meet with whatever needs doing.
HARDCASE is a solo roleplaying game about being flat broke in space. It uses lightweight d6-based mechanics, including some familiar to Powered by the Apocalypse designs. The core of the game fits in the first 4 pages; everything else is modular.
In HARDCASE, your HC might break down orbital mines for scrap, claim bounties on those who can't (or won't) pay rent, get into big, stupid arguments on dial-up forums... and then wash it all down with an ice-cold can of Apogee Cola.
This game is 24 pages long, featuring everything you need to make a character, pay the bills, and get into trouble. It includes a small setting, Basement Station, your stepping-stone to the entire Heliopause Near-Earth District.
Cover by Ida Ailes.
Sheets by Proof of Ruin.
Purchase
In order to download this solo RPG you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $6 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Development log
- Minor PDF UpdateJul 02, 2024
- HARDCASE 2.0 is complete!Jun 30, 2024
- HARDCASE 2.0 is coming...May 11, 2024
- Fully funded!Mar 15, 2024
- THANK YOU for the incredible launch!Mar 10, 2024
- Itchfunding and release!Mar 08, 2024
Comments
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Super fun to play - but man does it bleed your printer dry ๐๐๐
A print-friendly version is coming!
Hello Thursday, I am curious if you will be offering any "community copies" of Hardcase. Thanks.
I don't intend to, no! All of my other games have had lots of Community Copies and wound up in several charity bundles, but HARDCASE is all about cold, hard cash.
The current 50%-off sale runs for a few more weeks, though!
I have a question about the Deliveries rule (page .13).
When the Distractions Roll result "1: Intuitive pathing. Fill the shortcut clock." should only be possible when the roll has already been reduced to the minimum of 1d6, so shouldn't it be able to fill the shortcut clock further at this point?
The shortcut you learn doesn't have to be between the two close-by places your 1d6 roll was about. It's about building up your HC's overall familiarity with Basement's layout in ways that can help them in the future!
I got it. Thank you!
Looking forward to trying this out! Love the tone and premise. After doing an initial read-thru, under Salvage: are the tables 'What's on the line this week' and 'Hazards' intentionally the same?
I saw mention of a print-friendly version possibly in the future! That'll be great!
Just pushed an updated PDF that fixes that Salvage error, thank you!
Loving this game and it's grimy, dystopian charm. Questions: what is the value of meeting online users in public or getting friendly with the various faces/celebrities? Also, what should I do if the station burns up?
Great question! You might want to meet up to acquire product from a few of the more entrepreneurial Online personalities, or maybe you think they'd make a good Subcontractor. Some of them have faction connections that could come in handy, or they might be the ones holding your Debt, acting as an employer for unique jobs.
If Basement burns up, I hope your HC can find a way out! Maybe they could start over on one of the other habitats - or you could always just reset everything with a new HC.
Super Nice , just skimmed but i like it! Could you publish a print friendly version?
I can talk to my layout designer about a black-on-white version, but it might be a little bit <3
Thank you very much, i'd like going full analog for my solo hobby and print at home version will be a really nice gift!
Super excited to get playing! Is there an actual play/example of play I could refer to?
The final page of the book has some guidance, and I played out a few days as my own HC in this Twitter thread!
Look forward to purchasing a hardcopy someday...
Glad you're so excited! There's no plans for a physical copy of HARDCASE yet, but at least you'll have 2.0 in your hands (so to speak) later this month?
The vibes here are immaculate. Can't wait to make my HC!
We just hit 2.0, in case you missed it!