Do you consider learning a new game to be unpleasant work?

[Jd Smith1]

I wouldn't call a new system work, I would say that it is generally tedious. The very rare exception is when someone comes up with something new, and then it is interesting.

But that is generally the exception because the days of innovation seem over. Now it just rules tweaks, new classes, new monsters, new spells and re-hashed settings.

I expect to continue to use my heavily-modified 5e system to the bitter end. 5e isn't great, but I don't hold much hope of anything innovative appearing, and definitely not from WOTC or its hangers-on.

 

[Campbell]

Depends on the game. Something like Masks, Worlds Without Number or Wildsea (that are contained in relatively small texts with unique mechanics) are like really easy for me to learn and I tend to get like more excited about. It takes a lot for me to invest in games contained in (often multiple) 300+ page books.

Mostly I am into games that we can get playing right away rather than larger elaborate systems that require deeper investment. There are exceptions, but they are relatively rare.

 

[PsyzhranV2]

But that is generally the exception because the days of innovation seem over. Now it just rules tweaks, new classes, new monsters, new spells and re-hashed settings.

I feel that's only true for 5e derivatives. There's definitely a lot of weird stuff (in a good way) floating under the surface if you know where to look.

Some personal recommendations:

Lancer Core Book: First Edition PDF by Massif Press

The core rulebook and setting guide for Lancer, a game centered on pilots and their mechs.

massif-press.itch.io

MÖRK BORG

MÖRK BORG is a pitch-black apocalyptic RPG by Ockult Örtmästare Games and Stockholm Kartell. It's published by Free League Publishing and available in English and Swedish.

morkborg.com

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

I've heard nothing but good things about Tales from the Loop and Alien from Free League, but haven't had a chance to take a look myself. Gonna plug them anyway.

Tales From The Loop RPG - Free League Publishing

Roleplaying in the ’80s That Never Was In 1954, the Swedish government ordered the construction of the world’s largest particle accelerator. The facility was complete in 1969, located deep below the pastoral countryside of Mälaröarna. The local population called this marvel of technology The...

www.loop-rpg.com

ALIEN The Roleplaying Game - Free League Publishing

Space is vast, dark, and not your friend. Gamma rays and neutrino bursts erupt from dying stars to cook you alive, black holes tear you apart, and the void itself boils your blood and seizes your brain. Try to scream and no one can hear you – hold your breath and you rupture your lungs. […]

www.alien-rpg.com

I've also heard good things about Tidebreaker, might be worth a look:

Product Page | Tide Breaker RPG

www.tidebreakerrpg.com

These games aren't out yet; the Kickstarters for these finished, but they're definitely worth keeping an eye on:

Wanderhome

A pastoral fantasy tabletop RPG about traveling animal-folk and the way they change with the seasons.

www.kickstarter.com

Mnemonic: A Weaver’s Almanac

A core rulebook and setting guide for the fantasy world of Mnemonic.

www.kickstarter.com

The BOLT RPG Engine

The lightning-fast RPG system! Fast and tense action, setting-agnostic rules, and flexible hacking tools.

www.kickstarter.com

Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall

An RPG of Chinese immigrants running the family restaurant by day, and dealing with the hauntings of Jiangshi by night!

www.kickstarter.com

Pasión de las Pasiones

A tabletop role-playing game of deception, desire, and passion.

www.kickstarter.com

Twilight: 2000 – Roleplaying in the WWIII That Never Was

A classic tabletop RPG returns in a new retro-apocalyptic edition, from the makers of the ALIEN RPG and Forbidden Lands.

www.kickstarter.com

Kickstarter for this one is still going with 8 days left, the concept is... out there, to say the least, but I feel that just proves my point.

Thirsty Sword Lesbians

Cross swords and fall in love with this tabletop RPG by April Kit Walsh, celebrating queer love and power, Powered by the Apocalypse.

www.kickstarter.com

These ones are a bit more "normal" (as ickily loaded as that word is, blegh), there's still time to pledge.

Urban Shadows: Second Edition

The award-winning tabletop roleplaying game of political urban fantasy returns with a bold new edition!

www.kickstarter.com

Xenolanguage: A Game about First Contact

A tabletop roleplaying game of soulful sci-fi stories where you uncover an alien language through a custom channeling board

www.kickstarter.com

Worlds Without Number

A sandbox fantasy role-playing game packed with world-building tools and GM helps, compatible with Stars Without Number.

www.kickstarter.com

The Wildsea RPG

A post-fall fantasy tabletop roleplaying game set in a rampant ocean of verdant green.

www.kickstarter.com

Will add more recommendations as I find them.

 

[MGibster]

Yes! If a rulebook is, not just a good reference, but a well-written and fun read . . . it's work and it's fun! Even if I know I'll probably never play the game! I used to collect World of Darkness books in the 90s, but rarely played the game. I just found the world-building and story just so much fun!

I honestly believe a lot of the splat books produced in the 90s were designed were intended to be read for entertainment purposes rather than used directly for gaming.

 

[Sepulchrave II]

I can't really get behind the work/fun binary choice.

How about enjoyable work? Industrious fun?

 

[Jd Smith1]

I feel that's only true for 5e derivatives. There's definitely a lot of weird stuff (in a good way) floating under the surface if you know where to look.

Some personal recommendations:

Lancer Core Book: First Edition PDF by Massif Press

The core rulebook and setting guide for Lancer, a game centered on pilots and their mechs.

massif-press.itch.io

MÖRK BORG

MÖRK BORG is a pitch-black apocalyptic RPG by Ockult Örtmästare Games and Stockholm Kartell. It's published by Free League Publishing and available in English and Swedish.

morkborg.com

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

I've heard nothing but good things about Tales from the Loop and Alien from Free League, but haven't had a chance to take a look myself. Gonna plug them anyway.

Tales From The Loop RPG - Free League Publishing

Roleplaying in the ’80s That Never Was In 1954, the Swedish government ordered the construction of the world’s largest particle accelerator. The facility was complete in 1969, located deep below the pastoral countryside of Mälaröarna. The local population called this marvel of technology The...

www.loop-rpg.com

ALIEN The Roleplaying Game - Free League Publishing

Space is vast, dark, and not your friend. Gamma rays and neutrino bursts erupt from dying stars to cook you alive, black holes tear you apart, and the void itself boils your blood and seizes your brain. Try to scream and no one can hear you – hold your breath and you rupture your lungs. […]

www.alien-rpg.com

I've also heard good things about Tidebreaker, might be worth a look:

Product Page | Tide Breaker RPG

www.tidebreakerrpg.com

Will add more recommendations as I find them.

You're right, 5e derivatives are junk.

Until it is released, I don't pay attention to Kickstarters. I don't wait around for products.

I think you've misunderstood what I was saying: I was talking about game systems, not settings. Although TV and movie spin-offs are definitely not innovative. And most settings are just junk, but what little innovation you do see is in settings.

Powered by the Apoc rules system is out, just another third-rate system using 'rules lite' as a cover. And we don't do cinematographic.

Alien has high production standards, but the rules are the same old same old, and the setting options are not suited to long-term campaigns. I likely would use the map, though, if I run Sci-fi again.

T2000 broke some ground, I'll give you that one.

Lancer is pretty much just Mechwarrior RPG, only with a generic d20 system in place. I've looked at it, but wasn't impressed.

 

[Ath-kethin]

Generally I find learning new games more fun than not, but I honestly don't do it often. Gaming with my almost-7yo in the past couple of years, I've learned a few, such as the excellent No Thank You, Evil!, and when Altar Quest arrives in a couple of weeks I'll learn that one too.

I don't typically learn a game if I'm not going to play it, though.

 

[opacitizen]

There should've been more than these two options. I voted "work", but my real opinion is "it depends". I've been playing rpgs for decades. In the beginning, I loved digging into and learning new systems. By now, I find it a boring chore, usually (8 times out of 10) — but there are exceptions. And even specific systems can be both, with subsystems falling here and there. Learning the stress dynamics of Alien was cool, for example. Wrapping my head around why the Heavy Machinery skill falls under Strength in the same system was frustrating work.

 

[aramis erak]

So the poll. Fun or work?

Both. I voted Fun, because I'm willing to do the work because I enjoy the learning the new game.

 

[Ulfgeir]

A bit of both.

I do mind if they have done the system extra complicated just for the sake of being different. The classical "Not invented here"-syndrome that so many games have..