The GPRPG/sourcebook paradigm

[Agback]

G'day

Some gamers prefer to have a single, versatile, robust game system that can be used for nearly every setting and style of game--a general-purpose RPG. The idea is that they can (if necessary) buy a sourcebook with information and maybe special rules for a genre and setting, or even use non-RPG source material and make up themselves any rules information they think is necessary.

Other gamers find that different settings and genres work best with different rules systems, or like variety in game mechanics for its own sake, or don't care about mechanics much, and just use the mechanics taht come along in different setting-based RPG products because that is esiest and most straightforward.

Where on the spectrum do you fit?

Regards,


Agback

 

[hong]

I like to hack stuff. The best part for me is turning a SPRPG into a GPRPG.

 

[Nightfall]

I fit on the Scarred Lands spectrum. Every, single day.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

My favorite system of all time is the HERO line, so you know I voted #5. From 1983 to present, I haven't found any genre I can't run with it. I find that M&M has similar flexibility, probably due to its origins as a supers RPG- a genre that has such a complex wellhead that a good supers rpg must be able to handle a wider variety of PC concepts than most other rpgs. I have no real problem with specific setting rpgs, though.

Which is a good thing since most of my fellow gamers are "D&D only" types, so that's what I get to play.

 

[The Lost Muse]

"Ok pie. I'm going to bite the air, like this. *starts biting the air* If you should happen to fill the air I'm biting, it's your own fault."

 

[JoeGKushner]

Both.

For example, I love Legend of the Five Rings, but it's a very specific version of a game engine. Handles some things great, like samurai. On the other hand, if I wanted to make Zatoichi, the Blind Swordsman, I'd have to heavily house rule him, or use another game system.

 

[The_Gneech]

Well, I love me some HERO, so that pretty much puts me in the "generic with sourcebooks" camp.

-The Gneech

 

[Arnwyn]

I believe specific genres are done best with a specific set of rules. I haven't yet seen a general purpose RPG able to handle all genres well (yeah, "d20", I'm lookin' at you!).

 

[Wombat]

Multi-genre rules seem good to many people, but they have certain "givens" in them that will have an easier or harder to recreate certain genres.

In the end, I am a literate, intelligent, mentally-active individual. Learning a new set of rules is no handicap to me, any more than learning a new setting. I'd rather have rules that match the setting than the other way around by a long shot!

 

[Hackmaster]

I'm torn.

Sometimes, I like being able to design characters and settings exactly the way I want them to be, and I like the idea of using one system for everything. Generic rulesets generally require a bit more work, however.

Other times, I miss having a ruleset that works very well with a specific setting/genre, where everything is already statted out and compatable (with less work required than with a generic ruleset).

I find myself going back and forth between two extremes. For a while I'll get excited about my homebrew fantasy game, my modern espionage game and my sci-fi game all done with HERO. Then after a bit I get burned out and say, you know what, I miss good old D&D, where a lot of the work was already done for me.