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A triumphant return to DMing! ... Maybe?

MundaneSoulMundaneSoul fight fighterDaehan MingukRegistered User regular
edited October 2008 in Critical Failures
So here's the story:

I finally, after a long drought, have found some people who are interested in PnP gaming with me - mostly co-workers who I've gotten to know better in recent months. Anyway, most of them are new or pretty green when it comes to PnP stuff, and so I've been put in the DM/ST role sort of by default. Though I'd rather be on the player end as it's less time-consuming, I do have a lot of fun running things as well.

But my problem is this: I need a good, lighthearted game to start off with or I know they're going to be turned off pretty quickly. Preferably something with a light enough tone that some humor can be worked in, and with plenty of action to keep things moving along. A very streamlined, easy-to-understand ruleset is also a big plus. Do you all have any recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

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Posts

  • Mike DangerMike Danger "Diane..." a place both wonderful and strangeRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    RISUS comes to mind.

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    Steam: Mike Danger | PSN/NNID: remadeking | 3DS: 2079-9204-4075
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  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    As does Paranoia XP (Straight style,) although that kind of depends on what genre you're looking for.

    Rainfall on
  • MundaneSoulMundaneSoul fight fighter Daehan MingukRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Genre is pretty much open. I can't see anything being shot down unless it's some sort of butterfly magic world full of kissing bumblebees and grasshopper aristocrats.

    Actually, that sounds pretty good. Somebody recommend an RPG with that stuff. :winky:

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  • UtsanomikoUtsanomiko Bros before Does Rollin' in the thlayRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I found my first game of D&D 4th to be straight-forward. PA's D&D podcast showed it's an easy game to get into and play light-heartedly. Find a dungeon to crawl in and let them go at it.

    Although I always have to reccommend the old D6 Star Wars by West End Games; it should be everyone's first RPG.

    Utsanomiko on
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  • El SkidEl Skid The frozen white northRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    You can always try Amber. It's diceless, so you aren't going to get much simpler than that from a player mechanics point of view.

    El Skid on
  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Genre is pretty much open. I can't see anything being shot down unless it's some sort of butterfly magic world full of kissing bumblebees and grasshopper aristocrats.

    Actually, that sounds pretty good. Somebody recommend an RPG with that stuff. :winky:

    Well, Paranoia(if you haven't heard about it) is pretty much a dystopian big-brother style game, where The Computer controls everything, and you work for the computer trying to stop communists and mutants from doing Bad Things to the Computer.

    The downside is that you're also a mutant and/or a communist, as are all your teammates. Lots of player conflict, lots of bizarre schemes, and played in the Straight-up style, it can be viciously awesome with moments of hilarity.

    Rainfall on
  • MundaneSoulMundaneSoul fight fighter Daehan MingukRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Rainfall wrote: »
    Genre is pretty much open. I can't see anything being shot down unless it's some sort of butterfly magic world full of kissing bumblebees and grasshopper aristocrats.

    Actually, that sounds pretty good. Somebody recommend an RPG with that stuff. :winky:

    Well, Paranoia(if you haven't heard about it) is pretty much a dystopian big-brother style game, where The Computer controls everything, and you work for the computer trying to stop communists and mutants from doing Bad Things to the Computer.

    The downside is that you're also a mutant and/or a communist, as are all your teammates. Lots of player conflict, lots of bizarre schemes, and played in the Straight-up style, it can be viciously awesome with moments of hilarity.

    That sounds like it could work really well. I'm checking it out right now. Thanks Rainfall and the rest of you!

    MundaneSoul on
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  • crimsoncoyotecrimsoncoyote Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    El Skid wrote: »
    You can always try Amber. It's diceless, so you aren't going to get much simpler than that from a player mechanics point of view.

    Unless they like things dictated by dice. Unfortunately, I don't have too much experience with RPGs other than D&D, but I know a few people that are a little more put off when they don't have to roll dice (more of the hack-and-slash types).

    crimsoncoyote on
  • UtsanomikoUtsanomiko Bros before Does Rollin' in the thlayRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    El Skid wrote: »
    You can always try Amber. It's diceless, so you aren't going to get much simpler than that from a player mechanics point of view.

    Unless they like things dictated by dice. Unfortunately, I don't have too much experience with RPGs other than D&D, but I know a few people that are a little more put off when they don't have to roll dice (more of the hack-and-slash types).

    Some people expect their RPGs to be more 'tabletop' gaming than pen & paper, expecially those new to the concepts of being in-character, 'meta' and using attributes. Dice gives them something concrete to learn and grounds everyone's fickle whims to some solid rules, while hack & slash style games provide a straight-forward objective to play against and a purpose to their character designs.

    It really depends on the type of gaming they want to do. If your friends sound really pumped for battle and leveling up, look into going with the latest D&D or something similar. If they seem to get the concepts of playing a role and participating in a story, there's several different systems with varying levels of complexity that can focus on those aspects of roleplaying.

    Utsanomiko on
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  • crimsoncoyotecrimsoncoyote Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Utsanomiko wrote: »
    El Skid wrote: »
    You can always try Amber. It's diceless, so you aren't going to get much simpler than that from a player mechanics point of view.

    Unless they like things dictated by dice. Unfortunately, I don't have too much experience with RPGs other than D&D, but I know a few people that are a little more put off when they don't have to roll dice (more of the hack-and-slash types).

    Some people expect their RPGs to be more 'tabletop' gaming than pen & paper, expecially those new to the concepts of being in-character, 'meta' and using attributes. Dice gives them something concrete to learn and grounds everyone's fickle whims to some solid rules, while hack & slash style games provide a straight-forward objective to play against and a purpose to their character designs.

    It really depends on the type of gaming they want to do. If your friends sound really pumped for battle and leveling up, look into going with the latest D&D or something similar. If they seem to get the concepts of playing a role and participating in a story, there's several different systems with varying levels of complexity that can focus on those aspects of roleplaying.

    Yeah, you said it like a million times better than I did.

    crimsoncoyote on
  • MundaneSoulMundaneSoul fight fighter Daehan MingukRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Utsanomiko wrote: »
    If your friends sound really pumped for battle and leveling up, look into going with the latest D&D or something similar.

    This is the general impression that I get from them at the outset. I might be able to get them to do something more serious as they settle into it, but right now I need to hook them in with loot, gore, and ridiculous situations.

    MundaneSoul on
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  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Well, 4E is damnably easy to DM, from what I've heard, so you might be able to get good results there. Loot, gore, and XPz are great for new people to gorge themselves on.

    Rainfall on
  • MundaneSoulMundaneSoul fight fighter Daehan MingukRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Excellent, I'll need to look into that as well. Paranoia looks fantastic, here's hoping I can find it at a local shop tomorrow.

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  • minigunwielderminigunwielder __BANNED USERS regular
    edited October 2008
    Remember this citizens!

    Filesharing is TREASON, and is punishable by SUMMARY EXECUTION.

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  • MundaneSoulMundaneSoul fight fighter Daehan MingukRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Is this an in-joke I'm not getting?

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  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Citizen! This information is above your clearance level! Further questioning will not be tolerated!

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  • MundaneSoulMundaneSoul fight fighter Daehan MingukRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Right, sorry about that.

    Picked up the book today on the way to work. Haven't had a chance to read it yet, but it looks delicious.

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  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Warning! Any attempts to consume official documents will be seen as both communist attempts to destroy information and displeasure regarding the taste of Hot Fun.

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