As a conneseur of Book-form RPG's I really haven't seen them discussed
here much. My favorites include Ars Magica, ManHunter, ShadowRun, and GURPS.
Anybody else have a favorite? Why? What is the thing that draws you to it?

49 responses total.

I've seen GURPS and Starwars being played, nnone others.

Does anybody know anything about TPO?

?

I'm sorry, orin, but I cannot think of what TPO stands for..

I speak AD&D, Vampire/Werewolf/Mage, TORG, Star Wars, GURPS, Mechwarrior,
Twilight 2000 ansd several others. Make it weird and you have my undivided
attention. .0

GURPS is cool. Nice and flexible,
I like it.

Over the Edge is a twisted and fun game, both in terms of setting and
system.

gurps is a flexible system. i can't stand systems that rely on dice only
ars magica is nice but is locked into fantasy genre.
1st ad & d sucks good for only as basis to 2nd edtion.
not a vampire player but vampire\werewolf creditable works.
love SHADOWRUN
star wars excellent tribute to lucas.
MUST PLAY TORG. need for life on daily basis
pallidium excellent story origins but yuck for a rolesystem.
mechwarrior ok if you like war.

RE: #8 If you can't stand systems that rely on dice
only have you looked at Amber ? No dice at all, for anything.

AD&D, Cyberpunk 2020, Cybergeneration, Shadowrun, Gurps, Vampire, Werewolf,
Mage, Wraith

what the heck is shdowrun?

Shadowrun is an RPG set in the year 2050, where magic has returned to a world
of hi-tech. Sort of a cross between AD&D and Cyberpunk 2020.

Cool!

Never cut a deal with a Dragon.

Dead is Dead. Parts is Parts. Dead Guys is Parts.

How grim.  

Did I miss something on those last 2 responses ?

ok, TPO=the primal order.  heard of it, but never seen it in stores.  is it
good?

If you're into epic style games or watn some good source/idea
information about deities (sp?) and good ways to make them
function in a game or to play them in a game it's a good book.

If you HATE number-heavy systems, Avoid SYNNIBARR. Tried it once. Never
finished my  my character.

I enjoy GURPS the most.  It's an excellent rules framework that you
can use for any campaign that you can imagine.  I've used the rules for
space, fantasy, pirates, aztec, cyberpunk, WWIII, and a host of 
historic setting campaigns.  I'd highly recommend GRUPS to anybody.
In addition, Warhammer fantasy roleplay is unique unto itself.  The
rules are reasonable, but the genre is absolutely unmatched in the
fantasy/horror arena. 

Steer clear of Rolemaster at all costs!  Although I've had some 
wonderful campaigns with Rolemaster, it was only an alternative to
the limitations of AD&D.  Once I got a hold of GURPS, Rolemaster
was history!  

Also, Battletech is a neat genre.  The rules are limited, although
they adequately suit the game.  An excellent idea is a Battletech
genre with GURPS rules.  

I've tried Robotech with Star Wars rules before. Worked quite well.
Also tried Star Trek set to GURPS--I am perhaps the only role-player ever
to have a Klingon on a Spelljammer ship.

what is GURP again?
>

GURPS = Steve Jackson's Generic Universal Role-Playing System.

Pretty good system, though I have yet to master it.

oh okay

TORG is cool too but more limited.

Steve Jackson did a bunch of cool stuff like INWO, etc....

Best system ever is Over the Edge (background's pretty cool too).  Also enjoy
Castle Falkenstien, Call of Cthulhu, and a host of others.

Warhammer and (the new, improved) Chill. Most flexibility for actual role
playing without having to create a world which players don't understand. sorry
about the wordwrap.

Modern RPG's are cool -- it's easier to maintain suspension od disbelief if 
everything aside from the wierdness is the World We Know; CoC, Over the Edge, 
and a host of others (even including the WW stuff) fall into this catagory.

Everway is another diceless system, though it isn't non-random -- cards are
used in non-deterministic, subjective ways.
.s

As an avid roleplayer of true roleplaying games (not that MTG, other card
games and video games aren't fun, but they ain't RPGs)-I will play any system
that is mastered by a competant GM that knows how to tell a good story and
good players that can really get into the game. However, for relatively
simple, flexible systems I recommend HERO games and GURPS. Most other systems
are good but genre-specific. 

I would never, ever call either Hero or Gurps simple.  Over the Edge is simple.
Amber is simple (thogh I prefer a random mechanic). Everway is simple.  Gurps
and hero are not simple.  Probably the best all around RPG if you want
roleplaying is Over the Edge, as it has a truly simple, truly flexable system 
that encourages roleplaying and interesting characters.

what is hero?

RE #32: Welcom to Grex Eric, good to see you here.
RE #34: The Hero games role playing system which was originally created
for the game Champions, but has now branched out into a multi-genre
set of games that all use the same mechanics. (Fantasy Hero, Hero Horror,
Star Hero, Western Hero, Justice Inc.)
RE #33 & #34: Yes, Hero and Gurps are complicated unitl, like any game
game system, you have played it for a while. I can't say enough good
things about Over the Edge ! Another easy to learn/play system is
the storyteller system from White Wolf, although it sometimes has
some mechanicle problems.

does anyone know if there's a highlander game system and if it's any good

There's a Highlander CCG. SOmeone on the net created a Highlander
set of mechanics to go with White WOlfs Storyteller system a couple 
of years ago. Other than that I don't think anyones done an rpg on it yet.

what's a ccg again, I'm still confused, Can it be played like ad&d or wha?

ccg = collectable card game, like Magic the Addiction.

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss