What products do you consider innovative?

[mythusmage]

Cat by John Wick. You play a house cat as he prowls the house, naps a lot, and protects his owner or owners from perils mundane and fantastical. Shows an understanding of the beasts few can claim.

Another thing to note is that Wick deals with the mythic in a way nobody else really does. Others may talk about myth, John incorporates it. Cat is about playing a creature that relies on others for its safety and well being. At the same time, it's about adventures with a mythical quality, and all this in the typical suburban home.

 

[Hjorimir]

In no particular order:

Eberron. At first I wasn't a fan of what they did with this setting, but after considering it further and what they did with it, I have to admit it is a pretty strong step forward as far as D&D is concerned.

Grim Tales. A stronger toolbox than d20 Modern, IMO.

Mutants and Masterminds/True20. Beautiful system and I love the damage mechanics.

 

[FATDRAGONGAMES]

I love Castles and Crusades, I just can't tempt anyone locally to play it with me.

 

[Psion]

Define "recent"

There are a couple different levels of "innovation" here, operating on entirely different scales, but I'll cut across those layers here:

Enemy Gods - I really dig this concept. Every player is a bit of GM, representing different deities in addition to the heroes. You can't NOT slight some deities/players-as-gods with your heroes, as you cannot have an even stat distribution. Your statistics correspond to favored qualities for various deities. I know I've busted John in the chops before, but I really gotta hand him kudos for this one.

Second World Sourcebook Now we scale things down a bit from broad innovation to refined innovation, innovation within the existing framework of d20:

• I found the concept of Wardens, classes that represent qualities that shape the world, innovative.
• Though not new to the world of "4x" games, the idea of having technology trees that shape the way both development of and possibility of certain technologies work was a nice innovation to import into RPGs.
• Minor mechanical refinements, such as spontaneous/immediate actions, that would eventually appear in 3.5 supplements, appeared here first.

Spycraft 1.0

• Action dice. 'Nuff said.
• Showing that the "co-dependant team" archtype/niche protected model can work for other genres as well. (Whether that's an application or an innovation is another matter.)
• Gear system that divorces character capability from in-game aquisition (it took some work to make it practical, though.)
• Chase system (aka, dramatic conflicts in its initial form)

Spycraft 2.0

• Quick, scaleable mook NPCs
• Applying dramatic conflict mechanics to all kinds of conflicts.
• Variable mechanical genre traits - you set the feel of the genre by defining how some mechanics work.

Just to name a few. I'll probably think of more. I'm tempted to pull out some examples of really dumb innovations, just to drive home the point that innovation for its own sake is overrated...

 

[Psion]

Now, here is why innovative is a tough term to use as a criteria for judging products. I consider this the opposite of innovative. Nothing here is new, it's all rehashed concepts in a new package. That doesn't address it's quality, just that this doesn't really do anything that hasn't been done before.

I agree.

That's really mostly how D&D 3.0 was made too, by selectively using tried techniques (though I think 3.0 had a few innovative bits, like take 10/20). But really, it's not innovative, just a paring down of the mechanics that fit the taste of a certain subset of gamers.

 

[A'koss]

Iron Heroes

Finally a game that can model the cinematic Sword & Sorcery style of game I've been trying to kludge other games into for years. Moreover, it's a game you want to play, rather than something that just gathers dust on your shelf or just prune for ideas in other games.

There are many little innovations in IH which really help in creating that cinematic style of play - stunts, combat challenges, expanded skill use, feat masteries, traits, token abilities... the list goes on. It also allows you to create worlds that feel like they're not going to implode in on themselves one day under the stress of setting-breaking magic.

Cheers!

 

[Hand of Evil]

The next product to come out...

Ars Magical - concept and design.

OD&D - yep, the first edition, it broke the ground for everything that came after.

WFRP - World driven more than any other game of its time, mechanics were nothing new but building a game around an established world.

 

[mythusmage]

WFRP - World driven more than any other game of its time, mechanics were nothing new but building a game around an established world.

Empire of the Petal Throne and Runequest both predate it.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Empire of the Petal Throne and Runequest both predate it.

What I meant was cross genre; from WFB to WFRP, both those as I remember started as campaign settings for D&D, Warhammer never was but I never got into those to know their history.

 

[Pants]

- Arcana Evolved - Introduces some pretty innovative takes on races, spellcasting, feats, and other stuff, though some of it strikes me as being innovative just to be innovative.
- Eberron - For fully embracing the magic-rich nature of core D&D, something that has always existed, but was dealt with using petty handwaving.
- Complete Arcane - Just for the Warlock.
- Midnight