Results 1 to 30 of 77
Thread: Looking for new gaming system
-
2007-09-04, 09:31 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Gender
Looking for new gaming system
I am considering buying a new system.
I currently have D&D 3.5, and will more than likely be buying 4.0 when it comes out. However, I would also like to pick up a new game system that I would be able to play on-line, via play-by-post.
Any suggestions??MudBunny
My PM box is open for questions for the Relationship Woes and Advice thread, whether you want a private answer, or want me to post it anonymously to the thread.
-
2007-09-04, 09:33 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2007
- Location
- Windsor ON, Canada
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Why not try Fudge? Simple system, you can use it do whatever you like, it's fairly intuitive, and best of all: It's free.
-
2007-09-04, 09:54 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2007
- Location
- Indiana
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
You should pick up Harnmaster by Columbia Games. IMHO, it is one of the best systems ever made. It is the system that I presently play. It is medieval fantasy with a very realistic flavor. I recommend it to anyone that is looking for something outside the blandness of the d20 universe.
If that doesn't suit your needs, and you need something with a little more fantasy then try Warhammer Fantasy RP.
-
2007-09-04, 09:57 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2007
- Location
- Switzerland
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
or Risus, just try the solo adventures for an idea of how the system works.
Risus and Fudge are good systems to try out for fun. Also, why not go crazy on pokéthulhu ?
There is also BESM (Big Eyes Small Mouth) which is based on the Tri-Stat DX engine (available for free), a system that works quite well for simulating anime.
And finally, Ars Magica, a system for playing magus in early 13th century mythical europe. With a very comprehensive magic system that allows both "named spells" (à la fireball or grasping hand) and instantaneous invocations (I want to make bubbles appear in the air). I am quite a fan of Ars, but my players are more DnDish.
Silouhette from DP9 is also a great RPG system, that is adaptable to anything from cavemen to hyper-sci-fi mecha combat. I've even used it to play Anime style college scenario using social attacks (Can Etsuko-san cause a nosebleed when foreign student Oliver walks into the wrong side of the hot baths?). The worlds they offer are Heavy Gear, a mecha à la Votoms world and Jovian Chronicles which is Gundam inspired. Again, I love the system!Last edited by Ashtar; 2007-09-04 at 10:20 AM.
-
2007-09-04, 10:01 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2007
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Is there any reason why you can't play D&D on-line or via play-by-post? Lots of people do.
What are you looking for in a system? Simplicity? Rules? Fantasy? Scifi? Western?
-
2007-09-04, 10:05 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Hmm, good point.
Like I mentioned, I already have D&D and am playing in PbP, but I would like something a bit more different from that.
I wouldn't mind something sci-fi'ish.
Some systems I have been thinking of:
World of Darkness
ShadowRun
There are also some other, heavy sci-fi systems out there that I know of only by name, like Traveler or Rifts.
I wouldn't mind something that isn't quite as complex asTableRolemaster. The rules should be fairly crunchy, but with some decent Fluff as well.MudBunny
My PM box is open for questions for the Relationship Woes and Advice thread, whether you want a private answer, or want me to post it anonymously to the thread.
-
2007-09-04, 10:07 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2006
- Location
- Poland
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Warhammer Fantasy RPG is a solid dark fantasy system. I don't think if it's played via PbP often, though.
My FFRP characters. Avatar by Ashen Lilies. Sigatars by Ashen Lilies, Gullara and Purple Eagle.
Interested in the Nexus FFRP setting? See our Discord server.
-
2007-09-04, 10:35 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2005
- Location
- Houston, TX, USA
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
If you want a good mix of fairly crunchy, decent fluff, and are looking at heavy Sci-fi, Rifts is a good option. Palladium's been producing for 26 years now, and all of their stuff (except for a couple things bought from other people) is compatible with each other. Their prices are low (compared to other gaming companies), but their printing quality is high, and while some of the mid-field of worldbooks are kinda munchkiny, the recent releases have really brought back the core of the game.
Plus, they have a kickin' fantasy game (fully compatible with Rifts), and a sourcebook series specifically made up of non-canon things made up by fans that's about to enter it's tenth year.The Cranky Gamer
Nexx's Hello
*It isn't realism, it's verisimilitude; the appearance of truth within the framework of the game.
*"I" is an English pronoun in the nominative case of first person singular. It does not indicate the actions or writings of anyone but the first person, singular.
*Tataurus, you have three halves as well as a race that doesn't breed. -UglyPanda
*LVDO ERGO SVM
-
2007-09-04, 11:09 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2006
- Location
- Denmark
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
I recommen Shadowrun and Ars Magica, but those have been mentioned, so yeah.
Besides those, Mutants and Masterminds is a fantastic system; it's meant for superhero games, but it can be used perfectly well for fantasy too (and Star Wars-ish sci-fi, I guess).
-
2007-09-04, 11:55 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2006
Re: Looking for new gaming system
http://www.gregstolze.com/reign/index.html
Interesting dice mechanic, fantasy, based around influencing the world via organizations.
http://epicrpg.com/
A nicely gritty fantasy roleplaying game and world.
http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_6989.html
Noblis. Reality is under siege, and you are manning the wall. You are the appointed guardian of an aspect of reality. You could be Swords, or Dice, or Blue, or Fire, or Feathers, or Innocent Until Proven Guilty, or Love. If you fall, so does that aspect of reality.
http://www.arcdream.com/wildtalents/
A gritty superhero game. This is the "2nd edition" (the first one had different rules, and was set during a super-powered WWI) in practice if not in name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberran...-playing_game)
Another super-powered RPG. In 1998, super humans appeared. What the hell is going on? Less gritty.
http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12558.phtml
Spirit of the Century. Pulp adventure (the genre that Indiana Jones/Crimson Skies/Tomb Raider/etc was based on). Uses the Fate engine.
Hope that's a nice selection to look at. :)Last edited by Yakk; 2007-09-04 at 11:56 AM.
-
2007-09-04, 12:51 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2007
- Location
- Isle of Man, Uk
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
I am a big fan of the new World of Darkness system, it is simple to understand, but its design is such that it can be easily applied to most situations. It uses a attribute + skill system, where simply you roll a number of dice equal to the dots you have in the attribute and the skill. You then have modifiers based upon the difficulty of the roll. The setting is a dark personal horror, where the world is like ours, but more degenerate, there are more gangs, who are more violent, etc.
The system also allows for different types of games where you play different types of supernatural creature, such as vampires or werewolves.With these the horror shifts to being about the differences between you and the normal humans and your monstrous nature.
ShadowRun is an absurdly complex system to play, with detailed rules for lots of situations. When I played it I found it to be too mathematically based for me to be interested in it. Though to be fair this was a one of game, were nobody (not even the GM) had played the system before. I can see after a few sessions the game flowing better when everybody is used to the system and know what the characters can do in each situation and the rolls required. Setting wise, with Shadowrun I find the forcing of the fantasy races in to the system to be a bit annoying, and I would be more interested in a straight cyberpunk game.
One good piece of advice, if you go Drive-Thru RPG they have a section for free pdfs and some of these are the basic rules for different systems. In there, there is a game called Witchcraft, which is a full PDF rulebook with a decent amount of detail and it is free.
-
2007-09-04, 01:59 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Well, for sci-fi, if you can find it, Twilight 2000 is loads of fun. You never really know your buddies until you've played a couple of T2K games with them McGuyvering their way through everything. It's almost archetype for the post-apocalypse role playing game. If you love Red Dawn, you'll love T2K.
For Cyber punk, well there's Cyberpunk. Granted I haven't played the newer edition(s). But the old stuff from the mid 90's was fun.
There's several Earthdawn games over at RPGHQ. ED is a solid game built around the concept of roleplaying a character. (As opposed to d20's rollplaying a character )
-
2007-09-04, 04:17 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2007
- Location
- Switzerland
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Oh, I second Cyberpunk, it's great!
As for Shadowrun, my memory is that the system is a bit clunky, but it's been a long time and I played an earlier edition.
How come no one has mentioned GURPS? It's good too, and there's hundreds of books out for it.
With a good DM and players into japanese culture, Legend of the 5 Rings is awesome.
-
2007-09-04, 04:34 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
- Location
- Connecticut
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
I'll throw in a third vote in favor of Cyberpunk 2020. I haven't seen the new stuff either, but the older edition is fantastic.
I can also highly recomment White Wolf. I vastly prefer the original World of Darkness to nWoD, but the latter is probably easier to find, as far as acquiring books. Exalted and Scion are also amazing, but you said you were looking in a more sci-fi direction.Spoiler
Zöe Althira in When On Olympus
Ratri Aeval in Double Major
Mercedes Swift, Scion of Hermes, in ???
Haiiro Mariko in The Scarlet Shadow
Kris "Krash" Ashton in Colony
Karen Mallory in Changing Breeds
Spoiler
-
2007-09-04, 05:43 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2007
- Location
- Easton, PA
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
I can't resist...I fourth Cyberpunk 2020. Its one of my favorite systems. Too bad my players don't think the same...
-
2007-09-04, 05:59 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2006
- Location
- good old Europe
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Well, generally you can play all games online as play-by-post. Furthermore, it would have been helpful if you actually mentioned what genre you would have liked...
Nonetheless, here are my suggestions:
The Shadow of Yesterday is pulpy romantic sword-and-sorcery at the end of one world and the beginning of the next.
Angel Roleplaying Game
This game is based on the TV show Angel and works very well for all kind of modern fantasy.
Hollow Earth Expedition is a pulp game playing in the 1930 - investigate the world inside the world, fight against dinosaurs riding nazis and evil people from Atlantis.
And last but not least, I would like to second Silouhette, which makes truly for a fine science fiction RPG.Many thanks to Ink for this great avatar!
-
2007-09-04, 06:07 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2006
- Location
- Mass. USA
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
I highly recommend the new World of Darkness. It is a simple system that works very well. I also advocate the supernatural sub-games within the World of Darkness. So far there are 5, all of which are good. The five are Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, Promethean (think Frankenstein), and Changeling (interesting concept, just released, well made, balanced and just plain cool). All of them are very worthy games that I endorse very much.
Then there is Exalted (second ed.) - good game with cool characters. If pulp adventure and extraordinary, anime-ish feats that are sort of thing you're looking for, this is something to consider. I should note that the system is VERY crunchy, but surprisingly balanced.
Yithian
-
2007-09-04, 06:24 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
- Location
- Connecticut
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Spoiler
Zöe Althira in When On Olympus
Ratri Aeval in Double Major
Mercedes Swift, Scion of Hermes, in ???
Haiiro Mariko in The Scarlet Shadow
Kris "Krash" Ashton in Colony
Karen Mallory in Changing Breeds
Spoiler
-
2007-09-04, 09:13 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Thanks for all of the helpful suggestions. Please keep them coming. You have all provided me with a bunch of links to read and systems to get info on.
Thanks again!!MudBunny
My PM box is open for questions for the Relationship Woes and Advice thread, whether you want a private answer, or want me to post it anonymously to the thread.
-
2007-09-04, 09:27 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2004
- Location
- Western Australia
Re: Looking for new gaming system
I might suggest HERO System. It's a generic system similar to (but predating) GURPS, and like that product, comes as a central rule-book and a variety of "plug-in" sourcebooks for various genres. You'd probably be interested in Star Hero, and possibly the setting books Alien Wars and Terran Empire (same universe, different time periods).
HERO can be a bit daunting at first (the fifth edition, revised rulebook is HUGE) but everything works smoothly and every individual rule is quite simple - even the sheer NUMBER of rules, though large, is not unmanageable. Personally, I love the system.save your fears
for the day
when our pain is far behind
on your feet
come with me
we are soldiers stand or die
save your fears
take your place
save them for the judgement day
fast and free
follow me
time to make the sacrifice
we rise or fall
-
2007-09-04, 09:43 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
I was taking a look at the World of Darkness stuff, as it seems to be, other than D&D and GURPS, one of the big players, and had a question.
How likely is it that a game of WoD will turn into an emo angst-fest??MudBunny
My PM box is open for questions for the Relationship Woes and Advice thread, whether you want a private answer, or want me to post it anonymously to the thread.
-
2007-09-04, 09:46 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Gender
-
2007-09-04, 09:49 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Complete senseless violence is good. Emo angst-fest is bad. I hear enough about it from my high-school-teacher wife.
How about Rifts?? I have been looking at it, and it seems to offer quite a wide range of possibilities for play, from sci-fi to fantasy to horror. How is Rifts: Ultimate Edition?? It came out in 2005, according to the Palladium website/MudBunny
My PM box is open for questions for the Relationship Woes and Advice thread, whether you want a private answer, or want me to post it anonymously to the thread.
-
2007-09-04, 10:01 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
- Location
- Connecticut
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
That all depends on the other players. You can angst it up in D&D, with a fiend-blooded drow bard who hates his heritage and cuts himself. World of Darkness isn't necessarily any more of an "emo angst-fest" than the next system, unless the players want it to be. I've played countless World of Darkness games that never turned into that sort of thing. As far as the original World of Darkness is concerned, Mage: the Ascension is especially good for avoiding angsty-whiny tendencies.
Spoiler
Zöe Althira in When On Olympus
Ratri Aeval in Double Major
Mercedes Swift, Scion of Hermes, in ???
Haiiro Mariko in The Scarlet Shadow
Kris "Krash" Ashton in Colony
Karen Mallory in Changing Breeds
Spoiler
-
2007-09-04, 10:20 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Yeah, I don't know what it was about WW, well yeah, it's written for the emo crowd. Course the game system is so loose that any munchkin worth his salt will have a field day. Mage and Changeling are the two least emo of the bunch, but mage is so broken, that well, just no.
How about Rifts?? I have been looking at it, and it seems to offer quite a wide range of possibilities for play, from sci-fi to fantasy to horror. How is Rifts: Ultimate Edition?? It came out in 2005, according to the Palladium website/
-
2007-09-04, 10:25 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Broken as in munckinable with little trouble??
Rifts is good. I've done a couple of Rifts campaigns (though I usually use different mechanics). With Rifts, the GM has to set VERY strict guidelines about which characters are and aren't available for this game. Otherwise the principle story line gets drowned out pretty quick.
Edit - I have also been looking at Cyberpunk 2020. On the home page (http://talsorian.safeshopper.com/8/cat8.htm?550) they have a listing for both Cyberpunk v3 and Cyberpunk 2020. Same game, just v3 is newer??Last edited by mudbunny; 2007-09-04 at 10:29 PM.
MudBunny
My PM box is open for questions for the Relationship Woes and Advice thread, whether you want a private answer, or want me to post it anonymously to the thread.
-
2007-09-04, 10:30 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2006
- Location
Re: Looking for new gaming system
For the core book, where you're a squishy human: Depends on the players
For Mage: Not too likely, you'll be too busy trying to explain why someone trying to whip a fireball down the street is bad for them.
For Werewolf: Hopefully not. This game is about tearing things apart (there's more to it, yes, but at its core its the most senselessly violent)
For Vampire: There's a decent chance. This is the one you would most likely want to stay away from if you don't want angst and melodrama.
-
2007-09-04, 10:36 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
Imagine giving Logic Ninja a carte blanch magic system who's main restriction is "Don't make it too obvious."
One question I had for Rifts: It seems like it offers a very wide range of playstyles. Does it do them all well, or has the system spread itself so thin that it does all of them crappy.
-
2007-09-04, 10:47 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
- Location
- Connecticut
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
In my experience, Mage is only "broken" if you've got a ST who's really lenient on the Paradox rules. And honestly, out of the original World of Darkness games, only Vampire was really "written to be emo" at all, and I seldom saw it actually played that way.
Changeling, of course, is just awesome.Spoiler
Zöe Althira in When On Olympus
Ratri Aeval in Double Major
Mercedes Swift, Scion of Hermes, in ???
Haiiro Mariko in The Scarlet Shadow
Kris "Krash" Ashton in Colony
Karen Mallory in Changing Breeds
Spoiler
-
2007-09-04, 10:53 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Gender
Re: Looking for new gaming system
MudBunny
My PM box is open for questions for the Relationship Woes and Advice thread, whether you want a private answer, or want me to post it anonymously to the thread.