Politically Incorrect Games is something I see bandied about here on occasion, it's even in someone's handle (the owner perhaps?).  The love for PIG in the "PDF or Print?" thread makes have to ask:

What's the big deal about these games?  Are they cool?  What's so cool about them?  Are they uniformly cool?  I'd like to know things I can't find on the website.

yes, their games as a whole are really good quality.

They tend to be on the rules lite, easy to learn side, very well written, and the production values are among the best.

Of their games (ones I own already) that I like the best are:

Hard Nova II: sci-fi game heres my reviewhttp://www.therpgsite.com/node/19

Coyote Trail: Western

Iron Gauntlets: Nice generic fantasy game

Home Front: WWII mini game where PCs are in London during the war

The best thing about PIG is the product support. They have completely free downloads for all of their games and if you pay for a subscription you get a ton of other free PDF suplements.

Quote from: Mcrowyes, their games as a whole are really good quality.

They tend to be on the rules lite, easy to learn side, very well written, and the production values are among the best.

Of their games (ones I own already) that I like the best are:

Hard Nova II: sci-fi game heres my reviewhttp://www.therpgsite.com/node/19

Coyote Trail: Western

Iron Gauntlets: Nice generic fantasy game

Home Front: WWII mini game where PCs are in London during the war

The best thing about PIG is the product support. They have completely free downloads for all of their games and if you pay for a subscription you get a ton of other free PDF suplements.

Yeah - massive props to PIG.

Quote from: joewolzPolitically Incorrect Games is something I see bandied about here on occasion, it's even in someone's handle (the owner perhaps?).  The love for PIG in the "PDF or Print?" thread makes have to ask:

What's the big deal about these games?  Are they cool?  What's so cool about them?  Are they uniformly cool?  I'd like to know things I can't find on the website.

Hi joewolz,

Yes, I run PIG. I try to make the games three things - affordable, entertaining, and easy to run. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Some titles work better than others. Most PIG games are those that I'd like to play. I don't like rules that force GMs to abandon the story in favor of die rolls, and I don't like games that require absolute knowledge of the setting to be able to play. The pretty much sums up my philosophy. I also want people who play our games to share their experiences and homebrew material. I want readers to be able to complement the core of what we give them with the diverse collection of ideas that actual GMs and players come up with.

If you have a specific questions, I'd be happy to offer answers.

And I really appreciate all the love I've been getting here. Thanks all.

PIG is one of the places folks go when they want affordable, entertaining products stuffed with crazy goodies that don't cost an arm and a leg.  Great writing, tons of cool supplements, and cleanly-designed products are all other reasons to check them out.  Impresa and genreDiversion are two (compatible) systems that are easy to learn and tweak.

Iron Gauntlets is especially worth checking out.  A fantastically modular fantasy RPG, IG has more and better supplements than products from companies 4 times' PIG's size.

I can't agree enough with the points already raised, but I do want to say this:  "The Chronicles of Amherth", a setting book for Iron Gauntlets, is the freshest damned plain-vanilla fantasy setting I've had the pleasure to read.

And Steampunk Musha kicks your ass, too.  Like, it goes, "Hey, you wanna -- stand right here, just -- riiiight th-- WHACK!"  And you go, "Thanks!"  And it goes, "No problem.  Kabuki warriors comin' right up.  You're a good kid."

...

...I might need sleep.

So, what, exactly makes your games "politically incorrect"?

Quote from: Dominus NoxSo, what, exactly makes your games "politically incorrect"?

Nothing. Of course, if you want to look at it from the divergence of what the mainstream games are doing, that would make them politically incorrect. But, no - politically incorrect has nothing to do with anything - it was going to at one point, but that was a long time ago, and with different people suggesting it. There are actually plans down the road to change the name, so be on the lookout

What we really need to know is the PIG swine? :eek:

Now that I've had some sleep, I'd like to elaborate on the half-assed statements I made a few posts previous.

Hokay.  "Amherth" is very satisfying, I think, because it takes a lot of pretty classic FRPG cliches (the dying empire, the newly-freed nation, the Adventurer's Guild, the evil emperor, etc.) and presents them in all their glory -- just the way they sound.  Nothing's overly-detailed; that's your job, GM.  It's more a sandbox than a gazeteer.  

It includes a section which lists interesting locations...but doesn't tell you where they are.  They're not mapped; they're drag-and-drop.  It's a simple idea, but I'm not sure I've ever seen a FRPG setting suggest that before.  Of course, that's what GMs have been doing for decades, but in this age of super-detailed settings (Forgotten Realms, f'r'ex), it's refreshing to see the approach not just suggested but encouraged.  

As regards Steampunk Musha, it's another neat, simple idea: Fantasy feudal Asia meets steampower, clockwork and a big change of paradigm.  Think L5R vs Deadlands, but not that directly.  It's one of those ideas that just starts spinning around in your head and expands into other interesting ideas:  How, for instance, does a very traditional samurai feel about himself when he loses his sword-arm arm in battle, but can have it replaced with clockwork?  

That's a PC, right there.  That fast.  He's got a gimmick, he's got a personality, and he embodies the setting.

SM is further filled with good writing, neat (and suggestive) ideas, lots of adventure opportunities and clockwork geisha.  Again, it's one of those settings which, in its simplicity and presentation, becomes vivid and complex in your imagination.

Totally unSwine. Brett is supercool, hardworking, and devoted to putting out solid craft. If you're part of theRPGsite, there's a strong chance you'll like one of the PIGames.

His games were the first ones I read/bought in getting back into the RPG hobby; thank you, Brett.

Also, he's had some innovative collaborative/wikilike sharing of content, and the Gamer's Advantage is a very clever model.

Hey, DevP! Where do you live in Boston? I'm exiled out in Burlignton for the moment, but was born there, and lived there for many, many, many years.

-clash

As for PiG, they are a company that put out a bunch of terrific games, all designed for playing. They also have an amazingly awesome attitude to their customers - the Gamer's Advantage is a must subscription! They are one of my go-to publishers.

-clash

(Porter Square, Cambridge/Somerville, FTW.)