Why not a BRP work-alike? The GORE rules are available at Goblinoid Games. The GORE rules cover all the basics for modern day gaming.

Chargen is fast, combats are deadly and the system is intuitive.

Let us know what you choose.

SilCore would fit the bill, except it does have (albeit small) dice pools (and they are roll and keep).

CORPS might work, with some of the bells and whistles turned off.

I've been meaning to get EABA, which from what I hear is good for those kinds of games.

Hmmmm, have you thought of a slightly modified Call of Cthulhu?

Quote from: enelsonWhy not a BRP work-alike? The GORE rules are available at Goblinoid Games. The GORE rules cover all the basics for modern day gaming.

And so is...wait for it...BRP!  Why settle for dubious imitations when you already have the original.

Seriously*, though, Balbinus, why wouldn't BRP in its CoC form do the trick?

!i!

(*Although I am completely serious about my comment on GORE above.)

Well, I will throw Iridium Lite in. Let's see how it matches up. (oh, and the rules are free ). I use it for Supers Inc. and Squirrel Attack! so it is kind of flexible.

Download Link For Iridium Lite

Quote from: BalbinusLike it says really, but unfortunately I have conditions that I suspect may not be capable of being fulfilled:

- Fast chargen

This is a tough one. I have an eight point character creation, point based or random stat.

Quote from: Balbinus- Relatively traditional structure, I don't for this want free form traits or player narration or any of that stuff

Check. The "weirdest" thing we have is Karma points (ability to reroll failed skills) and Fatigue (tracking magical powers and how tired they make you).

Quote from: Balbinus- Quick combat

hrm, maybe. I think the combat is quick but I have seen faster. The slowest aspect may be hit locations and tracking that.

Quote from: Balbinus- Supports credible characters, people you could actually meet (and incidentally I have met some very competent people, but real world still)

Check. I would say that this is a trademark of Iridium.

Quote from: Balbinus- Not too complex but not so rules light that it's basically an unfinished game

Check. Don't let the "Lite" name fool you, Iridium Lite is relatively lite compared to Iridium Standard. I think it is on the lite side of medium.

Quote from: Balbinus- Aiming for realism, not for cinematic action

Check. Hit locations allow for getting shot in the face and going down.

Quote from: Balbinus- Preferably not dicepool based, I just don't especially like them

Check. Rather trad dice multipliers (ex. 4d6 damage, Roll under skill on a d20).

Quote from: Balbinus- Not class based

We have classes but I would not call it class based. More, starting packages.

Quote from: BalbinusAny thoughts?  I suspect I have other criteria too but I'm really struggling here.  Something like a modern day WFRP would be cool, but that definitely doesn't exist.

I'm thinking of running some games set now or in the recent past and am also thinking of some possible near future apocalypse stuff but am really struggling for a system.

Gurps and Hero are both way, way too heavy for me and utterly fail the quick chargen test (yes, I know a group steeped in these games can be quite quick, but that's not my group).

Any thoughts?

If you are interested, I have Supers Inc and will send you a comp copy to look over. It has more weapons in it and is very much modern/near future.

Bill

I would second the suggestion for Unisystem, probably the All Flesh Must Be Eaten version.

I slightly prefer the Light version in the Buffy/Angel games, because I think the multiple die types for damage in AFMBE can be a bit fiddly. But then you did say gritty rather than cinematic, and I think AFMBE would be great for that, especially as the zombie genre often portrays a post-apocalypse scenario. AFMBE covers it pretty nicely, in one book.

Yeah I gatta agree with the folks who have posted before me. Unisystem I think fits the bill of what you want to do. I might consider BESM 3rd edition. But the number crunching in character generation might not be to your liking.

Mph! Why are  you asking this, Balbinus? I know you have and use BRP for just such scenarios, and are happy with it. Otherwise I'd suggest a variant of my own system, which you are well aware of. You're also aware of Iridium and all the other systems suggested. What gives?

-clash

PIG's genreDiversion system fits what you're looking for, plus it has setting books for Old West (Coyote Trail) and post-apoc (Earth AD2).

Pete

Quote from: pspahnPIG's genreDiversion system fits what you're looking for, plus it has setting books for Old West (Coyote Trail) and post-apoc (Earth AD2).

Pete

Balbinus knows about this too - I have myself recommended it to him in the past. I still want to know why he's asking. He's perfectly happy adapting BRP to whatever era so far.

-clash

BRP isn't that fast as chargen goes, it's fast for an rpg but still not that fast in terms of getting straight down to play, not WFRP fast for example.

I'm going to do a follow up thread on MSPE though.

Quote from: BalbinusBRP isn't that fast as chargen goes, it's fast for an rpg but still not that fast in terms of getting straight down to play, not WFRP fast for example.

I'm going to do a follow up thread on MSPE though.

Have you looked at the Fallout/SPECIAL system?

Chargen in that game is some of the fastest outside of stuff like Risus.  You just set your attributes, tag three skills, and then add everything up.  I got really bummed on a long trip once, because I'd brought it along intending to amuse myself making characters, and isntead discovered that it only took like 5 minutes to make one.

The rest of the system might be a little crunchier than you are looking for.  Main thing is I'd probably houserule out the rules for range modifiers, they're a pain to calculate, and really kinda wonky anyway.

My own system was originally inspired quite a bit by this game, but really there's becoming less and less that resembles it.