Setting or System - whichever applies to you?

[PMárk]

Usually, it's setting that draws me into an rpg, not system (though I prefer certain kind of and like particular systems and on the other hand, certain kind of systems are a big turn off for me, even if I like the setting, like with 7th Sea 2e...) and usually through linked products, like novels, comics, or video games, or just cool lore floating around, catching my eye. If I see a cool setting I want to play in/with, I'm willing to learn a new system. General systems disinterest me, unless I find cool setting books for them. Homebrew is cool, of course, depending on the quality.

So, for me 80% setting, 20% system.

And that's why WotC got me largely disinterested nowadays...

 

[Wednesday Boy]

Typically settings draw me in and systems keep me. I love Star Wars, so I'll check out any version of Star Wars that comes out. But if the system isn't to my liking, I go with a system that I like instead.

 

[johndesmarais]

Genre probably comes first for me (although the line between genre and setting can be pretty fine): I will look at any superhero or pulp adventure RPG.

I will look at game product for Hero System, Ubiquity, or GUMSHOE (and eventually buy anything Hero System)

 

[billd91]

I'm a bit of both. If it's a setting I like (or one that sounds interesting if I'm not generally familiar with it), I'll take a peek. If it's a system that I like being used in an innovative way or a system that sounds interesting, I'll give it a peek for that as well. Honestly, both system and setting can attract my attention.

 

[Yaztromo]

I guess that about 30 years ago I was a "system" guy but now I'm definitely a "setting" one, that sometimes adapts the favourite settings to the favourite systems, but always starts from settings.
As the systems that I prefer (the very, very quick ones, that don't force you to spend sessions to create the characters and then more sessions to level up, as I don't have that time anymore...) unfortunately aren't too popular or too well supported by publishers, I often look for "systemless settings" that I like and then adapt them to my favourite system + associated house rules.

 

[Philip Francis]

My take is that your introduction to RPGs will influence your bias on this. I started with Red Book D&D which required me to create my own setting. I went from there to CoC (system) which because it is set in the real world didn't need me to invest much time in the 'setting' (accepting that the works of HPL are a form of setting guide).

These habits have stuck with me and so I have tended to be intrigued by system first and on occasion have abandoned setting entirely. I ran a campaign for about 3 years using 3rd edition Talislanta but set in my homegrown D&D setting loosely based on Regency England. My overriding concern being that setting only really works if you as the GM can afford to invest the time in mastering the details well enough to bring it to life and by extension your players are going to care enough to invest the same time to support the setting with their play choices. The stronger the setting, the more likely that someone somewhere is going to worry about 'canon' at which point, for me, all the fun is removed as a significant constraint is placed across the whole group.

 

[Xaelvaen]

System without a doubt. I would have never known a thing about the world of Shadowrun, in example, had I not been intrigued by throwing a handful of d6s all over my table.

 

[pogre]

Heavily systems guy. Probably 75% system. Settings can make me look, but systems I like actually get run.

 

[Fox Lee]

I am absolutely, definitely a system-first person. I inevitably bring my own settings, so I'm really not interested in a system which is heavily tied to a specific, single setting.

 

[steenan]

System before setting, for me.

A game based on Fate or PbtA has more chance to catch my interest than something else. But I'm far from checking every such game - there is too many of them currently and some of the settings are of no interest for me to the point of being able to tell that just by looking at the cover. I would probably try more if I had more time for gaming...

On the other hand, while I have some settings I really like, there are RPG settings - like Exalted or Nobilis - not settings from other media, adapted to RPG.