FSpace Publications

FSpace Publications is a New Zealand tabletop-game publisher founded in 1991. The company began under the name Future Systems and developed a science-fiction role-playing game that was initially known as The Federation Science Fiction Roleplaying Game. The project was discussed and playtested within New Zealand gaming circles, including through material published in the gaming magazine Generals, Dragon and Dice. Because players and playtesters commonly shortened the game’s name to “FED Space,” the publisher adopted the shorter FSpace identity in 1994. The company’s principal role-playing product became FSpaceRPG, a hard-science-fiction game whose first edition was released in 1995 and debuted at the KapCon convention in Wellington. FSpace’s work is associated with a technically oriented, spacefaring style of science-fiction gaming, emphasizing starships, future societies, exploration, and adventure rather than fantasy conventions. The publisher also retained and repackaged material from its Traveller-related work. Some supplements were issued through the Far Encounters and Far Frontiers labels, allowing the material to function as more generally usable science-fiction role-playing content rather than being presented solely as Traveller supplements. FSpace Publications also participated in fan publishing. In 1995 it began issuing The Meshan Saga, a science-fiction fanzine connected with Traveller and the Meshan Sector. The series continued until its final issue in 1999. Copies were formerly associated with the National Archives in Wellington and are now held by the Alexander Turnbull Library, including physical and digitized material. In 2001, co-founder Martin Rait began developing a small group of commercial Meshan Sector books for publication through FSpace. The project was placed on hold in late 2002, although limited work continued afterward. Beyond role-playing games, the publisher expanded into tabletop war gaming with SeaLion Supremacy, a World War II naval game written by Philip Warnes, and an associated line of three-dimensional miniatures. The company also worked under contract for Jolly Roger Games on board-game maps for Orcs at the Gates and Chopping Maul. These activities show a broader publishing and production role spanning role-playing systems, campaign settings, historical war games, accessories, and commissioned game components. FSpace Publications has also made selected historical materials available digitally through the Internet Archive, including copies of The Meshan Saga. Its profile remains that of a small, specialist publisher rather than a mass-market entertainment company. The brand’s historical importance is concentrated in New Zealand’s tabletop-game community, its early science-fiction role-playing development, its Meshan Sector publications, and its continued preservation and circulation of older gaming material. The company is described as an active publisher of science-fiction role-playing products, although detailed information about its current corporate structure, distribution network, and recent commercial releases is not publicly established in the available reference material.

FSpace Publications was established in New Zealand in 1991, initially operating under the name Future Systems. Its early work centered on the development of a science-fiction role-playing game called The Federation Science Fiction Roleplaying Game. The project formed part of the local New Zealand gaming scene and was represented in the gaming magazine Generals, Dragon and Dice, where related material appeared as a series. During playtesting, participants frequently referred to the game as “FED Space.” In 1994, the developers shortened the title and adopted the FSpace name. The resulting FSpace identity became associated with the company’s science-fiction role-playing output. The first edition of FSpaceRPG was published in 1995 and was introduced to players at the KapCon convention in Wellington. A simpler development version of the game was also circulated or repackaged as FED RPG. FSpace’s publishing activity extended into fan and setting material. In 1995, the company published The Meshan Saga, a fanzine produced alongside the science-fiction role-playing game Traveller. The publication continued through the 1990s, with its final issue completed in 1999. Copies of the fanzine were previously held by the National Archives in Wellington and are now associated with the Alexander Turnbull Library. The collection includes physical copies and digital PDFs on CD-ROM and is identified by ISSN 1174-8710. In 2001, co-founder Martin Rait began work on a small set of commercial books intended to develop the Meshan Sector for publication by FSpace Publications. The project was put on hold in late 2002, although some minor work continued. The publisher also repackaged a number of its Traveller supplements as generic science-fiction role-playing products. These releases were organized under the Far Encounters and Far Frontiers brands. Far Encounters focused on Traveller-like hard-science-fiction starships and adventures, while Far Frontiers presented related world and setting supplements. The company later broadened its tabletop output. It released SeaLion Supremacy, a World War II naval war game written by Philip Warnes, together with a line of three-dimensional miniatures. FSpace Publications also worked under contract for Jolly Roger Games to produce board-game maps for Orcs at the Gates and Chopping Maul. These projects placed the publisher beyond the role of a single-game role-playing studio and into commissioned game production and historical tabletop gaming. In a preservation-oriented continuation of its publishing activity, FSpace Publications began releasing free material through the Internet Archive. The material includes copies of The Meshan Saga, helping maintain access to publications that originated in the company’s earlier fan and Traveller-related work. The available references identify FSpace Publications as an active publisher of science-fiction role-playing products, but do not provide enough current information to establish its present management, revenue, ownership, or detailed release schedule.

• 2002

  Meshan Sector book project is placed on hold

  [1]FSpace Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  The commercial Meshan Sector project is put on hold in late 2002, although limited work continues.

• 2001

  Meshan Sector commercial books are developed

  [1]FSpace Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  Co-founder Martin Rait begins work on a small set of commercial books intended for publication in the Meshan Sector setting.

• 1999

  The Meshan Saga reaches its final issue

  [1]FSpace Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  The final issue of the fanzine is completed after a publication run spanning the late 1990s.

• 1995

  FSpaceRPG debuts

  [1]FSpace Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  The first edition of the hard-science-fiction role-playing game FSpaceRPG is released and makes its convention debut at KapCon in Wellington.

• 1995

  The Meshan Saga begins publication

  [1]FSpace Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  FSpace Publications starts issuing The Meshan Saga, a Traveller-related science-fiction fanzine.

• 1994

  The FSpace name is adopted

  [1]FSpace Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  A game originally titled The Federation Science Fiction Roleplaying Game is shortened to FSpace after players and playtesters commonly refer to it as FED Space.

• 1991

  Future Systems is established in New Zealand

  [1]FSpace Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  The publisher begins operations under the name Future Systems and becomes involved in New Zealand tabletop-game publishing.

• Selected historical materials are released online

  [1]FSpace Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  The publisher begins making free historical material, including copies of The Meshan Saga, available through the Internet Archive.

A specialist New Zealand tabletop publisher focused on hard science fiction, Traveller-related gaming material, independent fan publishing, and historical tabletop war games.

• Role-playing game · 1995

  FSpaceRPG

  FSpaceRPG is the publisher’s principal hard-science-fiction role-playing game. Its first edition appeared in 1995 and debuted at the KapCon convention in Wellington. The game grew from the earlier Federation Science Fiction Roleplaying Game project and represents FSpace Publications’ core interest in technically oriented space adventure, starships, exploration, and future settings.

• Role-playing game

  FED RPG

  FED RPG is a repackaged version of the simpler development form of the company’s science-fiction role-playing game. It reflects the project’s earlier “FED Space” identity before the system was revised and presented under the FSpace name.

• Role-playing game fanzine · 1995

  The Meshan Saga

  The Meshan Saga was a science-fiction fanzine published alongside Traveller-related gaming material. It began in 1995 and its final issue was completed in 1999. The publication is significant both as a setting and fan-production project and as an archived record of FSpace Publications’ early work.

• Role-playing game supplements

  Far Encounters

  Far Encounters is a line of Traveller-like hard-science-fiction supplements covering starships and adventures. FSpace Publications used the label to repackage some Traveller-related material as more generally applicable science-fiction role-playing content.

• Role-playing game supplements

  Far Frontiers

  Far Frontiers is a companion line of generic science-fiction role-playing supplements focused on worlds and setting material. Like Far Encounters, it was used for repackaged Traveller-related content without relying exclusively on the original game branding.

• Tabletop war game

  SeaLion Supremacy

  SeaLion Supremacy is a World War II naval tabletop war game written by Philip Warnes. Its subject matter broadened FSpace Publications’ catalog beyond science-fiction role-playing into historical naval gaming and was accompanied by a line of three-dimensional miniatures.

• 2002

  Meshan Sector commercial project is pausedStrategy

  Background

  Work had begun on a small set of commercial books for the Meshan Sector in 2001.

  Action taken

  The project was placed on hold in late 2002, while some minor development continued.

  Aftermath

  The available reference material does not establish that the planned book set was completed or commercially released.

  Source

• 1994

  Adoption of the FSpace identityStrategy

  Background

  Players and playtesters commonly shortened The Federation Science Fiction Roleplaying Game to “FED Space.”

  Action taken

  The developers shortened the game’s name to FSpace and used the new identity for the publisher and its principal role-playing line.

  Aftermath

  The FSpace name became the basis for the company’s subsequent role-playing and supplement publishing.

  Source

1. 1FSpace Publicationsen.wikipedia.org