Musings On Post Apocalyptic RPGs

[GuardianLurker]

Actually, I think the biggest setting issue (blending towards mechanics) are "ancient" ruins filled with wonders and terrors that the current civilization just can't reproduce. Without that, or with too little emphasis on that, it is just a general fantasy/sci-fi setting. The base Numenera setting is a perfect example of a "high-magic" PA setting I can think of (and the best adaptation of the Dying Earth series I've seen). At the other end of the scale, we have the setting of the "Daughter of the Lilies" webcomic, and 5e. Forgotten Realms should tick the PA requirements, but it's missing something.....

Ah - that's it. The setting also needs for the current civilization to be in awe of/remember their fall from What Came Before.

But really, I can't think of a /mechanic/ that would enforce a Post-Apocalypse genre. That's also almost entirely a setting issue.

Edit: Whoops.

 

[thullgrim]

I think the biggest mechanical element for me is resource management. I know it’s gets boring for a lot of people though.

After that it becomes a decision about what kind of PA game your looking for. Action? Gritty realism? Science-Fantasy elements? Sun-systems that drive the kind of game and setting elements your trying to get to in your PA game.

Finally, from a setting perspective, I want an interesting and compelling cause for the old world to fall. I want the reason to be a mystery personally I want to be able to solve the mystery but that isn’t a requirement.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Actually, I think the biggest setting issue (blending towards mechanics) are "ancient" ruins filled with wonders and terrors that the current civilization just can't reproduce. Without that, or with too little emphasis on that, it is just a general fantasy/sci-fi setting. The base Numenera setting is a perfect example of a "high-magic" PA setting I can think of (and the best adaptation of the Dying Earth series I've seen). At the other end of the scale, we have the setting of the "Daughter of the Lilies" webcomic, and 5e. Forgotten Realms should tick the PA requirements, but it's missing something.....

Ah - that's it. The setting also needs for the current civilization to be in awe of/remember their fall from What Came Before.

But really, I can't think of a /mechanic/ that would enforce a Post-Apocalypse genre. That's also almost entirely a setting issue.

Edit: Whoops.

Really 3rd Age Middle Earth is a post apocalyptic setting.

 

[Reynard]

Really 3rd Age Middle Earth is a post apocalyptic setting.

The fall of Arnor was the end of A world, at least.

 

[wdk_dave]

I wish I could remember the book, it was one of those compilation of silly examples of role playing game rules, but it had what they called the most realistic post nuclear war RPG ever. You rolled on a table to see how your character fared after the bomb and the best result was to be killed in the immediate blast while the worst result was starving or freezing to death months later.

Like just about any RPG, I suppose I like my post apocalyptic games to have the fanastic in there whether it be mutants, psychics, super science technology, or what not. Though I'd be happy with something like Twilight 2000 or The Walking Dead for a change of pace. The PA game I've played the most in recent hears has been Deadlands: Hell on Earth. Here's the thing, I don't care for keeping track of how much water or food I have. That's not the part of gaming that's fun for me, so anything in that regard needs to be abstract for me to enjoy it.

Morrow Project?

 

[loverdrive]

I'm pretty much the opposite and like post apocalypse to be fairly mundane and my beloved Apocalypse World with its Psychic Maelstorm is pushing the envelope on my preferred amount of fantastical.

I also love Nuclear Winter as a setting, and wish there were more games explicitly build around freezing cold rather than endless deserts.

Also: not really post apocalypsSavee, but rather pre apocalypse, but I recently played a reskin of 10 Candles with the Doomsday Clock instead of, well, candles, and I enjoyed it greatly.

 

[jdrakeh]

I prefer more grounded post-apocalyptic RPGs. Aftermath, Twilight 2k, Doomsday Soldier, etc (and, yes, I'm aware that there are options for magic in two of those games, but they're just that - options).

 

[HaroldTheHobbit]

I prefer more grounded post-apocalyptic RPGs. Aftermath, Twilight 2k, Doomsday Soldier, etc (and, yes, I'm aware that there are options for magic in two of those games, but they're just that - options).

Aftermath manage to be both pre-, during- and postapocalypse, all in the time it takes to finish two combat rounds.

 

[Thomas Shey]

I prefer more grounded post-apocalyptic RPGs. Aftermath, Twilight 2k, Doomsday Soldier, etc (and, yes, I'm aware that there are options for magic in two of those games, but they're just that - options).

Though you have to be pretty active to screen out mutations and the like from Aftermath.

 

[Reynard]

I was reading through Ruins of the Lost Realm for The One Ring 2E and was reminded how much the 3rd Age of Middle Earth is essentially a post apocalyptic setting.