Setting or System - whichever applies to you?

[TreChriron]

I'm a system tourist. ...

I love this term!

I think I was a system-tourist, looking for that "perfect" system. I've played and tested a large pile of games. But in the end it's the setting that inspires our imaginations. Without a solid setting, the game is just procedures and numbers without a soul. These days I'm looking for both, combined together in a creative way that inspires the players to engage in the world and for myself to be inspired to become that world (as the GM).

For example, I love GURPS 4e for all it's crunch, but found that even at it's most basic, the procedures just make play less fun for me. The system is gold, but I'm no longer interested in that level of detail. I have played several Savage Worlds settings and in the end they start to feel the same. I believe I have changed my tastes dramatically from a "one system to rule them all" generic fan to a "make these things blend seamlessly into something that clicks." Not to say that those games are bad or broken or any other nonsense! They are great games and appeal to their supporters because they hit the right buttons for them.

Right now I'm working on a setting for the Radiance RPG. Some day here in the future, when I embark on polishing up Dark Portals, I plan on writing a system specifically for my setting and putting it in one work. No longer will I wring my hands over - "how might this work in {insert genre here}?" Certainly you can create a "platform" for your system but that framework doesn't need to be apparent to the players or your casual GMs. Another example; Mystic Throne Entertainment has a generic system akin to Savage Worlds and Mongoose's Legend had a child (Entropic Gaming System), and it seems like a solid fun game. However, MTE's modern setting of conspiracy and horror intrigues me more to play it vs. having to convert it to a setting. Certainly I'm interested as a publisher but as a GM it's so much more work and I don't feel like most GMs have the time to put together a setting + adventure/campaign.

 

[aramis erak]

Which (if any) of these two positions do you feel more strongly represents you.

1. I will check out any official Star Wars/Star Trek/Game of Thrones/Lord of the Rings/Doctor Who (pick you setting/show/movie/book of choice) RPG.

2. I will check out any setting powered by Cypher/Savage Worlds/d20/5E pick your system).

Of course both apply to many people to various extents, and and probably neither absolutely; I'm just curious if there are "setting people" and "system people".

I think I'm more "system" with a hint of "setting". I probably won't check out a new branded game, but if it uses a system I like I would be more likely to. To check out a new system, I'd probably need some solid recommends and an easy intro. On the other hand, I feel I am more likely to check out a new setting for a system I know I like, even if I haven't heard of it.

So I guess I'm 75% System, 25% Setting.

Setting: Star Wars, Star Trek, Traveller, Vorkosiverse.

System: anti-system. Systems seldom sell me, but they can override my interest in setting resulting in no purchase.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Which (if any) of these two positions do you feel more strongly represents you.

1. I will check out any official Star Wars/Star Trek/Game of Thrones/Lord of the Rings/Doctor Who (pick you setting/show/movie/book of choice) RPG.

2. I will check out any setting powered by Cypher/Savage Worlds/d20/5E pick your system).

Solidly (2)

I've just consistently found licensed RPGs to be almost uniformly horrid (the original d6 Star Wars wasn't too bad, thus the 'almost'), but I've long since given up on 'em so there might be good ones these days.

Not that there are a lot of good 'system-based' RPGs, either, but there are some, and once I've found one and gone to the trouble of learning it, I'll certainly try different things with it.

One interesting Paradox, though. GURPS is not a great system, IMHO, Hero and others being better, but it's better than most systems that depend on a licence, and it's world-books, even when licensed benefit from both the decent system and a really impressive level of research and fidelity to said license, and they do stuff no one else would think to, I'm delighted to have GURPS resources for the Humanx Commonwealth and the Urth of the New Sun, for instance.

In contrast, there are systems I like that I wouldn't bother to pick up similar products for, because they suck at following through on a license, even though I can count on the system being good, the content won't be worth bothering with.

:shrug:

 

[johndesmarais]

...said a lot of things about GURPS licensed books...

I'm with you here. Not a GURPS fan, but I love the GURPS settings books - particularly the licensed stuff. Well researched, and packed full of good stuff.

 

[pemerton]

I am not really all that interested in settings or systems. I am interested in games.

I'm a system tourist.

These are the responses that resonated with me.

At the moment I have seven games ongoing (GMing all but one of them):

* Core 4e D&D

* Dark Sun 4e D&D

* Two Burning Wheel games, one as player, both set in GH;

* Marvel Heroic RP game;

* Cortex Fantasy game (viking-themed, using a fantasy hack of MHRP);

* Classic Traveller (set in a randomly-generated Imperium using the Traveller world-generation system).​

In the past I've run also run a lot of Rolemaster (some set in GH, some set in Oriental Adventure) and have also played some Dungeon World, a range of BRP-inspired systems, and plenty of AD&D in a variety of fantasy settings.

System is important to me, but I enjoy different systems for the different experiences they provide - which includes different sorts of story/setting experiences.

To give one example - I don't think 4e would be a good fit for GH, which needs some sort of grittiness, whether that come from RM, AD&D or BW - all systems I've used to deliver a GH experience.

Or to give another - I think 4e Dark Sun is probably better than Classic Traveller for sword-and-planet. Traveller is too gritty and rather inherently bleak, I think.

 

[j0rdi]

I'm much more likely to look at a game if it uses a system I like because I know it's cleared at least one hurdle to my enjoyment. I'll also check out any games with interesting settings but if the systems aren't to my liking then I'll not bother with another using the same mechanics. So I guess that puts me in the 'system' camp but untried systems = good.

 

[Ath'kethin]

I'm definitely more of a "system first" person, and for one simple reason: if I already have the basics of the system (core rulebook or whatever), it's much easier for me to learn and use whatever additional content is in the setting.

I have a specific type of game (I guess you call it a "genre" though I don't think I would), and I have a substantial amount invested in books for a given system that I use to represent that style. Additional resources that support that system are of greatest interest to me, since they are the easiest to adapt for my campaign.

 

[RoseGamingAcc]

It's usually setting that attracts me, although if the system behind it looks like it's going to be impossible to work with I will often decide against trying to run a game of it (Or try anyway and fail horribly when everyone gets confused), instead I just enjoy reading the fluff whilst I hope that the setting will eventually be redone with another more functional system.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

System first.

90% of the time I play homebrew, and I have never played (nor plan to play in) a licensed setting. Case in point, I've ignored the FFG star wars games because I don't want to play in someone else's universe, but am super excited for Genesys - which is the same system, in a universal/generic rulebook, with sample genre rules.

 

[Igwilly]

Mostly system for me. I often run my own settings, so any pre-published setting is a source of inspiration and place to mine ideas.
In the end, I actually tend to dislike systems too much attached to their setting. For example, 13th Age is a great system, but it’s so attached to the Icons and the setting. It would take some work to adapt all into my new campaign.
On the other hand, W.O.I.N seems just like a perfect fit for my setting! I just would have to convince the other players in my games, hahaha ^^