Quote from: droogMLwM is consistently the game that draws the most interest from my NG friends.

Perhaps, yes, but the original question was about giving a game to the already-coverted.

!i!

Quote from: Ian AbsentiaPerhaps, yes, but the original question was about giving a game to the already-coverted.

I covered that. PD is, in my humble opinion, one of the very best games around, yet not many people own it or have played it. Free copies to all gamers would be cool.

As for me, I'm already converted, and I wouldn't mind somebody handing me a pristine box of Lords of Creation right about NOW.

Quote from: droogI covered that.

Sorry.  Totally missed that at the bottom of the previous page.

I suppose the original question is a bit odd when taken at face value.  With the "free copy" bit, it sounds like asking "What game would you like to proselytise like handing out free copies of the New Testament?" but I think a more interesting interpretation might be, "What unfamiliar game would you like to introduce to other gamers?"

I'm not interested in proselytising any game, but I think there are some great lesser-known options to the heavyweights out there.  NEMESIS as an accessible variant on the One Roll Engine is still my top choice, but King Arthur Pendragon is another good choice, particularly as a hack-n-slay medieval game with a very different mindset.

!i!

Quote from: droogMLwM is consistently the game that draws the most interest from my NG friends.

That would be good, but you need mature folk to want to grasp such themes right, but that would be a nice place to start your hobby, instead of a certain 3.5 lol

Quote from: stu2000Mercenaries, Spies, and Private Eyes.

I have to say I do not believe I have ever seen this game.  Can you give me a little more information on it?

It is like Top Secret, Spycraft (both the original and 2.0)? or is it something totally different

Thanks

After much deliberation, I figured out which game I would offer.

Orpheus.

The Corebook is a complete game. Well structured setting for an RPG, tons of starting adventures, it's not (lame-ass!) fantasy. It's easy to come up with your own adventures.

If they would read them in order, I would love to watch their mind be blown by the first supplement. Busts the established setting wide open and tells you you're in for a crazy ride!

Yeah, Orpheus.

My Serious answer now:

Unknown Armies.  I have had it for little more then 24 hours and I think it's the coolest thing since toast.

Quote from: AosI once had them both as well, my father threw all my stuff out when he moved- he said later that it was just a bunch of junk; you know, junk, like the ringworld stuff, classic traveller Lbb's, Dragonquest, Universre, Superworld, 1e Gamma world, Ruinquest, D&D, a full run of Sandman, Watchmen, Darknight... junk.
Guess I shouldn't have told him to fuck off when he tried to get me to major in Human Resources .
Live and learn.

Mine was almost as bad...my Dad asked me if I wanted the "D&D books" in a trunk in the garage and I told him no, go ahead and get rid of them. Well, I didn't want the D&D books but there were other games in there: RuneQuest, ElfQuest, Gamma World, Star Frontiers, Traveller. He got rid of all of them. Classic case of miscommunication.

For non-gamers, I think I'd give away Spirit of the Century.

For gamers, I'd give away Tribe 8 1e and the Vimary Sourcebook.

Quote from: WilMine was almost as bad...my Dad asked me if I wanted the "D&D books" in a trunk in the garage and I told him no, go ahead and get rid of them. Well, I didn't want the D&D books but there were other games in there: RuneQuest, ElfQuest, Gamma World, Star Frontiers, Traveller. He got rid of all of them. Classic case of miscommunication.

This is why I have a strict policy of never allowing anyone to "clean" or otherwise do basically anything with my stuff besides me.

I may even be fairly certain that, say, my closet is full of nothing but complete garbage and refuse, and I'd still rather be there than dare let anyone touch things when I'm not around.

Mercenaries, Spies, and Private Eyes isn't too different from other action/espionage games. It's based on Tunnels and Trolls. It's simpler than Top Secret or SpyCraft, but it's robust enough to support an enjoyable campaign.

The reason I'd like to give it away is because it's a game I'd like everyone to have. Partly because I'd love to be able to throw together a game at a moment's notice. But also because it's an older, very traditional game that is able, in play, to elicit some new-school, "indy" style effects. The design is concise, flexible, and efficient--surprising for a game of its generation.

It's still available at a resonable price from Flying Buffalo, but it was never very popular, not even in 81 or 82 or whenever it came out. So I'd like to have the give-away angle to entice folks to give it a try. Top Secret was great, and so were Espionage!, Justice Inc., James Bond--there were a bunch of great espionage games. But MSPE was always my favorite, and I always felt it was a little overlooked. So--I'd use our "free giveaway" conceit to get it off the Island of Misfit Toys and into the hands of gamers who can give it some love.

agreed on ghostbusters 1st ed.  it's a fantastic game, if you can find players who are willing to give it a try.

Quote from: jamesbarrattagreed on ghostbusters 1st ed.  it's a fantastic game, if you can find players who are willing to give it a try.

How different is first edition from second edition?

I keep hearing people say that first edition is much better but noone tells me why

Quote from: Blue DevilHow different is first edition from second edition?

I keep hearing people say that first edition is much better but noone tells me why

i can adress that actually.  i have both editions.

one of the most easily and initially noticible differences is that the 2nd ed. features no licensed movie material--no pictures, no caricatures or likenesses, and very little material written "in-character" by the ghostbusters.  it very much has the feel that WEG might have had the license to do ghostbusters as an rpg, but the movie studio wanted nothing to to with a new edition.  2nd ed was probably a cash in.  aside from the new GB2 logo, there are virtually zero references to the movie--no vigo, no dana and oscar barrett, nothing.  i don't even think the slime blowers and the mood slime rate a reference in 2nd ed.

beyond that, it takes an extremely simple system and add unnecessary additional complications.  2nd ed's primary contribution was to add encumberance rules, and badly.

it also gave you a more clearly defined "health meter," as it were.  whereas in 1st ed /everything/ was pretty much measured with brownie points ("attaboys" you could spend to roll dice), 2nd ed gave you health stats that could hurt your rolls.

1st ed character sheet could fit on an index card.

i think it also changed around some of the ghost stats, but not in any especially helpful way.

you also didn't get the fun item cards that came with 1st ed; 2nd ed was a single perfect bound volume instead of separate sadle-stapled player and GM guides.  1st ed also had lots of cool handouts and quickstart rules type things.  other than the fact it came with special dice, i don't know why 2nd ed was a box set.