What Would be the Perfect Realistic-type Tabletop Game?

[Exediron]

I restate my opinion: if you want a realistic system, you better keep fantasy elements at a minimum. Instead of alternate world high-fantasy, go for contemporary modern setting, pseudohistory, or hard sci-fi.

The more deviations you make to reality, the less realistic your game is going to be by definition.

Well, yes - technically that's true. Which is why realistic is possibly the wrong word. But what I see as a realistic system is a set of rules which allow you to model elements or situations - which may or may not exist - as they would be if they existed in the real world. I'm not looking for a system to simulate the Earth, I'm looking for a system to accurately model the way things work in the real, physical world. I don't so much care if a giant exists, or even if a giant is possible; I do care if the system can properly reflect how damaging the blow of the giant would be and how difficult it would be to take the giant down.

In my opinion, the perfect system is utterly setting-neutral and is a framework for resolving whatever you want to point it at, sort of like how the engine of a computer game has little real bearing on how the game itself plays. On top of the system you then put the setting, which defines what exists in the game world and why. The setting tells you that there are bands of giants in the wastelands and that their bones and organs have soaked up magical energy from long exposure to the wastes, allowing them to reach a size otherwise impossible for a biped - the system figures out how you can dodge the giant's blow, how much it kills you if it hits, and whether or not your puny sword can pierce the giant's skin.

If I'm alone in viewing a system vs. a setting this way, I'll work on my own theory and leave it out of this thread. Really, since this is connors' thread, I suppose it's connors' vision of a system that we need to know.

EDIT: After referencing connors' posts on the first page, it appears that this system is supposed to be integrated with a setting ("GURPS was made with the intention of it fitting any setting, with some adjustments. While it is a great system that does a good job of everything, having something which specializes in one setting/subject/theme has its advantages."); therefore I will focus on just providing ideas for rules or opinions on specific discussions.