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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MNblockhead" data-source="post: 9259673" data-attributes="member: 6796661">I don't buy into the simple v complex divide. The ideal for me would be a well designed, written, presented system, the core of which is easy to quickly pick up, but which is designed with modularity in mind. If options overwhelm you, you can ignore them. With just about every TTRPG, other than ultra-simple one-page rules games like Dread few people can keep everything in their heads. In a well designed system, you shouldn't have to. For characters, you only need to have awareness of what is on your sheet. For adjudicating various situations that come up, you can have some base line rules that allow you to adjudicate on a more abstract level, but also offer subsystems that give a richer set of options. As long as those subsystems are easily accessed and easy to view, understand in game, they don't present much of an issue. The technology you use to play a game matters as well. One thing I both love and hate about DCC is how every spell is basically its own subsystem where you not only have to select a table but often select what table to roll on.  I love how it play outs in game when you have everything prepped nicely. With pen and paper, that means having your spells printed and ready and easily reference. Not ideal for my preferred style but I can live with it.   In a VTT, which automates the rolls, its great. But I passed on DCC's Dying Lands for my current campaign because I can only run games remotely and they don't have Dying Lands available and prepped on any VTT. But beyond that, even when a system is both complex AND not easy. There are some I may want to invest the time into overcoming the learning curve because I find the play experience rewarding. In some cases, even the time spend learning and mastering a complex system is rewarding for some. I like very simple and accessible game, if they lead to a fun play experience.  Games like Dred or InSPECTREs are great example of very simple to learn TTRPGs that can provide great play experiences. But I've always found ultra-pared down versions of D&D to be lacking something.  And as much as I enjoy the simple games that I find fun, I wouldn't ONLY want to play them.  I would find it very difficult to run an enjoyable multi-year campaign with a very simple set game.  Generally, given the limits I have on my game time, I tend to run a crunchier game for my main campaign (since 2014 it has been D&D 5e with various third-party and self-created rules added, now it is Warhammer Fantasy 4e) and then run one-shots or mini campaigns on the side when I can fit them in.</blockquote>

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