What Do You Think Of As "Modern TTRPG Mechanics"?

[RenleyRenfield]

and highly themed games strike out when you want to play something outside their theme, even worse than more generic games do

There might be games that cover one narrow theme very well, but I don’t think I ever learned of one where I was fine with being restricted to such a narrow scope. I want to be able to mix things up a bit instead of playing the TTRPG equivalent of Groundhog Day, at least for something that is intended to last for more than a handful of sessions

I don't follow. Nobody is claiming that any given game should be able to accommodate anyone's full totality of wacky ideas. So there isn't really any point or value to the above statement.

like... Can Masks do teen titans? sure. Can it do adult justice league, eh... that's not what it was made for so you might run into issues. But does that mean that teen titans has such a limited set of plots and options that its the "same game over and over"? = No. That tv show ran for 5 seasons, over no less than 100 plots, and over 50 very very different characters. So... if you are getting so far away from teen titans that 5 years and 50+ characters is not diverse enough for, I dont see that as a masks being a too-limiting game. you are just asking for something that clearly isn't related to the very wide and very deep options the game gives in its focus.

And then back to GURPS, it would not have the same ability to do teen titans, and would feel like any other Generic supers game, as is its stated purpose. That would run into the groundhog feel ten times faster, since it does not emulate any style of supers with bespoke intent. Again, as its not supposed to. so not a dig at gurps. It is just a fact of its limitations. and diversity of playstyle and feels are very much outside of its ability set.

 

[hawkeyefan]

I want to be able to mix things up a bit instead of playing the TTRPG equivalent of Groundhog Day, at least for something that is intended to last for more than a handful of sessions

And, honestly, a game as specific as Pemerton is describing isn't going to be useful for much outside its own range either.

What games do you guys have in mind?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Well, I also explained why newer is better in this context. And hey, at least I'm trying to add to the conversation instead of endlessly eeyoring everything.

I agree that presentation in general has been improved in RPGs. However, actual game mechanics are far more subjective, and I don't believe a general improvement can be claimed.

 

[hawkeyefan]

I agree that presentation in general has been improved in RPGs. However, actual game mechanics are far more subjective, and I don't believe a general improvement can be claimed.

That's why I've specifically said I don't think that it makes as much sense to speak about mechanics as it does how they are implemented and presented and examined.

 

[RenleyRenfield]

I think a big enjoyment of generic or generic-ish systems is tuning them with a filer and finding your own meaning, and it being half a game and unplayable out of the box is half the point.

Kind of like how they sell Warhammer minis in grey plastic parts, because half the fun is solitary painting.

I think this is perfectly true and valid.

I don't think this thread should be about what is "better overall" or "better for everyone".

I think it is just about being honest and not blindly defending a game for no sake. If a player asks "what is a great game to emulate Teen Titans?" = I would never ever suggest GURPS. Especially if they are new. So there is huge value in bespoke games.

The desire to have a generic toolkit is a whole other discussion. And if someone did ask "what rpg can let me build anything in my brain for supers and mix and match however i can imagine?" = I would never ever suggest Masks.

What are you looking for? = not part of this discussion, i feel.

What is a modern mechanic = is 100% not GURPS so... we are discussing what then it might be.

 

[soviet]

Ah... ur... my satire detector is broken this morning. You are being silly that 5e can handle anything social or charisma based, right?

5e is likely the worst system ever made to handle bespoke "i crush my enemies with fear and praises to a god" actions.

So yeah...

I is being silly yes

 

[RenleyRenfield]

I is being silly yes

I thought so, but I is also derp

 

[soviet]

I agree that presentation in general has been improved in RPGs. However, actual game mechanics are far more subjective, and I don't believe a general improvement can be claimed.

I think what's happened is that new ways of using mechanics have been found and refined, thus essentially creating new playstyles that were previously unsupported and perhaps unimagined. I'm comfortable therefore saying that game mechanics as a field has improved because there are simply more tools and solved problems now. But I would agree that for some traditional types of game (and I'm a big Rolemaster fan) the pre-modern era already solved a lot of problems effectively and modern design has less to say to it.

 

[Agamon]

I agree that presentation in general has been improved in RPGs. However, actual game mechanics are far more subjective, and I don't believe a general improvement can be claimed.

But it can be claimed, because its an opinion, not a fact.

 

[Micah Sweet]

But it can be claimed, because its an opinion, not a fact.

Sure, but IMO it should be claimed subjectively, preferably explicitly so.