Which game would you use?

[mistergone]

I don't see how you can say Feng Shui is moored in its setting, the combat and skills, martial arts and magic can all be used without any ties to the setting.

From what I have seen and understand, the whole rules system is designed to have a specific feel to the game. I'm not saying it's a bad game. It looks like a great game. It's just that the rules it uses were specifically designed for Feng Shui. I don't want to have to strip them out and edit out all the "flavor" and setting-specific material. It's just a personal thing, like I have said, I don't want to buy a whole rulebook when I'm not going to use most of it.

Still looking... if it comes down to it, I might just use my own generic version of the old Saga rules, because while simple, the rules allow for a lot of "free-form action narration". I just have to finish revising and editing what I have.

 

[suburbaknght]

Personally, I would go with d20 Modern, but if you want something else I would recommend GURPS. I don't particularly like the system, but there is a GURPS supplement for everything.

 

[NeuroZombie]

D20 Modern would be my vote, with Four Color to Fantasy as an add-on to add the slight supernatural edge to it.

In fact, thats what I am working on myself.

IMC, The Children of Manna, (for lack of a better name right now) are the PC's, the folks who are destined to defeat Entropy (a god-like being) and bring earth fully into the Mannaworlds (basically the prime+the planes and alternate dimensions).

I am using the basics of the Urban Arcana setting, Magic coming back to earth, etc... and expanding on that. The Pc's, or the Children of Manna will, in the 1st adventure, begin seeing thru "The Veil" that hides supernatural creatures from the mundanes. They will go through a couple of fantasy/horror (ala CoC and those on the WoTc site) adventures until 3rd level, when their destiny is revealed and they will gain a mix of powers as a 1st level Hero in FCTF (which I am treating as a +1 ECL, as opposed to a class choice since I am giving it to them).

Then s*** will hit the fan and they will be thrust into other d20 games worlds (Deadlands, Dragonstar, a few fan made and homebrew settings etc...), whichever I feel like doing at the time.

 

[mistergone]

Interesting, interesting... unfortunately, GURPS is right out, as while it DOES have a book for just about every setting, no way am I gonna buy a book for every setting. And, I am not fond of the rule either, though I've played a couple GURPS games, and they're fine, just not my thing.

Is the new FCtF out yet? The one designed to be more compatible with D20 Modern? I am kind of wary of buying that, but if it is the type of thig that can add fantastic powers to the game, it might be good. See, I have Mutants & Masterminds, and that is hands down my choice for a supers game if I was gonna play one (which I am also trying to do). Hmmm.

See, I think I went into this whole thing kinda biased. I sort of like the idea of Spycraft and Shoadwforce Archer (certainly like the books I've seen), but I didn't want to get it and discover I would have problems adding in everythign I wanted. I wasn't keen on buying D20 Modern, for a couple reasons. Mainly because it's an expensive book, but also, anymore these days, I have to weigh my poential use/enjoyment of an rpg book before I can justify buying it. (I is am broke.) I already have a list of books I want to buy eventually.... hm indeed.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, they have been duly noted. I just have to mull this over some more.

 

[Bagpuss]

From what I have seen and understand, the whole rules system is designed to have a specific feel to the game.

That's correct, the feel is that of Hong Kong action movies, the same Hong Kong action movies that The Matrix stolen a lot of its style from, all the wire-work, spinning kicks while firing M-16's one handed that's the feel of Feng Shui.

Now if you don't want to have a matrix style game don't use Feng Shui, as the rule tie you into PC's being able to do crazy martial arts and fire guns like crazy.

I'm not saying it's a bad game. It looks like a great game. It's just that the rules it uses were specifically designed for Feng Shui. I don't want to have to strip them out and edit out all the "flavor" and setting-specific material.

Seriously there is virtually no editing necessary if you want to simulate a Matrix style campaign.

I don't think there is a better system for doing something like the Matrix. You want players to be able to simulate the lobby scene from The Matrix, then Feng Shui can do that with ease that's what the system was designed to do, D20 Modern can't, GURPS would have real trouble.

It's just a personal thing, like I have said, I don't want to buy a whole rulebook when I'm not going to use most of it.

The only bit you won't use is about 4 or 5 character templates (from the future or past settings), a small section on animals that masquerade as humans, and the a small section on magic (unless you want magic). The bulk of the book is martial arts, gun-fu, and combat.

Still looking... if it comes down to it, I might just use my own generic version of the old Saga rules, because while simple, the rules allow for a lot of "free-form action narration". I just have to finish revising and editing what I have.

Don't know enough about Saga to comment. But seriously Feng Shui is worth the money, it will improve the action in your other games just from reading through it.

 

[Bagpuss]

Looking back at your first post....

I'm looking to run a game that is like a modern horror action saga. Like say, The Matrix with supernatural instead of sci-fi. I mean, it's gonna have everything, from kung-fu werewolves to gunblazing demigods. Ancient secret orders lead by impossibly unspeakable and powerful beings battling superpsychics, genetically altered ninjas, crazed cultists, and fallen angels. I want to be able to throw any and everything I think of in there. And to be able to do that without much work. Basically, I need a game that can do it all.

Except for the fallen angels, then that is the Feng Shui campaign setting without the time-travel.

 

[mistergone]

Hm. And Feng Shui is D20? Or has a D20 version? 'Cause that's sort of important too, something I forgot myself when I thought about using the modified Saga rules (which can be found on my website, uh....here ). I forgot (duh) I wanted to go with a D20 based system because most people know D20 already, and it would be easier to get them to play then.

Honestly, over the last few days (and a couple trips to the game store) I think I will scuttle my whole idea for now, alas. While I really do want to run a modern horror action game, I think I'll have to wait. Prolly for the best, due to a couple reasons. One, I don't have the funds to go out and buy a new book right now anyways (if people would buy my stuff I might >blatant plug<). Two, Eden Studios is supposedly releasing AFMBE 2nd Ed. soon with D20 rules, and that might be even easier to talk people into a one shot game of, then like ease them into the idea of a full-blown modern horror game. A bonus reason is I have been staring at the Spycraft rulebooks with lust in my heart, too.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I'd reccomend d20 Modern, actually, with a couple tweaks. Scrap Jump limits and use the Four Color to Fantasy supplement if you've got it. Either use the Hero class or just give people a certain number of Hero points per level to spend on whatever schtick they're working with.

If the game's going to be that over-the-top, take the stuff they trimmed from D&D to make d20 Modern less gaudy and put it back in, in force. I don't know how to advance an Advanced Class to 20 levels while maintaining d20 Modern's "something cool every level" principle, but something could be worked out. You need to do that for the really scary psionics, though 4CTF will help with that considerably.

That's what I'm doing for my superheroes game. You mentioned avoiding a comics-style tone, but you're talking about an essentially comic-style world, but darker and with less heroics, yes? And no spandex.

 

[Bagpuss]

I believe Feng Shui had a D20 cross over adventure published so it might have D20 rules, but you'ld be better sticking with the original. Your players and add / subtract and count to 4? Feng Shui is that simple.