What games are the best organized / easy to understand ?

[Ratskinner]

I'm a little unclear as to the motivation for this exercise. Are we trying to promote rpgs to a newcomer? Just looking for a clear(er) game? How are you counting mechanical complexity vs. long lists of elements (spells, weapons, etc.) vs...etc.

I'd actually argue against most Powered by the Apocalypse games for clarity of writing. I don't actually find them particularly clearly written at all, especially for the GM position. IME, they tend to presume an audience that is somewhat either vested in rpg theory or already familiar with Apocalypse World itself. Which isn't to say that I don't have a growing collection of such games, but I just can't see how they fit the criteria in the OP. Although they are easy to play, once you get to know them, trying to explain how that works is a different manner. (YMMV, of course.)

In part, I think many d20/OGL games suffer from this presumed familiarity as well. However, simplicity is your friend, here.

Honestly, the 4e rules are very clear for d20 games, functionally. If you can find a copy of them. (and the "fixed" skill challenge rules.)

I haven't read every recent set of rules, or even every book that uses them, but...

The Fate Core rules are very clearly presented with (at times) almost too much detail and explanation. The size of the book, and amount of text might make it seem more complicated than it is to actually run or play, but the detailed text helps it to easily stand alone for clarity. (And the text is fairly plainly written as well.) ...but the weird dice.

Its very specific to genre, but the Gumshoe system games that I have are pretty good at explaining how they work without getting too lost in theorizing. I would lean toward Esoterrorists, even though I think Night's Black Agents is an overall better game, because NBA is wrapped with a ton more detail and world-specific info.

I'll toss some oddballs out there too:

Risus, and or PDQ, if you are willing explain the basic structure of rpgs. They're just too simple to get wrong, but they skip the "what's an rpg?" explanation.

Old School Hack, one of the best little weird D&D sorta-clones I've ever played...too bad it kinda died on the vine.

Anyway, I hope that helps.

 

[GMMichael]

As in well written and won't have to reference a website or a friend to understand it. Some kind of D20 type is preferred.

I'm a little unclear as to the motivation for this exercise. Are we trying to promote rpgs to a newcomer? Just looking for a clear(er) game? How are you counting mechanical complexity vs. long lists of elements (spells, weapons, etc.) vs...etc.

Valid question. I'm not sure that the d20 requirement helps, because d20 is perpetually plagued with "does a hit mean I'm injured," "what does 'hidden' mean," and "how do the rules handle this" questions.

That being said, professional-grade d20 systems are the definition of "well-organized." So...try 13th Age?

Shameless plug:[sblock]
That being said, I just spent a good, oh, six months trimming 35 pages off my own set of rules, that answers the above questions as follows:

Does a hit mean I'm injured?

If you want it to. Players define their damage, possibly earning rewards for doing it well.​

What does "hidden" mean?

Same thing as in the dictionary. The more useful question is "is my opponent 'aware' of me?" Because if he's not, he can't react to your actions.​

How do the rules handle this?

Odds are, either as a contest or conflict goal. Both are simple to resolve, provided the GM and PC couldn't just role-play a solution first.​

Grab it from the downloads section: http://www.enworld.org/forum/rpgdownloads.php?do=download&downloadid=1437
[/sblock]

 

[Lastoutkast]

Valid question. I'm not sure that the d20 requirement helps, because d20 is perpetually plagued with "does a hit mean I'm injured," "what does 'hidden' mean," and "how do the rules handle this" questions.

Agreed, I guess said D20 because I am the most familer with it. But I'm open to reading any system.

 

[pemerton]

I think that Moldvay Basic is a pretty clear set of d20-ish rules. The last few pages (before the Appendices) of Gygax's AD&D PHB are also good "how to play" advice for Moldvay Basic; but AD&D itself doesn't fit the description of "best organised" or "easy to understand".

I guess said D20 because I am the most familer with it. But I'm open to reading any system.

If you're familiar with the idea of RPGing, but looking for easy-to-understand non-d20 systems, I would say that ICE's HARP is fairly straightforward; Burning Wheel not too hard to follow (although there's a fair bit to read, it generally makes sense); maybe Dungeon World; and maybe also HeroQuest revised.

 

[Lastoutkast]

I'm a little unclear as to the motivation for this exercise. Are we trying to promote rpgs to a newcomer? Just looking for a clear(er) game? How are you counting mechanical complexity vs. long lists of elements (spells, weapons, etc.) vs...etc.

I'd actually argue against most Powered by the Apocalypse games for clarity of writing. I don't actually find them particularly clearly written at all, especially for the GM position. IME, they tend to presume an audience that is somewhat either vested in rpg theory or already familiar with Apocalypse World itself. Which isn't to say that I don't have a growing collection of such games, but I just can't see how they fit the criteria in the OP. Although they are easy to play, once you get to know them, trying to explain how that works is a different manner. (YMMV, of course.)

In part, I think many d20/OGL games suffer from this presumed familiarity as well. However, simplicity is your friend, here.

Honestly, the 4e rules are very clear for d20 games, functionally. If you can find a copy of them. (and the "fixed" skill challenge rules.)

I haven't read every recent set of rules, or even every book that uses them, but...

The Fate Core rules are very clearly presented with (at times) almost too much detail and explanation. The size of the book, and amount of text might make it seem more complicated than it is to actually run or play, but the detailed text helps it to easily stand alone for clarity. (And the text is fairly plainly written as well.) ...but the weird dice.

Its very specific to genre, but the Gumshoe system games that I have are pretty good at explaining how they work without getting too lost in theorizing. I would lean toward Esoterrorists, even though I think Night's Black Agents is an overall better game, because NBA is wrapped with a ton more detail and world-specific info.

I'll toss some oddballs out there too:

Risus, and or PDQ, if you are willing explain the basic structure of rpgs. They're just too simple to get wrong, but they skip the "what's an rpg?" explanation.

Old School Hack, one of the best little weird D&D sorta-clones I've ever played...too bad it kinda died on the vine.

Anyway, I hope that helps.

what are the "fixed" skill challenge rules?

 

[Ratskinner]

what are the "fixed" skill challenge rules?

When the game first came out, there was some math problem with the skill challenge mechanic. (Like it was unintentionally really really unlikely to succeed unless everyone had hypermaxed out skills or something.) IIRC, errata were published relatively quickly. I know I had a group that gleefully started playing 4e, but we abandoned the skill challenge rules almost immediately. That group was not down with the "your book ain't the rules without the electronic errata" thing, and didn't last long enough for whatever abc2 book had the update. I don't recall the mechanical details.

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