Okay, now I'm into "realistic" games. Sim or whatever, I want m disbelief to be suspended. That's easier on me for some things than for others. TROS, for example, put a lot of attention on realistic swordplay, becuase I need that realism to suspend disbelief.

Last night we ran Shadowrun for about an hour and a half. We just felt like blowing stuff up and it seemed like the best outlet for that. So far, it is. I'm looking for a a game that allows me and mine to blow stuff up bigger better faster louder and grittier than Shadowrun. Something that's short-length (like most indie rpgs), easy to pick up and play, and that's messy. I want John Woo and other high-end high-octane action. That's the "realism" that I'm shooting for here.

I'm looking for suggestions. What I'm not looking for is:
InSpectres. We play this semi-regularly and it's wonderful (both I and my players really really love it), but it's not what I'm looking for.
Something long with a big setting or one that's crucial to the gameplay.
A uber-simple generic system.

I am looking for a dedicated violence with big guns and cars and explosions game. Any ideas?

Jake

Jake,

It sounds like you're describing Extreme Vengeance.

It weighs in on the rules-light side, and it's often hailed as one of the uber-Narrativist systems out there, but it is the action movie rpg if ever there was one.

It's relatively easy to learn, and would be good for short campaign type stuff.

If you can find it you should pick it up, even if you don't end up playing it.

- Scott

Jake Norwood wrote: I am looking for a dedicated violence with big guns and cars and explosions game. Any ideas?

As far as I know Feng Shui is exactly what you are looking for. Though maybe Unknown Armies might be good too. For both check out http://www.atlas-games.com/. To be honest though I am sure you could do some serious action with Sorcerer.

Oh yeah and Two Page Action Movie might be good too (check in the Library).

-Shane

I have to second that 2 Page Action Movie plug. That game rocks!

Chris

Metal Opera satisfies big explosions and massive action. It's highly author/director-stanced. The whole thing is about starting out wimpy and climbing up to end with the grandest ending possible.

You can replace the Metal theme with an HK Action theme by rewriting the names of the stats. And changing Axe to Piece.

Buddha Nature wrote: To be honest though I am sure you could do some serious action with Sorcerer.

Thanks a ton for all those suggestions! OctaNe had occured to me, but I was wondering if I should wait for the full version. I'll check out the others asap.

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: Thanks a ton for all those suggestions! OctaNe had occured to me, but I was wondering if I should wait for the full version. I'll check out the others asap.

I'd say that Feng Shui is exactly what you're looking for here. FUZION is too complicated and Unknown Armies is intended to be grittily realistic. BESM is okay if you like anime, but if you like anime then you're beyond my help anyway.

Jared A. Sorensen wrote:
I gotta warn you that the 1st edition (online version) is not a good indicator of what the newer version is like (I'll be taking it down this week to work on the new octaNe site).

Also, if you're looking for game-heavy rules, premium uNleaded will disappoint you in that area. It's more similar to InSpectres than to (say) Shadowrun.

Jake,

If you can forgive my shameless self promotion, might I suggest picking up a copy of Dreamwalker: Roleplaying in the Land of Dreams. It sounds just like what you are looking for---easy to learn rules, quick chargen, no true metaplot and since the players are "real" they have a vast amount of power over the inhabitants of the dream.

As for blowing stuff up, since the "adventures" are set within dreams you can take your picking of settings and locales---shadowrunesque, sci-fi, futuristic, post holocaust, medieval and conventional warfare are all possible as we have rules for weapons and vehicles and tips for customizing them to the setting.

There is a review here. The reviewer felt the game was great for quick, one shot games even going so far as to call it the "king of the one-pops"---which incidentally had me somewhat nettled at first as I always envisioned Dreamwalker as having more depth and being more suited for prolonged campaign play. Still, I could see he had a point as the game was designed to be tailored to different playing styles. :)

Anyway, if you (or anyone else here) purchases the game, I would really like to hear some details on how the sessions go, just to get an idea of how others feel the game fits into the GNS model.

You can check out our website or buy the game at Barnes and Noble or at Books A'Million.

My apologies about the plug, but I really felt it was appropriate.

Thanks,

Pete

Jake,

I'd second many of the suggestions so far. OTOH, few of them get high scores for really detailed or gritty action, like TROS would. The problem is that you already have the best game on the market for that, AFAICT (it's just not tailored to modern action). I think that most games are going to dissapoint you a bit, therefore.

You've probably seen a lot of the entries that would count. Palladium's system for example, is detailed, gritty, and can do MEGA action. But it also largely blows (same goes for a slew of games like Battleords of the 23rd Century). GURPS and Hero System (and it's cousin FUZION) can be made to do what you want, but have their own problems, and fail your dedication test. BESM is more dedicated to violence, but also slightly less well designed (OK, it's a lopsided pile of holes).

2PAM, HKAT (original), and Extreme Vengeance are all very dedicated, but do not get into the gritty detail. They'll likely snap your disbelief suspenders. Feng Shui may come closest, and you can just ignore most of the setting if you like. Still, not too detailed.

See the problem? Games are either dedicated to wild violence and do it in a non-detailed way (so as to allow for the maximum wildness), or they are detailed, but less dedicated. I think that this follows the notion that action movies are not very realistic. Which doesn't mean that you can't have detail, it just suggests to those making the games that such detail isn't interesting, I think.

I could really get into a game like you're describing, I just don't think it exists. I'd either tailor one of the generic systems and go from there, or even better, If I were you, I'd alter TROS to do what you want. Probably wouldn't take too much.

Mike

Hey Mike, I seem to have gotten a different idea of what Jake is looking for from what you have. I was under the impression that what he's looking for is *not* a system heavy game. The impression I got is that he's looking for a relatively simple game devoted to the action genre, but not to any one particular setting. Sounds like FUZION might be exactly what he wants.

Jake, maybe you could clarify a bit what you're looking for. I'm getting interested here, because I see a potential niche to be filled if Mike is correct. So, what role do you want the system fo fill exactly? You've already said that you don't particularly want a setting. So what do you have in mind? How would you like a typical Blow Things Up session to go?

Paganini wrote: Hey Mike, I seem to have gotten a different idea of what Jake is looking for from what you have. I was under the impression that what he's looking for is *not* a system heavy game. The impression I got is that he's looking for a relatively simple game devoted to the action genre, but not to any one particular setting.

Hmmm, more detail...

I think I'm looking at the lighter side of medium. Something that I can remember the rules to after not playing for a year and a half. Something along the lines of Shadowrun or WEG d6 (ala Star Wars), but better streamlined. Sorcerer hadn't occured to me, but just might be right.

As for gun types and what not, I think I'd be happy with "small, medium, large pistol; small, medium, large rifle, etc." Not quite GURPS or TROS detail--something ideal for a one shot on a night of chaos.

As for a more modern verion of TROS, streamlined and what not--I'd love to do that (oh, but when!).

I hope that's better. If not, do tell and I'll fill in more (I'm pressed for time at the moment).

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: Something along the lines of Shadowrun or WEG d6 (ala Star Wars), but better streamlined.

Paganini wrote: What does "better streamlined" mean?

You definitely want to check out Extreme Vengeance. Explosions are rated on a scale of Boom, Big Boom, and Really Big Booms. The mechanic is pure big budge Hollywood Action. And its just a damn fun book to read.

You may need to look for it on Ebay though, I don't think its in print any longer.

<SNIP description of streamlined>

AH! In that case, streamlined games are my favorite sorts. :)

Jake wrote:
I'm getting picky here, I realize, but you all seem to enjoy dissecting this, and it's good for me, I suppose.

I'd have to throw in my vote for Feng Shui. Dice mehcanics are roll a positive d10 and a negative d10, add them together and apply to your skill. Beat the difficulty then you can do it. Like Sorcerer you get bonuses for good description of your actions. Being boring will count against you.

Character generation is as simple as picking an archetype, adding some skill points and choosing a schtick or two. Starting characters can mow down mooks by the dozen.

Just ignore the Secret War setting and start blowing things up.

Plus, if later on you want to add in Eunech sorcerers, Shaolin kung fu monks or cyberdemons they're already in there.

And it's easy to adapt to other settings. I've still got my notes on running a 70's black exploitation adventure (Funk Shui) as well as a late 70's adventure in England (Punk Shui).

Actually, it is a positive and negative d6.

Other than that, I totally agree with wyrdlyng. I'm running a 'Pulp Shui' set in an alternate world 1925 and it is a blast.

Feng Shui is the RPG I recommend, without reservation, to new comers to our little hobby. Not everybody has played an RPG, but most have seen an action flick.

Oh, and Jake? the moto of the Jammers {a group of cybernetic monkeys from an Orwellian future in the Secret War setting} is:

Blow things up! Blow things up! Blow things up!

Thanks! I'm been looking for Feng Shui...I guess I'll have to order it. Any relation on that to the Chinese art of Interior design (seriously)?

Jake

Jake Norwood wrote: Thanks! I'm been looking for Feng Shui...I guess I'll have to order it. Any relation on that to the Chinese art of Interior design (seriously)?

Actually, yes.

The Secret War is a battle to control and attune to Feng Shui sites. Whomever controls the most in a time period can rewrite reality to their paradigm. The current time period is ruled by a secret conspiracy (a la X-Files) of Awakened Animals (animals who turned into humans). They deposed the former rulers of our time period (4 magical rulers) and sent them packing into the Netherworld.

Only those in the War end up remembering that things weren't always like this.

The Netherworld is a mutable limbo realm which acts as a connection to all the differing time periods. The periods are (by style): Ancient China with Eunech sorcerers, hopping vampires and demons; China during the Boxer Rebellion complete with Shaolin monk and kung fu; the present day; and the Orwellian future ruled by a Megacorporation and armed with cyberdemons. The three remaining factions are: the cybermonkey anarchists from the future, the former rulers of our time period, and the "rag-tag band of heroes"(TM) assembled to keep the other factions from winning.

Sorry about the wrong info on the die type. I've got 10-siders on the brain. ("But feel how smooth they are.")


Sorry about the wrong info on the di

Huh. I was wondering about the connection. My mom studied FS in China for a while...I wonder if she's a psycho monkey...

probably not. SHe's my mom, after all.

And no, I haven't seen any edition of FS at my FLGS, despite the fact that they generally have really good selection.

Jake