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How much Sci-Fi do people play? As I find the time I'm slowly working on a setting using the d20 Future rules. I'm looking to use this as a ongoing setting for my gaming group over the summer once our current games end.

Sparkling Darkdraft 1
“The darkness which has shone. Illuminated through hopes of humanity. Dimmed by warriors of the final night. What new star will dispel the void?”

Summery
Sparkling Dark is a star fairing setting that takes place during humanities expansion into the stars. Humans have finally overcome the limitations that bound them to their birthplace and have begun colonizing new systems and worlds. The pioneering spirit is back as stellar settlers venture further and further from the home world. It is Wild West reborn in an age of fusion pistols and metallic steeds.
However Sparkling Dark is more then a reenactment of the Wild West. The pirates and privateers of earths ancient seas have also be raided from the deep and laid claimed the dark waters of space. Those with the pioneering spirit must contend with their own brethren. Also, like the explorers of early earth found, the void is not empty and has its own native denizens.”

Role of the Heroes
The heroes in Sparkling Dark take on the role of space cowboys. They have stuck out into the humanities burgeoning new frontier to fame, fortune, and a place to roam free. In the seemingly limitless vastness of space the options for them to pursue those goals are equally unfettered. Will they be remembered as noble vigilantes or infamous predators?
The heroes can come from any different backgrounds and worlds but they all have one thing common, the need to roam. From Spoiled aristocrats to the dregs of the old society the all want to be free from their old lives. Sometimes that life can’t be fully escaped even on the frontier of space. If they run fast enough and far enough they may be able to distance themselves from it but run into other things even more dangerous.

Campaign Traits
The Sparkling Dark is a setting of star fairing cowboys and pirates but also one of exploration. It is also a balance between the hope of brighter future and the darker things that follow from humanities past and lurk head in the future. This is high tech space opera mixed with classic Western and Swashbuckling affairs. Space, and ships that traverse it, support the frontier feel. Spectacular stellar naval battles light up void the way fleets of ancient sailing ships rain cannon fire on each other.
Outings on new worlds colonies provide interludes between the antics in space. Shootouts with other ruffians or helping struggling colonists are the order of the day. This is also were heroes can see how humanity is changing as it expands into the galaxy. Mutations, cybernetic enhancement, and outright terraforming create an array of encounters and situations.

Progress Level
A Sparkling Dark campaign is set between progress levels 6 and 7. Items from Progress Level 6 are now cheaper and easier to manufacture (Purchase DCs -2). Progress Level 7 items are still relatively new (Purchase DCs +2), and difficult to obtain (Increase Restriction by +1, maximum Military +3).

Rules Set
Sparkling Dark campaigns use Fantastic Space Travel rules (pg 102, d20 Futuer). Earth and a few major colony systems are connected by Jump Gates (pg 101, d20 Future).

Sparkling Dark campaigns may also include the rules for and Robotics(ch 10), Cybernetics(ch 11), and Mutations (ch 12). Cybernetics and Robotics follow the Progess Level restrictions as outlined above. Mutations for the heroes should be limited to cosmetic and minor ones only. (edit, added 4/30/2007)

Adventure Setup(edit, added 4/30/2007)

Bootstraps (1st - 5th): This level of play follows the heros as make attempt to make their way in the wider galaxy. Political intrigue, fighting bandits, and general survival characterize this period in the characters' careers.

Out of the Dark (6th - 12th): Mid-levels should see the heros no top of the human heap. They've clawed their way up the ranks and earned reputations, warranted or not. Now the old familiar ground is being threaded by the first truly alien race to be encountered, not just human mutants, and they are on the war path. Heros of this level need to put the skills they've earned to the test against foes who have very different goal then have encountered before. In my mind I've already started writing up the stuff for space Goblinoids.

I don't really have anything currently written out beyond that. I may be borrowing a bit more from Firefly then I want to, however my gaming group really loves the show(as do, why did Fox cancel/kill it). The really hope is that it won't all be Space based.

There is also an interesting story telling device I want to try, best seen in Start Wars: Return of the Jedi. Even with the PCs split between three "encounters" it should be possible to link them. Return of the Jedi splint into three fights, a space battle (1 PC), ground battle (~3 PCs), and a dual (1 PC). The idea would be that success in one arena would aid the others in some way. It looks like it's going to be an organizational nightmare to do but should be very rewarding if I can pull it off.

I should have more time to really work on this in the next week or so.

I'm in the process of drafting up a universe for d20 future. About PL 7, though some areas are not as advanced, particularly weapons. Why? Because I'm drawing from Shadowrun, Fifth Element, and such movies, and one thing they all have in common? No energy weapons. Bullets. Lots of bullets.

So, in keeping with the 'lower PL cost adjustment', the .50 pistol you buy in my setting for the same Purchase DC as one in regular modern will have an extended magazine, integral suppressor, and probably a single-shot mini-grenade launcher or something crazy like that.

I'm trying to avoid space combat and such things on the first run through. I want this to be about dirtside action, slum gang warfare, corporate espionage and cybernetic/genetic enhanced badassness. Martial arts are probably going to play at least a small part thanks to Blood and Fists, a non-WOTC supplement that gives martial artist types a fighting chance against gun monkeys.