How do you feel about learning new rule systems?

[Shiroiken]

Back in the day, I'd pick up various RPG books and try to learn the system. Some I figured out pretty well, while others remained a mystery. Only a few ever made it to a game table, mostly because a lot of people are hesitant to try something new that doesn't have "D&D" on the cover. Interestingly, except for the various iterations of D&D, almost no system I've played had the same mechanics. I've done the d20 D&D model, the AEG d10 model for L5R, the Shadowrun d6 system, the Pinnacle Deadlands system, and a crazy 2d6 beer and pretzels RPG*. Nowadays I like systems that give a lot of leeway to the GM, rather than those that are tightly bound (D&D 3E/4E, Pathfinder).

*For those who care, nothing was out of character and everything single thing required a die roll. If you ever rolled snake eyes, you died, but character creation took less than 2 minutes. It was really interesting to see who killed you more... the DM or snake eyes!

 

[PrinceMorganti]

I enjoy learning new stuff. I like changing my perceptions and unlearning what I know about some style.
However, at the same time, If I want to play and teach people a new system I am gonna go out of my way to make it as painless as possible to learn, and hope to every fistfull of dice I can get my hands on that the system makes it easy to learn.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Not anymore, My players are not interested and I only theoretically play 5e, each time we cannot remember a rule, I make a ruling that randomly comes form some edition of D&D.

 

[pemerton]

I'm just curious to see how people feel about new systems. Are you less likely to try a new game if it's a system you aren't familiar with?

The older I get the more systems I play. Though not as many as some posters here.

Over the past few years I've played Classic Traveller, Prince Valiant, Burning Wheel, Cthulhu Dark, MRHP/Cortex+ Heroic, Wuthering Heights, The Dying Eath, In A Wicked Age, AD&D and 4e D&D. I hope to play Apocalypse World some time in the not-to-distant future.

For me, the constraint on new systems is available time, not interest or inclination.

 

[Khelon Testudo]

If someone's running a different genre, and everyone's on board, I'll learn a new game system. Not keen on the process though.
Back when I was in my 20's it was different - I'd swallow new game systems whole! Even Champions!

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Interesting question.
I just yesterday listed all the games I own that I know I want to play (doesn't even include all the itch.io BLM bundle games I got a few weeks ago). 32 games.

Of which 10 are PbtA, so I'm passingly comfortable with the "rules"; but knowing the basic moves, GM Principles and Agenda; and how to advance and build the story frame would require some research. But I'm good on those I think.

Another 4 are GM-less; and if I could get players, I'm happy to do a single read through of the rules and then muddle through the game at the table with the other players.

A few older games like Classic Traveller, GURPS Transhuman Space, and Space 1889 I'm good with those rules. Would need to re-read probably for a refresh.

The other half - I want to play them; but without players, I probably wouldn't spend too much time learning the rules. I might read them to see if there are cool ideas or tables I can steal from.

And of course, those 32 games, the itch.io games (another 2 dozen at least) doesn't include the OTHER games out in the world (like many of the New School OSR games) I'd want to play.

It all comes down to the players... If the players want to play, I'll learn the rules.

 

[pogre]

I would like to add - a Quickstart pack with pregens, skeleton rules, and an adventure available for free or a low price (less than $10 for the pdf) goes a very long way to getting me to try a new system.

 

[dragoner]

Mostly I'm a rules get out of the way and just role-play type; that said I want rules to be intuitive, light, and without a lot of crunch. Things were different when I was younger, where I liked more crunch, gear porn, all that. I'm way more interested in the setting vs the rules themselves, though I do have certain mechanics I prefer. If a game uses rules I already know, that is a plus as well.

 

[hawkeyefan]

I wish I got to play more games. I mostly GM, and I’m slowly broadening my group’s horizons to include games other than D&D. It’s taken some time and some effort, but since I’m the primary GM, I’ve been able to get them on board with a few games.

And I think it’s gone over well enough that they’re more open to try some new games. And the more games they play, the more variety of play they see....they realize that the game does not have to function exactly like D&D. Which makes them more open to other games that I’m enthusiastic about.

My hope is that each of them finds a game that they’re excited about and runs....I’d love to play more, and a GM who’s enthusiastic for a specific game is a really solid foundation for a good game.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I have no hangups about learning new systems to play per se, as long as the game looks interesting. But to GM a system, I need to see something that really grabs me.

The reason for this is that, after my first 13 or so years in the hobby, learning maybe 4 RPG systems, I wound up in a group that played a broader array of games...and for a variety of reasons, we (as a group) actively sought out new systems to play. Including some playtests. By the time I moved to a different city a few years later, I had added another 30+ RPGs to my play experiences.

I‘m over 100 at this point,