So, /tg/, which TTRPG is the best Mecha game?
GURPS
I wish I knew.
There are a lot of options, but in my experience they fall into one of two categories- either way too crunchy, getting lost in ridiculous levels of detail which I'm sure some people love, but makes it unworkable for me and the groups I play with.
Alternatively, they're way too rules light, abstracting everything in the broadest sense to the point the game lacks any feeling of impact.
I'd love to see a game properly strike the balance between detail without sacrificing distinction, but that's an underdeveloped area of game design. Pretty much only Legends of the Wulin and D&D 4e really occupy it.
>>46289560
Suggestions?
>>46289512 You know, other than GURPS?
>>46289560
>and D&D 4e
You realize that 4e can totally work as a mecha game, right?
>>46290076
I keep hearing this, but no one has ever explained how it works as a mecha game. Please indulge me, if you've the time.
>>46289494
Have you tried Giant Guardian Generation or Trigger Discipline?
>>46290111
Haven't heard of either, heading to google now.
>>46289494
You try Battle Century G yet?
>>46290098
4e can work specifically as a Super Robot game, with a bit of refluffing. The way its power system is designed, AEDU, actually makes a lot of sense if you consider it in context of a series, like an anime.
Characters in a show never spam their biggest, most powerful attack. They hold it back for a key moment, instead relying on bread and butter abilities most of the time, only busting out their specials when they need them.
In terms of refluffing, magic items becomes modular equipment parts, and power selection can be fluffed as outfitting your mech with various weapon options, or the pilot knowing techniques.
It does require a lot of refluffing and being flexible with your thinking, but it works pretty damn well.
>>46290098
Due to the rules-up-front nature of the crunch, 4e is very easy to refluff.
And that's the dirty little secret of this idea.
You're not changing the rules at all.
You're not homebrewing anything.
You're just sitting down with each player and working out how to refluff a 4e character into a mech.
Had a really good time with a short campaign using Chris Perrin's Mecha. Its one of those newfangled narrative story games though. Liked the abstracted combat system, but it relies on everyone already being on a similar page about what the mechs do. Fun meshing of pilot and mech stats without getting overly mechanical.
>>46290374
Paragon Paths and Epic Destinies?
They're your mid-season upgrades.
>>46290456
d20 Future 4e when?
>>46290374
I'd also bring over the escalation die from 13th Age, just to make it more like Super Robot Wars.
>>46289494
Battletech's Mechwarrior RPG
Strike! is like 4e, but generic from the get go. I think it works extremely well for mecha games, as long as you don't want AC-like mech-lego or "military simulationism" or something like that out of it.
>>46290519
Actually not a bad idea.
Especially considering when my GM ran this, I built a Bellzelute ripoff.
>>46290214
>>46290374
>>46290456
>>46290519
That sounds rather interesting. I should get more acquainted with 4e I suppose.
>>46290551
>mech != mecha
>>46290563
I'll check it out, as well as >>46290405
>>46290551
The problem with Mechwarrior as a generic mecha game is that it's EXTREMELY wrapped up in its own setting, such that using it to run anything else is a LOT of work.
>>46290098
It's a meme, nobody actually does it.
The point is essentially you can refluff the entire thing into being a heavily abstracted mecha game because it has decent tactical combat and daily/encounter powers are an okay approximation for ammunition.
It's not actually a good idea though.
>>46290654
See above. It's not an approximation for ammunition, it's a pretty damn good representation of how attacks are actually used in super robot shows.
>>46290654
>nobody actually does it.
Really?
I've been in a game where we did it.
>>46290654
Ammunition nothing, everyone knows you don't just throw around your finishing moves willy nilly.
>use 4e
Why, when Battle Century G already does the same and is purpose-built?
>>46290754
Gamers are largely lazy and stupid, learning new things is hard and different things are scary. Most people aren't too concerned or obsessed with the specifics of how a game works.
Alternatively, lots of grown ass persons don't want to read another 200 page books to play pretend.
>>46290603
>>mech != mecha
>Battletech Unseen are ripped from Macross, Crusher Joe and Dougram
Fair enough about >>46290625 and the plot, however.
>>46290754
I think I remember reading BCG and it was quite different from 4e in mechanics and gameplay (and obviously theme, but we are talking about refluff here). I'll give it a full read-through I guess.
>>46289494
Rifts/Macross/Robotech.
>>46290754
>>46290162
I've run two games of BCG already, it's a really great system. I definitely recommend it.
>>46290111
>Trigger Discipline
Never heard of this, but if you're grouping it with GGG/BCG then it's probably good. Care to shill it to me?
>>46290910
Palladium is only really best at having poorly laid out books.
I think you could make a good mecha game with Savage Worlds
>>46290819
>200 page books
BCG rules reference doc is what, 70 pages? And with fairly big letters, so it takes 2 hours to get acquainted with it?
Definitely better than wasting GM's time with each player.
But if someone wants to waste time by "saving" time, all power to them.
>>46289494
I've been running a campaign using Gundam Senki to great success. It's a variation of Mekton Zeta that is streamlined in a few areas and my group has been loving it. Vanilla Mekton Zeta is pretty good in my experience as well. It can get complicated during any construction but in actual play it's relativity simple.
