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Old 12-22-2017, 12:33 PM   #1
Shostak
 
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Default Which 3 RPGs for Library Collection?

Your local librarian asks you to choose three RPGs for the collection. Which three do you recommend, and why?
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Old 12-22-2017, 12:56 PM   #2
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Default Re: Which 3 RPGs for Library Collection?

I would suggest GURPS 3rd edition basic set. It has the advantage of being a single book that only requires pencil, paper and 3 easy to find D6 to play. For dead simple mechanics maybe Advanced Fighting Fantasy, again it only uses D6. I cant really think of anything that suits any better than its competitors for the third slot.
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Old 12-22-2017, 01:15 PM   #3
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Default Re: Which 3 RPGs for Library Collection?

I like the idea of sticking to single-volume books and d6's.

I'd choose: The Traveller Book, the Champions 4e hardcover, and Mini Six.
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Old 12-22-2017, 02:42 PM   #4
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Default Re: Which 3 RPGs for Library Collection?

I would suggest

Call of cthulhu
WEG Star War
DFRPG

3 different style of play,
3 games that can be played with just the core set
and the first two are rules light and can be played with just the character sheets and a few notes, once the book have been brought back to the library.

Last edited by Celjabba; 12-23-2017 at 12:14 PM.
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Old 12-22-2017, 02:59 PM   #5
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Default Re: Which 3 RPGs for Library Collection?

It would be hard to set up a RPG selection without some form of D&D, it's market dominance almost requires it, so the the three Core D&D 5E books. To catch the Super Heroes boom, maybe Champions, and then a generalist system like GURPS 3E. If you want to combine some stuff, maybe Champions and the HERO system, and then the current Star Wars RPG to draw interest, or maybe something like FATE or World of Darkness for the different narrative structure.
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Old 12-22-2017, 03:38 PM   #6
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Default Re: Which 3 RPGs for Library Collection?

Trail of Cthulhu, because it is a popular, relatively rules-light version of the classic and venerable Call of Cthulhu--one of the oldies--and it uses the ubiquitous d6. It admirably fills the horror and investigation niche. Gamers who love it will find Pelgrane has amply supported it.

Traveller has weathered the test of time, and represents the space genre pretty well. I might replace this with a good version of a Star Wars game, if only because the brand recognition could bring in a lot of players, but I don't have any experience with the Star Wars games and thus can't recommend one. I'd go with Mongoose's new Traveller Core Book, because it is current.

GURPS Basic Set 4th ed., because GURPS rocks and want to spread the love. GURPS has lasted decades. The Basic Set has everything one needs to play in just about any genre, but its built-in magic system lets this game fill the fantasy niche. (If GURPS Dungeon Fantasy RPG were hardcover, I'd recommend that, but I think many libraries would have an issue with the binding.) 4th edition is current and well supported, and all the 3e books are relatively easy to use for 4th.

One might ask, "Why not include D&D?" and it would be a good question. Part of my reason to not include it is that D&D books are easily found in bookstores, which means they are relatively accessible and thus not necessarily as valuable to patrons. Another is that it requires special dice, which are common enough among established gamers, are not as easily found as are d6.
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Old 12-22-2017, 06:24 PM   #7
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Default Re: Which 3 RPGs for Library Collection?

I wouldn't choose any old edition of anything that has a new edition, unless there was an attempt at a complete collection (generally libraries don't purposefully look for obsolete editions of books as new acquisitions).
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Old 12-22-2017, 09:09 PM   #8
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Default Re: Which 3 RPGs for Library Collection?

Are these intended for the reference section, or to circulate?
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Old 12-23-2017, 10:14 PM   #9
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Default Re: Which 3 RPGs for Library Collection?

Call of Cthulhu - it's a classic, extremely important, and the system can still stand up today. It's perfect for what one wants it to do. It also upends the idea of 'winning' at an RPG. Your character succeedes in CoC by staying as ignorant as possible while trying to survive.

D&D 5th Edition - D&D because it IS tabletop roleplaying. 5th edition because the rules are designed to be splatbook proof, even at high levels. You can have good games at any character or player level.

Paranoia - it turned the 'Monty Haul' style of murder-hoboing on its head AND the Gygaxian-style play of 'tell the caller what you want to do and they'll tell the GM' into a flurry of giggly note scribbling between GM and players.

Honorable mention: Torg for making the idea of a shared-world metaplot real for a lot of players. That made a community out of people rather than the endless number of personal settings. Compare to Traveller, which has a metaplot but people talk about 'in MY Traveller universe', where EVERYONE's Torg games happened in the same universe - to the point that local campaigns were made official canonical happenings.

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Your local librarian asks you to choose three RPGs for the collection. Which three do you recommend, and why?
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Old 12-26-2017, 06:19 AM   #10
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Default Re: Which 3 RPGs for Library Collection?

I'm pondering these factors:

Name Recognition
Easy of Play, particularly to start
Size/Cost /Availability of Books and on-line support
Introduction to different styles and genres

It might also make sense to recruit some local GMs for a couple of demo days, running short adventures in the chosen systems for anyone who signs up or wanders in.

First: D5e -- you have to cover D&D in some form. D5 is reasonably newbie friendly. Pair it with a least one of the adventure books for folks who don't want to start with bespoke adventures.

Second: Fate Core or Fate Accelerated -- introduction to the indie game player-centered, collaborative style. Can use d6s instead of specialized fate-dice. Pair it with any of the Fate world books or world collections to help get a game off the ground. If Dresden Files is popular at your library, Dresden Files Accelerated is a good choice.

Third: I'm leaning towards an incarnation of CoC -- Pulp Cthulu or Trail might be good places to start. Again, pair it with a decent adventure. As other have said, it's venerable for good reasons and offers a very different game style and experience.

If West End Star Wars were still in print I might go there for the third, just for the ability to tie game to pop culture easily. Don't know the current Star Wars RPG well enough to comment on it.

Others:

I like Hero. I've played incarnations of it since the original Champions. But, the most recent edition I have is a doorstop of a tome with long, complex rules section to tune a character to what you want. It's a great system, but I'd call it an intermediate one, not an intro one.

I like GURPS, obviously. Again, played incarnations going back quite a ways. But again, a pair of hefty books just to get started. Again, lots of options and the ability to tune characters at a fine level, but an intermediate system, not an intro one. If Discworld is popular in that library, maybe GURPS Discworld with the GURPS Lite system.

A few other ideas:

13th Age -- I hear good things of it as a variation on the d20 fantasy game.

Bubblegumshoe -- variation on Gumshoe for teen investigators. Heavy on social combat, light on actual fighting. Won the Ennie for Best Family Game last year.

Cthulhu Confidential -- a 1 GM/1 Player variant of Gumshoe, good for folks who don't have an established body of players.

Dracula Dossier -- spies meet vampires. It won a bucket-load of awards in 2016.

Feng Shui -- written for fast, action heavy play. A good way to draw folks in.

Mouse Guard -- haven't played it, but hear good things of it. I think it ties in nicely to the Redwall books.

Paranoia -- haven't read the latest edition, but older ones were lots of fun to read, tho needed the right GM to play.

Pathfinder -- haven't played it myself, but it's been popular in local circles. I think D5e is a better choice for the name recognition.

Traveller -- again, not familiar with the latest version, but I think of it more as an intermediate system -- works best if you are already familiar with RPGs.

Last edited by L.J.Steele; 12-27-2017 at 05:43 AM.
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