OK, here's my can o' worms question!

[Dorchek]

A gamemaster with a good story and the right players can make a horrible system worth playing. A friend of mine has run Bughunters (Amazing Engine) off and on for 10 years and we all love the story but none of us can stand the system, in fact we've gone diceless on several occasions. While I prefer a good set of mechanics they are only there to help the GM/DM and the players they don't make the story which is ultimately what it's all about. I will however concede that a horrible system or rules can ruin a good story.

 

[Darkness]

Any RPG, as long as it's fun.

Oh, and as long as I'm the GM. Also, 'fun' for me necessitates an at least somewhat decent system.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I'm in the "any system, as long as we're having fun" camp.

I will say that D&D, regardless of the edition, has charged my imagination like nothing else. Vampire the Masquerade came close for a time.

But right now, the only reason we only play two RPGs (D&D 3e and Traveller: The New Era) is because we don't have time for more.

 

[der_kluge]

Dungeons & Dragons [current edition] is the one true game. All previous editions were just attempts to achieve this level of excellence.

OD&D was concept notes.
B/ED&D was alpha.
AD&D1 was beta.
AD&D2 was beta revised.
D&D3 went gold.
D&D3.5 is gold revised.

D&D has reached this stage of excellence due to a 30-year development cycle with expansive play testing.

Interesting analogy. I'd consider HARP d20 for the Macintosh!

 

[Psion]

I primarily play 3e and other d20 games. There are other games out there I would play, some I feel handle their topics better than d20. But overall, I am finding that outside the d20 field, there is very little I find likeable these days.

 

[Virel]

I tend to stick with D&D for fantasy RPG, Space Opera for Sci-Fi or create my own designs.

Game

1974 D&D - uniformed opinion here

Basic D&D - C for playing, F for DMing

Mentzer's Basic D&D - B+ for playing, A- for DMing

1st ed AD&D - B for playing, A for DMing

1st ed AD&D w/UA - A for playing, A for DMing

2nd ed AD&D - D for playing, B for DMing

3.0 D&D - B for playing, F for DMing

3.5 D&D - haven't played yet probably like 3.0

 

[DaveMage]

D&D 3e and d20 do the trick for me, and I don't have much of an incentive to spend yet more time on the hobby playing even more games. I can barely fit the D&D in as it is!

Ditto.

 

[caudor]

Now days, I only play D&D 3.5--and to say this game is a 'plate full' is an understatement. Even within D&D, there are campaign settings, accessories, and other goodies I have not tried yet (mainly due to lack of time and budget).

I've played other RPGs, including Star Wars and TORG, but they did not capture my imagination like D&D does. Plus I've invested so much time and effort into D&D that I'd rather leverage my existing investment (in time and money) than to branch off into other games.

Years ago, I did play Buck Roger in the 25th Century (by TSR) and had lots of fun; however, when the game was discontinued my interest waned as well.

 

[shilsen]

D&D 3e and d20 do the trick for me, and I don't have much of an incentive to spend yet more time on the hobby playing even more games. I can barely fit the D&D in as it is!

What the Grand Poobah said.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

While I do like D&D 3rd edition's system better than any other RPGs I still continue to play other PnP RPGs under systems other than d20.