A Good Game System

[Tsyr]

Shadowrun (3rd edition) is a blast,

Gah, shadowrun is one of the MOST crunchy/convulted/brain rending systems I know. Not the most, but in the top 5 probably. Top 10 for sure. Sure, once you play it enough you realize it does make some sort of sense, but it takes forever to get to that point.

 

[ninthcouncil]

I so wanted to like Hero Wars but, though the system made sense to me, it didn't do anything for me. Perhaps I need to play it (judging a system straight off the page can be difficult), but it just feels too abstract.

To answer the original question, I'd second the suggestions of Talislanta, Everway and Over The Edge.

smetzger, you were jesting about D&D3e, weren't you? We wouldn't be here if we didn't have some liking for it, but is quite a technical system, not "simple and fluffy". This was a joke, like Rolemaster, right?

 

[Gothmog]

I know this is probably a different genre than you are looking for, but the Dealands game (the non-d20 version) has some of the coolest mechanics around. I really like the card initiative system, the spellcasting system (draw a poker hand to see how well the spell went off), and its a pretty simple system overall. There are also fate chips that let you modify rolls, reduce damage, and perform heroic action. Combat does tend to be pretty deadly (especially firearms), so if you wanting a combat heavy campaign, you might have to give out more fate chips. Its got the right mixture of fantasy, great background, camp, and horror. Give it a look- you might really like it.

 

[kobold]

I would not buy Hero Wars for the art!
ninthcouncil - the rules are deceptive in that way. I had to read through them a few times before I "got" it. There is also a Hero Wars disscussion group on yahoo, the floks there were really helpful in getting an understandin of the rules. And most of the people involved in writing anything Glorantha related are activly involved in most ongoing threads there, so you getting answers from the top.

 

[Rasyr]

Rolemaster. Or Aftermath, if you want to get really crunch-lite.



Disclaimer: I am not responsible for brain damage resulting from attempts to run a game of either.

--Impeesa--

Sheesh! RM may not be fluffy, and it definitely has more crunch than your average game, but truth to tell, RM has used the idea of a single roll mechanic for everything for decades now.

If anything, Monte Cook (who got his start with RM), has influenced D&D so that it is more like RM (second edition) than ever before.

 

[Rasyr]

Additional Note:
Anthony Valterra got his start writing a Rolemaster book as well.

Looks like D&D is being highly influenced by people who started out with RM...

 

[Tcheb]

D6

I'd say the Star Wars D6 system. It's mind-numbingly simple, and you can burn your XP (in the form of character and force points) when you want your character to do cinematic things.

Otherwise, any system can run a cinematic game, but only if you have a capable GM.

 

[Vaxalon]

Looks like D&D is being highly influenced by people who started out with RM...

And GURPS, and Ars Magica, and White Wolf...

The fact is, the "single roll mechanic" is only slightly YOUNGER than DnD. Many of the second-generation games that came out in the late seventies had one.

 

[spunky_mutters]

RM may have conceptually been a single-roll resolution system, but the need to look things up on one of 50 different charts kind of made things a little more complicated in practice. And that's assuming you didn't score any critical(s).

As for Aftermath... The 3 page combat flowchart was in serious need of simplification. Doing ANYTHING in that game took about 5 minutes of calculations to figure out. I liked the initiative and continuous action systems, but everything else was practically unworkable.

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

I'd say HarnMaster, but I don't want to be crucified, LOL.

HARN is here:
http://www.columbiagames.com