What would you look for in a new RPG?

[invokethehojo]

I'm working on my own system, just thought I would ask what everyone out there would look for in a new RPG. Any answer is good, from theme to genre to rules to settings.

I prefer rules that are open, meaning classless and not specific to any era or genre, so you can play whatever your in the mood for without having to change the rules to fit it.

 

[Derren]

Classless would be nice. That gives me more options to create the character I want.

But generally I have become bored with the settings you usually find as RPGs (LotR clones, etc.)
So a new RPG should have a either completely fantastical setting outside of normal conventions (like what Planescape does) or a RPG oriented on a more unused historical area (ancient times or the Napoleonic wars)

 

[Aurumvorax]

Frankly, there are plenty of rules light, open games and many that are free (Risus, FUDGE). What I want to see are more diceless games.

 

[invokethehojo]

Classless would be nice. That gives me more options to create the character I want.

But generally I have become bored with the settings you usually find as RPGs (LotR clones, etc.)
So a new RPG should have a either completely fantastical setting outside of normal conventions (like what Planescape does) or a RPG oriented on a more unused historical area (ancient times or the Napoleonic wars)

I love the idea of playing in the same setting in different eras and having the history connect the eras. So instead of writing an epic campaign where the players save the world... and ultimately it not really meaning anything, adventures would place the characters in pivotal points in history, where they can affect the details of how nations formed, cultures changed, and empires toppled. Less detail on each individual region, more detail on how those regions interact with each other and change over time.

so one campaign might be becoming famous pirates during the renaissance era and having to hide the bulk of your loot before the navy can take it from you... and the next campaign might be a industrial revolution era game where your hunting down that treasure.

Does that concept sound interesting?

 

[Jhaelen]

I prefer rules that are open, meaning classless and not specific to any era or genre, so you can play whatever your in the mood for without having to change the rules to fit it.

...and that's precisely what I don't look for in a new rpg - there's already plenty designed for such a purpose.

What I seek in rpgs is a close match of theme and mechanics. Favorite examples: Ars Magica and Pendragon. The rules have to emphasize the things that are important to the setting.

 

[Smoss]

It is inherently selfish, but what *I* look for in systems are unique bits of mechanics. To improve my own RPG system. It is getting harder to do that with time. So go innovate for me!

But I do love classless systems - Fantasy setting (Or Star Wars. Damn fanboy nature of mine there!)

I went with a more "Shadowrun" style of system in a way. No classes or levels. Just get build points (I call them "Experience Points". Very original of me!) - And build characters buying attributes (2 xp), feats (1 xp), and techniques (2 xp). Like SR, I also built some "archetype" starter characters and posted them up on my website. To ease those who have trouble with the whole "plethora of choice" thing...
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Smoss
Doulairen

 

[ERIN6]

I'm new here ,Can't give you any suggestion,but i'm insterested it too

 

[Mercurius]

There are already hundreds, if not thousands of different RPGs out there of every conceivable genre, theme, rules framework, etc. If you want to design an RPG my advice would not be to ask "What do you want in an RPG?" but to ask yourself What do you want to create in an RPG? What sort of game do you want to make and play? In other words, follow your passion!

 

[Mercurius]

I love the idea of playing in the same setting in different eras and having the history connect the eras. So instead of writing an epic campaign where the players save the world... and ultimately it not really meaning anything, adventures would place the characters in pivotal points in history, where they can affect the details of how nations formed, cultures changed, and empires toppled. Less detail on each individual region, more detail on how those regions interact with each other and change over time.

so one campaign might be becoming famous pirates during the renaissance era and having to hide the bulk of your loot before the navy can take it from you... and the next campaign might be a industrial revolution era game where your hunting down that treasure.

Does that concept sound interesting?

Sounds great; following my advice above, I would go with this and try to figure out what kind of rules set would work for it.

Are you familiar with the out-of-print game Aria: Canticle of the Monomyth? It has elements of what you are trying to do and was very high concept in that regard but was criticized for its awkward rules set. It looks like Amazon has some [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Aria-Roleplaying-Canticle-Monomyth/dp/0964590301/ref=sr_1_4?s=gateway&ie=UTF8&qid=1285425765&sr=8-4"]used copies.[/ame] There is one supplement called Worlds, but it is generally harder to find and more expensive and doesn't add a whole lot, if I remember correctly. But Aria seemed to work on at least two levels: the development of civilization over time, and the individuals involved. Game play was telescopic; it could focus in or come out.

You might also want to play with the idea of reincarnation, that the players play the same souls reincarnating over time, perhaps interacting with the results of their deeds in previous lives. This brings a mystical/spiritualist element you might not want, but is another approach.

In a similar vein, the PCs of this game could be akin to some kind of highly evolved race that is guiding the direction of human civilization. Perhaps the only way they can do this is by incarnating into human form; they do so at key junctures in history, in order to effect the direction. You could bring in elements like secret societies, the Illuminati, ascended and enlightened masters, etc. Perhaps there are different groups of beings working against each other?

 

[invokethehojo]

There are already hundreds, if not thousands of different RPGs out there of every conceivable genre, theme, rules framework, etc. If you want to design an RPG my advice would not be to ask "What do you want in an RPG?" but to ask yourself What do you want to create in an RPG? What sort of game do you want to make and play? In other words, follow your passion!

I've already asked myself that question, over a year ago when I started working on this project. But every now and then I like to get some unbiased opinions on what could persuade others to spend money on a new RPG. If I come on here and say "this is my game, what do you think" it won't really go very well because I can't post my 80 page rough draft of the "player book" that is constantly changing and expect everyone to give me informed criticism. I also can't give a basic outline of how my game works without creating more questions than answers.

However, what I can do is ask a very open ended question, hope the thread gets long, and then scan the whole thing to see how the general responses compare to what I'm writing.

Sometimes I get nothing, but usually I get a good idea of what direction I should be heading and maybe what to focus on as I continue to write.