I see people asking here and elsewhere about what system for X genre.
Its my opinion that most any system can be used for any genre. Then people will ask which one works best. I say whichever system you like best.
So my question here is do you think that systems work better as whole for one genre or the other or that ,really, its just a matter of personal taste?
I'm going to go with a no, it is not strictly a matter of taste. If I want suggestions for a system for a space opera game, is it strictly a matter of taste that I wouldn't consider a system with no rules for spaceship, lasers, or robots? Similarly, I would be daft to recommend Boot Hill's mechanics for, say, high fantasy or supers gaming.
Quote from: McrowI see people asking here and elsewhere about what system for X genre.
Its my opinion that most any system can be used for any genre. Then people will ask which one works best. I say whichever system you like best.
So my question here is do you think that systems work better as whole for one genre or the other or that ,really, its just a matter of personal taste?
I think trying to use BESM for a gritty urban cop drama may hit some odd issues if the person wants the game to support gritty and urban cop dramas. Some people dont care if the game supports the game/genre. Others feel that such supports help relieve some burdens from the GM and smooth play.
For example without using the optional shock value rule--shooting someone dead whose reasonably average takes a LOT of work in BESM--like 9-10 shots from a handgun IIRC. While adding the shock value rule makes it more like 2-3. (Better but still not gritty enough for some people.)
GURPS 3E on the other hand it was reasonably possible for an average person to die from a single shot. But it doesn't handle superheroes who are superhumanly good at something well (closed roll under system with upward scaling attributes) Spider-Man isn't a reasonably doable and accurate build for example without warping combat far more than his power do in supers genred games.
Quote from: McrowIts my opinion that most any system can be used for any genre. Then people will ask which one works best. I say whichever system you like best.
We in the virginal-state-extension-business call that Turing Completeness (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_completeness). You can do any task possible from your relevant problem domain with any programming language (or role-playing system). It just ain't fun.
You don't want to use a hammer for everything. I found out that a vodka martini sometimes works better.
I guess more what I'm arguing is that if you like system X, isn't that more important than if system Y (which you don't like) has all the rules for whatever game it is that you are playing. Maybe taking the system you already like and using that? If the game goes right the system shouldn't matter so much. You will be more comfortable with the your go to system any way.
If your goto system is generic and your new setting is, too, then you might be able to live happily everafter. But there are playing styles and systems incompatible with basic campaign premises. As always the benefits have to outweight the disadvantages. Considering the wide array of choices you have with both system and setting, incompatibilities abound. Are you that hung up on your standard system that familiarity beats ease of use?
Playing Toon with Phoenix Command could prove to be rather painful.
Some systems just don't work outside their genre. D&D (or even d20 Modern) isn't going to give you a lot of grit without changes. Silver Age Sentinels would be a silly choice for regular joes vs. zombies. Babylon 5 is not going to do well with Arthurean Camelot.
Even with generic systems you'll frequently come across power level problems.
My advice is to find a system you can enjoy that was designed with your genre in mind, unless you have a lot of time for independent design and playtesting, or don't mind a shoddy fit.
Yes, largely it's a matter of taste, but also of recognizing exactly what your chosen system does, and what your goals are, and how those fit.
Ithink it's more a matter of recognizing what your system doesn't do well - If I try to play supers with the StarCluster System, that won't work well, I can guarantee. Systems usually have a range of what they are very good at, another that they can do with a bit of work, and a far larger one that they can't do without reinventing the system entirely. The ranges vary with each system.
-clash
QuoteI think it's more a matter of recognizing what your system doesn't do well
Same diff.
I don't think that every system is automatically ready to play every genre, even the generic games, though they tend to do better. However, if you still want to use that system then you have to consider the amount of house rules you'll need to use to shoehorn the system into the genre. Now generic systems have a strength in that the shoehorning they do is transparent, so it's easier to fll in any gaps, but the more specific a game gets, the more house-ruling you'll probably need to do. But hey, some people consider that fun and part of the hobby, so more power to them.
Having played in a third edition Gurps Supers game, I feel comfortable in saying that not all games are suited to all genres.
Me-OW pussycat! :D
Quote from: Mr. AnalyticalMe-OW pussycat! :D
Curiously, my character was Tiddles, with the superhero identity of The Cheshire Cat. His background story was that he had been bitten by a radioactive human, which among various other powers gave him the powers of a human which included intelligence, speech and the strength of ten cats.
Great character, but the system blew bloody chunks, usually literally as any encounter using Gurps rules resulted in massive numbers of corpses as the system strove for realism instead of genre emulation.
It´s all about the work involved.
Quote from: SettembriniIt´s all about the work involved.
Pretty much, sometimes it's easier to adapt a game you already have, sometimes it's easier to just use a new game for a particular campaign.
You can run anything with pretty much anything, but some combinations will take more work than others.
Generally I like to stick to a couple of fairly generic systems but there are some genre specific ones's that do it so right it just seems silly to run a game in that genre without that system.
In other words it depends.
As has been stated, but can stand repeating, it is less about genre and more about what elements you want from the system. For instance, if you enjoy detailed combat then you play a system with individual combat maneuvers and involved wound levels. You should be able to play anything from sci-fi to mecha hentai super goo porn. The system may not give you the feel you want for the mecha game (you might want a system more oriented on fast combat and detailed sexual encounters) but it would still work for the genre.
That said, you can break a system so that it is non-portable. It is tough but it can be done. I consider such systems cripple ware of the RPG world.
Bill
As a specific example -- some systems handle hand-to-hand combat better, while others handle ranged combat better. And by better, I mean the right balance of crunch to speed for the genre and style of game you want to play.
And to be even more specific - system has a huge impact, even within a particular genre. Wushuand Weapons of the Gods both are designed to emulate the Wuxia genre, but you'd never mistake one for the other in a million years.
Quote from: StuartAs a specific example -- some systems handle hand-to-hand combat better, while others handle ranged combat better. And by better, I mean the right balance of crunch to speed for the genre and style of game you want to play.
Ah, but this is subjective. "Better" is always subjective. What I think you mean is some systems handle Ranged combat more to your liking (emphasizing those elements you describe) while not handling unarmed combat with the same emphasis.
To me, you could play a manga game with d20. It would have a different feel but you could still portray a world where monks flew through the air (Monk Flying feat) or broke buildings in half (Big Badda Punch). However, it would not have the same elements as something like WW. There, it would most likely be Disciplines and spending Chi (Blood) to accomplish similar actions.
I often wonder if people confuse setting elements with system elements.
Bill
Quote from: HinterWeltAh, but this is subjective. "Better" is always subjective.
Since he said that in his post, I doubt he needs a reminder. ;)
Quote from: James McMurraySince he said that in his post, I doubt he needs a reminder. ;)
True, but it is important to remember when people are making there arguments based on the concept of "better". Also, I fully endorse this as a means of picking your system for your favorite genre. I just was hoping to make my opinion of system to genre determination known. In short, there elements to a system, pick the one that fits what you like and that is the "system best suited to the genre".
Bill
Quote from: HinterWeltI often wonder if people confuse setting elements with system elements.
Bill
That is kinda what I was getting. I think that there are very few settings that require mechanics specifically for one element in the setting. It seems to me that so many designers try to put some extra fiddley bits in there to amke their game "different" and for the most part all they accomplish is "different". Some times they point @ the genre of the game and say "but it's sci-fi, so the mechanics must be different" I point and call BS. Aside from magic rules (which in some Sci-Figames are just turned into Psi rules) there are no major rules I know of that must be different.