How much does the system matter?

[karlindel]

I think the poll wording could use a little work, but given the premises laid out by the OP, I don't think they are as far off as some people are suggesting.

Presupposing that the system is one that I can tolerate and fits the campaign, but I don't particularly like, I think that a good group can help me enjoy a system that they like. I am a fairly open gamer, and I'm willing to give almost anything a try, and even if I'm not a big fan of a system, the game can still be a lot of fun.

Systems that I don't like do drain some of the fun out of a game, but a good group can still produce very enjoyable experiences. Although the system and the group are mostly independent (certain types of systems do tend to attract certain kinds of gamers), they work together to produce the gaming experience at the table. As far as my enjoyment goes, I think that the group is more important than the system. I will have more fun playing a game with a great group and a tolerable system than one with a great system and a tolerable group.

How much the system matters also varies depending on group dynamics. Games that are heavy on roleplaying and storytelling elements which bring out the dice and use the rules only rarely make it easier to put up with bad rules. I have played games that have corner case rule problems, but because those cases did not come up in play, they did not matter.

Another relevant question is how long the game will last. It is easier to put up with systems I don't particularly like for one shots and short story arcs, particularly if I expect later games with the same group that I expect will be even more enjoyable. On the other hand, even if the group is otherwise fine, I would not commit to a long term campaign using a system I don't like.

 

[Remathilis]

Depends.

I've played with some good groups and left because the system was poor. I mean abysmal. (RIFTS comes to mind as an example).

I've never stayed with a bad group because they are playing my favorite RPG though.

Personally, a "bad" (and its subjective to mean a system I don't like) system sucks the air out of the game. If I'm not having fun "playing" (as opposed to sitting with friends BSing while dice and minis are on the table) then my desire to come back to the game diminishes. Likewise, if I have a player clearly not having fun, it diminishes the fun I'm having. So I tend to look for groups which are playing RPGs I like and that everyone else likes because people not enjoying the game (system included) gradually wear a great game down to chore. And gaming should NEVER be a chore!

 

[Desdichado]

To be honest, I'm struggling to think of a system that I dislike so much that it actively sucks enjoyment out of the game. Maybe something really arcane that takes a lot of effort like Rolemaster, or something that's just too strange, silly, offensive, or weird like FATAL or Synnibar could do it.

But since in my response, I specifically excluded outlier weirdo systems, quite honestly I think I could enjoy any system in print today and 90% of what's been printed in the past with my group. As long as I don't have to run the game, of course.