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General Forge Forums => Actual Play => Topic started by: denagar on December 25, 2005, 10:26:36 PM

Title: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: denagar on December 25, 2005, 10:26:36 PM
Hi,

I'm looking for a storytelling rpg, where all the players
participate. Are there any good free systems which can
give some guidance?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: tygertyger on December 26, 2005, 12:36:50 AM
Try the 24-hour rpg site (www.1km1kt.net); there's bound to be something there that meets your needs.
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: Trevis Martin on December 26, 2005, 04:11:33 AM
When you say "all players participate" do you mean GMless?  If not then you might want to look at The Pool (http://www.randomordercreations.com/thepool.htm)  If you are looking for GMless then Universalis (http://universalis.indie-rpgs.com) is the best one I can suggest but it isn't free

Trevis
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: denagar on December 26, 2005, 10:59:38 AM
Hi,

we want to play GM-less, and actually I was looking for something similar
to Universalis but free.

(I wouldn't mind paying for Universalis, but I live in Europe and shipping is
somewhat of a problem - unfortunately, Universalis is not available to buy
as a PDF version.)

Are there any free alternatives?

Thank you and Kind Regards,
Denagar
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: nilsderondeau on December 26, 2005, 03:47:17 PM
Quote from: denagar on December 26, 2005, 10:59:38 AM
(I wouldn't mind paying for Universalis, but I live in Europe and shipping is
somewhat of a problem - unfortunately, Universalis is not available to buy
as a PDF version.)

I live in France and received my copy of UNI with absolutely no problems. What's the hangup?
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: Adam Cerling on December 26, 2005, 06:33:10 PM
Denagar,

Check out Capes Lite -- free from Muse of Fire games (http://www.museoffire.com/Games/downloads.html). It's the demo version of Capes, a GM-less superhero game. Maybe if it does a good job of what you want, overseas shipping will seem a small price to get the full game...!
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: denagar on December 26, 2005, 07:12:06 PM
nilsderondeau,

the "hangup" is that my group's an impatient lot, and they want to start playing
tomorrow, and if I don't present them with a good ruleset for GMless play,
we're probably back to traditional rpg-gaming (which I, as the traditional
GM, don't have the time to handle at the moment).
And shipping from the US will probably take 3 weeks or more.
(Where did you order your copy?)

Adam,

thanks for the Capes tip, it looks nice, but I think Universalis is more like
what we want.
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: Josh Roby on December 26, 2005, 07:33:17 PM
I don't think you're going to find anything so broadly defined as Universalis for free.  Perhaps you can give Capes or Conquer the Horizon (http://kallistipress.com/CtH) a try tomorrow as a sort of experiment in GMless play, with the understanding that if you guys like the feel, you can get Universalis-or-similar for play later.
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: Darren Hill on December 26, 2005, 09:30:10 PM
Quote from: denagar on December 26, 2005, 10:59:38 AM
(I wouldn't mind paying for Universalis, but I live in Europe and shipping is
somewhat of a problem - unfortunately, Universalis is not available to buy
as a PDF version.)

Where in Europe? I got mine from www.travellingman.com, in the UK. Also, www.leisuregames.com has it and they ship elsewhere in Europe for quite reasonable cost and it's probably a lot quicker than ordering from the states.
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: nilsderondeau on December 26, 2005, 09:36:50 PM
Quote from: denagar on December 26, 2005, 07:12:06 PM
the "hangup" is that my group's an impatient lot, and they want to start playing
tomorrow, and if I don't present them with a good ruleset for GMless play,
we're probably back to traditional rpg-gaming (which I, as the traditional
GM, don't have the time to handle at the moment).
And shipping from the US will probably take 3 weeks or more.
(Where did you order your copy?)

An impatient group is not a hangup! Neither is waiting for product!

I ordered my copy here: http://www.key20direct.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=57
Took maybe a week and a half.

You realize that by posting this here in AP you are hereby bound to, erm, do an AP report of your first session.

Cheers,
N.
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: Arturo G. on December 27, 2005, 12:37:26 PM

Hi!

I'm living in Spain. Orders from Leisure Games arrive in about a week. Orders from Key 20 in a week and a half.

If you can wait a week I strongly recommend you to try Universalis.
You may also check Polaris (for 4 players, no GM, an amazing fantasy setting)

You may also be interested on Primetime Adventures. You need no preparation as productor and the story and setting is created by all the group. You may create a series about anything you want, with the kind of tone and color you like. I think Matt is seeling it as PDF now.

Although it is not a GM-less game, Dogs in the Vineyard requires very few work from the GM to create new situations (towns) and it is extremely fun (it is also sold as PDF).

Cheers,
Arturo
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: Paul Czege on December 27, 2005, 02:40:31 PM
Hey denagar,

Yeah, you guys need Universalis. There are other games that share some of Universalis' sensibilities, but I'm unaware of any free ones that are as fully refined and playtested, or as perfectly uniform in their power distribution across the player participants. If you guys are serious, you really owe yourselves a nice solid game you can cut your teeth on. (I suspect this won't be the case, but if Universalis turns out to be too granular for you, then get Primetime Adventures.)

Paul
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: Lxndr on December 27, 2005, 02:45:51 PM
SOAP.

You can buy it as a PDF today.  And there's a free version that's fully playable as well.

:)
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: Darren Hill on December 27, 2005, 04:01:16 PM
Where can we find SOAP?
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: Lxndr on December 27, 2005, 11:33:04 PM
http://www.nettrash.com/users/crayne/soap.html is the free version

http://wingnutgames.com/soap.htm is where you can buy the PDF for one american dollar
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: Joe J Prince on December 27, 2005, 11:46:42 PM
Just thought I'd quickly pimp one of my games ;)

Munch-Mausen Tales (http://www.princeofdarknessgames.com/munch-mausen_tales.htm)

It was an entry for the first Ronneis comp, and is a free GMless storytelling game. It's not very polished or anything but it's a lot of fun and super easy to play.

I recommend you also check out Pantheon or Baron Munchhausen - both from Hogshead, sorry I don't have the weblinks...

Cheers,
J
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: Joshua A.C. Newman on December 28, 2005, 04:50:14 PM
Shock: uses a rotating GM. It's for playing science fiction stories and the playtest version is available for free (http://glyphpress.com/playtest/) until it's finished. When finished in March, it will be available both in book and PDF form.
Title: Re: Free storytelling rpgs?
Post by: Ron Edwards on December 28, 2005, 06:02:33 PM
HEY!

What do you people think you're doing? What site do you think you're posting at?

This is NOT a topic for the Forge and especially not for Actual Play. None of you should have replied. All of you except the initial poster, who is simply new, are totally out of line.

This thread is closed. Do not post here again.

Best,
Ron