From: mfterman@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Mutant for Hire)
Subject: Re: RPG's That Belong on Every Gamer's Shelf
Reply-To: mfterman@phoenix.princeton.edu (Mutant for Hire)
Organization: Mutant for Hire, Inc.
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 17:46:56 GMT

In article <1992Nov21.122458.23999@afterlife.ncsc.mil>, acadams@afterlife.ncsc.mil (Arthur C. Adams) writes:
>What RPG's do you feel belong on the shelves of every gamer? 
>
>I'll separate into two different categories: Five game systems 
>and five game supplements. So, here goes:
>
>FIVE GAME SYSTEMS THAT BELONG ON EVERY GAMER'S SHELF:
>(in no particular order)

1. HERO system, for anyone interested in doing a superhero game.lso
when you can't quite bash GURPS into the shape that you want it in
terms of powers and so forth.

2. GURPS system, because its a decent system and has more multigenre
support than nearly any other game system around. Bit more realistic
than HERO (though I don't want to start that flame war again) which
is slightly detrimental when the power scale goes up.

Incidentally, between the above two, you've got most genres covered
by two different rule systems, and indeed with a good set of source
books for one of the two, you can pretty much stop there. The next
games are for the most part genre specific, but I think they fill
some handy niches.

3. Teenagers from Outer Space, for when I want to teach the basics
of roleplaying to people. Rules are real simple, even easier than
D&D, and since characters don't die, is a lot more forgiving of
newcomer mistakes.

4. Over the Edge, a rule system that can take die hard rules and
number crunchers and toss them into a much more loosely defined
system that doesn't quite go as far as the Amber RPG. Additionally
you don't need to have read a particular book series to play it.

5. Paranoia, which is perfect for players into mayhem and total
destruction who need to blow off steam. Definitely not a campaign
style game, also a good way to wean players off the "please don't
kill my character" concept.

>FIVE GAME SUPPLEMENTS THAT BELONG ON EVERY GAMER'S SHELF:
>(again, in no particular order)
1. Shadowrun sourcebooks. Yes, I know the game wasn't listed
above, but they've got some very good world sourcebooks. Indeed
the sourcebooks interest me more than the actual mechanics of
the universe. Seattle Sourcebook is good, though anyone wanting
straight cyberpunk would have to do a lot of editing.

2. Mythic Egypt sourcebook. For anyone interested in working with
one of the traditional mythologies like Greece or Egypt, the
Mythic sourcebooks are handy, plus having lots of stats for some
gods. I recommend Egypt over Greece in that most people are
already familiar with Greece and their gods and their god's
behavior, so Egypt shows another style.

3. GURPS Time Travel. There are lots of good GURPS supplements
out there which is one of the main reasons I chose GURPS above.
This book is an example of one of the good ones. Lots of neat
theory to justify stuff as well as actual mechanics.

4. HERO Martial Arts. There are fewer sourcebooks for HERO
outside of the superhero modules (which is another reason to
go for HERO if you want to do superheroes, they have a lot of
supplements) but I like them better. Fantasy HERO is also a
good set of modules to save work creating a world in HERO.

5. CORPS Technology 1991. Actually most CORPS sourcebooks are
good for anyone interested in campaigning in the here and now
could do worse to look over these modules. Very good for
spy/conspiracy gaming as well. BTRC also has the Guns, Guns,
Guns module which is handy for anyone trying to invent weapondry.

Yes, I tended to recommend classes, so sue me. I tend to feel
that most sourcebooks are needed really only if you have the
particular game or world in mind. Sometimes you need several to
get a good comprehensive set and get the full power. Life is
like that.
-- 
    Martin Terman, Mutant for Hire, Mean Ol' Top, Priest of Shub-Internet
    Disclaimer: Nobody else takes me seriously, why should you be the first?
mfterman@phoenix.princeton.edu mfterman@pucc.bitnet terman@pupgga.princeton.edu
"Sig quotes are like bumper stickers, only without the same sense of relevance"