I've been running Shadowrun off and on for the last year but I've come to terms with the fact that I'm not really into the decking aspect.
I'm thinking of starting a new game in a new system, but I've got a lot of systems I'd like to try out and was wondering how other people choose the next system they'll play/run.
Bonus: Are there any decent modern fantasy systems out there? d20 modern holds no interest for me, and I hear Dresden Files is terribly unbalanced.
inb4 "just pick one, faggot"
It really comes down to just reading through a bunch of rulebooks that have some sort of connection to something you find interesting.
Feeling like a bit of a star wars binge? Give those new fantasy flight books a flick.
Been watching true detective lately and got a hankering for that. Take a glance at Call of Cthulhu.
It comes down to browsing
>>43814458
I know you're probably sick of this, but GURPS seems to do modern fantasy fairly well.
I feel like a right shithead saying this, but have you considered GURPS?
It's not perfect; it's hard to make a relevant character first time, some of the splats are pointlessly complicated, it's hard to find what you precisely need in the mountain of available material, the 'generic' aspect is sometimes very generic, and if your players are slow in the head they will find it difficult to add 3d6 together and apply a modifier.
However, you've been playing Shadowrun, so your players are used to dealing with fairly large amounts of dice.
The GURPS modern fantasy stuff tends towards (in my experience) more tactical shooty in an extremely dangerous world but I think you can add heroic rules to make it more pulpy.
I don't know much about WoD but that might also have similar settings and rules to what you seem to like playing. I think it's a bit more rules-lite and more focused on social gaming, but honestly I don't know much. The only people I know who play WoD are obese aspergic lunatics and this one beanpole 6'10" scrawny-ass scarecrow motherfucker, I don't play.
I love Call of Cthulhu, and Delta Green just got a big ol' kickstarter for new books, and I run those or adaptations of those fairly often. However I tend towards little to no overt fantasy stuff at all in my Delta Green because I had a bad time running a slightly more exuberant style of game.
>>43814521
Yeah, that's pretty much what I've been doing.
>>43814681
>>43814789
Well, I've never really looked into it so maybe today's the day I get into GURPS.
I usually like my world more danger than pulp, as I'm a pretty easygoing GM, and that sounds like it might work perfectly.
And I'm with you, WoD is a great system but I can't even bring it up without somebody trying to turn it into their furry power fantasy.
I'll also have to check out Delta Green. I've done a bit of CoC, how similar are the two?
>>43815009
Similar in most respects. Has more rules for being a paranoid, highly armed, near schizophrenic cop-killer but the rules are still the same brp d% rules that CoC uses.
I feel your struggle OP. What I've found is that it comes down to really considering what type of story you want to tell. I've been running a "fuck the power" style game of Mage so I think I wanna run something we're the players are part of something bigger. Like a peace keeping force or something. I also want to get away from fantasy and do hard scifi. So that narrows it down something with space cops, diplomats or noble families. Maybe Star-Trek, I wanted to run battle-tech but the new edition is impenetrable to newbies. Shame the EVE table top got scraped
>>43814458
What kind of modern fantasy are you looking for OP? Supernatural investigators with trenchcoats and no razors is a fair bit different from, say, something themed after a high school urban fantasy VN.
>>43815347
Supernatural Investigators-style, with room for horror and players able to use magic if they choose to do it.
>>43814458
G U R P S
U R P S G
R P S G U
P S G U R
S G U R P
>>43814458
ive never played it, but from glancing through the rules fate had a pretty nice modern combat system
>>43815009
well, you could limit it to Hunter and nothing else? I don't know your group of course, but that could help.
If i recall correctly, certain groups like the Lucifuge have some magic, which you can use as an idea for homebrewing.
>>43815936
Hunter certainly appeals to that area. I'll probably take another look at it, see if I can use it for what I want to do.
>>43816061
I've only read Hunter: Vigil, haven't taken a look at Reckoning, just for reference.
>>43815605
Don't believe /tg/ yes people play this and yes it is what you want. magicians are powered by ritualistic obsession with school dedicated to anger, sex, money, insomnia, syndicated television. Gods walk the earth they just wear masks. King Arthur, Winston Churchill, Jimmy Hoffa they all are linked channeling the same unconscious mojo. there are burger chains handing out psi-spiked shakes and shell corporations housing the most advanced occult investigative program since the 1600's... And the worst part we're not powerless to stop it we're the ones causing it.
>>43816152
Damn all that bull shit and I forgot the title drop. Unknown Armies, the game is called Unknown Armies
Want simulationist crunch heavy gameplay? Use GURPS.
Want medium crunch pulp heroics? Use Savage Worlds.
Want narrativist story building gameplay? Use FATE.
There's probably an apocalypse world hack for this too.
>>43816152
>>43816176
This is looking really interesting, actually. I'll look into this too.
>>43816618
seriously ask me anything about it, it's one of my favorites. I posted a story about a mundie detective being eaten alive by the echos of sex crimes turned into monsters. I will do my best to answer everything before I pass out (also super easy system, makes white wolf look like Paladium)
>>43814458
Think about what you want the game to provide.
Consider crunch and fluff separately. Interesting looking fluff will get you drawn into the worst written games.
So what should the mechanics do? Is it all about combat, or are there other things that should matter? Which dimensions should the characters have, and how relevant should these be to the dice. What kind of gamble should the players have to take, and in what detail do you want it resolved?
Then consider your genre. Many mechanics have incarnations in different genres, or are easy to mod. But there are quality settings well worth a thorough read even though the mechanics might not be what you want.
For modern fantasy I'd look at Wild Talents, Unknown Armies, and the Delta Green beta test. You might also consider Nemesis, Dresden Files or simply FAE, nWoD, or Savage Worlds. Gurps has great all encompassing setting books. But the rules are something else, so fluff only for me please.
>>43820064
If you want less generic games with great mechanics specialized for one kind of story, there's excellent examples.
InSpectres is the better Ghostbusters game. Fast fun for investigators who sometimes get to take over a moment or even a scene.
Dread uses Jenga to make the tension curve palpable, literally.
Don't Rest Your Head is a spiral of madness, insomnia, and tragedy. Not much for party cohesion, but a mad ride.
Cthulhu Dark could offer some mileage.
For a mad session I'd even suggest Everyone is John, Insylum, or Puppetland.
These will not sustain a long campaign without a lot of modding. But they're perfect for testing out different concepts, flavors, and dynamics. In the end your group will be better equipped for modern mystery and horror, and you will know what they enjoy their mechanics to do, and not to do.
