Favorite System that Never Caught On

[occam]

I don't know if this counts in terms of not taking off, but the original Marvel Super Heroes. For pure, quick, superhero fun, there was nothing better.

Amazing Engine. Specifically Magitech.

I cannot believe someone else said this. Magitech had possibly the best magic system ever designed.

 

[Tenbones]

Synnibar.

Please turn in your Gamer's Identification Membership Badge... NOW.


Talislanta - Hand's down - this is what D&D should have been. The new system is glorious.

Cyberpunk 2020 - The Interlock System. Brilliant. Fast paced. Brutal. But definitaly streamlined. There were flaws - but they were easily handled.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Alternity did deserve a better run than it had.

TORG had an interesting system, but the setting (or maybe "premise" is a better term for it) is what was really cool. Lots of very good ideas and concepts. The various world books varied in quality, but most had something to glean from them.

Ghostbusters first edition. A solid, funny game. It was where WEG's d6 system got its start. The second edition of it was larded down with too much additional game mechanic stuff, though.

Buck Rogers XXVc. I liked that there was an attempt made to adapt the AD&D engine for a scifi game. The results were so-so, but the game generated a lot of usable ideas - No Humans Allowed is a monster sourcebook that I still feel holds up. The ship combat system was actually kinda cool, as well.

 

[T. Foster]

Another vote for Dangerous Journeys/Mythus. This game was the logical culmination both stylistically and mechanically of where AD&D was headed under Gygax in the later years (UA, Gord novels, etc.) that just happened to be almost 180 degrees the opposite direction of where the entire rest of the rpg industry was headed in those days (i.e. White Wolf). Plus the combination of Gygax's wordiness and uninspired editing and production (long long blocks of tiny tiny text) managed to make the game seem even more complicated than it was (and, believe me, it was plenty complicated). I still look through my Mythus books from time to time, and I still draw inspiration from them (though nowadays I can't even imagine actually playing a game that rules-heavy anymore).

Another choice is GDW's Traveller:2300 (aka 2300 AD) -- the hard/military/near-future sf alternative to Traveller (mostly different rules, completely different setting, same author/publisher).

 

[librarius_arcana]

I'd vote for DP9's Tribe 8, Heavy Gear, and Jovian Chronicles. Silhouette system is pretty decent and the backgrounds for the games are excellent. Mini's side of things for HG and JC are relatively popular, but wish their rpg sides got more interest

Hey, if you are in to DP9 games, and you don't mind playing pbp, head over there now,
Someones asking for T8 players/gm etc, and there will be soon an "Aliens" game using SilCORE, (I'm going to playing in this game, over there I'm pathfinderAP)



Btw got to add this seem to be the first time ever the forums at DP9 have hosted pbp games, all new option

 

[librarius_arcana]

Alternity did deserve a better run than it had.

Ghostbusters first edition. A solid, funny game. It was where WEG's d6 system got its start. The second edition of it was larded down with too much additional game mechanic stuff, though.

Totally agree, they lost the plot on the second ed of Ghosties

 

[Sleepy Voiced]

I'll add a vote for WEG's Star Wars, although I think it was fairly popular by most non-D&D standards.

I also really enjoyed Tunnels and Trolls, although only for the solo adventures. Never did get to play a group game.

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hands down, the James Bond system. I've never seen rules better matched to a setting. At the same time, you could easily transplant the core mechanic into just about any heroic RPG concept. Flawless.

Some of the best games I've ever played. Though, I know one or two people who had trouble with one of the central concepts of the scenarios, that you had to get caught by the bad guy so he could explain his dastardly plot to you. You then escape, foil the plot & get the girl. As you say, perfectly matched to the setting. Plus it was the first game I saw with no money. You get issued with gadgets from Q, your cars & guns are yours to choose.

 

[Nightchilde-2]

F.A.T.A.L.

Stop looking at me like that. I was only kidding.

Seriously, though...

Fireborn. GREAT mechanics, good ideas. Good game. Too bad it never caught on.

 

[Gargoyle]

...
I also loved alternity...though, in my case I was fortunate to get my fix from a nice little campaign. Still have all the books stored away. As much as I love Alternity, I am, paradoxically, working on a home conversion of the Alternity (and particulary the STar*Drive Setting) conventions to the Shadowrun 4e rules...which well deserved the ENies they received.

I have all the original Alternity stuff, and always wanted to run a campaign, and I'm looking forward to the Darkmatter stuff that's coming out, even though I'll probably never have the opportunity to run it.