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Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-09-30, 11:58 PM
Basic Roleplaying (BRP)

Stripped down free version. (http://www.basicrps.com/core/BRP_quick_start.pdf)
Full version hardcover. (http://catalog.chaosium.com/product_info.php?cPath=37&products_id=6561)
Full version softcover. (http://catalog.chaosium.com/product_info.php?cPath=37&products_id=1256)
Play if you enjoy ...
Rolling fancy dice.
Very flexible character creation.
Non-linear character progression.
The absence of classes and levels.
Easiness as a priority over realism.
Modular and easy-to-learn rules.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Crappy art.
Small fan-bases.
Grittiness.


Pathfinder

Boxed starter set. (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy8osv)
Core Rulebook hardcover. (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy88yj&source=top)

Play if you enjoy ...
Extensive and convoluted fantasy worlds.
Character customization.
Rules.
Really wacky characters.
Final Fantasy.
Anime.

Avoid if you dislike ...
Anime.
Bloated rules systems.
Tedious character creation.
Drow who suck.
Repetitive adventure concepts.


D&D 4e

Boxed starter set. (http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Fantasy-Roleplaying-Game/dp/0786956291/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320358545&sr=8-1) This boxed set got a lot of flack, but it is the best way to start playing.

Play if you enjoy ...
Having heaps of magic items.
Being almost comically overpowered.
Tactical miniatures battles.
World of Warcraft.
Drow who are awesome.
Fighting bosses and carving your way through hordes of evil minions. Being a hero.
Massive fanbases.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Stupid character races.
Second-rate fluff.
Combat that drags on forever.
Errata.
Being poor.
Forums that are filled with spammers, trolls, and enraged nerds threatening to switch to other games.


Call of Cthulhu

Stripped down free version. (http://www.chaosium.com/forms/coc_quick_start_color.pdf) Really only got for one-shot games.
Core book softcover. (http://catalog.chaosium.com/product_info.php?cPath=41&products_id=359)

Play if you enjoy ...
Running.
Having horrible things happen to you.
Cool fluff.
Survival horror games.
The Alien movies.
Hentai.
Not having enough ammo.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Feeling helpless.
Crappy art.
Long, rambling descriptions.
Adverbs and adjectives.
Monsters that are stupid if you think about them for long enough.


Deathwatch/Black Crusade

Deathwatch. (http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite.asp?eidm=108&enmi=Deathwatch) In Deathwatch, you play the protagonists.
Black Crusade. (http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite.asp?eidm=154&enmi=Black%20Crusade) In Black Crusade, you play the antagonists.

Play if you enjoy ...
Relentless brutal violence.
Fighting for a cause bigger than yourself.
Having almost comically oversized weapons.
H. R. Giger.
Gears of War.
Fun character creation.
Simple and well-designed rules systems.
Starcraft.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Darkgrim.
98% of characters being male and grotesquely muscular.
Often stupid concepts that don't make sense.
Grim horror for the sake of grim horror.
Skulls everywhere.


GURPS

The two core rulebooks. (http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/Basic/)Play if you enjoy ...
Lots and lots of character options.
Point-based character creation.
Being able to use the same system for nearly any genre.
Intricate rules.
Polite, helpful fan-bases.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Tedious character creation.
Being overwhelmed by sheer volume of options, many of which overlap.
Having to write most of your own fluff.
Stats that often don't make sense.


Castles & Crusades

Stripped down free version. (http://www.trolllord.com/downloads/pdfs/tlg2010quickstartpdf.pdf)
Player's Handbook (http://astore.amazon.com/trolorgam-20/detail/1929474385)
Keeper's Guide (http://astore.amazon.com/trolorgam-20/detail/1929474687)
Monsters & Treasure (http://astore.amazon.com/trolorgam-20/detail/1929474423)

Play if you enjoy ...
The art, fluff, and feel of D&D from before the turn of the Milenia.
Rules-light systems.
D&D 3.x.
The Gamers (http://www.youtube.com/DeadGentlemen#p/u/40/sO1RYEwo_mY).
Classic dungeon crawls.
Fast and simple character creation.
Affordable game books.

Avoid if you dislike ...
Repetitive adventure concepts (enter the dungeon, kill everything, grab to loot, leave).
Classic-ness as a top priority.
Low-level characters having high mortality rates.
Limited character customization.
Most melee characters being boring to play.
Spellcasters being infuriatingly fragile.


Star Wars Saga Edition

Play if you enjoy ...
The Star Wars mythology.
Dungeons & Dragons.
Unique and innovative rules that you wish you thought of.
Videogame-like character progression.
Having loads of character options and equipment to choose from.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Having to order out-of-print books from eBay.
Combat taking too long.
Extended universe crap.
Having to spend loads of money on miniatures.


Conan 2e

Play if you enjoy ...
The Conan/Hyboria mythology.
Dungeons & Dragons.
Violence and horror.
Topless women.
Gritty tactical combat.
Well-written fluff.
Having testosterone slosh out of your ears.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Having to hunt down out of print books.
Wonky rules.
Spell-casters inherently sucking.

Knaight
2011-10-01, 06:46 AM
Fudge
Play if you enjoy:

Qualitative Description
Rules Light Games
Intuitively Understood Mechanics
Improvisational GMing
Character Simulation Focus
Variety and Customization
Reduced Combat Focus
Unified Design*

Avoid if you dislike:

Tinkering with mechanics
Homebrewing
Granularity**


FATE
Play if you enjoy:

Qualitative Description
Intuitively Understood Mechanics
Double Edged Traits
Creation of Qualitative Traits
Narrative Focus

Avoid if you dislike:

Creation of Qualitative Traits
Metagame Economies
Granularity*
Shared Character Control



Chronica Feudalis

Play if you enjoy:
Near-Historical Medieval Settings
Engaging Writing
Well Organized Games
Coherently Designed Subsystems
Unified Design
Reduced Combat Focus
Rules Light Games

Avoid if you dislike:

Subsystems
Historical Medieval Settings
Limited Mechanical Customization


Ars Magica
Play if you enjoy:

Studious Magic
Rules Heavy Systems
Playing Multiple Characters
Medieval Settings

Avoid if you dislike:

Reduced Focus on Adventure
Permanent Character Harm


Synapse
Play if you enjoy:

Detailed Focus on Mental Traits
Detailed Focus on Cultural Influence
Detailed Focus on Motivation
Detailed Focus on Aspects of Everyday Life

Avoid if you dislike:

Extended Character Creation
Lots and Lots of Rules
Limited Character Control


*The use of similar mechanics across a system. D&D 3.5's 3-18 base attribute scale, 0-23 skill scale, 1-20 level scale, difficulty systems, so on and so forth are an example of non-unified design. AD&Ds odd subsytems which introduce entirely new die mechanics are a better example of non-unified design. The universal Fudge Trait Ladder which applies to attributes, skills, and difficulties is an example of unified design.

**Where granularity is defined as the existence of relatively few defined states in a scale. If skills can range from 0 to 1000, and can be any whole number, a system is not very granular. If skills can range from -4 to 4, and be any whole number, a system is granular.

Kurald Galain
2011-10-01, 08:30 AM
Paranoia

Play if you enjoy

Being happy
Serving The Computer
Killing the evil mutans
Shooting the evil commies
Testing new R&D equipment
Being happy
Filling out lots of forms
Bouncy Bubble Beverage


Avoid if you enjoy

Being a traitor and getting summarily executed

Yuki Akuma
2011-10-01, 08:36 AM
Eh why not.

RISUS

Play it if you like...

Absurdly quick character creation
Absolute creative freedom
RPGs you can read cover to cover in under five minutes
Silly stick figure art
Excuses to turn absolutely any obstacle into a fight scene
Free RPGs
The optional rules section being longer than the basic rules section

Avoid it if you dislike...

The DMing tips mostly being found in the paid-for 'Deluxe Edition'
A huge focus on combat
Having to come up with most classes/abilities/etc yourself

Laura Eternata
2011-10-01, 12:13 PM
UnderWorld

Play it if you like...


Very rules-lite systems
LARP friendly systems
Little emphasis on combat
Alternatives to dice (in this case, coin tosses)
Subways
Extremely quick character creation


Avoid it if you dislike...


Hard to read text
Urban Fantasy
Subways
Genre Mashups

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-10-01, 12:56 PM
Deathwatch/Black Crusade

Play if you enjoy ...
Relentless brutal violence.
Fighting for a cause bigger than yourself.
Having almost comically oversized weapons.
H. R. Giger.
Gears of War.
Fun character creation.
Simple and well-designed rules systems.
Starcraft.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Darkgrim.
98% of characters being male and grotesquely muscular.
Often stupid concepts that don't make sense.
Grim horror for the sake of grim horror.
Skulls everywhere.

Tengu_temp
2011-10-01, 01:18 PM
Mutants and Masterminds

Play it if you like:

Superheroes
Soft sci-fi
Anime
Sword and sorcery
Pretty much any setting that's more cinematic than gritty
Open games that let you build anything and still stay moderately balanced
Fast combat
A flaw system that works and doesn't break the game


Avoid it if you dislike:

Fun
Having to cooperate with the GM and other players to make sure you're all on more or less the same power level
Crunchy character creation process

GolemsVoice
2011-10-01, 01:33 PM
Unhallowed Metropolis

Play if you like:

Gothic horror
Edgar Allan Poe/Howard Philips Lovecraft
London
Steampunk/Clockpunk/Whateverpunk
Science!
Zombies
A dark future
Victorian mindest
A well thought-out, living (or unliving) world


Don't play if you don't like:

Any of the above, really
Driving your own character into ruin for the sake of the greater good
Only really having one city to play in (London)
a limited choice of enemies (humans, and most of the supernatural monsters of 19th century ficition (ghosts, zombies, vampires, etc...)

shawnhcorey
2011-10-01, 02:13 PM
GURPS

Play if you like:

being able to set the complexity of the rules;
able to shift settings, genres, eras, and worlds without learning a new system;
never having to buy funny-shaped dice;
a forum (http://forums.sjgames.com/forumdisplay.php?f=13) full of enthusiastic fans willing to help you with any problem;
being able to play a Psychic Mutant Vampiric Space WereBunny fighting the legions of Cthulhu on Discworld. (http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/File:MPost595-153420369_964cba40e7.jpg)


Don't play if you don't like:

variety

Geddoe
2011-10-01, 02:25 PM
Anima: Beyond Fantasy

Play if you like:


Anime
Japanese RPGs
Varied character systems
Dynasty Warriors
Sword and sorcery
Martial Arts
Phenominal Cosmic Power


Don't play if you don't like:


Complicated character creation
Japanese weapons being inherently superior to other weapons
Inquisitions
Psychics falling into comas if they fumble using their powers
Monofilament weapons, Whip Swords, deadly throwing cards/coins or Unlimited Blade Works

Hiro Protagonest
2011-10-01, 02:36 PM
Pathfinder

Play if you enjoy ...
Extensive and convoluted fantasy worlds.
Character customization.
Rules.
Really wacky characters.
Final Fantasy.
Anime.

Avoid if you dislike ...
Anime.
Bloated rules systems.
Tedious character creation.
Drow who suck.
Repetitive adventure concepts.

Oookayyy.

What's anime about it?
What's FF about it?
Why do drow suck from not having 2 LA?

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-10-01, 02:59 PM
What's anime about it?
The art, to an extent.

What's FF about it?
The art. Also, many of the classes seem like something out of Final Fantasy.

Why do drow suck from not having 2 LA?
I mean the drow fluff sucks. If I ever run a Golarion campaign that involves drow, I will have to adapt them so that they worship Lolth.

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-10-01, 03:09 PM
GURPS (Less Biased Version)

Play if you enjoy ...
Lots and lots of character options.
Point-based character creation.
Being able to use the same system for nearly any genre.
Intricate rules.
Polite, helpful fan-bases.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Tedious character creation.
Being overwhelmed by sheer volume of options, many of which overlap.
Having to write most of your own fluff.
Stats that often don't make sense.

Laura Eternata
2011-10-01, 03:23 PM
Could someone do a Shadowrun 4E one? I'm staring at it at Barnes & Noble right now, and it's 75% off...

The Glyphstone
2011-10-01, 05:25 PM
The art, to an extent.

The art. Also, many of the classes seem like something out of Final Fantasy.

I mean the drow fluff sucks. If I ever run a Golarion campaign that involves drow, I will have to adapt them so that they worship Lolth.

But making the drow worship Lolth would make them suck more...sure, it's traditional, but the Drow society as it's always been depicted was a nonsensical mess that should have imploded thousands of years ago. And Lolth was the singular cause of that species-wide dysfunction, because she stomped all over any attempts to make a sane culture.

BayardSPSR
2011-10-01, 05:57 PM
DESTINY OF HEROES

Play if you like:

Point-based character creation
Being able to use the same system for nearly any genre
Relatively simple rules
Houseruling and homebrewing
Not having to pay anything
Games not entirely focused on combat
Multiple GM-equivalents


Avoid if you dislike:

TINY fanbases
Interpreting (sometimes deliberately!) ambiguous rules
Being killed by your own spell
Freedom
Having to print downloaded PDFs
A different vocabulary (no 'party', 'GM', 'PC', 'campaign') and weird capitalization ('Players', 'Narrators', 'Monkeys')


When I say TINY, I REALLY mean it. You might have a hard time finding the game...

Shadowknight12
2011-10-01, 05:59 PM
Avoid it if you dislike:

Fun

I was waiting for this exact thing to appear ever since I saw the OP. It took 7 posts, though, way more than I had expected.

Needless to say, let this be an example of the main pitfalls of threads like these.

The Glyphstone
2011-10-01, 06:01 PM
Kobolds Ate My Baby

Play if you like:

Kobolds
Simple character generation
Simple rules
Gallows humor
King Torg (ALL HAIL KING TORG!)


Avoid if you dislike:

Babies as snack food
Frequent and arbitrary character death
Utter incompetence at even basic tasks
Kobolds

Hiro Protagonest
2011-10-01, 06:03 PM
I was waiting for this exact thing to appear ever since I saw the OP. It took 7 posts, though, way more than I had expected.

Needless to say, let this be an example of the main pitfalls of threads like these.

The variety thing the first GURPS guy did is almost just as bad. And when I say almost, I mean really really tiny gap in how bad they are.

I can't really do any of my own, seeing as how I only have 3.5, PF, and 4e, since PF was already done and is pretty much the same as 3.5, and vie never actually played a proper game of 4e.

Shadowknight12
2011-10-01, 06:10 PM
The variety thing the first GURPS guy did is almost just as bad. And when I say almost, I mean really really tiny gap in how bad they are.

It was a latter post. I was merely going for the first time the "Bash people who may not like the games you like" attitude popped up.


I can't really do any of my own, seeing as how I only have 3.5, PF, and 4e, since PF was already done and is pretty much the same as 3.5, and vie never actually played a proper game of 4e.

I could do a few (nWoD, oWoD, All Flesh Must Be Eaten, Spycraft, World of Warcraft RPG, Until We Sink, AD&D and probably a few more) , but it'd be useless, since it's only a matter of time before the thread turns into a burning pile of arguments. If this was handled by a single person or a small group, all of which were fairly unbiased, this could work. But if they're accepting contributions from just about anyone, well. It's not going to last long.

Tengu_temp
2011-10-01, 06:30 PM
I was waiting for this exact thing to appear ever since I saw the OP. It took 7 posts, though, way more than I had expected.

Needless to say, let this be an example of the main pitfalls of threads like these.

Usually I'd say I understand your annoyance, but it's M&M we're talking about, and I never saw anyone raise a good point for disliking this system other than "I prefer them rules-light". And seeing that this thread is not called The Objective RPG Upsides And Downsides Thread, I feel no need to edit that part out.

FatJose
2011-10-01, 06:38 PM
The art, to an extent.
The art. Also, many of the classes seem like something out of Final Fantasy.
I mean the drow fluff sucks. If I ever run a Golarion campaign that involves drow, I will have to adapt them so that they worship Lolth.

You don't need to play in the default pathfinder setting to play Pathfinder. I really don't see the "anime" in the art and even if it were there, it doesn't affect anything. Same with fluff. Pathfinder uses the same classes as D&D with a few new classes I haven't looked in to.

I'm assuming by hentai, you mean tentacle porn..yeah...CoC *snicker* doesn't have that. Atleast, it has about as much implied tentacle porn as Core 3.5.

Shadowknight12
2011-10-01, 06:48 PM
Usually I'd say I understand your annoyance, but it's M&M we're talking about, and I never saw anyone raise a good point for disliking this system other than "I prefer them rules-light". And seeing that this thread is not called The Objective RPG Upsides And Downsides Thread, I feel no need to edit that part out.

What about people who can't stand the superhero genre? Or prefer character progression in terms of levels and classes rather than static power levels? Or, I don't know... people who don't find it fun at all? Does it actually matter why they don't find it fun? I guess I wasn't aware that respect for other people's tastes had to be bought with compelling arguments.

As for whether or not you'll change it, I don't mind either way. I've already made my point.

Kurald Galain
2011-10-01, 07:06 PM
Chocolate!

Eat if you like

Chocolate!


Avoid if you like

Strawberry!

Tengu_temp
2011-10-01, 07:09 PM
What about people who can't stand the superhero genre? Or prefer character progression in terms of levels and classes rather than static power levels? Or, I don't know... people who don't find it fun at all? Does it actually matter why they don't find it fun? I guess I wasn't aware that respect for other people's tastes had to be bought with compelling arguments.


M&M does an excellent job at running genres other than superheroes (in fact, I've yet to play a traditional superhero game in it), and I've yet to see anyone who hated non-class based RPGs so much he refused to play any of them. If you think there are reasons for disliking this game that I haven't mentioned, feel free to add them yourself. This already happened with GURPS without anyone starting an argument.

FatJose
2011-10-01, 07:11 PM
Chocolate!

Eat if you like

Chocolate!


Avoid if you like

Strawberry!


Yo, Kurald knows his ****, ya heard!

Ahem, I also agree with Tengu on M&M. I find it to be a great toolbox for a generic d20 game and it even gives you the tools to make balanced classes of your own through the use of it's 'a la carte system.

Shadowknight12
2011-10-01, 07:11 PM
M&M does an excellent job at running genres other than superheroes (in fact, I've yet to play a traditional superhero game in it), and I've yet to see anyone who hated non-class based RPGs so much he refused to play any of them. If you think there are reasons for disliking this game that I haven't mentioned, feel free to add them yourself. This already happened with GURPS without anyone starting an argument.

No, thanks. Like I said, my job is done here.

FatJose
2011-10-01, 07:20 PM
No, thanks. Like I said, my job is done here.

For someone who apparently doesn't like the superhero genre, you really know how to phrase things.


No, thanks. Like I said, my job is done here. ShadowKnight AWAY!

You're welcome.

Shadowknight12
2011-10-01, 07:23 PM
For someone who apparently doesn't like the superhero genre, you really know how to phrase things.

Oh dammit, that was too awesome to hate.

Hiro Protagonest
2011-10-01, 07:31 PM
Chocolate!

Eat if you like

Chocolate!


Avoid if you like

Strawberry!


Cake!
Eat if you like

Cake!


Avoid if you dislike

Lies!

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-10-01, 08:08 PM
You don't need to play in the default pathfinder setting to play Pathfinder. I really don't see the "anime" in the art and even if it were there, it doesn't affect anything. Same with fluff. Pathfinder uses the same classes as D&D with a few new classes I haven't looked in to.

I'm assuming by hentai, you mean tentacle porn..yeah...CoC *snicker* doesn't have that. Atleast, it has about as much implied tentacle porn as Core 3.5.
You obviously don't have my GM.


Chocolate!

Eat if you like

Chocolate!


Avoid if you like

Strawberry!

That is non-helpful and a nail in the coffin of this thread.


Cake!
Eat if you like

Cake!


Avoid if you dislike

Lies!

Funny, but also a coffin-nail.

The Glyphstone
2011-10-01, 09:48 PM
You obviously don't have my GM.



But what does that have to do with the topic you brought up?



I mean the drow fluff sucks. If I ever run a Golarion campaign that involves drow, I will have to adapt them so that they worship Lolth.


Where does your current GM's opinion matter in any way here, if you're running the game?

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-10-01, 10:23 PM
But what does that have to do with the topic you brought up?
I was under the impression that very many Call of Cthulhu games involve intimacy between tentacled monsters and humans. I was also under the impression that said intimacy is implied in the stories the game is based on. Like in The Shadow Over Innsmouth, where cultists have sex with fish people, or in The Dunwich Horror, where a woman is impregnated by an evil alien god.

FatJose
2011-10-01, 10:45 PM
I was under the impression that very many Call of Cthulhu games involve intimacy between tentacled monsters and humans.

Cthulhu isn't an intimate being. He's rather cold and never spoons.


Okay, then.

Mutants & Masterminds
Play this if

You like broad customization of every aspect of characters.
A flexible system that works with many genres
Being able to have items as fluff instead of keeping track of tomes worth of items that are often just renamed doubles of older entries. (A katana is just a MW bastard sword?! Insulting to all parties!)

Don't if

Are like me, and couldn't find any dice tables and had to wing it instead by simply stating that everything uses d20 always. (Horrible or Great moment in DMing? ALso, ignore...or notify me if that's actually how it works.)
Don't want to have to constantly check players so as to curve super godmoding.
You'd rather use or wait for a generic/open gaming version that isn't so Supercentric. Like, maybe a Conan/Thor-esque setting supplement for the line.

Cloaked Bloke
2011-10-02, 12:35 AM
FatJose:
Yes, M&M (at least 2nd ed) uses ONLY a d20 for everything. I'm not being hyperbolic here. I've played and DMed several campaigns, and the entire group full of optimizers never found a single use of a dice that wasn't twenty-sided.

And, contrary to what I thought before I played it, it actually works.

Gorgondantess
2011-10-02, 01:00 AM
Dogs in the Vineyard: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogs_in_the_vineyard)

Play if you like:

Totally Narrativist gameplay
A highly unique setting
Westerns
Poker
Making your own stakes

Avoid if you dislike:

Games without much in the way of mechanics
Low combat games
Playing dogmatic, highly religious characters.




I was under the impression that very many Call of Cthulhu games involve intimacy between tentacled monsters and humans. I was also under the impression that said intimacy is implied in the stories the game is based on. Like in The Shadow Over Innsmouth, where cultists have sex with fish people, or in The Dunwich Horror, where a woman is impregnated by an evil alien god.

...Not really. Yes, these things go on, but they're hardly glorified, nor explicit. Very subtle. They're just facets of the setting. Many campaigns can go on without anything at all of the sort, and it would be breaking the spirit of the game to do anything more than make brief mention of the horrifying acts these people have committed.

Totally Guy
2011-10-02, 02:48 AM
Lets pimp Burning Wheel.

Play if you like:

Character driven play
Dynamic character growth
Transparency of the game mechanics in play
Making tough decisions


Avoid if you dislike:

Heavy rules
Social conflict
Plot responsibility
The concept of earning and spending metagame points

Knaight
2011-10-02, 03:01 AM
Dogs in the Vineyard: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogs_in_the_vineyard)
...

Games without much in the way of mechanics.
What? Dogs in the Vineyard is not a rules light game by any stretch of the imagination, it is convoluted, complex, and built with a huge amount of rules. They all work together well, but "without much" is not a term that fits the mechanics at all.

GolemsVoice
2011-10-02, 07:02 PM
World of Warcraft RPG

Play if you like:

World of Warcraft, or just the world of Warcraft
the d20 system
high fantasy
a wild mix of different styles and moods
Having the choice of incorporating the developements of the MMORPG into your game, or not doing it and making your own history
only needing a few books


Don't play if you dislike:

World of Warcraft/Warcraft
the d20 system
having to make many adjustments, because some sourcebooks are still for old 3E, and meant as an addition to the normal D&D books
abilities from other books (which you might not posess) being referenced
having no help in updating Azeroth to the newest state of the MMORPG
some books being very rare


EDIT: Did somebody say CoC? Heeeeere I go!

Call of Cthulhu (which comes in many versions, I'll describe the "setting" rather than indivdual systems)

Play if you like:

Lovecraft's work, and that of his followers
fighting a losing battle, in the end
discovering new things, which sometimes are strange and ven wonderful, but often horrific and maddening
the idea of man as a tiny thing in a cosmos of strange beings
a vast body of literature to draw from, which you can pick or disregard as it suits you
horror, and terror
a sense of inevitable doom
adventures which can take you all over the world, and can range from social to violent
"piercing the veil" type of play
laying "another layer" over the real world


Don't play if you don't like:

the idea of losing your sanity
playing essentially doomed characters
your characters being much weaker that the enemies they often fight
the idea that strange things are often inherently horrific
the idea that finding certain truths WILL destroy your sanity
magic as "science"
the 1930s, the default setting

pasko77
2011-10-03, 08:24 AM
Warhammer Fantsy Roleplay (2nd edition)

Like:
- Fluff
- Grimdark and character mortality
- unpredictable magic

Dislike:
- Randomness in events, chargen and fight included
- suckyness at every untrained skill

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-10-31, 11:36 PM
The thread seems to have died, but I plan to bring it back. I don't think this counts as thread necromancy, because it hasn't been long enough.


Castles & Crusades

Play if you enjoy ...
The art, fluff, and feel of D&D from before the turn of the Milenia.
Rules-light systems.
D&D 3.x.
The Gamers (http://www.youtube.com/DeadGentlemen#p/u/40/sO1RYEwo_mY).
Classic dungeon crawls.
Fast and simple character creation.
Affordable game books.

Avoid if you dislike ...
Somewhat repetitive adventure concepts (enter the dungeon, kill everything, grab to loot, leave).
Classic-ness as a top priority.
Low-level characters having high mortality rates.
Limited character customization.
Most melee characters being boring to play.
Spellcasters being infuriatingly fragile.

Shyftir
2011-11-01, 01:33 PM
Wushu

Play it if you like:

Easy Character Generation
Crazy Movie-style Action
Inexpensive Games (Cheap as Free! if you just work with the OGL core rules)
Simple Rules
Describing your actions in detail

Don't play it if you like:

Complex multi-faceted Character Creation
Traditional role-to-hit mechanics
Crunchy Rules

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-11-02, 06:45 PM
Star Wars Saga Edition

Play if you enjoy ...
The Star Wars mythology.
Dungeons & Dragons.
Unique and innovative rules that you wish you thought of.
Videogame-like character progression.
Having loads of character options and equipment to choose from.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Having to order out-of-print books from eBay.
Combat taking too long.
Extended universe crap.
Having to spend loads of money on miniatures.

Rejakor
2011-11-02, 07:07 PM
But making the drow worship Lolth would make them suck more...sure, it's traditional, but the Drow society as it's always been depicted was a nonsensical mess that should have imploded thousands of years ago. And Lolth was the singular cause of that species-wide dysfunction, because she stomped all over any attempts to make a sane culture.

I like the Tomes version of this.

Drow as a post-apocalyptic magitech factionalized tradehub society just makes so much sense.

Mono Vertigo
2011-11-03, 07:18 AM
Magical Burst (http://yarukizero.wordpress.com/tag/magical-burst/)

Play if you enjoy ...
Anime
Ease to refluff
Magical girls
Things going awfully awry
Dark secrets
Random tables
Roleplaying more than just battles
Puella Magi Madoka Magica or Persona games
Avoid if you dislike ...
VERY bad things happening to your character
Random tables almost everywhere
Surprise grimdark
Rules that are spread all over the place and require several careful readings
Playing teenage girls (which can be fixed with refluffing, but hey)
Having to maintain relationships with NPCs to have a chance to survive
Games that are still in development and not entirely balanced
Creativity on the players' part

Blurazor
2011-11-03, 03:49 PM
Aspect
Play if you like

100% customizable experience
No more 15 min day (i.e. rest after each fight til the next day)
Great game balance
fast action combat
martial arts combat not limited to a monk
fantasy gaming
more than 7 races
not making massive amounts of calculations to play
easy character setup
The ability to have EVERY character effect EVERY portion of the game, not just the physical side
Thinking, Talking, and Hitting stuff during the game
a game in active development where your feedback matters

Don't play if you

need games that are rigidly structured or have firm boundaries
dislike a High Magic environment (but not necessarily magic items)
need a game where powers and abilities that are class exclusive (not trying to insinuate anything here)
are just looking for Hack and Slash

So give it a shot! => http://www.stonetabletgames.com/aspect.html

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-11-03, 04:16 PM
Can I post the link here?

I don't see why not.

Hiro Protagonest
2011-11-03, 04:40 PM
Don't play if you dislike

Games that are not rigidly structured
Any game that needs more than a D20 to play
High Magic environment (but not necessarily magic items)
Blurred lines between classes
Having to do more than Hack and Slash

Most of those are saying if you don't like it, you're either rigid or lazy. The only one that doesn't is "dislike high magic".

Shadowknight12
2011-11-03, 04:42 PM
Most of those are saying if you don't like it, you're either rigid or lazy. The only one that doesn't is "dislike high magic".

It wasn't the first time this thread has taken that turn. And it won't be the last.

Blurazor
2011-11-03, 04:42 PM
OH I agree but I wasn't trying to be offensive just that I have met some people that need a rigid rules system to rebel against and others that would rather use a pregen character than make one. Was trying to encompass everything... would rather not even put the "Don't play if..." but it appeared to be the format.:smallredface:

Dust
2011-11-03, 04:43 PM
Legend (http://www.gralamin.com/legend.pdf), by Doc Roc
Play if you like

A game in where the developer's creed seems to be 'How can we make this more awesome?'
Dungeons and Dragons 3.5, or fantasy-world d20 systems
Pop culture and tongue-in-cheek humour
Game balance without being afraid to take risks
To be involved in full systems during the beta and development process


Don't play if you dislike

Linear character classes
Systems with 100 pages discussing physical combat, and three paragraphs for 'social' combat
Combat with lots of status conditions constantly being thrown around
Party roles
Lots of work as a GM

Blurazor
2011-11-03, 04:46 PM
It wasn't the first time this thread has taken that turn. And it won't be the last.

I went ahead and edited it a bit to make it less flame like... what do you think?:smallconfused:

Shadowknight12
2011-11-03, 04:56 PM
I went ahead and edited it a bit to make it less flame like... what do you think?:smallconfused:

Better, but the first item is still slightly inflammatory for those who actually enjoy rigid boundaries. I'd just ditch the stuff between parenthesis.

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-11-03, 05:11 PM
Basic Roleplaying (BRP)

Stripped down free version. (http://www.basicrps.com/core/BRP_quick_start.pdf)
Full version hardcover. (http://catalog.chaosium.com/product_info.php?cPath=37&products_id=6561)
Full version softcover. (http://catalog.chaosium.com/product_info.php?cPath=37&products_id=1256)
Play if you enjoy ...
Rolling fancy dice.
Very flexible character creation.
Non-linear character progression.
The absence of classes and levels.
Easiness as a priority over realism.
Modular and easy-to-learn rules.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Crappy art.
Small fan-bases.
Grittiness.

Knaight
2011-11-04, 01:07 AM
FATAL
Play if you like:

Pain.
Suffering.
Horrible Embarrasment.
The feeling of shame.

Don't play if you like:

Anything that is good in the world.

Doc Roc
2011-11-04, 01:20 AM
Don't play if you dislike

Linear character classes
Systems with 100 pages discussing physical combat, and three paragraphs for 'social' combat
Combat with lots of status conditions constantly being thrown around
Party roles
Lots of work as a GM


Thank you, Dust! You'll find a new edition's just gone up, actually, with art and a lot of major fixes.

We've expanded the role of feats and items pretty considerably, so characters should feel like they have more choices driven by experience rather than early decisions. Some of this won't show up until this month's release.

Social combat's getting an expanded treatment in this month's release, though we expect to actually be doing quite a lot of downloadable content expanding the social combat.

GM labor is.... something we're also working on, though it's got me quite scared. If you've personal experience here, or an idea of what we need to do to ease this, please let us know!

Dust
2011-11-04, 05:32 AM
Thank you, Dust! You'll find a new edition's just gone up, actually, with art and a lot of major fixes.
Oh, very cool. I'm a big fan, and looking forward to the day I can play it with the local group (who are fearful of anything beta-related after the stuff I've exposed 'em to) instead of just over PBP. I'll check out the new version posthaste.

Doc Roc
2011-11-04, 01:07 PM
Oh, very cool. I'm a big fan, and looking forward to the day I can play it with the local group (who are fearful of anything beta-related after the stuff I've exposed 'em to) instead of just over PBP. I'll check out the new version posthaste.

It's even got artifacts in! Current thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220977) is over here, if anyone wants to talk about it. :

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-11-04, 01:55 PM
Conan 2e

Play if you enjoy ...
The Conan/Hyboria mythology.
Dungeons & Dragons.
Violence and horror.
Topless women.
Gritty tactical combat.
Well-written fluff.
Having testosterone slosh out of your ears.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Having to hunt down out of print books.
Wonky rules.
Spell-casters inherently sucking.

paddyfool
2011-11-05, 10:08 AM
Fantasy Craft

Core Rulebook (http://www.crafty-games.com/node/348)
Free preview (http://www.crafty-games.com/files/File/Fantasy_Craft-Preview-v2.pdf)
Iconics (sample characters demonstrating the core classes) (http://www.crafty-games.com/files/File/Fantasy_Craft_Iconics-11OCT2011.pdf)


Play if you enjoy ...

A level-based d20 game that offers the chance to play dragons, giants, or goblins as balanced options from level 1.
Having lots of options from just one book, and all the options currently published from just two.
High cinematics as standard
A highly flexible toolkit for rule variants and making your own setting
Easy and very flexible NPC generation
Oodles of fun options for combat- and skill-based characters
Casters being pretty much balanced with non-casters, while not just being casters.
Lots of Spycraft material transposed for fantasy


Avoid if you dislike ...

Limited and slowly released new material
No core setting and lightly fleshed-out sample settings
Small fan-bases
Fairly limited options visavis casting (only one real casting class and a relatively limited spell list; although this should hopefully be addressed with the next and second supplement, Spellbound).


EDIT: Hmm, I should probably have trimmed that a bit.

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-11-05, 10:42 AM
Fantasy Craft

Core Rulebook (http://www.crafty-games.com/node/348)
Free preview (http://www.crafty-games.com/files/File/Fantasy_Craft-Preview-v2.pdf)
Iconics (sample characters demonstrating the core classes) (http://www.crafty-games.com/files/File/Fantasy_Craft_Iconics-11OCT2011.pdf)


Play if you enjoy ...

A level-based d20 game that offers the chance to play dragons, giants, or goblins as balanced options from level 1.
Having lots of options from just one book, and all the options currently published from just two.
High cinematics as standard
A highly flexible toolkit for rule variants and making your own setting
Easy and very flexible NPC generation
Oodles of fun options for combat- and skill-based characters
Casters being pretty much balanced with non-casters, while not just being casters.
Lots of Spycraft material transposed for fantasy


Avoid if you dislike ...

Limited and slowly released new material
No core setting and lightly fleshed-out sample settings
Small fan-bases
Fairly limited options visavis casting (only one real casting class and a relatively limited spell list; although this should hopefully be addressed with the next and second supplement, Spellbound).


This is a good review, but not really what I had in mind when I started the thread. This review, like many others lists aspects specific to the game under its "like" and "dislike" sections. What I had in mind was that under the "like" section, the only things listed would be similar tabletop games, books, movies, and vague experiences that are not necessarily tied to the game being reviewed. Same thing with the "dislike" section, accept the things listed would be negative.

Bear in mind that I have never played Fantasy Craft, but as an example, I will re-write you review (based on the original review) in a way that is closer to my ideal.


Fantasy Craft

Play if you enjoy ...
Dungeons & Dragons.
Being a hero from the start.
Cinematic combat.
Flexible rules.
Character balance.
Spycraft.
Different character roles being equally fun.
Avoid if you dislike ...
Poor support.
Limited spell-caster options.
Small fan-bases.

You don't have to use my example or anything. Just keep it in mind.

Siosilvar
2011-11-05, 11:51 AM
This is a good review, but not really what I had in mind when I started the thread. This review, like many others lists aspects specific to the game under its "like" and "dislike" sections. What I had in mind was that under the "like" section, the only things listed would be similar tabletop games, books, movies, and vague experiences that are not necessarily tied to the game being reviewed. Same thing with the "dislike" section, accept the things listed would be negative.

"Aspects specific to the game" is a whole lot more useful and topical than a general, vague sort of idea. In this case, there's much more useful information in "Oodles of fun options for combat- and skill-based characters" than in "flexible rules" and "Different character roles being equally fun."

kaomera
2011-11-05, 12:04 PM
FATAL
So have you actually played the game, or are you just another one of those who think it's cool to bash the game just because it's such a horrible atrocity? :smalltongue:

Shadowknight12
2011-11-05, 12:06 PM
bash the game just because it's such a horrible atrocity?

Delicious, delicious irony. :smallamused:

The Glyphstone
2011-11-05, 12:06 PM
So have you actually played the game, or are you just another one of those who think it's cool to bash the game just because it's such a horrible atrocity? :smalltongue:

If he'd actually played the game, his brain would have short-circuited and he would only be able to type unintelligible gibberish.

crimson77
2011-11-05, 12:19 PM
I am looking for a space fantasy (no starwars) that is free and fairly simple rules. Any suggestions? (please quote this post in your response so I can easily find it.)

Chainsaw Hobbit
2011-11-05, 01:16 PM
I am looking for a space fantasy (no starwars) that is free and fairly simple rules. Any suggestions? (please quote this post in your response so I can easily find it.)

You might want to check THIS (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213241) out. There are a few free sci-fi/space fantasy RPGs here, all of great quality.

paddyfool
2011-11-05, 02:34 PM
@Twilight muse,




Play if you enjoy ...
Dungeons & Dragons.
Being a hero from the start.
Cinematic combat.
Flexible rules.
Character balance.
Spycraft.
Different character roles being equally fun.

Avoid if you dislike ...
Poor support.
Limited spell-caster options.
Small fan-bases.


I'd agree with every part of that except "Dungeons and Dragons" (it's just sufficiently different that not everyone who likes one likes the other... being perhaps marginally more different from 3.5 and 4e than either is from each other), and "poor support" (the build team are very accessible on the Crafty forums, and there's an increasing amount of third party material... the problem is that they take a long time before they're happy with each new thing they release). I would therefore suggest instead this new abbreviated version:

Fantasy Craft

Play if you enjoy ...

Dungeons
Dragons
Spycraft
Being a hero from the start
Cinematic combat
Flexible rules
Character balance
Different character roles being equally fun.


Avoid if you dislike ...

Slow production cycles
Limited spell-caster options (for now)
Small fan-bases.

Zeta Kai
2011-11-05, 07:46 PM
Wushu

Play it if you like:

Easy Character Generation
Crazy Movie-style Action
Inexpensive Games (Cheap as Free! if you just work with the OGL core rules)
Simple Rules
Describing your actions in detail

Don't play it if you like:

Complex multi-faceted Character Creation
Traditional role-to-hit mechanics
Crunchy Rules

So, uh, can you really have it both ways? :smallconfused:

Knaight
2011-11-06, 12:27 AM
So have you actually played the game, or are you just another one of those who think it's cool to bash the game just because it's such a horrible atrocity? :smalltongue:

I've read enough of it and know enough about its mechanics to understand how it works. It deserves all bashing it gets.

Blurazor
2011-11-07, 09:57 AM
I am looking for a space fantasy (no starwars) that is free and fairly simple rules. Any suggestions? (please quote this post in your response so I can easily find it.)



I have found that Palladium does a pretty good job of space games and I suggest Phase World... it is fairly straight forward but is more complex than 3.5e D&D... I'll look and see what else I can find

Doc Roc
2011-11-07, 02:23 PM
So, uh, can you really have it both ways? :smallconfused:

Yes, you can. You can have an accessible system, that's fast and elegant, but still provides a really significant amount of choice, particularly if you amortize some of those choices across multiple sessions. It's the advantage to level-like character systems in games. I feel that Legend offers a pretty good middle point here.

Lost Demiurge
2011-11-10, 01:14 PM
Shadowrun (4e)

Play if you like...
-Urban fantasy
-Cyberpunk in a variety of flavors
-Being able to come at a problem in a variety of ways
-Being a mercenary criminal freelancer
-Rolling lots of dice
-Having only one die type to worry about
-A system where combat can be fairly lethal
-A flexible reroll system with an "Oh crap!" option that allows you to avoid almost certain death for a hefty fee.
-A lot of canon, setting information, and a throughly fleshed out world.
-Supplements that let you play non-traditional races, such as centaurs, vampires, AI's, shapeshifters, pixies, or manifested magical embodiments known as spirits.
-A game where combat is not always the best option, and subtlety is usually rewarded.
-Simple core mechanics that play relatively fast.
-A contact system that gives you benefits that are at times more valuable than expensive items or high attributes.
-Shows like Leverage, Burn Notice, or Ghost in the Shell


Don't play if you dislike...
-Complex minigames to cover complicated things like hacking or vehicular combat
-Time consuming character generation (At least until you get the hang of it)
-Oodles of equipment lists
-Point based character generation systems
-Mixing magic with your cyberpunk
-Formulaic, episodical sessions ("Mr. Johnson meets you in a bar to hire you for a job...")
-Power imbalances in combat
-A split fanbase
-Having to reign in munchkins (YMMV)
-Having to do legwork and plan
-Rules that are a little kludgy at times