Post/Author/DateTime	Post
StormKnight 12-08-04, 10:02 AM	The 'GURPS vs. D&D' thread just go me wondering about this. How many people just play one system (probably D&D, this being the D&D boards and all), as compared to how many of you like using different systems at different times? I used to be always wanting to adapt everything to one system - Runequest/Call of Cthulu long ago, then GURPS, then Vampire. Nowadays, I love variety. Not only do I like getting a change of pace, but I like how different systems lend themselves to different worlds or environments. Just to take the fantasy genre for example (using D&D as sort of a baseline to compare the other games, since this is the D&D boards)... D&D is good for long running games, since its well scaled for characters that start at low power and increase to great levels of powers. Its great for "high fantasy" as its system handles a range of magic items, spells, and fantastic creatures well. And its nice because even just the basic books give an excellent selection of predesigned creatures, items, and such. Its good for getting in a bit of detailed tactical combat when you are feeling a bit wargamish. Ironclaw is good for more mid-level scale games. You get gradual but constant advancement. It doesn't do bizarre creatures and large power levels all that well, but a duel with a few "humanish" opponents is likely to be very dramatic and exciting. Its system is a little more consistent than D&D, which can be a nice change. Dragonstorm has its own interesting world and characters which would be hard to mimic in most systems. It is perfect for introducing new players, as they can easily design characters and be playing in minutes. It is probably the best system for improvised or spur of the moment games, and its the only system I've seen "roud-robin" GMing (where players switch off being the GM) manage to work well in. Legend of the Five Rings really captures the feel of the oriental fantasy style world, with a simple mechanic system that is excellently designed for its genre. Seventh Sea is great for cinematic style games. Like Ironclaw, its more suited to "normal" characters and foes than bizarre monsters, but it gives a lot of drama/storytelling/cinematic options. BESM (Tri-Stat) is really good for games that are going to heavy roleplaying and that you don't want to get bogged down in lots of mechanics. Its also good for games that will mix a lot of powers or different abilities. Want to craft a new style of magic? No problem. Toss mecha into a fantasy game (ala Escaflowne, for example)? Easy as can be. Ok, enough of my rambling. You get the idea...so how do you do things?
The Shaman 12-08-04, 11:07 AM	I play 3.5 D&D and d20 Modern. Back in the day I played using a few different RPG systems - AD&D, Traveller, Boot Hill, Chill, Bunnies and Burrows, Divine Right, and Top Secret - but gaming is not as much a part of my social experience as it once was. Our little group meets just twice a month for a few hours, so it's not like we have a lot of time to devote to experimenting with different styles and systems, and we are having a lot of fun battling bioengineered super soldiers and horrors from the crypt right now anyway. I would like to try playing on-line a bit more (despite my experience on the game forums here - but that's another story), but I still plan on sticking with Modern. I have a three different campaign-settings I'm working on at the moment using the Modern rules: one (maybe two) of them are suitable for play-by-post, and the third will probably replace our current Modern game once I kill off the charac...I mean, once our campaign winds down. :devil:
Shas'O 12-08-04, 11:19 AM	I play D&D, D20 modern/arcana/future, Warhammer 40,000, and on this saturday, I will start White wolfs Exalted, which sounds fun, I am only limiting myself to these games, because of the immense cost of buying new models/books is awful on a $10 week allowance.
Escef 12-08-04, 11:45 AM	I've used d20 D&D, 1e AD&D, 2e AD&D, White Wolf's Storyteller system, Alternity, Mechwarrior 1e, Mechwarrior 2e, d20 Modern, and am familiar (at least vaguely) with d20 Star Wars, d20 Call of Cthulu, Shadowrun (the version that was similar to Mechwarrior 2e), and BESM/tri-stat. Primarily, I stick with 3e/3.5 D&D.
Ogre4Hire 12-08-04, 12:39 PM	I play D&D 3.5. I tried out Rifts a few years ago, but the excessive complexity and huge power level discrepancies between the various races and classes was a turn off (along with the fact that you were required to roll for things like Alignment instead of choosing your own).
CzarGarrett 12-08-04, 01:00 PM	I generally played D&D. I've played Werewolf (or whatever its called), and Call of Cthulu once or twice. The only people who play Vampire around me seem to do the whole LARP with it, and those people weird me out.
Mister Mayhem 12-08-04, 01:34 PM	I'll play anything - its the company that matters as much as the gaming system. I've played upwards of 30 systems, which isn't as many as some folks around here, but is considerabley more than the majority, it seems - some people don't seem to realise there is anything out there other than D&D and its (now many) spinoffs. Mind you, I have been very lucky in getting the chance to play such a wide variety - It's not easy to persuade an entire group to try something new, and its not always possible to spread yourself out over several gaming groups. But I think that if you don't try as many systems as you can, how can you really be sure that the one you are playing is the "best". And for "best", read "the one *you* enjoy most." For me, at the moment, this is "Conan OGL", which takes all the things I like about D&D and does away with all the things I don't like. But this may well change - I'm eagerly awaiting the upcoming release of WFRP 2nd Edition, and would be in 7th heaven if I actually had a chance to play Ray Winninger's "Underground" again. Call of Cthulu BRP, with a good Keeper, is always worth it. Vampire, with a group who are prepared to play the game of intrigue rather than trying to be blood-drinking super-heroes - and this is doubly so with a large Vampire MET LARP group, where your schemes and intrigues can be against a significant group of other players with their own personalised agendas, rather than the ultimately limited NPCs of a GMs imagination. Tales from the floating Vagabond can be a real blast, with a group that is willing to play into the game, throw common sense out of the window, and be prepared to entertain their fellows rather than try to out-do them. And nothing gets the adrenaline flowing and the blood bounding than a good old-fashioned rubber-swords LARP - which is where , in my experience, you can also encounter some of the best in-character role-playing around.
SheldonSmith 12-08-04, 01:35 PM	a $10 week allowance. I have a $10 a week allowance too, and I make $87,000 a year. My wife and I did this to limit the money we were throwing at our hobbies.
JabberWocky 12-08-04, 01:37 PM	I'm mostly a d20 gamer but am not against learning other systems, so long as I have somone to teach me and play with. I've always wanted to try Ironclaw and Jadeclaw...
StormKnight 12-08-04, 03:15 PM	I have a $10 a week allowance too, and I make $87,000 a year. My wife and I did this to limit the money we were throwing at our hobbies. Limit the amount of money you throw at your hobbies??? :eek: Sheer madness. Why would anyone want to do that? My girlfriend and I feel we are doing well if we only buy one game item a week :)
Melpomene 12-08-04, 03:22 PM	Worked at a game store, play every da(rn) game there is. GURPs, Rifts, Vampire, Mage, Star Wars, d20 Star Wars, MiB, Exalted, Abberant, D&D, BESM, Tri-Stat BESM, Farscape d20... I also play every card game there is. I also played Warhammer, both fantasy and 40k. I just thought it was in ill taste to bring up my non-d20 habbits in a d20 forum.
edgelett 12-08-04, 07:58 PM	I currently play 2 games of D&D (one set in Greyhawk, one set in Dragonlance) and 1 game of Hackmaster. Previously I played D&D, Rifts & Nightbane on alternate weeks. I love D&D but sometimes you need some variety.
Bringslite 12-08-04, 09:14 PM	What I mean is: My group has only ever played D&D. That being from '78 or so. I guess that we are boring but we mostly only play core classes and races with non-existant varitions from the RAW. We, as a group, seem to prefer longstanding campaigns and developing our characters from first lvl. Almost all of us take turns at DMing and find plenty of room for variety provided by imagination and the core rules. About 2/3rds of us prefer DMing FR campaigns even though we may tone down the magic lvl and only use some of the options therein.
Kolo 12-08-04, 09:44 PM	I play D&D, D20 modern/arcana/future, Warhammer 40,000, and on this saturday, I will start White wolfs Exalted, which sounds fun, I am only limiting myself to these games, because of the immense cost of buying new models/books is awful on a $10 week allowance. If you like martial arts flicks, old asian epics, anime, greek mythology or any combination thereof, you'll like Exalted. I've been playing in a game for a few months now, and I've never fallen so instantly in love with any system so quickly before. :) Sure, it's got its problems, but you can do stuff like fighting while jumping from treetop to treetop with no chance of falling, or cause the wheels of a gigantic beureaucracy to halt for an entire day with just a single comment- all as a starting character, mind you. And better yet, you get extra dice for describing what your character is doing in a cinematic and visually impressive manner. "I hit him with my mace" doesn't hold a candle to "I twist my mace in my grip and drive it as hard as I can in the direction of my hated enemy's skull, screaming in rage"- and the latter is worth at least a 1-die stunt. :D And the setting just OOZES character... BUT to stay on topic; I play/have played regularly, at various times, the following systems; -D&D (all editions and incarnations, mostly in the FR and Planescape settings) -Warhammer fantasy battles (and it's 40.000 system- For the emperor!) -Warhammer fantasy roleplay -GURPS -Vampire (old and new WOD) -Werewolf -Mage -Exalted (Okay, so I like WW... :P) -Ars Magicka (LOVE this system) -Call of Cthulhu -Shadowrun (wasn't impressed, really) -Star Wars (the d6 system, not d20- again, wasn't impressed) -Battletech In case you're wondering; Yes, I am really quite poor at this point and I see no end to that situation in the nearby future. ;)
Stardrake 12-08-04, 10:12 PM	Over lo these many years I've played: OD&D Traveller 1e (Games Design Workshop) RuneQuest (2nd (Chaosium) & 3rd (Avalon Hill) editions) Skull & Crossbones (an early FGU pirate RPG--not very good) Middle Earth Role Playing 1e (Iron Crown) Call Of Cthulhu (Chaosium) Magic World (Chaosium) Super World (Chaosium) Champions 3e (Hero) Star Trek (FASA) Doctor Who (FASA) TOON (Steve Jackson) GURPS 3e (Steve Jackson)--in several different worlds DC Heroes (Mayfair) Star Wars (West End) Teenagers From Outer Space (R. Talsorian) Tales From The Floating Vagabond (Avalon Hill) Castle Falkenstein (R. Talsorian) D&D 3.x Currently I play and run mostly D&D 3.x, with the occasional Teenagers From Outer Space game. I'm just before starting a GURPS 4e Scarlet Pimpernel campaign. Then again, I've been doing this since 1974...... :uh-huh:
Felonious Monk 12-09-04, 09:03 AM	Since 1986, roughly in order... D&D 1e MERP. DMed. Handed out at least three Rings of Power to players in my first session. Rolemaster. Don't try DMing this at age ten. Teenagers Toon Shadowrun (the version where you had a fair-to-middling chance of surviving a direct hit with an anti-tank missile to the chest) GURPS (only once...never again. Not the system's fault. The DM's fault.) Villains and Vigilantes Marvel (the edition where a starting hero noone had ever heard of had an Amazing popularity) Palladium stuff... kinda fuzzy. violently houseruled White Wolf campaigns More D&D 1e D&D 3e Earthdawn Still playing 3e and Earthdawn.
Sulaco 12-09-04, 09:38 AM	I have played literally dozens of RPGs over the past 20-something years, from the good (Cyberpunk 2020, D&D3e) to the absolute crap (Shaodwrun, Dragonquest) to the downright obscure (The Morrow Project), but I just don't have the free time to be an RPG dilettante anymore. We get to play so very rarely that we'd never get anything done if we kept system-hopping.
GreyLord 12-09-04, 10:01 AM	Hmm, series I've played, what if we can't remember all of them? Original D&D (simple, straightforward, and one of the best systems) D&D 1e (simple, not quite as straightforward, but still one of the best systems ever) Cyberpunk (fun system, but not the best) Gamma World (original) (I found it bulky and unwieldy overall) Star Frontiers (One of my favorites to play) Paladium (Pure D&D ripoff, but more complicated and less intuitive, basically part of the rifts universe depending on who you played with, I suppose it was closer to D&D ruleswise than 3e was though). Rolemaster/MERPS (way too many stats, very complex, only reason to play was because it was fun pretending to be characters in Middle Earth for MERPS...otherwise, the system was no fun to DM). I play Warhammer games, but they aren't Roleplaying...unless one is referring to... Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying (fun for a very short time, but the advancement rules aren't the greatest, and it has a degree of unfulfillment for me overall). and Inquisitor (Interesting game, but no one ever wants to play). Shadowrun (only dabbled in it, didn't really care for it). Star Wars (West End) (Now this was a game! fast, furious, and fun. I enjoyed it, not that simple, but accurately captured the Star Wars feel). Star Wars (D20) - (fun system, but doesn't feel like Star Wars. What...you think Mace goes around as a "something level" jedi? Sorry, the entire level thing...it's just doesn't seem all like starwars, at least in the way the D20 system handles it. fun system, but not really starwarsy). D&D 2e (again, straightforward, and easy to use overall, some of the best rules if one tossed out some of the ideas. They were starting to edge towards a little too complex overall. THAC0 was a great improvement however in simplicity in my mind, though there were some changes that I didn't agree with). D&D 2.5 (Now this was someone's idea straight out of the lower abyss of the incarnation of fiery demon's breath. Kits, Players Options, and all the rest...made D&D bulky, rules heavy, and a very very stupid system. One of my LEAST favorite systems). D&D 3e (Rules heavy, complicated, and not simple. Welcome to Bulky combat with a million and a half modifiers. ThAC0 was scorned by some new 3e players, but then they must not have used all the modifiers of 3e, AoO, and half a dozen other rules that either got houseruled, or changed/tweaked by Errata that came out after the fact. In fact, soon after creation, it was almost mass confusion on many of those rules as the books were not written well enough to clarify how those rules worked! Add to that a skill system that though free and nice for character creation, created more bulk and rules heavy games. The fast advancement and the variety of freedom that came with the rules heavy edition did make it fun to play and DM overall...much more streamlined than the 2.5 creature that came straight out the depraved imaginations of some lorn demon from you know where). D&D 3.5 (came out too soon to 3e, and should have been called 4e. Much more reliant on Miniatures, and so though streamlined from 3e, and still rules heavy, much more fun to play, as long as one has money to sink into the materials for the game, and the miniatures. This is the current edition that most recently I have been playing the most of). D&D rules cyclopedia (sometimes called Original D&D, but not OD&D really, though even I clump them together sometimes). (Perhaps the best of all the systems. Not quite as free as OD&D in my mind, but overall straightforward, and simple. Good for a quickstart for players, and fun in general). There's a lot more, but overall, that is the summary of the major games I've played that I can recall off the top of my head and my summation of my current thoughts on them.
salamander 12-09-04, 10:39 AM	Mostly D&D (3.5 based), but I also play d20 Modern (any of the settings) and the d20 Star Wars RPG semi-regularly. I've played the WEG version, but nobody around here still plays that. We have a silent agreement to play Call of Ctulhu (the Chaosium version, 4th edition - I have the d20 CoC rulebook, but I've never used those rules) at least a couple of times over the summer, when our regular campaigns usually get temporarily suspended due to the many player absences, and we usually add some others to the mix then as well: Ars Magica, Legend of the Five Rings, some Mutants and Masterminds last summer.From the White Wolf family, only Changeling. Never really got interested in the others. Used to play Shadowrun, haven't done so in ten or so years now, I think. There's a bunch I tried once or twice, can't recall most of them (Indiana Jones, Judge Dredd, ...). Not good enough to stick around. I have had the rulebook for Agone lying around for ages, tried to get a group to give it a shot several times, there always seemed to be something or other happening that prevented that. What else... RuneQuest. Haven't played that for ages, I'm not even sure I can even find my rules anymore. edit: How could I forget the system I started with? Het Oog des Meesters (Das Schwarze Auge). I remember it sounding goofy and being clunky as hell at times, but I had a lot of fun with that. D&D 3.5 ... Much more reliant on Miniatures, ... Don't want to derail the thread, but I've seen statements like this quite often lately. I wouldn't mind hearing about which aspects of 3.5 make such a difference compared to 3.0 (or even AD&D, although I can see a few things there at least).
Sulaco 12-09-04, 11:13 AM	Cyberpunk (fun system, but not the best) Which Cyberpunk? The first edition was a C+game at best. Cyberpunk 2020 was an A all the way. The familiar d20 "stat+skill+roll vs. DC" mechanic is almost identical to CP2020's system, though CP2020 was more streamlined and less "class & level" based.
Veton 12-09-04, 11:28 AM	Well, I got into the d20 system by learning about D&D, so I still play that. However, I've started up a d20 Modern campaign recently, which is going pretty well. I'm also going to start up a D&D campaign as well. I just hope that my player's D&D character isn't as scared of spending money as his d20 Modern character :rolleyes:
John Bezo 12-09-04, 11:41 AM	I've played AD&D AD&D 2e OD&D TMNT Robotech Rifts Heroes Unlimited Vampire werewolf mage Synabar Call of Cthulhu (Chaosium) Cyberpunk 2020 shadowrun Stormbringer (Chaosium) starwars (westend) Lotr Paranoina Battletech/mechwarrior Warhammer, and 40k Star frontiers Top secrete Star trek I've run all the same with the addition of 3.0 and 3.5 and the exceptions of Starwars, shadowrun, Paranoina, Star frontiers, Top secrete, Star trek, and LotR Since I rarily ever play anymore, I find switching systems for a short period every year keeps me on my toes as a DM and gives me a break, that helps hold off DMs burnout. I always return to D&D though. J.
GreyLord 12-09-04, 07:34 PM	Which Cyberpunk? The first edition was a C+game at best. Cyberpunk 2020 was an A all the way. The familiar d20 "stat+skill+roll vs. DC" mechanic is almost identical to CP2020's system, though CP2020 was more streamlined and less "class & level" based. Never played CP2020, didn't know what was different or what was not. It was the first edition.
Ichaerus 12-09-04, 07:45 PM	I play D&D since the end of first edition to 3.5. I have tried some other rpg too : -White-wolf ( Wraith the Oblivion, Vampire the Masquerade, Werewolf the Apocalypse, Mage the Ascension, Hunter the Reconing, Demon the Fallen... ) -Stormbringer -Lotr -Star War -Battletech/Mechwarrior -7th sea -Everquest RPG -Rolemaster -Earthdawn -BESM ( Particulary the El-hazard setting ) -Warhammer RPG -Shadowrun
R-man 12-10-04, 04:03 AM	I play D&D, Rolemaster, Gurps, Harnmaster, Twilight 2000, The Morrow Project, Toon, The Fantasy Trip, Fortune and Glory, Champions, D20 modern, Call of Cthulu and have played many other game systems as "one offs" at other times. Yes I have been roleplaying for far too long :D . I believe in roleplaying and in life in general to use the right tool for the job. Every Campaign has a concept behind it that the Gamemaster has and there will always be a best game system to represent what the GM wants out of the game. Best is a relative term here as different groups and GM's will not have the same idea of what "Best" is for a campaign. At present our group is very familar with all of the various D20 products and that is mostly all that we are playing. But one friend is running an excellent Rolemaster campaign that we are really enjoying. The RM campaign could have been done in D&D but would have been less enjoyable due to lack of certain character concepts and Skill sets not existing in D&D. The main reason the Gm chose Rolemaster though was that he is very familier with RM and barely knows D&D, having only been recently introduced to 3.5 by our group. Go with what works and what you enjoy :D :D :D
polipone 12-10-04, 10:06 AM	Personally I prefer using a few solid systems. Why bother learning many different rules sets when you could use that time more creatively developing material for just a few games? 3rd edition and the D20 system, IMHO, did a good "standardization" job and allowed many little companies to enter the RPG market without having to invest in an original game system which could have little success. This is not to say I play only D20: I still play AD&D 2E, and for other genres I think the best games are Call of Cthulhu (for horror) and Alternity (for sci-fi).
taltamir 12-10-04, 03:41 PM	Variety in my gaming systems. Variety in my comptuers (mac + linux + windows... each for different things :P) Variety in my companions (monogamy? hell NO!)
Ranger REG 12-11-04, 03:58 AM	When I was young, I played a lot of games with a lot of different rule system. Nowadays, I prefer any d20 System games and OGL/SRD-based games. Such games of interest include: Dungeons & Dragons d20 Modern (with d20 Future) Star Wars d20 Spycraft (d20 System) Stargate SG-1 (d20 System) Mutants & Masterminds (OGL/SRD-based) Proudly, I'm more of a d20 gamer than I am a D&D gamer. Gotta give props to WotC and Ryan Dancey for making the ruleset that powered D&D 3e into a network of rules-compatible (or rules-familiar) game in many genres besides traditional fantasy. :D
the_fools_wildhunt 12-12-04, 10:15 PM	If only I didn't have a job or limited motivation now days. I currently run D&D Greyhawk with 4 players. But I have plenty of other stuff to run if the fance takes me. Original D&D 1st Ed D&D 2nd ED D&D 3rd ED D&D 3.5 ED D&D Campaigns: Forgotten Realms Eberron Greyhawk Ravenloft Planescape Birthright Mystara Hollow World Dragon Lance Dark Sun Kara-Tur Al-Qadim Legend of the Five Rings Star Wars d20 & d6 Vampire the Masqurade Werewolf Changeling Mage Wraith Kindred of the East Mummy the Ressurection Demon the Fallen Hunter the Reckoning Exalted BESM 2nd Edition Shadowrun Ars Magika 7th Sea Its odd though, I have a full time job but never any money, strange eh. :thinks: One day I will make the ultimate campaign made from a hybrid of every system I have. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA :evillaugh
Thomar_of_Uointer 12-14-04, 10:45 AM	I've been trying to get my players to do 3.5, and a few other twisted ideas that popped out of my brain, but I'm backing off of that now. They say I like complicated rules systems too much. The game system I'm running for my next (planned) game is based off of Paper Mario 2's system, and it's pretty simple.