What Non-D&D TSR RPGs Needs to be Revived?

[Twiggly the Gnome]

I don't want to be a downer, but I doubt we'll ever see a RPG that's mechanically distinct from D&D produced by WotC ever again. As for settings, we might see some of those if they can be framed as a supplement to your D&D game. There're just not going to put resources into an entirely new game that they could have used to make a D&D product.

Edit: Got rid of some self deprecating humor, that I don't think landed well.

 

[dbolack]

I don't want to be a downer, but I doubt we'll ever see a RPG that's mechanically distinct from D&D produced by WotC ever again. As for settings, we might see some of those if they can be framed as a supplement to your D&D game. There're just not going to put resources into an entirely new game that they could have used to make Mirt the Moneylender's Bagel of Everything.

I didn't get that as the point. Which I suppose should also be part and parcel of the Buck Rogers argument upthread...

 

[Staffan]

That said, Top Secret has pretty well realized brand recognition, and with the lack of any espionage games on the market is a good candidate for that genre. James Bond and GURPS Espionage are long gone, and spy role playing is a lotta fun.

Does it? Really? I mean, I don't recall TSR2's version setting any sales records. Does it have anything distinctive beyond "spy game"?

I would argue that unless you can snag a license, there's pretty much no brand recognition to be had in the spy RPG business. James Bond would, of course, be gold, but I'm sure you could do well with Kingsmen or even Austin Powers. Spy games and movies generally don't thrive on deep lore and strong setting elements, other than some tropes that by now have become generic.

 

[dbolack]

Does it? Really? I mean, I don't recall TSR2's version setting any sales records. Does it have anything distinctive beyond "spy game"?

I would argue that unless you can snag a license, there's pretty much no brand recognition to be had in the spy RPG business. James Bond would, of course, be gold, but I'm sure you could do well with Kingsmen or even Austin Powers. Spy games and movies generally don't thrive on deep lore and strong setting elements, other than some tropes that by now have become generic.

Kingsman might be the best choice. One of the problems with the Spy genre is outside of a few examples its so solo. When you move to "troubleshooter with espionage" ( Kingsman, Charlies Angels, Doc Savage even ) you have better room for a party.

 

[Staffan]

Kingsman might be the best choice. One of the problems with the Spy genre is outside of a few examples its so solo. When you move to "troubleshooter with espionage" ( Kingsman, Charlies Angels, Doc Savage even ) you have better room for a party.

The old James Bond RPG had a pretty nifty conceit: you could either play them with one 00 character, two "agent" characters, or three "rookie" characters.

Most of the adventures were also based on the movies, but with a twist somewhere that made it so you couldn't just slavishly rely on the movie's plot.

 

[M.L. Martin]

I don't want to be a downer, but I doubt we'll ever see a RPG that's mechanically distinct from D&D produced by WotC ever again. As for settings, we might see some of those if they can be framed as a supplement to your D&D game. There're just not going to put resources into an entirely new game that they could have used to make a D&D product.

Edit: Got rid of some self deprecating humor, that I don't think landed well.

Sadly true, and I've known it for years. But sometimes I still miss the SAGA Rules System, although I believe Tab Creations has done retroclones of it for some games and is working on a standalone revision.

 

[Autumnal]

My particular daydream would be for system-free versions of a bunch of TSR settings in the style of Freeport and Dragon Kings, with rules supplements to taste. Yes, I do know it won’t happen.

I’d also like a new game using the Universe setting, because psionic teleportation is cool and not-Traveller. It’d be fun to update in light of how much more we know about our own solar system and surrounding space. No, I’m not holding my breath for this, either.

 

[Corinnguard]

Alternity and Star Frontiers. Back then I was more interested in the races from both settings. So interested that I went out and bought d20 Future just to see their 3e versions.

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

My particular daydream would be for system-free versions of a bunch of TSR settings in the style of Freeport and Dragon Kings, with rules supplements to taste. Yes, I do know it won’t happen.

Can't see current WotC doing it, but there are already retro-clones that do some of them with the serial numbers filed off, usually using OSR rule sets. Not impossible to imagine a fan doing something like that but leaving it system-agnostic - distill the essentials of a setting down to the fluff alone, change some names so you don't get a C&D letter, and then sell pdfs or even POD through DTRPG. There are certainly stranger labors of love on there already, and less sellable ones.

I’d also like a new game using the Universe setting, because psionic teleportation is cool and not-Traveller. It’d be fun to update in light of how much more we know about our own solar system and surrounding space. No, I’m not holding my breath for this, either.

The modular pod-ship technology (originally seen in the Vector 3 microgame) was also pretty neat (I'm one of the few people I know who actually kind of liked Delta Vee) and they added some great material through Ares, especially that shapeshifting xeno species. That article alone was on par with the best of the Traveller alien species writeups. I could see re-using the setting with d20 Future or perhaps Cepheus (which is more open to not using Traveller tech assumptions, thankfully).

Alternity and Star Frontiers. Back then I was more interested in the races from both settings. So interested that I went out and bought d20 Future just to see their 3e versions.

You're not the only one. I wound up rather liking d20 Future (and actually ported the Spacemaster/Silent Death setting into it for a short campaign) but the fact that it ported stuff from Star Frontiers and Alternity was the big initial draw for me.

 

[Corinnguard]

You're not the only one. I wound up rather liking d20 Future (and actually ported the Spacemaster/Silent Death setting into it for a short campaign) but the fact that it ported stuff from Star Frontiers and Alternity was the big initial draw for me.

Years ago Dragon Magazine had two articles that covered the Weren and the Seshayan races for the Alternity Setting. Both articles were dives into their respective cultures in that RPG. I wonder what they would look if they were revived for 5e.