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Rare, unpopular, or underpopular rpgs

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Astromath
Apr 27, 2011 23:21:20 I am going to make a blatant assumption. Most of the posters here have played other rpgs other than D&D. This thread is all about the rpgs that you own, but was never popular enough to get off the ground. I will go first.

I own but never played the following:
Sailor Moon RPG (have complete collection up until the company stopped producing it)
Tenchi Muyo RPG
Dragonball RPG
Well Worlds Saga RPG

I was also part of a playtest of an unnamed rpg that never got published and still have the self-typed manual by the creator (someplace in the attic).
#2
jetshield
Apr 28, 2011 0:09:16 Bunnies & Burrows.
#3
Astromath
Apr 28, 2011 8:27:54 Even though B&B is a subset of GURPS, it does use slightly different mechanics to warrant it to be its own rpg. BTW, I own that one too. I also played that rpg in a convention where the designer was the GM. He had a unique way of getting the point across on how can a rabbit shoot a gun. He had a rabbit hand puppet and told us that if we can do it with that hand puppet we can do it in the game.
#4
boraxe
Apr 28, 2011 8:53:43 Phoenix Command.
It's not a particulalry good game and I don't recommend trying to play it, but it is a useful reference to be able to acces. In particular, whenever someone complains about D&D or some other RPG being "too complex" I tell them to go check out Phoenix Command and then wait for their apology.

The Morrow Project
Almost as complex as Phoenix Command but in a different way. While the weapons are well detailed, the real complexity is devoted here to the damage system. Every part of the body has it's own Structure Points and Blood Points and even a single tiny wound can be fatal thanks to blood loss. A decent enough game if you are not overly attached to your character.
#5
arderkrag
Apr 28, 2011 9:20:15 The Dark Eye. - not unpopular per se, but hardly anyone plays it here in the US.
#6
jetshield
Apr 28, 2011 11:26:59
Even though B&B is a subset of GURPS

There's a GURPS version of B&B? I didn't know that. I was refering to the original that was published in 1976, long before GURPS was thought of.
#7
shiningwolf88
Apr 28, 2011 11:27:50 Tales from the Floating Vagabond: Only played it once, but it was hilarious. Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy inspired game, I think its been out of print for over a decade. Only had a chance to play it when a friend of a friend visited town with a copy.
#8
morandir62
Apr 28, 2011 14:40:13
I love Morrow Project and still run it. Its damage system while complex is realistic, proving that “Guns Do Kill People”, and is no worse the calculated mech (BattleTech) damage. The problem I tend to have with it, is the archaic weapons frozen with the teams and the lack of an updated armory by the publisher. In the pre-internet area (1980) it was more difficult to get the info needed to replace weapon specs (game has great formulas).

My “Never Popular Enough” Games:

Aftermath
Atlantis: The Second Age
Big Eyes, Small Mouth
Boot Hill
Bunnies & Burrows (2E)

Bunnies & Burrows (1976), Fantasy Games Unlimited

Bunnies & Burrows (Second edition) (1982), Fantasy Games Unlimited

GURPS Bunnies & Burrows (1992), Steve Jackson Games

Bushido
Blue Planet
Call of Cthulhu
Car Wars
Darwin's World
Deryni Fudge RPG
Earthdawn
Elric
Empire of the Petal Throne
Fading Suns
Game of Thrones
Gamma World (>1E)
Gangbusters
Grav Ball (actually a board gameby FASA, but its continuality gives it the feel of RPG)
Harn
Heavy Gear
Iron Kingdoms
The Iron Wind by I.C.E.
Legend of the Five Rings
Macho Women with Guns
Mechanoid Invasion
MechWarrior (mostly just the BattleTech now)
Middle Earth Role Play (aka MERP)
Midnight (Campaign Setting)
Renegade Legion/Legionnaire (FASA’s Star Wars proposal but they lost the license bid to West End Games)
Rifts
RuneQuest
Shadowrun
Star Frontiers
Star Trek
Star Wars
Stormbringer
Talislanta
The Land (limited release based on The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant)
Toon
Top Secret
Tunnels and Trolls
Twilight 2000 (never play this game with real Marines)
Warcraft the Roleplaying Game
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Wheel of Time Roleplaying Game
Wizards & Heroes

In the End we have just three games: D&D (all Es), Morrow Project (1E), and Traveller (1e).
#9
zombie_babies
Apr 28, 2011 15:09:08 What? No FATAL?
#10
Astromath
Apr 28, 2011 17:21:30 I have a Doctor Who RPG with a critical hit/miss table that I loved so much that I adapted those tables into my AD&D(2e) games. Right now, my group wants me to reinstitute critical fumbles and I might just readapt the crit miss table for 4e as a house rule.
#11
MechaPilot
Apr 28, 2011 20:06:08 The cinematic unisystem games (Army of Darkness, BtVS, Angel, etc). The cinematic version of the Unisystem rules plays really well and is especially easy for d20 players to get into (the game uses a d10 + ability score + skill to do things).
#12
iqwinn
Apr 28, 2011 22:52:45 I'd love to see Star Frontiers redone for the d20 system. I played it when it first came out (I was a junior in high school). I can't help but think of what it would be like to have a D&D adventuring party facing off with a group of Sathar. Magic missile v. blaster bolts!
#13
Astromath
Apr 30, 2011 16:17:52 Come on, people. Don't you own any rpgs that you bought when you were younger, but now you would be too embarassed to play? Tell us what you have. You can even tell us some stories.
#14
Samrin
Apr 30, 2011 16:49:38
What? No FATAL?

That is the game that shall NOT BE NAMED!
#15
Cpt_Micha
Apr 30, 2011 17:58:44 community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...

Fine. You asked for it.

Do note I never really finished this review... either time.

That's right it's so horrible I still haven't finished it.

It is about that time of year again, so you can expect me to make a third attempt at finishing it. I'm like the little engine that could, only with more violence.
#16
iqwinn
Apr 30, 2011 19:38:28 Oh, dear God.

I read the review for FATAL, at least part of it. It is horrid, horrible beyond belief!

Soundslike the kind of thing Goldy would absolutely love, if it wasn't for all the math (In order to calculate the results of sex, one must solve quadratic equations. (emphasis from original)).
#17
Escef
May 01, 2011 1:25:14 Dragonlance Fifth Age/Saga System. It was actually an interesting concept. However, I think in retrospect it really displays TSR's old ban on playtesting. It's a system that might work better if you adapted it to a board game (like HeroQuest or HeroScape).
#18
outlaw68
May 01, 2011 1:57:24 I have a few that I loved when I was younger (mostley during the late 80's/90's, but struggled to get people to play them..

Fighting Fantasy Roleplay Game (Very basic rules light, but a lot of fun to play - ROLL THOSE D6's)

Rifts

Robotech (Basically Rifts, but it was Robotech!)

Pendragon (I love this game, but it seemed to nerdy even for roleplayers in the area I lived in - I only ever found 1 other person keen to play it)

and numerous others.. but they are probably my main ones.
#19
Maxperson
May 02, 2011 13:00:00 Street Fighter II. It was made with the original WoD system and actually looked pretty fun.
#20
Maxperson
May 02, 2011 13:01:53
Tales from the Floating Vagabond: Only played it once, but it was hilarious. Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy inspired game, I think its been out of print for over a decade. Only had a chance to play it when a friend of a friend visited town with a copy.

It Came From the Late Late Late Show was also pretty funny. The premise was that you were playing B actors in horror/monster movies. You get extra points for being "appropriately stupid."
#21
jetshield
May 02, 2011 13:05:41 That sounds like fun. Wonder if I can track that one down.
#22
goblin_pride
May 02, 2011 15:17:33 HOL (Human Occupied Landfill), Traveller (3 editions), Twilight 2000 (2nd ed and 2.2), In Nomine, Stratosphere, Fading Suns, Shadowrun (all four editions), Renegade Legion, Mechwarrior (1st and 2nd editions), Star Wars (West End and WotC) And Tales of the Floating Vagabond.

My library is bloody huge, so I'm sure there are a couple of others that I can't recall right offhand.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Astromath Apr 27, 2011 23:21:20	I am going to make a blatant assumption. Most of the posters here have played other rpgs other than D&D. This thread is all about the rpgs that you own, but was never popular enough to get off the ground. I will go first. I own but never played the following: Sailor Moon RPG (have complete collection up until the company stopped producing it) Tenchi Muyo RPG Dragonball RPG Well Worlds Saga RPG I was also part of a playtest of an unnamed rpg that never got published and still have the self-typed manual by the creator (someplace in the attic).
#2 jetshield Apr 28, 2011 0:09:16	Bunnies & Burrows.
#3 Astromath Apr 28, 2011 8:27:54	Even though B&B is a subset of GURPS, it does use slightly different mechanics to warrant it to be its own rpg. BTW, I own that one too. I also played that rpg in a convention where the designer was the GM. He had a unique way of getting the point across on how can a rabbit shoot a gun. He had a rabbit hand puppet and told us that if we can do it with that hand puppet we can do it in the game.
#4 boraxe Apr 28, 2011 8:53:43	Phoenix Command. It's not a particulalry good game and I don't recommend trying to play it, but it is a useful reference to be able to acces. In particular, whenever someone complains about D&D or some other RPG being "too complex" I tell them to go check out Phoenix Command and then wait for their apology. The Morrow Project Almost as complex as Phoenix Command but in a different way. While the weapons are well detailed, the real complexity is devoted here to the damage system. Every part of the body has it's own Structure Points and Blood Points and even a single tiny wound can be fatal thanks to blood loss. A decent enough game if you are not overly attached to your character.
#5 arderkrag Apr 28, 2011 9:20:15	The Dark Eye. - not unpopular per se, but hardly anyone plays it here in the US.
#6 jetshield Apr 28, 2011 11:26:59	Even though B&B is a subset of GURPS There's a GURPS version of B&B? I didn't know that. I was refering to the original that was published in 1976, long before GURPS was thought of.
#7 shiningwolf88 Apr 28, 2011 11:27:50	Tales from the Floating Vagabond: Only played it once, but it was hilarious. Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy inspired game, I think its been out of print for over a decade. Only had a chance to play it when a friend of a friend visited town with a copy.
#8 morandir62 Apr 28, 2011 14:40:13	I love Morrow Project and still run it. Its damage system while complex is realistic, proving that “Guns Do Kill People”, and is no worse the calculated mech (BattleTech) damage. The problem I tend to have with it, is the archaic weapons frozen with the teams and the lack of an updated armory by the publisher. In the pre-internet area (1980) it was more difficult to get the info needed to replace weapon specs (game has great formulas). My “Never Popular Enough” Games: Aftermath Atlantis: The Second Age Big Eyes, Small Mouth Boot Hill Bunnies & Burrows (2E) Bunnies & Burrows (1976), Fantasy Games Unlimited Bunnies & Burrows (Second edition) (1982), Fantasy Games Unlimited GURPS Bunnies & Burrows (1992), Steve Jackson Games Bushido Blue Planet Call of Cthulhu Car Wars Darwin's World Deryni Fudge RPG Earthdawn Elric Empire of the Petal Throne Fading Suns Game of Thrones Gamma World (>1E) Gangbusters Grav Ball (actually a board gameby FASA, but its continuality gives it the feel of RPG) Harn Heavy Gear Iron Kingdoms The Iron Wind by I.C.E. Legend of the Five Rings Macho Women with Guns Mechanoid Invasion MechWarrior (mostly just the BattleTech now) Middle Earth Role Play (aka MERP) Midnight (Campaign Setting) Renegade Legion/Legionnaire (FASA’s Star Wars proposal but they lost the license bid to West End Games) Rifts RuneQuest Shadowrun Star Frontiers Star Trek Star Wars Stormbringer Talislanta The Land (limited release based on The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant) Toon Top Secret Tunnels and Trolls Twilight 2000 (never play this game with real Marines) Warcraft the Roleplaying Game Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Wheel of Time Roleplaying Game Wizards & Heroes In the End we have just three games: D&D (all Es), Morrow Project (1E), and Traveller (1e).
#9 zombie_babies Apr 28, 2011 15:09:08	What? No FATAL?
#10 Astromath Apr 28, 2011 17:21:30	I have a Doctor Who RPG with a critical hit/miss table that I loved so much that I adapted those tables into my AD&D(2e) games. Right now, my group wants me to reinstitute critical fumbles and I might just readapt the crit miss table for 4e as a house rule.
#11 MechaPilot Apr 28, 2011 20:06:08	The cinematic unisystem games (Army of Darkness, BtVS, Angel, etc). The cinematic version of the Unisystem rules plays really well and is especially easy for d20 players to get into (the game uses a d10 + ability score + skill to do things).
#12 iqwinn Apr 28, 2011 22:52:45	I'd love to see Star Frontiers redone for the d20 system. I played it when it first came out (I was a junior in high school). I can't help but think of what it would be like to have a D&D adventuring party facing off with a group of Sathar. Magic missile v. blaster bolts!
#13 Astromath Apr 30, 2011 16:17:52	Come on, people. Don't you own any rpgs that you bought when you were younger, but now you would be too embarassed to play? Tell us what you have. You can even tell us some stories.
#14 Samrin Apr 30, 2011 16:49:38	What? No FATAL? That is the game that shall NOT BE NAMED!
#15 Cpt_Micha Apr 30, 2011 17:58:44	community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758... Fine. You asked for it. Do note I never really finished this review... either time. That's right it's so horrible I still haven't finished it. It is about that time of year again, so you can expect me to make a third attempt at finishing it. I'm like the little engine that could, only with more violence.
#16 iqwinn Apr 30, 2011 19:38:28	Oh, dear God. I read the review for FATAL, at least part of it. It is horrid, horrible beyond belief! Soundslike the kind of thing Goldy would absolutely love, if it wasn't for all the math (In order to calculate the results of sex, one must solve quadratic equations. (emphasis from original)).
#17 Escef May 01, 2011 1:25:14	Dragonlance Fifth Age/Saga System. It was actually an interesting concept. However, I think in retrospect it really displays TSR's old ban on playtesting. It's a system that might work better if you adapted it to a board game (like HeroQuest or HeroScape).
#18 outlaw68 May 01, 2011 1:57:24	I have a few that I loved when I was younger (mostley during the late 80's/90's, but struggled to get people to play them.. Fighting Fantasy Roleplay Game (Very basic rules light, but a lot of fun to play - ROLL THOSE D6's) Rifts Robotech (Basically Rifts, but it was Robotech!) Pendragon (I love this game, but it seemed to nerdy even for roleplayers in the area I lived in - I only ever found 1 other person keen to play it) and numerous others.. but they are probably my main ones.
#19 Maxperson May 02, 2011 13:00:00	Street Fighter II. It was made with the original WoD system and actually looked pretty fun.
#20 Maxperson May 02, 2011 13:01:53	Tales from the Floating Vagabond: Only played it once, but it was hilarious. Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy inspired game, I think its been out of print for over a decade. Only had a chance to play it when a friend of a friend visited town with a copy. It Came From the Late Late Late Show was also pretty funny. The premise was that you were playing B actors in horror/monster movies. You get extra points for being "appropriately stupid."
#21 jetshield May 02, 2011 13:05:41	That sounds like fun. Wonder if I can track that one down.
#22 goblin_pride May 02, 2011 15:17:33	HOL (Human Occupied Landfill), Traveller (3 editions), Twilight 2000 (2nd ed and 2.2), In Nomine, Stratosphere, Fading Suns, Shadowrun (all four editions), Renegade Legion, Mechwarrior (1st and 2nd editions), Star Wars (West End and WotC) And Tales of the Floating Vagabond. My library is bloody huge, so I'm sure there are a couple of others that I can't recall right offhand.