Thinking about running a game... opinions sought.

Hey folks,

It's been, literally eons (ok, not literally), since I've DM'd/GM'd a game with actually engaged players who are, you know, not related to me and not under the age of 11. I've been waiting to play a game PbP for awhile before diving in to GM one, but I've been slow to the mark on new games. So instead I've been reading a few games that seem to be running well and trying to get a feel for how the GM is operating and how the payers are working together.

With that preamble, I've been considering firing up a game of somewhat limited initial scope in order to see if I can get a feel for this thing. I've considered the following three systems. In each case, I've never run a game in the system in question. If you're looking for that, I've got to go back to Boot Hill, or D&D2E, or Gamma World...

Mindjammer - Fate Core. I liken this universe to operating within Iain Banks' Culture novels. It's not quite the same, but there's a lot of similar ideas/constructs. Fate appears to be a very collaborative and storytelling-oriented system that looks like a good fit for PbP.

The One Ring - Roleplaying in Tolkien's Middle Earth in the years between Bilbo's discovery of the One Ring and the Fellowship sallying forth from Rivendell. Mordor is quietly on the rise whilst evil brews in the depths of Dol Guldur in Mirkwood. Combat is short and brutal in this system and magic is almost non-existent or very, very passive (much as with the novels). Definitely a strong narrative feel to this system.

Force and Destiny - Using a rule system very similar to Edge of the Empire, characters are Force Sensitive players who are operating in the Galaxy where Obi-Won Kenobi has just been killed by Vader and the Death Star had the Great Space Kablooie. It's Star Wars and you're being hunted as you seek to learn the secrets of the Force. Edge of the Empire seems to be running okay here, so I suspect FaD would too -- but it's probably a more equal mix of die-rolling and narrative play than some of the other systems.

In each case, the systems have an 'intro' or 'beginners' adventure which I'd use as a low-risk way to get some experience with the system and the form.

Playing in a space opera like Banks appeals, but I'm more interested in The One Ring or FaD games. While I love narrative storytelling, the closer a game system gets to FUDGE, the less I like it.

I'd play a Force and Destiny game. Not a huge Star Wars geek, but I have all of the core books, and would love to give it a go. (and then I'd have to quit taking on more games for a while. :-))

I've tried getting into Mindjammer and other Fate type games, but they just don't seem to work for me.

I'm up for playing any of the three really they all seem interesting. Granted I'm not familiar with any of the games so I'll be your pseudo newbie gamer test case.

Ok -- to narrow it down to those two, the adventures are as follows (these are both introductory adventures):

One Ring: It is early spring, 2946, five years after the Battle of the Five Armies. There is great talk of a gathering of the people of the North later in the year in Dale. You have come together as a fellowship, of sorts, on your way to Dale for the momentous celebration due to take place later in the year, planning to spend the summer months in Esgaroth, enjoying the cosmopolitan feel of Lake-town as all manner of people from across the North hustle and bustle here. You receive word that Hraf, son of Hrabin, a Raven of the Mountain has brought to Erebor some sinister tidings: two Dwarven messengers who left the Lonely Mountain on an errand are nowhere to be found. The Kingdom under the Mountain is astir, and Gloin the Dwarf himself has spread word that whoever provides news of the missing Dwarves will be richly rewarded.

FaD: It is a dark time in the galaxy. The Jedi Order has been destroyed and knowledge of the Force is all but lost. Only a handful of people sensitive to the Force remain, scattered across the stars, ignorant of their destiny. Humble scholar Hethan Romund has preserved a fragment of the heritage of the Jedi. Traveling the galaxy, Romund stumbled across a number of people still strong in the Force and offered them what wisdom she could. Now, Romund has been captured by Malefax, a servant of the dark side of the Force. Compelled by Malefax to lead him to a lost temple rich in ancient knowledge, Romund has sent a signal to several of the Force-sensitive allies she has made over the course of her career. Drawn together to rescue their mentor, these Force-sensitives now climb the snow-clad slopes of Mount Tellec on the Outer Rim planet Spintir...

...any of these particular ignite your imagination? :) They are as different as chalk and cheese, as my Brit friends would say.

Both appeal, but I guess I lean slightly toward the FaD game, for the cinematic feel (opening with the action already underway).

They both sound cool. I only have access to the FaD stuff though so I'd definitely lean towards that.

Looks like people want to FaD it seems guess I have some reading to do.

Edit: We just need Star Wars: Force and Destiny Core Rulebook?

For FaD yah, the core rulebook would give you everything you'd need (and then some for the intro adventure -- I'll be running the game from the Beginner's Box Set as a first step). Anything that's not in FaD that you might want to make use of are basically other races, which I'll be happy enough to list out and let anyone pick. I don't think there's any particular constraints on who can and cannot be Force-sensitive within the races providers (droids being the obvious exception). I've found, in the extended universe, examples of Wookiee Jedi, for example.

EDIT: I'll spend some time this weekend getting the game defined -- I'm currently travelling for work and have sketchy availability and zero availability to my rule books. :)

I am currently playing EotE on roll20 and it is sucha a fun game. I am wondering also about FaD. Do you have to be a force user?

Hi Kjmagle,

No -- you don't have to be a Force-sensitive, or even an obvious Force-sensitive. That is, some of the careers in FaD are influenced by the Force but not obviously Force-heavy (e.g. their connection to the Force enables them to be a better pilot or hunter versus a scholar of the Force).

System wise, FaD is completely compatible wit AoR and EotE. I'd be perfectly happy having a non-Force character as part of the party so long as they realized that in this first go'round (which I'd be using to skill up my ability to GM the game as well!) that there wouldn't be a lot of plot elements orbiting a non-FaD character. E.g. there won't be obvious hooks into Obligation or Duty or reliance on skills like slicing or whatnot (which you might see in an EotE campaign).

My objective is to use this as a way to get me involved/understanding PbP and get used to running something in this rules system. Then, I'd be completely open to figuring out how to integrate a diverse set of folks from more than a single core book. I think EotE and FaD could be very compatible if the EotE folks were more 'good' aligned or if the FaD folks might be more 'dark' aligned (if running a more criminally focused campaign).

Does that make sense?

Yeah it makes sense. I am kinda interested, just haven't had to make a character in over a year so i would have to figure it out again.

Once a forums up let up know Falryx that way we can discuss character creation, group dynamics, which books we can use or need to read up on to get dialed in. Fyi, I just realized how many books were out for EotE. D= Oh it'll also give you a chance to tell us the no no's on character creation. XD

Sounds good -- should get something kicked off tomorrow.

Note, that by the way, the EotE books are a combination of adventures and additional source material for greater depth on some careers (e.g. smugglers, etc.). I don't have any of the books beyond the core books, so you shouldn't feel any obligation to do that either. In the case of FaD -- I think there's just the core and the beginner box out now, limiting the scope and temptation. :)