Since someone asked the opposite earlier about bad RPGs and settings that are popular, what's the best RPG or setting that's actually unpopular? Any wonderful settings no one seems to like or play? For me, I'd say pretty much any historical setting when you don't add in supernatural and fantastic elements to them seems to be unfortunately underplayed in general to the point that most games seem to feel compelled to add "plus magic!" to try to sell the setting. It's 1889 London with Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper...plus magic! It's hardboiled 1940s L.A. homicide detectives...plus vampires! It's the court of Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu...plus dragons!

Although both have a following, I think Wilderlands of High Fantasy and Harn are both low sales (for numerous reasons, many of them business decisions) that in my opinion should have a larger base than the sales would indicate.

GURPS.

/ducks

Al-Qadim is a great setting I think.

Quote from: Voros;964738Al-Qadim is a great setting I think.

Seconded.

Totems of the Dead. It's an amazing game for a great system and the best S&S game I've ever personally experienced, but I've yet to actually encounter anyone who's actually been in a campaign.

I don't know if it's strictly 'unpopular' as such, but I do think that Steve Jackson Games dropped a baby with In Nomine which should have been bigger than Vampire in the 90s. The French game actually predates Vampire, but it captures the same dark satirical elements and in some ways has more immediate playability. Unfortunately, they took way too long to bring out the US-targetted version and could never quite get the tone of the game right, while the actual organisation of the core rules is all over the place.

Anther thing, for me, of note is Something Rotten in Kislev the much maligned 4th part in WFRP's Enemy Within campaign. It never really fitted into the whole campaign, being more of a diversion to get characters away from The Empire while it starts to fall, and it even encourages the use of original characters. The lighter tone is somewhat different to the darker earlier episodes too. All that said, it's written by Ken Rolsten (of Paranoia fame) and it's quite hilarious to play. Our group actually had more fun with Something Rotten in Kislev more than any other part of The Enemy within campaign.

Jonathan Tweet's Everway and Mark Rein-Hagen's Wraith: The Oblivion were both commercial flops, but are arguably their best respective works and had they ever got together again could have combined their system and setting writing skills for something quite special I think.

Wraith: The Oblivion was IMO the best of the original WoD games.  The setting depth of Wraith was fantastic.  Coinage made of souls...

Quote from: Voros;964738Al-Qadim is a great setting I think.

I've never seen it, I only know the name. What makes it great? Would it be useful for a Sinbad sailing around the Islamic world campaign? Does it use Islam or a stand-in monotheistic religion so as not to offend? I know just about zilch about it aside from it's pseudo-Arabian.

I thought Something Rotten in Kislev was a Twilight: 2000 module....

Quote from: Dumarest;964750I've never seen it, I only know the name. What makes it great? Would it be useful for a Sinbad sailing around the Islamic world campaign? Does it use Islam or a stand-in monotheistic religion so as not to offend? I know just about zilch about it aside from it's pseudo-Arabian.

It has the usual D&D polytheism (12 gods) that looks oddly like real-world monotheism...

Quote from: Spellslinging Sellsword;964726Although both have a following, I think Wilderlands of High Fantasy and Harn are both low sales (for numerous reasons, many of them business decisions) that in my opinion should have a larger base than the sales would indicate.

I get so wrapped up in Wilderlands I forget very few people actually play it. Yeah, those are two good suggestions.

Was thinking of starting this thread too. :cool:

pre 3e Gamma World: Ward for some god unknown reason did his best to undermine the game and the stigma has lingered ever since and each iteration has been stupider than the last. Exceptions being the Alternity and d20m versions. But the d20m GW was effectively in name only.

Star Frontiers gets some derision, mainly because of the stupid Zebulons Guide which might as well be a separate setting.

Shadowrun: Lost track of the morons who sneer at the fantasy elements and just dismiss the game and the setting.

Furry Outlaws and Furry Pirates: People too often dismiss both as just Disney animals. Ignoring that both are fairly good historical settings and that you can toss the magic and supernatural elements and play a fairly nice historical campaign.

Beyond the Supernatural: Some morons dismiss it because its from Palladium. But its a pretty good pre-Rifts/Megadamage setting and system. Same with After the Bomb.

Quote from: Omega;964792Was thinking of starting this thread too. :cool:

pre 3e Gamma World: Ward for some god unknown reason did his best to undermine the game and the stigma has lingered ever since and each iteration has been stupider than the last. Exceptions being the Alternity and d20m versions. But the d20m GW was effectively in name only.

Star Frontiers gets some derision, mainly because of the stupid Zebulons Guide which might as well be a separate setting.

Shadowrun: Lost track of the morons who sneer at the fantasy elements and just dismiss the game and the setting.

Furry Outlaws and Furry Pirates: People too often dismiss both as just Disney animals. Ignoring that both are fairly good historical settings and that you can toss the magic and supernatural elements and play a fairly nice historical campaign.

Beyond the Supernatural: Some morons dismiss it because its from Palladium. But its a pretty good pre-Rifts/Megadamage setting and system. Same with After the Bomb.

Bit defensive here really, and you are confusing 'taste' for popularity. Shadowrun, for example, is an extremely popular rpg regardless of it's critics.

Quote from: Dumarest;964712Since someone asked the opposite earlier about bad RPGs and settings that are popular, what's the best RPG or setting that's actually unpopular? Any wonderful settings no one seems to like or play? For me, I'd say pretty much any historical setting when you don't add in supernatural and fantastic elements to them seems to be unfortunately underplayed in general to the point that most games seem to feel compelled to add "plus magic!" to try to sell the setting. It's 1889 London with Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper...plus magic! It's hardboiled 1940s L.A. homicide detectives...plus vampires! It's the court of Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu...plus dragons!

Well, I'd say Spellbound Kingdoms. It's a setting where magic actually can go wild on you, because it responds to strong emotions, like in most stories, and sometimes that leads to magical catastrophes.

But for some reason, I barely hear about it, despite the fact that it also has one of the coolest combat systems out there!