The Best Game for A Long Campaign

[HaroldTheHobbit]

It is an interesting journey folks take. In my experience, folks either take to it like a bird finally being freed, or they just reject it wholesale. I've had a good number of folks here at EN world argue that the game design needs to give clear and precise ideas to the players on what they need to do to make the game work. Typically, award systems for engaging the game. If they are not clear, the players just shut down. Part of that, I believe, is traditional training through D20 level ups, but also some folks just want/need that guiding hand, and some dont.

It's interesting that I started with The Fantasy Trip, Runequest and Traveller, and didn't encounter D&D and level-up-style gaming until later. We played Traveller for a long time, having fun with adventures in space, with no levels in sight.

Like many, I had a hiatus for career and family, and since I returned as a perma-GM I have been stuck in the advancement/leveling loop. My current players are - besides my wife - a couple of decades younger than I am, very good and creative role-players, and they have been dipping heavy into non-traditional games of all sorts. But they also seem to be most comfy with some kind of advancements when push comes to shove.

Maybe it's easier at least for our table to play longer campaigns (which we prefer) with a system with advancements and a bit of transparent, easy crunch (that's Savage Worlds for us). It's comfy and nonintrusive, and we can focus on roleplaying, improv and creativity in a semisandboxy environment - the fun bits. Should we be using a non-advancement system in a long campaign I fear that it would feel constraining, forcing us into artificial goals and foci that would feel inhibiting.

Or maybe it wouldn't be a problem at all. But the current group has been intact for 6 years and everyone is having good fun, so I have no urge to experiment right now. Still, it's food for thought.

 

[payn]

It's interesting that I started with The Fantasy Trip, Runequest and Traveller, and didn't encounter D&D and level-up-style gaming until later. We played Traveller for a long time, having fun with adventures in space, with no levels in sight.

Like many, I had a hiatus for career and family, and since I returned as a perma-GM I have been stuck in the advancement/leveling loop. My current players are - besides my wife - a couple of decades younger than I am, very good and creative role-players, and they have been dipping heavy into non-traditional games of all sorts. But they also seem to be most comfy with some kind of advancements when push comes to shove.

Maybe it's easier at least for our table to play longer campaigns (which we prefer) with a system with advancements and a bit of transparent, easy crunch (that's Savage Worlds for us). It's comfy and nonintrusive, and we can focus on roleplaying, improv and creativity in a semisandboxy environment - the fun bits. Should we be using a non-advancement system in a long campaign I fear that it would feel constraining, forcing us into artificial goals and foci that would feel inhibiting.

Or maybe it wouldn't be a problem at all. But the current group has been intact for 6 years and everyone is having good fun, so I have no urge to experiment right now. Still, it's food for thought.

Hey if the boat aint rockin, dont bother walkin...or something. If you get in a groove stay with it. I do miss my regular group.

 

[MNblockhead]

My current 5e game has been running for 4.5 years. Characters are at levels 18 and 19. It is mostly RAW 5e but I've added in the Strongholds and Followers rules from MCDM, organization/reputation rules modified from an old EN5ider article, and advancement is XP for GP with some milestone leveling. What makes it work for us, I think, is that 5e plays and feels very different at different tiers of play. Zero to hero to superhero. If I run 5e / One DnD / 5e Revised (whatever we are going to call it) again after this campaign, I do think I would look for way to spend more time in tiers 1 and 2, a little less at third tier, and make tier four a series of capstone adventures. I find my prep time increases exponentially in Tier 4.

Also, I think I'll be done with such long campaigns after this. As much as we've enjoyed this campaign (I mean, we'll have kept it going for about 5 years by the time it is done), I think that the sweet spot is around a year for me as a DM. But at about 8 hours of game time per month, I would have to have to heavily rely on milestone leveling and have very little time spent per level. I think other systems may be more fulfilling for "shorter" campaigns. I've got the DCC Dying Earth set from the Goodman Games Kickstarter that I'm thinking would be good for a campaign to last about a year.

 

[DevL]

Still GM:ing the same campaign we started in March 2017 using D6 Fantasy. Of course, over the years many houserules accumulated, then those rules morphed into my own take on a D6-based RPG, and now they’ve morphed into an entirely different system of my making.

My point is that a long-running campaign doesn’t have to be 100% locked to the same system. A good story can be told in many ways and different parts of it can be told in different ways, if so desired.

 

[dagger]

Honestly, I've run and played in a number of long (multi-year) fantasy campaigns using AD&D 1e. These days, I'd use either OSRIC or Jeff Talanian's Hyperborea for that. Both of these games bring the best parts of AD&D 1e to the table while dumping the cruft and adding some much needed clarification and revision. Hyperborea is, of course, a S&S variant while OSRIC is a faithful high fantasy recreation.

Rolemaster FRP/SS is also a strong contender for me. I've recently re-acquired the core rules, monster book, and Spell Law (RMSS version via eBay). All you really need is the core rules, but the other books are handy for expanded descriptions of their particular topics (note that the RMSS version of Spell Law is 99.8% compatible with RMFRP - if you're just buying it for the expanded spell descriptions, you're golden).

A new version of Rolemaster is being released, the Core Law and Spell Law are out, and I think the Creature Law should be out this year or early next year.

 

[jdrakeh]

A new version of Rolemaster is being released, the Core Law and Spell Law are out, and I think the Creature Law should be out this year or early next year.

I'm aware, but I'd rather stick with a complete version until the entire RMU is out (there are going to be separate books for creatures and treasures, neither of which have a firm release date yet).

 

[Baron Opal II]

What do you personally think is the best RPG for running long (5+ years) campaigns in. Why? Have you done so? Are you still doing so? How's it going? If you aren't running or playing in a long campaign, have you ever? Do you want to?

Whatever game that a) has mechanics that everyone can understand, at least at a basic level, and b) allows for character growth.

Some people can barely remember what number to add to which dice, others seek a level of mastery by fiddling with whatever mechanical knobs and switches exist.

Some people consider character growth more levels, rune magic, tools, wealth, whatever. Others a development of contacts, understanding of the other PCs and NPCs, and themselves.

Find a game that fulfills those needs and you're set. Personally, bespoke AD&D and Traveller do this for me, with RuneQuest having left fond memories.

 

[MacDhomnuill]

I vastly prefer D100 variants for long campaigns, they have a couple advantages. Slow skill based progression, more grounded in reality, no power fantasy/ super hero level power creep, and it is my experience that games like Runequest, Mythras, Magic World or Open quest (Dragonbane seems to fit too) that have predictably dangerous combat lead to better long term games where power building is about gear and politics instead of personal power boosts.

 

[GMMichael]

. . . Typically, award systems for engaging the game. If they are not clear, the players just shut down. Part of that, I believe, is traditional training through D20 level ups, but also some folks just want/need that guiding hand, and some dont.

Let's not forget video game training. Final Fantasy, World of Warcraft, Baldur's Gate (cough)... The more you play, the closer to divinity you reach. Until the level cap hits.

Still GM:ing the same campaign we started in March 2017 using D6 Fantasy. Of course, over the years many houserules accumulated, then those rules morphed into my own take on a D6-based RPG, and now they’ve morphed into an entirely different system of my making.

So, a modular game works? Would it be easier to houserule if it were open-source?

 

[John R Davis]

So 100 sessions?

I do agree with RM and I'd say Dragonquest.

Game needs to not
- be too manic and crash bang
-not overly lethal so there isn't massive PC turnover that loses cohesion.
-smaller step development but not stifled by hitting level X or equivalent with no where else to go.
-scope to really effect world-building like castles, being lords and such.