How to decide which system?? Narrative focus

[Ahnehnois]

So I think it could work well with various settings, not just TV settings.

There is also a generic cortex system book that's out now that's intended for any number of settings.

 

[Jurble]

Thanks alot for all the suggestions everyone!! So as far as I can see there seems to be a range of options which move from the mainly narrative, minimal game system side, to the more complete game systems with a narrative focus?

The list I have so far is:

• GURPS
• Cortex
• Savage Worlds
• d6
• Prince Valiant: The Storytelling Game
• Castles & Crusades
• Primetime adventures
• Fate (Legends of Anglerre - fantasy, Diaspora - sci-fi, Spirit of the Century - pulp, Dresden Files - modern supernatural)
• Rolemaster

I should probably clarify what im looking for abit more! Previously Ive run forum based games which are mainly narrative, with minimal system built into it (though im not against having more of a ruleset to govern things like combat and successes/failures). Also it would definately revolve around settings ive created, rather than established settings. In a reference to my other post, im trying to find some rules/ideas for incorporating jacking into cyberspace into my games but it seems to be abit of a void in the literature!

Doug McCrae's post about no system at all, well thats what ive mostly tried in the past but i figured it would be a great idea to find out about some ways to supplement that with some basic rules (The cortex idea of action points sounds really interesting!), but i guess im goingt o now put those systems listed above into a spectru, ranging from narrative with minimal if any rules, to ruleset with narrative focus!

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Only a completely secondary line of thought, FINDING people interested in a majorly narrative, minimally rules focused campaign has always been really hard for me. I did alot of my RP in World of Caenyr - "Where Imagination Is Your Only Limit", a neverwinter nights persistent world which lead me into forumRP. Ive actually run a couple of games with players from there as pbp games on my own forum set upspecifically for the campaign itself.

any suggestions of good places to find games focusing on narrative/forumRP, or places to find players for a campaign like that? Id love to run a couple of ideas I have for my own settings which ive put together.

Any suggestions is really appreciated, thanks so much everyone!

 

[Jurble]

You tell us what you're planning to use the system for, but you're not telling us what you hope the system will do, which makes recommendations a bit difficult.

If you're looking for something that handles something akin to D&Dish fantasy, without the hefty rules, I suggest you take a look at Old School Hack. The look won't take you much time, as it's only 26 pages long. It is also FREE, so that look is without risk.

The rules are light - the system doesn't give much active support to narrative, but it stays well out of the way.

Thats a really good point! Essentially my games end up as more group written stories, with pbp characters adding to the plot with little GM interjections for action successes/failures leading to them continuing on with writing that success/failure into the continuing narrative.

I mostly like science fiction/modern fantasy though I like to work with interesting combination settings. So I I have a scifi/vampire setting, a starships meets magic setting, and the hardest one to find any source information for, cyberspace! so quite varied).

In terms of what it does, I guess the rules are just as a way of helping me guide combat, ability in discussion with NPCs, but I REALLY want to avoid meta-gaming and statistics as much as possible, and reward good RP/narrative writing in a meaningful way.

Does that explain abit more what im looking for? Feel free to ask any questions Im happy to explain more!

thanks for the help!!

 

[Agamon]

While Cortex has been used mostly for licensed products, it was originally used with Larry Elmore's Sovereign Stone game world, which has an accompanying trilogy by Weis and Hickman.

So I think it could work well with various settings, not just TV settings.

I didn't mean to imply that. My point was that tv shows are narrative.

 

[Jurble]

A picture speaks a thousand words, even if it is a picture of.....text hehe. Ive stuck in some snippets of the style of forumRP ive used in the past.

The first two come from a star wars game I ran several years ago demonstrating the joint narrative style. I also like to make accounts for each character with an avatar to really give them abit of personality, and make it easier to read/work out whose speaking even on the forum.

The last is my friends old vampire game which we also played, with abit more on the GM style of these sorts of games we've used in the past.

Would love suggestions on gaming systems which seem appropriate for this style, as well as places to find people interested in this style of gaming (current games and/or players for the game id love to run!


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As an aside, a really useful tool I used in our narrative star wars game, was giving each player a private forum where as the GM i could post private questions, tailor their character into the story and provide them with bits of information/lists they might need.

One thing was an inventory list (and a place to ask if my X is useful for doing Y)
My favorite use though was that I wrote for each character a list of contacts/information brokers/underhanded contacts/safe houses etc, as essentially plothooks, pacekeepers for the game (stuck? pick a contact and hope for the best) and a tool to keep them moving and not waiting on me to push them in a direction. As GM it was pretty easy to use those tools to either focus them ino on the storyline, or send them off on a dangerous side-game to give the world abit more depth!

The point of all this is (obviously) im trying to get back into it so i figure if i can work on my own style of game, while finding narrative games to join, and/or get my own game going again soon I will!

thanks for the help everyone

 

[Agamon]

I should probably clarify what im looking for abit more! Previously Ive run forum based games which are mainly narrative, with minimal system built into it (though im not against having more of a ruleset to govern things like combat and successes/failures). Also it would definately revolve around settings ive created, rather than established settings. In a reference to my other post, im trying to find some rules/ideas for incorporating jacking into cyberspace into my games but it seems to be abit of a void in the literature!

Well, Savage Worlds does have a Sci-Fi Toolkit book, with a section on Cyberspace, among other things futuristic.

SW is somewhat minimalist, though maybe not as focused, rules-wise, on narrative as some of the other games mentioned. If that's not important (any game can be as narrative as you want it to be, really), then SW, as my game of choice these days, would be my suggestion.

any suggestions of good places to find games focusing on narrative/forumRP, or places to find players for a campaign like that? Id love to run a couple of ideas I have for my own settings which ive put together.

Any suggestions is really appreciated, thanks so much everyone!

Good question. I'm always on the lookout for good narrative forum games. Haven't been able to find anything that lasts very long since the M&M game I played here a few years ago.

Edit: Your examples are fairly typical of the Mutants and Masterminds games I've played here, the Eclipse Phase game I played at Paizo, and the d20 Modern game I played at PbP House.

 

[pemerton]

As a longtime Rolemaster GM and player, I think it is not what you want. It can be played in a way that supports narrative, and Roleamster PCs can be very evocative both in build and play, but it's very very mechanically heavy.

I think the same is true of GURSP, although I don't have much experience with it. I don't know Savage Worldse except by reputation, but suspect it might be more mechanically oriented than you're looking for.

Of the games on your list, I would look at Prince Valiant, PrimeTime Adventures and/or Fate. And I'd add to the list - as more systems which are mechanically fairly light and are deliberately designed to support group narrative development - HeroWars/Quest (it changed its name across editions) and Maelstrom Storytelling.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I really dont know much about the other systems out there so I was hoping someone could suggest a few systems worth checking out to cut down the list abit?

My answer was basically posted here:

In essence, any RPG system could be a good role-playing system if the players put the focus on the story and don't let the rules get in the way. I notice my DM'ing style hasn't differed much based on edition. Combat does, but that's it.

So, for me, its more a question of experience with gaming in general.

My favorite system is HERO. I could run something in that in a heartbeat. And while it is mechanics heavy, I can easily imagine using all that machinery just to stat up characters fully and then basically ignoring them to run a freeform game.

I could also see using something like one of the WoD games, depending on exactly what kind of story you want to tell.

 

[Gulla]

One thing that could be done is to adopt the Amber dice-less "system". (Short version: you have 4 stats, 3 powers and 100 points. If your score is highest you win. It's all about telling a story to get any conflict resolved on your terms).

For a modern game with no magic and super powers I would probably use the stats (strength, endurance, psyche and warfare) with some specification of what goes into each and then add 3-4 "powers" like mechanics, cyber/computers, or other focus areas. Or leave the powers out of it and let the players reduce their stats to get skill areas. 5 points per area. If you have a skill covering what you do add 10 or 15 to your stat, otherwise just use the stat.

Or adopt Prince Valiant, which is very story focused with fast and simple rules.

 

[Jhaelen]

One thing that could be done is to adopt the Amber dice-less "system". (Short version: you have 4 stats, 3 powers and 100 points. If your score is highest you win. It's all about telling a story to get any conflict resolved on your terms).

That would have been my first suggestion, as well.

And then there's my default suggestion of 'Ars Magica' which I recommend to everyone not knowing the system and looking for something that plays very different from D&D.

I think Ars Magica is very well-suited to be played 'by forum', particularly if you focus on establishing and running a covenant. It also means you have a ton of well-developed minor and major characters to draw on for your narrative.