Could TFT Be to GURPS What 5E Is to D&D?

[flankspeed]

Fifth Edition Dungeons & Dragons has been a great success for Wizards of the Coast by simplifying both the complexity of 3rd Edition and the extremely detailed tactical focus of 4th Edition.

Could TFT provide a “GURPS Extra-Light” experience that offers just the right “Goldilocks Zone” of simpler rules, streamlined combat, and Game Master agency for house rules that 5th Edition has brought to D&D?

Judging from the way the Kickstarter is going like gangbusters, I’m beginning to entertain the thought that TFT is The Little Engine That Could, or rather, The Feisty Train That Could.

Go Feisty Train! Go TFT!

[zot]

Originally Posted by flankspeed

Fifth Edition Dungeons & Dragons has been a great success for Wizards of the Coast by simplifying the complexity of 3rd Edition and the extremely detailed tactical focus of 4th Edition.

Could TFT provide a “GURPS Extra-Light” experience that offers just the right “Goldilocks Zone” of simpler rules, streamlined combat, and Game Master agency for house rules that 5th Edition has brought to D&D?

Judging from the way the Kickstarter is going like gangbusters, I’m beginning to entertain the thought that TFT is The Little Engine that Could, or rather, The Feisty Train That Could.

Go Feisty Train! Go TFT!

That's certainly where it fits for me. I started with TFT as soon as it came out and I've been playing Fate and Fate-related games for about 13 years, so I'm a rules-light, story-heavy, person.

Getting back into TFT has been really fun for me and I'm loving where it looks to be headed, too!

[larsdangly]

I don't have anything negative to say about GURPS: it is a great game and will continue to stand on its own, if only by virtue of its unbelievable back catalogue of supplements, But I think if TFT has a breakout into the wider roleplaying community (most likely the OSR crowd, at least at first), it will be for the reason you suggest. I've played a lot of GURPS and TFT, and I think it is pretty clear that the latter is just more fun as a game: it is easy to pick up and set aside; it is very quick playing and dynamic; it has tactile components; the writing and spells and monsters and so forth are fun, creative and zippy. The whole thing is just very accessible. There is a non-negligible chance that we could see tens of thousands of people playing it in a couple of years, which constitute a '5E-like' take over of a slice of the hobby.

[stefanj]

This occurred to me when thinking of questions for Steve's Q&A. Could TFT be a light-duty RPG that breaks out in places like Target?



And he answered it!


"It depends" is the short version of the answer. We need to promote this KS and the game.

[philreed]

Originally Posted by stefanj

"It depends" is the short version of the answer. We need to promote this KS and the game.

I know from experience that game buyers at stores keep an eye on Kickstarter and, if a game does remarkable, they sometimes try to bring it into the chain.

[JLV]

We'll just have to keep pushing for "remarkable" then! ;-)