PDA

View Full Version : Suggestions regarding appropriate game system



Gnaeus
2011-08-03, 11:21 AM
So, my nephews, age 12, are starting to game (they have one of the 4th ed boxes), and they and their father want me to come DM something for them. I am trying to determine what to run. They have very little gaming experience. Parents are atheist and have gamed in the past, so I am not worried about offending anyone with things like gods or demons, but given their age I want to avoid overly mature topics (So then my vampire ate a drug addict and he went crazy and slaughtered an orphanage...no). I have been gaming for 25 years and have played almost everything at some point, but I don't have a huge book collection with a few exceptions.

Systems I have thought of...

4th ed. I hate it with the burning passion of 1000 suns, which are also on fire. I will not play or run it.

3.P. Pathfinder is my backup. Very familiar with it, have most supplements. Not sure how they will enjoy it after 4. I would introduce them to PF over 3.x because it is in print.

OWOD. Very familiar with system, own many books, but probably too mature.

CoC. Very familiar with system, own many books, but maybe too mature.

NWOD. Somewhat familiar with system, own some books, but probably too mature.

GURPS. Very familiar with previous editions. Do not have rules. Never read current edition. Another strong option.

TORG. Love it, but hate to introduce them to something years out of print.

Shadowrun (most recent edition). I have played and enjoyed it. Do not own it. Another strong option.

Most other games more than 10 years old. I have probably played it, but probably haven't run it, and probably do not own the book.

Any suggestions? I am willing to spend some money, but not huge amounts.

Toofey
2011-08-03, 11:54 AM
I thought you said they had a 4th ed box set, now I hate 4th as much as anyone but if it's what they have, are you really going to make a bunch of 12 year olds go buy new stuff to play?

Totally Guy
2011-08-03, 12:12 PM
I ran a game of Inspectres for my group last week. One of them had a little little 11 yeart old sister who wanted to play. It went really well. Her contributions were the highlight of the session!

It's a lot like ghostbusters. You're a team of investigators of the supernatural, normal guys with a bizarre job!

The big difference with Inspectres from most other games is that when you succeed rolls you get to say what happens. So if you're looking for a clue and you succeed you get to say what the clue was and what it means.


More on the traditional side I very much like Mouse Guard. It's quite simple to run and play but had an astonishing amount of depth to it.

In Mouse Guard you play mice defending their lands and way of life from predators, enemies and nature itself.

Gnaeus
2011-08-03, 12:18 PM
I thought you said they had a 4th ed box set, now I hate 4th as much as anyone but if it's what they have, are you really going to make a bunch of 12 year olds go buy new stuff to play?

No. But I am not going to run or play it. I will buy a hard copy of whatever I run if I don't already have it, and if they like it, I will buy them one. They are 12, I am an attorney. I understand where the financial obligation lies. That said, I would rather keep my overall expenses in the 100-250 range.


I ran a game of Inspectres for my group last week. One of them had a little little 11 yeart old sister who wanted to play. It went really well. Her contributions were the highlight of the session!

It's a lot like ghostbusters. You're a team of investigators of the supernatural, normal guys with a bizarre job!

The big difference with Inspectres from most other games is that when you succeed rolls you get to say what happens. So if you're looking for a clue and you succeed you get to say what the clue was and what it means.

I'm going to look that up.


More on the traditional side I very much like Mouse Guard. It's quite simple to run and play but had an astonishing amount of depth to it.

In Mouse Guard you play mice defending their lands and way of life from predators, enemies and nature itself.

Ooh, good suggestion. I have read the comic and heard lots of good things about the RPG.

Fera Tian
2011-08-03, 12:23 PM
Play Call of Cthulhu or GURPS. I don't think 6th-7th graders are really as sheltered as you think unless you know your brother doesn't allow them to watch PG-13 movies.

Gnaeus
2011-08-03, 12:36 PM
Play Call of Cthulhu or GURPS. I don't think 6th-7th graders are really as sheltered as you think unless you know your brother doesn't allow them to watch PG-13 movies.

Heh. I don't think I am going to scar their fragile little minds. (Edit: my own little girl could tell me the differences between Great Cthulhu and a giant octopus by age 3. I was so proud!). I am a little bit worried about what they are going to tell their parents. I don't anticipate problems with "So there were 50 orcs, and we killed them all". I don't anticipate problems with "There was this evil demon, and we killed it". I would be a little more worried about "So there was an elder horror, and it ate Bob's brain, and we all ran away, except for Frank, who went insane and now worships the devil."

LibraryOgre
2011-08-03, 12:48 PM
If you're willing to invest a little (or download the Quickstart rules), I'd really suggest Castles and Crusades. It's a very simple system, with a single resolution mechanic (basically: Roll d20. If d20+bonuses >/= 18+challenge rating, you succeed), and plays much like earlier editions of D&D. Character creation can be done in just a few minutes (pick a class, pick a race, pick primes, and you're more or less done), and if you're familiar with D&D, you can use it in your sleep.

Dragonmuncher
2011-08-03, 12:58 PM
If they're just starting to game, and only have done 4e, I'd say whatever you pick should be relatively easy to learn.


Obviously, the best option would be to run a game of 4e for them. It's a game they know and like, and it seems a little... immature... that you absolutely refuse to indulge them in this. I mean, I think Barbies are stupid, but I'll still pick one up if my niece runs over.


That said, I don't think you need to worry too much about a system being too mature. If you love WoD and know it really well, run it- you're the one running the game, after all. Just leave out the drug-addict hookers and whatnot, and make it more the spirit of... hm... a good teenage-level gothic horror setting... Gargoyles? True Blood?

Fera Tian
2011-08-03, 01:02 PM
Heh. I don't think I am going to scar their fragile little minds. (Edit: my own little girl could tell me the differences between Great Cthulhu and a giant octopus by age 3. I was so proud!). I am a little bit worried about what they are going to tell their parents. I don't anticipate problems with "So there were 50 orcs, and we killed them all". I don't anticipate problems with "There was this evil demon, and we killed it". I would be a little more worried about "So there was an elder horror, and it ate Bob's brain, and we all ran away, except for Frank, who went insane and now worships the devil."

But that sounds awesome and will be something they remember for the rest of their lives.

Gnaeus
2011-08-03, 01:08 PM
Obviously, the best option would be to run a game of 4e for them. It's a game they know and like, and it seems a little... immature... that you absolutely refuse to indulge them in this. I mean, I think Barbies are stupid, but I'll still pick one up if my niece runs over.


I don't feel that I am obligated to drive an hour to their house to run or play in a game that I despise. There are several good boardgames that I have introduced them to. I plan to take them to Dragoncon (during the day). I will run or play 90+% of the games out there (so long as their parents are cool with it). I feel like I have plenty of good uncle points and I do not feel guilty about my dislike of 4e. It just isn't happening.

LibraryOgre
2011-08-03, 01:25 PM
Obviously, the best option would be to run a game of 4e for them. It's a game they know and like, and it seems a little... immature... that you absolutely refuse to indulge them in this. I mean, I think Barbies are stupid, but I'll still pick one up if my niece runs over.

It somewhat depends on the age of the kid, though. My 6 or 3 year old nieces have a lot of leeway in what I'll play with them. A 12 year old? He can stand to hear "Yeah... I have some reasons I'm not a fan of that game. If you want me to play with you, we're gonna have to try something else."

Oh, and another suggestion? d6 Star Wars. You can get the d6 system for free (including the Space version), and there's a lot of resources out there on d6 Star Wars.

Dramiscius
2011-08-03, 01:44 PM
Depends on what they wanna play, M&M has quite a bit of content and I hear good things about it, however I'm quite a bit fan of the short lived marvel universe rpg that's 100% diceless (less choking hazards... I know they're 12 but still, less **** to hassle with).

Knaight
2011-08-05, 11:35 AM
I have a short list of games, all of which are cheap, relatively rules light, and somewhere on the simulationist-narrativist spectrum. Every one encouraged rolaplaying. Beyond that, there are some major differences.

Fudge - A free universal game engine that requires tweaking by nature. However, it successfully made a unified scale for everything, using an intuitive word scale. Moreover, the author worked for Steve Jackson Games, and has published GURPS stuff.

FATE 2 - A simple narrativist game that popularized the concept of qualitative Aspects in the genre. It has a Fudge basis, though Fudge is far more simulationist.

Reign - A game that uses the very well made One Roll Engine, leading to high levels of mechanical choice. Moreover, it handles organizations better than the vast majority of systems out there. It is about as rules heavy as GURPS, including the scaling options.

Burning Wheel - A brilliant game that handles low fantasy better than anything on the market. Characters are defined by both quantitative attributes, skills, et. all and qualitative beliefs. It is the system behind Mouse Guard, and far better than Mouse Guard is ever likely to be. Moreover, a new edition should be coming out very soon.

Crusader808
2011-08-05, 01:53 PM
I'm not a huge fan of 4e for my own games, but it is pretty easy to play.

My nephews (ages 6, 8, and 9) love Talisman (not RPing and not cheap) and have played 3e with their dad with some successs. So pathfinder may not be too complicated a choice.

I'd like to echo the suggestion for M&M. It and pathfinder are my go-to systems for pretty much everything.

leakingpen
2011-08-05, 03:26 PM
ninja burger.