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First step:
Light-system RPGs
Systemless RPG belongs to the big family
of freeform games*, but is not the easiest
way of approaching such games. In this page, we review briefly some important
freeform games you can begin with. Depending of your vision of RPG, you
maybe don't want to go further this sort of games (because you can have
the feeling that is useless to get rid of all the rules). It is your choice.
*the
australian meaning of this word is quite different and is used for a style
of LARP
| Special-system
RPGs |
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In classic RPGs, the realism is controled
by rules, and the development of the adventure (including the sense
of drama) is supposed to be controled by the GM. This way of dealing
with RPG often lead to the fact that the development of the adventure,
even if it is always considered as an important thing, is not the
primary goal of a game.
Let's list the RPGs that try to balance this effect with rules dedicated
to the construction (or the modification) of the adventure, and
not only to the respect of the realism.
TheatriX : the first example
that must come in mind. In TheatriX there is explicit rules to control
the plot itself. It enables to achieve the ambience of a movie.
TheatriX is mostly used for contemporary settings.
Feng-shui : an action described
in the spirit of Honk-Kong action movies is more often a success
than an ordinary, realistic action, event if it is normally much
more difficult to complete.
Chimères : an old french
game where players can
time to time take the place of the GM.
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| Light-system
RPGs |
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Another way
of increasing the importance of the development of the adventure
compared to realism is to lighten the rules. This leads to light-system
games...
Amber
: diceless, everyone knows it.
Hero Wars
: a fantasy game where the rules are very fuzzy for the resolution
of the actions. This is supposed to let the place for imagination
Hurlements
: one of the first light-system game in France (in the middle of
the 80's). The player is not supposed to see his character sheet,
and, in fact, when you play you have the impression of playing systemless
(most of GM don't let the player
roll any dice, for instance). The game is both oneiric and historic
(Middle Ages).
Fudge : one of the most successfull
free RPG around the world. The skills are not fixed by the rules,
and the stats are supposed to be literal ("Force:great",
instead of "Force:80%"). Thus it is possible to play diceless,
which leads to something very similar to systemless RPG.
The Window
: the other perfectly achieved free RPG with a very light system.
I prefer this system (compared to Fudge) because it is more pleasant
to use (and there is absolutely no calculation). Homepage
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| Systemless
RPGs |
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The expression
"a systemless RPG" is in fact a nonsense:
Systemless RPG is a way of playing, not a concrete
game. In the two following pages, the authors expose their vision
of systemless RPG.
Heritage
: contains "rules" for playing systemless and many backgrounds
(cyber, superhero, etc). Homepage
Daidalos
: if you read german, it is undoubtedly the place to go to get all
the bases of systemless roleplaying. Homepage
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