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Message: <blockquote data-quote="innerdude" data-source="post: 5581652" data-attributes="member: 85870">Some of the background for this post can be found:<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/300703-how-much-should-players-expected-actively-contribute-groups-dynamics.html" target="_blank">Here</a>and<a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/296368-old-school-revival-light-bulb-goes.html" target="_blank">Here</a>So, to get straight to the point--right now I feel like I'm an "RPG System Orphan." Before 2008, I had never really actively played anything but D&D. I was a TSR/WotC disciple, D&D was the only system that mattered, and anything else was just a side show / diversion from the "main event." (As a side note, I wasn't really an active player in the '90s, so the whole White Wolf movement kind of passed me by). Then 4e happened. After much angst, hand-wringing, and generally making an arse of myself amongst the 4e circle of gamers, I finally made peace with the fact that 4e wasn't for me, that people who enjoy 4e aren't heretics, they just have different ideas about what makes their gaming fun, and moved on (having Pathfinder show up on the scene a year after the 4e launch eased the pain considerably). One other thing came of the 4e launch too: I began really exploring systems outside D&D for the first time, and in some ways, I'm extremely glad that I did. But here's the problem: I've now seen too much, read too much, and explored too many other systems and mechanics, that I'm no longer truly happy with 3.x/Pathfinder. But I haven't found anything to replace it. My initial reaction for Pathfinder of, "It's 3.5, only better!" hasn't changed, just the level of ardor for it. Pathfinder IS better than 3.5 in a lot of ways--but the spine, the backbone and core assumptions of the ruleset, haven't changed. Since my Pathfinder group dissolved back in December, I GM'd a short-lived Savage Worlds campaign, and am now playing in a GURPS campaign, but I don't really have a place I can call home. There's nothing out there that inspires me. Nothing I want to go to an FLGS and plop down a hundred bucks on because it's that compelling. And I find that fact a bit depressing. I enjoy gaming. I enjoy every aspect of it, the socializing, learning the rules, exploring worlds and interacting with NPCs, and yes, even the combat, though it's definitely last on the list. Yet there's nothing out there right now that I've found that I can throw my weight behind and say, "This. This is MY game. This is the game I want to master, and to show my friends." Now obviously, you don't have to have that to play RPGs. I'm having a perfectly fun time playing GURPS right now (though I'd never in a million years want to GM it). Yet having that game that you own, the one you make yours, makes a big difference to me in how passionate I am about playing and/or GM'ing. I'm to the point now where I think I know what I want out of a system, but nothing I've seen has the right set of features. In my current situation (mid-30s, 2 kids, work) that if I'm going to err on one side of the spectrum that "rules lite" is the way to go.....but I can also admit that my time with Savage Worlds made me aware that there are some weaknesses for rules lite too. I like Savage Worlds, but would like just a few more things in it for consistency, and I'm worried that anything MORE "rules lite" would go in the wrong direction. Anyway, any other "system orphans" out there like me? And how are you dealing with your orphaned state?</blockquote>

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