GM – Okay next week I'm going to start up a new game since we wrapped up this campaign. I'm going to run Conspiracy X for you all.
Player 1 – Cool been wanting to try that.
Player 3 – Sweet.
Player 2 – Well, what system are you going to use?
GM – Going to use the system in the book.
Player 2 – What? Are you kidding? UniURPS does it better. Trust me I know that system.
GM – Well I don't want to have to convert everything.
Player 2 – Oh no problem you just need to pick the main rulebook, the Private Spies sourcebook, Aliens 2 and 3 sourcebooks and Modern Conspiracy. That should do it.
GM – Yeah I don't think I'm going to go that route. Not what....
Player 2 – Oh so after we had to play this last fantasy game that was hopelessly crippled by using the D&D 3.0 rules. Which UniURPS would have done much better emulating with a few of the rules expansions. But now we have to play Conspiracy X on it's fail system?
GM – What... I don't even know....
Yeah, now that is really productive isn't it. Many of us have seen this, it's the 'My System Is The Answer' guy. No matter what you want to play, are planning on playing or just talking about, his personal favorite system is what fits it best. No matter how much it doesn't it just does.
Now if you are this guy you need to clue in on a few things. First off that system you love so much, well, not everyone thinks the same. Also it doesn't work for everything and never will. All the universal, in house rule sets and epic all encompassing systems don't work for everyone or everything. This is the first step you must just simply accept. It's just the plain truth. Get over it.
Onto the second thing. Even if your favorite system covers it very well not everyone is going to want to use it. People have their only personal tastes in how they want to play, in the level of number crunching they want to deal with. With the ultimate deciding factor falling on the GM and what system they want to use. Most likely it's the one they are most comfortable using or one they want to try out. Maybe you should give a chance also.
Third thing, this one I'm going to be rather rude about here. If no one else is interested in using your system and have told you so then... shut the hell up about it. Seriously, the only way you could get the group to go your way now is to annoy them enough. They will switch up just to shut you up and then they'll most likely resent you for quite a while over it.
If playing your favorite system all the time means that much to that you can't handle anything else. Then just leave the group and find one that feels the same way as you. Obviously people who want to try something different from time to time aren't your type of crowd.
Now that I've said that I'll say this. There is a time and a place and, most importantly, a way to suggest using your favorite system. Always remember to respect the other people at the table and their opinions. The prime time to offer it up is when the group is deciding together what they want to play next, when ideas are being tossed around. Not when the GM has already laid it out pretty clearly that he is running X using Y and that's what he is running.
Well that's all I have for this one. See you in two weeks.
Musing and articles from Peter Amthor. Usually of a role playing game influence but I do drift into other directions occasionally. You can also find me on BlueSky at peteramthor.bsky.social. Comments and constructive criticism welcome.
Yeah, but everyone knows that DicePoolUni is the best system, and that DOES cover everything because it has a sourcebook for everything. So you should convert to DicePoolUni instead of even thinking about UniURPS ;)
ReplyDeleteI think it's one thing to suggest/promote a system when the subject of a new game comes up... another to keep proselytizing it ad nauseum, especially during a game ("This would have gone so much better in FATE!").
ReplyDeleteAlso, as bad as the 'One Game To Rule Them All' guys are the System Monkeys who want to try the hot new thing RPGnet 'darling' every week are just as annoying... "Why do you want to play that?", "It's NEW!"
Won't let me use my gmail/blogger ID. Going to try my old Livejournal one.
ReplyDeleteI agree the those who jump from one system to another are annoying also. But usually you tend to know they do that when you join the group or you learn it pretty quick. Upcoming in one of my future articles is talking about the idea that if you don't like what the group is doing then there is always the option to leave at anytime.
Or, if you are dead set on using this system, how about running a game as the GM and show everyone why it is better or even that it is a good game... let's start with that... show them a good game using your system and give your GM a break for a bit. You'll all be better for it.
ReplyDeleteThis is true, GMS like to play as much as anyone else so alternating helps alot unless they strictly like doing the base work for others to work with.
DeleteOr, if you are dead set on using this system, how about running a game as the GM and show everyone why it is better or even that it is a good game... let's start with that... show them a good game using your system and give your GM a break for a bit. You'll all be better for it.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how in the minority I am to just always want the system that allows for the most fluid storytelling ("best story" is a subjective concept).
ReplyDelete