Setting or System - whichever applies to you?

Morrus

Well, that was fun

Staff member

• Sep 19, 2017

• #1

Which (if any) of these two positions do you feel more strongly represents you.

1. I will check out any official Star Wars/Star Trek/Game of Thrones/Lord of the Rings/Doctor Who (pick you setting/show/movie/book of choice) RPG.

2. I will check out any setting powered by Cypher/Savage Worlds/d20/5E pick your system).

Of course both apply to many people to various extents, and and probably neither absolutely; I'm just curious if there are "setting people" and "system people".

I think I'm more "system" with a hint of "setting". I probably won't check out a new branded game, but if it uses a system I like I would be more likely to. To check out a new system, I'd probably need some solid recommends and an easy intro. On the other hand, I feel I am more likely to check out a new setting for a system I know I like, even if I haven't heard of it.

So I guess I'm 75% System, 25% Setting.

 

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Arilyn

Hero

• Sep 19, 2017

• #2

Hmmm. Tricky question. Setting can get me curious but I like to make sure system matches and works well. Been burned too many times in past with great setting with poor rules. Fortunately, this is less common these days. Not sure what percentage is. 60 per cent system, 40 for setting. Maybe...

 

N

Nagol

Unimportant

• Sep 20, 2017

• #3

I check out both new systems and genre/setting material and both when they're combined. I'm always looking for new material in case it is preferential to whatever I'd use to run that type of game currently. It is relatively rare for new material to wholly supplant what I'd already use, but quite often there are interesting tidbits or new ways of looking at things that I'll adopt.

 

Lanefan

Victoria Rules

• Sep 20, 2017

• #4

DM and players first. System second. Setting third.

 

KahlessNestor

Adventurer

• Sep 20, 2017

• #5

I tend to be more setting. There are some systems I really like (Savage Worlds) that tend to attract settings I don't like (horror). I have lots of books I bought for the setting but haven't gotten to play.

Sent from my SM-G900P using EN World mobile app

 

S

Sunseeker

Guest

• Sep 20, 2017

• #6

I'd probably say I'm a systems guy. Settings don't mean much if the system sucks and a lot of settings come with baggage I'm not really interested in.

 

ccs

41st lv DM

• Sep 20, 2017

• #7

Setting.
(And I count "D&D" as a setting as there's 5 distinct systems for it)
After that I'll decide based on system wether to play it or not.

 

Barantor

Explorer

• Sep 20, 2017

• #8

I'm more setting than system. A good setting like my old favorite Greyhawk can be played in a variety of systems (currently going to be the new Dungeon Fantasy GURPS) and still feel the same.

I have homebrew settings I've used with many systems too. Depends on if the players are down with it though, some are very much system types first (usually D20 centric).

 

Dannyalcatraz

Schmoderator

Staff member

Supporter

• Sep 20, 2017

• #9

If I'm honest, I'm probably a system guy, though some settings I hold in such esteem that i'd have to give any RPG featuring them at least a look-see. 70/30?

 

G

Guang

Explorer

• Sep 20, 2017

• #10

Generally if the setting looks interesting to me I'll check it out. However, there are a few systems (like the Vortex system) that I'll check out any setting for, and a few (like Savage Worlds) that I've decided that I'm not really interested in the system, and so don't check out the settings for them either. Although Savage Worlds in particular is tempting at times - they seem to put out a lot of good stuff.