I've come to the conclusion system doesn't matter (much) to me. If I like the people playing, I'm game for pretty much anything. Some observations about the various D&Ds...
5e hits a nice sweet spot between the simplicity (in practice) of the AD&D/2e I played when I was younger and the more technical later iterations like 3e/Pathfinder/4e.
4e is a system that I admire in terms of the design choices, but I don't run it very well. I liked playing it, though.
3e/Pathfinder are a bit too complex, and while they offer really robust character creation options , they also exert a lot 'pressure' that forces character creation and in-play strategies down fairly narrow paths because some things just work better. Like, a lot better. That said, I've enjoyed playing them, and ran a successful 3.5e campaign for several years, despite being the least system-masterful person in the group (by a long shot, in some cases).
AD&D/2e are the systems I find easiest to run. Prolly because they're the D&D I started with.
As for other systems, I like M&M a great deal, but haven't really run it. Ditto Champions and old-school Traveller. Savage Worlds is pretty good. FATE and it's derivatives don't really work for me and my group, despite all of our campaigns having what seems like FATE-style play.
Right now we're playing a Call of Cthulhu mystery my buddy cooked up. It's some later version of the system, but it still looks like the old %100-based Chaosium rules I remember. My impression of them is "they're fine", but also mainly irrelevant because our games are all about the characters we create, and their... ahem... flamboyant personalities.
To the OP - sorry to hear you're having trouble finding a good group. All I can say is it sure looks like more people are playing, or are curious about playing, RPGs right now (in the US). Good luck finding something you like!
5e hits a nice sweet spot between the simplicity (in practice) of the AD&D/2e I played when I was younger and the more technical later iterations like 3e/Pathfinder/4e.
4e is a system that I admire in terms of the design choices, but I don't run it very well. I liked playing it, though.
3e/Pathfinder are a bit too complex, and while they offer really robust character creation options , they also exert a lot 'pressure' that forces character creation and in-play strategies down fairly narrow paths because some things just work better. Like, a lot better. That said, I've enjoyed playing them, and ran a successful 3.5e campaign for several years, despite being the least system-masterful person in the group (by a long shot, in some cases).
AD&D/2e are the systems I find easiest to run. Prolly because they're the D&D I started with.
As for other systems, I like M&M a great deal, but haven't really run it. Ditto Champions and old-school Traveller. Savage Worlds is pretty good. FATE and it's derivatives don't really work for me and my group, despite all of our campaigns having what seems like FATE-style play.
Right now we're playing a Call of Cthulhu mystery my buddy cooked up. It's some later version of the system, but it still looks like the old %100-based Chaosium rules I remember. My impression of them is "they're fine", but also mainly irrelevant because our games are all about the characters we create, and their... ahem... flamboyant personalities.
To the OP - sorry to hear you're having trouble finding a good group. All I can say is it sure looks like more people are playing, or are curious about playing, RPGs right now (in the US). Good luck finding something you like!
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