why not a grand mixology game?

[fireinthedust]

I've tried pitching this concept in various forms to various groups, but I am always met with ridicule. I'd like some suggestions as to why.

The idea: a multi-genre game setting using as many d20 system sources as I can, with minor tweeking.

Example: a d20 future game in a cyberpunk setting, with vampires and werewolves and Mages from Monte Cook's World of Darkness d20, some 3e or Pathfinder classes and equipment and monsters, and, I dunno, the CoC d20 sanity system or something.


Example 2: Rifts d20, using the above materials, possibly using the Star Wars saga edition rules as a launching point.

Never, and I mean NEVER do I get more than an "uuuuummmm... let's play D&D!"

Is it ME? Is it something I SAID? These are the same people who don't do supers games for too-too long, and are a bit leery of star wars... but I'm just not sure these boards would fare much better. I've tried pbp offers on at least one forum, and possibly this one as well.

I digest. I baking powder.


Any questions? Any answers? Any bones? Any rags? Any bottles today? Any rags?

 

[darkwing]

Our group went from "D&D4e" to "D&D4e: Marvel Universe" just by traveling through a portal. You'd be surprised how well reskinning works for something like that. My axe wielding Minotaur Slayer became Wolverine. I didn't have to change the mechanics of any part of my character and it worked out amazingly well (I just changed the fluff parts... my axe became my claws, I was no longer a minotaur, etc...). Our DM said making the enemies was amazingly easy with the way 4e was designed.

 

[fireinthedust]

that's pretty funny. Who'd you fight?

EDIT: also, Ghost Rider as a Fire Genasi Avenger! Flail/whip combo? Mount writeup using a Nightmare for the motorcycle?

 

[Mark CMG]

ks20?*











*kitchen sink twenty?

 

[darkwing]

that's pretty funny. Who'd you fight?

Hydra. Every time we killed a non-minion, a minion would pop out of nowhere. This represented "every time you strike one of us down, another will take our place." It was a pretty fun fight... the DM could have killed us if he wanted to.

 

[scourger]

...Is it ME?...

No, it's not you. I love the idea that d20 is a generic system, but my players never really embraced it. We did play some Star Wars, Judge Dredd and other d20 derivative games; but they were almost all pretty short-lived. The best success we had was with Omega World. But, I doubt we'll be going back to anything d20 any time soon. I would kind of like to do so, but I just don't see it happening due to a general lack of interest.

We've had much better multi & cross genre success with Savage Worlds. Perhaps because it is not tied strongly to a genre-specific setting as d20 is with its particular brand of fantasy. Also, the players can take their characters to different genres. That seems to help a lot.

That should be something you could do with d20, but the classes may get in the way a bit. The best advice I can offer is to make it D&D plus other elements. Find what motivates you as a DM & storyteller and then join it to what motivates the players to play their characters.

 

[Loonook]

I've tried pitching this concept in various forms to various groups, but I am always met with ridicule. I'd like some suggestions as to why.

The idea: a multi-genre game setting using as many d20 system sources as I can, with minor tweeking.

Example: a d20 future game in a cyberpunk setting, with vampires and werewolves and Mages from Monte Cook's World of Darkness d20, some 3e or Pathfinder classes and equipment and monsters, and, I dunno, the CoC d20 sanity system or something.


Example 2: Rifts d20, using the above materials, possibly using the Star Wars saga edition rules as a launching point.

Never, and I mean NEVER do I get more than an "uuuuummmm... let's play D&D!"

I digest. I baking powder.


Any questions? Any answers? Any bones? Any rags? Any bottles today? Any rags?

Answers are that you're working with multiple power-levels that could digress into some very interesting things. I see no problem in making a kitchen sink game.

I do find an issue with a mixology campaign though. I mean, I understand that the Troll Meadtenders of Grak'a'dul do war with the Dwarven Beersmithies of the Mithril Mines of Durkin... But I think it may get too real.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

 

[kitsune9]

Some players like gonzo games. It seems like your group doesn't. For me, I would love it if I can get my players just to play Iron Kingdoms or Eberron, but only one player is on board for that. The other player displays his gross ignorance and says, "Oh is that the setting with robots? Pass." Everyone else in my group just isn't into those campaigns. They want Tolkien and that's it.

I would say that's my only frustration with my group.

God forbid if I suggest a different rpg aside from Pathfinder (before Pathfinder, it was 3.5) because my players are very much, "Thou shalt have no other gods other than D&D Thy Zeus."

 

[fireinthedust]

Yeah, basically.

I think it'd be neat to do a d20 future cyberpunk setting using the McWoD rules: vampires and werewolves and cyborgs and aliens. What's not to love?

Maybe because it seems like such wasted potential. I mean, if they had a choice of living in a setting where everyone dwelt in thatched roofed cottages; or living in a slick setting with modern conveniences... which would you pick?

It could be that the rules are so spread out, and that there's so much potential. What kind of werewolf are you going to be? What kind of Mage? Cyborg? Mutant?

People seem to need options spelled out for them, to be directed at a dungeon door and pushed towards it. Online and offline, I'd say. Give folks too much and maybe, just maybe, they get paralysed by potential! It would explain why there have been so many drunken dwarf fighters, hot elven wizards, halfling thieves, etc. over the years.

Then again, it's hell designing games for groups that can't be understood. Look at Superhero games: try coming up with a plot vs a group as varied as the Justice League! Very difficult. Too many options = very little focus.

And very little balance. Some classes would just need to be gimped in a Kitchen Sink game (which, if you're doing Mixology right, is where the magic happens! (not really, it's filthy in sinks, but at least it's not on the floor)), if mixed with other classes.

My current group is great, and are playtesting the materials i've hinted at in my sig, every week for a while now. If all goes well, they'll get to do some other things for me for a long time before we get anywhere near a KSd20 game.

But still! No one else is geeking out about the potential? guh.

 

[Bedrockgames]

Have you played Torg. It is a cohesive multi-genre setting. You could easily do a d20 torg by taking various d20 rule books and using them for each of the different realms. If you want multi genre d20, i would start there (just keep in mind, torg itself is not a d20 game.)