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13:44, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Your favorite lightweight systems?

Posted by katrionea
katrionea
member, 1 post
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 03:50
  • msg #1

Your favorite lightweight systems?

As time goes on, I'm realizing more and more that, where online games are concerned, crunchy systems aren't for me. I'd like to learn of more simple systems, though - all the better if they're designed specifically for play by post.

The only one like this that I'm all that familiar with is The Window. Anyone have any other streamlined games along these lines that they're fond of? If so, why?
engine
member, 294 posts
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 03:56
  • msg #2

Your favorite lightweight systems?

I like GHOST/ECHO except that it's just a tad <i>too</> lightweight for me to entirely grasp how to play it.
MalaeDezeld
member, 10 posts
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 04:17
  • msg #3

Your favorite lightweight systems?

I didn't try it yet, but someday I will create a game with Risus: the Anything. It look lightweight enough to not be a burden for a play by post.
lensman
member, 173 posts
Crestline, CA, -8 GMT
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 04:35
  • msg #4

Your favorite lightweight systems?

Is there a general concensus on systems and their 'crunchiness?'

Could we simply go through all the systems listed in RPOL and put the in classifications?

The most crunchy to least crunchy, about seven classes.  Freeform being the lightest?
facemaker329
member, 6916 posts
Gaming for over 30
years, and counting!
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 06:19
  • msg #5

Your favorite lightweight systems?

I've found the D6 system (ie, West End Games' Star Wars system, but there have been others who've used it, and WEG even published a sourcebook with guidelines for adapting it to other kinds of games) to be a very adaptable system, and with a few tweaks, it seems to work well in PbP, at least in my experience.

Also in my experience, the downfall of any tabletop system being adapted to PbP is combat.  Even in relatively Rules-Lite systems, combat can suck the momentum right out of a game, because combat rules that rely on initiative rolls and everybody taking their turn over the course of multiple combat rounds can turn a few seconds of in-game action into weeks of posting and waiting for others to post.  So, as a general rule of thumb, I'd say no matter what system you use, look for ways to streamline combat.  That can make a huge difference, all by itself.
bigbadron
moderator, 15338 posts
He's big, he's bad,
but mostly he's Ron.
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 07:14

Your favorite lightweight systems?

In reply to lensman (msg # 4):

The problem is that opinions vary too much.  One person's "perfect lightweight system" is the next person's "vague mess that needs to be house-ruled extensively to work".

And if you ask for a list of lightweight systems, somebody will suggest GURPS.  Somebody ALWAYS suggests GURPS, for everything.
Utsukushi
member, 1412 posts
I should really stay out
of this, I know...but...
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 07:40
  • msg #7

Your favorite lightweight systems?

lensman:
Is there a general concensus on systems and their 'crunchiness?'

Could we simply go through all the systems listed in RPOL and put the in classifications?
Oh, that's an easy one!

No.

And while it might be fun to try, it's totally off the topic for what Katrionea is asking for.

Bigbadron:
Somebody ALWAYS suggests GURPS, for everything.

Well, it's universal.

...But, on topic, I like Amber Diceless (or Gossamer & Shadow, if you like) well enough.  I have a hard time sorting out why, but for what really is a pretty much freeform system, it has enough structure to keep my interest, as someone who doesn't like freeform.  If you're worried about die-rolls slowing down a game, Diceless is hard to beat - yet the point-based (albeit kind of fuzzily valued points) character creation gives people some system to work with.

I've never heard of a game actually written for PbP.  What that would even actually mean is probably yet another whole new topic.  If there is such a thing, I'd sure be curious to hear about it.
facemaker329
member, 6917 posts
Gaming for over 30
years, and counting!
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 08:08
  • msg #8

Your favorite lightweight systems?

I've thought a few times about trying to figure out some way to adapt Amber's diceless rules for PbP.  The hang-up, to me, comes in the 'ranking' of characters, and having all characters created at the same time.  With the turnover rate of most PbP games I've seen, that's problematic.  You need rules to let you add new players into the game as time goes on (that was one big issue with Burning Wheel and its derivatives, as well...they didn't write the rules with player turnover in mind, or if they did, it was extremely well-hidden...)
bigbadron
moderator, 15339 posts
He's big, he's bad,
but mostly he's Ron.
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 08:17

Your favorite lightweight systems?

In reply to facemaker329 (msg # 8):

But you don't HAVE to run Amber that way.  I ran a game on here for about 12+ years that didn't use a points auction, and added new characters every so often.

Worked fine.
facemaker329
member, 6918 posts
Gaming for over 30
years, and counting!
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 09:13
  • msg #10

Your favorite lightweight systems?

Cool...I'm not that well-versed with the system.  Played it once, enjoyed it a lot, but that's not always a sign of a good system to me, because who I'm playing with is half the fun of gaming.  But it's good to know that it's not as limited as I remembered. Guess I need to find my books and brush up on it again...*grin*
Mad Mick
member, 892 posts
Ain't sayin nothin
Got nothin to say
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 10:00
  • msg #11

Your favorite lightweight systems?

Lightweight?  GURPS Ultra-lite!  =)

Version 0.8 from SJ Games:  http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/ultra-lite/
bigbadron
moderator, 15340 posts
He's big, he's bad,
but mostly he's Ron.
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 14:36

Your favorite lightweight systems?

In reply to Mad Mick (msg # 11):

See?  I said it would happen!   :p
Mad Mick
member, 893 posts
Ain't sayin nothin
Got nothin to say
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 15:21
  • msg #13

Your favorite lightweight systems?

Ultra-lite might be too light.  You really have to condense a lot to get the GURPS
rules down to a single page.  I've used GURPS Lite for a full game, but it's not as rules light as something like the Window:  http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/lite/.
Dgorjones
member, 38 posts
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 17:18
  • msg #14

Your favorite lightweight systems?

I'll echo the plug for Risus: The Anything RPG for a rules lite game.

World of Dungeons (a really, really stripped down hack of Dungeon World) is pretty damn rules lite as well.
Uringizel
member, 14 posts
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 17:45
  • msg #15

Your favorite lightweight systems?

Yes, Ghost/Echo is very light, as is any hack of John Harper’s Lasers & Feelings. I've seen one such hack, Ray Otis’s Sorcerers & Sellswords, used well in a forum game.

I ponder at times if using good old Fudge would work?
Talon
member, 351 posts
Fri 21 Apr 2017
at 23:51
  • msg #16

Your favorite lightweight systems?

I'm currently a big fan of the Cypher System (Numenera) it is very light in that you only D20s or a rare D6, but has enough crunch left in that results don't feel like GM fiat.
drewalt
member, 67 posts
Sat 22 Apr 2017
at 02:59
  • msg #17

Your favorite lightweight systems?

My go to for rules lite is Savage Worlds.

But if you want lighter still, I actually really like Fate.
Mrrshann618
member, 113 posts
Sat 22 Apr 2017
at 03:20
  • msg #18

Your favorite lightweight systems?

I'd have to toss my hat in for the Chaosium system.
Everything is percentage based. You roll under to skill you make it, over you do not.
To hit, roll percent
Skills, roll percent
going insane, roll percent

There are TONS of optional ways of doing things that add (or subtract) from your campaign that are completely optional. Don't want to bother with hit location? Armor is either a random protection, or set protection. Want to add a bit of flair to combat? Add in weapon reach! Want a quick, deadly, and dirty system, use the basics.
GreyGriffin
member, 73 posts
Portal Expat
Game System Polyglot
Sun 23 Apr 2017
at 10:05
  • msg #19

Your favorite lightweight systems?

When I want to go lightweight, I use a very stripped-down version of NWoD.  If you pare the mechanics right down to the bone, not worrying about grappling or weapon damage, and rolling combat into a handful of opposed rolls, it works pretty cleanly.

I mostly use it for mortal horror/gritty games, though.  The bare bones approach can make players feel cheated when they want to be supernatural monsters.
horus
member, 119 posts
Wayfarer of the
Western Wastes
Sun 23 Apr 2017
at 11:45
  • msg #20

Your favorite lightweight systems?

The Petal Hack (a derivative of The Black Hack for use in M.A.R. Barker's world of Tekumel.)

For more generalized fantasy settings, I also like Astounding Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperboarea (ASSH).
This message was last edited by the user at 11:47, Sun 23 Apr 2017.
locojedi
member, 142 posts
Sun 23 Apr 2017
at 20:44
  • msg #21

Your favorite lightweight systems?

Warrior, Rogue & Mage is a light system that has worked well for me. It's the WyRM system which has several genre specific  variations, such as Resolute, Adventurer & Genius...

Also +1 to Risus.

Heh, whenever anyone mentions GURPS, someone counters with Savage Worlds! ;-)
icosahedron152
member, 758 posts
Mon 24 Apr 2017
at 10:03
  • msg #22

Your favorite lightweight systems?

I stumbled across Ghost Echo, too, looked like an interesting concept to try out sometime, but I don't think it would make a universal ruleset, which is what I think the OP was looking for.

1PG by Deep 7 Games, (so called because the core rules are on 1PaGe) OTOH, is a general system that is light enough for PbP, but keeps everything anchored with a few numbers. I use it a lot for the combat elements of semi-freeform games.
Raffles
member, 860 posts
Nothing cryptic
just living.
Mon 24 Apr 2017
at 12:39
  • msg #23

Re: Your favorite lightweight systems?

bigbadron:
In reply to facemaker329 (msg # 8):

But you don't HAVE to run Amber that way.  I ran a game on here for about 12+ years that didn't use a points auction, and added new characters every so often.

Worked fine.


Fourteen and a half years.  ^_^

Will chime in to agree that it works just fine without the attribute auction.
This message was last edited by the user at 12:39, Mon 24 Apr 2017.
statesman88
member, 17 posts
Mon 1 May 2017
at 20:54
  • msg #24

Re: Your favorite lightweight systems?

Open Legend is my favorite light-rules system. You can create a character in five minutes, and have that character be capable of an wide array of actions.
praguepride
member, 1170 posts
"Hugs for the Hugs God!"
- Warhammer Fluffy-K
Tue 16 May 2017
at 17:39
  • msg #25

Re: Your favorite lightweight systems?

I don't know if it counts but I love Numenera's system. The players roll all the dice and the enemies/obstacles are static numbers:

If it's a difficulty 3 monster then the players have to roll 9+ to hit it, dodge it, and if they don't dodge it deals them 3 damage. Monster stats are super simple to use, the system itself is fast and loose and because the dice are always in the player's hand it doesn't feel arbitrary as much like other freeform or light game systems can be.
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