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It's Not D&D - My Experiences
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<blockquote data-quote="innerdude" data-source="post: 8950997" data-attributes="member: 85870"><p><strong>Savage Worlds</strong></p><p></p><p>Extent of Experience: GM or player in multiple campaigns of at least 25+ sessions, over 150+ sessions of play from 2012-2020. </p><p></p><p>Status: Was my overall "system of choice" for a full eight years, still love the system, will always hang on to my core rules and setting material. The ultimate undoing of Savage Worlds for our group was attempting to move online (there's something lost in the tactile/tangible elements of the game---no more physically dealing cards, the physical weight of re-rolling dice on an explosion, etc.). Plus the nagging sensation that the players had "maxed out" their system expertise to the point that it was becoming increasingly difficult to balance as a GM. </p><p></p><p>Verdict: Would run again, but probably won't for a period of time. Would play any time it was offered. </p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>GURPS 3e</strong></p><p></p><p>Extent of Experience: Player in 3 different campaigns (2 fantasy, 1 super heroes), total of ~30 sessions. </p><p></p><p>Status: One of my least liked RPGs I've ever tried. GURPS is a lovely system as long as you never have to invoke the combat engine. I'll never forget the one combat where we literally sat for 25 minutes while one player and the GM argued over how to resolve a two-handed attack. Plus, the supers campaign was being run by a very inexperienced GM, holding on to every possible bad habit endemic to "trad" play. Gave away what very little material I had purchased (3e core Exp/Revised, Compendium I, Compendium II, Magic). </p><p></p><p>Verdict: Will never GM the system. Would have to be persuaded to play, but only if it was an experienced GM under the right parameters, and even then I'd seriously consider not playing at all. </p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Dungeon World</strong></p><p></p><p>Extent of Experience: GM for ~6 sessions, 2017</p><p></p><p>Status: I enjoyed my initial attempt at a PbtA, but I was clearly "doing it wrong." Didn't quite know how implement the GM advice. Didn't quite know how to get out of my old "trad" approaches yet. Mostly ended when a player complained that "there weren't rules on how to do what I want", and attempts to switch to a fiction-first perspective were met with puzzled stare. </p><p></p><p>Verdict: Probably won't run again, but not out of spite. Mostly just I think there's better "tech" in the PbtA sphere. I'd rather play Ironsworn 10 out 10 times over Dungeon World. I'd happily play in someone else's game, though. </p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p><strong>Tiny D6 / Tiny Dungeons / Tiny Frontiers</strong></p><p></p><p>Extent of Experience: Player for ~10 sessions of Tiny Frontiers in 2021. Player for a 1-shot of Tiny Dungeons with group in 2019.</p><p></p><p>Status: Surprisingly fun for a minimalist system. Totally embraces the "trad" ethos of "rulings, not rules," and fully expects players to give in to the GM-as-authority over the game world and what is a "possible" player action declaration. For a certain type of campaign, of an understood, short duration, it's a great little system. </p><p></p><p>Verdict: Would play again. Would GM for a small one shot. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Ironsworn</strong></p><p></p><p>Extent of Experience: Solo'd for 3 sessions. GM'd a 4-player group for ~12 sessions in 2021. </p><p></p><p>Status: There's no other way I can put it --- <em>Ironsworn</em> is a brilliant system, one of the best expressions of fiction-first gaming I've found. It combines pieces of Powered by the Apocalypse and Forged in the Dark, while adding its own unique elements on top of them (the die mechanic, momentum, and assets). Not sure the precise reason <em>Ironsworn</em> clicked with me while <em>Dungeon World</em> didn't, but it was truly revelatory to finally understand the overall process, mindset, play loop, and realization of what PbtA promises. </p><p></p><p>Verdict: Absolutely <em>will</em> be playing / GM-ing this in the future, will evangelize this system to anyone who will listen. If you haven't tried it yet, I genuinely feel bad for you, because you are missing out on an amazing RPG experience.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Ironsworn: Starforged</strong></p><p></p><p>Extent of Experience: Co-player (no GM, 2 players + Oracles acting in tandem) for ~10 sessions in 2022. </p><p></p><p>Status: See <em>Ironsworn</em> above, only with a few improvements to basic moves, better progression tracking, and it's in <em>spaaaaaaace</em>. </p><p></p><p>Verdict: See <em>Ironsworn </em>above.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars: Edge of the Empire</strong></p><p></p><p>Extent of Experience: GM for ~12 sessions, separated by 2 years due to pandemic, 2020-2022. </p><p></p><p>Status: Our group was excited and energized by our overall play experience. I loved moving off of Savage Worlds as my primary "trad"-ish system, and appreciated having some rules-medium structure, but it has the narrative dice which lets me interject some of my narrative "chops" gained through playing <em>Ironsworn</em>. It really does capture a "Star Wars" feel --- the challenges and combats emulate the push-and-pull I see in all of the Star Wars media series. It's a bit gear-heavy, so if you're not into optimizing for gear + gadgets, it may not suit. You also have to know the right approach for the narrative dice. Serious simulationists will find it grating; those who can adapt to the right mindset will find it a great way to tell Star Wars stories. </p><p></p><p>Verdict: Will run in the future, will play in the future, have invested several hundreds of dollars into the Star Wars + Genesys product lines. Am excited to continue with it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="innerdude, post: 8950997, member: 85870"] [B]Savage Worlds[/B] Extent of Experience: GM or player in multiple campaigns of at least 25+ sessions, over 150+ sessions of play from 2012-2020. Status: Was my overall "system of choice" for a full eight years, still love the system, will always hang on to my core rules and setting material. The ultimate undoing of Savage Worlds for our group was attempting to move online (there's something lost in the tactile/tangible elements of the game---no more physically dealing cards, the physical weight of re-rolling dice on an explosion, etc.). Plus the nagging sensation that the players had "maxed out" their system expertise to the point that it was becoming increasingly difficult to balance as a GM. Verdict: Would run again, but probably won't for a period of time. Would play any time it was offered. [B]GURPS 3e[/B] Extent of Experience: Player in 3 different campaigns (2 fantasy, 1 super heroes), total of ~30 sessions. Status: One of my least liked RPGs I've ever tried. GURPS is a lovely system as long as you never have to invoke the combat engine. I'll never forget the one combat where we literally sat for 25 minutes while one player and the GM argued over how to resolve a two-handed attack. Plus, the supers campaign was being run by a very inexperienced GM, holding on to every possible bad habit endemic to "trad" play. Gave away what very little material I had purchased (3e core Exp/Revised, Compendium I, Compendium II, Magic). Verdict: Will never GM the system. Would have to be persuaded to play, but only if it was an experienced GM under the right parameters, and even then I'd seriously consider not playing at all. [B]Dungeon World[/B] Extent of Experience: GM for ~6 sessions, 2017 Status: I enjoyed my initial attempt at a PbtA, but I was clearly "doing it wrong." Didn't quite know how implement the GM advice. Didn't quite know how to get out of my old "trad" approaches yet. Mostly ended when a player complained that "there weren't rules on how to do what I want", and attempts to switch to a fiction-first perspective were met with puzzled stare. Verdict: Probably won't run again, but not out of spite. Mostly just I think there's better "tech" in the PbtA sphere. I'd rather play Ironsworn 10 out 10 times over Dungeon World. I'd happily play in someone else's game, though. [B]Tiny D6 / Tiny Dungeons / Tiny Frontiers[/B] Extent of Experience: Player for ~10 sessions of Tiny Frontiers in 2021. Player for a 1-shot of Tiny Dungeons with group in 2019. Status: Surprisingly fun for a minimalist system. Totally embraces the "trad" ethos of "rulings, not rules," and fully expects players to give in to the GM-as-authority over the game world and what is a "possible" player action declaration. For a certain type of campaign, of an understood, short duration, it's a great little system. Verdict: Would play again. Would GM for a small one shot. [B]Ironsworn[/B] Extent of Experience: Solo'd for 3 sessions. GM'd a 4-player group for ~12 sessions in 2021. Status: There's no other way I can put it --- [I]Ironsworn[/I] is a brilliant system, one of the best expressions of fiction-first gaming I've found. It combines pieces of Powered by the Apocalypse and Forged in the Dark, while adding its own unique elements on top of them (the die mechanic, momentum, and assets). Not sure the precise reason [I]Ironsworn[/I] clicked with me while [I]Dungeon World[/I] didn't, but it was truly revelatory to finally understand the overall process, mindset, play loop, and realization of what PbtA promises. Verdict: Absolutely [I]will[/I] be playing / GM-ing this in the future, will evangelize this system to anyone who will listen. If you haven't tried it yet, I genuinely feel bad for you, because you are missing out on an amazing RPG experience. [B]Ironsworn: Starforged[/B] Extent of Experience: Co-player (no GM, 2 players + Oracles acting in tandem) for ~10 sessions in 2022. Status: See [I]Ironsworn[/I] above, only with a few improvements to basic moves, better progression tracking, and it's in [I]spaaaaaaace[/I]. Verdict: See [I]Ironsworn [/I]above. [B]Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars: Edge of the Empire[/B] Extent of Experience: GM for ~12 sessions, separated by 2 years due to pandemic, 2020-2022. Status: Our group was excited and energized by our overall play experience. I loved moving off of Savage Worlds as my primary "trad"-ish system, and appreciated having some rules-medium structure, but it has the narrative dice which lets me interject some of my narrative "chops" gained through playing [I]Ironsworn[/I]. It really does capture a "Star Wars" feel --- the challenges and combats emulate the push-and-pull I see in all of the Star Wars media series. It's a bit gear-heavy, so if you're not into optimizing for gear + gadgets, it may not suit. You also have to know the right approach for the narrative dice. Serious simulationists will find it grating; those who can adapt to the right mindset will find it a great way to tell Star Wars stories. Verdict: Will run in the future, will play in the future, have invested several hundreds of dollars into the Star Wars + Genesys product lines. Am excited to continue with it. [/QUOTE]
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