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Role Playing Games and d20…

In Music, Movie, TV and more on 29 June 2006 with 6 comments

It’s too many time since my last real Role Playing Game (RPG) campaign.
In these days I’ve watched Star Wars again (Episode IV: A New Hope and Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back) and as always I want to dress the clothings of the Storyteller (or master) once again.

Some years ago I bough the new version of Star Wars Roleplaying Game because I thought that there shouldn’t have been worst rules than the older D6 version from West End Games.
I was wrong!

The new d20 system that is conquering the world of the RPGs and that is beloved from thousands of players is something I do not believe in. I don’t believe in such rigorous classes and dice rolling, I don’t believe in the stupidest ideas that has always penalized Dungeons&Dragons and Advanced Dungeons&Dragons under my eyes: the level system.

What is my vision of a good Rople Playing Game?

I believe in Storytelling, few dices and a lot of theatrical description. I believe in creating Pathos with events, not with endless dice rolling to hit the Armour Class.

I know that my way of playing is insignificat to many of the Masters I’ve met in my life, but this is what I am, what is my formula for having fun.

It seems that the d20 had killed a lot of good systems, but I’m still highly unsatisfied with it. I have always loved the White Wolf storytelling system, that has been saved from the d20 mania, or the Dream Pod 9 system (that one didn’t survive). I am also attracted from the Diceless role playing games, but I didn’t found anyone really interesting.

In these days Fabiana and I are palnning to go to a Role Playing Game club here in London. We have choosen one, without even knowing how many are there (countless?). If you are a London Role Player, just drop me a line :)

So… what is your style?

6 Comments

The one of ‘Toons’ even playing Call Of Cthulu…

:-)

Posted by Stefano Grevi on 29 June 2006 @ 3pm

:)

ha ha ha!!!!

Posted by Carlo on 29 June 2006 @ 3pm

You are so right when it comes to less rules and less dice to give it that more visual and more theatric feel. A friend and I run a diceless game where we use Mage Tarot cards to really put the story and events out there. it started as Vampire from white wolf and became something else. here is my blog on our game. Take a dash of Spelljammer, a dash of Changeling, Warhammer 40k and old school games put it all together and go diceless and thats what you get.

Posted by Kyos on 29 June 2006 @ 9pm

Hi Kyos, welcome on FCHOUSE!
The dice are useful when you want to add some random value in the game, like the randomness of normal life. Diceless rules are usually overcomplicated, therefore the thrill of the game looses a littel bit.
I’ve played Dragonlance (not the d20 or the original AD&D, but the one in the middle… the 5th Age) and it uses cards to replace dices: it was quite good, but not enough!
For now the storytelling is one of my favourite, but usually I run some sort of game without a real game rules, but I let the players go wild, giving “rewards” for the good theatrical things they do and how they play “well”.
Dices are the icon of the role playing games, so sometimes (few times a play) they could be quite good…

I’m still searching for the perfect rules…

Posted by Carlo on 29 June 2006 @ 11pm

I think the Star Wars d20 system is great. I don\’t think it is as bulky as the west end version with all the 6sided dice. With the new system the story telling and gameplay are much better. I urge you to find some websites or group disscussion board games. You will find that the game can be much more fun. Hey, and if you don\’t, try starting the old d6 version of the game. I would be interested.

Posted by chado on 1 August 2006 @ 10pm

Hi Chado!
I am quite happy to have you on FCHOUSE, but I feel a little upset having all your comment linked to a commercial item.
Sorry to have your link removed… let’s disuss about d20, not about how to sell it, sorry!

I think that d20 system is not a good system, therefore even applied to Star Wars, it remains a bad system, obviously in my very personal opinion!
D6 was a crap, but of course we are discussing about Rules, not setting, and rules (always in my very opinable ideas) are a side part of a Role Playing Game!

However
Welcome!

Posted by Carlo on 2 August 2006 @ 8am

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