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View Full Version : How do you do to get to know a new RPG system better?



Perenix
2018-11-21, 11:11 AM
Hello everyone.

Recently I made a post asking for rpg system recommendations (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?574240-Alternative-to-D-amp-D-Next-Tabletop-RPG-system-recommendation&p=23520457) and I got a lot of responses. Well .. maybe it's not that much, but to me personally feels like a lot of response.

Anyway, now I got a list of systems to check out. And I was wondering if there's any good way that you guys know on how to get to know at least on a very basic level a new systems.

I mean, ofc I won't buy and read each one of those just to get to known them, and also ofc I can just google it, but maybe there's a good way to get to know them that I'm not aware of. So I think it's worth a shot asking.

Maybe there's a place that centralizes reviews of rpg systems that I don't know of.
Maybe a place were I can get easy access to taking a peek for free on part of those systems.

So, do you use or know a good way to do this?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Resileaf
2018-11-21, 11:14 AM
I would suggest going on the websites of those systems and see if they offer demo campaigns. Nothing beats hands-on experience.

solidork
2018-11-21, 11:17 AM
I find that some Actual Play podcasts/videos can be good examples of how to play.* For example, I learned quite a bit about how Blades in the Dark works from watching the creator of the game run several campaigns on You Tube.

*Some are emphatically NOT good at showing how the game is intended to be run though. Most people making actual play podcasts would probably be willing to answer questions about if they think that listening to their podcast is a good way to learn the game.

Florian
2018-11-21, 11:34 AM
Depends a bit on where you live. For example, there're regular cons dedicated to non-mainstream systems, there're demo teams/fellow gamers offering entry level sessions at some LFGS and such.
Then there's online.

Knaight
2018-11-21, 12:10 PM
First things first is to check if the systems are free - I know at least some of the ones in question from the other thread are. Failing that, is there a quick start or a system-light to look at? What about free supplemental material that can at least give an idea of how the system operates?

Then there's the indirect methods. Detailed reviews (the RPGnet review section is pretty good for that), actual plays, youtube video explanations of games that have at least one really devoted fan (which can include some fairly minor games; there's a guy with something like 10 hours of Ubiquity system stuff, and that's not even a heavy system), etc.

Pauly
2019-01-01, 10:40 AM
Nowadays you can download a quickplay/quick reference sheet for most games.

First I read the quick reference sheet. If I don’t feel comfortable that I could run the game from that, (for example too long, poor grammar, poor flow) then I”ll stop there. About 80% of systems lose me here, but I’ve been playing games long enough to get a good handle on a game from the quick reference sheet. Also if the quick reference sheet is more than 2 pages long that’s a very good sign that it will be a poor system.

Next I try the combat system and try a couple of quick and simple combats. If that seems suitable for the type of game I continue.

After that I try a couple of skill checks. Climbing a high wall, sneaking past a guard and opening a locked safe. If that flows smoothly then I assume the mechanics of the game are sound.

Finally I will try the character building system. I try to build a well known character from the genre.

If I’m happy with all the steps then I will look into the system in more detail.

LibraryOgre
2019-01-01, 11:37 AM
If you have a friend, I do a lot of "Orc n Pie gaming". The Orc has pie. You want pie. Acquire the pie.

You have a few different ways of doing this, and you run different scenarios and ways of accomplishing this feat.

TerryHerc
2019-01-01, 12:26 PM
I find that some Actual Play podcasts/videos can be good examples of how to play.* For example, I learned quite a bit about how Blades in the Dark works from watching the creator of the game run several campaigns on You Tube.

I would also recommend this. My personal example, I had just picked up Fiasco and I wanted to run it with some friends. It was my first GMless game. I searched for some podcasts and I came upon Gosh Darn Fiasco. A great revolving cast (that has included some of the game developers!), and it's always hilarious. Great inspiration to help me host my first game.