In reply to Gaffer (msg # 5):

That would be cool!

In reply to Gaffer (msg # 5):

Some of the inspirations I had in mind include Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers Of London series, Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, Fritz Lieber's Our Lady Of Darkness, and Terri Windling's Borderland series.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the user at 13:20, Sat 29 July 2023.

In reply to AuntieMandi (msg # 3):

What game systems are you familiar with? Don't want to choose one you'd hate.

I love the Dresden Files and that is probably my #1 inspiration for looking for this. I have not actually read too much into this genre other than Dresden, Anne Rice, and Mortal Instruments. I don't need it to be in any particular setting but I would like the supernatural to be little to not known.

I don't have a system that I don't like but the more skill based a system is the more I enjoy it. For instance, I like DnD 3.5 more than 5e because you can assign points to skills to really flesh out your character. However, it can be pretty rules light but I don't want to just decide if I accomplish things myself; I want the element of a chance of failure. I also like advancing my character so a system that doesn't let you continue to better your character as they gain experience would not be ideal.

This message was deleted by the user at 22:01, Thu 03 Aug 2023.

So... are we hoping for something potentially more lighthearted or slice-of-life here, or a vast, desperate twilight struggle against enemies known and unknown?

"Now the trumpet summons us again—not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are—but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation — a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself." — John F. Kennedy, inaugural speech January 20, 1961

In reply to AuntieMandi (msg # 3) and JohnB (msg # 4) and Gaffer (msg # 5):

I know Gaffer is busy prepping a new game of his own, but I was hoping to hear back from y'all about the game's tone. Think I wanna use the PBTA game ABYSS that I picked up as a DriveThru deal-of-the-day, or possibly Part-Time Gods. Either flavor of The Dresden Files is also a possibility, but I fear things would tank if we tried to do city creation. Simple is better.

*grin*  I am new to this genre, so have little to really add, apart from a bit of basic background and a few preferences.  So a few bullet point ..

• Like AuntieMandy -  I like games with a skill component.  I've been playing/ running PF1 for the last few years, although I have played quite a range of systems over the years.
• Like Gaffer, I am more of a Human centric world person.
• Ironically, town/city/world building is something that I enjoy -  BUT that is not important.
• Personally, I like things a bit light-hearted, rather than full-on Twilight.
• Ideally something I don't have to spend money on for rules  :)  I'm cheap! But that isn't a killer.
• I don't know the Abyss rules -  however, the lead writer is very active in one of my local game groups (and no, I don't know them - just the name)

Does that help?

In reply to JohnB (msg # 14):

I definitely want more of a hidden-world feel to the game, more Neverwhere or Beauty And The Beast. Gareth Michael Skarka's UnderWorld captures that feel best, but the system is sooooo minimalist and would not scratch anyone's itch for more detailed skill systems. I suppose there's always Basic Roleplaying. Most of the urban fantasy games on the market are about monster-hunting, which is the opposite of what I have in mind. I do enjoy collaborative worldbuilding, but that rarely goes well here on RPOL; just ask Gaffer about the failed house-creation effort that killed my Dune game.
This message was last edited by the user at 22:51, Fri 11 Aug 2023.

*grin*  Take a look at my Stolen Lands game - based on the Pathfinder Kingmaker AP.  This is the nation that my players built over seven years (RL) of play.  Mind you, I had to stop the game, mainly because I couldn't keep up with the bookkeeping  :)  So I am rewriting the system to make it simpler.

http://rp.baileymail.net/doku.php?id=stolen_land:start

Maybe this is a silly suggestion, or I may not have understood well what you're looking for, but would Vampire:The Masquerade fit your wishes?

After all, it's mostly urban (as vampires need large nunbers of people to feed) and includes some fantasy, albeit a somewhat dark one, and I guess it could be twitched to fit other urban fantasies...

In reply to Lluis (msg # 17):

I'm not looking for recommendations, thanks, and Vampire is far too limited in scope.

Well, maybe you aren't, but, unless I read him wrong, the OP did...

In reply to Lluis (msg # 19):

Ah.  The OP was looking for a GM to run a game :)  Rather than a recommendation for a system - and Alyse has stepped into that role.

I stepped in something, that's for sure. >_>  Most urban-fantasy roleplaying games deal with monster-hunting, paranormal investigation, or have extremely narrow focus. None of those interest me or are what the OP (and other posters) wants.

Out of curiosity, are you looking for something where you play a supernatural trying to stay hidden or where you play a human that gets exposed to or keeps hidden the supernatural? I agree that most systems I've seen focus on hunting and such so I'm wondering if something super generic like FATE or GURPS would work? It's been a while since I've looked at those so I don't recall them very well. If a GM is found, I'd be interested in joining.

In reply to StitchWitch (msg # 22):

The problem with generic systems is that they require too much prep work beforehand. I don't want to spent months trying to tweak a generic system to fit what I want to run. (As for what I want to run, see messages 8 and 15.)

I'm going to join the 'me too'. I really like this genre. So if you find a GM I would like to join in

*grin*  I will do my best to fit into any settings  However, you need to remember that I was well into adulthood when Buffy hit the big screens (1992), and I have never really been into Horror-esque stuff.

However, I am not interested in being a werewolf (etc)  in a clan facing off against another one ...

As the OP hasn't responded in three weeks, I am going to assume they've lost interest. Will seek interested parties over in the Game Proposals, Input, And Advice forum once I'm ready to solicit such.

In reply to Alyse (msg # 8):

Have you read Emma Bull’s War for the Oaks?

Sorry I dropped away for a bit.

“Twilight Struggle” sounds right to me: Humans and non-humans banding together to resist a threat to all. What threat? I don’t know. Maybe demonic or extra dimensional or repressive humans. Maybe the Okhrana or Anno Domini vampires. Hmmm… sounds like I’m trending Victorian/gaslight or even Steampunk.

Maybe the fey are allied with those humans with paranormal/magical abilities.

It can be difficult to track posts in these threads, as they don't get bumped when we post.  I lost track for a couple of weeks, back there ...

In reply to Gaffer (msg # 27):

My mother read it to me when I was young.

No trouble. You were busy setting up your newest game, Gaffer; and you're quite correct, JohnB, about how much a chore it can be to follow these threads.
This message was last edited by the user at 06:05, Mon 28 Aug 2023.