GM Looking to Run Something a Bit Different

[Explorer]

Hey all, I've had this program for awhile, mostly as a combat tracker and campaign holder for my regular games but I decided it might not be a bad idea to use it for the intended purpose.

I've played and run a lot of the usual lately, combat heavy D&D types. I was wondering if it would be possible to do something a little less linear, so here's my idea.

I want to run a very player involved game. The players would need to have ideas of what they wanted to do, be it go on a quest, go explore, w/e, it's up to them. I would just facilitate these desires as a narrator instead of keeping the game going one specific way, as is usually the case.

This would require, like I said, a special kind of player. The party would need to be able to come up with it's own goals and aspirations, instead of following what the GM says your whims may be.

I'm not to sure what system I would use for this, something rules light but with deep character creation. The game wouldn't be combat focused unless the players wanted it to be, personally I think it would be fun to have an exploration type game, something I've not done.

This is a very rough idea right now but if it's something you'd be interested in, please post or PM me. I'd prefer a smaller group, 3-4 people, so that way there's less clashing of heads as far as party desires.

We definitely don't need to use a system that has a ruleset in FG, and in some ways I'd like not too. Give people something a bit different, hoping to hear from a few people as excited about this as I'am.

[Oberoten]

I'd recommend BRP or CoC systems. BRP is a bit more mature in features.

Both are skill based as opposed to levelbased which alway seems to encourage roleplaying.

- Obe

[Sigurd]

Sounds interesting.

I read about one campaign that started with a bunch of players and a blank map. The players could form parties and request game times to explore the map for whatever their reason. At the end of each adventure they would share what was done and potentially disband.

Everyone worked in and influenced the same world. Players would arrange for game times among themselves and the DM would accommodate as possible. If there wasn't a plan, there wasn't a session.


I always thought it an interesting premise....


What sort of times are you available? What time zone are you in?


Sigurd

[Valarian]

Some of the independent game systems, like FATE (Spirit of the Century), Mouse Guard or Summerland, are better for player involvement. Some of the systems even say to pass narrative control to a player for describing the results of a roll.

[Explorer]

Wow, three replies already! Guess some people besides me stay up late. :]

I love skill based systems personally, for most any occasion. It feels more appropriate that a character grows more skilled, not more powerful directly.

That's a very interesting idea with the blank map, I wanted to do something similar. No existing world, than everyone could read about it, including myself. Just some vague details I'd come up with, maybe a quiet life with some situation dictating leaving. Than kind of make the world up as we go along, like an explorative group narrative.

I'm in Arizona Mountain Time so same as PST right now I believe. I can do Sundays, evening and a few other weekdays if it was a late game, I work weird hours and my regular group is all college age, so we tend to be up late.

Mind filling me in on BRP and CoC? I'm sure I know the system just....can't recall the abbreviation right now. It's driving me mad.

[Kalan]

Mind filling me in on BRP and CoC? I'm sure I know the system just....can't recall the abbreviation right now. It's driving me mad.

BRP = Basic Roleplaying
CoC = Call of Cthulhu

Both by Chaosium. BRP is the basic system behind CoC - basically just stripped down to its bare bones, allowing you to do pretty much anything you want with it. Very nice system overall...I'm toying with the idea of bringing the old Chaosium Hawkmoon to life on FGII using it (IF I ever get some free time...)

And welcome aboard btw ;)

[Explorer]

Ah damn, now I feel silly.

I'm not to familiar with those systems, I'm sure Basic Roleplaying is pretty basic though. Cthulu is probably a bit more modern day than I want, although I'am a Lovecraft fan.

Thank you!

[Valarian]

I'm in Arizona Mountain Time so same as PST right now I believe. I can do Sundays, evening and a few other weekdays if it was a late game, I work weird hours and my regular group is all college age, so we tend to be up late.
If you're available Sundays, I'm currently running a Corporation (Brutal Games) campaign. The game is at 8pm UK time, which would be early/mid-afternoon for you. There's no session this week though, next session on the 9th May. You're welcome to come along and watch, or even join in.

If you're wanting something that's Fantasy related but light, Mouse Guard is worth a look.

[ronnke]

If you are looking for something to create meaningful and flexible characters, then I will offer GURPS as an option for system. There are no classes and such so you can basically create any type of character you want. Then use the "basic" combat rules, and it's about as simple as it gets for resolving combat.

[Explorer]

I'm pretty fluent in GURPS I just don't like when I have to toss out boatloads of options because of a setting. I adore GURPS for Rifts type games, where the knight mixes with the gangster mixes with the witch. Just something about not using so much potential feels like a letdown to me.

Mouse Guard sounds interesting. Something about being mice for no reason is appealing. I shall investigate further.

[GunnarGreybeard]

We definitely don't need to use a system that has a ruleset in FG, and in some ways I'd like not too. Give people something a bit different, hoping to hear from a few people as excited about this as I'am. I'm doing something similar in a play by post game using FG2 as a management tool (on my end) and not as a VTT. The system I am using is HarnMaster which has deep character development BUT it would not meet your rules light requirement at least if it involves combat at any point. Also, it has extremely little magic and no character classes.

[Explorer]

Yeah that's certainly not what I'm looking for but a good system.

Already got a few PMs, great stuff so far. Feel free to input on the system if you're interested, this will be a collaborative game. I'm looking into a few new ones right now, thanks to some good advice here.

[Syric]

Wow, three replies already! Guess some people besides me stay up late. :]

I love skill based systems personally, for most any occasion. It feels more appropriate that a character grows more skilled, not more powerful directly.

That's a very interesting idea with the blank map, I wanted to do something similar. No existing world, than everyone could read about it, including myself. Just some vague details I'd come up with, maybe a quiet life with some situation dictating leaving. Than kind of make the world up as we go along, like an explorative group narrative.

I'm in Arizona Mountain Time so same as PST right now I believe. I can do Sundays, evening and a few other weekdays if it was a late game, I work weird hours and my regular group is all college age, so we tend to be up late.

Mind filling me in on BRP and CoC? I'm sure I know the system just....can't recall the abbreviation right now. It's driving me mad.

*EDIT*

Sent you a PM, I am in MST as well.