During the heyday of the RPG craze (which I figure was the late 80's to mid-90's ) a bunch of really cool game came out. Very few of them have stayed in print to this very day. What out-of-print game would you love to see continued officially?
I would really love for a well resourced company to re-imagine the horror RPG Kult (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kult). There was a half-assed attempt at a revival recently by a french company called 7th Circle, but it failed miserably. Kult's status as a license is unknown to everybody.
Similarly, attempts at re-publishing the Chill RPG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chill_(role-playing_game)) have yet to yield any results. The company that currently holds the license doesn't have the capital to put the game out there.
Kult and Chill are two amazing games that deserve to be huge, but by nature will never ascend their cult status.
I playtested Chill 3rd edition a few years ago and the system was a mess. You can probably still find it on the web somewhere. There were a few great ideas - mechanics for enforcing the power of a team and how that team morale would be broken if one or more were lost and mechanics for showing the ramping up of the story as the climax approached. However, everything else was Rolemastery and overdone.
As for RPGs I would love to see get a second chance, I am deeply surprised that WotC has not done anything with either Top Secret or Star Frontiers.
Quote from: Spinachcat;280592As for RPGs I would love to see get a second chance, I am deeply surprised that WotC has not done anything with either Top Secret or Star Frontiers.
Where have you been? A large chunk of setting for
d20 Future was taken directly from Star Frontiers.
As far as games I'd like to see more popular, I'd love to see
Mekton return witha vengeance.
Mekton Zeta and its predecessor
Mekton II were able to capture the anime mecha genre perfectly IMHO. The system beat the holy shit out of
Battletech on every level.
I'd love to see new versions of these games, with wider audience recognition:
DragonQuest
Legendary Lives
Lost Souls
Nephilim
Psi-World
Jorune
I think the original post is based on a premise that "getting republished" is enough to make an old RPG mainstream. Well, okay, I'd like to see Crimson Cutlass republished just because I've heard some nifty things about it and it's just about impossible to find.
I'd also like to see Waste World republished. And Jorune. I think there may be some work going on to officially GURPS-ify Jorune but I'd rather that if either of these games were republished with a new system, it'd be a simpler one (particularly as regards chargen) along the lines of Omni/Talislanta, or one of the old school throwbacks, or perhaps Barbarians of Lemuria.
BTW, most of the games I'd like to see republished would be so that other people could access them easily (without borrowing them from me). I wouldn't change much about Dragonquest for example. (Good call, Jason.)
Space 1889 is another candidate--I never played the game but a friend of mine has infected me with his enthusiasm.
Quote from: Spinachcat;280592I playtested Chill 3rd edition a few years ago and the system was a mess. You can probably still find it on the web somewhere. There were a few great ideas - mechanics for enforcing the power of a team and how that team morale would be broken if one or more were lost and mechanics for showing the ramping up of the story as the climax approached. However, everything else was Rolemastery and overdone.
As for RPGs I would love to see get a second chance, I am deeply surprised that WotC has not done anything with either Top Secret or Star Frontiers.
I playtested the Chill rules too. That new ruleset Other World Creations tried to implement was clunky as hell. It's a pity, because I think that if they would have simplified that percentile based system and maybe made the whole S.A.V.E storyline a bit more edgy, they would have delivered a very good RPG that could have stand on it's own in this market.
I emailed the guys a month or so ago to ask them how the game was going.
No response.
Tricky.
The good thing about my group is that I'm not limited by what is the new, hot game - assuming I evne knew that that was. I can just as easily run an retro game like Gamma World or D6 Star Wars or a modern "indie" game like octaNe of 3:16 or even a homebrew system I might come up with. So I am not really affected by what game is considered mainstream and thanks to the Internet, getting hold of out of print games isn't that hard. And frankly, I don't there that many games that actually benefit from on-going support. Once you have the rulebook, what else do you really need?
Incidentally, that bad thing of my group is that while we are open to try almost any game, if it's not a great success first time round it can be hard to get people to give it a second chance. Ah, the pressure!
How about Castle Falkenstein? I've hear some very good shit about the R. Talsorian version.
I agree 100% that ongoing "support" isn't desirable for a game at all. I particularly hate ongoing rule-bloat, and I'd probably hate metaplot if I'd ever let it come anywhere near me. Self-contained adventures are okay, though.
Quote from: jeff37923;280600Where have you been? A large chunk of setting for d20 Future was taken directly from Star Frontiers.
That's like saying Planescape got a new edition because they put out the Manual of the Planes.
Quote from: Elliot Wilen;280607Well, okay, I'd like to see Crimson Cutlass republished just because I've heard some nifty things about it and it's just about impossible to find.
It's nigh-impossible because I doubt more than 1000 copies were sold. I see them on eBay about once per year. Shame the author never put out a PDF.
Quote from: Spinachcat;280645That's like saying Planescape got a new edition because they put out the Manual of the Planes.
Notice how I didn't say it was satisfying?
:D
I'm gonna say Star Wars D6. Can I say Star Wars D6? I'm gonna say Star Wars D6.
It'd be nice to see Backstage Press' Theatrix come back, too. It's a diceless game and it's a good diceless game, and it's loads of fun for one-off pick-up games.
Oh -- and Extreme Vengeance, too. Maybe shined up and streamlined a little. Oh, man, the memories...I used to play a Mexican-American dude named Antonio Machísimo, who was part Antonio Banderas and part Cheech Marín. he had twin 9mm pistols with pearl handles, one fashioned like the Mexican flag and the other like the Stars & Stri--
...
...okay, back on topic. HEY! Marvel Super Heroes! YEAH!!
Extreme Vengeance? I've never ever heard of that game. Wait, you had a character called Antonio; he was mexican, he had 2 9mm pistols? I'm intrigued!
Yeah, it was an action movie game by Tony Lee. Archangel Entertainment, 1997. Back cover blurb:
QuoteSNEAK PREVIEW
So ya wanna be an action hero?
With EXTREME VENGEANCE it's no problem! Be the baddest dude around as you take on all threats foreign or domestic! Protect innocents from s.o.b. terrorist scum, fight for what's right in every land, and kick butts the Hollywood way! Mow down psychotic miscreants, obliterate slimy thugs, free hostages, avenge a pal, rescue a damsel, put low-lifes behind bars, and still have time to flash that winning smile! If Arnold, Sly, Clint, Chuck, Jean-Claude, and the rest of the gang can do it, so can you!
Unlike ordinary, wimpy role-playing games where keeping track of ammo and passing off two-shots-a-minute from behind cover are the norm, this one is overloaded with larger-than-life heroes who speed into a roomful of armed men on a forklift with auto-rifles and contempo tunes thundering loudly; who watch an enemy jet explode 20 feet away, then casually make dinner plans with the attractive foreign beneficiaries of their heroism via subtitles.
That's right! No boring "realism", no tedious modifiers, no grim storytelling, no holds barred! Just outrageous plots, wild action, and rip-roaring fun that delivers all the cinematic excitement right to you!
EXTREME VENGEANCE is an "explosive action-adventure extravaganza" in one book. All you need are two or three fellow stars, a hunger for action, and a pile of six-sided dice!
So get ready for the reel world, and let the show commence!
Right away we can see why this game needs to be redone--the concept is solid freaking gold (roll a bunch of dice and make crazy-ass movie shit happen), but the writing is too enthusiastic. It needed to be reigned in and tightened up.
The mechanics were just fine; they actually simulated action-movie clichés rather well and let you focus more on blowing shit up than on...well, anything else, really.
As for Antonio, well--I played him with a ridiculous accent (think "We don' nee' no esTEEENK-EENG BADGERS!"), as an uber-macho ladies' man who would light his cigarettes on the burning hulks of downed helicopters and would drink tequila straight out of the bottle right after he used it to conk a mofo the hell out. "All I need ees a boddel o' tequila een WAN HAN', an' TOO WEEMEN in de ODDER!"
Ah, ha ha ha...! GREAT TIMES!
I do have to admit that I'm surprised that Space:1889 hasn't made a comeback.
RPGPundit
Thread title says obscure, OP says out of print...
Now I have to think of a different answer than the one I came prepared to post.
Erm... DC Heroes / MEGS?
Arduin
Space: 1889
Castle Falkenstein
Mercenaries, Spies, and Private Eyes
CORPS 1st ed
Hong Kong Action Theater! 1st ed
Chill 1st ed--with the big Everything Chart on the back of the books.
Talislanta
Everway
Metascape--that's right!--I said it--with the crazy fucking moon voodoo dice
Justfiers
Terra Incognita
Over the Edge
Unknown Armies
Lace and Steel
Battlelords of the 23rd Century
Metal Magic and Lore
Pandemonium
There're more, but these are the ones I really think deserved better than they got.
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;280668Yeah, it was an action movie game by Tony Lee. Archangel Entertainment, 1997. Back cover blurb:
Right away we can see why this game needs to be redone--the concept is solid freaking gold (roll a bunch of dice and make crazy-ass movie shit happen), but the writing is too enthusiastic. It needed to be reigned in and tightened up.
The mechanics were just fine; they actually simulated action-movie clichés rather well and let you focus more on blowing shit up than on...well, anything else, really.
As for Antonio, well--I played him with a ridiculous accent (think "We don' nee' no esTEEENK-EENG BADGERS!"), as an uber-macho ladies' man who would light his cigarettes on the burning hulks of downed helicopters and would drink tequila straight out of the bottle right after he used it to conk a mofo the hell out. "All I need ees a boddel o' tequila een WAN HAN', an' TOO WEEMEN in de ODDER!"
Ah, ha ha ha...! GREAT TIMES!
EV sounds bloody brilliant! I can think of a million different scenarios for a game. Arnold's Commando comes to mind when I think of this game. I imagine ultraviolent adventures with as many one-liners as gunshots. Would you say the system is easy to learn and teach?
Another game I can think of is Recon. Recon is a percentile based RPG re-printed by Palladium. I think it's the only Palladium published game that doesn't feature the megaversal system. The players play recon groups that go into the jungle to accomplish different goals. The system is fast and very, very deadly. Players die like flies and you roll them up almost as fast. Recon is another game that fell in between the cracks during the 90s.
Quote from: stu2000;280672Talislanta
Still "in print" I believe, if you count PDFs from DriveThruRPG.
Personally I'd roll the rules back to 3e, but use the art from 1e/2e, and combine worldbooks/magic books/bestiaries from across the editions. (Chronicles should be left alone, though.)
Recon's still in print. Palladium has an edition that combines Revised Recon with Advanced Recon. It's called Deluxe Revised Recon.
Quote from: vomitbrown;280675Would you say the system is easy to learn and teach?
Do it with your eyes clo-- well, no, 'cause then you'd be holding the book upside down and everyone would be, like, "LOLZ U R A TARD".
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;280678Do it with your eyes clo-- well, no, 'cause then you'd be holding the book upside down and everyone would be, like, "LOLZ U R A TARD".
Shit, I'm totally intrigued. Does the system differentiate from "mooks" (the name-less bad guys that are there to die) and the main villain? Tell me more! LOL
Quote from: Elliot Wilen;280677Still "in print" I believe, if you count PDFs from DriveThruRPG.
Personally I'd roll the rules back to 3e, but use the art from 1e/2e, and combine worldbooks/magic books/bestiaries from across the editions. (Chronicles should be left alone, though.)
Recon's still in print. Palladium has an edition that combines Revised Recon with Advanced Recon. It's called Deluxe Revised Recon.
Using the art from the first 2 eds would be a very, very cool idea. The artwork from those books are so inspiring. The Rules Cyclopedia cover art just oozes with coolness.
You are right about Recon. It's still in print, it's just not supported anymore. There were plans to release Modern Recon (or something like that) using Palladium's megaversal rules (yuck!!!) but the idea was scratched.
Quote from: vomitbrown;280680Shit, I'm totally intrigued. Does the system differentiate from "mooks" (the name-less bad guys that are there to die) and the main villain? Tell me more! LOL
Yes.
Yes, it does (http://www.roninarts.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=487).
Ooops, I think...that you think...that I'm talking about AD&D. And I can sympathize with the idea of wanting the old art back.
But I was talking about Talislanta. IMO the 3e rules best combine clarity with old-school feel. However the art in the first two editions is better, because it has more stuff by PD Breeding-Black.
Aaah that avatar is breaking my soul
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;280683Yes.
Yes, it does (http://www.roninarts.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=487).
Just bought it. LOL!
Y'welcome.
Justifiers (http://www.waynesbooks.com/Justifiers.html) by StarChilde Publications.
Alot of mine are "me too!"'s :
Chill (only ever played first edition (and god was it fun, especially to GM), so for that matter...)
Star Ace (not sure if its just me, but it really seemed to do the "players as members of a fighter squadron" theme very well, down to the mechanics of combat)
Justifiers (another good-memories game)
Cyberpunk (the original and only the original, or a decent 'port thereof - so what if tech has outstripped it?)
Delta Force (Did one thing and one thing only, but did it sooo well - tactical combat. Kinda like the "tip of the spear" version of Top Secret (q.v.))
Top Secret (not sure why this genre and the Delta-Force style tactical rpg aren't more popular, considering world politics and such)
Ringworld (please, please, please someone pick this one back up!)
Continuum: Roleplaying in the Yet.
Though I think it's in print, still. Not sure. It's definitely obscure, though.
Top Secret S/I, Mekton, Providence, Talislanta, Waste World.
I've tons of them I'd love to see "mainstream"
Though let's face it only one game IS: D&D, that's not a bad thing, I just wish it had more legitimate competition.
TORG.
Just TORG for me please.
If I could GURPS-ify the concept/setting I would.
- Ed C.
The Fantasy Trip for me.
Quote from: vomitbrown;280585During the heyday of the RPG craze (which I figure was the late 80's to mid-90's ) a bunch of really cool game came out. Very few of them have stayed in print to this very day. What out-of-print game would you love to see continued officially?
I would really love for a well resourced company to re-imagine the horror RPG Kult (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kult). There was a half-assed attempt at a revival recently by a french company called 7th Circle, but it failed miserably. Kult's status as a license is unknown to everybody.
Similarly, attempts at re-publishing the Chill RPG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chill_(role-playing_game)) have yet to yield any results. The company that currently holds the license doesn't have the capital to put the game out there.
Kult and Chill are two amazing games that deserve to be huge, but by nature will never ascend their cult status.
Oooo I loved CHILL played the hell out of it in college. I would say its still the best Survival Horror RPG. Hands down.
I liked the old R. Talisorian CYBERPUNK. OR West End Games d6 version of Star Wars. IME d20 sucks and should not have been applied to everything. Some game systems have character that applies to the theme of the game. That brings me to my all time favorite Classic DEADLANDS. No d20 bullshit I want fucking cards, chips, and Dice Pools. No bennies... No six stats and a feat... Just slappin leather and flippin chips to sell off your one way ticket down the river styx.
Quote from: Xanther;280756The Fantasy Trip for me.
There's actually a clone of this which is currently commercially available - I can't remember the name of it though.
Quote from: Koltar;280726TORG.
Just TORG for me please.
If I could GURPS-ify the concept/setting I would.
- Ed C.
Why can't you?
As for obscure RPGs that I would like to see become mainstream:
Space:1889 - a fun concept that deserves more attention.
Ringworld - I've never gotten a chance to actually read the original, but I've seen most, if not all, of the art, and Niven essentially endorsed the setting material. I love Niven's "Known Space" setting, and I'm continually baffled as to why another attempt at making it into a RPG hasn't been tried in all these years.
Dark Conspiracy - This really skirts the edge of what is or isn't obscure, but since I rarely see any discussion of it online, I'll mention it. The setting and background were really interesting, and some of the art was really evocative (the character portraits, in particular - I can't think of the artist's name; not Tim Truman).
Quote from: ColonelHardisson;280782Ringworld - I've never gotten a chance to actually read the original, but I've seen most, if not all, of the art, and Niven essentially endorsed the setting material. I love Niven's "Known Space" setting, and I'm continually baffled as to why another attempt at making it into a RPG hasn't been tried in all these years.
This is what I've heard from multiple people both at Chaosium and who've worked with Niven on getting a game made.
There have been attempts (the last about two years ago), but Niven's agent has blocked them.
The
Ringworld IP was licensed to the SciFi Network for adaption into a miniseries or series several years ago. It was announced, but to the best of my knowledge was never made, and likely never will be made.
Despite the fact that Chaosium has/had the rights to do a
Ringworld game, Niven's agent and SciFi has claimed that it is trumped by the larger license. Naturally, they see the license as worth more than any pen-and-paper RPG can muster.
Niven himself was in favor of another game. There were attempts to do a "Known Space" variant of the
Ringworld RPG that excluded the Ringworld itself, but getting into a costly legal battle with the SciFi Network over the IP isn't really a fight Chaosium wanted to have, especially for a game that didn't do that well to begin with.
Quote from: Werekoala;280704Top Secret (not sure why this genre and the Delta-Force style tactical rpg aren't more popular, considering world politics and such)
Word.
Really, I'd like to see just about any espionage game that isn't named
Spycraft become popular.
Quote from: Age of Fable;280766There's actually a clone of this which is currently commercially available - I can't remember the name of it though.
Lookee here (http://www.darkcitygames.com/index.php).
Quote from: RPGPundit;280669I do have to admit that I'm surprised that Space:1889 hasn't made a comeback.
RPGPundit
There have been rumours flying around on the Pinnacle boards that Space 1889 might be making a re-appearance using the Savage Worlds rules.
Nothing has been confirmed yet of course but it would be great if it turned out to be true.
Vadrus
It's interesting to see how many times CHILL has been mentioned in this thread. I haven't been able to play it. I Bought the core rulebook off of ebay a few months ago, but it's languished in my book shelf because I currently transitioning between College and Real life.
Even though someone picked Chill's license up, it's more than likely that they will never be able to publish the game.
Space 1889 kicks ass, the rules as written worked fine for me too.
I'd quite like to see a new edition of Top Secret, updating it a bit but keeping the core simplicity.
Gangbusters should be back in print. I'd love that to be mainstream.
Edit: Good topic.
Quote from: Vadrus;280801There have been rumours flying around on the Pinnacle boards that Space 1889 might be making a re-appearance using the Savage Worlds rules.
Nothing has been confirmed yet of course but it would be great if it turned out to be true.
Vadrus
Opinions vary... I'd rather it remain reprinted by heliograph / in limbo, rather than given the SW 'facelift'. Not a big fan of Savage Worlds (and yes, I've played it).
Oh, dude, a spy game, yeah!
As so often, I pretty much agree with stu2000's suggestions.
Also, having bought Dragonquest on a whim and discoursed about it with the Rabbit, that would get my vote as well. At first glance it looks like a D&D-ish game with RQ-ish rules, but there's some strange and interesting uniqueness buried in there.
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;280656I'm gonna say Star Wars D6. Can I say Star Wars D6? I'm gonna say Star Wars D6.
I think by definition, any RPG that was at any time available for purchase at a Walt Disney theme park is
not obscure.
EDIT: On topic, I think that many of the great games listed here would not be able to become mainstream without being castrated of what makes them great games; Kult, Unknown Armies and Over the Edge all fall into this category. My own pick would be Spirit of the Century.
KoOS
In addition to Top Secret, the other game I'd like to see make a smashing comeback is Flashing Blades. For swashbuckling action and early Modern campaigning, it's my system of choice.
In fact, if there's still space available, I'm going to see if I can run a FB adventure at ORCCON in February. Maybe the return of Flashing Blades can begin with me.
I'd like to see Unknown Armies resuscitated and made more mainstream. Lots of fun could be had there.
On Koltar saying he can't GURPSify TORG:
Quote from: ColonelHardisson;280775Why can't you?
I was going to ask the same question. It's not as if GURPS lacks support for dimension-hopping adventure (http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/infiniteworlds/).
Quote from: shalvayez;280997I'd like to see Unknown Armies resuscitated and made more mainstream. Lots of fun could be had there.
How would you make UA mainstream without excising all the distinctive features that make it UA? Let's face it, no RPG with setting features like the Naked Goddess (hell, pornomancy in general) or the Freak is ever going to be "mainstream," and I'm okay with that.
KoOS
Quote from: King of Old School;280988I think by definition, any RPG that was at any time available for purchase at a Walt Disney theme park is not obscure.
Point.
Quote from: Warthur;281000On Koltar saying he can't GURPSify TORG:
I was going to ask the same question. It's not as if GURPS lacks support for dimension-hopping adventure (http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/infiniteworlds/).
Here's the awkward truth : I discivered
"TORG!" maybe 5 to 10 years after it was available .
I don't own a copy of it .
What I DO own are the three paperback books trilogy that was used to introduce the setting and universes of it . Not 'great literature but it was a fun read.
One time I was able to borrow the game books briefly from a gamer aquaintance - the idea and settings looked very fun - but the actual game mechanics seemed somewhat clumsy . Then I had to give the guy his books back.
SO....kind of difficult to convert without the original documents.
- Ed C.
Nephilim and Kult should have been huge. Deep, rich modern settings rife with possibility.
Unfortunately, I believe both games suffered from systems too poor to render the gameplay properly...
Well, Spacemaster Privateers naturally, and Galaxies in Shadow and "among the beautiful creatures". ;)
But out of the oddball stuff, $tarcorp$ by Crunchy Frog. Seriously, who wouldn't want a light hearted hardish sf miniatures game with space ninjas and snotmebas?
I'd also like a blended integration of Wizard's Realm and High Fantasy with the character creation system from WR grafted onto High Fantasy's magic and down time mechanics. Combat would lean towards High Fantasy and all stats and skills would be percentile. Essentially you'd have an attack table that handed out hits, armour damage, and criticals and then a few pages of Rolemaster style critical hit tables.
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;280656I'm gonna say Star Wars D6. Can I say Star Wars D6? I'm gonna say Star Wars D6.
[/B]
I have to second this post.
David, please say more about Wizard's Realm. I'm a fan of High Fantasy but I don't think I've heard of WR before.
Quote from: Nihilistic Mind;281131Nephilim and Kult should have been huge. Deep, rich modern settings rife with possibility.
Unfortunately, I believe both games suffered from systems too poor to render the gameplay properly...
Amen to that brother! Kult is by far the best setting I have ever seen! I've dreamed of seeing Kult with a fancy system that caters more to horror & storytelling than that awkward,piece of shit, system it employs. It would also be cool to see a company that can deliver books with high production values. Kult is the perfect game for all of us postmod gamers out there ;)
Quote from: Jaeger;280931Opinions vary... I'd rather it remain reprinted by heliograph / in limbo, rather than given the SW 'facelift'. Not a big fan of Savage Worlds (and yes, I've played it).
That's true - Space:1889 was reprinted by Heliograph a while back, and I don't think it really did all that well, whether because of marketing, too small of a press, or whatever... although I did like the collections of the magazine.
Quote from: Nihilistic Mind;281131Nephilim and Kult should have been huge. Deep, rich modern settings rife with possibility.
Unfortunately, I believe both games suffered from systems too poor to render the gameplay properly...
Nephilim's problem, I think, was more that it wasn't very clear on what it was for, whether in the marketing or in the books. IIRC, you were playing a sort of astral parasite that would live in other people's bodies for a while, and then after death would sort of lurk like a psychic landmine until someone activated you and you took over their life... not the most heroic of characters to play.
Plus, there was sort of a muddled cross between fighting the forces that were trying to wipe out your kind and trying to achieve some sort of transcendance - again, I remember it not really being clear what you were sitting down with this character to *do*.
So, games I'd like to have become mainstream? Hm. Space:1889 is one I'd love to see become more popular, and having Mekton return would be neat too, I think. BESM pretty much has the 'rules light' part of the anime RPG covered, IMHO, and Mekton nicely covered the 'rules heavy/wargame' end of the curve.
I'm hoping the new release of Traveller stays on to become more mainstream - I realize it's famous and a bit name, but I've never been able to play it, although it looks like I'll get into a campaign later next month.
There's another cool-as-fucking-hell indy RPG called Blood! It was re-released by the good guys at Postmortem Studios. It runs on a percentile system that's a bit too clunky (wayyyy tooo many charts) for my tastes but It's an amazing, old-school, game to run 80's inspired horror.
I've thought about trying to write a short campaign for Blood! but I've yet to sit down to do it.
Quote from: jcfiala;281222Nephilim's problem, I think, was more that it wasn't very clear on what it was for, whether in the marketing or in the books. IIRC, you were playing a sort of astral parasite that would live in other people's bodies for a while, and then after death would sort of lurk like a psychic landmine until someone activated you and you took over their life... not the most heroic of characters to play.
Plus, there was sort of a muddled cross between fighting the forces that were trying to wipe out your kind and trying to achieve some sort of transcendance - again, I remember it not really being clear what you were sitting down with this character to *do*.
That's very true. Even supplements left things to interpretation.
I think it could have used a stronger GM advice section too and help clarify a lot of possibilities offered through play.
In my case it would be Usagi Yojimbo. It's not an old game, but it's so obscure that very few people heard of it when it was released (including myself). A pity, because I think the system is very well thought out, and it portrays the source material really well. I really love this game! :)
Quote from: Claudius;281308In my case it would be Usagi Yojimbo. It's not an old game, but it's so obscure that very few people heard of it when it was released (including myself). A pity, because I think the system is very well thought out, and it portrays the source material really well. I really love this game! :)
I got the impression from another thread that there are two quite different versions. Which one are you referring to so I can keep my eye out?
Quote from: Nicephorus;281317I got the impression from another thread that there are two quite different versions. Which one are you referring to so I can keep my eye out?
Sorry, I meant the Sanguine Productions version. I do recommend it. :)
The other one is the Gold Rush Games version.
Quote from: Elliot Wilen;281148David, please say more about Wizard's Realm. I'm a fan of High Fantasy but I don't think I've heard of WR before.
Okay, Wizard's Realm was a pretty basic frp. Orcs, dwarfs, bogeys, teleporting dragons, the usual stuff. The art was very flowing and disneyesque or perhaps Charles Vessesque only less so. The cover had a really bad colouring job that made it butt ugly. I think they'd have done better with black and white. It wasn't mainstream game art but it was nice.
Anyhow, character creation was 2d10 for eight attributes. Mostly the usual ones with dexterity and agility being separate IRRC. Then you spent three skill points and wrote down what your character called what they did as your character class. A skill point was good for a +1 with a weapon or a base rating of 50% in a skill or a variable base rating in a spell or +5% in a skill or spell. The races gave minor attribute modifiers.
Melee was a combat total system with three stats +1d20 for attack and defense with the weapons having attack and defense modifiers and the damage being the amount the defense was beaten by. Missile weapons had a table that gave their chance to hit and damage at different ranges.
It was a fun little game all told and crammed a lot into a very small book. Races, monsters, spells all in a very minimalist but clear format. They even had the of iconic characters from the illustrations stated up and a map of a town with a short key and a very empty world map.
It's games like Wizard's Realm and High Fantasy that inspire me to design.
STAR FRONTIERS is available at: StarFrontiers.com for FREE. Marvel Superheroes (the original, etc.) is available for free somewhere else on the Net, if anyone's interested in those gems.
Nephilim and KULT, for sure. Although, I have found a lot of themes of KULT are in World of Darkness, so much so that they had articles in their magazine about how to do crossovers.
Nephilim is clunky to the max (the magic system is especially unwieldy). The authors seem to take great delight in trying to make the system as difficult as possible to understand. And tighter goals would be a good thing. As for astral parasites, well, that's part of playing something different (though I wouldn't mind if they changed that somewhat).
Quote from: teckno72;281423Nephilim and KULT, for sure. Although, I have found a lot of themes of KULT are in World of Darkness, so much so that they had articles in their magazine about how to do crossovers.
Themes, yeah sure. I would rather play in Kult's setting than the WoD. The Lie, man! The Illusion! (I'll stop the spoiling right about there).
Quote from: teckno72;281423Nephilim is clunky to the max (the magic system is especially unwieldy). The authors seem to take great delight in trying to make the system as difficult as possible to understand. And tighter goals would be a good thing. As for astral parasites, well, that's part of playing something different (though I wouldn't mind if they changed that somewhat).
Yup. A new system that supports the type of games that should be run with Nephilim would be nice. And astral parasite? Lol. That's not untrue but a weird way to put it, I suppose. :P
How DOES one roleplay a KULT character at -250 or +250 or so? I always thought that was a valid question, though I do love the game.
Quote from: jcfiala;281222Nephilim's problem, I think, was more that it wasn't very clear on what it was for, whether in the marketing or in the books. IIRC, you were playing a sort of astral parasite that would live in other people's bodies for a while, and then after death would sort of lurk like a psychic landmine until someone activated you and you took over their life... not the most heroic of characters to play.
Plus, there was sort of a muddled cross between fighting the forces that were trying to wipe out your kind and trying to achieve some sort of transcendance - again, I remember it not really being clear what you were sitting down with this character to *do*.
With some of the supplements, there were other interpretations which were less unpleasant, but per the core rules it did strike me you were basically playing a Lovecraftian horror that effectively possessed people and took their place in order to further its own goals.
When I read the core book, I recall thinking, surely we should be playing the guys fighting these things?
Quote from: teckno72;281861How DOES one roleplay a KULT character at -250 or +250 or so? I always thought that was a valid question, though I do love the game.
The game becomes completely cerebral or it becomes a game of 'what creature/cult/secret society can I kill next?'
At least that's what I always imagined it would be like...
I've never heard of anyone getting there and I certainly haven't.
Quote from: Balbinus;281988With some of the supplements, there were other interpretations which were less unpleasant, but per the core rules it did strike me you were basically playing a Lovecraftian horror that effectively possessed people and took their place in order to further its own goals.
When I read the core book, I recall thinking, surely we should be playing the guys fighting these things?
Same here. As a GM, some might find that it is something to tap into as the characters realize they are nothing more than monsters, really. What do they do next?
I used that a lot without it getting old.
Quote from: teckno72;281861How DOES one roleplay a KULT character at -250 or +250 or so? I always thought that was a valid question, though I do love the game.
At that point, the game has gone past straight horror (or Splatterpunk) and moves into dark fantasy. A game with -/+ 250 characters would probably look and feel like something set in Lovecraft's Dreamlands.
This thread made me want to re-read my Kult books.
Dragon Warriors, if nobody's said that yet.
Made of pure rules-lite old school win.
Quote from: vomitbrown;282630This thread made me want to re-read my Kult books.
Lol, I know, me too. I have most of the 1st edition books and I cracked opened my Metropolis Sourcebook open a couple of days after this thread...
Same with Nephilim.
Oh, and it's not quite obscure either, but I wouldn't mind Amber Roleplaying to become mainstream.
It might be to inexpensive for mainstreams, since it's free
Quote from: Dr Rotwang!;280668SNEAK PREVIEW
So ya wanna be an action hero?
With EXTREME VENGEANCE it's no problem! Be the baddest dude around as you take on all threats foreign or domestic! Protect innocents from s.o.b. terrorist scum, fight for what's right in every land, and kick butts the Hollywood way! Mow down psychotic miscreants, obliterate slimy thugs, free hostages, avenge a pal, rescue a damsel, put low-lifes behind bars, and still have time to flash that winning smile! If Arnold, Sly, Clint, Chuck, Jean-Claude, and the rest of the gang can do it, so can you!
These days, it seems this is available as a .pdf from Paizo for 5 bucks. Though it may not have been back when this thread first appeared.
On the original topic, I'll say Cadillacs & Dinosaurs.
Flashing Blades is still in print, so it doesn't qualify.
I'd love to see it more widely played, though.
Blood of Heroes (the old DC Heroes MEG system) was brought up a few days ago (again) on the purple site. Whilst I'd like to see a retro clone or *something* done with the rules the legal ownership of the system seems to be in limbo, so it'd take a leap of faith to put something out and hope you don't get your backside sued off. I can't imagine anyone out there would care if the rules were stripped down and put out for free, or low cost PDF, but you never know. TSR/WOTC didn't seem to bat an eye when Marvel Superheroes or Star Frontiers was put out, but you can never tell with these things. It wasn't part of any OGL, so chances are it'd be a leap into the unknown.
Quote from: Black Vulmea;523850Flashing Blades is still in print, so it doesn't qualify.
I'd love to see it more widely played, though.
It's great that such an old game is still in print. I wish more games were available.
Well, mine is Usagi Yojimbo, specially the Sanguine version. But I don't think it'll happen.
I would have liked to see Albedo Anthropomorphics done using the Mongoose Traveller game system.
Alas, the rise of Furries has forever doomed that from happening.
Maybe something like Witch Hunt (or was it Witch Hunter? I can't recall now).
Not because I particlarly loved it (though it was interesting, sadly it perished in the great "could you store my rpgs for me please oh parents?" destruction of my early rpg collection.
Tip for teenagers. Never trust parents to store anything you actually want to ever see again.
Anyway, not because I particularly loved it. I just think the hobby would be more fun if stuff like that was more mainstream.
Also, Gangbusters.
Quote from: jeff37923;523902I would have liked to see Albedo Anthropomorphics done using the Mongoose Traveller game system.
Alas, the rise of Furries has forever doomed that from happening.
man, now i want to dig out my copy of Albedo and do a trav adaptation. and re-read the comics while i'm at it :D
FASA's Dr Who game with it's Dalek Flowchart (that was a supplement).
Mayfair's Underground.
I think this means reprint, not mainstream.
Quote from: beeber;523915man, now i want to dig out my copy of Albedo and do a trav adaptation. and re-read the comics while i'm at it :D
Dude, in spite of the animals as characters,
Albedo is definitely
Traveller.
Quote from: Ghost Whistler;523918FASA's Dr Who game with it's Dalek Flowchart (that was a supplement).
Dalek flowchart? I don't remember this...
RPGPundit
Buck Rogers XXV fills the Solar System oriented SF niche in a way no other game I know of and could easily be used to emulate settings like those found in Spacehounds of the IPCC or Stars my Destination or a about a billion other kickass SF stories written before 1970.
I have a copy and I'll be buying up anymore I see because eventually I'd like to run a solar system game (with my own setting).
I'm thinking the only reason I'd care if a game I liked was more 'mainstream' is so I could get more material for it and it would be easier to find players... so for me that would be The Whispering Vault.
There were lots of rumors that extensive notes exist that further the setting... and expand on new ways to play the game... but some things are not meant to be.
Though I'm thinking that if the game had to be altered to appeal to more people, as some are suggesting about Nephilim, then I'd just as soon it stay 'obscure'. Kind of like when a crazy friend get a lobotomy... sure, he doesn't shout at cars any more... but he's not very interesting either.
Kult though, for sure could do with a write-up that wasn't so focused on combat/guns. I always wondered if that was because of how it was subtly tied to the Warzone/Mutant Chronicles setting.
Quote from: Elliot Wilen;280677Still "in print" I believe, if you count PDFs from DriveThruRPG.
Personally I'd roll the rules back to 3e, but use the art from 1e/2e, and combine worldbooks/magic books/bestiaries from across the editions. (Chronicles should be left alone, though.)
Recon's still in print. Palladium has an edition that combines Revised Recon with Advanced Recon. It's called Deluxe Revised Recon.
Everything ever released for Talislanta is free on //www.talislanta.com.
Sorry for the double, but I thought I'd add that I'd like to see SLA Industries get a bit more fanfare, and a better binding.
Bill Coffin's Septimus.
Because of the circumstances surrounding its pre-order, and the ultimate downfall of WEG, this game will forever live in infamy.
But it's a fucking brilliant game, with a fucking brilliant setting and a masterful reworking of the D6 System to acommodate transhuman SF elements.
It could be the Star Wars D6 of the new millenium (minus crazy moneymaking license, of course -- nobody's perfect). But it was a clusterfuck. Ah well.
Absolutely agreed on Kult. My own soft spots would be for something like Nightlife or Harn.
Quote from: The Butcher;525812Bill Coffin's Septimus.
Because of the circumstances surrounding its pre-order, and the ultimate downfall of WEG, this game will forever live in infamy.
But it's a fucking brilliant game, with a fucking brilliant setting and a masterful reworking of the D6 System to acommodate transhuman SF elements.
It could be the Star Wars D6 of the new millenium (minus crazy moneymaking license, of course -- nobody's perfect). But it was a clusterfuck. Ah well.
I agree. I'm very glad Bill gave away the pdf at least.
Swordbearer by Fantasy games unlimited.
Undeservedly fell into obscurity in spite of the fact that it is still available online at rpgnow and the like for a few dollars.
It is fraught with wonderful ideas one can mine from and apply to other games, and it contains beautiful advice for the art of dungeon mastering as well.
These are interesting lists. You cats have good taste.
Chill 1st ed. is currently available under the title Cryptworld.
I would buy a new edition of Kult in a heartbeat just from it's reputation alone (Missed it the first time around). Same thing with Journe. Unknown Armies is the lost gaming masterpiece of the 1990's and I dearly hope any new edition would keep the sleazy lunacy of the first two. Ray Winninger's Underground was a brilliant game but it was ruined by basically coming true so a new edition would ring weirdly bittersweet and hollow.
Quote from: Silverlion;280723Top Secret S/I, Mekton, Providence, Talislanta, Waste World.
I've tons of them I'd love to see "mainstream"
Oh yeah,
Waste World, with 2000AD licences :
Rogue Trooper,
Halo Jones,
Nemesis,
Invasion!, etc.
Oh man that would have kicked some ass. And would have been, IMHO, much more interesting than the pre-digested, toothless caricature that Games Workshop made of the 2000AD worlds with its 40K universe.
Ars Magica is a game that from what I can tell, in the 90s certainly wasn't obscure, but now, in the 10's is.
It's just depressing to find out that Atlas Games has been subsidizing the game with their other lines because the owner likes Ars Magica.
I've never particularly cared what's "mainstream", but I think these deserve development and players more than most of the new RPGs that are getting published:
The Fantasy Trip (the current clone material mentioned is by Dark City Games)
Aftermath
Phoenix Command
Kult is coming back.
Metamorphois Alpha is going stronger than ever with two editions 1 and 5 in print and 3 and 4 easy to find affordably. I would love to see 3/4 get more development, but I think Jim Wrd is throwing his weight behind 1 and other non-MA game projects.
I would love to see Whispering Vault make a comeback. It was a fantastic game.
+1 for Fantasy Trip.
Quote from: DavetheLost;861950Kult is coming back.
Not entirely.
The setting, yes, not the game, as I heard it now is Pacesetter or Dungeon World or some such, and i'm not sure how I feel about that.
It clearly isn't the same as the classical version.
Quote from: Catelf;861956Not entirely.
The setting, yes, not the game, as I heard it now is Pacesetter or Dungeon World or some such, and i'm not sure how I feel about that.
It clearly isn't the same as the classical version.
Yeah, I can't remember the details but I do recall that the system, as described, put me off.
Not that I ever ran Kult with it's native system anyway, CoC worked just fine.
Quote from: Catelf;861956Not entirely.
The setting, yes, not the game, as I heard it now is Pacesetter or Dungeon World or some such, and i'm not sure how I feel about that.
It clearly isn't the same as the classical version.
The new system is based on Apocalypse World much as Dungeon World is (though presumably tweaked for Kult).
To be honest, I don't much mind either way. Kult's system was never the draw in the first place, the setting material was always what was interesting about it.
Quote from: Warthur;862008The new system is based on Apocalypse World much as Dungeon World is (though presumably tweaked for Kult).
Is that one of those "GM never rolls dice" systems?
Ugh.
Quote from: Warthur;862008The new system is based on Apocalypse World much as Dungeon World is (...)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dBbKDRGdJYQ/T3lEQqVa8oI/AAAAAAAAAgo/zo_yJDsjP0c/s1600/Shouty.gif)
Quote from: 3rik;862039(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dBbKDRGdJYQ/T3lEQqVa8oI/AAAAAAAAAgo/zo_yJDsjP0c/s1600/Shouty.gif)
My idea exactly...
Quote from: shalvayez;280997I'd like to see Unknown Armies resuscitated and made more mainstream. Lots of fun could be had there.
How would you suggest it be made 'more mainstream'?
I'm not a 5e fan, but I'd be good for Star Frontiers via 5e.
Agreed on Waste World. Wish Bill King would resurrect it and get it the promotion it deserves.
Quote from: Ravenswing;861953+1 for Fantasy Trip.
+1 more, but Howard Thompson sure doesn't seem likely ever to release his grip. It'll have to be reverse engineered the old fashioned way, without OGL/SRD support.
Quote from: Vonn;862049My idea exactly...
The End Times are truly upon us.
Quote from: Phillip;862112+1 more, but Howard Thompson sure doesn't seem likely ever to release his grip. It'll have to be reverse engineered the old fashioned way, without OGL/SRD support.
It pretty much has been, hasn't it? I thought that was Dark City Games' core system for their various modules.
Quote from: Warthur;862008The new system is based on Apocalypse World much as Dungeon World is (though presumably tweaked for Kult).
To be honest, I don't much mind either way. Kult's system was never the draw in the first place, the setting material was always what was interesting about it.
Yeah, pretty much my feelings. The old Kult system felt sort of lackluster (at least the bits we interacted with — never played around, e.g. with the magic system). The only really important piece, I think, is the enlightenment/madness scale.
Also, using the AW system is
so 2011. ;)
Quote from: Phillip;862112+1 more, but Howard Thompson sure doesn't seem likely ever to release his grip. It'll have to be reverse engineered the old fashioned way, without OGL/SRD support.
GURPS?;)
Quote from: Simlasa;862193It pretty much has been, hasn't it? I thought that was Dark City Games' core system for their various modules.
Interesting, did not know that
Quote from: Simlasa;862193It pretty much has been, hasn't it? I thought that was Dark City Games' core system for their various modules.
Maybe it's changed a lot since I saw it, but then the TFT core -- the tactical game -- was missing, and the rest was different. You could plug in some old stats, or go the other way and run the scenarios with the old rules, but that didn't make TFT and Legends of the Ancient World the same in play (any more than 3e and 4e and 5e D&D are the same, for instance).
Quote from: Vonn;862049My idea exactly...
Well, Kult
is a horror game... what better way to let all participants really feel it?
+1 The Fantasy Trip
+1 Powers & Perils
Space Opera
Hero System (which is what I prefer to run day to day, but finding willing players is difficult.)
Hollow Earth. Easy mechanics, pulp fun, and a interesting setting. What is there not to like?
Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;862470Well, Kult is a horror game... what better way to let all participants really feel it?
Finally...things are beginning to unravel...
Gnomemurdered!
Out of print things?
Lands of Adventure by Lee Gold.
Empire Galactique by Francois Nedelec.
Edit: I was going to mention Fantasy Trip, as others, but Heroes and Other Worlds is the Fantasy Trip inspired game that retains my favored elements of Fantasy Trip. So, Heroes and Other Worlds is an in print one.
well i have a number of systems i wish where more well known though most of them are still "in print" in some sense or you can buy them at least but dear god if i cant hold the book whats the point any way what comes to mind for me are
mekton
after the bomb: i have yet to bring this up in a face to face talk about rpgs and not get A asked if i was a furry or B asked what in the heck it was
and even then i have never met any one face to face that i dident have to explane what the concept was to some extent ie they are thinking more fallout 3
alshard because it sound like a really fun game to play in my mind
oh and +1 to ars magica
id also like to see a us release of nightwizerd i like some of the ideas in the game though iv never had the chance to read over it in detail and
sword world to any game that base setting includes record of the lodus war cant be bad and tokyo nova because i like what iv been able to find out about it and how its card / trait system works
Quote from: jeff37923;280600Where have you been? A large chunk of setting for d20 Future was taken directly from Star Frontiers.
As far as games I'd like to see more popular, I'd love to see Mekton return witha vengeance. Mekton Zeta and its predecessor Mekton II were able to capture the anime mecha genre perfectly IMHO. The system beat the holy shit out of Battletech on every level.
well to be fair to battletech its not a bad system but its overly specialized to the point that the only thing battle tech dose well is battletech
Quote from: Kuroth;863195Out of print things?
Lands of Adventure by Lee Gold.
Empire Galactique by Francois Nedelec.
Edit: I was going to mention Fantasy Trip, as others, but Heroes and Other Worlds is the Fantasy Trip inspired game that retains my favored elements of Fantasy Trip. So, Heroes and Other Worlds is an in print one.
Lands of Adventure was pretty brilliant. It was a bit beyond me in eighth grade but it's influenced everything I've done since. It's a shame Lee Gold never did any more material for it.
I'll second Kult. I have never played in a game with it that used its rules (which look like they could use a overhaul) but have played in games that used the setting, and loved it.
Also, there was a graphic novel for Kult released not all that long ago which is still in print. It's a bit rushed IMO (felt like it should have been longer to really capture the setting and build the story better) but otherwise a good read.
Planescape, by table-top RPG standards is mainstream (it's certainly not obscure, but it is out of print, so, maybe qualifies for this?), but it is still my favorite D&D setting, and I'd love to see it redone if it were done well. I'm just not sure if I trust Wizards with it, though 5e makes me semi-hopeful.
You want mainstreaming? Learn these words: "Available On Steam".
That's what it takes now. The days of being solely print and played solely in person are done, and have been for a while. Get used to the default mode being online over VOIP using a virtual tabletop. D&D got the memo, and Pathfinder wants that action. Anyone who wants to get out of the ghetto now has to go that way.
Quote from: Bradford C. Walker;863494You want mainstreaming? Learn these words: "Available On Steam".
I dunno if it has to be Steam but I play in 4 games a week and 3 of those are through D20... with varying degrees of virtual tabletop engaged. Most anything can be played though some games have more toys available than others (I'm not sure how I'd do Noumenon's dominoes).
Quote from: David Johansen;863260Lands of Adventure was pretty brilliant. It was a bit beyond me in eighth grade but it's influenced everything I've done since. It's a shame Lee Gold never did any more material for it.
It certainly does have some wacky moments: I can have a character with a moderate level in Reporting Accurately and another bit of proficiency in Know Appropriate Bribe. The opposite of Cooking is Refine Poison. Hitting someone with a mace is stupid easy.
Hunter Planet maybe, just because it was so easy to pick up. Put Australia back on the gaming map and she'll be apples.
KURO.
Rules-light horror/cyberpunk game taking place in near future Japan secluded from the rest of the world (courtesy of "we want your Wunderwaffe" barricade). Its streets are filled with demons, ghosts, cyber enhanced people and simple folk, who try to find their way in the reality that's no longer logical and understandable.
I'd love to see more people playing and discussing it, if not for nice, light rules then because of its terrific setting.
Quote from: JesterRaiin;877299I'd love to see more people playing and discussing it, if not for nice, light rules then because of its terrific setting.
Tell me more about the system and the setting - you've piqued my interest.
Tenra Bansho Zero - That way I can play it and maybe get some sense of how it is actually supposed to work at the tabletop.
Quote from: JesterRaiin;877299KURO.
Rules-light horror/cyberpunk game taking place in near future Japan secluded from the rest of the world (courtesy of "we want your Wunderwaffe" barricade). Its streets are filled with demons, ghosts, cyber enhanced people and simple folk, who try to find their way in the reality that's no longer logical and understandable.
Is that based on an anime? I seem to recall putting something like that on my watchlist but can't find it.
It sounds like a late 80s or early 90s OVA.
Quote from: Warthur;877338Tell me more about the system and the setting - you've piqued my interest.
I'm afraid that my English isn't good enough to properly describe the game without ruining it, however I can direct you to a nice review:
Kuro (https://philgamer.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/review-kuro-by-cubicle-7/)
...and another one describing the expansion following the corebook, titled "Makkura", one that expands its horror part:
Makkura (http://www.geeknative.com/48163/japanese-horror-rpg-review-kuro-makkura/)
My additional 5 copper pieces: the game features reasonable approach to the story it's trying to tell. It doesn't force no specific canon onto players. If you feel you want to deepen "supernatural" aspect, feel free to it, drown the world in Tengus or other Japanese demons. If you don't want to, then you're free to explain all supernatural occurrences as "glitches" of augmented reality merging with true world. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't attempt to present itself as "for everything and everyone", but it allows to push any of three founding elements (cyberpunk, horror, supernatural) to the background and focus on what you like best.
There are also a few interesting (I think) elements in the ruleset. For example, you can select any specialization and attach "Gimikku" to it. Gimikkus come in a few different flavors, like "Expertise", "Accuracy", "Mastery", "Boost" and "Focus". Each provides a bit different advantage. "Focus" adds immediately +2 to your roll, "Accuracy" adds 4 points, but only if your base roll was a success, and so on and so forth.
This allows to create multiple player characters with same specialization, but each using it in a bit different fashion, which results in a situation where no two PCs would be exactly alike.
Quote from: Simlasa;877356Is that based on an anime? I seem to recall putting something like that on my watchlist but can't find it.
No, it's not based on any specific anime/manga. For all it's worth, I'm sure it could emulate the atmosphere of a few tv shows. I think that iconic productions like "Serial Experiment Lain", "Akira" or "Ghost in the Shell" could happen in Kuro's setting. With some additional tweaking and adjustments to the lore, it would be possible to recreate stories as told by cyberpunk-horror "Psycho-Pass" or supernatural-horror "Another".
Quote from: yosemitemike;877359It sounds like a late 80s or early 90s OVA.
It might sound like that, but it's not. ;]
The game is closer to modern cyberpunk stories, than to those old stories featuring weird haircuts and Japanese cyber-detectives. There's hardly any pre-2k atmosphere, as far as I can tell. Imagine Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Hengsha episodes, add urban legends about ghosts and divine beings being actually real and you're on right track.
In short, this:
(http://walls.com.ua/large/201311/37387.jpg)
rather than this:
(https://cybernautscast.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/goku-everythingyouneedtoknow.jpg)
By the way, I didn't have the opportunity to play TBZ, but judging from what I've heard, I suspect it's supposed to be something between "Ninja Scroll" and "Slayers".
A Dirty World.
Og. It is intended as a bit of a joke/party game but the premise works really well for endless exploration and adventure if you take it seriously. It is also easy to expand upon. May not be that obscure though.
Quote from: yosemitemike;877340Tenra Bansho Zero - That way I can play it and maybe get some sense of how it is actually supposed to work at the tabletop.
1. Make sure you don't check that box at the top of your character sheet that tells the GM your character can die.
2. Profit.
Quote from: CRKrueger;8774311. Make sure you don't check that box at the top of your character sheet that tells the GM your character can die.
2. Profit.
There are worse things than death, oh green one. ;p
Quote from: JesterRaiin;877436There are worse things than death, oh green one. ;p
Indeed, and every Referee worth his salt would make you sorry gorgeous following the above advice.
Don't know of Barbarians of Lemuria counts as obscure, but that'd be my pick. PF/D&D are a leviathan around here, so almost everything else seems obscure.
Quote from: JesterRaiin;877436There are worse things than death, oh green one. ;p
Yeah, collaborative storytelling games. :D
Quote from: AsenRG;877457Indeed, and every Referee worth his salt would make you sorry gorgeous following the above advice.
TBZ's very Japanese on the collaborative front. The GM's not gonna make your character's life sorry unless you make it real clear you want your character's life to be sorry.
Quote from: From the game's website:On top of a system of skills, attributes, action and combat is overlaid a deeper system of kabuki theater-style play: Focusing very specifically on play through Acts, Scenes, and Intermissions, the players of this game are both the actors and audience. As actors, they focus on role-play in a scene with other actors. As audience (much like the audience of a kabuki play), they focus on the drama that unfolds, rewarding the players for dramatic actions and cool ad-libbed lines.
Quote from: CRKrueger;877465Yeah, collaborative storytelling games. :D
As both Eastern Yuroepean and a newcomer to this site, I refuse to provide better examples, until I learn what's the overall level of sensitivity around these parts. ;p
oh id also love to see the log horizon rpg take off it look cool
Quote from: CRKrueger;8774311. Make sure you don't check that box at the top of your character sheet that tells the GM your character can die.
2. Profit.
Oddly, that doesn't do much to clear up my confusion about how the chit economy is supposed to work at the tabletop.
I'd like to see an updated, full colour version of Toon at some time ever, but how obscure is that?
I have never met anyone else in person who knows about it or has it. I only hear about it on the internet and only every once in a great while.
OK, so definitely Toon then. It's one of my Top 10 favourite RPGS ever.
Oh, and HoL: Human Occupied Landfill and Ghostbusters.
For me Barbarians of Lemuria, its just so simple and to the point and is ULTRA easy to mod to fit different genres.
Quote from: TrippyHippy;877585I'd like to see an updated, full colour version of Toon at some time ever, but how obscure is that?
Well, I can't help updating it, but if you send me your copy I'll have my daughter get to work with her crayons. :)
Experience shows she'll probably also draw Luna from My Little Pony in it a few times, for no extra charge! :)
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Toon is a fun game, but I'm not sure it needs much in the way of updates. There's been about three expansion books for it, as I remember, and aside from doing an Anime-inspired book, I think it's pretty well as supported as it needs to be.
Quote from: jcfiala;877757Experience shows she'll probably also draw Luna from My Little Pony in it a few times, for no extra charge! :)
...the horror. The horror... ;)
Quote from: CRKrueger;877466TBZ's very Japanese on the collaborative front. The GM's not gonna make your character's life sorry unless you make it real clear you want your character's life to be sorry.
Maybe it's what you remember from when you read it, but the actual text says it quite clearly that yes, you are to make the PCs' lives hell;)!
Quote from: JesterRaiin;877872...the horror. The horror... ;)
She's four and a half. :)
To be honest, if we did have a new expansion for Toon, I'd expect them to do a MLP schtick.
Talislanta
Anything more obscure is probably not even on my radar.
Quote from: yosemitemike;877584Oddly, that doesn't do much to clear up my confusion about how the chit economy is supposed to work at the tabletop.
look at the review in the review section there was some talk there that clears that up
Dream Park RPG, but more like a Tool Kit or "Fuzion RPG 2nd Edition".
Quote from: JesterRaiin;877436There are worse things than death, oh green one. ;p
True, but there are hardly any things worse than an RPG which tells the GM they're not allowed to kill player characters off without the player's permission.
Quote from: RPGPundit;879394True, but there are hardly any things worse than an RPG which tells the GM they're not allowed to kill player characters off without the player's permission.
[certain RPG that won't be named] uses genderless personal pronouns when the gender of a person — a character or a player — is unknown or is irrelevant. In these cases, [certain RPG that won't be named] uses the genderless personal pronouns preferred by many contemporary gender theorists, using "zie" instead of "she" or "he", and "hir" instead of "he" or "she";]
Quote from: DarcyDettmann;878502Dream Park RPG, but more like a Tool Kit or "Fuzion RPG 2nd Edition".
I have that and really like its approach to crafting adventures, but it just doesn't interest a lot of people around here.
Quote from: JesterRaiin;879405[certain RPG that won't be named] uses genderless personal pronouns when the gender of a person — a character or a player — is unknown or is irrelevant. In these cases, [certain RPG that won't be named] uses the genderless personal pronouns preferred by many contemporary gender theorists, using "zie" instead of "she" or "he", and "hir" instead of "he" or "she"
;]
Those are genderqueer pronouns, and are uncommon - even in writing.
This is why I used "
they" in ZWEIHÄNDER Grim & Perilous RPG (http://grimandperilous.com). It's transparent, inclusive and people know what the hell it means.
Quote from: RPGPundit;879394True, but there are hardly any things worse than an RPG which tells the GM they're not allowed to kill player characters off without the player's permission.
i disagree think about it the dm is allowed to do any other number of terrible things to your pc so whats worse letting your pc die or being forced to watch them kill every one they ever knew likely in a very "unfriendly" manner
A version of Kazei 5 that was not reliant on the HERO system.
I don't think that counts though, as it's not so much wanting it to be mainstream as wanting a different version.
A second edition of Fuzion though, as was stated earlier, might be interesting. Fuzion was always HERO's leaner trimmer little brother. It would be nice to see an updated version.
Quote from: kosmos1214;879451i disagree think about it the dm is allowed to do any other number of terrible things to your pc so whats worse letting your pc die or being forced to watch them kill every one they ever knew likely in a very "unfriendly" manner
Doesn't matter. A PC not dying because the Player doesn't want him to die is immersion-breaking.
Quote from: RPGPundit;879714Doesn't matter. A PC not dying because the Player doesn't want him to die is immersion-breaking.
Perhaps, but this is nowhere near "
there are hardly any things worse than an RPG which tells the GM", and this was the point here, not the immersion. ;]
TBH, such a rule is also nowhere near that bad. Any DM worth his salt is capable of bypassing it quite easily. In fact, I can think about at least a few scenarios, where the player himself would ask for his PC's death.
Of course, I assume "the player is a dick, overuses the rule and care neither about the story, nor other players".
Quote from: Orphan81;879531A version of Kazei 5 that was not reliant on the HERO system.
I don't think that counts though, as it's not so much wanting it to be mainstream as wanting a different version.
A second edition of Fuzion though, as was stated earlier, might be interesting. Fuzion was always HERO's leaner trimmer little brother. It would be nice to see an updated version.
Let's see what happens after Mekton Zero finally gets published.
Mini-Six. I'd love to see a cheap print version and conversion guides in books like Achtung Cthulu! - which covers Savage Worlds & Call of Cthulu, but Mini-6 would suit it a lot better IMO.
Quote from: S'mon;879935Mini-Six. I'd love to see a cheap print version and conversion guides in books like Achtung Cthulu! - which covers Savage Worlds & Call of Cthulu, but Mini-6 would suit it a lot better IMO.
A nice and overlooked system. Came close at actually getting a game up with it, but we ended up doing a Barbarians of the Void (turned out to be) one shot.
Quote from: JesterRaiin;879405[certain RPG that won't be named] uses genderless personal pronouns when the gender of a person — a character or a player — is unknown or is irrelevant. In these cases, [certain RPG that won't be named] uses the genderless personal pronouns preferred by many contemporary gender theorists, using "zie" instead of "she" or "he", and "hir" instead of "he" or "she"
;]
As a professional who has accidentally pissed off colleagues in my industry by guessing wrong on the Mr or Ms when the person's name is ambiguous on gender, I fully support genderless entirely for business reasons. It would avoid accidental awkwardness, and my reasoning has nothing to do with whatever you are complaining about.
pirates & plunder
Quote from: Old One Eye;880207As a professional who has accidentally pissed off colleagues in my industry by guessing wrong on the Mr or Ms when the person's name is ambiguous on gender, I fully support genderless entirely for business reasons. It would avoid accidental awkwardness, and my reasoning has nothing to do with whatever you are complaining about.
Avoids accidental awkwardness in favor of deliberate awkwardness.
I don't think you can really call Amber and its derivatives (Lords of Olympus (http://www.pigames.net/store/default.php?cPath=113) and Lords of Gossamer and Shadow) "obscure", but I'd certainly like to see more people getting into them.
Quote from: BedrockBrendan;877422Og. It is intended as a bit of a joke/party game but the premise works really well for endless exploration and adventure if you take it seriously. It is also easy to expand upon. May not be that obscure though.
I've run a couple of good one shots of Og. I have the second editions. It's a damn fine game!
Quote from: DarcyDettmann;879873Let's see what happens after Mekton Zero finally gets published.
I honestly can't wait for Mekton Zero...I didn't get to back the Kickstarter sadly, but I'd love to purchase it when it's available. Mekton Zeta for me was the best "Mech" based RPG out there.
Quote from: Old One Eye;880207I fully support genderless entirely
(http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/62188816.jpg)