Looking to Role-play X-Files

[rollfrenzy]

I am looking to start a X-files style game. I was wondering what systems were out there and what are ups and downs of each.

I will be running it for a veteran roleplayer and someone who has never played. Both are mature(?) adults, with good imaginations.

I want to stay away from Cthulu and D20, I was looking for something unique.

I am not afraid of scrounging in back alleys to find an out of print or hard to find book either.

[Fax Celestis]

World of Darkness core only would probably suffice remarkably well.

[Saithis Bladewing]

Shadowrun or GURPS are the only systems that come to mind. Having never played them personally I can't speak for how well they might work for you.

[rollfrenzy]

I played the OWoD, but never the new, how is it different, mechanics wise?

Shadowrun is out, I like the game, but not for this. I will check out some of the gurps.

I am kinda looking to try something really new.

[Fax Celestis]

The nWoD features playable mortals, which should be incentive enough. Further, it has less of a centralized plot and is built to be a mechanics system.

Oh, and the dice pools make more sense.

[Illiterate Scribe]

http://www.specialist-games.com/inquisitor/default.asp

Inquisitor (whose rulebook is free to download) has some good, dark, X-filesy flavour to it (good investigation theme), and has more detail than you can shake a stick at.

[TheThan]

Try D20 modern,

[Saithis Bladewing]

Try D20 modern,

He said in the first post he wanted to stay away from D20. o.O

[Marius]

The New WoD is good, you can probably use it.

[Zincorium]

Alternity System, Dark Matter setting.

It was made for X Files type campaigns, and the depth of the material is surprising. Granted, Alternity hasn't been supported since WotC bought TSR, but that's not because it was a bad system.

[Jayabalard]

I'll agree with GURPS; I did a quick check, and I think there are Illuminati, Black Ops, and Conspiracy X books that would be useful (along with Basic: Characters and Basic: Campaigns). you might also be interested in high tech, ultratech, space, cyberpunk, psionics, magic, etc. There are lots of genre's that can get added in there in that sort of world.

also, looks like someone has a home made GURPS X-files available online. I havn't downloaded it so I can't even say for sure that it's not a virus rather than a document, let alone anything about it's quality.

I also ran across the name of a system called Bureau 13; it sounds vaguely familiar, so I may have done something with it at some point, but I don't really remember for sure.

[Tobrian]

Use GURPS. No, really.
Even without all those additional supplements that Jayabalard mentioned above, the Core Rules alone would suffice to run an X-Files-esque game. We did it for years. GURPS Psionics, GURPS Horror and GURPS Hightech might be useful as additional supplements, though.
If you want to inject a bit of Cthulhuoid flavor, add GURPS Cthulhupunk.

Alternatively, use Conspiracy X, because the setting already deals with "alien conspiracies", secret governmental black-ops agencies and stuff, although the skill system is rather clunky; but there's a GURPS Conspiracy X conversion available, too.

I wouldn't use World of Darkness, neither 1.0 nor 2.0, it's still too mired in magic and mystical societies and vampires and stuff. I'd use Unknown Armies instead. A similar Dark Modern Horror setting but much grittier and also geared towards playing humans.

KULT RPG and Call of Cthulhu don't quite capture the X-Files spirit, IMO.

If you want a cool X-Files-esque story, check the net if you can pick up the old Dark Matter module "The Killing Jar" for Alternity system. PM me.

[Fax Celestis]

I wouldn't use World of Darkness, neither 1.0 nor 2.0, it's still too mired in magic and mystical societies and vampires and stuff. I'd use Unknown Armies instead. A similar Dark Modern Horror setting but much grittier and also geared towards playing humans

nWoD Core is much less geared around magic than you seem to think it is. Certainly, V:tR, W:tF and M:tA are magic-centric, but the WoD Core is all about running a social-focused game in a dangerous modern setting. The Antagonists book also presents a number of supernatural and pseudonatural opponents who are not a terrifying challenge for mortals, but are still alien enough to be creepy.

[Jayabalard]

Probably gurps ultratech rather than high tech; high tech is everything from black powder to present day, though it would be useful as well.

[Dervag]

Alternity System... was a bad system.

Bad how? I kinda liked it. Granted, the modifier dice system was backwards, but the concept was pretty good. Introducing an element of chance to modifiers may be a good thing.

I second (or third) the Alternity suggestion. It does a decent job of reflecting gun combat in a way that actually makes it possible for PCs to die if they get into a big gunfight without a significant edge. It's got a fairly versatile skill-based mechanic for doing a wide variety off things. And you should be able to get the core sourcebooks (Player's Handbook, GM Guide, and Dark Matter setting book) for a sane amount of money.

[TheThan]

He said in the first post he wanted to stay away from D20. o.O

Ahhh missed that part, sorry

[Clementx]

Another vote for WoD2.0. It is solid, simple, flexible, and designed for average humans thrown in over their heads in a world that is not as bright as they thought. It is not heroic- it is dramatic and realistic. It also takes about 30 minutes of thought to design brand new types of supernaturals (even less time with their toolbox-style supplements full of ideas for horrors). Statting out real people is also incredibly easy, something you can't do in d20. It works wonderfully for any game set from the Victorian to modern, but is not in any way a war game. It is about fast resolution to get back to the story. Perfect for the X-Files.

The new Vampire, Werewolf, and Mage are good in their own way, but the core system is all you need for mortal games (supernatural or not- you can do film noir or tv-cop drama just as well) and monsters of the week. If you have older WoD material, you can redesign it from the ground up, if you want. Dark Thamaturgy is so nice when you get rid of the vampire librarians that used to mess it up.

[Zincorium]

Bad how? I kinda liked it. Granted, the modifier dice system was backwards, but the concept was pretty good. Introducing an element of chance to modifiers may be a good thing.

I second (or third) the Alternity suggestion. It does a decent job of reflecting gun combat in a way that actually makes it possible for PCs to die if they get into a big gunfight without a significant edge. It's got a fairly versatile skill-based mechanic for doing a wide variety off things. And you should be able to get the core sourcebooks (Player's Handbook, GM Guide, and Dark Matter setting book) for a sane amount of money.

Um, context calling for Dervag. I didn't say it was a bad system, I said that the lack of support wasn't because it was a bad system. I was attempting to make it clear that the fact it's abandoned wasn't an indicator of poor quality, just bad luck on it's part.

I like Alternity a lot, and I'd like it even more if I could get some people in a group that were willing to learn the ruleset so I could actually play. Most of that is because of the setting books available, Dark Matter and Star*Drive were incredibly detailed settings, and there were quite a few really well made adventures in Dungeon at the time.

Oh, and I got most of my books online for about 10-15 bucks apiece, so it shouldn't put a big blow in your wallet to assemble a collection.

[storybookknight]

As an alternate suggestion, I'm going to mention Savage Worlds. Very easy for beginners, very cinematic, very slick. It's written with a pulp action style of play in mind, which many other systems do not. nWoD would be better for an investigative game, maybe, but (especially with the fear rules) I can't think of anything better for that sort of thing than Savage Worlds.

[rollfrenzy]

Thanks for the input everybody, I am gonna look into alternity, has anybody played conspiracy X? I checked out their website and they just released 2.0. so I was wondering what that was like. I am gonna stay away from nWoD, just cuz I'll end up buying all the books and I have heard bad things about them, (plus I like the oWoD). I may pick up gurps. I have always been interested in the system, but never really checked it out.

[Bearofbadnews]

I will also recommend Dark Matter. One the best games I've ever played was an X-Filesesque game using the campaign. A skill-based game! Fast combat system (though admittedly imperfectly executed)! Plus, Dark Matter has stats for magic, psionics, monsters of all kinds, aliens, conspiracies, ancient mysteries, etc.

So, even if you decide on another system for this game, you might consider looking into Dark Matter for inspiration.

[Siberys]

Alternity System, Dark Matter setting.

It was made for X Files type campaigns, and the depth of the material is surprising. Granted, Alternity hasn't been supported since WotC bought TSR, but that's not because it was a bad system.

And, though he said no d20, there is a Dark Matter d20 sourcebook for d20 Modern.

[Clementx]

I am gonna stay away from nWoD, just cuz I'll end up buying all the books and I have heard bad things about them, (plus I like the oWoD).

These are completely unfounded worries. You have to buy the $25 core book, and that is it. It does not force you buy other supplements, or invalidate your old WoD investments (I've run old Vampire games on the fly with nWoD rules, even). I don't buy nWoD books because I have $400 in old WoD and like a lot of it. But I love the core book because it does something completely different from every other gaming book I've ever bought.

[Kiero]

I'm going to dump a list on you.

InSpectres (very light game about investigators of the paranormal, sometimes a little silly), NEMESIS (which is free, quite crunchy and a nifty chargen to it), Angel (useful engine for "people with powers" type games, mid-crunch but Dex is an uberstat and scale is hinky).

[Meschaelene]

I am looking to start a X-files style game. I was wondering what systems were out there and what are ups and downs of each.

I will be running it for a veteran roleplayer and someone who has never played. Both are mature(?) adults, with good imaginations.

I want to stay away from Cthulu and D20, I was looking for something unique.

I am not afraid of scrounging in back alleys to find an out of print or hard to find book either.

Dark Conspiracy was made for that sort of setting. The best part was that they recommended you pick up a copy of the National Enquirer for campaign ideas -- even giving examples of how they developed an adventure from "Child get Telephone Call from Long-Dead Grampa!"

[clarkvalentine]

Have you looked at Gumshoe? It's designed for investigative games - might be worth a look.

[rollfrenzy]

These are completely unfounded worries. You have to buy the $25 core book, and that is it. It does not force you buy other supplements, or invalidate your old WoD investments (I've run old Vampire games on the fly with nWoD rules, even). I don't buy nWoD books because I have $400 in old WoD and like a lot of it. But I love the core book because it does something completely different from every other gaming book I've ever bought.

Yeah, it's not that I would HAVE to buy the books, I have no control over my Ebay and Half.com habits. I am addicted to buying sourcebooks I never use, so I would end up buying the whole line (and my group would kill me cuz we all bought all the oWoD).

[Kiero]

Have you looked at Gumshoe? It's designed for investigative games - might be worth a look.

In fairness it doesn't work anything like more regular RPGs. Don't take my word for it, here's a couple of reviews (1 and 2) of Esoterrorists, which uses the Gumshoe system.

[clarkvalentine]

Thanks Kiero, that's definitely true - it's not going to be much like D&D, that's for sure. But I've been playing a lot of DiTV lately, so I forget that some systems really are oddball... ;)

[Roland St. Jude]

Sheriff of Moddingham: Please be careful when editing other posters' quotes not to misrepresent what they've said. It's not conducive to the discussion. It is insulting or offensive to the poster. Particularly where, as here, you've clipped their quote to mean exactly the opposite of what they said.

Alternity System... was a bad system.

Bad how? I kinda liked it. Granted, the modifier dice system was backwards, but the concept was pretty good. Introducing an element of chance to modifiers may be a good thing.

I second (or third) the Alternity suggestion. It does a decent job of reflecting gun combat in a way that actually makes it possible for PCs to die if they get into a big gunfight without a significant edge. It's got a fairly versatile skill-based mechanic for doing a wide variety off things. And you should be able to get the core sourcebooks (Player's Handbook, GM Guide, and Dark Matter setting book) for a sane amount of money.

Zincorium was suggesting Alternity as a useful system for the OP. He said it was a good system and that its lack of support in the post TSR-era was not because it was a bad system. You've made him out to be saying the opposite. Don't do that.

As a general note, please do feel free to edit quotes to reflect the specific portion of someone's post you're responding to. But take care to preserve their meaning. Thanks.