How open are you to trying new systems?

[aramis erak]

I don't quite understand.

Order of magnitude (in most fields) is a ×10 or /10.

More on case, there are over 10k RPGs... and at least some 148k products... in the database at RPGGeek.com; that doesn't count most translations, either. Nor the difference between purely cosmetic differences (collector covers vs regular) nor PDF vs Dead Tree.

There are several thousand RPGs available on Drive-Thru..... But still a minority, I think. Hard to tell, as they treat each translation as a separate product, and many times, alternate covers as separate products.

 

[Jd Smith1]

I am very open, if the system brings something to the table besides yet another minor variant to existing systems, or simply strips down the rules and calls itself 'rules-light'.

But sadly, innovation is thin on the ground. It feels (to me) like the last twenty years have seen more emphasis placed on art and verbiage than the mechanics of play. I particularly loathe systems with art and fiction which the actual system cannot duplicate.

 

[Li Shenron]

As a player or DM?

I am completely uninterested at the moment about trying new systems, so I wouldn't spend time familiarizing with one in order to run a game. If I want to DM a gamae, I have BECMI, 3.0 and 5.0, and that's enough for me.

As a player, someone else is going to care for the ruleset so I am ok with playing anything, unless it requires to spend time studying the system.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Somewhat open.

There have been a few systems I’ve looked at and had NO desire to try them out, or would only play as a player (never a GM).

 

[R_J_K75]

Somewhat open.

There have been a few systems I’ve looked at and had NO desire to try them out, or would only play as a player (never a GM).

This pretty much sums up how I feel too.

Ok, and just a temperature check on how eager or not folks are to trying a new system or game. Add comments as you like!

The current group I've been playing with since 2018 has played 5E14 up until early 2022. In the few years after we tried a few games; ModernAGE, Mothership, Shadowdark, AD&D 2E, GI Joe, and the Arkham Horror board game, and its expansions. In the end, as of December of 2024 we decided to check out 5E24 because of curiosity to see of its a better than the previous version and it was the system we were most familiar with. The other games we tried we just didn't have the time or inclination to do a deep enough dive to sufficiently learn the systems to make games run smooth enough to continue playing them. Not to mention some of them left something to be desired. As Im the one who DMs the majority of our games, I get burned out after a few months and need a break for a month or so. As of now, the only 2 games Im somewhat interested in trying is the Marvel Multiverse RPG and the Arkham Horror RPG from Edge Studio.

 

[loverdrive]

I generally play a system once and never touch it again, and I find it weird that the broader community sees them as anything but one-time occasions. Like, why?

To me it sounds like rewatching the same film over and over again.

 

[dbm]

I voted ‘somewhat open’. I bought and read a lot of RPGs looking for the perfect system for many years, and realised this was a fairly futile exercise. I found a system which is nearly perfect for me in Savage Worlds so that urge is dialled right down, now.

I still keep an eye on new system coming out and may read free quick starts to learn more about them. But it needs to be bringing something significant in terms of an enhanced play experience for me to go the extra step and buy / try the system.

Trying a new system is a fairly significant activity in so much as I would need to get buy-in from the rest of the group and that typically entails learning the rules to help them and being the first person to GM a game.

 

[Bae'zel]

Officially produced, edited and playtested games? Sure, if I like the GM’s style and personality.

“Here’s a game that I’m making myself, it’s a hack of ‘game x’ with aspects of ‘game y’ currently in draft format and YOU will be my playtester”. Personal friend? Sure. Stranger at a convention? Probably not, based on past experiences (negative ones).

 

[Starfox]

I rarely go looking for new systems, I have them introduced to me by friends. Some of them stick to me, Feng Shui and most recently Blades in the Dark. I massively hack these systems and then return to my favorite setting in the World of Greyhawk. I'd say I am the one picking what systems we use, but naturally I try to listen when players have comments.

I've been wanting to do a Star-trek like game for a long time, but never got around to it. I did a hack of the Maid RPG that I think could work for Star trek, but the lack of schticks or other character-specific tricks is holding me back.

I'll try basically any rules set in a campaign I'm invited to play in.

 

[Starfox]

I wonder if there should be a separate thread for "Are you open to other game concepts and settings?"

Like, its one thing to say "Are you open to trying Powered by the Apocalypse" games.

But its very different to ask "Are you open to playing a game of a Spanish Telenovela?" (which happens to use PBTA)

[...]

This could be a thread of its own. The poster would have to present a group of different rules, readers could then vote Yes or No to each. But this is of course hazardous, because not everyone would agree to your grouping. If the post presents BCMI as one option, 1E/AD&D as another, and 3E-5E as a third, some would hate it. If presenting them all as a part of a group named d20, other would groan. It can be done, but it will get some flak.