Games you thought you'd like and hated and games you thought you'd hate and liked
- Thread starter Gundark
- Start date
In Nomine?
Great thread, OP!
Recently, I picked up an old copy of In Nomine at a resale shop, and (although I haven't read much of it yet) it's got me intrigued. So I'm curious to know if it would be on anyone's list (thought-you'd-like-but-hated or thought-you'd-hate-but-liked).
If you've played In Nomine before, which list would you put it on and why? Your answers will help me decide whether to give this game a serious attempt, so thanks a bunch in advance for your help!
Great thread, OP!
Recently, I picked up an old copy of In Nomine at a resale shop, and (although I haven't read much of it yet) it's got me intrigued. So I'm curious to know if it would be on anyone's list (thought-you'd-like-but-hated or thought-you'd-hate-but-liked).
If you've played In Nomine before, which list would you put it on and why? Your answers will help me decide whether to give this game a serious attempt, so thanks a bunch in advance for your help!
Dragon Snack
First Post
Thought I would like, but didn't...
Shadowrun: So many people praised this game to me (and continue to), but all 3 times I've tried to play it the game has broken down - usually in the first session.
FUDGE: I was convinced that this was going to be a great free flowing game. It turned into 3 players fighting for the spotlight with the other 2 watching the spectacle (and I was one of the 3 due to a magic item that actually gave me some power).
Thought I would hate, but liked...
WEG Star Wars d6: After playing GURPS for a while (I liked it, but everyone else in my group shared the opinion of most other people in this thread), my group wanted to switch. I thought it was going to be horrible, I mean it's based on the d6? But I was willing to try it, since it was Star Wars after all and I figured something simple using d6's would let us hook new players into our group (having lost 2 players after a disastrous Deadlands game). We never did get new players into the game, but we played it longer than anything else before 3.x...
D&D 3.0: Speaking of which, I guess I wasn't looking forward to 3E. We had a long running SW d6 game going and I still remembered an awful 2 sessions of 2E (all I ever played of it) and the downsides of 1E (that I played a LOT of in HS). I didn't feel like revisiting, but everyone else in the group was eager and there were 2 new players looking to join our group if we played D&D. Still playing (even if I like 3.5 less than 3.0), the longest running game system in our group.
Savage Worlds: The guy who was running the FUDGE game (see above) found this great new system, that was supposedly based on Deadlands (he knew I had played it before, but see above). Although he wasn't doing a great job of convincing me, I figured it had to be better than the FUDGE game so I agreed. I'm glad I did. We finished the 50 Fathoms campaign and are currently playtesting the Wonderland No More (Alice In Wonderland gone wrong) setting. I think my D&D group would like it better, but they won't switch.
Shadowrun: So many people praised this game to me (and continue to), but all 3 times I've tried to play it the game has broken down - usually in the first session.
FUDGE: I was convinced that this was going to be a great free flowing game. It turned into 3 players fighting for the spotlight with the other 2 watching the spectacle (and I was one of the 3 due to a magic item that actually gave me some power).
Thought I would hate, but liked...
WEG Star Wars d6: After playing GURPS for a while (I liked it, but everyone else in my group shared the opinion of most other people in this thread), my group wanted to switch. I thought it was going to be horrible, I mean it's based on the d6? But I was willing to try it, since it was Star Wars after all and I figured something simple using d6's would let us hook new players into our group (having lost 2 players after a disastrous Deadlands game). We never did get new players into the game, but we played it longer than anything else before 3.x...
D&D 3.0: Speaking of which, I guess I wasn't looking forward to 3E. We had a long running SW d6 game going and I still remembered an awful 2 sessions of 2E (all I ever played of it) and the downsides of 1E (that I played a LOT of in HS). I didn't feel like revisiting, but everyone else in the group was eager and there were 2 new players looking to join our group if we played D&D. Still playing (even if I like 3.5 less than 3.0), the longest running game system in our group.
Savage Worlds: The guy who was running the FUDGE game (see above) found this great new system, that was supposedly based on Deadlands (he knew I had played it before, but see above). Although he wasn't doing a great job of convincing me, I figured it had to be better than the FUDGE game so I agreed. I'm glad I did. We finished the 50 Fathoms campaign and are currently playtesting the Wonderland No More (Alice In Wonderland gone wrong) setting. I think my D&D group would like it better, but they won't switch.
Angel Tarragon
Dawn Dragon
I thought Rifts was gonna suck but I ended up liking it. 
evilbob
Adventurer
Oh - good point!Cadius said:
Addition: Shadowrun games where anyone has the ability to go into the Net. I think that was one of the first house rules for that game: no one can create a character like that.
Addition to the addition: D&D games where a rogue decides he's going to sneak around at night on his own. In fact, add to that: ANY game where one character can go off on his own for more than a minute or two, completely ignoring the other players!
evilbob said:
Yep, either EVERYONE goes into the Net together, or the entire net sequence happens "off camera" and is summarized via a die roll or two and a summary sentence.
And yes, D&D games where the rogue sneaks off and steals everything while the PCs struggle to survive the first encounter ruin it for all. But that's the GM's fault (even when I'm the GM), not the system's.
I ran Deadlands twice but never played it. I really expected to think it was crap (I mean come on, a mechanical disadvantage called a "Hankerin'" ?) but it actually was a good system. I enjoyed the blend of dice, chips, and poker cards. Everything worked well. The genre is a bit difficult to work with, since I'm not familiar with any fiction from the genre. But I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the games. Sadly, my group at the time wasn't really interested in weird west style games. I think my present gaming group MIGHT be more open to it, but they don't like switching engines, considering how seldom we now get to game.
Edit: I also didn't expect to like D&D 3.0 over 2, but was happy with the rules changes. D&D isn't my favorite engine, because it forces the game towards combat-heavy campaigns. But the combat rules are far better in 3x than in 2, IMHO.
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Tolen Mar
First Post
That reminds me. My group won't play Shadowrun, at all. But for a different reason.
They all seem to think that you can only do so many 'runs' before the game becomes 'more of the same.' They never were interested in letting me prove you could set up so much more story than 'just another run.' I am a devious little GM after all. I'd have to turn in my badge if I weren't.
However, it does have other things going against it that prevent me arguing the point too hard: dice pools, kinda wonky magic, some going into the matrix while the others sit out... And then, the 4th edition updated everything. I like the newest incarnation of the rules, but the repaint of the fluff to bring their future tech more in line with out current tech just annoys me now.
So they won't play Shadowrun, and I don't try to force the issue.
Besides: pulp is more fun anyway...
They all seem to think that you can only do so many 'runs' before the game becomes 'more of the same.' They never were interested in letting me prove you could set up so much more story than 'just another run.' I am a devious little GM after all. I'd have to turn in my badge if I weren't.
However, it does have other things going against it that prevent me arguing the point too hard: dice pools, kinda wonky magic, some going into the matrix while the others sit out... And then, the 4th edition updated everything. I like the newest incarnation of the rules, but the repaint of the fluff to bring their future tech more in line with out current tech just annoys me now.
So they won't play Shadowrun, and I don't try to force the issue.
Besides: pulp is more fun anyway...
Gentlegamer
Adventurer
I always wondered if it was any good. I remember skimming through it and seeing that there were three "levels" of game-play: Cugel, Turjan, and Rhialto. Brilliant!Piratecat said:
Gundark
Explorer
I have a guy in our group who loves GURPS and wants us to try it...after reading this thread...maybe not.
I totally forgot to mention SR. My experience has been the same (broken down in the first session). I love the fluff. SR 4 won an ennie so I was excited to try it. Died as the players didn't want to give it a 2nd go.
Another one I'm considering adding to my thought I'd love but I hated: is Spycraft 2 I loved this game when it came out. But lately I'm having a love-hate relationship with it. I love how much it makes life easy on the GM (npc creation is beautiful). I hate the complexity, like sometimes you'll use your INT bonus for a skill sometimes you'll use your WIS bonus for the same skill.....arrgghhhh. They are coming out with a Henchman's edition which is supposed to be compatible and streamlined....can't wait.
Dragon Snack said:
I totally forgot to mention SR. My experience has been the same (broken down in the first session). I love the fluff. SR 4 won an ennie so I was excited to try it. Died as the players didn't want to give it a 2nd go.
Another one I'm considering adding to my thought I'd love but I hated: is Spycraft 2 I loved this game when it came out. But lately I'm having a love-hate relationship with it. I love how much it makes life easy on the GM (npc creation is beautiful). I hate the complexity, like sometimes you'll use your INT bonus for a skill sometimes you'll use your WIS bonus for the same skill.....arrgghhhh. They are coming out with a Henchman's edition which is supposed to be compatible and streamlined....can't wait.
GammaPaladin
First Post
I'll throw in my hat with the people who can't stand Shadowrun.
The thing is, the setting is awesome. I'd have to think long and hard to find words to describe how much I love it. The mechanics on the other hand... The balance is awful, to start with. Cyborg "street samurai" are 1000000 times better than any other character type. Hermetic mages are ok artillery, but it's a game where it's far too easy to be killed by a lucky shot from a bad guy to want to play one. Adepts... Don't even get me started on their uselessness.
Going into the net is ok if your GM can handle two threads of story at once... But that's extremely taxing and the vast majority of GMs aren't going to want to do it.
It's not a factor in PbP play though
As for GURPS, I actually like it, sort of. I don't like their magic system (Spells cost fatigue points... you can cast like... 5 decent spells before you pass out. Not fun), and some other things, but I do like the point buy + advantages & disadvantages system. It does get bogged down though, and often times things aren't really balanced well. The superhero setting is great, but they want you to use the core set psionics rules, which just seem really weak in that setting. Things like that.
Someone mentioned Exalted earlier, and I have to say that I love it. It's actually my favorite system (Though it's hard/impossible to find a group). I love the way skill flows directly into combat damage, not just whether you hit or not. I love the way combat itself becomes a roleplaying opportunity. I love the whole kung-fu movie feel that having such a vast gulf in ability between "mooks" and actual opponents creates. I love the detailed martial arts styles, the way that everything is magical, the way that melee characters aren't just swinging, they're using their abilities almost every single round, and choosing between multiple options available. The extra dice for roleplaying an action well. Everything about the system clicks with me.
It's just too bad it's so hard to find a game!
The thing is, the setting is awesome. I'd have to think long and hard to find words to describe how much I love it. The mechanics on the other hand... The balance is awful, to start with. Cyborg "street samurai" are 1000000 times better than any other character type. Hermetic mages are ok artillery, but it's a game where it's far too easy to be killed by a lucky shot from a bad guy to want to play one. Adepts... Don't even get me started on their uselessness.
Going into the net is ok if your GM can handle two threads of story at once... But that's extremely taxing and the vast majority of GMs aren't going to want to do it.
It's not a factor in PbP play though
As for GURPS, I actually like it, sort of. I don't like their magic system (Spells cost fatigue points... you can cast like... 5 decent spells before you pass out. Not fun), and some other things, but I do like the point buy + advantages & disadvantages system. It does get bogged down though, and often times things aren't really balanced well. The superhero setting is great, but they want you to use the core set psionics rules, which just seem really weak in that setting. Things like that.
Someone mentioned Exalted earlier, and I have to say that I love it. It's actually my favorite system (Though it's hard/impossible to find a group). I love the way skill flows directly into combat damage, not just whether you hit or not. I love the way combat itself becomes a roleplaying opportunity. I love the whole kung-fu movie feel that having such a vast gulf in ability between "mooks" and actual opponents creates. I love the detailed martial arts styles, the way that everything is magical, the way that melee characters aren't just swinging, they're using their abilities almost every single round, and choosing between multiple options available. The extra dice for roleplaying an action well. Everything about the system clicks with me.
It's just too bad it's so hard to find a game!
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