What are the big non-d20/non-D&D Game Systems?

[IanArgent]

I know that it's gone into a bit of a glide since FASA shut down, but where's the love for Shadowrun? IT's gotten, what, 3 menitons in this thread. But it's out there, has fairly regular releases, runs a successful shared-adventure series (Shadowrun Missions).

 

[qstor]

itch Hunter is a different product, and currently has 4 products...With Paradigm going for the Organized Play side of things, I imagine they plan on trying to support it vigorously.

I've played a few of the organized adventures and the system is easy to pick up and the game is fun and fast paced. It's good if you like "modern" games like pirates or musketeers. I'm playing one of the Witch Hunter games at GenCon. But I wouldn't call it one of the "big" non D20 systems. I'd say GURPS, Palladium, Savage Worlds and Call of Cthulhu. With GURPS and CoC being "bigger" than the other two.

Mike

 

[Pinotage]

Thanks for all the input! It's great to learn more about these things.

On a related note, in D&D the 'quintessential' thing that the PCs do it dungeon crawling - killing monsters and taking their stuff.

What do PCs in all these games do? What does a CoC PC do and what does a Cyberpunk or Shadowrun PC do?

Thanks!

Pinotage

 

[malladin]

Trail Of Cthuluh is a great game. Its built to cover both Pulp and Purist Mythos tales. The difference from Call is that Gumshoe bypasses the chance factor in finding clues, as you always find them if you have the right skill, and focuses on how the information is used and driving the story to a dramatic conclusion.

On the general point there's so much good stuff out there how popular a game is shouldn't be a defining criteria of what to play, but rather how a game suits what you want to do.

 

[Maggan]

What do PCs in all these games do? What does a CoC PC do and what does a Cyberpunk or Shadowrun PC do?

In short:

In Call of Cthulhu, you play sort of ordinary people who are entangled in the web of monsters from out of space, and who take in the roles of investigators to try to bring some light on mysterious events. Then they die.

In Cyberpunk, you play a cool and tough cyberenhanced punk with attitude. You can be a rock star, or a hired mercenary, or a hacker or a techie. You make raids against the evil corporations that are trying to control every aspect of your life. Your PCs shake their fists at the machine that is society, and try to rebel against its oppression. Then they die.

At least, that's how it normally goes down at my table.

/M

 

[Derren]

what does a [...] Shadowrun PC do?

In Shadowrun players generally play Shadowrunners. Unregistered, illegal mercenaries who do the dirty work for corporations, governments, cults, other organizations or whoever can pay them to do their dirty work for them.
Deniable assets for hire so to speak.
Of course it is possible to play as something else. Cops, Medics, Reporters, Gang Members, etc.
Its very similar to Cyberpunk, except that magic has returned so that besides corporations you have to deal with (or work for) dragons (who very often run corporations), elves, mages or elementals.

Simply read the timeline and I am sure you will be hooked (Its a bit outdated though).

 

[Jhaelen]

In Call of Cthulhu, you play sort of ordinary people who are entangled in the web of monsters from out of space, and who take in the roles of investigators to try to bring some light on mysterious events. Then they die.

Well, it's traditional that they become insane before they die - or the other way around...

In Cyberpunk, you play a cool and tough cyberenhanced punk with attitude. You can be a rock star, or a hired mercenary, or a hacker or a techie. You make raids against the evil corporations that are trying to control every aspect of your life. Your PCs shake their fists at the machine that is society, and try to rebel against its oppression. Then they die.

Well, it's traditional that they die because they got hoodwinked(?) by their employers who inevitably introduce themselves as 'Mr. Johnson'...

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Yeah it seems like all the big ones have been answered. Though there should be some mention for oWoD since when that was around, it was quite big and had lots of major and minor systems within it.

As for the limited success of Promethean. Apparently, they got as much success as they suspected, which makes sense since it isn't your normal kind of PnP (though for me personally it is my favourite PnP ever).

I dunno how big it is outside of online, but Cthulhutech seemed to have a pretty big punch for its size when it first came out, though has somewhat died down. But they still have more books coming out.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Well, it's traditional that they become insane before they die - or the other way around...
Well, it's traditional that they die because they got hoodwinked(?) by their employers who inevitably introduce themselves as 'Mr. Johnson'...

Wait, I thought the latter was only Shadowrun? Its important to get screwed by your Johnson. And typically twice - you get an initial run, then a follow-up, and then the Johnson will lead you in a trap/ambush

Depending on player experience, any of the following things can happen
- you die in the trap
- You kill all your enemies and then hunt down the Johnson
- The trap was expected from the start and the players totally overpower the enemies and take Johnson hostage. Or just kill them.

The betrayer-Johnson is a little to common, unfortunately. But it might not be the real focus of the game, so maybe it's closer to:
1) Get hired, Infiltrate hostile area, stealth to content, burst into violence, take asset or spectacularly fail* taking it, report back to hirer.
2) Or even shorter: Stealth to Contact

My biggest problem with Shadowrun as a DM was to create a little more compelling storylines to motivate "Stealth to Contact". It's somehow easier with D&D, even if "Kill monsters and take their stuff" is pretty simplistic.

*Specular failing can actually happen at any point. Inter-party conflicts, unreasonable cybermanic/psychopathic behavior, or a DM not accomandating the reasonable (cybermaniac) behavior can all lead to failures at any point, including mission acquisition: "What, I get directly called by Mr.Johnson? I pack my guns and move to my Fixer to kill him - he is not supposed to give out this kind of information! That's basically attempted murder!" Ah... Shadowrun. Sometimes, I really miss it.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Its important to get screwed by your Johnson. And typically twice - you get an initial run, then a follow-up, and then the Johnson will lead you in a trap/ambush

In truth, words for every guy to live by.

What do PCs in all these games do?

For the record, Paranoia combines both Call of Cthulhu and Cyberpunk/Shadowrun in a sense...

The PC "Troubleshooters" live in a totally normal sci-fi world- akin to what you'd see in a straight up Cyberpunk game, or in the movies Logan's Run or The Running Man. Except that the Computer running everything is "insane" and the tech is incredibly unreliable. At the slapstick/Rube Goldberg/Murphy's law level.

A typical Paranoia game session should result in at least 1 TPK or mass paranoia/insanity, some insanity and many, many laughs.