What is a "Light" RPG? What is a "Crunchy" RPG?

[Simlasa]

There's also the matter of 'useful crunch' vs. 'extraneous crunch'... and 'optional crunch'.
Like, I think GURPS is pretty much rules lite at its core, but has loads and loads of optional crunch... and depending on the person engaging with those options they might seem useful/appropriate or extraneous.
Some games seem to pile on formula and procedures that don't add much value to the experience of playing them (cough... Anima Beyond Fantasy... cough) while others have crunch that does really add to the flavor (I'd say Mythras and DCC are like that, for me).

 

[The Soloist]

For me, an RPG that is complete (rules + setting) at about 2-8 pages is a micro-rpg. They are usually very thematic and rules are built to support it.

A light RPG offers the full experience but has a 'manageable' number of choices (rules, character options, equipment, foes). It's hard to put a number but I would say about 100 pages or less. The setting can push the number of pages up.

A crunchy RPG offers the greatest variety of rules and character granularity at the cost of becoming encyclopedic, hard to master and inducing analysis paralysis. Usually 300+ pages without a setting.

 

[mamba]

I don't think "narrative focus" is a requirement for rules light games, and some narrative games (like FATE) can be quite crunchy.

a counterpoint would be a non-narrative game being light, a narrative game not being light is not

I am not sure how defined, detailed mechanics are ever light, so I guess the question is what word do you want to use to describe the opposite of that, I chose narrative

 

[Reynard]

a counterpoint would be a non-narrative game being light, a narrative game not being light is not

I am not sure how defined, detailed mechanics are ever light, so I guess the question is what word do you want to use to describe the opposite of that, I chose narrative

If every roll.on a game is: Roll 2d6 plus stat. 8- is failure. 9+ is success.

That's rules light and no narrative aspect.

 

[mamba]

If every roll.on a game is: Roll 2d6 plus stat. 8- is failure. 9+ is success.

That's rules light and no narrative aspect.

sounds narrative to me, isn’t that basically PbtA?

 

[Reynard]

sounds narrative to me, isn’t that basically PbtA?

How is that narrative? It's binary.

 

[mamba]

How is that narrative? It's binary.

these are not mutually exclusive, by that logic 5e is lightweight because you roll d20 + modifier vs target

I think knowing the core resolution mechanic and nothing else is too little to do determine narrative or not, or crunchy or not on its own

 

[Corinnguard]

Some cereal is both light and crunchy.

 

[Reynard]

these are not mutually exclusive, by that logic 5e is lightweight because you roll d20 + modifier vs target

I think knowing the core resolution mechanic and nothing else is too little to do determine narrative or not, or crunchy or not on its own

So why then did you tag it as narrative?

 

[overgeeked]

For me, light vs heavy comes down to simple page count of actual rules of the game. This includes all the character creation, combat, equipment, spells, powers, monsters, etc.

Rules light games come in under a dozen or so pages. Risus, Over the Edge 3E, Lasers & Feelings, Cairn, FKR games, World of Dungeons, etc.

Rules heavy games are several hundred pages long, often with multiple books containing all the basic information needed to run and play the game. Mutants & Masterminds, Call of Cthulhu, 7th Sea, most editions of D&D, etc.

For me, the sweet spot is the lighter the better. You don't need much to run and play an RPG. Character creation, conflict resolution, participant roles, and a setting. Each can be a short or long as you want.

With shorter rules, they get out of your way faster and you can get on with playing the game instead of focusing on arguing about the proper interpretation of the wording of the third sentence on the fifth paragraph on page 478.