Systemless Sourcebooks?

[koipond]

[kumakami]

To be honest I never have been a fan of too many "lite" or "crunch-less" things outthere. I can say I see the apeel for the free based ones, one does feel like its a waste of money. In the end is a matter of "I could of just read a book" syndrom for me. With out enough crunch its contextless.

its like telling some one who thinks out side the box "do anything!" If the box is anything the out side of that is...NOTHING! if this resourch is anygame then the creative way to use it is in...NO game.

[koipond]

See, to me when I read more fiction stuff in an RPG book I get more ideas on how to run games.

That's why I like to write books like that. I feel that rules don't always make for good books.

[kumakami]

See I love reading the fiction in games too, I feel too many game lack good stories to exite both player and GM... but with out the system its just a good book. While no game can survive on the systems alone, the same is true of setting. I'm a big fan of balance...which its the hardest one to acheve (damn spelling)

[koipond]

See for me, the system comes in the main core book. Anything else is just fiction because too many extra rules and then you get the WOD or 3e problem where you've got the potential of so many rules changes and variations that you have to literally ban books from being used lest your head esplode.

[kumakami]

see if you're claming core perfection...aka no need for more rules...then why do you feel the need for expantion of any type? if the rules are perfect the setting should be too, or your lazy

[NoobHealer]

I can see both your points... and in reality... I don't know which I agree with.

Fiction in games does help get your mind flowing. It helps people to understand how the world is supposed to work and what to expect from the game. It is important as it gives the players a deeper world to explore and thus... more fun.

I also agree that many games today make my head explode due to "You do this EXCEPT in cases 1, 2 and 738." If the GM doesn't own all 37 guidebooks he won't know the added rules about beserker rage... or elven nobility. If people can't keep track of all the rules, it's gone too far.

That said... crunch is necessary for a game. The rules are the difference between storytelling and gaming. The rules are the risks that you take... that off chance that something goes wrong.

If I buy a sourcebook, I want the crunch that will let me USE the weapons and characters. The added items and classes should have the associated statistics and... sadly... rules. If the system perfectly encompasses all possible situations in it's core set... why would I need to buy more?

If there is no difference between the Laser Rifle in the core book, and the Plasma Thrower in the source... then why would I need the source? I can get inspiration from Netflix and Google...

If you really believe that your setting is amazing enough that it needs a book without rules. Make it an actual story and market it as such. I'll see your world in action... I'll get ideas... I'll understand your vision... and most importantly I'll be more entertained than the geography book and list of weapon names that define your world.

[koipond]

[thedeadone]

From the other perspective though, writing a systemless description of your setting is quite liberating. It does help you quantify and organise you're setting material (in preperation of making a system), think about stories and characters without being bound by a character creation system and allows you to ask questions about why things are the way they are.

I found on my current project, dropping the system design and just focusing on the setting threw up themes and new concepts and I found myself thinking of potential characters and stories for each element of the setting.

But ultimately as a consumer I wouldn't go for a systemless setting or sourcebook. It's basically leaving all the work up to the reader to convert it to a game to play. I wouldn't mind a systemless sourcebook if there were cheaper supplements that contain an implementation in your favourite system or a range of systems, for example.

[koipond]

I can understand and respect the not wanting to buy a systemless sourcebook. It's all just a matter of taste, really, and when you do write one it's a toss up as to who is going to buy it.