RPG
Role Playing Games

Posted 13 January 2011

I played Role Playing Games (RPG) solidly for about 15 years from my early teens. I've played Dungeons & Dragons (1974), Tunnels & Trolls (1975), Empire of the Petal Throne (1975), En Garde! (1975), Metamorphosis Alpha, (1976), Chivalry & Sorcery (1977), Traveller (1977), Gamma World (1978), RuneQuest (1978), Bushido (1979), The Fantasy Trip (1980), Call of Cthulhu (1981), Star Frontiers (1982), Paranoia (1984), GURPS (1986), Hero System (1989), and Fudge RPG (1992). 

Of these I loved the Tekumel setting of the Empire of the Petrol Throne but quickly discarded the rules. My favourite rules were The Fantasy Trip and its descendent Gurps. Simple and flexible. That said my taste in RPG mechanics has got simpler and simpler.

For a long time wargaming has dominated my gaming interests but every now and then I get a hankering for an RPG. Right now I'm intrigued by Fudge RPG and its descendent Fate RPG. Both are available on-line for free. Both emphasise story telling over game mechanics.

Fudge RPG

Fudge RPGFudge RPG is a rules-light game engine. You can use the mechanics to create any role-playing game desired. A simple word-based system is used for handling action and combat resolution.

Fate RPG

Fate RPGFate RPG is a spin off from Fudge RPG but there are some key differences. Attributes become skills or aspects; and gifts and faults also merge into aspects.

Place of Reeds

Teotihuacan"The Place of Reeds" is a setting for a role playing campaign in Mesoamerica. The main city is called, not surprisingly, the Place of Reeds, and is nominally the historical city of Teotihuacan.