Quote from: tenbones;1107414Yeah I *really* want to dive into the Warhammer/40k settings... but using a different system.

I'm kinda considering waiting on CPRed and maybe using the new Interlock for WH40k... it's a fun thought.

Old Interlock, using the CP2020/Mekton (Zeta, for me) crossover rules, would handle 40K very well, IMO. I'm waiting for CPRed myself, to see if it adds anything to that combo.

A while ago, I was in a fantasy campaign that shifted from Fantasy HERO rules to Rolemaster to Fudge. It definitely changed the tone of things.

One of the biggest effects is how the character creation system influences what PCs you get, especially including the magic system. Differences in action resolution are lesser but also have an effect - like hit points vs defense rolls.

Quote from: Ratman_tf;1107419There's things that Rifts characters do because of things like MDC, and PPE, etc, that you might not find in another system.
Like, how do you model draining PPE in Dungeons and Dragons? It's possible (level drain? stat drain?) but it just doesn't "feel" the same.
Likewise, the divide between SDC and MDC means that either you wear MDC body armor, or you get splattered in your first fight. So everyone has their styles of MDC armor, even spellcasters and non-combatants.

Yo, Savage Rifts is a thing.

Quote from: tenbones;1107370How much does the system impact the settings which you play? What settings play better/worse with what systems that you've tried?

I only really play systems that come with their own setting.

I've never tried any "universal" systems. At this point in my gaming career I find the idea pointless. Why use a universal system for everything when there exists perfectly good systems fine-tuned for whatever specific themes I want to play with? What am I missing here?

The only example I can think of when I would use a system with a setting not designed for it is if I was running a D&D-esque adventure. I wouldn't use D&D, but my D&D-esque game of choice (DCC at the moment).

Quote from: RandyB;1107431Old Interlock, using the CP2020/Mekton (Zeta, for me) crossover rules, would handle 40K very well, IMO. I'm waiting for CPRed myself, to see if it adds anything to that combo.

Actually that was *exactly* what I was thinking about as my fallback. But I wanna give CPRed a shot, and frankly the systems are *extremely* close, so I'm fairly confident that I could shoe-horn the Mekton stuff in there (Roadstrikers especially).

Quote from: Trinculoisdead;1107491I only really play systems that come with their own setting.

I've never tried any "universal" systems. At this point in my gaming career I find the idea pointless. Why use a universal system for everything when there exists perfectly good systems fine-tuned for whatever specific themes I want to play with? What am I missing here?

The only example I can think of when I would use a system with a setting not designed for it is if I was running a D&D-esque adventure. I wouldn't use D&D, but my D&D-esque game of choice (DCC at the moment).

I used to think that.

But there are too many Universal systems out there that have simply proved me wrong in my own assumptions that really worked well for me. I think there is a POWERFUL case for what you're saying - if the designers are committed for that system to exemplify whatever those settings conceits are. But dingbats like many of us out here that GM a lot - will always be inspired by some experience with a system to use in ways it was never intended for... (kinda why this thread exists).

Savage Worlds has been the one system that while far from perfect, has allowed me to dive into other genres without shifting any gears and yet maintaining enough fidelity within those genres because of how the system is designed, that has passed my sniff-test. I knew it in the first 30-minutes of playing my first Deadlands game the potential of the system in my hands - and I wasn't even GMing. And after diving deep into the system across a variety of genres, it's really held up for me and my incredibly finicky playergroup.

But I've thought the same thing for DECADES about Talsorian's Interlock. But I never could sell it to my groups... once the Witcher RPG dropped I felt some vindication! LOL now I *really* wanna use it in a non-Witcher fantasy setting... Wahammer being an obvious choice for me.

Quote from: tenbones;1107370How much does the system impact the settings which you play? What settings play better/worse with what systems that you've tried?

Somewhat. Pretty sure that you have to be much more cautious about entering combat under MERP than under AiME - MERP's critical rules are plain dangerous and if you engage in combat repeatedly, at least by RAW, you're going to eat nasty critical results sooner rather than later. Damage rules and healing have the biggest immediate impact on the dynamics of RPG sessions. It also touches on the issue of whether you play as big damn heroes (tm) or as the guy in 3rd row in Elrond's guard.

Or general Critical Success/Failure rules - it generally leads to more dramatic results in my experience. And the more unlikely a Critical result is (compare, say, a 10% chance to a 1 in 216 chance), the more dramatic the interpretation of it tends to be. That definitely impacts flavor.

Then there is a question what is being abstracted and what is being elaborated in the system. Rolemaster's Crits or Hârnmaster's hit results give more detail than your average D&D attack, characters may bleed, fall, drop their weapon, etc. What info do you want the system to give you and what do you want to be abstract, so that you can fill in the blanks yourself?

And then there is a host of bigger or smaller things that impact flavor: an early Shadowrun Street Sam being able to act twice before you can even so much as twitch a muscle? Damn scary. Dark Heresy 1E characters having skill values of about 30%? As a player, it means you have to work and get creative in stacking bonuses.

Quote from: Brad;1107376And here I disagree; I hated the Saga version with a passion. It's the only SW thing I ever sold.

It's the best D&D-variant I've ever played but that's not saying much because I have played few D&D-based games and D&D has never been more than "alright" to me.

Quote from: estar;1107396The impact of a system is measured by how much work it saves handling the above three for the setting and campaign I run.

This. You can transform RAW D&D into RAW CoC by a finite number of house rules. Or you can go and buy CoC and play it out of the box.

Quote from: estar;1107396The system that works for me is GURPS largely because just about everything correspond on a one for one basis with something specific in a genre or setting. I can see the connection easily, the system in which the pieces fit together is well designed that I don't have to worry about that.

Whereas it doesn't work for me as well because I like games with more attributes and mid-range combat round length (~5 seconds per round).

Quote from: estar;1107396Done over time, you will find that system doesn't have the impact you once thought it did. Instead it comes a tools to an end, running a fun campaign with your friends in the time you have for a hobby.

I can't really agree here. There's games that I approach in a more unethusiastic way specifically due to system. Conversely, I currently feel the itch to play old-school Shadowrun with all its quirks again.

So maybe that's my answer to tenbones after all: System can enhance or dampen my enthusiasm for a game.

Quote from: tenbones;1107498Actually that was *exactly* what I was thinking about as my fallback. But I wanna give CPRed a shot, and frankly the systems are *extremely* close, so I'm fairly confident that I could shoe-horn the Mekton stuff in there (Roadstrikers especially).

Or, depending on the details, pick the parts you like from CPRed and back port them.

Either way, it's a damn good fit for 40K. Interlock scales up better than 40K ever has.

Quote from: RandyB;1107535Or, depending on the details, pick the parts you like from CPRed and back port them.

Either way, it's a damn good fit for 40K. Interlock scales up better than 40K ever has.

That's what I'm banking on. This is also one of those things where I have deep fascination for a setting where I think designers choice in system divorces itself from the assumed realities of the game. In other words the system gets in the way of the setting conceits.

I'm saying this completely as a Warhammer outsider. I've played a few games of 2e fantasy... and I love the setting. I kept feeling the system was kinda eh. Had it's moments. I feel the exact same way about 1e/2e Shadowrun - but felt much worse about the system.

Shadowrun using Savage Worlds (lifting a LOT off of Interface Zero + whatever magical rules from the upcoming SWADE Fantasy splat) seems like a no-brainer. Likewise I'd love to use the new Interlock for a spin in Shadowrun too.

I've got a lot of curiosity for Mythras too, but I'd have to run that natively for a bit to get a good feel for it.

Quote from: tenbones;1107541I've got a lot of curiosity for Mythras too, but I'd have to run that natively for a bit to get a good feel for it.

Same.  I keep getting the urge to run it straight, but hesitate because of the suspicion that it is a great, targeted system that probably hits somewhere other than what I want.  That, and I'm holding out for their Lyonesse RPG.  Given how much I enjoy those books, they might be changing the underlying system to something closer to my wants.