Suggestions for non-fantasy rpgs

[athos]

My two favorite systems that are sci-fi with guns and explosions both have fantasy elements, but they should be easy to remove.

Shadowrun 3rd edition ( I just can't see learning 4th, it is too big a change from the past ). You could limit mages and shamans from the game as you wish and stay in mostly human areas to keep the metahumans to a minimum if they turn-off your group.

Rifts. Play a coalition game where the mages are the bad guys and you get to shoot them and blow them up. If they are really sick of magic, hunting mages should be great fun.

Good luck with your game hunting.

 

[theskyfullofdust]

Thanks for the all the suggestions folks, really appreciate it.

 

[scourger]

Savage Worlds is the best recommendation I can make. It is really easy to bring to the table. You can even try it free:
http://www.peginc.com/Downloads/SWEX/TD06.pdf

Otherwise, if your group is familiar with (& into) d20, then I suggest either Omega World or Judge Dredd. Omega World is on the Polyhedron side of Dungeon Magazine #94. Judge Dredd was a stand-alone d20 product (recently redone for the Traveller system, but I really didn't get into it in that version).

Of course, you could use a fantasy game with which you're already familiar and just take out the fantasy elements. For example, the 3.0 DMG had high-tech rules for guns & dynamite; so you could just go with the rules you know and use them for a different genre.

 

[karlindel]

I've also been interested in FATE. Starblazer Adventures for sci-fi, and Dresden Files for a modern occult game.

Savage Worlds is a good toolbox system, and there are several good settings out there for it. Combat tends to run fairly quickly, and it does benefit from using a map, since you like using one. I am personally a big fan of Deadlands (alternate history wild western/steampunk/horror setting). I have also had a lot of fun running the plot point campaign Necessary Evil.

World of Darkness can be fun and should play fast enough for you. I have enjoyed Mage the Awakening, although it is the only New World of Darkness game I have tried so far.

I will also add Wild Talents for a superhero game. There are several supported settings, and the game itself is very flexible. It is based on the One Roll Engine, and combats run quickly once you get the hang of it. It can take a bit more work from a DM than some other games, as the system itself is very flexible and so can be broken by players that want to do so.