I don't post much up here (or blog or keep a journal, etc) because honestly very little is going on in my little clockwork head. But today I actually have stuff on my mind, so I'm going to subject you to it.
Those who know me know that I'm all about cool RPG systems. Obviously there's D&D 4e, which I think, honestly, is one of the best (that is, well designed with deliberate transparency and intent) iterations of that game so far. I've been very excited about that for quite some time, though there are a few let-downs, but I'll get to that later when I do a proper review. Of course, there is a world of other systems out there, and I like to see what they have to offer to improve my gaming experience. Often the rules aren't special in and of themselves, but are a reflection of the game's design philosphy, which I think is where the awesomeness resides.
So what's got me excited right now? Green Ronin's "Song of Ice and Fire RPG" for one. Guardians of Order did a d20 version called "A Game of Thrones", which I hear is excellent, and as good an adaptation of the setting as you're going to get out of the 3.x rules. Why bother with SIFRP then? Well, I can't really compare the two, but I know what got my interest. For one, from what I've read pre-release, the game is very focused (I like focus). It's expected that all players will play members of a single noble house, whether by blood or fealty, so they all have a common interest. The game also has "social conflict" rules. I know, some people hate that sort of thing and call it "roll-playing not roleplaying", but I say that they're just not using it right. Either way, a game full of politics and manipulation honestly needs a codified system to talk people into doing what you want or else it risks becoming an entire session of roleplaying "do this", "nuh-uh", "do it", "no", "do it!", "no!" until somebody gives up out of impotent futility or just breaks down and stabs somebody else. Combat also seems simple to understand and implement and deadly/gritty without being random and anticlimactic. Overall, I'm really looking forward to this one, especially since the setting has such a huge following and the game is being produced by a well-known, "mainstream" game publisher. Unfortunately, I've got to wait until sometime in October for the game to be released.
Also coming out in October is the "Mouse Guard RPG", based on the comics by David Petersen. Much like A Song of Ice and Fire, I hadn't heard of the original liturature before I heard about the RPG. I picked up the first Mouse Guard compilation to see what it was like, and it seems pretty cool. (I'm also reading the Song of Ice and Fire novels now.) Mouse Guard has you playing Guardsmice in medieval times. Your duties are basically protecting traveling mice, guarding borders, blazing trails, and general problem solving. So, you know, adventure missions. But the way characters are built, they all come with important NPCs built-in as well as mechanically supported beliefs and goals, so it's not just about fighting monsters (well, snakes and crabs and weasels and whatnot). Mouse Guard RPG also has, that's right, "social conflict" rules, to make arguments, threats, lies and politics more than just "color".
So that brings me to a more immediate set of rules called the "Solar System", popularized by The Shadow of Yesterday. The rules have been "genericized", tweaked and clarified for use in any setting (well, any setting where PCs have the potential to make lasting change in the world). The book (booklet?) is cheap at $5 but I imagine that it will be a useful addition to my collection. This game doesn't exactly have "social conflict" rules, but then again, it doesn't NOT have them either. Basically, "conflict is conflict", and it all uses the same rules and can even be intermingled. One of the game's selling points is that the GM, or even the players, can come up with "Keys" which define what they get XP for during play. Imagine the Key of Fame, rewarding the player for playing his character as a glory hound, with even bigger rewards if doing so gets him some trouble. Keys not only reward players for playing the game they want to play, they also act as big fat signs for the GM that say "Hey, let's have some of THIS in the game!". Really helps when coming up with something on the fly, too. One possible drawback is that the game uses "Fudge" dice, which aren't exactly common, though you can make your own with some pipped d6s and a Sharpie. I'm thinking of running a Fading Suns game in the DnDorks forums using this system. I love the Fading Suns setting, but many fans find the system lacking. So I'm kind of excited about that.
Speaking of PBF games, I'm also considering running a Shadowrun game using Primetime Adventures. Essentially it would be sort of a Shadowrun "Television Drama", like "The Shield" or "The Sopranos" or something, only with Trolls and Cyberware and such. I'd totally watch that show. :)
"If you fudge dice rolls, your system is failing you!" -Sons of Kryos
"I genuinely think that some people measure their free will by reading how unhappy their GM is." - TonyLB
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