I think all this talk overlooks a very key element:
No company can tell you what to do at your table. Even if Dark Sun is never published again, no one is keeping anyone from running Dark Sun.
People that want to tell Dark Sun/etc tales will find the time and effort to put that game together...
I feel the Great Daryl Nathan (RIP) was almost a West Michigan version of Wesley Willis, minus the schizophrenia.
My second choice to share - if I could find it - was this guy named Lee Goodman, who had a karaoke show on public access where he often was the singer. Guy was a massively rotund...
I think this gets to the core of the problem I see: if you're having to make so many tweaks, are you sure that's the best system for it?
I enjoy SW when I play its different iterations. If you're going to play Firefly, however, armor shouldn't be a factor at all - I'm not sure a situation...
The Traveller game I'm in has been a hybrid of Firefly and Battlestar Galactica. We began with the starter set's Fall of Tinath, and when Tinath fell and the fleets fled, our crew (with our S-class Scout ship) began taking on missions for money ala Firefly.
I saw someone recommend Savage...
I was already playing the Basic Set (1982, with the red dragon and the warrior with their back to the 'camera') but I think the first thing I bought was either the old FASERIP Marvel Superheroes in the yellow box, OR Top Secret. I do remember Star Frontiers in there at some point too though.
A good turn-based computer version of Twilight 2000 1e. Maybe something that felt like Fallout Tactics - there's something satisfying about driving a vehicle in a turn-based game while five squadmates unload light machine guns out the windows.
If you're asking 'when should dice rolls be used in social interactions?' - I think I find they should be used like any other role: when a failure can have serious results.
Do I think a barter session with a shopkeeper needs a dice roll? Generally no - UNLESS the players are trying to...
This will always be my favorite part of the Watchmen, movie or graphic novel: Time is always moving. Plans are always in motion. As was said, "I'm not a Republic serial villain. I wouldn't be telling you this if there was any way you could stop this. It all happened ten minutes ago."
Personally, I feel it depends. If you're going to run a module where certain choices may be vastly underpowered - say the original Ravenloft module - or some options aren't available - clerics in Dragonlance - I think you absolutely need to let people know.
I'm getting of an age where I have...