This isn't intended to sell rpgs or provide press but I love to check out new systems and it seems that there are a select group that get so much more coverage and press than others.

What rpgs have you found aside from some of the most common ones (DnD version X) and what did you like about them? Where they crunchy rules-wise or not and if not, were they storyteller systems or what?
This message was last edited by the user at 02:37, Wed 17 Sept 2014.

Golden Sky Stories!

Despite a super successful kickstarter that got the game translated into English, the game remains pretty obscure. It's a game from Japan in which you play henge (that's hen-gay, not stone henge) - a mythical creature from Japanese folklore which is basically an animal who can shapeshift into a human. I don't normally go on for rules light, and this game is very, VERY rules light, but also so charming and you can learn alot about Japanese mythologies.
It's what the Japanese call a "heartwarming" game - meaning there's no combat system, and stories aren't meant to contain much (if any) fighting. Instead, PCs are generally expected to help people in other ways. For example, a bird henge could deliver a late birthday card at the last second.
To keep things interesting, henge are considered to be a type of yokai - or monster - in Japan. While our reaction might be shock and surprise if a cat turned into a person in front of us, in Japan people might be slightly less surprised but much more afraid. There are some 'rules' (more like guidelines) on how to deal with surprise and fear in the game - but for the most part, the PCs should try to be stealthy when it comes to shapeshifting or using their powers.
So I'd recommended it for: Anime fans or anyone interested in Japanese culture, the rules-light/storytelling crowd, and anyone who wants a break from action- or combat-oriented games.
I think that sums it up. I'd love to see the game show up in Players Wanted sometime.

Delta Green for Call of Cthulhu.  Almost 90% of every book is pure background and info and could be used for other systems easily enough.  The detail is just amazing and if you like conspiracies it's worth the read even without knowing CoC.

In reply to pfarland (msg # 3):

In full agreement. I can also say the same for Mindjammer and Stalker.

Ah, this is my element! I love checking out indie games, especially freebies. Half my games here are playtests of rules I’ve dug up online. Here are a few that have stood out (for one reason or another), but if anyone wants to ask questions, I’m always happy to chat about indie freebies. :)

However, my rule of thumb is that if I can’t count the pages on my fingers and toes, it’s only good for mining, and I don’t like taking my shoes and socks off!

Cost Key:
0 Free
? Can't remember
£ single figures
££ Double figures
£££ Never bought any, don’t intend to!

Game: 1PG
Author: Deep 7 Games
Pages: 16
Cost: £
Genre: Generic
Comment: This is my current game of choice. It’s fast, simple, and suited to PbP. Rules light, but with just enough crunch to work. The Goldilocks formula, IMO. As it’s title suggests, the core rules are contained on one PaGe, but each module comprises one page of core rules, one page of genre-specific rules, a couple of fluff pages and a couple of 3-4 page outline adventure scenarios. You buy as many or as few modules as you like, and in some parts of the world a pint of beer will cost you more. Weak magic rules.

Game: Atomic Highway
Author: Colin Chapman
Pages: ?
Cost: 0
Genre: Modern/Future
Comment: Most of this game is setting, which I discarded, since I like to make my own. The dice-pool combat rules are workable for PbP, though, and have some good innovations.

Game: Car Wars
Author: Steve Jackson
Pages: 147
Cost: ££
Genre: Modern/Future
Comment: An interesting game of vehicular chases/combat, but takes some tweaking for PbP.

Game: Chain Reaction
Author: 2 Hour Wargames
Pages: 42
Cost: 0
Genre: Generic
Comment: The core rules are generic, but nevertheless there are several additional genre-specific modules. Interesting game, nice for tabletop but awkward for PbP.

Game: Dead Simple
Author: Craig Cartmell
Pages: 1
Cost: 0
Genre: Fantasy/Generic
Comment: Noble attempt, but seems unfinished. Too easy to miss your opponent, dragging combat out excruciatingly, especially in PbP. Mined it for its innovative approach to magic, which I’m adapting to 1PG.

Game: Dirtside II
Author: Ground Zero Games
Pages: 56
Cost: ?
Genre: SciFi
Comment: A set of ground battle rules developed by a team of Traveller fans who wanted a Traveller-based wargame. They also do rules for space-navy battles. Good for tabletop, not for PbP.

Game: Dog Town
Author: Cold Blooded Games
Pages: 295
Cost: 0
Genre: Modern/Crime
Comment: Interesting idea, single-player based crime survival game. Mined it mainly for the hugely detailed modern urban setting: maps, location descriptions, character bios, etc. Never found anyone to play/GM it.

Game: Double Zero
Author: Berin Kinsman
Pages: 30
Cost: 0
Genre: Spy
Comment: Nice JB007 freebie. I’ll have to refresh my memory on this one.

Game: Duel Blade
Author: Jeff Moore
Pages: 3
Cost: 0
Genre: Swashbuckling
Comment: Nice simple duelling rules. Worth a look.

Game: En Garde!
Author: Paul Evans
Pages: 82
Cost: ££
Genre: Swashbuckling
Comment: Showing its age. This one’s as old as D&D and by today’s standards, it’s clunky. All about duelling and social climbing, but you’ll need a set of file index cards (remember those?) to keep track of your duelling, and a pocket calculator (or better still a spreadsheet) to keep track of your wealth and status. I need to find a better wealth and status ruleset for free. Suggestions gratefully received...

Game: Flashing Blades
Author: Fantasy Games Unlimited
Pages: ?
Cost: ?
Genre: Swashbuckling
Comment: Obviously based on En Garde! Some parts simplified, other parts expanded upon, most parts modernized.

Game: Fubar
Author: Craig Cartmell
Pages: 1
Cost: 0
Genre: Fantasy/Ancient
Comment: Never gave this a fair trial after discovering the holes in the author’s Dead Simple game (above). Wanted to join this skirmish set to that personal combat set. One day, perhaps.

Game: Lady Blackbird
Author: John Harper
Pages: 16
Cost: 0
Genre: SciFi
Comment: Meh. Never really got into this one. Seemed neither one thing nor the other. One of those semi-freeform thingys.

Game: Pirates, Ye Olde Core Rules
Author: New Dimension Games
Pages: 147
Cost: ?
Genre: Swashbuckling
Comment: Typical pirate fare. Similar to Flashing Blades, above. Mined it for ideas but never played it. Looks a bit complex for PbP, but probably make a nice tabletop game.

Game: Risus
Author: John S Ross
Pages: 4
Cost: 0
Genre: Generic
Comment: Meh. Too simplistic and wacky. Might suit kids, or college students after ten pints...

Game: Run or Shoot
Author: Jim Wallman
Pages: 9
Cost: 0
Genre: Zombie
Comment: Good, fun game. Jim Wallman is one of my fave game designers. He designs ‘one brain cell’ games that are simple, fast, and more fun than a 300 page tome. I don’t think he’s written any Fantasy or SciFi rules, though, he’s a skirmish wargamer at heart.

Game: Stars Without Number
Author: Sine Nomine Publishing
Pages: 210
Cost: 0 (free version)
Genre: SciFi
Comment: Travellerish setting. Neat chapter on Factions, a sort of solo-game for a GM behind the scenes, allowing the GM to determine the assets and plot the fortunes of various factions ranging from a street gang to an interstellar government. When you meet those three punks you beat up last month, you find they’re now running a bona fide street gang with rep and muscle... Mined that bit.

Game: Teen Island
Author: Sooga Games
Pages: 17
Cost: 0
Genre: Modern/Survival
Comment: Interesting concept: a bunch of shipwrecked angst-ridden teens trying to survive together. Limited to that scenario, though. Had to add my own weather rules.

Game: The Window
Author: Scott Lininger
Pages: 42
Cost: 0
Genre: Generic
Comment: Meh. Never really got into this one. Seemed neither one thing nor the other. One of those semi-freeform thingys.

 This is a pretty awesome list icosahedron! I'll have to check those out, I'm into the idea of various play styles and rule set variations and mixing and matching for my own homebrews.

One that I came across in the last few years that really dazzled me:

Apocalypse World
-Storyteller system with 'hooks' and strings to make the story more fun.
-Only requires a d6 for most resolutions.
-Story centric but crunchy enough so its not just freeform.
-There are tons of hacks for this one including, Dungeon World and Horror World(I think that was what it was called...)
-It's free or 'pay what you feel it's worth', which is cool.

Glad to help. If we have similar interests I'll keep you on my watch list. ;)

I've seen Dungeon World mentioned a few times in Players Wanted, but since I'm not currently going through a Fantasy phase I've passed it by without checking it out. I'll have a look now.

If your Google Fu fails you with my list, give me a nudge.

I will add my current favorite.

Game: Beat To Quarters
Author: Neil Gow
Pages: 166
Cost: $10
Genre: Napoleonic Navy
Comment: A great set of rules that work well with RPoL. It boils a mission, ballet, combat, challenge down to a single draw of a hand of cards. The GM draws a Card Of Fate and the players try to match that with their hand. Then the players/GM narrate the results. It handles both ship to ship engagements and personal combat as well as other conflict/skill resolutions. It also has a sister game "Duty And Honor" that focuses on army units and personal, and there are four additional Almanacs (free supplements) with additional rules, career choices, characters, units  and such. I recommend it.

This message was deleted by a moderator, as it was against the forum rules, at 22:34, Fri 26 Sept 2014.

Anyone try the Valiant rpg? I just found it and was wondering what you think of this one?

One that I got recently but I'm waiting for people to twig to on PbP sites...

Barebones RPG by DwD Studios.  It's a nice little set of rules for fantasy (I think it runs a spy game also now, haven't looked at that).  It's nice and moderately rules-light, for when you just want an interesting adventure, not tons of numbers like D&D.  But there's still enough system there to not feel like you're playing a freeform game.  Character creation is fairly flexible; you could build a D&D-style character if you wanted, but you wouldn't be chained to that.

My favorites, all free, all awesome, mostly some flavor of D20 which I know will make some people pass them up without a second look - don't. You'll regret missing these gems.

Legend - www.ruleofcool.com - crunchy D20 done right, balanced and awesome for over-the-top D20 action without a ton of broken garbage.

Radiance - Another D20, with a built-in steampunk feel which can easily be removed for generic fantasy. Unique and worth looking at. http://www.radiancerpg.com/

Pokemon Tabletop United - If you like Pokemon and always wanted a TTRPG that duplicates it perfectly, this is that RPG, full-stop. Works great for non-pokemon games too with a little creativity. This is the main game my friends and I play here on RPoL. http://forums.pokemontabletop.com/topic/10038435/1/

The Window - www.mimgames.com - works for everything, easily modified to do what you need if you have even one iota of game design skill. I have used it many, many times here on RPoL with great succes, and it's wonderful for PbP.
This message was last edited by the user at 10:45, Wed 01 Oct 2014.

Looked at a few reviews of Valiant and Barebones. I don't think Valiant is my type, but Barebones looks like it might have some ideas worth mining. Not sure it'd have ten dollars worth, but I'll give that one some thought, thanks. :)

In reply to eternaldarkness (msg # 12):

These seem awesome, and I've already been able to play with the Window system which is great for PbP games definitely.