Would you be satisifed with d20 as your only RPG? [Ties into RyanD's blog entry.]

[RyanD]

I'd just like to clarify that in the context of "do most people care about game systems", I'm not arguing that given a world-wide competition on a level playing field to determine "what the one game will be" that D20 would win. I'm just stating the fact that since most people play D&D or a D20 game, and they're far more interested in just playing than in learning a new game (or finding a whole group to try a new game), D&D--D20 gets an advantage by default.

Ryan

 

[Glyfair]

I've always been content with d20 being my only outlet for roleplaying, but I thought I was the exception and not the norm.

I think you'll find that you are the exception among the internet community. If you look at the bulk of the roleplaying community, however, you'll find the majority stick to a single system (or occasionally try a new one and decide to stick with their own). Of that majority, most of them play some version of D&D.

The group that likes to go beyond that just happens to be the hardcore roleplayers (in the sense of being committed to roleplaying) and are likely to gravitate to internet forums.

So after all my babbling, the big question is are you satisifed enough with d20 that you never need to play another RPG again?

I could never play another RPG than d20 and be satisfied, but I wouldn't want to. I like to experiment.

For example, right now I'm starting a Heroquest campaign. IMO, it has the absolute best character generation methods in any RPG. How many roleplaying games can have you write a brief description of your character and develop all his game stats from that? How many have a method (in this case an alternate method) that lets a player sit down and immediately start playing, generating his character as he plays?

I would certainly miss being able to experiment with things like that in my roleplaying games.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

No.

I could get by with d20 Modern, Mutants & Masterminds and one .pdf-only ultralight system (probably FATE or Wushu), though.

The first two fall under the d20 envelope and the second two fall outside the scope of Ryan's intention for the d20 system (which, as near as I can tell, was to have one *mainstream* system).

I'd feel the loss of the HERO System and Silhouette Core - sort of. SilCore is a dead line anyway, because Dream Pod 9 decided to actually make a living by switching from RPGs to, IIRC, part of the film industry. HERO is the most complete RPG core book ever and requires no expansion. So, both lines going out of production wouldn't really hurt my gaming in any way.

I'm not one who thinks d20 doesn't handle certain genres or existing properties; I would prefer a well done d20, HERO or SilCore version of Shadowrun, for example, to what's out there now. CoCd20 is, in my opinion, considerably closer to the feel of Lovecraft's actual stories than BRP CoC. My only knocks on d20 are that the base system is too encumbered with clunky D&Disms like the existing spells (easily enough solved by switching to, say, Modern or Mutants & Masterminds), that it takes a bit too long to prep (not so easily fixed but solvable with True20 or a few other variants) and that it has resisted the introduction of powerful narrative control mechanics like Drama Points or Patience (and those are some of the easiest mechanics to import).

 

[Ranger REG]

I haven't seen any threads on this, but I thought this blog entry by RyanD was a really good read. Granted it pertains to me since I fancy myself a game designer, but I think its interesting even if you're just a player.

What I really was curious about was in one of his comments Ryan said that about 80% of the player base isn't concerned with the system at all and they just want to play in a game. I never thought about that before. I've always been content with d20 being my only outlet for roleplaying, but I thought I was the exception and not the norm.

So after all my babbling, the big question is are you satisifed enough with d20 that you never need to play another RPG again? (I would have made this a poll, but I wanted more then a yes or no answer.)

Yeah, I'm satisfied enough with the constantly evolving and improving d20/OGL rulesystems (and its many variants).

Know that I have tried other games and wasted my early life looking for the perfect RPG, that I didn't actually take the time to enjoy my free time.

 

[Starglim]

An ideal generic system, perhaps, though there will always be game concepts that are too divergent (in a good way) to fit one system without throwing out most of it. d20 is not that system.

 

[WayneLigon]

I wouldn't say 'again' but for the last seven years and more it's been far and away the majority of my gaming. I ran a four or five sessions GURPS thing last year, we are just about to conclude a three month Champions stint, and I did three months or so of Savage Worlds.. and that's been it for non d20 gaming in seven years. The rest has been D&D, d20 Modern, Mutants and Masterminds, True20, Deadlands d20, or Call of Cthulhu d20.

So far, I just don't see anything changing that a great deal. Most of the rest of the systems that used to exist are gone now, and probably won't be coming back and the PDF-only stuff might as well not exist.

 

[Thanee]

...are you satisifed enough with d20 that you never need to play another RPG again?

No. d20 is only useful for a very specific type of roleplaying, while I enjoy other types as well, but they require a system, that is better-suited for them than d20 is. Besides, it's boring to use the same system for everything, I wouldn't even want to do that with a system, that actually can do all of that.

Bye
Thanee

 

[FireLance]

Yes. The core mechanic - 1d20 plus modifiers compared against a target DC - is simple and flexible enough to apply to almost any situation. Everything else can be added or taken away to make it as simple or as complex as desired. You can cut feats, re-define skills, chop and change the magic system, mess with races and classes, add and remove things a PC can do, and it'll still be d20.

I've played a few other systems (GURPS, Lejendary Journeys, Tunnels & Trolls, Maelstrom, Fighting Fantasy, Dragon Warriors) and I own and have read but have not played a few others (ARIA, Lost Souls, various White Wolf games, In Nomine) and find that in terms of rules mechanics, I like the d20 system better than any of them. For me, it strikes a good balance between realism (factors that influence outcomes are roughly mapped to what you expect in the real world) and convenience (simplifications and conventions to make the game run more smoothly), flexibility (ability to model different types of characters, objects, challenges and scenarios) and structure (pre-existing "packages" that can be assembled quickly and easily to make characters, objects, challenges and scenarios).

I also have to admit that when I was younger, and more innocent and idealistic, I tried to create an RPG game system myself. It was a very complex system (I had somehow acquired the idea that complex and realistic == good), with 10 character attributes ranging from 1 to 100 (the player would roll 11d10-10 for each attribute, and rolled another 10d10 which he could add to any of the attributes), weapons dealt damage equal to a number of d10s (a dagger might deal 2d10 damage, for example) and armor absorbed damage equal to a number of d10s (leather armor might absorb 2d10 of damage, for example). To resolve an attack, you would roll d%, add your attack power and your weapon damage, and your opponent would roll d%, add his defence power and the damage absorbed by his armor, and if your roll beat his, you did that much damage.

Somehow, the idea that any system that required the rolling of 120 dice during character creation, and required the adding up of several double-digit numbers to resolve a single attack might be more trouble than it was worth never crossed my mind...

 

[gamecat]

I practically am. Past Shadowrun 3e, D20 is all I play.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

I have only played d&d 3.5, but i would like to play vampire or something (cue the hot goth girls).