I look at my bookshelf and see about 20 different RPG systems. EarthDawn, Palladium, d20, HackMaster, Gurps, WW (mostly Exalted), Villains and Vigilantes, and on and on and on.
I love the Game. I like playing RPGs in any form they come, whatever the rules, whatever the setting. Barring games that suck because they are just extra stupid ( i.e. FATAL), I'll play just about anything.
My wife, OTOH, likes to play d20. She doesn't want to learn new rules or try different games. She loves this particular game. She likes everything about it and sees no reason to try new games.
Which are you?
I go through phases when I obsess about one game, and right then I don't really want to play anything else, and there are definitely games I don't want to play, ever, without being stupid. They're just not interesting to me. But for most part, I like variety.
I want to play just one game that can handle the kinds of games I like without being too crunchy.
I just haven't figured out which game that is yet, so for now I'm a dabbler.
Quote from: TechnomancerI want to play just one game that can handle the kinds of games I like without being too crunchy.
I just haven't figured out which game that is yet, so for now I'm a dabbler.
mmmmm......FUDGE
My wife and I have our favorites, but by and large we fit into the first category...
Quote from: origenI love the Game. I like playing RPGs in any form they come, whatever the rules, whatever the setting. Barring games that suck because they are just extra stupid ( i.e. FATAL), I'll play just about anything.
We'll try any game at least once, and have fun playing it.
We have one particular player in our group, is at the extreme other end...
Quote from: origenMy wife, OTOH, likes to play d20. She doesn't want to learn new rules or try different games. She loves this particular game. She likes everything about it and sees no reason to try new games.
...she not only refuses to play anything non-D20, but avoids playing anything that isn't D&D 3.5 specifically. Blecch.
Quote from: origenWhich are you?
The wife.
I'm a typical Gemini (for any of you who don't know what that means... I'm definately NOT like your wife).
I'm a love the game. I collect RPG books just for the sake of reading them even if I have no intention to ever play them. I certainly have favorites and tend to stick to them. Now that I'm getting older though and my gaming time has started to diminish and other expenses have started to increase though I tend to spend less and less just sticking to 1 or 2 lines that I'm actually using.
Though if you put board game spending in with Game spending that's increasing drasticaly, mostly because of my wife. She's becoming a board game addict.
The game. The system matters, and the system impacts the gameplay. If you change the rule system you are changing the default assumptions and what will be a 'smart move' by the players. I can't really understand refusing to play other games. It's like only eating chocolate ice cream. It's good, sure. But there's a lot of other good stuff out there too.
I think this attitude is more prevelent among D&D players because they assume other games are like D&D in that everyone (or most everyone) will need to buy a copy of the rules, and those rules are very involved and complicated. A new game therefore represents a considerable expenditure of time and money. Truthfully, most games require neither. D&D is on the heavy end of rule systems, so most other games are less complex. Therefore a single copy of the rules is sufficient, and it doesn't take long for everyone to get up to speed.
I'm far more likely to buy new games rather than suppliments, even if I have no immediete prospects of running it. Buffy sat unused for about two years, and now I'm running a completely awesome Buffy game. But even before that, a new game can give you ideas for the one you are playing, or change your perspective on gaming. There's a lot out there, no reason to cut yourself off from it.
I'd rep you for that (but gotta spread some around). I couldn't agree more.
I like rules, reading them, playing around with them, checking the implications at the extremes, etc. I often pick up the core book for a game just to check it out. (less so since the second kid) I also pick up old games that I've heard about if I happen to find the book used. I know that I'll never play most of these but they're fun to look at.
But, beyond the core book, I don't buy supplements unless it fits well within something that I'm working on. I've bought maybe 3 D&D books in the last 2 years - I don't feel I'm missing out on the horde of D&D books out there because they don't add that much to the base game.
I'll play pretty much whatever a group wants to play. To me, a good group affects the quality of play more than the specific game.
Quote from: origenWhich are you?
I love the game. I'll play any system. I've discovered that the players and the person running things are where the fun comes from, the rest can be worked around or ignored if necessary for the fun.
I love to game. That said I do love systems (D20 for me right now). I love the Rifts setting (for the most part), but I can't stand to play the Palladium system. Every now and then, I want to play something different though, so I'll play a round of WHFRP v2 or Exalted or whatever.
I'm pretty much a two trick pony at this point. I only play d20 and Warhammer 40K. Now I do prefer D&D 3.X in d20 but in now way is it the only thing that I will play. I've played Star Wars, CoC, Stargate, and Babylon 5. I have noticed that as I get older my expanse of games that I play seems to get smaller. True, d20 has helped with that since mutiple games have the same mechanic system. Back in the day I used to play anything that I could get my hands on. :D